Peripheral Space

Weather Photos

2009-01-05T14:46:00.003-05:00

Sarah and I are part of a project that pairs international people together and shows a visual dialogue between them by getting the participants to take 'weather' photos. Sarah (myself being in Berlin and Sarah being in Scotland) are participating together.

This http://blog.weatherphotos.org/?cat=2063 is a link to our dialogue. Check out the rest of the partners as well. It's a pretty interesting project.

View From My Desk

2008-11-21T11:29:00.002-05:00

Klebeland

2008-11-10T12:34:00.006-05:00

It was toss up to which blog to put this on, but I go by the general question "Would my parents be interested in this?" If the answer is 'maybe not', its home is found here.

This afternoon I took a trek to "Klebeland" or Tape Land. A whole store dedicated to tape, right here in Wedding. I was in heaven!

They have a discount bin. Here are the fruits of my 5€ spree:

Complete with samples:

Another Great Layout

2008-11-10T12:31:00.002-05:00

This one is for a show at the Autocenter Gallery.

Drawing Tools

2008-11-07T11:13:00.001-05:00

Anonymous Drawing

2008-11-07T10:59:00.003-05:00

The cat is out of the bag: this is my anonymous drawing for Blütenweiss' 9th annual 'Anonyme Zeichner' show, this year at Kunstraum Kreuzberg / Bethanien. Emmy turned me onto the open call, and I'm told the venue is quite respectable.

It's probably pretty hard to tell, but it's plain white tracing paper with a line pattern embossed onto it. Here is the piece of note paper I used to create the pattern:

Not sure which one I like more.

Montgomery Layout

2008-11-07T10:54:00.003-05:00

Versus the standard list, this is a much better version of the layout sheet for a group show. For Montgomery Gallery's 3 year aniversary.

Purging #9 (45's)

2008-07-08T21:46:00.003-05:00

These were my Aunt Carol's old 45 indexes. I love the dents on the middle cards.

Purging #8 (Multicoloured)

2008-07-08T21:43:00.001-05:00

Purging #7 (Rippled Paper)

2008-07-08T21:40:00.000-05:00

Purging #6 (File Folder Tabs)

2008-07-08T21:39:00.001-05:00

Purging #5 (Punch Card Red)

2008-07-08T21:35:00.002-05:00

Purging #4 (Japanese Toothpick Sleeves)

2008-07-08T21:32:00.001-05:00

Purging #3 (Another Card Wripple)

2008-07-08T21:30:00.002-05:00

Purging #2 (Endpapers)

2008-07-06T13:27:00.000-05:00

Purging #1 (White on White)

2008-07-06T13:23:00.002-05:00

I am somewhat of a packrat when it comes to papers. I've been going through it all lately and am posting a few of the real gems.

Another Recent Acquisition

2008-07-06T13:20:00.001-05:00

Contrary to my opinion that God is not the greatest artist, this air-tight number is tops in my book.

China Town Paper Finds

2008-07-05T10:40:00.000-05:00

Miscellaneous - shoe 2

2008-06-30T17:34:00.000-05:00

Recent Acquisition

2008-06-30T17:10:00.000-05:00

Miscellaneous - shoe prints and wripple

2008-06-20T17:26:00.002-05:00

Subway - Wet Paint

2008-06-20T17:25:00.002-05:00

Downsizing the Nail Polish

2008-06-20T17:24:00.002-05:00

Test Sheet.

Sarah's Plant Blossomed

2008-06-20T17:20:00.002-05:00

Bequethed to Sarah from her grandmother, I inherited this gorgeous gnarly plant when Sarah moved to Scotland. The buds are bizarrely hard and the flowers a bit spongy, but totally beautiful.

