HEIGHT, WIDTH, DEPTH, TIME: BOSTON SCULPTORS CELEBRATES 20 YEARS

Opening Reception: Thursday, December 20, 6 - 8 pm

SOWA First Friday Reception: January 4, 5 - 8 pm

Artists' Talks: (Pecha Kucha format at 500 Harrison Ave, reception to follow in the gallery)

Sat. Jan. 5, 4:30 - 5:45 pm: Traditional and Non-Traditional Sculptural Materials in a Contemporary Context.
Speakers: Laura Baring-Gould, Rosalyn Driscoll, Donna Dodson, Peter Lipsitt, Susan Lyman, Nancy Milliken, Larry Pollans, Hannah Verlin, Joseph Wheelwright, Andy Zimmermann.
Moderator: Jean Mineo, Director

Wed. Jan. 23, 6:15 - 7:30 pm: Sculpture that Works with Audience: Kinetic, Interactive, Installation and Public Art.
Speakers: Caroline Bagenal, Gillian Christy, Beth Galston, Joyce McDaniel, Andy Moerlein, Kalimah Muhammad, Nancy Selvage, Mary Sherman, Dennis Svoronos, Kitty Wales.
Moderator: Murray Dewart, Co-founder. 

For the first time ever, an exhibition of all thirty-six current members and fifteen alumni showcases the diversity and brilliance of Boston Sculptors in a celebration of twenty years as a successful venue for contemporary sculpture in the Boston area.

Fifty-one artists, showing one or two works each, fill the gallery from floor to ceiling with work made in a rich range of styles and materials including traditional bronze, wood and stone, alongside non-traditional materials of newspaper, rawhide, trash, gourds and honey. In addition, viewers will see videos, kinetic, participatory and site-specific art.

The theme of Height, Width, Depth, Time - with the emphasis on time - is interpreted in a multitude of ways. All of the artists have chosen their particular sculptural form to address time's passage. This has been interpreted variously as the measurement of time, motion, growth, decay, the seasons, the universe, memory, timelessness, fragility and endurance.

Boston Sculptors Gallery was founded in 1992 by 18 prominent Boston-area artists to present and promote innovative, challenging sculpture and installations. As Boston's premiere venue for sculpture, it features exciting, diverse contemporary work by 36 members in two concurrent solo shows monthly in its spacious South End gallery.

In twenty years the cooperative has held over 227 exhibitions, supported the work of 58 sculptors with work in 48 US states and 36 foreign countries. The gallery will soon celebrate an attendance milestone of 100,00 visitors.

Photo credit: Andy Zimmermann

Gallery members have received numerous honors including 81 residencies, 315 awards or fellowships, and 134 grants. Members have taught in 70 settings, generated 169 permanent public art works and 308 temporary public art works, and are included in 1,100 private and public collections.

Boston Sculptors articulates, challenges and promotes the role of sculpture in the public sphere, in communities, and in the lives of individuals. We invite you to join us in celebrating 20 years of great accomplishment!

Boston Sculptors Gallery | 486 Harrison Avenue | Boston | MA | 02118, www.bostonsculptors.com. 
Gallery hours are Wed. - Sun. from 12 - 6 pm. Gallery Closed: December 24 - January 1 

Image: Tiger Mother, 18" tall, locust wood & paint, 2012 by Donna Dodson

She loves to march her children to the Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. But her idea of marching includes running barefoot on the beach. Inside her, beats a warm and joyful heart. 

Update: Big Red & Shiny published a write up on the gallery, click here to read the article.

November News

November 18th GRAND OPENING!

If you are in Anchorage or know art enthusiasts there, I will have work with Georgia Blue and Gina Hollomon at their NEWLY minted contemporary art venue:

blue.hollomon gallery

3555 Arctic Blvd, 5c

Anchorage, AK 99503

Seagull Cinderella, 15" tall, wood paint by Donna Dodson Photo Credit: Cliff Pfeiffer

Seagull Cinderella is as common as the birds we see at the beach. Yet she is uncommon, like Marilla in Anne of Green Gables, corseted and bound by the sweet virtues of her character. 

On another note, if you are in Albuquerque, New Mexico or know art enthusiasts there, 
I have work in the

Holiday Show at

Leich Lathrop Gallery 

Rhino Man, 16" tall, wood, enamel 2010 by Donna Dodson

Homage to H. C. Westerman, and his impenetrable nature. His work is enigmatic. His art is outside the canon and in it. In this piece, the juxtaposition of metallic paint and natural wood grain seemed like an anomaly: like H.C. Westerman himself.

Show dates: November 11, 2012- January 2, 2013

Featuring:  Laurie Alpert, Aaron Bass, Rosemary Breehl, Donna Dodson, Eason Eige, Adele Frances, C.A. Klimek, Chuck Lathrop,  Stephanie Lerma,  Andy Moerlein, Krittika Ramanujan, Stephanie Roberts-Camello, Carol Sanchez, Janet Yagoda Shagam, Harriette Tsosie.

Panda Bear, 16" tall, wood, paint 2010 by Donna Dodson

Panda bear is a bit rotund yet stylish in haute couture. She resembles the cute, 

adorable animals from China as much as the Venus of Willendorf. Stuck in between the wild mountain forests and domestic captivity, she wears her fur as an adornment of her native culture amidst the current lack thereof.

Birds of a Feather & Mid-October News

BIRDS of a Feather
Bird themed painting and sculpture
Suzette Jones, G.A. Scattergood-Moore, Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein

October 15-November 16, 2012
Opening Reception: Tuesday, October 16, 5-7:30 p.m.

Gallery Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday and Friday: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Gallery at Dana Hall School
45 Dana Road
Wellesley, MA 02482-9010
Read more about the show online, 'Art Gallery features Bird Imagery.'

