It'll Glow On You

Hey Jake, Whatcha Makin? Part 3.

2012-02-12T09:42:00.003-06:00

Here's the newest installment in the "Hey Jake, Whatcha Makin?" series that my brother Jake writes, records, and edits, and I act in. Today, it's mac & cheese.

Song:

Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - Elton John

Hourly Comic, 2012.

2012-02-05T19:00:00.001-06:00

Wednesday I participated in the Hourly Comic drawing. Inspired by John Campbell of Pictures For Sad Children, the hourly comic consists of one comic (panel) for every hour you're awake; a visual diary. Here's last year's comic. It's funny to see how they are similar, and I wonder how they'll change next year. (Right click to view larger image in a new tab.)

Songs:

Pressed In a Book - The Shins

Super Suffrage Friends.

2012-01-30T21:58:00.000-06:00

Here's my tribute to Frederick Douglass & Susan B. Anthony, two civil rights heroes who both lived in Rochester, NY. They worked towards equal voting rights for African Americans and women in the 1800s.

Song:

Heroes - David Bowie

A Parliament of Owls, Part 3: The Owl Song.

2012-01-23T09:19:00.000-06:00

A little while ago, I drew an owl everyday for a month. Then I made a song about them.

Song (Tune of):

Hungarian Dance No. 5 - Brahms

New Mini Jellyfish!

2012-01-22T14:46:00.000-06:00

Here are two new mini jellyfish, for sale on my Etsy page.

Songs:

Jellyman Kelly - Mates of State (Listen on The Hype Machine)

Sea of Love - Cat Power

Hey Jake, Whatcha Makin? Part 2.

2012-01-14T10:30:00.001-06:00

Here's a new video in the "Hey Jake, Whatcha Makin?" series that my brother Jake writes, records, and edits, and I act in.

Song:

Via Chicago - Wilco

Questionable Content.

2012-01-09T21:24:00.000-06:00

Another video from my brother Jake.

Song:

Private Eyes - The Bird & The Bee

Anxious Aardvark.

2012-01-06T23:49:00.000-06:00

Song:

Sticky Bees - Wax Fingers (Listen on Bandcamp)

Dinosaur Cake, Part 2.

2012-01-06T23:41:00.001-06:00

Brontosaurus Cake.

Songs:

Mahna Mahna - Cake

Kids - MGMT

Dinosaur Cake!

2011-12-21T21:02:00.000-06:00

I made a dinosaur cake. It's a tyrannosaurus rex. With pterodactyls!

Songs:

Requiem - III No. 3: Rex tremendae - Mozart

Jeepster - T. Rex

Hey Jake, Whatcha Makin?

2011-12-10T23:32:00.001-06:00

My brother and I recently made a video short. It's based on Hey Ash, Whatcha Playin? Jake wrote the script and did all the editing. You can check out the rest of his movies here on YouTube. Incidentally, this is his 100th YouTube video.

Songs:

Space City - Booker T. Jones

A Spaceship For Now - RJD2

Pencil Sketches in Wicker Park.

2011-12-10T10:15:00.001-06:00

On one of the last unseasonably warm days of the season, I headed down to Wicker Park in Chicago, and here is what I drew.

Wicker Park is adjacent to Bucktown, named for the goats that were raised there years ago. Hence, the fountain.

Songs:

Walk in the Park - Beach House

Natalie and Effie In the Park - of Montreal

Microns, Where have You Been All My Life?

2011-12-09T23:35:00.001-06:00

Here are some sketches drawn while in various forms of transit around the Chicago area. All drawn with Micron pens, which are pretty fantastic fade-less fine point pens.

Songs:

I've Been Everywhere - Johnny Cash

Airmail Special - Ella Fitzgerald

Another Travelin' Song - Bright Eyes (NSFW Language)

Lamp Font.

2011-12-07T20:34:00.001-06:00

Songs:

Window Shopping - Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings

Shopping Spree - Orgone (Listen on Last.fm.)

Round.

2011-11-27T22:34:00.001-06:00

Here's my sketch for this week's Illustration Friday topic, "Round."

Song:

'Round About Midnight - Thelonious Monk

You Probably Think This Drawing's About You.

2011-11-19T10:20:00.001-06:00

Here's my sketch for this week's Illustration Friday topic: "Vanity."

Song:

You're So Vain - Carly Simon

Warhol & Soup.

2011-11-01T22:20:00.000-05:00

Sarah's and my Halloween costumes.

Andy Warhol & a Can of Tomato Soup.

Songs:

Bohemian Like You - The Dandy Warhols

Homegrown Tomatoes - John Denver

Unicake.

2011-10-17T09:50:00.000-05:00

I made a Unicorn Cake.

Frosting Palette.

Song:

I Was Born (A Unicorn) - The Unicorns

Celebrate the Odd and New Sea Creatures.

2011-10-16T21:49:00.000-05:00

My Etsy shop has been featured on the delightfully quirky blog Celebrate the Odd! Thanks, Guys!

Also in Etsy news: I've made more plush sea creatures for my Etsy shop. With smaller versions of the squid and jellyfish, plus a new octopus. These ones do not light up, but they are much more child-friendly, and are intended to be toys, not lamps.

Song:

Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea - George Harrison

It's Fontastic! Andrew Byrom, 3D Type, & Llamafont.

2011-10-11T19:33:00.000-05:00

Lately, I've been really getting into fonts. Here are some of my favorites fonts and inspirations.

Andrew Byrom creates typefaces from everyday objects, from neon letters inspired by chairs, to box kites with new meanings, to functional, yet instructional pipes.

"Letter Box Kite." (Image via www.andrewbyrom.com.)

"Interiors Light." (Image via www.andrewbyrom.com.)

Llama Font.

This lovely website will illustrate your text in llamas. From llamas doing headstands to llamas simply sitting, "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog," never looked so comical.

The 3D Type Book, by FL@33.

An anthology of the most creative fonts found off the page.

The 3D Type Book by FL@33 from Tomi Vollauschek on Vimeo.

Song:

Holiday - Vampire Weekend ("96 Point Futura")

Meet My Alter Ego, DIY Girl.

2011-09-30T19:04:00.000-05:00

Song:

Waitin' For Superman - Iron & Wine

The Altercation.

