Jen Tong in Sour Harvest...

If you're going to be in the Chicago area this weekend, you should definitely swing by the DvA Gallery. Jen Tong will have a few pieces in their Sour Harvest show, which was curated by Andrew Hosner of ThinkSpace Gallery based on the Picks of the Harvest series. These are large group shows featuring the work of talented artists from across the globe. The opening reception is this Saturday, November 3rd from 6 PM to 10 PM. Make sure to check it out!

Congee Village With Jen Tong...

Even though Jen Tong came to the get together I had on Friday evening, we didn't really get a chance to catch up. So, we made plans to meet up at a really authentic Chinese restaurant in the Lower East Side called Congee Village. Apparently "congee" means "rice porridge". We shared a HUGE bowl of soup, a MASSIVE pile of fried rice, and YUMMY lychee martinis. It was delicious and inexpensive (all for about $10 a person not including the tip).

It was nice to catch up. We talked about our future plans. She's having a show in Chicago this week and will be in attendance there. My friend Jeremiah Ketner (another very talented artist) has agreed to put her up for her stay. CLICK HERE to check out his website. Jen Tong is also working on a silkscreen book and conceptualizing the ending for her online comic book, Orifice. As always, it was a treat to sit down and talk with her!

In Rainbows...

One of my favorite bands has just released a new album and a revolutionary way of both supporting the band and evaluating the music. Radiohead's latest project, In Rainbows, includes a promotion in which the listener can set the price of the album themselves. Anywhere from a dollar to hundreds of dollars. It forces the audience to decide the worth rather than a record label. It's good. It's REALLY GOOD.

The Optimist...

Earlier this evening, I met up with Kathy Callahan to discuss the performance piece that I will be participating in. I'm not normally a performance artist, so this should definitely be interesting. We all met up at the T Salon in Chelsea Market. Some of the other artists who will be helping out were there as well, including Essey and Min. I haven't seen either in quite some time. Both of them were college cronies from long ago. I'm actually not that familiar with Min, so it was definitely good to get to know her a little bit better.

In any event, I am really excited about this project. We eventually made our way over to Ninth Street Cafe and then over to the wine shop in Chelsea Market. Such a lovely time with other creative people, whom I've found out are in the same neighborhood. What a treat!

Afterward, I headed over to Stain Bar. It's a local venue with a lot of character. It's such a wonderful place that is community-oriented. I felt completely at home there. I enjoyed a beer made in Harlem called, Sugar Hill Honey Ale. It was quite tasty! And since they no longer carry my favorite (Stained Red), I got that one instead and have added it to my new favorites list.

The show up right now is pretty good. It got me thinking about the space and my once objective of having a show there. All sorts of ideas started brewing and I am definitely hoping to put together some shows I've long been wanting to curate there. What a wonderful opportunity this will be! I'm really excited about all these artistic endeavours!

Breakfast with Candice Wakumoto...

Candice Wakumoto and her husband Paul were in town doing a bead show. They extended their trip to pal around New York. Candice is so tremendously talented and Paul is so wonderfully nice. I wanted to see them so much, but I've been so incredibly busy. Luckily we finally got an opportunity to hang out this morning before they went to the airport. They were packing, but it was so nice to catch up. I think the next time that I see them will be in Tucson. I'll have to remember to buy some of her sterling silver components as they are some of my favorite to work with.

Closing Time...

Greg, Cynthia, and Azalea took off today to head back down to Asheville. To say that I'm going to miss them is an understatement. I have come to realize that family is one of the most important things to me. Whether it is my actual family bound by blood-ties, or the family in which we create with friends... it is essential to my happiness. If my friend wasn't here to keep me company I'd probably be miserable. Luckily she's here. I'm going to try and convince her to stay with me forever.

Today, after my family left, my friend and I went for coffee at Gimme Coffee and strolled around the neighborhood, enjoying the crisp cool weather and the electric blue skies indicative of autumn in New York.

A New Room...

Greg and Cynthia took me to Ikea in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Now I have a sofa and a rug and my living room looks like a living room. It is nice. We got everything just in time for an impromptu party. At first we were going to cook a big meal. Instead, we ran out and got a massive selection of dumplings from different Asian restaurants in the neighborhood: Lily Thai, Bin Cafe, and Red House. We also made a giant pitcher of mai tais. Normally I'm a shutter bug at events like this, taking pictures of everyone and everything, but for some reason I didn't take out the camera.

