Pigeon’s wing - from the blog, solvitur ambulando greenway, part of my 2021 artservancy year project
2024 News…
Welcome Year of the Wood Dragon (tatsu doshi)
December
Exhibition and Artist’s Talk - December 2024
Studio Kura, Itoshima, Japan
WYOMING, an interactive adventure fiction anthology
6 years ago, publisher and author Jamie Hovis had an idea for an experimental fiction anthology, Wyoming . It's now available. This was, above all, a labor of love for Jamie. Those of us who contributed to the anthology are so honoured to be part of this!
October
I spent 18 days at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig, Monaghan . This was an incredibly affirming experience. The inspiring artists, composers, authors, poets, musicians, and choreographers I met, and the generous and kind staff, have given me renewed energy to pursue my text pieces and visual work.
September
A fallow, introspective month.
August
Viewpoints on ARTservancy, August 19 – October 5, 2024 Brooks Stevens Gallery, 273 E. Erie St., Milwaukee, WI USA
July
https://nwreview.org/features/flash/marsha-mcdonald/two-stories/
News from artist Rina Yoon that my Studio Kura cyanotype project from 2014 has been accepted by the MIAD Textile Center, USA. The cloth cyanotypes documented the ordinary objects used by the recently deceased elderly woman whose Itoshima, Kyushu machiya I stayed in for one month. So happy new generations of artists can view them. Thank you to Rina for her generous act of donation!
June
https://chajournal.blog/2024/06/20/ten-nights-dreaming/
May
https://chajournal.blog/2024/05/23/mourning-a-breast/
April
https://chajournal.blog/2024/04/12/wet/
March
A 2023 pamphlet of my poems, Solvitur Ambulando, has been revised for a second printing this month by Ben Interstices Press.
I have been invited to participate in a fundraiser for the American Arts + Literature Laboratory, and to submit to a community project for the Venice Biennialle.
More reviews and upcoming publications:
https://chajournal.blog/2024/03/26/cats/
https://chajournal.blog/2024/03/15/neighbourhood-people/
February
I am featured this month in Hyperallergic’s View From The Easel.
Livraria Flâneur
Eis o novo livro da colecção Errar: 99 poemas de Ryōkan, com tradução de Arnaldo Vila Pouca e fotografias de Marsha McDonald.
É uma edição artesanal de 100 exemplares impressa e encadernada em encadernação japonesa na Oficina Ponto & Vírgula.
Here is the new book from the Errar collection: 99 poems by Ryōkan, with translation by Arnaldo Vila Pouca and photographs by Marsha McDonald.
This is an artisanal edition of 100 copies, printed and bound in Japanese binding at Oficina Ponto & Vírgula.
January
January 18, 2024 Cha Literary Review, Hong Kong
[REVIEW] “One Senses a Quiet Revolution: Eddie Tay’s 𝐻𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝐾𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑠 𝐶𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑃𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑒” by Marsha McDonald
2 0 2 3
December
I return to Kyushu, Japan in late 2024.
November
I am honoured and delighted to be one of La Piccioleta Barca's 2023 nominations for the Pushcart Prize
I am also working on new art and text pieces.
I have been asked to read, with translator Hideaki Suzuki, a writer friend’s translation of Ryōkan poems into Portuguese. It is wonderful to be included in someone’s explorations of language and poetry.
Six years ago, I was invited to contribute chapters to a collaborative experimental novel, Wyoming, the brainchild of writer Jamie Hovis. The novel is now in its final stages of editing and playtesting. Thank you and well done all, but especially Jamie for these long years of work.
I’ve also been invited to exhibit in Viewpoints on ARTservancy: An artists residency that supports artists and partnerships with land conservancy at the Brooks Stevens Gallery, Milwaukee, USA from August 19 - October 5 2024
October
I have been invited to The Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Monaghan, Ireland for an arts and writing residency, October 2024.
a pulseira de rosário © Photograph by Michael Howarth (2022)
A short story, A Pulseira de Rosário - Decades of Marias, is published in La Piccioletta Barca, Milan, Italy. I am honored and delighted.
September
August
A short story, A Pulseira de Rosário - Decades of Marias, will be published in October in La Piccioletta Barca, Milan, Italy. I am honored and delighted.
I was asked to participate, with three other artists, in an exhibition at Madalena Parish Chapel and Community Center, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, from August 7 to September 10
July
I began earnest work on a second collection of short stories.
June
I began editing and revision of Densities, a collection of 30 stories.
May
In May, my poem Ithaca, will be published in the 2023 issue of HAVIK, The Las Positas College Journal of Arts and Literature, CA, USA
April
In 2016, I participated in Maya Lin's web-based project, What Is Missing.
https://www.whatismissing.org/
Remnant Swamp, Planted Woodlot, Garden
The project documents the effects of climate change through personal memory and recorded scientific data.
