#most of the diy pins i’ve made have been my own original art

[holyscreamingintothevoid]

I’ve been collecting enamel pins for a couple of years now, and sometimes I want something that is either too niche to already exist or is related to an uninvolved party’s copyright, or both.

To get around this I’ve dabbled in DIY pins before, hand-etching acrylic panes to use as molds for solder—don’t try this at home unless you know what you’re doing—as well as 3D painting onto flat bases, but both methods take forever, and the results have always been pretty ugly unrefined. I’ve recently started experimenting with 3D-printing and potentially combining it with silicone casting (don’t want to spend 50 bucks every time I want to try a new color or want to gift one).

Of course, my favorite horse bot has been on my To-DIY-list for a while, so I thought why not use this as an opportunity to test some new sizes and depths with the material.

The above drawing and 3D model are based on nostalgebraist-autoresponder’s avatar, which is itself an edited version of the painting Horse in Analogous Color Scheme by doni19.

[futuresandpasts]

Futures & Pasts | MRR #428

I didn’t do a column for issue 427 because I was too maxed out from getting ready to go on tour when the deadline rolled around in October, so this one is from issue 428 (January 2019). 

NAKED ROOMMATE is the latest project from Amber and Andy of the WORLD (not to mention a slew of other former or current Bay Area bands between the two of them), and though there’s definitely some echoes of the latter group’s skronked out, early Rough Trade-aligned post-punk gyrations on NAKED ROOMMATE’s self-titled debut cassette, they also wander down some other very disparate and sneaky pathways here. The buzzing keyboards and clattering drum machine pulse in “Fondu Guru” and “Love Gains” hit a similar thrift-shopped minimal synth aesthetic as CRASH COURSE IN SCIENCE,  while Amber’s deadpan vocals over the jittery new wave basslines in “I Need A Slob” and “Lube Boys” evoke the loopy, Su Tissue-centered side of SUBURBAN LAWNS. Of the tape’s six songs, “John Is Gone” probably comes closest to the WORLD’s spiky rhythms, only stripped of the fiery dual saxophone clash and skimming a sparse, ESG-worthy bass/drum tumble occasionally punctuated by bongos and clanging metallic percussion. Limited to 100 copies with a great risographed cover (clearly a band after my own heart here); get in while y’all still can. (nakedroommate.bandcamp.com)

Julius of Gothenburg, Sweden’s foremost shambolic punks SKIFTANDE ENHETER is behind two other projects with new 7” releases in the last month, and each single continues his fixation with the halcyon ‘78-83 DIY era, albeit in ways that go beyond SKIFTANDE ENHETER’s economically ramshackle DESPERATE BICYCLES/SWELL MAPS approach. JJ ULIUS is his solo endeavor into perfectly crafted, threadbare pop along the lines of TELEVISION PERSONALITIES, CLEANERS FROM VENUS, and if you want to go really deep, the brilliant, one-off single from VOICE OF THE PUPPETS. “Tänder Ett Ljus” sounds like it could unravel at any moment, with some trebly guitar jangle pinned in the red, cheap organ warble, cardboard box-quality drumming, and nonchalant vocals (in Swedish), all over and done in two minutes flat. The BUZZCOCKS have been thrown around as a reference point by people who aren’t me, and I could maybe see that, if the more subdued and pining hooks of the post-Howard Devoto era were recast into the sort of lo-fi, bedroom home-recording context befitting the PASTELS or the VASELINES. Then there’s MONOKULTUR, his dystopian-punk duo with Elin Engström (formerly of Slumberland-backed C86 revivalists LIECHTENSTEIN and also currently of SKIFTANDE ENHETER) with a new four-song EP on I Dischi Del Barone that crawls through the sort of dimly-lit, post-industrial urban decay occupied by bands like CABARET VOLTAIRE and the NORMAL on the other side of this century. The cavernously echoed vocals and warped motorik beat running through “Lindholmen-Stenpiren” could have been pulled from a secondhand dub of a THIS HEAT cassette after it’d been slightly mangled in a tape deck, and “Äckel” slinks into some skeletal and slow-burning futuristic dub with reverberations of spectral synth. Swedish DIY domination now! (Happiest Place, happiestplacerecords.bandcamp.com; I Dischi Del Barone, monokultur.bandcamp.com)

Outer Reaches is a new UK-based record label with a focus on the far edges of the weirdo DIY fringe, and you can’t really argue with the statement of intent made by their very first release, a reissue of the one-and-done 1983 single from scrappy English art-punks GARAGE CLASS. The 7” originally appeared on Gymnasium Records, the label started by the equally scrappy UK DIY combo HAPPY REFUGEES, who technically formed in the wake of GARAGE CLASS (the single was recorded in 1980 but didn’t physically materialize until a few years later) and whose vocalist Tim Shutt provides the overlap between the line-ups of both groups. A-side “Terminal Tokyo” is textbook Messthetics material—total freewheeling, primitive glam clamor with emotionally detached monotone vocals, off-kilter handclaps, wiry guitar, and just a touch of first-gen punk sleaze for a result that’s one part NEON BOYS and one part SOFT BOYS. In a somewhat odd move, the reissue adds two versions of a previously unreleased track called “I Got Standards” (one original take, and one contemporary dancefloor banger remix by JD Twitch) in place of the frantic, punky thrash of the single’s B-side “One Hell of a Kiss”... and did I mention that the Outer Reaches edition of this record was pressed on that most dreaded of all vinyl formats, by which I mean, of course, the 10”? Just include both sides of the 7” AND throw in the bonus odds and ends if you’ve got the extra inches to spare! At any rate, the raw version of “I Got Standards” is great, channeling a darkly psychedelic TELEVISION PERSONALITIES/Whaam! Records mod-pop sound and throwing in the extremely Dan Treacy-ish line “I’m pretty young but I don’t take chances / I once had a girl like Jackie Onassis” for good measure. Brilliantly amateurish, amateurishly brilliant, and necessary enough for me to actually recommend that you buy a new 10” record in 2018. And a side note: Outer Reaches also just reissued the incredible, painfully hard-to-find single from early ‘80s minimalist post-punks INDIFFERENT DANCE CENTRE that I’ve previously raved about in this column, so use those postage funds wisely and grab both records while you’re at it. (Outer Reaches, outerreaches.bandcamp.com)

The one and only 7” from early ‘80s Canadian post-punks the HUNGER PROJECT was something that I came across entirely randomly and without any background context whatsoever, so it was more than a little strange when I finally did some research on the record and found out that half of the band actually wound up in the COWBOY JUNKIES after their first group fell apart. Stay with me here, though! So, the HUNGER PROJECT formed in Toronto in 1979, allegedly after being inspired by the first wave of post-punk coming from the UK, and it definitely shows on the single—it was actually released in 1983 after the band had relocated to the United Kingdom, following a spell spent in New York’s Lower East Side where their take on moody, atmospheric 4AD-style post-punk was likely a little out of step with the confrontational and caustic downtown No Wave scene that was enjoying its heyday circa 1981. Singer Liza Dawson-Whisker’s dark, dramatic vocals suggest a slightly introverted SIOUXSIE SIOUX, and the twin guitars (they didn’t have a bassist) alternate between the sort of chorused chime that bands like the CHAMELEONS were concurrently exploring (the gothy A-side “Assembly”) and a jagged, staccato harsh-funk slash descended straight from GANG OF FOUR (the sprawling seven minutes of “The Same Inside” on the flip). An unexpected femme-punk gem, and worlds away from what any “ex-COWBOY JUNKIES” associations might conjure in your mind.