I will be exhibiting a few of my sculptures in this exhibition:

Culture Vulture I, 38" tall, wood, paint by Donna Dodson
The original Culture Vulture lurks on the edges of culture with hunger. Like an angel of mercy, she knows when to strike. Opportunistic by nature she preys on the vulnerabilities of others.

Red Tail Hawk, 41" tall, wood, pigment, enamel by Donna Dodson
Red Tail Hawk is common presence in our midst. Like a Haida sculpture, or a totem of a school marm, the steely gaze of her watchful eyes mind her charges with protection and good care.

Little Red Riding Hood, 32" tall, wood, paint by Donna Dodson
Little Red Riding Hood is anything but little. Her big feet threaten to stomp on any wolves, or predators that would dare to cross her path. Her big shoulders allude to her inner strength.

White Stork, 39" tall, wood, paint by Donna Dodson
White Stork brings the baby in her tummy instead of her beak. She is both a celebration of fertility and motherhood as well as a subversion of the popular myth of the baby bringer.

Update: This show was reviewed by Natasha Hampton on December 29, 2012 in the Hallmanac, Dana Hall School's online student produced news source.

Night Hunter

A burning owl fire sculpture by MythMakers Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein
Fruitlands Museum, Harvard MA at 5:30p (dusk) on Saturday, October 27, 2012
Weather permitting! Please check the Fruitlands website for updates on the day of the event.

Owls hunt on silent wings, often unseen,  in the dark of night. For all of history, civilizations have celebrated their mystery in myths of magic and deep knowing. Celebrate the end of the season with Fruitlands Museum in a dusk ceremony of fire and community. Enjoy this family gathering with s'mores, cider, apples, and the grand finale of a forty foot flaming owl as the sun sets and the October Hunter's Full Moon rises over the late fall landscape.

This free community gathering sponsored by Fruitlands Museum and MythMakers Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein.

Image: Phoenix, Fire Sculpture, by Myth Makers: Andy Moerlein and Donna Dodson

October News

On Saturday September 29th, Myth Makers Andy Moerlein and Donna Dodson will build a sculpture of a sailing ship in Providence Rhode Island at the Confluence of the Steeple Street Bridge for Waterfire. At 8p, we will set alight the vessel of fire whose shape is carried by the wind. The flames of the boat will lap like water while the sails will flap in the flames. Check the website for weather conditions the day of the event, because it will be cancelled if it rains. Pray for sunshine and clear skies!

During the upcoming 23rd International Sculpture Center Conference, 'Process, Patron, Public'  in Chicago October 4-6, 2012, I will be offering a workshop called 'DIY Internet Tools for Artists'. More information on the Conference, can be found here. In preparation for the conference, I recently blogged about some of my early social media influences on the ISC Conference blog, in a post titled Always Say Yes.

At Cider Hill Gardens and Gallery, in Windsor, Vermont, through October 28th, don't miss the 'Sculpture in the Garden Exhibit'. Sarah and Gary Milek have produced their first annual outdoor sculpture exhibit with the support of Cathryn Brown. Featuring works by Herb Ferris, Gary Haven Smith, Myth Makers: Andy Moerlein and Donna Dodson, Eric O'LEary, John Cassin, John Kemp Lee, John Hikory, Brian Goblik, Larence Nowlan, Max Van Pelt, and Dmitri Gerakaris. In addition to the many outdoor works, there is a show of watercolors by Varujan Boghosian, along with paintings by Gary Milek with a few of my sculptures in the gallery.

The Little Match Girl, 39" tall, wood, paint by Donna Dodson

The Little Match Girl is a brave and barefooted soul. She is a metaphor for living the life of an artist. A wild child, trail blazer that others emulate and admire. Always ahead of the pack. 

Turkey Mother, 40" tall, wood, pigment, paint by Donna Dodson

Turkey Mother sports her headdress like a proud, strutting bird, freshly coiffed at the beauty parlor. Purely and divinely feminine, yet with sharp edges on her beak, that is stained in blood.

Red Wing Black Bird, 40" tall, wood, paint by Donna Dodson

Red Wing Blackbird sports a beauty on the outside that is balanced by the harmony within her spirit. She sings a song of loves+ losses that reminds us to bear the unfairness of life with grace.

Jamaica Plain Open Studios

I'll be participating in the19th Annual Jamaica Plain Open Studios weekend on Saturday & Sunday, September 22nd-23rd, from 11a-6p with my partner Andy Moerlein, at my studio on 93 Forest Hills St #3, Jamaica Plain. It's site #53 on the map. If you're in Boston, please stop by and say hello!

Recently installed at Gallery Ehva in Provincetown, Seagull Cinderella, 8 ft tall, styrofoam, cement & paint. Along with a small series of my bronzes. (See the images below)

Asian Elephant, 6" bronze on limestone base. Limited edition, 1/10.

To catch everyone up on what I've been doing, this year, The Global Business Hub blog is one of the Boston Globe's business blogs 'Connecting the State's Business Community with the World. Boston World Partnerships expert "Connectors" discuss business strategy, entrepreneurship, Boston's place in the world economy, and much more.' As a BWP Connector and liaison to the arts sector, I have been contributing regular articles to this blog on the business of the art world and the global reach of Boston artists. The articles that I have written can be found here.

Elephant Princess, 6" bronze on limestone base. Limited edition, 1/10.

I've also got an article in this month's Artscope (Sept/Oct) that features an interview with Todd Levin, Christine Pfister, Richard Polsky and Andrew Witkin on the subject of Art as an Investment vehicle.

Lilac Rhino, 6" bronze on limestone base. Limited edition, 1/10.

Last but not least, I've updated my blog, with a 'Collector's Corner,' where I post stories from people who have bought my artwork and added it to their personal collections. The idea to make this blog came from a new friend and colleague who I greatly admire, Jean Maginnis, who is the founder and Executive Director at the Maine Center for Creativity.

