I kinda want to know what crack he’s on, because it’s obviously the really good Metals Crack*, but I kinda want my own stash.

*spiiiiiiiiiiiiiiins and tra lala las*

So, I am feeling better–or, at least, I’m not going to die and have made it out of Hemlock House for my date with the Illustrious Miss Sara–and, therefore, I am owing y’all a post (or seven). <–Okay, this was like 8 hours ago.  WordPress was being stupid, and I lost my post.  Twice.

Asshats.

Sorry, I have much anger today.

…

…

Okay, it may not be much of a post since, between SOPA/PIPA last week and feeling like I was going to die this week, there hasn’t be a whole lotta thinking going on in my little squid head.

There was some thinking that Umberto Eco has some pretentious paranoia going on and an ugly, deep-seeded love/hate/lust thing going on with the Templars and all the numerous other secret societies that are scarpering about the planet. <–I just finished reading Foucault’s Pendulum too.

Nota Bene: The focus of my studies in Classics were Religion (specifically Mystery Religions), Mythology, and Art and my Senior Thesis in History was on Early Modern Mysticism, so I actually am really interested in these sorts of phenomenon. I also really like certain aspects of the book like Belbo’s fictionalized historicism of Kelley and the pages and pages and pages of really interesting history. There were just other parts that made me go “Really?” like the 3-4 chapters of false ending.

Can we say The Return of the King here?

Yes, I really do read multiple books at once; it’s easier when one has the attention span of a gnat.

*whistles*

So, before I got completely side-tracked by Eco and Moore, I was going to say that I have loads of nifty pictures by way of a pseudo-blog post today.

‘Cause, even ill, I’m completely bee-like.

But just a few. *feels stingy today*

A tunnel book sample that I made to go with the physical advertising of my bookmaking class at the ARTgarage. I’m rather fond of it, although the picture kinda sucks. <–My photo area is still down due to a massive reorganization after ‘Lain moved out.

I also made a folded structure book sample to display. This is a picture of it in process; it’s done and on display, but I haven’t taken a picture of it yet.

I’ve been making some Kindle covers. This is mine and The Husband’s respectively.

The handmade insult series is also continuing apace.

Did I mention that I’ve also learned to perform basic knitting? <–No picture, just a random question.

And check out the amazing old china I found at Goodwill.

It wasn’t a complete set, but it had the tiniest tea cups and a large-ish bowl and a plate. I <3 it like y’all wouldn’t believe.

Classes at the ARTgarage:

Storybeads:

• Saturday, January 14th: basic beading structures & open studio
• Saturday, January 21st: fiber incorporation & open studio
• Saturday, January 28th: pendant structures & open studio
• Saturday, February 4th: wire work & open studio

When: Saturdays, January 14^th-February 4^th, 10 am-12 pm

Where: the ARTgarage

Cost: $25 includes use of tools and basic materials (sign-up for 3 classes and take the 4^th free!)

Bookmaking:

• Saturday, January 14th: Instabooks
• Saturday, January 21st: Concertina books
• Saturday, January 28th: Pamphlets
• Saturday,February 4th: Japanese Stab Binding
• Saturday, February 11th: Codex books
• Saturday, February 18th: Tunnel books
• Saturday, February 25th: Flag books
• Saturday, March 3rd: Carousel books
• Saturday, March 10th: Folded structures
• Saturday, March 17th: Altered books

When: Saturdays, January 14^th-March 17^th, 1-3 pm

Where: the ARTgarage

Cost: $60 for first session, $40 for each following session

 Papermaking:

• Saturday, February 11th: History, equipment, initial pulls
• Saturday, February 18th: Cotton pull
• Saturday, February 25th: Abaca/flax pull
• Saturday, March 3rd: Kozo, dyeing, and forming
• Saturday, March 10th: Inclusion papers
• Saturday, March 17th: Pulp-painting and collage pages

When: Saturdays, February 11^th-March 17^th, 9-12 am

Where: the ARTgarage

Cost: $150 for all six classes

Mixed Media:

Possible projects include 10-layer drawings, altered books, and assemblage and techniques such as photo-transfer.