[mariacedano-blog-blog]

Beautiful Homes of Instagram I often say that “Beautiful Homes of Instragram” is one of my favorites posts to share on Home Bunch, and although every single home featured here is special in its own way, this one speaks to my soul. In fact, it did the moment I saw it on Instagram. Loren’s home is inspiring and beautiful but it has more to it than just that and I can’t describe it with words but I know that you will feel it with your heart, too. Get to know this special homeowner and her home: “When Luciane asked if she could feature our home in her “Beautiful Homes of Instagram” series I was in disbelief. After asking if she was sure she wanted to feature our home, her response was so kind and heart-felt and it made me cry. I am both honored and humbled to have our home featured alongside homes I have been pinning for inspiration for years and currently spend time heart-eyeing on Instagram. Thank you, Luciane, for the beauty and inspiration you offer to your readers, and thank you so very much for including our home in this series! My name is Loren, and I’ve just recently entered the incredible Instagram Home-Sharing community as @BlueBarnAndCottage. I’m still new to the creative social media world and have so much to learn, but I’m hoping to start a blog one day soon as well. I am a single mama to one sweet girl and a pup. I work full time outside the home for a non-profit, but I dream of one day spending my work days creating pretty homes and working out of our barn. I’ve had a heart for creating “home” since my middle school days. My siblings and I had a playhouse as kids and some of my fondest memories include cleaning it out and decorating it each summer. Decorating back then wasn’t too different from my style today – It included leftover scraps of carpeting from my dad’s jobs, pre-loved laminate countertops and cabinets, and bedding rescued from the donation pile. I distinctly recall one of my most treasured “dump” finds – a black & white mustard colored TV (It still worked!). I have the best memories of revamping that little 100 sq foot home. As I grew older, I’d save baby-sitting money for new bedding or curtains, and I learned the art of pushing furniture around at the age of 12. I couldn’t wait to have my own home back then and creating a home still makes me just as giddy today. I have no formal training in design or construction, but I think it’s just in my blood. My dad, grandfather and great-grandfather were custom home builders and my siblings and I all seem to share their love of homes. New construction isn’t as appealing to me as homes with history though. I have been fascinated by historic homes in need of re-loving for as long as I can remember. There is something so special and almost therapeutic to me about giving a home new life. This is the third home I’ve remodeled, and with each one I gain a little more confidence and take a few more risks. When I bought our last home, I was coming out of a difficult season and the remodel process was a tangible reminder for me that God works through messiness and brokenness and makes it something beautiful in time (even though it looks anything but beautiful during demo and construction). I sold our last home as an investment and purchased our current home just over a year ago. I planned, designed, and sub-contracted out most of the work, completing as much as possible myself. DIY projects always seem to be in the works around here. During initial renovations, there were many days I felt like I was in over my head, but I’m extremely grateful for dear friends and family who helped along the way, I was constantly reminded that God had His hand in it. Remodeling a home is one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences! People often refer to remodels, with plans to eventually sell, as “flips” but I consider it more “re-loving” a home. I try to keep as much of the original character and charm as possible. Features like phone nooks, hex tiles, glass door knobs, original hardwood floors, and even sometimes wallpaper, are like found treasure. And one of my favorite things to do is add more character and charm along the way. I love whites paired with rich, warm tones, textures like tongue-and-groove ceilings, and wainscotting. I think they bring softness, warmth, and depth to help create the cozy feelings of home. I do my best to find budget-friendly options, including repurposed items and do-it-yourself projects. I’m a bit of a misfit when it comes to my inspiration. I grew up in New Jersey and have lived in South Carolina for 15 years, but New England is where I draw most of my inspiration. I have visited a family home on the coast of Maine for years and a lot of the colors in our home – blues and greens – were inspired by the colors of the seaglass we collect along the coast. New England style is classic and timeless – It has a lived in, light and airy feel with natural elements, layered neutrals, and painted woodwork. A lot of our furniture, dishes, and even our front door and kitchen door were thrift-store or Craigslist finds. Having a limited budget, I have learned to mix old with new to achieve the charming New England look that I love so much. Most of my furniture and decor items, such as the white pottery collection, came from thrift stores. This has allowed me to create a more collected and cultivated look in our home. A large part of the reason I was drawn to our current home is because of the century-old barn situated on a hill in our backyard. I have dreamed of owning a barn-store for years. I’m slowly developing a vision for it and hope to start working on it in the coming months. Thank you again, Luciane! I look forward to admiring your future “Beautiful Homes of Instagram”!” Beautiful Homes of Instagram I haven’t made major changes to the exterior of our home, but I removed some of the overgrown shrubs, dark tinted screens, added window boxes, and painted the shutters and porch floor. Porch The floor was a fun project. I decided I wanted it to look like wood planks so a friend and I taped it off with ⅛” painter’s tape and spent a few days completing it. I couldn’t be happier with it. I also replaced our front door. Rocking Chairs Be still my heart!!! If it wasn’t enough having a swing – it also comes with rocking chairs! Dreamy, right? Outdoor Furniture: All furniture, including swing, were second-hand (Craigslist or thrift stores). Front Door I found our front door during a very stressful time in the remodel. I was feeling overwhelmed and very stressed about the budget. I had taken a screenshot of an identical door days before I found it for $10 at a thrift store. I truly feel it was a gift from God to remind me that He would provide. It needed lots of love but it’s still one of my favorite things about our home and a daily reminder that God provides. Front Door: Thrift store find; Painted Farrow and Ball ‘Dix Blue’. Porch Light Pendant: Joss & Main – Wingate brand Outdoor Hanging Lantern. Entryway I added board and batten with hooks to the living room and it gives the feel of an entryway without actually having one. The front door opens directly into the living room. Trim, wainscoting throughout the house: Sherwin Williams Pure White. Bench – Antique store Prints – Downloaded for free online; Frames: HomeGoods Hooks – Amazon – Franklin Brass Pillow covers – Etsy Lantern: Lowes Living Room I opened the wall from the living room to the kitchen, which allows for easy entertaining. There were original hardwood floors under the carpeting and they came out beautifully. I chose to use a dark walnut stain to and depth and warmth since I use so many light tones on the walls and furniture. With layered rugs, shades of white, gray and blue/green, the room feels calming and peaceful. Kitchen and living room: Walls – Sherwin Williams ‘Agreeable Gray’ Sofa and Chairs: IKEA Rugs: Jute – World Market – Smaller – Overstock.com – Safavieh Vintage Coffee Table – Custom made Blue Chair & Table behind chair – Thrift Store Lantern: Pottery Barn Basket: Pottery Barn Fireplace I added tongue and groove above the mantel, recessed lighting, and painted the fireplace hearth tiles using a stencil. Paint color is Sherwin Williams Pure White. Tobacco Basket – Thrift store in Southport, NC Ladder – DIY project Hues Each detail adds to the overall feel of this welcoming home. Flooring Flooring: 2.5 White Oak stained Dark Walnut with satin finish – *Floors were original to the house (under carpet) but added them in the kitchen and had all floors sanded and stained together. Kitchen My favorite room in our home is the kitchen and it’s undergone the most drastic changes. The kitchen was originally a galley-style and was divided into three separate spaces – kitchen, dining room, and breakfast room. From day one, I knew I wanted to remove the dividing walls to make it one large space. I also removed a closet and opened the wall to the living room. I worked within a very tight budget and was able to complete the kitchen space for around $10,000. Kitchen Island Our kitchen island is a DIY project using a double-vanity I found on Craigslist. With the help of a friend, we added the shiplap, baseboards, butcherblock top, and corbels. I don’t think anyone would know now that it was originally a bathroom vanity. Island Countertop: Butcher Block stained in Minwax ‘Dark Walnut’. Kitchen island dimension: 72” X 35” Kitchen Pendants: Pottery Barn Classic Pendant Ribbed Glass in Nickel, Size Large Cabinet Paint Color The cabinet paint color is “Sherwin Williams Pure”. Sherwin Williams Pure White is a fantastic white for kitchen cabinets. Cabinets: Lowes Shenandoah Brand Cabinetry -Pre-painted in Linen. Mission style doors. Ceiling Treatment: Tongue and Groove, painted Sherwin Williams ‘Pure White’. Where to Save & Where to Splurge I opted to splurge on a few things like glass doors, a full-depth refrigerator cabinet, full height cabinets, and tongue-and-groove ceilings, but saved by not adding a lot of drawers or extra bells and whistles. I wanted the space to be timeless and open, but also feel warm and inviting. I think the mission was accomplished. Wreaths – Hobby Lobby Bread Box – Painted Fox Sign – Christmas Tree Shop Scale: Antique store in Portland, Maine Rug – Overstock.com – NuLoom Vintage Countertop I opted for laminate countertops with the look of marble (rather than the real thing). Countertops: Formica Brand 180FX laminate in Carrara Marble with Barcelona edge. Sink: Amazon – Premier Charlestown Two-handle bridge faucet. Pot Filler: Overstock – Kingston Brass Chrome Plated Cafe Curtains in Kitchen: JCPenney Details The hood and open shelves were also DIY projects. I think together they give the space more of a custom-look without the cost. Backsplash: Subway tile – Daltile brand. Wall Paint Color Walls are Sherwin Williams ‘Agreeable Gray’. Cabinet Hardware: Cup Pulls: Martha Stewart in Polished Nickel. Knobs: Amazon Amerock Polished Chrome. Kitchen Door I saw this door propped up on the side of a local thrift store months after we moved in. I knew I wanted a door with a diagonal pattern to break up the vertical lines in our kitchen. I measured the door with a piece of paper that day (it was all I had) and it was a fit! I left a note asking them to please hold it for me because they were closed at the time, and sure enough they did! I’m convinced it’s the girlfriend of our front door – It has a more feminine look with the diagonal window panes, but they have matching X-patterns on the bottom. It’s like they were made for this home and each other. Door Paint Color Robin’s Egg Blue Door Paint Color: Behr ‘Whipped Mint’. Dining Room Loren’s dining room features half wall shiplap and neutral decor. Table, white chair and bench: Thrift stores. Ratan Chairs: Target. Curtains – JCPenney. Chandelier Dining Chandelier: Overstock Design Craft Alma Light *I made some adjustments to it though, including removing part of it and spray painting the entire fixture. Rug Rug: World Market Shelves: DIY / Brackets from Lowes White Dishes: Mostly thrift stores Hooks: Hobby Lobby Curtains: IKEA Ritva Den Our den had very dark wood paneling with blue carpeting when I purchased the home. I painted the paneling Sherwin Williams Alabaster. Curl-up Sofa: IKEA Puffs: Tuesday Morning Coffee Table: Thrift Store Carpeting in Den: Home Depot Trendy Threads II, Color: Graham Curtains in den, dining, and master bedroom: IKEA Ritva Brick Fireplace I recently updated the fireplace with a DIY German Schmear technique. We love the gas logs and carpeting in this room. I also added the french doors between the kitchen and den which is nice when guests stay with us. They’re able to close the doors if needed since the guest room is off the den. Bathroom I kept our bathroom as original to the home as possible. I’m thankful for timeless styles like black and white tiles, because it allows for an updated look without having to spend a lot. I added the plantation shutters, beadboard, shelves and paint, but everything else is original. I had to get a little creative to cover the holes from the previous radiator – Rather than trying to patch the tile, I added the small bookcase to cover the patching. Bathroom: Original tile, sink, mirror and light fixture. Paint Color Bathroom: Walls – Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray. Ellie’s Room Ellie’s room is one of my favorite rooms in the house. It gets the best (magical) sunlight. Walls – Benjamin Moore ‘Pale Oak’. Wallpaper I recently added the wallpaper from Wallpaperie in the ‘Amara Floral’ print and photos can’t quite capture it’s loveliness. Her bedskirt and precious pink buffalo check ruffled pillow were sewn by a talented friend, Tracy at Tracey’s Feathered Nest. Roman Shades in Ellie’s room: JCPenney – Curtains: IKEA Ritva Bed: Thrift store Dresser: IKEA Rug: World Market Duvet: Nautica brand Pink Chair: Pottery Barn Guest Bedroom I simply love this bedroom! The wallpaper is original to the house. Decor Plantation Shutters: American Classic Bed: Thrift store Bedside Table: Pottery Barn Outlet Bedskirt – Amazon – Greenland Home Fashions Voile Bedding: Hand-me-downs *Guest room – Floors have not been stained yet Master Bedroom It was love at first sight with the guest room. I love the corner windows and coziness of this space. It previously had blue carpeting but I tore it out and left it as is. I debated stripping the wallpaper but decided to keep it – It gives this room such a soft, nostalgic feel. There is a small bathroom attached, but I haven’t started this remodel yet. Walls – Sherwin Williams ‘Alabaster’. Bed: Bombay Company (no longer in business) Rug: World Market Curtains: IKEA Ritva Duvet Cover and Shams: Pottery Barn Bedskirt: Amazon – Greenland Home Fashions Voile Stool: Thrift store Blue Barn This home is a home where dreams flourish and come true… You are so right, Loren. God provides! Make sure to follow Loren from @BlueBarnAndCottage on Instagram to see more photos of her beautiful home! Exterior Photos: Sabrina Fields See more “Beautiful Homes of Instagram”: @SweetShadyLane: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. @sanctuaryhomedecor: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. @MyGeorgiaHouse: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. @urban_farmhouse_build: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. @nanlindy: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. Click here to see all “Beautiful Homes of Instagram”. Latest Interior Design Ideas. You can follow my pins here: Pinterest/HomeBunch See more Inspiring Interior Design Ideas in my Archives. Popular Paint Color Posts: The Best Benjamin Moore Paint Colors 2016 Paint Color Ideas for your Home Interior Paint Color and Color Palette Pictures Interior Paint Color and Color Palette Ideas Inspiring Interior Paint Color Ideas Interior Paint Color and Color Palette New 2015 Paint Color Ideas Interior Paint Color Ideas Interior Design Ideas: Paint Color Interior Ideas: Paint Color More Paint Color Ideas Hello, my friends, Pinterest: Many of you have written emails asking me why you aren’t being able to pin lately. Pinterest and I are working to resolve this issue and hopefully we’ll be able to pin very soon. Meanwhile, feel free to pin from my Instagram. Thank you for your support, my friends and have a Blessed week! with Love, Luciane from HomeBunch.com Interior Design Services within Your Budget Come Follow me on Come Follow me on Get Home Bunch Posts Via Email Contact Luciane “For your shopping convenience, this post might contain links to retailers where you can purchase the products (or similar) featured. I make a small commission if you use these links to make your purchase so thank you for your support!”

