Exhibits – Page 6 – NanetteSewZ

Where this road takes me

Four weeks from now, I will be hanging a show at the Arts Council of Moore County’s Campbell House Galleries. The exhibit entitled “Paper, Canvas, Cloth” features my work and that of 2 of my friends. We have known each other many years and we each have very different styles. Sharon who paints and draws is a classical realist. Marilyn paints in oils with a tonalist style. I am mixed-media art quilter. Although very different styles, I know our art will look good together because we share similar themes and color palettes.

This is a pivoting point for me. I’ve been in art exhibits before. I’ve been a featured artist in several local art galleries. But, I’ve never been in an art gallery show where I am featured with just 2 other artists who aren’t art quilters. It will be interesting to see how people view this exhibit. Will they consider what I do as art?

Because this exhibit is pivotal point for me, it makes me ask what’s next? What is the long range goal? Some decisions will be based on the reception I get in November, but more so, it is about what I plan to do personally to move forward.

Working to prepare for this show next month has given me time to process my feelings about what’s next. I know that there are exhibiting opportunities that I plan to apply for at the end of the year. I know I have a solo gallery show scheduled 2 years from now. But I also know I’m going to have let it all play out, because part of the challenge is affording to create the art.

When you exhibit, you have to hoard your work so you have enough to hang on the walls. If you’re hoarding, you can’t sell your work unless the owner is willing to give it back to you during the exhibit dates. But then, some galleries want all or a significant portion of your work for sale. Some exhibits want to keep your work for several years. There has to be a balance of making enough to sell and making enough to exhibit. I’m considering ways to streamline my processes, so I can make things faster.

What others have done is seek teaching and publishing opportunities. This is something I’m seriously considering. But, teaching and publishing also takes time away from making; another balancing act. For now my goal is to get this show hung, then use November and December to re-group and set the stage for what’s next. My plan is to start 2017 with boots to the ground, running. We’ll see where this road takes me.

Join me for:

“Paper, Canvas, Cloth”
November 4 – December 17, 2016
Campbell House Galleries, Southern Pines, NC
featuring the work of
Sharon Ferguson, Marilyn Vendemia, & Nanette S. Zeller

One quilt at a time

I often refer to my life as a journey. I know I keep moving forward. I keep changing. And, I definitely keep experiencing new things. As I’ve been working on my art this past few months, I feel like everything I’ve ever done is coming full circle. Well, actually it’s a spiral or mobeius. My life starts on one end and I keep coming back to the same intersection. In reality, I’m slightly misaligned from the last time I crossed that point. There’s too much that has happened, so I am someone different than the last time I was here.

But why does it feel like I’ve gone full circle?

When I was a small child, I played outside a lot. I loved discovering new things. I picked flowers, dug in the dirt, played with earthworms and hugged a few trees. I loved animals. I used to have a slip of paper that I wrote in grade school which read “When I grow up I want to be a conservationist.” I have no idea how I knew that word, maybe it was from the countless hours I spent reading Ranger Rick magazine. I pursued that dream for many years and eventually earned a Master’s degree in wildlife biology.

Then life happened. I needed to work and found gainful employment in IT at the peak of the dot.com era. When that bubble burst, I started exploring art and found employment editing books. During these years, I almost completely walked away from my childhood interest of conservation. My art “sometimes” had environmental components, but it never had a real meaning. I just made things because I wanted to make them.

I’ve realized the environmental theme has been more evident in my art these last few years. I have a story in my head & heart that I want to share. I mentally visualize the things that mean so much to me. I remember the forests, the plants, and the birds. I think of the earth as a whole and how we’re destroying it. I want you to see the beauty. I am back in my youth, full circle almost, but with a different age and understanding of the complexities of it all. I’m picking flowers and dreaming big about how I will save the world one quilt at a time.

Join me for:

“Paper, Canvas, Cloth”
November 4 – December 17, 2016
Campbell House Galleries, Southern Pines, NC
featuring the work of
Sharon Ferguson, Marilyn Vendemia, & Nanette S. Zeller

Mental lists

Things are plugging along here. I finished quilting the Osprey wing. I just need to trim it down and finish the binding/edge treatment. I’ve decided that finishing this quilt is something that could wait for the last minute, so I’ve begun a new piece.

This new quilt is going to be a companion piece to a one I made a couple years ago. Similar idea and color palette, something more whimsical than I have been working; a giant tulip! It should be fun to work on.

As I’m building my collection, my mind is definitely processing what comes next. As I posted last week, I’ve been accepted for a solo show at Page-Walker Arts & History Center in Cary, September 2018. I know this gallery well, so my mind is thinking what sort of artwork groupings I should have. What is great about having 2 years to work on this, is that I could create pieces specifically for the walls of this gallery space. So many possibilities.

I’m also thinking about what comes next. I can’t allow 2018 to be the only exhibit opportunity in my future. I have so many ideas and I’m looking forward to pursuing them. Just 7 more weeks and “Paper, Canvas, Cloth” will be hanging at the Campbell House in Southern Pines. Once that is up, I’ll start focusing on all my mental lists.

Join me for:

“Paper, Canvas, Cloth”
November 4 – December 17, 2016
Campbell House Galleries, Southern Pines, NC
featuring the work of
Sharon Ferguson, Marilyn Vendemia, & Nanette S. Zeller

Self-doubt

Being an artist can be a very isolating. I spend a lot of time alone in my studio, especially now, as I prepare for my November exhibit. I’m down to crunch time and all I’m thinking about is getting things done. I feel like I’m running out of time. I need to be in the studio more. And I wonder, how will I accomplish all of this? I take comfort that it’s all going to be OK. So I breathe. I know I’m not alone, many artists face the same angst. It’s par for the course.

