Debra Disman

Artist

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Group Show

EXHIBITIONISTA: “White and Texture (Monochrome Unity)” at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod

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I am thrilled to participate in  “White & Texture [Monochrome Unity]” at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod!

As the call stated:

“Artists were invited to explore the profound subtleties and striking complexities of using white as the driving color and how texture within the white and informs the execution and the narrative of an artwork, as well as to to explore the effect of this limitation – without a “conventional” color palette.

When the artist is freed from tradition, from expectation, and from the weight of history, there is an opportunity for release, exploration, and the unexpected. For White and Texture [Monochrome Unity], artworks were sought that find the emotion without using color. Uniformity, tranquility universality, simplicity, purity, or abstraction may all come to the surface and create a beautiful tension between what is missing – color, tradition, and form – and what is gained – innovation and the unexpected.

Our desire from the artist is not the search for simplicity but the discovery of a new way of creating and a different way of expression. We hope Monochrome Unity will drive the artist to look for new solutions to an artistic challenge; to use shades of white and embrace texture to provide the ‘color’ that will then provide the energy and emotion.

Using the work of such artists as Michael Buthe, Piero Manzoni, Joan Nixon, and ceramic sculptor Maria Barttuszova provide us with a broad template of the experience to create in the Cultural Center.

White & Texture [Monochrome Unity] will fill our galleries, creating a visual harmony and coherence and like never before, give a visitor experience like no other.”

I am showing WHITE ZIP
21.25″ x 20.5″ x .25″, canvas, acrylic paint, lace, zipper, hemp cord, linen thread, wood

(detail)

 

Joy in Evidence at Intersect Art Center

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“EVIDENCE OF JOY” is a group exhibition at Intersect Arts Center curated by April Parviz, who says:

“Today I went to the doctor. On the sign-in station there sat a small snowman made from an old salt and pepper shaker. His head was a little styrofoam ball. His hat was the lid of the shaker, and inside his little bottle tummy were a bunch of what looked to be miniature cotton-balls. As I waited to be checked in, I observed the fact that someone had made it. She didn’t have to. But she was perhaps feeling the joy of winter, and she wanted to share her joy. The snowman wasn’t sitting in her home, it was sitting here, for me to enjoy. And I did enjoy it. The reflection that she had experienced joy in making it, and the fact that she had done it selflessly, with no expectation of thanks, brought me joy. 

After my reflection on the sweet little snowman, I began to see evidence of someone else’s joy, intentionally being shared with strangers, everywhere I went. The person in the house five doors from mine, has a little jar of complimentary dog treats out on a bird feeder hanger in their yard, right by the sidewalk. People have lovely seasonal wreaths hanging on the outside of their front doors, not on the inside. Painted rocks are mysteriously left in people’s gardens by strangers. I’m sure that now I’m aware of this, I’ll be seeing evidence of joy everywhere. And strangers will discover footprints of my own joy, making their footprints joyful too.

When I look at the current world of art, I feel like I see a lot of evidence of many inspiring things, but not always so much joy.  I know in my own art practice, I am often fueled by loud palpable emotions like pain and confusion. Perhaps if I begin practicing using joy as fuel, I will begin to do it more habitually. Perhaps if we practice seeing joy more we can become habitual joy detectives. 

Show me all the joy! I want to see and share artwork made in joy, artwork made upon discovering evidence of joy, and work that is just pure joy to look at! “

The show puts together visual works and text which come together to create and offer Joy.
such as this poem by the inimitable
 Mary Oliver, 2017
“If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy,

don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty

of lives and whole towns destroyed or about

to be. We are not wise, and not very often

kind. And much can never be redeemed.

Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this

is its way of fighting back, that sometimes

something happens better than all the riches

or power in the world. It could be anything,

but very likely you notice it in the instant

when love begins. Anyway, that’s often thecase. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid

of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb.” — Mary Oliver, 2017

VIEW THE CATALOGUE to see and read more
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I am thrilled to have two pieces in the show:
Narrow Bridge, 5.5 x 16 x 3.5″, board, paper, fabric, linen thread

and
BedTime Story, 12 x 28 x 8.5″, book board, textiles, cloth, clay, beads, hemp cord, watercolor paper

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in a WHISPER…

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Whispers resound and reverberate in the new Verum Ultimum Gallery space in Portland.

Says Owner and Curator Jennifer Gillia Cutshall:
 “…when the murmur from art echoes beyond the walls & settles somewhere secret.  And “Whisper” with an exclamation may signal contradictions or dualities.  The term carries symbolism pertinent to the momentous occasion, but it also carries mystery to be filled in by artists’ interpretations.  Verum is open to all perceptions of this theme.  Delicate expressions are presented, as are bold, and the term WHISPER may be framed in many ways, not necessarily meant to be a literal elucidation. All mediums and modes of expression were welcomed..  Verum Ultimum Gallery tasks artists to define this inaugural exhibition to herald in Verum’s new space in Southeast Portland this summer of 2024!”

She shares  further “There are whispers everywhere, they arrive in our dreams, at a bus stop, museums, and beyond. Original works of art carry whispers. The whispers from the artists mingle with the viewers subconscious, and a connection is made!…The idea of the “whisper” may be inextricably attached to the importance of the unknown or the hidden. A degree of reverence may be ingrained in our collective psyche around all things art. For me, perhaps it began when I first entered museum spaces as a young girl (in NYC), I remember adults turning to children with their pointer fingers glued to pursed lips. They were signaling that hushed tones (and respect) were the order. And anticipation is in order, like the closed curtains and the dimming of lights in the theater, the collective whisper commands our attention toward these 38 provocative works. They whisper far beyond the bounds of literal elucidations.”
There are 38 artists and 38 unique, original works of art in this inaugural exhibition in the new space!

