The Conversation: Part 2

Based on the Conversation: Part 1,  Mike had the idea of creating a photo that had a three-dimensional/flowing/textural feel. He used a co-worker with some beautiful tattoos, great legs, and a ton of energy and emerged with an amazing, dynamic photo. The image made me think of a bird flying, metamorphosis, energy, dynamic change.

For my Conversation: Part 2 (official name TBD)  I painted the environment of the photo. Hardwood floor, white wall. The wall changes to a cloudy sky, and the girl becomes a bird flying with wings of ribbons. I used the very same cat mask, but painted over its face with an owl’s face. (acrylic, fabric, ribbon, and feathers on canvas)

Advertisement

Petrified Orange

About a year ago I brought an orange to work, put it on my desk, and on my desk it stayed.

Since then, it’s been the subject of much ridicule from my co-worker Erin, who thinks it’s is fairly disgusting (which I suppose it is).

This week I’ve had to pack up my desk to move into a new office (which my new office-mate Sean refers to as “the veal pen”). So what does one do? Pack and move the orange? Throw it away?

Neither of these options seemed appropriate… So naturally I decided to make some art!

Sadly, Erin is both moving desks and teams. So for a going-away present, I made this little orange nest to remember me by.

(acrylic, paper, copper wire, raffia, ancient orange)

The Conversation: Part 1

My good friend Mike Hipple, who also happens to be an amazing photographer,  approached me with an idea a few months ago. His husband Sam was organizing a big arts festival, Arts Crush, in Seattle during the month of October with weeks of visual art, books and music, theatre, and dance.

Mike suggested that we collaborate on a project for the visual arts portion of the month, which we decided to call “The Conversation.” The concept starts with a photo by Mike, which I use as inspiration for a painting, which Mike uses as inspiration for a photo, and so on.

Mike had an idea for the first photo, and he wanted to use me as the model and my bedroom as the set.

As it happens, the past few years I’ve been suffering with chronic insomnia and this photo makes me think of that in-between state that insomnia produces. Not awake, but not asleep. Dream state overlapping with reality. So that is what I painted. (acrylic, spray paint, fabric)

We didn’t quite pull it together for the 2010 Arts Crush, but we have a goal of creating at least 12 sets (and hopefully more) by October 2011 for the next Arts Crush!