Art Hop '23
CARE (A Community Collaboration), 2023. Mixed Media on Panel with LEDs. 30" x 60"
CARE was an interactive project staged at Art Hop 2023. Starting as a white sign with cut-out words, it was painted by community members over the course of three days with materials I provided. Rich, layered, and surprising, chaotic and thoughtful, the final product reflects a wonderful experience steeped in community engagement.
Sign of the Times
Can't Say We Didn't See It Coming!, 2023. Found Steel Tabletop, Acrylic, Hardware.
Sign of the Times was a solo show at Whitewater Gallery in East Hardwick, VT. It ran from June 4th to July 9th and continued my exploration of the "road sign" as a framework for personal reflection and cultural critique.
Installation View, White Water Gallery
We are surrounded by signs all the time. Most of them try to tell us what we can or cannot do, and thus attempt to maintain order. Either that or sell us something. They’ve become so ubiquitous, such a part of the constructed landscape, that’s it’s easy to forget they are there, let alone question them or appreciate their strange beauty.
The work in this show painstakingly deconstructs, collects, and reconstructs the familiar form of the road sign – gives it a twist – and then spirals off from there. Assembled from parts of actual found signs, secondhand goods, and other ephemera, they are at once recognizable and yet also unknown; rooted in time and yet timeless. Rather than maintain order, they are more likely to disrupt it. And by undermining preconceived notions, they offer alternative pathways. Many of them point to something ‘off screen,’ and can be seen as symbols on a personal journey, if not a collective one.
The work in this show painstakingly deconstructs, collects, and reconstructs the familiar form of the road sign – gives it a twist – and then spirals off from there. Assembled from parts of actual found signs, secondhand goods, and other ephemera, they are at once recognizable and yet also unknown; rooted in time and yet timeless. Rather than maintain order, they are more likely to disrupt it. And by undermining preconceived notions, they offer alternative pathways. Many of them point to something ‘off screen,’ and can be seen as symbols on a personal journey, if not a collective one.
Plex Arts Fest
HOPE, 2023. Repurposed Steel, Enamel, Acrylic, Marker. 36" x 60"
Plex Art Fest was a brand new arts festival in Burlington, VT, with an emphasis on contemporary and experimental work. It was a one day event on May 20th, 2023, and featured 60+ participating artists, including Susan and I!
My contribution was a work-in-progress that I invited the public to help me complete. It was a large steel sign featuring the word HOPE cut through it that I encouraged people to "tag" with graffiti. Spray paint, markers, and acrylics were provided. The finished sign/collaboration will be featured in my upcoming solo show, Sign of the Times.
The festival was raw, spontaneous, and beautiful. There were many stunning performances and installations, and the enthusiasm for my interactive piece was palpable. I only had two instructions for participants: "1. You can't F*** it up. 2. Nothing is precious." Dozens of people left their mark throughout the evening, as the sign was painted and repainted. What an awesome experience! This was my first attempt at any kind of open-ended collaboration, and the result was encouraging and invigorating.
My contribution was a work-in-progress that I invited the public to help me complete. It was a large steel sign featuring the word HOPE cut through it that I encouraged people to "tag" with graffiti. Spray paint, markers, and acrylics were provided. The finished sign/collaboration will be featured in my upcoming solo show, Sign of the Times.
The festival was raw, spontaneous, and beautiful. There were many stunning performances and installations, and the enthusiasm for my interactive piece was palpable. I only had two instructions for participants: "1. You can't F*** it up. 2. Nothing is precious." Dozens of people left their mark throughout the evening, as the sign was painted and repainted. What an awesome experience! This was my first attempt at any kind of open-ended collaboration, and the result was encouraging and invigorating.
Highland Center for the Arts: Open Air Gallery 2023
January 1st - March 26th, 2023. Greensboro, VT. Open dawn to Dusk. Visit www.highlandartsvt.org for more details.
Border Crossing, 2022. Short-lived site-specific installation in Greensboro, VT. Galvanized Steel, Chain, Springs, Tubing ~20’ x 40’ x 1’.
