"Beasts of Burden," featuring my Twelve dox-ZENS, opens in Boston this Thursday, March 13. My goal for this series was to follow the tenets of Zen Buddhism and focus on the process, not the outcome. There were two special challenges for me:
1.) accepting imperfection
2.) detachment
I feel I successfully achieved the former and flunked the latter. For that, I blame Dylan Sherwood McConnell.
I had never met Dylan before a few months ago, but I knew his art. I had been admiring his work in galleries, fairs, and shops around town for the last couple of years. In fact, it seemed like every time I drooled over a piece, it turned out to be Dylan's.
This January, after sourcing custom frames (outrageously expensive times 12) and returning three sets of unusable ready-made frames from China (via Jerry's Artarama who told me to throw them in the garbage), I sent Dylan an email asking where he purchased his frames.
It turns out he makes them himself. And he offered to make mine at a generously reasonable rate.
They are perfect. Beyond perfect. So much so, that I confess now to an end-run around the "accepting imperfection" accomplishment listed above. Dylan does not accept imperfection. And, he decided to make a second inset frame for me, so the dox-ZENS would "float," like a shadow box.
I simply love them...
And I love seeing them together...
I got attached. And that means I think I flunked the "detachment" part of the study (I'm not 100% sure, because I'm trying to detach from judging myself too). It also means that, for now, I'm not selling them individually. I selling them as a group; the price is $3,000.
If you're in the Boston area, please come to "Beasts of Burden" and view them live.
Opening Reception: Thursday, March 13, 5:30 - 8pm
Harvard Allston Educational Portal
175 North Harvard St.
Allston, MA 02134
And visit Dylan Sherwood McConnell's website to drool over his work yourself.
P.S. Katie Anderson, owner of Nevada City Picture Framing, mounted the pieces ahead of schedule with her own painstaking perfectionism. I am deeply grateful for her attention to detail, unbridled encouragement, and valuable feedback. Once again, I am humbled and delighted by this talented community I call home.
