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Light Grey Art Lab
  • ART SHOP
  • ABOUT
    • About Us
    • Contact
    • CV
  • THE GALLERY
    • Group Exhibitions
    • Solo Collections
    • Featured Collections
    • Gift Shop
  • PUBLICATIONS
  • GET INVOLVED
    • Event Calendar
    • RENT + PARTNER
    • Blog
    • Podcast
    • Young Mystics
    • CALLS FOR ART

Podcast: In Progess - Dream Arcade

08.11.14_In Progress - Dream Arcade
Download the MP3, stream directly on Stitcher, or subscribe via iTunes!

In Progress - Dream Arcade
Length: 01:05:37
Synopsis: It's mid-august and we currently have our heads down working as fast as possible on Dream Arcade, our colorful pixel art videogame extravaganza, which launches on Friday, September 12. Videogames are a pretty new medium to us, so on this week's podcast Jenny, Chris, Francesca and Lindsay talk about the current state of Dream Arcade and what we've learned so far. We discuss the origins of the project, painful stumbles, and exciting breakthroughs over the past several months, as well as some of the practical details when planing a complex exhibition like Dream Arcade.
tags: Audio, Dream Arcade, podcast
Monday 08.11.14
Posted by Chris Hajny
 

Dream Arcade- Opening September 12th

Dream Arcade Teasers Prewiew by Bianca Bautista

We are proud to present our newest project, collaborative endeavor, and exhibition, Dream Arcade, coming September 12, 2014!

Dream Arcade is a pixelart, platformer exhibition inspired by the colorful artwork, characters, and epic adventures of vintage arcade games. Dream Arcade includes new concepts, stories, and art-filled landscapes, made by thirty contemporary artists and designers from around the world.

Each of the contributing artists have worked alongside the Light Grey team to transform their pixel characters, assets, and backgrounds into movable, interactive and playable worlds. Each artist’s work will be showcased in its own themed arcade level, celebrating the unique concepts, handmade details, and secret pathways that bring the stories and artwork to life!

Dream Arcade Teasers Preview by Adam Hoppus

We invite you to attend the opening reception and party for Dream Arcade on September 12th! Throughout the exhibition, Light Grey Art Lab will be transformed into mini arcade, with all of the playable games, artist assets, additional artwork, and fun extras! Come play through all of the great levels, travel through space and time, discover the ancient relics of forgotten lands, and compete against your friends for the high score!

You can find more information about the opening reception and project on the Dream Arcade facebook event page here, you can also check out the website and find links to play the preview games on the Windows App store!

Dream Arcade Teasers Preview by Leanna Crossan

Thanks for your support and participation!
tags: Dream Arcade, opening reception
Sunday 08.10.14
Posted by Jenny Bookler
 

Temporary Gallery Hours August 13th- 22nd

The Light Grey Team is headed to Iceland! We have been packing our bags, gathering materials, and preparing for our 5-day artist residency!

Urban Sketchcrawl Workshop

Since most of us will be out of town next week, so there will be limited gallery hours.You are welcome to stop by and see the Stacks Exhibition during our temporary hours: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 3pm-7pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 12pm-5pm.

You are also welcome to check out our current events and exhibitions on the Light Grey Website and online shop.

Thanks again and we are excited to share all of the residency details and documentation soon!
tags: gallery hours
Saturday 08.09.14
Posted by Jenny Bookler
 

Stacks Opening Reception - Recap

Stacks Opening Reception
A huge thanks to everyone who made it out to see the Stacks opening reception! It was a wonderfully intimate evening of nostalgia, smiles, and introspection as visitors poured over each of the 60 zines featured in the gallery.

Stacks Opening Reception
It's an amazingly intimate show to take in, as each zine represents a sneak peek into the lives and mind of the artist from their chosen year, as well as the opportunity to handle the physical, hand-made pieces created by the artists themselves. There was a sense of preciousness as each visitor gingerly picked up a new zine and started reading, head bowed and eyes darting back and forth taking it all in.

Stacks Opening Reception
You can view more photos from the opening reception on our Light Grey Art Lab Flickr set, and you can buy a copy of the limited edition zines on the Light Grey shop! The participating artists each got a copy of every zine in the exhibition, so in total there are only 15 copies available of each to purchase. If there's one you want, grab it soon!

