Tomorrow is when the La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum opens its doors to about two dozen Japanese quilters to mark the start of the newest exhibits. Among the Japanese quilts and Ainu embroidery is the quilt project that I was a part of.
Back in June 2010 I was approached by board members for the museum and asked if I'd join a project. I accepted. Now two years later, that project is ready to be unveiled.
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Showing posts with label Event. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Event. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Whirling Behind the Waves
Here at WWU, we have an excellent gallery (Viking Union Gallery) that is constantly bringing in awesome exhibits and art to the student community. Last week the "You've Got Secrets Show" ended a great run. If you are curious about that, I wrote about it on my other blog.
This week, the wonderful Gallery Coordinator, Allie Paul, has brought in another memorable show (read: experience); Dennis McNett's Whirling Waves & Wolfbats.
McNett is a Brooklyn-based artist that is known for his woodblock printing and installation art. Some common themes that run through his art include bats, wolves, and of course, Norse mythology. Which makes him perfect for WWU--the home of the Vikings.
As part of this new show, not only is McNett displaying a variety of prints on paper and fabric and skateboards, but also two installation sculptures--a model Viking boat, and a dragon pinata; although, the latter might not be recognizable after the opening reception...
ALSO, he has invited WWU students (art majors and / or otherwise inclined) to help with the project of constructing and building and preparing for the opening reception this Thursday night--specifically the dragon and a series of Viking-esque / -inspired helmets and masks. Because of the awesome collaboration, there should be an equally (if not greater) amount of awesome during the reception.
So, here is a small compilation of photos archiving the prep-work for the show, which will run from February 3-18 in the VU Gallery (5th floor of WWU's Viking Union). I will add more photos during the week, and look for a blog reviewing the show on my Seattle Whispers blog.
All the following photos were taken by me, and show work by McNett and awesome students. I will only credit work as my own when it is true.
This week, the wonderful Gallery Coordinator, Allie Paul, has brought in another memorable show (read: experience); Dennis McNett's Whirling Waves & Wolfbats.
McNett is a Brooklyn-based artist that is known for his woodblock printing and installation art. Some common themes that run through his art include bats, wolves, and of course, Norse mythology. Which makes him perfect for WWU--the home of the Vikings.
As part of this new show, not only is McNett displaying a variety of prints on paper and fabric and skateboards, but also two installation sculptures--a model Viking boat, and a dragon pinata; although, the latter might not be recognizable after the opening reception...
ALSO, he has invited WWU students (art majors and / or otherwise inclined) to help with the project of constructing and building and preparing for the opening reception this Thursday night--specifically the dragon and a series of Viking-esque / -inspired helmets and masks. Because of the awesome collaboration, there should be an equally (if not greater) amount of awesome during the reception.
So, here is a small compilation of photos archiving the prep-work for the show, which will run from February 3-18 in the VU Gallery (5th floor of WWU's Viking Union). I will add more photos during the week, and look for a blog reviewing the show on my Seattle Whispers blog.
All the following photos were taken by me, and show work by McNett and awesome students. I will only credit work as my own when it is true.
Some prints and their skateboard-mounted versions.
Wall-height print on fabric.
The wire-frame for the dragon Fire Eagle.
McNett hard at work on forming the dragon Fire Eagle.
An example of a helmet's first layer (made by a friend and I)
Some more awesome examples of helmets in various stages.
Finished helmet by my friend and I. Last layer is a collage of hand-printed paper by McNett.
The fully-formed Fire Eagle, awaiting the sacrifice.
Viking boat model, T-minus 7 hours to the opening reception.
Detail of the ship.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
New Year, New Order
Now that 2010 is gone, we can talk behind its back! I can't think of anything to say, so I'll just let everyone know what my ideal schedule looks like with presenting stuff on here:
I really wanted this blog to be about art, sharing creativity, and promoting these activities everywhere. So, I'll try to inspire more people by showing more stuff.
Have a Good NYE Recovery Day!
- Sneak peaks of projects at least once a month
- Host at least two other Art Share events
- Attempt to launch Secret Art Awareness Project (more later)
- Throw up some pages from my sketch books weekly
I really wanted this blog to be about art, sharing creativity, and promoting these activities everywhere. So, I'll try to inspire more people by showing more stuff.
