frenzy

Ive been experimenting with cyanotype tshirts lately. I want to sell a few at the show. I take the shirts, make an emulsion layor, and use transperancies to create images using solar power. its kinda rad thinking the sun creates these images. its definialy a learning process, but I really like the effect. what do you think?


As the final week before the show looms, I find myself in a bit of a mad dash to connect all the pieces. I, perhaps foolishly, have secretly ducked away to Vermont to recharge some batteries and visit some old friends. With the sprit of Halloween weighing on everyone, this is sure to be a great chance to blow off some steam. That being said, the reception at the naked lounge is one week from today, and I am hoping those of you who are around can make it. It’s from 7 – 9 pm at the Naked Lounge, downtown Chico. I will be selling some prints from the collection for 5- 10$ and hopefully some cyanotype tshirts (see Above) as well.

It feels that this last week things really solidified for me. Getting the job at the co-op, finishing the last bit of work on the show, and getting a chance to get away. For a while I was sure I was destined to failure, but its funny how time sorts things. At the end of the day, I am happy with the work I have created, and hopefully others will find it compelling and interesting. I am most interested to get some critical feedback, and growing as a creator of imagery. This will be my first real chance to get a perspective that is honest and beyond the protection of academia.

And with the completion of this show, I can close the door on this body of work, for a little while at least and begin some new projects I have tinkering around my head. This show will hopefully provide the launching board to getting a new body, and some studio equipment so I can further push some boundaries. I want to quickly give some thanks to all the people who made this show possible:

Jonathan Taylor – thanks for showing me the value of contemporary fine art photography and giving me the confidence and tools to take my dreams and make them images.
Green Mountain College Library and staff – for allowing me the use of your slide projector for days on end, and putting up with my last minute requests.
All my friends and Models- for supporting me on this project and for willing to strip down to make some collaborative art
Joey Bossen – I truly did not know the meaning of the word muse until you came into my life, great friend, great model, great person. Thanks for being with me since the beginning. You rock.
Anna Wilcox – for giving me guidance and connecting mew with people locally to take my art from the screen to the wall
Charlie Osborn - for being an amazing collaborator and for opening my eyes to the range of printing possibilities.
Ceri May – for swooping into my life and allowing me this HUGE opportunity to showcase my work, you are the catalyst behind this exhibition.

And to all the friends and family who have supported me along the way. Thanks foe everything and I will see you on the 5th!

out

The show at Ray Rays tonight was a huge success! thanks to everyone involved and to those who came out to support gay artists. I was surprised how packed the place was. I handed out over 200 post cards for my show and got to meet with a lot of really rad people. I didn't eat anything all day cause I was so nervous. It is a little stressful putting your work out there for people to judge and comment on. Especially when you devote so much of yourself to your work. The canvas printing got mixed receptions, most people liked it, some people didn't like the image rolling off the frame, which is something that I am personally torn about, but for the exhibition at the naked lounge I don't think it will be an issue since all the images fade out to black on the edges anyway. I don't think I sold anything, which to be quite honest is a bummer. I need to sell this work in order to fund new work... once again money complicates things.

some surprises are in the works. so watch out.

vacation

All work and no play make Oz a go crazy…
After last weeks hellish reminder of why I don’t converse with distant family I needed some time off. Luckily Ceri, Allen, and Tiana invited me to come to San Francisco to go to Allen’s first gay bar and a free blue grass festival.

How could I decline?

We had a wonderful host and a terrific view. I spent my hours dancing, brunching, and photographing. I’m pretty sure Saturday brunch left me blackout drunk on the way home, because I do not remember photographing on Market Street. This was also a welcome chance to flirt with cute boys too. It’s nice to be around other gay people for a change. Tyler, took us to an awesome Gay club called Underground SF, it reminded me of the places I used to go see Oliver work, but the go-go boys were sexy, and I was in a dancing mood. Dance my cares away…



We got kind of late start on Sunday, but managed to make it to the Castro street fair, and the free blue grass festival in Golden Gate Park. Unfortunately, I missed both Elvis Costello and Jenny Lewis. Damn it!

My refreshing first day back at work wasn’t so refreshing when the light that I told my boss was making a funny noise and needed to be replaced, to which the reply was, “just hit it until it stops making that noise”, caught fire this morning in a 3 grade classroom. I like to start my week by traumatizing kids. Way to go job, way to go.



The Coming Out for Art show this upcoming Monday, and I have two pieces to show. If you are in the area I highly encourage you to stop by. In light of the recent suicide tragedies here in California and elsewhere in the US, it is more important now than ever that creative gay youth are given an outlet to express themselves. The Coming Out for Art Show will be held at Ray Ray’s gallery and is put on by Stonewall Alliance Youth (SAY) in celebration of National Coming Out Day and hopes to create a community dialogue through art. Look at their web site here. And the gallery here.

Speaking of in the dark, the show is less than a month away, I have all the materials purchased, and now it’s just a race against time. I am mixing chemicals at the end of this week, and hopefully doing first shirts next week. Charlie is stretching the first canvases for me today and we are meeting on Thursday to get a look at the final product. Hooray! Just around the corner folks, 1 month from today…