Once again, thanks again to all of the artists, collaborators, and supporters!
tags: Stacks, opening recap, opening reception, opening, zines
Wednesday 08.06.14
Posted by Jenny Bookler
 

Podcast: Stanch Welling Sadness

08.04.14_Stanch Welling Sadness
Download the MP3, stream directly on Stitcher, or subscribe via iTunes!

Stanch Welling Sadness
Length: 00:55:01
Synopsis: On this week's podcast, Lindsay, Chris, Francesca and Jenny discuss our thoughts relating to the article 'No Time to Think', recently published in The New York Times. In the article, the author discusses the problem of modern society's tendency to be "overscheduled, overcommitted and overextended," and comments on the the constant need for meaningless mental stimulation. The Light Grey team all had very different reactions to the article, and we thought it would be interesting to use it as a jumping-off point to talk about why people like (or hate) being busy, tasks vs luxuries, and what counts as a personal reflection. We also try to answer the age-old question; does keeping busy actually help, to quote the article, "stanch [our] welling sadness"?

Show Notes:
No Time to Think - The New York Times
tags: Audio, podcast
Monday 08.04.14
Posted by Chris Hajny
 

Stacks- Opening Tonight!

Join us tonight from 7-10pm for the opening reception and celebration of Stacks! We are thrilled to release the collection of 60+ zines that line the gallery walls. These zines commemorate the past thirty years of memories, experiences, culture, and politics: 1984-2014.

Stacks Preview Buffy 1997 Zine by Karina Rehrbehn, includes a cutout paper doll and stickers

You can see previews of all of the zines and purchase these limited edition work on the Light Grey Shop here! Each artist only has a couple zines available and are handmade, signed, and editioned. You can see the variety, techniques, and special extras here! You can also view all of the works on the Stacks permanent online gallery.

Stacks Preview 2013, New York Sketch Blog (By a Toronto Tourist) by Rosena Fung

You will be taken back in time, as you read the adventures of Totoro, the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, Pokémon, and Jurassic Park. You will remember what it is like to be a teenager in New York City, growing up in the suburbs, or exploring your old neighborhood. This show is about the experiences, moments, and places that shaped who we are today- it is our recent history of the world!

Stacks Preview 2014, Look Closely, What do you see? by Lindsay Nohl. This zine includes a handmade, painted porcelain necklace.

You can find the entire collection on the online gallery and Light Grey Shop here.
tags: Stacks, opening reception
Friday 08.01.14
Posted by Jenny Bookler
 

Thanks, City Pages! STACKS opens tomorrow! 7 - 10pm.

citypages-3
Hey! Look, you guys!
Jimmy Malone's STACKS zine was featured on in the City Pages A list! Thanks so much to the awesome staff of the City Pages, and Jessica Armbruster, for telling everyone about what we're up to! Some of the other awesome excerpts by Jimmy Malone, Julie Boehmer, Adriana Bellet, and Andrew Kolb) from the STACKS zines are shown on the online article here.

citypages-1

"Long before online blogs, Facebook rants, and Tumblr communities were ubiquitous, zines were a form of communication created for the people, by the people. These little handmade booklets are made by artists and activists to disseminate in coffee shops, bookstores, college campuses, and other hot spots. Their purpose varies. Some are intended to educate and pass along information, others feature political rants, some have great art, while others are about celebrating underground culture. The zine and its rich and ongoing legacy will be celebrated in Light Grey Art Lab's latest show, "STACKS." For the exhibition, over 60 artists from around the world have created zines designed to take viewers through time, from 1984 to 2014. Each work takes on a tone and theme personal to the artist, and includes things like childhood memories, influential moments in pop culture, pivotal decisions in politics, and more. There are celebrations of teen angst, explorations of '80s hairstyles, thoughts on Legend of Zelda and Pokemon games, and trips through the streets of New York City. These pieces come together to create a timeline of sorts, but they are unlike any history book you will ever read. There will be an opening reception from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, August 1.)" --Jessica Armbruster, City Pages

citypages-2

If you guys can, try to stop by and see them in person!
STACKS
opening reception

THIS FRIDAY, AUGUST 1st!
7 - 10pm
Runs through Sept 5th
118 E. 26th Street #101
Minneapolis, MN 55404
612.239.2047


Questions? Give us a call or send us a note!
hello@lightgreyartlab.com
tags: 2014, City Pages, Stacks, press
Thursday 07.31.14
Posted by Lindsay Nohl
 

Podcast: Talking With Rory Phillips

07.28.14_Talking-With-Rory-Phillips
Download the MP3, stream directly on Stitcher, or subscribe via iTunes!