[joel-furniss-blog]

Punk Fashion

Walking around Salford, litter is abundant. Dirty plastic bottles, glass shards, sunbleached crisp packets seemingly punctuate every street corner, providing a rather unhealthy view to anyone from the outside world. I’ve garnered some sense of appreciation for the recycling of materials in my artwork, even before starting this course I collected a large bag of scraps and rubbish I intended to use sometime, but I have an appreciation for some finer, unconventional materials that are more difficult to come by. As well as my pretentious taste in rubbish I find that there isn’t anything new or interesting I could do with these plastic scraps and whatever could be produced will automatically be stapled with an instant environmental message (something I’d rather avoid).

I wanted to look to more unexplored avenue of sculpture, something to utilize the prime resources of while keeping a level of perpendicularity to the history and pyschogeography of the place itself and being an unexplored creative front for myself. I have dabbled with sculpture recently in the past with some experimentation into wood and metal and a large focus on clay, but I look back at those works without the fondest of eyes. All I recall was a reliance on the exact, an overemphasis on measurements and rules which ultimately stifled a lot of my creative output. And not to mention my dislike of the solid sculpture, a large, cumbersome object restricted to a plinth, it personally bores me and I’d much rather explore a more fluid and transient material, something mouldable and breakable that I can push limits with. I was led to the soft sculpture for its adaptable and heavily malleable properties, but the question still remained what my soft sculptures would be.

While thinking I was brought back to my first dérive where I spotted something early on in a small grassy clearing adjacent to a closed Inn. A heavily damp and muddy t-shirt. To be specific it was a Versus Versace Graffiti Print T-Shirt in white, featuring the words ‘VERSUS’ scrawled and layered with each other over and over again in a style similar to graffiti, although presented with less consideration and skill as a spray-paint bomb and rather with an abandon and scathing sense of malice. The piece of clothing, along with many other pieces in the Versus collection also feature a sense of DIY style and rugged anti-everything, a punk style for all intents and purposes.

And then it sparked.

I was in Salford, a city deeply rooted within the entire punk movement, it presented itself as a perfect opportunity to explore one of the most outward elements in the punk hemisphere, the fashion. When it comes to the fashion of pop culture, not many have been as bold, innovative and long-lasting as the punk style, spanning decades, splintering into multiple avenues and having influences deep in the skin of modern day designer fashion and streetwear. Somewhat ironic since it began as an outstanding rejection of the excessive, elaborate and ultimately materialistic apparel in the 70’s rock and disco scene or the deemed ‘boring and safe’ mass produced fashion of the forming corporate high street labels for a much cheaper yet still somewhat elaborate style spawned from the punks themselves, a collection of rejects, losers, rebels and individuals that instead of trying to blend with the wider society, sought to pull away and build a vast anti-establishment motif that followed in their music, literature, art and, of course, their fashion.

