Betty Woodman at the Met

I finally saw the Betty Woodman show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York last week, during the final week there. Seeing this show was remarkable on several levels. First, Woodman's show is the first one of its kind; a one person show of American ceramics at the Met. Her work is mature, confident and beautiful. Influenced by many historic ceramic styles, Etruscan, Greek, and others as well as architectural fragments, which she combines in relief and sculptural forms based on the vase. As an artist who has embraced painting in ceramics, I am moved and inspired by her work and inovation.

The second important factor, for me, is my relationship with Woodman. I worked for her in 1986 while I was a graduate student at the School of Visual Arts in New York and as such had the opportunity to get to know her and her husband George, also an accomplished artist. The Woodmans are amazing people - inspiring, committed, traveled and enlightened.

I am thrilled to have been a part of their lives and to have seen this exhibition, a tribute to an American master.

technorati tags: bettywoodman, ceramics, met, metropolitanmuseum, clay, pottery,

Sustainability

What is sustainability? What does a thriving human race look like on this planet? How can we shift to a more responsible way of being, budgeting natural resources and becoming more environmentally and socially conscious? One aspect of living gently on the earth includes making in artisinal studios. Crafts, art. Our stuff is important. Where we get it, how it is made and by whom, impact not only our homes, but our neighbors as well. If we look to acquire new things from the local potter, weaver, quilter, painter, woodworker, basket maker, we not only live in a more unique environment formed by discreet choices, we also affect the economy in a gentler way. Buying goods from small makers, small in scale yet big in concept, then the social aspect of acquiring takes on a different tone. Seth Godin's new book, Small is the New Big is worth a look to understand how this idea can truly impact business and a curated life. So many levels, so much possibility...

technorati tags: sustainable, sethgodin, art, craft,

and now, for something completely different...