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Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Woohoo! All checked in at the hotel and getting comfy for the evening, already excited to draw. My hotel is near the convention center and the architecture of that building alone is pretty sick. I’ll take pics when it’s not dark. I could be naive because Portland has so many smaller buildings, so everything here already feels massive. (Coming from someone who has also only been in town for an hour haha)

My Uber driver from the airport said to definitely check out the arts district tomorrow, but that I should get a car there, not walk. Is this a ploy by big Uber? Do I risk the 1.8 mile walk? (I think I risk the walk) 

Google says 45 minutes, but get me caffeinated and I’ll make it there in 20 zzzzOOOOmmmm!

Friday, December 8, 2023

Since we last spoke, I spent a couple hours reading and drawing at Method Coffee Toasters. They have some really thoughtful book curation in the cafe, highly recommend checking them out. I grabbed a couple art crit books. (Curation by @found_objs) The space was so beautiful and calm to hang out in. Then……. The biggest thing happened! I met my friend Madeline. 

So the backstory, upon getting the confirmation that I’d be coming to Denver, I reached out to someone on ig that I knew lived in Denver. None other than Madeline (@nonporous.ceramics). I didn’t have any irl friends living here and connecting with internet friends is actually one of my favorite things ever. Especially in this case.  The camaraderie between fellow artists is like no other connection in my experience. Also in my lived experience we’re always reclusive studio workaholics (for better or worse) so many of my friends are online, or we stay in touch that way. But that doesn’t mean it’s not nerve wracking when you meet them irl! Thankfully it was an immediate connection and we were laughing and screaming and goofing off. 

Madeline took me to her studio in the Arts District (also known as RiNo, River North Art District) to show me where the magic happens. She’s an outstanding potter and I love how strong her personal style comes through in her work. The color story and vivid airbrushing techniques remind me of chrome alien sci-fi and 80s post modern design. I was also able to bring them a painting as trade for some pottery. I made a point of using a rich cobalt, nearly ultramarine, as a nod to the blue she uses in some of her pottery. I included a picture in my lil collage :) Her studio is in a huge old brick building, and we commiserated about the joys and woes of such a special space. My studio in Portland Oregon is also a big old brick building :) with all their quirks I can’t see myself anywhere else.

The rest of the evening I walked the 2.5 miles back to my hotel popping in to different shops along the way. Amazing vintage, taking photos of signs and tons of gorg brick buildings (a theme I will investigate) and stopped in to Meiningers Art Supply, which has been around since 1881! Amazing!!!!!!!!!!! I got to chatting with some of the employees, and purchased a few postcards that I’ll be sending to my sweeties near and far. By then it was dark and I still had a lil ways back, so I put on my audio book (down the drain by Julia Fox) and chugged on back for some yoga, more reading, and a quiet night.

Today will be far more action packed. The plan is:
- Denver Museum of Contemporary Art
-Kirkland Museum Fine and Decorative Art
-David B. Smith Gallery (if open, they might be in Miami)
- Fancy Tiger Holiday Market (Madeline is tabling and many other amazing local vendors!)

Ta-Ta for now :)

Saturday, December 9, 2023

Attempting multiple galleries, I only made two yesterday! Too much good stuff I got kicked out at closing time. I was able to make the Kirkland and the Denver art museum. And HOOOOboy! Did I hit the jackpot. The Kirkland Museum has paintings, but more than anything else it is an experience in time travel. The whole space is laid out salon style and you weave through these different rooms completely full of pottery, glass, metal work, furnitures rugs paintings. It was a holy grail for anyone who enjoys vintage design or thrifting. I was crawling around on the floor trying to get pictures at every angle. 

This museum perfectly combines work of folkloric utility and conceptual high end artistic design. The necessity and love of both perfectly shining. The innovation and detail is impossible to totally get from photos, but none the less I took them. I was getting a rush being there.  Carrying my friends and loved one in my heart too. 

Not going to school, everything I know I’ve learned from my friends and personal research. Our shared fixations crossing over and building deeper bonds. Seeing a Wassily chair that one bud had pined after for years and finally found. The Noguchi lamps and tables constantly being ripped off by other designers never setting foot in their purist homes, and seeing the real thing in person, I can’t help but think of them. How many times we’ve shared “if you ever find this out, just get it for me and I’ll pay you back later” haha   Even seeing some glassware that I remember my grandparents had, and wondering where those are now. 

In my practice I make tons of still life’s, and walking through the Kirkland reminded me why. Because it is so much more than a cup on a table. There is gravity and history in what we keep around us. What we choose to hold and pass on. I hope I can translate that through my work. 

Next I went to the Denver Art Museum which was just across the way. I had no idea it was so huge hahahaha it’s two buildings, one building is 4 floors and the other is 7!!!! Insanity. I’ll actually keep it brief in this part because I had seen most of their exhibits already funny enough and I want to talk about the new shiiiiiit. And riding the high from what I had already seen, surprise it was object design hah. History, utility, how techniques evolve over time through interpretation. Loved it. I had been in the museum for so many hours they started to close so I got cut short and on my way I went.

Hit up Levan deli for a sandwich, highly recommend. And swung by the maker market at Fancy Tiger Crafts. Everyone was so kind and excited, but it had started snowing so it was winding down. I did get some killer yard for a bonnet I want to knit. The brand is Beiroa Rosa Pomar from Portugal. Made exclusively of yarn from Portuguese Serra da Estrela sheep. I don’t know much about fiber aside from liking the natural stuff, and these really caught my eye. Coarse and vivid, big pluses for me haha.

By then it was late and dark and snowing so I headed home to unwind. Today I’m heading to the Museum of Contemporary for another walk about and maker market, then this evening walking around a German Christmas crafts faire that is near me. Talk soon! Smooches