so here it is. my show - the overview of it at least....
because little bird gallery has great storefront windows, i thought i should use them. i painted doilies on the windows and the walls behind the glass so that you'd really get a 2/D 3/D effect upon viewing.
somehow i never tire of the difference between what is hand done, what is replicated, what is real, what is dimensional, what is flat.... i think i am always toying with these ideas in what i make. and the longer i tinker the more i realize i don't know anything and there is always room to find out more.
so the premise for this show you ask? i actually have an answer to this.
i decided to think about the idea of the "natural world" represented by the doily. how we are constantly bringing the "outside" in and the "inside" out in our lives. how do we force these two places to intersect? and how do our instincts to nest/make the domestic come into play with these longings? the doily, while human made, beckons and calls to imagery in nature [snowflakes, floral patterns, etc] and so it seemed to me that we could indeed go over the river and through the woods.... and end up at a version of grandma's house. but i am hoping that i am updating our relationship to the tradition of craft. in someway giving tribute to the small- and decorative- and made with love items that often go unnoticed or under appreciated.
trying to be a bit literal i thought i'd have the doilies start brown near the floor [earth], get green in the middle [land/grass/trees], and blue near the ceiling [sky]
and thus i hope the relationship of the title [and your finishing of the nursery song] makes more sense?
here are some small moments:
this one is about 3-4 inches - you might miss him if you didn't look down.
so then i made a bunch of drawings as well [also all tied to the natural world somehow]
and then there was the "real" sculptural element. the ghost doily trees
inspired by paper architectural trees [which when flat looked like doilies to me] i loved the idea of a natural object made from domestic ones.
and of course there are the shadows. my ultimate silent partner in making. if only i could give you your proper due.....
i want to make a thousand. i want to do these again and again in different ways. i just wonder how. and if i can. and if i can enlist help. and who would? and why? and how could i repay them? [i'm not ann hamilton who can recruit a bevy of volunteers to assist in the magic making. but i can dream, yes? oh i can dream of thousands of trees]
i am so lucky to have a studio mate who made me the most perfect floating shelves. and allowed me to use his drill press to get the holes into the shelves....
and i am so lucky to have had the help and support that i did from friends and family and art lookers....
i'll show close ups of the drawings through the week.
over the river and through the woods is up at little bird gallery in los angeles through november 8th.
Labels: art
This is so wonderful!! I just love it....yes, shadow, your silent partner...how GREAT she is.
It is all really special Lisa...the colour consideration, the links to nature. Thank you for sharing...
...congrats of the highest order :) I know I will keep on visiting this several times today...
Xox
A
i just gushed all over your flickr and have to gush more here - this is all so lovely, lisa! i wish i could have a chance to see it in person, though these pcitures make me pretty happy.
you're an amazing talent!
It looks great, Lisa. Those trees are amazing. You can recruit us! We are dreaming of thousand trees too :)
it makes so much more sense now seeing this post it all comes together and in your own cool way - beautiful!
oh my goodness lisa!! i am SO inspired by this post and your thoughts and your beautiful images. love how you used the windows. sigh. so much beauty and these images are very calming. i'm sure i will visit this post again today. hugs!
um. i would like a permanent display in my room please. this is so lovely lisa, so lovely, even through my monitor far away.
stunning!
congratulations!
sooooo lovely! it must be even more amazing in person. i love the little trees. i love how you m anage to capture dainty and modern.
happy halloween!
I'm in for a few ghost trees.
Why - because they are stunning?
Who - the generous and talented people who come here and read everyday just to be blown away by your talent.
Repay - not necessary at all for me.
I can see 1000 trees becoming a reality
you tell me
when
and i will
be part
of your army
to make
a forest
of trees
(can i put a
tiny caterpillar
in one?)
xo
the best part about looking at images of your show..the A/C unit has suddenly disappeared?? so happy about that!!
