Tuesday, June 30, 2009

More Trade Show






artists:
M. Tascioglu, Turkey
J. Fabrizio, USA
D. Hill, USA
G. Demir, Turkey
R. Feldman, USA

Monday, June 29, 2009

Trade Show Thrills






OK, I just have to show off some of the amazing work I’m getting for the Trade Show. It keeps coming in and keeps delighting me.
Again, the artists answered the following questions:
“What do I value?
What would I trade?”
artists above:
E.M. Ermis, Turkey
D. Ulker, Turkey
D. Bittar, USA
L. Byrne, USA
B. Iristay, USA

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Bungalow Done




Yard: Grass removed, mulch laid, ficus removed, fruit trees planted, electronic gate installed, water heater shed rebuilt, stucco patched.

I hope all this work was worth it. I sure learned a lot! Kloe now does remodeling!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Bungalow Done


Kitchen: New appliances, painted.


Laundry room: Cabinets, heater installed in closet.


Bathroom: Three walls and floor reconstructed, shower installed, toilet and sink repositioned, window installed. The room is totally transformed!

Friday, June 26, 2009

Bungalow, Done



Living Room: Fireplace scraped, enough for now. Sconces rewired. Painted.


Dining Room: Mural painted. Wallpaper scraped. Broken windows replaced. Painted.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Bungalow, Done


Here are the “after” photos.

Front: Bamboo eradication in process. Bougainvillea planted. Tires removed, mostly. Trim painted.


Entrance: Concrete paint removed. Doors restored and stained. Windows scraped (glass was painted). Lighting and alarm system installed.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Master of LaLaLand



Saw Llyn Foulkes’ show last month at the Hammer Museum. I say “his” show, because the others in the “Visionary Artists of LA” group had no weight in comparison. His craft is immaculate, and his imagery unlike any other. The works covered the last 40 years, all strong. Apparently Foulkes is not widely known outside California, and that’s just WRONG. Who else can affix a dead cat to a painting that is so weird, you barely notice?
BTW, Mickey is expressing my thoughts these days exactly.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Next



I am facing the prospect of little to no teaching income in the near future. California is about to go off a cliff. Classes and staff at public colleges are being slashed. Doesn’t matter how many students are signed up for your class, or how good a teacher you are. Just when so many people want to retrain, they will be out of luck.
Over a year ago I wrote here about wanting to leave teaching. I've been trying, but can't seem to find something that pays. And so teaching has been my fall-back.
Is now the time to go into industry? Compete against the thousands of commercial artists who are already in the job market, who have experience and portfolios, when I have little to none? The ivory tower has seduced me, and left me with nothing.
Am considering private lessons and critique sessions. Breathe.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Trade Show Update



Almost every day I get new pieces in the mail for the Trade Show. It’s like Christmas, opening the packages. I’m so pleased at the quality of the work.
However, I have new appreciation of what a curator goes through, so much organization, emails, phone calls, wow.
Artists, there’s still time, send me something to trade.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Last of the “Before” Pics





I’m ready to be done.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Dolls Crazier than I



Family sculpture by James E. Watts (kokeshi portrait of him and his kids). He had a little open house to show off the new work before it ships up to LA for a show at the Japanese American National Museum. Congrats, James!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Times Square is Closed for Sunbathing



Isn’t New York City the best?

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Like Waffles in the Ice Maker



I have an ongoing battle with freezers. It doesn’t matter what size fridge I have, extra-large American style or smaller apartment-size with no defrost, I always seem to over-stuff my freezer compartment. Things fall out on my toes, I can’t find those donuts I swear I put in there, etc. Giant boxes of soybeans and pizzas from Costco don’t help.
My kids eat frozen waffles, and I had no room, so I put a packet in the ice-maker. Don’t ever do this. The plastic got wound in the mechanism, and pretty soon waffles were spitting out the door into your coke. Which is pretty gross.
Sometimes I really f**k things up.
No one is perfect, especially me.
And I’m sorry.

Monday, June 08, 2009

Kloe in the Big Red Fruit



Waiting to get into MOMA on free night (Target sponsored free Fridays, 4-8pm). New Yorkers saving money and valuing culture—all galleries were packed, except the Minimalist room…

Saturday, June 06, 2009

Trade Show



Bungalow is in its final stages. In only one month most of the renovations have been completed. It’s been my job to oversee the workers, be the cheerleader and check writer.
But I’m also working on another project, and art exhibition that I will take to Turkey in the Fall. “Trade Show, California – Turkey” is a swap of artworks between 100 Californian artists and 100 Turkish artists. The artists use a two-dimensional, 6” x 6” format to address these questions:
“What do I value?
What would I trade?”
The work can be in any media. So far I’ve gotten drawing, painting, photography, collage, digital prints, embroidery, and mixed media.
A colleague asked me, “Kloe, why are you doing all this work?” Because, of course, there’s no profit in it. It’s a cultural exchange. But I’ve run into some minor problems, with the exhibition venues, with making mistakes in the promo material, with stepping on some toes.
Anyway, first show is less than a month away.
Artists: send me your work! (If you’d like to participate, leave a comment or email me directly.)

First exhibition venue:
Garage Gallery
4141 Alabama St.
San Diego
July 1-31
Opening: July 3, 7-9pm

Monday, June 01, 2009

Julie Heffernan




These are some seriously amazing paintings. Subversive little contemporary scenes in the background, to counterbalance all that art historical reference.
70K, if you think you need one for your living room.