Showtime: Tobias Allanson @ HLP



In parallel with this weekend's Brussels Art Days and as a part of Design September, Harlan Levey Projects will present Swedish artist/designer Tobias Allanson.
Trained as a graphic designer, Allanson's activities nevertheless reach much further than the mise-en-page within print or digital media. By using everyday objects, he creates witty installations which he calls 'pseudo-commercial' - ideally able to satisfy his creative drive as well as clients' more pragmatic points of view.

We really love the Computer vs Real series (image above) inspired by the classic "clip art layouting" (several non-matching, low-resolution images pasted together in cheap power point presentations). For this work Allanson created a pixelated cloud out of styrofoam, placed it on various locations and took photos. The photos exposed at HLP will show the cloud placed around the Swedish Archipelago.

Opening: Sep 10th; exhibition runs till Oct 15th

Showtime: Laurel Nakadate

Last year we saw her impressive solo show at PS1. Today, Zabludowicz Collection announced they will have Laurel Nakadate's first UK solo show on display in their London location from September 29th till December 11th. Must-see!

Last minute: Tinkebell tonight @ Mediamatic


TINKEBELL.'s presentation of "Save The World – 69 Turtles in Shanghai" takes place today from 8 – 10 pm @ Mediamatic BANK, Amsterdam.
Save The World consists of twelve interventions worldwide, during which TINKEBELL. shows us what happens when we force our (Western) view of the world on other cultures. 69 Turtles is TINKEBELL.'s third intervention.

In July TINKEBELL. traveled to Shanghai where she was overcome with the need to save 69 turtles from their fatal destiny: soup. This was the third in a series of worldwide interventions. She'll present this enterprise alongside fellow world fixers the Yes Men. The Yes Men will also cook us up some world saving snacks. You can buy your tickets online.

The Talks: Gilbert & George


The Talks is one of the few online magazine that really get it right: sleek design and great content. 
Don't miss this weeks interview with Gilbert & George!

The Art of Motivation

Scheduled Air Date: Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at 9:00 am PST, 12:00 noon EST * note date change
"The Art of Motivation"
Join artists Leslie Saeta and Dreama Tolle Perry as they highlight ways to sell your art on-line. Every artist has experienced a lack of motivation and has struggled at some point in their careers. On today's show we'll continue to talk about what you can do when you need to "rekindle" your motivation to pursue what you love the most ... your art!


To listen to the show, click here. (Sorry for the audio problems at the beginning of the show ... we do fix them so hang in there!)

Illustration: Andrew Kolb's Space Oddity Book





Canadian illustrator Andrew Kolb has created a really neat children's book based on the story of Major Tom from David Bowie's classic hit "Space Oddity". Its full version in a PDF format was available for download on Andrew's website until recently, when the song’s copyright raised legal complaints based on copyright infringement. Let's hope the legalities will smooth out eventually and we'll soon be able to see Andrew's book also in printed form - our personal copy has already been pre-ordered :-).



In the meantime enjoy the online version with Bowie's original:






Anish Kapoor's illy Cups





Have you missed Anish Kapoor's much-spoken Ascension project during this year's Venice Biennale? Don't despair, as soon you might be able to experience your own mini-Ascension moment for mere $90. That's is the price of Kapoor's illy design collection, containing 2 espresso cups inspired by the above-mentioned art piece (which, btw was co-sponsored by illy...).



And how to assemble it together in order to create the desired effect? Simply place the saucer (with the hole in its middle) atop the cup. You should have what illy calls "an interactive, sensory experience meant to delight and surprise and touch on themes such as doubt, ambivalence, error, mystery, and the desire to understand." Whatever...


Banksy vs. King Robbo







Talk of the town: Banksy vs King Robbo (HT The Curious Brain). And if you feel like some more Banksy #firstworldproblem commotion, read this article in The Guardian.


Photography: Anton Kusters



Belgian photographer Anton Kusters has spent two years with one of Japan's notorious Yakuza gangs, known for their brutality, tattoos and strict code of honor. Taken into their confidence after months of tough negotiations, he was allowed to document their world and daily routine. This has resulted in a fascinating reportage, published in various magazine as well as in a book form, titled Odo Yakuza Tokyo (the entire edition of 500 copies has sold out in less than 2 months).


Showtime: Evan Gruzis @ The Hole





The Hole is an exciting young gallery run by Kathy Grayson (former director at Deitch Projects where she was responsible for relations with emerging artists) at the Lower East Side in New York. Next Saturday you can drop there to see the opening of "Exotic Beta", a solo show of American artist Evan Gruzis.



According to the press release, Exotic Beta fuses a sense of the exotic with the language of market research to explore the way meaning is made and the relativity of “taste”. It also refers to an alternative form of asset class in investment markets: like an art collector who starts buying baseball cards.

The centerpiece of the show will be a tryptic called Stratatos (pictured above), form contemporary Vanitas playing with themes of beauty and teenage culture, as well as a metronome showing us that time is inevitably ticking away.



Exotic Beta opens on September 10 from 7-10 pm and will be on view through October 22.

In parallel, another show of Evan Gruzis called "Shadow Work" will run at Nicole Klagsbrun Project.


