Thank you to everyone who visited my August solo art show FALSE FACES: NEW MASKS at Turnip Green Creative Reuse in Nashville, Tennessee. I had a lot of fun and about half of my displayed masks sold! I really appreciate all the support.
Sullivan's Island Creatures
New photographs from Sullivan’s Island and The Isle of Palms, which is near Charleston, South Carolina. Sullivan’s is a beautiful historic island that is known for Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Gold Bug”. Poe set the story on the island because he knew it well….he was stationed on the island at Fort Moultrie while enlisted in the Army. If you stand at Moultrie’s shoreline you can see Fort Sumter (famous for the very first shots of the American Civil War). I think you could probably swim from one Fort to the other if you were in decent shape. I recommend visiting the Forts and getting some information from the Park Rangers…very helpful. Here are a few of my masked photos from the trip.
Goldbug Mask
Art Show in Hamburg, Germany
German gallery Feinkunst Krüger's annual international group show, "Don't Wake Daddy XIII”, curated by @heikomullerart and Ralf Krüger @feinkunstkrueger. It has been awesome to be in a show with these knock-out artists:
Alex Kuno, Amandine Urruty, Aniela Sobieski, Barbara Lüdde, Brad Woodfin, Brendan Danielsson, Brian Serway, Caitlin McCormack, Ego, El Gato Chimney, Elif Varol Ergen, Elmar Lause, Erlend Tait, Fred Stonehouse, Gideon Pirx, Gregory Hergert, Hazel Ang, Heiko Müller, Jason Limon, John Casey, Marc Burckhardt, Marco Wagner, Marcus Schäfer, Mark Elliott, moki, Natalie Foss, Ramon Keimig, Roman Klonek, Susanne König, Ti Kunkit
CLOWN show at Elephant Gallery
I loved being apart of Elephant Gallery’s CLOWN show this October / November. Elephant is the most interesting, experimental, and unique gallery in Nashville, Tennessee. My favorite part was the dress-up show opening. Here are a couple links about the show: NATIVE and HYPERALLERGIC. Also, ever since the show I can’t stop making Clown masks. Help!
With Nashville artist Lindsy Davis
With Nashville ceramics artist Keavy Murphree
Me and my Clown masks
Bandelier National Monument Artist-In-Residency
I was honored to be selected as an Artist-In-Residence at Bandelier National Monument (New Mexico) for the first two weeks of October. This is my fifth park residency since 2016. During the residency I lived in the park, held demonstrations, and (of course) modeled my masks in the beautiful park. Bandelier is a gorgeous place with a rich Native American history. I also enjoyed exploring Santa Fe and nearby Los Alamos. I highly recommend the residency!
Bandelier AIR Selection Committee Chair Carolyn Florek with Jym.
Summer in the Rocky Mountains
I was lucky enough to spend three weeks camping and making artwork in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado this summer. I first visited Rocky Mountain National Park in 2015 and it was the first western park that connected my creativity to the natural world. It was great to revisit places in the park like Moraine Valley, Trail Ridge Road, and Alberta Falls. I also explored new wilderness areas in the White River National Forest in the Aspen area. You can see my Colorado masked model photos at my instagram page.
Big Cypress National Preserve Artist-In-Residency
I was honored to be selected as the March Artist-In-Residence for Big Cypress National Preserve in South Florida. Big Cypress Preserve shares a contiguous ecosystem with the Everglades so I was able to work and play in one of the largest areas of protected land in the North American lower 48. I took a boat ride out amongst the mangrove islands, hiked into chest deep swamps, and explored the nearby Miami art scene. At the end of the residency I had an Art Show / "Meet and Greet" at the Swamp Welcome Center. This is my fourth National Park Service Artist-In-Residency in three years.
Craters of the Moon National Monument Artist-In-Residency
I was honored to be an Artist-In-Resident at Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho. The park is a fascinating volcanic landscape with black rock and open lava tube caves. For my residency I focused on bat masks. I was able to finish a pallid bat mask and donate it to the park. The mask will be on display at the visitor's center. Follow my photography mask sessions on my Instagram account or check back here for updates. This was my third National Park Service Artist-In-Residency.
Mask painting demonstration at the Visitor's Center
Home in the park for my Artist-In-Residency
'Inferno Cone' - Cinder Cone Volcano
'Indian Tunnel' lava tube cave
Lassen Volcanic National Park Artist-In-Residency
I had the privilege of being an Artist-In-Residence for Lassen Volcanic National Park in North California. I lived and worked in the park for two weeks in July. As with my previous National Park residency, I focused on creating regional animal inspired masks. Lassen has a particularly unique landscape: it boasts all four types of volcanos. I was able to photograph and model my masks on a plug dome, composite, shield, and cinder cone volcano. There may be no other place in the world where I could have done that in a relatively short period of time. I also enjoyed photographing the masks on snow drifts, frozen lakes, lava tube caves, and deep blue lakes. You can follow all of my modeled masks on my Instagram account.
Artist residence / studio view.
Artist-In-Residency lodging in the Park Ranger quarters.
Mask Day at the Loomis Museum at Lassen Volcanic National Park. Visitors were invited to watch my process and learn about the art of mask making.
"Cinder Cone" volcano at Lassen Volcanic National Park
Night sky photograph I took at "Chaos Crags" volcano at Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Peak and Lake Manzanita
Spark Gallery and Niza Knoll Gallery - Denver
I have photographs in two Denver galleries this Spring. Both exhibitions are part of Denver's Month of Photography Bi-Annual event. I was able to attend the opening for the SPARK GALLERY 'Look App This' showing opening in March.
Spark Gallery, Denver.
The SE Center for Photography
My work is currently on display at The SE Center for Photography for a group show entitled Beyond The Selfie. The show focuses on unique self-portraits. I was able to attend the opening at the Greenville, South Carolina gallery. The show will be open through the end of March 2017.
The Instigator (self-portrait)
Petrified Forest National Park Artist-In-Residency
I was a summer 2016 Artist-In-Residence at Petrified National Forest Park in Arizona. I lived in a Park historic cabin for three weeks across from the legendary Painted Desert Inn. During my residency I made five original animal masks and worked with models to photograph my work in the unique and otherworldly landscape. I also displayed my work at the Holbrook Train Depot for their monthly art series, showed work at the annual Route 66 festival, and held a two day demonstration at the lovely La Posada Hotel in Winslow.
Artist-In-Residence cabin
Mask painting demonstration at La Posada Hotel in Winslow, Arizona.
Petrified Forest Park Rangers Katie Woods and Sevilla Soto generously modeled my masks for me in the Park.
Historic Holbrook Train Depot art demonstration for the month of June.
Mask display at the 'Route 66 Festival' National Park booth in Holbrook, Arizona.
Shooting at Blue Mesa in The Petrified Forest National Park
Gadsden Museum of Art
I am please to have photographs in the 2016 Annual Focus Photography Exhibit at the Gadsden Museum of Art in Alabama. The show was juried by Jennifer Alsabrook-Turner. The exhibit runs from June 8 - July 9.
DATELINE 012
DATELINE is a contemporary art gallery located in the River North (RiNo) art district in Denver, Colorado. Here are some (long overdue) photos of the DATELINE 012 show opening. Curated by Cassandra Heiser of the Museum of Contemporary Art. The show opened in April 2015. All photos by Zack Davis.
