Contact Information:

Donna Dodson
123 Summer Street
Maynard, MA  01754
(617) 983-2059


Websites: Donna Dodson on Blogspot


Biography:

My artwork celebrates the relationship between human beings and the animal kingdom.

Galleries and Exhibits

Donna Dodson at Blogspot

 

News from the Studio of Donna Dodson

 

Amazons, Goddesses, and Wonder Women: A Fulbright Journey

Amazons, Goddesses, and Wonder Women: A Fulbright Journey

On View November 1 - November 23, 2022 Kniznick Gallery
Brandeis University Women's Studies Research Center, 415 South St, Waltham MA

Since 2020, Donna Dodson has collaborated with several artists and scholars to translate her wood sculpture series “Amazons Among Us” into a variety of mediums, including poetry and animation. Dodson’s sculptures are inspired by legendary warrior women such as the ancient Amazons of the steppes, the Dahomey of West Africa, and the Rani of Jhansi.

As Dodson’s heroines transform through porous materials of wood, word, and pixels, this interdisciplinary collaboration honors the endurance of ancient storytelling and extends it towards a posthuman future. Earthy, sensuous wooden icons encounter digital avatars of infinitude. A score of poetry written by K. Melchor Hall grounds the environment. Amazons, Goddesses, and Wonder Women examines how historical and futurist feminist mythologies can evoke ancestral connection, a sense of resiliency, and belonging. Audiences are invited to consider their own presence amongst these figures and how they can help craft legacies of social transformation and restorative justice.

This exhibition features wood sculptures by Brandeis University WSRC Resident Scholar Donna Dodson, poems by Brandeis University WSRC Resident Scholar K. Melchor Hall, collaborative animations with Trina Baker, Lesley University Chair of Animation and Eric Keller, professional animator and CG artist, with concept art, storyboards and 3D models by Lesley University interns Lexy Saunders, Paola Almonte Colon, and Sarah Clifford and research/image banks by Brandeis University Student Scholar Partners Pilar Duvivier and Cyrenity Augustin. Alongside this artwork, the exhibition will feature feminist animations from Dodson‘s international colleagues, Anna Dudko (Ukraine), Camila Kater (Brazil), and Renee Zhan (UK) whom she met during her Fulbright US Scholar Artist Residency at Q21/MQ in Vienna, Austria, with her host, Tricky Women/Tricky Realities, the world’s first and only animation festival for women artists.

Amazons, Goddesses, and Wonder Women: A Fulbright Journey is curated by Maya Rubio. 

Opening Reception and Fulbright Panel Discussion:  November 1, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the WSRC | Fulbright Award-winning scholars Donna Dodson, K. Melchor Hall, Djounia Saint-Fleurant, Hoang Duong Thien, and Aishah Winter share their experiences and insight into the Fulbright process. Please RSVP  to attend this in person event.

On Feminist Animation: A Panel Discussion Moderated by Donna Dodson.  A virtual panel of feminist animators including Trina Baker, Christine Banna, Sarah E. Jenkins, Atia Newman and Shanti Thakur, November 8, 2022, from 12 to 1:30 p.m. Please Register to receive the zoom link for this virtual event.

On Collaboration: A Panel Discussion Moderated by Maya Rubio with Trina Baker, Donna Dodson, K. Melchor Hall, Cyrenity Augustin, Pilar Duvivier, and Paola Almonte Colon. Exhibiting artists speak with the exhibition curator about the process of working in large teams on collaborative projects. November 15, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the WSRC. Please RSVP to attend this in person event.

 


Amazons Among Us, wood sculpture installation

Donna Dodson, an artist from Maynard, Massachusetts, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award in the Visual Arts for the 2021-2022 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Dodson is one of over 800 U.S. citizens who will conduct research or teach abroad for the 2020-2021 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. With the support of Fulbright Austria, Donna will work as an artist in residence at Q21/Museums Quartier with her host institution Tricky Women/Tricky Realities, the world's first and only digital animation festival for women. She will complete the project "Amazons, Goddesses and Wonder Women," by translating her wood sculptures into digital avatars and writing the script in collaboration with Trina Baker, an award-winning animator and Maynard artist. Both Dodson and Baker have been awarded grants from several Massachusetts Cultural Councils for this project. In particular, The Maynard Cultural Council is proud to have contributed seed money to launch this international project. Watch a video of Dodson and Baker's collaborative process.

“Donna's sculptures are elegantly crafted in wood at her art studio in Maynard. She met Baker at Artspace Maynard which plays a critical role as a connecting place and arts hub for the community where projects such as this one happen. Using cutting edge technology, this world class collaborative project between Dodson and Baker embodies the highest ideals of the Maynard community, and we are proud of her and grateful to the Fulbright Commission for her selection as a U.S. Scholar," Maynard Cultural Council chair Sara Lundberg said.

Video still of Black Panther animation

Fulbrighters engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often continuing research collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for forging future partnerships between institutions. Upon returning to their home countries, institutions, labs, and classrooms, they share their stories. They often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars to campus, and encouraging colleagues and students to go abroad. As Fulbright Scholar alumni, their careers are enriched by joining a network of thousands of esteemed scholars, many of whom are leaders in their fields. Fulbright alumni include 60 Nobel Prize laureates, 88 Pulitzer Prize recipients, and 37 who have served as a head of state or government. Fubrighters address critical global challenges in all disciplines while building relationships, knowledge, and leadership in support of the long-term interests of the United States. Watch a video of Donna's studio process at Q21 in Vienna Austria.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government. Designed to forge lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries, counter misunderstandings, and help people and nations work together toward common goals. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has enabled more than 390,000 diverse, dedicated and accomplished students, scholars, artists, teachers, and professionals to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and solve shared international concerns. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations worldwide also provide direct and indirect support to the Program, which operates in more than 160 countries worldwide.

