From December 2, 2020 – January 4, 2021 Mimi Czajka Graminski, of Red Hook, will show her work, Post Photosynthesis, at Window on Hudson – 43 South 3rd Street – the site of the former Ritter Grocery Store.
You can visit the exhibit this Saturday, December 19 from 1-4pm. Doors will be open, limited number of people inside.
The exhibit includes sculpture, drawing, painting, and video which is on view in the storefront windows of Window On Hudson as well as inside the art space. Jeremy Bullis, Artistic Director for Window on Hudson, is finding that the space not only helps local artists show their work, but artists are connecting, learning about upcoming shows, and networking. Jeremy add, “Mimi’s art is gorgeous. It makes you think about ‘time’. How much time does it take to make the lace. How much time for a tree to grow?”
Mimi Czajka Graminski explains Post Photosynthesis in the following way, “I love making art, working with my hands, and creating something where there was nothing before. Inspiration most often comes from materials both made and found. The majority of materials in this exhibition are inspired by and derived from plant-based sources. All of which stem from the
process of photosynthesis – creating energy, nourishment and growth from light. In my work I am using materials that were all born from this process – logs from trees, leaves from plants, and paper made from cotton. After their growth process and harvest, the materials find renewed life in their cross pollination incorporated into this site-specific installation.”
Czajka Graminski continues, “During these past spring and summer months at home I have found myself drawn to the forests, and with my interest in materials, I have found a huge resource in the natural environment. In my study of leaves (found and cultivated) I have been examining light, shadow and color by using pencil, watercolor and video. I celebrate the differences and commonalities that the leaves all share. Trees felled in a storm gave me an abundance of raw material. I use the cut logs and combine them with cotton lace, collected from many sources, to create an installation that honors both the trees and the lace makers. I pay tribute to the lace makers, their labor and the energy they imbued into each stitch. I wonder about their lives and under what circumstances did they create this work? Was it a labor of love or necessity? Their lace has outlived them just as the logs will outlast the intricate stenciled patterns on them. I honor the fleeting and enduring quality of both women’s labor and the natural environment.”
Czajka Graminski has exhibited her work widely in public, alternative and private spaces. Selected exhibits include the Hyde Collection, Pratt/ Munson Williams Proctor, Hammond, Samuel Dorsky, Islip, Katonah and Haggin Museums, and Bard College CCS, among others.
Prices for the artwork range from $125 to $2,400, with many in the several-hundred dollar range.
Window On Hudson is interested in exhibiting all artistic mediums.
Artists interested in submitting their work may do so by emailing submissions@windowonhudson.org or visiting the website WindowOnHudson.org.