Here it July 2007 and most of the composite images I’ve created from my experiences in Spain are on fabric, sections pieced, layered and ready for the dancing needle of free-hand embroidery, which I use to hold the top, batting and back fabrics together…otherwise known as

quilting

I will include TRAVEL LESSONS from Ialy, Greece and Portugal in this exhibition at ART/PLACE Gallery in Southport, CT, scheduled to open on Hallowe’en Oct 31, 2007. But if you’re in the area, the RECEPTION and PERFORMANCE is on the following Saturday, Nov 3, 2007 from 4 to 7 PM: Performance 5:30 PM

I must add that while Gallery One will display my TRAVEL LESSONS / Fiber-Photo constructions and Digital Photographs, Gallery Two will be ARLE´ SKLAR- WEINSTEIN and SHULA RUTH WEINSTEIN’s
DREAMING THE WORLD: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE MIND OF BEING
/A collaborative multi-media installation and Video projection with performance
by Shula during the Reception at 5:30 PM

It’s not the first collaboration I’ve done with Shula, but it certainly feels like the most elaborate and technical combining of spirit and creative fire. We feel like we’re on a voyage of discovery as each new element presents itself…and it’s great fun.

In April 2007, I was fortunate to be granted an Artists Residency at FUNDACION VALPARAISO, in Mojacar, Spain. While I was there, I managed to send out 3 Newsy e-mails to friends and colleagues. This is what I wrote:

Arlé in Spain 1

While travel was arduous, the reward is gorgeous.
My fellow residents at Fundation Valparaiso are
accomplished, sympatico and in just 2 days, we are
finding threads of connections and interest in each
others’ outlook and artform.
The physical beauty is experienced through every
portal both of the immediate grounds and the mountains
that surround us.
Renting a car turns out to have been a splendid
idea. Driving from Alameria for almost an hour to get
to Mojacar, the rugged, dry, mountainous passage was
made easy by good hyways and the company of an
interesting Danish painter (now living in the south of
France), whose life story is almost at the same place
as mine. Lise lost her husband about 5 years ago and
is now back to exploring her muse as well.
My combination room and studio is perfect for the
projects I will be trying.The painters get a room AND
a studio, the writer has just one room as well.
Lots is done for the residents, like providing
the ingredients for bkfst, but you get it on your own.
Lunch is set out buffet style from 1PM and will stay
there til 5:30PM, we help ourself, no formal time to
eat together until dinner at 8:30PM with drinks and
Tapas at 8PM. No washing dishes, but it all gets
carried to the next room and placed in a bin for the
helper to load into the dishwasher. We put the
leftovers in the refrigerator, because the staff
leaves as soon as dinner is put on the buffet table.
Laundry is also done for us, but the system is a
howl. We all place our dirty clothes in the same
basket, and when it is washed and put out on drying
lines down in the garden, we get to pluck our own
stuff days later….so, very much a cooperative family
style.
I’m getting past jet lag and almost back to
normal,whatever THAT is and feeling quite happy to be
here.

Arlé in Spain 2

The Library at Fundacion Valparaiso is quite
extensive, with walls of books organized by language
and then alphphabetically.
A 1960 paperback of the history of Mojacar and this
region has been passed from one artist resident to the
next as something of interest…and it is interesting!

Sunday, we walked up the narrow switchback
streets in this whitewashed pueblo of Mojacar,
awaiting the Easter procession. The marching band
could be heard only when it left the church, and later
when it was returning.
It took an hour for the bearers’ slow, swaying,
shuffling gait carrying the elaborate statues of the
Madonna and Jesus to circle back up the hills to the
New Plaza. The procession stopped for a few moments to
have the villagers join them in a traditional song,
and then proceeded up the hill and around another
corner to the church. Applause was heard as the
procession ended. (I’m attaching several pics)

Every city in Spain seems to have their own variation
of this heartfelt ritual, only much more elaborate
than this .

It’s been rainy and cool, with occasional moments of
sunshine…very unusual for this time and place. Good
for hunkering down to work in our studios. Mealtime
are wonderful exchange times, info, stories and
creative approaches and then sillyness and fun. We
have been swapping our music as well and I have been
hearing some totally (unknown to me) amazing sounds as
I work at my computer.
We even had an energetic dance session one evening to
a 60’s mix Liz had brought.
More anon…

Arlé in Spain 3

We went on an overnight trip to Granada on Tues, got
back in time for 8pm dinner yesterday…an amazing
drive through the mtns, altho I had to drive thru rain
on the return. Granada is a lovely city, full of
charm and interest…esp. going up the mtn to the
Alhambra and spending all morning there. Anywhere one
pointed a camera was a beautiful picture…hard to
miss. LOL.

