Complementary (Hayes)

Complementary (Jen)

Pockets (Jen)

I'm so sad to be missing the ECIS conference this year, but I'm so glad that the sketchbook and t-shirt got there in time.

Here's my pocket badge on Eric's t-shirt.

Jo's entry in Gail's book

Here is my entry into Gail's "Dust To Dust" book. 

Jo's entry in Carol's book

Here is my entry in Carol's "Move" book. Carol wanted to know what it was that moves us ... so I took that quite literally and made 2 entries about Yoga which is what is currently moving me. 

Rika's Post to Connections

Rika's page in Jo'e Book

Rika's page in Move

Rika's page in Dust to Dust

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Eric's entry in Julie's CONNECTIONS

Thanks, Julie!

string goes in, string goes out....

The theme of "Connections"... it made me think back to some old zinc letterpress blocks from a book about Norwegian cross-stitch patterns from the late 1800's (don't ask me how I got the blocks, but I am glad to have them!)

I printed them on some thin pine veneer that I bought in Kyoto, Japan back in 2004 (it was sold in a restaurant supply store, intended to be used to wrap up/ deliver sushi rolls: imagine receiving sushi wrapped in wood, it's exquisitely beautiful!)

The connection then to the grommets and string is thus a bit of a non sequitur... I was just thinking about what the illustrations depicted, then trying to play off Julie's initial stippling on the cover of the book, playing with a bit more physical materiality/ tactility. What in the heck is that sculptural piece in the bottom of the box, which is lovely, made out of: is it plaster? paper pulp? I was stoked to see Gail's inclusion of some 3-D bits....

Keep it going, Rika!

Eric's entry in Jo's A GAME OF CHANCE

 RED, not used in a derogatory way, just referring to China...

This was a super fun book: thanks Jo and everyone for your work on it!

Gone are the days of fretting about how to come up with an idea for a sketchbook entry: Jo's "system", as interpreted from Brian Eno, helps out immensely. 

I got RED, ALL AROUND THE OUTSIDE, ALL MATERIALS, and most importantly, SELF, which was the key for me to interptet the other cues so I could do whatever the hell I wanted! Stamping, silkscreen, stencils, splatter paint, pencil, spraypaint... this entry's got it all!

OK, now back to the classic Eric entry, lots of glittery and gold.

Next up...?

Jo's entry in Hayes book

This book is looking great. I love this page (above) where everyone has drawn a shoe and then listed their influences. Hayes asked that we use the thin-line Sharpie included with the book, so this was like a dream come true for me, thin black pen = my fave. 

On one of the other pages I had to add to a list of irrational fears and add a drawing to the opposite page. My irrational fear is "The Fear" so that is what I drew.

Image for Rika's book

My entry into Rika’s book was inspired during an artist retreat in the mountains of Pennsylvania, recently. Working with black paper was a bit of a challenge however I remembered that colored pencils actually glows on a black surface. I collaged some images from a collagraphic print and added shredded US money (commonly used in my work) to simulate hair for the standing figure, which is a fertility doll. The joined at the stomach crocodile symbol is one of many Adinkra symbols that visually illustrate Adinkra philosophy from Ghana. The name of this symbol FUNTUNFUNEFU-DENKYEMFUNEFU represents democracy and unity. (The Siamese crocodiles share one stomach, yet they fight over food). This popular symbol is a reminder, that infighting and tribalism is harmful to all whom engage in it. This journal project represents unity to me because we all live in different parts of the world and may not even know each other, yet we are unified by our contributions to each other through our art.

Image for Connections

”Connection” was a drastic difference from the triangular book; its narrow horizontal format gave me a more intimate space to work with. I was inspired by the three-dimensionality of the previous entries as well as the ceramic image and box that it came in. So I decided to use a symbol that appears in my art as the repetitive image. I often use the crocodile in my work inspired by Adinkra Philosophy and symbols. The crocodile serves as an intercession to the spirit world as protection, because it is the most powerful animal in the jungle.  The central figure was made of handmade paper, while the other figures are revealed by the negative space treatment.  I then added some three-dimensional rings along with text. Both book entries were completed in one weekend. Whew, the pressure was on.

Jo's Book

Jo’s triangular book; Last week when I went to church the sermon was about getting out of your comfort zone for the betterment of yourself and your community. This book, I can see already will force me to leave my comfort zone, in terms of media, topic and all of the above. It could not have come to me at a better time as I began to look more closely at where the lines are drawn in my comfort zone and when and how do I allow myself to cross that line and step out on faith. Building confidence in your abilities and yourself starts from freely going back and forth across that line until you know in your heart that what ever you put your ability and effort towards wholeheartedly will undoubtedly work out.  The result of my dice throwing led me to use pens in all colors, it was self-inspired (my portrait) with an emphasis on repetition (reference to my new grey hairs) while being extravagant. I had to use an unacceptable color( gold) and also honor thy error as a hidden intention (the arrow). It was a challenging and evolutionary experience. This would also make a great project for students. I enjoyed working within the confines of a triangular shape.