Random: Wasted Rita





Right on Target, Wasted Rita!


Artist Residencies (Some with Stipends) for U.S. AND European Artists

Happy Labor Day Weekend....here are a handful of new residencies to apply for this fall...cheers,

Mirabee



p.s. sorry about the weird formatting....Blogger is having a headache today.



(ARTISTS) Residency & Stipend at the Bemis Center—

Few programs exist either on the national or international level where the sole mission is to support the creativity of artists. From the beginning, the art-making process has been the highest priority at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha Nebraska, where both the atmosphere and environment offer ideal situations for creative growth and experimentation. Artists from around the world come to the Bemis Center to work in this supportive community and confront new challenges. The Bemis Center provides Artists-in-Residence with the gift of time, space and support.

TIME 3 months of uninterrupted, self-directed work time.

SPACE The Bemis Center is housed in two urban warehouses totaling 110,000 square feet in Omaha, NE. Each artist is provided with a generously sized live/work studio with a private bathroom and 24 hour access to facilities including a wood shop, installation spaces, dark room and a large sculpture fabrication facility.

SUPPORT each resident receives a $750 monthly stipend.

Applications are due September 30th for three month residencies scheduled between July and December, 2012. The application fee is $40. There no fee to attend. For more information and to apply please visit our website. http://www.bemiscenter.org/residency/index.html


(ARTISTS & WRITERS) Can Serrat Stipends for Visual Artists, Spain—Can Serrat ResidenciesDeadline: October 31st, 2011

Each year, Can Serrat offers a limited number of Support Stipends to visual artists and writers. The stipends cover 40% of the total cost (food, lodging and workspace) of stays lasting from 30-90 days(the stipend cannot be combined with discounts mentioned in the pricelist).

Visual Artists Support Stipend

Each recipient may choose a 30-90 day time slot within a year from the original notification (assuming space is available at that time).

Deadline for Applications

Applications are accepted at the same time as the full-stipend calls. We accept materials from Visual Artists during April 1-30, and from October 1-31st. Applicants for the full stipend are automatically considered for a partial stipend. Applications are accepted solely by email.

For more info:

Can Serrat International Art Center

Masia Can Serrat, 08294 El Bruc Spain

tel: (34) 937 710 037

stipend@canserrat.org

http://www.canserrat.org/

(ALL) Spark Box Studio Residency Program is now accepting applications for their Winter 2012 Residency Program—Their Artist Residency Program provides live/work space to accommodate both emerging and professional printmakers, photographers, painters, illustrators and writers. Artists-in-residence have access to our professional studio and resources.

The Residency Program affords artists the space and time to support the advancement of their careers and to strengthen their practice. Artists-in-residence stay in a charming farm house located by the historic Prince Edward County, Ontario. Prince Edward County is the quintessential rural environment, filled with open fields, walking trails, fresh air and starry nights. It is also home to amazing food, beautiful beaches, dozens of wineries, art festivals and live music.

Interested artists may apply to live and work at Spark Box from a weekend to 2 months. To learn more please visit our website http://sparkboxstudio.com/residency/ Spark Box Studio Residency

885 County Rd. 5., Picton, Ontario, K0K 2T0

t. 613.476.0337 / info@sparkboxstudio.co

(ARTISTS) The European Pépinières for Young Artists Residencyis currently calling for proposals within two frameworks: the map 2011-2012 programme and the M4m programme.

The map 2011-2012 programme is a extension of the map programme, which has been initiated by the Pépinières européennes pour jeunes artistes. In order to address the different movements of the young generation of artists, this program offers a panel of artists mobility concepts led by partner places. It is open to artists between 18 and 35 years old, living in one of the program’s member countries:

Austria – Belgium – Bulgaria – Cyprus – Czech Republic – Denmark – England – Estonia – Finland – France – Germany – Greece – Hungary – Iceland – Ireland – Italy – Latvia – Lithuania – Luxembourg – Malta – Netherlands – Poland – Portugal – Quebec, Canada – Romania – Serbia-Montenegro – Scotland – Slovakia – Slovenia – Spain – Sweden – Turkey.

This residency must be outside of their country of origin and/or residence.



In the framework of the map 2011-2012 programme, you can apply for the following residencies:

  • Buitenwerkplaats, Starnmeer, Netherlands
  • KIK, Nijeveen, Netherlands

  • Plaatsmaken, Arnhem, Netherlands

  • NP3, Groningen, Netherlands

  • Transcultures, Belgium
M4m (M for mobility) is M4m is an artistic mobility programme supported by European Commission and initiated by 7 cosignatories and 12 associated partners in order to facilitate encounters, exchange and common work between emerging artists and professionals from the creative and cultural world taking part in the different steps of an art production. This programme is dedicated to young artists and young professionals from the creation and cultural world from all fields of expression over 18 years old and living in a European country. Every artist or professional can apply for only one residency, which must be outside of its country of origin and/or residence.



In the framework of the M4m programme, you can apply for the following residencies:



(ARTISTS) Open Call - Residency Unlimited—seeks a NYC based artist for an 8 months residency starting Oct. 1st, 2011 (Deadline Sept 9th, 2011)—for more info, go to: http://www.residencyunlimited.org/what-is-a-ru-residency/

What does this residency provide?

