Debra Disman

Artist

TEXTILE/FIBER

Sharing Current Shows: An Index of Participation

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I am honored to be participating in a number of shows happening this Spring and Summer, and happy to be in the company of many artists I admire, especially other women-identifying artists!

2023 has been a wonderful year for exhibitions thus far with inclusion in fascinating and, I feel, important, large and small group shows, as well as my solo show in January-March 2023, “I CAN’T I WON’T I WILL I DO” at ReflectSpace Gallery!

Two shows are yearlong, online exhibitions:
 “(Re)imagining Home: On Care for Our Common Home”
18th Street Arts Center Airport Gallery, 3026 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica, CA

and
“Objects of Agency”
Hera Gallery and Educational Foundation, 10 High Street, Wakefield, RI

Two are small to mid-sized exhibitions at local institutions comprised entirely of women-identifying artists:
“Aries Rising”
The Irvine Fine Ars Center, 14321 Yale Ave, Irvine, CA

and
“A Common Thread”
ArtShare LA, 801 E 4th Pl, Los Angeles, CA

One is/was an experimental performance:
“Swept Away: Love Letter to a Surrogate(s)”
Annenberg Beach House 415 Pacific Coast Hwy, Santa Monica, CA

Several are outside of California:
FANTASTIC FIBERS 2023
The Yeiser Art Center,  200 Broadway, Paducah, KT

and
“In Tandem” (collaboration with artist Luciana Abait)
Cape Cod Museum of Art , 60 Hope Lane, Dennis, MA

and
“Oh, Mother”
Hera Gallery and Educational Foundation 10 High Street, Wakefield, RI

and
SAFEKEEPING: SDA’s 2023 Member Exhibition
!08 Contemporary Gallery 108 E Reconciliation Way, Tulsa, OK

One is an annual Los Angeles tradition!
Brand 51 Annual National Exhibition of Works on Paper!
Brand Library and Art Center,  1601 West Mountain Street, Glendale, CA

It is a busy time, and I hope to grow from all of these experiences!

Walking Through “I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do”

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Photographer Gene Ogami documented my 2023 solo show, “I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do” at ReflectSpace Gallery in the Glendale Central Library.
The ten images below provide a virtual walk-through of the exhibition, which was, as I shared with the curators, Ara and Anahid Oshagan, a dream come true that I did not even know I had.

Gratitude to them, to Gene, and to so many others who supported this realization.


Walking into the meditative gallery space from the main library.


Catching some of the larger pieces through the vitrine reflections.


Capturing exhibition signage, the “Concurrencies” artists’ book, the two Concurrencies hangings, and “Throes of the Body” in the vitrine.


A favorite corner of the Curators, Installers and myself!


“Three Sisters and Their Mother” on the wall, hanging over the titular work, “I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do” on shelf.


“Finally, and Just For A Minute” suspended. Black on black on black is challenging to photograph.


A shot that manages to include over half the pieces in the show.


Gene was able to present me surrounded and supported by my works.


We were able to employ the hallway to present other works, and enlargements of the images featured in my artists’ book, “Concurrencies”, comparing the lives and works of artists Charlotte Salomon and Eva Hesse.


The Journey Continues.
In gratitude and appreciation.

Hemp as Material and Muse

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I was thrilled to be contacted by Nadine Avillar,  the art director at Hemptique,  a hemp and natural fiber craft supply company based in San Diego.  Hemptique manufactures a large variety of hemp cords, ropes, twine, paper, fabrics, as well as bamboo and cotton products. They are the  creator of organic apparel, accessories, with a focus on hemp products and supplies.

I use a great deal of hemp cord in my works, often listing it as a primary material.

Nadine contacted me in regards to my piece , “Before the Fall“.  Hemptique was going to be an exhibitor at NAMTA, (Art and Creative Craft Materials, an organization for the creative industry) 2023 and she wanted to use a photo of my work on one of their promotional banners. NAMTA is the publisher of ART MATERIALS magazine and hold a trade show every year.

She said Hemptique has many contributors that work with their products who are more or less “crafters.” She wanted to show how I have used hemp cord in my mixed-media works. Eventually, the owners of Hemptique decided they wanted to use an image of another of my pieces, “Red Notebook” on the banner,

and an image of “Before the Fall” on their promotional postcard.

I was honored to be represented in this way, and also so happy to received boxes of marvelous Hemptique products/supplies/materials, to use not only in my works, but in projects, classes, programs and workshops that I conduct across LA Country. This was truly a win-win situation and I hope to continue the relationship with Hemptique, Nadine and the owners and staff with more collaborations and new ways of presenting, sharing about and promoting their wares.
Long Live HEMP!

 

ArtShare LA Shares A Common Thread

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I am honored be a part of ArtShare LA’s exhibition, “A COMMON THREAD“,  a 13-woman exhibition featuring fiber-based and textile works of art exploring autobiography and social critique, connection and displacement interlinked through themes of history and memory.


The show was curated by ArtShare LA Executive Director Beth Stryker and Visual Arts manager Baha H Danesh.



Each artist’s works are exhibited together, creating specific artistic spaces for visitors to peruse.


I am thrilled to have four works in the show.


ArtShare LA Executive Director Beth Stryker chats with exhibition designer extraordinaire, Stacie B. London.


Exhibiting artist Doris Bittar and friend.


Enjoying the exhibition.


Baha and I celebrating!

Please view a fabulous film of the show by Eric Minh Swenson HERE


The exhibition runs April 1 – May 13…so come on by and enjoy the show!

DISMAN-tling “I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do” at ReflectSpace Gallery!

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It was with  tenderness mixed with pride and appreciation that I DISMAN-tled my solo show, “I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do ” which ran from late January to late March 2023, in the ReflectSpace Gallery in the Glendale Central Library, curated by the inimitable duo, Anahid and Ara Oshagan.


Thank you Tony, for your assistance, climbing those ladders, and using those tools!

A bit of fun with Tina Demirdjian of Poetry Consults.
Thank you Tina for the support on all fronts!

It takes a village…the completion of a job well done! With the incomparable Anahid Oshagan, co-curator of ReflectSpace, and Tina Demirdjian of Poetry Consults.


Posing with the Glendale Gals: Tina and Anahid…


and with the marvelous Maryl Fleisher, Marketing Program Supervisor at Glendale Library, Arts & Culture.

A dream I did  not even know I had…fulfilled.

Thank you…appreciation, and gratitude.

“AIRES RISING” Welcomes Springtime at the Irvine Fine Arts Center!

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Aires Rising is a six-woman show at the Irvine Fine Arts Center.


I am thrilled to have six works in the show.


“WOMB” (2020)


“HANG OUT” (2017)


“WINDOW TREATMENT” (2018)


“BLACK HANG OUT” (2017)


“WHITE WEDDING” (2023)


“TORRENT AND TANGLE: KEEP YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER” (2019)


Curator and Virginia Arce on the exhibition Opening Day!