Have a Good NYE Recovery Day!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Art Share: November!
So, at the beginning of November I had a request for art and creativity from people I knew, as well as people that read my blogs. I used my birthday as a guilt trip for art, but in the future I won't use such a tactic.
Here's what people contributed during this round. Please note I do not own any of the artwork, except for where I note that it's my piece. Any copyright infringement/art theft is responsible by the person that submitted the work.
Making a lite shhh as it softly cascades up and down the rocky beach.
The wind begins to pick up,
Whistling as it moves between the blades of the grass that lies further up the bank.
The rain starts,
...Beating a slow tap tap taptaptap on the surface of the water.
Lightening peals down the sky,
Thunder starts a slow, rolling growl.
The wind becomes a gale,
Whistling turns to howling as wind passes between everything.
The waves become swells,
Crashing against the rocks, sounding like a ferocious onslaught of symbols smashing together.
The rain becomes hail,
And the tempo of falling ice increases.
Lightning flashes everywhere,
Thunder rapidly crescendos.
And then, all at once,
Energy seems to dissipate and everything becomes calm and serene once more.
-
A line scrawled across a page,
It's meaning lost ages ago.
A sentence stopped dead,
With words unsaid.
A painting full of color,
...Yet still lacking.
A song full of words,
But devoid of emotion.
A dusty camera,
With a burned out bulb.
A sculpture,
Missing it's final touches.
A poem that lies unwritten.
The things Artists suffer from,
The things that Artists strive for,
Are what makes an Artist stronger.
the grass froze last night
sun sparkles in white crystals
crunching under shoes
THE END
Here's what people contributed during this round. Please note I do not own any of the artwork, except for where I note that it's my piece. Any copyright infringement/art theft is responsible by the person that submitted the work.
Mike Larsen
---
Rafael Villapando
---
Nicholas Ferguson
The sea is calm,Making a lite shhh as it softly cascades up and down the rocky beach.
The wind begins to pick up,
Whistling as it moves between the blades of the grass that lies further up the bank.
The rain starts,
...Beating a slow tap tap taptaptap on the surface of the water.
Lightening peals down the sky,
Thunder starts a slow, rolling growl.
The wind becomes a gale,
Whistling turns to howling as wind passes between everything.
The waves become swells,
Crashing against the rocks, sounding like a ferocious onslaught of symbols smashing together.
The rain becomes hail,
And the tempo of falling ice increases.
Lightning flashes everywhere,
Thunder rapidly crescendos.
And then, all at once,
Energy seems to dissipate and everything becomes calm and serene once more.
-
A line scrawled across a page,
It's meaning lost ages ago.
A sentence stopped dead,
With words unsaid.
A painting full of color,
...Yet still lacking.
A song full of words,
But devoid of emotion.
A dusty camera,
With a burned out bulb.
A sculpture,
Missing it's final touches.
A poem that lies unwritten.
The things Artists suffer from,
The things that Artists strive for,
Are what makes an Artist stronger.
---
Sandy Stokes:
Editor and Co-Publisher of La Conner Weekly News
the grass froze last night
sun sparkles in white crystals
crunching under shoes
---
Danni Wilkins
---
---
Candace Feingold, with Kelly and Tara Gilkey
There once were two medium sized monsters named Zebo and Stonkerston. They were the outcasts in their home of Stronkstonville because they weren’t part of the Big or Small monster club. They were medium monsters. The leaders of the big and ...small monster club bullied poor Zebo and Stonkerston. It was sad. One day the MT&T started a contest for the monsters to create an advertisement for MT&T. The winner got a remodel of their school. The big and little monsters had ideas but nothing connected them. They wanted to create an ad to show the bars for the company. However, they had a medium sized problem; they didn’t have a medium bar. Just then they realized that they needed the medium monsters Zebo and Stonkerston. The Big and Littles went to Zebo and Stonkerston to ask them to help with the advertisement. Zebo and Stonkerston agreed to help only if the Big and Littles would stop bullying them. The Big and Littles agreed to stop and shook hands with each other. All of the monsters won the contest and Zebo and Stonkerston were never bullied again.
THE END
---
And of course, my own work that I did between the time the event started and ended (even though it wasn't a Requirement).
