FOXY

“Hi Foxy, this is Sean Miller, and I’m calling just to remember meeting David Ireland in 1991 or 92. I had a studio visit with him when I was in Arts School at University of Colorado, Boulder. And really enjoyed— I didn’t get to see Capp Street in person until just three years ago. But, he showed great documentation of it, and at the time he said that if you came to San Francisco you could get the key and go see it yourself. It was like [sic] really open-ended which I really appreciated. I was lucky enough to have a studio visit with him, and he was incredibly engaging, both in terms of speaking and showing his work. In his talk he talked about his collaborations with Ann Hamilton, who also came later and I got to have a studio visit at a different time. But was just really excited about the work and at the time I was doing work that involves mixing painting with different architectural elements and different varnishes and heavy shellac and things like that. And I didn’t see any connection being young, with things that he was doing, but he was really kind because I was doing a lot of new things for me with my art and that approach to assembledge and painting and mixing those things together I wasn’t sure about it. He said it seems like in your mind you’re breaking some of the rules right now. How could I say anything but just keep going. He was like super positive in terms of kinda validating some of the some of the new things I was doing. And now I see a lot of connections, he was one of my favorite visiting artists. You know I’m still an artist and I teach at University of Florida, and actually I’m apart of the visiting artist program. When I think of bringing in visiting  artists to different schools I always think of him as being one of the people that did an amazing job coming out and speaking about what he was working on and about 500 capp street which is an amazing achievement. Stunning to see. Even at the time it was amazing to think about someone working in a space that way. Congratulations on the milestone of 45 years, I’m glad 500 capp street is still available for people to see. It was great taking a few moments to remember David Ireland. Okay, thank you, bye.”

“Hello, this is Connie Lewallen. I can’t recall when what I’m about to tell you took place. It was sometime in the mid 1990s. David asked me to help him write a proposal for a permanent outdoor public arts competition. The site was a hillside, maybe a meadow, somewhere in the greater Bay area. David proposed that the site be populated with wild animals such as zebras and gazelles. Obviously drawing on his earlier experience as a safari leader in Africa. He was dead serious. We wrote it up, submitted it, and to no surprise the proposal was rejected.”

“This is Douglas Dunn calling. My numbers are 212-966-6999 and 917-288-4887. Douglas Dunn and Dancers Company member, Grazia Della-Terza, is a distant relative of David Ireland. They both emerge from clans in Bellingham Washington where everyone knew everyone. Grazia introduced me to David in the early 1980s and he and I worked together on several large projects in New York City, around the US, and in France. During the 100th anniversary of 500 Cap Street. David invited Rob to attend me to dance in the all ready famous house. He hung cassette tape recorders which played his sound scores from the ceilings in all the rooms. The event took place at 11:00 AM on Sunday July 20 1986. The audience, which included my mother and sister, I having been born and raised in Palo Alto California, migrated from room to room. More than filling each one as Grazia and I danced amidst them. David was most satisfied with the celebration as were we all. In keeping with other collaboration between David and me the interaction produced intensified aesthetic  inspiration on both sides. On January 28 2016, from six to eight pm, we had another opportunity to inhabit the house, this time with a full company. The troop included me, Grazia De La Terza, Tim Ward, JinJu Songbegin, Alexandra Berger, Emily Pulp, Jules Batchi, and Paul Sing. Using small units of movement made for the occasion, the dancers dispersed throughout the house, choosing where to be and which bits to show. The audience likewise were free to roam. Grazia and I miss David dearly and wish the best for the continuing active presence of 500 Capp Street. [Sound of phone hanging up].”

“Hi, my name is Jordan Ireland. I’m actually Sean Ireland’s daughter. So David’s my grandpa. There’s so many things that I remember about his home. Anytime we would go and visit him, his house was such, it was almost like a museum which it literally kind of almost is nowadays. But I remember just looking at all of the projects he had over the house, the cracks on the walls and just all of the things he had. Like literally there was always something new to see and find. And anytime I went, I just remember like [sic] spending hours, just going around and looking at everything, but not really touching anything. I didn’t want to screw anything up, but it’s kind of funny too. Because my house is kind of like that. Now I have, I’m a collector, so I have a bunch of stuff in my house to look out and, you know, vintage items and things that have stories.

And I think that probably stemmed a little bit from him and was inspired by him. But I think the most memorable moment I have was in the early two thousands. We had a huge family Thanksgiving in the house and I just remember sitting at the huge wooden table and it was candlelit. And I remember just the whole family and cousins and friends sitting around the table. I don’t remember how old I was. I think I was maybe around 10, maybe earlier. I don’t really remember, but I remember how cold it was. And it was, it was one of the only thanksgivings or one of the only holidays I actually spent away from home. Which was unusual because usually we would sit at home on a holiday and family get together. But, I just remember how cool it was. It was like one of the biggest family events that we ever had. And I don’t know that, but that was probably the one memory that sticks out to me, obviously, you know, with it being grandpa, it’s you know different [sic] cause it’s grandpa, but I can remember how cool it was because again, we had family and friends and you know, David’s friends and stuff were there. It’s a really cool memory.