One of my main interest in the fashion is their resourcefulness and do-it-yourself culture, how they take items that are usually associated with different and opposing subcultures and assimilate them into their own pieces, a repurposing of what they could. This ideology was described by photographer Chrissy Piper who was a young adult throughout the later stages of the punk movement and made a name for herself photographing the underground hardcore scene in the 1990’s who said: “Repurposing a lot of things… wearing a lot of clothes that had been my mother’s or my aunt’s and when those didn’t fit or weren’t going to be turning them into something else… mixing 1950’s and 1960’s style and maybe even getting nerdier than most people would.”

A prominent example of this is their adoption of the 1460 Dr. Marten boots, a boot originally designed to be durable and yet comfortable for the everyday workman and for a time after its original release of April 1st 1960, it was readily adopted by members of the British Northern working class such as postman, factory workers and even police officers. The influence of the ‘DM’ trickled down the generations of the working class, eventually finding itself at the feet of working class youth who understood its intimidating profile and used it as an unofficial symbol to instil a working class pride within themselves. The first generation of skinhead culture faded during the later stages of the 1970’s, but their message of alternative values rang into the birthing punk culture, and as a result, the 1460 found a new home on the feet of many punks who found the ugly, intimidating figures and resounding booms they produced to represent perfectly the non-conformist attitudes they held. But the consumption of other cultural fashion symbols didn’t stop at skinheads, as the movement developed into a palpable subculture they began incorporating other scraps of other and sometimes even opposing cultures. Many female punks sought to upturn typical ideas of femininity through semi-humorous juxtaposition by pairing clothing with feminine connotations such as a ballerina’s tutu with a more defiant and conventionally masculine piece, such as a pair of leather bovver boots, a representation of a rebellious mind-set against the dominant ideology paired with striking ingenuity and understanding of the subversive. Another example during the early steps was the inclusion of blazers as a statement piece, usually associated with the idea of a preppy public school type, what many would consider an antithesis to the punk. Yet, once again with a level of dexterous flair they utilized second-hand or purchased their own cheap blazers and with the inclusion of offensive colours, vulgar patches, painted slogans, drawn designs, lavatory chains, bin liners, and the signature safety pins, creating their own signature, non-replicable pieces as a display of individuality.

And it’s this that I want to focus on, the unique nature and construction of their clothes, during a time where capitalist economics were at their height under the fear of the Cold War, when monetarism kept the British market on a tight leash and the trickle-down economics of Reagan allowed companies to produce clothing en masse, the punk subculture adopted a DIY ethic, utilising the leftovers, hand-me-downs and scrap they could to create signatures to themselves, expressions of individuality amongst turbulence, and as I see the littered rags and forgotten clothes on the streets of Salford I figure that this exploration of creating individual pieces of art, because I see what the punks created to be art, outward thoughts created by hands to express and garner emotions from their viewers.

During some ‘micro-dérives’ I began collecting old clothes abandoned on roads, scrap heaps, parks, and pretty much wherever I could find them, as well as other fragments of fabrics or trinkets I thought could be utilized in my clothing. Using these as my metaphorical paints and a selection of tapes, pins, needles, strings and a large spool of nylon fishing wire I worked into the bodies of these garments, stitching, stapling, pinning, scrawling, and tying until I had built two individual outfits as part of what I like to perceive as a fashion line of sorts. Granted my knowledge of formal stitch methods is limited and when I began my project I thought I would rely heavily on a sewing machine, but I figured I would instead rely on my inept hands to create them instead as I think my informal and clumsy stitching would show a better representation of the similar designs present in the punk fashion, after all, most punks were not formally trained either and relied heavily on pins and tapes to hold their clothes together. Due to my amateur hands I do not expect my works to hold up under stress, but despite appearances and general ideas, they are not solely meant to be worn.

I personally believe that is the beauty of the soft sculpture as opposed to the more moulded and constructed works of metal, stone, wood and plastic, especially with cloth where a sense of fluidity is added, not just in the aesthetic but in the all-important display. Whereas most hard sculptures are confined to few methods of display, the possibilities with cloth are much more appealing, it can be hung, draped, dropped, folded, stretched, bunched, twisted, and in the case of my work, worn. However I have not attached myself to this work enough to actually physically wear them myself, after all I found them on the street and most are still dirty and some even present with mould, which is why I have incorporated the help of Daphne, an old shop front dummy and a possession of my father’s. Originally belonging to one of my father’s ex-girlfriends Helen Knox (who worked as a tour manager for both the Rolling Stones and Morrisey) who found her in a skip outside Rackhams, a large department store outside Royal Leamington Spa, my hometown. It resided at her flat in Whitnash, a small town near Leamington and at some point, Daphne transitioned from Helen’s possession to my father’s before he married my mother and raised me, from there it followed me to Leamington, my childhood town of Leek and now briefly here, to Salford. Daphne has always been a prominent feature in my childhood homes and I always saw her decorated with the retired youth clothes of my mother and father, from the heavily customised Tank Girl-esque denim shorts of my mother to the more leather-heavy rocker apparel of my father, in that way she has always been a punk icon to me, with a history of Rock ‘n’ Roll in her plastic veins and a reminder of its sensibilities and style decades after it’s diminishment. Now she serves to fill the void of the clothes I have found, a place holder for those who saw fit to dump their garments, in that way a connection has fostered between the two, both discarded for unknown reasons and now given a purpose.

During my work with the clothes I have often wondered why they have been left. This has always been a question of mine, whenever I have seen a lone shoe, or especially with the Versace t-shirt I found muddied, I am drawn to wonder what mind-set must the person be in to leave them on the floor, are they simply forgotten there, thrown out or something else? To me clothes are precious and not to be wasted, they are expressions of ourselves, our outsides in, if you will. With most of the clothes I have found, I must come to the conclusion that they are simply thrown out, old or unstylish items ripped or ruined and deemed obsolete, but for some reason instead of being put in the bin, they have been left on the street. In this way they are an addition of Salford’s littered streets, a permanent mark on the concrete and itself an extension of the scum, which is exactly why I have made them part of my project, they themselves have ingrained into Salford. They might be considered a mockery or a statement, but I have simply just captured my reaction to Salford through Salford itself, much like how the punks of London, New York and Belfast have captured their environment in their clothes, I have done similar here.

Sources used:

Punk Style, Monica Sklar, 2013

Fashion as Communication, Malcolm Barnard, 2002

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punk_fashion

[chloeallenba3b]

Freelance Considerations

In terms of my printmaking practice, I feel that it’s most suited to a more freelance approach of selling original prints of reproductions.  There are a lot of creative opportunities for independent makers in Norwich, which I will pursue in the future as I’ll be staying in Norwich after graduation.

Selling Artwork

Art Sales/ Markets

NORWICH

Makers Market - Launched in 2012, Norwich Makers Market is a fantastic event providing an outlet for local makers to sell their work. We have 25 stalls and we vary the types of goods being sold at each event to ensure a fresh feel to the market. A massive range of quality, locally produced products are sold including jewellery, textile products, cupcakes, bespoke prints, paintings, fashion, furniture and homewares. 

Norwich Art Boot - A non-profit-event and a collaboration between Print the People, Redwell Brewery, Proper Pizza and Access to Music. It's a great opportunity for artists to display and sell their work, enjoy a beer, some street food and some live music just on the edge of the city at Redwell Brewery.

Clutter City - a place for creative independent crafters /makers / bakers / artists / collectives to sell their work. We focus on original and unique items including clothes, illustrations, jewellery, badges, ceramic, sewn items, paper goods, prints, zines and more.  Inspired by the  DIY handmade culture Clutter City aims to bring the best of local talent to your doorstep.

Fierce Babes Makers Market - 20 local makers, vegan food and cake, fierce babe totes and a raffle! All profits from stall fees, raffle and fierce babe totes will be donated to Papyrus the young suicide prevention charity and cause close to many people. Keep an eye on the event for profiles on the makers and come see us on the day!