Video still of Cybele animation

In the United States, the Institute of International Education supports implementing the Fulbright U.S. Student Program on behalf of the U.S. Department of State, including conducting an annual competition for the scholarships. For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit http://eca.state.gov/fulbright.

While in Residence at Q21/MQ Donna Dodson & Trina Baker co-organized :
Award Winning Animators Making Amazing Animations (This virtual event was recorded live on Monday March 28th 2022)

This special conversation featured three award winning animators from Argentina, Brazil and France who are working at the cutting edge of technology, innovation and animation. With an introduction by Fulbright Austria and Q21/MQ who generously support Artists in Residence at Tricky Women. Hosted by Trina Baker at Lesley University, whose animation department trains young artists to enter this field of study and encourages undergraduate students to explore study abroad opportunities, artist residencies and learn how to create a meaningful life in art.

Introductory remarks and words of welcome:
Hermann Agis PhD- Executive Director, Fulbright Austria
Mag. Elisabeth Hajek- Artistic Director Q21/MQ Artist in Residence Program
Trina Baker- Artist, Animator and Chair of Animation at Lesley University
Donna Dodson- Fulbright US Scholar, Q21/MQ Artist in Residence, Resident Scholar, Brandeis University

Featured speakers:
Waltraud Grausgruber - Festival directress and co-founder of the Tricky Women/Tricky Realities Festival in Vienna, Austria. Tricky Women/Tricky Realities is the first and only festival of animated film that is dedicated exclusively to animation by women.

Emilce Avalos - Director, Animator, Visual Artist from Argentina. Currently, she is developing the project Mujer Futura (FUTURE WOMAN), an animated documentary series that has received several awards. It was selected to be part of the Focus Latin American Female Directors at the Annecy 2021 Animation Festival, the MIFA Market, and Animation! Ventana Sur, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Héloïse Ferlay - Filmmaker, Director, Animator, Educator from France. Creator of the trailer for Tricky Women/Tricky Realities Festival 2022. Winner of the Emerging Filmmaker Award at the Providence Children’s Film Festival for her stop motion animation “Les Filles Du Vent (Girls of the Wind).” Winner of the Q21/MQ Artist in Residence Award at Tricky Women/Tricky Realities 2022. Director of the animated film “A La Mere Poussier (To the Dusty Sea).”

Camilla Kater - Director, screenwriter, animator and educator from Sao Paulo, Brazil. She recently directed the animated documentary short CARNE (Brazil, Spain, 2019), which was qualified for the 2021 Academy Awards Oscar®, and was on the shortlist for the 2021 Goya Award. She is Winner of the Q21/MQ Artist in Residence Award at Tricky Women/Tricky Realities 2020. 

Update:  Watch a recording of the Brandeis University Women's Studies Research Center's Fall lecture on Dec 2, 2021, "Damsel in Charge: Inventing a Powerful Female Stereotype," with Fulbright US Scholar, Donna Dodson engaged in conversation with award-winning animator Trina Baker on their joint collaboration where Dodson's Amazon warrior sculptures are translated into three-dimensional digital characters in a short animation with the assistance of Brandeis Student Scholar partners, Cyrenity Augustin and Pilar Duvivier, and Lesley University interns, Lexy Saunders, Aimee Ham and Siana DiGregorio. Watch a recording of my recent presentation on Jan 6, 2022 "What Do We Call Courageous Women" for the session "Queer Representations and Receptions of Amazons" at the Society of Classical Studies/Archaeological Institute of America joint annual meeting 



News from the Myth Makers

The Dawes Arboretum welcomes The Myth Makers for the largest art exhibition in its history

The Myth Makers build six monumental bamboo structures inspired by The Arboretum

(Newark, OH) – The Dawes Arboretum welcomes six monumental sculptures from artists The Myth Makers, with the exhibit scheduled to open to the public on May 27 2022. The bamboo birds—some standing more than 20 feet tall—are currently being built for The Dawes Arboretum by The Myth Makers, Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein, in New Jersey at an industrial scale artist residency, Gardenship. These will be the tallest art pieces ever shown at The Dawes Arboretum.

Built with bamboo and mixed media, the sculptures, coined “Avian Avatars” by Dodson and Moerlein, will be placed throughout The Arboretum and remain until Spring 2023. Made from natural materials, the sculptures are site-specific and are meant to slowly disappear into nature over the course of their life.

“The Myth Makers are inspiring artists and we could not be more thrilled to welcome their work to The Arboretum,” said Luke Messinger, Executive Director for The Dawes Arboretum. “These sculptures are the first of their kind on our grounds and we are excited for guests to see them among our beautiful landscapes.”

The Myth Makers’ inspiration comes from a mutual love of nature. For Dodson, that’s specifically the mysterious nature of birds, and for Moerlein it’s events that leave visual marks in nature. Each sculpture coming to The Dawes Arboretum will represent an iconic local bird, and each will have its own historical backstory: “Love Long Last” is a pair of Northern Cardinals representing The Arboretum’s founders; “Bertie’s Peacock” is a peacock representing Bertie Dawes’ passion for the magnificent bird; “The Gentleman” is an Eastern Bluebird in honor of Beman’s Great-Grandfather, Manasseh Cutler and his love of trees; “Towering” is a Sandhill Crane representing the iconic Columbus artist Ann Hamilton; and “The Great Owl” is a Great Horned  Owl that acknowledges the original inhabitants of this landscape and the significance of the panoramic views surrounding the Arboretum.

