FiberPhiladelphia 2012

My new silk piece titled Sea Foam will be included in Fiber Philadelphia 2012 Juried exhibition.

The show titled Outside/Inside the Box will be at the
Gray Area, in the Crane Arts Building, 1400 N American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122
March 2 - April 15, 2012 with 2 openings, March and April.


The exhibition showcases innovative fiber/textile art that transcends disciplines and combines historic concepts with contemporary perspectives. This juried exhibition represents 68 artists working in media with fiber/textile reference. 516 artists from 15 countries applied with 1,316 pieces of work. Countries represented are Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Sweden,Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States.(excerpted from the website)

I've been checking out the accepted artist's websites and I'm so excited to see their work and hopefully meet some of them.

Art on the Town Opening

I will be at the Buzz Ware Village Center in Arden, DE for the April 1st, Art on the Town opening. If you're a local friend, you are invited to stop by. I am planning to show a sampling of works in different mediums. Here's what I wrote for the brochure, so now I must deliver.

"Linda Celestian’s work although abstract is unmistakably inspired by nature. She explores many mediums and has chosen to show works in colored inks, oil paint, encaustic and fiber next to each other the way you might find them in her studio. Come out to meet her and learn how working in more than one medium aids in her to ability to express her feelings about the beauty of nature."

The work I posted paired together for the Duets show application inspired the idea for this show. I might even get some of my photos printed to have on hand. The idea is to present some work together that I'll probably never show together in a gallery setting but will highlight how I work. A photograph taken on vacation might inspire a painting which in turn inspires a sculpture, which inspires me to photograph something I find in nature that reminds me of the painting and so on. In the end it's hard to tell what came first and doesn't even matter. It's easy to see that it all came from me or so I think.

Here's a video interview done by my friend David Nordheimer at the installation of my February show, I'm talking about my inspiration and my technique in oil paint. It's preceded by an infomercial about Wilmington's Art on the Town:

Waterways Exhibition

This week I'll be installing my solo show Waterways at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts in Wilmington, DE. I'm so excited to see this group of paintings together in the white cube. Here's an excerpt from my press release and one of the pieces included in the show.

Spilling Over, 24 x 24 inches

The title of the show Waterways refers to the intrinsic qualities of water that are the subject matter for Celestian’s oil paintings.

She depicts the movement and energy observed in nature with layered spills, pours and splatters of thinned oil paint. The paint in its liquid form is allowed to run and puddle and form similar patterns to waterways. Linda is interested in portraying the energy and life force of water to elicit an emotional response. She is inspired as much by aerial photography, as by personal observations of the ocean, lakes of her childhood, and the creek in her neighborhood.

There is a correlation between these imaginary waterways and our own circulatory system illustrating the connection between earth and mankind.

If you are in the area stop by the opening on Friday the 4th, from 5:30-9pm. I'm also showing ink paintings on the featured artist wall on the 2nd floor of the studio building and fiber work in process in my studio. I hope to see you there.

Crash, Hush... Exhibition

There's still time to see my new work in person at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts. The show continues through June 27th in the Elizabeth Denison Hatch Gallery. Here's an installation shot taken by my talented friend Carson Zullinger, an amazing photographer.

There's a favorable review of the show on The Hunt Magazine website.

I experienced the post show blues for a few days after the opening. This is a completely normal let down after the final push of installing a show and everything that goes into promoting it. Even though I should expect this mood swing, it was difficult especially with everything else I had going on with my kids. I cleaned my studio for the opening so I took a few photos before it inevitable returns to it's normal chaotic, working state. "Where did I put the hammer I was just using?"

Inspiration, fiber work and encaustic paintings.

Fiber pieces, encaustic paintings and silk remnants.

I've accomplished quite a bit since September and should feel proud of it but I'm never comfortable to sit back and relax. On Sunday I experienced some severe nerve pain in my neck that sent me to the urgent care medical center. I guess that was my body saying "slow down". I'm busy ordering supplies and planning projects for my summer job as an art director at a camp that starts on Saturday. Meanwhile I'm still plotting how to get one more painting finished before my summer deadlines. I guess "slow down" just isn't in my vocabulary.

