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REVAMP and the Spring Fling

I am currently working with a terrific non-profit known as Recyclers Exchanging Various Art Materials and Projects or REVAMP. Below are some photos of our last craft event which was held in Downtown Sonora during their Spring Fling this April. I spent most of the day helping kids make bugs and flowers while others in the group were constructing a giant beehive, fabric banners, coloring and playing music.

By breathing new life into old objects, REVAMP reduces the amount of waste going into crowded landfills. Anyone, business or individual, can save money on disposal costs and (in the future) receive tax benefits by contributing clean, reusable materials that might otherwise be thrown away.


The Spring Fling turned out to be great fun and only the first of many events REVAMP has planned for the near future. Events in June and August are already in the works. Sonora Help-U-Sell is teaming up with REVAMP on August 1st for our first major fundraiser. The craft for the day will be the franken-craft of toy hacking! This includes tearing apart old or broken toys to be reconstructed into new toys for the kids to take home. The event will also have live music, live art, food, a silent art auction and much more. The event will be held in the Help-U-Sell parking lot near Sonora High School. Check back with this link for more information as it comes up and always remember that when a man wears an apron it is called a smock!

{Photos by Kim Mathie}
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Returning Show 2

{ Poster designed by me }

The second installment of the Returning Show kicks of this weekend at the Stage 3 Theatre in downtown Sonora. The show features artworks by several young artists who were raised in Tuolumne County. The reception will take place from 5-7pm this Saturday the 19th. There will be snacks and booze as well as art you won’t see anywhere else in the county. This isn’t the usual water color of flowers, photograph of the Red Church or oil painting of an old barn. This is art with a bit more of an edge. A happy cyclops, a dia de los muertos party, and Jesus with a .45 are just some of the subjects you will see here. So come on by and get yo art on before you drink the weekend into oblivion.

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The Return of the Returning Show!

Good news everybody! I have recently been called upon by the Central Sierra Arts Council to resurrect the exhibit of young local artists, known as the Returning Show! The collection will be hung at the newly remodeled Stage 3 Theatre in downtown Sonora, CA. Many of the artist from the previous show will be displaying new works along with some new talent not yet seen in by the art community. The show is slated to run from September 18th–October 18th so don’t miss it. The reception will most likely be on Friday, Sept 18th with more art and an after party at the Frog & Fiddle (located right across the street). Negotiations with Fantasy Metal Island are in the works for the musical entertainment. I will post any new information for this event as I get it.

Here is a glimpse at some pieces I am working on that will make their appearance at the show:

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{more linoleum icons for monoprints}

UTL_TUCKER

{Tucker v UTL : mixed media : collaborative piece in progress}

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{I… I think I just saw something in the bushes…}
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UTL v. Monterey

monterey_collage

I spent the last weekend having a great time in Monterey, CA for my girlfriend’s 25th. Monterey is a great place to visit (tourist trap) with plenty of period typography and hand painted signs. Take a peek:

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{vintage seafood packaging greets you as you enter the aquarium}

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{I noticed this driving through downtown Monterey}

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{showin’ ya the finger}

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Artist Survey #15: Danae Wilson

I met Danae on my second day at CSU Long Beach. We lived in the same dorm building and along with her roommate Christina and my neighbor Mike became good friends. She has a talent to control whatever medium she works with incredible ease. At least it looks that way to me…I can’t paint fer crap!

{Oil on Canvas}


{Oil on Canvas}


{Screen Print}


{Oil on Canvas}

Name: Danae Wilson

Location: Long Beach, CA

Medium(s): Drawing and Painting- Charcoal and Oil on Canvas mostly but I do pattern making and screen-printing, as well as ceramics and metal work.

What do you consider yourself (artist/designer/other)? I am an artist, but I play around with interior and graphic design.

Where can we see your work (place/publications/url)? My flickr but it needs to be updated there’s not much there.

When did you start gaining interest in artistic forms of expression? I started drawing when I was 2. My dad was a Pastor of a church and my mom worked so I stayed with him during the days. I would sit on the floor drawing and painting for hours. I was five when I told my mom I would try and think of something I wanted to paint before I went to bed so that I could dream about and have more to paint about.

