Currently, in my work I feel the urge to create sculptural structures that could be scaled up for museums and galleries spaces. I have created a prototype for my next project that will be made in a limited edition of 15 to raise money to study their transformation into full-scale installations. I hope my story sharing concepts will be in Special Collections and at the same time available to a broader public as a communal experience in art institutions.
I would like to walk in Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s footsteps where my artist books become a collectible that will attest of the ephemeral life of an installation while helping fund it.
I am entering a new territory which is exciting and a little scary at once. I am confident my new endeavor will be successful in gathering communities around my work but at this time I need some financial assistance to push through at this turning point. So I decided to write grants.
To my surprise in California there aren’t many individual artists grants (established or emerging), let alone for artists over 50. At this stage of our careers we need more than $1,000 to make a difference. I found a few organizations offering grants to invited artists but their advisors list is not public. None of the organizations* I checked included artist books as an accepted medium. I guess work on paper covers our artwork?!
It took me a while to write the grant proposal and gather all the required documents. In the end, I took stock of my career, clarified my vision and planned for my next project. It was wonderful to feel the support of so many of my friends who gave feedback and helped edit the texts (you know who you are). As a result it increased my self-confidence and I feel more determined and excited about the future!
*A few weeks ago, Bainbridge Island Museum of Art posted a national grant for artist books creators!
Upcoming Exhibition:
My book “It doesn’t hurt anymore” will be at the PhotoBookWorks 2023
March 2 • March 26, 2023
Hosted by Spark Gallery.
900 Santa Fe Drive • Denver • Colorado • 80204