As an emerging artist, there’s also this underlying insecurity. What will people think? I think my work looks OK, but I’m very biased. It’s like saying your baby is the cutest. And “everybody” thinks their baby is the cutest.

I’ve realized, I’m in a different place right now. My ideas are coming from deep in my soul. It’s a life-long journey coming together and expressing itself in fabric. My art has purpose to me…I’m no longer making it just because. I have stories behind each piece. I’m moving forward. The isolation is there and the angst, but I do my best to ignore it. I’m not going to let the negative speak defeat me.

A few months ago, I made a decision to let go of something that I was deeply invested in. As I walked away from that activity, I was reminded of a call-for-entry deadline that was fast approaching. A friend of mine frequently reminds me that we never get accepted if we don’t apply. So, I pulled my stuff together and, with a kiss on the cheek, I sent in the application. Of course, I hoped for the best, but would be OK with any decision they made.

Today, I received a phone call from out of the blue. An affirmation. They are impressed with my work. I’ve been offered a solo show in a public art gallery. I had a choice of 2 dates, so I picked one. I’m going big, so I’ll need the time. September 2018. As one door closes, another opens.

Having an affirmation like this is a kick in the pants that says don’t give up. Keep trying. There’s no room for self-doubt.

5 ft-wide Wingspan

The parakeets are coming along nicely. All the thread work and quilting was accomplished using my HandiQuilter Sweet16 sewing machine. I am so grateful for having been awarded the grant to purchase this machine. I really has made creating large quilts so much easier.

I’ve debated about posting a final picture of the parakeets here. I’ll probably do that eventually, but most likely closer to my November show at the Arts Council. I’m pretty proud of what I’ve done on this one. But, unfortunately, you’ll have to wait a little bit for the reveal.

As soon as the “keets” are done, I’ll be on to the next pieces. One was inspired by a photograph taken of an osprey by my friend, Brady. Brady is a phenomenal wildlife photographer. He provided the inspiration for my “Fireline” quilt I made a few years ago.

For “Fireline”, Brady had the photo and I rendered it in fabric. This time, I had the idea and asked Brady if he had a photo that would help me accomplish my idea. I’m so happy to be working with his imagery again…can you imagine a 5-foot wide wingspan?

No Guarantees

The end of the year is almost here. There was one last thing I promised to do before the end of the year. I’ve been kind of quiet about it, because you just never know what will happen. Although people cheer me on…after the fact… that they knew I would get this or do that, there is always the realist in me who whispers…”don’t get cocky.” There are never guarantees in life, especially when you put yourself in competition with people. I’m sure some enter a competition and say to themselves, “I got this!” But personally, I think that sets me up for major disappointment when I don’t win.

My personal philosophy is to keep a low profile. I don’t make a big deal about any competition I enter, because I understand that as much as I may want to be accepted…there are no guarantees, no matter how much my friends and family tell me they believe in me.

This year, I submitted entries into 4 different shows. Entering shows is a competition. Everyone who enters is competing for the few slots available in the exhibit space. Each of us believe we are worthy of acceptance, otherwise we wouldn’t be entering. But there again, no guarantees. At year’s end, I’m ranking 2 for 4; a 50% success rate.

Right now, I’m trying to work on a large piece, but my procrastination has been high. I really haven’t been excited about finishing it, life is getting in my way. I wanted to enter it for consideration into a call for entry that opens in January. But, it just has been plunking along with little progress. I’m lacking motivation. I even considered backing out of my exhibit this November. I just wasn’t sure how I could make enough pieces. Sigh…self doubt can strangle you.

And then this past Saturday, I received a plain manilla envelope in the mail…more junk mail? I opened it with curiosity and then, seeing the contents, I immediately lost my breath.

You see, from the start of this year, I had planned to enter another competition. A very selfish competition. I was required to write a proposal and share a dream. I had to pull-together supporting documentation and get letters of recommendations. I attended meetings to learn more about the process and asked questions from people who believed in me. I applied for a grant and have been waiting for the news since October.

This past Saturday, in the plain little envelope where the words which today inspire me to keep going. I received full funding for a Regional Artist Grant. I’ve learned since then the very few people get full funding for this highly competitive “selfish” grant; I was only one of 2 who received full funding this year.

I call it selfish, because it’s all about the recipient. As an artist, we get to dream big and ask for money to fulfill that dream. My dream is to own an industrial-style sewing machine that will allow me to more accurately and proficiently stitch larger quilts. Thanks to the Arts Council and my tenacity to apply for this grant, in 2016 I will own one of these machines. Wow! I’m excited!

My artwork will improve because of this machine. But until then, the large quilt I was procrastinating about will go on hold so I can do it right on this new machine. And, until then, I will place my focus on making smaller pieces on my domestic machine.

Sometimes I think destiny dictates how my art is suppose to happen. When I get upset with my progress, or lack there of, I have to remember to step back and just accept what’s happening. I’ve always believed the pieces I make speak to me; some times I forget to listen. As in this case, I think my swampy quilt knew what was coming.

I like not knowing the outcome, because when things happen that I don’t expect I’m overjoyed. Life’s fun that way. I like having no guarantees.