Bellefonte Exhibit Report

I had a good day. I started with a quick stop at the Pennsylvania State Museum to pick up Big Root Geranium from the Art of the State exhibit which just closed, then headed up through the mountains towards Bellefonte. There was a light rain, and low clouds skirting the mountain tops that made for a scenic drive. I found the Bellefonte Museum; it's in a charming and beautiful 199 year old stone building with two large rooms serving as the main exhibit space. My Lavender in a Lightning Storm is hanging in the entry way, and there I am above with Daylilies at Dawn, which fits perfectly in a space next to a window. My three small mixed media pieces are above a fireplace, I neglected to photograph them in situ, but they are well placed.

I had the pleasure of meeting and conversing with Kimberly Davis, who I've known online. There she is above with one of her "Early Morning Club" panels comprised of small art quilts she composed daily in a series. I enjoyed learning more about her motivation and discussing working methods. Pop over to her blog to see more, and keep an eye on Kim, because she and her work are definitely going places!

Above is "Unconscious of Danger/Concealment as a Condition" by Ardeth Spence Christy. Isn't that a wonderful title for the piece? Ardeth was one of the stitchers for Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party, and it was a distinct treat to see some of her works in person.

Above is one of the flags from Benin, which is just fabulous on so many levels. Below is a detail showing how effectively the artist used the sequins. (All the pictures are clickable for larger views)

Here is another flag from Benin, an interpretation of The Tortoise and The Hare story. Look at the expressions, and the movement, and the color choices, and the tension that stems from the way it's crowded into the frame. I could live with this and never tire of it.

And then there are the molas....they are framed and under glass, so my photographs are not blog-worthy, but you can take my word for it that they are exquisite. (If you are unfamiliar with molas, a bit of background is here.) Amazingly, there were some vintage molas for sale, with some of the proceeds going to the Kuna Indians, and I can show you the ones I spent the grocery money on:

This frog makes me very happy. I'm going to get it framed, along with this one that depicts (I think, I need to do some research) a creation myth:

Many thanks and kudos to Pat House, for putting on a small gem of an exhibit, with a great concept and very diverse works that complement each other. I am really honored to be included. The exhibit is up until December 20th, so if you find yourself in the Penn State area stop by and enjoy it.