Stellar opening

The Thursday and Friday openings for Constellations of Women at Anderson Creative went very well.  I am pleased that some of the women artists from different regions got to meet each other.  I was also thrilled to be able to meet some of the Constellations contributors whom I had only met online before.

Both scheduled workshops are currently full, but we may add a third if there is interest.  In the 2-hour workshop, participants will create their own cyanotype prints and get to take a hexagon “star” with them.  We will also add some to the installation. The cost of the workshop is $10.  Contact Anderson Creative at  www.andersoncreativestudio.com if you are interested!

Here is another insightful review of the exhibition–Check it out!

www.artwach.blogspot.com

Michelle Waalkes and her daughter viewing their constellation.

Holly Atkinson viewing her hexagon “stars”.

Heather (Anderson Creative intern) viewing self portraits on tartalan by Carrie Krochta

Come see the stars tonight!

Michelle DeBellis, Anderson Creative intern, helping with the Constellations installation

Indian Madonna and Child, by Sabina Haque (Photo by Thom Metz)

Eleanor Rising, by Claudia Berlinski

Scarf by Carrie Krochta. It is knitted in binary code (HTML code translated to binary, then translated to knit and pearl stitches).

The new installation of Constellations of Women installation opens to the public today, June 5, at Anderson Creative Gallery, for First Friday, in Canton, Ohio.  Anderson Creative is located at the corner of Cleveland and 4th Ave. Come and take a look at it!  This version is accompanied by work by 14 other women artists.  Participating artists include: Clare Murray Adams, Claudia Berlinski, Katherine Cox, Sabina Haque, Jody Hawk, Carrie Krochta, Staci Leech, Tiffany Marsh, Maria Samuelson, Claire Sherwood, Isin Sezer, Cigdem Slankard, Sandra Thouvenin and Jane Taylor.

Check out more details at www.andersoncreativestudio.com

Read a review of the show at snarkyart.blogspot.com

I will also be leading several workshops during the exhibit this month, if you would like to make your own Constellations “star”.  They are 2 hours each, and cost $10 per person.  Contact the gallery to sign up!

I’ll post more photos of the exhibit after the opening this evening.  Hope to see you at the gallery!

Constellations Connections

It was a surprise for Deb, Mandy’s Mom, when she saw the stars of her and her daughter.  Here they are together with their hexagons at We Gallery in Akron.

(photo taken by Kevin Pond)

Thank you, project contributors!

I would like to thank the following people who participated or supported Constellations of Women during the last few years.  This project wouldn’t have been possible without you!

Doug	Adams	Shreyaa	Nagajothi
Marian	Adams	Lynn	Naugle
Earline	Allen	Aya	Neilson
Deb	Altimus	Alex	Nicholis
Holly	Atkinson	Su	Nimon
Carol	Barnaby	Kim	Oliver
Deb	Black	Phlea	Oliver
Kelly	Blanford-Bah	Bonnie	Paglialunga
Elise	Breen	Olivia	Paglialunga
Emily	Breen	Penell	Paglialunga
Carrie	Brown	Carol	Patton
Danielle	Brown	Leah	Petitti
Therese	Brown	Scot	Philips
Tinamarie	Buffington	Eleanora	Pitta
Carolyn	Buzbee	Mandy	Pond
Na’Ja’Ree	Campbell	Gloria	Pope
Debbie	Carter	Ed	Pramuk
Joyce	Carter	Teresa J.	Price
Todd	Chapman	Trew	Raine
Courtney	Colbert	Dale	Ritchey
Dona	Consuelo	Sarah	Ritchey
Sally	Cotrell	Jon	Roseman
Samantha	Courson	Debbie	Romesberg
Peyton	Crumpler	Mary	Sandilands
Annie	Cui	Avery	Savage
Elly	Dallas	Gretchen	Schrantz
Isabella	DeBoer	Michelle	Schultz
Bailey	Dubois	Yuka	Seko
Pat	Dugan	Isin	Sezer
Sam	Evers	Renee	Shaheen
Laurie	Fife Harbert	Christine	Shearer
Dr. Janice	Gallagher	Nicole	Sheets
Jesse	Gardner	Claire	Sherwood
Jodie	Garrison	Jessica	Shoemaker
Virginia	Gemborys	Cigdem	Slankard
Jamie	Grace-Duff	Mark	Slankard
Diane E.	Gray	Catherine	Smith
Makenna	Green	Elizabeth	Smith
Amanda	Greenlee	Georgina	Smith
Sophia	Hall	Julia	Smith
Sabina	Haque	Tesa	Strasser
Madison	Hart	Linda	Taffi
Pnina	Hass	Tina	Teeling
Rashae	Hastings	Terri	Williamson
Danny	Heck	Staci	Leech
Dori	Heck	Sandi	Thouvenin
Jaden	Heck	Perl	Tipper
Lily	Heck	Ana	Torres
Matthew	Heck	Shyanne	Treherne
Quinton	Heck	Carmen	Vargas
Jaqueline	Holmes	Emily	Vigil
Cindy	Ingham	Eric	Vigil
Annie	Johnson	Michele	Waalkes
Jan	Jordan	Emma	Wakser
Craig	Joseph	Yu-Chu	Wang
Dr. Marie	Keener	Madeline	Weaver
Myla	Keller	Carrie	Williams
Taylor	Kerr	Hailey	Wiskofske
Laura	Kibler	Alexa	Yockey
Cindy	King	Catherine	Young
Carol	Kirkpatrick	AGOG	Teen Art Gallery
Emma	Kramer	Anderson	Creative
Staci	Leech	Artful Living,	Massillon
Jill	Malusky	ArtsinStark
Tiffany	Marsh	Massillon	Art Explorers
Braden	Massaro	Massillon	Museum
Ashanti	McLeod	Preschool children,	Canton Montessori School
Hillary	McMahan	Southeast	Community Center
Mervyn	Medlycott	Children at YMCA	Afterschool Programs:
Kelly	Meynard	Lake Cable	Elementary
Andi	Michelson	Amherst	Elementary
Jennifer	Moore	Souder	Elementary
Clare	Murray Adams	Strasser	Elementary