Who/What inspired your interest? I used to take lessons as a child and I would go to The San Diego Museum of Art. My favorite painting as a child was Jaques-Louis David’s Death of Marat. I also loved the impressionists and the idea that I could invent anything I wanted on paper. My other inspiration was Harold and the Purple Crayon, I loved that he invented a world around him using only his purple crayon and some imagination.

What is your day job? I am a Photo Retoucher. I use Photoshop to enhance wall portraits (removing blemishes, wrinkles, extra pounds, and unwanted people in backgrounds).

Why do you create? I create because I have to. I don’t create enough though and this plagues me.

Is there any recurring theme in your work? The idea of dystopia comes up a lot in my work, which I think stems from coming to Los Angeles and my feelings of disenchantment and disgust, mixed with wonder. I also focus on personal themes, roles of women, and often my work is inspired by classic literature. I am also a Comparative World Literature minor.

What do you want from your work? I want my work to inspire and receive respect from those who I admire and respect within my art community, but I also want my work to stay universal and retain the ability to communicate to those who are not part of the “art world” and have no training in art history and the art canon.

What do you want viewers to take from your work? I like people to be able to project their own feelings and emotions onto my work. When I create something that is open ended enough that someone else can come and put his or her own interpretation into the piece, then I’m happy.

How often do you work on personal projects? Pretty often. My figurative works are what I consider my “personal projects,” although I have been showing them at school lately so they are less personal.

How often do you work on commissions or commercial work? I do paintings for charities although I never show this work to anyone else because of how commercial and even kitschy the works can be.

Does your art support you financially? No. However I do find photo retouching to be a distant cousin of painting and its close enough since it pays the bills.

Do you feel preoccupied with your art, do you think about it often during the day and night and do you anticipate your next session? Yes. I think of all sorts of projects and paintings that never come into existence because of factors like time, money, and freedom to explore without feeling like the work is “unworthy.” I need to let go of those restrictions though.

What do you do in your spare time besides your art? I go camping, I love nature, I love being away from the city. I ride my bike on the beach a lot. These things make me so happy. When I can, I travel. I push myself to grow whenever I can and I pursue things that make me uncomfortable. I never want to be at rest.

Which musicians are you currently interested in? Bon Iver, Fatboy Slim, Sigur Ros, and always Classic Rock

Are there any events you are looking forward to attending? COACHELLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How long do you generally take on a piece? A week. I have NO patience. I’m a “one-shot” painter and I don’t usually go back to old pieces.

Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of a significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of your art? Over and Over. Artists can only date very patient and understanding people who see that art is a necessity and who want to promote your growth rather than monopolize your time.  I could have done anything coming out of High School, but I chose the art path and I know that I will probably never see a ladder that I can climb or any obvious ways to advance myself. Artists have to be as creative with their career and employment as they are with their art.

Do you work on multiple projects at once? Yes. I work on abstracted apocalyptic landscapes, as well as large-scale figurative drawings.

Do you have trouble parting with your finished work? I never part with my work, at least not anything I really cared for. I know it will be hard when I do but so far I have hoarded most of my work or given it to my mother and father.

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Artist Survey #14: Lindsey Lutts

I met Lindsey during preparations for the Returning Show. The punk rock attitude captured in many of her photos contrasted nicely with the clean photography of other artists (check out her web page for more examples). She grew up here in Sonora and has since moved to the Bay Area. Despite the distance she is always willing to make the drive up to the foothills to help with our struggling youth art scene. Look for her work at the next foothill art event.

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necklace

(Ocean Necklace by Lindsey – Silver hand made chain mail all soldered
with turquoise and hydrologic press silver charms etched in acid.)

boat

Name: Lindsey

Location: San Francisco

Medium(s): Photographer, Metal Artist/ Jewelry, Ceramics, Knitting, Graphic Designer

What do you consider yourself (artist/designer/other)? Starving Artist maybe because I am still trying to figure out how to do it for a living. It’s hard to consider myself an artist when everyone thinks they are an artist. Anyone with a finger can push a button on a camera. It takes a lot to stand out in the world today and to not blend in with the masses.

Where can we see your work (place/publications/url)? Photolindsey.com but it is very out of date. Myspace.com/photolindsey has weekly updates of musician/band photos.

When did you start gaining interest in artistic forms of expression? Ever since I can remember.

