Some Writing for BIRDBRAIN press

I have not really posted much lately because I have been mostly writing for some zines for BIRDBRAIN press. We hope to have a bunch of writing to publish by Alt Press Festival in July.

Here is a sample from the Diamond Ordinance:

Manteca, California—search in Stockton, CA directory. September 27, 1953.

Victor Malchus Xavier (X), recently promoted to Chairman of the Board roosts in his chair, overseeing the eight men who in 55:29 will determine the ruling of the Diamond Ordinance. Not at all to be confused with the diamond ordnance that will plague the city under the Diamond Ordinance, should it be passed.

Thomas Thomas (+), Richard B. Thomas (*), Joseph William Blackman (>), and Edward Smithson (^) all respectable men in their late 50s, with exactly the same tightly cropped haircut, sit to the right. Simon Krilgram (~), Bartholomew Pinkerton (=), Thomas Marvin Green (<), and Michael Conkling (#) are on the left, equally reputable and well-groomed men, ranging in age from 47-69.

            “Well, as I see it, what we should be most concerned with is the safety of the materials. We really must ensure that the material is unharmed,” says +.

            “Yes, I concur. However, I feel I must repeat that it is of the utmost importance that the product is just as protected. How can we force our minions to comply with the Diamond Ordinance if there are NO DIAMONDS?” > protests, slamming the perfectly round, adequately lacquered table.

            “But what about the artillery? Should we not be concerned with securing our diamond ordnances? Those weapons are worth millions.” With this utterance, < receives looks of despair from his left, and frustration from his right.

This has been the situation for over 3 days, 7 hours, and 31 minutes. X has become quite perturbed and is finding it difficult to refrain from making his opinion well known. Like any juried situation, X holds the ultimate power over the ruling, but an acting head should only veto or announce his thoughts in the direst of circumstances. This mere dullness of bickering back and forth does not constitute a situation of that necessity.

"Seasons Eatings"

In December, I was once again invited to participate in the University's Art Department's annual mini-print exchange and sale. I letterpress printed this print from photopolymer plates and a linoleum block reduction cut. The original image can be seen in my 2012 calendar, soon to be on this blog!

Seasons Eatings: 8"x10"

Celebrity Portraits

I finished Celebrity Portraits! and am now putting them online!

 Alec Baldwin

 Jeff Bridges

 Lady Gaga

 Lindsay Lohan

 Mulder and Scully

Sarah Michelle Gellar

The reflective quality of the transparencies depicting Danny and Shelley Duvall in the Jack Nicholson piece wouldn't allow for a good photo. But, it didn't change any from the "in progress" post before. You'll just have to trust that it's great!

Lil' Lindsay Lohan

I was invited to participate in the annual mini-print for the University of Utah's printmaking department. It is a fundraiser to raise money to send the printmaking students to the Southern Graphics Council convention. Last years exchange was probably the best I've been in. Here is this years (last years is still up from December, 2009).

  

letterpress printed from linoleum blocks, photopolymer plates and wood type; glittered heart necklace

Here are 95 of them strung up on our "drying rack."

that's a lot o' Lohan

SCREENPRINTING SET-UP / Saltgrass Printmakers Fundraiser

We have finally set up our screenprinting studio!
Our excuse was for the Saltgrass Printmakers annual fundraiser. Max and I were asked to participate this year by printing on prayer flags. The open house is Dec. 4 and 5th at Saltgrass.
This has been in the works since before we moved into our current apartment. Our studio (which is also our living room) is only about 100 sq feet so we had to be creative. Our "drying rack" is a hot-pink clothesline zigzagging across our ceiling and my desk doubles as a screenprinting table. Unfortunately, we haven't built our dual exposure unit/coffee table, but we'll get there soon. For the time being we are just using work lamps and washing out screens at the car wash. Here are some pictures of the set-up and our prints.

Max printing his flags

Printing mine, they were on the same screen to save emulsion

 

Here is our set-up. Max's print is the bowling ladies

My print was of my cat Charles

We also printed on shirts. It was an experiment that worked well. We are planning on printing more shirts with many more designs. Stay tuned for those as they come.

THE SMOG SHOW

I was invited to participate in the "Smog Show" at the Bay Leaf Cafe in Salt Lake City. The show focuses on the crappy air quality in Salt Lake City. It opened on March 5th.
With these pieces I really explored this new cut-outs idea I have been thinking about. I made 5 mixed media, cut-out pieces using watercolor, colored pencil, regular pencil, and glitter. They are each a drawing of a specific landmark in Salt Lake City that is being attacked by a smog monster. The clouds and cloud elements are done with colored pencil. The drawings of the buildings are done in regular pencil. The backgrounds and hands are watercolored.

