Monday, October 12, 2009
Insert Exclamatory! ((the opening))
The opening was really exciting. Friends and family drove up to Sacramento from Los Angeles. Here are some photos:
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Installation of my show at Space07
Installation of my show, Insert Exclamatory! A Seemingly Random Collection of Work Thematically Connected at Space07
Friday, October 2, 2009
Insert Exclamatory! A Seemingly Random Collection of Work Thematically Connected
Michelle Constantine, Solo Show
Space07, Sacramento, CA
OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, October 10, 2009, 5-10 pm
October 10, 2009 – December 6, 2009
CONTACT: lainya@argotandochre.com
Curator, Lainya Magaña, and Space07 are pleased to present Insert Exclamatory! A seemingly random collection of work thematically connected, a solo show featuring the work of Los Angeles-based artist, Michelle Constantine. The work for Insert Exclamatory! centers around the thematic connection of unexpected situations that have gone wrong in ways both specific to the artist and non-specific in terms of cultural and historical contexts. Constantine’s work thrives in these “wrong” situations; they are her best inspiration. By exploring these unexpected events through the unexpected use of bright, happy colors, Constantine finds peace in what has gone wrong and, ultimately, acceptance. For Insert Exclamatory! Constantine employs the folk craft of quilting to tell certain stories. Other pieces included utilize the techniques of printmaking, collage and photocopying.
I will post photos of the show and opening as they happen.
Space07, Sacramento, CA
OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, October 10, 2009, 5-10 pm
October 10, 2009 – December 6, 2009
CONTACT: lainya@argotandochre.com
Curator, Lainya Magaña, and Space07 are pleased to present Insert Exclamatory! A seemingly random collection of work thematically connected, a solo show featuring the work of Los Angeles-based artist, Michelle Constantine. The work for Insert Exclamatory! centers around the thematic connection of unexpected situations that have gone wrong in ways both specific to the artist and non-specific in terms of cultural and historical contexts. Constantine’s work thrives in these “wrong” situations; they are her best inspiration. By exploring these unexpected events through the unexpected use of bright, happy colors, Constantine finds peace in what has gone wrong and, ultimately, acceptance. For Insert Exclamatory! Constantine employs the folk craft of quilting to tell certain stories. Other pieces included utilize the techniques of printmaking, collage and photocopying.
I will post photos of the show and opening as they happen.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
300 miles of walking
That's over 11 marathons. That's how far I walked this summer.
If you know me, you’re probably wondering: why? Why would Michelle, who always strives to find the closest parking spot, who doesn’t find long walks on the beach romantic, purely because they’re “long walks,” and who would never be described, by anyone, as “the athletic type,” why would she walk 300 miles?
A few months ago, my good friend Nicole asked if I wanted to walk 50 miles—that’s like walking from Pasadena to Irvine—to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis. I thought she was crazy. Training in the summer? Heat and humidity, it certainly didn’t sound like something I’d want to do, or possibly even be able to do, physically. But, I decided it’s something that’s important to me, so I accepted the challenge, the training and the commitment.
Blisters, sore muscles and all the other things that go along with training, I dealt with on my own. The daily challenge of staying on my commitment and training even when I didn't feel like it; doing things like making up for miles missed on days when I just physically couldn’t do it, that too I did on my own. Although, many of my friends joined in for training walks.
The part I needed help with was raising the $2500 necessary to be a part of the MS Challenge Walk, a 50-mile fundraising event. I sent people in my life a map of the route and assigned each mile a dollar value based on what I anticipated the difficulty of that miles to me. As I walked each person's mile, I texted or called them. I also documented the miles throughout the walk and sent thank you emails with photos of each sponsor's miles.
With over 50 sponsors, and miles double bought, I raised almost $3800.
Here are some photos from the walk.
Oh, and I’m also making a celebratory “mapquilt” for this event and all my generous supporters will somehow be incorporated into that project as well.
**The MS Challenge Walk 2009 was on September 11, 12 and 13. About 280 walkers participated. We walked from Carlsbad to Downtown San Diego. Walkers could only participate if they’d been sponsored for a minimum of $2500. The money raised will help fund research as well as programs for people with MS in the Southern California.
