IN THE STUDIO

Friend and colleague, Joanne Weis, and I have recently completed two online courses offered through the Fiber Arts Take Two platform.

Fiber Arts Take Two collaborates with professional artists around the globe to offer online courses that include superb video tutorials, dedicated FaceBook pages where participants have opportunities to share their work, post questions and comments, interact with the instructor and a professional tutor, and engage in conversations with an incredible international community of artists with shared interests.

The Way of Wabi Sabi

My first course was “The Way of Wabi Sabi Collage” with artist Donna Watson.

The Wabi Sabi perspective cultivates an appreciation for what happens to things in nature and to things that are humanly made after the passage of time so as to encourage perceptions of beauty in things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. The course was presented in seven modules, each of which included instruction in and demonstration of techniques and processes, as well as meditative Wabi Sabi videos of the instructor showcasing the beauty of Japan. 

For the class exhibition, titled “What Remains,” we were encouraged to push ourselves towards more meaningful and personal expressions, so that we would discover deeper connection to our work and to our self-understanding. A gift of the course for me was realizing how much my time living in Japan (long before I thought of myself as an artist) has shaped my aesthetics and sensibilities. Click HERE to view “HOME: A Journey Within,” the collection of work I created for the exhibition.

The Art of Abstract Collage

I'm now finishing up work on the second course, “The Art of Abstract Collage – Mastering Composition,” with artist Cordula Kagemann. 

The experience has included studies in abstract composition; exploration of such design elements as color, pattern, texture, and marks; design principles and archetypes, and surface design. The course modules have included instruction in techniques and processes, studies of abstract artists who represent the evolution of collage, and introduction to the work of artists representing the breadth of abstract collage. The work I created for the class exhibition, From Elements to Archetypes, is titled "Vessel Triptych."

I enjoyed both courses, which together solidified my shift to creating work primarily with paper. Both courses prompted me to create a wide variety of collage papers using everything from handmade papers to tissue papers to junk mail to found/repurposed papers. I am having great fun, but I fear my studio may never recover from the resulting chaos! 

Click HERE to view a composite of my collage studies.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Wolfram Student Award, Liturgical Art

In conjunction with my work with the Center for Church Music, I was once again pleased to serve as a juror for the William Wolfram Student Award in Liturgical Art.

The award recognizes student artists who evidence the Christian faith and practice, excellence in artistic expression, sustained connection to the liturgical tradition, and commitment to the creation of art purposed for use within worship settings. Undergraduate or graduate students currently enrolled in Lutheran colleges, universities, and seminaries within the United States and Canada are eligible to apply for consideration.  

Offered biennially beginning in 2022, the award’s name honors the distinguished service of William Wolfram, Professor Emeritus of Art at Concordia University, Seward, NE, whose artwork graces church sanctuaries throughout the United States. One of Wolfram’s distinctive crosses serves as the logo for this award.

Click HERE for information about the award and submission process: 

National ALCM Conference

Also in conjunction with my work with the Center, I was privileged to offer two presentations at the National Conference of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, held at Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, IN. Titled “Seen and Unseen: The Church's Visual Song” and attracting about 200 participants for each session, the image-rich presentation encouraged participants to embrace a broadened understanding of liturgical art that is grounded in heightened appreciation of the Creator’s handiwork in gathering God’s people in worship and service. These abbreviated visuals and abbreviated narrative will give you some sense of the presentation.

EXHIBITIONS AND PUBLICATIONS

My “Kristallknacht” work is one of 20 pieces from 350 submissions selected for inclusion in Form, Not Function, a biennial juried exhibition of contemporary quilt art held at the Floyd County Carnegie Library Cultural Arts Center in New Albany, IN. 

The 2025 exhibition will be on view January 16 – April 12, 2025. Before visiting, please call to confirm specific dates and times.

My ”Great O Antiphons” collection will be on display during November and December 2024 at Grantham Brethren of Life Church, 421 Grantham Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055, 717-766-0531. Before visiting, please call to confirm specific dates and times.

Images of my “Great O Antiphons” will be used in conjunction with the Advent celebration at the Österreichische Ordenskonferenz in Vienna, Austria. The Austrian Conference of Religious Orders is the joint representation of the 193 Catholic men's and women's orders in Austria, which includes 3,957 religious women and men serving in Austria.

My three-dimensional, life-scale “Consequence” sculpture of Lot's wife is included in the Death and Life exhibition at Mosaic Gallery, 701 Camp Street, Louisville, KY 40203, 502-708-1040. Before visiting, please call to confirm specific dates and times.

An image of my “Magnificat” work will be included in an Advent multi-media presentation at Christ Lutheran Church in Zionsville, IN.

Unity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Saint Louis, MO, hosted a solo exhibition of my “Passion Pilgrimage” collection during the 2024 Lenten season.

Panel 15 from my “Passion Pilgrimage” collection appears on the cover of the current issue of Forward Day by Day, a daily devotional resource published by Forward Movement.

EXHIBITION COLLECTIONS 

I am pleased to make several collections of my work available for lease/loan to venues throughout the United States:

"Sticks & Stones" began as a lament over the deterioration in the tone of public discourse in our nation, but it evolved into a broader exploration of the impact of language in all human relationships. Each of the matted-and-framed paper collages in the 43-piece collection pairs stick-and-stone images with quotations that invite reflection on the profound significance of human verbal expression. The exhibition fee is $300 (plus shipping) for a period of four-to-six weeks.

"The Great O Antiphons" is a seven-piece installation inspired by the ancient Advent collects of the same name. The installation dimension of the collection is 176 inches wide by 41 inches high. In particular demand during the Advent season, the exhibition fee for this collection is $300 (plus shipping) for a period of four-to-six weeks.

"Passion Pilgrimage: Journey along the Way of the Cross" is a collection featuring 18 small works, each measuring approximately 13 inches by 13 inches, with each piece highlighting a signpost on Jesus’ journey from Passion Sunday to Easter. The collection lends itself to various installations, the most effective being a linear format that allows “space” between the works and cultivates an experience of devotional pilgrimage. The exhibition fee is $300 (plus shipping) for a period of up to seven weeks.

Each exhibition collection includes signage and a sample media release for promoting the exhibition. With advance notice, color postcards can be provided at a modest cost. Click HERE to view the collections.

I welcome inquiries about the collections via email at linda@lindahenke.com.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE

Since some of you have noted the diminished frequency of my Studio News communications, I will mention that a decline in my spouse’s health and mobility have dramatically altered both of our lives. We’ve made significant modifications to ensure our home is more accessible for him, and we are grateful that the Veterans Administration has provided a variety of equipment to assist with his mobility challenges but, because Phil is no longer able to drive or to perform many of the tasks he used to, I’ve needed to pick up the slack. We are not alone in our experience of life-stage changes, but navigating those changes has necessarily shifted my priorities. Each bit of time in the studio is a treasured gift.

May the blessings of this holy season be yours!