Things to do in Portland this weekend: (04/28/12 – 04/29/12) “Stumptown Comics Festival & Willamette Week’s Fifth Annual Eat Mobile Festival”

STUMPTOWN COMICS FESTIVAL

“In celebration of the release of Peter Bagge’s newest comics series, RESET, Dark Horse Comics and Bridge City Comics present the 2012 Stumptown Comics Festival kickoff event — a Friday night Drink and Draw for visiting and local artists, publishers, and all festival-goers!” from (here)

Where:  Bridge City Comics |3725 N Mississippi Ave

When:   Fri, April 27^th, 7-10pm | FREE

Website:   http://www.stumptowncomics.com/

 

WILLAMETTE WEEK’S FIFTH ANNUAL EAT MOBILE FESTIVAL
“Sample some of Portland’s best food carts and learn the science behind the food on OMSI’s Culinary Science Stage.

With more than 400 mobile eateries selling their tasty goods within our city limits, Portland has become an international destination for mobile eats. U.S. News Travel recently declared Portland to have the “world’s best street food.”

On April 28, Eat Mobile, the part food festival, part cart competition, will allow attendees to sample from 50 of Willamette Week’s favorite food carts as vendors compete for the coveted Carty Award.

Eat Mobile showcases the food, music and people that make Portland’s food scene so special. This year, Willamette Week is proud to announce a partnership with the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) that will expand Eat Mobile to include food demonstrations and provide attendees with a more hands-on food experience with the Eat Mobile Culinary Science Stage.

Tickets are $18 and include samples from each of the participating carts. ” from the Willamette Week (here)

 

Where: OMSI parking lot

When: Sat., April 281, 6-9:30pm | $18

Website: http://www.omsi.edu/eatmobile

 

 

Announcements, Drawing and painting

Art, arts, Bars, Book Arts, Books, Contemporary, Craft, Design, Drawing, Exhibitions, Food, Life, Making, Portland, Restaurants

April 26, 2012

11 Comments

PLEASE JOIN US THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE OPENING RECEPTION OF WEEK THREE OF THE THESIS ORALS SHOWS 4PM – 7PM IN THE HOFFMAN GALLERY.

April 11-May 13, 2012

Four weeks of one small group show per week, with opening receptions on April 11, 18, 25, 27 and May 2, 4:00-7:00pm.

Students in the College’s BFA and Certificate programs spend their final year perfecting their craft in the creation of an original body of work. This final thesis project reflects their personal and conceptual ideas and finely tuned craftsmanship. The entire learning experience at Oregon College of Art and Craft culminates in the exhibition of their work.

image: Linnea Simmons

Also a reminder: you can view many of the student’s work and help support them put on their final group show in downtown Portland by going here: http://ocac2012.weebly.com

Announcements, Exhibitions

Art, arts, Contemporary, Craft, Design, Exhibitions, final thesis project, illustration, Life, Making, Portland, Practice, Process

April 25, 2012

6 Comments

Peter Shelton quote: “This whole figurative versus abstract stuff comes from faulty thinking …”

“Marlena Doktorczyk-Donohue: Would you concede that you create zany correlates of the body that maneuver between the abstract and the figurative?

Peter Shelton: This whole figurative versus abstract stuff comes from faulty thinking after World War II, suggesting that Modernism was fundamentally a battle between representation and abstraction. I don’t see it as one leading to the other or exceeding the other. It comes down to achieving some core expression, and the “hows” of getting there follow from that.

MDD: Do you mean that idea trumps process?

PS: Nothing is that simple. I mean that it’s inaccurate to see my work as growing linearly from abstract to real or simple to complex, or the reverse. Unlike many of my formalist predecessors, I don’t work linearly, evolving from project and situation to the next project and situation–ideas continue to circulate [...]” (41)

Doktorczyk-Donohue, Marlena. “Simple Simply Isn’t.” Sculpture. April 2012. pgs. 38-45.

