Feeling the Love

collage of teen activist
Malala Yousafzi
Want to learn more about the women we
learned about click here?

February is the perfect time to start this new project with YoungMoms of Kennett Square made possible by a Leeway Foundation Art & Change Grant.

YoungMoms is a great group of young women and volunteers
supported Lisa Macmain, founder and creater of this group
and director, Linda Mercner.

We first worked together with a Leeway Foundation ACG '2010 collograph prints using recycled baby and toddler clothing as our print matrix to tell the stories of motherhood. We stiffened these articles of clothing with gel medium, rolled up with ink and ran through an etching press. Then, inn 2011 we created Altered Books and journals through a grant by an anonymous generous donor.

We discussed characteristics of a hero... and then learned about these
8 women and created collages with words and images.

The intention of this new residency is to learn about women who have faced challenges and adversity to create positive change in the world. Based on what we learn about them- and ourselves, we are working collaboratively to create collages, drawings and for our main project, mixed media sculptures.

Somaly Mam & Sonya Sotomayor

Oprah Winfrey

Taking risks, being brave, putting others first, helpful, inspiring... feeling the love, and so happy to have the privilege of working with this young women and YoungMoms once again.

Secret Heart Throb on her walls

California based artist Belinda Chlouber is this week's guest blogger for the Artist as Collector series.

Secret Heart Throb

 Mixed media on panel

30”x22”,

©Tony Speirs 

“Secret Heart Throb” was one of the first significant pieces of art my husband and I purchased.  

Our good friend Tony Speirs was having an open studio and we had wanted one of his pieces for several years and he was kind enough to let us pay on installments for it. I like the confidence the woman in this piece exhibits, along with the colors and patterns. It has a Modigliani feel to me that I find fascinating. 

I really love having other artists work in house—I feel the art adds such a richness and depth to my living environment. And since we know many of the artists whose pieces we purchased I always think of them when I see their art, it’s sort of like having a part of their spirit here in my home.

Belinda Chlouber is a mixed media artist working with paint, monotypes, encaustic and mixed media collages with embroidery. Much of her work are inspired and based upon the poetry of her mother and grandfather.

What's Your Story?

What's Your Story? 

I want to know what makes you tick, your heart sing or stop, to catch your breath.

For me, it's all about the story- and how we are connected. 

That's the premise behind Catch and Release my Solo Exhibition opening February 2, 2014 at Project Space Gallery in Wilmington, DE. 
Catch- What we find  and Release - what we leave behind.

Like objects that wash ashore and become entangled or the scope of fibers one may find in a nest; once castaways, remnants of past lives and experiences become transformed into something altogether new and unique unto itself.

Net, detail
wire, pulp, encaustic, dried orchid, page of book
©NanciHersh
Photo: Amy Tucker Photography

“Seemingly unexpected connections emerge to reveal the fragility, beauty, and grace of our lives.”

Net, detail
wire, pulp, encaustic, dried orchid, collage
©NanciHersh
Photo: Amy Tucker Photography

My work is an ongoing exploration of what sustains us when adversity challenges us. What moves us forward-
and binds us to the past. What we find and what we leave behind. Our stories, our stuff- and how we hold them in our bodies, our hearts, our minds.

So, tell me - What have you inherited or found that you'd like to release?  why?

The Conquest of Fear - from My Drawers

Day #2,
Tuesday, November 19, 2013 of What's in My Drawers? 

Conquest of Fear 3
Graphite, colored pencil, collage on hand made cotton paper
16" x 20"
$200.0
©NanciHersh

"And one has to understand that braveness is not the absence of fear, but rather the strength to keep on going forward despite the fear."

                                                                Paulo Coelho (born 1947), poet, writer

These collages were part of processing and healing from breast cancer surgery and treatment several years ago.  Pages from this book, pattern pieces, and other symbolic imagery and materials - like hole punched circle, all referencing the body and experience flow in and out of this body of work.

Conquest of Fear 3 (detail)
©NanciHersh
$200.00

Coincidently, today while drawing in my studio today I listened to a recent podcast of writer, playwright and social activist Eve Ensler's interview with Krista Tippett Onbeing about her cancer experience and Getting a Second Wind in life.  Listen here to this wonderful conversation.

Click here to see the post about What's in My Drawers and be in the loop for the rest of the art and stories in this blog series.