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Art Sharing Challenge!
My birthday is coming up in the next few weeks, and people keep asking me what I want for my birthday. Honestly, a lot of things for this list, but one thing I thought would be really interesting is to ask a lot of people to draw/create something and put it out into the world.
So, I'm using my birthday as more leverage to get people to do something creative and share it with the world. it may sound narcissistic and selfish, but it's for the Greater Creative Community!
So, pick up your pencils, pens, paintbrushes, and any other instruments of Awesome, and create something. It can be a poem, a dance routine, video, sculpture, sketch, doodle, painting, etc. Anything! The emphasis is on Creating and Creativity!
Post a link to your creation here as a comment, or on the Facebook event (but please not both).
All submissions must be posted/linked by the end of November 21st (wherever you live), and sometime in the following week I will have a post (or a series of them) showcasing everyone's creativity!
Just remember that the response time to share the posts is directly related to the volume of said posts.
Go forth and Create, and spread the news!
The shortened link is: http://dft.ba/-ArtShare
Have an awesome end of week!
So, I'm using my birthday as more leverage to get people to do something creative and share it with the world. it may sound narcissistic and selfish, but it's for the Greater Creative Community!
So, pick up your pencils, pens, paintbrushes, and any other instruments of Awesome, and create something. It can be a poem, a dance routine, video, sculpture, sketch, doodle, painting, etc. Anything! The emphasis is on Creating and Creativity!
Post a link to your creation here as a comment, or on the Facebook event (but please not both).
All submissions must be posted/linked by the end of November 21st (wherever you live), and sometime in the following week I will have a post (or a series of them) showcasing everyone's creativity!
Just remember that the response time to share the posts is directly related to the volume of said posts.
Go forth and Create, and spread the news!
The shortened link is: http://dft.ba/-ArtShare
Have an awesome end of week!
Friday, July 9, 2010
Mo'-Fishtown
I got my copy of Fishtown and the Skagit River early because I will be out of the region for the exhibit's opening reception and book release tomorrow night.
If you're interested, the opening reception is 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday night at the Museum of Northwest Art on First Street in La Conner.
Here's a peak at the book, available for $15 (I'll provide a link if/when it goes onto Amazon).
You can email the Museum to order a book, or call Kathy Harmon @ (360) 466-4446 ext. 112
Magnificent use of David King's 1979 photo of Fishtown (at least one of the shacks) on the cover. The book is 8 in. x 10 in.
David King's 1979 photo of Dodge near Fishtown. On the right is a perfect example of the collaborations that happened in Fishtown: The poem The Diamond Vehicle was composed by Charles Krafft, the image was drawn by Bo Miller, and Steve Herold wrote the calligraphy. The poem/graphic was used in Cow Tales, a poem compilation with lots of collaborations.
-Enjoy!
These are just snaps I took of the book, I do not own them in anyway.
If you're interested, the opening reception is 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday night at the Museum of Northwest Art on First Street in La Conner.
Here's a peak at the book, available for $15 (I'll provide a link if/when it goes onto Amazon).
You can email the Museum to order a book, or call Kathy Harmon @ (360) 466-4446 ext. 112
-Enjoy!
These are just snaps I took of the book, I do not own them in anyway.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Fishtown and the Skagit River
After the busy-ness with the Art Auction, I was asked by the Museum of Northwest Art's Executive Director if I could help them and proofread an upcoming book. I readily accepted.
The book is Fishtown and the Skagit River, which coincides with their newest exhibit of the same name. The exhibit actually opens tomorrow, and doesn't get switched out until October. The book is expected to be released Saturday, July 10; and will cost $15.
For those of you that have no idea what Fishtown is, let me inform you.
Fishtown was an artist community on the outskirts of La Conner back in the 1960s that existed until the mid-1980s. Fishtown was made up of old, fishing shacks on the banks of the Skagit River that had been abandoned in the 50s. Several artists moved into these shacks and assumed a "simple" way of living:
No electricity, no running water (beyond the ever-moving river), no taxes, and completely enveloped by nature. To get to town, the artists would either trudge through farmland (trespassing, except the farmers were tolerant), or paddle their way to the Swinomish Channel to reach First Street.
