Ok, we're gonna try something different....

In high school, my friend Emily and I would discuss theoretical "death matches" between two people. Usually between two teachers we had, sometimes other students in the same program as us, but it was a way to pass the time. (For the record, our 11th grade history teacher won the grand prize).

So here's what I'd like to do: discuss a theoretical death match between the art scene in San Francisco and the art scene in Seattle. I can't get into too many details just yet, and it's probably obvious what I'm trying to do, but at least I can have some fun with it. So, if the two scenes were people, who would kick the other's butt? Which is better? Why? I know there is at least one person who reads this blog that can attest for each side (ahem, Josh and Lenny) but I'd like to get some feedback.

(and yes, i will be reading books and researching on the internet in the meantime)

Mini article

Art Of Love from, I think, the Netherlands, wrote a little thing on me. Nothing major, but it does emphasis the fact that I'm young and female. The article is here

I can't help but wonder what would happen once I'm not so young...

So here's the question: how much SHOULD an artist's identity or biography pepper the interpretation or regard for their work? Some people say a lot because art is just an extension of the artist, therefore identity is highly relevant. Others say it's a gimmick and therefor with little or no merit.

For fear of entering into yet another existential crisis, I will refrain from waxing poetic on how this all pertains to me, but I'd like to get some other thoughts on this. And yeah, I know it's a really old question, but please answer it anyway.

Framed print needs a home....

"Scratched" is still for sale at MOCA, until Friday. It's one of my top three favorite pictures, so I have my fingers crossed that someone will like it as much as me and want to take it home with them. Here are the stats:

"Scratched" 2005
Digital archive print
9"x13" image, framed to approximately 18"x23"
acid free white mat, approximately 2.5" black wood box frame
$450

If you can't come to the gallery or the closing show, I'm sure you can call MOCA directly. Their number is 202-342-6230.

Recent Photos

I'm back from London. It was WONDERFUL. Perhaps more on that later. But I'm also on London time now, hence the ungodly hour.

Before I left, I mentioned I had a shoot, but didn't have time to really look at the pictures or post them. So here they are. As usual, I'm conflicted about which are the best, and if any of them are website/portfolio/show-worthy, so input would be helpful. Some of these are the same picture, but I couldn't figure out which was the better shot.

On a related note, I'm still a bit conflicted with direction. I took several shots that adhered to the "reality tv-style porn" direction, i.e., awkward, incredibly real and relatable, but not necessarily erotic (cat wandered through the shot, trying to figure out how to "stick it in", discussing logistics of how to have sex in a shower). Problem is, with shots like those, the emphasis is on what's seen, not HOW it's seen, so they're not necessarily the most beautiful or skillful images. Because of that, it seems like anyone could take those shots, so what would make mine so great? But the shots that are perhaps closer to being more "aesthetically pleasing" seem a little....done. I don't know. Maybe if something votes to see the "awkward" photos, I'll post them, but for now, these are what I have.

Oh, and the couple agreed to shoot again, now that they know "how I roll". We'll see what happens.

Sorry....

...I'm in London now. I was to busy before I left to post the new pictures, but I'll do it when I get back. There are about 30 that I need to decide upon, including trying to decide which is more important, aesthetic appeal/skill or appreciation of the scene. Like, I have some pictures that are a little more "traditional", not blurry, fairly erotic, etc. But then I have some shots that are far more realistic. One of my cats wandered into a few of the shots, and I was laughing, but I got some shots with the couple and the cat. Artistically, not the best shots, they're too blurry, but it's pretty damn realistic, right? I mean, if you have pets, they play a role in your life, including your sex life. For me, it's cats trying to get in the middle of everything. My "dog" friends complain about their dogs watching them, or whimpering to go out at a crucial point. What can you do?

I'm still grappling with my general point, i.e., is my work commentary on the stigmatization of porn/the elitism of art, is it trying to be artsy porn in order to blur the division between art and porn, is this supposed to be reality tv-style porn? Those are a little contradictory, hence the confusion. But I'll post all the pictures in a week or so and let you decide.

In the meantime, screw this, I'm gonna bum around London!

Food!

