Constrained, this Friday!

For immediate release: 

CityLife is pleased to announceCONSTRAINED, a group exhibition curated by Shannon McBride, featuring the work of: 

Erica Bailey
Margaret Lee
Robert Levy
Gayla Martin
Shannon McBride
Marissa Molina
Katie Simpson Spain 
Melissa Walker

Please join us for the opening reception Friday, May 8, 6-10pm 
CityLife 125 1st Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302
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On view from May 8 – 29, 2015 

DIRECTIONS FROM NYC: 
Take PATH train toward Journal Square. 
5-minute walk from Grove Street station.

CONSTRAINED presents eight emerging artists’ work within the context of the constraints that each artist faces in creating, displaying and supporting their creative work. Lack of space, time constraints, shortage of opportunities and financial limitations are just some of the many issues dealt with. The work on view acknowledges these obstacles, and the artists embrace them as part of their processes. Curated specifically for this unique venue, the curatorial concept also considers the contributing constraints of CityLife as an exhibition space. Primarily a community center and church, CityLife hosts events daily, as well as providing office space to a local business, and serves as an exhibition space and music venue. 

The choice of multi-disciplinary artists reflects the eclectic nature of this multi-purpose space, and its own blurred boundaries. Each of the artists in CONSTRAINED maintain diverse practices, employing some combination of installation art, animation, sculpture, printmaking, photography and more. Consequently, none of the artwork in this show falls neatly within the category of a straightforward, easily displayed drawing or painting. The boundaries between mediums are blurred, and limitations pushed.

For more information visit: www.shannonmcbride.com/constrained    

World Building closing dec 12

Hi!!!

My awesome group show is coming down soon. The closing party is on Friday the 12th of December!

Come to Academic to see the work if you can. I hope to see you there!

Best,
Katie

Art Event in World Building (Sunday Nov 23rd 6-9 pm).

Hi!
The opening was great last night! I’m super sick so I was delirious, but it was the most dang fun! Im so proud to be part of this show!

There is an event on nov 23rd from 6-9 pm with all kinds of fun stuff! You should come, you’re invited! Among other things Melissa Walker will be trying old recipes, Andrea Coronil will facilitate the smashing of a piñata she made, and I will facilitate a zine workshop. I heard something about jump rope? Come on out!

Look under the press release below to see pictures of my work in the show!

Academic is pleased to present the group show World Building, which features artists Andrea Coronil, Sarah Goodchild Robb, Gayla Martin, Katie Simpson Spain and Melissa Walker. The title refers to the world that each of the artists build within their work, as well as the exhibition itself being a community building experience as it is the first hosted by Academic. Each artist was invited to make work in the gallery responding directly to the space.

Employing a highly symbolic language Andrea Coronil’s work uses snakes, insects and human figures in dance-like struggles to depict a highly personal relationship to birth/death cycles of renewal.  Her cartoon-like drawings on transparent surfaces cast shadows, problematizing the veracity of imagery and raising questions of subjectivity, narrative, and transformation. In her site specific installation, Sarah Goodchild Robb has paired selected photographs shot on film from an ongoing series depicting entry hallways in NYC apartments with a collection of handmade wood tiles. The tiles point to individual units used in the construction of spaces and the dialogue between each suggests an experiential encounter with architectural elements. Gayla Martin uses repetitive actions of threading and knotting to create a meditative state of mind while building her dense fiber works. White and Blues, Martin’s hanging sculptures, activate the gallery space like columns of thread, while her prints quietly reinterpret the activity of addition by carving away the printing plate to illustrate the paradoxical construction underlying each of the art making methods.

Katie Simpson Spain’s installation is based on different types of water. Enclosed within a frilly tent that resembles a waterfall or cave are detailed etchings that describe locations where the artist recently swam, a friendship bracelet made from recycled plastic bags, and a pillow stuffed with tear stained tissues rests on the ground. Melissa Walker’s work uses the domestic sphere to question and review heteronormative relationship roles as well as the emotional ties to quotidian objects. Her large scale collage reflects the anxiety and humor related to trying to follow a recipe, while the dining table overflows with fresh red rose petals and dried flowers adding a cloying smell to the gallery.

