grand is next

i am listening to hear where you are

2012-01-27T09:16:00.002-07:00

i just finished reading a very good book, Great House, by Nicole Krauss. i have always loved the way Nicole Krauss and Jonathan Safran Foer incorporate their Jewish identities in a very specific language. it's hard to describe but if you haven't read them, check it out.

coincidentally, i was rushing out the door for work yesterday morning and realized i needed a new book so i quickly picked up the Eichmann in Jerusalem (you know, for some light reading) and started reading it with the Aeroplane Over the Sea playing in my headphones (an album all about the singer's fascination with Anne Frank). and THEN, last night, after our opening for a new exhibition at work, we were fortunately able to have a small reception in the home and studio of Vera Klement, a fantastic painter who emigrated from Germany to the U.S. in 1938, just barely missing the holocaust. some strange symmetry is going on this week.

i also had an awkward conversation in a bar last weekend about the definition of religion. i have been very much enjoying going to mass again, alone and on sunday evenings. not sure what's going on but something is shifting.

p.s.

2012-01-12T12:44:00.005-07:00

Kurt Vile's "Smoke Ring for My Halo" also is really good. but it could just be the snowstorm.

dirt off your shoulder

2012-01-11T09:29:00.005-07:00

i've been thinking about music i listen in really, really down times. luckily, there have only been a few times in my life when i need to dive deep into my music for this reason. for gaby, it was one grizzly bear song and one deathcab song on endless repeat. for my grandpa it was the julie dorion and mt eerie album over and over again. for a big break up it was arcade fire neon bible non-stop. i don't know how to feel right now. i can't dwell on a person lost and the memories of them. colin and i can only look to each other and hold each other up. i didn't know how strong of a husband i have until now, so that could be considered a silver lining. so, music-wise, the only thing that seems to sound good and strangely appropriate right now is over-inflated egotistical "i'm the baddest and the best" cheesy hip hop. like kanye's stronger. or jay-z's dirt off your shoulder. lyrically, these songs aren't relevant at all but emotionally they seem to make me feel like us two, together, can handle anything. because we're awesome.

grandpa freeman

2011-11-14T21:21:00.005-07:00

working on a christmas project involving old photos of my dad's dad, grandpa ken. i loved his rowdiness, his love of telling inappropriate jokes (and then winking at you to make sure you were offended), and his talents with all things mechanical. turns out he was great and hilarious in front of a camera, too. some of my favorites:

my dad's pretty cool, too:

from the archive

2011-10-26T21:07:00.004-06:00

the holiday bug has hit me early in 2011 and i started working on this year's cards today. not coincidentally, the best drawings are make in the best sketchbooks (i think it's time for a new one). looking for blank pages, i picked up an oldie tonight, mostly from the DC years. lots of random scribbles and drawings of people i was creepily staring at from across a coffee shop, on a greyhound, or while on guard at the Phillips Collection. lots of quickly drawn maps of streets in new york to help navigate pre-iPhone. a list was inside:
+:
whining folk musicians
painted walls
strong coffee
gospel music
cocktails with mom & dad (grown-up vacations)
graph paper/mechanical pencils
eavesdropping
green beverages
empty churches
horizontal stripes

-:
bald spots covered up
glossy lipstick
saying "excuse me" as an insult
hustle bustle
nylons
socks on carpet
ballpoint pens
vertical stripes

i think this list pretty much sums up my desire at the time to get out of the east coast and back into the midwest.

scans from a few pages:

anyways, looking forward to printing some new cards and making more gifts on the sewing machine. so far, i have three completed that i'm pretty excited about.

farm wedding

2011-10-02T08:06:00.005-06:00

we went to the best little wedding on a farm in pekin, illinois last weekend. every detail seemed to need its picture taken, so i took a lot more photos than usual. i had the privilege of making the invitations for this couple a few months ago and was shocked at how accurate their "vision" for the invitations matched the actual event. this little barn on a hill i drew out was just about exactly what it looked like in person.

the invitations

the lovely couple

the barn

one awesome toddler:

jeff mangum makes dusty mix tapes

2011-09-19T14:30:00.001-06:00

http://www.walkingwallofwords.com/listen.html

summer stay!

2011-08-25T13:42:00.005-06:00

can't believe it's already almost going to be fall. where did the time go??? it's true what they say about getting older. some highlights from the month:

1. the beach!

2. visit with mom and dad

3. dresser restoration project

(it's so awesome to have a garage AND a basement)

good things not martha stewart kind

2011-07-14T09:09:00.003-06:00

colin and i hung out with these guys a few weeks ago in the backyard of our the house of our friends/neighbors mary beth and ryan. i really admire that they are a) making a living off their art and only their art and b) that they manage to collaborate as a couple. and they're also just really great to hang out with.

looking forward to getting the basement set up for creative space...a creative space where laundry can happen.

house update

2011-07-12T10:44:00.001-06:00

busy busy busy right now but more to come...

