Strawberries in the Summertime

I went gallery hopping in DUMBO with a friend this weekend. To be honest, I didn't expect much... I thought it would be ultra-hip and less than inspiring... but I found an amazing gallery filled with prints and books! I think in the face of contemporary art making practices that I struggle with, prints, and books are a way for me to keep a foot in the traditional while exploring the contemporary. I got to think here. These are some images of pieces that challenged me or made me think more about my own art practices and themes.

Donna Maria de Creeft

Ellen Weiner- Blue History

Emily Martin- Siftings

Sarah Stengle- Five Fragments from a Forest Sanctuary

like a monkey with a miniature symbol

Wow.
I should be (and am, slowly) working on this:

but instead have been focusing on this^

 I am so immeasurably excited to begin, so blinded by reluctance to leave what's good, and so wishing for more (time, space, lung capacity). There is so much to be discovered, so much to be written, and so much to be thought.

Tomorrow Tuesday (completely forgot that long weekend = no USPS) I'm shipping out my dearest belongings and praying they reach NYC before I do. I booked my train ticket yesterday to Rochester (yay for visiting friends!) and my ticket that will drop me in the middle of hectic, beautiful, adventure-filled New York City. I'm even budgeting out my stipend with major expenses in an attempt to keep some semblance of control on my impending city-induced money crunch.

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In the mean time, I want to share my love of and obsession with Eva Hesse's work. Partially a response to the impersonal nature of Minimalism, Hesse's work is soft, noncube, organic, and beautiful. As soon as I saw her work, I loved it. I felt immediately connected to it, enraptured by it, taken in by it. Then I saw one in person last summer at the MoMA. I just walked around a corner and it was THERE. Staring me in the face. The happiest surprise of the day (though seeing my first Rothko came in at a close second, but that was expected, planned, and this was not). 

(thanks, newsgrist.typepad)

I hope you enjoy her work, too. And please. Go see it in person. Now.

don't shoot me down

Paintball paintings from facade painter

This machine has some really interesting (and mostly illegal) implications... I want one!

sweetheart I'm tellin' you

Today I editioned my last edition before semester projects end and summer projects begin. (Up next: PAINT!) Seeing my work from the past four or so months all laid out was both underwhelming and satisfying. I wish I had had more time: I wish I had done so much more. And yet... standing there, looking down on my eight precious editions, I felt like I made something that represented me as an artist. All I could think was, "I did it!". And then I ate my weight in pizza.

Today was also my last day with access to a press for a few months, and I have to say I'll miss it. As much as I love painting and can't wait to start on all of the projects I pushed back all semester, I'll miss printing. A lot. In the mean time, I've got my work cut out for me.

Happy Summer!

Important news: If you're in the Rochester, NY area this weekend, there are some amazing openings you should check out during First Friday: Jen Burger, Luke Shaw, Macie McGowan. I guarantee you will not be disappointed!

Also, Eva Xie has some beautiful work in University of Rochester's Art and Music Library, opening Thursday, May 6 4:30-6:30pm. Her work will be on display as a part of First Friday as well!

if I am a stranger now to you, I will always be

Yesterday I ran three miles, hiked up a mountain, presented my research poster, and found a Ring Pop for sale. In contrast to my action-packed day yesterday, today I had the chance to sit outside and read, take a long photo walk, talk to some really interesting presenters, and listen to Ryan Adams on loop. It's our last day today, and I have to say I wouldn't mind another day or two before heading to New York... and I can't wait to return here and explore the west with Tim sometime in the not-so-distant future.. though the per diem will be sorely missed!

Introducing: The Velvet Undergrads

April 21- May 9, 2010: Opening Reception April 21st, 5-7pm

The Annual Juried Undergraduate Exhibition

On another note: I received some good news:

I was accepted into the above exhibition! If you're in the area, definitely come by and check it out! My piece is entitled Observed and is a four color linocut. There are some beautiful pieces in the show this year. It's definitely the best collection work I've seen in this particular show in awhile, and definitely worth the time to see it.

Seminal Detroit techno hits

Graham Sutherland - Bird About to Take Flight

George Grosz - Toilette

Edward Hopper- Night on the EI Train (etching)

Henry Moore (1971)

I found these pieces as I rummaged through my countless printmaking bookmarks.

I think it's good to see where the medium has been (in addition to where it is and where it's going).

Enjoy.

Caught my breath on my way home

The Bird Machine's posters remind me of things I want to be reminded of

 

 

I had a great day and really fantastic weekend. I had the studio to myself and began printing three projects, with another couple on the way. My plans for the fall are coming along beautifully: I secured an internship for the fall with pistachio press and I could not be more excited about it. I also received some really constructive feedback about my current work today, which is always encouraging and invigorating. It makes me want to just spend all of my time in the studio.

magnolia mountain (browsing turned blogging)

Shahzia Sikander

Featured on Art 21

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Jan Toorop

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Jackson Pollock

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Christine Baumgartner -- Lin Tianmiao

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walk it out

www.hipsterpuppies.tumblr.com

I printed again today, started carving my block, found this website, and it was >30F. What a great day.

let it fall, let it fall

Today I began printing. It didn't work out so well (I, by traditional printing standards, wasted about 10 sheets of paper) but I made my mistakes reproducibly, and I like them. I'll spend tomorrow sanding down my block and repeating the entire process so I have an "acceptable" series, but it was really, really nice to get back to work.

  Tim Barber

I really don't love photography. I just don't get it most of the time. But I like this guy. I feel connected to this guy. This guy is great.