Sunday, June 1, 2008

Dirty, Smelly, Noisy

The Western Avenue Studios Artist Association of Lowell, MA proposed an exhibit titled "Dirty, Smelly, Noisy" because the zoning board denied a special permit for a Lofts project that would provide 48 living/work spaces for artists in the G-Mill of the Western Avenue Studios Complex. The Zoning Board members felt the area was too "dirty, smelly, and noisy" and artist's wouldn't want to live there. The 160 artists who work in the 121 studios located in the Main building and A-Mill of the complex disagree! Hence they decided to launch an exhibit opened to any artist wishing to make a statement about inspirations found in industrial areas. In response I created this piece of Art Cloth using rust dyeing wheels that I dug out of my garden 20+ years ago. They were apparently part of a pulley system for a well. For many years I had them displayed on a wall on my patio with vines and flowers growing around them. When we built a deck, they came down. I've been wanting to try rust dyeing and this seemed like the perfect opportunity! The exhibit runs from June 1, 2008 to June 30, 2008 in common area of the Western Studios Complex in Lowell, MA.
"Wheels"- Detail. Dyed, over dyed, rust dyed, block and screen printed, foiled with copper foil on raw silk noil. The finished piece is 45" x 72".


"Wheels" - Detail.
"Wheels" Detail.