If you know me, you’re probably wondering: why? Why would Michelle, who always strives to find the closest parking spot, who doesn’t find long walks on the beach romantic, purely because they’re “long walks,” and who would never be described, by anyone, as “the athletic type,” why would she walk 300 miles?
A few months ago, my good friend Nicole asked if I wanted to walk 50 miles—that’s like walking from Pasadena to Irvine—to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis. I thought she was crazy. Training in the summer? Heat and humidity, it certainly didn’t sound like something I’d want to do, or possibly even be able to do, physically. But, I decided it’s something that’s important to me, so I accepted the challenge, the training and the commitment.
Blisters, sore muscles and all the other things that go along with training, I dealt with on my own. The daily challenge of staying on my commitment and training even when I didn't feel like it; doing things like making up for miles missed on days when I just physically couldn’t do it, that too I did on my own. Although, many of my friends joined in for training walks.
The part I needed help with was raising the $2500 necessary to be a part of the MS Challenge Walk, a 50-mile fundraising event. I sent people in my life a map of the route and assigned each mile a dollar value based on what I anticipated the difficulty of that miles to me. As I walked each person's mile, I texted or called them. I also documented the miles throughout the walk and sent thank you emails with photos of each sponsor's miles.
With over 50 sponsors, and miles double bought, I raised almost $3800.
Here are some photos from the walk.
Oh, and I’m also making a celebratory “mapquilt” for this event and all my generous supporters will somehow be incorporated into that project as well.
**The MS Challenge Walk 2009 was on September 11, 12 and 13. About 280 walkers participated. We walked from Carlsbad to Downtown San Diego. Walkers could only participate if they’d been sponsored for a minimum of $2500. The money raised will help fund research as well as programs for people with MS in the Southern California.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
INSTANT GRATIFICATION: A Polaroid Party
I'm showing a handful of Polaroids at the INSTANT GRATIFICATION Polaroid Party. It opens this Friday, August 7, 7pm. Details on the flier below. I'm also posting a few polaroids I submitted for the show.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Riflemaker Gallery, London UK
I had the opportunity to go to London for the opening of the group show my quilt was in. The show was well curated and the work was really good.
Riflemaker Gallery, London
"Voodoo: Hoochie Coochie and the Creative Spirit"
Group show, January 19-April 4.
Here are some pictures of my quilt at the gallery and of the opening.
Riflemaker Gallery, London
"Voodoo: Hoochie Coochie and the Creative Spirit"
Group show, January 19-April 4.
Here are some pictures of my quilt at the gallery and of the opening.
Monday, December 1, 2008
This is a double sided map quilt I made for a show at Riflemaker Gallery, London.
It's 73x63 inches.
Here is a detail shot of the people's journey:
"The Unintentional Spread of Voodoo"
Religion is a bond between people; it maintains community while supporting individual and cultural identity. When slaves were taken from Africa, the tragedy wasn’t just in the loss of life and the inhumane physical and emotional treatment of people; it was in the extreme loss of identity through the forceful repression of the religion of Voodoo. My work deals with things that have gone wrong; strange situations juxtaposed with bright, happy colors (and sometimes glitter.) This piece, “The Unintentional Spread of Voodoo,” reflects an injustice in the world; the loss of individual and communal identity through Christianity’s overpowering of Voodoo.
It's 73x63 inches.
Here is a detail shot of the people's journey:
"The Unintentional Spread of Voodoo"
Religion is a bond between people; it maintains community while supporting individual and cultural identity. When slaves were taken from Africa, the tragedy wasn’t just in the loss of life and the inhumane physical and emotional treatment of people; it was in the extreme loss of identity through the forceful repression of the religion of Voodoo. My work deals with things that have gone wrong; strange situations juxtaposed with bright, happy colors (and sometimes glitter.) This piece, “The Unintentional Spread of Voodoo,” reflects an injustice in the world; the loss of individual and communal identity through Christianity’s overpowering of Voodoo.
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