The Christmas Tree Ship

This is an interesting story about a vessel from ship history. In the late 1800s, Chicago's Harbor was one of the busiest in the world. During the holiday season it was especially busy due to the sale of Christmas trees. Wooden bottom sailing vessels would sail far up into northern Michigan and bring back trees to sell.

Captain Herman Schuenemann owned a large vessel – a three-mast schooner – named the Rouse Simmons. He would load her with trees and sell them right off the deck. People knew who she was because the captain would decorate his ship with lights and greenery.

In order to cut expenses he had to transport as many trees as possible. On November 23, 1912 the ship was on its way back to Chicago on Lake Michigan and was caught in a terrible storm. The weight of 5,000 or so Christmas trees contributed to the sinking of the Rouse Simmons. The Captain and the his crew of 12 sailors perished.

Many years later, Milwaukee diver Kent Bellrichard discovered the vessels remains in just 165 feet of water 12 miles northeast of Two Rivers, Wisconsin. On November 30, 2012 the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw re-enacted the Rouse Simmons landing in Chicago. Thousands of Christmas trees were delivered to deserving families throughout Chicago.

For more information on Captain Santa and the Rouse Simmons, go to

www.wisconsinhistory.org or www.chicagonow.com/ 

–Lynn Conaway

USS Nautilus

I was lucky to inherit my father's stamp collection. He was the Curator of Rare Books at the Cincinnati Public Library for over thirty years. In that capacity, he received mail from all over the world. This was back in the day when people wrote letters and used postage stamps. I think stamps are not only pretty, many have fascinating stories behind the image. I'm going to tell you the story of a stamp which was issued in 1959 to commemorate the voyage of a very special vessel.

The USS Nautilus was the first operational nuclear-powered submarine. She was launched in 1954. Because she used nuclear propulsion, she could stay submerged much longer then diesel-electric submarines. Nautilus set her first record in 1955. When submerged, she traveled 1,100 nautical miles from Connecticut to Puerto Rico. This was the longest any vessel had ever traveled under water.

During the Cold War, President Eisenhower ordered the U.S. Navy to attempt a submarine voyage around the North Pole. On April 25, 1958, The Nautilus was commanded by Commander William R. Anderson and began her polar trip -- operation "Sunshine." After being turned back by deep ice and shallow water, finally on August 3 she became the first watercraft to reach the North Pole.

Now, here is where the story gets interesting. As the sub was going under the pole, the crew was surprised by the appearance of an unexpected visitor. That visitor was none other than Santa Claus himself. Apparently Santa was not happy about all the noise and commotion generated by Nautilus. He was right to be annoyed because the hull and superstructure of the vessel vibrated and made so much noise that even the sonar didn't work. If Santa could hear them, then so could the Russians. Santa let them pass through his yard with a warning. The vessel continued on to Greenland, having made the first successful submerged voyage around the North Pole.

This same postage stamp also commemorates the 50th anniversary of  Robert Peary's 1909 North Pole expedition.   

--Lynn Conaway

The Mad Potter of Biloxi

Before the artist Salvador Dali became known for his eccentric persona, there was George Ohr the self-proclaimed Mad Potter of Biloxi. The highest praise accorded his work during his lifetime came from himself. He described it as "unequaled, undisputed, unrivaled, the greatest art pottery in the world." He is best known for his work from 1895-1905. Like Dali, George Ohr cultivated his eccentric personality as a form of marketing. Also like Dali, he sported a wacky mustache. His was 18 inches long, wrapped around his cheeks and tied behind his head.

When his work was finally "discovered" many years after his death, it was considered ground-breaking. He had achieved porcelain-thin walls from clay he dug himself in southern Mississippi. His glazes were colorful and unexpected. But the most astounding characteristic of Ohr's pottery was the shape. Now his work looks thoroughly modern. His work is held in such esteem that the famous architect Frank O. Gehry was commissioned to design the Ohr-O'Keefe museum of Art in Biloxi which houses a large collection of George Ohr's vessels.