Many of the people that lived in these shacks were very fond of Asian culture and beliefs--this was often translated into the artwork that was produced within these shacks. Artists blurred their boundaries of creativity: poets took up paint brushes, painters tackled printing presses, etc. Collaborations between artists were very frequent, and this cultivated a culture that was unique to Fishtown.
You couldn't really get to Fishtown unless you were invited, and even then you needed a guide that had been there or was an actual resident. Now, with the help with satellite photography, one could find the old shacks where Fishtown rests. If you know where to look.
If you are interested in Fishtown, local writer Fred Owens explains its history on his blog, Frog Hospital: A Bit of Fishtown History.
This past week I've been poring over the drafts for the book, trying to catch typos, grammar errors, layout edits, and anything else that jumps to mind. On Tuesday, I got the chance to help set up and arrange a few things at the Museum with curator Kathleen Moles.
Here are a few exclusive shots of the show mid-arrangement:
The book is Fishtown and the Skagit River, which coincides with their newest exhibit of the same name. The exhibit actually opens tomorrow, and doesn't get switched out until October. The book is expected to be released Saturday, July 10; and will cost $15.
For those of you that have no idea what Fishtown is, let me inform you.
Fishtown was an artist community on the outskirts of La Conner back in the 1960s that existed until the mid-1980s. Fishtown was made up of old, fishing shacks on the banks of the Skagit River that had been abandoned in the 50s. Several artists moved into these shacks and assumed a "simple" way of living:
No electricity, no running water (beyond the ever-moving river), no taxes, and completely enveloped by nature. To get to town, the artists would either trudge through farmland (trespassing, except the farmers were tolerant), or paddle their way to the Swinomish Channel to reach First Street.
Many of the people that lived in these shacks were very fond of Asian culture and beliefs--this was often translated into the artwork that was produced within these shacks. Artists blurred their boundaries of creativity: poets took up paint brushes, painters tackled printing presses, etc. Collaborations between artists were very frequent, and this cultivated a culture that was unique to Fishtown.
You couldn't really get to Fishtown unless you were invited, and even then you needed a guide that had been there or was an actual resident. Now, with the help with satellite photography, one could find the old shacks where Fishtown rests. If you know where to look.
If you are interested in Fishtown, local writer Fred Owens explains its history on his blog, Frog Hospital: A Bit of Fishtown History.
This past week I've been poring over the drafts for the book, trying to catch typos, grammar errors, layout edits, and anything else that jumps to mind. On Tuesday, I got the chance to help set up and arrange a few things at the Museum with curator Kathleen Moles.
Here are a few exclusive shots of the show mid-arrangement:
Several pieces of art waiting to be hung up on the wall at MoNA.
I don't know who did most these, there are a lot of artists in this show, but I'm pretty sure the middle piece (right of the blue one with circles) is Paul Hansen.
My favorite part of the show right now.
This is room is usually a glass gallery for exhibits, but not this time.
To transition from the main room (Main Fishtown) to this room (Fishtown-inspired/related), there is an excellent display of Robert Sund's Wind poems. He wrote poems and sayings on thin strips, and hang them around his shack.
The painting of the Skagit River (left of the little yellow piece) was painted by John Simon--a wonderful Skagit Valley painter that recently passed away.
This is the curved wall that is in front of the curving stairs. It's an excellent center-piece for when people walk into the Museum's exhibit. For this show a poem was written, in excellent calligraphy, by local calligraphist and artist Maggie Wilder. Her script has been featured all over town, including the back wall of the local library. The poem is not her work, I believe it is Robert Sund, but will have to update once the show's open.
The show opens tomorrow morning, and the actual opening "party" will be on Saturday, July 10 from 3pm-7pm.
The painting of the Skagit River (left of the little yellow piece) was painted by John Simon--a wonderful Skagit Valley painter that recently passed away.
The show opens tomorrow morning, and the actual opening "party" will be on Saturday, July 10 from 3pm-7pm.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
MoNA Art Auction
This weekend, I had a piece in the Museum of Northwest Art's annual art auction. This auction is said to be the best exposure new artists can get, and for free. This single event draws thousands of tourists and art lovers from all over the state (and Northwest), but of course a majority hails from Seattle.