Art Collecting and Dancing After Hours

Delaware based photographer Dain Simons is this week's guest blogger for Artist as Collector series.

Mixed media collage
10" x 8"
©2012StevenArcher
collection of Dain Simons

One theme of art that I collect is hospital/surgery based images.  A few years ago I was a guest at a wedding in Washington DC, and after it was all over, I and another college friend decided to go to the hotel bar in the basement to continue celebrating.  There happened to be a "Goth music" themed DJ spinning Sisters of Mercy and Bauhaus etc.  

Shoegaze dancing and buying art was not what I thought I would be doing just a few hours after my friends wedding - but there was an artist couple, with a table set up in the dark environment.   Intrigued I looked closer, there were probably 45 8 "x10" sized images mounted on thick boards laying on several card tables. The base of the images are pages from medical books that then get painted on at the whim of the artist.  When he finished, he would mount the worked page with scotch tape onto the inside of a book cover (after being detached.)  Further working of the piece happened to hide the mounting process pretty well.

The artist is Steven Archer, he lives in Baltimore and seems to keep pretty busy.  He is also part of a band called Ego Likeness with his wife, writer and musician Donna Lynch. 

Here is an interview with the artist.

When Dain Simons is not shoegaze dancing or buying art, he is shooting art (mine included) as well as other subjects, teaching classes or managing Cameras Etc. in Newark, DE.

Pages from the Past with a Story of its Own

Reading a recipe is the start of a narrative with a life of its own.  Another page from the Ladies Luncheon book I picked off the curb when my neighbors moved away, another idea to chew on. (ok, ok)

Cocktails
Acrylic, collage on paper
7" x 5"
©2011NanciHersh

More on view at Willow on State in Kennett Square, PA.  

This piece is floated on archival white mat board and framed with a blonde ash molding.  Pages from the past offering up a recipe for the imagination.

Tip: For a good read along these lines The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman.

The Other Big C's - Are you Checking in or Checking Out?

Creativity. Chanukah. Christmas. Charity. Connection.  So many C's, so little time...How many can you find or add?

Alyson Stanfield, artbiz coach asked the question in her blog yesterday, "Do you find it hard transitioning between studio and business/office time?"  It was great to see how other artists approach this dichotomy.  Many of the comments shared their practice of designating separate days for studio vs. business, others talk about the constant juggle of various responsibilities in addition to their studio time, be it a full time job, teaching, and family.  

It came be challenging to stay on on schedule with our studio and business tasks. The holidays add shopping, preparation, travel and other responsibilities to the mix. To avoid the
crazies it is imperative that we find some creative outlet and even better to Pay it Forward (one of my favorite movies!)  by sharing your artistic vision with others.

Recently, I went into my son's 5th grade class to make holiday cards for soldiers overseas.
In my bag of tricks I had colored card stock paper, glue stick, wrapping paper pieces, left over holiday napkins and everybody's favorite - Glitter Glue! One of the other fifth grade teachers has a nephew in Afghanistan so she was taking care of the mailing- but you can check out 
Army Mom Strong for guidelines to mailing to soldiers overseas- but hurry, deadline is coming up soon.

A sample of Ms. Carroll's Fifth Grade
Holiday Cardsfor the troops in Afghanistan

Afterwards, I felt inspired to go home and have some fun on my own...

Happy Collage Holiday Card! (detail)

©2010NanciHersh

How do you check in to your creativity when your Holiday To Do list has run amok?

Surprise... yourself!

Swimming Eye to Eye

Acrylic, graphite, collage on paper

40" x 60"

©2010NanciHersh

"When I'm in the studio working, I reach a point at which I know I could stop - that the painting if fine as it is - but I feel that there's something else I want, something more, and I keep pushing, bringing the painting to another place. I scrape off what I have and try something else. That act of pushing myself to make a change- even though maybe what I have there is okay - that, for me, is

excellence. It's pushing yourself further than you think you can go."

- Elizabeth Murray (1940- 2007)

I LOVE this quote! I have it taped inside of a sketchbook and reread it when I work to keep pushing... and surprising myself.

Elizabeth Murray talks about "bringing the painting to another place." That is an act of faith and courage ... and practice. Showing up consistently, and as we say in yoga, coming to your edge.

How do you know when you are at your edge? How do you take that leap of faith?