Austin Photo Safari

Finally got some film developed of my wanderings around Austin and surrounding Texas:

Mc Kinney Falls State Park, Sierra Club Hike, Austin, TX

Mt. Bonnell, Austin, TX

Around the Clarksville neighborhood, Austin

Button Up!

It's cold here in MA. It was cold in TX, but of course I leave and now I get reports of 65 and sunny?! No fair.

Anyway, a fun little post to hopefully put me in a sunny mood: buttons! I found that I had quite a crew during my move this summer. During my first semester, I added some newbies. From left to right:

Austin History Center, Edgar Allen Poe Exhibit at HRC, SAA promotional

Promotion of Show Two! NYU Senior Thesis Exhibition, February 2009*

Various buttons from the years at NYU*

*All of these buttons were created by the lovely Jessika Joe!

All official like

Now that classes are done for the Fall semester I can finally get to some side projects I've been thinking about, one of which is more updates here.

But first, I've finally found a way to put all those left over postcards from my senior thesis show to good use. Business cards! So exciting, I know. But check out the sketches and finished products below. Any critique/comments are much appreciated.

test runs

vertical

horizontal

I still have some adjustments (I'd like the writing to be black instead of red but I only had one Sharpie when I was making these tests ones. And maybe with these scans I can print the text out on clear labels to make everything more uniform?) but its nice to get back to my art project days!

Objects wall post

Just to play on the term 'wall post', I'm going to try and have a monthly Objects of Affection post. This refers to my 2008 thesis project which I created while at NYU. I've been continuing my collection and adding to the archives. In an attempt to transfer the project to the web, I'll post some of my more interesting additions here.

For the month of November:

Hey Y'all!

I have some great friends! Minnie, Susan and Alex all came to visit this weekend (from Boston, Philadelphia and Houston respectively) and we had a great time. Here are some photo highlights from the visit:

Archives Humor

A little disappointed in Jon Stewart (BA in Archives Management, really Jon?) but this is funny nonetheless because I've received several listserve posts about this position:

Watch Video here!

Oh Jon...

Meb Wins NYC

Okay, so I know that this headline won't be news to most of you but WNYC had a great interview about Mebrahtom Keflezighi winning the New York City Marathon, the first American to do so in 27 years. Speaking with Cameron Stracher (who seems like a running enthusiast akin to my dear old dad's heart) whose Op-Ed in the Times questions just how these big races are covered by the media, the interview ranges from whether or not the Marathon should be scene as an 'event' or as a competitive road race; if American running can pick up on the heels of Meb's win; and unfortunately, whether or not Meb's win can actually be considered an 'American' win. It's sad to see this great runner's nationality questioned at such an exciting time for him.

Honestly, it was interesting to listen to Stracher talk about why running is not something the uninitiated can simply watch on TV like Monday football. And although I'm one of those slower runners who has enjoyed the friendly 5K race every once in awhile, I appreciate all the subtly of watching a really great race -- thanks boys, it's been pounded into my brain I guess. One of my favorite 'family moments' will always be running like crazy between the west and east side of Central Park at the 2008 US Olympic Team Trials for the Men's Marathon.

So Congrats! to Meb for getting America a win at New York. And just so we don't miss out on some beautiful photos, check out these marathon photos by long time race photographer Fred R Conrad. They're all about how isolating the race can be, in a very literal way.

The Map As Art

Another great WNYC interview, this time with Katherine Harmon, editor of the new book The Map As Art: Contemporary Artists Explore Cartography. The interview is here. The slideshow is here.

Two images from The Green(er) Side of the Line, 2005: Butcher in Bartaa East and Abandoned military base north of the Dead Sea. Artist: Alban Biaussat

Mount Fear, East London: Police Statistics for Violent Crimes 2002-3, 2003. Artist: Abigail Reynolds

Caspian Sea, 2006. Artist: Maya Lin

Map of USA from memory, 2007. Artist: Ellis Nadler

Also, a caller specifically mentioned Paula Scher whose work is in the book but not in the slideshow so check out her personal website for her own take on maps.

Surprise

Imagine my surprise when I opened my inbox and found this article for me to read:

"Halley’s Comet was last spotted by the unaided human eye in 1986, and isn’t estimated to be visible again until 2026. For those who can’t wait another 17 years, the Ransom Center’s exhibition, Other Worlds: Rare Astronomical Works, offers visitors an early glimpse of Halley’s Comet, as rendered by Caroline Herschel in 1835–1836."

I saw the exhibit at HRC but I think I'll go back again and look at my comet sketches one more time. For anyone in the area, it's a great show and right next door is the Edgar Allen Poe exhibit which is worth checking out as well.

Christmas is around the corner - or at least in department stores so I can talk about it here - and I've realized that I've moved into a new category of gifts this year: the home decor gift. These are things that would spruce up my apartment, add a super cute touch to the drab walls and carpet, but never in my life can I justify purchasing them for myself.

If I'm caught wandering around a craft/knick-knack store, someone please get me help. Mom? I'm not kidding.

But here's what I've caught myself coveting so far...and already rearranging for:

loop de loop lace shelf

birdcage wall jewelry holder

tree shower curtain

all items from urbans

Austin Music

Went to a great show last night at The Parish on sixth street. It seems like a great venue for shows, sort of cozy with hard wood floors and walls, strings of lights hanging from the back wall, opposite the stage.

Two bands performed: The Low Anthem and Blind Pilot. Low Anthem is from Providence, RI so that was funny to be seeing them in Austin as opposed to both of us being closer to home. Great moody songs and the band seemed super talented, changing instruments between each song. One of the strangest moments was when the lead singer put down the french horn looking instrument he was playing, picked up too cell phones that were calling each other and held them up to the mike so that this eerie back and forth calling echo was created. Very cool.

Then Blind Pilot came on after the fastest set change ever, props for that. They're from Portland, OR and have played at the Parish before during SXSW. Hopefully they'll come back again because they were great performers. The crowd was rocking and throwing their arms up in the air by the end. Their CD will be my next purchase.