Out on the Town and Country

Todd Knopke has a solo show up at Feature Inc called CEC "Changing Everything Carefully". The Opening was Thursday night and it was great to see how many people came out for it. 

I met Todd about 5 years ago on a photo shoot and it turned out that he, like myself, grew up in Richmond, Va and received his BFA from VCU. Despite graduating in different years, we did share the good fortune of studying with Richard Carlyon, I wrote about him here in Oct 09. Todd was in the sculpture dept, then headed by Myron Helfgott, a terrific artist and friend of the family. 

Todd went on to Yale for his graduate degree, which I've heard is an ok school ;)

Todd currently sews together large narrative scenes out of disparate pieces of fabric evoking a dreamlike quality that is both enticing and eerie. His work is non linear and filled with symbolism and personal iconography. This particular series taps into my own fears about camping and bizarre experiences with the Boy Scouts of America.

Below is an excerpt from an interview Todd gave, you can read more at Artslant

What’s with your exhibition title?
An acronym is a perfect analogy for my work so I made my own from a part of a sentence that seems as if it should be the motto for today’s world: “changing everything carefully.” Taking parts of a preformed whole to create a new clearer idea/vision/word. CEC sounds like “seek” but also contains double vision, in the form of two Cs (pronounced see). With (E)cstasy in between. It seems like art’s goal. Read more...

The previous week, Kristine Lombardi, fab illustrator and Blipadee contributor, and I attended Bookmaker's Dozen Event/Launch/Party at PowerHouse Arena in Dumbo. Below are Kristine's photos from the event.

Bookmaker's Dozen is a group comprised of talented published illustrators who have banded together to exhibit original artwork together, sell prints and provide friendship and support in what can be quite a solitary existence. I'm a fan their work and I recently wrote about a few like John Bemelmans Marciano, John Rocco, Brian Floca and Sophie Blackall after seeing their work in the Brooklyn Public Library's "Drawn in Brooklyn" Exhibit. Sophie's book, Big Red Lollipop is included in the New York Times Top Ten Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2010. 

 

The image below is not an indication of how I felt at the event. In fact, PowerHouse Arena serves fine wine and delicious snacks that you rarely see at art openings anymore. Not that I attend that many, but the ones I end up going to seem to favor cheap beer :(  
This is a terrific book store with lots of over sized art and photography books!

Sunday, Peter Brown (Bookmaker's Dozen member) read from his new book, Children Make Terrible Pets at Book Court, my favorite local bookstore. This book also made the New York Times Top Ten Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2010. Melissa & Mike brought Freddy, who owns some of his other books. I love Chowder and Flight of the Dodo, so I went, too :)

Here he sketches out his character, Squeaker! 

Jonathan Franzen read from his highly acclaimed novel "Freedom" earlier in the week. I was not disappointed! I thoroughly enjoyed "The Corrections" and so far "Freedom" far exceeds my expectations. It doesn't take long to know and care about his characters and feel like you grasp, however fleeting, the complexities of contemporary life filled with seemingly endless choices, compromise and disillusionment.
In person, he was unassuming and charmingly funny. It was a standing room only event and I was nervous just to have him sign my book. Fortunately, he couldn't have been nicer.

Above, Mike tries to keep up, constructing origami dinosaurs with Freddy .

At Thanksgiving, Bryon invited the Zexter clan and me to his friends, Brian and Karla's organic farm Simmons Farm in Middleton, RI. It was a cold and blustery day, but we took a pleasant walk through the petting zoo and to the water...

Some great faces...

Adore their two dogs :D

I liked this little pup, too!

I've always appreciated these old typewriter models. This one was for sale at Brownstone Treasures last week. I never learned to type, a mistake that haunts me and probably annoys my studio mates ;)

Carroll Park Tree at night :')

Welcome Back to Blipadee!

It's official, Fall is a mere two days away, time to get back to blogging. I've scheduled my return to coincide with the TV season and my favorite sitcoms like Modern Family, 30 Rock and Parks & Recreation :)

The end of summer was a lovely and busy one. Made a final visit to Rhode Island and Massachusetts to see the Zexter family, even though most would be returning to Brooklyn by the start of the school year. Here are a few photos from Tiverton and Newport, RI.