Dodson and Moerlein have completed more than 50 projects together internationally and have received multiple national awards and recognitions. The duo will travel to Newark two weeks prior to the opening to finish up the building process and make sure their Avian Avatars are secured and assembled.

“The Avian Avatars we are preparing for The Dawes Arboretum are for The Arboretum,” Dodson said. “Andy and I look at the entire community when we are gathering inspiration. Anyone who sees our work at The Dawes Arboretum will recognize each bird from their own story. They will know these sculptures aren’t just a passing installation—they will know they are meant to be there.”

The Gentleman

This Eastern Bluebird is named in honor of Manasseh Cutler (1742 –1823) the great grandfather of arboretum founder Beman Gates Dawes. Mr. Cutler is considered a founder of Ohio University who wrote the Ordinance of 1787 that prohibited slavery in the Northwest Territory.

Manasseh was a renowned amateur botanist. His writings reveal a fascination for the social aspects of gardens and a deep respect for the culture that trees and gardens nurture.

Beman Dawes brought this vision to life when he established the Arboretum. The Eastern Bluebird is one of many birds who rely on the abundant tree life of the Dawes Arboretum to build their cavity nests. But he is by far the most dapper of them all.

2022. Bamboo, wire ties and mixed media 15 ft tall.

 

The Great Owl

The Great Owl takes a long view of time and place. This sculpture acknowledges that it is located on the unceded ancestral homelands of the Hopewell, Kaskaskia, Myaamia and Shawandasse Tula (Shawanwaki/Shawnee). The Great Owl stands as witness of the long history of racism and oppression in the United States and strives to honor the contemporary lives of Indigenous peoples.

As you sit and contemplate this place, let us all appreciate the significance of the panoramic view surrounding the Dawes Arboretum and the many lives that have cherished this unique landscape.

2022. Bamboo, wire ties and mixed media, 25 ft tall
 

Bertie’s Peacock

Beman Dawes’ passion for the arboretum rivaled Bertie Burr Dawes’ vision for the gardens. She drew endless delight researching every living thing suitable to a formal garden including peacocks. From her journal: “Their first food was a purple violet, and after spurning my bread crumbs, they settled in the Lily of the Valley bed, then nipped off the Poet’s Narcissus. Food for the Gods, surely.”

The peacock is an extravagant bird with many different interpretations in myth and legend. They are a symbol of integrity and the beauty we can achieve when we endeavor to show our true colors. In Jewish lore, the peacock is a symbol for joy and creativity, whereas Chinese mythology associates the peacock with the sweet harmony of sound. For many, its magic iridescent feathers evoke the cosmos.

2021. Bamboo, wire ties and mixed media, 25 ft tall

 

Towering

She stands head and shoulders above the rest, referencing two iconic Ohioans, the sandhill crane and Ann Hamilton. Ohio Native and Columbus resident Ann Hamilton is an outstanding artist. She has received the National Medal of the Arts, a MacArthur Fellowship and the international honor of representing the United States in the 1999 Venice Biennale.

"Our ability to perceive quality in nature begins, as in art, with the pretty. It expands through successive stages of the beautiful to values as yet uncaptured by language. The quality of cranes lies in this higher gamut, as yet beyond the reach of words."

-Aldo Leopold

2022. Bamboo, wire ties and mixed media, 30 ft tall.
 

Love Long Last

Northern Cardinals are social creatures. They mate for life and enjoy romantic partnerships. Males feed the females beak to beak throughout their summer courtship and often sing softly to each other. Without equal, their popularity, vibrant colors and melodic songs have made them the state bird of Ohio. These two birds stand independently but evoke a powerful camaraderie and friendship.

In folklore Cardinals have great significance. The belief that Cardinals are spiritual messengers exists in many cultures. They are seen as harbingers of good health, renewal, and loving relationships. Whether it is an omen or just a delight, it is evident that sighting a red cardinal makes everyone happy.

2019. Bamboo, wire ties and mixed media, 20 ft tall each.
 

About The Dawes Arboretum
Founded in 1929 by Beman and Bertie Dawes, The Dawes Arboretum is a living museum celebrating the history and beauty of trees and nature.  Located in Newark, Ohio (30 miles east of Columbus), The Dawes Arboretum offers paths, trails and boardwalks to explore along with historical and art exhibitions and educational programming. The Dawes Arboretum is recognized by the National Registry of Historic Places and is open daily. Admission is free to members and $10/adults, $5/children ages 5-15 and free/children under 5 years of age. Additional information on visiting, programming, history and membership is available at www.dawesarb.org.

Update:  ABC interviewed us live on Sunday May 29, 2022 for this special Dawes Arboretum 'Myth Makers' Preview by Latricia Polk. The Columbus Dispatch reviewed this exhibit in their Sunday Edition on June 5th, Impressive king-sized bird sculptures a feather in artistic duo's caps with a full length article by Nancy Gilson. Accompanying this review is a slide show of 16 installation images by the photographer, Joshua Bickel. Spectrum News featured The Avian Avatars, 20 ft Bird Sculptures, on Display at The Dawes Arboretum on June 10, 2022 in a special report by Brionna Rivers.



