Got noticed!

We are on the Sweet meat flickr page we are photo

_MG_5297f.jpg

under closing night photos

Feb break 2010

So I spent the break week at the art gallery. Taught one day and used an old lesson. I loved this lesson. At the gallery we have an authentic raven mask from a Inuit Potlatch. I like to bring in The story "The Raven" and read it to the kids. Then the kids made symmetrical paper cuttings based on a animal. We discussed button blankets and how their are used and worn for ceremonies, We also discussed Totem poles and how certain animals are associated with certain families.


We also went to the gallery and looked at the Raven mask and read the story "The Raven".

Finding your niche

So I went to three art openings last Friday.

I went to ROCO to see the paintings by my old college professor Julie Williams and I talked to some other artists there. http://www.rochestercontemporary.org/williams.html. I have been told before when people have gone with me to shows from other MCC professors works that their influence is evident in my work. I was thinking of that when I walked around looking at the Makers and Mentors show.

I also went to the Four walls studio for their new show. Then over to Hungerford to check out Sweat Meat which I had heard so much about. See the link hear to see some for yourself.http://www.sweetmeatco.blogspot.com/.

I also checked out the new co op gallery space there.


I went home with this estranged feeling. I was inspired by everything I had seen but felt like I had no sense of belonging. I wanted a group of other artists to create with and a more dedicated space to create in......
I have a studio space at home... but I was left longing for collaboration.......and with questions. Questions like: What makes a work of art finished, what makes a good mixed media artwork versus a bad? When do we decide that a work is finished.... ?I was also torn with materials and genre questions I use a combination of mixed media,found objects, installation work, performance work,and some more traditional mediums. I feel like the topics and subjects that I address either use alternative materials and non serious materials to address serious topics
( much as women's issues and body images with Barbies) or they are traditional mediums but i am dealing with a non traditional and obscure topic(tarot cards).So I was left with this "Where do I fit in kinda feeling?"


I went to Barnes and Noble yesterday and picked up a copy of Artful Blogging by summer set studios... I was inspired by what I had read and wanted to rush right home and blog, or work on my etsy account... But my computer is broken....So I worked on some projects.. I realized though through reading that magazine and through the art openings that i need to start viewing my blogging and art work differently.That I need to document process as well as product and that I need to not just post but comment on other peoples pages.. I used to write in all these journals and now with a Facebook, Myspace, artists page and blogging I do not do it as much. I still keep a sketch book and write in it.I decided i need to use the internet more like i used to osed my journals.I need to use the blog and document process and thoughts not only product.

Mural musings

So we have begun the meetings to discuss what to put into the Flying Squirrels mural.Only a few people have been in attendance so far. We have discussed ideas of the imagery we would like the mural to have and discussed what imagery we would like to include to convey our ideas.Mostly we want to mural to represent the history of the area and the building is in and the values of the group as a collective.We are trying to stay away from specific logos for groups that use the space.



We created a mind map last weekend to collaborate our thoughts and ideas and posted it in the community space to allow other to add to it.



We will begin a mock mural on paper soon.
We are currently meeting every other Thursday at 7:00 at the Flying Squirrel. For more info go to

http://flyingsquirrel.rocus.org/ or http://www.facebook.com/pages/Flying-Squirrels/132529023090#!/profile.php?ref=sgm&id=100000140036866

This project is funded by a grant from the Arts and Cultural Council for Greater Rochester, the New York State council on the Arts, and the New York State legislature.

prints

So my Saturday class has been on a printing extravaganza. We made Styrofoam prints with old egg cartons/trays and pencils. This is almost always a hit!The kids like rolling the ink and especially like to mix the ink colors.






I also tried to make stamps from foam garden kneeling pads and s wood burning pen. This turned out very well and I was impressed with the results. I had the kids draw the design with a sharpie and took them home and burned them. They were so easy to do and just melted like butter. The smell was a bit much.














I am debating on making more stamps for resell. They worked great with the ink and I have yet to try them with stamp pads.