What are the criteria for selection?

  • Artist must be living in New York City and is in need of a working studio.
  • Artist agrees to cover the monthly rent for the studio. ($188 per month for 8 months)
  • Artist agrees to develop a body of new work

To apply, please submit the following by September 9, 2011

via email to nyc-opencall@residencyunlimited.org







Update on the Jacob J. Javitz Fellowship for Graduate Students

Hi everyone,

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but....if anyone is applying for JACOB J. JAVITZ fellowship this year, an astute Mira's List fan just informed me that the program was closed by Congress this year and they don't know when it will reopen again. And for some reason, they are not posting about the closing on their site and apparently will not email you in writing about it. You have to call them to hear about it over the phone. This is unfortunate because this fellowship is a great one for those of you applying for MFA programs in the arts. But things do change year to year so check back on their website next season. In the meantime, you should know about this and maybe call their office to double check about the status of the fellowship or just not waste your time applying for the Sept. 30th deadline this fall.

Last Chance: Andra Ursuta's Vandal Lust



Don't miss Andra Ursuta's show "Vandal Lust", finishing tomorrow @ Ramiken Crucible, NYC.

The young Romanian-born and NY-based artist presents an impressive sculpture loosely inspired by Ilya Kabakov’s 1984 installation "The Man Who Flew Into Space From His Apartment". Similar to Kabakov's escape from communism theme, the artist explores feelings such as self-invention and self-destruction which are still very present in the countries of the former Eastern Block.


Excerpt from the press release:

"Vandal Lust depicts the aftermath of the artist’s attempt to catapult herself into space using a large medieval siege engine – a trebuchet – built to the limits of space capacity and loosely based on reconstructions found online. Rather than a solid, monolithic structure, the part wood, part castplastic weapon includes a variety of materials ranging from cardboard to remnants of destroyed or abandoned projects to shards of tile from the recently removed gallery floor."


Ramiken is going to present Andra Ursuta in the Frame section of this year's Frieze Art Fair, which is dedicated to solo artist presentations. If you're be visiting the fair in October, don't miss it!



High Fashion in 8-bit





Inspired by the retro 8-bit graphic, Fashionary mixed the pixel with their own templates to create various pieces they love the most. Have a look at the individual pieces in detail, including the designers' names.

Top!!


Showtime: Borbay





Yo! One of the most creative New Yorkers, Borbay, will unveil his seven Kings of Hip Hop to the world on Thursday, September 15, 2011, from 7-10 pm at Publicis Modem. The series of seven New York Post and acrylic collage-paintings on canvas portray the likenesses of Jay-Z, Kanye West, Diddy, Lil Wayne, Dr. Dre, Eminem and Snoop Dogg. Better get yr assezzz over there, ganstas!!


Showtime: Gordon Holden







If by any chance you happen to be in Newport, Rhode Island, then you should definitely drop by Immediat-Tee on Saturday between 6-9 pm for opening of Break up Lines, an exhibit of Gordon Holden. All works of art will be for sale and available for print on any apparel at the shop.

In case Newport is slightly out of the way, have at least good look on Gordon's site and blog.

We love this guy!


Disco with David Lynch





Number 142 at rue de Montmartre is an address to note down. Here, six flights of stairs below the street's surface, is since this week the seat of Paris' first private members' club: Club Silencio.

Conceived and designed by David Lynch, according to a key setting from his 2001 film, Mullholland Drive, the place incorporates a concert hall, restaurant, library and cinema.



Lynch has apparently designed everything from the 1950s-inspired furniture, through the pitch black toilet bowls to the saltiness of the nuts on the bar. And he seems to be pretty pleased with the result too:

"I have the feeling that I have coaxed out some of the atmosphere and the characters from my films, and even from my music." Looking at what we have done, I feel myself almost immortal."



The membership is not cheap (rates span from €780 a year for regular membership to €1,500 for premium with some discount for the under-30s and non-French residents), but surely money won't be an issue for Lynch aficionados facing the prospect of sipping cocktails in the presence of the master himself...

Sources say that after midnight the doors are open to non-members as well, alas in a very restricted number. Take your chance!



(A review of the opening night is available in The Guardian and some photos of the interior can be found here)



Photo: Alexandre Guirkinger

Genis Carreras: Graphic Design at Its Best





Respect where it's due: young designer Genis Carreras's minimal representation of Western Philosophy is both beautiful & smart. You can see the entire series on his site & even buy a poster of your favorite philosophical stream(s) to hang above your bed (we went for Solipsism & Determinism).

In the same spirit, Genis also designed a book, Philographics, which has been produced by Gestalten.



(via Brainpickings)



The Art of Motivation to Air Next Week!


Painting by Dreama Tolle Perry


 This week's show on "The Art of Motivation" has been delayed  due to scheduling conflicts.

 Artists Helping Artists show will resume next week!

Have a wonderful and safe holiday!!

