New shows and new work!

Sometimes I wish I could clone myself so I could be doing several things at once... Making clay sculptures, painting, writing applications and submissions, playing with the cats, curating shows, baking cookies, drinking wine, knitting, watching Mad Men with Darrin, blogging. But alas I am only one person so I just have to try and multitask to keep up...

Helga Jakobson's opening of 'De Anima' at the SOFA Gallery at Edna Fedya last week had a great turnout with such a happy vibe. 'De Anima' is a collection of silkscreened photographs of Helga and deteriorating farm houses and barns in the country where she grew up.

Classy Helga posing

My roommate, Kate, checking out the art

Helga schmoosing - she's good at that ;)

'De Anima IV' and 'De Anima V'

Dean and I taken on Darrin's hipstamatic salvador dali iphone app

Dean

Darrin - as you can see he is a Movember participant

Helga's work will be up until December 1st so check it out when you have a chance and I look forward to featuring my wonderful friend Lauren McPhaden's work in December!

This is Lauren and her fiance Andre at Helga's show - I'm one of her bridesmaids!

Kara Passey also had her opening night on Tuesday for 'Second Hand Tables and Chairs' - her new show in the GOSA (Gallery of Student Art). The show is an extension of her thesis installation which was meant to be the room/brain of her 16 year old self but this time she's living in the gallery for a week. It was her birthday and the opening night last night so here are some fun photos of the gathering!

A self-portrait Kara's painting throughout the week

Opening night flowers in beer cans

The installation with beer bottle walls and hanging converse sneakers

Selena and Kelly

Kelly's homemade vegan cupcakes from 'Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World' by Isa Moskowitz (I've asked for his one for christmas...)

I'm about to plunge into the cupcake

Kelly with her creation

Kara's friend Adam performed at the opening

Scott enjoying the live music

Thesis Update: Lately I've been having a contsant stream of ideas for new work while I'm in the shower. Which is great to feel so inspired but also a bit hectic when I've had a plan of what I'm going to get done that day but I feel this new strong urge to start working on my new idea. I've been trying to create these new ideas as I have them so they're fresh but it's a difficult task because of the finicky nature of clay. Things are going well though and I thought I'd share more of the ceramic work I've been doing in the studio. I'm working on my human/chicken series - the bisque firing for the first round of work was today so I can do the second firing before my big crit in a few weeks. This is just the tip of the iceberg for my chicken/humans - I've got a lot more to make which is good because I love sculpting these bulbous creatures with tiny feet. This is the newest edition - the cooked chicken/human... Once she's glazed and fired I'm going to spray flock parts of her and tie her ankles like a cooked chicken... Giving a chicken human legs is playful but by tying them I'm hoping to bring forward more serious issues and have people relate more to the chicken. To me, it gives the idea of vulnerability, pain, desire, and sexuality.

Chicken butt

Chicken upside down

And this is a different one - one of the hanging chicken/humans. I know it looks like I'm destroying this one but I've actually just taken it apart to hollow it out and put it back together - this is so it doesn't explode in the kiln... hopefully.

As you can see the little foot on the left side has broken off - this is a common occurrence when the work is drying to the 'bone dry' stage before putting in the kiln - this is its most vulnerable state - but like humpty dumpty I put her back together again :)

I've also gotten involved in a project called the TOMS Design Contest. A new student group called Segue decided that their values coincide with the shoe company TOMS so they have teamed up with SOFA to put on a contest for artists to design TOMS shoes. TOMS is known for giving away a pair of shoes to a child in need with every shoe purchase made (One for One).

The first event which was a screening of the TOMS documentary started today and will continue on tomorrow in University Center at the U of M so if you're around there stop by between 11:30-1 to catch it and get submission information.

If you're not able to make it you can also get submission info on the facebook event page and here's a snippet of the doc!

I actually have three pairs of TOMS shoes... I alternate them for work and in the studio and love that TOMS carries vegan shoes :)

I feel like so much has been happening lately that my head's going to spin off but life is great! I actually have some big news to share so stay tuned...