Design, Drawing and painting, Mixed Media, Recycled Materials, Theory!

Abstract art, Art, Articles, Contemporary, Craft, Design, Interviews, Making, Practice, Process, Quotes

April 25, 2012

10 Comments

Library Love – Librotraficante

News of the efforts of the  Underground Library,  Librotraficante, came to me while visiting beautiful, dramatic, sun-drenched Albuquerque, NM.  

Librotraficante is working to reintroduce Pro-Latina(o) literature back into Arizona, where Latino studies have been banned. Talk about the dark side of all that bright splendor!

There are Underground Libraries in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.

Announcements

banned books, ethnic studies

April 24, 2012

7 Comments

54. “Extra/Ordinary: Craft and Contemporary Art” by Maria Elena Buszek

This Wednesday, April 25 @ 6:30pm, Maria Elena Buszek will be giving a guest lecture for the the MFA in Applied Craft and Design Program. The event is co-sponsored with Museum of Contemporary Craft  at will be held their location at 724 NW Davis Street.

Maria Elena Buszek is a scholar, critic, curator, and Associate Professor of Art History at the University of Colorado Denver, where she teaches courses on Modern and contemporary art. Her recent publications include the books, Pin-Up Grrrls: Feminism, Sexuality, Popular Culture and Extra/ordinary: Craft and contemporary art; contributions to the anthologies It’s Time for Action (There’s No Option): About Feminism, Blaze: Discourse on Art, Women, and Feminism and Contemporary Artists; catalogue essays for numerous national and international exhibitions; and articles and criticism in such journals as Art in America; Art Journal; Photography Quarterly; and TDR: The Journal of Performance Studies. She has also been a regular contributor to the popular feminist magazine BUST since 1999. www.mariabuszek.com

The MFA in Applied Craft and Design is a joint degree program offered by Oregon College of Art and Craft  and Pacific Northwest College of Art.  

For this week’s library pick, we’ve selected Buszek’s extraordinary publication, Extra/ordinary: Craft and contemporary art! It is a must read for anyone interested in making and issues in the contemporary art scene today.

Here is a brief description of the work from the publisher: “Contemporary artists such as Ghada Amer and Clare Twomey have gained international reputations for work that transforms ordinary craft media and processes into extraordinary conceptual art, from Amer’s monumental stitched paintings to Twomey’s large, ceramics-based installations. Despite the amount of attention that curators and gallery owners have paid to these and many other conceptual artists who incorporate craft into their work, few art critics or scholars have explored the historical or conceptual significance of craft in contemporary art. Extra/Ordinary takes up that task. Reflecting on what craft has come to mean in recent decades, artists, critics, curators, and scholars develop theories of craft in relation to art, chronicle how fine-art institutions understand and exhibit craft media, and offer accounts of activist crafting, or craftivism. Some contributors describe generational and institutional changes under way, while others signal new directions for scholarship, considering craft in relation to queer theory, masculinity, and science. Encompassing quilts, ceramics, letterpress books, wallpaper, and textiles, and moving from well known museums to home workshops and political protests, Extra/Ordinary is an eclectic introduction to the “craft culture” referenced and celebrated by artists promoting new ways of thinking about the role of craft in contemporary art.” (found here)

Contributors include: Elissa Auther, Anthea Black, Betty Bright, Nicole Burisch, Maria Elena Buszek, Jo Dahn, M. Anna Fariello, Betsy Greer, Andrew Jackson, Janis Jefferies, Louise Mazanti, Paula Owen, Karin E. Peterson, Lacey Jane Roberts, Kirsty Robertson, Dennis Stevens, and Margaret Wertheim.

If you haven’t come across this book already, it’s time you do so now! Especially for anyone working the fields of Art and Craft today.

Also, don’t miss her lecture at the Museum of Contemporary Craft this Wednesday!