Showtime: Michael Portnoy @ Wilfried Lentz Gallery





Also in Rotterdam the new art season is approaching. Wilfried Lentz will open next Thursday with a solo show of American artist, musician, actor, and director of behavior - Michael Portnoy whose practice spans dance-theater, vocal power-tools, Relational Stalinism, reptangles, abstract gambling, the improvement of biennials and Icelandic cockroach porn. Pretty impressive stuff, if you ask us.



The show's title is Script Opposition in Late-Model Carrot Jokes, referring to a specific genre of jokes, which have been first proposed by cognitive linguists Chlopicki and Petray in early 80s to undermine then emerging computational models of humor analysis. These jokes, further developed by others in the field, depend on a preponderance of background incongruities, blunt omissions, faulty script switch-triggers, “gray” implicature, and missing links in inferencing.



During the opening there will be a presentation starting at 5:30 pm sharp with Michael Portnoy and humor theorists Olivier Brems and Tim De Mey. Reservations for the presentation are recommended since there is limited space to attend.



The show is running through October 8th - don't miss it!


Brussels Art Days IV







The 4th edition of Brussels Art Days will take place during the weekend of 10-11 September 2011, throughout which galleries will be open from noon to 7 pm and shuttle service will make sure that your eagerness to absorb as much visual stimuli as possible isn't diminished by any other physical or mental activity than the absolutely necessary one. If you still have any energy left at the end of the day - might be doubtful -, you can join the art crowd at The Egg for one hell of a party.



And what are the must-see shows?

You obviously should not miss any of the big names:

Almine Rech will present solo of Richard Prince's, called The Fug;

Jan Mot will be showing new works by the Mexican born and LA-based artist Mario Garcia Torres;

and Charles Riva Collection will have on display selected works by Paul McCarthy.



Artists - photographers will fill many of the other renowned galleries:

Xavier Hufkens will present the London-born and NY-based photographer Adam Fuss,

Rodolphe Janssen the young LA-based rising star Walead Beshty;

Baronian Francey shows landscape photographer Florian Maier-Aichen;

and Barbara Gladstone presents solo of French artist Jean-Luc Mylayne.



Amongst the other very promising shows are certainly:

I've got you under my skin, Carlos Aires' solo at Aeroplastics;

Kabul Time and Other Works by Jens Haaning (whose Turkish Mercedes is shown above) at D+T Project;

Little did they know by Antoine Bouillot at Alice;

and

Charlotte Beaudry at Aliceday,

Steven Baelen at Elaine Levy Project,

Michael Van den Abeele at Elisa Platteau & Cie,

Jonathan Callan at Hopstreet,

Gintaras Didziapetris at Tulips and Roses.



(For full list consult the Brussels Art Days website)




Art Nocturne in Antwerp





The holiday months are as good as over and the autumn art season is about to begin everywhere. In Antwerp, the galleries are getting ready to present some of their best race horses during Nocturne on Thursday 8 September from 6 to 9 pm.



We're looking forward to see "The Bermuda Triangle Is A Fraud" a project from Berlin-based artist Steve Schepens, on view at Galerie Van De Weghe.

Next door at Maes and Matthys, Lieven Segers' "iamleaving" triggers equal interest.

Couple of streets further Tim Van Laere presents the great Rinus Van De Velde (see image above), together with Peter Rogiers.

The American Kim Jones can be found at Zeno X.

And finally: don't miss Mark Luyten at Micheline Szwajcer.



For the more adventurous, willing the explore beyond the obvious territory of the Antwerp "south", there's Base Alpha in Borgerhout - showing Michèle Matyn - which should not be missed; and Fifty One Fine Art Photography with a solo of Saul Leiter.



Enjoy and get in the mood for the adjacent weekend event: the Brussels art parade!



(The complete program of all the galleries can be consulted via the Nocturne Calendar)




Thanks Everyone

Hey Everyone,



I hope you all survived the terrible hurricane/tropical storm that hit the east coast of the US this weekend. We only lost power and had some nearby trees fall down but that was it. Friends in VT and NC were much more hard hit. :-(



Anyway, thanks to the few of you who donated to Mira's List after my last post. I really appreciate any donation, even if it is small, like $5. It all helps to keep this blog going.



I have some new things to tell you about but will save that for later this week or weekend....lots of deadlines coming up in September and October so if you are thinking about applying for a residency or grant, now is the time to get those applications out there.



More later....love y'all!

Mirabee

Showtime: V&B @ Galerie 10





"The Study, The Work, The Oeuvre and The Collection" is a show of artistic duo V&B, opening this Friday at Galerie 10 in Utrecht.

V&B is the shared working name of Alex Jacobs and Ellemieke Schoenmaker, who started their collaboration in 2007 in Los Angeles. Their work deals with the relationships between the artist, the gallery and the collector. Ideas are transformed into photoshop collages and then turned into paintings, sculptures and installations. Using themselves and their friends as models, V&B try and comment on the art world in the broadest sense of the word.

"All we wanted was to be able to try things and to make mistakes. And if it didn't work out or if people didn't like it, it wouldn't matter because V&B are already dead."




