A Sunday Brushed with Greatness

Sunday, March 14th 2010. I traveled a bit further uptown to check out the Morris Jumel Mansion ( http://www.morrisjumel.org/index.php?sec=home ) for a site visit in hopes of becoming a participating artist in their upcoming Design in the Heights exhibition. Ms Trish Mayo gave myself and others a very informative tour of the mansions and its antique treasures. While there I meet a New York Times photographer and later discovered he was artist Chester Higgins http://www.chesterhiggins.com/. He was gracious enough to send me a photogragh that will help me with my project for the exhibit. Please travel to his site to see what a n honor that was.
Later that Sunday I was scheduled to showcase my work at the world famous Dance Theatre of Harlem ( http://www.dancetheatreofharlem.com/about_mission_history.asp ) as part of a reception for an in house concert. Ms Virginia Johnson came over to me and my display and thanked me for participating (fomer diva ballerina and current Artistic Director of DTH). After watching her on stage for many years this was another great honor.
2 Magnificient artists in 1 day. I just had to share

Baby, I'm back!

Well it has been over a year since my last post but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy with quilting. My new website, http://thegadsongallery.com/ has taken up most of my web posting time but I have decided to get back to blogging.

This year I wil concentrate on creating new work. Last year taking care of my mom was a new deal and I spent time curating a few group shows for artists of different mediums. This year has started off with 2 new art quilts and 2 new bed quilts, three of which will be finished and featured in this weekends open house. Tried my hand at creating floor cloths inspired by quilts but this kept me away from my most cofortable sewing room. Didn't finish any of the 4 that I started but I promiss to get back to at lest the ones I started by the summer.

If you are in the New York city area and are not afraid of the snow please feel free to drop by my home gallery (225 West 134th Street, Harlem) on Sat 2/27 from 2-7 pm. I will have a few eats and drinks and will host jewelry artist Shimoda and fellow artist Clymenza Hawkins (who crested the artwork for Eraka Badu's "butterfly" CD cover). A good time is always had by all.

HGQC explores THE COLOR PURPLE

The latest Harlem Girls Quilting Circle event is taking place at Gallery M in Harlem. The Color Purple is our quilt exhibit that will be on display through February 26th 2009 and includes work from our color purple challenge as well as other work by HGQC members. quilts There was a wonderful turn out at the opening and we hope folks will continue to visit. Gallery M is located at 123 West 135th Street (bt. Lenox Ave and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. near the 2 &3 trains). Regular Gallery hours are Wed & Friday 1pm - 5pm, Thurs. 2pm - 8pm, and Sat. 1-5pm. All work on display is for sale.

Quilts for Obama at the Historical Society of Washington, DC

It is such a great honor to be included in this exhibit. Quilts for Obama; an Exhibit Celebrating the Inauguration of our 44th President is a joint effort of the Historical Society of Wasshington, DC, The Quilters of Color Network and The Group fo Cultural Documentation. Curator Roland L. Freeman has put together about 60 quilts from across the United States and also includes quilts from Kenya and from 1st Lady Micelle Obama's oldest living relative, Mrs Carrie Nelson. The Quilts for Obama exhibit will be on display from January 11th to January 31st 2009. More info can be obtained at: http://www.historydc.org/location/exhibits.asp .

My quilt, "Hope Comes to Harlem" is one of 2 I created especially for this exhibit. The other, "On Shoulders We Stand" is currently at the Gadson Gallery (my home). Only one could go to DC so the honorable Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi helped to make the choice. Fellow HGQC quilter Michelle Bishop also has a quilt in this exhibit.

My Brother's Threads at the New York State Museum

In 2007 Harlem Needle Arts presented My Brother's Threads at Lincoln Center's Cork Gallery. This textile exhibit in tribute to men and fiber work can now be seen at the New York State Museum in Albany, NY. Featured are the work of male fiber artisans and fiber art that features male subjects. My quilt titled "When Old School Was Young" can be seen along with "Harold in the Moment" and "The Liberation of Yellow Bill". My Brother's threads and a quilt exhibit titled "Syncapated Threads: Quilting in the Jazz Tradition" can both be viewed at the NYSM through March 2009. For more info visit: http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/exhibits/special/mybrothersthread.cfm .