Goodbye to All That

This is, I promise, the last that you'll be hearing about my solo exhibit that closed on Saturday at the Alaska State Museum.  The exhibit has been taken down, the icons are being returned to those who so generously loaned them and the museum staff is readying the gallery for the next exhibit. 

I'm grateful for it all -- the work of preparation, the exhibit itself, everyone involved from start to finish.

A couple of thoughts.  First, I've been surprised at how tired I've been at the end of each day helping to take down the exhibit.  Which is, I suppose, a reminder that I'm just about a month and a half away from my 64th birthday.  I used to manhandle that 6'x3' icon (above)by myself, which the museum staff is taking down with a lift.  Twelve years later, I don't think I could pick it up by myself - I'm no longer strong enough (that, and my back!)

Secondly, as the show was coming down, it occurred to me that I won't be doing anything quite like this again.  It was a retrospective exhibit, which occurs at the end of one's career as an artist.  I may exhibit again but most likely nothing like this.  This particular chapter of my life has come to a close.

Which is alright, as it is an inevitable part of life and growing older.  An exhibit is relatively easy to say goodbye to.  Not being attached to your body, to your strength, to your various abilities and skills, to the illusion that your life somehow belongs to you, well, there's a challenge.

In the end, I think, it is gratitude that allows one to say goodbye with thanksgiving and equinimity.

"Windows Into Heaven"

Its been a little over a month since the solo exhibit of my work as an iconographer opened at the Alaska State Museum in Juneau.  For the past year or so I've been preoccupied with the (seemingly) endless details of putting together a retrospective exhibit of the work I've done as an iconographer over the past thirty-eight years. (Hence the neglect of this blog!)

It turned out not to be straightforward at all, especially for someone with so little experience with actually exhibiting my art work in a gallery, much less the state museum!  It all came right in the end, thanks to the generosity of the churches and individuals that lent the museum work of mine that they own.  Thank you!

Fortunately, two of the museum curators, Jackie Manning and Aaron Elmore, kindly guided me through the process and provided their invaluable (and much needed expertise!) in every aspect of mounting the exhibit.  I'm grateful as well to Bob Banghart, the retired director of the state museum drew on his long experience as a curator to help me solve what appeared at the time to be several intractable problems.

Below is the link to a virtual tour of the exhibit.  It is a slideshow that begins with my artist's statement and slides in order of the all of the pieces displayed in the exhibit.  Each slide has a photograph of the artwork with the exhibit label next to it.

UPDATE
You may have experienced opening the video yesterday and today.  However, the problem has been fixed and its now opening without any problems.  Thank you to everyone who contacted me to let me know about this!

Vita Brevis, Ars Longa

Choosing to be undistracted by the candidate debate tonight and the impending presidential election, I am posting, as promised a week ago, the remaining portfolio slides that I submitted to the Alaska State Museum in my (successful) application for a solo exhibit in 2017/2018.

The Conception of Mary the Mother of God

The Risen Jesus and St. Mary Magdalene at the Empty Tomb

St. Justin Martyr with Scenes from His Life

The Holy Face (Icon of Christ-Made-Without-Hands)

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Much Thanks!

I'm grateful for all of the kind words and congratulations I have received on the occasion of being selected (along with seven other Alaskan artists)for a solo exhibit at the Alaska State Museum.  Thank you!  

A special word of thanks to Beth, Henry and Tom Melville, who resized the electronic files of the slides I submitted for my solo show application.  I know that without their help I'd have stalled out on this application, since moving  pixels around is as incomprehensible (for me) as quantum physics.  So, as in so many things, I relied on the kindness of friends.  Thank you! 

Below are the first five of the ten works that I submitted in my application. (I'll post the rest tomorrow.)

 

 

 

 

 

Solo Exhibit Artists Chosen

 

I received the news this afternoon that I'm one of eight Alaskan artists selected by the Alaska State Museum for a solo exhibit sometime in 2017/2018.  No other details yet -- who the other artists are, for example, but I'm sure I'll learn more soon.

In the meantime I'm honored and humbled that my work has been chosen.