Art page updated
Art page is updated! Also all the annoying glitches and code errors I have been experiencing with Lightbox has been fixed. WordPress likes to change things on me every time it updates and then make me work to fix my pages/posts.
Last of the silkscreen collages
I think I’m officially done with collaging my old prints for a while. I’m ready for something new now and I’ve got ideas… if only I had time to execute them. Bummer.
Illustration for “The Monroe Family Bed Wishes To Die”
Ink, photoshop
Excerpt from John Jodzio’s “The Monroe Family Bed Wishes To Die”:
“I can see you shaking your heads, I can hear you saying that you can’t, you couldn’t, you won’t. Listen Tom and Connie, I didn’t want to have to pull this card, but I’d like you to know that I will take measures to make sure my wish is fulfilled. What measures? I’d rather not have to spell it out for you, but let’s just say that it starts with the an ‘s’ and ends with ‘uffication.’ Is that enough of a hint? “
Reclaimed Exhibition
From the Facebook Event Page:
“River’s Edge Gallery is proud to present ‘RECLAIMED’ curated by Perfect Laughter. Perfect Laughter has been a very active art’s blog based out of the Detroit Metro area and now they are also creating prints. We love their blog and their work and thought with their talents they would be a perfect fit to curate a show at the gallery… So now we present to you ‘Reclaimed’ curated by Perfect Laughter!”
From Perfect Laughter:
“Since starting this blog three years ago we have wanted to curate a show featuring artists whom we admire, we just lacked a venue. When we were approached earlier this year by River’s Edge Gallery about curating a show, we jumped at the opportunity. We contacted all of our favorite artists and were surprised and flattered at the response we received. Virtually everyone agreed to be part of the show.
We decided that we wanted to do a themed show, but didn’t want to limit the artists creativity, nor force them to work outside of their signature styles. We decided on found objects, and titled the show “Reclaimed”. We were pretty loose with the definition of “found objects”, so we were eager to see what everyone came up with. The results have been fantastic, we have received work that includes old wood, paper, old screenprints, electrical parts, book covers, and even charcoal headstone rubbings.”
Artists Participating are:
Angela Duncan
April Segedi
Audrey Pongracz
Chad Davis
Christopher Gideon
Dennis Hayes IV
Dennis Jacobs
Eddie Thiel
Emi Slade
Heather Hansma
Heli Kankainen
Kill Taupe
Kristin Barr
Jeremiah Britton
Jeremy Hansen
Leslie Gauthier
Marian Short
Megan Frauenhoffer
Mindy McPeak
Nicole Ray
Rudy Salazar III
Ryan Weiss
Sarah Santi
Taro Takizama
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My work “They Creep”
I changed the orientation when it was framed. It just made since when it was within the context of the frame. Here’s some process photos, camera phone style:
The ink on mylar before it goes through the photo exposure process of screen printing.
Here are the prints from the black and white editions. I had blue and colored prints that were mistake prints with weird splotches and other interesting textures. I combined the prints from “The Snow Queen” and “The Longest Winter” together to create this collage:
A really bad cell phone pic of my almost finished collage. I think I made some minor touch ups afterwards, but this is near completion.
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If you’re in the area, drop by and see the work as well as the others in the show!
“Her Arms Became Trees”
“Her Arms Became Trees”
silkscreen print, collage, marker, color pencil, paint
From time to time, I create little collage studies with my bad prints from the first series of silkscreen prints I produced earlier this year. I try to challenge myself to seek new ways to envision these figures. They transform, become monsters, or find themselves waging battles with other creatures. This collage was constructed to fit a theme for an upcoming ‘zine, Little Constructs:
*Photo by Erica Williams
If interested in seeing more you can explore their website and/or preorder your copy.