Photography: Carl Wooley





We came across some fantastic night photographs from Brooklyn-base photographer Carl Wooley. In 2008, Wooley was one of the 3 American photographers invited by the FOAM museum to explore and to capture the spirit of night Amsterdam, a project resulting in an exhibition called NY Perspective. You can see Wooley's Amsterdam pictures on his website, together with equally compelling night photos of his homeplace, Williamsburg, NY, plus another series called In the Rose Garden.




Ai Weiwei compares living in Beijing to Kafkaesque nightmare





Cities really are mental conditions. Beijing is a nightmare. A constant nightmare. - with these words Ai Weiwei concludes his commentary against the Chinese government in an online editorial for The Newsweek.

Weiwei describes the article simply as “a piece about the place I live in”. Yet for how much longer remains a question, he himself doesn't know the answer to:

They always tell me, “Leave the nation, please.” Or “Live longer and watch them die.” Either leave, or be patient and watch how they die. I really don’t know what I’m going to do.



Read the article on The Daily Beast and consider making a donation to support the production of the first feature-length film about the Chinese artist and dissident, titled Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry.



Ai Weiwei on Twitter




Photography: Anoek Steketee





"Dream City" is a common project of young Dutch photographer Anoek Steketee and writer Eefje Blankevoort. Together, they visited amusement parks in Iraq, Lebanon, Rwanda, China, some parts of the USA and other countries, with Steketee taking photographs of visitors, employees, the equipment and the surroundings . The fantasy world of the parks and the reality of the daily life within the places where they're located can be seen either as strongly contrasting or as sharing virtually the same absurdities, depending on how you look. Either way, you'll be amazed.


The title of the project originates from a name of amusement park in Iraq. Kurds, Arabs – Shiites and Sunnis -, Christians, Muslims and American soldiers, they all visit the park. Segments of the Iraqi population that were submerged in a deadly struggle outside the gates. In the park they amuse themselves next to each other in the Ferris wheel.





Must-see: Jake or Dinos Chapman @ White Cube





New bad-art-for-bad-people style solo show of the Chapman brothers, titled "Jake or Dinos Chapman", is on display in London till September 17th. It runs simultaneously @ Hoxton Square and Mason's Yard - the 2 locations of the White Cube gallery.



The "or" in the title is not a typo, but refers to the concept of the show, for which the otherwise inseparable brothers and partners-in-crime decided for the first time to work individually. The exhibited works are however presented without author's attribution, leaving the viewer guessing whether he might be facing a genuine Jake or genuine Dinos.
And to be honest, it'd be difficult guessing. The variety and media of the artworks is vast, yet all pieces bear the characteristic signature of the artists' duo: absurd, disturbing, in-your-face and created with great sense of craftsmanship.


Unfortunately the gallery has a strict no-photo policy during the exhibition and photos we could find online all mostly depict the same (= the art-admiring nazi mannequins & the kids with animal masks pictured above), but apart from these striking pieces, there are countess other gems to be be found on both locations.
So if you go, don't miss the "Somewhere between tennis elbow and wanker's cramp" cardboard sculptures, the sets of mysterious drawings and etchings with equally mysterious titles and "Oi Pieter, I k-k-kan see you house from here", an installation combining (adjusted) 17th century painting and a Chapman-made one hell-of-a-confused identity mannequin (K-K-K cape, hippie socks and a huge hard-on...) or the cabinet of religious violence @ the first floor of Hoxton square.
Seeing the show alone was already worth a trip to London, but adding Tracy Emin @ the Hayward Gallery & Matthew Day Jackson @ Houser & Wirth to the list made our short stay even better!
(Emin & Jackson are unfortunately already finished but some photos will be on Flickr soon)


Photos courtesy The Guardian & Elias Daniel.




Han Hoogerbrugge joins forces with the Church (of the First Day)



You might have noticed that the regular Tarantino/Lynch chitchats & the portraits of Hoogerbrugge fans on Prostress have been infiltrated by the whereabouts of three mysterious brothers from "The Church of the First Day". Han Hoogerbrugge (alias CEO of Prostress) has teamed up with these Dutch rebels with a self-proclaimed cause and created their "crusade to save all our unspoiled hearts" in a fantastic comic version.

For those who want more, the Church will be doing live performances during the first half of September in Amsterdam. Go-see!


artists who blog in Vienna: Manuela Buxer


Designer Manuela Buxer of good morning midnight in Vienna suggested that we meet in her lively, multi-cultural neighborhood to take a stroll through the Brunnenmarkt - a colorful open air market selling everything specialty foods to clothing and household items.


Manuela was very friendly and enthusiastically described what she loves about the 16th District in Vienna, "Lots of artists and designers live and work here because the rent and cost of living is not so expensive. I love the lively, multi-cultural atmosphere."

After our walk, we had a lovely Turkish inspired breakfast at the very cool, minimalist Cafe An-Do, and Manuela told me more about her creative process.


Manuela and her design partner Lucas Eckhart at good morning midnight create full collections of clothing for women and men, playing with colors, textures, geometrical and asymmetrical forms. The titles for the pieces are phrases taken from songs, and she told me that many of their designs are inspired by independent music and film.


Manuela explained, "We want to stay small, in the spirit of DIY, and we make everything ourselves - from the labels and the tags to our photos and our homepage. We want to sell what is from our heart and not just do it for the money. Our design work should remain pure and not just be focused on the marketing."