 To learn more about George Ohr go to smithsonianmag.com

--Lynn Conaway

Everyone Has These

Blown glass by Gary Farlow.
Farlo's Scientific Glassblowing

Everyone has blood vessels. Blood vessels are networks of hollow tubes that transport blood throughout the entire body. There are three major types, all part of the circulatory system:

1. Arteries, which carry blood away from the heart.
2. Capillaries, which enable the actual exchange of water and chemicals between blood and tissues.
3. Veins, which carry blood from the capillaries back toward the heart

Now that you know the basics consider this: There are artists who use images of blood vessels and other physiological parts of the human body to make beautiful art.

Sometimes their work is used to teach medical students or to illustrate books but often it is for the sheer graphic beauty of our bodies. According to the Association of Medical Illustrators, medical illustration as a teaching tool first appeared in 4th Century in Hellenic Alexandria. Probably the most famous medical illustrator was Leonardo da Vinci.

A drawing of the heart and it's blood
vessels by Leonardo da Vinci.

To see artwork inspired by science go to Cleveland clinic.org/eXpressions Gallery06/GilmourAcademy. Another site is LIvescience.com. Look for Gallery: the Art in Biomedical Research.

---Lynn Conaway



Oldest vessels in Cincinnati on display now

I snapped this photo of household vessels on display.        

A visit to the Dead Sea Scrolls: Life and Faith in Ancient Times at Cincinnati Museum Center will not only reveal some of the most significant historical documents ever found, but as they are more than 2,000 years old, they surely must be the oldest vessels in Cincinnati now. The scrolls are significant because they contain the oldest known copies of the Hebrew Bible. The exhibit also includs other ancient handwritten  texts and remains of religious objects, weapons, stone carvings, textiles, mosaics, everyday household items, jewelry and ceramics.

Vessels play a major role in the discovery of the scrolls. The 11 caves where the scrolls were found are in the ancient ruins of  Qumran, 13 miles east of Jerusalem. According to the docent on my tour,  a Bedouin goat-hearder discovered the scrolls in the spring of 1947 while looking for a lost goat along the cliffs of the Dead Sea. He threw a stone into a cave on a cliff to try to roust out the goat and heard the sound of pottery breaking. The herder climbed up and found pottery vessels in the cave. Taking a lid off a vessel, he found ancient parchment inside. The goat herder sold seven of the scrolls to an antiquities dealer, who in turn sold the scrolls to people at Hebrew University and Syrian Orthodox monastery of St. Mark. Four were then resold to the American School of Oriental Research -- which brought them to the attention of American and European researchers. Between 1949 and 1956, ten additional caves were discovered and yielded more scrolls, thousands of fragments of scrolls and other manuscripts.

But this blog is is about vessels. One of the first stories the docent in the exhibit tells is about how vessels preserved these amazing historical artifacts. Throughout the exhibit, you see vessels of various shapes, sizes and purposes in this exhibit. A storeroom was discovered in one of the Dead Sea excavation sites and it contained more than 1,000 pottery items arranged by function for cooking, serving, pouring, drinking and dining. I was surprised by a large ceremonial bathtub which probably was used for some kind of purification ritual. I was stunned by the intricacy of jewelry and stamped images. While we tend to think of “branding” as a modern marketing concept, I saw an ancient pottery stamp that was used on bread. One storeroom found during the excavation contained more than a thousand pottery items arranged by function --  cooking, serving, pouring, drinking and dining.

The show is open through mid-April. Here is a link to find out more information about the exhibit, hours and admission prices. http://www.cincymuseum.org/dead-sea-scrolls

--Nancy Berlier

Ancient Symbolism

Egyptian potters created ceramic vessels for many purposes from the everyday to symbolic of their beliefs. An unusual piece in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum's collection is this footed bowl which is believed to be from the Predynastic Period.  At first glance it may appear to be a bit of folly, however, it has much more symbolism than you may think.

A small polished red ware bowl has feet supporting it. You will notice that the bowl tips forward as if to spill it's contents. The clay is from the Nile River and is a smooth bowl with slip and a polished surface that gives a soft sheen to the surface. It is believed that the vessel symbolizes a three-dimensional hieroglyph for the word w'b, which means pure or clean. he bowl of the vessel tips forward as if to spill it's contents so that water that has been purified could be spilled onto the ground. 

