Monthly Archive for October, 2009

Combat Swine Baby

Just some news:
My wonderful friends Mark and Marcia are the proud parents of a healthy baby boy, Joseph Dennis Villemagne Miller.

I had the greatest intentions of visiting them this weekend in the hospital, until some dumb flu bug hit me in the face like a sack of bricks and sent me into a feverish 102 delirium for 3 days. On the plus side, I had some pretty cool dreams; 1, that I got to go trick-or-treating with the aunts from that show Sabrina the Teenage Witch and 2, that Japanther and Double Dagger were doing a free secret show at Dundalk High School. What the hey?

So after a few days of tossing and turning and whining, I am flu-free, though not quite feeling 100%. The throat still aches and I feel dizzy after too much physical activity, but I’m gettin there. I’ll be ready to put on my License2KimJongIl Halloween costume in no time.

and finally, in other exciting news, I’m so pleased to announce that I’ll be hosting the Combat Paper Project here in Baltimore! They’ll be coming to town for about a week in mid-February, and we are working on finishing details right now. I’m looking at an exhibition and lecture at the Hexagon, and a demo/visit at a local studio. SO excited. I’m not sure how many papermakers + possible therapy dog I’ll be able to fit in my tiny apartment that week, but I’m sure it’ll all work out.

so other than that sleep delirium, life is pretty great. I had a tasty sushi lunch on my day off last week, followed by a surprise visit from the same person on his way home from work: nothing ends the week better than stoop wine. What I thought would amount to almost a thousand $ in repairs to my car was far less than half that amount when I took it to my dad’s mechanic for a second opinion. my family is great, I hope to do some traveling in the near future with my brothers, my mom just returned from a long visit to Vietnam, and I’m going to Austin in a couple weeks!

now back to fluids and gargling with salt water. attractive.

Friday shout-out: Thursday Vinyasa

what? I had to.

what? I had to.

(it’s been a while for one of these, innit?)

I am like, not very graceful, sometimes off-balance, and often teeming with unfocused energy, and this week’s shout-out goes to not only the fabulous people at Charm City Yoga, but specifically to their Thursday night Vinyasa class with Tami. In my efforts to sustain physical and mental equilibrium, I’ve been taking a variety of yoga classes here, and let me just say: Thursday Vinyasa is both meditative and sure to kick your ass.

My bff and I turned last nights session into a little catch-up date, and after a long, rainy day amongst the DC Suits, the slow but full intensity of that class was just what we needed. I’ll probably never be able to do a one-armed handstand with my legs contorted around my ears, but man, Thursday Vinyasa is Where It’s At for the workout and tension-release. If you’ve never been here before, they offer multiple beginner and community classes to try before you commit to the more challenging sessions. Many thumbs up!

A crafty weekend in Philly

Hey Philly readers! Brave the showers on Saturday and come check out TWO crafty events:

I’m tabling with Amanda D’Amico of Tiny Revolutionary Press at Little Berlin’s BYOTY and we’ll be selling artist books from our presses and from our colleagues. Lots and lots of limited editions and fine press books, perhaps some broadsides too.

Lotsss of my Baltimore craft peers will also be selling at Squidfire’s first ever Philly art mart too. Get a preview of what we’ve all got in store for the upcoming season of holiday shows. Philly Philly Phillyyyy, it’s been a while, can’t wait to seeya.

Project O’Clock

So I can’t give out all the details yet, but I’m working on this potential project for March which involves some renegade papermaking, certain artists from a northern woodsy state, activism and community outreach, and all around awesomeness. Keeping fingers crossed as we work out details and fundraising, but with the help of my lovely Craft Mafia pals, it took me no less than 20 minutes to secure a studio space. amazing.

Another awesome thing I just learned about are the Baltimore Print Studios I’m still getting more info from the people involved, but hey, it could mean more excitement, of the printy nature. All I want to do is print yards and yards and yards of patterns and text in a warehouse space or something. I miss using a T-Square the size of a pirate ship’s plank and tossing cinder blocks across a fabric printing table like they were koosh balls. Yeah, I admit it–I miss grad school and printing until dawn.

Paintings by Emily Dierkes

My friend Emily has a show of recent paintings opening tonight in Roland Park. Come on out for the opening!