• Saturday, March 24th
• Saturday, March 31st
• Saturday, April 7th
• Saturday, April 14th
• Saturday, April 21st
• Saturday, April 28th

When: Saturdays, March 24^th-April 28^th, 10-12 am

Where: the ARTgarage

Cost: $150 for all six classes

Sculpture:

Possible projects include mini-installation, guerrilla fiber, fiber art, assemblage, wearable art, and/or environmental art.

• Saturday, March 24th
• Saturday, March 31st
• Saturday, April 7th
• Saturday, April 14th
• Saturday, April 21st
• Saturday, April 28th

When: Saturdays, March 24^th-April 28^th, 1-3 pm

Where: the ARTgarage

Cost: $150 for all six classes

*”Metals Crack” was a joke when I was an undergraduate.  I took several Metals classes, and there were some people in them that should just not have been allowed near fire.  We kept telling them that Metals Crack was the really good crack that caused you to grow an extra eye in the top of your head.  Scarily, a few of them seemed to believe us.  *le SIGH*

Courage.

*double-blech*

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.

Courage.

…so, ya know, y’all can come and take classes with me.

‘Cause all the cool kids are doin’ it.

*whistles*

I’m scheduled to teach five classes at the ARTgarage:  Storybeads, Bookmaking, Papermaking, Mixed Media, and Sculpture.  I’m going to list the class dates categorically so that y’all can just *waves hand* skip to the class that you might be interested in…’cause that makes sense to me.

Storybeads:

• Saturday, January 14th:  basic beading structures & open studio
• Saturday, January 21st:  fiber incorporation & open studio
• Saturday, January 28th:  pendant structures & open studio
• Saturday, February 4th:  wire work & open studio

When:    Saturdays, January 14^th-February 4^th, 10 am-12 pm

Where:   the ARTgarage

Cost:      $25 includes use of tools and basic materials (sign-up for 3 classes and take the 4^th free!)

Bookmaking:

• Saturday, January 14th:  Instabooks
• Saturday, January 21st:  Concertina books
• Saturday, January 28th:  Pamphlets
• Saturday,February 4th:  Japanese Stab Binding
• Saturday, February 11th:  Codex books
• Saturday, February 18th:  Tunnel books
• Saturday, February 25th:  Flag books
• Saturday, March 3rd:  Carousel books
• Saturday, March 10th:  Folded structures
• Saturday, March 17th:  Altered books

When:    Saturdays, January 14^th-March 17^th, 1-3 pm

Where:   the ARTgarage

Cost:      $60 for first session, $40 for each following session

Papermaking:

• Saturday, February 11th:  History, equipment, initial pulls
• Saturday, February 18th:  Cotton pull
• Saturday, February 25th:  Abaca/flax pull
• Saturday, March 3rd:  Kozo, dyeing, and forming
• Saturday, March 10th:  Inclusion papers
• Saturday, March 17th:  Pulp-painting and collage pages

When:    Saturdays, February 11^th-March 17^th, 9-12 am

Where:   the ARTgarage

Cost:      $150 for all six classes

Mixed Media:

Possible projects include 10-layer drawings, altered books, and assemblage and techniques such as photo-transfer.

• Saturday, March 24th
• Saturday, March 31st
• Saturday, April 7th
• Saturday, April 14th
• Saturday, April 21st
• Saturday, April 28th

When:    Saturdays, March 24^th-April 28^th, 10-12 am

Where:   the ARTgarage

Cost:      $150 for all six classes

Sculpture:

Possible projects include mini-installation, guerrilla fiber, fiber art, assemblage, wearable art, and/or environmental art.

• Saturday, March 24th
• Saturday, March 31st
• Saturday, April 7th
• Saturday, April 14th
• Saturday, April 21st
• Saturday, April 28th

When:    Saturdays, March 24^th-April 28^th, 1-3 pm

Where:   the ARTgarage

Cost:      $150 for all six classes

I also have been working on a tunnel book on and off all day; it’s currently in about seven pieces awaiting assembly.

And, if y’all don’t get snowpacalypsed in, there’s an opening at the ARTgarage tomorrow for the 1st Quarter Artists.  <–If we get snowpacalyped, I may not be going. *shrugs* So goes it.

Courage.

*is all Gilmore-Girl-y with my references*

This is a very studio-heavy post ’cause I’ve been being all studio-productive-y this year! *\o/*

Part of that productivity has been playing with dye. I’m calling it Experiments in Dye Land.