She told me that they start the design process by making sketches and keep drawing and drawing until the finished design evolves. "We are starting to use ecological, organically produced fabrics, but it is sometimes hard to find good suppliers."


"Our color scheme is mostly monochromatic, but we are thinking about possibly adding a bit of color to some of our collections in the future."



"Our focus is on creating classic styles rather than trendy collections. Our collections are always works in progress, and the next things we'd like to do are make scarves and buttons."

She went on to share, "This year our big focus is to do more fashion and handmade shows and markets. We'll be participating at the design exhibition Blickfang in Vienna and at the hello handmade Markt in Hamburg this fall."


Manuela is delighted with the development of Etsy and many designer blogs, "Etsy brings the whole world into your living room. Nearly all of the blogs I read are people I found via Etsy - people who have interesting lives and exciting photos. Sometimes the blogs make you feel overwhelmed. I wonder "How do they have the time to make so much?"



She gave me the links of a few of her favorite blogs (and they are all inspiring, I've already checked them out!)

mustard and sage
calivintage
16 house
bookhou at home
hello handmade
rennes handmade
graceful lady
hpunktanna


I find good morning midnight's clothing collections so dreamy and beautiful - while preparing this post, I have been falling in love with their designs all over again. You can find all a large selection of their designs for women and men online in their Etsy shop. Enjoy gorgeous photos and Manuela's musings on the good morning midnight blog.

Thank you so much for your time and hospitality Manuela! I truly enjoyed meeting you and I adore your designs :)

xoxo
Stephanie

artists who blog in Vienna: Patricia Vincent


Designer Patricia Vincent is another creative spirit I was lucky enough to meet while in Vienna. I felt Patricia's warmth and charm immediately when I met her at her beautiful studio in the suburb of Sievering in Vienna. 


Patricia showed me around her lovely studio - well stocked with handmade, unique clothing and accessories for women that she makes individually using natural materials like silk, cotton, and leather. She told me that it is very important to her to use the very best quality materials in all of her designs.


Patricia just moved into her studio about 15 months ago after working for 4 years in a shared studio near the MuseumsQuartier in Vienna. She is very happy to have much more space and natural light now. If you are in Vienna and would like to see her designs, you can visit her at  Sieveringer Str. 18/4. Although Patricia is usually there working long hours, it is best to call ahead or email to make an appointment. Contact information is available here on Patricia's portfolio website.


Her bags are all so lovely - how can one choose? I am happy to say that I now own one of Patricia's bags, and I love it. I'm carrying it with me on every trip of my 12 Countries project! Each extremely well made bag is one-of-a-kind and is made using a different combination of materials and colors. You can find a big collection of her bags online in her new Etsy shop here.


Patricia told me that the inspiration for her pieces comes from watching people and films and thinking about what she would like to wear personally. She wants her bags to be "practical, yet eye-catching" and describes her style as "understated and feminine." She makes every piece herself by hand - from the patterns and design to the cutting, sewing, and stitching.


Yet Patricia's path was not always an easy one. Patricia grew up during the Ceausescu dictatorship in Romania. As the daughter of a Ukranian mother and Nigerian father, Patricia and her twin sister suffered extreme discrimination because of their mixed racial background during the regime. 

Patricia's mother even lost her job as a teacher and Patricia and her family were victims of violent racially motivated attacks during the dictatorship. However, her mother was very strong and Patricia says. "She was a fighter and this is what I took from her, the spirit of justice."

After the dictatorship, conditions improved dramatically for the family. Patricia's mother regained her teaching position and Patricia went to an prestigious high school and later studied Business Management in Bucharest.


However, a trip to Vienna in 2002 changed everything. Patricia fell in love with the city, and she is now very happy to call Vienna her home. She told me, "Vienna is peaceful, green, the air is fresh, the streets are clean, the architecture is very beautiful and individual, and each district has a special atmosphere." She went on to say that she feels, "Women are very respected here and Vienna gives me the freedom to be creative."

Patricia has started a wonderful new blog called Seams and Chronicles, where she shares more about her fascinating life story as well as her creative work process.

She writes, "My profession is one of the best things in my life and I feel so blessed having the opportunity to discover and start to love it at a relatively early age. My love and passion for it gives me strength, confidence... and nobody can take it away."

Thank you Patricia for sharing with us! I know your new Etsy shop and blog are going to be a success!

xoxo
Stephanie

Last chance to see "A Midsummer Night's Dream" @ Zic Zerp



Last weekend we had a pleasure to visit Zic Zerp gallery in Rotterdam. In a great space - adjacent to Frank Taal Gallery - Zic has put together an interesting group show featuring young Dutch and international artists. Next to several fantastic pieces from Jeroen Eisinga (don't miss his upcoming solo this fall), you can see work by Alle Jong, Bert Frings, Mark Outjers, Niels Smits van Burgst, Roza Stegeman, Tjalling Visser and Jak Beemsterboer. The last artist has a background in graphic and interior design and creates some pretty intriguing collages.
The show will finish already this Sunday, so hurry up!
(Image: Jeroen Eisinga's "Die Menschen sind töricht, sie können nicht fliegen", 16mm-film transfer to SD video color, sound, 4'15)

Some Random Advice from Mirabee on Grants, Fellowships, Residencies and Contests

Hi everyone,



Lately I have been getting a lot of mail—actually, I always get a lot of mail—and much of it the last month has been about some of the same things so I thought I would just post a list of some FAQs that keep ending up in my inbox. It is almost September, after all, and Sept. 15th is a big date for application deadlines. October is the big month for Fulbright deadlines.



