The show is up and it looks great! We are having a reception this Saturday from 6:30 to 8:30 at the WAS Gallery in Bethesda. The show went up last Saturday on the 19th and will be up until March 2nd. 

The address is:

WAS gallery
5110 Ridgefield Road, Suite 208
Bethesda, MD 20816
www.wasgallery.com
Hours: Saturdays 2-6pm and by appointment

You can also find out more at the gallery website, above. It's been wonderful working with the curator, Joumana Moukarim. She has been very encouraging, asking me to think of a bold color to add as a highlight to the walls. I chose a sunny yellow which seemed perfect for these drab, dark winter days. It is wonderful too to be able to see almost all of my dolls together in this wonderful space. 

I hope you can make it to the reception this Saturday. As it says above, the hours are mostly Saturdays, but if you can't make the opening and would like to see the show at another time, please contact me or Joumana, at her e-mail or phone wasgallery@gmail.com or 202.361.5223.

There will be another event later in the show-stay tuned. 

And, the first Halcyon workshop, Sculptural needle felted guardian dolls, will take place in two weeks on February 9th. Please sign up at the Halcyon website, halcyonhouse.org/arts-lab-workshop-needle-felted-guardian-dolls. When I last asked, it seemed like we need at least two more participants to be able to run the workshop. 

I have been working on making prototypes for inspiration. Above are a few sneak peeks into some of the dollls I have been making. It promises to be a fun and inspirational workshop. We will have most of the day to journal and meditate on our guardians. What is a guardian, you may ask? I was inspired to teach this doll by my doll-making mentor, Barb Kobe. She teaches a year-long process in which the guardian doll is the first in a series of four dolls that represent the creative journey. The guardian comes first because she is the one who protects, guides and provides encouragement to us in whatever endeavor we undertake. In this workshop, we will use simple needle felting techniques to create guardians to serve as protectors, guides, witnesses or companions in whatever area of your life where you might feel this need. 

In this workshop, I am excited to lead you in experimentation of how you might integrate very simple needle felting techniques, with some added other elements, to create something meaningful and fun. You do not have to know anything about needle felting to participate. 

Let me know if you have any questions by writing here. And if you are interested, please sign up at the Halcyon website while there are still spots. Each of the three workshops I am offering will be limited to a smaller class size in order to create an intimate experience for the participants. 

​WAS gallery
There, There: Healing Dolls as Solace in an Off Kilter World

Erika Cleveland

January 19 - March 2, 2019

Opening Reception on Saturday, January 26, 6.30-8.30pm
 
Artist Erika Cleveland uses the term “doll” in her work because she believes there is something unique about the word doll- humble, simple and yet powerful. Dolls have been around since the beginnings of humankind. They hold considerable power for us; they are our companions and they reflect us back to ourselves. Dolls can heal us physically, spiritually and emotionally.
 
In this solo show at WAS gallery, Cleveland explores various themes through mythology, folk tales, religion, spirituality and her personal dream symbolism. A central theme is the power within the female body, including the way this power is deeply rooted in nature. Darker themes such as loss, sadness and fear alternate with the playfulness of fauns, forest creatures and elves. The dolls express the dualities of life in the way they shape-shift and transform, for example through the medium of the folk art form called flip dolls. Like votives, amulets or talismen throughout history, dolls provide a focal point for healing and meditation.For more information on the artist or the artwork, please contact Joumana Moukarim: wasgallery@gmail.com/ 202.361.5223

WAS gallery
5110 Ridgefield Road, Suite 208, Bethesda, MD 20816
Hours: Saturdays 2-6pm and by appointment

This exhibit was an unexpected gift, as the curator, Joumana Moukarim approached me at the Jackson Art Center Open Studios last month to ask if I would do a solo show at her gallery in January. Moukarim creates a wonderful, enriching environment for the art she exhibits and hosts a stimulating and intimate discussion while the exhibit is in place. I will post more about the discussion and possible workshop that will accompany this show, as details get finalized. 

​I'll be preparing for this show over the next weeks as well as preparing for the workshops at the Halcyon Center in Georgetown-see below. Lots going on! ​

Above are photos of a major studio reorganization I am doing after the "attic remediation" during which time I had to work from home. It actually looks better now than in these above photos but there is more to do. It is wonderful to have a place for everything in my studio and I look forward to lots of productive creating in this wonderful space in 2019!