On RVTV, I was pleased to sit with Robert McDowell and Steve Dreben talking about and sharing poetry. The question was: “What is deep poetry?” I hope you enjoy it as well. Please click on the title — which is the link — to get to the show.
“For Love of Chickens”
“Pharoah & Queen”
“Pharoah and Queen”
Created by Stephanie K. Nead
Ashland, OR 2011
Based on photograph in
Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture of Ancient Egypt
Text by Wolfhart Westendorf
Publisher Harry N. Abrams, INC./New York/London
Detail of a relief on one of Tutankhamon’s chests
New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, c. 1340 B.C.
From his tomb in Thebes.
- “Pharoah & Queen” 2011 $1800
Please Come: Show Opening Friday, Sept 2nd
"Dragon's Rising" 24"
Artist Bio & Statement
All creative expression comes from the One source. The blessed gift of being creative is my experience of “flow,” when time stops and joy is a stream burbling through me.
I am fortunate to come from a lineage of female artists and musicians. Having moved away from my early path as a pianist and vocalist, I had the fortunate misfortune to be felled by serious illness at 28 years old. Homebound and needing something to do as I moved from bed to couch, I reached for long-forgotten skills taught by my grandmother, mother and aunt. Thus began a new journey into my artistic soul. Through the grace of stillness, induced by my illness, I began creating as I felt called.
I move through the world by intuition, emotion, touch, smell, visual sensation. Thoughts, ideas and emotions have “feeling,” color, image and sensation for me…visceral experience. Fiber allows me to integrate my emotional and spiritual “felt” sense with my love for kinesthetic life.
My art shares my vision of the physical, emotional, and energetic textures of the natural world and internal experience. My work explores the relationship between nature, soul and humanity, and how the threads of this dynamic relationship impact emotion, personal awareness, and the experience of beauty as the soul is nourished. All speak to me of that communion which is the essence of Being and the nurturance of soul.
My designs come to me from dreams and dream-like visions, from nature, from the souls I meet, and from my own healing, evolving and spiritual journey as a human being. I seek to express either a deep felt-sense that wells up from inner experience and body-soul memory, or a spirit I sense in an image. I explore where that memory or spirit takes me in the process of transforming it into fiber. In the case of body-soul memory, I seek to follow the thread that creates the bridge between a felt truth within me and visual expression, making visible the inarticulate. Each piece leads me on a journey. In the end, I discover a spirit greater than I sensed originally. The work unfolds to show me beyond, as Leonard Cohen says, “….what I only know the limits of.”
I experience profound communion with nature, with Creation, with my own deepest self, and with G-d through the birthing of each piece. Poems often emerge to join the artwork, sometimes even preceding and inspiring the piece. My use of technique is defined by the needs of a given piece. I love the exploration of technique to “voice” the piece as it wishes to be “heard” and felt.
“Abraham’s Children” Original Textile Art Prints, the perfect gift for this season of Peace.
"Abraham's Children: A Time for Peace"
“Abraham’s Children: A Time for Peace” has been one of my most popular pieces. Many have requested a print. I have waited to reproduce the image in a way that reflects its tactile nature. These canvas giclee prints give the image a texture that reminds the viewer the piece is kinesthetic. The fiber “pops” off the canvas. These prints are 14 x 14 inches. For larger sizes, please email sknp4710@gmail.com
Cards and photographic prints also available.
“Abraham’s Children” was my response to 911.
It took me a few months to compost that event, for this piece to form itself. I completed it in February 2002 with the words that came to me inscribed on its back.
“Abraham’s Chldren” is my plea for peace. To all the descendants of Abraham: Jewish, Christian, Muslim, we are family. We have fought as only family can fight. It is time to work as hard at acceptance and peace. All the effort, vigilance and commitment we have put into anger and vengeance will create a miraculous and enduring peace for our family. It is time.
Pricing
14 x 14 inch canvas giclee prints: $95 plus $20 shipping, Priority Mail, in the USA.If you wish a piece shipped outside the US, please contact me at sknp4710@gmail.com to discuss shipping costs. If you wish to order more than one image shipped to one address, please contact me and we will work out a fair shipping.
Ordering
I Welcome Pay Pal as the quickest way for you to receive your order. Just log in to your own account, click on the “Send Money” button, input my email sknp4710@gmail.com and the amount, including shipping, and continue until your payment is sent. Please include your address with your Pay Pal payment, or email me separately at sknp4710@gmail.com with “AC Order” in the subject line.
