Summer is for Street Festivals and Collaboration

I wanted share with everyone an unexpected creative experience that I had in the recent past. Last month I visited New York City. I had an ecstatic first few hours, dodging in and out of a few galleries and happening upon a street festival. This was May, and the beautiful weather brought out crowds of beautiful New Yorkers.

Thanks to The Abrons Arts Center, which set up a free textiles booth for the public, we spent the the last hour of the late afternoon delving into bolts of fabric and spools of yarn. With the energy of the Lower East Side surging around us, and a mid-May breeze softening the air, we cut and tied soft sculptures of jersey, muslin, and nylon.

My fellow festival-goer and good friend, always an inspiring collaborator, and I found ourselves drawn to similar colors and shapes as we responded to the day's events, particularly the art we had recently viewed. Our sculptures were informed, primarily, by the work of Matthew Rich and his piece Slash. I wanted to share this work, because I do think that we were both processing it's effect on us, and our final "products," rudimentary and crude as they may be, do reflect this.

I really can't predict how or if this event will have lasting impact on my work, or my friend's work, but it was rejuvenating and therapeutic. I'm planning some take part in a few official art collaborations this summer, and I hope that all who participate will experience something similar to our afternoon with the fabric booth.

I also expect to post images and reflections on the creative process, particularly as it relates to community interaction. To be continued...