Installation Shots

I finally made time to do a few installation shots of the New Art in Austin: 20 To Watch exhibition. If you haven't made it out, the show is up through May 11, 2008. The show then travels to four more spaces: Blue Star Art Space, San Antonio, Oct 4-Dec 28, 2008; The Grace Museum, Abilene, Jan 24-Apr 19, 2009; DiverseWorks, Houston, May 1-Jun 12, 2009; The Art Gallery at UNT-Denton: pending Fall 2009.

I plan to attend each opening so I hope to see you there!

Perfect Strangers

Just this week I received two separate emails from perfect strangers who after seeing my work in the New Art in Austin: 20 To Watch exhibition at the Austin Museum of Art felt compelled to write me. I have excluded their names and personal info yet included short statements from their emails.

Thank you for your kind, encouraging and honest responses to the photographs.

"Today I spent my afternoon at the Austin Museum of Art soaking in all that the current "20 to watch" exhibit has to offer. The final works that I saw were your photographs, and I was so moved upon seeing them that my legs felt weak and I spent the entire bus ride home blinking back tears. I came home and looked up your name on the internet, found your site, found your blog. I am relatively new to Austin and have seen few pieces of art (music, plays, and dances included) that have shaken me to the core like I was this afternoon at the museum. Thank you."

"I just visited "20 to Watch" at AMOA. I would like to share with you my response to your work. Of all the work in the exhibit, I made the strongest connection with yours and Baseera Khan's paintings. I am a quiet, introverted, thoughtful man. I read the information about your work, as well as seeing what you had to say in the video, so I understand what the conscious, or intentional, theme in your work would be.

However, I was drawn by the intimacy of the photos. You appear to share both your body and your emotional state so openly and intimately, showing great trust and courage in a vulnerable position. That's the message I came away with. I saw a beautiful young woman, frightened and saddened by her situation, choosing to honor and take care of herself and others by sharing her experience with beauty, dignity, and kindness. Anyway, I feel inspired, so thank you for sharing."

Student Show

Please join me this Friday April 18, 2008 at the Yoga Studio Gallery in downtown Nacogdoches from 6-8pm for the opening of Decisive Moments–my advanced photography classes exhibition.

This semester I created a topic specific course for my advanced photography students at Stephen F. Austin State University. I explored three specific themes: Self-Portraiture, Domesticity and Performance and the overlap that can occur between them. I introduced more contemporary artists such as Elina Brotherus, Nikki S. Lee, Trish Morrissey, Jen Davis, Elinor Carruci, Todd Hido, Amy Stein and others. I challenged my students to create one body of work for the semester incorporating one or all of these themes. It was my intention to have my students think how their images work in a series and inform one another rather than make single isolated works.

If you are in the East Texas area please stop by. The show runs through April 24.

Grant/Funding Needed

I'm in the process of looking for grants for artists and/or photographers in order to continue my Repository series. I've recently applied for several artist-in-residence programs allowing me time to focus on this specific project. In addition, I am in the process of extending my photographic exploration into other medical conditions which involve, alter or compromise the female reproductive organs.

If you come across any art, science, medical or humanities grants you think are appropriate, please send them my way.

Opening and Recent Review

The Kinsey's annual juried art show opens this Friday April 11 from 5-7:30. The show runs April 11-July 25. If you happen to be near Bloomington, Indiana please check out all the work on view.

Also just out in this week's Austin Chronicle is a review of the recent New Art in Austin: 20 to Watch exhibition. Yours truly is featured. So please check it out.

Art Alliance

My advanced photography student, Angela Duncan received second place for photograph No. 6 from her series titled, Inside in the annual Stephen F. Austin State University Art Alliance student contest. The show was curated and judged by artist Roger Shimomura.

I created a topic specific course this Spring semester covering Domesticity, Self-Portraiture and Performance. Angela investigates through photography her evolving relationship with her husband while successfully incorporating all three themes in to her new and challending body of work.

The show runs April 7-12, 2008 located in the Art Department Front and Back Galleries.

Clean 2 Video Screening Museum of Fine Arts Houston

Please join me this coming Saturday, April 5, 2008 at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston at 7pm in the Brown Auditorium for "Imagining China" and "Transformations". My performance video, Clean 2,(2006) will be viewed in conjunction with Fotofest and the Southwest Alternate Media Group.

I created the video during my last months of graduate school. I had access to a morgue in Texas and did a series of self-portraits as well as two performances in the space. For me the act of bathing or cleansing one's self alludes to a metaphorical rebirth, a new beginning. The video was made exactly two years after I had first been diagnosed with cervical cancer at the age of 26.



WINNERS

ADULT - Transformation
Basic Wire and Cable - by Chuck Ivy
Clean 2 - by Sarah Sudhoff
Environmental Justive in the USA - by Tammy Cromer-Campbell
The Fall - by Adam Cruces
Lover of the Lord - by Jack Otis Moore
Mitosis Remix - by I-AoI
Reveal - by Travis Reed

ADULT - Imagining China
Chinaaah! - by Jeanie Low and Stephanie Saint Sanchez
China Hot: Factory 798 - by Quin Matthews

YOUTH - Transformation
Andrea and Ann Present Farggeano - by Andrea Wistuba & Ann Henson
The Buggie - by Katy Bogar, Sophie Creede & Caroline Galliano
The Green Transforming Blob - by Rick Gordon, Adarsh Nednvr, Sydney Tidwell & Justice Magourick-Baker
Mix and Match - by Brea Aikens, Imogen Van Der Werff & Taylor Russo
Origami - by Christian Behrend
Siddhartha - by Kate Montgomery
Solved - by Boe Kim and Corey Martin
The Walking Water - by Dylan Siemann

YOUTH - Imagining China
Bridge to Dragonithia - by Maddy Lopez, Maryanne Sapon, Athena Rodriguez, Acara Turner, Mary Margaret Worley & Cory Summers