After everyone left for the evening and Azalea laid down for the night with Greg, Cynthia, Cat, Steve (my roommate), and I went out to continue our conversation. We started out at the Bushwick Country Club where the picture to the left was taken. Then we went across the street to Art Land. People kept skipping us in line for the pool table so we decided to be annoying and gyrate and do the jankity nervous twitch dance next to it.

Today, we went to Penzeys Spice Counter in Grand Central Station, Rich to Riches, Dick Blick Art Supply and the Fluevog shoe store in SoHo, and we dropped in Books of Wonder where Garth Nix was signing books! Cynthia and I used to listen to his Abhorsen Trilogy on book on tape while we were working back in Asheville. We also stopped at the Green Market in Union Square and had dinner at Chat 'n' Chew. Dinner was great and hit the spot.

Huckleberry Bar...

I forced Cat to wander around in circles in the dark with me last night. I didn't mean to, but every cool place I wanted to take her was either closed or abandoned. But we stumbled across something lovely.

We saw this really posh bar on Grand Street called the Huckleberry Bar. I had never seen it before and didn't know what to expect. It looked super fancy. After a drink at the Bushwick Country Club, we decided to investigate.

Imagine for a minute the nightlife of East Williamsburg and Bushwick. You'll have to try and envision ripped out car seats as the seating of choice and various assemblages made from finds from the curb. Don't get me wrong, it's got it charm, but definitely Huckleberry Bar is polished spoon.

We drank a drink called Emma Frost, which is actually after a comic book character. And also we had a pear tart, banana bread with a peppercorn carmel sauce, and some brasaola. It was a lovely experience. We chatted with one the owners named Stephanie who also makes jewelry. CLICK HERE to see her work. CLICK HERE to see Huckleberry Bar's MySpace page.

Welcome...

Oh, my dearest Cat is now back in town! I am very happy to have her back from her West Coast adventures. She is currently staying with me while she looks for a place in the neighborhood. After we looked at one place, we dropped into the Wreck Room, and then for our dinner plans we went to the Bushwick Country Club and then we went to the Alligator Lounge for some pizza and beer. It has been really great having her back in New York City. We are plotting all sorts of wonderful artsy things.

Evening...

Despite how tired I was last night, I did not slip easily into sleep. Instead, I decided to rent a movie and try to relax. I picked up Evening with Claire Danes, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Vanessa Redgrave, Toni Collette, Patrick Wilson, Hugh Dancy, and Natasha Richardson. The screenplay was written by Michael Cunningham (who wrote The Hours and A Home at the End of the World) and is based on the novel by Susan Minot by the same name.

I vaguely remember seeing a preview for the movie a while ago and filed it away as something that I might like to watch, but didn't hear much about it since. What I discovered was a poignant look at a woman on her deathbed looking back in her delirium to a weekend filled with happiness and secrets. The fragile memories from the 1950's are woven together with the lives of her daughters and their own struggles with their mistakes, motherhood, and each other.

The movie is lushly portrayed, with rich saturated colors and a haunting soundtrack. I like movies that explore the intricacies of life, the layers that unfurl and leave naked the raw emotion. This film does that beautifully. If you like "chick flicks" then you'll definitely enjoy this one.

Sleepy Tired...

The Big Apple Glass Art & Bead Festival was a lot of fun! I got to meet so many wonderful custumers and say hello to some of my bead show buddies. Lisa Kan has some beautiful ginkgo leaves that I just had to get, LillyPilly has some knock out new shell designs, Kathryn Bowan of BeadWeaver had some new patterns and etched components, and it was a pleasure making friends with my neighbors, Gregg and Brenda of Burgard Studio. Erica from Reed's Beads also came by and it was a pleasure chatting with her. It seems we both share an addiction of bad television.

Believe it or not, I am thinking of joining the local bead society. Who would have thought?

So, after hauling everything back from the Radisson Martinique to my apartment, I'm just beat. I'm surprised that I got the bins up the stairs, as each one weighs just a little less than I do and there are five flights of stairs. I imagine that it was some unconscious feat of magic.

