The Craft Fair

So, aside from working on assignments for various art classes, and adding on my own body of work, I have a work-study job at the ASUNM Arts and Crafts Studio. I've worked in the Studio for 3 years now, moving through the ranks from Ceramic Technician to Assistant Director to Executive Director. During this time, I've been a part of the annual ASUNM Arts and Crafts Fair, which is a three day event held in the Student Union Ballrooms. This year is the first time I've been "in charge" of it, and I sometimes can't believe that they trust us in the Studio to get everything done. The tasks seem endless...herding 70 or so cats (the local artisan vendors, who are actually very lovely), dealing with unhappy applicants who weren't accepted into the Fair, and contacting outside organizations to help us execute the Fair. This thing has sucked all of my time, effort, and energy this semester. I'm very excited for it, and to be honest, I'm very glad that I'm ending my run with the Fair on a high note- the 50th.

Photoshop of yore

 To this day, I consider myself a Photoshop novice...and I hate it. Almost every time I need to create something using that program, I end up just sitting in front of the screen and fumble around with the buttons for-ev-er until I somehow happen upon what it was I was looking for. Which is why I'm still amazed that somehow, quite a few years ago, I managed to put my head on this picture from my Ghostbusters story book.

With less patience, I also put my older brother's 1st grade head on Ricardo Montalban's body.

Older Watercolor works: I Cain't Reach

I Cain't Reach, circa 2008. Watercolor, ink.

Another train-of-thought drawing with watercolor. Illustrates the importance of having sufficiently long limbs with which to clean one's self.

Older Watercolor works: The Episiotomy Pachyderm

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Episiotomy Pachyderm, circa 2008. Watercolor, ink.

I began adding watercolors to my drawings as a way to expand on a daily exercise within my art practice. These are also a train-of-thought activity, in that I never set out to make a specific drawing. I would just sit down and let whatever happen happen.

Work in Progress: Memory of skin- a quilt to map and cover my scars.

(Photos courtesy of Szu-Han Ho)

This project is a double-sided quilt, mapping my body and the memory of my skin (aka scars). It is a long, slow going process to quilt all of the lines surrounding the body, but I plan to finish it before the semester is done. Note to self: never decide to make a double-sided quilt for an art class assignment EVER again. On a plus side, the scars are made out of lovely red velvet. mmmmmm.

Newest work!

Lately, I've been creating little ceramic dishes. They all have a textured underside, which holds glaze very nicely. On top, I have used underglazes to draw various designs. Pictured here are: Mountains vs Clouds (Red and Yellow), Dippy (Blue), and various Eyeballs (light green). They are each about 3.5 inches across. The last picture shows a dish eyeballin' my Sunday cuppa tea.

Soon to be added to my Etsy shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/TinTongued

Memories of Sleep

Memories of sleep: Inflatable Bed project (April/May 2013), plastic sheeting, fabric, string, fan, led lights.

This piece was created in response to a prompt to make a work that results from a week of rituals. My ritual for the week was to prolong going home (to my boyfriend, bed, and comfort) by an hour or so daily. During those times, I would sit and write, about the many other things I would have rather been doing. The resulting writings were embroidered onto the "quilt" in braille, chosen because I didn't want the audience to be able to read my exact sentiments. The title of the piece also poke fun at the lack of sleep that often occurs due to the demands of studio art classes. 

The diffused glow from the led lights in the darkened room this piece was installed in, couple with the slow shifting movements and resulting crinkling sounds of the plastic, the bed took on an otherworldly, almost alien presence.

Ratties in phone booth

An oldie. Made for my final project in Steve Barry's Sculpture 1 class at UNM, December 2010.

Installed in an abandoned in-wall phone booth in the Center for the Arts building.