2011-09-18T11:36:00.001-05:00

I drew a comic in which I become involved in a disagreement with an anthropomorphic printer. (Click image to zoom.)

Song:

Fight Test - The Flaming Lips

Blick Fall Back to School Sale Flyer.

2011-08-28T18:29:00.002-05:00

This fall I am featured in the Blick Art Materials Fall Back to School Sale flyer and in posters in the stores. I am drawing sea fan coral with Prismacolor markers. I have been drawing with their colored pencils since high school, and really like how bright and easy-to-blend they are.

Photo by Lenny Gilmore.

Poster Photo by Lenny Gilmore.

Thanks to Blick for the above photos.

Songs:

Rolling Sea - Vetiver

Sea of Love - Phil Phillips

Zombies!

2011-08-27T08:57:00.000-05:00

Recently I was commissioned to make an illustrated sign. My friend has made, and is selling, zombie face magnets and pins, which come blank, and you can paint or decorate them any way you like. They are about an inch and a half tall, and are pretty gruesome, as zombies go. If you would like one, you can contact Chris.

I had a lot of fun drawing the sign. Lately, I've become very interested in fonts, both drawing and designing them. I've been studying how different typefaces can create completely different moods, and despite the intrigue of graphic design, I still enjoy creating hand-drawn lettering. And drawing hands, as well.

Songs:

Don't Stop Me Now - Queen

Time Of The Season - The Zombies

I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight - Cutting Crew
(Watch on YouTube)

A Parliament of Owls, Part 2.

2011-08-14T07:39:00.001-05:00

I'm still drawing an owl a day. This project will last for a month, and then I will focus on illustrating another subject. Here's me drawing Owl #21, an eagle owl.

These are some of my recent favorites, but you can see all of the drawings on my Tumblr.

#11

#13

#14

#15

#22

#24: Barred of Avon.

Song:

Everyday - Buddy Holly

I Baked a Threadcake.

2011-08-08T10:43:00.000-05:00

Every year, Chris Cardinal & the t-shirt site Threadless.com run a cake-decorating contest, where entrants bake cakes that look like the shirts. I enjoy cake decorating, and their shirts, so I decided to make one this year, too. The design my cake is based on is called In A Comic. You can see my full entry on the Threadcakes site here.

In the meantime, I've been drawing an owl everyday for almost three weeks now. This is the day's related owl.

Song:

Stickshifts And Safetybelts - Cake

Parliament of Owls. Vote for your favorite!

2011-07-28T20:19:00.004-05:00

I've been drawing an owl a day for a little over a week. I've been using different styles; sometimes they are realistic, sometimes they are goofy. The realistic ones are my favorites. I'm now posting them as I draw them each day on my Tumblr.

Vote for your favorite! Is there any kind of owl you'd like to see?

#10

Songs:

Songbird - Fleetwood Mac

And Your Bird Can Sing - The Beatles

One Last "Whoo-hoo!" For The Pullman - Sufjan Stevens

Font Salad.

2011-07-27T10:48:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I attended an illustration event called Drink & Draw Chicago. I drew this font salad, full of lettuce letters (and colored the background afterwards).

Songs:

Vega-Tables - Brian Wilson

Tables & Chairs - Andrew Bird

Videos and Effects - Jacob Kassnoff.

2011-07-22T10:08:00.002-05:00

My brother Jacob has been recording and creating numerous videos lately. He's been sharing them on his YouTube channel, and has been building props and working with a lot effects in his vlogs, and making music videos. Here are my favorites.

Song (video also by him):

Sleep - The Dandy Warhols

Duct Tape Instruments

2011-07-18T14:46:00.000-05:00

I'm listing several of my duct tape instruments on Etsy. I made them for photography projects back in college, and had a lot of fun constructing them. The entire series can be found here.

Songs:

A Quick One While He's Away - The Who (Cello, Cello, Cello, Cello)

Little Brown Jug - Glenn Miller Orchestra

Rhapsody in Blue - George Gershwin

Sandy Skoglund.

2011-07-18T13:59:00.000-05:00

Sandy Skoglund is a photographer famous for her elaborate photographs and attention to color. Arguably, her most memorable piece might be “Radioactive Cats,” which features a couple clad in gray, sitting in a gray room, decorated with gray furniture. The room would appear to be a very dull interior, if not overrun with dozens of lime green cats. There are cats on the table, the refrigerator, the radiator, and the floor. The couple does not react to the cats, quite unbelievable for their numbers and alien color.

“Radioactive Cats.”

Ms. Skoglund has used this eye-catching technique to both humorous and commentative effect. She usually sculpts these repetitive, yet often distinct creatures, and places them in interactive situations with humans. She created “Revenge of the Goldfish,” where goldfish swim in a family’s room that has suddenly taken on the dual role of a human dwelling and an aquarium. She uses visual puns, such as in “Walking on Eggshells.”

“Revenge of the Goldfish.”

She has created several socio-political commentaries. “The Cold War,” depicts a cowering man and “yellow,” ceramic dog in a yellow room, cornered by legions of ruby-red militia and missiles. With “Hangers,” she raises the issue of abortion by placing coat hangers, rubber gloves, and children’s toys in the same room.

I enjoy Sandy Skoglund’s work. I like the idea of playing with color to emphasize an object or situation. I think she has a lot of stick-to-itiveness to be crafting these photos using the same visual format since she began in the 1970s, yet refreshing the images and subject matter every time. I like that fact that she creates these repetitive animals, and works with a very obsessive process. Even the most chaotic-looking photos have a set semblance of order.

I think Sandy Skoglund’s work has influenced me considerably. I like constructing colorful objects, and using color and color theory to my advantage. A lot can be said with monochromatic or dichromatic color schemes. Obsessive patterns and arrangements lend a detailed polish to scenic images. It is also refreshing to create fantastical photographs that would not be seen in day-to-day life. Photography can be realistic and documentary, but it is also exciting to use the camera as a canvas, to draw or paint ideas (without drawing or painting in the traditional sense of the media). She inspired a series of musical instrument photographs I made, with the musicians playing instruments the same color as their clothes and the rooms they were in.

"Laws of Interior Design."