Milestones

2011-07-01T10:23:00.004-06:00

We closed on our house yesterday, as I'm sure you probably know by now. The biggest shout out ever goes to our super wonderful agent, Stephanie (for anyone looking to buy a home in Chicago). Immediately after we closed, we headed straight to the house to get under that carpet. Next up: painting, fixing the shower in the bathroom, a bbq in the backyard, and moving in!

before

middle

after

We also had to sadly say goodbye to Megan, Marty, and Penny as they departed for NY, NY. GUYS--you better have lots of pictures for us along the whole journey. We'll miss you like crazy.

very good things

2011-05-10T15:10:00.003-06:00

Colin was typing away on the little laptop last night while we were watching Mad Men and when i asked him what he was typing and he said blog i said "don't jinx it until it's final!" so let's just say something exciting is on the horizon that starts with this:

and ends with this:

(sorry, Colin)

also this song is making me very happy lately

west coast living

2011-04-21T12:19:00.002-06:00

my aunt and uncle have a beach house (not this one) in washington that was built in the early 1900s. everything inside (except the nintendo and color tv my cousin brought over in the 80s) has remained the same since they originally decorated it. love love love

i'm missing it already

irina werning

2011-04-13T12:42:00.006-06:00

stumbled across her work this morning and it made me ridiculously happy. i appreciate her bold and shameless humor matched with perfect craft (constructing tiny sets for a dog and meticulously matched props).

here are some of my favorites

sunshine=projects

2011-04-11T13:50:00.004-06:00

- a drawing i made for good pal allison williams' birthday from a photograph she once gave me.

- i have been working on some wedding invitations for friends. i wish i could post the designs here because i'm pretty excited about them but don't want to give away their details.

- and taking really fun classes at the needle shop

i loooooove spring

remember muxtape?

2011-03-29T15:00:00.003-06:00

this must have replaced it. i am such a sucker for a well composed musical grouping (note-this one was made quickly from what was available on my work computer so not the most varied).

and i found it from reading a teenager's blog. oh internet, you always surprise me.

let us now praise famous men

2011-03-14T09:32:00.004-06:00

it's hard to think of anything else but japan these days. i am trying to reflect on all that i am grateful for--it is a lot.

to add to that feeling, i am also finishing up this book after a very long break. i'm glad it has taken me a while to get through because it's the type of book you need to spend some time with. and it has been hitting me in the face with perspective and how much luxury i am privileged with just in being born. i am not very much in the mood for articulating everything here but it's a bit overwhelming to have these thoughts while colin and i browse homes to purchase. it is easy to be envious of the mansions on logan boulevard and to wish we could afford that house, car, 2.5 kids, a dog, and a yard. we already have so much without any of it. it's thanksgiving in march.

colin's favorite things

2011-02-15T10:19:00.003-07:00

colin is impossible to shop for. everything he likes or needs he buys for himself before i get the chance to get it for him for a holiday. ben and i wandered around Target trying to think of things to get him for valentine's day and all we could come up with was for me to cook him a meat dinner. i decided against that for obvious reasons. instead i made him a calendar featuring his favorite things in life. here are some highlights:

(the proposal is like his favorite movie. really.)

that was fun.

owls

2011-02-04T17:48:00.002-07:00

the talk of the town - BLIZZARD!!

2011-02-03T08:49:00.009-07:00

it's my 2nd (and a half) day off from work due to the beautiful snow storm that just swept the midwest. after work was called off at 12:30pm on tuesday, my friend joe and i headed with the sketchbook straight to our favorite dirty downtown bar to start the holiday off right.

it started looking really bad by 3:00 so i headed home and was attacked with snow sharply hitting the face all the way back from the train. we've since been home with bendle watching blizzard related movies (groundhog day, the shining) and eating food that's bad for us. blizzard 2011 FTW.

can't hardly wait

2011-01-18T15:07:00.004-07:00

we just booked tickets to Portland, OR (and Long Beach, WA) this spring. i have not been in 10 years and am very, very excited to visit this beautiful place and the great family members there.

buried treasure

2011-01-13T12:02:00.004-07:00

every time i find a photo of her i forget about, it's like christmas. here's one that Sam just emailed me that i had never seen before. from the 27th birthday.

when do i stop missing her so much??

moonscapes

2011-01-11T14:11:00.003-07:00

we just finished installing a new show at the museum. it's imaginative and creative and sort of trippy. i like it.

(c) kahn & selesnick
see more of the project here and more of their work here.

