Opening for Re:Value Show at the Falkirk Cultural Center

We had a great showing of guests at the Re:Value show at the Falkirk Cultural Center in San Rafael last Friday night.


In the making of the artworks, 13 women and one man, met regularly over a year for critiques and lively conversation about values. They reflected on a series of questions including, "Who and what do we value?; "Who and what do we cast off?"; "What is disposable?"; and "What is worth preserving?"  The show presents a variety of more than 50 artworks with personal opinions about family, the environment and the social and political issues of the day expressed by a dynamic group of contemporary artists specializing in fiber arts. 
For gallery hours, go to http://www.falkirkculturalcenter.org/.

Guests were welcomed with Julie Garner's expletives, "Sign of the Times", which she sculpted with New York Times and hazardous waste plastic bags.



"The Sign of the Times", by Julie Garner

 The New York Times plastic newspaper bags are a favorite recycle material of Plexus, and my piece, "Hot Off My Press", generated a smile from my friend Karin Mortensen.

"Hot Off My Press", by Elise Cheval


As the photographer at the Opening, I had the opportunity to capture some poignant moments of our guests with the artists.  This picture of a little boy playing with the toy soldiers in Susan Doyle's (front and center), "In the Name of God", makes one step back and consider our future.



"In the Name of God", by Susan Doyle

Jennifer Kim-Sohn's passion for oil painting, comes through in her portraits which depict the new social media platform, facebook.  Noting that children have as many as 250 friends on facebook, Jennifer questions the immediacy of how quickly users can like and unlike people.  She ponders how new social media have changed the concept of friendship by presenting her paintings with a small leather wallet which holds a few cherished photos of her loved ones. 


"217 Friends", by Jennifer Kim-Sohn

As the evening progressed, the light shining through the Bay windows at the historical Falkirk Cultural Center in San Rafael was perfect for some dramatic shots!  

Karen Balos' sculpted human forms, "Transparent Selves",  made out of clear packing tape speaks to our transparency with each other and tweaks the viewer to consider how we judge others by body-type, gender, size, etc...and asks, "How much can we see?"   Moreover, seeing her piece in front of the beautiful landscape of the Marin hills is worth a drive to the gallery to see the show, up through August 20.


"Transparent Selves", by Karen Balos

 I dressed for the occassion in a pop Art sort of way, with a bright shiny hot pink top that turned heads.  Standing next to "Elvis", one wonders who gets more attention?  The King standing in the light or me in the shadows?


"White Trash", by Elise Cheval

Seeing my piece, "In the Beginning", made with hundreds of cassette tapes collected from family, friends and neighbors over a 2 year period, in the context of the people who contributed to the Project, was a real treat!

"In the Beginning", by Elise Cheval