Debra Disman

Artist

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Stitching

NEW WORK in 2021: Red Notebook (“Here’s To The Red, White and Blue”)

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I was happy to finally be able to have Elon Schoenholz Photography in to photographs works completed/created during 2021, which continues to race by.

Part of an ensemble, suite, or installation of works entitled, “Here’s To The Red, White and Blue”, Red Notebook is structured as a “traditional” codex, with covers that open and pages that turn.  Moderately, “red” (hence the “red” element of the “Red, White and Blue” theme-meme-trope?) it contains a great deal of black as well.
In the immortal words of  Mark Rothko, “There is only one thing I fear in life, my friend;  One day, the black will swallow the red.”

Made from a repurposed placemat, hemp cord, linen thread, canvas, and lace, it is 8.5″ high, 12.5″ when opened in full, and 6.5″ at greatest depth and opens left to right, from cover through pages to cover, bound together through a single signature.


The red and back play off each other in all their associations


Sewing, stitching, gluing, knotting, coiling, massing


Amassing, accumulation, the RED in


Up next.

“drift” over to the Brand

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I am thrilled to participate in the exhibition
Brand 49 Annual National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper,

September 11 – October 30, 2021, showing a  collaborative artist book work created with contemporary  artist Luciana Abait, entitled, “drift“. The piece highlights the effect humans are having on our precious and fragile environment, specifically, the melting of the polar icecaps in Antarctica. 

Juror of Brand 49 is  Marvella Muro, Director of Artistic Programs and Education at Self Help Graphics and Art (SHG) in Los Angeles. From it’s inception in 1973, Self Help Graphics has been nationally known for functioning at the intersection of the arts and social justice. Providing a home that fosters the creativity and development of local artists, it is the pre-eminent center for Latinx printmaking and a resource for young and emerging artists.

Brand 49 is organized by the Associates of Brand Library & Art Center, an all volunteer non-profit that raises funds to support the extensive free and public events at Brand including gallery exhibitions, classical and popular music performances, film screenings, dance performances, and activities for people of all ages.

See a video of

Watch a video of “drift” and see it in detail, then visit it, and see all the wonderful works employing paper at:

The Brand Library and Art Center
1601 West Mountain Street
Glendale, CA 91201 United States + Google Map
Phone: (818) 548-2051
Website: https://www.brandlibrary.org/


Thank you for stopping by, we hope seeing “drift” inspired thought, consideration and contemplation. Enjoy the show!

Exhibitionista: Brand 49: the Annual National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper

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 I am thrilled to participate in the exhibition: Brand 49, the Brand Associates Annual National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper, happening September 11 – October 30, 2021, represented by a collaborative artist book work created with contemporary  artist Luciana Abait, entitled, “drift“. The piece highlights the effect humans are having on our precious and fragile environment, specifically, the melting of the polar icecaps in Antarctica. 

Brand 49 welcomes Marvella Muro, Director of Artistic Programs and Education at Self Help Graphics and Art (SHG) in Los Angeles, as this year’s juror. From it’s inception in 1973, Self Help Graphics has been nationally known for functioning at the intersection of the arts and social justice. Providing a home that fosters the creativity and development of local artists, it is the pre-eminent center for Latinx printmaking and a resource for young and emerging artists.

Brand 49 is organized by the Associates of Brand Library & Art Center, an all volunteer non-profit that raises funds to support the extensive free and public events at Brand including gallery exhibitions, classical and popular music performances, film screenings, dance performances, and activities for people of all ages.

Exhibitionista: Small Works at Vanessa Lacy Gallery

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I am thrilled to be part of the 3rd Annual Spring Small Works show at the Vanessa Lacey Gallery.

The 3rd Annual Spring Small Works Show Virtual Edition at Vanessa Lacy Gallery is now live!  Browse affordable art under 14 inches from the comfort of your own home.

Vanessa Lacey chose works she felt would be uplifting to the viewers.

I am showing Narrow Bridge, a flag book made of board, tissue paper, window shade material, linen thread, and collage.


Outside, Front Cover

Inside, it says in stitching:
“The Whole World is A Narrow Bridge
The Important Thing Is Not To Fear”


Exterior
The book is comprised of an accordion-folded spine, with two covers, and flag pages attached to opposite sides of the folds, so that they create an alternating pattern when the book is opened.

A message of hope, assurance and our connectivity as human beings.

May you walk your own Narrow Bridge with hope and confidence and move through your own fears during this challenging time.

Stay Safe
Stay Well
Stay Sane

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibitionista: “All Stitched up” with everywhere to go…

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Thank you to my sister Susan, for attending the opening of the “All Stitched Up” show in the Collins Library at the University of Puget Sound, on September 14th. Too far for me to travel in this moment, especially as were driving back from the Bay Area at that time!

“To stitch is to join together, to mend, or fasten as with stitches – to sew. To stitch is to bring together fabric, paper, wounds of the body, or cultural divides. Stitching can be an act of healing, hope, practicality, creativity, and revolution. All Stitched Up recognizes and celebrates the work of book artists’ where stitching has become an integral part of the visual design.” — Curators Catherine Alice Michaelis, Jane A. Carlin, and Diana Weymar  

Susan took some great pictures, which is critical, as artist books, indeed, any kind of book, is challenging to display, being composed of so many different parts, all of which cannot be seen at the same time. Such is the magic and mystery of this old technology, the book.

Judging from this shelf, the show was themed in different ways, including color and materials.

Hey Susan…thank you! (Great haircut too…)

Susan even took a shot of my page in the catalog. Cool!  I ordered the catalog, a great effort put together by Curator Catherine Alice Michaelis.  Great way to support the show and celebrate the works it brought together.

Gratitudes!