I’ve pretty well finished curating my own solo exhibition, for the first time, really. In the past ‘someone else’ organised the venue and everything, and pretty much all I’ve previously had to do was turn up to help with or supervise the hanging… and then grace the opening with my presence 🙂

How things have changed since my last solo, here in Montevideo, 2009 – too long ago, I know. I’ve made many works since then, but though I’ve shown them in juried group shows in Australia and USA, only a few have been seen here in Uruguay. WhenI accepted this solo exhibition opportunity, I then went through a lengthy thought process, reviewing why I create what I do while I updated mywebsite and reworded statements. Everything tumbled about in my mind for several weeks until the phrase ‘elements of landscape’ popped out at me from something I had written. Once that title was settled, and I had seen the gallery and had the dimenstions, it was easier to make final choices. They needed to strongly relate to my overall statement, and because of space limitations with just one exception I chose works younger than 5 years old which includes the new soft sculptures made this year. The one age exception is the 2018 diptych Sweat of The Sun;Tears of The Moon, because those are the Ancient Incas’ terms for the precious metals gold and silver, referencing an important part of this continent’s human history.

The Casa de la Cultura is owned and operated by the City of Maldonado. The director, Ana Guerra, told me that the centre’s team of people will hang the show as I want it; and they have arranged local advertising using material I supplied, which is wonderful. I’ve been distributing my own poster announcement to my personal contacts. Everything is ready to take to Maldonado for the hanging on Monday Dec 29th, and the opening, (vernissage) will be on the evening of January 2nd. The centre handles the opening night, and I expect it will be similar to the Glass+Textile one I attended in January 2024: people wandered through all the other 6 or 7 exhibitions opening that night, while out in the courtyard a string quartet played and someone served non-alcoholic drinks. It was all very pleasant.

With the spread of digital information since my last solo, I’ve used several digital information resources. I will be present at the opening of couse, but won’t be in attendance most of the time the show is up. To help gallery staff with any inquiries, I’ve compiled an information folder containing my contact information, my bio and artist statement (in two languages) and selected resume, plus an illustrated price list, so there’s no confusion about what’s being bought by direct funds transfer to my account. I’ve printed off and mounted on foamcore the title of each work and a sentence or two about their inspiration, in both languages, Spanish and English. These will be attached on the wall near each piece, or on the plinths for the several soft sculptures.

When my friend Virginia Castleton (dec) organised my 2009 solo show, she recommended having 6-sided folding brochures printed, with photos, resume and bio highlights, which was terrific at the time, but when I consider the fate of artist brochures I’ve collected down the years – well, let me say I’m not doing that this time! Just this morning I came across a sheet of paper I picked up at an Australian artist’s exibition in a gallery I visited in 2014. There must have been a heap of these, printed on both sides with artist statement, photo, and bio and resume highlights for us to help ourselves, but all I’d done with that paper was fold it in 4, bring it back in my luggage, and put it with other bits and pieces into a folder on my shelf. I checked this forgotten artist’s website and found she is still producing art inspired by the same themes, but as I don’t care for her newest work, I binned it, which is where most of these things end up, anyway.

So this time, for anyone who really wants to learn more about me, ta daaaaah!!! this QR code with my photo will be up on all walls around the gallery, and using their smart phones, visitors will be taken to the links of my website, (up to date) my blog, a couple of YouTube videos and my social media, Instagram and Facebook.

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