Missy H. Dunaway

“Small Black and White Daghestan Rug,” ink on paper, 11.5x18.5, 2011

Tomorrow morning I’m off to Chicago for the opening reception of “20 in their 20s,” a group show at Woman Made Gallery in which I’m exhibiting “Kuba Carpet with Radio and Transmission Tower Imagery.” This painting, like the one shown above, is a part of my series of paintings of Oriental carpets. Unfortunately, FedEx thoroughly trashed the frame during shipping. Nonetheless, my unframed painting will be shown from January 20th - February 23rd. Check it out if you’re in the neighborhood.

Woman Made Gallery: 20 in their 20s

I’ll be back to Tumblr-ing on Monday!

“Black and White Milas Rug,” ink on paper, 12x12”

The latest addition to my painted oriental carpets series.

A small sketch for a large Oriental carpet painting that I will begin in a week and a half (after I finish my current carpet painting).

“Kuba Carpet with Radio and Transmission Tower Imagery,” 30x16” ink on paper

Through color use and iconography, Oriental carpets tell stories that are personal to their weaver or historically significant to their home culture. It has been my intention to create a series of carpet paintings that tell stories through these traditional pictorial story-telling techniques that are personal to me and reflect American culture. This is my first carpet painting that incorporates my own iconography. The design and coloring are adopted from carpets from the Caucasus. Within each medallion is a small landscape of radio towers and transmission towers.

I’ve driven clear across The United States three times. I took the first trip when I was 4 years old, and then again when I was 6. Because I was so small, when I wanted to look out the window I had to gaze up. As a result, my view was limited to sky and passing telephone lines. Ever since, I have strongly associated power lines with the American landscape.