art...work

Other Blog

2010-07-30T22:40:00.001-07:00

Head on over to Sketchwork - I'm posting on there what I would normally post here.

Clouds in Portland

2010-07-29T22:13:00.000-07:00

NYC: W 156th Street

2010-07-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

NYC: 58th Street and 59th Street

2010-07-25T22:21:00.000-07:00

Taking care of public art!

More public art

Fika!

Lovely $10 lunch at Fika

This would make a great stage name.

New York City: Bushwick

2010-07-24T08:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I just want to remember what a place looks like, so I take a series of pictures as I turn slowly. This is Bushwick, in Brooklyn. I went there to visit my friend Deborah Brown, an excellent painter who is creating a project for the new Animal Shelter here in Memphis. Debbie also has a small gallery in Bushwick called STOREFRONT. She was nice enough to open it for me on a Tuesday morning so I could see what she's been up to - it's a very nice little space.

New York City: PS1

2010-07-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

Saw the exhibit Greater New York - see my (snarky) "review" here.

The courtyard activity was very fun and engaging. Of course I just stood to the side and took pictures.

Love the orange!

Outside a window.

More activity in the courtyard.

Shadows

New York City: Leaving Queens

2010-07-20T16:10:00.001-07:00

This is what it looks like from the Queens Museum back to the subway.

New York City: More Queens Museum of Art

2010-07-17T09:07:00.001-07:00

The Queens Museum is so great! Not only did they have the Panorama of the City of New York, but they also had the relief map below of the New York City water supply system, and another one of what Flushing Meadows Corona Park looked like during the World's Fair that was held here.

New York City: Queens Museum of Art!

2010-07-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

Panorama of the City of New York - one of the coolest things I've ever seen. Ever.

Friday Night Fun

2010-07-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

A visit with my nieces (and nephews), Chuck Johnson (and others) at L Ross Gallery, quick stop for some hazelnut syrup for Mai Tai's, fluffy clouds over David Lusk Gallery, great work by Tim Crowder - all of these were taken with a telephone

New York City Day 2: Flushing Meadows Corona Park

2010-07-09T08:58:00.000-07:00

New York City Random: Parade Float Heading East on 42nd

2010-07-08T11:25:00.000-07:00

New York City Saturday Night: Subway and Le Relais de Venise (Great Restaurant)

2010-07-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

New York City: Jin Fong, Chinatown and Hester Street Fair in Seward Park

2010-07-07T19:54:00.000-07:00

Under Construction - The Fairgrounds

2010-06-23T06:08:00.000-07:00

Drawing Stories 2

2010-06-22T18:04:00.000-07:00

We put a lot of effort into getting dressed up and being on all night, but at some point it gets to each of us. This young lady gave up in the hotel lobby and took a little nap.

The drawing was originally part of a large drawing installation, composed of 57 drawings, spelling out the word "Ladies." All of the drawings are of girls and women, many of them involved in the activities and rituals that make us "ladies."

graphite on paper
7" x 7"
available for purchase on Etsy

My Stories

2010-06-21T20:15:00.000-07:00

James Franco will be on General Hospital and in an exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles AT THE SAME TIME! I grew up watching GH with my great-grandparents while playing with Silly Putty on their green vinyl couch. This makes me very happy, art-wise.

Here's the description from the press release:
“In this special episode, Franco… will be having an exhibition at MOCA Pacific Design Center, during which time Jeffrey Deitch, the new director of MOCA, and the characters from Port Charles from General Hospital will be making their West Coast debut. The character’s exhibition will include full-scale models of the locations in which he encountered mobster Jason Morgan… Franco will attempt to lure Jason and others into his art-trap. If all goes to plan, mastermind Franco will turn both Jason Morgan’s life and his own death into art, a performance to end all performances.”

Awesomeness

2010-06-19T15:26:00.000-07:00

Dwayne Butcher

Erin Wright @ Flicker Street Studio

2010-06-18T20:47:00.000-07:00

"Nonsensical Nostalgia" (taken with my camera phone)

Colorful Adirondacks and Porch Swings on the Interstate

2010-06-18T16:53:00.001-07:00

I took these pictures with a phone!

Memphis and the Arts on Twitter

2010-06-18T08:39:00.001-07:00

I love seeing these right next to each other.

Work of Art: The Sh*t I Found in My Yard Episode

2010-06-17T19:29:00.001-07:00

I remain unimpressed with dude's OCD
I prefer the neater artwork (as opposed to the messier art). That is really all I have to say about the art itself - I'm not going to spend a lot of time thinking about it
Okay so Judith has no problem talking about her artwork
I totally would've accidentally done the 2-D art as 3-D
If Miles keeps winning I'm going to have to stop watching
OMG I totally did not expect them to kick off Tron (Trong?) so quickly!
This episode really felt like reality TV, and the artwork felt far less important - hence my shallow impressions of it

Work of Art!