Before I go into that though, a reminder, if you write me at:

mirabartok@yahoo.com, please make sure you check ALL my FAQs before writing, okay?

Here is the FAQ link for applying for grants and Fellowships: http://miraslist.blogspot.com/2009/07/faqs-grants.html

Here's the link for residencies, art colonies and retreats: http://miraslist.blogspot.com/2009/09/faqs-residencies-artist-colonies.html

For Fulbright Awards: http://miraslist.blogspot.com/2009/04/fubright-grants-inside-scoop.html



Okay, on to those random questions of yours:



1. HELP ME PLEASE! I am desperate! I need a grant right now! Can I apply for a grant that would start next month?



No. For most grants or large fellowships you must apply nine months to a year in advance. However, if you need emergency funding, check my sidebar on the right hand side for some links to emergency funding organizations.

Also--PLEASE DO NOT SOUND DESPERATE in your application. No foundation wants to give money to people who sound like victims. It is better to present yourself as a resourceful person. Tell them how many other places you are applying to and what you are doing to get out of your unfortunate situation.



2. If I write a nice letter to you, asking you to help me find a grant or a special residency, will you help me?



Nope. PLEASE DO THE WORK. I do this for free. I know I am crazy. I get barely any donations. I think I make less than two cents an hour doing this. Actually—not even that much. Basically, I bring you to the water but you have to fish for yourself, okay? There are special circumstances where I do help individuals, like a couple people who have limited internet access because they are living in countries like Iran and China where important sites are censored and blocked from view. Otherwise—do the work yourself.



3. I run a residency (or a grant foundation) and want you to post my deadline announcement. What's the best way to send you info?



NOT in a pdf. NOT in a word doc. Please send a BRIEF announcement in the body of an email to mirabartok@yahoo.com and include deadline date, cost if there is on, stipend or award if there is one, location and something descriptive about the program. Also, which disciplines can apply. And please send me info way in advance. Thanks.



4. I am a poet who is nearly sixty years old (or an artist, composer, etc.) and have been rejected by every place I apply to. Can you help me figure out why?



Sorry—I can't. I just don't have time to critique people's work. I suggest you get involved with some kind of community—writing group, artist critique group, etc. and get feedback that way.



5. What is your opinion about writing contests that charge a fee to submit my piece?



I think some contests are good and some are bad. Here's my opinion, for what it's worth: Look to see what the big prize is. If the entry fee is, say, 10-25 dollars and the biggest prize is only 200 dollars, well, that's pretty bogus to me. That means they are just making money off you. And do they mention who the judge is? ONLY send work to contests if the judge is a reputable LITERARY writer, not some hack and if the contest is run by a literary magazine or a reputable literary online journal. The Council on Literary Magazines and Small Presses (CLMP) helps to set standards for good ethical practices among literary magazines. You can acquire a great list of presses and journals from their site: http://www.clmp.org/about/dir.html.



You can get a great listing of contests that are worth applying to on the Poets & Writers website: www.pw.org. And if you are a writer and don't subscribe to their inexpensive but invaluable magazine, I do believe you are a doody head.



By the way, you can apply this info to art and music and film contests. Just because someone is offering you money out there doesn't mean they are legit.



6. I'm a writer. Some of my friends say I should send my work to literary journals—ones like Ploughshares, Kenyon Review, Yale Review, etc. But I notice that most of those journals don't pay you a cent! They just give you two free copies and publish your work. So why bother?



Good question. Well, here's the long answer: Many great writers started out in those smaller circulation literary magazines. And many acclaimed authors (and I'm talking LITERARY authors here, not the Danielle Steele kind of commercial bestselling blockbuster author) still send pieces to these magazines because they believe in them and they also respect the audience who reads them. That audience really loves great literature and brilliant, exquisite prose. They read the harder books, the ones you actually have to use your brain to read, not your basic page turner. i.e. We are not talking The DaVinci Code, okay? Nothing wrong with that stuff for entertainment but let's face it folks—it's not great literature.



Case in point—an earlier version of one of my chapters from The Memory Palace (which just made the New York Times bestselling list in paperback for next week :-)) was first published in Kenyon Review. And from there, KR submitted it to be in the Best American Essay series where it was mentioned as a notable essay. That stuff means something to agents and editors at larger houses who are looking for literary writers. And it meant a lot to me. You can't put a price tag on that kind of thing. These journals barely limp along financially. It is a labor of love. I used to work at one as an intern and certainly didn't do it for the money. Okay....I'm done ranting now....



A couple last things:



To people who run international residencies and want me to post deadlines: PLEASE have someone check your grammar and spelling. I spend a lot of time rewriting posts that are too hard to understand. PLEASE tell me WHERE you are located exactly. You'd be surprised how many people ask me to post about a residency with no info on what country it is, even on their website.