Since I learned to spin in 2011 (Thanks, Miss Hel!), I am now trying my tentacles at acid dyeing wool.  <–I'm experimenting with some wool that I purchased at the Farmer's Market this summer from the Embarrass Carding Mill.

Yes, there is a town not-too far from me called Embarrass, pronounced like “I’m embarrassed by.” <–I'm not kidding.  Embarrass.  Really.

*hands*

So, acid dyeing protein fibers actually requires that the fiber and the dye be simmered for a bit of time in a set-up that I don't have (and don't have the money to supply), and I don't have a canning rig (yet!) to borrow from, so I kinda–improvised–it.  <–From instructions similar to these instructions from Dharma Trading Company.

*IMPROVISES*

These are the results:

From left to right: Jet Black (which totally didn’t come out black; it came out grey and acid green, which is rather shiny), Black Cherry, and Turquoise.

From left to right: Turquoise (second hank of it), China Red, and Deep Orange.

I think that, for my first try, it didn’t came out too badly.

And, since I had the dyeing stuff out, I thought that I’d dye a bunch of white t-shirts that I had siting about.

Both of these shirts were dyed with a mixture of Kelly Green, Teal, and Turquoise.

The shirt on the top is Jet Black and Turquoise; on the bottom, Turquoise.

Both of these are dyed with China Red.

This one is dyed with Burgundy and Deep Orange.

Of course, I managed to injure myself while tyeing-up the shirts.

*eyeroll heard ’round the world*

What can I say? I’m accident prone.

*trips over a piece of paper*

…I’m okay.

*tra lala la la*

I’m currently wearing the Jet Black/Turquoise shirt. *twiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrls*

I’ve also been working on a corollary series to my unnamed friends series; it’s currently untitled, but I’ve been referring to it as echo-spectre.

The key words/conceptual framework behind them is sorta looking like this: homonculus, daguerreotype, shimmer, echo, Book of Pressed Fairies, Platonic Ideal, shuggoths, Lovecraft, graffiti, Andy Warhol, pop art, unnamed friends, taxonomy, doodle, butterfly, and organic.

I also have a critter–unnamed friends: pop-tart Monday.

So, yeah, except for the two echo-spectre-owlet panels, all of this has been completed in 2012.

*is an awesome squid of awesomeness*

I’m going to posting my class schedule at the ARTgarage soon, though I’m teaching a Bookmaking class and a Storybead class this Saturday if y’all need something to do and are in the area.

*bounces off to clean the studio and do more work*

Courage.

I  think.

It’s modified because I don’t really want to boil the dye-bath-wool combination on my stove for ever and, more-so, because I don’t have a pot that I can sacrifice since it needs to not be aluminum and it can’t be used for anything else ever again.

Kinda a hassle, yeah?

Though, the pot I boil kozo in might be steel. I’m not sure, and I don’t need to explode dye and wool.

If this craziness works, not only will I be able to spin my own yarn, but I’ll be able to dye it too!

*is totally in awe of the awesomeness*

Now, if I could just learn how to spin the specialty eyelash-fuzzy-creature-looks-like-an-anemone-when-it’s-crocheted yarn, I’d be golden.

Fa-diddly-da.

I might also go completely crazy and do a full-on acid dye session tomorrow.  Maybe, I’ll even suck it up and dye all these white t-shirts I’ve got sitting around.

*frolics in Dye Land*

I’ve also been screwing around with the echo-spectre (real name yet to be determined) pieces. There’s something screwy about them, and I haven’t quite figured out what it is yet. *needs to sit and be all contemplate-y of my bellybutton art*

This is what I do when I’m sitting around waiting to hear about things.

…

I might even do some bookmaking tomorrow. Really keep myself out of trouble.

Can y’all tell I’m not getting anything that I’m supposed to be working on done?  Like, ya know, my sketchbook for The Sketchbook Project.

*is the naughtiest naughty to ever be naughty*

*REVELS in their entrails*

*tra lala la la la la*

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 3,600 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 60 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

…

Again, I swear, very little caffeine is involved today. Oh, in a random bit of information that nobody but me really needs to know about, the cup that was involved in the case of the caffeine-spins a couple of weeks ago? It was 21 oz. That means that I ingested 63 oz. of squid-strength coffee.