It definitely had consequences though. Today I slept the sleep of the dead. I just could not wake up and I'm still tired. But I've got to get the apartment ready. Greg, Cynthia, and Azalea are coming up, and one of my friends from college. It'll be nice to have everyone, as I sorely miss them all!

Now, it's off to McDonald's (don't judge me) for some of their iced coffee so that I may salvage the rest of the evening by doing laundry.

The Tooth...

I was on my way back from grabbing a bite to eat when I saw something glinting in the light of a street lamp. Having found a plethora of treasures on the streets of New York, I bent down to retrieve it. Just before I touched it, I realized that it was a TOOTH! Judging from the size and shape, it was probably a human tooth at that. It was large, intact, and looked to have been freshly displaced.

Creeping along my spine was that feeling I got when we went to the Mütter Museum our last day in Philadelphia. That feeling of an awareness of physical ownership. This tooth was once in someone's skull; it was in their mouth, crewed their food, and had their words slip past it. It belonged to someone as surely as the bodies in the museum once belonged to someone. It had a story behind it.

How did this get here? Who had this belonged to? Where was the person now, whom this had come from? It made me think of all the sad stories next to the specimens in the museum. Still some of those stories haunt me and I can't help but think of them and how difficult many of their lives were.

I called 3-1-1 and they said they were going to send someone out to investigate the area, but that I shouldn't worry. Apparently bits and pieces of people are found all the time in the city.

While I was Gone...

While I was gone down South, my new Anne Choi beads came in the post. I was so very happy to get them! For one, they're just GORGEOUS! Secondly, I had such a wonderful time with her and Lynn while they were visiting us in Asheville. Thirdly... they're Anne Choi beads, that should be enough in itself! I do love that she's making the mandrakes again and I'm really digging this new raven bead she's come out with. Maybe one day she'll make the rest of the Thomas Dunn series of mandrake brooches. In my heart, I covet them.

Big Apple Glass Arts & Bead Festival...

Today was the first day of the Big Apple Glass Arts & Bead Festival! It was so much fun seeing everyone who braved the rain and humidity to join us at the show. I'm really excited for the rest of the weekend. We've got lots of goodies on the table and I love meeting our customers. Above is a picture of the table display. I hope everyone who can make it out swings by! (OH! If you don't see us on the show program, we're still there!)

Elizabeth: The Golden Age...

After setting up the show at the Big Apple Glass Art & Bead Festival, I dropped by the theater to catch Elizabeth: The Golden Age. The feel of it is quite different from the first. Somehow it was much brighter and operatic - almost disconcertingly so. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it quite a bit. Then again, I love Cate Blanchett in almost everything I've seen her in.

Settling In...

It's Wednesday night and pretty late. I haven't really updated very much lately. Even though I have tons to share, I've just been a little swamped since I got back. I will hopefully be more on top of things tomorrow after a good night's rest.

Please make sure to join us at the Big Apple Glass Art & Bead Festival! It's at the Radisson Martinique on Broadway. 49 West 32nd Street, New York, NY. It'll be a three day show, October 19th - 21st. On Friday, the show will be open from 12 PM to 7 PM. On Saturday, the show will be open from 10 AM to 6 PM, and on Sunday, the show will be open from 10 AM to 5 PM. Make sure to come out to the show and bring anything that you've been working on or have made. I always love to see what people have been making!

Back from Faerie Con...

I am just settling back in after our adventures at Faerie Con 2007 in Philadelphia. What a fun and magical time! For all of the pictures and some brief descriptions of the trip CLICK HERE. I am worn out after such an exciting time. After a long trip up from North Carolina, we got super early every morning after going to bed super late (on account of the Faerie Balls) and worked all day. Exhausting, but fun. Here are a couple highlights from the trip:

Above: We got to meet Holly Black and her husband Theo. Holly Black is the author of the Spiderwick Chronicles. They are such nice people. Cynthia, Theo, and I traded folk-tales and food recipes from the Philippines, noting how much we all have become Americanized. The above picture was taken during the Bad Faeries Ball (and no, my face was not dirty, just covered with blue shimmer that kept wiping off).

