thelmasmith » Carolyn Mazloomi

Alice Neel – and a Lesson for Artists

thelma — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:01:49 +0000

Faith Ringgold and Alice Neel have probably done more to bring the work of women artists into the patriarchal dominated art world than any artists I can think of during the last half of the twentieth century.

Here is the link http://www.aliceneel.com/gallery/?mode=display&decade=7&painting=87 to the galleries on the Alice Neel website. I suggest that you start in the 1920s and work your way through all the images until just before Neel’s death in 1984. She never bowed to popular vision or demands. She remained true to her own eye right to the very last. Do seek out her self portrait painted in 1980.

Rosa Parks – Call to Artists

thelma — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 19:05:55 +0000

National Endowment for the Arts to Manage Design Competition forRosa Parks Statue in US Capitol
The National Endowment for the Arts today announced a design competition, in partnership with the Joint Committee on the Library and the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, for a statue of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks. Commissioned by the U.S. Congress, the sculpture will be permanently installed in National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol Building. The Rosa Parks statue represents the first commission of a full-sized statue authorized and funded by the U.S. Congress since the 1870s. The Chrysler Foundation has provided $100,000 to support the administration of the competition.

http:www.nea.gov/news/news08/RosaParks.html

Textural Rhythms: Quilting the Jazz Tradition

thelma — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 21:38:36 +0000

Textural Rhythms: Quilting the Jazz Tradition landed in my mail box. I’ve just begun reading the text having fallen into and through the images several times already.

Here’s a look at the work from another direction, Kyra, talks about how the book captivates her. Here’s Sonji Hunt’s lovely review of the opening reception.

The most amazing thing I have learned about myself from Dr. Mazloomi’s writing:

“Jazz speaks for life. The Blues tell the story of life’s difficulties, and if you think for a moment, you will realize that they take the hardest realities of life and put them into music, only to come out with some new hope or sense of triumph. This triumph is music.”

Now I know why my series, The Blues, is languishing. It has finished itself. I have found that triumph of new hope. I want to thank Dr. Mazloomi for putting it in words for me. I really needed to see that in print so that I could see into my own spirit.

You can get the catalog here. Keep an eye on Dr. Mazloomi’s website for information about the travels of this exhibition. Be sure to see it when it comes within a day’s drive. The catalog is spectacular; the exhibition is even better.

I also received my copy of Threads of Faith. This is another magnificent catalog with lots of text. The traveling exhibition has closed but the book will transport you there.

Many thanks to Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi for permission to use her copyrighted dust jacket images of the book.