BRANCHING OUT

Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair - A not for profit event which champions makers at all stages of their careers, from emerging graduates to highly collectible and critically acclaimed makers. It is supported by Arts Council England through the National Lottery Grant for the Arts.

DIY Art Market - A celebration of London’s independent publishers, and emerging/established artists, championing original/unique items, an art market for lovers of all that is D.I.Y. and self published. Showcasing a curated selection of over 60 artists, it’s a great place to discover a new wave of publishers/artists, all exhibiting and selling an eclectic range of original items.

Crafty Fox Market- Connecting UK handmade and design talent with savvy shoppers. Events take place seasonally around London featuring hand-picked stalls, workshops and DJs. Our purpose is to support emerging designer makers and artists by providing opportunities for them to sell their work. Ethics, community and sustainability are at the core of everything we do.

Brighton DIY Art Market - a great place to discover an eclectic range of original items, and buy them direct from the artist. This event will showcase a curated selection of over 60 emerging artists, exhibiting alongside some more established, all from a wide range of artistic backgrounds, all of whom demonstrate an innovative approach to their practice. 

External Printmaking

As my work has been predominantely made using printmaking methods, I’ve considered how I can continue this without the reasources and studio available at NUA.  The main place is Print to the People, where I would be able to continue the practice at a reasonable fee.  I’m also very much interested in figuring out some form of home set up, which I have discussed with Jess in the printmaking studio. 

Setup Requirements  MATERIALS: Printing roller Intaglio printmaking ink Fabriano Paper (or handmade paper) White Spirit Cloths/Old rags Monoprint plates/Aluminium Sheet DESK/WORKSPACE: Standing desk with a glass surface

PRESS: Foam A really heavy rolling pin Registration Sheet (Acetate?) Wooden sheets 

SOAK & BLOT: Blotting Paper Water Bath Rolling Pin  Squeegee 

RESOURCES: Intaglio Printmaker Jacksons Art Amazon Lawrence

Pricing

This was something I stuggled with deciding when having my work in The Emporium, because I feel there’s lots of factors to try and balance.  - I’m not an established artist/printmaker - If it’s an original one off piece that I wouldn’t be able to use again - If it’s a giclée reproduction of an original print  - The time and cost to make the print - Location, ‘audience’ and marketability - What I’m content to sell it for - Is exposure more important than a one off cost? - How to be profitable without being extorionate? - The addition of the hanging/commission fee to the overall price

For the Into the Dark Woods prints, I set them at £45 each including the frame. At the time, I felt this was reasonable considering the time and practice that had led to producing the prints. They are also one off original prints, which would render them unique pieces. 

Now, I feel that this is potentially a bit high, because they’re not as refined as what I feel I am able to produce now. This is something I will have to consider if I put forward some prints for selling at the Degree Show Shop.

Platforms

For online selling, I think that Etsy would provide the most potential for sales, because it’s an established selling platform that would allow for a wider audience to access my work. If I were to sell things from my own website, there wouldn’t be a commission for putting pieces up, however it would be very reliant on people going directly to my site. I don’t think this would be viable, unless I was a more known and established maker.  Etsy’s Sellers Handbook - https://www.etsy.com/uk/seller-handbook/?ref=ftr

[popofventi]

Ear Buds :: 10 Songs We Love This Week :: 4.14.17

10

SONGS

WE

LOVE

THIS 

WEEK

Starring

Bleachers, Sloan Peterson, The Wooden Sky, Nvdes, Maggie Koerner, Paul Shaffer And The World's Most Dangerous Band featuring Jenny Lewis, Hinds, The New Pornographers, Devon Gilfillian & Noga Erez

1

Bleachers :: "Don't Take The Money" :: @bleachersmusic

Jack Antonoff has released a new Bleachers song, “Don’t Take the Money.” It’s taken from the band’s upcoming sophomore album, which has yet to be announced. The song appears to feature backing vocals from Lorde, with whom Antonoff wrote the song.

2

The New Pornographers :: "High Ticket Attractions" :: @TheNewPornos :: New Album Whiteout Conditions out now

The New Pornographers are A.C. Newman, Blaine Thurier, Dan Bejar, Joe Seiders, John Collins, Kathryn Calder, Neko Case, and Todd Fancey. Whiteout Conditions, the new full-length record is out now. The album is the first release on the band’s own Collected Works Records.

About the new album’s first single, NPR declares, “Hold on tight: it’s another relentlessly exuberant, propulsive jam from The New Pornographers. The latest in the band’s deep catalog of clever and addictive power pop is “High Ticket Attractions.”

Since their debut in 2000, The New Pornographers have released six studio albums including their most recent, Brill Bruisers, hailed as an “exuberant, synthpop-infused set” by Rolling Stone, “infectious” by Harper’s Bazaar and “the grand and purposeful hookfest that you would hope these guys would come back with” by Stereogum. Pitchfork went on to note that “with the futurist sound of Brill Bruisers, the whole band embraces a more electric version of itself-bulked-up in chrome-plated armor, firing on all cylinders, and ready to steamroll anything in its path.” Source: newpornographers.com

3

Paul Shaffer And The World's Most Dangerous Band featuring Jenny Lewis :: "Sorrow" :: @paulshaffer :: @jennylewis :: New SELF-Titled Album out now

Paul Shaffer, the longtime David Letterman bandleader, has put out a new album with his band, still going by the moniker "The World’s Most Dangerous Band". The LP features collaborations with a truly bizarre array of guests: Bill Murray, Shaggy, Darius Rucker. But the best song on the album is "Sorrow". A tribute of sorts to David Bowie with the always terrific Jenny Lewis. Originally a 1965 McCoys song, Bowie covered the track on his '73 album 'Pin Ups'. Lewis and Shaffer's version of the song is more refined and polished, but damn, Jenny Lewis could sing the liner notes and I'd be all in.

4

Sloan Peterson :: "105" :: @Sloanpeterson_ :: Forthcoming self-titled debut EP that will be out 7.13.17 :: Available for purchase here

Sloan Peterson - the new project from Sydney, Australia-based songwriter Joe Jackson - has released the music video for her debut single, "105." The video is the first video to be shot in the historic Sydney building since David Bowie's music video for "Let's Dance."

Of the song, Jackson says, "I wrote '105' pretty absentmindedly and at the time I don't think I even knew if the 105 was an actual highway or street at all, ha! But the last verse was written about a lost lover of mine, who clearly lacked emotion and devotion, making my life at that period a little painful. It was a natural development of words from my heart; a sense of having someone but not really having them at all, trying to figure out all the question marks that go around relationships.

"105" is the first single released from Sloan Peterson's forthcoming self-titled debut EP that will be out July 13th, 2017 via Mirror Records.

Although only 24, Sloan Peterson is the second band Jackson has formed and fronted. Having moved in with her sister at age 16, she forged her taste for music through involvement in the DIY art scene of Sydney, where she was living at the time. She spent years recording music through her laptop, filming homemade music videos, sifting through dusty records searching for lost gems with friends and lovers as they came and went from her life. It was there she started her previous band Black Zeros and began making a name for herself.

Now, she returns as Sloan Peterson: a love child of '50s guitar pop and modern garage rock, bursting with a warmth that's inseparable from her private identity. Influenced by everything from Elvis, to Latin legend Xavier Cugat, or the fashion statements of Nancy Sinatra and Bowie - Sloan Peterson is the sum of these influences that adds up to so much more.

5

The Wooden Sky :: "Swimming in Strange Waters" :: @thewoodensky :: New Album Swimming in Strange Waters out now

From the Toronto based band themselves, "It's alive!  Very excited to release our 5th LP today.  Swimming in Strange Waters has been a labour of love from day one and has seen a lot of different hands help it along the way.  A big thanks to all our friends, family and loved ones that helped inspire us and made this record possible.  Hope you'll enjoy."

The grit and vitality doesn't always translate to a record but this one has both in spades. I can't recommend this entire album enough.

6

Devon Gilfillian :: "Here And Now" :: @DevonGilfillian :: Self-titled EP Out Now

Nashville-based artist Devon Gilfillian fires twin barrels of gospel-blues and southern soul on his debut EP. Fueled by groove, guitar, and the powerful punch of Gilfillian's voice, the songs shine a light on a young songwriter who grew up outside of Philadelphia, absorbing everything from the R&B swagger of Al Green and Ray Charles to the rock & roll heroics of Jimi Hendrix. Gilfillian puts a personalized stamp on those childhood influences, rolling them into five original songs that showcase not only his songwriting and singing, but also his talent as an instrumentalist. 