Above: (Left) This a picture of Cynthia and I in front of the Green Girl Studios booth with our recent purchases. I got two Folkmanis puppets (an owl and a raven), and Cynthia and I both got leather masks. Cynthia is also wearing a top she picked up from the Faerie Market as well. (Right) Here is an image of Weasel and I in the parking lot outside of the Trocadero Theatre before we went in for the Good Faeries Ball. I'm holding my golden mask in the picture. I didn't get a chance to wear the mask very much, as I couldn't see very well and was afraid that I would trip and impale myself on someone's wings.

Above: It was an honor and a pleasure to meet Caitlin Matthews. We all use her books constantly. She is such a gentle and powerful soul who is intelligent and full of trivia. We talked about Victorian motifs and various old symbols. She's really great.

Faerie Con was an enjoyable time. I can't wait for next year. We've got a sleuth of new ideas and projects ready. It'll be hard to adjust to the real world after the month of preparations and the otherworldly weekend in Philadelphia.

Back...

I'm back from Faerie Con in Philadelphia and back home in New York. I'm ready to pass out now. We were all too busy to update this weekend. I'll update tomorrow with lots of pictures. For the moment... my pillow is calling loudly to my tired head. It says, "SLEEP!"

New Michelle Moode Mixed Media Pieces...

Above: (Left) Nymph. (Right) Propinquity (with flowers). Both mixed media pieces are by Michelle Moode.

Here are two examples of the new Michelle Moode pieces that I picked up at Etsy. I got a total of four. She is an artist out of Los Angeles and I just love these little gems. With strong abstract scale, these pieces seem to be giant! They are, in fact, quite small. I love that these treasures pack a punch in small format!

Onward...

So, we finally got to Philadelphia around 5 in the afternoon. It was a long drive. Both Cynthia and I were knocked out pretty much the entire way. We worked up until the last second, trying to squeeze in as much as we could before leaving. We met up with our friend Jessica Weasel here and have been hanging about with her. Weasel made Greg's costume and it looks great! Cynthia and I haven't really made costumes for ourselves yet... though all of Cynthia's clothes look like fairy clothes, so I think she's set. I don't know what I'll do. I did make two scarves out of felt. I think I'll give one of them to Weasel for a present. Felting is a lot of fun and I might have found my new hobby.

Well, I'm beat. Tomorrow promises to be a busy day! We're all looking forward to the show quite a bit. I can't wait to see everyone out at Faerie Con! So make sure to swing by if you can! Now it's time to find a vending machine before some sleep.

On Our Way and a Contest...

So, it's nearly 5 AM and we're bustling about, getting ready for our trip to Philadelphia for Faerie Con! We're so excited and looking forward to it so much! It should be a blast! We've been working so hard on getting ready. We think everyone will be pleased with all the new products and designs we're debuting at this show! Hopefully everyone out in blog-land will be able to join us in person to check things out! (I think that's the most exclamation points I've ever used in a paragraph.)

We're so happy with how things are going, we'd like to extend our joy to all of you out there by doing a little research and entering a contest. It's fairly simple and straight forward. Here's what you have to do:

Leave a comment in response to THIS posting or Cynthia's POSTING with your name and the FOUR names listed as examples of artists and writers who will be appearing at Faerie Con. Look in the most current issue of From the Beach of All Things Lost (the Green Girl Studios newsletter) for the article with the names in it. All correct responses will be entered in a randomly selected drawing once Faerie Con is over on Sunday evening.

Here's the PRIZE:

This is a delicate and elegant necklace that I put together with pearls, Swarovski crystals, sterling silver chain, green turquoise, serpentine, and vintage Czech glass, and a resin encased portrait of Green Girl in a pewter Flying Box.

GOOD LUCK!

BONUS: For a chance to win an extra entry submission, leave ANOTHER comment with your name and the quote found on the back of the Sphinx bead.

New Sonia Romero Print...

I'm just loving this lino-cut rabbit print by Sonia Romero. It's great! I got this one on Etsy to add to my growing collection. She's got a great little Etsy shop! I might try to save up to buy the "Ride the Rabbit" one, but I've got to settle down on the print shopping spree. (Eventually I can't excuse buying prints on being a birthday treat to myself anymore.) But with this line work that is just to die for... it's hard to resist. Make sure to check out her artist interview on the Indie Pretty Perfect Blog by CLICKING HERE.