(papa taylor, this is a personal invite for you to visit the museum.)

not really a blank slate kind of feeling but close

2011-01-04T12:27:00.003-07:00

i try not to get too superstitious or put too much meaning into a New Year turning on the calendar but this year felt a bit different. maybe it's because i'm in the process of changing my name and everything already feels somewhat new. so i have two resolutions this year:

1) sketch sketch sketch.
i miss how i used to lug around my little sketch book bible (leather bound and thick) everywhere and haphazardly jot down drawings and notes on surroundings. so i'm trying to do at least a little bit of this a day again, to get back in the swing. unfortunately my computer is sick right now so i can't scan anything. you'll just have to use your imaginations for now on what they may look like.

i'm really liking this person's drawings right now:

[(c) Wendy MacNaughton]

2) eat out less
because i like having money.

happy 2011 everyone! i have the feeling it's going to be a good one. as long as it isn't the end of all time on may 21st....
(we saw this advertised on a car in wisconsin)

december list making

2010-12-13T12:40:00.003-07:00

this is the comprehensive list i've been waiting for, from my favorite music blog:
http://www.saidthegramophone.com/archives/best_songs_of_2010.php

snow days

2010-12-09T15:08:00.004-07:00

i like working at the museum (and dare i say even living in Chicago) the most in the winter. we turn on the twinkle lights and crank up the heat and KEXP. today i'm going through a new donation of this photographer's work and listening to the new atlas sound.

i'm looking forward to reading some best songs of 2010 and best songs of the 2000s lists. i'm maybe still voting for that grizzly bear song? back to work.

more photos

2010-12-02T08:59:00.001-07:00

all official photos are here

and if you have some of your own, please add them here

some photos

2010-11-24T13:42:00.010-07:00

still going through them all, but here's a sample of the best wedding ever!
xoxo

it was good to be a free man

2010-10-27T09:57:00.005-06:00

knowing that i'm not so good at keeping the posts frequent around here, i think it's safe to say that the next time i write i'll be a MRS. a mrs. taylor. still trying to wrap my head around that.

death cab for cutie's 'transatlanticism' is playing on KEXP right now and reminding me of my first date with colin (and his 20 closest friends) in millennium park in that beautiful summer of 2008. flashback!

(photo cred: ed panar)
so...see you all in your Sunday Bests in 17 days!

empire state of mind

2010-09-28T11:40:00.005-06:00

we finally lost our roommate last week. our unofficial roommate. i'm pretty sure anyone reading this blog knows exactly who that is. with all his excitement for nyc, i started to miss my chinatown bus visits up there when i lived in dc. and the universe seemed to know it because my job is sending me to a photo preservation conference at the library of congress next month. i decided to stay a little longer and take the bus up to visit the big apple.

i love this song. brings back memories of my last trip riding around manhattan with ashley singley, somehow in a huge texan suburban, blasting beyonce with the windows down. get ready.

there's something living in these lines

2010-09-19T08:13:00.005-06:00

Everything takes time. Bees have to move very fast to stay still.
— David Foster Wallace (Brief Interviews with Hideous Men)

i've been digging through quotations by my favorite writers and musicians, trying to find that perfect saying or two that somehow summarizes (briefly, but not too briefly) exactly how we feel about each other. i think this is impossible. but we are trapped in a deadline now that is less than two months away.

the silver lining: resurfacing some of my favorite books and albums. please type suggestions if you have any. as long as it does not start with "love is patient, love is kind..."

put the ink to the screen and pull

2010-08-17T11:48:00.004-06:00

have been printing invitations all week with the generous and talented buddy, ryan kapp. you may remember him from an earlier post about this print. he'll have new work up and for purchase at renegade next month so check out his booth!

travels, projects

2010-08-05T20:27:00.002-06:00

working on the invitation design...almost ready and almost printed. probably my favorite part of wedding planning.

also trying to cook and bake a lot to figure out exactly what i am missing in the kitchen. we did the whole crate&barrel gun scan registry thing last weekend and we couldn't come up with much. hey why not a fancy wine bottle opener?

on that note, here are some recipes i have been trying out. tonight it's apricot honey cake to take to the beach in michigan this weekend. very much looking forward to that trip. we also booked our tropical romance in november. i'm talking pina coladas IN the pool. i hear that's what marriage is all about :)

nature photography

2010-07-16T13:29:00.002-06:00

friend and co-worker allison had a great interview about her work here:
http://futureshipwreck.com/2010/07/interview-allison-grant/#more-5217

this is the kind of photography that makes me very excited. almost as good as painting...

summertime, superman, freedom

2010-07-04T09:39:00.003-06:00

happy 4th

colin's celebrating by watching the original Superman movie with his morning coffee before we take it outside with friends and bocce ball.

where i have been:
+west virginia
+davenport iowa
+tulsa
+southern oklahoma sundance ceremony
+visiting amma
+visiting with the seeleys
+holding porter and penny
+home home home

phew

24-hour photothon results + the start of summer

2010-05-23T21:17:00.006-06:00

colin summarized our weekend perfectly in his post here. i am sore from the archery and softball portion of the weekend but it feels great.