 

 

Announcements, Book Arts, Ceramics, Design, Drawing and painting, Metals, Mixed Media, Photography, Theory!

Abstract art, Art, arts, Book Arts, Books, Ceramics, Contemporary, Craft, Design, Lecture, Life, Making, Portland, Practice, Process, Reviews

April 23, 2012

12 Comments

Things to do in Portland this weekend: (04/21/12 – 04/22/12) “Record Store Day & Soul’d Out Music Festival: Wanda Jackson, Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside, and Larry & His Flask”

RECORD STORE DAY: THE HOODED HAGS, ORCA TEAM, THE SHIVAS, SURFS DRUGS, Y LA BAMBA, DEATH SONGS, NATHAN BAUMGARTNER, DJ TED, DJ BOB HAM, LISTEN LADY, MY HOLY SHOES, AND DJ HERO WORSHIP

“In Portland, Oregon, in the year 2012, the medium of the vinyl record continues to reign. There is a viable economy surrounding the buying and selling of LPs both classic and contemporary, and records are the format of choice for local bands—paralleled only, perhaps, by the cassette tape. An ever-growing body of recordings that chronicle the sounds of this time and place are available to us on vinyl, thanks in part to efforts from today’s event participants. But because of dedicated labels like Stankhouse, whose founder Nick Capello will play in the Hooded Hags, talented technicians like Robert Comitz, whose Frawg Pound recording studio is responsible for a plethora of recent releases, and shops like the Record Room that has fused business, bar, and venue, Portland doesn’t need Record Store Day. That in and of itself is a cause for celebration.” By MARANDA BISH from the Portland Mercury (here)

Where:  Record Room | 8 NE Killingsworth

When:   Sat, April 21th, 12pm.

Website:   http://www.recordroompdx.com ; http://recordstoreday.com/

Phone: 971 544-7685

 

SOUL’D OUT MUSIC FESTIVAL: WANDA JACKSON, SALLIE FORD & THE SOUND OUTSIDE, AND LARRY & HIS FLASK

“Oh my, isn’t this a delightful pairing! Bad-girl legend Wanda Jackson and the Dusty 45s meet the charmingly brassy Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside for a rousing good time at the ol’ Roseland. You bet your Fujiyama Mama, this is going to be a swinging set from some good-time gals”. By COURTNEY FERGUSON from the Portland Mercury (here)

“It’s impossible not to love Wanda Jackson. The sweet lady with the nasty voice has been in the game for well over half a century, with rockabilly, country, and gospel songs making up a very lengthy catalog. She’s a living legend, pure and simple, and there’s no excuse for missing her—particularly when she’s sharing the bill with local heroes Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside. Ford’s brassy voice and retro charm makes this a perfect double header”. By NED LANNAMANN from the Portland Mercury (here)

Where: Roseland | 8 NW 6th

When: Sat., April 21, 8pm | $20 – 30.

Website: http://www.roselandpdx.com/

 

Announcements, Performance

Bars, Contemporary, Life, Music, Portland, Records, Reviews, Vinyl

April 20, 2012

13 Comments

Support the OCAC Thesis Students’ Exit Show!!

The Oregon College of Art and Craft (OCAC) Thesis students are putting on a group show of their own in downtown Portland, Oregon (Friday, May 18, 2012 from 6-10 pm on the corner of NW 10th Avenue and Hoyt in the Pearl District)… and they need our help!

This is a very important event for our students. Each thesis student has spent the past year creating a body of work, and this final exit show is an opportunity to display their work as an entire group, and, to a broader group visitors. You can show your support by visiting the following site (which has more details): http://ocac2012.weebly.com

Announcements, Book Arts, Ceramics, Design, Drawing and painting, Exhibitions, Fibers, Metals, Mixed Media, Photography, Professional Practices

Abstract art, Art, arts, Book Arts, Ceramics, Contemporary, Craft, Design, Drawing, Exhibitions, Fiber art, illustration, Jewelry, Making, Metal, Painting, Portland

April 18, 2012

17 Comments

PLEASE JOIN US THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE OPENING RECEPTION OF WEEK TWO OF THE THESIS ORALS SHOWS 4PM – 7PM IN THE HOFFMAN GALLERY.

