long time no see + two openings

Hi there. I’ve been absent from the blog for a while. A long while. Let’s consider the past three months my creative hibernation…

I figured today was as good a time as any to jump back in since I have pieces in two exhibitions opening tonight!

While I haven’t been blogging or taking many photos lately, I have been working on other projects and business opportunities; I hope to start sharing more about all that in the coming weeks. Plus, I’m revving up to get out with my camera ASAP and often.

Opening tonight at the Franklin Arts Center in Brainerd, MN: Lush Vibes (isn’t that a great name for a spring show?). I’m exhibiting one of the images from the Never-Ending Wood series for the first time. It’s all about GREEN, the color I miss most this time of year.

 

Also opening tonight: Encroaching City at Flow Art Space, a group exhibition that ‘looks at city life juxtaposed with the natural environment, the relationship between humans and nature, and the footprint city living creates’.

 

04.22.13 thanks

Last Saturday the trees were unveiled in Nebraska City and my Kickstarter project was successfully funded! Double YIPPEE! You can check out photos of the finished tree on my facebook page. Someday, when I get back to Nebraska City, I’ll take better photos of my tree and post them here.

Today I want to say thanks to everyone who supported the project – and me: Tom and Liz, the Enchanted Arboretum project organizers in Nebraska, the other 20 artists involved, Kyle and Danielle from Icon Poly who made the tree sculptures, Andy and Chris at Rogers Printing who did a great job with my vinyl, and all my backers. I am full of gratitude for all the great people who were part of this experience and enjoying this week’s work: fulfilling backer rewards!

112/365: thank you cards

04.18.13 it’s a wrap

Stuck in the studio and feeling I’ve mined every shot out of the bleak, late winter landscape, I looked around and spied a large sheet of bubble wrap. This stuff is great for at least three reasons. Four if you count the protective packaging aspects.

1) Entertainment.

2) Nostalgia. Related to entertainment, but specifically linked to the endless delight of countless children including me and mine; and

3) It looks cool. Particularly if you really study it and take way too many pictures of it and start thinking that it looks like a mass of frog’s eggs under a magnifying glass. Or something like that.

Anyway, today’s photo also provides me with a perfect corny segue for talking about my Kickstarter project which wraps up Saturday, April 20th  at 7:00am (CST). As of this post, there are 36 hours remaining. This fundraising effort supports my public art debut, The Never-Ending Wood, part of a public art initiative called An Enchanted Arboretum. If you haven’t yet, please check out the project. There’s a video of me talking about the project, lots of pictures and more information. Plus, you can check out the special edition artwork I’m offering as backer rewards.

While I’ve made my goal, I’m excited to have lots of people on board and to share the rewards with as many people as possible. I’d love to have some blog readers jump on board!

108/365: bubble wrap

03.30.13 i’ve got that on vinyl

Yesterday was big. The 66″ x 29″ vinyl prints for my tree were finally finished and – WHEW! – they look great. Now there’s just the small matter of getting these giant stickers on the sculpture. This project is such an amazing opportunity but it’s also one of those great, challenging, slightly scary adventures that I just can’t wait to appreciate in the rear-view mirror…

If you haven’t yet, please visit my Kickstarter project to watch a little video and learn more about the project – three weeks to go.

89/365: never-ending wood on vinyl

03.26.13: Kickstart my Art

Remember that big tree I showed you a while back? Well, it’s almost ready for its close-up…

Today’s photo shows a detail of the tree yesterday after priming.

I just launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to complete the tree, my first large-scale public art project. Do you know about Kickstarter? It’s an online funding platform for funding creative projects.

You can pledge to become a backer, help get creative projects off the ground, and receive a reward. I’m offering special editions prints featuring images from my design cycle, “The Never-Ending Wood”.

These 4 photo-collage designs will cover the tree. As it turns out, printing photos on vinyl to wrap a 6-foot tall, three-dimensional tree is EXPENSIVE.

While I did receive $500 from the Enchanted Arboretum project board (Thank You!), my costs exceed $1200. I’m trying to make up the difference.

Please visit my Kickstarter Page to learn more about the project. There are lots of photos and also, ahem, a video. (I can’t say it was my finest hour but I got the job done.)

Become a backer to help get the project off the ground. Every contribution counts. Rewards start at $5!!

85/365: primed tree sculpture

03.21.13 work in progress

Today’s photo is actually a still from a video I was working on yesterday. That’s me talking about the public art project I’m working on. Remember that big tree? More to come…

81/365: self portrait, video still