Don't Mess with Texas

Growing up in Texas, I never noticed how much pride people had for their state. I thought getting a tattoo of one's state on an arm or ankle was a common thing. I thought big malls, big hair and big personalities were just the way it was.
Now, I know my mom would chime in right now, if she heard me saying this, and tell me "that is not what everyone does, or how everyone lives and is in Texas!", and this is true, but it is a contrast to what I know and observe here.
So, I'm going to visit my parents and my sister's family for a week, and if you have any requests (a cowboy hat, a Dallas Cowboy jersey, or some longhorns, for example) give me a shout out in the comments below, and I'll do my best.

Next weekend (June 4-6) we will be headed down to Richmond, VA.
Eric has a jewelry trunk show at Quirk (pictured left) on Saturday and
I will be giving an artist lecture on Friday and teaching a collaborative printmaking class on Saturday at the Visual Arts Center. Please come if you can!
Here is the full scoop.

Papel de Bling

Thoughts of adorning one's body with paper has wondered back into my head. Although I put the idea down for a while, it makes sense that it has come back to me because I love the idea of combining paper with body ornamentation/modification. There is something playful and low-pressure when I start working in paper, maybe because it is easily accessible and low tech. Furthermore, there is something really fascinating to me regarding the ephemerality of it-how when paper is placed on the body, it changes when the body sweats, it becomes embedded with smells, and it stretches and tears.
above: Marcus Tomlinson, Stills from the film „Pen to Paper“, UK 2003. ©Marcus Tomlinson












above: Michael Cepress, Collars for the Modern Gentleman, USA 2006, commissioned by ATOPOS, created using the “Yellow Pages”. Photo: Michelle Moore ©ATOPOS collection, Athens

So for the next couple of months, I'm going to dive more into researching and making paper jewelry. Last night, I made this paper ring, inspired by a pattern I found online by Sarah Kate Burgess. I have to say, although it is not very practical, I love it.

Going (to) Elsewhere

Last weekend Landria, Phoebe and I took a road trip to Elsewhere Collaborative, in Greensboro, NC.

Simply put: artists from all over and from different disciplines come to Elsewhere, a former thrift store, to make art inspired by the objects that are a part of the living museum.

Thoroughly put: Elsewherians discover new objects that reflect Sylvia’s (the original owner of the thrift store) fascinating mind and life, and whose placement and preservation reference the eccentric process by which the objects of her collection were ordered. This mass of objects tells a cultural narrative about material excess, consumption, and overproduction. The re-ordering of things and the curation of collections speaks to the potential to re-imagine collaborative creativity and the role of place and presence in telling a community’s story. The salience with which visitors and artists alike share in the immersive experience of this unique site, speaks not to an idea but to a shared narrative written in attics and basements across the country.

No matter how you put it, this place is pretty amazing! If you love Pee-Wee's playhouse, a collaborative art environment, and working in a multi-disciplinary and an organic way, I would highly recommend applying for a residency!