Worlds Collide...

What are you afraid of? by Darla Jackson, 2005

Some people who know me know that one of my "past lives" (one of the many things I did before getting into sculpture) was as a tattoo apprentice. I was always interested in tattoos and initially thought I wanted to do them as a profession. However, during my apprenticeship, I was offered a job teaching a sculpture class at an art center and decided to take it, leaving the tattoo world for the sculpture world....though periodically the two collide...

Last year (I think) I had gotten an Etsy message from someone who had gotten my sculpture, What are you afraid of? tattooed on their shoulder. Alot of people were questioning whether I was ok with it and honestly, I was flattered. I figure if they liked it enough to wear it on their body for the rest of their lives and they were ok with it, then so was I. And I thought it was an interesting combo of the path I almost took and the path I did take.

I had forgotten about this until today, when I got another photo, this time via my Facebook Page, of the same sculpture tattooed on a forearm. Again, I'm flattered and of all the pieces I've ever made, I'm always so amazed that this is the one that people relate most to... This was the first piece I did that experimented with the dual meaning and really started me down the road of creating the type of work I do. So a big thanks to anyone who loves the image enough to live with it forever...

To Apply: Philadelphia Artists' Collective Artist in Residence Program

Here is some information on the Philadelphia Artists' Collective (a local theatre company) Artist-In-Residence program. They are looking for a sculptor, so check it out!

Philadelphia Artists' Collective, a local theatre company.

Part of our mission is that for each of our theatre productions, we partner with a visual artist. Our Artist-In-Residence program is designed to bring artists from separate disciplines together, helping to inspire accessible art, interesting discussion, and enriching collaboration between actors, designers, directors, technicians, and visual artists. In the past, our Artists-In-Residence have partnered with the folks at Broad Street Ministry and conducted community workshops with the homeless and needy; additionally, the work of our AIR's have been incorporated into the scenic design and displayed throughout the space. It is partially a showcase opportunity, and it does come with a stipend. 

For our upcoming September production of August Strindberg's Creditors, we are seeking a sculptor to partner with us -- partially because we have only ever worked with painters before, and partly because one of the play's main characters is a sculptor. We are looking to find a sculptor who might be interested! The AIR position is still a new development for us, and we are still playing with what the format might include, but we are hoping to find someone with an adventurous spirit, and an aesthetic that matches the sparse, haunting landscape of the text. 

Please feel free to contact me at my email, katherineafritz@gmail.com, or by phone at 518-260-7284. Our website, http://www.philartistscollective.org/, has more information about our own mission and about the Resident Artist Program. 

 

Best, 

Katherine Fritz

Artistic Associate

Philadelphia Artists' Collective

Tonight! Animated Architecture Launch Party!

Tonight Sean Stoops is officially launching his Knight Arts Project with a party/fund-raiser at the Public House from 6-8pm!

More info from the FB event page:

This is the official launch party and fund-raising kick off event for my Knight Arts Challenge winning project! Help me celebrate the award and spread the word about my campaign to raise matching funds!
Free admission (project donations accepted)! There will be half price drinks and appetizer specials for my guests during the happy hour times (includes most alcohol, except drinks with 'top shelf' whisky, bourbon, etc.). I will have brochures/donation forms for my Animated Architecture video art project, so please bring your check books or you can make a pledge to donate later or pass the word on to other arts donors.

Public House At Logan Square

Two Logan Square (18th Street between Arch + Cherry)

Philadelphia, PA 19103-2824

Windows and door

Thanks to Geoff Thompson for the fabulous donation of windows, a door, a bathtub (for soaking molds) and a sink. The windows and door will be used for the office and member lounge (exciting!) So photos of that to come soon!

And thanks to Kelly and Gaby for scraping down the door!

Just sculpt...

