Show time!!!
I'm feeling the desire to document the process for this show...I am finding
that I enjoy the process just as much as I enjoy the artwork so I wanted to share it.
I am fortunate to have booked for the second year in a row the Valentines Day Slot. This was important to me bc I believe in consistency. I like the idea that the Talula Love Bottoms Shows are becoming events. I feel like people really enjoy coming to them and it is my goal to constantly be changing and evolving.
The first thing I knew I wanted was Christine Cleary. I actually wasn't sure I would get her to commit to being Talula. She's already a successful, accomplished, collected, published artist. Would this appeal to her? More importantly...would what I consider to be a successful process for myself; also be a successful process for her that she enjoys. That ultimately tells her story.
The process being this:
1. Pick a name for the Show. If Christine was going to agree to do it, I knew that I would call the show Talula Red. There were a few reasons for this but one was because of her fiery red hair, two was because of Valentines Day and three was because I loved the idea that RED means so many different things....in music it often refers to a mood, IE: Sublime's I Saw Red, and/or UB40 Red, Red Wine. In a horror film it means blood and gore...etc...
2. Having given Talula Red the spotlight...I needed to create a visual for the artists to be inspired by...these visuals or ideas NEED to have many interpretations so as to not limit anyone...and to be broad enough so that there's a ton of stuff to pull from but at the same time create a balance, flow and story telling collection of works.
Sinew. Fiber. Heart. currently has an emotional relevance to my personal life, and for me; I have to be very present in my work. It has to tell my story and this specific collection of words is a big part of my life right now. I wanted to pay tribute to the source subtly but with utmost importance. I also love how the words are defined. I think they are powerful, emotional, and also arouse curiosity. It is very important for me to create interest and intrigue and also appeal to the masses.
Talula Red. Sinew. Fiber. Heart.
3. Next...I pick a song. Luckily Christine said yes and we were able to do this together.
What happened here though is what I find most amazing. Christine and I meet up for wine and to talk about the show. Its important for me to understand where she is in her life so that I can make sure that her work is present and that it serves a few purposes. Evolution as an artist. Tapping into that thing inside of us that makes us create...whatever it is. Its different for us all. So we chatted and she told me this wonderful story about how she had realized that she needed to change her perspective a little bit. The idea that life is like a deck of cards came to her..and that she had been trying to play a hand she had not been dealt. In this...she acknowledged that she needed to be more present in her life. To play the hand she had..not the one she didn't have. In saying that she referenced that she needed to be grateful. That she wanted to spend time in gratitude. (it was a beautiful conversation BTW). She decided that she wanted her work to have some kind of playing card reference in it...and then it went like this...
Deck of cards
black/red
RED
Queen of Hearts
HEARTS
SONG: what song references Love, Loss, Emotion, and Cards?
Desperado.
Who sings a really great version of Desperado besides the Eagles???
Christine and I both have the same affinity towards her...
Tori Amos.
Line in the song:
Don't you draw the queen of diamonds, boy
She'll beat you if she's able
You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet
POW!
It's like the universe winked when it happened.
This information is then dispersed to the other artists like fuel to
their fire. I don't say much...I don't lean anyone to how I feel about it...just a title, words, a song...and GO!!! I am so excited. This is truly the first time I believe all of the key players are finally understanding where the Talula Love Bottoms project is going.
This show is a collaborative artist event. The show features Christine Cleary (as Talula Red), Kate Facenda Photography, Ryan Simmons Filmography, Laura Mayer Jewelry, and two traveling artists including myself and Ricky Borchert. Traveling meaning sometimes were local...sometimes were not. Christine, Ryan and Ricky are new. This is Kate and Laura's third showing under Talula Love Bottoms.
As for me. I'm kinda stepping back a bit. Of course my art will be in the show...it just will be less of it...and I'm kinda struggling to be honest with you. However, in this struggle my style has taken on this organic flow that I have to say is completely blowing me away. See photo above. Something about feeling connected, feeling loose, feeling comfortable in my own skin for the first time in a long time...
did I say skin???
Is that the stuff that covers...I don't know???
Sinew. Fiber. Heart.
that was a huge hint and a major teaser. Come to the show to find out what I mean. xoxoxoxo. Trust me..its not your normal art show.
xo. Huge thanks to my artists and friends. I could never do this without you. You are all your own Talulas. xoxo heart.
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