7

Nvdes :: "The Other Side" :: @nvdesmusic

NVDES is a Los Angeles producer that has been showering us in seriously fun and quirky indie pop lately. I've already featured his fun track "Don't Fvck Your Neighbor". "The Other Side" is just as fun and I love the backstory on this one:

"'The Other Side' is based on a fling with a girl who liked to dress me up in some of her clothes before we would hook up, this song is an attempt to capture the strange and the fun that went along with it."

  8

Noga Erez :: "Off The Radar" :: @nogaerez :: New album 'Off The Radar ' arrives in June, 2017

"On the title track of her upcoming June album of the same name, Erez tackles contemporary fears of being forgotten, and our desire to share thoughts and desires simply to get a kick out of gaining likes and positive comments. But while she sings about flattening the bumps and capturing “your muscles and your bones,” it’s all set against her some of the boldest, brightest melodies we’ve heard from her to date. Marching beats and the constant refrain of a distinctive, almost brassy synth keep ‘Off The Radar’ urgent. She might sing “hear me no-one, sees me no-one,” but with tracks like this Noga Erez is making sure people take notice." (DIYMAG.com)

9

Hinds :: "Davey Crockett" :: @hindsband :: Davey Crockett IS off Hinds' 2015 EP Very Best of Hinds So Far :: Newest CD Leave Me Alone

Hinds is a Spanish indie rock band from Madrid, formed in 2011, consisting of Carlotta Cosials (vocals, guitar), Ana Perrote (vocals, guitar), Ade Martin (bass, backing vocals) and Amber Grimbergen (drums). The original name of the band was Deers, but they were forced to change it at the end of 2014, due to the threat of legal action from a similarly named band. The group chose "Hinds" which as we all know is a female deer.

10

Maggie Koerner :: "Dig Down Deep" :: @MaggieKoerner :: New EP Dig Down Deep out now

The R’COUP’D label announces the release of the “Dig Down Deep” EP from New Orleans-based singer-songwriter Maggie Koerner.

Comprising four tracks, the EP was recorded in four different sessions over two years with a lengthy list of collaborating musicians, including executive production from the face of Fink and R’COUP’D head himself, Fin Greenall. 

Her relationship with Greenall so too represents a sort of sonic kismet. After meeting a mutual contact in a treehouse in France, Koerner repeatedly emailed demos, caught his attention with EP track “Cayute Woman” and they went on to work together in Berlin, Los Angeles and New Orleans.

On Koerner, Greenall says:

“Maggie’s voice is stunning, her material is honest to the bone, and she is a rare, true, artist. Capable of incredible highs and incredible lows, Maggie and her art are inseparable—and all true artists can relate to that.” 

Koerner’s process is markedly patient and relaxed, and reflects her belief that “you don’t need a controlled environment to make music”—but that’s not to say it’s aimless. Title track “Dig Down Deep“, released today, reflects Koerner’s ethical and musical upbringing which she says taught her to “make music matter.” On the track, she expands:

“I want music to make people feel again, to ask questions again about what the hell is happening around us.“

Encouraging the listener to dig down deep, in its myriad interpretations, carries especially significant meaning in the current climate of domestic and global affairs, which in turn contribute to her unique perspective as a songwriter.

Koerner is already recognizable on the US tour circuit for her incredible live performances with esteemed, festival-favorite acts. Now stepping  out in a more intimate direction—and with Fink producing—her new material is where her voice is given room to slowly smolder, leaving behind a chilled but haunting trace.

4.14.17 MUSIC RELEASES

Barenaked Ladies, Lillie Mae, Julia Fordham, Leslie Mendelson, The String Cheese Incident, Fionn Regan, Splashh, Little Dragon, John Mayer, Kendrick Lamar, Actress, Part Chimp, William Joseph Cook, Richie Kotzen, Sam Outlaw, Bailey Bryan & Deep State

EAR BUDS :: 10 SONGS WE LOVE THIS WEEK :: 4.14.17

-xxx-

[nofomoartworld]

THINKS to Think

THINKS to Think is a new Wednesday feature for the reimagined Bad at Sports.

Who better to inspire imagination than Dr. Seuss? Oh, the THINKS you can Think! is classic Seuss. I discovered it last Christmas when my brother gave a copy to his friend’s son–and quickly bought one for myself.

The book’s title popped into my head after a B@S meeting when I volunteered to take on Wednesday as the weekly slot for “think pieces.” Happily for readers and myself, Keeley Haftner and Meg Santisi signed up to join me in writing and recruiting for THINKS to Think.

Our new series opens with my conversation with Luis Sahagún. Together we think about the forms and colors, characters and legends of the imaginary world embodied in his current show.

Oh, the THINKS

you can think up

if only you try!

Luis Sahagún, The Clouds Spirit

Luis Sahagún: Brotherhood: Leyendas de un Bracero

Kruger Gallery in Chicago until March 31, 2017

A conversation with Lise McKean

LM: You’ve talked about your background and its influence on your work in interviews and artistic statements. Could you talk about what comes to mind about your own story as we’re sitting here in the gallery surrounded by your recent work?

LS: A lot of times when I write a statement about my work, I say I use art to connect with my family. But what does that really mean? For example, what does that say about my relationship with my dad? When I was at the residency in Roswell, I decided to use art, objects, and visual culture to find an intersection or way to connect with him in a way I hadn’t done before through art.

I started paying attention to the objects at our house that he had collected. I had taken pictures of them before I went to Roswell. They’re little objects—cows and horses are next to the Statue of Liberty next to a Native American statue next to a dream catcher. He takes a lot of time curating the objects, placing them around the house. I was interested in that gesture.

They’re more than objects. They connect to his past life in Mexico. They had a lot of land in Mexico and raised cows. The objects carried memories of a life from his past. I thought by understanding that gesture, I could find a moment or way of connecting with my dad.

Hunch [and friends]

LM: Can you talk about the thinking and feeling that went into your exploration of his objects?

LS: I was interested in the gesture. For instance, my dad’s Facebook profile. He started posting photos of objects from his collection. Most specifically, the panther. His profile showed a panther. Then his friend created the image of super colorful panther that has my dad’s face imposed on it.

He grew up on the farm and never went to school. He learned to read and write as an adult. My mom went to school up to third grade. My mom is infatuated with fish.

LM: Did she grow up near the ocean?

LS: Yes, she grew up by the Pacific Ocean. Everything is fish—glass fish, metal fish, ceramic fish. She has fish tank in the bathroom. She doesn’t even know why. She pinned a stuff Nemo to the bathroom wall. It took me a while to realize that my parents’ relationship to their collections is as innocent and playful as a child’s.

The Child of Two Bloods

LM: Did this realization come for being away from home and the distance created by being at Roswell?

LS: Yes. And being at a distance, I also realized that our home was an embodiment of Mexico. But everything outside of our home was different. They were two completely different worlds.

LM: What do your parents say when you try to talk to your parents about their objects in the house? Do they see their objects as collections?

LS: My dad is a storyteller. He tells stories about being a farmer. I know that they’re his memories. My dad’s mom will tell me more specific things. The objects are tools to remember their past lives. My mom doesn’t talk about herself.

LM: So these objects carry memory. Do they embody feelings of loss and longing? Of feeling homesick?

LS: The memories are of the past. It’s not idealized. It’s the past. My parents are both retired. They could go back to live in Mexico. But their life now is here. My mom doesn’t want to leave her kids and grandkids. I see the homesickness in her mom. My parents’ world in Mexico is in the past. They left it behind. But when the phone call comes with news that another cousin died, they cry as if they saw the cousin just yesterday. Another part of them is gone. It’s a new beginning here. A whole new family origin is here. My nieces and sisters won’t go to Mexico.

The Lonely Moon Rides High

LM: With those ideas floating in your mind, can you tell me about how the work is about mythologies of a new place—the new tale of family origin here in the US?

LS: I knew I wanted to make the work more representational and to understand my dad. When I was a kid and wanted to play with my friends, my dad made me work in the garden. He wanted me to know how to grow food. He thought every man should be able to grow food to feed his family. In graduate school and seeing the moon all the time as I lay in bed. I had the leisure to lay and look at it. I started falling in love again with nature. On top of that wonder and reconnection with nature, I went to Roswell.