2010-06-14T18:52:00.001-07:00

I just realized while watching Work of Art: The Next Great Artist that I can't not blog about it, on this blog called Artwork. So here are my initial impressions:

The artists seem a teeny bit jerky. Not all of them, but definitely some.
There is a much bigger emphasis on painting than I would have imagined. Don't people keep telling me painting is dead? (It's not, that's dumb.)
I think Abdi is really talented and charismatic.
I am immensely impressed that they were able to do what they did in such a short amount of time without having a breakdown. I couldn't have done it. Well... I couldn't have done it and liked the end result.
The art administrator in me is surprised and disappointed in how poorly everyone spoke about their own art. Only two of them had a good excuse for that. I'm sure they were nervous and tired, but what was running through their heads that whole 13 hours they were working? Were they not having an imaginary conversation with the judges? Huh.
I felt bad for Amanda, whose work of art "didn't work," but the piece she made was ultimately a bit shallow - she only reacted to Jaime Lynn's appearance. [Edit: If she was going to go with appearance alone, her design should've been more rococo!]
I'm not impressed by that one dude's OCD.
Simon de Pury's accent is FABulous!

Technical Difficulties

2010-06-12T21:11:00.000-07:00

Due to technical difficulties with Blogger (exasperated sigh) it may have looked like I said that Clare Torina's exhibit at Material was bad but it was not! It was excellent - she has an incredible facility for painting, particularly flesh tones. There was a show on South Main that shall remain unnamed that was SO BAD, and the placement of text and images in my post may have obscured that statement. Sorry, Clare! Keep up the good work!

See more of Clare's work here.

Sketching at the Zoo

2010-06-12T09:31:00.001-07:00

Last week my art account treated me to a membership at the Memphis Zoo so that I can go there on weekends and sketch the animals, people, nature, architecture. I went twice last weekend and even took a small set of watercolors to do some color sketching for a change. Here are a couple of watercolors. You can see more here.

Clare Torina @ Material

2010-06-10T20:02:00.000-07:00

This is from a couple of Fridays ago.

I also went to a show on South Main for the Trolley Tour, but I'm not posting any pictures. Everything about the show was SO BAD that I'm not even saying what show it was.

Beth Edwards at David Lusk Gallery

2010-06-04T21:19:00.000-07:00

If these pictures don't look so great it's because I took them with my phone. But then again, for a phone it takes pretty good pictures.

Making a Postcard Painting

2010-06-01T19:48:00.000-07:00

Bridge Mash-up
4" x 6"
acrylic

Drawing Stories

2010-05-31T19:17:00.001-07:00

This little drawing is from a wedding. The dress had been the bride's mother's wedding dress, worn in the 60's. The bride made this dress her own, comfortably sipping a glass of wine while visiting with guests.

The drawing was originally part of a large drawing installation, composed of 57 drawings, spelling out the word "Ladies." All of the drawings are of girls and women, many of them involved in the activities and rituals that make us "ladies."

graphite on paper
7" x 7"
available for purchase on Etsy

Pin It Forward!

2010-05-31T13:25:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite art & design blogs, sfgirlbybay, recently started a project centered around a new website, Pinterest, which I just love. Pinterest allows you to repost photos from the web and automatically credits the photos with a link to the original site. You create boards that you "pin" photos to - get it? Pinterest!

The project is Pin It Forward, in which a few hundred bloggers are creating boards about "what home means to me." Here are a few of my images:

Home is where the biscuits are, and where old ladies call me "puddin." (from http://www.eatlocalmemphis.org/)

In my home lives my husband, who buys me great shoes. (from http://www.sfgirlbybay.com/)

My books are like old friends that live with me. (from http://bloesem.blogs.com/bloesem/)

My home must have a drawing board. (from http://www.designspongeonline.com/)

A few other bloggers posting about this today are Shanna Murray, L'Atelier, and Orinui. Check out all of the great images being shared! Also check out one of tomorrow's Pin It Forward bloggers, freshlyblended!

