valentine

This is the valentine I received from my sister today. This is the 3rd (or fourth?) part of a series of valentines that Erin has sent me in the last number of years. I love her refined stick man (heart head) drawing skills. The first card she sent me (on paper) said on the front: "Happy Valentine's day fart head!" and inside: "eh... I mean, Heart Head! I love you!" The front, a stick figure with a heart shaped head and inside, an up-close heart head winking with a thumbs up. Quirky. Gotta love that. Eventually the heart heads' farting (or pooting) became an important production method for the conversation heart candies we all love and hate.
Without further adieu, this year's installation:

getting along

Lately, feeling a bit in limbo without a steady job yet, but we are realizing that stability and regularity can be self created. Our not-wasted creative energy has produced:
1) magnetic paneling (recycled industrial shelving) on our workspace wall
2) work table on wheels
3) handmade pasta
4) bread and muffins
5) roasted chicken and all the yummy byproducts thereof
6) snowboard designs presented to a local snowboard company
7) in process... the famed grapefruit candy

Otherwise, we're really glad we bought the season passes to the ski slopes last October. We've got the time and we're as happy as kids riding the lift up each first ascent seeing the fresh snow below us and imagining how we'll carve through it for the rest of the day! Cheers for powder!

1302 Columbine

We're here.

A collage homage to movement:

We spent a lot of money to get to this joint, but we're optimistic that it's worth it. The snow on the mountain slopes is certainly a joyful reminder of our love for this particular state. We had an amazing day at Vail on Friday. Yesterday we spent the day buying materials to build furniture. We also bought some nice black horizontal rectangles (old filing cabinets) to use as a "dresser" in our bedroom and a "sideboard" in the living area. The furniture building and designing is a must as the furniture available for purchase is either cheap and very ugly or beautiful and very expensive. So, the new apartment is sparse, but will come along at the right pace.

Last night, our first big dinner in the place. We roasted a chicken (that tastes like chicken!) and popped open the Veuve Cliquot Champagne gifted to us by Mary Grow, Christian's professor at Taliesin. Thanks Mary, a true housewarming.

Immigrants... we are.

Immigrants and migration - inherently neither good nor bad. Simply natural to the course of time, space and life on this planet. We might appreciate the character of immigrants as we appreciate the simple nature of birds in migration all across the earth.
Here, a slideshow of the 2 editions, Immigrants (ed. of 23) and Immigrants ii (ed. of 25):

Immigrants. 2008. edition of 23. ceramic and satin white glaze. each approx. 2x6xw2 inches.
Immigrants ii. 2008. edition of 25. ceramic and iron oxide coat. each approx. 1x3x1 inches.

Here's a link to more of my images on flickr: link.

C M Y K

The CMYK drawings, 1 through 5. These works are all either single sheets or diptychs at 30 x 22 inches per sheet.

Drawings inspired by the marks of a plotter's color test print.

Could it be that the printing machines we use daily provide a script for the meditation technique of carefully, repeatedly marking on a surface?

For me, this meditation script became a reality. The simple act of careful mark-making with simple colors in simple forms is the theme of these drawings.

The slide show:


Here's the link to flickr for more images of my work: link.

we're moving...

...actually we left, and now we're just in transit. Errr... waiting for realtors and landlords to decide whether we can live in their buildings. Isn't it strange to be in limbo, hoping someone else will let you live where you've decided to live. Let me just add here that it's been torturous for us to view the various available properties (that we can afford to rent) in Denver. Our design over-sensitivities and aesthetic needs make it tough to accept the poorly layed out, poorly lit and poorly finished spaces. We're pretty committed to living in locally functional communities too and it's hard to have all these factors existing at the same time. So, not only are we gritting our teeth as we view the choices we have, we're feeling the strain of, how shall I say, homelessness? transition.

Other news of note: The CMYK drawings have been scanned! This is a particularly large investment for me, so I'm glad they seem to have turned out looking nice. I will put these images onto flickr the next time we're not running amok looking for apartments and work. Then, I'll link them to here! But for now, here's a smaller version of one of the drawings:
CMYK IV. 2008. colored pencil on paper. 44 x 30 inches. diptych.

Also, some images of the ceramic birds I'm calling, Immigrants.

Aren't these images nice? I only say so because I'd like to point out that they were photographed while in the Mod Fab at Taliesin. The previous post, Mod Fab Only describes our work on the project and eventually I'll show you pictures of the finished building. We stayed there a few nights and I must admit that the time spent there is our final ruination before looking at these apartments in Denver! Such a gorgeous and comfortable space with perfect natural light surrounded by the wild desert of Arizona. I shouldn't describe it too much... I don't want my silly words to demote it in any way!

MOD FAB ONLY

I haven't been posting... But, I have been working diligently on the project of priority: Mod Fab at Taliesin West. My partner, Christian Butler, is the manager and principal builder for the project with guidance from Michael P. Johnson and solid assistance from Nick Mancusi. In the last few weeks of 2008 and now the first few of 2009, we are working every day to finish it before the January 16 deadline and opening reception. I've been the detailer - all visible finishes: strictly high expectations and fine attention. These last few days I've been caulking seams and corners and finishing details in and out! I feel like I've got magnifying glasses for eyes... I can't seem to go anywhere without noticing the uneven grout lines in tile and gaps between trim pieces! This pictures don't necessarily indicate my own finishing work, but do show what we've been up to in the last few weeks. Christian dug a large portion of this trench through rocky dirt (the waste line, waterline and electrical run through it at varying depths). I actually have spent the last few days helping with the refilling of the trench. Just before dark this evening, wielding a pick-axe, I happily pulled back in the formerly removed rocky dirt. The whole stretch will now serve as the raised walkway to/from the Mod Fab. Christian is now an expert at laying tile. The project had a beautiful donation of tile from Ceramic Tiles of Italy. All for now, my fingers need rest.