Who/What inspired your interest? Almost anything can inspire me, a color or combination of colors, a smell that reminds me of a time, a feeling, the way light falls upon something, and pretty much every kind of art.

Where do you first remember being exposed to art? My family has always encouraged me be artistic from the time I could hold a paint brush. We made ceramics, paintings, and various crafts all the time. When I was 12 I took an underwater photo with one of those plastic disposable cameras that came out pretty cool. I think it still might be my favorite photo I have taken. Right away it stood out so my Grandma took it to get enlarged at a photo shop. Someone there saw it and bought a large copy for his law office wall. When my Grandma called me from the print shop and asked me if she could sell it and than brought me a check, I realized that this was what I was going to do for the rest of my life.

What is your day job? Accountant (yeah boring I know). I have worked in many types of photography jobs in the past but sold out for the higher paying job. I am not sure if I would recommend it but I have learned a ton that will help me when I decide to start my own business.

Why do you create? It is the only thing I do that makes me completely one hundred percent happy. It is my escape from the world but it is also my interpretation of the world and how it affects me.

Is there any recurring theme in your work? I go through different phases and if I figure out what they are at the time I am shooting them instead of after, I go with it and try to stick with it. It is usually just one word like decay, serenity, or sound…

What do you want from your work? I don’t think I want it to give me anything but I will give to it. Does that make sense at all? Haha

What do you want viewers to take from your work? To see me. Also if my work provokes a feeling inside someone no matter what the feeling is, it is successful.

How often do you work on personal projects? Always. I consider it all personal.

How often do you work on commissions or commercial work? I work for a small magazine photographing bands and submit to many other magazines monthly. Some of my photos will be in AMP Magazine’s next issue. I recently set up a studio in my house so I am starting to shoot a lot more band portraits, families, kids, and pin ups.

Does your art support you financially? No, that is my ultimate goal though.

Do you feel preoccupied with your art, do you think about it often during the day and night and do you anticipate your next session? Yes, like right now I am at work and really need to be at home working on some Riverboat Gamblers photos for a magazine. If I wait too long, other photos will be used.

What do you do in your spare time besides your art? It is really hard for me to go anywhere without a camera. I am trying to think of an instance when I do not have one with me. I think I am always working and looking for things that inspire me. It could be something as simple as a color or texture or something amazing that is just about to happen around the corner and I am ready for it. If I did not have my camera I would miss it. I have this strange kind of fear that I am going to miss something and in turn am constantly shooting. I do other things in my spare time but they always end up becoming about the photos that I can get while doing it.

Which musicians are you currently interested in? Gaslight Anthem, American Steel, Get Dead, Dead to Me, Samiam, The Clash, Drag the River, Devil Makes 3, Johnny Cash…

Are there any events you are looking forward to attending? Punk Rock Bowling in Las Vegas next week. Hundreds of bands and record labels form bowling teams and come from all over for a crazy week in Vegas. There are tournaments and shows going on the whole time. The teams all make their own uniforms and come to bowl and drink 24 hours a day. This is one of my favorite things to photograph every year.

Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of a significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of your art? I don’t think so but I know a lot of people who have. I have only lost parts of myself and my time by not doing more art.

Do you work on multiple projects at once? Always. Imagine trying to take just one photo, or trying to choose just one after a shoot.

Do you have trouble parting with your finished work? Sometimes. I make handmade jewelry and that is much harder to part with than a photograph. A photograph can be duplicated in its raw form but Jewelry can not. I once spent over 200 hours on one piece and don’t see myself selling it anytime soon.

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Artist Survey #13: BZ Smith

I was introduced to BZ at a post-Thanksgiving celebration in 2007. We found we had many things in common, including the dream of seeing Sonora as an artisticly centered community with heavy youth involvement. Ever since she has been introducing me to local artists, designers, board members, organizations, entrepreneurs and festivals. Until recently she was a member of the Central Sierra Arts Council with which I try to volunteer as much as possible. She is an advocate for youth arts and nurturing the future of our community as well as preserving it’s rich history. I really can’t say enough great things about BZ, her open heart or her sharp mind.

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Name: B.Z. Smith

Location: Tuolumne County

Medium(s): Mixed Media, Storytelling.

