New Prints, Watercolors and Events

The days seem to have less minutes in them every day. Its been over a week since I last stopped by the TCC print studio, even though I have been carrying supplies with me every other day, thinking that I might have some time to swing by and get some work done. Semester is only 2 more weeks, and with family coming to town this weekend, it's not looking so good for the rest of the month either... I am trying though, maybe tomorrow before I have to go sit the Grand Impromptu Gallery.

I did have a chance to print a couple of weeks ago, finished two prints a large etching and a small mezzotint. (Both above) It was my first ever mezzotint to rock, scrape and print, and I was pretty happy with it. Theres a picture of me rocking and another wiping a plate at the TCC print studio. I am rocking my second round plate at home, and hope to finish it at some point in the ear future. The imagery has shifted from my factory farming theme to a George Orwellian animal takeover. Lots of imagination and humor is involved. The investigation is revelaing how animals are quietly scheming to take over. One can see them eavesdropping, having meetings and planning right now.

The two watercolors, the birds still in progress are also part of that series. They show the suspects that were caught and who to look out for. Below a picture of my mess at home.

Lastly but not least, I am taking part in the Tacoma Ladyfest June 6th at 1pm. Ladyfest Tacoma is an event celebrating, encouraging and showcasing the talents of female artists and performers. They give women the space to create, share, shine and hold an event that gives back to the community in support of women. All proceeds from the event will be donated to DAWN, a South-Sound non-profit organization whose mission is to end domestic violence by empowering survivors and fostering communities where abuse is not tolerated. I hope you can come, for more information please visit their website.

Spring Buzz

So many events so little time! Exhibition, spring cleaning, meetings, being stuck in traffic- when d I get to make some art. There are so many exciting things going on right now.

I got asked to do a show at Patriots Landing, which is a retirement community here is Dupont. They have a lobby area with empty walls and no art to put up. I got a couple of other artists together and the reception will be on April 25th. I first thought I could make some new non-shocking work, but now realize, that it's not going to happen with everything else going on. I did finish two presentable pieces, the black horse drawings, that I have ready frames for. If I can handle it, it would be nice to have a couple more new drawings, since I have a lot of frames from an old project that I never intend to show again. We are also doing a spring botox for the gallery- sprucing it up a bit. We finished painting the walls, and half the floor, and by the end of the week it should be mostly done. We had a good time, I put some photos on flickr, click on the picture below to see those. The next show goes up next week, with reception on friday, I'm sad it'll be the same night as the reception at Patriot's Landing, so I can't make it to both. Tomorrow I am going to TCC where I am signed up for the independent printmaking class, to teach one of the other independent students about etching aquatints with chinamarkers. That should be fun. Maybe I'll try to take some photos about it. It's been a week since I last made it down there... I am working on a new plate, which I am not sure how it will look. I guess I'm in a transitional phase, where I'm not sure how the art is going to look yet. I do have a theme though. It's been on my mind for years, and I am finally getting it on paper! More on that later.

What I've Been up to Lately

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Well, it's been busy busy busy lately. But I guess thats a good thing to keep me out of trouble. I went the the SGC conference a week ago, and had a blast. I took some photos and video, that I mean to post, but haven't had the energy to edit them yet. I have cool videos of a foiling demo and a panel talk on new technologies in printmaking.

I have been making some illustrations and a logo so I am not completely sitting on my hands. A long time project, that I've mentioned before is Fabians creatures, which is a novel being written by Joshua Goldfond. So far I've completed 6 or 7 illustrations of all sorts of creatures, which has been great fun since animals are fun to draw. Josh is hoping to finish the book this summe, so keep your fingers crossed that we get it published.

My husband asked me to make a logo for his detachment in the army. Their mascot is a scorpion, I know-how cuddly, so he wanted the logo to be a skeleton riding a scorpion with their company patch in it somewhere (its the flag with the fleur de lis...). Anyways, completed that too tonight, so I thought I'd post it here for all to see.
Stay posted for those videos to come soon...

Blog Feature

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Rosemary Ponnekanti of The News Tribune in Tacoma has featured my work on her GO Arts blog. Visit http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/03/29/up_now_on_the_walls to see her article.
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Trees I Have Known

One of my new Z-Acryl pieces was accepted to a juried show in Kansas:

Trees I Have Known is a juried exhibition featuring artwork and ephemera made by and collected by a diverse group of artists, thinkers, and neighbors who have created work that reflects upon the tree as subject, metaphor, and inspiration.
The work for this exhibition was selected from submissions by 150 artists working in Lawrence and beyond. Over 30 artists working in a wide range of media will be featured:
Bobby Neel Adams (New York), Charles Boone (Illinois), Kyle Bravo & Jenny LeBlanc (Louisiana), Stacey Cluppert (Wisconsin), Eric Farnsworth (Lawrence), Jon Feinstein (New York), Jenny Lee Fowler (New York), Justin Guilbert (France), Mirka Hokkanen (Washington), Paul Hotvedt (Lawrence), Chancey Jahnig (Lawrence, currently), Lora Jost (Lawrence), Mindy Kober (Texas), Jeff Krolick (New York), Dave Loewenstein (Lawrence), George Lorio (Texas), Robin Masi (Massachusetts), Eleanor Matheis (Lawrence), Elaine McKay (New York), Michele Monseau (Texas), Melanie Mowinski (Massachusetts), Colleen Mullins (Minnesota), Tim Obrien (Lawrence), Erika Osborne (West Virginia), Sarah Nicole Phillips (New York), Katherine Sehr (New York), Erika Shearer (Lawrence), Matthew Szosz (California), Suzanne Szucs (New York), Jake Vail (Lawrence), Erika Villareal (Indiana), KT Walsh ( Lawrence), and Roscoe Wilson (Ohio)
The Percolator exhibition was borne from discussions with Stephen Goddard, curator of Trees & Other Ramifications: Branches in Nature & Culture. The Spencer Museum at the University of Kansas will be showing Trees & Other Ramifications: Branches in Nature & Culture during the course of this exhibition.

Spring Thing Reception

Of course I forgot my camera (2 times now!) as we were setting up the show this week. I also went to a cool letterpress artists printpalooza at the Kings Bookstore, with steamroller printing and everything, and of course did not have my camera with either. I think I need to strap it to me permanently or something.

I wanted to announce the reception for Spring Thing at the Grand Impromptu Gallery this friday March 6th from 5-8pm. We will also be open for the monthly art walk Thursday March 19th from 4-8pm.

I helped paint and hang some work this week. The show looks really nice, if you have a chance to stop by. We are featuring works from all the members, so there is a really nice variety of 2-d and 3-d pieces. I wont forget to take the camera with to the reception on friday and then I can finally post some photos.

Grand Impromptu Gallery

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I am so excited to have been selected to be a member of a co-op here in Tacoma. They are a pretty new gallery that started about a year ago. The space is awesome and is part of the Tacoma art walk every month. You can visit their site at http://www.grandimpromptugallery.com/. A new show is going up at the end of the week, titled Spring Fling, and I will already have work in it.

I am so happy to be a part of something new and exciting. I look forwards to being an active member and bringing something to the table there. Pictures to be posted soon!