It has received many votes for two People's Choice Webby Awards, in web design and for digital experience. Please consider voting.
March
youse, a poem, was published by Bangalore Review
February
I was invited to exhibit in “Land Reflections: ARTservancy Artists in Residence”. The exhibition takes place Feb 17 through April 21, at Schlueter Art Gallery, Wisconsin Lutheran College, WI.
A pamphlet of my poems was printed by Ben Interstices Press, USA.
January
I have new collaborations with a poet, writer, filmmaker, and artist to look forward to.
2022 Greetings to the Water Tiger!
Here you will find links to where I am showing, and the organizations and individuals I am partnering with, this year. Please visit their websites, or follow the links provided, to learn more. December The Bangalore Review will publish my poem, youse, in an upcoming 2023 issue. My work for my artservancy year is now uploaded to Gallery 224’s website.
Tony Trehy and I finished and printed our collaboration, now titled, Broadside, in an edition of 10.
October
June Photos published in a book of American poetry translated into Portuguese, Porto, Portugal MAY I am working with poet and writer Tony Trehy on a broadsheet, Hurry/ Depression, Portugal April I’ve moved to Vilar do Andorinho, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.There is much work to be done on several projects, as well as settling into a new home and studio. An inward aspect of creative life resurfaces. Time to replenish inner resources and learn new skills. A poem was published in the upcoming “Wall” issue of Hong Kong’s Voice and Verse Literary review. Voice and Verse English Issue 64 (April 2022)
March I’ve begun work on several new projects. On March 17th, I bought an apartment in Vilar do Andorinho, Vila Nova de Gaia.
2021
December A long and conflicted year ends soon. I’ve seen vaccinations and refusals, more deaths, a return to hopefulness, and again a closing of an American chapter for me. A year ends soon but I’ve already begun. I’m in a new country, another continent, struggling with a new language and a new culture. Why? Because I believe growth is good, and so is challenge, renewal, reconsideration. Joanna Demas, the Stewardship Director for the River Revitalization Foundation, Milwaukee River Greenway, contacted me early this month. I’ve donated 6 photo works I created during my 2020-2021 artservancy residence to the Foundation offices. Joanna, it was an honour to do so! Joanna, by the way, has been an incredible resource not only to both the Foundation and artservancy, but also to the citizens of Milwaukee. Her keen eyes have noted the first voyages of river beaver kits, the return of cormorants and songbirds, the magical reappearance of the rusty patch bumblebee. Thank you for all you do, Joanna! NOVEMBER This has been a quiet, but fruitful month. I have been continuing with projects but also beginning new work. Porto has struck a chord within me. I need time to process. As an interstice… This is a 2010 piece by Debra Brehmer that includes insights into my work, as well as the work of Boris Osterov and David Niec , an artist I admire and respect. I was lucky enough to have had a good conversation with Dave before I moved to Porto, and continue to communicate with Debra, who has been and is, so supportive. My work has changed visually in the eleven years since this was written, but the core concerns remain. Quotes from 2010, my words:
“I try to make intimate, quiet things, exploring ancient recurrent themes… There is a need for silent, expansive … images in an increasingly noisy and spiritually insular world.”
“Color and light are for me things and thoughts, substance and phenomena. ..I’m interested in what we see, what we do not see, what we imagine we see.”
