Apace

Framing continues apace. The upcoming show consumes many of my waking thoughts and energies. So much so that I am recycling an old image and not writing about art.
You may not know that my second life is that of native-plant nursery manager. A year ago I was walking through Central Park on a day-trip to the city, and I spotted an absolutely spectacular Actaea pachypoda, common name- Doll's Eyes. This plant is one of those that takes a few years to make its statement and this lovely example has obviously been around for many years. Based on the seedlings we sell at the nursery, I did not know why anyone would go out of their way to grow this plant. After being bowled over by this stand with its fruit clusters larger than my fist with their signature cherry red pedicles and pristine white berries, I have added it to my list of plants I want to grow if and when I have a garden again.

Actaea pachypoda v. alba, White Doll's Eyes.

 

Art & Words- a shotgun wedding.

Art & Words: Today I had to spend some time writing materials for the public relations person at HERE Arts to use to promote my upcoming solo exhibit, "Means of Attachment." I had to write about myself/my work. I would rather have been asked to write about the effect of Brexit on the economy of Lichtenstein- I know equally as much about these two subjects; and I have no personal stake in the latter. I have a difficult time thinking about my own work much less writing about it. In my view, writing about my work is dissecting it, and to dissect something you have to kill it first.

When I am working, I am not thinking beyond a few simple rules I learned in school about composition or color- and I usually break them anyway. Mostly I am trying to make the thread that thrums between my gut and my brain vibrate pleasantly. When a piece is working, I feel happy- and I am not thinking. When I have to solve a problem, I am looking for that thrum- and I am not thinking. My brain is abuzz with inchoate hums and fizzes, colors and textures- I am not thinking. Occasionally, my upper brain will chime in- "you could use the stencil with the branch texture, it's over there in the folder." "Mmmmm, ya, ya, ya," the thread vibrates back, "color, color, nice, nice, happy..." and so it goes until all the vibration is happy enough and the piece is done.

I have a dear artist friend, Christie Scheele, who writes extensively and speaks about her work- and the work of others- with great insight, grace, and thoughtfulness. Another friend, Clive Hicks-Jenkins, also writes deeply, poetically, about his art. Their art is very different one from the other but I read their lovely, erudite words with bafflement and a bit of envy. How can they write so well about their work and still do their work so prolifically and beautifully? Why do I feel so tongue-tied about one of the most important things in my life? Is my silence really necessary? Time for a brooding, non-verbal cup of Tea...

"Storm Tossed," MMXVI, ©PMLaw

Post or Die

A good friend has told me that there is little on the web sadder and more reputation smudging than a neglected blog. She suggested I either post on a regular basis or just pull the plug on this blog. I have opted to breathe some life into this space. So...

Art: I am currently preparing for a solo exhibit at HERE Arts Center. The exhibit opens in exactly one month. I have stopped making new images and have started building frames. This is the most tedious part of my process and you may think it is merely a utilitarian chore, best left to framers. I see building the frames as the coda to my art making. I can look at the framed piece and know I built it all, it matters to me. I also have to admit that I began building frames as purely a way to save a lot of money when I was preparing for my first exhibit of the art from my Word Project 7 years ago. I had over 100 pieces to frame and it was impossible for me to afford custom box frames for that much art. Purchasing a router and a chop saw, lumber and glass were the only options left to me. So I made a virtue out of necessity and got to work. 
Along the way, I extended the connection between the handmade/craft aspects of my work to embrace frame making.
More about the art itself and the new directions it is taking soon.

                                              "Tempest VII," ©PMlaw/MMXVI

"Means of Attachment"
New art by Polly M. Law
HERE Arts Center
145 6th Ave, NYC
Nov 10-December 29, 2016

Words: New words for the second volume of "The Word Project: Odd & Obscure Words- Illustrated" have been politely tapping on the edge of my 'bran pie' for a while now. Once the exhibit is up and the opening is over, I expect that tapping to escalate to a more insistent knock. My seasonal day-job will be over for the year and the next few months will be there to be filled with art making. I have been promising a second volume for a while.

The first volume is available through me directly or at amazon. 

Tea: Gallons of iced tea with lemon, sweetened with stevia, drunk this summer. Now, with the advent of cooler weather, I have begun to drink decaf Lady Grey tea with or without milk during the day. Also, for the occasional treat- chai sweetened with stevia and a good slug of milk. I recently found my uber-tea mug. I will post a picture of it soon.

Okay, there is life in the old blog yet. So, are you happy now Michele?