Talking With Rory Phillips
Length: 00:52:09
Synopsis: This week we talk to Rory Phillips, a Portland-based art director, designer, illustrator, printmaker, and educator. Rory currently teaches at Portland State University, runs his own design practice, and still manages finds time for personal projects in between. Rory has always been driven to make art, but he didn't realize it was a viable career until after embarking down several other paths. We talk about how Rory decided to make the jump to full-time design, why it's important to be a life-lone experimenter, the diversity of the portland creative community, and why learning from your mistakes is the most crucial part of success.
Rory-Phillips
Rory-Phillips---Strife-On-Mars
Show Notes:
Rory Phillips : Website - Twitter - Shop
Creative Mornings
WeMake sketchXchange
Crafty Wonderland
tags: Audio, Rory Phillips, podcast
Monday 07.28.14
Posted by Chris Hajny
 

Iceland Residency 2014

Iceland Residency 2014
As part of our mission to connect creatives through diverse and experiential endeavors, we're excited to announce a new residency program. This year's creative residency will take place in just a few weeks, from August 13-18, in Southern Iceland. We'll be bringing together a group of 10 creatives to explore and share concepts, conversations, and experiences.

The participating artists are: Teagan White, Kali Ciesemier, Sam Bosma, Meg Hunt & Mike Freeman, Gloria Pizzilli, Manuel Kilger, Maike Plenzke, B. Paul Patterson, and Colin Foran, Claire Hummel, as well as Light Grey staff Jenny Bookler, Lindsay Nohl and Chris Hajny.
Iceland 2013 - Day Ten
We're super excited, and we'll be sharing all sorts of content from the trip; photos, drawings, podcasts and more. So stay turned to the blog!

To learn more about this Residency, click here!
tags: Iceland Residency, Iceland, Residency, travel workshop
Friday 07.25.14
Posted by Chris Hajny
 

Getting ready for Stacks! Pardon our mess!

STACKS Promo Images

So we're just a week and a half away from our really exciting August exhibition! We wanted to share some preview photos with you from some of the zines that have come in. One thing I'm really enjoying about the preparations from this show is the unique install that we've got going on.

Stacks Preperation

Stacks Preperation

When Jenny and I came back from ICON8, we had a massive stack of boxes waiting for us from all of the artists. Unwrapping each one was really exciting. Each artist has something really different. Paper choices, printing techniques, special features, items they've added -- the each of these are truly unique.

Becca helped get everything sorted and we are in the midst of listing everything on the shop, taking documentation photos, and preparing the STACKS documentation gallery on the Light Grey website.

Besides all that, we had a bit of an engineering challenge. Many of our shows have been relatively 2d, and with a book format, we wanted to consider the experience of reading, absorbing and displaying the work. So, with a bit of thought, we put together a shelving system that is going to be perfect. Our concept is to have the whole gallery be a physical timeline of the years between 1984 and 2014, so you could move throughout these space, seeing how time progresses -- from the point of view of the artist in each year.

Stacks Preperation
Right now Jenny is in the process of working on finishing and painting the shelves and we'll soon have them up on the walls.

We'll keep you posted with the updates as the exhibition gets closer including what the final "Stacks" look like, our process of shipping them all off, and some of the great documentation we're doing for the project.

Stacks Preperation

Thanks to all of the artists that have participated so far. This will be really great to see everything in on space and we're really looking forward to the exhibition.
More information about the STACKS show can be found on the Facebook event page here.

Stacks
A Limited Edition Zine Exhibition
August 1st- September 5th

Opening Reception August 1
7 - 10pm
Light Grey Art Lab

118 E. 26th Street #101
Minneapolis MN 55406
612.239.2047
tags: Stacks, process, zines
Thursday 07.24.14
Posted by Lindsay Nohl
 

Podcast: Invisible Work

07.21.14_Invisible Work
Download the MP3, stream directly on Stitcher, or subscribe via iTunes!

