"Task" at Hirshhorn

Tomorrow I will be a volunteer for the Oliver Herring Task performance at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

So, today I thought it would be interesting to go by the museum to check out the setting before it changes tomorrow. As I was watching the art21 video about Oliver Herring, I spotted him there! It was funny to look at the video...then back at him...then the video...and think: "hey! thats the same person!"

The event should be really interesting. If you live in DC, come check it out!

Here are two of my favorite works of his:


Oliver Herring. "S. Swings J. With Add. Vines". 2003. Multi-layered c-print. 19 1/4 x 27 1/4 inches framed
In the art21 film you can see some of this stop-motion sequence which is quite fascinating.


Oliver Herring. "Untitled (A Flower for Ethyl Eichenberger)". 1991-1992. Knit transparent tape. 85 x 85 inches

If you make it to the event, check out the gorgeous garden between the Hirshhorn and the Arts and Industries building. And then if you feel inspired to buy some for your own garden, head over to the National Arboretum for their annual plant sale!

Illustration Friday: Robot

This Robomonkey is totally inspired by the Monkey vs. Robot short video I saw at a Washington Psychotronic Film Society viewing a few years ago. The movie I went to see was titled 'Robo Vampire' (I think) and all I remember is it lasted way too long and had no ending. Monkey vs. Robot, however, was spectacular.

My illustrated RoboMonkey plays my Monkey vs. Robot VHS tape over and over and over again.



You can download the video and watch it over and over again if you click on 'Monkey vs. Robot' at this link.

Robomonkey was painted in watercolor and ink on
2.75"x3.75" amalfi cotton rag paper.

Previous Illustration Friday entries ::
spotted robot : speed : spring again : more spring : spring : monster : tattoo [one page tale painted gocco print] : tattoo : insect : tea : song : simple : chair : glamour [color gocco print] : glamour : cats : e is for : sea : flavor : holiday : imagine

Illustration Friday: Spotted Robot

Meet Claus. Only a few months old, Claus skipped crawlng and walking and went straight to running. How is that possible you say? Well, using all his brightly colored toys, gadgets, and some inspiration from the television screen, he crafted his own robotic legs.

Quite a smart kid I say. You would say that too if you knew he won the local 5k.



Often I illustrate more than one version of the same theme. It gives me more time to think about the story. Here is another one of Claus, this time a little closer, but with more determination in his eyes:



Both versions of Claus were painted in watercolor and ink on
2.75"x3.75" amalfi cotton rag paper.

Previous Illustration Friday entries ::
speed : spring again : more spring : spring : monster : tattoo [one page tale painted gocco print] : tattoo : insect : tea : song : simple : chair : glamour [color gocco print] : glamour : cats : e is for : sea : flavor : holiday : imagine

weekend getaway.

Two years ago SA and I went to New Hope, PA in Bucks county for our getaway mini-honeymoon after the wedding. This weekend we're going back again.


photo by Thomas Graves

Why New Hope? Well, its a fun little town by the Delaware river and is really close to Doylestown, PA, home to everything Henry Mercer. Two museums and a pottery/tilework factory to be exact. The most amazing thing is all three of these buildings are made of concrete.

The Mercer Museum is where all of his collection of everyday objects are housed. He arranged it like the structure of our brain. The ground floor is mostly essential tools, and as you move upwards in the building you see tools used in printmaking, medicine, fabric weaving, etc. Chairs, carriages, wagons, and more are suspended from the ceiling.

Then there is the Moravian Pottery & Tileworks where they still make reproductions of Mercer tiles! A few jumps away is the Fonthill Museum (photo at left), where almost every inch of wall/floor/ceiling is embedded with the most colorful tiles.

Yarn Harlot recently posted about being in Doylestown, PA. As I read her post I realised that I didn't know there was a yarn store in Doylestown. How is that possible? I look up yarn store info on every location I visit! Well, then I remembered I've only been knitting for just over a year, so two years ago I was blind to the yarn stores all around me. Crazy!

Just two weekends to go till Sheep & Wool. I think I can hold off any yarn purchases for two more weeks. But me thinks I should maybe at least peek my head inside the Doylestown yarn store. Just out of knitters ettiquette. And curiosity I suppose.

oops...I better run off to pack!

more one page tales.

Now there are 5 print gocco One Page Tales! Roxy was the first, and now I've turned Elliot the Pirate, Macy, Casey, and Polly into prints as well!

Each set is limited to an edition of 50 prints on acid free 11" x 8.5" paper. Some are painted, others are in the process of getting painted, and some will be kept as just black line prints.

Here are some pictures of the series:

Polly's Cherries, A One Page Tale : limited edition of 50 prints : 11" x 8.5"


Macy's Bubbles, A One Page Tale : limited edition of 50 prints : 11" x 8.5"


Elliot the Pirate, A One Page Tale : limited edition of 50 prints : 11" x 8.5"


Casey's Worm, One Page Tale : limited edition of 50 prints : 11" x 8.5"


Roxy's Tattoo, A One Page Tale : limited edition of 50 prints : 11" x 8.5"

Bonus: A set of my painted One Page Tale prints is featured on
Holograph Magazine, an online literary and visual arts magazine!