I haven’t started making ART yet from this latest
batch of downloads, working on a series of Portraits
of my fellow artist/writer residents that incorporates
what they do with my take on their personalities. Only
one declined to participate
All the others were both enthusiastic and pleased,
and allowed me into their work spaces to photograph
them and their work, offering me helpful suggestions
and THEIR photos to assist in this project. I feel
honored in return to attempt such an idea.
The grounds and the interior of Fundacion Valparaiso
are spectacular in all kinds of light. I’ve taken
hundreds of photographs (T.G.it’s digital) and been
able to create 12 or so surreal combination
compositions. I have printouts pinned to 2 lg bulletin
boards, and SEVERAL may actually stand the test of
time.

It’s really amazing to see how productive one can be
without distractions. I’m well on my way to have the
makings for more than one solo show…at least in the
digital format that will still need fabric layer
translations.

All in all, a remarkable experience… although
sitting at the computer for hours is tough on the
bod…I do try to remember to get up and stretch
regularly. A massage therapist came Monday and set up
her folding table in kind Lise’s room…she has the
largest room and works in a sep. studio. However, 3
scheduled massages in a row had her feeling
“homeless”. Of course, we will reschedule massage as
often as we can. The writers are feeling it too.

My Performance Artist daughter, Shula Weinstein, accompanied me to NYC to experience the Met’s staging of Verdi’s LA TRAVIATA this week. Our heads were already filled with the beginnings of new collaboration ideas to be explored for creating an interdiciplinary, interactive installation next October as part of my solo exhibition at ART/PLACE Gallery in Southport, CT. The Met’s staging is always impressive; a major star in the performance presentation. In La Traviata’s second act, a street festival became the most magical, joyous expression of stage arts; layers of gigantic red “lace” hung above the action below. With a glowing fabric background and festive costumes, the scene had the audience applauding before any singing was heard.

That’s a very hard act to follow. But the creative wheels are turning.

Having Open Studios is an enlightening exercise…besides whipping one into a frenzy of declutter and organization, that is. Having successfully had one called ARTISITS VISIT ARTISTS for the Katonah Museum Artists Association (KMA, Katonah, NY) last spring, I had invited members of my Art/Place Gallery and other artist friends to spend a few hours at my studio to ART TALK last weekend. It becomes somewhat a different event , and for different purposes, sharing one’s work with fellow artists rather than members of the interested public; more "Have you tried?"…or "This is how I would deal with…" kinds of exchanges. Other artists were invited to bring their current work as well. Great discussions.

This week we installed COLLABORATIONS work at the Silvermine Guild Arts Center in New Canaan, CT.  Its on view until April 18, 2007. If you are in the vacinity, you will find wonderfully inspired works by pairs and trios of artists who reinvent themselves by collaboration. In my case, I joined forces with Florence Seurig of Cos Cob, CT and Phyllis P. Clamage of Stamford, CT. This is our statement;
          
VESSEL SINGING MOONBEAM TALES

    "Collaboration" combines the talents of three artists who work in diverse media, Our collaboration is a story of the sensuous body, in clay, paper,         silk,  photography, projected images, and sound.

    Florence Suerig has been developing a series of paper-and-clay vessels based on anthropomorphic shapes of the body. The vessels have a hree-pointed.base and are smoke- fired.

    Phyllis Clamage used Florence’s vessels as the basis of a series of drawing, some of which are printed on paper and silk. The drawings are her  interpretation of the rhythms and shapes of the vessel and are collected in a standing book.

Arlé Sklar-Weinstein digitally manipulates photographic images which are usually transferred to fabric. In this project, her photographs of Florence’s
vessel became a visual essay, transformed and formatted for projection on the wall, encomposing both the Vessel and the hanging accordian-fold  paper book.

Arle’s son, Robert Weinstein  (www.RobertWeinsteinMusic.com) composed the sound track which aurally enhances the viewer’s visual experience of the organic object.

"Collaboration” has been a real challenge as we each started with our own perspectives and materials. Bouncing our processes off each other was an exciting shared experience. Creatively bringing this to fruition as a visual poem sums up our response to Florence’s sculpture;  celebrating curves and crevasses, with it’s delight and reverence for the human body.

My next adventure is coming up within days. I’m off to an Artists Residency at FUNDACION VALPARAISO in Mojacar, Spain for the month of April 2007. I will be without internet connections on a daily basis, but I will keep a journal on my laptop to send out later.  The Collaborations projections have sent my creative musings through another door, and I will certainly explore more projection possibilities while I’m in Spain.

My next SOLO Exhibition is scheduled for Oct 31-Nov 25, 2007 at ART/PLACE Gallery, Southport Ct and I have my eyes on the smaller of the two galleries for some combination of fiber/projection. Hmmm, how exciting to begin this exploration.