Bowls like this have been excavated from ancient cemeteries and it is believed to be an offering of clear water for the dead.  

--Debra Wallace

A Thanksgiving Container

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!

I'm sitting here drinking hot chocolate. The trees are gorgeous yellow. and orange. So, it must be fall, right? Actually I think this is what is called Indian Summer. Anyway I was thinking about Thanksgiving and trying to think of a vessel which is a symbol of the Thanksgiving holiday. Besides the gravy boat all I could come up with is the cornucopia.

We probably all made paper cornucopias in grade school but the horn shaped container is much more ancient then that. According to Greek mythology, Baby Zeus was being suckled by the goat Amalthaea. Now Zeus got to rough-housing and broke off one of Amalthaea's horns. Did Zeus get sent to time-out? Nooo, it turns out the horn dispensed endless supplies of food, drink and riches. It was a horn of plenty.

Over time the horn shape signified prosperity. In the U.S. the cornucopia became a symbol of the Thanksgiving holiday a day of feasting. Traditionally, cornucopias were made of wicker and filled with fruit and flowers.

Speaking of food here is a link to a recipe for Roasted Vegetable Cornucopias www.vegetariantimes.com.

And here are two other artistic interpretations of cornucopias.

Picasso's Plates and Vessels

It was in 1946 that the 63 year old Pablo Picasso began working with clay. He formed a relationship with the Modoure pottery in Vallauris in the south of France. There his ceramics were produced in editions much like limited edition prints. 

Picasso considered his plates and vessels a form of canvas, a sculpture and a painting in one. At first he decorated clay pieces formed by the Modoure potters but later he designed his own forms. 

One of his favorite forms was the female figure. Influenced by Mediterranean mythological and classical themes he became famous for zoomorphic pots of owls, fish, birds, and bulls. To learn more and see examples of Picasso's ceramics follow this link to 
http://www.a-r-t.com/picassomr/

--Lynn Conaway

New Zealand creation story inspires lighted vessels

David Trubridge is an industrial designer in New Zealand. 

During Milan Design Week in 2008, Trubridge displayed this lighting installation he called "The Three Baskets of Knowledge." The foundation of the installation were three baskets shaped like hammocks, each made of a different material. The play of light through them created an illusion of transparency.

Like many artists, Trubridge had a narrative in mind for his design. He used a mythological story from the New Zealand Maori about the demigod Tane. Tane was sent into the heavens to receive knowledge mankind needed to live on Earth. After receiving this knowledge in three kete (a Maori word for basket), Tane returned to the earth and created mankind.

The three baskets, as interpreted by Trubridge, included:

Kete Aronui, made of bamboo, relates to the body. It contains knowledge of the earth and the natural world, which is for all.

Kete Tuauri, made of aluminum,  relates to the mind. It contains rational knowledge, which we keep for ourselves.

Kete Tuaate, made of plastic, relates to the spirit. It contains knowledge of the spiritual world, which we give out for others.

--Carole Gary Staples

Here's an amazing harvest of organic art

REMINDER: Send your entry for the show's logo contest to vesselsshow@gmail.com by midnight, Sunday, Nov. 4. See official rules in a previous blog.
There's plenty of variation in mediums to inspire aspiring artists who are interested in answering the call for our Vessels show -- which we'll announce soon. I recently stumbled upon some amazing work of art on -- of all things --gourds. Check out these images from the "Last and Final Gourd Show" at the 15th Annual Gourd Art Festival in 2011. 

By Marilyn Sunderland

By Christine Chan

By Pamala Redhawk

By Daniel Montano

By Dianne Connelly

--Carole Gary Staples

Logo Contest Deadline Now Nov. 4

We have decided to extend our deadline for the logo contest to Nov. 4 in order to give interested artists more time to develop their ideas. The details are below. Please e-mail us if you have any questions.
 
Logo Contest: The Kennedy Heights Arts Center is hosting a contest for the design of a logo to represent “Vessels: All the Eyes Can Hold,” an upcoming art show. The logo selected will be used in media promoting the show. The winner of the contest will be announced in promotional materials online and in print, will receive credit for the design on our “Save-the-Date” card and at the show, and will receive and a $100 gift card.