below are the best pics from my "24-hour-photothon" fundraising effort. when i signed up to participate in this event, i pictured myself rummaging around town late at night and getting awesome action shots. but what actually happened is that it was cold and wet outside and i just wanted to stay home and watch a movie. so here are my "apartment therapy" shots instead:

(note: i cheated--this is not from the 24-hour period but i did take the photo. there is a longer story behind this but there were blanks in the gun and it's not as bad as it looks. jullian is not a hoodlum.)

tomorrow it will be 90!

may 9

2010-05-09T18:34:00.002-06:00

just got back from a wonderful weekend with the taylors in urbana. i am so lucky to be marrying into such a caring and warm family.

we're about to meet up with jullian for a final farewell dinner in a tiny italian restaurant in little italy. scott and ashley are somewhere in the lower east side drinking margaritas. we are all remembering the loss of our friend exactly one year ago. julie doiron was all i could listen to.

the above video is from the south union arts performance in 2007. i rode my bike to that strange little church turned venue in pilsen and met ashley and we were so giddy about the performance. i don't think gaby was there. i hate that my memory is already failing me in this way.

missing ms. mckemie

2010-04-28T21:21:00.002-06:00

Long Shot Photo-thon

2010-04-20T08:57:00.003-06:00

I am participating in Long Shot next Friday, which reminds me a lot of the walk-a-thons we had in elementary school except a lot more fun. Basically I will be taking photographs during a 24-hour period in support of Photo Center NW (a good organization in Seattle where my friend Ashley works) and then submitting my images back to them. They pick out one that they would like printed and I print and send it to them. The printed image gets put in an auction to benefit the organization. But I also am supposed to seek out sponsors for the actual photo-thon, just like elementary school. I am sponsoring myself to meet the minimum requirement as I think the fundraiser is a good idea and sounds like fun to participate in. But if anyone out there would also like to sponsor me, you can do so here.

I should get some good images as I am getting a tour of the art collection at Playboy that day and will also be going to the kick-off party for Art Chicago=eccentric wealthy people and passed appetizers. It should be a colorful day.

josh

2010-04-17T14:43:00.002-06:00

i've never been good at explaining what he does in india, so here'sa good article about my brother

sore muscles

2010-04-11T14:23:00.005-06:00

after blogging yesterday about all of my excitement for spring, i immediately went outside to plant one of those white oak trees. once i had my hands in the dirt i had to keep going so i ended up digging up the grass and getting the soil loose for a pretty big flower bed. colin brought old bricks out from the backyard to use as a border and also brought me guinness and helped shovel. so far i have put lettuce and kale among flowers and hope to add some more attractive vegetables in there once the garden store has more seedlings. anyways, here it is for now--my first flower bed:

colin putting down the mulch:

parks parks flowers flowers

2010-04-10T09:29:00.002-06:00

spring is finally showing itself and it's making me go project crazy. all i want to do is be outside and make things grow. unfortunately i can't plant much in the ground this year because the backyard is paved over. i can plant tomatoes in pots but that didn't produce so much for me the time i tried it two years ago. so i might be attempting this or i will be planting them in the most subtle way possible in the front yard (hiding behind a fence?).

speaking of planting, i have three oak trees in my lap right now from colin's work fundraiser party that i'm going to put in the yard today. (hope the landlord doesn't mind!) i also came home from the party with 4 courtside tickets to a Chicago Bulls game for my sister's family when they come up for the wedding. i had to elbow out people in that silent auction but it was worth it when i got to hear my 7-year-old nephew scream in joy when he heard the news this morning.

raver was able to letterpress my save-the-date card design on friday. i'm so excited about them i want to post how they look but don't want to ruin it when they get to your mailboxes. this wedding planning is really making me feel so grateful for having such talented friends who are all sharing their talents (cake bakers, dj's, photographers, printmakers, etc etc). it has been a fun challenge in how to avoid any cheesy wedding industry professionals. so far, we're going strong. i just have to stick to my guns about not getting that ice sculpture :)

raspberry studio shot

2010-03-24T09:19:00.001-06:00

for the 2009 was a rough year project, by Lilly McElroy

london fog

2010-03-10T10:32:00.004-07:00

is it really foggy all the time in london? colin says it is. a few nights ago it was like a halloween cartoon outside in chicago. couldn't see ten feet in front of you through the haze. we told jay to walk down the street mumbling about having a knife when he left us alone for his home, because if any night was a night for creepy people to be out roaming, that was it.

anyways, tomorrow i'm off to cambridge, england to see one of my best friends get married. i'm not really sure what to look forward to or what to spend my limited time there london on. the saatchi gallery? the chips? the clock? advice please.

