Chair Affair 2011 Wrap Up

* Close up of the fur from "Theodor" by Brook Ashley more...

The 2011 Chair Affair took place April 28th and 29th at Pioneer Place. It featured a collection of furniture based artwork being auctioned off to raise money for the Communiuty Warehouse. This was my first year to attend the event, and my first charity event to have artwork in. I don't think my piece actually sold, sigh, but it was great to be a part of the event and, I think, over all, many of the pieces were auctioned off. Theodor, featured in the photo above, was a crowd favorite. Unfortunately my only photo of him in his full furry goodness was super blurry.

As I walked around the event I started taking shots of some of the work with my little canon camera and decided I would share them here. Where possible I've added the artist name and info. If you're the artist and would like a copy of the picture at higher rez just contact me and we'll get it to you. Obviously I didn't photograph everything, if you want to see more, almost all of the pieces are viewable at the Chair Affair Website.

*Artist Unknown

This was part of a kids room table set that featured adorable children's drawing themed bugs that I think were pasted onto the surfaces and then covered with a lacquer of sorts. Unfortunately I didn't get the artist information, and I don't see this piece listed on the Chair Affair website. If anyone knows who I should credit, please let me know.

* artist unknown

* "Relax" by Tripper Dungan III more...

I enjoy the tiki styling here, but I'm not sure I would consider this a relaxing place to sit, with such large teeth so close to your ass.

* "The Pearl Graffiti Pair" by Denise Whitney Dahlke more...

I got a chance to talk briefly with Denise about this piece and how she made it. The images on the chairs are all photos she took of portland street art. She then cleaned them up, collaged them and printed them digitally onto the fabric she used to reupholster the seats on these chairs. I'm always conflicted about street art being used as pattern. While I like it visually, I worry about the lessoning of the meaning of the work taken out of the context it was originally placed in. I also think one has to consider who actually has the right to use/reuse work that is placed anonymously, or otherwise, in public spaces.

* Close up of the spinal column from "Cat's Tail" by Fredick H. Zal more...

I didn't get a good shot of the "Cat's Tail" chair in full, but the spinal cord should be a good indicator of what the rest of the chair looks like. Certainly the goth-est of the chairs at the event, and another most talked about peice amongst the crowd.

* "Chair Number 4" by Kim Short more...

I really enjoyed the simplicity of this chairs design, and was happy to see the "Sold" sign on it right at the beginning of the Friday night event.

* "Ode to Napoleon Dynamite" by Erin Ridle more...

The Napoleon chair put a smile on my face, and I think the styling overall felt very at place with Napoleon. The artist also made several keychain photo viewers featuring scenes from the movie. She makes custom photo viewers at her etsy site.

* "Looking Up" by Nely Johnson more...

I really enjoyed the line work of Nely Johnsons pieces. The weight of the seat actually seems to bear on the lady featured at the bottom of this stool. She had a second piece in the show, that I didn't fully notice till I saw the portrait winking at me from behind the bar cart door.

* I believe this is a close up of "Lying In Her Single Bed By The Window" by Nely Johnson more...

* "Home and Chrome" by Jan Peterson Kelley more...

* "Merely Wanting It Won't Be Enough..." Sam Hull more...

*Artist Unknown

This chair is unique in that it's made of mosses, and with weekly watering you can actually keep it growing.

* Artist Unknown

* "If Fish Were Bigger We Would Grant Them Chair Space" Tim Combs more...

* "Happy Chair" by Amy Estrin more...

When I saw this chair, I thought I know that pattern, and this looks professionally reupholstered. Turns out both where right. Amy Estrin runs The Whole 9 Yards and has been making fancy chairs for quiet some time now.

* "Rocking Bird" by Wendy O'Brien more...

Ok... I think this chair takes the prize for the most birds ever. What you don't see in this shot are the 10 birds on wires above the chair. I'm not sure if this was an attempt at "Put a Bird On It" irony or not, but either, way it's a bit much for me.