Invisible Work
Length: 01:04:38
Synopsis: On this week's podcast Lindsay, Chris, Francesca, and Jenny talk about invisible work. Invisible work is the unglamorous work you might not predict at the outset of a project, such as unexpected situations or obstacles, tedious errands, unforeseen tasks, last minute revisions, or feature creep. We talk about how to plan and deal with these hidden speedbumps, share some real-life examples of invisible work from the past year, and discuss why and when throwing a new project on the already cramped to-do list makes sense.
tags: Audio, podcast
Monday 07.21.14
Posted by Chris Hajny
 

Stacks Preview

We are just TWO weeks away from the opening reception of STACKS: A limited exhibition zine exhibition and creative project! Coming August 1st, 2014, this unique show commemorates the past thirty years of memories, experiences, cultural phenomenas, and global changes! It is a celebration of our recent history and the moments that have shaped us all!

Rockefeller_PokéRoadtrip copy "The Poké Life", 1996, Preview by Matt Rockefeller

The show takes viewers on a journey through time, 1984-2014, seen through the eyes of sixty creatives. Topics include an illustrated story of the Legend of Zelda, Pokemon, Back to the Future, Lost, hairdos of the 80s, wondering the streets of New York, bad decisions, childhood crushes, and more.

Willems_FreeReign1 "Free Reign", 2008, Preview by Jaime Willems

We are thrilled to present this project and all of the perfectly crafted pieces. Zines are made in a variety of formats with screen prints, foil covers, full color pages, fold outs, ink drawings, and more. The zines are limited edition and hand signed by the artists. There are only a couple of zines available! They will be here at Light Grey Art Lab and available on the online shop by August 1st.

huebner_phoneixlights3 "The Phoenix Lights", 1997, Preview by Ashley Huebner

Each of the contributing artists are given all of the zines from the exhibition. They are able to keep the entire timeline and collection as an opportunity for future collaboration, communication, and to enjoy our shared experiences.

BelletAdriana_ScarredForLife_EdwardScissorhands "Scarred for Life", 1990, Preview by Adriana Bellet

We hope you join us for this epic event and project! You can find more details about the opening reception on the Facebook Event Page here! There are more previews and details to come!
tags: Preview, Stacks, exhibition, sneak peek
Thursday 07.17.14
Posted by Jenny Bookler
 

Podcast: Notes From ICON 8

07.13.14_Notes From ICON 8
Download the MP3, stream directly on Stitcher, or subscribe via iTunes!

Notes From ICON 8
Length: 00:42:42
Synopsis: This week Lindsay and Jenny traveled to Portland, OR to attend ICON 8, the annual Illustration Conference. They spent the weekend meeting artists, attending creative panels, participating in the ICON Roadshow, and just having an all-around great time. On this week's podcast, Lindsay and Jenny reflect on their favorite moments, interactions, and personal realizations from ICON 8.

Show Notes:
ICON - The Illustration Conference
tags: Audio, podcast
Monday 07.14.14
Posted by Chris Hajny
 

Podcast: Far Away

07.07.14_Far Away
Download the MP3, stream directly on Stitcher, or subscribe via iTunes!

Far Away
Length: 00:51:46
Synopsis: Summer's in full swing, and people everywhere are itching to hit the road and get away. On this week's podcast, we talk to two creatives who above and beyond the average summer roadtrip. First we talk to Brian Nigus, a visual artist and author of the book Soft Feet. Brian has spent a lot of time living in and around other cultures and we spend a majority of the time talking about Brian's time living with a small tribe in Papua New Guinea. We discuss how western culture has influenced their lives, but also how it can work the other way around as well. Then we talk to visual artist Laurel Maha, the creative force behind Pizza Perfect Nails. Laurel visited Light Grey Art Lab as the last stop of a 3 month bike tour that started in her home town of Oakland, CA. We talk with Laurel as she reflects on the trip, how her perspective has changed, and the joys and hardships of being alone on the road.

Show Notes:
Brian Nigus
Brian Nigus: Website - Soft Feet

Laurel Maha
Laurel Maha / Pizza Perfect Nails: Tumblr - Facebook - Instagram
Matt Ducot: Patchkit Media
tags: Audio, podcast
Monday 07.07.14
Posted by Chris Hajny
 

Closed for the Holiday

Happy 4th of July!

We hope you are enjoying some backyard BBQs, fireworks, poolside activities, and family time! We are closing the gallery today to participate in the festivities! Sorry for any inconvenience.

Stop back tomorrow from 12:30-3pm for our Spa Day at Light Grey! We are providing a free afternoon of pampering, refreshments, and activities, including nail art by Pizza Perfect, tea tasting, yoga classes, tarot reading, and more!

