Debra Disman

Artist

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Transition

In TRANSITION

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I was thrilled to be part of the exhibition “TRANSITION“, presented by Tarfest 2020, produced by Launch LA, and juried by the wonderful Holly Jerger, curator for Craft Contemporary.

Tour the show with Founder/Executive Director of Launch LA James Panozzo here.


I showed “Torrent and Tangle: Keep your House in Order“,  2019, 10.5 x 25 x 18”, made of book board, hemp cord, ribbon, lace, mulberry paper, acrylic paint, and neutral PH adhesive.


The piece was created in a bottomless box format,


with two accordion folded joins, or back corners,


and two “front doors” hinged with cloth and surfaced with strips of ribbon, that can be opened,


or kept closed,


with any amount of the hanging internal strings kept in, or emerging, flowing or falling out of the structure,


depending on how the those designing the show wish it to appear.


Hemp cords knotted on one end were threaded through awl-punched holes on three sides,


after the inside surfaces were lined with lace,


tumbling down in a torrent into a tangled heap onto the surface where the piece is placed.


How will we get this all sorted out?

Nobody really knows, but this much is clear, we are in this together. Endemic of contemporary life, torrent and tangle is taken to the extreme by the current pandemic. We will get through this. We have to.

Artists in TRANSITION

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The Tarfest 2020 Launch LA  TRANSITION exhibition was such a great experience to participate in, and one of the joys was to meet, view and celebrate many wonderful artists.

This post is my tribute to some of my favorites.

Tarfest 2020: Transition

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I am thrilled to be participating in:

Tarfest is a free multidisciplinary festival produced to provide artists performance/exhibition opportunities and audiences from all over Los Angeles with unique arts programming in the Miracle Mile District.cing Aret Exhibition

As significant transitions are evolving on multiple fronts, we are examining and redefining our relationships with one another as well as the physical space we occupy.

Recognizing this historic time, the artists of Tarfest 2020’s “Transition” open call juried exhibition respond to core concepts of change with their work. This exhibition brings together artists from across So California whose practices engage with change through process, concept, culture, chance, and more.

LAUNCH presents “Transition” in conjunction with Tarfest– our free multidisciplinary arts festival now in its 18th year. For 2020 and in response to Covid-19, Tarfest moves from Tar Pits Park to multiple venues over multiple days- allowing for safe gatherings with appropriate social distancing.

See the show!

Exhibition Aug 22- Sept 5, 2020.
170 S. La Brea Ave., Upstairs
Los Angeles, CA 90036

LAUNCH LA believes exposure to the arts enhances quality of life and strengthens community through the shared appreciation of creative expression in all its forms and hybrids. LAUNCH LA is passionate about providing artists with quality opportunities to present themselves and their creations that reflect our times to a curious and enthusiastic audience at important happenings throughout Los Angeles.

HOLLY JERGER is the exhibitions curator at Craft Contemporary (formerly Craft & Folk Art Museum) in Los Angeles, CA. Since 2015, she has organized or co-organized numerous exhibitions at Craft Contemporary, including Chapters: Book Arts in Southern California, Gronk’s Theater of Paint, Betye Saar: Keepin’ it Clean, and Melting Point: Movements in Contemporary Clay. Prior to her appointment as exhibitions curator, Jerger served as senior curator of public engagement (2005-2014), developing 90 programs annually. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Ball State University, Indiana, and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she also taught. She has served on the boards of the Museum Educators of Southern California (MESC) and the Los Angeles Printmaking Society.

LAUNCH LA believes exposure to the arts enhances quality of life and strengthens community through the shared appreciation of creative expression in all its forms and hybrids. LAUNCH LA is passionate about providing artists with quality opportunities to present themselves and their creations that reflect our times to a curious and enthusiastic audience at important happenings throughout Los Angeles.

LAUNCH LA addresses these core values by presenting arts and culture programming throughout the year at its gallery and project space on La Brea Avenue, through multidisciplinary programs at TARFEST, our free music and arts festival held annually at the La Brea Tar Pits Park, now in its 13th year, as well as periodic showcases and collaborations in important Los Angeles communities.

James Panozzo – Founder/Executive Director
James created the non-profit social enterprise LAUNCH in 2010 to oversee the production of TarFest annually while also providing unique programming and exhibition opportunities to important artists in Los Angeles. He served as the Director of Lawrence Asher Gallery from 2004 – 2010, exhibiting emerging and mid-career painters, sculptors and installation artists. James co-founded TarFest in 2003 and continues to develop and manage its programs which provide opportunities to emerging artists at venues in the Miracle Mile District of LA.