 


I am pleased to announce that in September '21 I was promoted to a Resident Scholar at The Brandeis University Women’s Studies Research Center. My research project for the next three years will translate five of my Amazon wood sculptures into women warrior digital avatars and create a short animation about social justice in collaboration with the award-winning artist and professional animator Trina Baker.

Join us on Thursday December 2nd @ 5:30p (Eastern) for our virtual lecture "Damsel in Charge: Inventing a Powerful Female Archetype." Register in advance for this zoom meeting.

In January, I am delivering a paper on the amazons and ancient warrior women who have inspired my work, "What Do We Call Courageous Women" at the Society for Classical Studies Annual meeting in San Francisco. The title of my paper references a famous quote from Lysias, "The Amazons were accounted as men for their high courage, rather than as women for their sex; so much more did they seem to excel men in their spirit than to be at a disadvantage in their form."

To continue my work, I received a US Fulbright Scholar award at Q21/MuseumsQuartier that will begin this spring in Vienna Austria. I will work as an artist in residence at Tricky Women/Tricky Realities, the world's first and only animation festival for women artists. Brandeis University released a public statement announcing the good news Brandeis University Women’s Studies Research Center Announces Fulbright  US ScholarAward for 2021-2022," and my alma mater Wellesley College, published an article featuring myself and several current students, "Wellesley’s 2021-22 Fulbright Scholars Prepare to Launch into the World."


In other news, I have been working on a private commission for my very special friends using a black oak tree and a red winged blackbird as inspiration to create a memorial to my friend’s mother.


My recent interview for the United States Chess Federation "Ladies Knight with Jen Shahade featuring Donna Dodson, Episode 36, " is a conversation about my life size all female chess set "Match of the Matriarchs" and more on the Ladies Knight podcast hosted by Jennifer Shahade, a two time women's chess champion and author of the forthcoming book Chess Queens- the real life story of a female chess champion travelling the world to compete in a male-dominated sport with the most famous players of all time. Also in the news this month is the famed "Seagull Cinderella." You can listen to my recent interview about the controversy she inspired on Cherry Bomb! The podcast by Matt McKee, "Donna Dodson and the Seagull Cinderella Controversy."

News from the Myth Makers


In June the Myth Makers installed "Night and Day: A Magical Pair of Magpies" at the Alaska Botanical Garden and it received rave reviews in the Anchorage Daily News,  "Giant Magpie Sculptures rise along trail at Alaska Botanical Garden" and on TV, Unique sculptures built at Alaska Botanical Garden. Since then, the sculptures continue to be transformed by the fall and winter weather.


The Fairy Frolic has found a new home in Maynard in front of Artspace. In other local news, The Myth Makers have been featured on Cherry Bomb! The Podcast with Matt MCKee, "Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein, The Myth Makers Making Avatars."


The Phoenix Festival has found its forever home in Camden NJ- hear all about our inspirations and the process of creating public art for this site on the Street Department podcast with Conrad Brenner, "Sidebar: A New View – Camden, Art As A Public Resource (Episode 3)."

 

 

2020 felt almost apocalyptic, rife with divisive politics, racial unrest and a Pandemic that took over half a million American lives. Yet, on the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, history was made when a woman was elected Vice President, ushering in an era of hope as more women rise to take leadership roles in all fields. It is fitting that Wonder Woman celebrates her 80th year as America’s most famous heroine in 2021. The world needs heroines now, and Dodson creates them for this exhibition.

Amazons Among Us installation view at the Boston Sculptors Gallery, 486 Harrison Ave through June 6th. Wed-Sun 11a-5p
 
In her new series of wood sculptures, Dodson re-imagines Albrecht Durer’s “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” as Amazon warriors. She uses the traditional medium of woodcarving to suggest that these women have always been among us, but that gender misconceptions have prevented us from recognizing them. Drawing inspiration from legendary warrior women such as the ancient Amazons of the steppes, the Dahomey of West Africa and the Rani of Jhansi, Dodson’s amazons portray courage, strength and grit. Dodson chose to collaborate with artists Trina Baker and Kledia Spiro, and poet K. Melchor Quick Hall, because of their commitment to social justice. Dodson, Baker, Hall and Spiro are united in their quests to create a new iconography of female empowerment.

In Dodson’s collaboration with Baker, whose work deals with sexual assault and domestic violence, the artists translate Dodson’s Amazon warrior sculptures into three-dimensional digital characters and create a short animation demonstrating their superhero qualities. To continue this project, Dodson has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award in the Visual Arts for the 2021-2022 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. In Vienna Austria, Dodson will be an artist in residence at Tricky Women, the world’s only digital animation studio for women, to write the storyboard and script. Watch a snippet of the animation “Alpha Female Embodies Wonder Woman” here.

Spiro feels a deep connection to the fictional character Xena, the Warrior Princess. For this exhibition, she premieres sculptures, photographs, and a two-channel video in honor of Xena. Audience members will have the opportunity to wear Spiro’s interactive sculpture. Spiro wonders whether we can become our own superheroes, particularly as “girls”. Can we unchain women from society’s expectations of mothers, good house wives, eroticized objects, and irrational emotional beings? Watch Kledia’s May 7th performance "I Should Have Stuck to Ballet" with Janelle Gilchrist Dance Troupe and music by Oly. Join us at the gallery on Friday June 4th @ 8:45p for her next performance "She's a Beast" with Janelle Gilchrist Dance Troupe and music by Oly.

