Nationale Birthday

Last week, I went on a search to find cool birthday gifts for my boyfriend. I took a walk to the strip of shops and studios on lower east Burnside. To my disappointment 3 or 4 shops I had planned to peruse were closed, early. The store that was open, however, was not a disappointment at all. Nationale was just the thing I was looking for. Interesting artwork, imported French goods, and a great selection of art books. I picked this up, signed and all!

Illustrated by Chris Johanson and Jo Jackson.

Dr. Kevorkian, the painter

Last night a friend of mine informed me that Dr. Kevorkian is not only a promoter of assisted suicide but also an artist. His stuff is eerie, bizarre, or in other words, Kevorkianish. In my opinion, he's pretty smart to exploit his creepy reputation to make it as an artist.

Here are some bunny puppeteers pulling strings at some guys mind.

Currently, at the Heist Gallery in NYC, an exhibition called Cake Mixx is showing. The artist, Dustin Wayne Harris photographs cakes (built by the women he's dating) which he thinks are metaphors for his relationship with the people who made them. Like a crystal ball, he uses them to see into the future of the relationship.

I've been thinking about how inanimate objects relate to people and can have some of the same "personality" traits as a human being. People are complex, but no matter how complex the object, whether it be constructed out of many objects or a single item, cannot compare to all the baggage of a person. However, I do believe that because what we know of people is mostly on the surface, there isn't as much to relate. Relationships are even more complex, involving two people, so why didn't Harris participate in the making of the cakes photographed? He's relying entirely on the other person to determine how the relationship will end up, as if the single failed cake maker is faulted for the demise of the team. Try following a recipe with another person, or traveling with your new girl/boyfriend and having to navigate a new place, than you might have a better idea of how the relationship will turn out.

Maybe Next Time

Aaron and I went to Seattle this past Valentines Day weekend and saw one of my favorite artists, Whiting Tennis, at the Sunset Tavern to see the Nick Jaina show. I blew it and couldn't get up the nerve to tell him how inspiring his artwork has been to me. Although I still have some major, heart wrenching regrets, the whole situation was very exciting. It made me realize how reachable our idols are, despite how high we hold them up in our minds.

Whiting Tennis

Babes

My sister is having a baby so the sisterly thing to do was to plan a baby shower for her. Much needed baby gifts, embarrassing games, food, what more could she want? I put together these invites for the event. 

Deer or the Download

I illustrated and printed these CD-less album covers for Deer or the Doe a while back. We wanted to release a digital download but with more than just files because album artwork was so important to us. The image came from a photo we took of ourselves underneath a large, striped piece of fabric. Using stripes was helpful in drawing the draping and folding.