REQUIEM FOR ASHOKAN
This work began to materialize in September, 2016, during an intensive, seven day drawing and painting residency at The Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown. It continued at another ten day drawing and printmaking residency at the Artists Association of Nantucket in February 2017, and was completed at home in The Graphics Shop at The Woodstock School of Art in Woodstock, New York and at the Women's Studio Workshop in Rosendale, New York.
At each residency and printmaking shop, I had the good fortune to collaborate with other fine artists, namely, Patti FitzMaurice, Mary Emery and to finish the handmade book with Chris Petrone. It is true that this work is imbued with their spirit. Both residencies were offered to me to complete a personal project which tells the story of loss surrounding the devastation my ancestors endured during the creation of The Ashokan Reservoir, and was spurred on by long talks and walks at the Ashokan with author Gail Straub. The generosity and visionary spirit of each of these artists helped make this work possible.
The exhibition of this work was held at The Woodstock Artists Association & Museum in June of 2017, the complete body of which includes written text, a handmade artist's book, and audio files narrating both sides of the story from both sides of my family-the settlers and the immigrants.
The vital and invaluable role these art institutions play in bringing work to fruition cannot be overstated, and I will remain grateful to each for its contribution to this effort.