Pregnant Kangaroo, 6" bronze on limestone base. Limited edition, 1/10.

The Transcendental Landscape Art Panel and Discussion

 Landscape holds a special place in the hearts of many New Englanders, and as such, has often found its way into the art, poetry and literature of this region as a defining spirit. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and the transcendentalists found a spiritual home in the great outdoors. In much the same way that nature spoke to them, landscape has taken on new possibilities of meaning for contemporary artists as an inspiration for responsive, site specific, monumental sculpture.

The panel discussion will be hosted by Dr. Mike Volmar, Curator of Fruitlands Museum and moderated by the architect and artist William Turville. Notable speakers include Donna Hassler, Director of Chesterwood; Sharon Bates, Director of Art and Culture program at Albany International Airport; Charlet Hird Davenport, artist, Curator of SculptureFest, Director of Exhibitions, King Farm Woodstock, Vt.; and Debbie Hagan, New England art critic and former editor-in-chief at Art New England. New England artists Dillon Bustin, Amy Ragus, Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein will round out the discussion with their experiences.

Among the many questions being asked during this lively and informative discussion will be: beyond these private venues, where art appreciators congregate, what does the public demand from a public art program such as the Albany International airport? How does the natural experience change the artist and/or art studio practice? How does the placement of art in non-traditional settings change the work and inspire an audience? How is the historic King Farm in rural Vermont enhanced by a public contemporary sculpture program? How do you include the public in this conversation?

Brief Panelists’ Bios:

• Sharon Bates - Director of Art & Culture Program, Albany International Airport
• Dillon Bustin - Folklorist, singer, song writer, filmmaker and playwright with a lifelong passion for Ralph Waldo Emerson’s work
• Charlet Hird Davenport - Artist, Director and Curator of SculptureFest, Co-Founder and Director of Exhibitions, King Farm Woodstock, Vt.
• Donna Dodson - International sculptor, arts journalist, participant - Verbier 3D Foundation Switzerland, blogger
• Debbie Hagan - Director of Marketing Danforth Museum of Art, arts journalist for three decades. Former editor-in-chief of both Preview and Art New England.
• Donna Hassler - Director of Chesterwood, a Site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and former country home, studio and gardens of Daniel Chester French
• Andy Moerlein - Artist in Residence at Fruitlands Museum, international sculptor, Derryfield School Arts educator, participant - Verbier 3D Foundation Switzerland
• Amy Ragus - Photographer, collage artist, educator, with particular interest in Henry David Thoreau's Walden and the Transcendental movement

Sun, 09/16/2012 - 1:00pm
FRUITLANDS MUSEUM | 102 Prospect Hill Road, Harvard, Massachusetts 01451  
http://www.fruitlands.org 

Prior to the start of the panel discussion, Moerlein will lead guided tour of his installations about the Fruitlands landscape at 11:00 a.m. Guests on his tour will see these large scale sculptures up close and hear the stories of their conception.

This event is open to the public and FREE with museum admission.

For more information about "Art and The Transcendental Landscape," call (978) 456-3924 ext. 292

Update: Wicked Local, in Harvard Mass, covered this event. To read the article click here.http://www.wickedlocal.com/harvard/news/x1402244680/FRUITLANDS-Art-and-the-Transcendental-Landscape#axzz26vLvWiEw

September News

At Maine Audubon, Falmouth Maine
ON THE WING
A group exhibition curated by June LaCombe
Through September 30th, 2012
Visit www.maineaudubon.org for more information
Bob Keyes wrote about 'On the Wing' for the Portland Press Herald. Read the article: Wild Times

To see IMAGES OF this SCULPTURE EXHIBITION at Maine Audubon click here


Culture Vulture II, 40" tall, locust wood & paint, 2012 by Donna Dodson

Culture Vulture II skirts the circles of popular society longing to fill up. She is highly educated yet deeply ravenous. Sometimes so desperate as to feed on the carrion of other people’s losses.

Save the Date: Sunday September 16th, 1p The Transcendental Landscape Art Panel and Discussion at the Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, Massachusetts.

The panel discussion will be hosted by Dr. Mike Volmar, Curator of Fruitlands Museum and moderated by the architect and artist William Turville. Notable speakers include Donna Hassler, Director of Chesterwood; Sharon Bates, Director of Art and Culture program at Albany International Airport; Charlet Hird Davenport, artist, Curator of SculptureFest, Director of Exhibitions, King Farm Woodstock, Vt.; and Debbie Hagan, New England art critic and former editor-in-chief at Art New England. New England artists Dillon Bustin, Amy Ragus, Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein will round out the discussion with their experiences.

Save the Date: Saturday & Sunday, September 22nd and 23rd, 11a-6p, Jamaica Plain Open Studios. Andy Moerlein & I will exhibit our work at my studio which is located at 93 Forest Hills St #3, on the corner of Green St and Forest Hills St in JP.

Save the Date: Saturday September 29th at 8pm, Waterfire in Providence, Rhode Island. Myth Makers: Andy Moerlein and Donna Dodson will build and set alight a Vessel of Fire at the Confluence at 8pm. If you have never been to Waterfire or seen the Myth Makers fire sculptures, this is a great opportunity to see us in action.

Fur, Feather & Fin

July 22 - Aug 19, 2012

Artists in the show include David Corsini, Jay Dimick, Donna Dodson, Jennifer Ell French, Sabrina Marques, Gage Prentiss, Marcella Anna Stasa and Kim Van Aelst.

The show will be up until Sunday, Aug. 19. Regular gallery hours are Thursday 4 to 8 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday noon to 4 p.m.

Vernon Community Arts Center
info@vernonarts.org
709 Hartford Turnpike
Vernon, CT 06066
(860) 871-8222 (VCAC)

Lilac Rhino, 26" tall, wood, pigment, paint 2003 by Donna Dodson Photo Credit: Cliff Pfeiffer
Lilac Rhino was inspired by the colors on the Morton Salt Girl. She strides nonchalantly through life, singing in the rain, open hearted and stepping out to greet, life, come what may.

