Homage

Homage

When I visited St. Margaret’s 12th century chapel in the Edinburgh Castle, it was a sacred place for me. So much so that I came back and visited it a second time. The sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows sending splashes of color on the rough hewn walls. It drew me in and I sat quietly. That was my first introduction to St. Margaret. 

I was so moved by my experience that I opted to visit another place where she had been: the Dunfermline Abbey, which was founded by St. Margaret. It is also where she was buried. I was not surprised that Dunfermline Abbey also felt sacred. 

This piece is created from two different perspectives of the interior of the Dunfermline Abbey Church, with its time-weathered columns and arches seeping with traces from the past.

Size: (h x w) 32" x 24"

Media: Phototransfer and pastels on maple

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Illumination

Illumination

The sunlight is glaring through a window in the Great Hall of the Edinburgh Castle in Scotland.  I overlaid this with a celtic cross from Iona, allowing the light from the window to illuminate it.

Size: (h x w) 16" x 20"

Media" Digital photography

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Ingenuity

This piece is from my two-person Tangled Memories exhibit.  The exhibit explored my experiences with my Dad's Early-Onset Alzheimer's. (He was diagnosed in his early 50's, when I was still a teenager, and died in 2000 at the age of 65).


Ingenuity

Sometimes with Alzheimer's you just have to laugh.

One day my Dad decided he needed to reinforce his lunch bag, an empty sugar bag, so that it would last longer. He took that bag and covered the entire thing with duct tape. It was effective and he was very proud. He then took this a step further. He decided to cover the cracking exterior vinyl on the roof of his car, a late-70s Mercury Cougar (with the vinyl roof and a hood that went on forever). He covered all of the vinyl with duct tape. It actually looked pretty good, since his car was silver!

I decided to duct tape a sugar bag in preparation for making this piece. It is harder than it looks! I was surprised that this ended up being a profound moment of connection with my Dad as I went through the same process that he did. 

This piece celebrates resourcefulness in the midst of navigating the shrinking pathways within the Alzheimer's brain.

Size: (h x w) 14" x 11"

Media: Digital print on Arches paper, thread

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Meditation

Meditation. An image of a window opening within the ruins of a Nunnery on the Isle of Iona, Scotland, is combined with a labyrinth that was created in the sand on a secluded little beach.  Together they create a quiet, meditative space of solace.

Size (h x w): 14" x 11" (matted and framed)

Media: original digital print on arches paper

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Senses

While wandering around Assisi, Italy I happened upon this wonderfully chaotic little gallery. The gallery was closed, but I could not resist checking out the different pieces of artwork in this dusty nook.  It was filled with assorted relics of creativity and exuded a captivating sense of history. I resonated with the feel of the place so I took a photo through the bars that were closing it off. I overlaid the photo with an image of a medieval balcony that echoed the artistry and time worn beauty found within the gallery.

This is one of the pieces from the Thin Places body of work that I created as a result of my artist residency in Assisi in 2012.

Size: (h x w) 14" x 18"

Media: phototransfer on arches paper

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Passage

Passage was created from two viewpoints that shaped my time in Assisi and my perception of thin places.  The first is of an archway that opens up to reveal a stunning view of the countryside.  The first time I came upon this place, it was such a delight to see the hazy blues and greens of the countryside in a break between the pale medieval stone walls!  

The second image is of the window in my room at the Arte Studio Ginestrelle.  When not out wandering the town and countryside, I spent a fair bit of time in this room researching and looking out the window reflecting.  This view offered me a place where I would get lost in thought and it inspired me.

These images capture the thrill of discovery and the significance of contemplation. 

This piece is part of my Thin Places body of work, created after an artist residency in Assisi, Italy last year.

If you have a minute, please read the view the review of my latest Thin Places exhibit!

Size: (h x w) 20" x 12"

Media: Original digital photography on canvas

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Dreaming Again...

I invite you to please take a moment to check out my NEW PORTFOLIO with some new pieces not yet printed!  And while you are there, please click "collect me" to vote for my artwork.  There are cash prizes, exhibition and publication opportunities, and a trip around the world for the winning artists!

Yes, I AM dreaming, but hey, it's worth a try!  My sincerest thanks for your time and support.

Please feel free to forward this on to those who may be interested.

Thanks again,
Michele

Opportunity Knocks

I am thoroughly enjoying the long awaited process of sifting through my photos from my artist residency in Assisi, Italy!  As I am getting started (finally!) on my new Thin Places body of work I am feeling refreshed in the beauty and inspiration that I experienced in Assisi.  It was such a privilege to go and I am so very thankful for the opportunity.

While in Italy I was consistently drawn to ornate door knockers on charming wooden doors.  They seemed to capture the passage of time with such weathered beauty while also igniting my curiosity as to what was on the other side.