About the show: Vessels: All the Eyes Can Hold will be open to artwork from a wide variety of genres – ceramics, fiber, wood, basketry and other media. Any definition of the word Vessel will be accepted. Please consider the potential uses of the logo in the flexibility of your design: It may be used as a small, stand-alone icon online or in print. It may be used on a 4X6 postcard or a 3-foot by 8-foot banner with additional information and/or artwork relating to the show. (i.e., Vessels: All the Eyes Can Hold, Aug. 17-Sept. 28, 2013, Kennedy Heights Arts Center, 6546 Montgomery Road Cincinnati, OH 45213)  

Rules: The winning logo must incorporate the name of the show Vessels: All the Eyes Can Hold. (Punctuation need not be literal; it can vary depending on the design.) By entering the contest, applicants agree to give the Kennedy Heights Arts Center all the rights to the logo design; that the logo may be used for marketing purposes promoting Vessels: All the Eyes Can Hold and/or the Kennedy Heights Arts Center; that the logo may be used on the Kennedy Heights Arts Center web site, the online Vessels blog and other public web sites; and that the logo may be used in print marketing materials promoting Vessels: All the Eyes Can Hold and/or the Kennedy Heights Arts Center. The winner agrees to supply The Kennedy Heights Arts Center with a high-resolution version of the design, and/or a vector.

Deadline: Midnight, Sunday, Nov. 4

Apply: Send a digital copy of your logo with contact information to vesselsshow@gmail.com  by midnight, Sunday, Oct. 21. Please use the words “Vessels Logo Contest” in the subject line of your e-mail.

Blue Ash college sculpture a vessel of enlightnment

REMINDER: Send your entry for the show's logo contest to vesselsshow@gmail.com by midnight, Sunday, Oct. 21. See official rules in Blog Archive in the right column.

An amazing aluminum sculpture dominates the quad of the University of Cincinnati Raymond Walters Campus in Blue Ash. It is called “Anatomy Vessel.” The work of artist Eric Nordgulen, associate professor of sculpture at Indiana University's Herron School of Art and Design in Indianapolis, the structure is part of a series of public sculptures.

Anatomy Vessel is an aluminum tower, open on two sides so that the viewer can step inside and be centered in the airy, open artwork. Fabricated semicircular ribs form the architectural underpinning for what appear to be bony tree limbs, twisting and stretching skyward. Two open circles of aluminum atop the structure provide a focus for light onto the base.  Conversely, peering up from ground level, one feels a sense of enthusiasm that comes from being centered while peering into the unknown.

Trees often symbolize wisdom, tolerance, creativity and the cycle of life.  I’m not sure what Nordgulen’s intent was, but it seems clear that placing this structure on the campus of a college makes it a vessel of enlightenment.  The ribs suggest the human anatomy. The tree limbs suggest arms and hands reaching for something. The light suggests revelation. Anatomy Vessel seems to me to be a metaphor for seeking  knowledge. As the limbs twist and turn in different directions, ascending toward the light, the seeker yearns for knowledge.  Light touches each limb, revealing knowledge. One outstretched finger touches math. Another finds inspiration in literature. Another aspires to understand science.    

I’d be interested in hearing what your interpretation of Nordgulen’s Anatomy Vessel is. What do you think of the use of aluminum as the medium? Have you seen trees representing vessels in other artists work? How might this inspire your own work? There’s a comment field below. Please share your thoughts with us. 

Learn more about Eric Nordgulen here. http://www.triposo.com/poi/Anatomy_Vessels_28Saplings29

--Nancy Berlier

Vessels Logo Contest Deadline Oct. 21

The Kennedy Heights Arts Center is hosting a contest for the design of a logo to represent “Vessels: All the Eyes Can Hold,” an upcoming art show. The logo selected will be used in media promoting the show. The winner of the contest will be announced in promotional materials online and in print, will receive credit for the design on our “Save-the-Date” card and at the show, and will receive and a $100 gift card.

