Graffiti granny strikes again

Okay, so technically I am not a granny, but I am to some people. Remember when I was asked by a local teen when I was doing the knit knot tree if I was one of the guardian grannies, yikes! So here is my latest bit of knit graffiti with a camouflage doll, which I had a lot of fun doing.

A fellow artist and friend Pierre Nagely took a break from doing his mural to come and have a chat while I yarn bombed the tree outside the old Center Stage building on Dayton Street.
Oh, check out Nancy's Poodle Pole, it is soooooooooo cute.

Dumpster Diving
Oh man did I hit pay dirt this morning when I was out with my neighbour walking. I found two really cool metal chairs, two empty artists drawing pads, frames, and a wonderful piece of art (which I will put out for Free Art Fridays.)

Skull Art: From Adobe Photoshop to Painting

I started by collaging various images over the skull, erasing parts, and adding others. Once I was finished I printed it out and used it as a point of reference for a vinyl record painting.

I focused on being loose and not too precious (as in detailed and perfect). I find, like gestural drawing, painting like this doesn't give you time to think too much. It becomes more an exercise in the process and grasping the elements of the image rather than getting bogged down in the details.

Skeleton Stuff

Buyers find real skeleton in the closet: sky news

Thank you to all those who contributed ideas for the chamberpot gallery postcard caption

Check OUt Margot's Newest Video
Skull Earrings

War Art: A Personal Journey

"dichotomy at checkpoint"

In April 2003 at a checkpoint south of Karbala a tragic set of misunderstandings occurred. This man  in one fell swoop lost 11 members of his family. One of the van's occupants, a seven year old, was hospitalized and later released to help bury the dead.
It was a tragic and heartbreaking story that inspired a Conversation and led to the painting above.
When my son called home in 2003 it was a time when each call was fraught with the undeclared fear that he might be sent to Iraq. The story was all over the news, and it preyed on our minds. We wondered what the checkpoint soldiers must have felt when surveying the scene. My son asked, “how do you live with something like that.” I said, “ I don’t know. All I know is that had you been there I would have expected you to do the same, because there are no second chances”. “ Because son, if it’s a choice between the life of an Iraqi child and my son I choose you, my son, my child.”
I never dreamed I would think such a thing, let alone speak it.
I cried after that phone call, for the children, for my son, for myself.

War forces us to to compromise our humanity in ways we never imagine.
My heart goes out to all those who have have had to face this. To all our soldiers we have lost, and those that struggle with injuries of the body and mind semper fi

Art In a Ball and Tattoo Baby Genesis

Undaunted asked what sort of art we (moi, Nancy, Talitha and Jennifer) put in our art vending machine. I don't have any recent pics but here are a few samples. The challenge is coming up with pieces that are are original, not labor intensive and don't require buying supplies to make. The Art Vending machine is not a money maker, but it is fun and people seem to really enjoy it, especially the kids.

Sue asked where I came up with the idea to do the tattoo doll and it actually all started with an old fan I found on the side of a road a few years ago. I used one of my favourtie methods of painting, which is to use black as my base and then a coat of white paint (which I sometimes sand down a bit).

I had the fan lying around the studio and I was staring at the fan as I was having a hot flash. I decided to decorate it and and the title "menopause" came to mind when I finished it. I had so much fun doing it and wanted to decorate something else so I grabbed my 50 cent garage sale cabbage patch doll. Unlike the current doll I used a black marker which bled a bit when I shellacked it, so this time I used acrylic paint for the markings.

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Art Vending Machine and Textile Totems

If you are visiting Yellow Springs, Ohio then check out the Jafagirls artball machine located in the Nolaa Gallery in Kings Yard. You will know where it is when you see the textile totem outside the gallery :)

"Phineas Fallis"Did this a while back as a demo piece on a vinyl record for an Arts Council Art Stroll Party at the Hip Joint. It is now hanging in the home of the person who returned my Vampire Bunny :)
It is based on a ceramic dog I have sitting in my studio.

Grumpy Potato's and Found Art

"Mrs. Neighbour" I says. "why do you have a grumpy potato on the shelf above the stove"? "eeeh, what are you talking about"? says mrs.neighbour. I asked her, "you mean you didn't do that on purpose"?. "no, what"? says mrs.neighbour, "I just put the tattie there for my son so he would remember it for lunch"?

She couldn't stop laughing as I told her over a cup of tea (not with sherry or crumpets) that it looked like one sad grumpy tattie waiting to put in the pot or oven.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCKING AT THE DOOR
Meanwhile later that evening mrs.neighbour's daughter was full of excitement !



She had found a piece of my art in town near the post office and had to come and show me.

KNOCK KNOCK AGAIN
One hour later there was a rapid knocking at the door and guess what I FOUND?
Hard to see, but it is a little pencil drawing of a tree on canvas and is called "beautiful day". When her mum asked her if she should colour it in the daughter said, "oh no, corrine LIKES black and white."
I got to tell you this just MADE MY DAY!

skeletons and hearses

Somebody asked me why I had a skeleton in the car today!

