what does it mean?

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The Old Testament tells the story of a man
named Methuselah, who supposedly didn't die until he was 969 years old.
Some Kabbalistic commentators suggest that he didn't literally walk the
earth for almost ten centuries. Rather, he was extra skilled at the arts of
living. His experiences were profoundly rich. He packed 969 years' worth
of meaningful adventures into a normal life span. I prefer that
interpretation, and I'd like to invoke it as I assess your future. According
to my analysis of the astrological omens, Taurus, you will have
Methuselah's talent in the coming weeks.

Works!

detail, When Giants Fall mirror cover

detail: When Giants Fall mirror cover

When Giants Fall

detail:harden not your hearts

detail: harden not your hearts

detail: Through the Looking Glass

detail: Through the Looking Glass

The semester has officially begun, and I'm looking at projects for the long run now. As you'll see, I'm continuing with the mirror cover making, and exploring memory, identity, and perception as they occur. The video is enjoying a long life, and I will soon reshoot with a videographer to make it, well, just better. 

I have a piece in the process, Winter Parade, which will be layers of audiorecordings of my footsteps on a walk through the woods, together with photographs I've taken on the walks.  I was inspired by the inaugural parade, and the flashiness that our country brought to the street in celebration. I have another piece in the works, about fathers and legacies, that will be in collaboration with my brother Mark, a wonderful musician. He is scoring music and lyrics. 

I've begun to try to sketch more about my work and be more thoughtful about the process. I'm getting out more! Had an evening with a fellow artist/printer who was so present and very free with ideas regarding installation and my work. All that we talked about was me! 

Until Next Time,

Michele

challenge your vision brain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD7BHl5W86Q



Xu Bing at the British Museum, using discarded material to create a traditional Chinese "Ink" scroll painting. I've been thinking about perception and vision and that what we see is so much a function of our brain's history and capacity. I've been thinking that it would be great if viewers could be open and challenged, curious, and part of a conversation. I've been thinking that it's interesting that people need to see what they want to see. But we can change that conversation with focus.

oh, horoscopes.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The United States Congress spends an
inordinate amount of time on trivial matters. For example, 16 percent of
all the laws it passed in the last two years were devoted to renaming post
offices. That's down from the average of the previous eight years, during
which time almost 20 percent of its laws had the sole purpose of
renaming post offices. In my astrological opinion, you Tauruses can't
afford to indulge in anything close to that level of nonsense during the
next four weeks. I urge you to keep time-wasting activities down to less
than five percent of your total. Focus on getting a lot of important stuff
done. Be extra thoughtful and responsible as you craft the impact you're
having on the world.

website workings......

please go to www.micheleridgeway.com

studio work this month and ideas.....

• through the looking glass; perceptions of children and childhood memories
• when giants fall; legacies, loss, and memory
• winter collage; photo collage with soundtrack of winter

back to work!

another great horoscope!

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): If you learn a novel idea or a crucial new
lesson while you are tipsy or outright blitzed, you will probably forget it
when you sober up. And it will remain forgotten as long as you abstain.
But there's a good chance you will recall the vanished information the
next time you get loopy. I'm telling you this, Taurus, because even if you
haven't been inebriated lately, you have definitely been in an altered and
expanded state of consciousness. I'm afraid that when you come back
down to earth in a few days, you might lose some of the luminous
insights you've been adding to your repertoire. Is there anything you can
do to ensure you will retain these treasures? It would be a shame to lose
track of them until the next time your mind gets thoroughly blown open.

back in the studio for days now.....

blue skies, smiling at me.....and it's back to work working. This month will give me time to create without the academic buzz, and so no distractions of time taken away from the make of making. I am still thinking about mirror covers, and stories, and am creating pieces that "reflect" (get it?) that interest. Mirrors; identity, yet mystery. How does that image get in there? What does it mean that I don't see what others see? What about Through the Looking Glass? Uncovering the mirror is about discovery, of self, but also of what is around you, as when you look in the mirror you see your surroundings as well. You can look someone in the eye in a mirror and they will see you.“Life is like a mirror, we get the best results when we smile at it.”