LBgallery
I never tire of your doilies! They are just so incredible. And those trees!! Oh, I really love those trees. They are so inventive and unusual...and WOW! I would love to see a forest of those in an art gallery, on floating shelves all over the place - that would be amazing.
Happy Halloween!
:^)
LISA: The gallery looks SPECTACULAR; I love what you did with the space you had to utilize; and your work shows!
What a fantastic show you have created, and I will ABSOLUTELY help with your army of design elves. Can I have a nickname?
Going to put the little bird gallery on my to do list for this weekend... hope to see you there! :)
lisa, i am stunned with awe - this is so wonderful. i love the little guy near the ground... and the ghost doily trees, so, so much. and a forest of them, yes!
Oh goodness, everything is absolutely amazing. I wish I could live the gallery with all your beauty surrounding me.
Yay Lisa! Stunning and perfect. I will help you make trees, but only if they are hoofed. Kidding! Many, many congrats.
i would like nothing more but to see a whole forest of your white trees. (and the shadows they make)
LOVING the very tiny doily on the windowsill. these images and your words are breathtaking, my dear. (i also like the fact that amidst doily making, you also used a drill press. :)
ooh doily love!! i will see your work up close one day i just know it!...x
so fabulous!
and you know that I am already in your camp ready to help with the beautiful trees!!
{hehe about the ac...funny mylissa}
xoxo
You deserve many rooms to hang and entire army of hookers, my dear. And a million alcolades. And so, so, so much more.
(You're going to come down to from Lisa C's opening this weekend, right? And to hang with me? :)
as always, your work is beautifully serene.
A triumph Lisa! Be very proud x
I love your work, very nice. Very original.
Your exhibition looks fantastic, Lisa. A huge CONGRATULATIONS from me. And if I could I'd gladly help you with a few trees. xo lj
lisa s. you have done it again. ah coast to coast is too far, but you know i would go if i could.
i like your trees very much. 10000 more wouldn't be necessary. they are lovely as they are.
congrats!
lisa, this is amazing. i feel not only like i've seen this exhibit in person, but like i'm a part of it...and i'd happily make some beautiful trees! i picture a tree-making gathering of all these lovely women who are part of the art/blog community! how fun!
What can i say..just magic. There is such a feeling of calm from these images..i can only imagine what it is like to stand in the space surrounded by all of your beautiful details and sensitivity. I love the colours and the trees and i was wondering about the shelves before I read about them :)
I wish i could have seen this for myself.
can i sign up to be your helper? please please :)
this is all dazzling my friend... while i wish so much that i could see it in person, your photos capture the details so beautifully. thank you for sharing it, and your thoughts about your work... the intersection of the natural + the handmade... you've given me so much to think about and such beauty to enjoy!
xoxo
I'm madly in love with the doily trees. I would gladly make you a small glade of them in exchange for the pattern. :)
oh yes, a whole doily tree forest. that would be grand. teach me to make a doily, and i'll be your minion :)
Breathtaking. I love your work so much, so unique and gentle. The doily trees (on such a perfect shelf), use of colours, clever doily paintings on glass -wish I could have seen it all in person too.
still trying to catch up on my blog-reading from last week, so i am a little late to post this. the advantage is that i first got to see your drawings up close, and then saw them in situ. so beautiful, so delicate, but imbued with such meaning too. the doily trees are fantastic- if i learn to crochet, i would definitely volunteer to give you a hand!
such a beautiful use of space, what an atmosphere you created here! congrats!
I *love* those doily trees! I bet you could get people to send you doilies to make into trees. (Also, check out thrift shops... sadly, a large number of old ones end up there.) I'm going to blog about you at my blog. :)
Whoops... I can't blog about you at my blog... you have your flickr settings such that there is no "blog this", and I don't want to blog without an image to tempt people to click through.
How wonderful! I wish I could experience this in person. It just looks lovely. What a great piece--both the individual elements and the total presentation! yay for you!
I am in love.