One week from yesterday: HoverCraft!

One week from yesterday, Laura Gorzek and I will debut our current venture, The Living Photo Booth Project! We will pack up our suitcases and head over to the Bay View Brew Haus for HoverCraft, an event that combines crafts, bands & local businesses to showcase the rad people that make Milwaukee.

HoverCraft

When: Sunday, December 5th.   

Location: Bay View Brew Haus 

Crafting Time: 12 - 6

Music Time: 8- Midnight

Milwaukee's newest artist collaborative studio space

This past Saturday I spent my evening with Sean Bodley at Studio 420b, Milwaukee's newest artist collaborative studio space. In addition to Sean, artists Lindsay Marx, Fred Kames, Mark David Gray, and Asher Gray call Studio 420b their creative space.

The idea of a collaborative studio space has always intrigued me, but I never pictured such a large collaborative space. Immediately, I asked Sean how he felt about sharing a studio with a bunch of other artists. He answered, "The main reason I enjoy it is because I always have someone around to give feedback and critique my work. Its nice having that after graduation."

Sean Bodley's studio space

Among the plethora of paintings, I still managed to find the few photographs that call Studio 420b home.

Located just south of the 3rd Ward, in the 5th Ward, Studio 420b is a great place to stop during Gallery Night and Day. Having the chance to check out an artist's studio is a real treat, especially when they display in progress work. Being inside a space of pure creativity makes me feel energized, excited and inspired to create.

unpredictable moments

I can never predict when something will hit my eye in just the right way. 

2010

Sneak peak!

While running a few errands today, I decided to stop by the UW-Milwaukee Union Art Gallery and check out their current show. Unfortunately, they were in the process of installing a new show, but a friend of mine, Sean Bodley, works there so I got a sneak peak of the upcoming exhibition. Venerate: Collectors of the Human Condition features two-dimensional drawings and paintings as well as three-dimensional sculptures from found items, this exhibition of mixed-media work by Loren Schwerd and Marco Zamora looks to collections of memory and nostalgia.

The work of Loren Schwerd immediately caught my attention. She uses human hair extensions found outside of St. Claude Beauty Supply in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in her commemorative sculpture work.

Check out Loren Schwerd's work in Venerate: Collectors of the Human Condition between November 18 and December 17, 2010. The opening reception will take place this Thursday, November 18th from 5-7pm. She will give a gallery talk on Thursday, December 2nd at 7pm!

The Living Photo Booth Project

I spent the better part of my day creating props for The Living Photo Booth Project with Laura Gorzek.

For those of you who do not know, The Living Photo Booth Project was Founded in 2010 by Laura Gorzek and myself, with the hopes of providing a live photo booth experience from start to finish. The Living Photo Booth Project is a great addition to any type of party, gathering or event. Give us a theme and we will show up with an appropriate backdrop and box of costumes, take fun photos of you and your guests, and print a take home photographic token on the spot for a small monetary cost.

Keeping the physical world in touch, our mission is to remind the public of the joy of interacting with one another and holding onto a printed photograph in this digital and disconnected world.

You can catch The Living Photo Booth Project at HoverCraft MKE on December 5 at the Bay View Brew Haus.

Carousel: The Fourth Annual Milwaukee Invitational Slideshow

Tomorrow evening a unique event will be taking place at the Woodland Pattern Book Center. For the fourth year in a row, Naomi Shersty and Carl Bogner will curate an evening of slideshow images/artworks. This years artists include: Emily Litgens, Stephanie Hutin & Florencio Zavala, Jon Horvath, Patrick Wodsinski, Ken Wood, Annushka Peck & Julia Swanson, Renato Umali, and Matthew Rethaber.

When: Friday, November 12 · 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Where: Woodland Pattern Book Center -

             720 East Locust Street.

             Milwaukee, WI 53212-2547

Cost: $4 at the door - free wine & cookies!

On a black and white kick...

I've always liked Sally Mann's work, but I suppressed this fondness in my early years of school because it seemed like a cliche admiration seeing as I knew very little of the larger world of fine art photography. After being introduced to new photographers on a daily basis, her work got lost in the mix until junior year, when I began research for my senior thesis. This is when I saw What Remains, a documentary film on one of Sally Mann's recent bodies work and it blew me away!

What Remains was inspired by loss of life and what happens when we pass. Sally's literal interpretation of the topic shows her dedication to exploring this topic without boundaries. Based on this work alone, Sally has returned to the top of my list of all time favorite photographers.

 

Every time I view this work,  I regret not taking a large format class in college and I think about how much stronger my work could be.