In Ms. Skoglund’s “True Fiction Two” series, she explores different people’s interactions with cars, using a slightly wider color palette and a more realistic setting, yet still retaining her audiences “Can this actually exist?” belief. I would like to explore this mix of reality and created scenery in my work. Her pieces are like sculptures, but rather than present them as documented performance art, she presents them as still photographs. It seems very theatrical to me, like Atget. I like bold colors, patterns, and scenic details; so naturally, I am drawn to her images. However, I wish she had more images of her process. Each photo seems painstaking to produce, but it would be interesting to also see how she created these scenes. I like the final product, but since it takes that much orchestration, I would like to see the rehearsals and the behind the scenes moments, too.

Songs:

Brush, Brush, Brush - of Montreal (YouTube)

Wildcat - Ratatat

Fisher of Man - M. Ward

New Work On My Portfolio Site!

2011-07-12T22:40:00.001-05:00

I've updated my portfolio site with some new work that I've made since moving to Chicago. There are recent drawings, a lamp, and new photographs of concerts and the city's architecture. I have added several panoramas that I'm really excited about. This city's got a great skyline! Check it out at www.carolynkassnoff.com.

Songs:

Chicago - Rachel Ries

"It's Enough to Make You Go Crazy!"

2011-07-08T09:36:00.000-05:00

Over the past year and a half, I've had so much fun playing music on CHIRP Radio. One of my favorite parts about DJ-ing is creating playlists based on themes and playing requests. Here's my Madness show, broadcast on 6-23-11.

Brain Coral. ( EL Wire and Fabric, 2008).

11:57AM [REQUEST] Syd Barrett Dark Globe from The Madcap Laughs (Capitol)

11:53AM Ryley Walker The Dome of Many-Colored Glass from The Evidence of Things Unseen (Plustapes)

11:49AM Dan Mei & Marc Johnce My Life On The Crazy Train Sucks (So What?) (Kelly Clarkson vs. Ozzy Osbourne vs. Pink vs. Daft Punk) from Best of Bootie 2009 (Unknown)

11:44AM [REQUEST] The Flaming Lips Brain Damage from The Flaming Lips and Stardeath and White Dwarfs with Henry Rollins and Peaches Doing The Dark Side Of The Moon (Warner Bros.)

11:40AM Helado Negro Globitos from Canta Lechuza (Asthmatic Kitty)

11:35AM [REQUEST] Blondie The Tide is High from Autoamerican (Chrysalis)

11:33AM [REQUEST] Kid Cudi Trapped in My Mind from Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager (Dream On/GOOD Music/Universal Motown)

11:27AM Guster Center Of Attention from Lost & Gone Forever (Reprise/Wea)

11:24AM Cults You Know What I Mean from Cults (Columbia)

11:19AM Handsome Boy Modeling School The World's Gone Mad (feat Del The Funky Homosapien, Barrington Levy and Alex Kapranos) from White People (Elektra)

11:14AM [REQUEST] Bruce Lash Psycho Killer from Prozak for Lovers II (Bruce Lash)

11:12AM Devo Mind Games from Something For Everybody (Warner Bros.)

11:07AM F***ed Up Turn the Season from David Comes to Life (Matador)

11:05AM [REQUEST] The Ramones I Wanna Be Sedated from Road to Ruin (Sire)

10:59AM Death Cab for Cutie You are a Tourist from Codes and Keys (Atlantic)

10:56AM Rick Rizzo and Tara Key Insanity Stomp from Double Star (Thrill Jockey)

10:52AM Bon Iver Calgary from Bon Iver (Jagjaguwar)

10:46AM Battles Ice Cream (featuring Matias Aguayo) from Gloss Drop (Warp)

10:43AM Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse Insane Lullaby from Dark Night Of The Soul (EMI)

10:41AM The Beach Boys I Just Wasn't Made For These Times from Pet Sounds (Capitol)

10:36AM Brett Dennen Feat. Femi Kuti Make You Crazy from Hope For The Hopeless (Dualtone)

10:31AM [REQUEST] Against Me! How Low? from Searching for a Former Clarity (Fat Wreck Chords)

10:27AM Canasta Slow Down Chicago from We Were Set Up (Broken Middle C)

10:22AM Mates Of State Like U Crazy from Bring It Back (Barsuk)

10:18AM Givers Ceiling of Plankton from In Light (Glassnote)

10:16AM [REQUEST] Ryan Adams Nervous Breakdown from Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three(Sanctuary)

10:14AM Seapony Always from Go With Me (Hardly Art)

10:11AM Man Man I'd Rather Go Blind from I'd Rather Go Blind (Single) (Unknown)

10:07AM [REQUEST] Lindsey Buckingham Go Insane from Go Insane (Reprise/Warner)

10:02AM The Rolling Stones 19th Nervous Breakdown from 19th Nervous Breakdown (Single) (Decca)

10:00AM Hypnotic Brass Ensemble Touch the Sky from Bulletproof Brass (ChoiceCuts)

9:57AM Booker T. Jones Crazy from The Road from Memphis (ANTI-)

9:53AM Smoking Popes Freakin Out from This is Only a Test (Asian Man)

9:48AM [REQUEST] The Avett Brothers Paranoia in B-flat Major from Emotionalism (Ramseur)

9:44AM [REQUEST] Suicidal Tendencies Institutionalized from Suicidal Tendencies (Frontier)

9:40AM Janelle Monae Tightrope (feat. Big Boi) from The ArchAndroid (Bad Boy)

9:36AM [REQUEST] The Magnetic Fields You Must Be Out Of Your Mind from Realism (Nonesuch)

9:32AM Sondre Lerche Living Dangerously from Sondre Lerche (Mona)

9:27AM Weezer Undone - The Sweater Song from Weezer (Blue Album) (Geffen)

9:22AM Sukhwinder Singh, Nisha, Vishal-Shekhar, Caralisa & Marianne Dard-e-disco from Om Shanti Om (T-Series)

9:18AM Wanda Jackson Nervous Breakdown from The Party Ain't Over (Nonesuch)

9:16AM [REQUEST] Madness Madness (Is All In The Mind) from The Rise and Fall (Stiff)

9:11AM Vetiver Can't You Tell from The Errant Charm (Sub Pop)

9:06AM [REQUEST] Bright Eyes At The Bottom Of Everything from I'm Wide Awake It's Morning (Saddle Creek)

9:03AM [REQUEST] The Missing Links You're Driving Me Insane from Driving You Insane (Half A Cow Aus/Zoom)

8:59AM Pixies Where Is My Mind from Surfer Rosa (4AD)

8:54AM The Avalanches Frontier Psychiatrist from Since I Left You (Modular)

Watercolor Pencils.

