Where We Left Off

All Hung Up was a partial tour of Beneath the Surface, my exhibition at the Siegel JCC ArtSpace in Wilmington, DE, up through May 9, 2013.  Here are some more images to wet your appetite. (pun intended, sorry!)

Where we left off...
photos by Dain Simons

 Suspension is the large work on paper on the far end of the wall shown above, using graphite with accents of pastel,  I captured the shadows of my hanging net sculptures over spray painted stencils.

Suspension, 2012
Acrylic, spray paint, graphite, pastel on paper
48" x 96"
©2013NanciHersh
photo by Dain Simons

Here are more images of the work as we continue over to the facing wall.

Beneath the Surface at the Siegel JCC ArtSpace
Photo by Dain Simons 

From far left above, starting with Fishing.            and far right above- Beneath the Surface

                                                                         Be Still My Heart- sculpture of

                                                                         wire, paper pulp, encaustic and collage.

Fishing, 2012
Acrylic on canvas
30" x 40"
(Now!) Private Collection
©2012NanciHersh
photo by Dain Simons

moving along to this newest pair in the exhibition- the title of each are from lines from Derek Wolcott's poem Love After Love.

Give Back Your Heart, 2013
Acrylic, collage, spray paint on canvas
16" x 20"
©2013NanciHersh
photo by Dain Simons Photography

To the Stranger that has Loved You, 2013
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas
16" x 20"
©2013NanciHersh
photo by Dain Simons Photography

with Frenzy between them!

Frenzy, 2012
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas
30" x 40"
©2013NanciHersh
photo by Dain Simons Photography

There you have it... private tours and studio visits are welcome.
For more info contact me at nancihersh@gmail.com

Which is your favorite?

All Hung Up- Part 1

Midway through my exhibition at the Siegel JCC ArtSpace in Wilmington, Delaware, I thought I would post installation shots for all of you who live out of town or weren't able to make the show- yet. It is up through May 9, 2013.

Statement and Bait, 2013
Acrylic, graphite, spray paint, collage on paper
60" x 42"
©2013NanciHersh
photo by Dain Simon 

Entering the space from the lobby, the exhibition begins with this sign and large drawing on your left. 

My statement above reads:

Koi are a symbol of perseverance and strength of purpose.

My work is an ongoing exploration of what sustains us when adversity challenges us,

what moves us forward and binds us to the past and, what we find and keep and what

we leave behind. Akin to love and loss, images and materials swim together, drift, snag

and cast shadows shifting above and below the surface.

Seemingly unexpected connections emerge to reveal the fragility, beauty and grace of

our lives.

After Bait, you come to this corner...

(l) Deep Blue with Red, acrylic on Canvas, 36" x 48",
Koi #6, acrylic on board, 16" x 16"
Hanging by a Thread, Wire, pulp, encaustic, collage, 54" x 10" x 10"
Kaleidoscope, Acrylic on canvas, 42' x 54"
photo by Dain Simon 

And the exhibition continues down the wall.

photo by Dain Simon 

After Kaleidoscope are two new small 10" x 10" canvases.

All that Is, 2013
Oil, acrylic on canvas with wrapped and painted edges
10" x 10"
©2013NanciHersh
photo by Dain Simon 

All that Is II, 2013
Oil, acrylic on canvas with wrapped and painted edges
10" x 10"
©2013NanciHersh
photo by Dain Simon 

There is more down the line which I will post another day.  

oh- and when you visit the gallery- be sure and sign the guest book I created for the show.

photo by Dain Simon 

Thanks for stopping by!

Shots from Artist Reception at JCC

The reception for Beneath the Surface, and Into the Fold-folded upcycled books by Delainey Barclay was last Thursday. It was great fun to see friends- both ones I have known and others I got to meet for the first time- in person.  Siegel JCC ArtSpace committee member Phyllis Aerenson was everywhere snapping away. Here are some of her shots...

"Fishing" will be going home after the show closes on May 9 with
its new collector- Carol Levin.

Katie Glazier on left, made sure there was enough food and beverages to keep everyone happy.

