A List - Halloween, Fabric, Art, Red Hook, some People & a Dog

Halloween Party

I painted these animals for If I Were A Toy store last year.

I had a great run painting their glass door with a seasonal, often monthly theme for 

about 3 years, before they closed up shop. This was one of my favorites.

and then there's  fabric, I received 2 of my samples from Spoonflower last week.

The printing is pretty good. I'll probably play around with the repeat more. 

I simply chose "mirror" option on the site. 

Margot Kingon has offered to sew a few small purses for me :) 

I'm not sure how much I want to get involved in manufacturing products, but it's 

nice to place some pieces in shops or sell online and see how they do.

I currently sell bags, pillows, prints in my Society 6 Shop, but as other artists know,

the profit margin is quite low. You can place your products and art on the market quickly, 

with ease and get high quality printing, it's just not the most efficient way to make money.

and then there's  Artist House Party Presents

Christopher Joy, of Gorky's Granddaughter, has opened up a gallery on the UES

 The Opening for Diagonal Triangle was Oct 19th and includes my friend 

and fellow scenic, Bryon Finn (with his work below)

As you can see, I failed to take good, or even mediocre, shots of the artwork.

Just visit the site to view paintings by other artists in the show-

 Elana Herzog, Julian Kreimer, Sangram Majumdar & Sarah Walker

or better yet, go see it in person!

It's up for another 2 weeks, the Closing Reception Nov 12th, 2014

*Check out 5 Questions with Bryon Finn on Angela Fraleigh's blog this week- it's fun and insightful!

and then there's  my neighborhood...

I ran into neighbor, Gabriel as he was visiting with one of my favorite dogs in Carroll Gardens. 

This is such a lovable happy pup! These people are very nice, too ;)

and then there's  Graham Willoughby

I've known him forever and he remains one of my favorite people.

On this day, I admired the way he carried laundry on his head, so he could

carry his daughters' small jack-o-lanterns home in hand.

and then there's  Red Hook

I worked on a small job in a prop guy's studio down on Van Dyke Street last week.

This area is just great. 

I lived on Van Brunt Street back in 1991.

My roommate and I had a terrific space and each had our own studio, but the neighborhood is

very different today. Besides, the charming shops and restaurants along cobble stone streets, 

there are the buildings down on the water, like Pier 41. 

I could smell the salt air, hear seagulls and ducks as I painted set pieces and props.

Plus, it was a quick walk to Fairway to enjoy lunch outside.

I somehow missed this Fire Boat last Friday Night, but production assistant,

Ron Pritchard, captured it. Apparently, a fireman had just been married and this 

was part of the celebration.

and then there's  Halloween. I sure loved it as a kid!

I no longer dress up (tho I will if asked ;) Here is one of my 1st -

#tbt

Happy Halloween!

xo, A

El Anatsui *the Glory of Bottle Caps, Tin Lids, Twist Ties & more*

The El Anatsui exhibit at The Brooklyn Museum is stunning

and you have til August 18th to see it!

Gravity and Grace: Monumental Works by El Anatsui

I enjoyed the John Singer Sargent watercolors, which were loose and lively, 

and as terrific as I expected them to be.

but

Thank you Melissa Stampley, for telling me not to miss Anatsui's exhibit on the 5th floor!

El Anatsui was born in Ghana and has been teaching and exhibiting his work for over 40 years.

He is the dept head at The University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

It was in 1998 that Anatsui came across a bag of twist-off liquor bottle caps which altered

his work and the course of his career.

At the 2007 Venice Biennale, his Fresh and Fading Memories, caused a sensation

draped upon Palazzo Fortuny's facade 

image courtesy thehighline.org

You can view his outdoor installation, Broken Bridge 2 on the High Line through September 2013.

More from the Brooklyn Museum...

Anatsui's individual pieces take on a different shape and form depending on 

the installation and space they are occupying.

Apparently, each can be folded up to fit inside a suitcase for travel :)

View The New York Times Slide Show and learn a bit more...

As much as I love the scale and impact of his work, I'm just crazy about the details. 

You can almost feel the process, the time & work that goes into each piece 

and of course, the colors grab you! 

In an interview with October Gallery, EL Anatsui noted, “The amazing thing about working with these metallic ‘fabrics’ is that the poverty of the materials used in no way precludes the telling of rich and wonderful stories."

It's pretty spectacular to see this in person, feel the scale and be part of the space, installation.

It will be up for about 2 more weeks. If you're in NYC, go see it!

:::

Here's a video interview with El Anatsui at the museum.

(worth a look, if only to see how his socks match his artwork)

El Anatsui is currently represented by Jack Shainman Gallery.

:: art is fun :: 

thanks for stopping by!

xo, A