Brooklyn Bridge - Painted Metal

2008-06-20T17:18:00.004-05:00

Brooklyn Bridge - Walkway

2008-06-20T17:14:00.005-05:00

Carbon Paper Obsession Has Begun

2008-06-20T17:08:00.003-05:00

Flutter

2008-02-10T21:45:00.000-05:00

Peony Petals

2008-01-22T22:44:00.001-05:00

3 Days - Fall, Winter and Spring

2008-01-22T22:37:00.000-05:00

Twilight Snow

2008-01-22T22:33:00.000-05:00

Layout Map of Brewery Cardboard Show

2008-01-22T22:21:00.000-05:00

Studio Shots

2008-01-22T21:46:00.000-05:00

Lined Papers and Envelope Linings

2007-11-26T23:27:00.001-05:00

Super Yummy Cupcakes for the Opening

2007-11-02T22:58:00.000-05:00

Akimbo Post

2007-11-01T23:37:00.000-05:00

It will be a defunct link by the end of the month, but here is my page on akimbo's site:

http://akimbo.biz/events/index.php?id=9043&day=3&month=11

It's my first real media posting.

I'm a Star

2007-11-01T23:32:00.000-05:00

Shauna was kind enough to send me a pic of the painting that she so wonderfully painted of yours truly, at this year's Toronto International Art Fair (Katharine Mulherin's booth). Yah, I'm awesome. Shauna is pretty cool too.

Koffler Bookmark Project

2007-10-27T23:44:00.000-05:00

My bookmarks got into the Koffler Art Centre's annual bookmark project. Artists submit to have their bookmarks displayed alongside the Jewish Community Centre's swank collection of books. The pieces were done with a new series I want to make in mind. They're titled "Paper Before I Write"

Semi-Permanent

2007-10-20T23:20:00.000-05:00

Finger dent from drawing.

401 Richmond - Art in the Halls

2007-09-25T21:17:00.000-05:00

I stopped by the 401 Richmond building after work today to check out how the halls look. The piece I have up in the show was freatured in the pamphet job they came out with. Nice!

This Afternoon, This Weekend, This Week, This Month...

2007-09-15T18:17:00.000-05:00

I'm working towards my VMAC show that will be up for the month of November. It's rather repetitive work but is enjoyable in that it gives me a chance to listen to some music not quite fitting for my commute to my day job and to some intro to conversational German CDs I grabbed.

Cotton

2007-07-28T18:59:00.000-05:00

Adam has posted some of his new poems on his myspace blog. I die. Here is the link: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=48128999&blogID=292555936

Compiling Under Way

2007-07-19T22:17:00.001-05:00

I'm certain that I've mentioned it before, that all of the 561 polaroids in the Patchwork toronto series were scanned before they were permanately mounted. I'm compiling the images again in photoshop (cut, paste, cut, paste, cut, paste....) and unfortunately it's taking a bit longer than I thought it would.

Here though is the main piece from the series. Adam Cotton took approximately 50 of the 135 sidewalk photos. Mine were generally taken during the day, and Adam's appear to be mainly taken at night. The piece turned out to be more exciting than I thought it would. I assumed an outcome of complete banality and got the most decadent palette.

Goodbye the Junction

2007-07-19T22:14:00.001-05:00

My landlord gave me my 60-day notice for September 1st. He is a rather smarmy man. Here are a couple shots of my current digs, soon to be my former.

Taken For Sarah

2007-07-19T22:08:00.000-05:00

It looks like dear Sarah is vamoosing for the UK mid-August. I took these nostalgic photos for her (while with her) a couple of weeks ago on Ward's Island.

Aye Caramba

2007-07-09T18:43:00.000-05:00

Long time no blog.

The Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition was this past Friday through Sunday. Despite some thunder showers on Sunday, and sweltering heat throughout, it was a super weekend.

Here's a couple pics of Adam, who was big time my muscle and sanity for the duration of the show:

Sarah helped me hugely with prep work and with the initial set-up and final take-down for the show. Here is a pic of her in her cool Florida shark t-shirt, screwing hooks to boards late at night:

All of the work from the show will be up on my webpage by mid-month. I will also have way more time on a lot of fronts in my life (especially with the show now over) and will be updating the blog on a regular basis again.

New Business Card

2007-06-03T20:46:00.001-05:00

Front and back. This looks a bit off b/c obviously the backgrounds on the card will be white, and I didn't take off the image overhanging into the bleed line bit, but you get the idea. Sarah helped as she has become quite the expert in my eyes on these matters. I'm getting them done off-set printed on 14pt stock and in case it doesn't show, the colour is a dark warm grey.

Night Pavement, Branch on Sidewalk and Dandelion Grass, Oh my!