Image for Carol's book

 My image in Carol’s book is entitled “Moving at a snails pace”. As I transition into a new phase of my life I would like to focus more on working three-dimensionally. I have always considered myself a frustrated sculptor so now it is time to relinquish my fears and excuses to delve feet first into my latten obsession. Her book being about movement and what moves you seemed like a perfect place to come to grips with what has been in my head for a long time. I guess, sometimes you have to put your desires and dreams on paper in order for them to be realized.

Jo's pocket for Eric

So this is what the T-shirt looks like now ... 

it's getting crazy, are you sure you want to wear it to the conference Eric? 

Day

Night

I added a lovely green knitted pocket. Not content with just the pocket I added some gold bling around the neck, which is knitted too. I had originally sewed the chain around the neckline of the T-shirt but I changed my mind and took it off and shoved it in the pocket instead. This allows the piece to be worn effortlessly from day to evening, très chic. Just add the chain to indicate that it is party time.

Closeup of the pocket

Gold chain

Eric's entry into Gail's book

Where am I?

I was drawn to Gail's initial entry, that big old ink blob, plus the overall sensiblity with the structure and use of materials when she made us this book to work into.

I took it as an omen to dig deep into the studio flat files, and found an old polymer plate that depicts a topographic drawing from a moon, and a plastic plate intended to be used as a cobblestone pattern for model railroad enthusiasts' cityscapes (I guess, who really knows, but they have some great materials in those shops!).

Oh, and for those of you who don't know me and my penchants, of course, there's some spraypaint and glitter. However, I did also include some mica that I myself harvested from a nearby cliff and ground up in my mortise and pestel.

I am trying to depict.... well, you decide!

ONWARDS!!!!!

Eric's entry into Carol's book

BONJOUR: what moves me?

 

Well, I guess the answer to the question Carol poses to us, I have tried to answer with the entry, spelled out in rubber stamps. 

MY EYES MOVE ME.

So one of the first things that struck me was how many pages there were in Carol's book. We only have 8 or so people making entries in this rotation, so therefore I challenged myself to use as many as I felt like. I challenge you after me to do the same!

I took this book as a chance to play, as I usually do. I've kept an optically jarring silkscreen in the studio, printed on mylar, then used as a stencil and a proofing paper for some letterpress stamping for the word BONJOUR. This provided the cover sheets for the contents of my entry, which I frankly didn't even remember to count how many pages it included in its accordeon. 





I first found myself thowing away the little paper bits leftover after one tears out pages from a spiral bound book... then I decided to use those as the main character in a stapled-10 page fold out made from old woodblock printed paper. They became stencils, for spraypainting onto sheets torn out from the book, then they also beame elements I wove/ stapled into the fold out. 

It was really fun to work on this project, who knows how it will advance......

Can you dig it?!?

Jen's entry in Dust to Dust

Hayes' entry in Dust to Dust

Inspired by his recent snowboarding accident which resulted in a few pins and plates being inserted into his wrist and hand.

Jen's entry in Move

Hayes' entry in Move

We found some amazing old scrapbooks at the local brocki (2nd hand stores) and was inspired by them.

Eric's entry into Hayes's book

Lightning Bolt

Drawing under the "If-Thence"...

Indeed, I turned on the ole' Spotify and I followed a statement I wrote in the beginning sections of the book:

If you get stuck making an entry, then pursue process

and therefore made a drawing whilst listening to heavy metal music. I liked all the instructions and contributions that were asked of me for this book! A lot to bite into!

Keep it rollin'

Jo's entry in Rika's book

Rika's pocket for Eric's many pockets

So sewed a bit and used some random stuff that I found in my apartment to make my pocket.

Hayes' Sketchbook (Entry #1 and 2)

DUI: Drawing under the Influence (If Then's)

Hayes' book is fun to complete and it also has a few extra goodies that are fun to fill in which I didn't include because I thought it would be fun to be surprised when you receive it.

There are a few instructions that he'd like us to follow (which are included in his book as well):
1. Draw a 2-page observational line drawing (please use the fine line sharpie that will come with the book)
2. Add an "If..., Then..." statement to the rules page that the subsequent entries must follow.
3. The first rule is (which I thought was unclear, so I'll include it here): If you draw something from Ikea, then add the catalogue price.

Jo's entry in Julie's book

Here is my entry in Julie's book. The theme of the book is "connections" and she screen printed her first entry so the connection I made was to screen print in the book too. Plus the image I printed was a drawing I made in Amsterdam, which is where I met Julie!

Julie's 2nd post to Complementary

Well I should really learn how to edit photographs and blog properly but.......