house blocks

These are some house woodcuts I used to do a varied edition of prints last year, I ended up liking them much more as individual objects than as woodblocks. Also I didn't think things through and they were incredibly hard to print as they have edges that tear through paper in a press, and none of them are the same height....

Siamese Twins

"Well!" He cried. "I can't tell which is Jack and which is Joe!"

Earlier this year before I left for Paris I made this little shadow box piece for my dearest friend and detached siamese twin Niomi. The twin image and two lines of text float on some foam-core, the rest is collaged with old graph paper, dictionary clippings and other odd scraps. The siamese twins are inflicted with bacocortical hyper brain content syndrome (details of which can be seen in an older blog post). 

Siamese Twins (detail)
Mixed Media, 2011

Carte Postale

I adore the old booksellers by the Seine - one of those typically Parisian things you expect when you get here, but are still delighted to see in person. They have some of the most beautiful old and rare books, posters etc. although most are beyond my price range (and often priced for tourists). They do however, also sell old (and used) postcards, which I adore. These postcards are far better and have much more character than the glossy and not-quite-cheesy-enough postcards they sell in souvenir shops and tabacs. This postcard is from 1904 and already has a delightful message written on it in french, but it was a pleasure to add to it and then send it on it's journey to Canada.

Livre d'Arrondissements

I collaged the cover of my little Paris map book so I look lest touristy and feel more comfortable whipping it out on the streets. Also I needed a project to get me into the swing of things. Considering the fact that I brought almost zero art supplies with me, it was a good little challenge. The other day I treated myself to a new pad of tracing paper, and some glue. I also decided that I'm done with the vogue I bought for my plane-trip across the pond and it has now become one of my few collage materials.

collaged live d'arrondissements; 2011
tracing paper, vogue magazine, sticky note, whiteout, scotch tape, pen and marker.

lanscape lines

These are some older drawings, probably from around 2009 - although I still draw both of these patterns compulsively...

Travels with my Aunt

Today I went to Shakespeare and Co. to spend a little time in the library upstairs reading. I ended up sitting on a bench in front of a bookshelf of fiction in the section of authors last name beginning with 'G'. After being unable to settle on a book to peruse, I had browsed many titles, and decided that maybe I wanted to write something of my own instead. I ended up making a few poems with two rules:

1.) Each line of the poem must be one book title
2.) I must not add any extra words of my own.

This process feels much like collaging - I like that I am not accountable for the content and simply the arrangement, and since I'm not an experienced poet (or a poet at all, for that matter) it takes the stress out of it and makes me a little less responsible for the outcome. If you look up any of these book titles, you'll find that all the author's last names begin with the letter 'g'. If not - they were badly shelved.

Travels With My Aunt

the past must alter,

travels with my aunt.

spirit of time and place,

limbo,

the glorious adventure.

inclinations, 

for special services.

the promise of joy.

wheels, 

from noon till three,

the giants eye,

corpse in a gilded cage,

under the greenwood tree.

I think I would like to take these weird book title poems and illustrate them in hilarious ways. The poems alone feel a little too humourless...

almond butter

I treated myself to a new 7" square sketchbook so I have lots of new room for parisian doodles. Here we have some classic almonds, new blobs, and balcony rails. They look pretty good on my plaid parisian pillow case.