Group Show Honoring Friend and Artist Carrie Cox
posted: May 8, 2023
Dates and Time
Throughout May, The Spotlight Gallery, second floor, Wedge Studios, will be exhibiting a group show that celebrates the life of our friend Carrie Cox and the art of collaboration. We will host an artist reception with refreshments on Saturday, May 13th, from 3 - 6 pm. Wedge Studios are open Mon.-Sat. 11am-4pm.
My piece for this show.
View From Our Cloud House / 12x12” / ink stamped and marbled paper, collage topography map, graphite, color pencil, oil paint.
About
Carrie Cox and I met in December 2020. That is when she opened up a part of her studio gallery space for me to start showing my work. Carrie was generally private in demeanor except when sharing stories of art and dogs. These were areas where her joy radiated. She welcomed artists to become part of a community and always looked for ways to collaborate and support each other. We had these things in common, and a friendship quickly followed.
Upon moving to Asheville with her husband, Brian, in 2017, Carrie committed herself to be a full-time artist. At that time, she had been living with a cancer diagnosis for over a year, which I later learned was a catalyst to live the rest of her time making and sharing her art. Carrie shifted from printmaking to mixed media, including paper, collage, dyes, painting, found objects, and bookmaking. Carrie passed away in March this year, leaving behind stacks of works in progress. For this show, each artist from the Wedge Studio artist community chose pieces from her unfinished work to complete as a collaboration.
How I approached this collaboration
Carrie and I had discussed ideas for pieces we were playing around with, one being a series of aerial landscapes, a view from flying over different parts of the world. I pulled a few sheets of marbled paper and feather prints from her progress work table. The marbled paper looked like the mesas and water channels of the Southwestern US. I started drawing in the white space on the paper without a plan for a finished piece. I just started drawing, added color with pencil, then added feather prints to the tops of what looked like mesas. No plan. I just enjoyed the act of creating. I eventually added some paint to the finished piece, and in the end, it may resemble a bit of Carrie's work, mine, or something else entirely. The finished look of the artwork may not be the most important outcome. Through this process, I've understood that making and sharing, not being hindered by trying new things, is the heart of collaborating with Carrie.
Cloud House, poem by Carrie Cox
Unfinished work from Carrie’s work table.
Progress shot of View from Our Cloud House.