* "Ocean Fresh" by Thomas Rude more...

So after about 3 hours of walking in a big circle, talking with the artist and patrons, and shooting photographs the night came to an end. As I took visual tally it looked like a good bit of the work had been bid on. I haven't heard yet exactly how well the Community Warehouse did but it seems well. If you were in attendance I'd love to know what you thought of the artwork and the show in general.

Plan B - Drink and Draw

Last night at the Chair Affair I ran into a friend who happened to be running the sound for the event. He mentioned a couple bands playing over at Plan B afterwards so since I wasn't busy and had consumed a couple free drinks already, I decided to head over. I carry my sketch books around with me almost always and so while I waited for the bands to start and for Joe to get done breaking down the "pipecloth" I started sketching a bit...

As I was drawing a picture of me thinking about monsters to draw one of the bartenders asked if she could draw me a picture. And then asked this girl, who was only identified to me as "Almost a Doctor" to add onto her drawing... The result is this charming doodle of someone confused as to why they are being pee'd on by a dog. The bartender drew the person, the "almost doctor" drew the pissing pooch.
Shortly after this the music started, and with the small crowd and my prime bar stool, I couldn't resist trying my had at capturing them... The first band was a husband wife combo called Destroy Nate Allen. Their energy was pretty awesome, talking the crowd into singing, clapping and participating with them as they sung silly punk folk songs about riding bikes and how he hates the song she likes..
Next up, and probably my favorite act of the night, a group called Dangerous Ponies . Their band is pretty massive, their music catchy, and their tambourine player is so hard core that he cut his hand up on his tambourine. Plan B must be used to this, as they dressed his hand quickly and returned him back to the stage before the next track was complete.
About this time Joe show'd up and another group came on who's name I didn't catch. Their music was pretty mellow/dark sounding with an 80's new wave edge to it.
Finally the band that Joe is friends with, Cat Fancy, was on. They were pretty rocking, I drew the lead vocalist a second time, cause I felt she came off way to manish below, but I think that drawing ended up with, as I drew a pretty silly and ill drawn picture of him on the back side.
There are more non-band related doodles from the night but I think I'll save them for another post. Also, I'll be posting more about the chair affair as soon as I download and sort the pictures I took.

Mountains Made of Fur

I recently began exchanging tweets with Jessica Gowling of Natures My Friend. She's a printmaker and artist from Canada who's work often centers around nature. Recently she finished making the "Mountains Made of Fur" zine pictured above and sent a tweet out asking if anyone wanted a copy. I, of course, tweeted quickly back that I would love one.

The envelope arrived in my P.O. Box held together with a furry triangle sticker. And after careful consideration I opened it down the right side and slide the contents out.

I can't show you everything that was inside the envelope but here's a few glimpses...

And some fun stickers, including my favorite "When Life Gives You TENDONITIS Make ZINES" .


The back side of the Zine folds out into a poster, and that's going up on my newly made inspiration walls ( more on that in a later post). The stickers should be finding their way around town soon. As a thank you for sharing her art with me, I'm sending a package back ( should be in the mail soon) with one of my comics and some other goodies... I haven't really done any mail art swaps before, but if anyone else is interested in a swap, let me know! If you want to get in on Jessica's mail art, be sure to find her on twitter!

Packages from Afar

If there is any benefit for me about Laura, aka CuriousDoodles, traveling and leaving me here in Portland, it's that I often get cool things in the mail. I haven't shared any of these mailings publicly but she was recently in India, and I just received the following package from her.

I forget the name for this type of mailer but the whole thing is wrapped in a soft canvas like fabric and held together with string and what appears to be wax.

I think it's by far one of the coolest looking packages I've ever received in the mail. I have yet to open it though, as I'm not sure how to do so without ruining it. My guess is to start with the string and sort the rest out from there. I have a hunch though that this is a storage package ( she's been sending back stuff she doesn't want to lug on the rest of her 6 month trip), so once I check in with her I'll see if I should even bother to try and open it or just leave it for her return.

