Thank You Frida Kahlo

I had the privilege of visiting Frida Kahlo's home in Mexico City in 2005 while on a staff trip with Chicago chef Rick Bayless. I was so excited about going there and had all these preconceived ideas about photographing the space, only to learn that no one was allowed to photograph inside the home. I did, however, make a few images in the garden.


What really peaked my interest and curiosity was how Frida Kahlo embedded ceramic vessels along the outside of the house, I am assuming to attract nesting birds.


I spent time gardening this past weekend, watching and listening to the many birds that passed thru my garden. I then realized that I could try to create a nesting area, similar to what Kahlo did, only on our garage. I have yet to know whether any of the local birds will be drawn to making their homes in these baskets but it sure is fun to anticipate the possibility!

Art and Empty Store Fronts

Returning home last night after viewing Art Chicago left me with a host of thoughts. It was very stimulating to see so much art, some of it wonderful and some of it leaving me wondering why they bother. The scene felt very subdued compared to the hussle and bussle and of last year ( they had 5 shows last year instead of the 3 of this year). I missed the Artist Project, where I had exhibited the past 2 years but was happy to have the time to take in other artists' work.

I have had a keen awareness of all the empty store fronts in my community as a result of the downturn in the economy. On the drive home I was thinking of all those empty stores and all the artists I know who would love to have their work seen and how it would feel, as a pedestrian, to walk past a window of wonderful art verses a sorry reminder of our economic woes.

I contacted the chair of the Evanston Arts Council this morning and guess what! I got and email stating,"...We actually are embarking on that project as we speak.... and should have Evanston artists work in the Orrington/Church area within the next month or so." How thrilling is that!



I would urge you to fill your empty neighborhood storefronts with art...a win ~ win for everyone involved.

First 100 Days

The marking of Barack Obama's First 100 days is a good segue into an upcoming exhibit, The Night Hope Won, opening May 8th. A fellow Chicago photographer, Doug McGoldrick, put out a call for images that were taken at Grant Park election night. I was there, and of course, had my camera with me. So I responded, sent him some of the work and am included in the exhibit along with Suzette Bross, Patty Carroll, Peter Barreras, Jennifer Greenburg, Jason Lazarus, Jay Wolke,Roark Johnson, Jeremy Lawson, Chester Costello, Richard Lesh, David Wittig, Ricky Havlik, Nancy Beale, Stephen Vallera, and Julia Clark. The first showing will be in Cleveland, Missisippi. I have hopes that the work will be exhibited at a venue closer to Chicago too.

Doug has published the book on Blurb and created a blog on the exhibit.
I still marvel that our country has such an amazing person at the helm!

Trouble the Water ~ A MUST SEE

"...one of the best American documentaries in recent memory." -- Manohla Dargis, The New York Times

Just watched Trouble the Water on HBO and was blown away by its immediacy and honesty. It is by far the best film I have seen on Katrina. I couldn't help but wonder how things would have turned out differently with Barack Obama in office.
My heart aches for all the unnecessary suffering that was caused by indifference in the Bush Oval office.

The Tragedy of it All ~ Chicago Tribune lays off more staff

Including Alan Artner....how could that be?
What little reporting they did on the visual arts was covered by Alan Artner for I don't know how many years.
Incredible loss for our city.

Here is the more complete list from Michael Miner of the Reader...I am shocked, angry and saddened. My heart aches for these staff and for our great city.