Trip to Spain 7

2010-05-21T21:21:00.000-07:00

Textures and Patterns Part 3 - Toledo

on the way to the train station

train station in Toledo

Sinagoga de Santa Maria la Blanca

Sinagoga de Santa Maria la Blanca

Trip to Spain 6

2010-05-16T17:07:00.000-07:00

Textures and Patterns Part 2 - Madrid

tour headphones in trees

grate

costumes

oranges

theater lights and boxes

floor in hostal

window in museum

ceiling in hostal

Trip to Spain 5

2010-05-11T18:29:00.000-07:00

Textures and Patterns Part 1 - Robledillo de la Jara & Countryside

Trip to Spain 4 - Metalwork

2010-05-09T14:40:00.000-07:00

I love this little gate to a home in Robledillo de la Jara. This house was the first place our hostess, Angeles, ever went on vacation.

The metal work is obviously hand-made and done right. I should've asked Angeles how long it's been there.

It's all done with rebar!

Using traditional blacksmithing methods of heating & hammering.

I love the repition of the swirls, and the differences in the four panels.

Letters/symbols

Cone

Flower

Grid

Friday Night Art Openings

2010-05-07T20:18:00.000-07:00

New gallery - David Perry Smith Gallery at 703 New York

Jeane Umbreit at Material

Carl Moore, Ian Lemmonds and Elisha Gold at L Ross Gallery (forgot to take my own pictures)

Trip to Spain 3 - Countryside

2010-05-06T20:26:00.000-07:00

On day 2, we went to the countryside and visited cows, bulls and that little horse down there.

Yes, it is really this beautiful there.

Cows!

Next to this pasture there were storage containers for a theater company.

That is where the bull lives.

My love of clouds has no borders.

Trip to Spain 2 - More of Robledillo de la Jara

2010-05-04T18:09:00.000-07:00

Trip to Spain - Post 1 of a Billion

2010-05-03T20:10:00.001-07:00

Robledillo de la Jara, Part 1

Jennifer Holliday Sang Right in Front of My Painting!

2010-04-30T06:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday there was another event for the Women's Foundation Legends Award. Jennifer Holliday was the keynote speaker at the Annual Tribute Luncheon, and she stood in front of my painting while delivering her speech! Then she sand her famous song, And I Am Telling You I Am Not Going, RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY PAINTING!

Giving a speech.

And singing!

I Love Taking Pictures of Clouds

2010-04-27T19:38:00.000-07:00

It's my thing. Well, one of my things.

Open Studios at the Medicine Factory

2010-04-24T19:49:00.000-07:00

I love this drawing. The delicacy of it, the mixture of the hard-edged grid with the organic form, the subtle changes in tone. But I don't know who did it. The studios didn't have the artists' names on them.

More from studio 1.

I'm sure this was by the same artist - great shadows.

Plants growing inside the window.

We'll call this studio 2.

Faces!

Studio 3 appeared to be inhabited by an architect. Or very tiny people?

This was in Maysey Craddock's studio. She had a lot of nice work in there.

View from Maysey's studio.

Little wire hand. Maysey will be teaching a wire sculpture workshop at Flicker Street Studio on April 27 & 29 - more info here.

Medicine Factory

Women's Foundation Legends Award

2010-04-21T17:53:00.000-07:00

I spent most of March working on this painting commission for the Women's Foundation. The painting is to honor Legends Award winner Representative Lois DeBerry. Here it is in my studio after a 5-hour painting session the night before we left for our trip to Spain.

Last night was the Legends Award Reception at the Peabody Hotel. Here is my painting all covered up for the unveiling.

This is Lois DeBerry's daughter Tish accepting the award on Representative DeBerrys behalf.

This is the program - that's me in the upper left!

Unveiled!

Here I am with Tish. So many people were taking so many pictures of us, I felt like I was on the red carpet.

Here I am with my date, Heather.

U of M Law School 2

2010-03-15T17:44:00.001-07:00

Out a window

Interesting architectural detail highlighting windows that were filled in during a previous renovation.

More details

Room with beautiful wood accents

I like taking pictures out of windows.

University of Memphis Law School Tour 1

2010-03-14T15:02:00.000-07:00

During my last week at UrbanArt I was able to tour the U of M's new law school downtown. It's such a beautiful building! Here are the first few pictures:

Beautiful details

Window on the top floor

Architectural detail and view of the bridge

I can't remember what room this is.

Studio Visit - Chris Fennell Part 2

2010-03-09T11:52:00.000-08:00

Here are more crazy structures at Chris Fennell's studio, along with glimpses of the to-scale 3-dimensional "sketch" for his sculpture.

Studio Visit - Chris Fennell

2010-03-07T11:44:00.000-08:00

These are some crazy structures at artist Chris Fennell's "studio" (really a large outdoor space) in Birmingham in February. This was probably the last studio visit I did at UrbanArt.