Tired and Newsletter...

We've been working harder than ever to get everything ready for Faerie Con and my return to New York. Boy, am I tired. I've been wire-wrapping my brains. Greg has been casting like crazy. Cynthia has been sculpting and painting and doing all sorts of tasks that need be done before the show. We've all been working over-time. And Azalea is ever a ball of energy, always getting into things... so it has been pretty difficult.

However, I am confident that all our work will pay off and am happy for the opportunity to spend time with my family. Even if we are all a wee bit cranky and crabby for not getting enough sleep.

Although we've got masses of work to do before we leave on Thursday, I'm going to try and instigate a little family outing. We've all been working so hard, that I think a nice walk in the leaves in the park would be a wonderful distraction.

Oh, I just finished up the newsletter for Green Girl Studios! CLICK HERE for a better look! I'm working to expand the content, so if you're an artist, writer, or designer and would like to do something for it... please feel free to email me and we'll come up with something. Perhaps we'll give you advanced releases of products to play with or invite you over for crafty fun!

Above: Page 1 and 2.

Above: Page 3 and 4.

Above: Page 5 and 6.

By the way, we're also doing the BIG APPLE GLASS ART AND BEAD FESTIVAL! I'll be doing this show the weekend after Faerie Con. So please stop by and say hello! I'm looking forward to seeing all my bead show buddies!

Last Night...

So... Greg, Cynthia, Azalea and I went to A Touch of Glass to see one of Deb and Gary's friends do a demonstration of making large sculptural glass birds. They were pretty cool. Don't ask me the name, because it has completely escaped me. I think his name was something Sparrow, but I'm not sure. It was hard to try and watch Azalea with all the dangers about... broken glass, jagged metal, flaming torches, and a door that pretty much opens out onto traffic, so we ended up leaving a bit early.

Instead of going right back to the house, we all went downtown for dinner. I said goodnight to my family and met up with my friend Gus. We did a tour of the local Asheville establishments. It was a lot of fun.

Back to work...

Yard Dog Road Show...

Last night, to celebrate Tony's birthday, we all went out to see the Yard Dog Road Show at the Orange Peel here in Asheville. It was a lot of fun! The traveling vaudeville troop of performers, musicians, and magicians evoke a certain carnival-esque vibe, combining costumes inspired by 1920's burlesque and road shows from the 1800's and energetic rock and roll. Be sure to check out their tour dates, as they're bound to be in a city near you!

New Suzanne Gonsalez ACEOs...

Here are two new ACEOs to add to my growing collection. They're both done by artist Suzanne Gonsalez who is based out of Lexington, Kentucky. She is apart of the duo Raven Wolf Gallery. I acquired these very textured and layered mixed media ACEOs through her Etsy shop. (Yes, perhaps I am addicted!) These particular ones come from two series she's been working on. One of them focuses on the use of ephemera from an old anatomical book, the other incorporating vintage illustrations from tarot cards and playing cards. They're great!

New Jenna Colby a.k.a. Soopajdelux Prints...

I've been on a print buying binge lately. These are two more goodies that I got from Etsy. Aren't they great? They're both done by artist Jenna Colby who also goes by Soopajdelux. Right now she's having a sale in her Etsy shop, two for one. But only until Halloween. Afterwards it's back to regular prices. I think these canvas-printed gems are a steal!

New Ashley Goldberg Print...

This is another print I've been admiring for a while. It's done by Ashley Goldberg, based out of St. Louis, Missouri. I picked it up from her Etsy store. Her graphic style appeals to my love of simplicity. I also love that she does bird girls! Aren't they cute? She also has her prints done on canvas for extra durability. Check out her blog by CLICKING HERE.

Corvus Vulpes...

Above: Mixed Media Painting, "corvus vulpes" for Lisa Blackwell, by me - Andrew Thornton.

To complete a trade with Lisa of Zoa Art, I made her a painting. I call it, "corvus vulpes". It's the scientific name for "crow fox". Lisa was telling me about a series of books she was reading that featured this creature that was part crow and part fox. The background is made up of hundreds of layers of medium, newspaper clippings, and some special tricks of mine. The newspaper clippings come from a house-hunting paper here in Asheville. This is a nod towards her and Tony's nomadic ways. All of this is coated with several different layers of resin and acrylic paint, and a matte fixative on top to seal it all up. I quite like it. Lisa said that she loved it and I'm really glad that she's enjoying it.