a celebration of the end of february

2010-02-27T18:44:00.007-07:00

mr. eggleston:

flower tea brought from china by tash:

karate kid
(not pictured)

come on spring, come on sun

roots tour: oral roberts university

2010-02-22T20:54:00.001-07:00

in the flowers: track 1

2010-02-22T20:42:00.001-07:00

Magik*Magik Orchestra

2010-02-18T12:16:00.001-07:00

I can't see him in the video but my friend Zach from Tulsa plays in this group in SF. Pretty great:

John Vanderslice "Promising Actress" from AV on Vimeo.

excited

2010-02-16T12:15:00.002-07:00

i cannot wait for this exhibition

who's going to join me (and hopefully eeeee) at the book signing next saturday?

verging on the edge of foody

2010-01-31T16:48:00.004-07:00

we received our first copy of Cooks Illustrated (a Christmas gift for colin) and i'm loving this magazine so much already. today i learned how to make brownies that have the cracked top and are as flawless as the kind from the box, but without having all the weird scientist made things inside of it. but the magazine didn't just give a recipe--they explained the total break down, ingredient by ingredient, and how certain items interact with others to create deliciousness. and holy lord they are the best brownies i've ever had.

i never really made a new years resolution but an ongoing one i have is to be more self-sufficient in even the littlest ways. like how to make brownies without a box. or how to make bread. i stopped buying hummus and salad dressing last year (those two are ridiculously easy to make yourself). i know it's not that novel of an idea but it's fun learning and makes me feel a more michael pollan-esque connection to my food. this is also with the help of irv and shelley's fresh picks box, a suggestion from simone that i am forever grateful for.

i haven't turned colin into a vegetarian yet (not even close) but one shocking update is that he is letting our wedding be totally vegetarian. more on that later.

it has been a great weekend. we saw Fantastic Mr. Fox and Rushmore at the brew and view theater on friday and went bowling at fireside with simone and crew on saturday. Fantastic Mr. Fox is maybe the best movie i've seen in years. i loved everything about it. an end to january with a bang (take that winter blues!), here we go february.

friend print

2010-01-25T09:33:00.002-07:00

My friend Ryan Kapp just put this print up for sale. A very nice Chicago image:

One used to be in my living room when I lived with Ryan's fiance. I miss that print. Buy it here if you like

install shot

2010-01-18T10:49:00.003-07:00

(i'm on the left)
courtesy of joe

fighting the sewing machine

2010-01-12T07:43:00.007-07:00

i've always wanted to be able to sew...well. jeff gave me the very basic $20 machine he bought and hated from target so i've been trying to learn on it with small projects.
1st attempt: apple pillow for mini-mart

2nd attempt: turning pants into shorts

3rd and final attempt on this machine: living room curtains

i think i'm ready for the big guns now and am hoping my bad stitches are the machine's fault and not my own. ah well.

thanks to everyone who came to the opening at johalla last weekend. it was a great time and two of my drawings are now a part of the hornswaggler bar collection (thanks joe and graham!) i have the feeling drawing projects are going to be on hold for a while because of super addictive creative wedding planning websites. i swore i wouldn't get all wound up in planning one but they trap you! oh they trap you.

i'm in a show

2010-01-01T16:00:00.002-07:00

"Getting Acquainted"
We spend our lives surrounded by strangers. They're sitting at bars, shopping in malls, and working in offices all around us. And while strangers are everywhere, we're rarely given the chance to explore their circumstances. Conversely, the artists in Getting Acquainted have chosen to spend time with strangers. Anonymously working after the fact, they turn brief encounters into deep, careful records. Through collaborative video work, drawing, photography, and simply listening, these works celebrate the process and products of getting to know a stranger.
Curated by Joseph Rynkiewicz.

come by for the opening if you can! friday, january 8th from 7-10

so long 2009

2009-12-31T15:41:00.003-07:00

i'm sure everyone who reads this knows the big news of our engagement already. colin made christmas very special for the freeman and taylor families and i am very excited to have them merge soon. so as i write my last posting for 2009 i am obviously thinking of the year fondly, at the moment. in certain ways i am happy to see it pass, as this year has undeniably marked the most heartbreaking and heartwarming moments i have ever yet felt. i am looking forward to the feeling of a new year, like clean sheets, with a sparkling symbol of love and commitment on my finger and gratitude in my heart. love to all.

christmas parties galore

2009-12-19T10:40:00.002-07:00

last night i had too much champagne and learned this dance from fellow columbia college employees

i love christmas

golden jokes galore

2009-12-16T23:52:00.008-07:00

being that my blago shirt project wasn't super successful (i'm really more of a paper kind of girl), i couldn't help but put him on some of my christmas cards this year. i wasn't sure if it was a good idea to give him one of the cards at the elvis debate/book signing last night until after i heard him make several self-deprecating jokes unprompted. his reaction to the card: he laughed and passed it around to his 7 or 8 bodyguards (one looked a whole lot like Fabio but was named Butch) and repeated a few times, "I get to keep this??" what a good sport.

big time

2009-12-11T09:04:00.001-07:00

huge congrats to my friend curtis for making it to this!

best of

2009-12-05T21:05:00.001-07:00

my favorite music blog posted their best of 2009 list, find it here. i'm glad we agree about grizzly bear's two weeks.

black friday

2009-12-05T17:52:00.000-07:00

dreams do come true

2009-12-03T08:52:00.002-07:00

i opened my work email this morning to find this invitation:

Save the Date—Former Governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich Defends Elvis on Wednesday, December 16 at 7pm!

