a new gig

I’m flattered to have been one of 12 Kansas City area artists invited to participate in 2015-2016 Midwest Artists Lab, a project funded by the Covenant Foundation and sponsored here in Kansas City by the Jewish Community Center.

The Lab engages Jewish artists from five US cities (the others are Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Madison and Chicago) in the exploration of Jewish sources relating to an overarching theme. The theme this year is “Echos: Voices of Wisdom.” Along with my colleagues (all working in different mediums) we will create pieces that are reflections on the theme as well as the shared learning experience.

The Kansas City group will meet twice a month beginning the first of October and will explore ancient and modern, traditional, oppositional and radical Jewish sources relating to the theme. Facilitated by Jewish educators, scholars and other artists, we’ll have interactive investigations of texts and multimedia sources, as well as hands-on exercises exploring art, Jewish art, the artist’s relationship to his/her/others’ works and the role of culture in community transformation.

The kick-off for the Lab begins during a weekend retreat in Milwaukee, where we’ll have the opportunity to meet all the participating artists and begin our journey into this project. Selected work made by my fellow artists and me will be exhibited in a show during May, the final month of the Lab. We're each also paid a stipend for our participation.

I haven’t been to Milwaukee in many years. Eddie and I lived there in 1979-1980, so it will be fun to revisit my old haunts. I’m really looking forward to working side by side with the other KC artists - including Robyn Nichols, Nicole Emanuel and Allan Winkler – and getting to know fellow artists from the other cities, too. Should be a really interesting few months!