October Quite serendipitously, I have been lucky enough to exhibit in a Porto artspace, within a boutique gin distillery. A small installation (200 images) of Portrait, an ongoing, years-long photographic series on loss, memory, neighborhood, and the pandemic will open soon. Many thanks to Andy Mayer, a force of nature, and her partner, gin magician Travis Cunningham, for saying yes. Anja Notanja Singer has interviewed me for her arts podcast Subtle Forces. Thanks to Shane McAdams, artist and co-director of Real Tinsel, for The Grotto exhibition. Reimagining the Global Village, 10/11/2021 - 12/04/2021My October solo exhibition in San Francisco at Chandler Fine Art has been rescheduled for 2023-24. September Real Tinsel The Grotto September 10 - October 24th, 2021 I leave for Oporto, Portugal on September 29, 2021. August Mary L. Nohl Suitcase Exhibition August 9 - September 25, 2021 Filmmaker Laj Waghray and I, in concert with the River Revitalization Foundation, present 2021 artservancy residency event, A Full Moon Awareness Event: “Pause Right Now” August 22, 2021 - 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Due to serious family responsibilities, this event was canceled, JULY This month I submitted the paperwork for a D7 visa for Portugal. I am busy selling and de-acquisitioning art and objects. In addition, I continue to work on long-term projects. After some (many) months, I have finished my collaborative video project with Kyoko Yoshida., Going to Meet the DogsKyoko Yoshida and I were interviewed by Nirmal Raja as part of the upcoming exhibition, Reimagining the Global Village, 10/11/2021 - 12/04/2021 I have been invited to exhibit in the upcoming Mary Nohl Foundation Suitcase exhibition. After a wonderful studio visit, Shane McAdams (thank you, Nirmal Raja) has decided to include my work in Real Tinsel’s carefully curated flat files. Shane also invited me to exhibit with Real Tinsel at the beginning of September. During the opening, Real Tinsel will be paying Eddie Harris’ 1961 masterpiece, Exodus to Jazz (listen here to Little Girl Blue, Willie Pickens on piano). Also sharing a beautiful Harris composition, Alicia. Umeshu cocktails will be served. June This month I have committed to spending time this year abroad. I am busy selling and de-acquisitioning my art and art objects. In addition, I continue to work on long-term projects.I placed a small selection of editioned photos with Chandler Fine Art in San Francisco.On June 20th, I participated in an open-air reading and discussion in honor of poet Moheb Soliman, on tour with his debut book HOMES (Coffee House Press, 2021). May This month I have committed to spending time this year abroad. I am busy selling and deacquisitioning my art and art objects. In addition, I continue to work on long-term projects. After some months, I have completed a unique transfer printed and painted private artbook commission for a San Francisco client. I placed art ephemera and documents from my 30+ years as an artist in the Milwaukee Women’s Art Library (MWAL) I also placed my Milwaukee River Rapids paintings with Alverno College and a suite of 1996 drawings with the Emile H. Mathis Gallery’s UWM Art Collection April Welcome time in the studio. Stay tuned….. Unfortunately, I was not selected for the residency. One door closes, another opens! March This month I have been active in the studio. Debra Brehmer sold three of my handmade books to collectors. Thank you, Debra! I’ve also had a private book commission from San Francisco. Chandler Fine Art has requested silver halide photographs from my flower Portrait series, as well as small books that highlight a previous flower series. My Facebook art page
keeping promises…
Wisconsin poet Chuck Stebelton has been patient! After experimenting for several months with printing transfer techniques, we began our scroll collaborations in earnest.
I participated in the initial proofreading and discussion of Paris-based writer Anca Cristofovici’s manuscript for her new novel, The Golden Eyelash.
More To Come…
I’ll continue to work on very small films, or “pearls”, in collaboration with Japanese writer Kyoko Yoshida, for artist and curator Nirmal Raja
I also hope to meet and walk the Milwaukee Greenway with fellow 2021 artservancy artists, performance choreographer Mauriah Donegan Kraker, and filmmaker Laj Waghray. Laj and I are very excited to be collaborating on an event for this coming August. February Photographer and Project Director Eddee Daniels' blog has posted a sampling of my visual work and prose/ poems as part of my 2021 artservancy residency A video is now available of my January artist’s talk at the New Museum of Los Gatos (NUMU) Susan Pitcher, gallerist at Chandler Fine Art , has asked me to begin planning my 2020 postponed solo exhibition and artists/ poets talk for autumn 2021. Susan has been a staunch supporter of the artists she represents through an incredibly difficult year. Thanks, Susan! I’ve been short-list nominated for an artist-in-residence at the Charles Allis/ Villa Terrace Art Museums. Honored and hopeful that my submission will be accepted January was a busy month. On January 28th, I gave a talk about my work in Art in the Time of Coronavirus, a curated show (Craig Krull, Craig Krull Gallery, LA, CA) to benefit NUMU, The New Museum of Los Gatos Ca Gabrielle Tesfaye and I were chosen to present inaugural window installations for the new MARN Regional Arts Space at 191 Broadway in Milwaukee’s Third Ward My artist’s books were shown as part of a wonderful group exhibition, What On Earth, at the Portrait Society Gallery, Milwaukee
2021 Notes
I was an 2021 artservancy artist My artservancy is sponsored by The River Revitalization Foundation 09/01/202 - 09/01/2021.
Look also at: The Milwaukee Riverkeepers
Eddee Danial's artservancy blog, is an invaluable resource
In collaboration with Japanese writer Kyoko Yoshida, I’ve begun working on a project inspired by her new short story, Going to Meet the Dogs, a tale based on a nearly extinct dog breed, the Karafuto ken or Sakhalin husky, and the Shirase Antarctic Expeditions. The short story will be published in a French literary magazine later this year.
We will show the project in an October MIAD exhibition curated by Nirmal Raja