Mother's Day Blood Bath

In honor of Mother's Day yesterday I thought I would share the series of drawings I presented at my open studio exhibition this weekend, which also happened to be on Mother's Day, an unplanned but felicitous coincidence, I swear. Blood Bath is a collection of nine ink drawings of figures giving birth in water. I posted the first in this set a few weeks back, but thought I would share the rest now that the lot is complete. The images were created with red ink that bled through from the reverse side of the paper. I've always been fascinated by the idea of water births, the act of pulling your own child out of you, in a serene, calm environment that eases the transition from inside the womb to outside... the womb. Though, honestly, any way you slice it, I'm pretty much in awe of mothers everywhere.

- Cathleen 

Art Show of the Week: Ladies & Gentlemen

Ladies and Gentlemen, a one night only group exhibition organized by the beautiful go-getter Maria Jose Duran Steinman (Cote!) featuring the work of yours truly and a bunch of other amazing talented artists (many of whom are recent graduates of SVA MFA Fine Arts), will be taking place in a gorgeous loft in Tribeca this Saturday night, April 14th, 2012 from 6pm-10pm. If you are in the city, you should come check it out! If you are no where near the city, here are some sub par photographs of the two pieces I submitted for the exhibition.

Blood Bath, 2012, ink on paper, 8.5 x 11"

This one was inspired by the idea of a water birth; how blood, usually synonymous with violence and death, signifies life in this instance. The drawing I made with red ink on the other side of the paper bled through to create the image you see here. 

Growth, 2012, fingernails, plaster, wood, glue, stain shellac, 4"x 4"x 3"

Yes, these are all my own fingernails. And yes, it took me a long time to collect them all to make this piece. "Growth" can be a positive word for many --- to "grow" as a person means evolution, progress --- but a growth on your person is another thing entirely. Something one would have removed, reviled, discarded. I like the idea of this growth being turning into a trophy, perhaps. Like a horn. Or a relic. A disgusting little relic. 

- Cathleen