Thursday, October 7, 2010

Yarn Art Attacks in the Bay Area

Yarn Attack, downtown Berkeley


While driving around Berkeley, Albany and Oakland lately, I noticed many stop sign poles and other public sign posts were recently adorned in cute little sweaters. Custom knit to fit the poles, they are colorful and strange oddities. Found a little note on one crediting "Streetcolor" , an anonymous knitter who documents his or her work on the Streecolor blog. A little web research reveals these yarn attacks are known as yarn bombing...


From Wikipedia - Yarn bombing, yarnbombing, graffiti knitting or yarnstorming is a type of graffiti or street art that employs colorful displays of knitted or crocheted cloth rather than paint or chalk. While yarn installations – called yarn bombs or knit bombs – may last for years, they are considered non-permanent, and, unlike graffiti, can be easily removed if necessary. The practice is believed to have originated in the U.S. with Texas knitters trying to find a creative way to use their leftover and unfinished knitting projects, but it has since spread worldwide.


There is a wealth of weird yarn bombing pix here at Yarn bombing. It has become a worldwide movement that aims to “improve the urban landscape one stitch at at time”.
Albany yarn bombing



Monday, October 4, 2010

Eclectix Volume 4, "H2O" -The Water Art Issue


Take A Dip!
Features Include (posts added weekly):


• H2O, A Water Inspired Online Exhibit: Artworks relating to water; ocean art, octopus art, underwater art, mermaid art, surf art, fish, sea creatures, etc. The biggest and best online collection of water art anywhere!
• Water Drops: factoids of Interest
• Artist Interviews: Latest include Michelle Waters, Judith Schaechter, Mark Bryan and Isabel Samaras
• Art book links
• Related art news posts: Jacques Dequeker's underwater photography, jellyfish, body art, crocodile cove, sand castle art
• Eight Days A Week: Selected current art events and exhibits
• Chandeliers by Adam Wallacavage
• Video Fix: Amy Winehouse by Phil Hansen
• Surfboard art
• Shop Around: Indie and artsy wares for sale
• Jason Freeny's Nemo sculpt


Eclectix has new posts every week, related to the current issue's theme. 
Plus a gallery of original art for sale. 


Online now here: 


Fabulous artists included in H2O: Lois Van Baarle, Jason Jacenko, Chris Buzelli, Judith Schaechter, Michael Brown, Eric Fortune, Christine Benjamin, Nicoletta Ceccoli, Annie Leibovitz, Dan Quintana, Zoe Lacchei, Chris Ryniak, Diane Ozdamar, Jacqueline Gallagher, Amy Sol, Vladimir Kush, Dan May, Mizz Draconia, Sarah Joncas, Lauren K.Cannon, Howard David Johnson, Kaspen, Ryan Firchau, Ray Caesar, Jasmine Becket-Griffith, Kelly Louise Judd, Patrushka, Colette Calascione, Camille Rose Garcia, Mark Bryan, Lilla Martin, Sheila Wolk, Robert S. Connett, Boris Koodrin, Jennifer Wildermuth, Kassandra, Jennybird Alcantara, Natalie Shau, Sergey Urlapov, Imaginism, Vivek Ram, Scott Radke, Zena Holloway, Niklas Rhose, Bobby Chiu, Boris Vallejo, Joel Nakamura, Joshua Oshua, Nouar, Jeff Soto, KMNDZ, Bill Carman, Steve Jung, Annie Owens, Asia Eng, Eric Ryan, Annie Leibovitz ...

Friday, October 1, 2010

El Cerrito Art Association Show, This Weekend...


Posted some preview pix of the show opening tonite.
Check it out, a wonderful mix of eclectic art,
styles and mediums.

Above is one of the selections:
"Feed Your Children" by Ben Witzke

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Pinocchio Tattoos: Funny, Gross and Sexy?


While doing a Pinocchio search, found these tattoo images and just had to share. Not sure I would like to see him staring at me but it's a riot. And the nose surely grows...



Monday, September 27, 2010

"Everyday" Exhibit Worth Seeing In Every Way...



This exhibit  at 111 Minna in San Francisco, ends on October 2nd so get your butt in there quick! Wonderful works by the likes of Mike Davis, Mike Giant, Ryan Scott Shaffer, Juan Puente, Regino Gonzales, Daniel Albrigo, Shawn Barber, Henry Lewis, Don Edward Hardy and Edu Cerro.


I have been to Minna many times but never in the daytime as it is also a bar. It was nice to see the space opened up and uncrowded, with the works well lit. With their larger group shows they put up temporary walls to hang the art on and the lighting isn't the best at night. This show is just big enough, big with talented artists and kick-ass art! Have posted just a few pix of some of my faves here...


For all the works at Minna go here.






















Lee Bontecou at Moma, New York




Visited MOMA this summer and loved so much there that I got a little behind. Just saw too much art this summer, poor pitiful me! 
Lee's show - "All Freedom In Every Sense" was well worth my sore feet staying earthbound. At first I was hesitant, not being keen on a lot of abstract art, but the elements of figurative surrealism and construction in her works won me over. She is definitely one of those artists whose works you HAVE to see in person, the textures and dimensions just don't cut it in a picture. 
The works were really a mixed media, just about every medium was represented. While her choices were eclectic in materials, they all came together under her eye and vision. Fantastic sculptures, lithos, paintings, light projections, drawings, industrial constructions - some reminding me strongly of Max Ernst and Kandinsky. Some pieces had a wonderfully dark science fiction feel to them and some an organic lightness. Even the shadows cast off from the art were fantastic.  







Shadows from one of her works





If you get a chance to see her work, do it!



Johnny Depp Poem and Art by Tim Burton




Johnny Depp AND Tim Burton...
what else need be said?