Thursday, December 31, 2020

End of Year Reflections and the Year Ahead

 As we near the end of 2020, it occurs to me that in spite of the disruptions of COVID-19 and the global pandemic, I participated in several international exhibitions and online programs. I also forged some exciting new collaborations. Below is a brief summary of 2020 and a look ahead to 2021...

I created a video for International Sculpture Day in April, A Studio Visit with Donna Dodson, that summarizes my work in process and highlights some of my previous work. Thanks to Andy Moerlein for the shooting, staging and fantastic video editing. Check out his IS Day Studio Visit too.

I participated in two international virtual exhibitions: one in Peru and one in Switzerland. The Peruvian show, La Primera Exposicion Virtual Collectiva is an online exhibition that was created in honor of ROLDAN BRAULIO ALVARADO MECICOMER, a well-known and beloved art professor and sculptor at ESCUELA SUPERIOR DE FORMACIÓN ARTÍSTICA PÚBLICA DE BELLAS ARTES “VÍCTOR MOREY PEÑA” DE IQUITOS Peru. (Look for Andy Moerlein's work in the exhibition too)

The Great Pause, a covid response to the pandemic by Verbier 3D Foundation in Switzerland features images of new work by artists who have been part of this residency program (including Andy Moerlein), the highest altitude sculpture park in the world. Each artist was asked to send in photographs of current work, and a written statement about how Covid is shaping their practice. The images and texts were printed and mounted on the side of the bench platforms along the hiking trail that runs through the sculpture park. I sent in an image of the Alpha Female and this statement:

"I am personally affected by the virus, and it has given new context and meaning to my work. I am making a new series that is based on Amazons, the ancient warrior women. I am re-imagining Durer's Four horsemen of the Apocalypse as Amazon Warriors. Given the current pandemic, this body of work is speaking to the current moment.

We are witnessing women leaders of the world, who are battling against the virus in their countries, win with truth, decisiveness, intelligence, and compassion. Globally, we must come to new understanding of women. Our survival depends on it."


I am currently a Visiting Scholar at Brandeis University Women's Studies Research Center for 2019-2021. Last year was focused on research and this year will result in creating a new body of work that will open at the Boston Sculptors Gallery in May 2021. My project is focused on the Amazons in ancient, modern and contemporary art history including warrior women from around the world such as Hua Mulan, Rani of Jhansi, Tomiris and amazons in pop culture such as The Wakanda and Wonder Woman. I am completing this series by interpreting Durer's "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" as Amazon warriors in my woodcarvings. I have gotten some good press so far, especially "Donna Dodson is Making An Army, and Why Not? by Jennifer Oladipo in her new online platform, The Chord.


Leave it to Seagull Cinderella to attract one of the most unexpected and ultimately wonderful experiences in 2020. She, and I, participated in a cowboy boot commercial, written, produced and directed by the one and only Jeremiah Craig. Check out his video "Simple and Sophisticated Ostrich Boots from Rujo." Hats off to Jeremiah for doing some top shelf investigative journalism and inviting me to reveal the uncut version of the story.


A couple of followups and footnotes to my previous posts from 2020:

Interpreting the Natural: Contemporary Visions of Scholars' Rocks was exhibited at the Korean Cultural Center in NYC, October 21-Nov 30, 2020. This exhibition featured artwork by ten award-winning artists: Laura Cannamela, Mark Cooper, Furen Dai, Christopher Frost, JooLee Kang, Woomin Kim, Susan Meyer, Andy Moerlein, Laura Moriarty, and Elisa Pritzker alongside traditional stones from the collection of Thomas Elias and Hiromi Nakaoji and the renowned scholar Kemin Hu. Due to COVID-19 all of the programming was recorded live and posted to youtube. Check out the website for all of the links to videos of the artist talks that featured famous experts, scholars, collectors and many generous souls who joined into the conversations and enhanced the community that we created online.


News from the Myth Makers: Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein:

Look for new work from this dynamic duo in Camden NJ, Atlanta GA and Anchorage AK in 2021! Coming up in March 2021 at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Gainesville, Georgia: Flannery's Peacock, a tribute to Flannery O'Connor and her beloved peacocks. Following that, The Phoenix Festival will premiere in April 2021 as part of "A New View Camden" the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge to address illegal dumping in Camden New Jersey. And in June 2021, look for a giant pair of fabled magpies at the Alaska Botanical Garden in Anchorage, Alaska. For more info, visit our blog.





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