These are a few drawings I did back in the spring for Studio 23’s debut show at Transmission Gallery (transmissionrva.blogspot.com). Just in case you didn’t know, Studio 23 is a printmaking collective and aspiring non-profit down at Plant Zero. Its equipt for itaglio, relief, and now screen printing! Visit studiotwothree.blogspot.com

These are all on paper… pencil & watercolor with the ice clump which is a linoleum stamp.

I havent blogged in so long! Thats because I’ve been dealing with some serious unexpected, monumental life events.  After several, several weeks of stressing, thinking, dreaming, and picturing, I have come to terms with the fact that I am going to be a Mama. I am going to be a Mama somewhere around March 19th, and this is really happening!

Most of you probably already know this seriously juicy tidbit of information, but if you don’t, and you are shocked, know that your shock pales in comparison to mine. But guess what? Life happens, and by that I mean, “life finds a way” (Jurassic Park). I am beginning to understand what an incomparable experience pregnancy is.  It is quite empowering, and it really helps you to understand how having a positive attitude can get you through the toughest of unexpected circumstances.  Our bodies, minds, and hearts were created to do this, afterall. And thanks to friends & family who have given me such great words of encouragement – it really means the world to me.

Being the “natural”/green junkie that I am, it’s been satisfying my intellectual curiosity to constantly read about the next generation of child rearing – that which is holistic, and earth friendly. I’m obsessed with learning about women who have gone through a natural birth, and why. I’m letting natural birth be the goal that I strive for. I’m going to prepare myself as much as possible for the experience of childbirth w/o intervention.  After that, I can only hope for the best.

So don’t be surprised if the next vein of visuals I post are related to this experience as I experience it.

love, cindy

PS1 Contemporary Art Center is my favorite museum in NYC. They are always changing it up so that every visit offers something new and exciting. Right now they have on view, Arctic Hysteria – a multi-gallery exhibition of 16 Finnish artists. Each one was so exciting; they all seemed to focus on psychedelia, utopias/environmental destruction, and surreal environments. It’s all over the 1st floor, including the cafe and boiler room. I love how PS1 uses every single nook and cranny of the space to exhibit art.

Check out: Stiina Saaristo

“Mommy’s Little Angels”, pencil on paper, 68 x 90 cm

I couldn’t find a good image to insert of the HUGE piece, “A Party”, which was 305 x 300cm, but if you can, you should check it out, http://www.salvadordiaz.net/stiina2007.html

Way to use one medium to its fullest extent (pencil on paper). These drawings are so wonderfully huge and detailed, and are full of humor and surprises.

Also, a ginormous 60 foot wallpaper installation by Tea Makipaa, “A World of Plenty” was a piece to remember. I copied this from her website:

“Thirty metres long and three metres high, comprised of three panels, World of Plenty was adapted from the byobu, a Japanese folding screen. It was designed in such a way that viewers saw completely different worlds in the work depending on whether they approached it from the left or the right. Created as a photocollage using the latest computer graphics technology, World of Plenty depicts an ideal world where humans co-exist peacefully and lovingly with nature. The question Tea Mäkiää asks in her work is, “How much benefit do humans really bring to the world?”

Here is my test plate for learning aquatint! (An etching method using melted rosin/ or spray paint to create tones). I printed it in a few different colors, but I liked the way the reddish purple came out.

Water has been a big theme in everything I’ve done for a while now. Whether it be swimmers, divers, or icebergs, I’ve been depicting people who are immersed in water-worlds. The figures are usually unaware & oblivious to the unnatural setting. Apocalypse now! The remapping of New York for rising sea levels is a huge concern here; people in NY are pretty good about preparing for the worst.

If you ever want to play the funnest game ever, fold a piece of paper in half. One person draws the top half of a person/creature, and another person draws the bottom half (you then open up the paper to reveal the completed person, which is a surprise). This was me and Mo (mauricio vargas)’s collaboration, back in the days when I lived at Mulberry Manor in Richmond, VA. HEElarious!

I like to call this, “Baby Centaur”.

This image is a collage I made and scanned of 2 photos I took at Coney Island with my 35mm camera. It was meant to be printed on vellum and used for a photo plate, but I think the image is much more handsome when viewed on the computer screen. That way, the image is experience with light, and not with pigment.

Make sure you click on the image to see it full sized! (panorama)

So right now i’m taking a class at SVA (school of visual arts) in NYC. It’s part of their continuing education department, which you may recognize from the serious amount of ads they’ve posted all over the subway trains. It’s called “etching workshop”, and its taught by Elaine Breiger, who is a super awesome lady. She runs marathons, and gets down to Soulja Boy!

There are 3 prints in this series. They are supposed to be displayed vertical. I titled them “The Storm and the Hound”. I’m annoyed because wordpress will only let me post one image at a time per post. Maybe I don’t know the bloggy trick. I guess in order to see the bottom 2 prints you’ll have to come to the Visual Arts Center of Richmond’s exhibition of work by faculty and staff, opening at the beginning of August!

*background was a softground etching that was given a surface roll. The drawings were cine colled over them.

I decided to create a blog so that I could keep track of my own art and other peoples as well. Yay!