Nothing complicated really!
She was supposed to be photographed with Darth Vader in town last Saturday, but it was raining so heavily the photo shoot wasn't going to work. I just haven't been bothered to take her out of the car. Between me driving around town with a skeleton and this fella with a hearse, well I suppose it is hardly surprising people think this town is a bit weird.

Scott Avnaim the hearse guy

PIZZA BOX COMPETITION
Art News Blog had a link to an art competition, I thought what the heck, why not give it a go! If you have time check it out and tell me what you think.
Design your own Pizza Box

Oooh, check out pollocksthebollocks pizza box design, I would buy pizza just so I could get the box :)
Or how about this one by the Bird Proofer David Howard
Here is Maria's (busy in London with her play-woo hoo) at Baaahhh

Big Brother

 " big brother"

oil on canvas

There was a day in England if you didn't put your rubbish out then you got stuck with it for another week, and that was not a very appealing prospect. Well not now because little spy cams in the bins and back alleys can alert authorities and fines exacted against those rabble rubbish rebels. And if the spy cam doesn't catch you then a paid informer for the council will. And don't think if you're dobbed that it was a stranger,why even a relative or a friend or a neighbour will do it if they're on the councils payroll.
And this is what happens when you don't behave, you get a conviction and criminal record.
Those councils must have a lot of money to pay for spies to follow people to catch them committing these very serious criminal acts.

For more information visit this watchdog group called Privacy International . I thought their Stupid Security Awards was sadly funny (they will be doing them again this year I believe)

On a lighter Note:Top that one, eh!

Somebody asked how we were going to top the knit knot tree

and my response was we don't have to. The jafagirls will continue to do what they always do, plod on doing their art, AND having fun with art.

On Tuesdays Nancy and I walk for an hour, talk art, eat lunch and then do art. Lately we have started our "Textile Totem" project (in between getting work ready for our doll show, art council stuff, find art fridays, and the upcoming Chamberbpot Gallery exhibit).

We took down the knit knot tree at the end of April and reused many of the pieces for our "textile totems". Each totem has or will have a theme.
Today the weather was just gorgeous, so being outside, petting passing pooches, talking with friends and passerby as we yarn bomb anything that stands still really tops it all!

Revisiting an old favourite at the National Gallery of Art

Agnolo Gaddi

Florentine, active 1369 - 1396
Madonna Enthroned with Saints and Angels
1380/1390, tempera on panel

On my visit to Washington D.C. in April I revisited one of my favourite paintings at the National Gallery of Art. I have spent hours in this gallery exploring the exquisite icon paintings and this one floored me when I first saw it in 1995. Having tried (unsuccessfully) to paint with tempera my admiration for the quality of this work as well as the composition/framing has me awe.

I love stones, so I particularly enjoy this artist, Rob Milliken, paintings of stones with tempera. Notice the detail in the sand between the stones, just stunning work.

This is a humble attempt at a religious wall hanging using painted canvas., metal hand, beads, resin coated image, spray painted lace, all attached to a faux leather panel. Never sold and it didn't seem to interest anyone so after a few years I just took it apart and reused the pieces in other artwork. The hand ended up on this painting.

60's and 70's crafts/fashions are baaaaaaaaaaack

Photo from my 1970 sketchbook-decorative drawing by jafabrit's ma

Does anyone remember doing this with old records back in the 70's and then painting or decoupaging them? Remember tie-dyeing, candle making, macramé, and flower power, and decoupaging anything that didn't move. I picked up an fashion mag, elle, and the Hippie Trend is back with a zing and a twist. Does anyone remember BIBA?

Talk about things coming full circle.

Story of the Happy Face
Wal-Mart loses attempt to trademark smiley face

I was in London and I was into Reggae music BIG time, especially underground Reggae/Ska, cropped hair (skinhead style and before skinheads became xenophobic and racist) trevira suits, riding boots, and braces (suspenders). Drawing on the left is by me and from my 1971 scrapbook (signed Coty, which was my nickname during high school, or potty coty by some).

So here is my latest work in progress on an old vinyl record. I think you can see where many of my influences came from eh!

PIZZA BOX COMPETITION
Art News Blog had a link to an art competition, I thought what the heck, why not give it a go! If you have time check it out and tell me what you think.
Design your own Pizza Box

Oooh, check out pollocksthebollocks pizza box design, I would buy pizza just so I could get the box :)
Or how about this one by the Bird Proofer David Howard
Here is Maria's (busy in London with her play-woo hoo) at Baaahhh

GRANTS
I was so excited to receive a letter from the Yellow Springs Community Foundation informing me that the JafaGirlArt groups grant application for our Find (free) Art Fridays was accepted. It is very intimidating writing a grant (Nancy and I wrote it with the guidance of the Yellow Springs Arts Council working as our fiscal agent) and applying for it. It is rather nerve wracking waiting to find out if you are rejected or accepted. So now we can up the ante a bit and afford specific art supplies for the found art, as well as for a monthly demo in various locations around Yellow Springs.
YES!!!!!

USELESS INFORMATION
In Indiana, it is illegal to ride public transportation for at least thirty minutes after eating garlic.