I’ve been working on a new college view book for the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. It’s about 64 pages, and will include lots of information for students on life at FIDM. These are two of the cover concepts I’ve been working on. The text is being tweaked now, so the interior pages are still in progress. I think this view book will be a nice snapshot of what it’s like to be a student on campus. When we finish this one, we’ll start working on the second view book in the series, which will focus on the exciting careers of FIDM graduates.
Several months ago, I finished working on a project to create seven interpretive signs for the new Ute Learning Garden at the Mesa County Fairgrounds in western Colorado. I worked with the Bureau of Land Management, the US Forest Service, and Colorado State University Extension to complete the project.
I really enjoyed working on this project, and learned a lot about how Native Americans lived on the land before they were pushed out by white settlers.
My only regret is that I didn’t have a voice in creating the posts that the signs were eventually mounted on. I probably would’ve chosen something a little more substantial weight-wise and painted them darker colors that aren’t as distracting. But overall, I think the signs themselves look great! I’m looking forward to the completion of the garden. Hopefully then they will invite me to help them unify everything graphically throughout the entire exhibit.
I’d love to have more opportunities in the future to work with educators to create interpretive displays for the public.
Last month I hosted a booth at the Beverly Hills Art Festival. I met the director of the Gregory Way Gallery there, and we’ve been corresponding about getting more of my work there on display! These are the pieces I’ll be shipping next week:
Jewels of the Mind (05) Ink and gouache on paper on board. 24x24 inches. 2010.
I sold these pieces (plus some others) at the Downtown Denver Arts Festival this past weekend. I also made some contacts for possible future opportunities!
Moments of Clarity (04) Ink on paper. 13x10 inches. 2010.
When I was in Los Angeles last week, my friend Kim and I took a stroll around Little Tokyo. I saw this Maneki Neko in the window of a shop, and fell in love with it. Maneki Neko is a “beckoning cat” which is known as a welcoming cat, and is also thought to attract luck and fortune. I think I may get one for my next art show, and see if my sales improve! I want one that’s about 6 inches tall.
YoYoYoYo. (Detail) Twine on paper. 20x26 inches. 2010.
I’ve just started a whole new series of these white on white beauties! Hopefully I can show you more of them soon. This first one was really popular at the Beverly Hills Art Show this weekend.
Astronomical 02. Ink and twine on paper. 10x13 inches. 2010.
I found out this morning that my friend’s father is having a liver transplant today. I feel such gratitude and hope everything goes well for him. Being an organ donor is probably the most selfless gift you could offer to a family in need. My own dad died while waiting for a life-saving liver to come his way, which sadly, it never did.
Self-portrait in Bile and Beets
When another artist friend, Katie Shaw, heard about this, she introduced me to one of her former art students from Virginia Commonwealth University—Ella Watson. Ella had been liver transplant recipient herself, and documented her experiences through her artwork (shown in this post).
My First Drawing on IV Morphine (Mummy would be so proud)
This is the fourth piece in my Karma Series (they seem to be getting bigger each time I do a new one!). Check out the first three here and here.
The relationship between karma and samskara has been front and center in my life over the past month or so. Big changes are underway (more info coming soon!), and I think it’s really important that I stay aware of possible samskaras (automatic responses) that can take over in stressful situations. Hopefully I’ll be able to use some of what I’ve learned through the painting process and meditating on these ideas to achieve positive results.
The North Carolina Museum of Art just posted online all the available works in their upcoming Art of the Auction event that will benefit the North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation. I’m honored that one of my paintings was chosen for inclusion in the auction.
The work will be on display at the museum from May 6–20, and the live auction will be held on May 21.
Matt and I spent the weekend poking around one of our favorite springtime stomping grounds—Southeast Utah. Matt took this photo of the Colorado River near Lake Powell, with the Henry Mountains in the background. Check out more of his beautiful landscape photographs here.
This was the view of the full moon from our campsite in Lower Johns Canyon, on the edge of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Lots of amazing Native American rock art was there to be admired.
I think Kokopelli might be one of the figures featured on this rock (above, center). Kokopelli is a fertility god, according to the Hopi tribe. He’s also considered to be a trickster and represents the spirit of music. He is usually pictured playing a flute.
Mojo and Kala had a blast exploring the canyon. This was Kala’s first camping trip, and I think it agreed with her! I wish I’d gotten more photos of her romping around in the creek. She loved splashing around and sprinting through the water pools even as Mojo was quite content to watch from the sidelines.
A few weeks ago, I submitted some of my work to be considered for the North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation’s inaugural Art of the Auction event. I just found out that my painting, Tangential Thinking (03), was chosen by the jury for inclusion in the auction!
There’s a special sentimental feeling I have about this opportunity, because I spent a lot of time at the North Carolina Museum of Art as a young art lover. As a design student at NC State University I would often go to the museum, choose a painting, and just sit in the gallery staring at it until I felt I understood something about it’s essence... And now one of my own pieces is going to be a part of the life of the institution. Perhaps, if I’m fortunate, one of my works will someday make it into the museum’s permanent collection.
My piece will be on view at the Auction Preview on May 6 and remain on display for two weeks leading up to the Art of the Auction event on May 21 at 7pm.
I mentioned in some of my earlier “Favorite Famous Artists” posts about Barbara Kruger and Georgia O'Keefe that I've always loved Feminist art. I especially like art that is somehow creepy or disturbing in some way (see my post on Francis Bacon). As a young artist, I loved when women artists were in your face. I wanted to be in your face, too!
Even though I’m not usually inspired by photography, there is something about Cindy Sherman’s work that grabs me, on a visceral level (which is exactly where I like it!). Her photographs are painterly, imaginative, and abstract, even though the images are (sort-of) representational. The colors and lighting are so vivid, so saturated, so dramatic. As a viewer, I really get a sense of emotion, something sinister under the surface, something surreal and dreamlike.
Maybe activist art about Feminist issues has fallen somewhat out of fashion since the 1980s, but I think it’s as relevant now as much as ever... especially with many of the services that benefit women (and children) who live in poverty on the government’s budget chopping block. Cindy Sherman’s work isn’t directly about these issues, but I think her female caricatures are so powerful and disturbing precisely because they reflect something truthful about the way women are (de)valued in our culture.
On Friday morning I went down to the Fashion District in Downtown Los Angeles to get some visual stimulation, and to see what’s new at Michael Levine’s fabric store. Whenever I’m in L.A., I like to see what’s new.
These two displays of head-wear were right next to each other on the street. I like the juxtaposition of the rainbow-colored wigs next to the rainbow umbrella (top). And there was just something funny (and a little creepy) about all those stuffed animal hats, especially on the head with drawn-on eyes (bottom).
I bought two small blue feather boas for $2.50 each. I have an idea I want to try with one of my paintings. If it works out, you’ll probably see it in a future blog post.
Western Colorado Center for the Arts Curator (and my friend) Camille Silverman said about my work, “You can feel her restraint and her letting go of control within the body of work. That’s interesting; it adds this tension and release that makes her work alive.”
This summer, I’ll be teaching a workshop at the Art Center based on processes for conceptualizing and creating abstract art. It is already open for registration and space is limited. Find out more here.