Sorry for the blog silence yesterday...on top of being tremendously busy, it was a rough day all around. I'm generally a very happy person but this past week has just felt like one thing after another and sometimes everything just hits you at once and you need to go off and cry for a few days over everything that you didn't let bother you for the last year or so. (And I'm sure a crazy full moon and Venus rolling in front of the sun didn't help...) But I will say this... When I get upset, I become the most inspired and productive. I can't help but make things. I know this is me processing what I'm feeling but because my work tends to be very emotion based in general, the things I create at times like these tend to be some of the stronger stuff...I've been sculpting and sketching alot and have a few pieces started and a few more on the way, which feels amazing. SO why all this about me? Well, I think 1) it's helpful to know that other people are out there going through it. Being an artist (or a human) can sometimes feel extremely isolating, especially when you're upset about something, and 2) I think as artists, our work is an extremely important outlet...like a pressure release valve. I know alot of people who feel this way but are too busy/tired/sad to make work...just make something, even something small. I'm already feeling better and am excited about the new work...now to build a giant armature...yikes!

Weekend Recap

Wow...what a crazy weekend that was, packed from start to finish. Friday night we started off at Indy Hall for the In Progress show, celebrating their expansion into the first floor of 20 N. 3rd Street. The show was great and the space was packed!

 

Here are my snake and rabbit sculptures on either end of the table, with Terri's deer in the middle.

Justin and Gus's work.

 

Olivia was umbrella obsessed and had a whole bunch of admirers on our way from the car to Space 1026.

 

Jake Henry's show, It's a trap!, at Space 1026 was really fabulous. It was a mix of wood and metal sculpture, both free standing and some wall mounted pieces, and paintings, which all worked beautifully together. I especially liked the giant trap at the far end of the room, although I kept being afraid of Olivia getting into it (which she tried!)

 

Welded teeth

And I loved this little welded bear trap...

After the openings, Jenny and I went to the Crane Building to set up for the 2012 Philadelphia Truck Expo. We were given a pickup truck to use and everyone had to create something in it, around it, on it, etc... It was Jenny's great idea to do a natural history museum type display of all the amazing things we found in our building while renovating...

Our truck full of fabulous specimens!

Detail.

The opening was really fun and all the trucks were really varied which I loved. Ryan and Tim did a great job pulling it all together. Thanks for having us!!!

Lastly, we got some great donations this weekend, including a fridge (Thanks Gus!) and kitchen set up for our member lounge (Thanks Joe!) and some wood carving and leather working tools (Thanks Victor!). And big thanks, as always, to the amazing people who come help make it happen, Jenifer, Brynn (aka the Zen master), Gus, and Jenny. We could not do it without you guys.

(Sidebar. Anyone wanting to remove paint from windows, make a paste of washing soda and spread it on. Let it sit for a while, keeping it moist. Then use a scraper and a wire brush to take it all off. We have these horrible textured glass windows that grabbed the paint like it was its job, and this worked to get the paint off, and is non-toxic (Take that Paint Stripper! Booyah!)!)

Tiny Aluminum Pour!

Last night, between rainstorms, we got to see a tiny outdoor aluminum pour and it was incredible.

 

It started off with the tiniest little crucible I'd ever seen...

  

...and the cutest little furnace (I understand that tiny and cute are generally not words that go with pouring molten metal but I feel they are fitting...so there.)

  

Even though it was her first metal pour, Olivia was far more concerned with the puddles than anything else.

Getting set up...

 

...and fired up!

 

 And because one fire is never enough, we had to light another one for cooking veggie hotdogs...

 

That's the aluminum being put in through the hole in the top of the furnace so it will melt down.

 

Such a fabulous set up that Gus made.

Preheating the ingot mold on the edge of the furnace.

Scraping off any slag off of the molten aluminum.

 

Almost ready to pour! See how the crucible is glowing? It was so beautiful...

Poured! 

Gus poured the aluminum into sand molds he had made, and I was lucky enough to see him make another on the spot after pouring the first two, which he then poured into for a total of 3 castings. I would've taken photos of the sand mold process but Olivia stole my phone at some point. I'm sure we'll be doing this again soon so not to worry...