Food for Thought...

Haven't updated our food creations in a while! The other day, Cynthia made a Vietnamese Fisherman's Soup, I made some rice pudding and last night, Seven Bean Chili. My secret ingredient is adding maple syrup to the ground beef.

Above Left: A bowl of the Seven Bean Chili at my work station. Notice the Elmer's Glue bottle and scissors amongst decorative papers. No time for breaks!

Against and Together...

It's another late night and still rest does not find me easily. I've been smoothing my mind over ideas of abstraction and figurative painting. Of what these terms have become and how they've changed and are constantly supplanting one another in popularity and debate. I imagine that I do this to attempt to navigate my own work and rediscover what is important for me as an artist.

This brought me to think of two artists, which are in theory dramatically posed against one another and yet are very much on the same page - Odd Nerdrum and Mark Rothko.

Above: (Left) Oil painting by Odd Nerdrum titled, "Flock". (Right) "No. 14" by Mark Rothko.

Mark Rothko once said, "It was with the utmost reluctance that I found the figure could not serve my purposes. But a time came when none of us could use the figure without mutilating it." Instead of the figure, Rothko evoked the power of color, texture, and the sensibilities of light to capture pure emotion. Even though his work appears during the dominance of the non-objective and abstract art, he didn't consider himself an abstractionist. He denounced the idea constantly, saying, "I’m not an abstractionist. I’m not interested in the relationship of color or form or anything else. I’m interested only in expressing basic human emotions: tragedy, ecstasy, doom, and so on."

Odd Nerdrum is primarily a figurative painter. He is often referred to as, "the new Old Master" and his work is constantly compared to that of Caravaggio and Rembrandt. He writes extensively on his ideas of Kitsch and on the movement of the figure in the contemporary art world. In fact he openly accepts the mantle of a "kitsch painter". Nerdrum's works attempt to engage the sensuality of the experience of viewing art, appealing to the viewer and their humanity and how they perceive it. He uses his skill and craftsmanship as a tool to become a "better" artist. His ideas are often in conflict with that of abstractionists, saying that "it makes for pretty wall-paper."

It's funny how drastically opposed to one another they are set. Rothko thinks that craftsmanship is over-rated if done in lieu of idea and emotion. Nerdrum believes that "craftsmanship is what develops our thoughts... as a kind of miracle cure." He goes on to say that the mastery of a material ends in a "catharsis" which makes good work. Rothko refuses to use the figure and Nerdrum uses it as his primary vehicle. Both are seemingly at opposite ends.

Above: (Left) "1957, No. 20" by Mark Rothko. (Right) Another painting titled, "Flock" by Odd Nerdrum.

Even though they seemed utterly at odds with one another as far as their work is concerned, they are not so different. Each artist attempts to express emotion, whether as a manifestation of the spiritual or as a depiction of the human condition. Each tries to engage the viewer in feeling something more palatable than a passing consideration of color theory or art historical relevance.

Although I know it is never a good idea to compare work on just how it looks (as it will often times leads to false assumptions and misnomers), I will (in this case) be quiet and let the work speak for itself. And leave off with another Rothko quote:

"Silence is so accurate."

Awesome...

Since my sleeping schedule has been a bit off lately, I'm finding it hard to sleep at regular hours. I am very disappointed by this, as I want to look rested and youthful and not haggard and oily (I break out when I don't get enough sleep).

So, what does one do when they can't sleep and are tired of working? They surf blogs! (Either that or find a bottle Tylenol PM.)

Anyway, I came across a really humorous and helpful blog called, "AWESOME!" And it really is awesome. The sassy remarks are well-written and ever so clever. Not only that, but they feature really interesting and useful items that are highly covet-worthy. Check it out!

Kelly Lynn Jones Interview at Crafty Synergy...

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I picked up a great print by Daniel St. George at Little Paper Planes. I happened to be browsing the Crafty Synergy blog and found a really great interview with the owner of Little Paper Planes, Kelly Lynn Jones. She's an amazing artist who is really in touch with architecture and space. Check out the interview by CLICKING HERE. And check out Kelly's blog by CLICKING HERE.