LM: That forced to farming work as a kid pushed you away from nature. But now you’re coming to a new appreciation of nature—and of father.

LS: That’s a good connection. My dad is a farmer and Roswell is a farming community. Here in Chicago, you’re cut off from nature. You’re in the shadow of skyscrapers. Living in DeKalb and Roswell I could see the sunset, the moon, the stars. Seeing the moon in DeKalb sparked a desire to get wonder back in my life.

LM: It thought it was very dry in Roswell. How can they farm there?

LS: They have to use a lot of water to grow crops in Roswell. It’s sad to see.

LM: What did you propose for the Roswell residency?

LS: In graduate school I focused on materials and materialism. I wanted to be in a community and put this interest in materialism into coherent body of work.

International UFO Museum and Research Center, Roswell

LM: Most people who have heard of Roswell think of UFOs and aliens.

LS: Yes. There’s an alien museum in Roswell [International UFO Museum and Research Center]. About 50,000 people live there. The museum is on a strip with stores selling alien objects. The McDonalds looks like alien spaceship. The museum feels like DIY place. It feels ridiculous to day but I was intrigued by the people who really believe. There’s a sign that says, “If you came to Roswell for the truth, call” and it gives a number.

Roswell has a week-long aliens [UFO] festival. They bring in people to give talks. There’s a movie about a man who believes without a doubt that he was abducted by aliens. I’m fascinated about being so lost in something—to blindly believe in something other people find completely ridiculous.

LM: Were people evangelical about their belief in aliens and UFOs?

LS: That man in the movie wanted to talk to others about his experience of alien abduction. Most people in the audience already were believers. They were interested in learning about aliens and he had answers for them.

McDonalds in Roswell

LM: I’ve been thinking about Dr. Seuss lately. Works of yours such as Hunch and The Rise of a New King seem almost Seussian. Or even alien-like. Did being in Roswell, with images of aliens as part of your visual field, and meeting believers in aliens come to affect your visual vocabulary?

LS: I can’t say no. At the same time, I wasn’t thinking about aliens. I knew what I was making were fish, but I didn’t want them to look like fish. I was more after an emotion. I was exploring how I could use the material of concrete to play with textures, context, and create a feeling. The fact that the fish are cyclopic or one-eyed is really important.  My mom has been really sick for past the 10 years and at one point she almost died. She has a heart condition and after going under anesthesia she lost one of her eyes. It caused her a lot of suffering. When I was making them, I didn’t know why these fish have one eye.

Don

LM: We’ve talked about some of the ideas and feelings underneath your work. Let’s turn to their materiality. They’re substantial objects, yet not forms typically associated with concrete. I’m thinking of concrete and cement as a material that’s poured into rectilinear forms, for example sidewalks and cinder blocks. Your concrete forms in this show aren’t at all rectilinear. They’re almost amorphous, and seem to retain the fluidity of concrete, that is, they suggest the mutable form that concrete takes before it solidifies.

What other works in this show are made with concrete?

LS: In addition to Hunch and Rise of a New King (joint compound, drywall and concrete), the other works in this show with concrete and other materials are Baby, Don, The Clouds Spirit, and A Lost Conversation with an Old Angel. The angel is my grandma.

When I was in grad school, I liked exploring my own resourcefulness. That led me down the concrete path. I remember a grad school professor saying that plaster is a poor man’s marble. I’m using concrete as a poor man’s clay. I love concrete’s gray color. I used it in this way because I have this weird thing in my studio that I like to build relationships with my objects. I build relationship with what the material can and cannot do. I want to make sure I build with materials without asking them to do too much. It makes sense. Concrete has its own alchemy: combine water and powder and it becomes very moldable and dries fast. I don’t feel like I’m asking the concrete to do anything it can’t do.

A Lost Conversation with an Old Angel

LM: Does your familiarity with concrete come from working with it on construction jobs?

LS: Yes, I’ve poured concrete. I wasn’t a skilled laborer. You know the Ozinga trucks? I pushed wheel barrows filled with cement to build interior floors for restaurants and other interiors.

LM: Moving and pouring concrete is demanding physical work. It sounds like you earned your understanding of the properties of concrete through hard labor. Does the Spanish word bracero in the title of your show refer to your experience of working as an unskilled laborer?

LS: Bracero means working class. For example, a bracero can be a concrete worker, farmworker, or steelworker. Mexicans were brought to Chicago Heights to work in the steel mills in the 1940s through the Bracero Project. They came over a period of time. My grandfathers on my mom’s and dad’s sides were brought by the Bracero Project.

LM: So the word bracero is personal beyond your own work experience. It also relates to how your family got to Chicago Heights.

LS: In grad school I was part of a history project that was trying to find and document the stories of Braceros still living in the U.S. The project reminded me that my own family was Bracero.

LM: So Bracero is about your family history, your experience as a bracero, and bringing both of those strands into your art practice. Are there other strands?

LS: That’s right. My interest in materials, Bracero connections on both sides of my family, and my work in construction.

LM: Let’s look at specific works now, starting with The Words of Silent Ancestors? This scale of this work is mural-like. Its panels and overall horizontal length evoke east Asian screen paintings. What led you to that format? And what about those visceral materials in the lower part? And do you have anything more to say about the panther image?

The Words of Silent Ancestors

LS: At the time I was making this work I was moving between working in studio and writing the mythology. The story and characters were important to me to tell. I attempted to do it with poetry. That’s a panther-ish figure. I realized I made the panther character different in each work. But the all the panthers have two common and distinguishing features. They are saber-toothed and have pointy ears. It’s the same with the fish. It’s the same with fish character but each one looks different. If I was talking about same character, it would never look the same:

LM: That idea for your panther and fish characters reminds me of the figure in mythology and folktales of the shape-shifter. It appears in many different cultures. A scholar named Stith Thompson created the Motif-Index of Folk-literature. It’s fascinating to see how motifs appear in far flung places.

LS: In The Words of Silent Ancestors I wanted to create a painting that functioned as a painting. By that I mean it’s a window to another world. I wanted to make it appropriate to another world so I used simple, one-point perspective. It’s not too logical. It could be sunset or sunrise. The light and colors don’t have to make sense. In my world these things don’t t have to make sense.

LM You’re making a world that has its own approach to making sense—one that’s not governed by logical and visual conventions.

LS: Exactly. And this was a fun project. The idea of one eye appears in different ways. Some of my stories treat the moon as a one eye. The panther’s eye is the moon looking at us in the “concrete world.”

LM: I like the way concrete is both literal and metaphorical at the same time in your work. By making images with concrete, you make your imaginary world concrete for viewers. I’d like to hear more about what’s going on in The Words of Silent Ancestors.

LS: The panther has its mouth open. The long form projecting from the upper to the lower panel is the panther’s lower lip. The panther’s breath is the arcing form coming down on the left. Its one eye is like full moon. There’s abstraction in foreground. The wave is cresting. I use stucco to  give it dimensionality.

LM: What is in stucco.

LS: It’s made from soil and fibers. Stucco is a new material for me to work with. In Roswell stucco is a very common building material.

LM: How did you apply the stucco to make the waves?

LS: It’s a combination of stucco, silicone caulk, resin, foam, and acrylic. I dyed the stucco blue, and painted parts of it.

The Words of Silent Ancestors, detail

LM: What’s going on with the palette? It’s a distinctive range and combination of colors.

LS: I don’t want to get too art history but I took from Frank Stella the idea that all color is arbitrary. I just line up my buckets and start painting. I know what colors I buy but when I approach the canvas I just start. It’s intuitive. If I don’t like it, I repaint to change the color.

LM: I ask because I’ve spent time in artists’ studios where they are very precise and particular about color. They have color tests and samples pinned up on the wall. I guess some painters are more colorists than others.

LS: I’m not a colorist. I use it for feeling and depth.

LM: Can you say something about the forms in the painting’s upper left?

LS: It’s a mountain cave. I used gesso instead of white. The painting is on cement board, a material typically used for attaching bathroom and kitchen tile. It’s more resistant to moisture than drywall. Each panel weighs about 20 pounds and I made a u-channel to attach them in the gallery.

