Green is a happenin' color

One of my sculptures has been chosen for another exhibit entitled

"The Green Exhibit" at Philadelphia's City Hall.

The theme of this show which is for professional artists working in and around Philadelphia and it features artwork which is based on the environment.

The show runs from October 13- January 23, 2009 (as in "NINE"!)

The opening is Thursday, October 23, from 5-7.

In case you aren't able to get there, here is the piece I am showing:

"Growth Where You Least Expect It"

11.5”h x 18”w x 4”d
Flameworked glass tubing, aluminum “t”, silicon,
grass (fescue) seed

...and my artist's statement:

Wikipedia lists 16 pages of extinct plants. As we continue to poison our environment and contribute to global warming, everyday symbols of nature may become a distant collective memory. This work pays homage to the common fescue seed that is the beginning of the life cycle of a blade of grass. Entitled “Growth Where you Least Expect It” serves as a tribute to the stamina of nature under dire circumstances. Let’s hope that is does not become symbolic of the grass we used to know.

Yikes!!! I've been tagged!!!!!!!!

Well, I've been tagged by Shibori Girl, so I'd better step up to the plate. Let's see if I can meet up to the standards! I need to follow these rules:
1) Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog
2) Share 7 facts about yourself, some random, some weird
3) Tag 7 more people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs
4) Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs

1. I have always been involved in making art

...since a teeny tot. I must have been OK as a child, because one of my vivid traumatic memories pertained to a teacher who used my work as an example for other classes and then never returned my work to me! I am still scarred...

Here are 2 of the only remaining early works. These are from High School (and I won't tell you just how many decades ago that was, but here's a hint: if you are old enough to know what PSFS was, you are no spring chicken! HINT: Philadelphia Savings Fund Society).

This next piece is a self-portrait from High School. It is also dated, as the process is "linoleum block print". Anyone out there remember what linoleum was? The interesting thing about this piece is that my current hair length matches the one in the print for the first time in many decades (thought you had me!).

2. For about 6 years I have been in a cover rock band called "The Hip Replacements"

I have always sung with friends for a hoot, but when my good buddy told me she was in a band, the brain cells were jogged. We now have a band of 8: 4 married couples!! We get together to jam as much as possible, sometimes every week. I play harmonica and sing. This beats (yes, a pun) poker in my book.

That's me with shore hair in the middle

3. I am a grandmother!

Suka is a stray adopted by my daughter this year. We think he is around 2 and part German Shephard, part Besenji...that's Egyptian for "dog". What a good boy!!!!

4. I LOVE junk: particularly metal.

This is my workstation. No one would dare to call me neat when I work! Believe me, I know where everything is...

5. I love gnocchi.

I love to make them and I love to eat them. YUM!

6. I love Italy.

I just got back from a course in Italy with Michael DeMeng http://www.michaeldemeng.com/ along with Arcangelo Productions http://www.arcangeloproductions.com/. Here is a picture of Michael doing a demo. Check out the countryside behind him. That's the view from the window of our studio: Bella Tuscany. Ahhhhh... Not too shabby.

7. I am obsessed with making things using glass and mixed media.

This is the lastest work I completed. I began with a volume of an Italian encyclopedia, deconstructed it and created "MaMA" using all kinds of parts from household appliances. This piece was inspired by a cast-off doll I retrieved from the side of the road. "Mama" is the first word that children from all countries, backgrounds and eras can pronounce (ok, maybe "Dada" is the first...) and its universality struck me.

Here are the bloggers that I am tagging:

http://karencole.blogspot.com/

http://www.arcangeloproductions.com/

http://www.brackettfalion.blogspot.com/

http://janerosemont.com/

http://www.ipaintpictures.com/
http://www.snipsandsnailsandpuppydogtails-leslie.blogspot.com/
http://www.milliande.com/