Tuesday, January 17, 2017

ExhibitiT

Tell Me A Story:  Women In The Arts


This Thursday, January 19, is the opening of the exhibition, Tell Me A Story:  Women in the Arts. This promises to be an exciting exhibition, showcasing 95 females presenting themselves as artists, how and why.  Not only will each exhibit a work of art, but a statement about themselves and their work.  La Quinta Museum will house the show from January 19 to April 30. Put it on your calendars and make sure to spend time seeing and hearing the voices of these women.

Let Me Tell You A Story - With Book of  Faces
Mixed Media
18 x 24


My work, Let Me Tell You A Story - With Book of Faces is one of the 95 works.  Below is my statement that accompanies this mixed media piece of work.

This is a story of the responsibility to tell a story.  I was tapped on the shoulder and inspired by a mother who claimed a previous life as a tribal member, tapped on the shoulder when, as a basket weaver myself, I learned about Native weavers, tapped on the shoulder by the invisible hand of the tribal weavers , given the responsibility to tell the story.  The story that took place across the land, the story of an art form passed from mother to daughter, of cultural history, artistic vision, and innovation;  the story of women working with natural fibers producing utilitarian containers.   The story of women who honed their basket making skills from childhood, developing a close relationship with their natural environment, creating vessels designed to carry burdens.  But the story changed and the burden shifted with the influx of settlers who appropriated the land. It shifted as the basket makers became domestic employees in settlers’ homes. The art and skill of basket making came close to being sacrificed to the advance of the settlers’ alien civilization.   Eventually the settlers recognized the skill and artistry required to create these beautiful baskets, and tribal women began to create baskets for the Curio Trade.  This is the story of innovation as the basket weavers recognized how to have their designs appeal to a non-native consumer, utilizing traditional techniques, relying on what their mothers’ and culture taught while developing artistic expression within the baskets.  Their baskets became emblems of heritage, statements about cultural evolution, sought after by collectors, dealers, museums.  What started as an art created out of necessity evolved into a form of expression.  Today we see their spectacular basketry¸ but we do not see them.  This is the responsibility to tell their story.



Tell Me A Story:  Women in the Arts
Opening 
Thursday, January 19
5:30 -7:30
La Quinta Museum

Hope to See You There!

To contact me click HERE
To visit my web site click HERE

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

A New Year

New Beginnings

Work in Progress


A new year brings fresh, new beginnings, unless you have an unfinished painting, so this morning I find myself standing in front of the easel working towards completion of this painting before starting something new.  Do you remember this was originally begun for entry in the Invitational Exhibition at the La Quinta Museum?  It was put aside so I could focus on a different creation that forced it's way into my mind.  Let Me Tell You A Story - With Book of Faces was the result and  the work that will be shown in the exhibition that opens next Thursday, January 19.  

Let Me Tell You A Story - With Book of Faces
Pamela Hunt Lee
Mixed Media
24 x 18

The invitational exhibition is titled:  Tell Me A Story:  Women In Art and will run from Jan 19 to Mid April.  This is a celebration of women's art and promises to be filled with fabulous stories and creations.  


Until the opening of the exhibition I will be working on bringing this painting to completion, so I can actually move into the new year and begin something new.

To contact me click HERE
To visit my web site click HERE

Monday, January 2, 2017

Invitational Exhibition VI


The Work is Completed.

original art by Pamela Hunt Lee
Let Me Tell You A Story - With Book Of Faces
18 x 24"
Mixed Media

The work has been turned over to the La Quinta Museum for the upcoming invitational exhibition



My piece of art is a mixed media work which has been created for the La Quinta Museum invitational exhibition noted above.  With stretched canvas as a base, acrylic pigment was added, cut out canvas shapes, snake skin and the Book of Faces made with paper.  

Let Me Tell You A Story - With Book of Faces
18 x 24 "
Mixed Media

Every shape and design element inspired by baskets weavers from the Coachella Valley, women who lived and worked from the mid 1800's into the mid 1900's.  Faces of these women depicted in the Book of Faces along with names of many of the women.  












The exhibition opens Thursday, January 19.  Hope to see you at the reception 5:30 - 7:30.  The 95 works of art will remain on exhibition into April as a celebration of Women in Art and Womens' History Month.  Mark your calendars.

To contact me click HERE
To visit my web site click HERE