About the show: Vessels: All the Eyes Can Hold will be open to artwork from a wide variety of genres – ceramics, fiber, wood, basketry and other media. Any definition of the word Vessel will be accepted. Please consider the potential uses of the logo in the flexibility of your design: It may be used as a small, stand-alone icon online or in print. It may be used on a 4X6 postcard or a 3-foot by 8-foot banner with additional information and/or artwork relating to the show. (i.e., Vessels: All the Eyes Can Hold, Aug. 17-Sept. 28, 2013, Kennedy Heights Arts Center, 6546 Montgomery Road Cincinnati, OH 45213)  

Rules: The winning logo must incorporate the name of the show Vessels: All the Eyes Can Hold. (Punctuation need not be literal; it can vary depending on the design.) By entering the contest, applicants agree to give the Kennedy Heights Arts Center all the rights to the logo design; that the logo may be used for marketing purposes promoting Vessels: All the Eyes Can Hold and/or the Kennedy Heights Arts Center; that the logo may be used on the Kennedy Heights Arts Center web site, the online Vessels blog and other public web sites; and that the logo may be used in print marketing materials promoting Vessels: All the Eyes Can Hold and/or the Kennedy Heights Arts Center. The winner agrees to supply The Kennedy Heights Arts Center with a high-resolution version of the design, and/or a vector.

Deadline: Midnight, Sunday, Oct. 21

Apply: Send a digital copy of your logo with contact information to vesselsshow@gmail.com  by midnight, Sunday, Oct. 21. Please use the words “Vessels Logo Contest” in the subject line of your e-mail.

Cincinnati’s Best Known Vessels



One of my favorite Rookwood artists
was Sara Sax. Rookwood artists tended
to develop specialties. One of hers was

the use of a particular bright red glaze.
I was inspired by a vase she made in 1922

to make my own version using my 

Straight Stitch Painting technique. I call

mine Summer Bouquet. 

If you have lived in this town for any length of time, you have no doubt heard of Rookwood Pottery. Your grandparents probably received at least one piece as a wedding present. Many public buildings -- especially schools -- had Rookwood drinking fountains.

Rookwood Pottery was founded in 1880 by Maria Longworth Nichols. Maria was part of the very wealthy Longworth family of Cincinnati. After admiring Japanese ceramics at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876, Maria decided to open her own pottery. Luckily she had a lot of money and the area had a lot of clay. Cincinnati was already a center for commercial potteries. The School of Design of the University of Cincinnati provided her with trained artists. Her vision was to produce pottery individually decorated by artists. While her vision did come true, Rookwood was somewhat forced to have what became known as Standard Ware to help pay the bills.

Rookwood had ups and downs for many years. The Paris Exposition Universelle of 1889 earned Rookwood several gold medals. This triumph ensured the pottery’s financial profitability. Rookwood attracted the most talented decorators in the business. Things went well until the 1930s depression from which they never fully recovered.  Sadly in the 1960’s Rookwood closed its doors. In 2004 Dr. Art Townley who had purchased the company’s assets, including molds, glaze formulas, and trademarks found a group of investors willing to restore and return the manufacture of Rookwood Pottery to Cincinnati. Today the kilns turn out art tile, art pottery, corporate gifts and special commissions.

So the next time you are at grandmas take a peek at the bottom of her nick knacks. Who knows you may find a genuine piece of Rookwood. If you don’t find any in your family china cabinet go to the Cincinnati Art Museum and admire their extensive collection.

For more information, these two sources might be of interest.

--About Rookwood. This is on the contemporary Rookwood Pottery web site.

--How to Identify Rookwood Pottery. An article by B. Ellen Vonstenburg.

--Lynn Conaway

Opium Poppy Seed Pod, a Natural Vessel

Put very simply a pod is a seed vessel. At a  time in the life cycle of certain plants the seed pod will burst open and the seeds will be expelled to sprout forth the next generation. Legumes or beans are the most well known to humans as many of these have edible pods. But well known to artists due to their interesting and graphic shape are Opium Poppy seed pods. Of course it doesn't hurt that poppies also have beautiful flowers.

The milky latex sap of opium poppies contain isoquinoline alkaloids.These alkaloids are classified as a narcotic and can be turned into what is known as heroin or opium. These potent alkaloids are obtained from the mature seed pod of the opium poppy plant. The addictive and harmful affects of opium have been known for a long time. However, for many centuries opium was not considered harmful  and was in fact revered as something from the gods.