The Film & Video Department presents more Rock 'N Roll with the former Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, defending Elvis! A special addition to a semester of Sex * Drugs * Rock 'N Roll features a screening of Viva Las Vegas starring Elvis Presley followed by a spirited debate between Rod (“Elvis lives!”) Blagojevich and Film & Video faculty member Dan (“Elvis has left the building!”) Rybicky.

Cinema Slapdown, Round 21: Viva Las Vegas
Wednesday, December 16, 2009, 7 pm
Film Row Cinema, 1104 S. Wabash, 8th Floor
Free & Open to All

i wouldn't even be able to make this stuff up.

first grown up tree

2009-11-23T22:17:00.000-07:00

printing machine

2009-11-21T19:17:00.003-07:00

zach and i printed for about 4 hours at spudnik today. my christmas cards are (basically) finished, in record time. spudnik is the best, everyone should go there or support them by buying their prints at the renegade craft fair. p.s. i'll be working their booth on sunday, dec. 6th, (and selling a few things) so come visit

bruce!

2009-11-16T21:38:00.004-07:00

i got a new sketchbook!

2009-11-15T09:54:00.003-07:00

this image has always bothered me. i know it's supposed to invoke fear and disgust but it always makes me feel sorry for the guy a little bit

spooky scary

2009-11-01T09:31:00.003-07:00

first successful sewing project...ever

2009-10-25T19:26:00.003-06:00

probably the easiest project i could have tried but i'm still excited. it's straight!

okie margaritas, 'sconsin cheeses, and sewing machines

2009-10-19T14:33:00.003-06:00

lots going on lately but nothing too creative or exciting for others to read about.

-went to oklahoma, always a good time, to see my visiting portland grandparents who are amazing and seem to have not changed at all in the 28 years i've been alive.

also got to see my nephews, this one dressed up like a hobo to stay warm:

-went to appleton, wisconsin with colin and his family to see his cousin get married. cider, cheese sandwiches, and dive bars ensued. loved that weekend.

-gearing up to make curtains for our place as the front room gets very drafty and they should help keep the heat in. to practice, i'm starting with a smaller curtain for our bedroom out of this fabric. love that amy butler.

-next week is a chili cook-off in urbana. so fall so good

cover it up, part II

2009-10-05T20:56:00.003-06:00

i'm not a huge huge fan of beck or velvet underground but combine the two and you get something pretty nice. get it here

also, i'm a big fan of the source blog. explaining what you should eat while listening to the music is just great.

this week it's mini-kc

2009-09-29T14:14:00.002-06:00

big colossal show of kansas city artists and friends at the smart museum this week and weekend, check it out here. natalie is bring me as her date to the "important people" reception where i might be able to nudge up against kerry james marshall and dave eggars. doubtful on the dave eggars part but there's a slim chance.

i turn my camera on

2009-09-17T13:51:00.002-06:00

Just bought one of these woodcut prints from the Post Family guys. As it I needed more photography in my life...

invitation

2009-09-15T14:50:00.003-06:00

scott and i just finished designing this:

still life + politicians

2009-09-14T20:20:00.001-06:00

found

2009-09-14T19:07:00.004-06:00

just back from the wedding, it was beautiful, i have pictures but no means right now to take them from one place to another.

although it was a very happy celebration, the ceremony part--the limo, the dresses, the flowers, the family--still made me think about that awful day in may. i wish it didn't. it's a cloud and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

ashley posted something a few days agohere. in very odd timing, i found this self-portrait in one of gaby's books of negatives that we are scanning for her family:

and i'm thinking about the time, almost one year ago to the day, when gaby was staying at my place after seeing alessandra sanguinetti speak and getting her book signed. she animatedly flipped through the pages, pointing and explaining to colin and i her favorite photographer's work.

we are organizing a reception for her at the mocp on her birthday, november 13th. more to follow.

dancing elephants

2009-09-11T07:51:00.001-06:00

really great photos my brother josh sent me of the ganesh festival where he lives
here

going to kansas

2009-09-10T15:07:00.000-06:00

to see two of my favorite people ever marry each other. such a good thing.

we'll make a stop in kc to visit my alma mater, kansas city art institute, to hug old friends, and to smell that coffee roasting downtown.