2007-05-23T19:53:00.000-05:00

Airing Out

2007-05-21T12:28:00.000-05:00

Before starting my new work I checked the wealth of knowledge on Polaroid's website. Supposedly after taking photos they should be left out to air dry for at least a week.

I Wish

2007-05-21T10:27:00.000-05:00

... That someone someday will write something like this about me. From Singer: An Album. Damn.

Another 10

2007-05-21T10:09:00.000-05:00

Don't recall if I've mentioned it before, but Adam is helping me out with the Sidewalk series. Here is his first 10. I'm totally happy with them. Perhaps the fact that I've enlisted another to take photos for me, will give an idea of the scope I'm hoping this project will have.

Another Snag from Work

2007-05-18T22:57:00.000-05:00

Here's a crop of a big piece of card stock. They come lining the bottom of boxes of envelopes. Last count, I'm up to a hoard of 30.

Tabs

2007-05-18T22:52:00.001-05:00

"Ledger"

2007-05-18T22:44:00.001-05:00

It's a word I've been throwing around as I revamp my artist's statement. I scored this paper from work... one of the few benefits of slugging away at a day job in an office.

Accepted into the TOAE!

2007-05-18T21:50:00.000-05:00

Here is an example of the work I'm getting ready for the show. I doubt this combo will exist come July, but none the less:

I scanned the Polaroids and compiled it digitally. The actual photos still sit safely in boxes. The pics are of light on a wall, leaves with frost, falling snow at night and light coming through my blinds/curtains. My working title for the series is Patchwork Toronto. I think there will be 5 pieces of this size in the end (200 photos total), with some smaller works to accompany. I'm almost done taking the shots, but have to wait to do some until the warm weather officially rolls in.

One Mistake and Two Flower Shots

2007-05-14T21:37:00.000-05:00

Change

2007-05-12T22:12:00.000-05:00

It's been a bit since I've posted. This is indicative of how my life has felt:

Geez, I thought my purse felt heavy. Seriously, there's over 20$ here.

Huh?

2007-04-27T23:03:00.000-05:00

What is this? Bad film or bad camera... je ne sais pas. The pics were taken at my bus station, the newest element to my Toronto Patchwork series. Sigh. $3 wasted.

Sarah Moves to Scotland - Exhibit E - ZZ?

2007-04-22T22:07:00.000-05:00

Long story, but Sarah has a bazillion (give or take a couple) promo pen samples... most of which now belong to me! Shall my hark back to the pencil progress into a delve into ink?

Sidewalk Sample - 2

2007-04-22T21:02:00.000-05:00

21 down... another 79 to go?

Other People's Drawings - 4

2007-04-22T13:35:00.000-05:00

Here's the lady herself:

Agnes Martin's Water Flower, 1964

Other People's Sculptures - 1

2007-04-22T13:21:00.000-05:00

Whiteread! I often metaphorically shake a fist at this dame. So good all around.

Sidewalk Sample

2007-04-15T18:40:00.000-05:00

Started a new piece this past week. It's going to be big (in dimensions and awesomeness). Here are the first 7 pics. I'm so excited I feel like my brains are going to explode.

Aurora Borealis (for Adam)

2007-04-13T21:09:00.000-05:00

I chose greenish examples, but the whole thing is that they occur in the entire colour spectrum.

And here is mine. Haha. Let's just call it the reserved Toronto version.

Auroral mechanism
Auroras are now known to be caused by the collision of charged particles (e.g. electrons), found in the magnetosphere, with atoms in the Earth's upper atmosphere (at altitudes above 80 km). These charged particles are typically energized to levels between 1 thousand and 15 thousand electronvolts and, as they collide with atoms of gases in the atmosphere, the atoms become energized. Shortly afterwards, the atoms emit their gained energy as light (see Fluorescence). Light emitted by the Aurora tends to be dominated by emissions from atomic oxygen, resulting in a greenish glow (at a wavelength of 557.7 nm) and - especially at lower energy levels and at higher altitudes - the dark-red glow (at 630.0 nm of wavelength). Both of these represent forbidden transitions of electrons of atomic oxygen that, in absence of newer collisions, persist for a long time and account for the slow brightening and fading (0.5-1 s) of auroral rays. Many other colors - especially those emitted by atomic and molecular nitrogen (blue and purple, respectively) - can also be observed. These, however, vary much faster and reveal the true dynamic nature of auroras.
As well as visible light, auroras emit infrared (NIR and IR) and ultraviolet (UV) rays as well as X-rays (e.g. as observed by the Polar spacecraft). While the visible light emissions of auroras can easily be seen on Earth, the UV and X-ray emissions are best seen from space, as the Earth's atmosphere tends to absorb and attenuate these emissions.