Visited the Doris Duke House and saw her extensive art & furniture collection, learned about her Newport Restoration Foundation and a bit about her life. Unfortunately, the juicy stuff was left out of the tour. We heard nothing about her lover, the butler who inherited millions when she died. I was intrigued by a story about her pet camels. It turns out that my friend and fellow artist, Bryon Finn met her as a child because his father restored many of her paintings! That is pretty cool :)

Aaargh!

My mom came up for the 1st week of the US Open and we found time to visit MOMA. I've seen the Matisse exhibit "Radical Invention" twice and it is a wonderful overview of this creative and experimental period in his life1913-1917. He is one of my very favorite artists and I'm prone to love everything he painted, but this was a particularly interesting time and a well done show. You have until Oct 11th to see it :)

Above is Yoko Ono's "Wishing Tree" in the courtyard where wine is served and a DJ plays the1st Thursday of every month.

Below is one of my wishes. As you can see, I have high hopes for some of my new characters! Don't worry, I made another just for friends and family. My wishes always come true, so get ready for wealth, health, longevity and love!! ;D

Like the Murakami hanging in entryway!

Onto the US Open... below, Spaniard, Tommy Robredo signs kids' tennis gear & hats. It's so fun to walk the outside, more intimate courts during the 1st week. He's an excellent player and fun to watch! I took less photos this year, but had to take pics of my faves...

I watched David Ferrer, above, win two impressive matches! He is incredibly fast & fit and can return almost anything! He has been referred to as "the wall" meaning everything comes back. He played fellow countryman, Fernando Verdasco in one of the most memorable matches of the tournament. It was a tough 5 setter between two fighters, Ferrer lost in the tie-break. It looked heartbreaking from what I saw (on TV), but the guts and tenacity of some of these athletes is inspiring!

Fave umpire above, Carlos :) Below, retired player/current commentator, Justin Gimelstob poses for photos.

Here, my friend Kristine looks on as Italian player, Flavia Panetta wins her match. Panetta is a former girlfriend of her fave, the great & beautiful retired Spanish player, Carlos Moya *(Rafa Nadal's mentor).

Above is Francesca Schiavone, the fabulously entertaining and tough player who at age 29 won the French Open this year, becoming the1st Italian woman ever to win a Grand Slam in singles. She played a great match against Venus Williams here.

Janko Tipsarevic from Serbia took out Andy Roddick this year in a tough match. He's known as an intellectual on tour being an avid reader of Dostoevsky and Nietzsche. Here, he merely practices serve.

It was an extremely hot and humid week! Below, Robredo cools off...

Psyched to see Venus in an ESPN interview :D

I currently have paintings on view at Papel New York, the ultra-fab modern paperie and stationer in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn :) Please stop by if you are in the area!

After bringing Raegan, the owner, my price list, I shopped a little myself. Still loving letterpress companies like Tiselle, Dee & Lala and Dutch Door Press to name a few.

She always has some cool new products, clean displays and designers that are new to me.

Most of my work is up front, but I have a couple of larger pieces like "Kids" and "Psychedelic Animal Blip Blops" hanging in back where people sit to go through custom invitation books. She offers beautiful lines by designers, Wiley Valentine, Dauphine Press, Dabney Lee among numerous others.

Had to have this mug shot coaster set!

back to me...

Above, Raegan expresses her excitement at having my original work on display with jazz hands :'D

I laid pieces out on the floor 1st and soon realized I brought way too many pieces with me. Most from this group made it in however.

Here's Parker! Raegan's young pup is one of the sweetest, cutest dogs around and he's got boundless energy. Took quite some time to get a clear shot!

*Below is a line of cards I recently created. You may recognize a few, like Space Mouse or Twiggy, simply tweaked & reworked. I'll be selling some of these at Papel NY along with select prints on paper.

Yoga Bun is a young bunny trying to get in shape and in touch with the infinite Universe ;)

These mantras are explained on the back of each card.

The backs are all versions of the above. I'm using archival paper by Hahnemuehle Fine Art, which has a superior satin coating and the color totally pops! I'm very happy with this group.

Here is Top Dog, Maraca Mouse, Banjo Bunny, Cecilia Seal, Twiggy n bird, Chickadee, Lena the cat and a bee, Space Mouse (or Mousetronaut as Kristine calls him) and lil bear hug bird--

Thank you for stopping by. Here's to a Fall full of fun, friends, good food and cute paper products!
xo, A

ps- Papel NY is located at 225 Court Street between Baltic and Warren Streets in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. Phone 718.422.0255