I have not been back to the house in forever. I remember when my grandpa passed. I remember me and my mom, we were in San Francisco for something. Or we’re in California for something I remember, and I remember we had snuck out of the hotel and you know, just passed by his house. And my mom kind of showed me where he was at. I don’t know. I just, that’s also a very vivid memory and we were sitting there bawling her eyes out and kind of talking about him and remembering him.

Obviously this was after he had passed. So this was probably 2010, 2011. I can’t even remember now. But that was another memory that was very vivid in my mind. And unfortunately I didn’t get to see him before he had passed [sic], but, I’m glad that you all are living on his memory. And living on his, what’s the word I’m thinking of? I guess, giving the David Ireland experience through the house. But yeah, I just wanted to call, thank you guys for doing this. This is really cool. Hopefully I’ll be able to come up there once the pandemic is over and timely see the house and all its glory again. I’d like to see how much it’s changed since I’ve been there. So have a great day.”

“Hi, my name is Susan Marie Johnson. David Ireland was a dear friend of mine from 1978 until his death. I met David when I was a graduate student at Fiber Work Center for the Textile Arts in Berkeley in 1978. At that point, fiberworks was connected with Lone Mountain College in San Francisco, and they’re the ones that issued my MFA in textile arts. David was my thesis advisor and he has a profound influence on my developing artwork. His emphasis on the artwork as just being the residue of the creative process, always stayed with me. It would be wonderful, we would have our graduate seminars at 500 Capp street from 1978 to 1979. David had just recently received this NEA grant from the work that he had done on his house. He talked about how he wanted a museum to buy his whole house someday, which I’m sure he’d be happy about what’s happening now [sic]. It was so inspirational to hold our graduate seminar in 500 capp street.

It was an unforgettable experience for me. I don’t think that many people knew that David influenced the textile art fields during this time. Because of his influence I know I got into the top international textile show the year after graduate school and was acknowledged as one of the pioneers that moved this field into the larger art arena. Mildred Howard was also at Fiber Works and encountered David Ireland and his ideas there. I stay connected with David after graduate school until [inaudible] a show called ”The Invitational” at the Leah Levy Gallery in 1980. In 1996 David’s sister’s only gallery called the IXL gallery. And I had a one person show there. David and I traded artwork, saw each other socially throughout the years and remained friends for the rest of his life. I’m happy that 500 Capp Street still exists. And so many more people will be able to experience it. I only wished David was still here too. Thanks for everything you’re doing. Take care. Bye.”

“Hi, this is Mike Osterhout calling from New York.*ahem* Excuse me. And, uh, my story is that I think Foxy would be Terry Fox. And, uh [sic], David was a gigantic influence in my life and my career. I miss him every day.”

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“Hello, David, this is Foxy. Uhhhhh hhh, I just got a shipment of some very special help. They are from Uzbekistan. And I uh set aside a few of them for you. You are, uh, you asked me if I ever got something out of the ordinary, and uhh, talk too much about exactly what they are. Come down to the, uhhhhhh, sixth street, to the uhh basement and, uhhhh, I’ll hook you up. All right, David. See you later.”

“Hi all, this is Jane. Um, my story took place in 1993. It’s a tale of travels with David. In 1993, we ventured to an island called Skellig Michael, a sliver of a rock off the coast of Fort McGee Island. A monk’s retreat in about the fourth or fifth century. This was to be an artist retreat, curator and artist adventure. We spent the days climbing to the top of the hill. Many, many steps. He would bound up the steps with his long dangly legs, I traveled quickly behind him. A series of beautiful, perfect architectural Korbel stone huts sat at the top where the preist’s quarters were. We sat in silence, meditating, staring at the sea like it was the end of the world. David making sketches, and I was photographing.

We spent our days watching the light come and go. Back on land we would drive around the countryside. David driving on the right-hand-side, I was petrified with his driving. And looking at all the houses that we passed. He grumbled at the poor architecture. He hated the way they were, they were slapped together and the terrible choice of colors. To amuse ourselves David decided to give out bad taste citations. They were plentiful and he loved doing it. And we laughed a lot.

At night we wandered into the only pub in town and slowly made friends with all the townspeople and locals. They had no idea what we were doing here or why we would go out to Skellig every day to catch the light and just be there. David entertained them all with all his wonderful stories, real and made up. And he was the joy of the town. I bet they’re still talking about him today. So that’s the backstory of Skellig Michael and Portmagee (Kerry, Ireland). Bye all.”