April 11-May 13, 2012

Four weeks of one small group show per week, with opening receptions on April 11, 18, 25, 27 and May 2, 4:00-7:00pm.

Students in the College’s BFA and Certificate programs spend their final year perfecting their craft in the creation of an original body of work. This final thesis project reflects their personal and conceptual ideas and finely tuned craftsmanship. The entire learning experience at Oregon College of Art and Craft culminates in the exhibition of their work.

image: Linnea Simmons

Announcements, Exhibitions

Art, arts, Contemporary, Craft, Design, Exhibitions, final thesis project, illustration, Life, Making, Portland, Practice, Process

April 18, 2012

2 Comments

Triple Candie quote: “The movement is a topical subject and one we believe in …”

“Becky Huff Hunter: You appropriated the language of the Occupy movement to demonstrate that Arte Povera is now “the property of the 1%.” Why did you choose to align yourselves with this movement?

Triple Candie: The movement is a topical subject and one we believe in. Most art that is deemed culturally significant is the property of, or controlled by, a wealthy micro-sliver of the population. For art (with a small a) to become Art (with a capital a), it must enter this
territory of privilege. This process is fundamental. Arte Povera has been thusly transformed, its dirt and stones now sleeping under bulletproof glass. It is a wonderful illustration of an age-old problem that has become only more acute in our lifetime.” (12)

Hunter, Becky Huff. “Infectious Sovereignty: editorializing the exhibition.” Art Papers. March/April, 2012. pgs 10-15.

Exhibitions, Mixed Media, Professional Practices, Theory!

Abstract art, Art, Articles, Craft, Design, Exhibitions, Interviews, Making, Quotes

April 18, 2012

4 Comments

53. “Bespoke: The Handbuilt Bicycle” by Lars Müller Publishers

Portland, Oregon is more than a bike friendly city. As stated on their website, the Portland Bureau of Transportation “works to make bicycling an integral part of daily life.” And many efforts by the city to make it easier for people to chose bike commuting has made a significant impact on the commuting behavior and, as a result, the city has made significant achievements:

• Portland has the highest share of bicycle commuters (6 to 8 percent) of any large U.S.city. (here)
• Portland is the only large city to earn The League of American Bicyclists’ platinum status as a bicycle-friendly city. (here)
• Portland has 318 miles of bikeways (here)

As a result, a growing culture of cycling is definitely taking shape across the city!

With Spring finally upon us, and, rainfall beginning to wane, the library has selected Bespoke: The Handbuilt Bicycle by Lars Müller Publishers, to salute bicyclists everywhere and to introduce them to some amazing internationally renowned bike builders:  Sacha White,  Jeff Jones, Dario Pegoretti,  Peter Weigle,  Mike Flanigan, and Richard Sachs.

According to the publishers, “custom-built bicycles are more than just lavish objects. They represent the pinnacle of craft practiced by a handful of remarkable artisans—machines so meticulously constructed and fitted to their users that they seem like extensions of the body” (from the back cover).  This relationship between physical art objects (and these bikes are definitely works of art!) and the user’s body, is something that is constantly being discussed across our campus and continues to be a chief concern of makers working in all different mediums.

This relationship was beautifully addressed by an earlier post, a quote by Polly Ullrich that we highly recommend. She talks specifically about jewelry, but it isn’t difficult to see how her thoughts could be applied more broadly to include the work of these amazing bespoke bicycle makers!

Check it out!

Design, Exhibitions, Metals

Art, Bicycles, Bikes, Biking, Books, Contemporary, Craft, Design, Exhibitions, Making, Portland

April 16, 2012

9 Comments