Jacob's Doublecross, Joseph's journey in Egypt

November 12, 2011...the story at the center of the sabbath service at Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church was the completing saga of Genesis: Joseph. Jacob had double crossed his elder brother Esau, to gain the birthright, the inheritance, the lands of of his father. Joseph, the favorite son of Jacob, the younger son, the immature son, angered his older brothers and was sold into slavery where he ultimately, after many dips into despond, prospered and saved Israel. In the end, the double crossing Jacob, crossed his arms and blessed Joseph's sons out of order and blessed all the brothers, thus securing all their futures.

This 42" x96" drawing was created during the service, in response to the story as it was being told. The well that Joseph was thrown into, the sheaves of wheat of his offending dream, the 7 years of surplus, the 7 years of famine, the prison, the robe, the cupbearer and ultimately the reconciliation of the family...and over all, the hands of God. You can see the stripes that represent the Joseph Coat of Many Colors, the Sheaves of wheat bowing down and ultimately referring back to the rainbow covenant at the end of the Noah story. Reconciliation prevails.

FlowArtspace opening.

The Cowhearted Woman made her debut in Flow Artspace on Friday, October 21. This lovely, well lit space is just finishing up its inaugural show. The show was well chosen and beautifully hung.

Hands grasping and supplicating

The foamcore and framing material arrived today so I could officially finish this piece. The extended arm is velcro-ed on the surface so It can be removed for safer shipping and storage.

Someone pointed out to me that it looks like a cross. Perhaps it is one.

What I thought I would do and what I did

I was gone overnight on a creative brainstorming retreat with my beloved church ladies. My favorite volunteer gig at Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church is the worship planning team. We plan immersive, interactive experiences for our congregation and others, to tell the stories of our people in new ways. It's installation art in service of story. Too cool for school, don't ya' know!

I got home early and thought, Yipee! I have time to work in the studio. So I promptly wasted all sorts of time, but finally got to work shortly before dinner. I thought I would be working on the blue dresses, doing and re-doing them.I'd blown the bodice on this one, you know.

But, NO! I had to work on the masked ladies in all their naked glory! There are 3 larger valises to fill. These 3 images are nearly done.

Much new work

I ordered the frame for this today..a black metal frame. The top arm extends beyond the frame on foamcore. Dresses are still an obsession for me. I have been dyeing cloth lately that was part of the Kristalnacht installation ( go to susanhenseldesign.com and click the link for installations.) It is indigo dyed, with ghostly images of the lists of concentration camps. I am wondering what would happen if I made dresses from this indigo dyed muslin in styles that might have been around during World War II. While I do not imagine them ON anyone, I suppose I could have a trangressive fashion show... Just thinking, you know? (Drawing on UV Utra paper with gesso and various colored pencils)

The Hidden WIld Women

One set of the masked ladies is completed. They reside invisible in their quiet, business-like briefcases. But, in their hearts, they are wild-women!

The drawings are done on handmade paper from cotton rag, flax and abaca, using various colored pencils and gesso.

The flow of the studio

It has been so good to be working regularly in the studio again. I have regained a sense of BEING an artist. I awake in the morning with urgent work to accomplish...hands to get dirty, pastels to grind down to nubs, exacto blades to change. The work flows smoothly...or as smoothly as this mysterious vocation can flow. You sweat, you wonder, you get very dirty, you make lousy mistakes, fix them, destroy them, wonder if you'll ever figure out how to finish, staple, rip, rub, read, research and seek the state where you are simply the tool of the divine. Sometimes, at the end of a very good day, you might stand back and say, "Did I do that?" Somehow you were able to get out your own way, having no real memory of how you could have commanded your body to accomplish what it did.

I took the Cow-Heart series to the framers today...after adding a pastel frame to the middle one. These 2 pieces are now finished. I added a bit of red and a framework. Now, after a few days admiring them, I will roll them up...too big to frame right now. They are around 48" wide.

I will be attending a dying workshop for the next few days...so no more drawing. And then, on Monday, the new windows are delivered and the work starts on Wednesday. The delightful flow of the studio will be interrupted again.