I'm on my way

Yup, I booked the tickets tonight!  I'm going to New York and see the exhibition for myself!

Ellis Island

I've got a place to stay, and a list of museums a mile long to fill up all my waking hours.  The trip will be brief, and there's so much to see! Let's see, there's the Whitney Biennial,  The Museum of Arts and Design exhibition Slash: Paper Under the Knife, MOMA, The Met . . .

Broadway . . . 

Ellis Island is UP!

We've heard from the folks at the Basque Museum that Hidden in Plain Sight - the Basque exhibition at Ellis Island is up and it looks great.   Here's a link to the exhibition website.  An abbreviated version of our traveling exhibition Immigrant Shadows is a small part of this extensive exhibition,  and Earle and I are thrilled to be participating.   We've been told it looks wonderful and I can't begin to tell you how excited we are! The exhibition runs from February 6 through May 9, 2010

So Long Lewiston

Earle and I met in Lewiston yesterday to tear down the show. Gallery Director, Ellen Vieth was one step ahead of us in getting things started.  Poor Ellen was feeling  really crummy, but thanks to her we finished tearing down the show really quickly.  Later that evening, the Swope family and Kirk and I enjoyed a great meal at Tomato Brothers where the food was good, the wine was fine and we had a great time!

The drive home from Lewiston was easy and the drive through the Salmon River canyon was beautiful!

Now, aside from the new panels and castings that should be on their way to Ellis Island, Immigrant Shadows is taking a much needed vacation.

Unbelievable!

Got up early today to meet Michael at the Basque Museum to take down my portion of Immigrant Shadows and load it in the crate.  Earle de-installed his castings yesterday and the crate will soon be on it's way.  It's legit!  ImmShads is on its way to New York City!  New York City? Uhhuh, NYC!  It's all part of a very important exhibition about Basque Immigration at Ellis Island and Earle and I are beyond thrilled to be a part of this.  The exhibition, Hidden in Plain Sight: The Basques opens  February 6, 2010 and I'd give anything to join the Boise contingent.   There will be a delegation from the Basque Government along with a huge delegation from Boise including  Basque music, Basque dancers - a real celebration.

And just between you and me - I think Tom Trusky will be there in spirit.  He, bless his heart, was the BSU professor that brought the story of the arborglyph to both Earle's and my attention in his Book Arts class.   He was also one of our biggest cheerleaders and champions.
Actually, we've had incredible support along the way:  Garth Claassen, Tom Trusky,  John Bieter, Boise City Arts and History Commission, Idaho Commission on the Arts, Amy Jo Popa,  Jody Ochoa, Ann Schorzman, Ellen Vieth, the Basque Museum, and many, many, many more.
We are well aware  and so grateful for all of our good fortune and wonderful support!

Who Knew?

We opened tonight at Boise's Basque Museum as a brief part of  the exhibit that will be at the Ellis Island National Monument in New York City from February to May.   It will travel to Ellis Island for the three month exhibition, which means Immigrant Shadows is going to New York!  It's barely been a year since we opened at the Rosenthal Gallery at College of Idaho and we have had the tremendous good fortune to show in Idaho, Nevada, Michigan and now New York. 

The "L" on the Hill Must Stand for Laughter!

We had such a great time in Lewiston.  Ellen Vieth is the most fun I've had in a long time.  It was so great getting to know her and watch the energy that just exudes from her very being!

I've been watching her from afar on facebook, but in real life it's dazzling and so is she!  In all of our photos we're cracking up and having a wonderful time.  The reception was super and we had an amazing crowd and wonderful food from La Boheme.   Ellen also hooked me up with some Potlatch Paper and those of you in the know, know what I'm talking about, right? Well, maybe not.  It's overruns of great clay coated paper that I'll have fun experimenting with.

Ellen has a penchant for shoes and so do I, so we got a shot of our shoes - Earle's too!  Can you figure out who's are whose?

Lewiston marks our final run for 2009 with Immigrant Shadows and will run through January 15, 2010.   It's really been a great ride and Earle and I have learned so much and had a terrific time.

It was a long drive home and we ran into snow in Riggins and nearly all the way home.  It's beginning to look a lot like winter around Idaho.  In fact, on the way back to the Red Lion last night, I was startled to see all the trees in a little park down the hill from the hotel all lit up.  It was Lewiston Aglow!

Sorry it's a bit blurry; April was driving and we were moving when I took the shot. The colors were magnificent and were a great finale to a wonderful day.

So, it looks like the holidays are on their way!  Everybody have a safe and thankful TG!

Lovin' Lewiston

Found a great bakery/restaurant/cafe today.   It was recommended by gallery director and new friend  Ellen Vieth for my luncheon date with Moscow Installation artist Gerri Sayler.    Gerri drove down from Moscow today to see Immigrant Shadows at the Lewiston Center for Arts and History and met Earle and me at the Gallery where she gave us some great feedback on our work and asked so many insightful questions!   

It was barely over a year ago when I first saw Gerri at work hanging her Ad Infinitum BAM exhibition.   I remember being so in awe of her work and being way too shy to interrupt her and  introduce myself.  And it wasn't long after that when Earle and I bumped in to each other at BAM when we agreed to combine our work and become co-collaborators on Immigrant Shadows.

Gerri and I had  a wonderful conversation about our work, and our thoughts on women artists, returning to school to study art, risk-taking and reinventing ourselves.  Gerri, of course, has been prolific since earning her degree and has presented many installations at significant venues throughout the Northwest.

My camera batteries are charging so I can get some photos at CAH tonight!  My dear friend April is driving up as I write and it will be wonderful to have such a fabulous day of female support.

Thank you Ellen, Gerri and April!