New Studio and Everything else
I finally have time to update the blog! It’s been madness the last two months with moving and teaching per course classes. One of the objectives I had to complete during the little free time I had was put together my new studio. It’s nice to have a full room to myself just for art making (well, and grading/writing assignment sheets/whatever). Here’s the tour:
The main area of the studio where all the tables and supplies are located. I put all my unframed collage work on the drawing table in the meantime. I also have artwork on the walls that I either bought or traded with other artists.
Books! Books! And more books! Also the unsold artwork have no place to go except on the walls.
Wider view of the space. I have the new print/collage work adhered to the drafting table until I get them framed. They're too fragile to be stored in any other spot in the room.
Corner of the office with all my school books and studio/office supplies.
Oni enjoys the space. Oh yeah, I may have gotten a dog since the last time I've updated... It's been that long. Notice I'm too lazy to take a label off the plastic storage unit? At least it's not a baby changing table...
It’s still not dream studio space like the ones on those fancy blogs, but it’s improving.
When I was not working on the studio, or work, I was trying to put together a submission for a show curated by Perfect Laughter (more on that show at a later time). I had a more ambitious image in mind and I started it before the move, but it got delayed so much I picked another work
This was as far as I got with the image. The theme of the show was to use reclaimed materials and I had these old fence wood pieces donated by a friend. I was going to silkscreen an illustration on top of it and then draw/paint to complete the rest, but it was too much to finish for the deadline. I still want to finish it later when I have more studio time to tinker with the idea.
I’m sending the show, “They Creep” instead. I forgot that I kind of use bad prints as reclaimed material, so I’m glad to send something that fits the theme of the show. When I framed the piece, however, I changed the original orientation of it to topside. It just read better as an image within the context of a frame.
Another thing that happened was that I received my copy of Hive Five Comics Anthology in the mail. Here’s the cover with my illustration accompanied by the book band. The cover was made with two layers the top being vellum to mimic the layered qualities from my thesis work.
I’ll post more pictures of it when I have photoshop installed on my computer again. I lost my incredibly old version when I updated the Mac to Lion. D’oh. When that happens, I’ll also have new artwork to show off.
Back in action!
Sneak Peek Illustration of “The Monroe Family Bed Wishes To Die”
Sneak peek at an in-progress image for the Paper Darts Press publishing of John Jodzio’s book, “Get In If You Want To Live.”
My illustration is already finished and much improved with the color overlays above, but you will have to wait longer for another tease.
This illustration is for the short story, “The Monroe Family Bed Wishes to Die.”
Intriguing, huh? Stay tuned to Paper Darts and here for more details.
Paper Darts Project: Get In If You Want To Live
Pre-order one of the limited first editions of John Jodzio’s upcoming short story collection, Get In If You Want To Live, set for official release on October 15, 2011.
Pre-ordered books will be shipped immediately following the official release on October 15th, or are available for in person pickup at the release party.
Get In If You Want To Live is a collection of 19 fiction short-shorts. Pushing this project far beyond the ordinary, each story in the collection is accompanied by a specially curated illustration from hand-selected local and international artists, including Jennifer Davis, Ruben Ireland, and Andres Guzman among others.
The entire book will be designed using the eye-popping aesthetic and inventive graphics that Paper Darts Magazine is known for.
Here is the list of participating artists, I’m so amazed to be grouped with such talented people:
In the Studio: Finished artwork
All Good Things to Those Who Wait, graphite, watercolor, ink
I’m finally finished with this piece! Yes! It was a lot of time outside of my schedule, but well worth the restarting and trial and error to get the final piece. Very please.
New Art: They Creep
They Creep, silkscreen, collage, paint and marker
A little surprise piece I did one evening while taking a break on the long drawing. There’s mostly color misprints now to cut and collage together. I didn’t think there was much left to explore with this set of prints, but it’s starting to become its own little series with all the combinations I’ve been coming up with. Now with the color prints I have some new territory to work with the same figures. I’ve really maximize the possibilities with the multiples, my graduate school would be pleased.