I'm Back

2010-02-28T09:25:00.000-08:00

Friday was my last day as Director of Public Art for the UrbanArt Commission. I started there as an intern right after graduating from college in May of 1998, and over the years I've held pretty much every position there. UrbanArt provided opportunities for professional and personal development, as well as put me in a position to affect so much of our community and to work with so many talented people.

Next, I'll be starting a new career as a technical writer for a local corporation, and by next I mean tomorrow!

I started this blog as a way to make myself take note of the art part of my job at UrbanArt. Not the parts where I read, wrote and negotiated contracts, or had meeting after meeting after meeting, but the fun parts: studio visits, researching projects in other cities, looking at materials, visiting sites for artwork, etc.

So I'll keep this blog, because even though I'll no longer be an art administrator, and art technically will not be my job, I'll still be an artist and perhaps a better one as I get my head out of other people's art and into my own. Plus, as an artist I feel like it is my responsibility to look for beauty, and it is my inclination to share it with others.

I have a few posts related to UrbanArt to catch up on, but after that I'll keep posting about my own artwork, art I like, other things I find interesting, and maybe a little bit about the transition from the non-profit art world to the corporate world. Wish me luck!

New Pictures on Etsy

2010-02-15T13:01:00.000-08:00

New pictures on my Etsy shop, showing what the drawings look like and how they are shipped on an archival-quality board, so you can just set it up on your desk or a shelf!

Yard and Neighbors in Snow

2010-02-14T12:53:00.000-08:00

From Snowmageddon 2010

Artwork Installed and In Progress

2010-02-13T12:50:00.000-08:00

Mural in progress peeking over the completed railing at Colonial Middle School. That's Mark Davey working on the mural. The Metal Museum created the railing.

New and Old Airport Towers

2010-02-12T12:45:00.000-08:00

Under construction

Big Sister Little Sister

2010-02-11T12:43:00.000-08:00

Clara and Miriam on Miriam's birth day.

Awesome Organizational System at Fast Signs

2010-02-10T12:40:00.000-08:00

Playhouse on the Square

2010-02-09T12:39:00.000-08:00

I keep hoping they are just testing out their signage. Ugh.

Payne's Bar-B-Q

2010-02-08T12:33:00.000-08:00

On Lamar about a block west of McLean.

Rib sandwich. The slaw is more like a relish - all mustard and pickles - but it's good.

Jumbo sandwich with hot sauce.

Regular sandwich. The sauce is sweet, but it's still good. The meat is quite tasty. The beans are delicious.

Lacks ambiance.

The Noog

2010-02-07T12:27:00.000-08:00

From a quick trip a few weeks ago.

Towel in our hotel arranged to look like an elephant.

View from Signal Mountain

Our shadows in the Tennessee River

Tennessee River

Review in the Flyer!

2010-01-31T14:05:00.000-08:00

Review of Perry Nicole Fine Art's anniversary show in the Memphis Flyer

Public Art in Chattanooga

2010-01-28T12:23:00.000-08:00

By Christopher Fennell

Where All of My Future Crochet Projects Will Come From

2010-01-27T12:20:00.000-08:00

Pretty Clouds on Broad Avenue

2010-01-26T12:14:00.000-08:00

Artwork at Brewster Elementary

2010-01-25T12:11:00.000-08:00

By Yvonne Bobo

Shelby Farms

2010-01-24T12:08:00.000-08:00

Looking for a site for a project.

Fun with Material Samples

2010-01-21T20:23:00.000-08:00

Recent Studio Pictures

2010-01-20T19:46:00.000-08:00

South Florida Sunset

2010-01-07T14:07:00.000-08:00

More Birds on Wires

2010-01-07T06:57:00.000-08:00

True Art

2010-01-06T00:54:00.000-08:00

My nephew Calvin's middle school band performing Christmas songs.

Somerset: coolest kid in the room.

Work Event from Last Month

2010-01-05T16:50:00.000-08:00

Dedication event for Suzy Hendrix's project at Dalstrom Park.

All set up! I got there VERY early, and the Parks guys were already there to set up the chairs and podium.

Shadow of me in my hat on artwork.

Studio Visit

2010-01-05T14:56:00.000-08:00

For a project that Carol DeForest is working on - I can't show you the work yet, so I'll show you the super cool and super clean studio.

Sunny Day on the River

2010-01-05T08:48:00.000-08:00

From a few weeks ago, while driving a visiting artist around town.

New Bridge

Old Bridge

Tom Lee Memorial

Another Afghan

2010-01-04T19:47:00.000-08:00

This one was made using 2 strands of yarn at the same time.