Four Poems

by K. Melchor Quick Hall

written for mothers, daughters, wives, and lady lovers

especially intersex, trans, masculine, and chosen family

in harmony with animals, plants, natural elements, and wilderness

for girls and women who are/were boyish or manly

who have been made feminine in the face of myopic visions

we need your queer courage and strength

to struggle together in this fight that requires a womanish touch

to disrupt capitalist-driven inequitably uneven apocalypse

and to aim for fertile feral feminist futures

Hall responds to Dodson’s sculptures and themes of super-heroism and able-bodied-ness with several prose poems on display as part of the exhibition. Hall’s poems address the gendered contrasts of strength and weaknesses, youthfulness and aging as well as the protection of self and others in relationships. Read the full text of Hall’s Four Poems here.

This exhibition offers the audience inspiring words and images of women to uplift and inspire the amazons among us who have yet to discover their own superpowers. Many of the virtual and live events were recorded- see below for online access to this content.

Amazons Among Us- Opening Night Artist Talks with Donna Dodson, Trina Baker and Kledia Spiro. Watch a video of this event (recorded May 5th)

Women Warriors: Donna Dodson & Trina Baker in Conversation. A Virtual 3 part lecture series. Made possible by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Women Warriors: A Civic Duty

Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Sudbury with generous support provided by the Sudbury Cultural Council. Watch video of this event (recorded May 2nd)
 
Women Warriors and Social Justice
Sponsored by the First Parish Church of Stow and Acton with generous support provided by the Stow Cultural Council and the Acton/Boxborough Cultural Council. Watch video this event (recorded May 8th)
 
Women Warriors and Artistic Collaboration
Sponsored by Artspace Maynard with generous support provided by the Maynard Cultural Council. Watch video of this event (recorded May 13th)

Amazons Among Us gallery talk by Donna Dodson and Poetry Reading of K. Melchor Quick Hall's "Four Poems." Watch a video of this event (recorded May 15th)

The Future of the Feminist Imagination: A Virtual Conversation with Donna Dodson, Trina Baker, Kledia Spiro and Melchor Hall. Moderated by Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein Watch video of this event (recorded May 20th)

Read a Boston Globe review of the exhibition here, an Art New England review here, and an Artscope Magazine review here. Join us on Friday June 4th from 5p-9p for a closing reception with myself and Andy Moerlein whose show "wood stone poem" is on view.

Thank you to everyone who has visited the exhibition, sent their comments and feedback, shared the exhibition with friends and written about our shows. We are very grateful for your support!

News from the Myth Makers:

In March, The Myth Makers created a new avian avatar "Flannery's Peacock" inspired by the great American author Flannery O'Connor and loaned existing work "Love Long Last" a pair of cardinals for the exhibit "Wings of Wonder: Towering Works of Nature" at the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Gainesville Georgia. You can read all about this project here. This exhibit is on view through Oct 31st and after that, the three sculptures will be available for loan or purchase. Please be in touch if you are interested.

In April, The Myth Makers installed the "Phoenix Festival" for A New View Camden, a Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge in Camden NJ. For this project we created a monumental pair of magical sculptures that are installed on the site of a former city incinerator. They symbolize the renewal and rebirth of the City of Camden by activating empty lots that were formerly used for illegal dumping with public art. You can read about this exciting project here. This exhibit is on view through Oct 31st and after that, these two sculptures will be available for loan or purchase. Please be in touch if you are interested.

In May, The Myth Makers installed two sculptures at the Tower Hill Botanic Garden "Wild Hideaways" exhibit in Boylston Massachusetts. The "Caterpillar Crawl" and the "Butterfly Fairy Frolic" celebrate the life cycle of the monarch butterfly. The sculptures invite play and exploration from visitors of all ages while drawing attention to the relationship between milkweed and the survival of this unique creature. Meet the artists on Saturday June 5th from 2p-4p. If you are not a member and need tickets, please let me know. Watch a Behind the Scenes video of this exhibit. These sculptures will be on view through Sept 30th and after that will be available for loan or purchase. Please be in touch if you are interested.

In June, The Myth Makers are building "Night and Day," a magical pair of magpies at the Alaska Botanical Garden in Anchorage Alaska. Join us for an artist talk at the garden on Tuesday June 15th @ 7p, or on Tuesday June 29th @ 10a for the opening reception with a meet and greet with us. For more information visit the Alaska Botanical Garden website, https://www.alaskabg.org/.

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Wood Stone Poem

Meditations on The Natural by Andy Moerlein
May 5 - June 6, 2021
 
Featuring:  Guest Artists Mary Graham, JooLee Kang and Wen-hao Tien
@ Boston Sculptors Gallery

 

Complex (horizontal) 2021 locust on red oak.
 
wood stone poem presents a grand accumulation of ideas referencing stone appreciation and the cultivation of Bonsai. It will be a series of small objects, some exploratory drawing and paintings, plus some bold installation work. I have invited three artists I admire, Mary Graham, JooLee Kang and Wen-hao Tien, to place works in the gallery, as portals to explore other approaches to these subjects. I have included examples of acclaimed Korean Sijo Poet Kim Min Jeong and photos of her inspiration stones. I have also included several Sijo poems from international submissions in response to my sculptures in the show. As a special event Bonsai Master Practitioner Michael Levin has arranged a week loan (5/5 - 5/9 only) of one of his iconic ancient trees**.
 
On Wednesday 5/5 at 5 painter Mary Graham and Michael Levin will join me in a short gallery talk promptly at 5 to open the exhibit***.
Please RSVP for entry to this limited audience event.
 
