My show that was scheduled for Spring 2021 in Perry, NY at the Arts Council of Wyoming County has been rescheduled for next summer – need a bit more time to complete the body of work I have in mind for the show titled ‘Map Coordinates.’ I’ve been late in updating the site so apologies all around. I have several new posts to do in the coming days so please check back in. I’ve been steadily working on many map-based works plus a large fabric involving 12 Blue Jays on various pieces of fabric. Getting close to finishing that one and it’s been a two year journey.
My newest group of map pieces involve a bit more manipulation of the map in Photoshop. Not just pulling out color and texture, but using various filters to enhance the flow of terrain. I’m also creating borders to mimic the border as if the map was it’s own pre-1945 full sheet with the species name of the bird. If there’s interesting labels on the original map, I’ll cut and paste creating something new and visually exciting.
The “oldest” of this new group is a Golden-crowned Kinglet on 1934 topographic map of Moravia, NY. Moravia is the well-head of my paternal line and a rarely explored area in my work, but an area I’ll plumb for my show. The map had really interesting age stains, plus still vivid blue for rivers and lake. It just needed a boost of vibrancy to make them pop.
The Kinglet is a flame headed, Finch-sized bird found in the area…if you know where to look. My first sighting was as a kid out fossil hunting in a small brook. The brook was beyond a corn field behind my Grandparents house just up the hill from Locke – to the left of the Kinglet’s head. I should also consider painting an American Woodcock. I scared one – actually it was mutual – into flight off a nest when I was out for a walk near their house. I did figure a way to quietly walk up to watch it on the nest. One of those retained memories of a 6 year old.
