Client: John M. Walsh III

Overview

“Rush Hour” is a 60” x 60” appliquéd artwork. It was commissioned by John M. Walsh III, who owns a water filtration company and is an avid collector of stitched hangings. He has commissioned many fiber artists to create images for his collection. In 2010, he asked me to create a 60” x 60” stitched artwork. He said, “Do whatever you want. Take as long as you want. It just has to deal with water.” I had an immediate reaction and decided to do an image of an aquarium full of more than 400 fish swimming in swirling patterns.

Goals

John M. Walsh III did not put any restrictions on the project. He did not even want to see a preliminary sketch. His main goal as a collector is to commission fiber artists to create fiber artworks on the theme of “water” and to then display the artworks at exhibitions in museums and other venues. I am delighted that he chose me to create a stitched artwork for his collection. At this time, “Rush Hour” has already been exhibited at two museums.

Process

John Walsh is a very gracious collector and we enjoyed collaborating with each other in person, via phone calls, emails and letters. We discussed the options of how the artwork should be packaged and shipped, which shipping companies to use, how to present the artwork, which exhibition venues to pursue, etc.

Eric Chen of General Art Framing, New York, N.Y. framed the artwork.

Frank Cusack helped attach the artwork onto the canvas stretchers.

Vincent Como of Welpak, Maspeth, N.Y. oversaw the crating and shipping of the “Rush Hour” artwork.

Additional Information

I worked on “Rush Hour” for almost two years. I requested that the “Rush Hour“ artwork be mounted on canvas stretchers, protected with plexiglas and transported in a custom-made wooden crate. I am delighted to have collaborated with John Walsh. He is an exceptionally receptive collector and is a total fan of stitched artwork. I am honored to know him.