Previously::
:: Click here to go to the original Polly illustration and story.
:: Click here to go to the original Macy illustration and story.
:: You can see a smaller color gocco print of Macy at this link.
:: Click here to go to the original Elliot illustration and story.
:: Click here to go to the original Casey illustration and story.
:: Click here to go to the original Roxy illustration and story.
:: Click here to go to my previous post about the first One Page Tale print of Roxy.

Illustration Friday: Speed

Meet Josie. Josie was the speediest bumper car girl on the boardwalk. Even the biggest boys of summer couldn't keep up with Josie. Everyone knew who she was by her fire-engine-red bumper car with the "J" decal prominently featured on it.

Oh, and her fire engine red hair. No one messed with Josie.



Josie was painted in watercolor and ink on
2.75"x3.75" amalfi cotton rag paper.

Previous Illustration Friday entries ::
spring again : more spring : spring : monster : tattoo [one page tale painted gocco print] : tattoo : insect : tea : song : simple : chair : glamour [color gocco print] : glamour : cats : e is for : sea : flavor : holiday : imagine

about connectedness.

This new series is about connectedness. They are going to be a part of the Imagining Ourselves exhibit at Art Lounge in Beirut this summer. I had to crank these ones out because a catalogue is being made now for the exhibit. I'm planning on making four more. I would love to say "at least four more." We'll see!


Knit I. mixed media. 14" x 11"


Knit II. mixed media. 14" x 11"


Knit III. mixed media. 14" x 11"


Knit IV. mixed media. 14" x 11"

Each of the separate portraits is on its own stretched canvas, then mounted to an 14" x 11" background support made of stretched canvas. The knitwork was done separately on small knitting needles with fine hemp twine and super thin bookbinding thread. And yes, I blocked each piece!

Now I'm ready for some ice cold margarita nights. But first, tonight I'll be at the Franz Ferdinand/Death Cab For Cutie show. Bought the tickets two months ago. And I remembered! Yay!

Previously ::
:: knitting dreams.
:: kite watcher.

Illustration Friday: Spring Again

Its springtime in DC when the ice skating rink on the mall turns into a water fountain and you get to roll up your pants, sit on the edge, and sink your pale, pale toes into the cold, cold water. Ahh.



Abigail was painted in watercolor and ink on
2.75"x3.75" amalfi cotton rag paper.

Previous Illustration Friday entries ::
more spring : spring : monster : tattoo [one page tale painted gocco print] : tattoo : insect : tea : song : simple : chair : glamour [color gocco print] : glamour : cats : e is for : sea : flavor : holiday : imagine

Illustration Friday: More Spring

Meet Shloe. Shloe loved marshmallow bunnies. As you know, marshmallow bunnies are born in spring. For that reason, and that reason only, spring was her favorite season.

Shloe was so little she could barely get her head above the kitchen counter. Nevertheless, her favorite thing to do was put her marshmallow bunnies in the microwave and "oooh" and "aaaaah" over all the crazy faces they would make.



Shloe was painted in watercolor and ink on
2.75"x3.75" amalfi cotton rag paper.

Previous Illustration Friday entries ::
spring : monster : tattoo [one page tale painted gocco print] : tattoo : insect : tea : song : simple : chair : glamour [color gocco print] : glamour : cats : e is for : sea : flavor : holiday : imagine

knitting dreams.

Do you dream of knitting?

I recently found these Knitting Dream Interpretations at Websters Online Dictionary:

:: For a woman to dream of knitting, denotes that she will possess a quiet and peaceful home, where a loving companion and dutiful children delight to give pleasure.

:: For a man to be in a kniting-mill, indicates thrift and a solid rise in prospects.

:: For a young woman to dream of knitting, is an omen of a hasty but propitious marriage.

:: For a young woman to dream that she works in a knitting-mill, denotes that she will have a worthy and loyal lover. To see the mill in which she works dilapidated, she will meet with reverses in fortune and love.


Here is another peek at some artwork in progress:

flashing my stash.

The deal I made with myself a year ago was that my stash would stay small enough to be contained in these four clear plastic cases:






Well, lets just say I kept that deal for a year.

Yes, my stash is growing. Good thing for Flash Your Stash day!

My parents recently went on a cruise around South America, and got me yarn and wool! yay! Unfortunately, I haven't had time to take it out of the bag to show it. But here is a little peek at a bag full of yarn and super soft wool. yum!

Nice to see that The Container Store has my clear stash cases on sale.

Speaking of sales and stash, tomorrow Stitch DC have their spring sale: 20% off all yarn from noon to 2pm. Get there early and try to get out early. Otherwise you'll be stuck there for hours in line. Did you know they have a new location in chevy chase? Great.

And now we have just 5 more weeks till sheep & wool! And now that I've sorted through my stash I might not have to go. yeah. right.

Previously:
:: meet my stash.