I am thrilled to show “Excavation of the Interior“ (shown closed and open below)
12 x 28 x 12.5″, wood, paper, cloth, hemp cord, linen thread

                   

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EXHIBITIONISTA: Iteration Reiteration at TOUCHSTONE GALLERY

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I am thrilled to participate in
in Washington, DC.

ITERATION REITERATION

Patterns and repetitive elements, integral to the art and design of countless cultures and artistic methods, offer viewers a framework to interpret information through recurring arrangements. How do these elements shape perception of art and the world?

This exhibition presents  artwork that embraces pattern and repetition as the focal point, a complementary element within a piece, or as a fundamental part of the creative process. From symmetrical arrangements, geometric precision, minimalist repetition, and organic flows, Iteration Reiteration honors the power of patterns and repetition.

Included  but not limited to are the visual mediums  painting, printmaking, textile and fiber, video and animation, photography, sculpture, ceramics, collage, performance, sound, and mixed media. All works are  original and completed within the past five years. The exhibition includes both a physical gallery show located in Washington, DC and a virtual exhibition. The fascinating and accomplished jurors are: 

I am showing Red Notebook (Here’s To The Red, White and Blue), 8.5 x 12.5 x 6.5″, placemat, linen thread, hemp cord, cloth, wood

SOLILQUY: Not Just Talking To yourSELF

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The Bridge Arts Foundation proudly announces the third edition of its Open Call Exhibition Program.  The ‘Soliloquy‘ Open Call Exhibition features 19 talented artists selected from over 100 submissions through a process involving art professionals.

These artists will showcase their work at The Scholart Selection, The Bridge Arts Foundation’s partnered Art Gallery located in Los Angeles from July 13th to August 17th, 2024.

Join Us for the Reception, Saturday July 13,  2-5PM
at The Scholarts Selection
417 South Mission Drive San Gabriel, CA 91776
Opening Reception RSVP

Featured artists include Ryan Bautista, Michele Benzamin-Miki, Ming Chen, Debra Disman, Deanna Dorangrichia, Somaya Etemad, Lanyi Gao, Steve Gavenas, Shanguo Jia, Antonio Kim, Rosie Kim, Hwichan Ko, Vionna Lam, Kai Mao, Janice Nakashima, Isabella Riboni, Isabella Ronchetti, Christopher Lloyd Tucker, and Xiaoxiao Wu.

The 19 featured artists in the exhibition respond to the theme of “soliloquy” through various forms and mediums, presenting their unique journeys of inner exploration.

“Soliloquy” is a solitary discourse with oneself, an intimate dialogue that transcends the confines of external perception. It captures the journey of introspection and self-discovery, where one navigates the labyrinthine corridors of one’s own mind, seeking clarity among the tumult of thoughts and emotions. During their inner reflections, the individuals grapple with existential questions, honestly confronting their fears, desires, and vulnerabilities in solitude.

The 19 artworks showcased in “Soliloquy” also demonstrate the diversity and depth of soliloquy. It is not only a personal dialogue within oneself but also a significant pathway to understanding oneself and the world. Beyond the individual, these artworks collectively underscore soliloquy’s capacity to connect the individual’s inner world with external realities, offering insights that resonate with broader societal issues and enrich human connections.

I am showing: “I Can’t I Won’t I Will I Do”
13 x 71.5″, repurposed cotton table runner, acrylic paint, hemp cord

Special thanks to our jury members, Charles ChristopherHill and Song Xin, as well as curator Tia Xu, for their dedicated work. We also extend our gratitude to Li Tang and Art Yourself Atelier (AYA) for the media support.

ABOUT THE BRIDGE ARTS FOUNDATION

The Bridge Arts Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to harnessing the transformative power of art to connect diverse communities and uplift emerging artists from various backgrounds.

With an unwavering commitment to fostering global understanding and diversity, we amplify artist voices and spotlight their creations both locally and globally. Join us in leveraging art’s power to unite cultures and strengthen global communities.

For additional information and press requests, please contact info@bridgeartsfoundation.com. For more information about The Bridge Arts Foundation, please go to our website https://bridgeartsfoundation.org/, or followus on Instagram (@bridgeartsfoundation).

 READ MY INTERVIEW!

EXHIBITIONISTA: Word and Weft: Visualizing the Word

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I am happy to participate in:

Word and Weft: Visualizing the Word, at Webster Arts

I am showing: “Concurrencies I: Charlotte Salomon Eva Hesse”,  58 x 19.5″, denim, varnish, hemp cord, gold thread

Juror: Noriko Yuasa
Noriko Yuasa was born and raised in Yokohama, Japan. Noriko holds a BFA in Visual Communication Design from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and an MFA in Visual Studies, emphasis in Graphic Design from Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Prior to teaching at Webster University, her professional experience includes working at Duffy, New York, a Fallon Company in New York City. Projects included branding, editorial design, package design, product design and advertising. Her recent work involves nonprofit based, culturally centered projects. Her work is devoted to the development of visual language and systems for effective communication.

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