In ancient art the poppy was the mythological symbol of sleep( Wake up, Dorothy!) Poppies were often a personification of the Greek Hypnos the 'god of sleep" portrayed by a bearded man leaning over the sleeper and pouring poppy juice into his eyes. Representations of poppies were engraved on Roman coins and also on bronze coins of the Maccabees (135-106BC). Toward the end of the Bronze age vases were used to carry pharmaceutical preparations made from poppies. Cyprian vases found in Egypt were shaped like a poppy pod. Many ancient cultures made jewelry with representations of poppy pods. Some scholars think it was drugs like opium and halucigenetic mushrooms which led to the evolutionary human capability for symbolism which in turn led to religion and art.

Of course some of the most beautiful poppy art was made by the French Impressionists. A quick Google check will show tens of thousands of artists still using the image of poppies and poppy pods.

--Lynn Conaway

Art History: The Feminine Form

Dan Brown’s bestseller DaVinci Code used a chalice and the letter “V” to symbolize the shape of a woman’s womb. Brown drew heavily  from art history in his works of fiction, and it is easy to find many references across time and culture to vessels that represent the feminine form. 

The Last Supper: In the novel, Brown suggested that the Holy Grail was not the cup of wine Jesus used at the Last Supper. Brown asserted that the Holy Grail was Mary Magdeline, that she was the wife of Jesus and that she was a vessel for His unborn child. Brown's super sleuth, Robert Langdon, discovers that Leonard DaVinci was part of a great conspiracy of scientists and artists who concealed the truth about the descendents of Jesus secret, but hinted at it through codes seen in famous works of art. One of these codes was in the masterpiece itself. In DaVinci’s Last Supper, Brown suggested the V-shaped void between Mary and Jesus was code for this womanly vessel. 

Shrine Vessel: The long neck and belly of the Nigerian Ga’anda Shrine Vessel is no veiled and secretive reference to the form of a woman's body. The markings on the vase obviously refer to the reproductive capabilities of a woman. According to WNET's "Art through Time: A Global View," the marks around the lower body of the vessel represent the ritual scarification of girls -- starting at age five and progressing through maturity -- that was typical in the culture of the time.  Reference.

The Female Effigy Vessel: This vase from early 20th Century Zaire shows the elaborate hair style of Mangebetu women. The patterns on the face and rounded chamber of the body show the body decoration typical of the era.
Reference.

Woman with a Vessel: A classic Mesoamerican jar from from southern Nayarit has a multiplicity of meanings relating to the feminine form. In this piece, the woman carries a vessel on her head. The sculpture itself is a vessel. As, of course, is the woman. Viewed in profile, the woman is obviously pregnant. Reference.  

Lekythos in the Form of Sphinx: A late 5^th Century BC work from ancient Greece, this was a vessel for perfumed oil. The rim, neck and handle represents a lakythos, the body a Sphinx and the face a woman’s head. Reference. 

The Proper Vessel for Beer

When my Cincinnati ancestor Griffin Yeatman opened his tavern called the Square and Compass in the late 1790's, the alcoholic drink of choice was often punch. Punch was a concoction of liquor plus God knows what served in a common bowl or punch bowl. By the way the actual punch bowl used by Griffin Yeatman is on display at the Cincinnati Museum Center History Museum. So punch went out of style and with the large influx of Germans, Cincinnati became a beer drinkers paradise.

Before the advent of cans beer was drunk from a stein or tankard. Old beer steins were made of stoneware. Stein is German for stone. Over time these steins became highly decorative and often came with a hinged lid. The lid was to keep out insects.

In the late 19th century Cincinnatians could choose from around 1,810 saloons. If you didn't want to drink your share of the 40 gallons consumed by every man, woman and child at the saloon you could bring your beer home in a "growler". So whether you "pop open a tall one" or "hoist a few" in a stein enjoy your beer in moderation and always in a cool vessel.

For your enjoyment;


http://www.steincollectors.org/

source- Cincinnati, The Queen City by Daniel Hurley

--Lynn Conaway

Please Help Us Spread the Word

My name is Nancy Berlier and I’m working behind the scenes to help get the word out about Vessels: All the Eyes Can Hold.

