Westward Null Hypothesis & Maroc Recap

I'm getting all kinds of excited for my trip this week. The forecast looks mighty toasty (110 degrees or so in Phoenix-yikes) but it's gonna be off the hook nonetheless. Sweet husboy and I are going up to the Twin Cities today to see Rufus Wainwright perform at the Minneapolis Zoo --it's a suuuper rad little venue over the water, very intimate. We'll be only 4 rows away from Rufus' face, those high round cheek bones adorned with meticulously trimmed angular sideburns. sigh. 

:)

Anyhoo! I've been prepping like mad crazy for this trip West (anyone get the stats joke in the Post title?) I started going through my iphoto log and realized I never added any photographs from our trip to Morocco last spring. I'll divulge more details later but I wanted to share some documentation. In a few words, Morocco was divine. So many incredibly genuine, friendly people (albeit with a smattering of scam artists, but yelling in German seemed a successful way to deter them), the architecture was magnificent, the food was incredible (DON'T drink the water...Z and I both ended up in the hospital on our return to Wisco, whateves, campylobacter builds character, eh?). So just some pics before I scamper up to the Twin Cities.

 we ate brains

weddin' prep for the ladies

sooo much saffron for little cheese ($$)!

Othman & Stacy!

Rufus photo courtesy rufuswainwright.com

free of noise and uproar

 

 

 

 

 

After working on these pieces for so long, it was almost startling to see them assembled in a space outside of The Node's  messy studio. Hours and hours of mindlessly sewing, surgeon's knots in red thread, listening to NPR and Die Antwoord, arguing with Node and swapping recipes with Erin. Seeing the work in a space is a fine line of serenity and taciturnity. I feel really strange knowing I'll be leaving in a few days to go out west and when I return it will be to the opening of the exhibition in Rochester, MN, other folks will be responsible for what I've been handling so gingerly these last few weeks. sigh, I'm sure it'll look great in Minnesota.

 

The Work, nearly

 It is so nice out today, we've tempered the August heat and plunged into a hissing cold tub of coolness. So-almost-fall-outside, I just want to ride my bicycle all day but I gots to go to school and help The Node set up The Work at the gallery for promo photographs. Of course, I wont be displaying any of the "quality" photos today, just my beloved cruddy macbook photos.

I can't wait for the fall, both Z and I greatly prefer the cold to a warmer climate, when we watched the movie, Hanna, there was a collective married sigh at the sight of Hanna's small little cabin tucked away in the winter forests of Lapland... Anyhoo...

 Helpful Husband and Nepali Node

 

objects in space

 guts, like stiff betamax tape

Stain

 

 

Everyone watch ye olde Olympics last night? I literally guffawed when I saw Kenneth Branagh smirking under the brim of his top hat with cigar in tooth. Though, sure, he was reciting from The Tempest I could close my eyes and hear that nasally voice whining so perfectly in Much Ado About Nothing.


I thought it was pretty rad, though it certainly could have used some David Tennant--I did catch Ewan McGregor's voice over at the start (God, I love Scottish guys <coughalancummingcough>).


Anyhoo, studio studio studio today. The Node and I played alchemist today, churning up secret mixtures from graphic bags of powder, all in another language, as Node brought 'em back from Nepal. Tumeric is the main ingredient and I can certainly testify to it's pongo nature. yi-ikes.

I slathered shards of ceramic  with this tincture, Node sez he'll need about 1100 or so pieces. He'll start carving in names of Nepalese victims/missing persons with a dremel later on.

I've left a crimson trail of artificial bloody teardrops and spatters everywhere today.

 

 

After serious scrubbing, finger stain remains. 

Luckily, Pepto Bismel Pink is one of my favorite colors

Island of Geese, making meat piles, not art

 

Z and I went on a little camping excursion last weekend at the nearby un aptly named Goose Island, it's..not really  an island nor did we witness any geese, which I don't mind at all. Hissing, snapping geese are fuck all terrifying. We recently got this fantastic tent from my mom for Z's 27th birthday last month. Thanks, Mom!

 

 

Idle/Idyllic, revisited

scenes from last summer's trip to Kinnikinnick Farm (highly recommended)

It was nice having a some time off (albeit short n sweet) from the studio. Sewing for hours on end  really does a number on ones' back. Even for the daughter of a Chiropractor. 

 

 

 

 

  a fellow Node textile factory worker, Adam 

We're getting to the point of puttering around more than actual work, small details and prior hastily patched up work needs to be polished and sanded and dandied up. We'll have a practice install at the UWL gallery to see how it's coming together as well as a photo opp for the catalog, and the art director of the MIA will be driving down to see it/meet 'n' great.