My entry into the art world was haphazard at best. With 1 local show in New Haven CT, I managed to catch the attention of Dina Dietch ( now curator of The Davis Museum,Wellesley College). I am, to this day, a little confused by her choice, but nonetheless in her debt for for making that decision as it set me on my journey as an artist.
Mounting a solo show at 27 years old did not strike me as out of the ordinary - being approached by a museum curator felt… well, normal. It’s clear to me now how out of touch I was with the circumstances that had just fallen into my lap.
This was the beginning of my embrace of carpentry materials, and maximal aesthetics. My largest ( at the time ) work was entitled SHARK: American Dream. This full scale sculpture was a model of a great white shark, constructed with supplies purchased mostly from Home Depot.
Shark’s resin cast head was mounted to a frame that mimicked the attic of a house, complete with insulation and roofing shingles. This giant (and heavy) predator was suspended from wires to give the appearance of swimming through space.
I rented a van, packed up my work and delivered it to the museum. The staff helped me unload. I was given a free lunch in the Museum cafe. I had made it. This was the greatest validation of my art career to date.
2 weeks later I attended the Opening. I was completely ignorant of my surroundings and the bracket artists who I was showing with. Ward Shelly was in the show. He’s famous. So was Mark Tribe (founder of Rizome.org) .He is also kind of famous. William Pope L delivered a speech ( Actually, he dumped a bucket of blood everywhere and it really freaked out the elderly board members). He’s dead now…and therefore famous. There were 13 other artists represented- they are all sort of big deals by now.
I had no training about how to behave or what to do . I had no clue who to talk with. I was enamored by the size of the buffet and the open bar, and intimidated by how well dressed everyone was. No one had prompted me to reach out to supporters or friends. I had no goals set for the night or for the aftermath of the show. I was young and uninformed about the “real” value of a high profile exhibition… or maybe I was just young and stupid.
And now, I'm 43: Older, wiser, and more intentional, about my decisions and about what I do to build a narrative around my work. I'm thinking about all of this because it was my birthday earlier this month. . Each year my work has changed bit by bit…. But my most recent work has brought me back to the earliest intentions of my practice, and it feels good to take an inventory of who I was then, who I am now, and how much money I’ve spent at Home depot since 2010.
16 years and I’m still in the game. I take comfort in having a career that has been slowly developing and has gained traction. I have shows coming up and more projects that I am looking forward to. Some of these projects will be exhibited alongside other talented artists. Important people will be mingling at the opening receptions. Everyone will be nicely dressed. You will have plenty of time to invite your friends, and I will have reached out to you before the show. There will be a press release, and social media content will be shared. If there is a buffet, I'm sure it will be delicious.
