Closeup of "Leela," with "Portrait of a Woman in a Green Dress" in the background.
​Photo by Lynn Susholtz.

Bhavna was artist-in-residence at the Timken Museum in Balboa Park during the month of June. During her residency she created "Leela – Portrait of A Woman in a Green Dress," a 3-dimensional artwork on display throughout the summer, echoing the Timken's "Portrait of a Lady" by Bartolomeo Veneto. The exhibit will be on display through September 16.

For photos and a video documenting her construction of this striking artwork, visit her website at http://www.bhavnamehta.com/leela.html.

Doris is in a collaborative exquisite corpse exhibit at the Institut de Monde Arabe in Paris. (See photo of her piece.) There is a video that describes and explains her contribution in the context of the other Arab artists who participated.

Doris also says that she and Melissa Smedley have a report from Denmark that they are working on. Melissa is making short videos that describe the Happenings called Storming the Wall that they created at the Roskilde Festival last week, with two moms, one dad, and lots of young people in tow. They rocked and swayed to St. Vincent and Eminem.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that still resonates.  The curator for Judy Chicago's show at the Pasadena Museum of California Art gave an excellent talk utilizing stories that were rich and real.  Afterwards, Judy spoke at the Pasadena Women’s City Club, sold her books with proceeds going to the Museum, and stayed for an elegant reception—mouth-watering brownies got me.    Judy is a trailblazer who said that she did what she felt she had to do.  And, initially did not focus in on the impact because she spent most of her time in her Pasadena studio.  She recalled that when she was teaching, for some reason, she did not have to go to faculty meetings.  We all laughed when she said, "Initially I did not get why they did not want me to attend." A young woman shared the challenges she was facing, for example, dealing with people who she believed did not like her and criticized her work.  Judy listened intently and responded, “I did not become an artist to be liked.”  My life applauds meeting her as my brain is still stuck in What just happened?  She has an upcoming exhibit in Santa Monica and at least three more exhibits within the next couple of years.  ​