Don't Drown, latest sculpture by Kathy Frey as part of DANK Inaugural

Here's my latest sculpture! It's hanging in the DANK Inaugural show through August 1. A group of 10 artists came together, and we decided to give ourselves a deadline by having a show around the theme of Water since the drought is such an issue this year.

We will have a closing reception on Friday, August 1, 2014, 5–9pm during Nevada City's First Friday Art Walk.

Don't Drown

Copper wire, steel wire, hook (found object)

$950

As a child growing up on the rugged coast of Maine, life jackets were standard issue, whether you knew how to swim or not. In thinking about water, all these memories came flooding back of interacting with that salty, frigid ocean that I was taught to respect, challenge and revere... all with the goal of not drowning. 

Now my ocean has been replaced by "the creative flow," and yet I don't always feel equipped with the right tools and support systems. If I jump in, will I drown? Or if I merely dip my toe in, am I missing out on the real experience? Both perspectives stem from fear. The acts of creating and showing work are both scary and exciting. The meditative process of wrapping this sculpture allowed my mind to roll these ideas around, and, ultimately, the act of doing — the act of creating — keeps me in the flow with my head above water.

*****

I just love this image by fellow DANKster Roseanne Burke which captures Celine Negrete as she's hanging her photographs.