twocoatsofpaint.com

Mark Bradford, "Giant," 2007, mixed media collage on canvas, 102 x 144." Courtesy Sikkema Jenkins.

I'm enjoying this blog, http://www.twocoatsofpaint.com/

Go Mark Bradford with your genius grant.

Part Bicycle?

Anticipating our upcoming trip to Ireland packed with biking trips, our friend Sean Miller sent us this fantastic quote from Flann O'Brian's novel The Third Policeman, in which Sergeant Pluck addresses atomic theory in relation to bicycles:

The gross and net result of it is that people who spent most of their natural lives riding iron bicycles over the rocky roadsteads get their personalities mixed up with the personalities of their bicycle as a result of the interchanging of the atoms of each of them and you would be surprised at the number of people in these parts who nearly are half people and half bicycles. They go on to discuss percentages: apparently the postman, due to the nature of his job which involves much bicycle-riding, is a full 71% bicycle. This also means that his bicycle is 71% human. When it gets to this stage, the bicycle will start sneaking inside to sit by the fire, and food will start disappearing. "If you let it go too far it will be the end of everything," says the Sergeant. "You would have bicycles wanting votes and they would get seats on the County Council."

Must look into whether expatriates exchange atoms with planes. Surely they do with each subsequent location.

Eva Hesse, Immortal Longings

Immortal longings ... an untitled piece of Eva Hesse's Studiowork (1968). Photograph: Abby Robinson/Courtesy of Fruitmarket gallery, Edinburgh

Important to bookmark for later reference. I had never seen this Eva Hesse piece. Exhibition in Edinburgh. Article in The Guardian at http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/aug/05/artist-eva-hesse

Reloville

After taking a brief break from books on transnationalism, I just ordered the following two books:

Next Stop, Reloville: Life Inside America's New Rootless Professional Class by New York Times writer Peter Kilborn

Interview with Kilborn on To the Best of Our Knowledge http://www.wpr.org/book/090712a.cfm

Leaving America: The New Expatriate Generation by John Wennersten

We'll see how they go...I also found this US News article updating numbers on American's abroad (4 to 7 million). They keep moving around so they are hard to count! http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/2008/07/28/a-growing-trend-of-leaving-america.htm

Anderson Ranch with Josh Davis

I've spent this week at Anderson Ranch studying with Josh Davis. Check out his work at joshuadavis.com. More soon on my website, but here's a still of my work here.

Many thanks to Anderson Ranch for helping me to study here. Nestled in the Rockies, it's an ideal artist oasis where everyone is kind and thrilled to be making art.

Ram Katzir and Pico Iyer

Ram Katzir, Tracing Future, 2005, floor engraving, 120 m2, Collection Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art

Two days ago, I emailed artist Ram Katzir (http://www.ramkatzir.com) to find out more about Aomori Contemporary Art Center residencies (http://www.acac-aomori.jp/en/index.html). He highly recommended the program, noting the fierce competition to get in, and after looking at my work, suggested the literature of Pico Iyer. I thought I'd share both tips.

Original In Your Work

Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work.
Flaubert (French writer, 1821-1880)

bldgblog

[Image: The Cable City of Takis Zenetos].


Another recommendation is my new favorite blog at http://bldgblog.blogspot.com/ Many thanks to FSU Geography Professor Phil Steinberg for this recommendation. Scroll down to read about Takis Zenetos. I see a cable city in my artmaking future.

Many thanks to Elisabeth Condon for her lecture last night at FSU. Check out her work at http://www.elisabethcondon.com. It's extraordinary and especially impressive after her move to Florida. Who knew warm weather could increase a flurry of creative activity? I thought that we all assumed the reverse. My favorite new phrase from her talk—rolodex space.

Her Parasol House series reminds me of my favorite show seen over the winter break—Al Held at Casey Kaplan. Those paintings were ahead of their time.

Manny Farber

Had to mention this quote from Manny Farber in his book Negative Space..."Good work usually arises when the creators... seem to have no ambitions towards gilt culture but are involved in a kind of squandering-beaverish endeavor that isn't anywhere or anything... It goes always forward eating its own boundaries, and, likely as not, leaves nothing in its path other than the signs of eager, industrious, unkempt activity."

bldgblog

Florida State University Phil Stenberg recently suggested that I look Los Angeles-based writer Geoff Manaugh 's blog about architecture and unusual ideas about space at http://bldgblog.blogspot.com/.

