Here are some images from my studio at my current residency at SÍM, where I have been working on drawings which I plan to incorporate into a series of  installations with reflected light.* Briefly, the drawings engage both the idea of the souvenir (those objects we take away to commemorate an experience of significance: stones, sea glass, snippets from photographs etc.) along with the idea of the indicator (those markers we leave behind in order to communicate something, sometimes just a gesture of our passing presence: stone cairns, spray painted directives, gratified tags). I think of the vertically stacked wet-into-wet vaguely circular forms–into and against which the more detailed elements are drawn–as cairns themselves. I find many of the objects and images depicted while running and exploring Reykjavík, but many of them come from other places (Berlin) and instances as well.

I’m most interested in the ways in which these drawings on paper, their silver-leafed cut-outs, the reflective surfaces and the light can all interact and create a larger conversation between object and atmosphere, between the taken and the left. As humans generally conflate places, experiences, even dreams in our memories, with this installation I’m hoping to create a space in which such jumbled significance is a felt presence. I’m looking forward to installing what I have so far in the residents’ upcoming exhibition Fault Lines using the spotlights in the gallery at the SÍM House.

* I’m revisiting this fortuitous phenomenon from my solo exhibition Will Have Been in at the University of Nevada, Reno in November 2012.

All photos by Esther Cuan and Emily Rogers.

Mark and I were just in Reno for two weeks making and installing all the work for my current solo exhibition Will Have Been at the University of Nevada, Reno via a Gallery-as-Studio Residency. Many students an gallery staff were involved in the installation process. We met so many great people while there. Here are some images of the show being installed. Many thanks to all who helped out!

To Arrive Where We Started | Amy Sacksteder and Fiona Short

18 August – 15 September 2012

Exhibition Public Reception: Saturday August 18 from 7 to 10pm 

Regular Hours: 1pm – 5pm Saturday. Other hours by appointment

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There is not much more edifying and enlightening than having a truly superlative writer examining one’s work. Thank you Hila for this lovely post. It’s an honor to have my work featured alongside that of Philipp Haager.

photo credit: Lauren Rice

Last summer Detroit artist Lauren Rice visited my (old storefront) studio in Ypsi. She wrote a great article about my work  and her experience (which just came out the other day) for The Studio Visit. Thanks Lauren!

For the past few months we’ve been moving out of our old house and into our new house. This included consolidating both studio spaces into this one new space. These are two images of the studio in its current, lovely state.

Here are some before and progress images. As you can see, the studio was the dumping ground for some time while we put the rest of the house in order.

Thanks to Joe and Mark for all of your hard work! They tore out and replaced bad drywall, Joe painted the whole thing and Mark installed a sink. We also had the skylight put in which makes a huge difference in the amount of light the room gets. It’s a really fantastic place to be making; I already see changes in my work from my new surroundings.

3 new smalls:

untitled: postcard | 6″ x 6″ | oil and silver leaf on panel | 2012

untitled: mica | 6″ x 6″ | oil, mica and volcanic ash on panel | 2011

November281963369182rebmevoN | 6″ x 6″ | oil and silver leaf on panel | 2011

All up on my website.

Also this week I’m off to Reno for a residency at the University of Nevada which includes and solo show and lectures. I’ll post images soon.

New drawing:

then and then | 30″ x 22″ | gouache, ink, evaporated glacial water, and collage on paper | 2012

also on website

New painting:

Floe
84.5″ x 48″
oil on canvas
2012