I am showing:
“Torrent and Tangle: Keep your House In Order“
2019, 10.5 x 25 x 18”, mixed media


View a Facebook Live tour of the exhibition with James Panozzo:

https://www.facebook.com/LaunchLA/videos/2350520525255774/?comment_id=2351347821839711&notif_id=1598253654604511&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif

TRANSITION II

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TRANSITION II

Transition, convergence, a sea change, a shift…whenever there is change, seismic or not, the axis of our lives seems to move, and maybe it does.

If we think about an axis….we can see how monumental it is when it changes, when changes causes it to move literally or figuratively. Causing us to change, or at least, compelling us to adapt.

ax·is

noun

  1. 1.
    an imaginary line about which a body rotates.
    “the earth revolves on its axis once every 24 hours”

  2. 2.

    MATHEMATICS

    a fixed reference line for the measurement of coordinates.

“the earth revolves on its axis once every 24 hours” gives us a sense of this.  When we think of change this way, even desirable change, even the change we seek, we can see how disorientating it can be. How disorientating it IS.

Thinking back to my last post, I see how I am trying to grapple with my own transition, moving away from forms that have been a mainstay for many years…past work,  site, blog, digital and professional identity, into something something that contains it all.

After nearly seven years in Los Angeles developing new work,

I currently work in the form of the book, in forms inspired by the book, and in new sculptural media of my own devising. Although the work remains tethered to loose definitions of the book as structure, it is moving progressively into other sculptural and conceptual realms where labor, repetition and a passion for the haptic become powerful motivators and themes….

I finally sat down, and updated all my social media platforms.  To change a “page” on Facebook is very complicated, so the moniker “ArtiFactory Studio” remains there… but the information, the essence, is finally updated, as well as on Linked In, Pinterest, and more. It was a relief, and kind of exhilarating to get it done. It was time.

It is interesting to think how we are not only constantly being “profiled”, we profile ourselves. We are willing participants in the continual construction of our identities.  I realized that though how we show up online is critical on one level, on another it isn’t at all…no-one…of the many many folks i interact with around work, ever questioned the disconnect between my social media profiles, and the streams which flowed from them..streams of information, of images, of posts designed to share what I encounter, what I think can be helpful, what I want others to see. It is a construct which should have truth at its center.

With any change, we bring everything with us, every experience, every moment, every breath.

Having worked in the realm of the built environment for many years I am fascinated by the parallels between books and buildings in terms of structure, meaning, utility, architecture and effect. Each creates public and private spaces where stories are “read” on many levels, often revealing more than their authors and makers ever intended. I try to create such places and spaces of inspiration, contemplation, realization and bafflement in my work and to instigate investigation, exploration and discovery in myself and others.

 

TRANSITION I

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TRANSITION I

What a tangled web we weave…

Even when we don’t practice to deceive…

A ways back, I finally transitioned from my long-time blog, “Artissima – The Blog of ArtiFactory Studio, to my new blog at DebraDisman.com.

My last Artissima post announced this move, (for it is indeed a move…just as potent as a physical one), and I let go/discontinued/ceased to pay for my Custom Design on Artissima, knowing that I was moving on, forging ahead, going forward.

And I am…along with my work, my blog, my life. as we all (hopefully) are.  As we all (hopefully) do.
Putting in the requisite work, effort, perseverance and commitment.

Yet, a bit later, I suddenly wanted the Custom Design back, back on my “old” Artissima blog, enhancing, beautifying, communicating and transforming…it.

WordPress had changed their blog design structures and it wasn’t so easy. Somewhat bewildered…at my own emotions and attachments, as well as web protocols, I sought advice from my dear friend and designer, Dianna Jacobsen  of Jacobsen Design.

Dianna had designed both my sites, my Artissima blog, and all my support materials (“marketing collateral”).  She told me, of course, to let it go. Not necessarily to let the old site and blog go, they still live (and radiantly I must say…even after all this time) on the web… but to let go of holding onto the old Custom Design, and my attachment to making and keeping the site and blog (in my mind) absolutely perfect.

“The older sites don’t adapt that well to the current and constantly changing digital environment.” she said (I paraphrase). “Stop ruminating about it, and move on.” (I paraphrase, but you get the idea.)

I needed to hear that.

So much seemed to be changing, much of it changes I had initiated, instigated,  pixel by pixel, but some changes that I hadn’t, – that I definitely would NOT have chosen. All forming what feels like a massive transition, where everything in  the world seems to have gone off its axis, requiring fresh eyes, energy and attitude.

I know this is growth, but sometimes it is confusing, sometimes it is overwhelming, and sometimes it hurts.

But we keep moving along…moment by moment, one foot in from of the other.

“The Whole World is a Narrow Bridge. The Important Thing is Not To Fear.”

Thank you for helping the through the “narrows” this time Dianna!