BIRD

August 4th- September 3rd
Opening reception, Saturday August 4th, 5p-7p
Maine Art
10 Chase Hill Road
Kennebunk, Maine 04043
Show catalog available- call (207) 967-0049
View the show online at http://maine-art.com/

Paintings by: Ellen Welch Granter
Sculpture by: Andy Moerlein, Donna Dodson, Elizabeth Ostrander, Andreas Van Huene and Tacha Vosburgh

Little Red Riding Hood, 32" tall, wood, paint by Donna Dodson
Little Red Riding Hood is anything but little. Her big feet threaten to stomp on any wolves, or predators that would dare to cross her path. Her big shoulders allude to her inner strength.

Red Tail Hawk, 41" tall, wood, pigment, enamel by Donna Dodson
Red Tail Hawk is common presence in our midst. Like a Haida sculpture, or a totem of a school marm, the steely gaze of her watchful eyes mind her charges with protection and good care.

Tiger Mom, 22" tall, wood, pigment by Donna Dodson
Tiger Mom longs to march her children to the beat of the Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother yet inside she cannot bring herself to do it. She suffers from a softness of heart and a fragile nature.

Poetry on the Land

The exhibition POETRY ON THE LAND is Sculpture Fest’s offering to Bookstock’s weekend 'festival of words.'

This year the annual Sculpture Fest season begins early with an outdoor exhibit of site-specific work, sculpture installations, sound pieces and poetry displays at the Vermont Land Trust property at the King Farm on King Farm Road . On Saturday, July 28th from four to seven the community is invited to join artists and poets for the official opening of the Poet’s Trail. Naming the Poet’s trail is inspired by Martha Perkins' students of poetry at Woodstock Union High School who have studied poetry along the trails and in the fields and meadows of the farm during Spring term. Poems are posted along the trails, paths and hilltops of the farm offering a unique experience of walking on the land. In addition these creative students made a digital movie which is part of the POETRY ON THE LAND exhibition.

Twenty three artists are included in the outdoor exhibition. There are site specific installations, sound pieces, sculptures created from material found in the farm buildings and on the land as well as a mini retrospective and new video and sound project in the farm's old creamery by Dennis Grady. Grady is an artist who has been involved in Sculpture Fest for throughout its history. Examples of other visual art by Dennis will be displayed throughout the season in Davenport’s studio/gallery space at 509 Prosper Road.

The Vermont Land Trust invited Sculpture Fest directors Peter and Charlet Davenport onto the land three years ago. This is the third exhibition on the site offered to the community. Artists currently participating in the "Poetry on the Land" exhibition include Lynn Newcomb, Worcester, VT (selection of new and past work at both SF sites) Ethan Ames, Brooklyn, NY Gordon Auchinchloss, Hardwick, VT John Bieling, West Windsor, VT Seth Callendar, Woodstock, VT Charlet Davenport, Woodstock, VT (site specific installation) Peter Davenport, Woodstock, VT Murray Dewart, Brookline, MA Donna Dodson, Jamaica Plain, MA Herb Ferris, West Windsor, VT (work created from King Farm fallen tree) Dimitri Gerakaris, Canaan, NH Dennis Grady, Pomfret, VT (new video/sound installation and past work sited in new locations) Bruce Hathaway, Richmond, VT Andrew Hellmund, Massachusetts Henry Homeyer, Lebanon, NH Lela Keen Jaacks, Brownsville, VT (site specific installation) Barbara Kaufman, Woodstock, VT Wendy Klemperer, Brooklyn, NY Jay Mead, Hartland, VT ( site specific installtion) Jeffrey Porter, Tunbridge, VT Margaret Sheehan, Hanover, NH Li Shen, Thetford, VT Adrian Tans, Woodstock, VT Judith Taylor, Woodstock, VT Jamie Townsend, Springfield, VT (introducing a newcomer to sculpture fest) James Irving Westerman, Morrisville VT Kenneth Woodhead, Woodstock, VT.

The King Farm show has become an important part of the annual Sculpture Fest experience which traditionally begins on the Saturday of Labor Day week end. This year the opening at the Prosper Road location at the Davenport’s will add once again to the season of viewing art on the land when it opens on Saturday , September first with an exhibition titled “Living Art”. A special living sculpture by Bonnie Gale, nationally recognized living willow artist will be featured at that time. Meanwhile visitors are welcome to observe the changes and growth of the Bonnie Gale sculpture on the north side of 509 Prosper Road location. Both exhibitions will continue through foliage season. There is no admission charge , all are welcome dawn to dusk at both locations. For a list of artists, upcoming events, directions go to SCULPTUREFEST.ORG or call Charlet at 802 457 1178.

I will be exhibiting my sculpture, Elephant Oracle at the King Farm during Poetry on the Land.

The Elephant Oracle is the wise old one to whom we turn in times of confusion, doubt and indecision. The Elephant has a memory that never forgets. Perhaps it is a paradox that one who knows so much says so little. Yet, in its presence, we find the courage in ourselves to listen.

Image, courtesy of Sculpturefest: Elephant Oracle, 8 ft tall, styrofoam & cement, 2010 by Donna Dodson

Lady Bird

The Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition Presents the 30th Annual Outdoor Sculpture Show, 'Perpetual Energy.'

At East River State Park, in Williamsburg, the following artists will have work on view July 2nd through September 15, 2012: Ranjit Bhatnagar, Eimont Bronzini, Miggy Buck, Ursula Clark, Donna Dodson, Janet Goldner, Nicolae Golici, Esther Grillo, Howard Kalish, Bernard Klevickas, Coral Lambert, Barbara Lubliner & Sung Jin Oh, Andy Moerlein, Eric Stein, Tyrome Tripoli, Bill Wood.