Please allow 4-6 weeks from payment for your order to arrive. Likely, it will arrive more quickly, but please allow that length of time.
Thank you for your order!
Maya’s Commission
This is a large pillow, 25″ x 25,” commissioned for a young woman. This is my third commission for her. Her mother has remembered her 6th, 12th, and 18th bithdays with original work. Each one reflects who she has become as she has grown. It’s been a lovely journey with her.
…and the slide show. I love slide shows…have you noticed?!
Slotted Canyon
- “Slotted Canyon” Based on a photo of one of the slot canyons of the SW United States. 18″ x 24″ $225
This piece started as a mock up for the much larger “Canyon I.” I finished a different mock up for that piece, but I recently went back and decided to finish this version. It’s about 18″ x 24″. $225 Email if you’re interested: sknp4710@aol.com
Currently hanging at Ashland Art Works Galleries, 291 Oak St., Ashland, Oregon. Go by and have a look at all my current work. I’d love to hear your comments.
“Jill-in-the-Box…with Attitude!”
- Jill-in-the-Box with Attitude! $120
SOLD
At Ashland Art Works Galleries, we periodically do challenges, some for charity, some to sell ourselves, all for fun. Since we have artists of several different mediums, the results are always interesting. “Jill-in-the-Box…with Attitude!” arose because we all started with the box and went from there. I loved Jack-in-the-Box when I was a kid. I had this doll begun, and she seeemd to want to spring to life. It was a fun pairing! I like her. Here’s a slide show of her with close ups.
Stop by Ashland Art Works at 291 Oak Street, Ashland, OR and see her in person, with her compatriots by my excellent and wonderful fellow artists.
“Abraham’s Children: A Time for Peace”
"Abraham's Children: A Time for Peace" 2002
“Abraham’s Children” was my response to 911.
It took me a few months to compost that event, for this piece to form itself. I completed it in February 2002 with the words that came to me inscribed on its back.
“Abraham’s Chldren” is my plea for peace. To all the descendants of Abraham: Jewish, Christian, Muslim, we are family. We have fought as only family can fight. It is time to work as hard at acceptance and peace. All the effort, vigilance and commitment we have put into anger and vengeance will create a miraculous and enduring peace for our family. It is time.
Since then, I have sought the home for “Abraham’s Children.” Always I have known it needed to belong to people who were doing the work of Tikkun Olam (healing the world) on this level of faith, humanity, and love for this Gaian Earth we share.
In March 2011, “Abraham’s Children” found its home…with Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Eve Ilsen, whose hearts and lives have long been committed to this healing.
I was honored and blessed to give “Abraham’s Children” to Reb Zalman and Eve when they were in Ashland for a Shabbaton at Havurah Shir Hadash, my own Shul. I was doubly honored to present this gift on behalf of our entire Havurah Shir Hadash community www.havurahshirhadash.org and in the merit of our own amazing and beloved Rabbi David Zaslow.
This gifting was a deep blessing to me…a small miracle I cannot define or adequately articulate. I am grateful.
The Dedication to Reb Zalman and Eve inscribed on the quilt:
“Abraham’s Children” was presented to Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi & Eve Ilsen, March 2011, in gratitude and honor for your presence among us, your work in the world, within Judaism and Jewish Renewal, for the uplifting of all faith traditions in unity and loving stewardship of this Gaia-Earth, who births, houses and nourishes us all. Presented by Stephanie K. Nead, on behalf of Havurah Shir Hadash of Ashland, Oregon and in the merit of our beloved Rabbi David Zaslow.
Thank you for who you are and all you have gifted us.
Wooded Mountain
I love to be in the mountains, in nature where all sound belongs to the Earth and her creatures…from the wind shooshing through the pines high above to the nestlings of the moles and bugs below. In between are the streams, pouring down the mountain’s flank, the smell of loamy soil and dry lichen rising under the heat of the sun’s kiss, my own breathing. My soul opens up and drinks nourishment through my body. It is a blessing.
Creating these pieces in my studio takes me back to this communion in nature. So each piece is infused with that loving nourishment and peace. It’s a joy to create them. Pay Pal & Checks.
"Wooded Mountain" roughly 18" x 7" $60
Stephanie's Creations 