from Amelia: New Works at Pryor

This Friday, October 8, from 6 to 8 pm, Pryor Fine Art is hosting an opening for "some of the city's favorite artists," who just happen to be our very own Mattress Factory friends and studio neighbors. Courtney J. Garrett, Todd Alexander, and John Folsom are showing new works at Pryor this month in honor of "Atlanta Celebrates Photography" during October. Not that these artists produce pure photography, for all are mixed media artists. They are being recognized because of their innovative take on photography through the mixing of images, layers of materials, and re-defining of what is typically seen as a "painting."

Come out to Pryor this Friday through October 29 to see the premiere of these striking new works. Pryor Fine Art is located at 22F Bennett Street Atlanta, GA 30309. See www.pryorfineart.com for more details.

it's me-

Hello blogging world. I am ever far behind in catching up with you-

Here's a bit of what is going on and what is coming up in the studio and beyond...

I just returned from the Hampton/Long Island Area... an amazingly inspiring trip- life changing some would say for an artist.

Yearly shows have begun for me as well...this Thursday night the private patron party is scheduled for the Dian Fossey foundation- followed by the Opening Public Gorilla fund Event September 23rd, 2010. This is a very exciting time as the studio releases it's first historically documented international series. I feel the weight of such a responsibility and am ready to share the works in a public setting. They are emotionally dynamic-- as I try and express the layered life of a woman and her work... She so passionately connected to her environment.

"Atlanta Celebrates photography" month is just around the corner with October approaching. New works will be shown through Pryor Fine Art Gallery here in Atlanta. Pryor Fine art will also house more new works in a 2 person show this spring featuring a multi-faceted mixed media series from the studio.

As it always seems October is a very busy month for me- New works will also be released Hilton Head, SC for a solo exhibition towards the mid-end of the month in October. Moreover, I plan to close out the month with a trip to Hong Kong- I am very excited about my anticipated time there... as i am sure another life changing event is on the horizon.

Stay tuned.

The Studio at the Summit

On May 15, 2010, 23,000 people gathered to watch 590 of the world's rising designers showcase their potential in one space at one time: the 145,000 square foot Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. The 22nd annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) attracted designers from 40 different countries and 14 different contingencies, and was called "the global summit of what's best and what's next in design."

The studio had the privilege of being represented in the Holly Hunt New York showroom with one of Courtney's latest series: Blackbird. Here are a few photos from the show...

Dian Fossey: Echoes...

it's a mystery for now but- we've got a lot of stuff in the works. it seems to be the most passionately documented series yet. -- or just until the next one. stay tuned.

from Amelia: so I was never good at puzzles...

Amelia here!.. again- just updating everyone on some things going on in the studio with Courtney's work and my job as the studio summer intern...

We are always shuffling art and artifacts in and out of the space but currently are working on an extraordinary project-

This week I have had the privilege of taking part in a photo shoot for some of Dian Fossey's personal belongings for a new series beginning in the Studio. Courtney is busy with commissions and is also steadily working a specialized group of paintings for the Dian Fossey Foundation's 3rd annual fundraiser in September. For the past 2 days I found myself delving into the rich history that surrounded these few items; from newspapers to manuscripts to placemats to maps of Rwanda and Uganda, the assignment quickly went from a small project to a full-fledged lesson on the state of central Africa 25 years ago, reminding me of the few fragments of their history I have learned from various classes the past couple of years.

Opening the newspapers Ms. Fossey collected during her time in Africa to document each page was a far from tedious task, as I recognized the African leader Mobutu in each picture and every article. These papers were full of propaganda supporting the corrupt governments of the time, and as the papers progressed, I watched Mobutu's rise to power in Zaire. It was incredible to see the country's fascination with this man and the hold he had over them during that time. I wonder if Ms. Fossey knew what was really going on, and saved those papers for this purpose...

As I continued documenting, I discovered grocery lists, projected budgets, annotated speeches, and notes on a screenplay for a documentary made of the gorillas she had studied. Her handwriting was average, not particularly lovely, but her language when speaking about the gorillas was the most descriptive and carefully loving I have ever read in reference to animals. Her passion not just for her work/studies, but for the gorillas themselves, shone through every sentence.

Lastly, I found a map of Rwanda and parts of Uganda that had been burned in a fire. This topographical map had been marked and colored by Ms. Fossey for her own unique use with crayons and markers. Since it was burned, I had to piece it together from the connections I could find. I loved doing it; this was probably my favorite part of this documentation, because I was piecing together a part of Dian Fossey's life, a map full of the places she traveled and studied in. I couldn't figure out why it was so difficult for me though, and then it hit me: I was never good at puzzles.

check out the Dian Fossey foundation here: http://gorillafund.org/

...and continue to follow us as Courtney documents the passionate work of Dian Fossey through an upcoming series release.

-Amelia

from Amelia: Changes in the New Space

Since the summer began, we did some moving around to free up the front part of the studio for painting and create more of an office space in the back...

-Amelia

from Amelia: A Day in the Life of Mattress Factory Studios...

Amelia here- Courtney J. Garrett Studio's assistant...

So far I've been here for a little over a month, and wanted to voice my observations as a new member of the Mattress Factory family.

I don't think there has ever been what most people call a "normal" work day- each day is filled with a new adventure, whether it's known or yet to be discovered.

10 am- To-do meeting in the car on the ride to the studio- I am always over ambitious, and I make many long lists.

11 am- Begin work at the freshly painted studio after catching up with all of our neighbor artists. Todd, from next door, has a new beast of a truck he has termed "The Black Pearl."

Also, there is a random electrician, who's doing some renovations upstairs, on the porch waiting for the power company to arrive with his dog Trey, who quickly befriends Courtney and won't leave her side.

12:30 pm- Find an enormous roach that got his leg stuck in our refrigerator door...I ran next door for assistance, and after blow-torching the monster (which I have decided is the new best way to exterminate), we discovered it was just a beetle.

1:00 pm- Grieve the loss of our friend, Ben the Beetle, and plan a memorial for him in the future.

2:30 pm- Our weekly power outage has occurred. (...and don't be fooled into thinking it is consistent in its coming) On a day like today, where Atlanta heat has soared into the triple digits, our work took an unexpected turn as all the power in our buildings turned off. Not that it makes much of a difference to us heat-wise (AC is a luxury reserved for normal "citizens" not artist at Mattress factory=)

3:00 pm- Since there are no lights, we move today's meeting up and go get some ice cream to help us think. =)

3:10 pm- Power and production is back up and running- no more stumbling through the hall with just the light from an iphone.

5:30 pm- The electrician and Trey the dog are still waiting outside 6 hours later...Leave the studio to answer more emails on the hour long ride home-courtesy of Atlanta traffic.

6:30 pm- Arrive home to Rufus and Ollie, who cannot contain their excitement and proceed to show off by wrestling each other to the floor.

I love having a job that as consistent as it is, still leaves room for the unpredictable. What a blessing it is to wake up every day, looking forward to work and what a new day will bring to the Mattress Factory.