Night Yeti - Chair Affair 2011 Entry

Today I drop off my Community Warehouse Chair Affair 2011 entrant, "The Night Yeti". It will be auctioned off starting April 28th, along with several other wonderful furniture creations from various Portland Artist! The proceeds of the auction will go to the Community Warehouse, who collect and redistribute donated furniture and household goods to low-income individuals and families in Oregon and Southwest Washington. The Chair Affair is their biggest fundraising event and I'm proud to have my lil feller on their auction block.

There'll be two chances to bid and support the Community Warehouse on April 28th and 29th. Be sure to checkout the website, http://www.communitywarehouse.org/chair-affair-2011 and to reserve your ticket today.

I don't often work with 3D objects, so making this guy was a unique challenge for me. There was also the stipulation that the object should retain it's functionality so I started off by cleaning and sanding down the nightstand I picked from the Community Warehouse back in Nov. and then spray painting it with a powder blue exterior and red interior.

Finally I brought him inside and did the detail work with a mix of polyvinly stickers and arcylic paints, the end result...
There are little hidden gems ( like the brains in the drawer) that I think the buyer will enjoy finding as they use this piece. If you like my lil Yeti and would like to bid on him to support a great cause, please be sure to checkout the Community Warehouse Chair Affair 2011 event.

Monsters and Waffles

This morning I decided to make some tasty waffles from scratch, following this recipe, and of course I tweeted out a photo of a stack of waffles awaiting consumption. In response to that, Almost Monday, a fellow printmaker here in Portland, asked if monsters like Waffles... And at first I assumed they all would, but then I remembered a friend of mine from college who has seriously super hairy arms and feared syrup. So I came to this conclusion, scaly and bald monsters would probably love waffles, but furry critters might not be so fond.

Think Fast!

Wait, that's not what I meant...

F.U. Booger

Peanut Butter asks the question that will change lunch forever...

How milk gets involved is another comic all together...

Even Wrapped Fish Can Pine...

Dumb Bread

This is how my toast get's made most mornings... Other times it involves dodge ball, but it's always fun.

Fancy Monsters Drink Wine...

Been a while since I just posted a doodle, soo... Please enjoy my fancy monster friend as he sips his wine.

HiP at The Pull

Just before the holiday madness Bettie, of HandMade In Portland aka HiP, paid a visit to The Pull to get some totes made. She's posted this great review over at her blog about her time with us and what you could expect if you want to get some screen printing done. HiP is a great resource for learning about Handmade vendors and events here in Portland!

** Update ** HiP is no more, Bettie has started a new site called Little Paper Cities as she focuses more on her love of photography. Be sure to check out her Etsy shop for prints and notecards in the near future.

*photo credit Bettie Newell

Introducing Stuffies!

Those of you who came and saw CuriousDoodles and I got a sneak peak of my plushie toy collectable line, Stuffies! I've now added the Pengies and our beloved lil Monster to my etsy shop! Stuffies are hand screen printed using water based non-toxic ink on organic fair trade cotton. This makes them oh so soft to touch and snuggle. The backs are carefully chosen reclaimed scrap materials, often cotton plaid flannels, or wool. They are then machine sewed by me, and stuffed with a Bamboo based Natur-Fil® rayon stuffing. Finally they are hand sewn shut. It's been a lot of learning and work to get these lil fellers done, I hope you like them!

There's more Stuffies on the way... I wanna thank CuriousDoodles for all her help as I'm learning my way around the sewing machine. More soon!

Holiday Card Time lapse!

While printing this years batch of holiday cards I thought it would be fun to show you some of the process that goes into silk screening by making a fun time lapse of the penguin cards being made! I take you from exposing and hosing to getting the job off press in under 2mins! Don't forget, the cards are now available in my shop!