Wanderlust

This past year I got to participate in a unique portfolio exchange. A quick word on portfolio exchanges as they are common in fine art printmaking and a neat way of curating and collecting work, but relatively unknown (as far as I can tell) in the rest of the world.

A portfolio exchange is usually organized by one or two people around a particular theme. The organizer may write a short paragraph or essay about the theme to inspire the participating artists. The organizer also sets the dimensions of the print, any other parameters like technique or paper, and the number of prints in the edition, usually one for each artist plus one or two for touring shows and archives. Each artist in the exchange makes a print in response to the theme, prints the number of prints specified, and sends in her prints to the organizer to be collated. Each participating printmaker gets a full set of prints. It's a great way to connect with other artists, creates a cohesive body of work that's relatively easily shipped and displayed, and can be a good way to collect prints you might not otherwise encounter.

You can see a portion of my print in the E above. 

What made this portfolio exchange unique was that while each artist created original imagery, all the prints were produced by Tamarind master printer Candice Corgan. The full portfolio will be on display soon at the Small Engine Gallery with an opening reception Friday, May 6th. In addition to looking forward to seeing the full portfolio, I am curious to see how my image, made of litho crayon on frosted mylar with transparent collaged elements, translated to print.

Thanks to Candice for this opportunity. If you're in the ABQ region, stop by and see the show.

A 3-Year Update

I'm told artists and other creative professionals should spend a significant portion of their time on professional practice, things like emailing, photographing work, applying to shows, and flossing. I struggle to prioritize my studio time as it is and so this sometimes seems daunting to me. No matter, as I've learned: no one else will do it for you. If I wait on the world to find my work and tell me how great it is,  I will be waiting a long time. And so world, I am here to practice the time-honored practice of shameless self-promotion. 

Below is a three-year update of recent exhibitions, studio work, and my life in between. And here you can browse a PDF catalog of my smaller work for sale. 

Poetic GIFs by Daniel Maw

Daniel Maw is an artist, teacher, and cartoonist. I first saw his work when we were in grad school together, but stumbled back across it recently and was struck by his GIFs. Linked here is one I liked from the Red's Barbershop series. They are brief and poetic.

 Below, a self-portrait of the artist at the gym: