another year...

another trip to the big easy for Jazz fest, and another group of people to get into all kinds of shenanigans with.


en route


hello Ignatius


Caroline, new recruit


Katy feather face


Alicia feather face


Alicia, OG and Patrick, new recruit




the swamp


hustlin'




ghostly


Eugene, original member








The Preservation Hall Jazz Band with The Del McCoury Band


me and Del McCoury!

I heart Funny Girl...

This post really has nothing to do with the aforementioned Barbara Streisand movie...I am just listening to the soundtrack and felt like proclaiming my love for it. I used to watch it over and over when I was a kid. I was obsessed with the costumes! Now that I think about it, that might show in my work!

ok, moving on...There has been much going on. Family get togethers, trips to the lake...but mostly I have been working working working. It seems that my next show is going to be a lot sooner than I thought, so I have kicked it into high gear. I am heading out of town this week (It's New Orleans Jazz Fest time again..the most wonderful time of the year!), but when I get back it's gonna be two months of finishing the pieces I have been working on for months now! Luckily one of those months will be spent in Vermont at the Vermont Studio Center, so I am confident I'll get it all done.

Since it might be a while before I can post all the finished work, I thought I'd give a little sneak peak of the pieces in progress...






These are all detail shots of a big piece called, "These are the ghosts what haunt this wood"...or maybe not, not totally sure yet what I want to call this one. Long story short, its a big painting filled with spooky little ghosties....I actually get pretty creeped out when I work on it in my little windowless space...but its a good kind of creeped out!

I am also working on a large lace lady painting. It will take a while, so it may not make it to the next show, but I wanted to show it anyway.




I gotta go pack for New Orleans now. Happy Earth Day everyone!

What I've been working on...

I've been laying low. Just hiding away in the studio, working on new things. Still doing a lot of the same narrative, folk art meets storybook kind of stuff, but I am also working on a new series that focuses just on the obsessive, abstract bits that show up a lot in my work. It all started when I painted this piece just as a meditative excercise, and now it is evolving in to something I am very excited about. I love the process of painting them...it soothes the brain. So here's a look at the piece I just finished.


"The Grand High Lady of the Lace"
gouache on paper, 19.5" x 15.5", see it big here

details...








I am now working on a really big one for the series. I'll post about it when it's finished....in a bout 10 years or so!

I cannot wait...

Oh, October 19, why are you so far away?

Attention Austin!

I am very very happy to announce that I am a last minute addition to an amazing group show opening in Austin during sxsw

I am very happy for 2 reasons. #1, it will be my first show in Austin, my new home. #2, the lineup of artists is ridiculous to say the least. Seriously, it is kind of a dream come true to be in the same show with the likes of Camille Rose Garcia!

Opening March 19: New Brow: The rise of underground art show & film

Opening: Thurs. March 19th, 7pm-11pm

Art Show Dates: March 19-21st
Daily Hours: Thursday though Sunday, from 11am – 7pm

Location: The former location of Gallery Lombardi. 602 West 7th #A, Austin TX 78701
Phone: (415) 931.8035
email: libbyn@shootinggallerysf.com
The film: www.newbrowfilm.com

What it is:
"Despite being turned away by the acceptance committee for SXSW, The Shooting Gallery remains committed to premiering “New Brow” to their Texas audience. To highlight the significance of the film’s place in history, internationally renowned art dealer, Justin Giarla, has put together a comprehensive body of work from artists interviewed in the film. The exhibit will run for a week, as a tribute to those who’ve made contributions to the Low Brow art movement. A progressive line up of works will be included, by emerging and largely significant Low Brow and Pop Surrealist artists."

check out the amazing lineup:
Eric Joyner, Charles Krafft, Shawn Barber, Travis Louie, Anthony Ausgang, Ron English,
Mike Giant, Isabel Samaras, Camille Rose Garcia, Van Arno, Shepard Fairey, Liz McGrath,
Henry Lewis, Tim Biskup, Gary Baseman, Glenn Barr, Kill Pixie, Niagara, Sas & Colin, Erik Foss,Yumiko Kayukawa, Natalia Fabia, Paul Chatem, Sylvia Ji, Helen Garber, Joshua Petker, Mike Maxwell, Greg Gossel, Francesco LoCastro...and me (who knew, right?)

Learn more about the event here.

They will also be screening the film in Austin. All the dates can be found here.
Here's trailer for the film:

New Brow Trailer 1 from New Brow on Vimeo.

I am very excited....

...because this post is to announce the opening of a group show that I am super stoked to be involved in (I am extra happy about this one because I will be showing with my friend Alexis Mackenzie again).



Opening March 14, 2009: FATA MORGANA: The New Female Fantasists at Dabora Gallery in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

From Dabora's site:
"Dabora Gallery and Phantasmaphile's Pam Grossman are proud to usher in the spring
season with the group show "Fata Morgana: The New Female Fantasists," on view
from March 14th through April 12th, 2009. It features fourteen of the most
vital and visionary women artists working in the US today."


Check out the full press release here.

info:
FATA MORGANA: The New Female Fantasists
March 14 - April 12, 2009
Opening Reception: Saturday, March 14, 8 - 11 PM
Gallery Hours: Saturday and Sunday 12-5pm (March 15 - April 12)

DABORA GALLERY
1080 Manhattan Ave.
(between Eagle and Dupont)
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
New York 11222

718-609-9629
www.daboragallery.com

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So, for all you New Yorkers and Brooklynites, if you are around this weekend, go and check it out. The Gallery alone with all it's red lit gothic-ness will be worth the trip to Greenpoint. I am shaking my head a little bit,though, because - of course- 2 months after I leave NY for good, I have work in a show there....oh the irony.

current inspirato

Well, now that I have gotten back up on that old art horse, so to speak, I think it would be fitting to share some current inspiration or inspirato.

This inspirato post (hopefully the first, in a series) is dedicated to the lovely Kay Nielsen


From East of the Sun, West of the Moon


Not sure what tale this one comes from, but I love it.


I know this one, of course....from Hansel and Gretel

Oh, Kay....you make me want to illustrate nothing but folk and fairy tales. Thanks for that.

Soon. I am going to have to get some of her books. Like this one or this one...or maybe I'll save up the $1500 it takes to buy this one!

Well..have a good weekend everyone!