Opening Reception Saturday July 14th, 1p-5p. Located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Kent Ave and East River between North 7th St. and North 9th St. Bedford Ave stop on the 'L' train. Music by local musicians.

Lady Bird, 8 ft tall, styrofoam & cement, 2012 by Donna Dodson. I will be exhibiting Lady Bird, a monumental outdoor sculpture that is based on the maquette of Seagull Cinderella, a small wood sculpture that I created ten years ago.

Seagull Cinderella, 15" tall, wood paint by Donna Dodson Photo Credit: Cliff Pfeiffer Seagull Cinderella is as common as the birds we see at the beach. Yet she is uncommon, like Marilla in Anne of Green Gables, corseted and bound by the sweet virtues of her character.

I posted an image of the Lady Bird on my facebook page, and one commenter wrote that it looked like a dybbuk, which I head never heard of. So I looked it up in Wikipedia, and found out 'In Jewish folklore, a dybbuk (Yiddish: דיבוק, from Hebrew attachment) is a malicious or malevolent possessing spirit believed to be the dislocated soul of a dead person. Dybbuks are said to have escaped from Sheol or to have been turned away for serious transgressions, such as suicide, for which the soul is denied entry. The word "dybbuk" is derived from the Hebrew דיבוק, meaning "attachment"; the dybbuk attaches itself to the body of a living person and inhabits the flesh. According to belief, a soul that has been unable to fulfill its function during its lifetime is given another opportunity to do so in dybbuk form. It supposedly leaves the host body once it has accomplished its goal, sometimes after being helped.' So if a woman had died without the chance to be set free, like a bird, or without having met Prince Charming, like Cinderella, her spirit would attach itself to a living person and possess their spirit in order to live out the dream of happily ever after.

Update: John Haber reviewed this show on his blog, 'haberarts.com: art reviews from around new york' with a favorable mention of my piece, 'A few works make a statement, like Donna Dodson’s decidedly buxom Seagull Cinderella...'

ALIGHT: The Spirit of the Red Tail Hawk

Just landed, ready to fly, observant, noble and respected, the Red Tail Hawk is a common raptor of human environments. Agile in the cityscape and familiar in the rural hedgerow, Red Tail Hawk is a survivor. These Vermont hills have similarly survived and adapted to a rich heritage of human occupation. Precious soil and abundant rock have conspired to doom all but the most ambitious. Red Tail Hawk stands as a patient monument to the toil that takes place here. ALIGHT is part human yet mostly hawk. It rests fleetingly on this landscape, blessing the place – passing no judgment, but poised to fly.

ALIGHT is a collaboration of Cider Hill Gardens and Gallery and Myth Makers: Donna Dodson & Andy Moerlein. Myth Makers created this piece on site while in residence at Cider Hill, during the first annual outdoor sculpture show. Gary and Sarah Milek have created a visionary garden and indoor gallery in Windsor VT. This year they introduce monumental outdoor sculpture to the gardens, inviting 13 sculptors to contribute work that fits their exceptional setting. Myth Makers welcome commissions.

Alight: The Spirit of the Red Tail Hawk, 15 ft tall, saplings & paint, 2012 by Myth Makers: Andy Moerlein & Donna Dodson
Media Release
Topic: First Group Sculpture Exhibit at Cider Hill Gardens and Gallery
July 13, 2012 - October 28, 2012
Date: July 8, 2012
Contact: Cathryn Brown 802-451-6172 / 802-674-6825, catwithdog@hotmail.com

There is a seemingly magical garden nestled in the glacially carved foothills below Mt. Ascutney where the work of thirteen sculptors is newly installed for a seasonal exhibition. Cider Hill Gardens and Gallery in Windsor, Vermont have been created and tended for over 30 years by Sarah and Gary Milek within an ancient thirty-six acre apple grove. There are shade and sun gardens positioned on and around ledge outcroppings, blooming with hostas, peonies, day lilies and much more. Believing that Cider Hill Gardens is the perfect venue for an outdoor sculptural exhibition, the Mileks have expanded their traditional gallery space to include all the gardens and invited thirteen sculptors to participate in the first major group show here. More than 50 works are situated within the gardens and gallery in materials ranging from ceramic, bronze and wood, to granite and steel. There are monumental works and intimate ones, abstract and figurative.

Andy Moerlein's phenomenal “Journey” greets you as enter into the outdoor exhibition. Within the gardens one can study the very Zen moss and granite boulder carving of Gary Haven Smith nearby the additional granite works of long time independent monument carver John Hikory. The sounds of Eric O’Leary's sculptural fountain may lure you into another area of the garden, while John Cassin's "Flying Woodland Nymph" leads one onward through a field for a closer inspection to see what’s going on beyond the gardens where more sculptures can be discovered within the open rolling fields and woodland edge. Brian Goblik’s work,” Creative Minimalism Minimally Creative” draws one further to the edge of the cultivated areas and the wild woodland beyond which in the open fields the Mythmakers have chosen to construct a “Red Tail Hawk” as their first Vermont work adding to their collection of mythical creatures near “Sky Flower” a monumental work by Herb Ferris. John Kemp Lee and Max Van Pelt have also sited their cutting edge steel and amalgamated works just beyond the garden spaces.

At the main gallery the bold wooden mystic effigies of Donna Dodson greet the audience entering indoors where the gallery walls exhibit works by Varujan Boghosian, known primarily for his sculptures, who has chosen to show ”Twelve Variations on a Theme by Hokusai” a new colorful watercolor series with Gary Milek, whose selected works in egg tempera and gold leaf, are also currently on exhibit at the Belvedere Museum in Vienna. Additionally works by Dimitri Gerakaris and Lawrence Nowlan are also on display Thursdays through Sundays 10:00am until 6:00pm.