I am looking forward to making some smaller works for sale in my studio featuring some of these door knockers.  Stop by soon!

Unexpected Surprise!

So many have asked about my time in Assisi.  It has been difficult to articulate and share about the large and small elements of the experience that made it so inspiring, rewarding, thought provoking, moving,...but I am working on it!  I am still thinking about and processing so many aspects of it, which I am sure I will be doing for quite a while!  Creating the new body of work will undoubtedly be an integral part of processing the experience. 

Interestingly, since returning from Italy I have noticed that I am still scanning my surroundings with a heightened sense of observation, looking for beauty and meaning around me.  In Assisi, I knew I had limited time and was seeking to capture imagery and experience the surroundings to create my Thin Places body of work.  Yet, here I am, back in Ohio, looking closely and appreciating the beauty around me.  What an unexpected surprise!

Assisi

I spent a full day in Assisi, walking up hills and down hills. There was a wonderful sense of adventure as the streets have small alleys branching off and interconnecting with other streets. There was a continuous feeling of discovery as I wandered around bends, hiked up steps and wound through narrow streets. Assisi is on the side of a large hill, so it obviously slopes downhill, but it also goes downhill on the opposite plane, making for a lot of inclines and steps! It is really amazing to see the various Roman arches that indicate where the city walls were and where expansion took place. One road shows three expansions, a very early arch, one from an expansion in 1265 and another from 1316.

It wasn't very crowded today, so I really got a great feel for the place in a quiet atmosphere. I saw the Rocca Minore and the Rocca Maggiore, both medieval fortresses. I toured the inside of the large fortress, which was historically and architecturally intriguing. It also provided an excellent view, since it is on the top of the hill that Assisi is situated on. I spent a good amount of time at the cemetery just outside the city walls. It was a contemplative place with abundant artwork and a beautiful view. It didn't have the forsaken feel of so many other cemeteries, the dead were not forgotten with the scent of fresh flowers by numerous graves, old and new.

I visited many churches today, but the church I enjoyed most was St. Stephano. It is one of the oldest churches in Assisi and was built very plainly by stonemasons. It was the most unadorned basic church I had been in so far, but there was something about the beauty of the sparse space, with only a few faded frescos and low lighting, which provided dramatic shadows.

Arte Studio Ginestrellle

I arrived at Arte Studio Ginestrelle yesterday. It is a 19th century farmhouse that originally

housed animals in the lower level. Today, the lower level is made up of three different kitchens and a large communal space for the artists in residence. The house is very charming and has a real sense of history that seems to invite discovery in and around it.

Last night I had dinner with Marina, the director, Jo, a visual artist from Alaska, and Tommie, a writer from Finland. We had a lot of fun chatting about cultural differences, from food to how to call a cat or other animals, to traditions that accompany different holidays. We laughed a lot at some of the random things we discovered.

Today was my first full day in the town of Assisi. Apart from the masses of the Italian version of girl scouts, wearing monks clothes and lady bug beenie hats, that swarmed around in the earlier part of the day, it was easy to maneuver. Though no photography is allowed in most churches, I thoroughly enjoyed my experiences within.

Some of the pigments in the frescos in the Basilica of Saint Francis have oxidized, actually giving it an inverted look that plays with your perspective. I sat in a side chapel in the lower church during mass and was deeply moved by it. (The lower church is the older part over which a grander basilica was built and frescoed by Giotto, Cimabue...it was awesome to see both levels of frescoes!!) When the priest sang, it was so beautiful, perhaps because I have not experienced mass before or perhaps because I did not focus on the words, since I don't understand Italian very well...regardless, this was a thin place for me filled with pure beauty, both audible and visual with the frescoes all around. I think Lent is a perfect time to explore art in Italy, there is a heightened sensitivity to the imagery.

In the Basilica of St. Clare, there was a misty haze from the incense that glowed in the late afternoon sun coming through the rose window. Again, a thin place for me.

Assisi Thin Places Partners

I am honored to list those who have pledged to partner with me on the Assisi Thin Places project:

Jill & Todd Rich
Harry & Laurie Winters
David Wills
Ann Lawson
Steve & Sarah Shumaker
Brett & Brenda Woudenberg
Tom & Joyce Waalkes
Su Nimon
Laurie & John Skipper
Paul & Lynn Digby
Richard Thomas
Todd Walburn & Brennis Booth
Tom & Debbie Beiter
Margie Stocker
Tiffany Marsh
Kevin Maxwell
Marcia Everett
Ginny & Steve Jensen
Paul & Gail Wetherell Sack
Marge & John Oliver

If you are interested in learning more about the Assisi Thin Places project or partnering with me on it, please check out my project page on Kickstarter.