White Paper

2007-04-12T18:56:00.000-05:00

Old Habits Die Hard

2007-04-12T18:53:00.000-05:00

Score x70

2007-04-06T22:03:00.000-05:00

Books Acquired and Read - March

2007-04-06T17:19:00.000-05:00

Acquired:

Elements of Style for Screenwriters: The Essential Manual for Writers of Screenplays - Argentini (for Adam)
Looking Up: Rachel Whiteread's Water Tower - Neri
Instant Yiddish - Kogos
The Blizzard Voices - Kooser
The Poetry Home Repair Manual: Practical Advice for Beginning Poets - Kooser (for Adam)
The Joys of Yiddish - Rosten
Collected Stories: One Night in Brazil to The Death of Methuselah - Singer
In my Father's Court - Singer
embryoyo - Young

Read:

Art and Photography - Campany (again)
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Foer (1/2)
The Blizzard Voices - Kooser
New York - Lonely Planet
Venice - Lonely Planet
Photography: A Cultural History - Marien (chapter 4, 5 +6)
The Daily Practice of Painting - Richter (again)
many many enjoyable books/artcles on Richter (essay due)
The Joys of Yiddish - Rosten (1/2)

Sarah Moves to Scotland - Exhibit D

2007-03-31T22:16:00.000-05:00

Nothing says love like Ribbon. Sarah has tons of this kind of stuff. Most of it she's been lugging around since she was a kid. Now mine, I also got a colourful assortment of sewing thread etc... a fraction of her collection I'm sure.

Spectra and Swarm

2007-03-23T16:55:00.000-05:00

Sarah Moves to Scotland - Exhibit C

2007-03-19T21:49:00.000-05:00

An antique spinning top courtesy of Sarah's boyfriend Grant (also moving to Scotland). Even a man at a table beside ours at Saturday brunch (when I got the gift) inquired as to where I got it. My response, pointing at Sarah: "It's her boyfriends". Smooth Heather, smooth. Dig the mustard yellow.

A Bit Dusty, But the New Cameras Work Fine

2007-03-18T13:02:00.000-05:00

Slush Gone Bad

2007-03-17T16:38:00.000-05:00

A new line in my 'Patchwork Toronto' series is slush by the road side. Due to severe lack of snow this Winter, I was worried that I wouldn't get the shots. But mother nature is fighting back and I took advantage today before it all melts by tomorrow. Sadly, I also wasted 5 shots in the process:

My lense cover wasn't opening all the way. Sigh. In the end I got my 10 usable shots, and I'm quite happy with them.

New Drawings Coming Along

2007-03-15T17:35:00.000-05:00

I mentioned in my post earlier this week about snagging some great cardboard pieces. Here they are:

They hail from a brewery and just have the best bottle-imprinted designs on them. Thanks to my folks who had the foresight to gift me a magnifier lamp at Christmas:

The pics are a bit fuzzy, but maybe you can get the idea without me totally giving it away. Sticking with my mighty pencil, they'll be lacquered and gorgeous as hell in the end.

Supplies Have Arrived

2007-03-15T17:28:00.000-05:00

Within a day of each other:

280 shots of Spectra Image, and

100 shots of 779.

There is only 9 packs left in the box though. I immediately loaded one in one of my cameras. Words can simply not convey how happy I am right now.

Other People's Writings - 1

2007-03-11T18:31:00.000-05:00

Sarah Moves to Scotland - Exhibits A and B

2007-03-11T16:35:00.000-05:00

My best friend Sarah is moving to Scotland soon (more than likely at the beginning of May). While I will miss her dearly, in the meantime I can take solace in lots of neat free junk. Today was the beginning of it all. After a yummy brunch I found disgustingly good deals on disgustingly good books and nabbed some fine cardboard for some new drawings I've been plodding away on. Somehow though the highlight of the day was these red ribbons from a wine gift box and this library card that came out of a Macrome book. It was due 2 years and 360 days before I was born. Good grief.