LM : When we were having lunch before the interview, you mentioned the upcoming performance you’re planning for your Bolt Residency. The Words of Silent Ancestors could be an excellent backdrop for the dance you described.

LS: I was thinking about that too in restaurant.

LM: They Had Young Hearts, but Large Halos is the piece you chose for the gallery window. Its large circular form makes frames a view into the gallery and the entire show. It’s like a smaller window placed inside a larger one. It looks like it’s made of 2 by 4s.

LS: It’s the last piece I made for this show.

LM: The 2 x 4s bring to mind the construction work of braceros.

LS: I used to build wood trusses for homes. They’re sold pre-made and used for the top of buildings and floors. I worked at company called Best Homes building trusses. It was the worst job of my life.

LM: What made it so bad?

LS: It was such hard work. You had to work outside in rain shine. The trusses are built on huge conveyor belts that move from inside to outside, where they’re loaded on trucks. The workers have to hammer by hand. The pieces of wood are squeezed together as they’re moved along the conveyor belt. The workers have to hammer them together and then put clamps on them.

I worked there during the summer during college. When I went back to my dorm room in the fall I wrote down the name of the company to remind me to study so I wouldn’t have to work there after college. The work was so painful. You wake up in the night with a fever. When a new person came we would place bets on whether they would quit before lunch. OSHA finally shut the company down company because of violations.

They Had Young Hearts, but Large Halos

LM: So bracero is the tough and repetitive work of lifting, carrying, pounding. Of working in heat, rain, and cold. Work that’s physically painful and wears out your body.

LS: Yes, and to survive that kind of work you have to be very creative. You have to figure out how to move trusses with hammer to reduce the effort and strain.

LM: For braceros, necessity is mother of invention. They need to minimize the toll of work on the body.

LS: I’ve seen braceros who are super-creative. There are videos online of albanil the work of coating bricks and cinderblocks with cement, paint or whitewash that show amazing, labor-saving techniques.

LM: In this interview we’ve talked about the work in this show you made during your Roswell residency. Right now you have a Bolt residency with the Chicago Artists Coalition. Can you give a preview of what’s coming next?

LS: I’m creating a fictional ritual that involves sculpture, sound, and dance. The idea came from my creation mythology that combines many stories into one. Instead of continuing to develop the mythology, I want to continue to tell the same story over and over in different forms. I want to tell a similar story with dance. The show will be on July 21 at the Bolt space.

          Phyllis Bramson’s Take on Pleasure and Folly

Flashes in the Dark

Pritzker Military Library

At a Distance: A Social Game for a Lonely Winter

Top 5 for 6/26, 6/27 & 6/28

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[futuresandpasts]

Futures & Pasts | MRR #411

Some thoughts on early ‘80s Floridian femme-punk, modern Polish synth-damage & Australian Mekons-worship, as found in the pages of Maximum Rocknroll #411 (August 2017).

I’ve always resented the backwards-gazing mentality that, especially in the last few years, has given way to a glut of completely unnecessary reissues, cash-in reunion tours, and the sort of preoccupation with the already-canonized that fosters a frustrating resistance to taking chances and seeking out music that is being made right now, under the radar of tacit scene approval. But to be honest, 2017 has been an extremely difficult year for me so far, and maybe depression is partially to blame, but there’s been very little new music that hasn’t left me completely nonplussed and underwhelmed (and not for lack of trying). The records that I’ve been coming back to most often over the last few months seem to be the ones that have been scrabbled together from the archives - maybe it’s the escapism of immersing myself in a history that’s already been written, or maybe I’m only a step or two away from being one of those people who only goes to shows in cavernous venues featuring ‘70s and ‘80s post-punk cult heroes back from the grave and “reformed” with one original member (hello, GANG OF FOUR).

At any rate, I was really glad to see early ‘80s South Floridian femme-punks MORBID OPERA included on the first installment of the Subnormal Girls compilation series last year, and the band’s legacy has just been even more thoroughly preserved thanks to a new anthology LP compiling their lone EP (1983’s Jesus Loves You - So Give Us Your Money!), a handful of contributions to the We Can’t Help It If We’re From Florida compilation 7”, and two tracks previously only available on a posthumous cassette. Like the more-or-less concurrently existing NEO BOYS in Portland or CHALK CIRCLE in Washington, DC, the women of MORBID OPERA (plus some rotating boy guitarists) started playing music together as a means of carving out space for themselves in a very heavily male-dominated local DIY scene, crafting songs with a raw, ragged jangle that stood in total opposition to the loud/fast orthodoxy that had taken hold as punk mutated into hardcore by the mid-1980s. Lisa Hodapp’s vocals had a gritty and endearingly off-key dramatic flair, and the stripped-down ‘60s garage stomp-meets-’80s punk slash of songs like “One Dimensional” and “Madness” could have easily been the product of some alternate reality where Exene Cervenka (who was a Florida expatriate herself) had taken over X to turn it into a total DIY post-punk girl-gang. The huge insert booklet included with Collection is pretty incredible on its own, complete with lyrics, a brief history of the band (most telling lines: “Lisa was influenced by the hardcore music coming out of DC, California, and locally, as well as anarchist music out of England,” and “Libby was more into art-school music, such as MARINE GIRLS, SLITS, and BIRTHDAY PARTY”), tons of photocopied flyers, a full-color photo spread, a lengthy interview reproduced from a local zine circa ‘82-’83, and a Florida scene report describing MORBID OPERA as “the best thing in Florida since TEDDY and the FRAT GIRLS” - I can’t really argue with that. Limited to 500 copies, so don’t sleep on it. (Vinyl Rites, vinylrites.bigcartel.com / morbidopera.bandcamp.com)

PUSTOSTANY were a short-lived spin-off of Polish post-punk/no wave combo KURWS, and in late 2012, they recorded eight songs with a synth-damaged mechanical breakdown vibe that predated that whole “Midwestern American punk freaks recreating their favorite DEVO records” phenomenon by at least a year or two, released them as a cassette simply called 2012 via the small Polish label Oficyna Biedota, and then presumably splintered. Flash forward a few years to 2017 - Sweet Rot Records stumble on the songs in “the deep dark annals of the internet” and re-release them as a 12” EP, thus rescuing PUSTOSTANY from being forever lost in post-mortem demo-tape-only purgatory. The guitar strangles and scrapes, the distorted squeals of synth sound like a Z-grade sci-fi soundtrack being chewed up by a faulty tape deck, and the bass and drums lock into a steady rhythmic pummel for vocalist Maciek to shout over, pairing jaggedly spartan post-punk in the tradition of the EX or the FALL (circa the early ‘80s) with an edge of SCREAMERS/COUNT VERTIGO techno-futuristic paranoia updated for our 21st century hell-world. It’s Killed By Synth for the Messthetics set, and it’s frenzied and fucked up in the best possible way. (Sweet Rot, sweetrotrecords.com)

Zero Work is the latest EP from Sydney, Australia’s DILEMMAS, demonstrating the sort of critical lyrical fixation on the structures of romance, labor and leisure that you’d probably expect from a group that had covered not one but two early MEKONS songs on their previous recording, while the music itself draws from a fairly disparate set of late ‘70s/early ‘80s post-punk influences. I have some pretty clear allegiances and biases when it comes to the latter, and “Bomb the Clock,” with its starkly repetitive rhythm (bass, practically cymbal-less drums and absolutely no guitar) augmented by a droning synth whirr and deadpan talk-sung femme vocals, definitely rings my minimal coldwave bell as the standout of the EP. “Towel” follows a similar pattern but starts off much more urgently, with the drums speeding up bit-by-bit to match dual-vocalist shouts before it all crashes into a coolly-detached synth-backed chant of “it’s not something / that I really want to do,” and some scritch-scratch guitar finally pops up in “1 in 3,” pinned down by rubbery bass and a bratty girl-gang delivery of lines like “I really like you / let’s go to your place / dim the lights / what the fuck!” that’s right out of the HUGGY BEAR textbook. The real outlier here is “Ruins to Communes,” a scrappy acoustic waltz in the tradition of Fear and Whiskey-era MEKONS or CHUMBAWAMBA at their most anarcho-folk, which is very much not my thing, but three out of four isn’t so bad. (You Need to Practice More, yntpm.bandcamp.com/album/zero-work)