Artist Residency in Assisi

I have been accepted for an artist residency at the Arte Studio Ginestrelle in Assisi, Italy. While there, I will be working on capturing imagery for a new mixed media body of work that conveys thin places. A thin place being a time or place in which the veil between the divine and human feels mysteriously thinner, or more permeable. I will be using the imagery from the residency to create mixed media pieces that juxtapose different images together to create intriguing perspectives of a thin place. In addition, I will have a piece of my new work, created as a result of the residency, exhibited in Assisi this fall, along with the work of other artists in residence from throughout this year.

I will travel to Italy on March 21 and return on April 2, 2012. I am using Kickstarter as a funding platform to help fund the travel costs involved in getting to and from Assisi for the residency. Please check out my page on Kickstarter.com, my project title is: Assisi Thin Places. By funding my project, you are also funding the creation of my new body of work for exhibition!

Peering

This is a photo of a window in the Saint John Laterano basilica in Rome. It is a beautiful church full of amazing sculptural reliefs depicting very animated versions of Bible stories. This window photo, with its stark contrast, was one of my favorite from this church.

I am peering at Light, but never able to fully see or comprehend. Yet, I am drawn to the Light, toward wanting to be still, to look hard, to listen intently, to breathe deeply, and to somehow deeply sense my profound connection to Light more tangibly.

This piece was part of a group exhibit at Anderson Creative entitled "Into the Light," which used the metaphor of light to explore aspects ranging from physical to the spiritual perceptions and understandings of light.

Size: (h x w): 20” x 16”

Media: Original digital print on aluminum

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Glimmer

I was intrigued by this shadow on my wall and wanted to capture it. While it was obviously created by the sun shining through wind-blown branches and then through my window, it was so mesmerizing to watch the animated shadows and warm glow of light dancing on my wall.

Although the source of Light cannot be seen, its presence is apparent. Light is manifested all around us.

This piece was part of a group exhibit at Anderson Creative entitled "Into the Light," which used the metaphor of light to explore aspects ranging from physical to the spiritual perceptions and understandings of light.  It was also exhibited in Columbus, Ohio in the Let's Get Digital exhibit at the Riffe Gallery.  It is currently on exhibit at my studio, Michele Waalkes ARTS in 2nd April galerie at 324 Cleveland Ave. NW, Canton, OH 44702.

Size: (h x w): 24” x 20”

Media: Original digital print on stretched canvas

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Infinite

This photo was taken on the rare occasion that I actually got up early enough to see the sunrise (I am NOT a morning person!). This sunrise photo was taken at Tybee Island, Georgia.

I love how the vast and unfathomable essence of Light is expressed in Job 38:19, “What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside?” The infinite nature of Light is mind-boggling, yet comforting.

This piece was part of a group exhibit at Anderson Creative entitled "Into the Light," which used the metaphor of light to explore aspects ranging from physical to the spiritual perceptions and understandings of light.

Size: (h x w): 14” x 11”, on small black metal easel

Media: Original digital print on aluminum

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Proofs

These photos were taken of the shadows cast from a chandelier. I find the shadows so beautiful and graceful.

Traces of reality are visualized as a result of, and in the presence of, Light. This resonates with the complexity of Psalm 36:9b, “…in your light we see light.”

This piece was part of a group exhibit at Anderson Creative entitled "Into the Light," which used the metaphor of light to explore aspects ranging from physical to the spiritual perceptions and understandings of light.

Size: (h" x w"): 20” x 14”

Media: Original digital print, matted & framed

AVAILABLE

Enlightenment

I took this photo of a small ornamental cross, seeking to visually alter and refresh the dimension and meaning of this icon.

Light illuminates and provides a glance at life’s dimension and depth, purpose and meaning.

This piece is part of a group exhibit entitled "Into the Light," which sought to use the metaphor of light to explore aspects ranging from physical to the spiritual perceptions and understandings of light. 

Size: (h x w): 14” x 11”

Media: Original digital print, matted & framed

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Insight

One of my favorite places in Rome was the Pantheon. It had such an historic feel to it and I loved the interplay of light shining through the oculus and magnifying the dimensional aspects of the architecture.

This shot of the Pantheon captured the multifaceted qualities of Light as it is experienced with limited, finite perception.

This piece was part of a group exhibit at Anderson Creative entitled "Into the Light," which used the metaphor of light to explore aspects ranging from physical to the spiritual perceptions and understandings of light. It is currently on exhibit in my studio, Michele Waalkes ARTS located in 2nd April galerie at 324 Cleveland Ave. NW, Canton, OH 44702.

Size: (h x w) 18" x 24"

Media: Original digital print, matted & framed

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Angel Fresco

This was such a graceful, faint remnant of an angel fresco on the wall of a house in Pompeii, I couldn’t resist photographing it.

Size: (h x w) 12" x 10" framed
Media: Original digital print
SOLD