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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The exhibition LOST and FOUND took place at three different venues: the PASSENGER Temporary Project Space in Detroit, Starkweather Art Center in Romeo, Michigan and Detroit MONA in the Russell Industrial Center.

The work in all of the spaces is being documented, but for now here’s an iphone image of my painting Floe, installed at MONA.

Map of the Becoming, archival inkjet print collage; reconfigurable, approximately 28″ x 11″, 2011

On Saturday night a group of area artists gathered at Gabe and Jennifer Hillebrand‘s home for a sort-of salon-style opening of a one-night show called Diverge, curated by Gabe.  The point was to submit something that is a divergence from our customary practice.

Thanks to Gabe and Jen for hosting!

Non Native, a four-person show at Butter Projects, opened Saturday night, and despite a mess of freezing rain and snow, there was a great crowd. Here are some images from the opening and the show install.

Above: Katie Phillips

Above: Katie Phillips, Amy Sacksteder and Chido Johnson

Above: Katie Phillips,  Chido Johnson and Kyohei Abe

Above: Amy Sacksteder and Chido Johnson

Above: part of my Last Map series installed in new, custom-made frames.  Reclaimed oak frames by Matt O’Brien (with white finishing by me).  Framing done by Molly Nuzzo.

Thanks to Alison, Jacklyn, Kelly, and Elizabeth for a great opening!

Mark & I gave my website a pretty substantial face lift, courtesy of his amazing new artist website software, Schmolio. He needs beta testers (it’s free right now! and really cheap after that) so head on over there if you’re interested in switching or starting an artist’s (or musician’s) site.

In other news, I just finished installing work at Butter Projects for their upcoming four-person exhibition Non Native.  Details are below.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Feb 15, 2011
BUTTER PROJECTS
Alison Wong Kelly Frank Jacklyn Brickman Elizabeth Boyd Hartmann butter.projects@gmail.com www.butterprojects.info

WELCOME TO MICHIGAN, STAY A WHILE….
Royal Oak, Michigan.

BUTTER projects presents the first exhibition of our 2011 season titled NON-NATIVE. The exhibit runs from March 5 – April 1, 2011 with an opening reception on March 5, 2011 from 7-10pm. Free and open to the public.

NON-NATIVE brings together a group of four Non-Michiganders who are currently living and working in the Metro-Detroit area. The exhibition highlights the role community and sense of place plays in work that addresses varying cultures, techniques, traditions and methods. Featuring works in fiber, painting, photography and sculpture.

Participating artists include Kyohei Abe (Anjo-shi, Aichi, Japan/Ferndale), Chido Johnson (Mutare, Zimbabwe / Detroit), Katie Phillips (Louisville, KY / Bloomfield Hills) and Amy Sacksteder (Augusta, GA / Ypsilanti).

In conjunction with the exhibit, a panel discussion with the artists of NON-NATIVE will be held on March 20 at 2pm. Guest moderators Vince Carducci and renee c. hoogland will lead the discussion regarding the unique framework of Metro-Detroit; what draws artists here, where does our location fit in the contemporary art world and how it’s played a role in the panelists work.

About Butter Projects

BUTTER projects is a studio and exhibition space founded in October of 2009. Housed in a storefront built in 1915, the space was conceived to be flexible and open to a multitude of creative endeavors. Our mission is to engage with the community and participate in the promotion of the arts in the Metro-Detroit area by providing a place to make, discuss and exhibit artwork. Butter Projects is run and operated by Alison Wong, Kelly Frank, Jacklyn Brickman and Elizabeth Boyd Hartmann.

Butter is located at 814 West Eleven Mile Road, in Royal Oak, Michigan. Parking is available behind the building. For more information visit www.butterprojects.info or contact butter.projects@gmail.com
Hours are by appointment only with the exception of special events and receptions. ###

The opening of Fixing the Sky on Thursday night was well attended. People really seemed to like the work and there were two entrancing sets of music by Brett Hool, half of the singer-songwriter duo Hool, managed by our new friend Yannick. They brought a video of Brett’s that played in the background, which added another dimension to the exhibition/performance.

There was a lot of wine, new friends, and a fun kaleidoscope to play with (see the amazing image of Yannick below). Nicole and I were both surprised when old friends from grad school showed up.  My childhood friend Meghan, now an attorney in Manhattan, also trekked down to Brooklyn for the festivities and was kind enough to host me for the five days I was in New York. Brick & Mortar (Helen’s loft) was a perfect setting for the event.

Helen, me and Nicole in front of the Island Projects installation Fixing the Sky. Check out my and Nicole’s site for more images of the installation.

Saturday morning, we hosted a brunch. It was wonderful to see the show in the daylight. We had a good crowd at that event as well, including friends from Michigan, Jen and Walter. Jen had video work in the Media Lounge at the concurrent College Art Association conference. Walter was pleased that a childhood friend, who lives only a train stop away in Brooklyn, was able to make it to the brunch.

Thanks to Nicole for flying in from Iceland, Helen for hosting and organizing, to Hool and Yannick for lending their talents and to everyone who came out. It was great to meet and see so many wonderful people!

My work: Out of the Blue and Into the Black 5.1 and 9.1

My work: Out of the Blue and Into the Black: 2.2, 12.1 and 1.1

Above images: Nicole Pietrantoni

Above images: Helen Dennis

Installation: Island Projects

Thursday night was our opening for the three-person exhibition Fixing the Sky, which took place at Brick & Mortar in Brooklyn.  The turn-out for the opening Thursday and Brunch Saturday were great.  I’ll post images of those events soon.

Island Projects (Amy Sacksteder and Nicole Pietrantoni) is official!  We now have a few more shows lined up and a brand new website.  Check out our Exhibitions page for info on the shows, including one in New York next month  to coincide with the College Art Association Conference, February 9-12.