And, last but not least.....a reminder: if you are looking for a residency in a specific country, please don't write me and ask. Please check out my residency links on my sidebar because the places I list are amazing and you can search for each individual country.



Thanks....and hey, I'm going to bug you guys for donations soon, just so you know. Although my book is doing really well, I haven't made my advance back yet (a long and mysterious process that even I don't completely understand). I will actually run out of money in November with nothing on the horizon. I do this for free. I do not charge you. People say I am insane because I do not ask for a yearly subscription. I don't want to because I believe in a Gift Economy at heart. So pay it forward—send a donation if you can (see my sidebar for information on how to do that) and if you can't, spread some helpful information to a friend.



Thanks...I love you guys.

Mirabee



p.s. I forgot to mention this one:



I DO NOT POST ABOUT CONTESTS, PUBLISHING OR EXHIBITION OPPORTUNTIES, etc. unless they also offer a residency or there is some fellowship involved. So to all you wonderful places asking me to post about your upcoming artist call for an exhibit or for your writing contest, please go to my facebook MIRASLIST page and post it there, okay? If you write a short announcement it will also be tweeted on twitter.



By the way—I really, really try to post residencies that either don't cost money or that offer a stipend or that are pretty inexpensive. So if you send me an announcement for a residency that costs a lot of money, don't be surprised if I don't post it, okay? Thanks.







artists who blog in Vienna: Valerie Tonus & Ally Michelle


My first artist interview in Vienna was with Valerie Tonus, a warm and wonderful creative spirit from California who has lived abroad for many years and truly seen the world. I knew I wanted Valerie to be a part of this project after I saw her colorful work and read her profile description on Etsy:

"I live in the land of Klimt, Schiele, and Hundertwasser - Vienna, Austria. This is a place of gilded cupolas, florid patterns, and textures so delicious that you want to eat them.

I experiment with shapes - cubist bags, round spiral baskets, diagonal strips - and color relationships - triads of reds, blues and yellows, and tetrads of yellow-orange, red, blue-purple, and green. 

I have an earthy bohemian side. I am a traveler. Each place I have lived has shaped my senses."

Isn't that wonderful?!

Valerie was very enthusiastic about my art + travel project and suggested that we meet at the Kunst Haus Wien designed by the artist Hundertwasser.


This is a front view of Kunst Haus Wien. In the back, there is a lovely garden cafe. After a challenging first morning in Vienna that you can read about here, I was very happy to meet Valerie and her artist friend, Ally Michelle, who was also in Vienna for a visit. Ally Michelle has recently opened an Etsy shop recently featuring her handmade sea glass jewelry. Click here to see more of her unique designs.


Valerie brought along many of her beautiful, hand-coiled cloth bowls and even shared her process. She told me that her sister who quilts got her started using textiles to create art.

"Making the coils for the bowls is a lot like using clay," Valerie said. "Forming the shapes is an organic process. It is somewhat similar to gardening - the result is always different from what you expect."

Valerie has lived in Vienna for the past three years, and has especially enjoyed the beautiful Jugendstil architecture, museums, rich culture, and the public transportation that makes it so easy to get around.

She finds the ornamental, coiled designs in Klimt's work a particular inspiration for the designs on her bowls. "Did you ever notice the beautiful textures in the women's dresses in Klimt's paintings?"


Valerie has been lucky enough to find an international artist's group in Vienna that meets every Friday afternoon to work together and exchange ideas. Her description of the group sounded so open and friendly, it makes me wish I could attend their meetings too.


She demonstrated for me the time intensive wrapping technique of making the coils before she stitches the bowls together. Each bowl is handmade and one-of-a-kind.



Her use of color is mostly intuitive, but sometimes she experiments with new color families using a color wheel. Valerie has experimented using various types of fabrics, ranging from extra strips from her sister's quilting projects to recycled materials.


More recently, she has been using stamps to create her own fabric designs which could then be incorporated into additional textile projects.

Valerie sells her work in shops and markets in Vienna, as well as online through her Etsy shop. She told me that she first found out about Etsy through an alternative website called Rat Race Rebellion. After working for many years in corporate management training, she is happy to be celebrating her creative voice. Valerie has her own blog and is "inspired and motivated by the many creative people expressing themselves now on the Internet." I couldn't agree more.

Ally Michelle added wisely, "Finally more and more people are out there following and marketing their passions - it is so much better than people doing jobs that they don't like."

Ally went on to say: "Every single person in this world has a story to tell, and they should tell it by all means. Blogging has returned the voice to the people - it is a big crowd, but everyone can speak."

At the close of our lively conversation together, Valerie shared a quote from Hundertwasser that she finds particularly inspiring, "Our real illiteracy is our inability to create."


See a charming collection of Valerie's lovely handmade bowls and bags in her online shop and be sure to visit her blog for wonderful recipes, tutorials, and a closer look at her creative process. You can also visit Ally Michelle at her urban gardening blog here.

Thank you Valerie and Ally Michelle for your time and encouragement! I hope we will meet again!

xo
Stephanie

 
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