I'm a science nerd trapped in an artist's body. But that's a different story. For this, I blame my parents. My mom loves to cook, and my dad was a chem major in college. So I grew up experimenting with food--edible science experiments. I even made a decent crépe recipe when I was four. Except I didn't know how to spell "cheese" or "crépe", so when I wrote out the instructions, I wrote "add chess, roll up crap and eat." That worked, right? Hey, I knew the difference between long and short vowels when I was still in pre-school, so you have to give me some credit.

Fast forward to tonight. Mom had a late night, Peter (Mom's spousal-equivalent) can't cook, and I was too lazy, so we got Chinese food. The place we get it from always gives us a TON of extra white rice. It just sits in our fridge, lonely, uneaten, until someone finds it two weeks later and it address us by name and asks for a blaket. But tonight was different. I always hated how wasteful we were, so I took action. I came up with a pretty yummy rice pudding recipe out of things we (and probably you) have lying around the kitchen. I should warn you, I rarely measure ingredients, so this is a bit of an estimate. But you're probably smart enough to figure it out. And if not, you probably shouldn't be near a stove.

Sam's "Leftover" Rice Pudding (c)
- 1 box leftover rice (its about 1.5-2 cups)
- about 2 cups milk (I used skim because thats all we drink, but any milk is fine. Soy, even.)
- about 1-1.5 tsp vanilla extract
- about 1/2 to 2/3 confectioners sugar (sweetens, and acts as a thickening agent)
- cinnamon and/or nutmeg (or even a little clove if you're feeling daring) for taste

1. Put all the rice in a pot, poke it with a spoon so it spreads out, and add the milk. No rice clumps allowed. Stir and cook over medium heat.
2. After the mixture starts to bubble slightly, add the confectioner's sugar. Pour it in evenly, and stir.
3. Sit, stir. Sit, stir. Keep going.
4. Lower the heat, keep stirring and sitting so that it doesnt form a skin or stick to the bottom of the pot, but it should be getting pretty thick at this point.
5. Let sit, add spices for flavor, if desired. Yummy hot or cold, but it needs to be refridgerated for leftovers.

You could add raisins (golden or purple--but golden are better) or dried apricots to this, but putting some over sliced banana is really good. Heavy, though, so maybe share it with someone.

Brief Update

1. I interviewed with Adrian Parsons last night. Poor guy--it was about six hours long. Fun, though. But if no one hears from Parsons for a while, it's possible he keeled over from exhaustion.

2. Submitted packets to one publisher, two or three magazines, and two galleries, both in LA. I'm working on more today.

3. I may have found another couple, which means there may be more pictures in the future.

4. I leave for London on Friday. I'll be gone until the 25th.

5. I may have some major news about the doll photos in the next few days/weeks, or perhaps not. We don't know yet.

SO Not Photo/Sex Related

I went to a miniatures show with my mom yesterday. Yeah, I know, but those things are cool, and we're working on a top-secret project (I kid you not). I dare any of you to go to one of these shows, pick up a 1/6"- or 1/12"-scale armoire, handmade, beautifully detailed, very intricate and complicated, and tell me that it isn't art, or argue that craft isn't art either. Man, those things are so cool! There are some shitty, mass-produced pieces too, but you can find a lot of really gorgeous craft pieces that really will take your breath away. But I digress.

Anyway, these shows are often dominated by middle-aged women and little old ladies, who I suspect, make dollhouses as their way of playing "God." Like, they've lived one life, and the dollhouse is their fantasy, the life they wanted but didn't have. Complete with Laura Ashley sofa upholstery and doilies on EVERYTHING. Yeah, I'm mocking them a little, but in all fairness, isn't that why people play "The Sims," too? Anyway, as you would expect, these shows are dominated by a lot of chintzy (sp), hyper-feminine, cute pieces. Beautiful pieces, but overwhelmingly traditional and old-fashioned. I wasn't kidding about the Laura Ashley and doilies. But these ladies like to have mini art on the mini walls of their mini houses, complete with museum-grade gilded gold frames, but more often than not, the art they choose is to the effect of a faux-Impressionist paintings, or the close-up of Raphael's "Sistine Madonna" painting with the little cherubs (you've seen it, don't worry). Usually pretty, safe landscapes that make me gag. So when I saw the diorama/mini room of the mod pad, complete with plexiglass bookshelves and, *GASP* a giant Morris Louis/Washington Color School painting, I squealed. Yeah, laugh all you want, but modern art is rarely, if ever, seen in this type of setting, let alone a relatively obscure reference like Louis. There is hope for the world after all.