It takes a village.
This committee of amazing artists- and art lovers make up the
Siegel JCC ArtSpace
(l-r: Katie Glazier, Kerin Hearn, Phyllis Aerenson, Carol Balick, Bobbi Levitt,

Judy Topkis,  Maura Golin) 

Spriha Gupta, an interior design student at DCAD, took a Monotype class with me there, and came with her sister in law and niece visiting from India... with a lovely bouquet of tulips!
Reminded me of all the beautiful leis given when you have an exhibition in Hawaii. smells soooo good and you feel like a queen!

Spriha Gupta, and relatives from India

Kathy Hrenko, friend, art therapist and executive director of
the Kennett After- School Association After the Bell
program.
Love working with her students as well...

Ellen Semple (l) came up to be with a big smile and
told me that she is one of my collectors!- she bought my
Red Hot Red I painting from my Walks thru Life Series
as Cindy Pettinaro's COCA event last month.
That's sculptor Stan Smokler on right.

and my new friend, amazing artist
Deborah Johnson who has a studio
at the DCCA.

Off to the show where photographer Dain Simons will be shooting the work in situ .... more to share soon.

Thanks for visiting!

Searching Beneath the Surface for a New Perspective

Finishing up the last of the pieces for my exhibition at the Siegel JCC ArtSpace in Wilmington.

*to the Stranger that has loved you, 2013
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas
16" x 20"
©2013NanciHersh photo by Dain Simons

The title of the show is "Beneath the Surface" with paintings and works on paper of koi and sculptures of objects made out of wire and paper pulp as containers to hold experiences that wash up in our lives.

Water and fish have appeared and reappeared in my art throughout the years.
Now nets- and their shadows are a part of the exploration.

Suspension (detail) 2012
Acrylic, spray paint, graphite acquarelle, pastel on paper
48" x 96"
©2013NanciHersh photo by Dain Simons

A conversation in the 2013 Omega catalogue titled "Beyond Your Wildest Dreams, Debbie Ford on overcoming fear and igniting self- confidence" seemed to capture the metaphor of the shadow for me spot on.

Here is an excerpt.

Omega: You've written that you can't have the full experience of the light without knowing the dark. Why do you consider the shadow to be the gatekeeper of true freedom?

Debbie: You can't be fully yourself if you have aspects that are hiding. The shadow holds the truth of all the authentic parts of being human- your vulnerability, your discontent, your jealousy, or an experience from the past that you haven't digested.  The only way to invite them out of the shadow is to bring them into the light. The light is a new perspective in which you see that everything that's happening is happening to help you develop your soul.  Then your're free- free to be who you are most authentically, free to ask for what you need, free to find your joy and bliss, free to share your gifts.

Always in search of a new perspective...

Hope to see you at the opening reception on Thursday, April 11, 5-7 pm.

*the title of this painting is a line from the Derek Wolcott poem Love after Love.

April Fool

Sent out my first group email this morning using MailChimp for my upcoming art exhibition at the Siegel JCC ArtSpace titled Beneath the Surface.

Koi #2 and Koi #4
acrylic on cradled board
11" x 14", 14" x 11"
ready to packed up for
Beneath the Surface
©2013NanciHersh

Fortunately, I sent a test email out to my friend, photographer and fellow participant in Alyson B. Stanfield's Art Biz Boot Camp,  Catherine Hartigan yesterday, because she emails me first this this am, after receiving the email and writes...

The correct info here!

Exhibition card for
Beneath the Surface 

"isn't the opening April 11, not April 1?" (how did that other little 1 get left out?!)

April Fool... hey it can happen. Like backing out of my garage this am and not noticing that the garage door was not all the way up. Bam!  My Thule hits the bottom of the garage door.
Good news is, while we had the repair man out he also fixed the door on the other side and now we have a new working key pad on the outside.  (Maybe I have to reconsider the affirmation Money flows to me and through me... hmmm)

Such is life. The real lesson brought home today is what Andrew Simonet, dancer, choreographer and co-creator of Artist U. calls-  having an Advisory Board. People who are on your "team"- who get your work, who you can run things by, share things with, be accountable to.  These can be fellow artists, peers, experts in their fields.

Andrew reminds us that there are people who want to help us. We are not alone. Thankfully.

Who's on your board?

My Neu Calendar
which is new for me-
recently ordered it and am just starting to fill it in...
another suggestion from Andrew Simonet
from the Artist U workshops at Leeway Foundation..
"Get a big wall calendar, so you can see "weather patterns"