November 24, 2009 Emelyn's ashes

Emelyn's ashes in a container set under a tile that Doug and I brought back from San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico. This seems a bit fitting since mom had always wanted to go to San Miguel, I found references to San Miguel in her sketchbook writings - where to stay, the Instituto and Belles Arts and where to take classes, etc. Fleta's paw prints added for protection of her ashes, always aware she will spend hours in the studio once finished. Albeit backwards to the wall once the walls are put up, this corner is in my dad's studio, under the windows and is a safe spot to occupy. It is also on the south brook side of the building. Minutes later, I spread some more ashes over the concrete on the living space side of the building. I am guessing that we will place more of mom's ashes around as the building comes together. This building would not have happened if it was not for my mom, always creative, always encouraging my dad's creativity and always looking out for the best in life. Her work and her legacy is one to reflect upon and continue, creatively in this new space. Thanks Mom and Dad! I am so happy that Dad's building is coming along and am looking forward to dad in the studio again.

"Journey & Transition" Exhibition closes at White Water Gallery

The two person exhibition "Journey & Transition" has just closed as the gallery season itself closes at White Water Gallery in East Hardwick, Vermont. The gallery will re-open in Spring when the weather gets warmer. I have moved the work out of the gallery, and am looking forward to moving the pieces into the new studio. For now many of the pieces return to the walls of my home, comfortable to occupy the walls where some of them have lived for years. My space becomes once again familiar, each piece has it's place and serves as constant inspiration, comfort and visual feast.

The foundation walls are up on the building that is my dad's living and studio space, and my studio.
I am still packing up the old studio and my tools and materials - the yearly ritual to preserve liquids from freezing and everything else being ransacked by mice. One year they ate my metallic Sennielier oil pastels, the expensive ones!!! Why they would be possessed to chew oil impregnated with metals is beyond me. What stays in the building goes into mouse proof tubs, and I am hapy to think that this yearly ritual, and my stopping production of artwork over the winter season, will end with the new studio space, and begin with work continuing over every season. What joy in that thought.

It snowed this morning, a beautiful reminder of the season to come. I love the fall colors with the contrast of snow - oranges and yellows with the dark bark and softened delineations of line and form. By mid morning the snow was gone, melted in a mist of rainy wet hills, beyond my vision of fog and damp cool air. Last night V shaped squiggly lines of geese could be seen and heard overhead. Fall.

More Photo's from "Journey & Transition" at White Water Gallery

Final days of my exhibition "Journey & Transition" at White Water Gallery

More photo's of my exhibition. It was great to have such a flurry of work preparing for this show, I worked an entire 33 days straight with two days off. Now there is a lull as I pack up the studio for the winter and next week, take down the exhibition at White Water. As the building progresses I still think it will be Spring when I am able to move into the space and begin to work and with Spring comes a new beginning in celebration.

New work at White Water Gallery

Spirit Boat:narwhal's journey
Lian Brehm
papier mache, plaster, bamboo, powder pigment



Spirit Boat:guardian offerings
Lian Brehm
papier mache, plant stalks, digital image, plaster, ink, graphite


Spirit Boat:night landscape
Lian Brehm
papier mache, plaster, ink, coal


Spirit Boat:meridian point
Lian Brehm
Papier mache, plaster, copper, paint, powders

These are some of the new pieces in my Journey and Transition exhibition with Phillip Robertson at White Water Gallery, East Hardwick, Vermont.

The pieces are on sculpture stands, which is new to my work as I used to create wall sculptures. The stands provided in the gallery were narrow, and Doug and I found that the wood decking that was previously from my outside studio deck was perfect to use - the perfect color gray, with lichens, and how appropriate that is came from my studio! There are red tipped lichens growing on the wood under the narwhal piece, although you can't see them in this photo angle.
Many of the artwork in this show are for sale P.O.R. (price on request) contact James Tuescher at White Water Gallery 802-563-2037 or send a message to me.

I'll post more soon. Thanks for visiting!
Lian

Lian Brehm -Artist Statement

 

I am a gatherer of things that seem to attract me in collective whispers of meaning. It hasn't always been this way. As we mature in our work, we take time to refect and take stock of our surroundings. For me, the act of gathering plant stalks as visual line forms a creative connection to the earth and making use of what is offered. I delight in exploring a vast inventory of materials gleaned from a wide variety of sources over time.

 

My work has for some time been about the journey of creativity. The boat shape has come to represent this journey. When thinking of ways to explain what I do I often relate this concept to others and refer to it in both the physical making of art and the emotional connection of my work. I often use the visual and spiritual connections of places I have traveled; the landscape and architecture of place, space and meaning.

 

When my mother Emelyn, a fiber artist, passed away recently, I found I clearly missed the connection of creativity that we often shared. She was my first art teacher and so our journey of creativity was shared from an early age. After her death I found myself drawn to the concept of a spirit boat carrying bits of offerings to guide her beyond her connection to this earth. This spirit boat represents her soul passing through space and time. With her passing, the boat now has added meaning. My offerings are elemental, coal, salt, leaves, feathers each representing earth, water and air. The salt is a metaphor for purification. The salt boat surrounded by kelp, becomes a floating island of safe passage on its own. With my mother's passing I had the opportunity to make use of the bits and pieces of materials she to had gathered in her studio. When I am working with these materials I feel that I am continuing to have that conversation, with her presence. It seems fitting that I am using these materials as tribute for her safe passage.

 

I have chosen to include in this exhibition, an artwork of my mother's entitled "Time Scroll". This piece seems to bridge both Phillip's work and mine, and on another level transcends both.

 

 

 

Journey & Transition at White Water Gallery

My work is currently on exhibit at White Water Gallery in East Hardwick, Vermont through October 11, 2009.
I am exhibiting with Phillip Robertson, a local printmaker who has new work of woodblock prints and lettertype on hanging scrolls. My work in this show includes seven new papier mache sculptures created in memory of my mother, and in the spirit of her passing, hence the image of"spirit boats". The older works, mostly wall sculptures are from 1986-2004 and are based on boat forms. These older works explore the boat as metaphor for the creative journey in my work.