Buying Overload

2007-03-04T19:29:00.000-05:00

I just bought 100 shots of 779 film and 280 (!) shots of Spectra Image. Oh god, I have 380 shots coming my way. Aaahh!

Another Line Done

2007-03-03T22:54:00.000-05:00

Leo and Pantry

2007-03-01T21:35:00.000-05:00

Other People's Drawings - 3

2007-03-01T21:12:00.000-05:00

Click on the detail for the full effect. She just amazes me.

Agnes Martin

Milk River, 1963

Oil on canvas, 72 x 72"

Books Acquired and Read - February

2007-03-01T16:27:00.000-05:00

Acquired:

Joe - Foer (text) + Sugimoto (photo)
Rachel Whiteread Embankment - Tate
Atlas - Richter

Read:

Art and Photography - Campany
Hiroshi Sugimoto - Brougher + Elliott
Joe - Foer (text) + Sugimoto (photo)
Agnes Martin - Haskell
Agnes Martin - Kern
The Drawing Book - Kovats
Photography: A Cultural History - Marien (chapter 3)
Conceptual Art - Osborne
Richard Serra Sculpture 1987-1989 - Pace Gallery
The Daily Practice of Painting - Richter
Richard Serra 66-77 - Serra
The Winter of Our Discontent - Steinbeck

I'm Going to Miss The Snow

2007-02-26T23:41:00.000-05:00

Dang, The Things I Find When I Clean House

2007-02-20T23:29:00.000-05:00

Christmas day, 2003.

Wallpaper At The Stem

2007-02-19T20:57:00.000-05:00

Other People's Drawings - 2

2007-02-18T13:49:00.000-05:00

With a Frontally Protruding Stag's Head
Joseph Beuys, 1948
Opaque white and pencil, 21 x 29.5 cm

I Steal The Filler Flowers From The Bouquet At Work Every Friday

2007-02-18T09:10:00.000-05:00

This pic isn't usable as it didn't turn out like the others (I took it at the wrong time of day) but I like it anyway.

FYI - Polaroids and Christmas Lights Don't Mix 2

2007-02-13T22:40:00.000-05:00

I found 2 more defunct attempts.

Tried and True

2007-02-13T22:18:00.000-05:00

The arm pit method.

I Love Someone More Than I Love Snow

2007-02-13T21:31:00.000-05:00

And that's saying a lot.

Rachel, You're Killing Me

2007-02-12T21:47:00.000-05:00

Whiteread made a chess set? Makes sense to me.

It's All Starting To Take Shape

2007-02-11T14:15:00.000-05:00

32 usable pics done, 218 to go. This is the layout:

The parchment colour in the background is meant to represent a wall. 5 pieces at 50 shots each. The pics are (tentatively) taken in Toronto from Fall 2006-Spring 2007. Further explanation will follow as the elements become more put together.

Vertical Blinds w/ Sheer Curtains

2007-02-07T17:11:00.000-05:00

FYI - Polaroids and Christmas Lights Don't Mix

2007-02-05T22:37:00.000-05:00

Other People's Drawings - 1

2007-02-03T23:08:00.000-05:00

Whitread brings the herring bone to a new level.

Books Acquired and Read - January

2007-02-02T21:12:00.000-05:00

Acquired:

Arboretum - Bryne
The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking - Devi
Photography: A Cultural History - Marien
The Anthropology of Turquoise - Meloy
Robert Smithson - MOCA
The Black Book - Pamuk
Selected Cantos - Pound
Satan in Goray - Singer
The Pastures of Heaven - Steinbeck
The Pearl/The Red Pony - Steinbeck
The Winter of Our Discontent - Steinbeck
Issue 5 - McSweeney's
Issue 8 - McSweeney's

Read:

Photography: A Cultural History - Marien (chapters 1 + 2)
Issue 5 - McSweeney's
The War Works Hard - Mikhail
The Peripheral Space of Photography - Nemet-Nejat
Snow - Pamuk
Sexing the Cherry - Winterson