See you soon!
Friday 07.04.14
Posted by Jenny Bookler
 

Artist Interview with Lynn Wang

Lynn Wang

Meet Lynn Wang. Lynn is a talented character designer, animator, and creative, living and working in Los Angeles, CA. She graduated from Penn State University in 2010, receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts and focus in Media Arts. She spent the past several years working in the animation industry, designing characters, and producing a variety of personal animation projects. Lynn has worked on a number of animated projects spanning from commercials to web series to television in studios such as Six Point Harness, Mondo Media, and more recently, Goldieblox. Lynn is currently a character designer for Walt Disney Television Animation.

Lynn has also participated in several Light Grey Exhibitions, including the Omnibus Treasury Exhibition and the recent Great Personality Exhibition and Interactive Game. It is always a pleasure to work with Lynn, and we are thrilled to celebrate her work and practice through this interview. You can take a peek at some of Lynn's past projects on her tumblr here.

Lynn Wang

Hi Lynn. Can you tell us about your current studio practice?

I'm lucky to have an apartment with an extra room that my boyfriend (who also works in animation) and I have turned into a studio. Most of our work is done digitally, so our space consists of computers and cintiqs. We have this giant blank wall which we hang inspirational images or development materials for the current project we're working on. For my traditional works, I use my sketchbooks, blackwing pencils, markers, ink and watercolors! I tend use my sketchbook for life studies or to quickly scribble down an idea, and my computer for more finished works.

Did you always know that you were interested in animation and character? What were some of the influential moments along the way?

I have been drawing ever since the age of 5, and have always known I wanted to draw for a living. I spent a lot of my childhood watching cartoons, reading comics and playing video games...I think my interest in characters and story naturally evolved from that. It wasn't until I was in high school that I narrowed in on animation. I remember specifically that I had stumbled upon some rough animation for Aladdin (through some random Disney fanpage on the internet) and I couldn't stop watching it! I think from there was when I started to figure out the specifics of what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it.

Lynn Wang

Your practice seems extremely diverse, and includes many ambitious projects. Could you talk a little about pursing projects and finding motivation to make new works? Do you have advice and thoughts accomplishing big ideas?

Thank you! I guess the simple answer is that I just get bored and restless if I'm not working on a personal project. A lot of the time, a new project will come up because I watch or see something that spawns an idea that gets developed into a bigger thing. The internet is just crammed with amazing art and short animations that it's hard NOT to develop the itch to make something yourself.

My honest advice about accomplishing big ideas is to literally just do it. Just sit down and plan it out and stay on schedule. Having a deadline really helps, like a premiere date for your project. Also, tell your friends about what you're doing while you're doing it! That way, you already have an audience waiting to see whatever you are making.


For some of these projects, you have been working with other animators. Could you talk specifically about collaboration- your role in the process, and the completion of work.

Well, a lot of animation projects are collaborative by nature, just because so much work goes into it. For my professional work, a lot of the time I'm only touch on a small part of a bigger project. I work with an extremely talented team of people at my current job, which includes writers, storyboard artists (who help write and rough out the sequences), background artists (who draw and paint the backgrounds), character designers, prop designers, animators, etc. All of us work together to deliver a final look for TV that tries to match the creator and director's vision.

For my personal projects, I mostly work with Ed Skudder and we usually try to split the workload 50/50. Generally, one of us will come up with a vague idea, and we will both write and plan out how the project is going to run and what it's going to look like. There are some things I can't do but Ed does, like composing music, but I'll compensate by taking on more of something else.


Sneak Peek Succulemetry Collection by Lynn Wang

Could you talk about the collection you made for the Omnibus Treasury Exhibition? What were your inspirations? Design Challenges?

I am actually guilty of buying too much jewelry and not wearing it enough. For my Succulemetry collection, I took inspiration from the jewelry I usually shop for. I'm very drawn to simple, minimal, and delicate jewelry with some sort of geometric shape to it. I combined that with my favorite plants, succulents, because they are already very geometric in shape!


Lynn Wang
Animated sketch for Solstice

All of your work has certainly sensibilities to light, sense of humor, and interaction with the characters. Can you talk about some of the common themes that you are interested in? How have these themes and styles changed over time?

