Here’s pictures of the Beyond The Fringe opening reception.

Me, Merce and Abbey.

All of the artists except for Connie Fernandez who had to leave early.

A picture of the back room where the food was presented. See Thebes taking photos?

Here’s a photo of him taking a photo:

In the food reception area the artists put items of inspiration into the cubbies.

I preferred last years BTF reception to this one. This year had some disappointments. A couple of events stand out to me. During the reception two children were body slamming each other into the gallery wall. They were by the Legacy(Genotype) piece and when their hands hit the bottom row of chromosomes I was worried they were going to fall off the wall! (They didn’t thankfully.) After I asked them to stop, they continued with the slamming. A woman who was looking at the chromosomes looked at them, turned around and left the gallery. Later, two other children were running laps inside the gallery and playing tag. They ran by a man looking at my Green Man. They hit him so hard that he stumbled backward but thankfully didn’t fall down. However, after being hit the man walked away from my art. Talk about a punch to the gut.

There were positives. My two pieces got the whole side wall and that certainly stroked my artist ego. It felt wonderful to walk into the gallery and see my artwork on the wall. I’m grateful I was invited to participate. The best part of the reception for me was before anyone arrived. I walked around taking blog notes while Thebes photographed the artwork. I got to spend time with the artwork and really study each piece. Several people gave me great feedback and compliments on both my pieces. I’d like to thank my friends that came to the reception. I appreciated it!

Yesterday all the artists dropped off their work at the Stables Gallery. Merce was so busy it was hard to get a non-blurry picture of her:

Here’s one of her pieces. You can see mine sitting on the floor behind the table.

There was lots of hardware for displaying the art.

The opening reception for Beyond The Fringe is tonight!

This parking meter with a knit sleeve is delightful!

The art looks best when displayed of course. But there’s something exciting about seeing everything laid out like this.

Lots of yarn for the fiber display in the back room:

We also got a write up in the Taos News. You can read the web version here.

Artist Nina Silfverberg will be in this year’s Beyond The Fringe.

What drives you to create?
I just always have…I like producing with my hands. It feels fulfilling. I guess to feel fulfilled.

Why did you choose fiber as your medium?
Wool is a wonderful malleable material, full of surprises. It keeps me challenged.

What kind of materials do you incorporate into your art? Where do you find them?
Thread, yarn, rocks, twigs…fiber optics…I find them all around me.

How much time do you typically invest in a piece?
Sometimes a year, sometimes an afternoon.

What is your process to turn your artistic vision into the finished piece?
I do a lot of thinking, drawing and planning and then I execute. I have two small kids so I don’t have much studio-time for experimenting.

What is the special meaning or message behind your work?
For the pieces in BTF I am reflecting on a particularly difficult time in my life.

Some artists create their art for therapy purposes. Does that apply to you?
Rarely, but for BTF this time it does. Having said that, I realize that the focus of creating, and the energy of creating, is therapeutic no matter what.

What artists do you admire most?
There are too many to mention…but I really love Anish Kapoors work as well as Andy Goldsworthy…Marc Chagall…John Galliano…Joseph Beauys…Rebecca Horn…and so so many more known and not known artists!

Where do you find inspiration?
In the places I least expect.

Do you have any upcoming projects or art shows this year?
Not that I know of yet.

How can people contact you?
my website

Artist Lois Fernandez will be in this year’s Beyond The Fringe. She sent me two progress pics for her interview.

What drives you to create?
My life drives me to create, it chases me wherever I go and it costs me dearly

Why did you choose fiber as your medium?
I like spinning straw into gold…in other words I like the idea of shearing a sheep or alpalca, spinning the fleece, dying with natural dyestuffs, warping the loom and creating the very foundation or canvas of the piece. Fiber lends a depth of color that one cannot achieve with paint.

What kind of materials do you incorporate into your art? Where do you find them?
100% cotton fabrics, wool, naturally dyed and handspun100% cotton fabrics, wool, naturally dyed and handspun

How much time do you typically invest in a piece?
My whole life… sometimes the inspiration for a piece had it’s beginnings early on.

What is your process to turn your artistic vision into the finished piece?
Say NO to everything and everyone until it is complete…..listen to good music, practice yoga, eat well, sleep..maybe play a little guitar. Watch the sunrise and sunset….

What is the special meaning or message behind your work?
Stir the Hearts of anyone who sees the work.

Some artists create their art for therapy purposes. Does that apply to you?
Quen Sabe?

What artists do you admire most?
Hundertwasser, Januz Kosikowski, Lenore Tawney, Anni Albers, Marc Chagall, Andre Derain, Winslow Homer, Matisse, Cezanne.

Where do you find inspiration?
In all living things.

Do you have any upcoming projects or art shows this year?
Taos Artist Co-op ongoing.

How can people contact you?
Lois Fernandez
(575)751-7122
loisintaos @ yahoo . com
Taos Artist Co-op 226
Paseo del Pueblo Norte
Taos, NM 87571
(next to Brodsky Bookstore)