Walking In Love Better Than Imagined

The Installation is coming together in ways that are beyond what I was able to imagine. Light, Shadow, the perfection of some designs next to others. All of this is what emerged once the panels came off the ground on their protective sheets and began to hang from the gorgeous metal work above. I have heard it said 'the sum of the parts is greater than the whole' and this installation, Walking In Love, is certainly proving that statement correct.

John and Evan met me at the gallery at 10 AM to slide the clips on. YES! The clips arrived at the last possible moment on wednesday evening. To my relief they work beautifully. John and Evan slid these clips around the hangers and then spent considerable time (meaning all day) finessing the threaded rod to create a professional appearance. First Evan sprayed the silver rod white to create an illusion of a floating spiral. It was good. Very good. But Liz had put the idea out there about using copper following a flash of insight and John had brought along a coil of small diameter copper rod he had serendipitously found  at a salvage yard a few weeks earlier. Once John made a sample of the copper rod to cover the threaded rod the group decided to go ahead with the look of copper to float the spiral from the ceiling. Up and down the ladder multiple times per each of the twenty supports is the workout John did while the rest of us danced around him and the ladder on the ground with fabric. Except for my fastidiousness about not touching the white fabric with anything but just washed hands we all worked quite well and easily.

Angenett and Susan came to help hang the panels. First we worked to finish sewing tiny identifying labels onto each panel. Then began the actual decision about what would go where. Angenett and Susan both agreed that the more 'solid' pieces would fill the center. I so appreciate the decisive clarity with which Angenett works. Once the core was hung Angenett had to go on her way. Susan became the most indispensable help possible with her gifted intuitive way of seeing what was next. We were both surprised by the way the overhead lights played through the panels casting shadows onto the wall adding even more to the entire installation. Having noticed this the hanging of other panels to maximize these effects became fun. In addition there is a window on one side of the room. Certain panels were best seen in the direct light and were placed accordingly.

 Susan left, remembering her darling patient dog in the car, Liz returned in time to hang the last two panels and help John with the copper rods. Exquisite timing. Yvonne came in and out gently offering welcome suggestions and insight. All of the panels are hung, a few touches to fine tune and a few copper covers are left to be placed onto the threaded rods. We worked from the opening at 10 to the closing at 5 and will return again on saturday morning to finish. It was a great day and I look forward to going back and seeing the entire Walking in Love with fresh eyes. Thank you everyone for your great work!

I have decided not to show any photos of the hung show just yet. At the gallery we covered the doorways with fabric to keep the installation closed to viewing. But the heart above is one detail of the stunning work that you will see opening night.