how to upholster a sewing machine

Wishi Washi Studio is experiencing some luxurious downtime right now so there are no workshop photos to share this week.

And, I've been meaning to share this compelling sequence on:  how to upholster a sewing machine

Last year I had an exhibit entitled: Preparing for Evanescence and it included three series': sedimentals, suspendables and upholsterables.  

My treadle sewing machine cried out to be upholstered.  And, this is how it happened: 

1. Start with a sewing machine.

2. and then do this.

And, these are shots of the completed and installed Upholsterable: Sewing Machine in the pantry of Preparing for Evanescence:

 

[last three photos by r.r. jones]

Voila!

art + music

Wishi Washi Studio is in between its spring and summer workshop season so I have no student-work-goodness to share for the first time in a while.  Instead, I thought I would dig back to earlier this year and share a music video that was filmed, in part, in front of one of my installations:

The band is Marty O'Reilly and they filmed this video at the Santa Cruz Institute of Contemporary Art that is located in the Tannery Arts Center, where my studio is also located.  It is a busy place - rich with creative activity.

My installation is a mini-version of my Preparing for Evanescence show from last year.  It is the furniture and wall piece arrangement in back of Jeff Kissell on the double bass.  T'was nice to get the pieces out in a new arrangement and give them a different life and light.  And, now they can add music video to their resume. Enjoy.

house tour: chapter one

My exhibit at Cabrillo Gallery, Preparing for Evanescence, has now been properly documented by the wonderful and amazing photographer: r.r. jones

He spent two days in the gallery taking some wide shots of the rooms and then we were both there for another full day taking detail shots.  He was very patient with me as I tried to get him to see what I see, and at what angle and distance, when I look at my work.  Easier said than done as I realize that the shots that I have composed in my head aren't always possible, or quite difficult at best.

Here is a tour of the house that has been prepared for evanescence:

entry way

 pantry

 dining room

living room

library

hallway

 dressing room

 There are many, many more photographs with close-ups and details that I will share with you in house tour: chapter two. 

To read my statement about this exhibit visit this Cabrillo Gallery link.

The exhibit remains up through December 7th, 2012.

Reception

We had the reception for my exhibit, Preparing for Evanescence, on Thursday night at Cabrillo Gallery.

For this installation I have created the inside of a house filled with items that its inhabitant has prepared as she realizes that she is disappearing.

These are some details of the show taken with my iphone

And some pics of me walking through the exhibit after everyone left...

I'll have the installation properly photographed in a few weeks and will share those shots, too.

Next up is my talk in the Cabrillo Gallery on November 14th at 7:00.  Think about coming if you want to know a little bit of what goes on in my head as I create work for my installations.

Installation

Two years ago I innocently entered a piece in a group show at Cabrillo Gallery in an attempt to have it shown locally before it took off for a show on the east coast. Ruth Braunstein and Shannon Trimble, of the former Braunstein/Quay Gallery in San Francisco, were the jurors and they awarded me first prize. The prize was a solo exhibit at Cabrillo Gallery.   This is the winning piece (it will make a cameo appearance in the installation):

Finally, the time has arrived and I am installing two years worth of work in my show: Preparing for Evanescence.

We started wall treatments on Saturday with a team of amazing friends and students helping me.  Here is a sneak peak of part of a treated wall:

And, here are details of some of the pieces that I made two summers ago for the show

I'm sharing sneak peaks in an attempt to get you locals to come and see my show...and in the coming weeks I'll post some shots of the exhibit for those of you that can't make it. 

See more pieces that will be in the show here and here.

See you Thursday night!

Sedimentals

I began the series, Sedimentals, over two years ago and it was the basis for my exhibit at The Community School of Music and Art in 2011, and now I am expanding upon the series for my exhibit at Cabrillo Art Gallery that I start installing this coming weekend.

 

 Today I drove up to San Francisco and picked up the piece (pictured above) that gets to live in a room with a view of the bay.  It is kindly being lent by its owner for my show.

These pieces live with me...scattered around and about my home...

I have created two companion series': Suspendables and Upholsterables

that will live with the Sedimentals

in Preparing for Evanescence

Cabrillo Art Gallery
November 9 – December 7, 2012
Reception: Thursday, November 8, 5:30- 7:00
Artist Talk: Wednesday, November 14, 7:00 pm

Please join me!

Preparing for Preparing for Evanescence

Things have been a little quiet around here lately because I have been preparing for my exhibit:  Preparing for Evanescence

and closing myself in the studio doing things like this

and this and that...

save the dates:

Preparing for Evanescence

 

Cabrillo Art Gallery, Aptos, California

November 9th - December 7th, 2012

Opening Reception: Thursday, November 8th, 5:30 - 7:30

Artist's Talk: Wednesday, November 14th, 7:00 p.m.