Quick Creature-Filled Post

I'm in the final stretch of preparation for my show and, amongst the mad rush to finish both framing and my window display props AND that pesky pile of homework (note: I love said homework, it's just the timing of all this that's a bit crazy) I figured I should pop a quick post up to (a) give everyone a non-photobooth sneak peek of some of the 3D beasts I've created for the exhibit, and (b) throw in a convenient reminder of that whole THIS SHOW OPENS IN TWO-ish DAYS HOLY CRAP. Please, if you can, come to the opening (see image at bottom of post for more info). If you can't make it, that's OK! The show's up at Freedom Clothing Collective until March 26th (and up at Graven Feather for the month of February).

Anyways, presented without captions (who has time for captions these days?), some process shots from my beast production line:





















Onwards to Friday!

Buford's Big Cameo!

My gallery, Freedom Clothing Collective, has put out a lovely summer video lookbook (even fancier than a photo-lookbook!) and my friend Buford B. Bartleby, Strongman Extraordinaire, has a wee cameo - look for him in the background during the last half of the video:

FREEDOM CLOTHING - Summer 2011 from Freedom Clothing Collective on Vimeo.

Buford is also for sale in the FCC online shop! How thrilling!

A Whale of a Tale

According to my beloved Paper Place (and its mysterious cousin, the Japanese Paper Place), this June is all about washi (click for Wikipedia-based learnin'!). I had the pleasure of attending a lovely washi workshop a few months ago at the Japanese Paper Place, and, having learned about promptly promised Freedom Clothing Collective I'd make a piece for their washi-inspired exhibition.

Being a master procrastinator, I left the actual creation of the piece until the last minute, but I'm mercifully happy with the final result. It's in line with my current nautical obsession - here's a shot of the watercolour background, pre-shadowboxing:



And the finished piece (photo taken in the GORGEOUS garden that's attached to the building in which my new studio lives...mega-super bonus, guys)!



The shadowbox is 5" x 7", which means this here ship measures approximately 1" in length...



...while the whale is just a bit bigger at 2.5" or so.



Both of the washi items were hand-sewn with gold embroidery thread, which was stressful (thankfully the paper is impressively strong and resists ripping pretty darn well), but ended up giving an appealing atmosphere to the final setup (I like to think it's slightly reminiscent of the handmade dream-scenes in Science of Sleep, though that may be wishful thinking). Once it was finished, I also realized it reminded me of one of my favourite prints by Canadian printmaker David Blackwood:

I swear the resemblance wasn't purposeful, but the end result, which is kind of a kid's book version of the print, certainly amuses me!

Elsewhere

My lovely Freedom Clothing Collective ladies were kind enough to ask for one of my images for the header of their March newsletter. I ended up altering the scan of my first fully finished Seahouse into a suitable banner image, like so:



And the final newsletter turned out like so.

It's always exciting seeing my work wandering around, getting into places it wouldn't normally be!

Farther's Opening Gala: A Pictorial

The work went all the way to the wire (the peep show was still being installed at 7:30 p.m.), but in the end the show's much-awaited opening went off without a hitch! There were homemade baked goods (moms are the best), a rollicking crowd, lovely tunes and a whole bunch of colourful freaks ready to entertain the masses.

For those of you who could not make it out last night, remember that the show will be up at Freedom Clothing Collective until Dember 9th!

Since I'm still in a bit of a haze (the week leading up to last night was, to put it mildly, hectic), you get a pictorial of the evening. Enjoy!






My darling Martha, the first freak to sell. I'll miss my mer-tiger ever so much!


A dim shot of the store window, all bunting'd and carnivalesque.

To follow: Peep show shenanigans...












Two VERY relieved bear-wranglers, thrilled that the thing works!


The jazz hands were out in force last night.


Spectators spectating.


The crowd at its zenith.

Thanks to all those who made it out last night - you made me a VERY happy lady!

Many thanks as well to the lovely ladies of Freedom CC who provided me with wonderful walls in a glorious shoppe and made the organization of this show easy as pie!

Ever So Soon

Sorry (again) for the extreme dropoff in blog-things - the past few weeks have been a leafy blur of hot glue fumes, paper cutting and workshop jaunts, which, when combined with my day job, made for little free time for keeping this sucker up to date.

I figured it'd be useful to drop in now, three (THREE?!?) days before the show opens to toss down (a) a reminder of the time/date/awesomeness of the opening, and (b) post a few shots of (hopefully) tantalizing trees!

First off, the deets on the show's opening (and tenure at the gallery):



Farther's Fascinating Freaks
New Paintings & Other Curiosities by Jessica Bartram


Please join me for the show’s opening
Friday, November 12, 2010, 8:00 p.m.
at
Freedom Clothing Collective
939 Bloor St. West, Toronto

Ph: 416.530.9946
www.freedomclothingcollective.com

Show runs November 12 - December 7

---

And, as an added bonus, you also get a visual essay (maybe more of a visual haiku, actually) documenting the last few weeks of work via sketchy cell-phone and photo booth photos:


The nearly-finished swan.


The swan's headshot - needs to find itself a better photographer.


First look at the facade of the peep show (pre-colour, post-primer).


Tibetan momos - one of my workshop-time staple foods.


This is my SAFETYFACE (preparing to make use of my friend the circular saw).


Starting the first tree...


...slightly mad at 2 a.m., post finishing the second tree...


...and completely done all three trees!


This is most likely the last proper post until the show opens on Friday - after that, I'll have a bunch of material (including a VIDEO of the peep show! Exciting!!), so make sure to check back sometime next week!

Freedom CC Newsletter!

The Freedom Clothing Collective newsletter came out today and I just happen to be in it! By 'I', I mean 'my bears, who seem to be major attention hogs'.

Check 'em out!

In other show-update news, I've started feathering the swan (teaser photos to come someday), the bears will soon have a roof over their heads, and I'm about to mail out invitations for the show. Things are certainly chugging along (hooray)!

Come Meet Esther Blackwood!

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!



The lovely Ms. Blackwood (pictured above) will be taking part in an absolutely lovely group show, opening this coming Friday (July 23rd).

Here's another link with more event information (and a map to the shop).

I hope people can come out - I'm unable to attend the opening, so I want everyone to go and enjoy the party on my behalf!

The show will stay up until August 10th, so you've got a few weeks during which to drop in and say hi to a certain lady-owl.