I had the pleasure of working with Vessels curators Lynn Conaway and Carole Gary Staples a couple years ago on the fabulously successful fiber arts show, Fibers, also held at the Kennedy Heights Arts Center (KHAC). Lynn and Carole have a passion for this community arts center and have drafted another KHAC champion, Debra Wallace, to manage the show’s gift shop.

If you are not familiar with the center, it is a beautiful Victorian in the heart of Kennedy Heights. Both homey and architecturally stunning, this was the perfect venue for about 30 artists whose work was shown in Fibers. Family and friends of the artists who gathered for the opening reception were treated to food and music as they wandered from room to room of the rambling old building to greet and meet the artists. 

I think Vessels: All the Eyes Can Hold promises to be another success. The inclusion of many artists whose work crosses genres – ceramics, fiber, wood, basketry and other media – will ensure the gallery will be filled with diverse works. The idea of the show is so imaginative. A vessel can be a vase, a basket or a ceramic pot. Or it can be a ship. Or it can be a human heart -- biologically or spiritually.  I'm sure we will see a few surprises.

Please help us get the word out about the show by sending them a link to this blog. The Call to Artists will go out Nov. 5, 2012 when we will provide details about rules and procedures. Deadline for entries will be June 7.

The show will open Aug. 17, 2013. I hope to see you there.

--Nancy Berlier

Lynn Conaway: The Origin of Vessels

Lynn Conaway

Several months ago, I had an idea for an art show about vessels. At the time, I was thinking about vases and bowls. Then I realized that vessels could be many other things. So I began to toss around the idea of a show about all connotations of the word vessel. My idea just kept getting bigger and bigger until I thought this is crazy, I can't do this by myself. One day, I ran into Carole Staples and just mentioned that I had this idea. Carole jumped right on it, and we were off and running. She and I have co-curated a show before. A couple of years ago we put together a large fiber art show called Fibers: A Celebration of Cincinnati's Fiber Artists. It was at the Kennedy Heights Arts Center and was very successful. So that is how I got into the curating business.

I am actually a self taught artist. I work mainly in fiber and mixed media. My work is shown in galleries locally. Six or so years ago I came up with a large scale embroidery technique which I call Straight Stitch Painting. So far as I know it is unique to me. 

Another technique I enjoy is making fabric wrapped coiled vessels. I am making some very interesting and different coiled vessels for this show. Later on I'll post some links to instructions Meanwhile, here are a couple of pictures of my work.

 --Lynn Conaway

Introduction: Vessels, All the Eyes Can Hold

In August of 2013, the Kennedy Heights Arts Center will present Vessels, All the Eyes Can Hold. This invitational /open call art show is being curated by Lynn Conaway and Carole Gary Staples. The other team members are Nancy Berlier and Debra Wallace.

While there have been many exhibitions about vessels, usually they refer to vessels as vases or bowls. This show is about all the connotations of the word vessel.  So, what is a vessel? The simplest definition is, a vessel is a container. But when you think about it, there are many, many things which can be considered a container. According to www.dictionary.com a vessel can be a ship or airplane. It can be a cup, a vase, an artery or a vein. There are vessels in nature and spiritual vessels. From an artistic standpoint a vessel can be represented in myriad ways. As Curators we will be looking for two and three dimensional art. Almost any medium can be used. During the run of the show we will schedule talks, workshops and there will be a special vessel boutique.

The reasons for this blog are three fold; to educate, entertain, and encourage artists to think outside the box (hey! A box is a vessel). During the year our goal is to write about anything and everything pertaining to vessels. We hope to introduce our readers to a number of talented artists representing many mediums. We will provide links to interesting sites; we will showcase a gallery of vessels and much, much more. In order to accomplish these goals we will need input from our friends and artists. If you have something interesting to say or maybe you have a collection of vessels, or you are an artist who would like to be included on our blog send your information to; curator@kennedyarts.org. Please understand the curators will decide what to post and inclusion of an artists work on our blog does not necessarily guarantee your work will be in the show.

We will post more details later. Right now we can’t wait to see how the word vessel is interpreted as art.

--Lynn and Carole