When the Business of Art Slows Down the MAKING of Art

This piece is not finished. Had to stop actually working on the piece yesterday to work on a mock up to give the curator an idea of what the piece will look like, so she could say, "Fabulous! I want it for the January show!" and pass off all the info to the museum. She also wants a piece that I did a pretty elaborate sketch/proposal for that was started only recently. It is hard enough to try and title pieces that are not yet finished, but to title ones that are barely begun is a real challenge. Gone are the days of completely finishing a piece, inviting a friend over, and sipping wine while we contemplate titles.

Today, I stop actually making art to clean pillowcases from the last show (even the Museum of Arts & Design has dust), replacing dowels in the pillow covers that were broken during shipping, and packing all up for a show that opens in a few weeks at the Spencertown Academy Arts Center. I am beginning to hate these pillows... I want them out of circulation. Glass or acrylic cases to protect the work have fallen out of favor with contemporary museums (I know not why!) Each time they are shown, they get a little less brilliant. The pillows are too hard to maintain between shows, and I have to send elaborate OC instructions with them that make me sound like a maniac:

Installation instructions for Hair Embroidery Pillows:

PLEASE NOTE: Each pillow took three months of intense labor. Please take extra care in handling, installing, and displaying these pillows, as the slightest bit of dirt, dust, or fingerprints could ruin them, making them effectively useless for display in the future. Please post “DO NOT TOUCH” signs, and, once they are installed, cover them with plastic while lighting is adjusted, other pieces are installed etc., as it often happens that dust falls onto them during lighting. IF A PARTICLE FALLS ONTO THE PILLOW, BLOW IT OFF RATHER THAN TOUCHING IT, WHICH WILL ONLY GRIND IT INTO THE FIBERS.

If desired, pillows may be carefully ironed around the embroidery with a press cloth (a thin cotton cloth to protect from steam stains and/or dirt from the iron) and no steam after misting with the distilled water provided. If you prefer, you may simply put the pilowcase onto the pillow, lightly mist with the distilled water, and (with clean hands) smooth or lightly pull out the wrinkles.

Pillowcase should be slid over pillow so that the dowel is at the top of the pillowcase, and the zipper of the pillow cover is on the inside of the pillowcase and not seen. I have provided blocks to prop up the pillows on the pedestals so the embroidery is more easily viewed.

Thank you.