Permanent Collection at Nancy Margolis Gallery

Curated by Edward del Rosario and Jordin Isip
July 12 - August 4, 2012 Opening Reception July 12, 6-8pm

Nancy Margolis Gallery 523 W 25th Street NY NY 10001 Tel. 212.242.3013 www.nancymargolisgallery.com

Nancy Margolis Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of the massive group show, “Permanent Collection.” 130 artists were asked to select any single piece from the over 15,000 works in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection and create their own version with restricted dimensions. The range of work selected varies from design objects (Arthur Young, Bell-47D1) to iconic modern paintings (Cezanne, The Bather) to experimental film (Thomas Wilfred, Vertical Sequence). The choice of medium varies from video to sculpture to painting, and approaches range from pastiche to parody to tribute. The show continues the critique of the art world establishment and the concept of “master works.” MoMA, considered to be the art world’s current imprimatur, follows in the tradition of the Louvre and the Paris Salon. It is the establishment into which artists seek inclusion. One asks, is the experiential value of copying works from the MoMA the same as Manet copying master works from the Louvre? Is admittance into MoMA’s permanent collection the equivalent of acceptance into the Paris Salon? The show also contributes to the running commentary on the politics of reproduction, addressing the issues of “authenticity” and “aura.” Can one make an authentic reproduction? At what point does mimicry become inspiration? When does a unique reproduction gain its own “aura?” Although the art world establishment has moved from the Louvre to the MoMA, one thing has retained its permanence; inclusion into the institution is still controlled by the collectors and benefactors of the establishment, not the artists themselves. Permanent Collection opens on July 12th, 2012 and will run for three weeks.

Permanent Collection includes work by: Martin Adolfsson, Jose Arenas, Kim Beck, Melinda Beck, Polly Becker, Gregory Benton, Patrick Berran, Ben Bois, Kelie Bowman, Clayton Brothers, Calef Brown, Pam Butler, William Buzzell, Amy Chan, Wendy Chisholm, Hyemi Cho, Ludmilla Corcova, Louie Cordero, Paul Corio, Anthony Cudahy, Carl D’Alvia, Daniel Davidson, Cecilia de Corral, Edward del Rosario, Donna Dodson, Leslie Donaldson, Joel Dugan, Benjamin Edwards, Ursula Endlicher, Chris Feczko, Mary Flanagan, AJ Fosik, James Benjamin Franklin, James Gallagher, Brenda Garand, John Garcia, Sandra Gibson, Matt Haber, Jackie Hahn, Joseph Hart, Hunter Heckroth, Jason Holley, Hadley Holliday, Kenichi Hoshine, Jim Houser, Liz Hur, Mala Iqbal, Jordin Isip, Rich Jacobs, Susan Jamison, Frances Jetter, Masuko Jo, Duncan Johnson, Jugular, Jen Karady, Nina Katchadourian, Misaki Kawai, Hiroshi Kimura, Fay Ku, Hiro Kurata, Margaret Lanzetta, Cat Lauigan, Su kyung Lee, Rob Leecock, Matt Leines, Rachel Levit, Elissa Levy, Mon Li, Melissa Ling, Patte Loper, Marci MacGuffie, Amy Mahnick, Jane Mai, Melissa McGill, Taylor McKimens, Bronwyn Minton, Sarah Moseley, Kris Mukai, Erin Murray, Rob Nadeau, Tom Ngo, Stephen Nguyen, Rachel Owens, David Packer, Mu Pan, Chang Park, Soo Sunny Park, Maritsa Patrinos, Bruno Perillo, Chelsey Pettyjohn, David Plunkert, Jason Polan, Garrett Pruter, Jeff Quinn, Monica Ramos, Luis Recoder, Geoff Rockwell, Les Rogers, Gina Ruggeri, Stanley Ruiz, Jackie Saccoccio, Hazel Lee Santino, Bruce Schiefelbein, Kristen Schiele, Anna Sea, Paula Searing, Betsy Lin Seder, Randall Sellers, Kiriko Shirobayashi, Andrew Smenos, Rodger Stevens, Sto, Maribel Tapia, Mark Todd, Justin Valdes, Nichole van Beek, William van Roden, Dominique Vitali, Roxie Vizcarra, Marie von Heyl, Esther Pearl Watson, Sanders Watson, David Weeks, Emily Weiner, Eric White, Robin Williams, Karla Wozniak, Clifford Wun, Julee Yoo, Bill Zindel and Arthur Zomby.

For this show, I chose Jeff Koons', Pink Panther as the piece that I would take my inspiration from since it was a sculpture I admire and because the animal/human composition relates to my own vocabulary. In Koons' 'Pink Panther' a topless, buxom, blond woman holds a stuffed animal of a Pink Panther on her shoulder. She is the stereotypically beautiful sex object, and the panther looks like a boy toy or a trophy slung over her shoulder. For my piece, I got ahold of a piece of pink ivory, an exotic African hardwood that is bright pink, and I sculpted a Panther headed goddess figure that is maternal, sexy, and monumental. With it, I said what I wanted to say about sex, women and beauty- qualities that are intrinsically and innately derived, from character or spirit, not externally adorned. Pink Panther, 12" tall, pink ivory, 2012 by Donna Dodson

SENTINEL

Sentinel casts a watchful eye upon the unique landscape of Gilsland Farm in Falmouth Maine. The Audubon Society has collaborated with MythMakers Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein to land a raven at this treasured place. Stop by to witness this iconic presence of voice and sky.

Raucous and sooty, friendly and frightening, the raven is a vivid mark upon the skyline. Their impossibly black feathers flicker with an iridescence that holds the clues to every color in the rainbow. Their vocal variety suggests that raven may have more to say than most birds.

