I can't stop looking at this painting.

"Suicide Bomba" by Steven Winters
more at http://wintersart.com/

Body in Fibers

I stumbled the work of Emily Barletta online and really fell in love. I don't know/come across too many contemporary sculptors, let alone fiber artists (outside of the ones I know personally, from school) so this was a nice change.

                                                          Emily Barletta - 2008    

                                                            Padorina Cell 

All of her work is knit, some using a few different mediums, including clay, but all colorful and displaying incredible craftsmanship and control of her process. The pieces I find the most interesting are reminiscent of cellular structures within the body, or otherwise. Or some type of sea creature; vibrant, detailed and beautiful.

I both love and hate looking at them. On one hand they're pleasantly fascinating and on the other they're quite gross, producing a feeling akin to that of looking at microscopic images of a disease or cancer.

My stomach squirms.  

Check out more by Emily Barletta on her website.

does everyone see things like this sometimes?

or is it just me?





check out Petra Cortright out of Berlin (b. California!)

The New Inquiry

Check out this awesome new blog that I'm contributing to:

http://thenewinquiry.tumblr.com

Your internet resource for all things interesting and smart.

Nathan Redwood

I saw the work of the painter Nathan Redwood, in an e-mail I received from re-title; I really love it. It's very loose and layered and graphic. The patterns and colors sold me. He's an SAIC alum. http://www.nathanredwood.com

TED Talks: Olafur Eliasson

"...experience is about responsibility. Having an experience is about taking part in the world. And taking part in the world is really about sharing responsibility."

http://video.ted.com/talks/podcast/OlafurEliasson_2009.mp4

Back in the Habit: A's Reads

I'm trying to get back in the habit of blogging more often. I decided to add a new section to the blog called A's Reads. Recently a few people have asked me to tell them about the poetry and lit that I'm reading, because they themselves don't know of contemporary poets etc. So this is an attempt to expose those who are interested to contemporary poetry, text art and literature in general by sharing what I myself am reading.

please refer to these current inspirations:

Jenny Holzer: Truisms

I recently remembered that I saw this piece in the Rhona Hoffman gallery last summer.
Jenny Holzer is one of my favorite artists, and the reasons why are clearly demonstrated in
this piece. The piece consists of about 8 framed pieces of paper, with this text printed on
them in alphabetical order. It may have been a different version than what's listed here, but
the same idea is conveyed. These are invented truisms. Representing - Simplicity. Clarity.
Profundity. So clear in fact that although the statement itself is new, it presents nothing
new. There are new truism. Language at its best.

Tyler Sherman: Happenstance

Tyler shared this poem with me recently. I'm not sure if this the exact edit that I saw, but
this is a fine fine example of a long poem. It continues the precision of a short poem, but
allows the tightness of the poem to be complimented by the looseness of the subject. This
poem so importantly let's things in that may seen rationally tangential, but are emotionally
relevant. It is witty, intelligent and notably vulnerable. Something that can be so hard to
balance in creative work, but which strengthens the work in a successful execution.

Samuel Beckett: Waiting for Godot
So although this is admittedly not contemporary (the play premiered in 1953) I wanted to
note how much this work affected me. I stumbled upon it in the library. Waiting for Godot is
the type of work that makes me wish I one day could write something as this play (or do
anything as good as this for that matter). It's a quick read. I had to own the play, so I bought
the bilingual copy, as it was originally written in French. I highly suggest reading this.

Information on the new Summer 2k9 In Preparation coming soon.

An video installation that I saw a few weeks back:

http://www.adegru.org/screensaver2.html

Arend Helfer-deGryuter, goes to SAIC, I think he's a really great artist.

Nonsource Supported Links

Greetings,
I have been doing lots of research lately on artist's/writer's groups/spaces/sites lately and have added many of these to the Nonsource Supported Links. Take a look!
A