Mary L. Dedinsky, Web Editor, Metro
Russell Working, General Assignment Reporter/Writer, Oak Brook Bureau
Susan Diesenhouse, Real Estate Feature Writer
Josephine Napolitano, General Assignment Reporter/Writer, Tinley Park Bureau.
Eric Benderoff, Technology Reporter, Financial News
David Trotman-Wilkins, Staff Photographer
Candice Cusic, Staff Photographer
John Smierciak, Staff Photographer
Charles Cherney, Staff Photographer
William Grady, Deputy Bureau Chief, Schaumburg Bureau
Beth Botts, Garden Writer, House & Homes
Robert K. Elder, Reporter, Live
Lou Carlozo, Reporter, Smart
Brenda Butler, Assistant Editor, Chicago Tribune Magazine
Lilah Lohr, Assistant Books Editor
Jessica Reaves, Reporter, Chicago Tribune Magazine
Tom Hundley, Reporter, Chicago Tribune Magazine
Susan Kuczka, General Assignment Reporter/Writer, Vernon Hills Bureau
Storer Rowley, National Editor
James P. Miller, Corporate Strategy and Manufacturing Reporter, Financial News
Carolyn Starks, General Assignment Reporter/Writer, Crystal Lake Bureau
Melissa Isaacson, Specialist Reporter, Sports
Alan Artner, Art Critic, A&E
Bob Sakamoto, High School Sports Reporter
Suzanne Cosgrove, Assistant Editor, House & Homes
Elaine Matsushita, Editor, House & Homes
John Mullin, Reporter, Sports
Terry Bannon, Illinois Basketball/Football Reporter, Sports
Joshua Boak, Business Reporter
Patrick Reardon, Reporter, Live!

AND ALSO...

Geoff Black, Photo Editor, Features
Bradley Piper, Senior Producer, Editorial Multimedia
Kristin Morris, Assistant Design Editor, Sports
Thomas Carkeek, Associate Subject Editor, Sports
Bonnie Trafelet, Staff Photographer
Timothy J. Horneman, Assistant Subject Editor, Metro
Bob Vanderberg, Assistant High School Sports Editor
Ed Cavanaugh, Assistant Copy Editor, Sports
Richard Rothschild, Assistant Copy Editor, Sports
Keith Swinden, Picture Editor, Sports
Robert Ohap, Assistant Subject Editor, News Editing
Dimitry Tetin, Assistant Subject Editor, Presentation
Marty Fischer, Assistant Subject Editor, Metro Copy Desk
Lucy Hoy, Assistant Subject Editor, Metro Copy Desk
Min Pak, Imaging Technician
Thomas Van Dyke, Staff Photographer
William L. Avorio, Multi-Media Imaging Technician

And...

DeVona Alleyne, Newsdesk

Earth Day and the Pacific Garbage Patch

I have blogged before about Chris Jordan. I first became familiar with his work at the Houston Center for Photography where we were in a group exhibition about Katrina. Chris was a lawyer and decided to turn his efforts to changing the world thru art. His work is very, very compelling.

Gyre, is an 8′ x 11′ triptych based on the famous Japanese painting, “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” by Hokusai. Instead of paint, the colors are composed of 2.4 million pieces of plastic - the estimated number of pounds of plastic that enter the world’s ocean’s every hour! Gyre is named after the Pacific Gyre, a thousand miles wide ocean current which turns clockwise like a giant slow-motion whirlpool and concentrates tons of the world’s trash.


All of the plastic in the image was collected from the Pacific Ocean. The following images are zoomed in to give perspective.




Jordan states on his website, "So my hope is that these photographs can serve as portals to a kind of cultural self-inquiry. It may not be the most comfortable terrain, but I have heard it said that in risking self-awareness, at least we know that we are awake. "

Chicago Cultural Center Openings this Friday ~ Dave Jordano, Eleanor Spiess -Ferris and Jed Fielding

Interesting openings on Friday night (April 17th) on the first floor of the Chicago Cultural Center.

Dave Jordano is having a book signing for his work on Articles of Faith. I blogged about his work earlier and heard him speak last week. Would love to visit some of the churches in his photographs.

Entrance ~ Dave Jordano

Eleanor Spiess Ferris's opening is in the next gallery, Sorrows of Swans. Her paintings are fantastic, dreamy and surreal. Would love to more fully inhabit her world as the magical qualities in her work are so appealing. I first got to know Eleanor at the Evanston Art Center where I took several of her drawing/painting classes. She is a great person and a wonderful teacher. I would whole heartedly recommend taking a class of hers if you ever have the opportunity. Even better yet, buy a painting!



And the third opening just steps away is Jed Fielding's portraits of blind people from Mexico City. The work is haunting and disturbing. I think he is having a book signing too.



Look at Me ~ Jed Fielding