2011-07-08T07:46:00.000-05:00

I bought a new set of watercolor pencils & a watercolor sketchpad this week. You can use them in a number of ways. Drawing with the pencils as you normally would, dipping the pencil in water, washing over the paper before drawing, or washing and blending with a brush after drawing. I've discovered the last way is the easiest to work with. Here are a couple sketches (by request).

Squid Eating an Apple.

Elephants & Acacia Trees.

Song:

Cue The Elephants - Bishop Allen

Happy Fourth of July!

2011-07-04T20:50:00.002-05:00

Happy Fourth of July from Morris Baxter!

Songs:

Star Spangled Banner - Jake Shimabukuro

July, July! - The Decemberists

Fabric Color Chart.

2011-07-03T10:12:00.000-05:00

I have a lot of fabric pieces, and decided to organize them into a handy color chart. It's sew exciting.

One of my favorite patterns.

Bonus Box of Thread. It's like a Pantone Chart!

Songs:
You're So Square (Baby, I Don't Care) - Buddy Holly

Squareneck - Thao & Mirah

Stamps of Approval.

2011-06-10T23:31:00.000-05:00

I love working with pattern, and have a fascination with wallpapers, book end papers, and repeating imagery. Lino cutting is a great way to create detailed designs to print over & over. I recently asked my friends for a list of things to draw/carve/stamp/print. Here are all of the prints from the project so far.

Song:

Starship Edelweiss - Edelweiss

Lions, Tigers, & Bears, Oh My!

2011-04-24T00:33:00.000-05:00

Over the past year and a half, I've had so much fun playing music on CHIRP Radio. One of my favorite parts about DJ-ing is creating playlists based on themes and playing requests. Here's my Lions, Tigers, & Bears, Oh My! show, broadcast on 4-11-11.

P.S. If you enjoy listening to CHIRP online, consider supporting the station here. Thank you!

Lion & The Ponte Vecchio. (Ink, 2008.)

Songs (All Links to YouTube):

11:57AM Rick Rizzo and Tara Key Interruptive Organ from Double Star (Thrill Jockey)

11:54AM Django Reinhardt Tiger Rag from The Classic Early Recordings (JSP)

11:49AM Al Petteway & Amy White In Like A Lion from Gratitude - Groovemasters Vol. 3 (Solid Air)

11:45AM The Mountain Goats Age of Kings from All Eternals Deck (Merge)

11:42AM The Monkees Oh My My from Music Box (Rhino)

11:36AM Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears She's So Scandalous from Scandalous (Lost Highway)

11:31AM Beck Paper Tiger from Sea Change (Geffen)

11:29AM Wire Ex Lion Tamer from Pink Flag (Harvest/EMI/Restless)

11:25AM Obits You Gotta Lose from Moody, Standard and Poor (Sub Pop)

11:22AM Bear In Heaven Wholehearted Mess from Wholehearted Mess (Hometapes)

11:19AM Delphine Desyeux Je Suis la Tigresse [I'm a Tiger] from Swinging Mademoiselles: Groovy French Sounds from the 60s (Silva America)

11:16AM Pet Lions Roman History from Soft Right EP (self-released)

11:14AM [Request] Tiger Trap Supercrush from Supercrush EP (K)

11:04AM [Request] Van Morrison Listen to the Lion from Saint Dominic's Preview (Warner)

Tiger, (Paint, 2007.)

11:00AM Peter Bjorn & John Tomorrow Has To Wait from Gimme Some (StarTime)

10:57AM Califone Lion & Bee from Heron King Blues (Thrill Jockey)

10:51AM Jill Barber Oh My My from Chances (Outside)

10:47AM Ponytail Honey Touches from Do Whatever You Want All The Time (We Are Free)

10:43AM [Request] Minus The Bear My Time from Omni (Dangerbird)

10:39AM The Sandwitches In the Garden from Mrs. Jones' Cookies (Empty Cellar)

10:36AM [Request] The Killers Neon Tiger from Day & Age (Island/Vertigo)

10:32AM Animal Collective Lion in a Coma from Merriweather Post Pavilion (Domino)

10:28AM The Loneliest Monk Bears from The Loneliest Monk (Kilo)

10:22AM [Request] Panda Riot Motown Glass from Far And Near EP (self-released)

10:19AM Alexander Let's Win from Alexander (Community)

10:16AM [Request] Fleet Foxes Tiger Mountain Peasant Song from Fleet Foxes (Bella Union/Sub Pop)

10:12AM [Request] Lauryn Hill The Conquering Lion from MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 (Columbia)

10:10AM Crystal Stilts Through the Floor from In Love With Oblivian (Slumberland)

10:07AM Mellowdrone Oh My from Box (Red Int/Red Ink)

10:03AM The Antlers Bear from Hospice (Frenchkiss)

Koala Bear, (Linocut, 2011.)

9:58AM Tiger Bones Transmission (Nilsson edit) from Go Over Here (Dedd Foxx)

9:53AM [Request] Mumford & Sons Little Lion Man from Sigh No More (Island/Glassnote)

9:50AM Del the Funky Homosapien Break The Bank from Golden Era (The Council)

9:46AM Her Space Holiday Sleepy Tigers from Xoxo, Panda And The New Kid Revival (Mush)

9:44AM [Request] Neko Case Lion's Jaws from Fox Confessor Brings The Flood (ANTI-)

9:40AM [Request] Sufjan Stevens The Friendly Beasts from Songs For Christmas (Asthmatic Kitty)

9:35AM The Dodos Hunting Season from No Color (Frenchkiss)

9:31AM Page France Mr. Violin And Dancing Bear from ...and the Family Telephone (Suicide Squeeze)

9:28AM Bishop Allen Tiger, Tiger from Grrr... (Dead Oceans)

9:24AM The Tallest Man On Earth A Lion's Heart from The Wild Hunt (Dead Oceans)

9:20AM TV On the Radio Second Song from Nine Types of Light (Interscope)

9:16AM Cults Oh My God from Adult Swim Singles Project (Unknown)

9:11AM Wax Fang Bi-Polar Bear from Black & Endless Night (Don't Panic!)