Close-Ups at Monticello

2010-01-04T11:44:00.000-08:00

Views from Monticello

2010-01-03T23:43:00.000-08:00

This is What Christmas Looks Like in South Florida

2010-01-03T12:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas Morning

2010-01-03T05:58:00.000-08:00

Monticello

2010-01-02T21:38:00.001-08:00

Skipping around in time again - I'm going to keep doing that, but this is the last time I'll point it out. These are from our trip at Thanksgiving.

Smart City

2010-01-02T21:31:00.001-08:00

I blog all over the place!

My Day

2009-12-30T15:02:00.001-08:00

I'm skipping around in time - the previous entry was from November - but I wanted to tell you about my day. I drove to Nashville to pick up some paintings from Twist Gallery, and took these pictures with my camera phone.

First I saw this weird sign on Central just after leaving my house.

I went a different way to get to the gallery once in Nashville, and saw this neat wall.

This is the tiny tiny elevator at The Arcade.

Upstairs at The Arcade.

The paintings I picked up - I missed you guys!

Nashville Skyline - isn't that an album title?

More Nashville stuff.

Stopped at this Exxon to fill up - this "On the Run" store (I preferred it when they were "Tiger Marts") is one crazy place, comparable to the Mapco at Central and Cooper here in Memphis.

It is physically impossible for me to go to Nashville without eating at Noshville.

Atlantic City - Boardwalk and Atlantic Ocean

2009-12-29T23:27:00.000-08:00

These pictures are pretty bleak, but it was a chilly, out-of-season day.

Etsy

2009-12-29T20:35:00.000-08:00

I'm on Etsy! My small drawings - all about 7" x 7" - can be purchased on Etsy. I've got 10 up so far - go visit!

Atlantic City - Trump Taj Mahal

2009-12-29T17:24:00.000-08:00

Does that say Trump or what!

The hall outside our room.

View from our room.

More Cuteness from Bennington VT

2009-12-28T12:06:00.000-08:00

Old Cemetery Next to Bennington Museum

2009-12-28T08:03:00.000-08:00

Bennington Museum

2009-12-27T23:59:00.000-08:00

Grandma Moses Schoolhouse Museum

Ceramics and Paintings by Molly Hatch - great installation!

Battle of Bennington - I'm a sucker for this type of display

Bennington Battle Monument, Bennington, VT

2009-12-27T19:54:00.000-08:00

More Roadtrip Pictures

2009-12-27T15:50:00.000-08:00

Covered bridges in Bennington VT

Niagara Falls - FIREWORKS!

2009-12-18T14:12:00.000-08:00

I love LOVE fireworks, so it was so awesome to get to watch these from our hotel room!

Niagara Falls - Miscellaneous

2009-12-17T14:09:00.000-08:00

Yours truly.

Scary-big water fall.

Sketching in the cold.

The city.

Niagara Falls - RAINBOW!

2009-12-16T14:04:00.000-08:00

This was the most amazing rainbow I've ever seen - we could see the whole thing! It would fade, then turn into a double rainbow, then come back. Coolest thing ever.

Niagara Falls - Journey Behind the Falls

2009-12-15T13:58:00.000-08:00

Niagara Falls - View from our Hotel

2009-12-08T18:34:00.000-08:00

4th stop on our trip. Horseshoe Falls and Parking Garage

Casino between the Falls

Skylon Tower and the American Falls

Close up on American Falls

The rest of the city

Falling Water by Frank Lloyd Wright

2009-12-03T22:59:00.000-08:00

3rd stop on our roadtrip. I'm glad we saw it when we did - we could see more of it since there were no leaves on the trees. It was beautiful, even on a chilly and rainy day.

Buildings in Pittsburgh

2009-12-03T07:45:00.000-08:00

From our recent roadtrip.

Carnegie Museum of Art

Cathedral of Knowledge

I Finally Got to Go Here

2009-11-21T10:12:00.000-08:00

11/13/09

Also in City Hall

2009-11-19T14:19:00.000-08:00

Things you might see in City Hall, in addition to this.

Installing at City Hall

2009-11-18T10:07:00.000-08:00

Wayne Edge and his family installing a sculpture over a fountain in City Hall. Those fake trees will be moved!

Another Sky

2009-11-16T14:18:00.000-08:00

New Afghan!

2009-11-14T10:05:00.001-08:00

What a Good Day at Work Looks Like

2009-11-11T22:11:00.000-08:00

That's me taking a tour of the new LeBonheur Children's Medical Center where we'll have a few public art projects.

Moon Over Broad Avenue

2009-11-08T14:16:00.000-08:00

From some time last week.