Midnight Musings

Studio Update: Let There Be Drywall

Posted on January 29, 2012 | 4 comments

A quick studio update. We have drywall!

And chicken-wire. Sadly that will probably be the only chicken-wire in our yard. Despite lobbying for nearly 6 months I’m making no progress in getting Greg to agree that chickens would be a nice addition to our brood of four kitties. Fresh eggs for breakfast doesn’t seem to be enough incentive. I think I’m making progress on the a-puppy-would-sure-be-nice front, though. Stay tuned.

The front door is on the left. The closed door on the right is to the bathroom. (You can get to the bathroom via an inside door, as well.) I’m looking forward to being able to make cyanotypes and paper in the patio behind the studio and take all that wet, messy and wonderful stuff straight into the sink. No more trekking it through the studio.)

The bottom photo is a tradition Greg and I started nearly 13 years ago when we met. We take shadow pictures wherever we go. (It warms my heart that now my niece, Samantha, takes shadow pictures everywhere, too.) The thing in Greg’s hand is a tape measure. We seem to be measuring everything these days.

I’ve also started space planning and I’ll tell you some more about the books and software that I’m using for inspiration and planning in a blog post or two later this week.

~Ginger

www.gingerburrell.com

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Posted in Personal Stories, Studio, The Business of Being an Artist

Tagged building a studio, Ginger Burrell, www.gingerburrell.com

CBAA Member Showcase: Kent Manske, Nanette Wylde and PreNeo Press

Posted on January 27, 2012 | Leave a comment

At the Member Showcase at the CBAA conference, I had the opportunity to spend some time talking with Kent Manske and Nanette Wylde. I’ve known both of them for several years, but somehow we always meet in situations where we’re doing something for the Bay Area Book Artists and we don’t have a lot of time to chat. I’ve seen very little of their work and I welcomed the opportunity to remedy that.

Collectively, Kent and Nanette are PreNeo Press. Kent was featuring one of their joint projects, Meaning Maker, at the member showcase. To borrow their own words from their website, “Meaning Maker is a guided interactive response structure tailored to specific styles of experience.” I picked up a few of the Meaning Makers at CBAA and it was both fun and introspective to work my way through them. I think because of how recently we had many family events, I had the most fun with the “Family Gathering” Edition. I’m still thinking about the TV show that best represents my family. You’ll find six editions including “Academic Conference,” “Art Viewing,” and “Periodic Personal Evaluation.” All are worth a look. You can download them here.

I quite enjoyed Nanette’s work, which I’d really only seen in the form of Gray Matter Gardening. One of my favorites was Hello Catty! a collaboration between Nanette and Karen Chew. It is funny, quite clever (and catty!) and beautifully made. I’m hoping I can save my pennies fast enough to buy Hello Catty! before the edition is sold out.

While you’re at PreNeo Press, take some time and look at the Projects as well as Kent and Nanette’s individual work. Bring a cup of coffee or tea and stay awhile. You’ll find the art to be thought-provoking and worth spending some time. Don’t miss the Focus Generator.

Next: Robbin Ami Silverberg

~Ginger

www.gingerburrell.com

CBAA Member Showcase: Laura Russell

Posted on January 23, 2012 | 1 comment

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Many of us in the artist book world know Laura Russell as the owner of 23 Sandy Gallery in Portland, Oregon, but did you also know that Laura is an artist? I first met her when she taught a class at the San Francisco Center for the Book where I admired her artists’ books including Colfax Day and Night and Colorado Wall Dogs.

At the CBAA conference Member Showcase I enjoyed some of Laura’s newer work especially Good Will & Salvation. This new artists’ book highlights Laura’s skill as a photographer as well honoring her relationship with her mother. The photos are vivid and interesting and the juxtaposition of the images is thought-provoking. Every day objects become still lifes of memories, cast-offs from childhood and remainders of old technology.

The use of Heidi Kyle’s woven and interlocking accordion structure allows the book to open in a traditional manner as well as be displayed in a long and three-dimensional almost caterpillar-like form. Laura makes good use of the center woven strip as an opportunity for further imagery.