Upcoming Show

It's June and I'm installing my show with Kyle Ripp tomorrow in the Elizabeth Denison Hatch Gallery, at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts. Here's a teaser.

I went back and forth on whether I should paint the wall blue behind it.

I have decided to install it and then decide but I think I'm NOT going to paint the wall. I want it to be viewed from as many angles as the space allows and not just from head on.

I will know when I get it installed whether I've made the right choice. Since this is my first time showing sculpture in a gallery it's been really hard to visualize it. I'm also working on a sound component which will be available for listening on a personal player with headphones, another first for me.


Here is a detail from the painting also included in the show.

Title: "Crash, Hush..." 48 x 92 inches (diptych).

The opening is this Friday, June 4th, 5:30 - 9 pm. I'll be giving an artist's talk starting with the piece I have included in the member's show NEW juried by Roberta Fallon and ending in the Hatch Gallery. The talk will be sometime between 6:30 and 7:00.

Silk Sculpture Progress

I've been working on a silk sculpture for my June show in the Elizabeth Denison Hatch Gallery at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts in Wilmington, DE. It's coming along. I'm planning to show this with a new large diptych oil painting.

I thought I'd show you what goes into making this piece. I start with silk organza and nuno felt it with off white wool. Here I'm laying out the wool.

Here I'm drizzling warm soaping water over it until it's soaked.

It's a little hard to see white on white so I also photographed the same process with turquoise wool.

Next I cover it with another layer of bubble wrap and roll it up.

I wrap it in a towel and roll it back and forth.

Then I unroll it and rub my hands over the back of the silk further working the wool fibers through the silk. In this part of the process I can actually see the wool fibers coming through to the back of the silk.

After that comes the fun part, I rinse the soap out and throw it on the table with force at least 200 times. It's called felling and it shrinks and compacts the wool which in turn makes the silk crinkle.

It's time to dye it in a puddle of dye and let it dry untouched for a few days. Here it is dry.

I have to steam it before I cut out the pieces.

Here's a stack of the pieces ready to be sewn together.

I've sewn them together, put wire in the seams and hung them up in my studio.

I'm working on color and composition issues but in 3 dimensions, instead of 2 which is a whole different ballgame. I'm trying to find the balance between too much, and too little. Then, there's the whole logistical issue of how to hang it.

Here I played around with adding the bubble silk to it. I'm going to make some pieces with smaller bubbles in a lighter color. I have a lot of work left to do! If you're in the Wilmington area I'll have my studio open this Friday from 5-9 pm at the DCCA.

Delainey Barclay

Last week I had the pleasure of sitting down with my friend and fellow studio artist Delainey Barclay, to talk about her art. Her solo show in the Elizabeth Denison Hatch Gallery at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts continues through April 25th.

I asked Delainey how she chose to became an artist. She said her Mom is an artist and as a kid she was always encouraged to be creative and make things. When her Mom was making something she gave Delainey and her siblings their own supplies and they would be building right alongside her. She said birthday and Christmas gifts were usually art supplies. Secondly she credits her high school art teacher for knowing she was going to be an artist before she knew. Upon first meeting her he proclaimed her future was destined because of her awesome name. He encouraged her to apply to Art College and helped with every phase of the application process.

I asked her how she came to be using the materials she’s using in her artwork. She said the aforementioned art teacher introduced her to oil painting and using a palette knife. That early experience of painting with a palette knife is the reason she still likes to create texture in her painting with the application of thick paint. She also enjoys taking ordinary supplies that can be readily purchased at a hardware store and transforming them into something beautiful. A spool of string she bought 10 years ago at a garage sale has turned up in many different pieces.

In her show titled 100% Humidity, Delainey says she wanted to consider not just the paintings but the space around the paintings as well. The oil paintings in soft soothing colors include silhouettes of animals seemingly unaware of the viewer’s presence. She says she was striving for simplicity and beauty, like a really deep breath.

Her inspiration for the work is the Brandywine Valley on a hot and humid summer day. A day when the air is so thick you can see and feel it. The string spheres represent that air, hanging above your head and floating in front of the canvases.