you can do it

2009-09-05T12:17:00.003-06:00

having problems with my camera or else i'd post photos of my project today (and of a topless colin at the beach). i have four pints of tomatoes boiling on the stove in the canning process which sounds a lot like a ton of popcorn popping. hopefully i cleaned and sterilized everything properly so we don't get sick from it later this winter. it's finally a summer feeling day today ahhh if only it could be this way more often than not.

it's a long road

2009-09-04T15:14:00.002-06:00

certain experiences i've had from working at the museum make me ridiculously giddy and grateful that i have the job that i do. more than one of those experiences involved the photographer dorothea lange. about two years ago i got to have lunch with her son, daniel dixon, a very interesting man and writer who played the ukulele and had a nice wink. i just discovered that he wrote his own obituary, prematurely of course, but by only a few years. i wish everyone would do this.

from the archive

2009-08-23T10:38:00.005-06:00

while setting up the apartment i found my favorite old sketchbook--c. 2002. i have stopped carrying these around with me for some reason i can't understand. while flipping through it memories flooded of the confused 21-year-old recent graduate of the kansas city art institute, with too much coffee in my stomach and too many infinite jest lines in my head. as always, it's so much better in retrospect than it was at the actual time. i'm very glad i have a record of it though.

colin is back from michigan (finally) and brought me back a really great old wood table to be my new computer desk.

more greenery

2009-08-09T11:24:00.005-06:00

I picked a few cucumbers and tomatoes from the old place this morning. Luckily I still have backyard access so I still consider it my garden.

Yesterday I planted some things on our new back porch and we painted little in the new place. Things are shaping up.

It's a hot one today so we're enjoying the ahhhhhh central air.

photo update

2009-08-07T07:37:00.002-06:00

our new living room:

he must have been tired from all of those hamms shotguns...

new roof to sleep under

2009-08-05T13:27:00.002-06:00

i'm late in posting pictures of the new place and in writing about it. we still need to hang artwork and put away a few things but it's definitely home and it's perfect. more soon...

jackson 5 at 10 in the morning

2009-07-26T11:02:00.006-06:00

listening to the sweet sounds of a young michael j while waiting for colin to meet me to go to the farmer's market and then off to softball play-offs---what a great weekend.

i've been a little down lately about several friends moving away from chicago (on top of the several that have already left) and the past few days were exactly what i needed. scott (gaby's boyfriend and partner in crime) was in town on friday and it was a huge release to be able to talk out all of the dealings and memories of her. this was perfect timing as gaby spent the whole day with me on my birthday last year and i was a little worried that the day would be darkened by her absence. but saturday ended up being the best birthday party i've had in a long time. several hours of grilling on logan blvd and playing bocci ball with lots of good people that i hadn't seen in months. it's easy to get upset about the people who are no longer around but even easier to not take the time to be with all of the great people that are here and brighten up chicago so much with their presence.

---left to go play softball mid-blogging---

....and i made the winning tie-breaking point and we were awesome. 'wicked awesome' in fact. perfect end to the perfect weekend.

tulsa time

2009-07-18T16:20:00.006-06:00

drinking margaritas with mom and playing cards before heading off to this reunion thing. i'm a little optimistic about the get together after starting the weekend off great with a surprise sonic youth show at the tiny cain's ballroom (home of bob wills) on thursday night, which was basically all i wanted from life ten years ago.
very strange timing to that.
last night i met up with my old pals and we discussed what google has taught us about our ex-classmates and where they are now. the prize winner is this one. warning: adult content

even if the event is a bust, seeing the family has been great and a perfect way to head into 28.

finally!

2009-07-14T12:47:00.003-06:00

printed the shirts last night. there are about 55 total i think? i'll have some "modeling" shots up soon, once i can get colin to pose for me.

happenings

2009-07-11T12:11:00.004-06:00

1. my brother was in town visiting last week which was really nice. i've started to get used to the idea of him being in india for the indefinite future. with skype and video chat and all of that business he's not that far away, really.

next freeman asia trip: fall 2010?

2. i finished my screenprinting class on tuesday, which i obviously enjoyed. i'm going back on monday with my friend joe during open studio to finally print blago. for real for real. it's soooo much easier printing there than in my apartment. and way less messy.

3. colin and i have been engaging in a very ridiculous debate about michael jackson's legacy. my side of the argument goes something like "there will never be another michael jackson and that is sad," and his goes something like "whatever he was a child molester that happened to make some good music and i don't care." it's a stupid argument but got sort of fun when it evolved into stevie wonder's performance of "they won't go when i go" at the memorial service which instigated colin to play george michael and dance around his room singing Freedom for me. good times.