My dad was military; he taught me well.

So, fairytales.

I’ve been promising this for-ev-er; I am naughty and bad and–naughty.

*revels in naughtiness*

Of course, I’m also ridiculously tired and not feeling complete coherent.

Okay, fairytales, and by fairytales, I’m referring to fairytales, mythology, popular culture products that are either re-interpret/re-work fairytales, mythology, and so on or create new stories that work with similar archetypes.

Although, there is a World of Quibble about what popular culture products fall within this definition.

…

I totally vote for Doctor Who, Torchwood, Warehouse 13, Haven, Eureka, Sherlock, Stargate: SG-1, Stargate: Atlantis, Firelfy, and about zillion other not-directly-not-obviously-fairytale products.

And don’t forget things like Grimm.

Bruno Bettelheim wrote this really–in-depth–called The uses of enchantment: The meaning and importance of fairy tales, which is really a text about the importance and value of fairy tales for children.

Just call me a kid. *bleeeeeets*

But Bettelheim (1977) wrote that “As with all great art, the fairy tale’s deepest meaning will be different for each person, and different for the same person at various moments in life” (p. 12).

Bettelheim also wrote that “fairy tales carry important messages to the conscious, the preconscious, and the unconscious mind, on whatever level each is functioning at the time. By dealing with universal human problems, particularly those which preoccupy the child’s mind, these stories speak to his budding ego and encourage its development, while at the same time relieving preconscious and unconscious pressures” (p. 6).

So, basically, fairytales are a way by which we (really, whether we’re kidlets or not) are able to negotiate and interpret the world as well as act as a common semiotic language by which can communicate across language barriers.

They’re also morality tales, but that’s not really at the top of my not-argument.

So, like I was saying last time we were all in Squid”s Meditation on Fairytales Land, fairytales in all their forms are part of my art-making process to the point that I create pieces based off of fairytales and have been creating fairytales of my own through my unnamed friends series. I also have a tendency towards fairytales being a research focus too.

That was/is one of the joys of Art Education, because of Visual Culture pedagogy, I can legitimately watch TV, play video games, go to comic/anime conventions as research. And, that all feeds into my art.

It’s a happy, happy vicious-little-circle. \o/

Morgan by Sarah Moon.

Esmeralda from the Who Killed Bambi? post “Twisted Princesses”.

SyFy’s Alice, which was just really, really good and really interesting as an interpretation.

The meeting of Alice of Legend and Hatter.

Remember how I mentioned that Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland was the first time ever that I wanted a love story because the plot wasn’t doing it for me (mostly)? I blame Alice.

Alice and Hatter are one of the few intended-couples and love stories that I enjoy, and Alice was one of the few times that I wasn’t screaming that the movie was fantastic until they decided that there needed to be a love story in it.

Alice in Wonderland was pretty though.

A couple of shots from SyFy’s Tin Man; although, my favorite is this image.

And my favorite part of Tin Man is here at 1:33 and again at 3:20.  I <3 Glitch.

Okay, I’ve probably pic-spammed y’all enough for one day.

And, I still haven’t watched Neverland yet. *is bad*

Courage.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

Yay! It’s the end of the year! There’ll be a new one tomorrow (in theory)!

I hope there’s a new one. *frets*

We love you, Jesus-penguin! Give us a new year tomorrow!

*sacrifices a brisket* <–We're watching the Big Bang Theory Marathon.

This post was really nice to read, especially since I’m one of the studio artists at the ARTgarage. <–Really.  I make the disturbingly kawaii creatures that look like they might be interested in nom-ing people’s heads off…and other things.

Loads of other things.

*whistles*

So, go read the post, and in the New Year, come by the ARTgarage and see all the shenanigans. –>  Help Make the ARTgarage the Central Place for the Arts in Green Bay!.

As 2011 comes to an end, I have been contemplating what my New Year’s resolution will be for 2012.  I thought of the normal things, such as weight loss, exercise, giving up cheese (which will never, ever happen!), etc.  But none of them rang true…and I kept coming back to the same thought that I truly miss being plugged into the arts in Green Bay.  It has been three months since I’ve been unemployed by the non-profit arts world, but I still have this burning passion to help grow the arts in our community.