9:07AM [Request] La Roux Tigerlily from La Roux (Polydor)

9:05AM [Request] Yeah Yeah Yeahs Gold Lion from Show Your Bones (Interscope)

Concert Photography.

2011-04-03T21:41:00.000-05:00

Since moving to Chicago, I've relished the opportunity to go to an endless number of concerts. There's always something going on in the city. I've been captivated by watching musicians play their instruments for as long as I can remember, and even did a few staged photo projects on them at school; my favorites were with duct tape instruments.

Here are my favorite photos from shows around the city.

RJD2.

Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble.

The New Pornographers.

Rogue Wave.

Thao & The Get Down Stay Down.

Kevin Andrew Prchal.

Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele.

The Decemberists.

Songs:

Bag of Hammers - Thao & The Get Down Stay Down

Sixteen Military Wives - The Decemberists

Census of Marine Life

2011-03-19T17:56:00.000-05:00

In the past month I sold both the anglerfish (on my Etsy page) and the squid. Pretty exciting!

I'm having a lot of fun making these bioluminescent fish, and really enjoy working with small, malleable lights, like the EL wire. It's given me some more ideas for underwater creatures; I'm currently working on a design for an eel.

I've also been perusing the Census of Marine Life for new discoveries. It's fascinating to learn about everything from the inhabitants of the coral reefs to the deep-sea dwelling fish that inspire these lamps. There's also so many different sub-divisions that go well beyond 'starfish,' & 'jellyfish.' Check it out!

Songs:

The Collected Works - A.C. Newman

Under the Sea - Squirrel Nut Zippers

Oh No! Doom - Out O' The Woodwork Show

2011-03-06T11:49:00.000-06:00

This past month I exhibited a lamp at the Oh No! Doom gallery's Out O' The Woodwork show. I had my basket starfish neon lamp along with about 30 other artists' pieces. It was a really eclectic mix of work, & a lot of fun. The gallery owners are really nice, too; check the place out!

Song:

Bright Lights Bigger City - Cee Lo Green

Neon Boneyard, Las Vegas.

2011-02-07T10:03:00.000-06:00

I've just discovered a place I need to visit. A part of the Neon Museum in Las Vegas, the Neon Boneyard is where old signs are left after they are no longer needed. The signs do not light up, but there are still plenty of vivid, stunning pieces. It's strange to see the signs magnified at a close view.

(Photo by Matt Gross via New York Times.)

After studying how signs are made, I have a much greater appreciation for the fragility of neon, the work to make a sign, and it's saddening that some of these signs are not going to be restored.

(via Vegas Chatter.)

(via Boston.)

Check out some beautiful panoramas of the Boneyard (by Zach Wise via Las Vegas Sun).

Songs & Videos:

Rag & Bone - The White Stripes

DVNO - Justice

Bones Become Rainbows - The Wailing Wall

Hourly Comic, 2011.

2011-02-02T19:25:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I participated in the Hourly Comic drawing. Inspired by John Campbell of Pictures For Sad Children, the hourly comic consists of one comic (panel) for every hour you're awake. Here was my Tuesday.

My favorite parts are the lunch drawing, because that is a pretty accurate depiction of how much I enjoy sandwiches, & the venturing out in the snow with my roommate Sarah. She was very enamored with the snow, & I was... not.

Songs & Videos:

The Snowpocalypse - Will Yates (via Myspace)

Bookends - Simon & Garfunkel (YouTube)

Stormy Weather - Ella Fitzgerald

Around the World In Eighty Days.

2011-02-02T11:34:00.000-06:00

Illustration Month just ended. I drew a little bit from Jules' Verne's Around the World in 80 Days.

This is my favorite drawing from the series. Travel by elephant through India, when the rail line is closed for construction. Mr. Fogg is nothing if not resourceful.

Title Page Text.

Some Character Sketches.

In the beginning of the book, the whole world is caught up in his astronomical bet, and it's all that the papers and tabloids can talk about.

Songs & Videos:

Pink Sugar Elephants - Mates of State

World News - Local Natives

Race For the Prize - The Flaming Lips

Bioluminescent Giant Squid.

2011-01-15T22:22:00.003-06:00

I made a giant squid out of fabric that is going to light up with EL wire. I love the versatility and portability of EL wire despite it not being as bright as neon. The battery pack for the light can be velcroed into the body, and the legs are posable. I'm planning on using turquoise EL wire, similar to the plush coral I've made before.

Pre-Lights.

Light Rendering (Day View).

Light Rendering (Night View).

Final Squid.

Songs & Videos:

Giant Squid - RJD2

C'mon Sea Legs - Immaculate Machine

I Louvre Lino Cutting.

2011-01-12T20:52:00.000-06:00

I've always been a fan of stenciling and printing my images over & over again. I usually would do this with an array of spray paint on fabric or paper, but thought I'd try printing with a positive instead of a negative. I made the "I Louvre You With All My Art," stencil a few years ago, and tried to re-create a mini version in lino.

Cut.

Printed! Fun.

Songs & Videos:

Grey Cut Out - Sandwell District (at Last.fm)

Cut Outs - Project Film (Myspace.com)

Hearts on Fire - Cut Copy

In Tall Buildings.

2011-01-06T10:25:00.001-06:00

My brother came to visit Chicago & I took him to the Skydeck of the Willis (formerly Sears) Tower. It's 103 stories above the ground. I highly recommend it; the view is breathtaking. Looking through the glass floors straight down to the city below is... quite the experience.

Reminds me of the views from another fabulous city.

It's the Empire State Building!

Songs & Videos:

Such Great Heights - The Postal Service

A Lion's Heart - The Tallest Man On Earth

The Tallest Man, The Broadest Shoulde rs - Sufjan Stevens

The Way To A Monster's Lair - In Tall Buildings

Oh No! Doom - Soft Served Plush Show

2011-01-01T12:03:00.000-06:00

Recently I attended the Oh No! Doom gallery's Soft Served show. It was a well-crafted collection of plush creations, from the cute to the startling to the absurd. Since seeing the show, I've been inspired to make more plush luminous creatures. Here's my favorites from the exhibition of fabric.

Showcard.

