Milos and Crete, Greece - June 2013

For most of the month of June, Christian and I traveled in Greece.  The original purpose for the trip was to attend our friends, Marietta and Strati's wedding.  Ultimately, the trip became a much needed vacation, a time for recovering and renewal, disconnecting, slowing down, slower, slower...  slower...  As we currently embark upon big plans and big dreams and direct the creative drive of our life as Artist and Architect, this travel reminded us of the simplicity of living. 

We intended that the trip not only honor our own personal happiness and balance but also to honor the lost joy and adventure, lost love and union, lost family of Whitney Butler Dunlap and David Dunlap.

Truly a beautiful trip with beautiful memories, realizations, friendships, landscapes, food and culture - our travel to Milos and Crete:

About You

About You, Rebecca Peebles, 22" x 30," graphite, pen & colored pencil on paper

For the June show at GroundSwell Gallery (where I curate with Danette Montoya), we hosted a group show under the concept of Exquisite Corpse drawing.  Most versions of Exquisite Corpse drawing projects incorporate the rule that each artist participating has no idea what the other artist(s) are doing. The rules for our version also included that each artist creates a drawing using the same media and must utilize pre-drawn "starter marks" that connect each drawing to a left and a right drawing (see images).  I decided to participate with the project because I wanted to get in on that "surprise" feeling of putting all the finished work together to see what it all looks like, and of course I like to draw.

 The task of drawing "whatever I want" seemed simple at first.  Then the anticipation for the unknown drawings on left and right...  I had to put aside my tendency to plan and just let loose with the drawing. The only control I seemed to have (or thought I had) was effectively using those "starter marks" drawn from my margins across to anothers' margins.  I tried to think of them as bridges to another drawing.  Anyway, the drawing was satisfying work.  I felt explorative with the media that I wouldn't usually combine in one work.  I enjoyed placing my mind upon the irrationality of Surrealism and Dada (the art movements which originated Exquisite Corpse drawing) and letting go.  My drawing, titled, About You started with drawing my hands (seemed like a good place to start) and ended with a sensual and dynamic drawing.  I couldn't help but to footnote (in sign language) the main line from the Divynals 1990 hit song, I Touch Myself: "When I think about you, I touch myself." 

Putting all 16 artists' drawings together was, as expected, a delightful surprise.  Each juxtaposition of drawing to drawing was uniquely interesting and unexpected.  To see images of the works (each including some of the left and right "neighbors"), please visit GroundSwell Gallery's website.

Microclimates!

An installation art exhibition by
Rob Mack &
Samuel Schimek

Ripped from Microclimates' Info Page:  "The Super Ordinary Gallery in the RiNo art district of Denver, CO will be transformed for two months into a large scale graphic art environment. Three distinctive microclimates will lead the viewer on an exciting visual journey using life scale graphic installations. Denver Underground artists Samuel Schimek and Rob Mack have come together to manifest this exhibition and will be using their skills in graphic design, found object, and the collaborative art experience. Leading up to the exhibition, viewers are invited to become involved from the ground up by following the online campaign via facebook, twitter, and the website. Followers will have the opportunity to experience exhibition production and see how this exciting collaboration will come together. 

During the opening of this exhibition on June 4th, event attendees will have a chance to see the full collaborative power of the Denver art scene. In addition to the exhibition there will be a live fashion show by Denver Designer, Hol Sum, special music project integrated with the graphic environment, and special art POP-Up store containing purchasable pieces of the graphic environments."

This is the work that I'm working on! Hol Sum will produce garments that are integral to the graphic, thematic and environments of the Microclimates exhibition. We are even having fabric printed with graphic elements directly related to the designs produced by Rob and Samuel! Working with these two is a great opportunity for me. Microclimates is a challenge that we're all excited for because Denver needs it's artists and designers to stand up, stand out, and represent this awesome city of creative industry!

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our project on Kickstarter!! Anything you can give will contribute to the Kickstarter grant program - if we can rase our minimum, then Kickstarter doubles it! If we can't raise our minimum, we get nothing. Let's get the minimum!!! Thank you for your help, and please pass on our information to anyone who supports the arts, supports real culture in their cities, and wants to support people who work very hard at what we do!