The opening will be held November 14th from 5pm – 9pm. There is a special night of artist run activities and performances on November 23rd from 6pm-9pm and there will be a closing reception on December 12th from 5pm-9pm.

World Building

Hi!

I’m in a group show called World Building at Academic, a new art gallery in Long Island City, Queens. That’s 47-39 35th st, 2nd floor.

The show opens Friday November 14th and there’s a reception you should check out from 5-9 pm. The show is open until December 12th. There’s an exciting event on the 28th at which I will lead a zine thingie that’ll result in a zine that you’ll be able to take with you to commemorate the evening.

Here are a couple of pictures of what I’m putting in the show. It’s a darned lil installation! Woo! Everything has to do with water… My relationship to water and the sort of things people might do regarding water. There are prints and a friendship bracelet made from grocery bags and a tarp enclosure and a little pillow full of tears.

The show is going to be amazing! 4 other artists will have work on view too. We all build worlds with our work. Hours are available by appointment, especially all day Saturday! Come see!

💘 k

Joining Forces at City College

Hi!

I’m part of a September show at the City College of New York! Joining Forces showcases artwork by people in the area, bringing together a variety of great art by people who live and work in Harlem. I am so honored to be part of this wonderful show.

On September 12th at 6 there is going to be a cool outdoor opening, come meet some great artists!!! Come over!

The art is going to be up for a couple months outside of the NAC building on Amsterdam and 137th.

My recycled paper and plastic installation, River, was chosen as part of the postcard image too! Yay! There’s a limited edition poster of the show image I’ve included here that will be available at the opening.

Hope to see you there.
Katie

Here’s an article from the huffington post about the show: http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4373547?1386016246

City’s Six Video!

Hi!

Here is a video of the opening of City’s Six, at One Art Space, made by the awesome Bernard Lee.

Hope all is well with you!

I’ve got to pack my studio up… and move out.
Sad times.

But anyhow, it’ll be good in one way or another.

Take care!
Katie

City’s Six at One Art Space opening this Thursday Aug 1, 6-9.

Hi!

Look at this super crappy copy of the video I’m showing at the group show I’m in which opens this thursday (the 1st of August) from 6 to 9:30 pm! City’s Six, at One Art Space (23 Warren Street, New York, New York).

Come downtown and see my work and hang out with me on thursday evening, please. Don’t worry, you will get to see the actual video at the show, and some woodblock prints I made using 2×4 boards! And a screenprint! Yay!!!

Hope to see you there!

Love,

Katie

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M F A and open studio!

Ahhhh!

I turned my thesis in to my dean yesterday. I am going to wear the damn outfit and walk in my graduation because this is seriously it! No more school. I’m almost done. Weird!

On may 9th from 6 to 9, and in the 11th from noon to 6, 2 of ccnys art mfa programs are having open studios! And there is a rad photo show opening on the 9th! Come up to city college and check out all of the awesome art we are making here!

For details please check the city college studio mfa blog!
http://mfaccny.blogspot.com/2013/04/spring-open-studios.html?m=1

Come over! I will give you seltzer or pie or malt liqueur or rice crispy treats!

Send me off with a damn bang! Give me feedback, glitter, highfives, beer, checks, kombucha, hugs, rap or post punk albums & buy my art so I don’t have to burn it or send it into cold storage!

Ok I need to get to work in the studio now! Going to quilt some paper and work on a new/updated set for photos and animation!

See ya.
K

Quick go see 1, 2, 3, 4 before it closes!

Hi!

Holy cats! The rad group show I’m in is coming down soon!

Quick go see it if you haven’t. The last day is saturday the 27th!

Wow! That was quick.

Hope all is well on your end.

K

1, 2, 3, 4

Come see the awesome show this month! 3 super talented artists and I, curated by Risa Shoup, at gallery 200 in dumbo.

111 front street, Brooklyn!

Here is more info: http://mfaccny.blogspot.com/2013/04/1234-opening-this-thursday-april-4th.html?m=1

It’s up all month and is open tues though sat from 12 to 6, excluding a few days here and there. Get in touch for more info.

Yay!