Center Gallery, Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington4444 Arlington Blvd., Arlington, Virginia Reception and Readings, Sun, Apr 15, 4-6 pm
Show: April 15-June 2, 2018
Five years ago, a small space in South Arlington, Studio Pause, became a refuge and place of celebration for anyone who wanted to explore and share their art and stories. Over the years writers, researchers, storytellers, students, lawyers, moms, and visual artists have gathered regularly to make time for creativity and to build community. They listen, ask questions, learn, and encourage. The studio has since moved to the Gates of Ballston community, a couple miles away; nevertheless, the PAUSErs remain inspired… by the Studio’s wall colors in particular: Baked Clay, a rich, warm orangey-brown, and Endless Sky, a lovely, light, expansive blue.
In this show, I invite PAUSErs to explore what those two colors and the Studio means to them. As founder Sushmita Mazumdar says, “We are all creative. We just don’t have the time to explore how we can share our stories. And we don’t think anyone will care. But what happens if we CAN make the time and people DO care? What do we learn about our community then?”
~ Carson Herrington, curator.
Artworks, clockwise, by Mary Louise Marino, Rubén Villalta, Sushmita Mazumdar, and Kara Billings.
Photos: Enjoy photos from the Reception and Reading here. Thank you Yuri Long for the photos!
GoFundMe Campaign: Sughra Goes to MICA! We launched a fundraiser for Studio member Sughra Hussainy who got into MICA’s Community Art MFA program. At the reception we announced that proceeds from the sale of my paintings will go to this fund and so thrilled that one is sold! Sughra’s painting sold too. Hooray!
What You Seek is Seeking You (Rumi)
Sughra Hussainy
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper with Persian calligraphy in ink SOLD 2 copies
From One to Many: Collaboration with Myself from 5 Years Ago by Sushmita Mazumdar, Mixed media on canvas SOLD
A Book:
The show was so amazing I decided to recreate the process of creating artworks for the show, the reception held on April 15, and everything else that happened till the show came down in the form of a Handmade Storybook.
- It will be launched Nov 2018 at the GMU Women and Gender Studies Conference where we will present a workshop
- Every contributor will get to make a copy of the book for themselves at the Studio
- There will be a limited edition for sale
A Conference Workshop:
A few Studio members and I will present the stories, artworks, poetry, etc created for this show at a workshop Baked Clay/Endless Sky: Time and Space for Creativity & Community at the Women and Gender Studies Annual Conference Politics of Gender & Justice: The Intersection of Identity & Discipline at George Mason University, Nov 16, 2018. We will share the story of the Studio and what the community finds when everyone is invited to express and people care to listen. Workshop attendees then get to respond to the stories and artworks on display. Using writing pads and colorful pens supplied they spend ten minutes writing as PAUSErs do weekly at the Studio. Everyone gets to share their writings as others listen.