Delainey talked about a painting by Tom Friedman with a full size shovel attached to it, that she saw years ago leaving a strong impression on her, and also Robert Rauschenburg.

You can see more of her work here.

Andrew V. Wapinski

Andrew Wapinski's solo show opens this Friday night at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts in Wilmington, DE. I sat down with Andrew this week to discuss a few topics, artist to artist. First I asked Andrew how and why he chose to become an artist? He told me it sort of happened, that he didn't seek it out. He has artists in his family on his mother's side and his uncle was an art teacher. He went to college for Art Education but after his first painting class he just wanted to be in the studio more. His junior year he changed majors to Fine Arts and then continued on that path. His last comment on the subject was he doesn't know what he'd be doing if he wasn't painting; this was clearly demonstrated after his show was hung and he was seen roaming the halls day after day.

The body of work on display at the DCCA is paintings on acrylic primed panels, layered with gold leaf and colored resin. I asked him how he came about to work in these materials. He explained how it was an evolution that began with his study of traditional painting materials while obtaining his Master's degree. He explained that the gold symbolizes progression, power, wealth and spirituality. He is interested in portraying the struggle between man's need for progression and nature. There are also references to the history of painting in particular, Byzantine and Renaissance painting. He elaborated that the gold leaf is a traditional painting material that he enjoys because of the grid that is inherent in it's application but also it's malleable qualities. He uses additive and subtractive techniques to arrive at the distinct surface textures that are ultimately illuminated by layers of resin. He uses resin like the old masters glazing techniques building up layers of color to obtain visual richness and physical heft. He told me that his unique combination of traditional painting materials and contemporary industrial materials also speaks about the progression of man.

Some of Andrew's influences are Byzantine and Renaissance painters, early Renaissance painter Masaccio, Vermeer for the way he painted light, on the contemporary side Matthew Ritchie and Roxy Paine.

Andrew's show titled Wasteland is on display in the
Beckler Family Members' Gallery through April 18, 2010. See more of his work here.

Fabric of Peace

In the midst of all the Christmas craziness I had one last deadline to meet. I finished a quilt square for the Regional Center for Women in the Arts , Fabric of Peace project.

It's a painting on fabric with dyed silk organza sewn over it. I titled it Peaceful Water.

The finished quilt will be displayed across the country and abroad to communicate women's shared interest in world peace. With my nephew being deployed to Iraq 3 days after Christmas this is a project I can get behind. I can't wait to see the finished quilt and hear where it will travel.

Sweet Basil Thai Cuisine restaurant in Chadds Ford is hosting an artist's reception for my work on Sunday, January 3rd, 1-3:30 pm. Appetizers and soft drinks will be served, but you're welcome to bring a bottle. Please rsvp to linda@lindacelestian.com if you're planning to attend. If you've never been to Sweet Basil you're in for a treat and will want to stay for dinner, trust me. Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday.

Painting Exhibition at Sweet Basil

I survived the Craft Show at the DCCA, even with bronchitis and major sleep deprivation. The big hit of the evening was my felted rocks

and collage kits. It was a fun night and I made a lot of new connections. Thank you to everyone who stopped by my table to chat. Also, I just want to say that I'm very grateful for my studio artist friends that support me weekly in my artistic endeavors.

I have bracelets and wristlet purses available for gift giving, just drop me an email. I haven't had time to get more in my etsy shop yet. Check back soon.

I hung my paintings this week at Sweet Basil Thai Cuisine in Chadds Ford, PA on 202. Thank you Griselda and Paul, especially Griselda for putting up with me putting so many holes in her walls. The paintings look great there, Griselda thinks I must have painted them for the space. I think we've decided on Sunday, January 3rd for an artist reception. I'll post an update when I have a time. Here's a sneak peek of how it looks. Oh, by the way the restaurant is BYOB and the food is really good!

In the studio I worked a little bit on 2 fiber pieces for a juried show submission.

"Cerulean Water" 91 x 45 inches

"Red and Gold" 15 x 9 inches