Forgotten Works Challenge -- new venue

From an email I received this morning:

"As some of you may have heard, Greg McCorkle (the person who was booking and running the art shows at the OK Hotel) was kicked out of the Gallery OK without warning or explanation. It seems that the building management is no longer interested in having art shows there and they were totally unwilling to honor commitments that had been made. Due to this turn of events I have found a new location that will serve as a much better space for the Challenge. We will be showing at the Tashiro Kaplan Building at 115 Prefontaine Place South. The show will be in the community room at the TK space. The Tashiro Kaplan is an arts building and all the street level businesses are galleries and they are all open for first Thursdays. This new location is one of the most active spots on Artwalk and it will give the show much better visability and publicity. While I am sorry to see the changes at the OK Hotel I am very excited about moving the show to a new home."

So, the Forgotten Works Challenge is on almost as planned. I hope to see you there.

Yep, fall is really here!

It's official...as of yesterday, it's fall. About time, if you ask me.

Blocks were fun! There are a few blanks left which I'll save for the Collage Free-For-All on October 17. If you didn't make it last Friday, maybe you can do one then. And remember tonight is Image Transfers...caulk, tape, heat and gin.

I've added a few group shows to my calendar for this fall: the Second Annual Banned Books Project, at the Kirkland Library; Breasts of the Northwest at Lowell Art Works; and The Forgotten Works Challenge VIII...not, apparently, at Gallery OK. Do follow that link...I just found out about it myself!

Creative Blocks and Image Transfers

Ahhh, September! I loved fall as a kid...loved going back to school. It's still my favorite season of the year and we are kicking it off in Room 206 with two very kindergarten-ish projects in one: cutting and pasting, and blocks. Cutting and pasting on blocks. We'll cover blocks (cardstock or wood) with collages of our personal creative bugaboos. Get them out in the open where you can keep an eye on them. Here's one side of my block. My work always looks better to me a few days later; the moral of the story is not to judge newly finished work.

As usual, all basic supplies are provided. There are heavy paper blocks, glue and lots of recycled paper/old magazines/miscellaneous to cut up. Also as usual, you are welcome to bring your own stuff if you want. If you bring your own favorite scissors or craft knife, you won't have to share. Not that sharing is a bad thing...but, well, you know what I mean.

The standard cardboard block is about 2.5 inches to an edge. There will be a few larger wooden blocks available at cost. These are 4" to an edge and cost $4. If you want one and would like me to gesso it for you ahead of time, email me. If you have a question or are a first-timer in need of direction, email me as well. We like to see new kids on the playground!

Also please note: there will be an extra Tuesday night Art Party next week. Come mess around with caulking, heat, packing tape and gin. But not all at once. Oh, did I mention that we'll be doing image transfers? Bring along some laser or toner-based images if you like, but there will be plenty of odds and ends available for experimentation.

Until tomorrow, or Tuesday...
Liisa

First Tuesday

Yes, we're on for tonight, with no particular program...continue working on your altered book, or start one...or start another one. I have two journal projects I'm getting ready for. One is a color-themed collaborative journal (think "True Colors") in a Yahoo group, and the other is a fantasy journal challenge (I couldn't think of a better way to put it just now) that Mrs. Staggs is hosting at the Merryville Community Art Center (I made up some of that) starting TOMORROW!! I can't hardly wait.

Hope to see some of you this evening.

And doesn't it feel like fall?

Zines, mostly...

The Portland Zine Symposium was last weekend...the zine Olympics so to speak. Not that it's competitive, but it's big big big. I'll put up some pictures in a bit, meanwhile, these are the zines I came home with:

Do Stuff! Lethal Zine
i need a hug
A Creation Myth
The Composing Stick #1, #2, #3 and #4
Wants
Art Bureau #8, #10 and #11
how i spent my summer vacation
Your Pretty Face is Going Straight to Hell #5
Best Zine Ever #5
Action Bookbinding
Ozzy The Lazy-Ass Panda
Chicago Musical Sing-a-long
Pumpkin Patch Horror!
Giant Killer Ape on the Loose
Fight Boredom
An Alpine Adventure
White Male Neurosis
The Pee
Last Legs - The Diary Issue
Minutiae #1 - Rose City Summer
"Toilets" 1982-1983
Sinking Hearts
Kersax Must Be Destroyed #3
New York vs. Portland
Comic about Sarah's Life-a-Day
How to Make Minicomics the Brian Orser Way!
Cranky Buddha #4 & #5
Zine Making - an introduction

Nope, I haven't read them all yet. Lulu by lulu...

No Friday tomorrow.

Well, I can't cancel Friday, although given the forecast I wish I could. But I'm doing what I can and canceling the Third Friday Art Party. With a predicted high of 92-98 Room 206 will be no place to be tomorrow evening.

Darned thing is, we're getting a new range delivered tomorrow and it'll be way too hot to try it out. I've been dreaming about meat loaf, baked potatoes and a pie. Guess they'll have to wait. Or maybe I'll be cooking dinner at 2AM Saturday.

The studio will be open next Tuesday evening from 5 on, so consider dropping in then for an evening of experimental book alteration, otherwise known as cutting, ripping, gluing, painting and anesthesiology you can do to a book. Yes, we anesthetize the books first!

No, really...that was the spellchecker having a good time. But I thought it was kind of a hoot and left it. I meant to say "anything else" you can do it a book.

All materials provided or bring your own if you prefer.

Keep cool,
Liisa

Change of plans...

As it turns out I will not be participating in the Iron Artist event at the Tacoma Art Museum tomorrow (Friday) evening. If you were planning to come down for it, don't change your plans on my account--it's going to be a fun event! And take the time to visit the museum while you're there.

Some fun stuff did happen Tuesday after all. The smell came and went and wasn't as bad as I had expected. So the two of us that were there attacked (in a nice way, of course) some old hardcover books. We cut windows and niches, glued pages together, painted and tucked images and words here and there. An orgy of experimentation, it was.

Maybe you'd rather stay home tonight...

I've been up at the studio this morning, and not only is it going to be hot but the building just outside the windows (across the driveway) is having its roof resurfaced and the smell is pretty nasty. So, we can open the windows and breathe tar, or close the windows and suffocate. Sounds like fun, huh?

You're still welcome to come; I will be there working on my own stuff--out in the hall, maybe--but it won't be the pleasantest of evenings.

Fall is coming...
Liisa

First Tuesday again

Hey, that came around fast! I could post almost verbatim the previous message. Today's going to be a hot one. (And after a spell of cooler, almost autumnal weather--my favorite kind. Bummer!) So yes, Tuesday is happening--and yes, it will be warm in the studio. If y'all want to come later, after the sun has started to drop and I've opened the hall windows to get the cross draft that's fine. But you're still welcome at 5, and I'll be there until midnight at least.

And it won't be long before the view from Room 206 looks like this again:





That was just last April, remember? Actually that was pretty unusual, and we probably won't see it again. Not in April, anyway. But we can hope for January, right?? Can you tell I am not a hot-weather person?

See you.

Liisa

Furst Tuesday

I was going to post a warning to potential Tuesday-nighters that it has been very WARM in Room 206 lately...brick walls and west facing windows and all...but it appears that today will be cooler than yesterday so I expect it to be reasonably comfortable. I'll be there in any case, so come on over if you're up for it.

Sunday we went to a movie to get out of the heat...saw WALL-E at the Edmonds Theater. Star Wars meets Teletubbies...how fun is that? Lots. Be sure to stay for the credits.