First Place in the Wall Hanging
Category of The 2nd International Miyuki Delica Challenge Competition
sponsored by Caravan Beads
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Miss Kitty (and Matt) was displayed along with other entries and
winners at Embellishment in Portland Oregon July 16 - 18th, 2000
Miss Kitty (and Matt) was on display at the
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS in Santa Fe, New Mexico
NEW MEXICO 2000 Exhibition
October 8 , l999 through April 21, 2000
1,157 artists responded, submitting over 5,000 slides and 10 videos.
The jurors selected 73 works. The final exhibition is curated with
unifying themes and relationships that truly express the strong
diversity found in contemporary art in New Mexico. Additionally this
work garnered one of 14 awards from FOCA (Friends of Contemporary Art).
| This is a contemporary presentation of a common bond of all humanity
— Good verses evil — and the love of man for woman -and
woman for man. The LEGEND is "GUNSMOKE" : This weekly morality play was aired on television from September 1, 1955 to September 15, 1975. It is my own personal legend of growing into a woman - and it is one that I can portray with a passion of my childhood and the wisdom and skills of my years. The MYTH is in my heart: (as follows) SCENE: Matt Dillon is returning from a long journey to the east. His lonely and sometimes dangerous travels back to Dodge City, Kansas has made him realize his love for Miss Kitty Russell MUST be declared. It is early autumn and many wild flowers are blooming in the prairie. A few miles from Dodge, Matt stops to rest his horse and pick a clumsy bouquet. He then rides into town at dusk - ties up his good horse at the Long Branch Saloon - walks through the swinging doors with the bouquet concealed behind his back. Miss Kitty turns to greet him — her eyes full of relief on seeing him alive — her gaze becomes a beacon of love — and he embraces her with the words "Miss Kitty - I love you!" |
| The scene of Miss Kitty and Matt Dillon embracing in the Long Branch Saloon was done in what we call in Albuquerque - applique work. I believe that it is also called back stitch or lazy stitch. It is a single needle method. I made a very rough sketch with pencil on a baby changing cloth - which is a type of flannel with a water proof finishing. I began the beading with Miss Kitty - specifically her lips, eyelashes and beauty mark. When I finished a section and was at a loss to proceed, I would scan the actual piece and draw ideas on the scanned pattern. The sketching that I did on the flannel would wear off very quickly when I was beading on it. The scanned images give me a really nice record of the progress of the work. I tried to give the viewer some subtle messages: hidden in the mirror are the words MS KITTY and the bottles to the right of Matt Dillon can be seen the words I LOVE YOU. These messages show up better in photos - probably because of the light reflection |