Grrr....

I don't care what anyone else says, just because a picture has a nude person in it doesn't make it "erotic."

And yeah, I know that applies to me too. Don't even bother.

Erotic Art Opening Tonight

MOCA DC will have their annual Erotic Art Show opening tonight, Friday, March 3 from 6pm until whenever. I'll be there with a few friends.

Location:
MOCA DC (mocadc.org)
31st St., just a smidge below M St., in a little cul-de-sac on the right.

What:
Erotic Art Show, rare for DC
Me!

Why?
Because you can't go wrong with lots of sex and naked people.

Art Donations Needed

The UMCP chapter of Engineers Without Borders will be hosting an art auction fundraiser in April and they're looking for donations. All mediums will be accepted, as long as they're G- or PG-rated (we'll get back to that in a minute...). Artists will receive 25% of the final bid price if the piece sells, and the remaining 75% will be tax-deductable. If interested, contact Xiah Kragie at EWBArtAuction@xiah.com with any questions. You can also go to their website at http://www.eng.umd.edu/ewb/artauction.html. This is the email Xiah sent me:

Engineers Without Borders Art Auction and Show
Call for entry: Due March 28th

Engineers Without Borders UMD is a non-profit that works with developing communities around the world to improve people's lives through specific projects. This year we have projects in Ecuador, Brazil, and Thailand to deliver clean water and provide sanitation to three needy communities. For these goals, they are hosting an art auction at the Leland Center in Bethesda, MD, on April 8th and 9th to fundraise for the implementation. 25% of the final selling price goes directly to the artist.

EWBArtAuction@xiah.com and www.eng.umd.edu/ewb/artauction.html to arrange for a donation or for more information.


---------------Long version------------------------

DONATE to the Engineers Without Borders Art Auction (held April Sat 8th 5-8pm & Sun 2nd 2-4pm in Bethesda, MD)
www.eng.umd.edu/ewb/artauction.html

To support artists supporting us, we're sponsoring **FREE MODEL AND STUDIO SESSIONS**where YOU can take advantage of still lifes, easels, and modeling sessions at the University of Maryland. The next studio work session is MONDAY MARCH 6TH FROM 5-8PM. Come to University of Maryland's art socy building room 2317 (http://www.umd.edu/CampusMaps/bld_detail.cfm?bld_code=ASY) any time during the period for free figure models and studio space. You'll also get to meet members of the Engineers Without Borders and ask questions about the projects/impact of your donation. (If you think you are coming, please send an email to EWBArtAuction@xiah.com)

Engineers Without Borders UMD is a student group on campus that works with developing communities around the world to improve people's lives through specific projects. This year we have projects in Ecuador, Brazil, and Thailand to deliver clean water and provide sanitation to three needy communities. (more info on all of this at www.eng.umd.edu/ewb ). For these goals, we are having an art auction in Bethesda, MD, in April to fundraise for the implementation.

Visit our website: www.eng.umd.edu/ewb/artauction.html or email EWBArtAuction@xiah.com to get more information or arrange for a donation.

Reasons for artists to donate:
1). Its a great cause. We're an entirely volunteer organization that actually improves people's lives in small communities around the world, but we need money for materials etc. The students and professionals who go actually cover a chunk of their own costs, so nearly all of our money goes straight to the projects.

2). 25% of the selling price goes to the artist. Buyers will be asked to write two checks. 25% to the artist as 'the price" and 75% to the organization as a 501c(3) tax deductible donation.

3). The location and our own PR will attract a serious buying audience from outside the normal DC art scene, including individuals like the chancellor of the university of md system and other officials who have taken an interest in the work of the organization.

4). FREE STUDIO SESSIONS. The second one is Monday March 6th from 5-8pm at the University of MD. Potentially interested artists are welcome to stop by to learn more about the organization (we'll have volunteers on hand) and to use the models/still lifes / space / resources. (and honestly we dont care so much if people come and don't end up donating).


Xiah rocks. I went to high school with her. Help her out, donate to a worthy cause, maybe make a little money, everyone wins!