I think I'm addicted.

Creative Output While Overseas

So I finally lived overseas again (2 months in London, the picture above is of my class in an East London Gallery, taken by Owen Mundy) and found it difficult to post. It's no wonder many of you have trouble contributing to my calls for participation. It's so easy to be distracted by your new environs. I miss the luxury of knowing that you'll be in your new host country for two years more and can explore at a more human pace. Next time. I'm looking into artist residencies for my next overseas experience. The following sites have been most helpful:

http://www.transartists.nl/
http://www.resartis.org/
http://www.mesart.com/art/Resources:Artist-in-Residency_Programs

Happy hunting!

Collaboration with Nora Chipaumire

Since I mentioned this collaboration before, I wanted to give you at least one visual from the rough draft performance. I'm off to London soon so I'll be thinking about her choreography constantly while I'm away. Nora divided her movements into four sections, reflecting four ways that Africa is branded (I'm quoting from my memory of the dance, not from Nora directly)—1) the tourism brand, the violent brand, the real brand (that is rarely heard), and the exotic brand. Dearest expats, especially who have lived in Africa, I'd love to hear your thoughts on these ideas. I'm still developing the imagery and need all of the stories I can gather.

More about Nora is at http://www.pentacle.org/default.asp?page=14. I love this section of her biography. She has such a fascinating history.

Nora won a 2007 Bessie Performer Award for her performances during Urban Bush Women's Joyce season. In Dance Magazine's May 2008 issue, Eva Yaa Asantewaa writes, "Nora Chipaumire is a lioness--a regal, iconic presence hailed for her performances with Urban Bush Women as well as her own solo creations." The article continues to comment on Nora's law school degree and her decision to switch to contemporary dance so that she can take charge of how Africans are seen. Nora says, "Art can be transformative, reach a higher place in humanity without being dogmatic...for Africans, dance is a fundamental, democratic way to communicate."

Virginia Center for the Creative Art

Thin Cities: Underwater Hockey. Ink + gouache on vellum. 9 x 24 in. 2008.

I've been meeting to write this post since I returned from this heavenly place. If you find yourself unable to set aside large amounts of time to develop your creative outpourings due to family and / or work distractions, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA, http://www.vcca.com/) is my recommended solution. I was there from May 14-May 28, and I met so many extraordinary artists, poets, and filmmakers. Email me at jdietrick@gmail.com if you want more information. I highly recommend this residency program.

Mad Land by Nicola Jane Barratt

More writing by Nicola Jane Barratt sent from Madagascar

We're winding down our two year stint in Madland and our 8 years abroad, at least for a year - returning to Jersey. Lots of wild adventures we have had - trying to get some closure by thinking back through all of it - but the sorting and packing, sorting and packing leaves me too exhausted for deep thoughts! Lots of people stopping by - Boudu and Roundu who have sewn curtains, shirts, suits, mosquito nets and finally a beautiful quilt made from Gabby, Jeanette and Haley's old dresses. Sahandra came with the framed prints from our favorite Malagasy artist who calls herself Sexy Expedition. Eric and Son came by to drop off 8 pairs of amethyst, aquamarine, and garnet earrings i've had made for some of you - he will return one more time with Jeff's birthday present to me - an emerald with 2 pink sapphires set in a gold ring (i got it - it's great). And the crates arrived to pack our stone table tops - jasper, agate, labradorite, petrified wood, and melange de pierre.

Did my last long field trip here last week - took 10 students south to work and visit three sustainable design projects - the Lemur Forest Camp where Daniel and Berenice have created a rainforest tree nursery and are slowly replanting the rainforest using proceeds from their ecotourism project - small chalets and restaurant built from their sustainable eucalyptus and pine forest project. Clearly though, they have been living alone in the forest for too long - when we arrive there is a whole goat roasting over an open fire, dinner is served in a windowless room, french rap music is at loudest volume, while their daughter's semi-nude photography is scrolling by on a computer monitor - quite an experience for many of the high schoolers! On to Fianarantsoa, where we worked for two days with the Society for the Preservation of the Old City of Fianar - we helped rebuild a home that was destroyed in Cyclone Ivan and built a composting latrine for the two families who will live there. On to Andringitra National Park for ring-tailed lemurs, caving, bouldering and views for a hundred miles.