"Smog Monster!"

"Smog Monster II: Revenge of Smog"

"Smog Monster III: Smog Harder with a Vengeance"

"Smog Monster IV: Son of Smog"

"Smog Monster vs. Mega-Smog Monster"

FRIENDS OF FRIENDS: WORKS ON PAPER

I forgot to post my 8 fold books in the last post. There are 5 of them. Only 4 were photograph-able, but you can see the layouts below the photographs. Click the thumbnails to enlarge. They are also for sale, so contact me if you are interested in purchasing one.

 "8 Things I Like About You, Alec Baldwin"

"I Was Born, and Then Some Things Happened, and Now I Love My Life"

"A Little Book About Monsters"

"This Thing Happened, and Now I Have Seizures"

And here are the layouts (click to enlarge in new window):

 

FRIENDS OF FRIENDS: WORKS ON PAPER (final product)

Here are the pictures of the finished pieces for the "Friends of Friends: Works on Paper" show at the GARFO Gallery in Salt Lake City. It was curated by Cara Despain and Kenny Riches, who are both very awesome local artists.
I was asked what my influence was for this piece. Honestly, it was my love of large ferocious animals and celebrities. This is Amy Sedaris and large cats called called "Purr-fect Pals."

 here they are! Amy is about 6' tall.

from the side

leopard

tiger 

close-ups of the heads: cats' eyes are gold glittery and Amy's lipstick is red glittery

Also in the show, and the reason I was invited to be in the show in the first place, is my good friend Claire Taylor.

FRIENDS OF FRIENDS: WORKS ON PAPER

I realized I haven't posted anything recently because I have forgotten to take pictures. Too wrapped up in making stuff!
Here are some, nearly finished, pieces for the upcoming show at the GARFO Gallery (click on current show to see the line-up) in Salt Lake City. The show is called Friends of Friends and features national and international artists who do works on paper.
This is my main piece. They are paper cutouts that I then watercolored and I will soon be mounting them on foam core.  The figure with the leopard in her mouth is about 6' tall.

 

initial sketch

top of the figure

detail

leopard

leopard detail

tiger

tiger detail

The lighting in the room is kinda crappy, so the colors aren't quite true.
Also, some inspiration:

I am also in the process of making small, 8 fold zines for the show. Pictures to come soon!

INSANE CAT POSSE

This is my print for the mini print sale and show at the University of Utah.  Every year the printmaking department goes to the Southern Graphics Conference.  The profits from the mini print sales go to support the printmaking department and sending the students to the Southern Graphics Conference.

insane cat posse (letterpressed from linoblocks and photopolymer plate and crayons)

Counterform Exhibit

I forgot to post a while ago, but the Counterform exhibit at the University of Utah Special Collections Gallery is coming down on December 4th.  It is an exhibit of Utah Book Artists' work.  This includes books and book related prints.  I have a book and a broadside in the show, as well as many other talented Utah Book Artists.

26 DATE IDEAS FOR A DATE WITH DAVID BOWIE

Here are the final products for the Shrink-y-dink show at Signed and Numbered.  It is titled "26 Date Ideas for a Date with David Bowie."  The original shrink-y-dink page was 8"x10" and it after shrinking it in the toaster oven, it ended up being almost 4.5"x3.5". Mine warped a little, so I hope they can flatten it out.  The warping is what caused the weird out-of-focus parts in the picture.  They will be mounted in shadow boxes for the show.  It does indeed open on December 4th!

original 8"x10"

final, next to a chapstick (for size comparison)

SHRINK-Y-DINK!!

The next show is up during the December Gallery stroll, which I believe goes up December 4th.  It's at the Signed & Numbered Gallery in Salt Lake.  Artists were given a piece of Shrink-y-dink to design.  Shrink-y-dink is a crazy kind of plastic that when heated in the oven shrinks to about 1/3 of it's original size.  Leia Bell, who is the gallery owner is installing them in shadow boxes.  Pictures to come soon.

Box, Paper, Scissors (final product)

Here are the photos of the finished cigar box for the Box, Paper, Scissors show at Kayo Gallery.  It went to Sandy and Eric Brunvand.
I used a lot of glitter and sequins with some acrylic paint.  Lots of fabric and some DI toys and miniature babies were also harmed in the making of this box.

outside

one angle

other angle