I think humor sticks out the most in my memory, so I think that translates into a lot of my work. I'm also really drawn to sci-fi, adventure, high energy kick butt-y things, monsters, and cute animals. I love the European comic and animation aesthetic right now, but I remember when I first started “developing” my style, I was very into anime and manga, so things have changed quite a lot.

What is your favorite project to date? What makes it important?

The short film, “Solstice” that I created with Ed Skudder is probably my favorite project so far. It was an idea that we had been kicking around for a while before we finally settled down and made it. It was extremely challenging, and I learned a lot from working on the production! I think it's so important to me because it was really an amazing feeling to see your own idea come to fruition with the decisions you make.



Lynn Wang Still from Solstice

What are some of your main inspirations and activities outside of art making?

Apart from the stuff listed in the common themes sections, I think I'm heavily influenced by comics and graphic novels, my co-workers and friends, and lots of short films and movies. When I'm not drawing, I like playing video games, spending money on clothes and jewelry, trying to read more, eating food, yoga, watching puppy videos, and more recently, indoor bouldering!

Where can people check out your upcoming projects, links to your animations, etc?

You can find my personal art blog here, the preview for Solstice, and Dogsnack here! Also watch out for the show I'm working on! It's called Star Vs. The Forces of Evil, and it's coming out sometime in the next year!! It's gonna be a good one. Ed and I have something that will be coming out in one of the episodes of Garfunkle and Oates on IFC. Also, watch the name Goldieblox! So basically, just watch TV forever.

A huge thanks to Lynn for sharing her thoughts, current projects, and behind the scenes in making! You can see her work for Light Grey Art Lab on the Omnibus Treasury online gallery and in the first Great Personality Dating Games here!
tags: The Omnibus Treasury, artist interview, lynn wang
Thursday 07.03.14
Posted by Jenny Bookler
Comments: 4
 

Spa Day at Light Grey!

Stop by Light Grey Art Lab this Saturday from 12:30-3:00pm for Spa Day! We could not be more excited about this event, and want to invite you all to a day of relaxation, pampering, and refreshments!

LIGHTGREY_SpaDay

Laurel Maha from PizzaPerfectNails.tumblr.com is coming all the way from San Francisco to give darling and unique manicures! We'll be taking reservations for manis for anyone interested starting at 12:30 that day, so just stop by and sign up!

We'll also have a couple fun things to do while you're waiting for your manicure- Come sit down for a relaxing tea ceremony, receive an insightful Tarot Card reading, and enjoy some company and snacks! We may even lead a small 1/2 hour yoga/meditation class for those that are interested, so if you'd like to join in, wear something comfortable!

This event is free and open to all! Feel free to invite friends. You can check out more information and RSVP on the Spa Day Facebook Event page here!

__________________________

Laurel Maha is a nail artist and designer. She combines fun patterns, geometric shapes, abstract images, typography, and three dimensional pieces to create unique, beautiful, and one-of-a kind nail designs. She paints for all types of people, giving them a fresh and self expressive nail art.

Laurel recently founded Pizza Perfect Nails, and is currently biking across the US as she paints nails, meets new people, and shares her passion for nail art. You can check out more information about Pizza Perfect on her tumblr page here!
tags: spa day
Tuesday 07.01.14
Posted by Jenny Bookler
Comments: 1
 

Podcast: Door Number Two

06.30.14_Door Number 2
Download the MP3 or Subscribe via iTunes!

Door Number Two
Length: 00:42:11
Synopsis: On this week's podcast Francesca, Jenny, Chris, and Lindsay marvel at how summer is passing us by (again!). We discuss a range of topics like choosing our battles/summer projects, making hard decisions in the face of cold, hard mathematics, fearless anime leaders, the Jucy Lucy™, stepping on rakes and getting hit in the face, Prince Pajama Parties and the age-old argument of who was in the excellent film Die Hard... Vin Diesel or Bruce Willis?

Show Notes:
The Monty Hall Problem
Prince Pajama Party
Land Gallery
tags: Audio, podcast
Monday 06.30.14
Posted by Chris Hajny
 

Artist Interview with Rose Wong

Meet Rose Wong. Rose is a recent graduate from Pratt Institute, currently working and living in Brooklyn, NY. She is a freelance illustrator, production assistant, and creative who makes all sorts of delicate drawings, illustrations, and thoughtful pieces! Rose has participated in several Light Grey Art Lab exhibitions, including Macro + Micro and the current Omnibus Treasury Exhibition. You can see her work for the Omnibus Treasury Exhibition on the Light Grey Shop, the online gallery, and on her portfolio here!