Melissa Sung's "Remy's Escape."

Image via www.ohnodoom.com

Alisa Ross' "Riding Bareback on the Ostrich."

Image via www.ohnodoom.com

Jordan Elise's "The Kittacorn." The patterns are great.

Image via horribleadorables on etsy.com

Robyn Fabsits' Owls.

Image via RobynFabsits.com

Songs & Videos:

Sewn Up - Rogue Wave

The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of - Carly Simon

Fabric Of My Life - Zooey Deschanel

Illustration Month, Year 2.

2010-12-28T18:29:00.000-06:00

January is approaching quickly, which means it's almost time for Illustration Month. Here's the basic idea: Pick a story & draw scenes from it, in a month. I've been really enjoying reading travel novels and anthologies lately, so I'm going to draw scenes from Jules Verne's Around the World In 80 Days. What book (or story) would YOU pick?

Illustration Month's now on Twitter & Facebook. Check it out.

Video:

Come Fly With Me - Frank Sinatra

A Few of My Favorite Things...

2010-12-23T23:35:00.001-06:00

I wrote a collection of my favorite songs from this year over on CHIRP Radio's Blog. You can listen to the station here. And hopefully soon on the airwaves, thanks to the Local Community Radio Act. CHIRP has been a big part of my Chicago experience so far, with DJing, concerts, and in-depth music discussions. Thanks to them for introducing me to many awesome songs and artists, and having a stellar radio broadcast!

I am listening to LCD Soundsystem in this photo.

The CHIRP Record Fair, 2009. Photo by Sarah Gonzalez.

Song:

We Used to Wait - The Arcade Fire (at thewildernessdowntown)

Cookies in Everyone's Favorite Shapes

2010-12-21T09:20:00.001-06:00

My Mom sent me a New York cookie cutter (via annclark) for my birthday, and Grandma B gave me sprinkles, so I decided to make cookies with Sarah's & my favorite states & animals. I made cookie cutters of Oregon, a koala, and an owl.

Oregon & New York.

A koala & a snowy owl.

And they all turned out deliciously. (With a loose representation of the Finger Lakes.)

Songs & Videos (YouTube):

Spoonful Of Sugar - of Montreal

Sweet Thing - Diana Ross & The Supremes

Happy Holidays From the Christmakkahdon!

2010-12-20T09:42:00.001-06:00

Because the best way to wish everyone a happy holiday season is with dinosaurs. Yeah Christmakkah!

Songs:

Rock of Ages - Ben Kweller (HypeMachine)

Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - Bruce Springsteen

Hello Etsy, It's Been a While

2010-12-12T22:30:00.000-06:00

I've begun using Etsy again. I set up a shop last year, but didn't quite understand how it worked. Now, after seeing some of the best at the Renegade Craft Fair & the worst on Regretsy, I've decided to try it out with a little more of my work. It's a lovely way for artists to connect with each other and sell in a worldwide marketplace. People can even request custom items. This time I've added a lot of my senior work to my shop, It'll Glow On You.

A bioluminescent menagerie in my old studio space with works in progress. (The basket starfish would later become orange.)

Video:

Carnival of the Animals: The Aquarium - Camille Saint-Saëns

They Draw & Cook... Matzo Ball Soup

2010-12-10T09:58:00.004-06:00

One of my drawings was featured on the blog They Draw & Cook. They are doing a showcase of holiday recipes throughout December, and even though it's a Passover food, Matzo Ball Soup is a perfect winter dish. Here's my drawing (Click the image to make it larger):

Here's one of the original sketches.

I highly recommend the soup!

A Song:

A Million Matzoh Balls - Dean Friedman (Artist's Website)

"Rabbi, Is There a Blessing for a Sewing Machine?"

2010-12-08T12:25:00.003-06:00

"There is a blessing for everything." - Fiddler on the Roof.

I recently bought a new sewing machine, and it is absolutely wonderful. It does 80 different stitches and comes with 8 presser feet. It's like upgrading from a basic drawing pixel software to Adobe's CS5. So far, I've only used one foot, but already can get an amazing range of stitches.

Test Pattern:

So to christen the new sewing machine, Sarah requested a Chanukah/Hanukkah decoration.

Check out the stitching around the star. Autostitch #09!

Needless to say, it'll keep me in stitches for quite a while. And I'll leave you with this:

"Never Underestimate the Power of a Woman With a Sewing Machine." - Rosie Geissler

Song & a Video:

Chanukkah Under the Stars - Fountains of Wayne (iLike)

How Do You Spell Channukkahh? - LeeVees from The LeeVees on Vimeo.

Olafur Eliasson's Daylight Map

2010-11-22T09:01:00.003-06:00

Recently I've been perusing a copy of The Map as Art: Contemporary Artists Explore Cartography, which is a wonderful anthology that covers an endless variety of mediums and subjects. From purely visual aesthetics to historically and politically charged imagery, these maps use everything, including computer parts, souvenir t-shirts, fur, paint, glass, file cabinets, and even steamrollers.

One of my favorites (for obvious reasons), is Olafur Eliasson's "Daylight Map," 2005.

It's a map of the different time zones of the world, and during the daylight hours in each time zone, those particular pieces of neon on the map are lit. Kinetic light sculptures are fantastic!

Songs (YouTube):

Maps - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Reading the Map Upside Down - Canasta

Map of the World - Monsters of Folk

Art Depth - Open Figure Drawing

2010-10-25T10:33:00.001-05:00

Open drawing studios are always exciting. Last week I went to an open figure drawing event called Art Depth. It was nice, albeit being late on a weeknight. There were four models who would hold nursery rhyme-themed poses for at minimum 15 minutes. I enjoyed the dynamic of a whole room sketching the same models from all different angles, as I have not drawn like that since school. There was also an option to shoot photos with the models if you did not wanth to sketch.

The nursery rhymes.

Here are my sketches, slightly NSFW (figure drawing). The first three are 15-minute sketches, & the last one is a 20-minute drawing.

Songs:

Yeah, But I Can Rhyme Though - Homeboy Sandman (YouTube)

Peter's Painful Puns - Wait Wait Don't Tell Me (NPR)

JR

2010-10-22T10:09:00.001-05:00

Photo from the Big Picture.