The Art of Bonsai - Bonsai in Art
This will be a fascinating conversation. Mary Graham and Michael Levin are both Bonsai practitioners. Mary is a painter whose style evokes the Chinese landscape paintings she adores, but often in oil and focused on the authentic topography of NH's White Mountains. Mary has cultivated trees for years and has gradually expanded her enthusiasm to include on her property "a house of their own." Michael is a lifelong Bonsai enthusiast who turned his passion into an iconic business. Bonsai West in Acton MA, covering 10 acres and a half dozen green houses, is a national treasure of Bonsai knowledge and ancient trees, as well as quality starter trees. Michael began his studies during travels to California where he was introduced to Japanese elders who continued their tree cultivation even through the internment of Japanese Americans in the United States during World War II 1945-1947. Michael was gifted some of those trees and continues to protect and cherish this heritage. The tree on loan is over 60 years old. ONLY May 5-9.
 
Both Mary and Michael were invited to join the exhibit with scant understanding of what my work for this show will look like. It will be a thrilling conversation.
 
Also opening at Boston Sculptors Gallery:
Donna Dodson
Amazons Among Us
Featuring guest artists Trina Baker, Kledia Spiro & poet Melchor Hall
 
From 5:30 - 7 both Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein and the featured guest artists will conduct personal gallery walks and conversations. Timed entry can be arranged by invitation.
 
*Reply required to reserve your entry first-served, limited to COVID regulations. 25 max. Masks required, social distance expected.

** Courtesy of Bonsai West, Littleton, MA.

***All Events will be recorded and posted: andymoerlein.com.

 

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The August Ardor blog recently featured an article on Donna Dodson and her sculptures.

 

Celebrating Women in the Arts during Women’s History Month in March 2020 at the Brandeis University Women’s Studies Research Center: an exhibition of three Artist Scholars: Donna Dodson, Karin Rosenthal and Vaughn Sills
515 South St., Waltham. Gallery hours, Mon-Fri 9a-5p.

On view 24/7 at the Boston Sculptors Gallery, new works in the windows- wood, 3D prints and bronze from March-May 2020.


Coming up in New York City:
Interpreting the Natural, an exhibition curated by Donna Dodson

April 17th-May 16th 2020, Opening reception Friday, April 17th 7pm-9pm
LES Gallery at The Clemente Center, 107 Suffolk St, New York, NY 10002
Gallery Hours: Wed-Sun 12pm-7pm, http://www.theclementecenter.org/
 
Interpreting the Natural: Contemporary Visions of Scholars' Rocks will feature recent artwork by eleven award-winning artists: Laura Cannamela, Mark Cooper, Furen Dai, Christopher Frost, JooLee Kang, Woomin Kim, Karen Krieger, Susan Meyer, Andy Moerlein, Laura Moriarty, and Elisa Pritzker alongside traditional stones from the collection of the renowned scholar Kemin Hu. Informed by each artist’s enthusiasm for ancient scholars’ rocks or viewing stones, the exhibition will include sculptures in ceramic, wood, wax, concrete, embroidery and mixed media, in addition to ink and digital drawings, encaustic paintings and stone installations.


News from the Myth Makers:
 
Coming up at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Gainesville, Georgia... Flannery's Peacock!

Join us for the opening reception and public dedication of our sculpture from 1p-2p on Saturday April 25th, in honor of International Sculpture Day.

 

Coming up in New Jersey for A New View Camden!
We were selected as one of 8 finalists for a prestigious national competition: the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge in Camden New Jersey. Each artist team is responsible for addressing the problem of illegal dumping, educating the community about solutions and imagining a new vision for the city landscape.
Camden reveals 8 artists selected to bring ‘a new view’ to city
Six Artful Ways Camden Will Transform Prior Illegal Dumping Sites
‘A New View Camden’: $1M Bloomberg Challenge Seeks to Reclaim Urban Dumping Grounds with Public Art
Camden’s new view: Here are 8 new public art projects coming this summer
Who'll give Camden 'A New View'? Artists selected for installations throughout city
Camden wins Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art grant

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Join us on Saturday & Sunday September 28th & 29th from 12p-5p for a private Open Studio/ Open House event @ 123 Summer St in Maynard. 

I have re-installed Match of the Matriarchs and recent work from Zodiac at home and in the studio, I have new works in bronze and fiberglass (Mini Seagull Cinderella in progress) while the monumental Tiger Mothers and the original Seagull Cinderella get some touch ups. Andy Moerlein has lots of work inside and out including recent sculptures and prints from his Scholar's Rock series and new birds on branches (ceramic and wood assemblages). Make a day of it in Maynard- stop by Artspace Maynard's Open Studios to see over 80 artists at work and stay for dinner at one of the many amazing restaurants in town.


Visiting Scholar Appointment at the Brandeis University Women's Studies Research Center

I am pleased to announce that on September 1st I began my appointment as a Visiting Scholar at The Brandeis University Women’s Studies Research Center. My research project will investigate the mythic and very real women who were portrayed in Ancient Greek and Roman Art and consider modern and contemporary Amazons in pop culture, such as Wonder Woman.

I was turned onto the idea of the Amazons after reading Madeleine Miller's two novels about Greek Mythology: "Song of Achilles" and "Circe." My preliminary research led me to the MFA and the Metropolitan Museum in NYC collections both of whom have fantastic examples of the legendary warrior women on potterygold ringscrystal beads and more. Two of my primary sources are "Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women Across the Ancient World" by Adrienne Mayor and "Postcolonial Amazons: Female Masculinity and Courage in Ancient Greek and Sanskrit Literature" by Walter Duvall Penrose Jr. This has led to a fruitful correspondence and lively discussion with these two renowned scholars.