I will keep in my heart the empty white sand beaches, the morning cries of the Indri indri, chameleons walking slowly with eyes in all directions, winding roads through misty mountains, zebu in the rice paddies, mangoes and litchis, bougainvillea and hibiscus, jacaranda and flame trees, the red soils and dust, the amazing game parks of mother Africa with lions, giraffes, rhino, hippo, leopard, cheetah.

But it is also the people, thousands of smiling children of all ages, mostly in tattered clothes, barefoot, a little snotty, running wild, climbing, playing football with anything even somewhat round, carrying little brothers and sisters on their backs. The women wrapped in bright, colorful chitenges or lambas or sarongs and the arab women all dressed in black. The bowler hats of the Malagasy and the covered heads of the muslims. The drumming, dancing and wailing into the wee hours of the dark, smoky nights. And people walking, walking everywhere; carrying anything and everything on their heads.

ok - the shippers have arrived

Nora Chipaumire on NPR

My collaboration with Nora Chipaumire is now in full swing. She loves my animations projected both on the back of the stage and a huge scrim placed downstage. I have to admit I myself am awestruck by them as they are projected to monumental sizes, perhaps 20 feet tall. Thomas Mapfumo and his band arrive Monday to practice and perform the piece at FSU Black Box next Thursday, June 5. I feel so lucky. I don't know how all of this happened...

You can find a video of Nora dancing here. Hopefully I can post an image from Thursday's performance soon.

The collaboration's interest for the expat community lies in the impetus for project, namely in our investigations into transnational moves and the impact on the individual. More details to come...

I love this project. Talk about communities developing artworks organically from remote locations...beautiful...
http://www.theiff.org/exhibits/index.html

shirin neshat quote

When asked what advice she would give to the current generation of aspiring artists, artist Shirin Neshat said:

My only advice is to spend less time on thinking about success and put all the energy in making art itself. Otherwise your relationship to your art changes. It becomes less genuine and honest. Art should not be born from a pressure of becoming successful but something deeper. This is always a danger and the cause for mediocrity in art. . . .

Expat Art Response

Slavica Ceperkovic, Swarm, 2005, digitalexhaust.com


Thanks to everyone who submitted art for the presentation in Houston this March. Hopefully we can impress a local gallery enough to have them fund an exhibition at the conference in 2009.

Details to follow.

Opportunity for Expat Artists

Call for Artists

The 10th annual Family in Global Transition (FIGT) conference will present an art exhibition in Houston, Texas, USA on the 6th to 8th March 2008. http://www.figt.org

For the first time, the FIGT conference is presenting work in all media from expat artists around the world. The presentation will be done on a power point programme and will be running throughout the conference time.

Directions

• The entry is free.


• Artist may enter no more than 2 pieces of recent artwork reflecting their lives as expatriates.


• To apply, send by email as jpgs in a range of 1024 x 768 to 2048 x 3072 pixels with no images exceeding 2.5 MB.
  Labelled surname first, then first initial, and the image number (For example DoeJ1, DoeJ2). Within the email also list your full name, contact information, and an image list (title of artwork, medium, dimensions, date of creation).


• The deadline for applications is January 15, 2008. By this date, email to Natalie Tollenaere natol@mweb.co.za

If accepted, a larger version of your images will be requested along with the following information.

• A short biography (200 words maximum).


• A comment about the artwork itself.


• Contacts of the artist (physical address and e-mail address).

FIGT will NOT handle any sale during or after the conference. Delegates are free to contact artists if they want to purchase any art work. If artists make any sale to delegates we would suggest that 20% of the sale would go to FIGT (Pollock funds, see http://www.figt.org). Detail for this will follow.

Selection

Selection will be done by Joelle Dietrick, Assistant Professor at Florida State University and Natalie Tollenaere expat artist, engage in accreditation as a life coach and art therapist certification. Confirmation will be sent to the accepted artists.

If you have any questions, please contact Natalie Tollenaere at http://www.figt.org

Enjoy the journey...
Natalie and Joelle

There are moments in our lives , there are moments in our days, when we seem to see beyond the usual. Such are the moments of our greatest happiness. Such are the moments of our greatest wisdom. If one could but recall his vision by some sort of sign. It was in this hope that the arts were invented. Sign-posts on the way to what may be. Sign-posts toward greater knowledge. -Robert Henri