Last year I entered a portrait as kind of a "why not?" and it ended up selling. Actually, I spoke with the winning bidder, and she said she was at a restaurant looking at the catalog, and knew she wanted my piece, even by the thumbnail. By the way, last year's submission was this one:
This year, I initially wanted to do another portrait, but to no avail. And then, I was suddenly hooked on the idea of drawing my town, from street view. If you're intrigued, and want to know the background info, you can read it for yourself here.
Anyway, the last I saw of my piece was about three or so weeks ago when I submitted it to the Museum to get framed. It was in three pieces, all disjointed and incoherent...and on Friday night, during the Preview Party, this is what I saw:
I absolutely love how it came out, and the matting is just perfect. A lot of people at the auction were congratulating on my piece, and how much they liked it. The majority of the pieces in this auction are in silent auction sections, and so there isn't as much energy as the main event: the live auction.
Of course, there's still a buzz in the air, and people are continuously flowing in and out of the sections and ebbing in and out of the upstairs section. It's always nice to see so many people interested in art all in one place, and for artists to get recognized and mingle with possible-buyers and appreciators.
Once the silent auctions were finished, I was pulled aside by a few people of note in the community, and they expressed their approval on my piece, and wanted to know if I wanted to collaborate on a future project. I'm excited.
Also of note, while browsing the galleries during the auction, I came upon artist Tom Beckwith's piece. All I have is this little thumbnail from the Museum's auction site.
When I first started my street-view project, I had a few ideas of what I wanted it to look like. One of them looked kind of like this:
Last year I entered a portrait as kind of a "why not?" and it ended up selling. Actually, I spoke with the winning bidder, and she said she was at a restaurant looking at the catalog, and knew she wanted my piece, even by the thumbnail. By the way, last year's submission was this one:
On the deviantArt page for this, you can read the background story and materials used.
This year, I initially wanted to do another portrait, but to no avail. And then, I was suddenly hooked on the idea of drawing my town, from street view. If you're intrigued, and want to know the background info, you can read it for yourself here.
Anyway, the last I saw of my piece was about three or so weeks ago when I submitted it to the Museum to get framed. It was in three pieces, all disjointed and incoherent...and on Friday night, during the Preview Party, this is what I saw:
I absolutely love how it came out, and the matting is just perfect. A lot of people at the auction were congratulating on my piece, and how much they liked it. The majority of the pieces in this auction are in silent auction sections, and so there isn't as much energy as the main event: the live auction.
Of course, there's still a buzz in the air, and people are continuously flowing in and out of the sections and ebbing in and out of the upstairs section. It's always nice to see so many people interested in art all in one place, and for artists to get recognized and mingle with possible-buyers and appreciators.
Once the silent auctions were finished, I was pulled aside by a few people of note in the community, and they expressed their approval on my piece, and wanted to know if I wanted to collaborate on a future project. I'm excited.
Also of note, while browsing the galleries during the auction, I came upon artist Tom Beckwith's piece. All I have is this little thumbnail from the Museum's auction site.
When I first started my street-view project, I had a few ideas of what I wanted it to look like. One of them looked kind of like this:
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
MUTEMATH Concert
Friday, September 25, 2009
Banned Books Week Kick-Off
Starting tomorrow, September 26th, is the start of the 27th Banned Books Week. For a full week, libraries (public and school-based) will pay tribute to books that have been banned or censored over the years.
This event was created to celebrate our ability to the freedom of speech, as well as draw attention towards the censorship, restriction, challenges, and bans on books in libraries. Many books that are challenged the most are classics by John Steinbeck, Ray Bradbury, Mark Twain, as well as contemporary authors like Jodi Picoult, John Green, and Khaled Hosseini.
This event was created to celebrate our ability to the freedom of speech, as well as draw attention towards the censorship, restriction, challenges, and bans on books in libraries. Many books that are challenged the most are classics by John Steinbeck, Ray Bradbury, Mark Twain, as well as contemporary authors like Jodi Picoult, John Green, and Khaled Hosseini. Books that have been challenged or banned come in all sizes and audience-targets. In conjunction with this annual event, I shall write about authors and books that have been banned, why they were banned, what I think about the book, and the reason for being challenged.
Get involved and help celebrate our freedom of speech. Read a banned book!
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