Body Modifications...

A bevy of talented young artists are participating in a group show curated by Jeanne Siegel entitled, "Body Modifications." Among the line up, this show will include the works of Elizabeth Castaldo, Katrina Contreras, and Amanda Amato. The show runs from October 5th to October 20th and will be at the Visual Art Gallery in Chelsea. The Opening Reception is Tuesday, October 9th. CLICK HERE for more information. Make sure to check it out!

An Interesting Idea...

WOOLOO.ORG is now inviting artists to participate in LIFE EXCHANGE - presented in association with PERFORMA 07, the Biennial of New Visual Art Performance in New York. LIFE EXCHANGE is a one-week exhibition offering applicants the possibility to perform actual Life Exchanges with other individuals for a time. 10 applicants will be selected to open LIFE EXCHANGE on October 31st, 2007. During the following week (until Nov. 6th), these selected artists will perform the 10 first life exchanges with members of the public attending the exhibition in Chelsea, New York City. To apply for participation in LIFE EXCHANGE, you must live in or around New York City (hotels included). You must also be willing to let another person live in your home for at least 24 hours. This includes handing over your home keys for this period, as well as letting another person use your clothes and other property. In return, you will receive access to another person's home, clothes, etc. To apply or learn more about LIFE EXCHANGE, CLICK HERE. The application deadline is October 21st, 2007. (Midnight/Pacific Standard Time)

Red-Eyed Monster...

I have been hard at work finishing up projects for Faerie Con. Lots of surprises and goodies will be at this show! It's coming up in a week and some change and is just around the corner. The backgrounds are almost all done and I'm trying to gather together some material for an up-coming newsletter and finish some designs for a magazine. CLICK HERE to go to Cynthia's blog to check out the latest Oracle Card, "Obstacles." Lots of work. So much so that I've been pulling quite a few all-nighters.

Once upon a time, I could go without sleep for days. Times have changed though and the toll is being taken out on my body. This morning, as the sun rose, I looked in the mirror and saw a frightening sight! A stubbly, greasy, unkempt version of myself with glowing red eyes. I'm not exaggerating about the color of my eyes. Azalea woke up not long after that and said, "Andrew, what's wrong with your eyes? They're scary. Are you sick?"

After finishing up a few smaller projects, I finally laid down to take a nap. Frick, the big blonde cat curled up with me and I fell into a deep sleep. I am much more rested and groomed now and am eagerly awaiting the completion of many of the works in progress.

If you can make it out to the convention, you should definitely stop by! It should be tons of fun and we'll have tons of things that will be made just for the show.

New Sarah Ogren Prints...

I have been hooked on Etsy lately, treating myself to a belated birthday present of sorts (or so I tell myself). I just adore the idea of a forum for artists and crafters that enables them to share their work. I especially love picking up new prints for my collection. I think it all started with Jen Tong's Bunny Boy, and now I've been possessed with collecting rabbit prints. I especially like the anthropomorphic ones that have human bodies. This led me to the work of Sarah Ogren.

Above: These are two of the prints that I picked up on my last visit to Sarah's Etsy shop. Both are open edition silkscreen prints.

Sarah is a mixed media artist based out of Goreville, Illinois. She is remarkably talented at combining her own drawings and vintage ephemera into stunning collages and prints. Her pieces evoke a Victorian sensibility, delicate and ornate with a touch of seemingly sinister darkness.

Above: (Left) Another silkscreen print in an open edition. (Right) A tiny ACEO card that's a perfect way to collect original artwork.

I am really happy with my finds from Sarah. (I just stopped by her Etsy shop again and selected a few more goodies!) Don't forget to check out her blog, by CLICKING HERE.

New Daniel St. George Print...

I've been coveting this print by Daniel St. George for a while now. (Of course I would; it has unusual bunnies in it!) I love the juxtaposition of something sweet with a little bit of something scary. It reminds me of that line from Shakespeare's "Scottish Play": "Fair is foul and foul is fair..." After seeing a guide on collecting affordable prints on Design*Sponge this past summer, I checked out the Little Paper Plane which features prints by a bevy of artists. This is a great resource for people looking to expand their art collections without breaking the bank. The print arrived in the post today and is just exquisite with all its morbid gold ink details!