4. i leave for tulsa on wednesday to attend my 10-year high school reunion but more to just see my family. cameron has learned how to say his last name and chase has learned how to ride his bike so there are some important performances i need to see.

multiplicity

2009-07-01T07:30:00.006-06:00

finished the last two layers of my print in class yesterday. was only supposed to get through one but i was speedy. so next week i'm going to do something else. i like these ok but am disappointed in how the colors turned out. it looks totally different than when you're just painting because it lies so flat on the page. the scan is off a bit also. anyways here they are:

better cool it down

2009-06-27T13:06:00.009-06:00

colin installed my AC in my room today. it is finally summer for real and i like it. bbqs all over the parks and blvds. yard sales everywhere. strangers' tattoos hidden by sweaters in the winter are visible now. i'm having fun looking at it all.

the garden's doing really well, too.
it looks crazy here because we got overzealous and planted things a little too close together:

the first tomato:

green bell peppers:

future cucumbers:

neighbor's raspberries (he'll share):

porch jalepenos, mint, and lavender:

and finally, the ikea orchid that i somehow managed to keep alive all year for a second bloom:

also, we printed the first layer in class last week:

the blue is actually darker than it appears in this scan.

happy summer!

step step step

2009-06-22T20:29:00.006-06:00

we're printing our first layer tomorrow in class. basically this (hopefully):

will turn into something cool later. (hint they will be layered. and not red.)

also, colin and i will have a new home here in august(just one of the rental ones, not as cool as the photos) and my brother will be in town from india next friday. exciting things are happening.

ahhh spring!

2009-06-15T20:43:00.005-06:00

tonight i stir fried some baby bok choy that allison gave me as little seedlings about a month ago. yum:

also it was our one year anniversary on june 1:

profile q's and a's

2009-06-08T20:44:00.003-06:00

the tulsa world reader commentary profiles=endless source material

d-day

2009-06-06T15:13:00.000-06:00

bookends

2009-06-06T13:28:00.004-06:00

june seems much more like the start of a new year--january is no time for celebrating. this is the time of year is when everything actually starts to change. things grow, people move, school ends, love is in the air la la la.

it's cheesy but i can't stop listening to this song:

i've always felt a weird pull to this song. i don't even really listen to this band ever. but i feel even more connected to it right now because i'm still thinking about gaby all the time. in a positive way her life reminds me how important creativity is. how glad i am to be able to look through her photographs and have a permanent record of how she looked at the world. it's a strong message to stop procrastinating and to just make things. to blog. to write grandma that letter i've been meaning to write for months.

but the sadness and anger that she is gone is still there. i am going to have to get used to this feeling.

i'm also reading this book right now and it's making me want to draw draw draw.

so i'm off to work on some for my screenprinting class on tuesday. get to it.

departures/arrivals

2009-06-04T07:12:00.001-06:00

i'm so happy i don't have to go to an airport again for a while.

bit the bullet

2009-06-03T14:04:00.002-06:00

..and finally signed up for a proper screenprinting class here. i really need to learn how to print correctly and i'm pretty excited about using this space.

biggest compliment ever

2009-05-30T15:59:00.003-06:00

this guy bought a drawing of mine when i lived in washington, dc. i ran into him on thursday night at the black cat in dc and got to see what he did with my drawing:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

more garden pics

2009-05-22T07:32:00.004-06:00

here are some better shots. the arugula and neighbor's strawberry and raspberry patches are winning right now.

long time no blog

2009-05-21T10:11:00.003-06:00

needless to say last week was pretty bad but times like that always make you loved your loved ones even more than you thought possible.

to make the best of the situation, colin, allison and i explored ottawa on our way back to chicago. it was nice to see where gaby grew up and you can see how a small town like that--and the great people she grew up with--made her the amazing person she was.

(the first lincoln douglas debate site)

(my man lookin good in a suit)

the next day scott came to chicago and we made it our effort to keep him smiling the whole weekend. this amounted to brunch with bloody marys at wishbone followed by a bikeride to the docks for two architectural boat tours followed by a bike ride back to a friend's house for about 5 hours of drinking, listening to good tunes, and trying to talk scott out of getting gaby's phone number tattooed on his arm at midnight.

(zach worked for the boat tours so we got to go into the captain's area)

the next day i was exhausted but took some friends visiting from dc to the mca and around chicago. this city is so beautiful right now and seeing it through their eyes made me even further realize how much i love it here. thank god it's spring now.

so today i'm home sick (ate some bad indian food yesterday) and am finally able to tend to my garden a little and feel normal again. here's a shot of it from our balcony.

oh boy

2009-05-11T12:13:00.004-06:00

two small tributes to gaby here and here. i want to be able to write all of my thoughts about how amazing she was but my mind is still dragging a few steps behind and all i can think is no no no.

i will miss you dearly

beginnings

2009-05-09T11:01:00.003-06:00

here's the start of our vegetable garden. mary beth (roommate) and i are going to have to wait to plant until tomorrow because it's going to rain any minute. but i went to the garden store early this morning and bought tomatoes, arugula, leeks, basil, sage, lavender, cucumbers, jalepenos, and yellow bell peppers. i'm very excited.