New Work at the Anderson Gallery

For nearly four weeks I have been pondering over my photos. Editing. Weeding. Trying to be critical. Looking for a body of my best work. It all takes place on my mac. Aperture. Staring at the screen. Scrutinizing each image. Fine-tuning. Listening to each one of them.

Drake University in Des Moines called me and wanted to know if I was interested in having a solo show. This happened a few years ago. I had applied for a Fulbright and had to push the show into the future as I waited to see if I was chosen for this prestigious grant. The first time I applied I was a finalist! The letter of announcing this made me cry. Ultimately I was not chosen as they needed to eliminate one person because of the economy and lack of funding. I applied again the following year. Again, not chosen. Maybe I need to choose a different Fulbright location.

This September I will be exhibiting a new body of work entitled "my eyes are not shut".
The opening reception is Friday, September 7th, 2012. Very exciting. For me, this opportunity is big. I placed a huge print order yesterday....nearly $1,000 for prints. Now I am researching how to apply for Kickstarter. It looks like a viable way to raise funding.

The new work has been culled from my on-going photographic projects. In January I self-published a tiny book on blurb.com (the hardback version is really beautiful!) called "my eyes are not shut". This book has served as the template for the up-coming solo show. A new book is currently being envisioned in my head.

I hope you will come to the show at the Anderson Gallery in Des Moines. Or maybe you might consider inviting me to show this work in your college or university gallery?

http://artsci.drake.edu/andersongallery/upcoming.html

Tammy and R.L. (Richard) at Walker's Barber Shop in Keokuk, Iowa 2011

A Brief History of John Baldessari

my eyes are not shut

my eyes are not shut by Sandra Louise Dyas | Make Your Own Book

Katy, Queen of Her Garden, Iowa City, Iowa 2011

LENSCRATCH is Aline Smithson's photography blog. Talented and well-known photographer Aline is also a blogger who helps to promote other photographers' work. She has regular calls (free) for photographs which she posts online. Today - January 1st, 2012 - is a new exhibition called YOUR FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPH OF 2011.

The work is really exceptional. There are 5 individual parts - you can reach each part by going to the end of the blog and pressing "Older Posts". My fave photo is of my friend Katy Hoffer. I took it early this fall in Katy's garden. This photograph is part of my Lost in the Midwest series. The photo is in Aline's 3rd part of 5 parts.

The Lost Nation Photographs - The Motley Cow, Iowa City, Iowa

My black and white gelatin silver photos are UP. The space they are living in is at the Motley Cow - a fine dining experience in Iowa City. This body of work dates from the early 1990s to 2005. All photographs are hand-printed in my darkroom on fiber paper and are archivally matted --- and are for sale. Please contact me for more information.

sandy@sandydyas.com -- www.sandydyas.com

Jeffrey Foucault - Musician Extraordinaire

Friday night we went to CSPS in Cedar Rapids (in the Czech village) to hear Jeffrey Foucault perform. He sounded so good - way beyond words. And second set his good friend Dave Moore sat in and played his harmonica and accordion. The whole experience of listening to them collaborate and make music was wonderful. In addition, CSPS is brand new. Following the flooding in 2008, CSPS was down but not anymore! It is back and in the finest condition. They now have a small bar with tasty deliciousness....beer and wine. Nice brews to compliment the fine evening you will have.

I have some tiny pics to add from the actual performance - and I made some videos too. But what I have ready to go is one of the images from the NEXT day. On Saturday Jeffrey and I spent a few hours doing a photo shoot. Yes, it was COLD outside. We did some in my make-shift studio and some out at Dave and Lysa Moore's cool cabin on the river. All good. Here is one I especially like from inside my house.

Kelly Pardekooper - YONDER - Easy Ed's Review

My friend Ed Maxin (Easy Ed) writes a blog - on No Depression's site. He posted this review today - November 28, 2011. Gotta read it! Kelly Pardekooper -my good friend and musician, former Iowa Citian and now living in LA has a new record out called YONDER. My friend Gene Flores did the cover art - and boy it is beautiful!!! I just got the new record --- and know I will love it --- gotta pop it in the cd player for the car ride back and forth to Mount Vernon --- teaching photography this month. Keep making music Kelly! Sorry to have missed your show at the Englert this last holiday week. Just too much on my plate...being it was Thanksgiving... I was with my family on the farm in Jackson County.