Before getting my glass mosaic into the Rockaway Artists Association's Studio 7 Gallery, my work was included in Independent Artworld's "Limitless" exhibition.
Independent Artworld is run by Lilly, an FB friend and former acquaintance from the 92nd Street Y, where I took jewelry classes. She puts together "pop-up galleries" around the NYC/NJ area. She invited me to participate in her October pop-up, "Limitless."
I once displayed a couple of my wire pieces in our local restaurant, but hanging glass jewelry in a shadow took some work. With the wire pieces, I could stick pins through the loops and hang the pieces that way, but obviously this wasn't an option with glass. Lilly and I spent several hours fussing with the layout until we managed to get a nice, clean look. She came up with the idea to pin the jewelry from the back, hang the chain, and then let the pieces drape. It worked!
The event was held in Jersey City, which I'd only been to a couple of times. It's actually an interesting neighborhood, with many Indian restaurants -- my favorite! It's also an up-and-coming area for galleries and artists. Still, I was a bit surprised when I learned that the pop-up "gallery" was actually being put together in the lobby of a take-out Chinese restaurant. Art and egg rolls!
Lilly had a decorating plan, though, and constructed a really beautiful space featuring about a dozen artists. The other pieces were stunning and I was in great company. As you can see from these photos, it really looked like a permanent gallery. If I hadn't told you, you'd have know idea that a take-out counter was only a few feet away!
To kick off the month-long exhibition, there was a reception for the artists, which included some live music. Lilly suggested I wear all black, so my colorful pieces would really stand out. It felt really good to see my jewelry professionally displayed along with some great art. I even sold one of my triangle necklaces!
Since we were in Jersey City, Jon and I took advantage of the neighborhood and enjoyed a delicious Indian dinner at one of the nearby restaurants. I unfortunately don't recall the name of the place, but there are dozens of great restaurants in the area. We'd love to return when it's warmer and explore more of JC.
Every artist has to start somewhere and I'm grateful to Lilly for giving me this opportunity. I admire her for supporting artists and for actually doing something to give them a showcase or their work. She proved that you can make any place beautiful if you add some art -- even a take-out joint.
Check out more of my handmade fused glass and wire wrapped jewelry at Naomi's Designs.
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