What do you consider yourself (artist/designer/other)? Performance artist & dabbler into visual arts

Where can we see your work (place/publications/url)? www.thestoryquilters.com for storytelling information.  I have an award-winning CD published with Cynthia Restivo and Bill Roberson by that name:  The Story Quilters.  It’s available at CDBaby.com and in Tuol-Co at Mountain Bookshop

When did you start gaining interest in artistic forms of expression? In the womb.

Who/What inspired your interest? I have a crazy artistic family.  It is in my genes.

Where do you first remember being exposed to art? Yep.  In the womb.

What is your day job? Art.

Why do you create? I have to create.  My heart, my mind drive me to create, to build, to get messy!

Is there any recurring theme in your work? Childhood journeys come up a lot. I’m just finishing a painting called “Childhood’s Dreams.” It’s about my forever quest to live in France, to remove myself from American culture, and live in the dream-state of Romantic Paris—a fantasy world that does not even exist!  Another recurring theme is my relationship with nature—the sea, earth elements. Within those themes, I have a signature that I’ve developed that I call “tangled.” Wires, beads, bits of pottery that make up a tangled mess—a lot like my life.

What do you want from your work? I want the joy of knowing I’ve connected with an audience to express some common feeling or shared value. This comes up a lot in storytelling.  I hope to make these same connections through my visual work.

What do you want viewers to take from your work? That same sense of connection.  And I hope to leave a question dangling in the air that lets the audience/viewers ponder their own thoughts.

How often do you work on personal projects? Constantly.

How often do you work on commissions or commercial work? My storytelling? A lot. My visual art, not at all.

Does your art support you financially? Yes. My storytelling has given me a decent supplement to other income for many years.

Do you feel preoccupied with your art, do you think about it often during the day and night and do you anticipate your next session? My art work does take up a lot of mind space!

What do you do in your spare time besides your art? Sleep.

Which musicians are you currently interested in? Well, the list is long…Today it’s Gogol Bordello. Yesterday it was Tim Minchen. It’s always Vivaldi and Mozart. Tomorrow it might be Polka Accordion. My musical tastes and experiences are very eclectic. I am all over the musical map!

Are there any events you are looking forward to attending? The Strawberry Music Festival.

How long do you generally take on a piece? Storytelling—years. Each story sits in me, evolving over a course of time. I might learn a story to tell on the very same day, but that same story in two years will be completely different with a much deeper sub-text. It has lived in me, and I in it. Paintings—I tend to do the main piece rather quickly in one day. Then I let it sit for a while. Later I may change it, augment it—or even paint over it completely.

Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of a significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of your art? Yes. I get so absorbed in my work that I lose sight of anything else. I make a huge mess, and it spreads into my partner’s space. Once my husband, the dear and departed Rick Thorpe, said, “Every time I create a new horizontal surface, you fill it up!”

Do you work on multiple projects at once? Unfortunately, yes. And this is what gets me in trouble.

Do you have trouble parting with your finished work? No. Make it. Love it. Pass it on!

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Sonora Art Trails 2009!

Last night I went to a meeting for the 2009 Sonora Art Trails Open Studio Tour. Corey West and I were the only young voices in the group. With West already being an established artist in town my presence quickly became the focal point. The other artists were so excited to meet a young person interested in the arts! They wanted to know what they could do to get other young, energetic artists introduced into the local art scene. Unfortunately I didn’t have a whole lot of answers for them. We need to start making our presence known. The people want to see new ideas, new images, new blood!

The Sonora Art Trails is an annual event in May where several artist open their studios to the public. It is an event that is well publicized in the Central Valley and Bay Areas. Hundreds of people venture to our town to tour the studios buying artwork and swapping stories along the way. If you are reading this, you need to be involved. It is a great way to get your art in front of people from all over, not just the locals. I know what you are thinking, but you don’t need a studio to participate! All of the artists attending the meeting were anxious to help anyone who is just starting out, but there are only two artists allowed to a space. If you split a space you also split the registration fee!

If you are interested and want to know more, or think you know someone who wants to know more, please contact me or go to their site here. There is a registration fee and form that must be turned in before December 17th. That’s only two weeks away! The actual event in May 16th and 17th, 2009, but they need to know who is attending now to get your info in the pamphlets and and marketing materials. Please consider being a part of it. I am so tired of looking at the same old stuff.

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