The What and Why of retirement

After the summer hiatus, the gallery will reopen , as a gallery, in September for an exhibition by Jeff Rathermel, the executive director of Minnesota Center for Book Arts. At the end of his show, toward the end of October, the space will slide back into studio space for a bit.

A lingering question remains, however. Why retire?

When I opened Susan Hensel Gallery, I gave up a robust exhibition career( over 100 regional and national exhibitions, many collections, a museum or two...) in order to create a space for experimentation where unconventional artists could give voice to their ideas.I have worked hard and loved every moment of it. And I will miss the dailiness of it and the times I get to meet new people. So I am NOT closing entirely.

What will retirement look like in Susan Hensel Gallery?It is more a change of material state than a retirement.

In the fall of 2011, I will reduce the exhibition programming of the gallery to one or 2 shows per year. The windows and the yard will be available for installations. I will make a tremendous mess in the main gallery space, as it will become my studio and I am a tremendously messy artist.

In 2012, I will curate and exhibit Reader's Art 12.

Regardless, I will remain open on Mondays, for wool sales and the curiosity seekers.

Past that? We'll have to wait and see.

Color of Conflict opens soon

COLOR OF CONFLICT

A new exhibit at Susan Hensel Gallery

Dec 1, 2010-Jan. 1, 2011

reception on Friday, December 17, 7-10pm

The object is yarn. The subject is war.

Color of Conflict, opening at Susan Hensel Gallery December 1, is a collaboration with photographer John Hensel, my son

Always a multimedia artist who seeks narrative, I brought the world of fiber into my studio practice. Color of Conflict is a show of photographs that wrest the meaning from a series of yarns spun during my sabbatical. These yarns, containing army toys and the colors and forms of armed conflict, can be knitted. But their true horror is revealed in the photographic display.

In the art world, one talks about transgression. Transgression can be loosely defined as breaking expected boundaries or expectations. Yarn is expected to be soft, warm, useful, at times even life saving. It is often associated with leisure, craft and women's work. Rarely is it thought of as an object, a material or a subject of fine art. In this project, yarn paradoxically uses its traditional softness to express a hard/harsh/violent reality. It uses its allusions to its life saving properties( warmth, padding, protecting) as a field of discussion about war and death. It uses a "women's art" to discuss a "man's pursuit."

This body of work was completed during a six month sabbatical from gallery life. I took the risk of closing Susan Hensel Gallery for six months in order to return to studio practice and research. During the sabbatical I spent much time exploring the narrative capabilities of fiber. I have become part of the artyarn movement, a radical group of spinners who push the idea of what yarn can be to its maximum. Usually, it is a lighthearted game, spinning Christmas baubles and Halloween eyeballs into fluffy masses of wool. It’s mostly about process and fun. I love process as much as the next person, but process alone does not satisfy me in the long-run. I have been adding, multiplying, accreting and inserting meaning wherever I can in handspun yarn.

There will be a reception for the us on Friday, December 17, 7-10pm. Come see the yarn. Come meet the photographer.

The Gallery is pregnant?

Things are brewing, even as sabbatical continues. It is an exciting time in the quiet gallery. Nothing is hanging on the wall. Everything is pregnant with potential!

The windows are growing and blooming with the art by Debora Miller. Drive by, especially after dark to see them at their best!

Soon we will have another South Minneapolis Wild Wool Market: October 23.

In December a new show will open...its title is unknown...but it is a collaboration between Susan Hensel and her son John Hensel. John is a fine photographer who is able to take an idea, a glimmer, really, and make it sing. I had a weird idea that involved yarn that told a story. His photography makes that potential story real. Stay tuned for dates! The party will be sometime over the Christmas holidays, since that is when he visits Minneapolis. And then, Dean Ebben's show will open in January. Dean is a local guy who moved on to New York. He comes back every year to see family and to teach at Minnesota Center for Book Arts. On January 14 he will open IN THE HOUSE OF THE MINNERAL SPIRITS at Susan Hensel Gallery with an installation and a performance. Stay tuned!

Like I said, nothing is HERE, right now, but the place is pregnant with the future! How exciting!

Wool Market Fun

The South Minneapolis Wild Wool Market was, once again, well attended and so much fun. Even if no one came, I think we would enjoy ourselves! What's not to enjoy about people engaged with fiber?
This darling little one finished her fiber day with Grandma at our place. She had started the day by making fairies at the Fiber Studio and ended by making a Wild Batt with me.


Jenn Cuff spent the day spinning (So did I;-)) Although I have no photos to prove it, my friend Carla brought in her Navajo spindle and taught us how to use it. Several of us took turns on it while she tried out my new Majacraft Wheel. Her hand can be seen somewhere in this fluffy, curly single made from loose locks. I spun 3 skeins during the day, totaling nearly 300 yards.

You never know what will happen at a wool market. If you stay long enough, you are bound to learn something new or make a new friend.

Next market? July 24.

The wool market will probably resume in September. Stay tuned.

more installation shots

installation

The gallery is a quiet studio, talk radio in the background. This Saturday, it will light up with the second South Minneapolis Wild Wool Market. Ideas have been knocking around in my head that involves the little dresses again, but in 3-d with fiber. SO, I today I began.

I like the relationships that are developing among the parts, although it is still too linear, simply curated objects rather than a full 3-d experience. I think the placenta dress needs to hang in space rather like the stuffed dress at the left.But with the wool market arriving in a couple of days, I will leave it as is for now.

GREET SARA CHRISTENSEN BLAIR

RECEPTION FOR SARA CHRISTENSEN BLAIR

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1-3PM

I have the unexpected pleasure of meeting Sara Christensen Blair this weekend, and so will you!

Sara is one of the artists represented in UNCOMMON TEXTILES which runs through February 27. She will be in town to deliver work to the Textile Center and graciously consented to spending the afternoon with us! COME BY AND MEET HER! TEA and TREATS will be served;-)

While you are here, check out the hand felted art and artyarn of Rachel Starr Suntop.

The opening Shots of Uncommon Textiles

The opening was filled with people who had never been to the gallery before...the fiber people came out. It was kind of a quiet opening, but I think fiber does that to a person. It is soothing. You should come be soothed as well.