Debut opening of Constellations, We Gallery, May 1st

Thank you, once again, to everyone who submitted images and writing for Constellations of Women! I am very excited to invite all of you to the debut opening of the Constellations of Women art installation at We Gallery, during Akron’s Art Walk, Saturday, May 1st, from 6-10pm.

We Gallery is located on 20 N. High Street in Akron, Ohio.  It is across the street and half a block over from the Akron Art Museum.  The gallery is open Tuesday  and Wednesday 12-4, and Thursday through Saturdays 12-8 p.m.  The exhibit will be on display May 1-30.

Did you mean to contribute to the project but get too busy to do so?  You haven’t missed your chance yet!  You can join me for a cyanotype workshop at We Gallery, Thursday, May 6th, from 6-8 p.m.  Register by calling We at 330.252.0988. The workshop costs $10 and you will get to take home your own mounted “star” hexagon.  We can even add yours to the wall!  The workshop size is limited, so register early!

The Constellations of Women community art project has been going on now for over a year, and I’m happy to say that over 75 people contributed images or tributes to women who have been important to them. I have really enjoyed learning about the friends, wives, mothers, daughters, grandmothers and heroes who have inspired you.  Thank you for sharing your stories with me.  I look forward to meeting you at the opening!

The Constellations of Women installation will be at Anderson Creative, in Canton, Ohio, next!  It will be a new, different arrangement of the art installation, and will be displayed along with artwork by 15 other women artists working in a variety of media. That show will be up from June 4-26th, opening at Canton’s First Friday 6-10 p.m.  June 4th. www.andersoncreativestudio.com
Constellations of Women was funded in part with a grant from ArtsinStark. www.artsinstark.com

I am still seeking about 80 contributions for the Constellations installation! Help me reach my goal!

I am steadily working on cutting hexagons, making prints, and mounting the prints for my installations in May and June.  I need your help to make this project work!  I am still missing about 80 images to reach my goal of 350 hexagons for the art installation.  You can help be a part of this unique project by emailing me an image and caption to go along with your image.

Women:

Share an image/writing that shares something about your life experience.

• It could be an image of something you love (I’ve gotten images of shoes, dresses, people working on their hobbies/passions)
• It could be an image of you as a child, or with someone close to you.
• It could be of a place that is special to you.
• It could be writing or an image that speaks to a challenge or experience you have dealt with or overcome.  I am happy to make contributed images anonymous if you let me know that you would like them to be listed that way.  There are many women’s issues that are tough to talk about —but it is still important to raise awareness about them!

Men and Women:

Send me an image (or a written tribute) to honor a woman who has been special in your life.

• Likewise, it could be of something that she loves or loved (either her passion in life, or even perhaps words of wisdom she offered you)
• Or a place or people special to her
• Or a photo of her

Send them to:  constellationsofwomen@yahoo.com

or post them to my facebook page (Emily Ritchey Vigil)

or tag them in Flicker as “constellations of women” and email to let me know.

Thank you!!!

Thank you ArtsinStark

I’m very pleased to share that I have received a mini-grant from ArtsinStark, our county arts council, to help fund this project!  ArtsinStark is an instrumental force for the arts in the area, sponsoring many cultural events as well as monthly First Friday events in Canton, Ohio.  www.artsinstark.com

The grant is specifically for the exhibition at Anderson Creative Studio and Gallery in June, 2010, which will feature the Constellations of Women installation along with artwork by 15 other women artists from the surrounding area, the greater region, and as far away as Cardiff, Wales.  Here’s a link to Anderson Creative:

http://www.andersoncreativestudio.com/

Thank you so much for the support!

One of the great things about opening up my art practice to others is the discovery of some surprising and serendipitous connections.  This photo shows one of those connections.  I love the way that the girls are out in front of the boys, proudly holding their bat and catcher’s mitts.  Most of all I love that cheeky twinkling smile of the (Mom?) in the back.  I bought the photograph from an antique shop, so I have no idea where it is or who this family was.  In the art installation, I think I’ll put the print from it close to the hexagon “star” with Tesa’s contribution.

Contribution from Tesa Strasser

“Two of the most impactful women in my life are my daughters. They both played softball and it has been a bonding activity for us. We have spent many hours traveling to fields, practicing and playing the game of softball. We have met great friends and made serious memories. She is about to graduate and those days will be over.” –Tesa Strasser  (submitted in March, 2009)

Sarah and Emily Ritchey

My Mom, Sarah Ritchey, sends me letters and postcards that reflect her everyday life.  I have a box of them that I look through every once in a while and I am reminded of some of the small special things that she has shared with me over the years: recipes, encouragement, laughter.  Here I am as a baby, in Sobradinho, on the outskirts of Brasilia, Brazil.  She was probably with my Dad, who was a soil scientist, at an experiment site.  I wonder when I see this what it must have been like to push this pram over dirt and rocks!