:: blarg ::
{ news / ORACLE }
Tuesday Feb 5 | Jane
Oh man...this month is going to be nuts, so much changing and evolving and...I'm going to need more coffee.
I took a much needed break from working in studio after the Look Attractive show went up and was just catching my breath...and then in January I up and decided to go into business with my dear friend Carrie! It's something that we have talked about doing for ages, but our concept, business plan and dream space only recently came together. In a few months we will be opening a shop (as well as an online store) selling framed butterflies, moths, taxidermy, bones, skulls and decorative memento mori types of curiosities!!
I'm so excited about this and it's all coming together so quickly - as things continue to move forward, I'll be able to post more updates about it. In the meantime, I am pretty much consumed by this new endeavor and hoping to get back into studio to work...maybe soon? I hope soon.
{ transitions }
Tuesday Nov 13 | Jane
I'm at that point where I am almost finished with all of my deadlines and I don't have any new ones lined up (save for those pesky, self-imposed goals that seem to always be floating around and taunting me and making me feel inadequate and lazy...) I welcome this free-ish schedule but am simultaneously scared shitless of the openess of it...the distractions that come with having a full dance card have kept my mind from having to dig too deep into the emotional stuff that will inevitably rear it's ugly head. I am not looking forward to this aspect of it.
Anyways, I was happy to get good feedback from people regarding the group exhibit I've got work in (Look Attractive - UMKC Gallery Of Art - runs through January 14 2013, come by and see it!) and I'm hoping to get my new light table set up soon...maybe I'll even feel like picking up a pencil again (optimism!).
Unrelated to me making art in any way shape or form are the following:
- After reading Laura Jane Fauld's recent post about her 'Rooftop Everybody' coat, I've wanted to find one of my very own. (Also, I highly recommend checking out her collaborative blog - http://strawberryfieldswhatever.blogspot.com/ - on the regular, she's one of my favorite writers and I love this new site!)
- I want to make a quilt. I've never made a quilt and I understand that this is a pretty time-consuming endeavor even for people who make quilts all the time. Seems like a really, super good idea for me to do this now.
- I can't stop watching this, it cheers me up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joi7HqywDAg
{ Look Attractive }
Thursday Nov 8 | Jane
I am very proud to have drawings featured in UMKC's new exhibition, LOOK ATTRACTIVE.
LOOK ATTRACTIVE features the work of Jane Almirall, Max Key, Carol-Ann McFarlane, Kate O'Donovan Cook, Keer Tanchak, Dawn Woollwy and Erin Zerbe - the exhibit opens this evening, November 9 from 5-7 at the UMKC Gallery Of Art and runs through January 14, 2013.
(I hope to see you there!!)
{ sea wee, beach butter }
Tuesday Jul 24 | Jane
I'm safely - if not begrudgingly - returned from a lovely visit to Manomet (my pops lives there during the summer with his lovely wife Marnie - my siblings and I often combine our trip for a family reunion of sorts). My dad turned 70 this year and Marnie threw a nice, big bash to celebrate - the whole trip was super fun and today I am wishing that I had more time to spend with my family on the beach. Sigh.
{ opening }
Sunday Jun 3 | Jane
Thank you everyone who came out on Friday to say hello (I tend to be a little shy in big groups and had a back-up hidey hole in the gallery that I didn't even need to use!) it was fantastic to see old friends and meet new ones!! I am so happy with how the show looks - I owe BIG THANKS to Stephanie, Erin, Joel, Jory and Courtney for, you know, everything! The opening went really well and I am continuously impressed by the huge number of people who come out in droves to support the art community in Kansas City - you are the goods.
(If you missed the opening, don't worry - the show will hang through July 28! For more information, you can check out the Leedy Voulkos Art Center website here: http://www.leedy-voulkos.com/)
Also, I would be remiss if I didn't mention my friend Carrie here - this beautiful, amazing, hilarious, generous and kind woman drove a total of 18 hours roundtrip to be here for me and she single-handedly kept me from expiring from anxiety (among other things). LOVE LOVE LOVE.
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{ installment }
Thursday May 31 | Jane
This morning I woke up early, staggered into my studio and was alarmed - just for a second - by the absence of 6 months worth of work. Then I remembered that I dropped everything off at the gallery yesterday and now I don't know what to do with myself. I still have a few other projects and deadlines, but this one in particular has occupied so much of my time, it's weird to be finished....
I pre-emptively feel some Post Show Blues.
Anyways, something that has made me very happy - my beautiful, brilliant and incredibly thoughtful heterosexual life partner friend Carrie surprised me by coming in town a day early to help me out with the show and keep me sane during the process!! She has already logged in countless hours wrangling my children to buy me some precious studio time and I want to shower her with ALL THE THINGS, such is my gratitude for her support and friendship. (Sidebar, her whole family is awesome - when she arrived on Monday night she came bearing gifts - namely a HUGE ASS light table that her husband Brian got for me because he is amazing that way. HEARTS!)
Here are some shots of walls and pictures and Lovely Carrie with my bebes - in the beginning of the installation - LET'S DO THIS THING.
{ a word }
Monday May 28 | Jane
Oh man...I just want to say a few words about the UH-MAZING Leedy-Voulkos Art Center here in KC. Erin, Stephanie, Courtney and Joel have been incredibly kind, generous and inspiring to work with - I can't praise them enough for making this such a great experience. For example, when I met with Erin to discuss some installation details and I asked if we could paint the walls grey, her answer was full of enthusiastic support. Later that day, when I asked if instead of painting the walls grey from floor to ceiling, that I might come in and do a little free-hand, neo-Victorian framey-type decorative shapes on their pristine, freshly painted and gorgeous walls I was yet again met with enthusiastic support! I love the Opie space so much and I am more proud of this recent work than anything I have made before...it's a pretty big departure for me (a hopeless creature of habit) and I can't wait to see how everything comes together.
I spent a little less than five hours painting today, with more work to follow throughout the week:
Now, nobody panic - this is an early stage of the installation. I would urge you, dear friends, to make note of that big-ass ladder in the background, do you see it? I'm scared shitless of heights and such is my commitment to making a beautiful show that I climbed that beast!! I nearly passed out from fear, but luckily a friend popped by to supply me with courage-making, conviction-fortifying refreshments.
More stream-of-consciousness updates to follow....
{ a word }
Monday May 28 | Jane
Oh man...I just want to say a few words about the UH-MAZING Leedy-Voulkos Art Center here in KC. Erin, Stephanie, Courtney and Joel have been incredibly kind, generous and inspiring to work with - I can't praise them enough for making this such a great experience. For example, when I met with Erin to discuss some installation details and I asked if we could paint the walls grey, the answer was nothing short of enthusiastic support. Later that day, when I asked if instead of painting the walls grey from floor to ceiling, that I might come in and do a little free-hand, neo-Victorian framey-type decorative shapes on their pristine, freshly painted and gorgeous walls I was yet again met with enthusiastic support! I love the Opie space so much and I am more proud of this recent work than anything I have made before...it's a pretty big departure for me (a hopeless creature of habit) and I can't wait to see how everything comes together.
I spent a little less than five hours painting today, with more work to follow throughout the week:
Now, nobody panic - this is an early stage of the installation - I would urge you, do make note of that big-ass ladder in the background, do you see it? I'm scared shitless of heights and such is my commitment to making a beautiful show that I climbed that beast!! I nearly passed out from fear, but luckily a friend popped by to supply me with courage-making, conviction-fortifying refreshments.
More stream-of-consciousness updates to follow....