I saw the movie "Wonder Woman" when it came out in theaters but only recently discovered "Professor Marston and the Wonder Women." I am currently devouring Jill Lepore's book " The Secret History of Wonder Woman." Note, the Addison Gallery of American Art has an upcoming show on the subject of Wonder Woman and Superman in pop culture: "Men of Steel, Women of Wonder" that is not to be missed, October 5, 2019 - January 5, 2020.

 

Monumental Avian Avatars landed in Summit New Jersey on July 9, 2019


Summit Public Art recently unveiled a pair of monumental sculptures created by the Myth Makers: Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein as part of the organization’s annual rotation of sculptures around town. The press and public witnessed the installation on Tuesday July 9th at 9:30 am at the Village Green next to the train station. At 5:30pm Common Council President David Naidu made remarks and commemorated the artwork. The community gathered around the artists to hear their remarks at the unveiling and dedication ceremony. The sculptures will be on view for one year. Watch a video preview of the sculptures here and here.

 

Love Long Last by The Myth Makers: Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein

Northern Cardinals are social creatures. They mate for life and enjoy romantic partnerships. Males feed the females beak to beak throughout their summer courtship.

In folklore Cardinals have great significance. The belief that Cardinals are spiritual messengers exists in many cultures. They are seen as harbingers of good health, renewal, and loving relationships. Whether it is an omen or just a delight, it is evident that sighting a red cardinal makes everyone happy.


These two birds stand independently but share a powerful camaraderie and friendship. They walk past one another, their heads turned and their gazes locked. This public art project symbolizes the power of love and the bond these two creatures share.

“Love Long Last are two spectacular sculptures that will intrigue passersby with their impressive structures and their fascinating story that embody the imaginative and creative culture of Summit New Jersey,” said Marie Cohen and Deb Schwarzman, co-organizers of the project “We are delighted to showcase the Myth Makers, and we are confident these impactful sculptures will be the most popular public art installation in Summit this year.”

Crafted from bamboo, wire ties and found objects, the sculptures stand 15 feet tall, the largest and most monumental art installation that Summit has commissioned in their 17 years of this project.


About the Myth Makers

The collaboration between Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein is born from a mutual love of the wild, taking inspiration from events in the natural world and the mysterious nature of animals. Both artists have presented public work throughout the world at art museums, sculpture parks, and urban centers. Their affection for site specificity and working with local audiences is evident in this new pair of monumental sculptures.

The Myth Makers have completed over 20 monumental public art projects worldwide in the past ten years. Their temporary structures built from natural materials have been exhibited in Keelung Taiwan, Verbier Switzerland, New York City NY, Wausau WI, Easton MD, Muskegon MI, Boston MA, Portland ME, Concord NH, Harrisburg PA, Providence RI, New Orleans LA, Coral Springs FL Kansas City MO and Windsor VT. This is their first public art installation in New Jersey. For more information http://themythmakers.blogspot.com

About Summit Public Art 

Founded in 2002, Summit Public Art is a volunteer-based city organization whose mission is to bring art to public spaces throughout Summit, infusing the community with assorted contemporary art installations that provide public art experiences to those who live, work in, or visit Summit.

Over the past seventeen years, Summit Public Art has installed over 85 pieces of temporary art throughout the community, The artists represented include many of national and international renown. The committee has also sponsored and facilitated two permanent installations on Broad Street: three bus shelters and the Gateway Tree sculpture welcoming people to town. 

Summit Public Art creates aesthetic experiences that enrich citizens’ quality of life, creating community ties and pride, and strengthen the cultural vibrancy of the city. Although it is a city entity, Summit Public Art receives no funding from the city for installations or operations. It raises money through individual donations, public and private grants and corporate sponsorship. For more information, visit https://www.summitpublicart.com

Also happening in July... The Myth Makers join a Creative Conversation at the Georgia Blue Gallery in Anchorage Alaska... on Sunday July 21st.

A Reception, A Reading,
A Conversation on Creative Practice

Donna Dodson      Andy Morlein

Nancy Lord photo by Irene Owsley


Perry Eaton


Mara Kimmel

We all agree that more conversations need to take place. Join us for this stimulating conversation on the Creative Process with these artists.

Nancy Lord will do a short reading of her writings related to birds, a frequent theme in all three of the artists' work. Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein will present new sculptures. Perry Eaton will be in the gallery as a guest artist, talking about his work and career. Mara Kimmel, Anchorage Museum Deputy Director will moderate.

Creative Process. How does a writer begin with the blank page? How do the artists address a block of wood? What is the process that drives each of these internationally known creators to success in their respective careers? What are the commonalities within each of their inspired paths?

This is a short talk intended for a broad public with an enthusiasm for creative activity, regardless of medium or professional ambition. The artists are each inspired speakers and exceptional practitioners of their craft. After the short reading and informal conversation there will be a reception and the opportunity to speak with each of the artists and the moderator.

 

 

The Wanderer

 

"Its wanderings are more extensive ... and remarkable for a bird whose nature is fitted to endure the utmost rigor of climate." -Elliott Coues 1874


Photo credit: Mike Seat


Due to the lack of lemmings in the arctic tundra, an irruption of Snowy Owls is happening across the country, forcing this mighty winged wanderer to venture south beyond its normal range. The same pioneering spirit led Amelia Earhart to fly solo across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and to fly coast to coast. Our sculpture is dedicated to her daring spirit. A Kansas City native, American author and aviation pioneer, she once said “Adventure is worthwhile in itself.”