There's been a lot of news about JR lately, the artist who is famous for posting enormous portraits on the favelas in Rio de Janiero. The New York Times reports that he is the recipient of the TED award, which helps fund global community-improving projects.

His music video work was also featured in the Wooster Collective.

Here is an essay I wrote when I found out about his work, in 2008:

The photographer JR creates stunning portraits. JR has posted his images not in galleries, but directly in the public’s view in the favelas (slums) of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. By choosing to put the portraits up on buildings in some of the poorest neighborhoods, he displays the faces of the women in their hometowns. This project is meant to focus on their strength. It is called “Women are Heroes.”

This project is a continuation of the Frenchman’s photographic explorations of other weathered towns around the world, specifically, in Africa. JR has taken portraits in Kenya, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Sudan. He plans on continuing photographing women around the globe, heading back to Africa and also to Asia. He has been taking pictures of women whose families have been attacked, beaten, and killed by police and soldiers.

In an interview, he recalls how the women look dead and defeated, but come to life when they are asked to pose for his camera. Despite the gravity of his subjects’ lives and situations, his portraits are often not serious-faced, with the women giving outright silly expressions to the camera. It is interesting that throughout these women’s tribulations, they still oblige JR’s requests for bemused faces.

I like this project. I think its enlightening for JR to share these pictures around the globe. He has even put up enormous-scale prints on buildings in Europe, and perhaps he’ll display them in the US, where people here can see them and try to find out more about them. The initial impact of seeing these giant black and white eyes peering out from homes, not from windows, but from the actual favela homes people live in, is pretty dramatic. Hearing about the experiences from some of these women provides much more explanation than any artist statement could depict (interviews here). His website shows not only the photographs, but the crowds of people observing his work everywhere he installs. Perhaps with his portraits, he can bring notice of the plights of these women to the tourists who come to Rio de Janeiro.

Upon seeing large outdoor images without words, I want to hear an explanation of what is going on. I think his project is more accessible (in more languages) without text. Text conjures the notion of advertisement, and in a fast-paced, touristy city, the meaning might be lost or merely glossed over in a rush.

I think it is gutsy for JR to introduce himself to these women and ask them to often share their most painful memories, and alternately, to give him whimsical faces to place on the side of a large building (or several) in their towns.

It makes me wonder what artwork he produces in his French hometown. Does he place the same pictures on buildings, bridges, and cars there, too? How did he first find out about the plights of these women? Does he keep in contact with the women he photographed?

I’m glad his artwork is aiming towards social reform, raising awareness within these women’s own communities and hopefully grabbing the attention of the world.

And indeed it has.

Songs (YouTube):

Camera Talk - Local Natives

Photograph - Ringo Starr

Pumpkinville

2010-10-12T17:19:00.000-05:00

Every fall, as the leaves change colors, my favorite way to gear up for Halloween involves carving pumpkins. What better place to find them than in Pumpkinville? Western New York's most orange-tastic attraction.

Pumpkin flavored, naturally.

Cider Press.

30 years ago.

Songs (YouTube):

The Great Pumpkin Waltz - Vince Guaraldi

1979 - Smashing Pumpkins

Getting a Bit Graphic...

2010-10-10T09:09:00.001-05:00

With graphic novels, that is!

Recently, my friend Tony Breed, who writes a wonderful webcomic called Finn & Charlie are Hitched, was on a hunt for the best books in the graphic novel genre. Here's my personal Top 3.

Maus by Art Spiegelman. Mr. Spiegelman interviews his father about his experience during the Holocaust. It's written in two volumes, A Survivor's Tale, & My Father Bleeds History.

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. Also written in two volumes, The Story of a Childhood, & The Story of a Return, it's Ms. Satrapi's memoir of life in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. It has since been made into a film.

Local by Brian Wood & Ryan Kelly. Local looks into the life of Megan McKeenan, who migrates across North America, stopping for a year in twelve different cities. She even stops in Wicker Park, Chicago. What's an added bonus, the detail is uncanny, & the scenery is recognizable from city-to-city.

The Flat Iron, in Wicker Park, Chicago.

Songs (on YouTube):

New Yorker Cartoon - Jenny & Johnny

You Could Write A Book - Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin

A Different City - Modest Mouse

All Things Go, All Things Go.

2010-09-19T21:06:00.001-05:00

A Playlist for Chicago: My Top 10.

Taste of Chicago.

The Bean. (Cloud Gate.)

Willis Tower.

In the Loop.

Seurat at the Art Institute.

Chicago - Sufjan Stevens

Lake Michigan - Rogue Wave

Twist & Shout - The Beatles (From Ferris Bueller)

The Giant of Illinois - Andrew Bird

Slow Down Chicago - Canasta (Thank you to the fine folks of CHIRP Radio for introducing me to this.)

Chicago - Lucy Wainwright Roche

Chicago Falcon - Budos Band

Chicago - Frank Sinatra

We Both Reached for the Gun - Chicago (The Musical)

Whole Lotta Losin' - Monsters of Folk

I Know New York, I Need New York, I Know I Need Unique New York

2010-09-18T09:12:00.001-05:00

A Playlist for New York State: My Top 10.

Lake Ontario, Webster Park Pier.

Lake Ontario, Bay Bridge.

Southern Tier Expressway.

Ellis Island.

Song For Myla Goldberg - The Decemberists

New York, New York - Frank Sinatra

New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down - LCD Soundsystem

Bonus Mashup Video! (via Pitchfork)

Empire State of Mind - Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys

Lost In New York - Emma Tricca (last.fm)

The Only Living Boy In New York - Simon & Garfunkel

The Oldest Established (Permanent Floating Crap Game In New York) - Guys & Dolls

New York, New York - On The Town (YouTube)

New York, New York - Ryan Adams

New York State Of Mind - Billy Joel

Owl Be Back

2010-09-12T23:07:00.000-05:00

This weekend I went to the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago, which is a huge festival of artists & vendors selling handmade goods. The whole extravaganza had a fantastic owl theme running. It was a hoot.

And now I present to you, without further ado, A Curated Collection of "Who Cooks for You All?"

I loved this cartoon when I was little. "I Love to Singa," featuring Owl Jolsen.

Here is one of my favorite lights from my Lamp Design class at Alfred, 2007.

T-Shirt Design, 2007.

Sketch, 2007.

