This past week was a bit of a blur getting ready for my first gallery exhibition, but I am very honored to have been awarded Curator's Choice for my "Decomposition: Colony III" installation at Momentum: Art Doesn't Stand Still in Oklahoma City this year! There were so many outstanding pieces and talented artists in the exhibition, and I feel very grateful to have shown my work alongside them. I am even more overwhelmed, grateful, and encouraged to the curators for this event, PLUG Projects from Kansas City. This has been a very humbling, inspiring and motivational experience, an opportunity that I owe Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition a lot for making possible as well. While my drive to make art is still going strong because I simply enjoy what I do so much, it was encouraging to see the response to my work by peers and other artists. I've made some great contacts and am seeing what a great, welcoming, art community is here in OKC. Now I know for sure that I can't let my visions falter and go unrealized.
Aside from the enjoyment that came from nerding out over wood decay, moss, plants, and assembling all of my other materials, I think my favorite part of the exhibition was watching people observe my piece. While I avoided hovering nearby because it made me nervous, it was fantastic to see people crouching down to look at the knitted mushroom caps up close, and further inspecting the other components of the installation - the exact response that I was hoping for. I'm excited to continue on to the next phase (possibly two) of this series which will hopefully come to fruition in the next month or so (installation plans are already slated for April).
Thank you for all the support and kind comments. I've checked off a major bucket list item here and can't wait to see what comes along next.
If you are unfamiliar with the Decomposition Series, you can see previous installations at the links below:
