Working Life: Erika Dahlen

Another artist I had the great fortune to get to know at Obras in Evoramonte, Portugal is Erika Dahlen. She is an artist from Stockholm, Sweden and was joined at Obras by Henrik Sjöberg and their two beautiful sons. Erika works in several mediums, making installations and multi-media works but I was initially blown away by her paintings. They are quiet and focused but her work is about big issues.

I have discovered again, and again and again, that even though I went to these residencies to focus on my work and pull what is in my head out into the world through my images, that I end up learning so much more from the people around me. If you pay attention, you can see the world rushing up to meet you like waves at the beach.

This is Erika in her studio at Obras in May 2011.

Working Life: Annemie Bogaerts

I am incredibly fortunate to have been at Obras in Portugal at the same time as Annemie Bogaerts. She is a Dutch artist who makes incredible installations and graphic works. She changed the way I feel about installation based work. I photographed her for my ongoing project about work, called Working Life.

This is Annemie working on an installation at Obras in Evoramonte, Portugal in May 2011.

Springfield, France

This is a steam cloud rising from the nuclear reactors in Nogent-sur-Seine, France. Am I crazy, I think it is beautiful? Don't answer that.

Lovers bikes/Ils ont laissé leurs vélos ici

Nature Morte

Today I started scanning in the film from Portugal and France. This is one of my favorite things to do. Thank you airports for not destroying all my work. Thank you Kodak for still making wonderful film. Thank you Primary Photographic for always doing such a wonderful job. Here is just one.

By night, in Marnay

The church in Marnay sur Seine

No one uses this church anymore. No Sunday mass, just the occasional wedding or christening. To go in you must ask for the skeleton key from the barkeeper next door, which he is happy to give. It was originally built in the 1150s and was kept by monks who lived in what is now Camac, where I am staying. Does that make me a nun?

Not really because my bedroom is in a building built 800 years later in the 1950s to house guests of Frank Tenot and Daniel Filipacchi who used the place to record their famous radio show Salut les copains. Then they started this little publishing side project, you may have heard of it. So I like to think Count Basie or Petula Clark slept in my room. Anyway, there is this beautiful church across the street from me that is much much older than the good 'ol USA.
There are several different sets of numberings on the pews.This amazing fresco work only remains inside one arch. It looks ancient, I would imagine middle ages.I am obsessed with renderings of fierce beasts drawn only from imagination.

une journée à Paris

Spring in Paris. The Arc de TriompheA sudden downpour on the Champs-Élyséesbut the sun always comes out againdown into the belly of the whaleand back up to the surface in the Grand PalaisMy focus remains clear at all timesand then back to the country side with the lovely Emilie

J'aime la pluie

I have begun my second Artist-in-Residence tenure of 2011, at the CAMAC Centre D'art in Marnay-sur-Seine, France. The gray skies and clouds and rain all agree with me, as do the cheese and wine, plus I think it will be 99 degrees F tomorrow in NYC. Yikes! The building I am staying in is literally 10 feet from the banks of the Seine, I could slip in and swim to Paris.

the small village of Marnay-sur-Seine in the rainLa Seinereeds in the riverEverywhere I go there are horses.

Fondation OBRAS Arists in Residence April May 2011

There is a bit about me in here.

Obras

My time at Obras is over, for now. I will surely return. It is a bittersweet leave taking, as many are, because the joy of so many new friends and a strong feeling of accomplishment as well as just plain old reluctance to go. I have now dragged my monster suitcase to the Algarve for a few days of sun! There are tourists from many nations here, but mostly pasty Brits. I blend right in.

random pictures from my time at Obras:
beautiful Erika Dahlen in her studio. She is like the Girl with the Pearl Earring and a great painter from Stockholm, SwedenWe did a lot of cooking for big long delicious shared dinners. I made a crepe gâteau with quince paste.And one night we grilled lots of seafood, including sardines from Luis! This is what they mean when they say sardines in Portugal!My room

Solo exhibition in Evora, Portugal next week

Great news!

"The Earth is Laughing"
an exhibit of photographs by Ellen Warfield
May 26 - June 15, 2011

Sociedade Harmonia Eborense
Praça do Giraldo 72 Evora, Portugal

I am honored to have a solo exhibition next week in Evora of photographs from my project on the marble quarries here in Estremoz. This is due to the work and forsight of Ludger and Carolien of the Fundacao Obras, where I am currently an artist in residence. Check out some pictures I took in the building last week. It is really a wonderful space. Please come!

Big news! Going to Europe - sublet my place!

Big news: I am honored to have been offered two artist residencies this Spring; one in Portugal, and one in France, so I am very excited to be going to Europe for two months. Both residencies will offer me the chance to take the time and resources available to explore further ideas about documenting a place in order to identify with the people in that place, and in a sense myself, as I am the unseen observer.

That also means I am looking for some lucky person to sublet my apartment during that time. If you would be interested in a lovely duplex apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn from May 8 - July 2 or later, please email me for more information, pictures etc.

self portrait in Pompeii, Italy in December 2001