The Sentinel is being presented by June LaCombe as part of 'On the Wing', a group exhibition at Maine Audubon, Gilsland Farm in Falmouth Maine where Andy Moerlein & I will have work in the galleries. Please join us for the opening reception on Tuesday July 3rd, 5p-7p.'On the Wing' is On view through September 30th 2012 and the Sentinel is on view indefinitely at Gilsland Farm, Maine Audubon, Falmouth Maine.

The Sentinel, 15 ft tall, saplings & paint, 2012 by MythMakers: Donna Dodson & Andy Moerlein

Update: Robert Whitcomb wrote about this piece for the Providence Journal Blog. Bob Keyes wrote about 'On the Wing' for the Portland Press Herald. Read the article: Wild Times

Rockfire

The Elemental Experience at Millstone Hill 59 Little John Road, Websterville, VT Saturday, June 23, 2012 • 2pm to 11pm

The Flaming Vulture of Rockfire, Vermont
http://www.rockfirevt.com/

Friday June 22nd- The artists Andy Moerlein & Donna Dodson will be on site building a 20 ft wide by 10 ft long soaring vulture with saplings and straw in anticipation of the performance and ritual burning on Saturday June 23rd.

Saturday, June 23rd- 10pm The artists, Moerlein & Dodson will light the soaring vulture as it soars aflame into infinity, burning itself into collective memory with a fiery flaming line that recedes into a smoldering ember.

The vulture is a hunter in the valley, cliffs , mountains & forests. With its ever watchful eye. Its presence provokes death, when carrion rests nearby. The profile of the vulture is its signature. The fire sculpture will celebrate this winged creature, in a temporary piece made up of natural materials- here, inspiring awe and then gone.

Update: Julie Orfirer captured the event on video.

Our Shared Planet

The Animal Kingdom Portrayed Curated by Ronnie Gould June 19 — July 9, 2012 Parsons Gallery Lexington Arts and Crafts Society, Inc. 130 Waltham Street Lexington MA 02421

“Our Shared Planet” expresses our joy and celebration that we feel towards animals as well as serving as a commentary on the condition and frailty of our world. The undeniable connection between us and the rest of the animal kingdom has inspired artists through the ages since cave paintings.Nineteen celebrated New England artists working in mediums varying from traditional paintings to cutting edge materials are now exhibiting works ranging from birds and dogs to African wildlife and sea creatures.

The artists: Alice Abrams, Jane Dahmen, Donna Dodson, Erick Durant, Shane Fero, Kathryn Field, Gay Freeborn, Ronnie Gould, Suzanne Grey, Bob Hesse, Alison Lauriat, Madeleine Lord, Michelle Louge, Andy Moerlein, Dawn Mostow, Steve Murphy, Ilene Richard, Tom Whelan, Nancy Whitin.



Upon viewing the pieces the visitor experiences different emotions based on the philosophy and presentation of the artist involved. Some pieces evoke empathy, others humor, others yet a sudden awareness of our impact on the world.

Reception: June 24, 2012, 5-7 p.m. Guest Speaker: Chris Leahy from the Mass Audubon Society. A professional conservationist for more than thirty years and served as Director of Mass Audubon’s Center for Biological Conservation.

Lilac Rhino, 26" tall, wood, pigment, paint 2003 by Donna Dodson Photo Credit: Cliff Pfeiffer

Lilac Rhino was inspired by the colors on the Morton Salt Girl. She strides nonchalantly through life, singing in the rain, open hearted and stepping out to greet, life, come what may.

THE SEER

The Breakneck Road at Hulls Cove has been a summer rendezvous for Native Americans as long as memory exists. On this very spot, Samuel D. Champlain landed in 1604- the first of a tsunami of European visitors to this fragile ecosystem. Owl has seen the world change and has a message for humankind. Step into the sacred space and listen. If you open your heart, Owl has advice to share.

By Donna Dodson & Andy Moerlein

2012 Artists in Residence
Hulls Cove Sculpture Garden
17 Breakneck Road
Bar Harbor, Maine

The Seer, 18 ft tall, saplings, 2012

TREE WORK An Arboreal Celebration

May 25 - June 30 2012
Opening Reception, Friday May 25th 5p-8p

Harbor Square Gallery 374 Main St Rockland Maine http://www.harborsquaregallery.com/

I am honored to announce my work has been selected for exhibition at the Harbor Square Gallery in Rockland Maine by the owner, Thomas O'Donovan. This summer, the gallery is presenting "Tree Work: an arboreal celebration." Proceeds from the sale of the work will go towards helping the city of Rockland replace trees in the city. The exhibition will include works in a variety of media celebrating trees and forests- the centerpiece being the oils of Donald Rainville. Participating artists include Harold Garde, Cabot Lyford, Lee Lawson, Ben McGinnis, Imero Gobbato, Eric Hopkins, Joyce Tenneson, Thomas O'Donovan and David Blackwood.

Madam Elephant is the leader of the pack and a matriarch of the family. Head strong and iron-willed, like the tree she came from, yet green- still cutting her teeth. If women could be the president of the United States, their proper title of address would be Madam President. Regally adorned like a Head of State with jewel-like tusks and polished toenails. She decides who to be, a trophy or a hunter.

Image: Madam Elephant, 38" tall, wood, paint by Donna Dodson, Photo credit: Bruno Giust

Boston Sculptors Windows Gallery

This summer I will be exhibiting four of my small scale limited edition bronze sculptures at the Boston Sculptors Gallery in the front windows. My work will be on view from May 1, 2012 - September 10, 2012 in this new mini gallery space that was designed to feature small works by artists who are members of the gallery. Save the date for the upcoming SOWA First Friday receptions on May 4, June 1, July 6, August 3 and September 7 from 5-8pm. Boston Sculptors Gallery is located at 486 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02118. For more information visit www.bostonsculptors.com.