In my 5 past years as an Arts Administrator, I watched with great hope as the ARTgarage started out through grass roots efforts of some very devoted and talented folks.  As their website explains:

“Two art majors at the University of  Wisconsin – Green Bay didn’t want to lose the energizing ‘art studio experience’ once graduated. They shared their vision for working studios and a gallery with the owners of The Cannery on Olde Main in October 2005. By March 17, 2006, the ARTgarage was open.”

The ARTgarage is located in a 4,000 square foot space that used to be a cannery loading dock, which makes the space the perfect setting for art display and activities with its brick walls, cement floors and high ceilings!  Today, the ARTgarage is blossoming into the art central, place-to-be in Green Bay.  Their mission is encourage an appreciation for and participation in the visual, performing and literary arts.

The ARTgarage has a lot to offer the arts enthusiast!  Seven individual studio spaces feature talented, local artists who are eager to talk with visitors about their creative process.  Over 20 artists display their work in the gallery in all mediums.  The ARTgarage also hosts First Saturday Performances each month offering all performing arts, including music, poetry and vaudeville.  Classes are offered for adults and children, some through its partnership with NWTC and some through the ARTgarage artists themselves.  Art forums and community events are also offered at the ARTgarage as the Cannery offers a large space for gatherings.  Finally, the ARTgarage has a fabulous gift shop where you can find one-of-a-kind pieces for friends, family or even for yourself!

The ARTgarage is a welcoming neighbor to the diverse populations within our community and proudly displays “Everyone Welcome” on their front door.  Join me in helping make the ARTgarage the central place for the arts in Green Bay!  How can you help?  Go to their website, sign up for their newsletter, go to their weekly events, visit the gallery once a month, sign up for a class, sign up your kids for a Summer Art Workshop, reserve the space in Studio B for your next gathering/seminar/meeting, buy a gift at their gift shop, and tell your friends about this wonderful gem we have right here in the Olde Main Street District of Green Bay! Watch for the upcoming “Art Meets Heart:  Juried Art Exhibit” to open on Thursday, February 2nd at 12 Noon, followed by the opening reception from 6 to 9 pm. Exhibit closes  on Saturday, February 29th at 6 pm.

The ARTgarage is located at 1400 Cedar Street in the Cannery Building, Green Bay, WI 54301.  Their phone number is (920) 448-6800 or you can email them at info@theartgarage.org.  Their website is a “gold mine” of information at http://www.theartgarage.org.  Gallery hours:   Tuesdays 12-6, Wednesdays 12-6, Thursdays 12-8, Fridays 12-6, Saturdays 12-4 (Closed Saturday, December 31st for New Year’s Eve).

Don’t let me down fellow arts friends!  I am counting on you!  Hope to see you there!

P.S.  Photo credits to the talented photographer who took them for the ARTgarage website!  Cheers!

Courage.

Sometimes, just being a little fluffy-headed and relaxed is good, yeah?

‘Cause I’d never be fluffy-headed.  Or relaxed.  *whistles*

Basically, I’m teaser-trailer-ing y’all in preparation for the actual thinky-thoughts about modern fairytale interpretations and meta-fairytales.

And, remember there’s a ton of new Snow-White-centric movies coming out (and tv series like Once Upon a Time and Grimm) that are totally part of this glut of revisioning.

And, if this were all not enough, I leave y’all with a fandom cultural mash-up: “Zydrate Anatomy” meets all things Harry Potter.

…that all sounded kinda threat-y, didn’t it?

I THREATEN Y’ALL WITH FAIRYTALES AND VISUAL CULTURE!!!

I swear that there has been very little caffeine today.

…

Really. Honest. Squid’s honor.

I’m sure there is some question about why these kinds of visual culture are so important to me. Briefly (’cause I don’t want to completely spoil the actual thinky post), they are part of my art-making process; they are also part of my research interests.

More importantly, for people not-me, tv and movies are our fairytales, and when traditional fairytales are adapted back into the modern parlance, mores the better.

Plus, it’s just friggin’ cool most of the time.

Except the Alice in Wonderland movie with Johnny Depp, poor man. I think that was the first time I have ever actually wanted a love story to make up for the idiocy of the planned plot.

*SIGHS*

*tra lala la la*

Happy New Year, y’all, in case I don’t “see” y’all before them.

Courage.