Events 2007-08
I have a new gallery representation of my abstract batiks at the well established Old Pueblo Frameworks and Gallery in Suite 101 at 1825 East River Road in Tucson, Arizona. Check out their website www.oldpueblogallery.com. If you do drop in, do say hello to owner Kathi Rodgers.
TEXTURES GALLERY (right) has relocated to 7127 East Sixth Avenue Scottsdale, Arizona (www.artspaceaz.com). The grand reopening was on Thursday, February 7, 2008.
In September 2008 I will be the featured artist in Houston, Texas at www.texastuscanfurniture.com, founded by Pamela Halverson, friend of many years.
In 2007, I participated in the SURFACE DESIGN ASSOCIATION (www.surfacedesign.org) conference in Kansas City, Kansas, May 26 through June 7. The three day pre-conference workshop I took was “Discharge and Vat Dyes in Batik” with Rita Trefois from Belgium. It took my batik skills to another level.
The conference itself followed, with four days of lectures, exhibits, openings, and meeting fiber artists from the world over. I stayed on to do a three day post-conference workshop. This one was “Art as Quiet” with Sue Hammond-West of Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. It was a true soul-calming three days after the hectic conference events.
My batik artist sister Dikki Van Helsland accompanied me to the conference. We drove to Kansas City from Phoenix. On our return trip, we had Rita Trefois with us. We planned to share our wondrous southwest with her and saw some of the following sites:
It was Georgia O’Keeffe country so we visited her house in Abiquii, spent time at Ghost Ranch (www.ghostranch.org), stayed in Taos at the legendary Luhan house (www.mabeldodgeluhan.com) and in Santa Fe spent time at the O’Keeffee museum (www.okeeffemuseum.org).
On the trip back to Phoenix, we also took time to visit fellow batik artist Bunny Bowen who lives just north of Albuquerque. She specializes in the Japanese batik technique of Rozome. www.db-bowen.com
In March of 2007 six artist friends drove down to Mata Ortiz, in Chihuahua, Mexico. It is the center of the most beautiful pottery that has evolved over the last thirty or so years (www.mataortizpottery.com). We had great guides and in three days were able to visit the home studios of many of the village’s potters.