Best Week Ever

-Four day work week, followed by a four day weekend, followed by another four day work week (and really, this week is just 3 days since I’ll be at that book nerd workshop)

-Hexchange goes up without a hitch. Beautiful colophon and cards by Jasmine Sarp. Sold lots of prints before the show opened, even more during the reception.

-Hexagon gallery overflowing with printmakers and printlovers. Fantastic opening reception! We were totally thrilled!

-Fabulous new pals. Fabulous trusty pals from out of town. Fabulous neighborhood pals too.

-Been catching up with an old Friend who brings homemade braised pork and roasted yams to my doorstep late at night and doesn’t make fun of my dumb pajamas.

-Ideas: papermaking activists, new books to print offset

-fall fall fall fall fall fall fall fall fall

It’s here!

hexchangecard

Hexchange is happening this weekend! Opening 6-8. Participating printmakers include: Irma Alba, Sara Allred, Kathy Beachler, Kelsey Beyer, Sherry Blase, Rachel Bone, Graham Boyle, Miranda Bushey, Aisha Butler, Sarah Casamassima, Brandon Cox, Katherine Fahey, Greg Gazdowicz, Diana Nicollette Jeon, Tiffany Jordan, Lou Joseph, Val Lucas, Tonia Matthews, Melissa Mauro, Kathleen Mazurek, Heather McLaughlin, Ursula Minervini & Jon Poliszuk, Anthony Morrow, Chris Muccioli, Maggie Muth, Lauren Peterson, Ece Piper, Nikholis Planck, Cynthia Protzman, Matt Readout, Jasmine Sarp, Kevin Sherry, Caro Sturges, Mary Tasillo, Rachel Valsing, Kyle Van Horn, Siobhan Vicens, Linda Wilson, and Adam Woods. Second Saturday festivities in the neighborhood all night long. Music at the Hexagon by the Timothy Bracken Complex, Sweatpants, Surf Nazis on Ecstasy, and Weekends.

Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange Hexchange

New works by Nikki S. Lee

Not sure how I missed this, but one of my all time favorite photographers (seriously: if you’re having trouble sleeping, give me a couple pints and let me nerd out about surrogate authorship and photography for a few hours), Nikki S. Lee has this new body of work that she’s been showing. Although I am generally not crazy about charcoal portraits, I’m really interested in her new way of working as it relates to her other collections, namely Parts. Can’t wait to see where this goes.

Speaking of nerding out, I’m taking this bookbinding workshop next week with Gary Frost. Hooray fancy book theory and stuff.

Structure and Action in Codex Binding
“Physical books have elegance not only as artifacts, but also as exemplars of legibility, of easy and non-damaging navigation, and mobile action. Historical structures easily produce page displays and gracefully respond to reading manipulations. How do they perform so well or not so well?

This session will provide analysis and evaluation of the functional mobility of the codex structure. Basic design issues of materials selection, mobility inhibitions, and the nature of analog access will be discussed. A taxonomy of prototypes, spanning mechanical structures and historical contexts, will be defined and studied. Attributes of each type will be considered in context of exhibition, imaging, reading, portability, durability, and kinetic appeal.

This systematic evaluation of foundational codex structures will help resolve design issues for book conservation practice. Guidelines for endpaper and cover to text attachment will be suggested. Attributes and deficiencies ranging from the design traits of papyrus bookbinding to constraints of print-on-demand binding will be demonstrated and discussed. Students will present and resolve structural problems in their own practice. An array of publications and support opportunities will be suggested.

Hands-on exercise will include paper cover, case construction binding suited to 18th century pamphlets.”

My brain is going to be so full!

five’s

I like lists of 5. Here are some for today. My lists of dislikes require much more editing.

Top 5 things I like on the Internet:
-the word “butthurt”

-playlists of your favorite songs… I love listening in on someone else’s library

-BTDubs

-the only acceptable acronyms are: omg (oh my god), idk (I don’t know), idgaf (I don’t give a f) and iwnbfwtg (I would not be friends with that girl)

-reading about my old MFA colleagues getting all e-famous

Top 5 visuals I like on the Internet:
-stop motion ANYTHING

-clever/dry hand-drawn comics, bonus points if I can see eraser marks from the scans

-sharks yelling at me

-cute and awkward boys who make their own dance videos

-pictures of anyone’s workspace, whether it’s a disastrous mess or beautifully organized

Trunk Book

want want want want want




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