My Owl Collection. It includes glass, LEDs, 4 watt bulbs, wood, metal, alabaster, plastic, leather, & cloth.

And of course, Owl Songs (All on YouTube):

The Owl & the Tanager - Sufjan Stevens

The Owl Of Love - Clogs

Sensing Owls - José González

Barnowl - Caribou

I Like Birds - Eels

Nature in Sepia Tones - Robert & Shana ParkeHarrison

2010-08-26T21:50:00.002-05:00

"Burn Season."

Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison are a married couple who create photographs about man interacting with nature. Their work is very environmentally-conscious. They often intertwine humans with nature, using sticks, dirt, water and even animals themselves.

In the Architect’s Brother series, there are men pulling up the earth as though is stadium turf, a man with a sort of a lightening rod and wood suit gazing at distant lightning, a man with a cage and flying birds tied to his arms, and a man marching towards a fiery path armed with water balloons. There are men lighting bulbs planted in the earth, blowing and planting flower seeds across the earth, and surveying their future conquest: the Earth.

In the Gray Dawn series, at first glance the viewer sees wallpaper with a butterfly pattern, but upon closer inspection, the butterflies are actually all nailed to the wall, as evidenced by the lower right corner’s blurry arms and hammer. The butterflies, normally a beautiful and peaceful creature, become gruesome with their dripping blood. Another photo in this series, a man is sitting across from a bird, which although not caged, is tethered to him. There is a fan between the two of them, and in the dim, dingy lighting, I can only think of an interrogation room. Does the man expect the bird to speak, or to attempt to fly in the feeble wind? Perhaps the ParkeHarrison’s are making a statement on domesticating exotic animals.

Their newer work is no less environmentally adamant. This set seems to seal man and nature together, for better or for worse. There are people feeding bees honey, sprouts growing from a man’s arms, humans spreading pollen, and a flowers growing from a planter of a human arm.

Some are much creepier than others. There is a photo of a man with his ear pressed to the ground and eyes glancing downward. The image is a cut-away of the earth, so we see him listening, and two feet below, we see the same man, but paler, glaring directly at the camera. Is this a prediction of his future dead self? Although buried among dirt, he does not look peaceful or at all content with his surroundings. And why does his alive self simply listen, and not attempt to connect with his dead self?

The ParkeHarrison’s also deal with a lot of technical aspects. They make beautiful photogravure prints. They have an amazing sense of natural and studio lighting. They pay great amounts of attention to the composition of their lines. They frequently blur their figures, but it successfully conveys the mood they intended. I think their Architect’s Brother series is the most successful. The pictures are very uniform with each other with the stylistic sepia-toned photogravures, yet each one is very different by the subject and the subject matter. With their gray lighting and vast expanses surrounding each of the characters and scenes, it makes the environment look very grim and hopeless, which is precisely their point.

With all of their warnings about human-abuse on the environment, and the rising popularity of the green movement, I wonder what their future work will show.

"Night Garden."

Songs & Videos:

Prairie Fires that Wander About - Sufjan Stevens (YouTube)

Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell (YouTube)

Streets of Fire - The New Pornographers (HypeMachine)

An Ode to Wood Grain

2010-08-14T12:31:00.003-05:00

My favorite pattern is wood grain. It's a really relaxing, organic pattern to work with, & I often end up sketching it. Here's a collection of some of my past wood-patterned pieces, & my fascination with dendrochronology.

Door, 2007. Wood, Wire, Bulbs, Paper, Pen & Ink.

Door (Detail), 2007. Wood, Wire, Bulbs, Paper, Pen & Ink.

Scarf, 2008. Dye on Silk.

Stump, 2009. Fabric, EL Wire, Metal.

Piano Hands, 2004. Colored Pencil.

Bricks (Detail), 2007. Paper.

Sketches, 2010. Pen & Ink.

You can also purchase a print of this on my Etsy!

Sketchbook Notes, 2008. Pen & Ink.

The Honeoye Canoe, 2008. Digital Photo.

Songs (YouTube):

Woodgrain - Modest Mouse

Woodgrain - Wilco

Woods- Bon Iver

Ragged Wood - Fleet Foxes

I Love Puns Way Too Much

2010-08-13T00:20:00.001-05:00

You know you would take your dog here.

Bonus: 50 Best Pun Stores (via The Best Week Ever)

Songs (All links lead to YouTube):

Great Dane - Mates of State

My Dog Was Lost But Now He's Found - The Fiery Furnaces

Dog Rules - Tom Chapin

Geometry & Science of Pasta

2010-08-04T22:59:00.001-05:00

The Geometry of Pasta, by Caz Hildebrand & Jacob Kenedy (Quirk Books), is coming out on the 17th of August. I am quite excited about it. A self-described "pastatarian," I am enamored of the endless amounts of shapes of noodles. I like the designs, the detailed ridges & miniscule patterns that form in each piece of pasta.

I would like to learn to make pasta from scratch with such intricate designs. I've never made it out of flour, but here is an electric version: My neon farfalle, from the 31st Annual Museum of Luminous Phenomenon Outdoor Light Exhibition, 2008. (All of the farfalle are filled with neon gas. The fork has argon gas & mercury.)

Songs:

Noodles - Suburban Kids With Biblical Names (iLike)

Baby's Got Sauce - G. Love & Special Sauce (YouTube)

Spaghetti Western Swing (Instrumental) - Brad Paisley (last.fm)

The Electric Version - The New Pornographers (YouTube)

Breakfast at Tiffany's

2010-07-11T23:45:00.001-05:00

In the spirit of puns, here's the Breakfast at Tiffany's lamp I made back at art school. The shade is made of duct tape and wire, and the waffle and oranges are made of glass.

Plus, a bonus design sketch!

Songs (YouTube):

Breakfast at Tiffany's - Deep Blue Something (of course!)

Diner - Martin Sexton

The Power Is On - The Go! Team

Pancakes for One - of Montreal

Pescalator!

2010-07-07T22:31:00.003-05:00

It's an escalator of the ichthyological variety. Enjoy.

Songs (All links to YouTube, unless otherwise noted):

Keep Fishin' - Julia Nunes (Weezer Cover)

Escalator - Holly Golightly (Last.fm)

So Long & Thanks For All The Fish - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Fish In The Dish - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings