Ai Weiwei: According to What?

China's Ai Weiwei, now at the Hirshhorn (but only until the 24th of this month). A sizable exhibition that brought about a little sorrow, contempt, delight, and "hell yeah!" Delighted may not be the best word due to the weight of some work, but being charmed by the color and visuals could mask some of that material just for a second. 

Above on the ceiling, you can see the tiniest portion of Snake Ceiling (hundreds of backpacks in honor of young earthquake victims). 

According to What? (Installation of retrospective photographs)

Straight (20ft/38 tons of straightened rebar gathered from 2008 Sichuan earthquake wreckage.)

[The tragic reality of today is reflected in the true plight of our spiritual existence: we are spineless and cannot stand straight. -Ai Weiwei]

(I had a little variation of this sentiment not too long ago: see Paper 17.)

He Xie (porcelain river crabs)

Bowl of Pearls (Enormous porcelain bowls of freshwater pearls)

Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn (photo triptych) & Colored Vases (yes, millennia-old vases.)

Here's an emotive and informative piece from NPR regarding the exhibit. 

A fascinating day, and I never thought I would get to see Neolithic vases covered in such pretty paint. 

Gifts for great couples

Making art pieces for friends, whether it's a surprise or a commission, usually leads down a path less traveled. I recently had the chance to come up with a wedding gift, and a first year anniversary gift for four of my lovely friends.

This was the first time I have ever replicated a family crest: Duvall, for the new Grover and Jessica Duvall. 18"x24", colored pencil, ink, and water color pencil with flecks of gold leaf throughout. My reference copy became easier to use when I figured out that up above is a little gryphon(?) and not some type of plume..

An abstract route for Brandon and Jo Wildman (in violet). Acrylic and gold leaf on panel, 18"x14". Cancer meets Sagittarius in a sea of commemorative items from the month of November.

For the homeland, Pro Patria. From the French Mareen Duvall lineage.

Effort-decor

I know it's well into January. Happy New Year. Last month was my great big DIY Christmas. I presented my sister with a painted stick. There was lamb complete with homemade tabouli and baba ganoush, for a Christmas dinner straight from Israel that I somehow managed to sell the family on. And I painted over 60 pinecones that were strung up in my apartment. Here is my non-tutorial, ladies and gentlemen. Spray, drip, dry, tie, hang.  You can even do it late at night in the dark! (See below.) One time for this is probably enough, so I have a free pass to leave these up until I want winter to be over already. Pine things are still nice in February, and color is always welcome. 

I'm a Good Dog

(This took place November 9th at Atomic Books in Baltimore.)  Ken Foster author of I'm A Good Dog, was in town at the book store -which is much more than a book store- for a signing, a speaking session, and an all around event complete with illustration show.  See my piece below. Proceeds went towards B-More Dogs, a Pit Bull advocacy group in town. Also found out about Erin Fitzpatrick, who's pet portrait ability was being auctioned off that night, fitzbomb.com for her more relevant work. I also met Ruby the therapy dog! Not being raised around dogs of any sort, I can finally get on well with them by now.. but I wanted to crawl into this specific dog's face-folds and sleep in a cradle of love.

Medicinals. More cutesy than not.. 12"x12" acrylic and ink on mat board. This is certainly a memory from my real life, only sub cats. 

 Put together by Posi-Party

Día de los Muertos

The Day of the Dead coincided with my friend Damien's 30th birthday, so that was a party opportunity waiting to happen, especially since earlier in the year he was being a diva of sorts about the whole ThirtyMilestone. We kept a slightly satirical funeral vibe, complete with a coffin that he popped out of after we stood in a large circle reciting hilarious eulogies. What better way to dramatically tell your friends you love them? But the Dia de los Muertos aesthetic can be completely gorgeous and I think from now on I'll be skipping Halloween and sticking with this. Of course they really do it up right in Mexico and other participating cultures; large breads shaped like skulls, and parades...

Backyard lighting

Hurricane Sandy day two. Candles were not just for looks.

Forrest painted this both pretty and practical, and now he has a newly awakened love of painting all things. Looks like I have a new studio partner. 

Another by product of Hurricane Sandy. A rope was strung up indoors for this. It reminds me of 'putting the F-U-N back in funeral'.

 Going to work

Colors we could wear everyday. Totally.

Refinished Guitars: Part 2

Refinished gunpowder-ed and pink bass guitar. Non-functional but visually indulgent. A battle of the modern sea vs. prehistoric land and air. Personalized for none other than Rohry Flood, the bass playing Canadian wannabe. Complete with commemorative 30 year old Canadian penny, hematite, and a dangerous bullet! Varnished, shiny, and secure for life. (Guitars: part one, is still a collection of photos in limbo and doesn't exist.)

Rainbow Sprinkles: 1

I had a session with photographer Tucker Joenz, Forrest, and an ice cream sprinkle-encrusted-beard the other night. The amazing Himalayan cat whose name I can't spell at the moment wasn't actually part of the plan, BUT he had an amazing new shave job and it IS cat week on Ellen, of course... Follow Tucker on twitter! (See below.) Photo finals coming soon on little bright red mats.

http://twitter.com/tuckerjoenz/status/255875226997493760

Specific magazine archives: 1

Life Magazine, August 1997.
While Burning Man was blowing my mind as a 12 year old, reading about it for the very first time in my grandfather's Life Magazine I couldn't imagine what he made of the whole thing.  I was enthralled, even reverent, but I wonder if he even saw the article or knew what they were talking about.. the same guy that told my 12 year old mother that the color purple was only for hippies and the pope.  Love.
Here is the saved original from my very small and oddly specific "saved article collection".

Still going strong this day in age, here's a more recent write up. 

http://blog.burningman.com/2012/10/participate/youve-been-to-burning-man-now-what/

They're so serious. Like… almost thought it was a dramatic parody serious. Those projects sound good though, right?

-"There is no default world."    (Or rather maybe there is, but there certainly doesn't have to be.) 

Framed Ink

A new addition to Cafe Sado located in Chester, Maryland. Sushi, Thai, and great atmosphere. A pepper and a peapod done in sumi ink on paper. One of the by-products of my Asian painting class at SCAD more than several years back. My name and name-stamp in Mandarin are on the side (traditional placement). Tony, the lovely Sado owner, is the only Mandarin speaking member of staff while everyone else is from the South Pacific. We figured this piece could squeeze in under a general Asian guise. 

Brooklyn and the #giftfair

Ps I'm not truthfully a hashtagger. New York over the weekend was nothing more than short and sweet. I was able to make it to the NY International Gift Fair- more fun than expected!

Jonathan Adler was the only land I felt comfortable taking any photos in, much thanks to Melissa Cromwell, and JA did look great. I was also able to locate an old favorite company now under the new name of Moksha, Indian goods and handmade wares (from Texas) and old family friends.  Moksha- "Liberation". Also check out Lusty Letters for a change of pace in your greeting card and gift-giving life. A lot of colorful inspiration, all in all. Meanwhile back in Brooklyn there is a new mural up in the courtyard of Soda Bar, courtesy of 'MissBoombox', not to mention the new chalkboard wall over at St. Johns Place...woah! 

Mural of Insects

Newest mural; A residential bathroom; Cape St. Claire in Maryland. Sixteen butterflies.

The problem is that while the work crew was finishing up, the bathtub broke in half. (When does that ever happen?) Each butterfly is meticulously clear coated to completion, hopefully staying smooth and sound.

Firecracker Balloons

9"x9" gouache on paper. It's been 5 years since last using gouache. I'm considering it a welcomed new phase.