 


The Wanderer, 2019 saplings, recycled and re-purposed mixed media, will be on view indefinitely at the corner of Ward Parkway and Huntington Road in Kansas City Missouri.

 

The Beacon

In celebration of its 50th season, Heritage Museums & Gardens invited five artists to install outdoor sculptures throughout the museum grounds and gardens for a special exhibition "Human/Nature." Each artwork explores how humans and nature coexist, interact, and overlap. The Myth Makers, Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein, installed their 15-foot tall bamboo sculpture "Beacon."


Beacon is a monumental public art project that is inspired by the Osprey as a tribute to Rachel Carson and her ecological restoration efforts in Cape Cod and beyond. The Myth Makers highlight the Osprey as a survivor and adapter in our rapidly evolving human landscape. Devastated by DDT poisoning, these skilled fish hawks are recovering from the brink of extinction, and are an inspiring example of the role humans can play in restoring balance when we engage the living world around us.


The Beacon will be on view at the Heritage Museums and Gardens in Sandwich, Massachusetts from May through October 2019.

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FULLER CRAFT MUSEUM PRESENTS Donna Dodson: Zodiac February 2 – May 19, 2019

Opening Reception: Sunday, February 3, 2:00 – 5:00 pm


Aquarius

Donna Dodson: Zodiac Zodiac presents acclaimed woodworker Donna Dodson’s two sculptural series referencing all 24 animal characters associated with the Lunar or Chinese calendar and the Sun signs of Western astrology. With such charming creatures as a lion, a bull, a ram, a penguin, a beaver, and a falcon, Dodson’s carved wood menagerie is sure to delight and inspire audiences of all ages.


Dragon

Donna Dodson has been carving images out of wood for nearly 20 years. Her sculptures explore feminine beauty and evoke humor and playfulness but also grace, power, and emotional strength. Her unique vision responds to the relation of animals to the human spirit that have existed since ancient times. Her figures are almost always female and range in size from intimate to larger than life. She has been honored with solo shows nationwide for her artwork. In addition, her monumental works have been exhibited internationally in sculpture parks and art museums.

 

Gemini

 

In 2011, Dodson participated in the Verbier 3D Foundation’s Artist Residency and Sculpture Park in the Swiss Alps. In 2015, Donna participated in a residency in Cusco Peru at the Escuela de Bellas Artes that culminated in an exhibition at Museo Convento de Santo Domingo Qorikancha with the Boston Sculptors Gallery. In 2016, she had her first solo museum show of “mermaids” in 2016 at the New Bedford Art Museum. In 2017, Dodson's solo show Zodiac began a national tour.

Rooster

The following exhibitions are also opening at Fuller Craft Museum on Feb 3rd from 2p-5p:

Felt: Fiber Transformed
Elizabeth Potenza: “Look up,” she said, “there is more color than you ever imagined”
Mano-Made: New Expression in Craft by Latino Artists
Tom Kiefer: El Sueño Americano – The American Dream

Work in the Davistown Museum



Elephant Princess
2013
6" tall
bronze on limestone base
1 of 10 Cast by New England Sculpture Service

Work at the Hulls Cove Sculpture Garden:


The Seer
2012
18' tall
Saplings
The Breakneck Road at Hulls Cove has been a summer rendezvous for Native Americans as long as memory exists. On this very spot, Samuel D. Champlain landed in 1604- the first of a tsunami of European visitors to this fragile ecosystem. Owl has seen the world change and has a message for humankind. Step into the sacred space and listen. If you open your heart, Owl has advice to share.

Work in Other Galleries and Collections


Rhino Man
2010
16" tall
Wood, enamel

Photo from the exhibit, "Birds of a Feather Flock Together" in Boston Sculptor's Gallery


Culture Vulture I
2012
38" tall
wood, paint



Sentinel
2012
saplings & paint
by MythMakers: Donna Dodson & Andy Moerlein
The Sentinel is being presented by June LaCombe as part of 'On the Wing', a group exhibition at Maine Audubon, Gilsland Farm in Falmouth, Maine.


Culture Vulture II
2012
40" tall
Wood, paint

Seagull Cinderella
8 ft tall
styrofoam, cement & paint


Asian Elephant
6"
bronze on limestone base


Elephant Princess
6"
bronze on limestone base

 

Lilac Rhino
6"
bronze on limestone base



Pregnant Kangaroo
6"
bronze on limestone base

Little Red Riding Hood
32" tall
wood, paint
Little Red Riding Hood is anything but little. Her big feet threaten to stomp on any wolves, or predators that would dare to cross her path. Her big shoulders allude to her inner strength.


Red Tail Hawk
41" tall
wood, pigment, enamel
Red Tail Hawk is common presence in our midst. Like a Haida sculpture, or a totem of a school marm, the steely gaze of her watchful eyes mind her charges with protection and good care.


Tiger Mom
22" tall, wood, pigment
Tiger Mom longs to march her children to the beat of the Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother yet inside she cannot bring herself to do it. She suffers from a softness of heart and a fragile nature.


Pink Panther
12" tall
pink ivory

Seagull Cinderella
15" tall
wood, paint


Elephant Oracle
8 ft tall
styrofoam & cement
2010


 



 

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