Asian Elephant, 6" tall, bronze on limestone base, 2012

Elephant Princess, 6" tall, bronze on limestone base, 2012

Lilac Rhino, 6" tall, bronze on limestone base, 2012

Pregnant Kangaroo, 6" tall, bronze on limestone base, 2012

ARTSCAPE AND THE CITY OF PITTSFIELD

Artscape Announces New Group of Sculptures Now Being Installed in Downtown Pittsfield

"Call Me Melville" Theme Embraced by All Applicants

PITTSFIELD, Mass., Apr. 26, 2012-- Artscape, the public outdoor art exhibition, today announced the selection of seven new artworks that are being installed in various locations within Downtown Pittsfield. In keeping with the city's year-long celebration of Herman Melville's masterpiece Moby-Dick, which was written in Pittsfield, all of the 2012 sculptures adhere to the Moby Dick theme.

Installation began in early April, and will continue through the month until all have been placed. The art spans a broad spectrum, from decorative to inspirational, functional to whimsical. Some sculptures are installed at ground level, and others on light poles. All can be appreciated by people of all ages. Locations are wide-ranging and are on private and public land, including Dunham Mall in front of City Hall, Bank Row, Park Square, and city planters and medians along the city streetscape.

Artists selected for this year's installations come from the mid-Atlantic and New England region, including three from the Berkshires. Each work has its own distinct personality and appearance, with notable installations including:

a large representation of Melville's pen, with flowing ink forming the shape of a whale (City Hall garden on Allen St.); twin octopi flying from a light pole at the Colonial Theatre. Lighted by LEDs, the work takes on an especially dramatic look at night; and a figure of Moby-Dick itself, in the planter on Bank Row.

Artists chosen for this year's new installations include C.R. Gray, whose "Sail" is made of New England fieldstone, steel and limestone; C.R. Gray also has a sculpture called "Great White Whale" made of white granite; Matt Thomases, a bronze bust of "Ahab"; Mark Hanford and Bill Tobin (of Pittsfield), a "Breaching Whale" made of welded steel; plus the above-mentioned: Paul Angiolillo ("Melville's Pen"), Donna Dodson ("Moby Dick"), and Marissa Dipaola ("Twin Octopi")

In addition to these juried items, there is also a special downtown bench that will be wired so as to read a random passage of Moby Dick whenever someone sits down on it. The passages are being recorded with a wide variety of local people from all walks of life, and is being created by Berkshires composer Evan Lurie and sculptor Joe Wheaton.

"The outdoor display of public art has always been a crowd-pleaser, and each year the artists' creativity stirs the imagination and encourages discussion," stated Pittsfield Mayor Daniel Bianchi. "Artscape contributes to the downtown personality, and give people one more reason to visit and spend more time walking our vibrant City streets."

Artscape includes sculptures, banners, and street signs that energize and add whimsy and beauty to the city. The exhibition has been ongoing for 12 years, with new additions coming into rotation each year.

The mission of the city of Pittsfield’s Artscape program is to enhance the downtown’s character and attract visitors by installing and promoting works of art in various outdoor locations accessible to the public throughout the downtown area.

In celebration of Herman Melville’s novel, Moby Dick, I wanted to create a sculpture of the novel’s hero. Melville was a brilliant writer. He created the Captain of the ship who sought revenge on the whale who had harmed him, not from malice, but from some animal instinct. I came away from the novel thinking of the nature of the whale & the feeling that the whale just being itself- a wild animal, unpredictable, fierce and mysterious. I made some technical breakthroughs in the making of this piece. Normally, I sculpt directly in wood, allowing the grain pattern and shape to dictate the forms that I create. When I work outdoor on a monumental scale, I use Styrofoam which has no grain pattern, and I use cement to create the surface. Then I often paint them to bring in color and texture to the surface area. Although outdoor work should be bold, and I believe that it should make a strong visual statement, I miss the naturalism of working with wood whenever I work in foam and cement. With Moby Dick, I was able to realize the sculpture using only natural materials to achieve the surface and texture. In turn, these materials help to emphasize the nature of the whale.

Update: Robert Whitcomb wrote about this piece on This New England blog for the Providence Journal in an article 'A Whale of a Town." Paul Rapp invited me to talk about my work on Friday May 4th, for the Splatto Festival radio program which airs on WBCR-LP 97-7 FM in Great Barrington and streams at www.berkshireradio.org. The SPLATTO FESTIVAL airs on Fridays from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. The full interview here. Andy Moerlein captured the installation on video.

A Panel Discussion on International Art Residencies

A Panel Discussion on International Art Residencies
Wednesday May 2, 2012 from 6:30 – 9:00 pm
swissnex Boston · 420 Broadway · Cambridge, MA 02138
http://www.swissnexboston.org/

Kiki Thompson, Co-Founder of the 3-D Verbier Sculpture Park Residency Program, will discuss the values of international residency programs in the arts. Additionally, Boston sculptors and Verbier Residency artists, Donna Dodson, and Andy Moerlein, will speak about their experiences.

Samsara by Kiki Thompson, 2011 Photo credit Kerry-Jane Lowery
Other artists included in the Panel:

● Mary Sherman, Director of TransCultural Exchange

● Franklin Einspruch, painter, writer and arts critic

● Lynne Allen, Director, School of Visual Arts at Boston University

● Antoni Muntadas, visiting Professor of the Practice at MIT

Moderator:

Caitlin Strokosch, Executive Director at Alliance of Artists Communities

This event is free and open to the public. A networking reception with Swiss delights will follow the panel discussion.

Topics will include:

· Presentation of the Verbier 3D Sculpture Residency Park Program (Kiki Thompson)

· Experience by former artists-in-residence in Verbier (Donna Dodson & Andy Moerlein)

· Discussion about other residency programs and experience and knowledge sharing with international artists-in-residence programs, their values, and the return on investment.

Update: Here are some images from that event from Enough Room Video. Swissnex, the Boston Consulate of Switzerland, posted a write up of the panel discussion on their blog with photos from the event by Andreas Rufer and a video recap here.