Bad Doggie II below! get yours here: http://igg.me/at/JennyKrasner
Please don’t get me wrong, but If I was going to be honest with you, which I’m sure some of you would wish I’d just sort of back up a bit on! – I seriously WOULD prefer to be crying in the back of a Rolls Royce than on a NYC bus. Well – subway, I’m not such a fan of the buses, and yes – I’ve cried on a lot of them. Nevertheless – if I had my druthers, I’d rather have a ton of money and not worry about it, but the truth is, I would rather cry in a subway car and lead the life I’ve chosen, independent and on my own terms, than be crying in a Rolls and give up making my artwork. What is so beyond priceless to me, what means everything in the world to me, is the immense support + belief in this Venice Biennale Project I’m creating for September 12th – it has truly been an extraordinary eye opening experience. Some of the people who donated to fund it have barely a penny to get by on, and some of them, I only met a couple of weeks. People have surfaced, friends from decades ago, to help support this Venice Project. Four friends I’ve known for 44 years, donated to this Project! One has even donated her time and money to be my assistant there, Lise Battaglia! I have never been part of a gallery, I’ve had very little commercial success, I’ve never received any large grants and all my collectors I discovered mostly on my own, so the fact that I have discovered so many people finding this project fascinating and are becoming part of its creation truly takes my breath away!
The belief people have in this project and my ability to create an interesting artwork, is just overwhelming for me. THAT has given me the strength to persevere. What I also find so interesting, is that I’ve met such generous, interesting and creative people over the past 5 years at artists residencies I’ve attended. Many of these exceptional people are supporting this project. Then – the owners and directors of these residencies also, had to raise the money so that WE the ARTISTS could attend for little money or for free, these amazing residencies where I have created the best work of my life. Also, through these opportunities I’ve met a number of collectors who have bought and continue to buy my work; These non-profit institutions have completely hands down, made my life more interesting and absolutely completely contributed to the realization of this incredible project I am creating for the Venice Biennale opening this September 12th. Besides the 35 people who I will list below who have contributed money to pay for supplies, transportation and shipping, this is a list, no less important that I feel directed me towards this opportunity which gave me the space and time to create my artwork:
Escape 2 Create
A one month multi-disciplinary residency on the Gulf of Mexico in breathtaking Seaside where, after suffering a herniated disk in my neck and I could not weld steel anymore, I learned to transition to wall relief assemblage which is how I am making this project! :-)
Marsha Dowler, President
Karen Holland, Vice-President
Jane Crews, Secretary
Cathy Toole, Treasurer
The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts
Where I began to integrate my photography into my sculpture and wall reliefs as well as perform my writing to an audience allowing me to feel secure in performance which led me to my Gallery on the Street which got written up on the New York Foundation for the Arts website
The people at VCCA over the years who have helped me most:
Director of Artists’ Services, Sheila Gulley Pleasants
Retired, but over 24 years of service to VCCA, Craig Pleasants
Retired, – Extraordinary Executive Director, Suny Monk
Beatrice Booker, Dana Jones, Cora Tabb and Jenny the chef!
An amazing half year residency in Shanghai where I created a body of work that became my first huge solo exhibition in a Chinese Gallery: https://vimeo.com/50685562 and through Swatch, this massive art installation!
And Last but not Least:
THE HUMANITARIAN PHOTOJOURNALISTS WHO TRAINED ME IN CAMBODIA and raised my photographic skills to new heights:
Gavin Gough and Karl Grobl
Through these residencies I met friends and colleagues I will have my whole life. The extent to which these mostly privately funded institutions have completely changed my life’s direction is beyond astounding. I truly believe, my accomplishments are because of attending these residencies which allow you time to work and create life long bonds with other creative people who infuse your work with directions you would never have dreamed up yourself. THANK YOU!!! All of you!!!! :-)
NOW!!!!!! THE THIRTY-FIVE MOST AMAZING PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TO ME, YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!! Thank you so much for helping make my project a reality and thank you so much for believing in me and this crazy large piece!!!!! I am BEYOND EXCITED!!!! You can all follow it on my blog if you like. Just click FOLLOW on the bottom right, or add your name to my mailing list: CONTACT LIST
I will see some of you in VENICE!!!!! HOW UNBELIEVABLY FABULOUS IS THAT!!! :-)
Ruti Alon
Olive Ayhens
Lise Battaglia
Claudia Blaesi
Rand Carter
John B. Carver
Miriam Carver
Bob and Marilyn Bisom
Susan + Charles Bisom-Rapp
Lynette Chiang
Marsha R. Dowler
Alex Freeman
Gavin Gough
Rebecca Haidt
Shannon H Curry Hartmann
J. Walter Hawkes
Kylie Heidenheimer
Amy Hersh
Joanna Krasner
LadyMccradynyc
Cathleen A. McGuire
Melissa Gabel Morse
Uma Muthu
Matthew Rose
Peter Rossbach
Dan Rubock
Mark J. Seski
Nandita Shenoy
Robert L. Thuemmel
Catherine B Toole
John Vlahoplus
Ursula Wall
Laura Wiener
Anne C. Whitehouse
Matt Wrbican
Wang Xin
Anonymous X2
