100 Birds for Haiti • Art for Health Care

Yesterday my husband and I ventured out to see the 100 Birds for Haiti exhibit at Heartwood College of Art, in the aptly named gallery, pictured below. I've long created artwork and imagery that incorporates birds. I am fascinated by their varied appearances, behaviors, abilities and symbolism. My parents have always been curious and knowledgeable about birds. I absorbed a bit of their interest throughout my childhood and teenage years, but my curiosity in the species as a whole peaked during my junior year of college, when a hawk landed on my fire escape and caught a sparrow for breakfast. I remember feeling like I was watching a Nat Geo special, but the whole event took place just a few blocks away from Fenway Park. I have uploaded my pieces included in 100 Birds for Haiti throughout this post.

100 Birds is an exhibition of small bird images (and some tiny ceramic sculptures too), of which 35% of sales will be donated to the Konbit Sante organization, a partnership to save lives and improve health in northern Haiti. Konbit Sante Cap-Haitien Health Partnership is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation organized in the State of Maine in 2000.

Transcendence: Sparrow Profile / Digital Pigment print made from a 4x5 film photogram

Konbit Sante's Mission (excerpted from their website): "To support the development of a sustainable health care system to meet the needs of the Cap-Haitien community with maximum local direction and support."

About their name: "In Haitian Creole, a konbit is a traditional Haitian method of working together to till your friends' fields as well as your own - a cooperative effort. Sante means health. So the name means working together for health. We have chosen a Creole name to show our respect for and friendship with the people of Haiti and the dedicated local professionals who serve them."

En Route / color photogram, Winter Starlings and Little Blue Angels / scan-o-gram

January Memory II (Sparrow Wing), Photogram

100 Birds for Haiti runs from March 24-April 29, 2010.

Heartwood College of Art / 123 York Street (Rt 1 south) / Kennebunk, ME /985-0985

hca2@HeartwoodCollegeofArt.org

black and white

My photograph, Winter, will be shown in the exhibit black and white at River Arts. Starlings love to congregate in this tree near our yard. I've paid more attention to them this season, as they are exposed by the lack of foliage this time of year. Starlings are a gregarious species, so this was a unique, tranquil moment for the tree, any listeners, and the two birds.

My sister, Nina Devenney, will also have a piece shown in this exhibit. Under the Dress, {above} is a photopolymer gravure print, in which she combined the use of Photoshop, plate development in the darkroom, and the final step of inking plates to run through a printing press. I have a love for all three processes, but have never used them all in conjunction with each other and can only imagine {and admire!} the precision and time involved.

Black and white opens this Friday, {02.26.10 / 5-7pm} and runs through {04.02.10}. Art critic, curator and art dealer Daniel Kany is the exhibit’s Juror. Kany will be giving a gallery talk and discussion on Saturday {03.14.10 / 3-4:30pm}.

River arts is located at: 170 Main Street / Damariscotta, Maine / 207.563.1507

Gallery Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 10 – 4 & Sunday 12 – 4