Rose Wong

Hi Rose. Can you tell us a little about your studio practice? What are your favorite methods, ways of making, and studio habits?

I recently moved into my very first apartment and it is really nice to finally have my own room! My bedroom studio is a neat, well-lit and spacious environment, and I tend to drift off into another world when I am working. My go-to material is my sketchbook. With my mechanical pencil/ink pens in hand, I just let my hands guide me through the drawing and it would just grow. I love to get really detailed and intricate with my art.

Rose Wong

Your work seems to be inspired by emotions, relationships, and decorative elements. Could you talk about some of the common themes, sources of inspiration, and your thoughts on 'style'?

Observation is the key to my inspiration. I love to watch people and look at the individual pieces that make up this world. For example, I would be walking around the city and a pattern on the ground would just jump out at me. And then I have to draw it! How I feel at the time adds a lot to my process and putting it on paper solidifies it. Books are also a great source of inspiration. They are solid pieces of art that I can look at whenever I want to. My book collection started in high school and it consists of artists/art that I admire. My favorites amongst them are James Christensen, Sterling Hundley, and James Jean. It’s like I can see the passion by looking at these artists and their work in progresses.

Style is so important and yet so silly. In school, my art aesthetic bounced around everywhere. I would do all different kinds of mediums – painting, ink, colored pencils – but I could never obtain a consistency or ‘style’. After being frustrated for a couple of years, I just decided that whatever I create, is my style. I never want to have just one language in art.

For the Omnibus Treasury Exhibition, you were creating a series of illustrations to be transformed into jewelry collections. What was your inspiration for your work, approach to the project prompt?

Wearable art is so cool! I have always wanted to work with applied art and this show was the perfect opportunity. When I was thinking about what I wanted to create, I turned to my tastes. What would I wear? I like to wear simple jewelry and while flipping through my sketchbook, I saw a lot of wood doodles. That’s when I decided to make them a reality!

Omnibus Treasury

Was this the first time you have seen your work in a 3dimensional context? What were some of the considerations during this process?

I have created paper sculptures and small installations before, but my art have never been made into anything wearable. During the process, I thought about whether or not I wanted it to show dimension or to remain flat. I drew many sketches and decided to make them 3-d looking and to also put in multiple layers of wood to make them more interesting.

I admire your illustrations for their quiet and narrative elements. What are the experiences, stories, and feeling you aim to create?

When I get sad or frustrated, art makes me feel better. But getting myself to draw when I feel down is often an uphill battle. I am often a positive and upbeat person, but sometimes when I draw, the other part of me comes through – the quiet and contemplative side. I want people to feel good when they look at my work, but to also find some sadness in it. We are all complex individuals and life is all about the emotional experiences, whether it be positive or not.

Rose Wong

If you had the time, what project would you want to make- your dream project?

Murals! I have always wanted to make a giant wall-sized piece of art! I love the idea of working in tiny parts and then stepping back to see the whole picture. In high school, I was the head set painter for my theatre club and that sparked my dream to one day have my work somewhere that can brighten up people’s day.

What is your creative community like? Are you inspired by peers, teachers, online community? Has this challenged you in any way?

The Pratt Class of 2014 is really tight. I am friends with a lot of the illustration students as well as the graphic designers and painting majors. Our community is super friendly, driven and creative so it’s hard not to be inspired by one another. A couple of friends and I recently put on a post-graduate show. We created the collective, CLOWDA, to showcase our Classes’ many different disciplines. I also still talk to some of my teachers and they are a great support!

I haven’t utilized the online community (Tumblr) to its fullest extent but I have met a couple of wonderful artists from all over the world. I hope to create more friendships as my illustration career progresses.

What is next for you? What can you share with us for your upcoming projects, ideas, collaborations?

I really want to get into editorial illustrations, book covers and gallery shows. It’s a big step but I want to try my best at everything! That starts with creating more traditional pieces and collaborations. Right now, I am in collaboration with a friend (Nicole Rifkin) to make a portrait zine of Wes Anderson’s characters. And during the month of July, I will be building a paper installation with another friend (Hannah Xenakis) for a children’s international trade show called, Playtime New York. And on my own time, I am in the early stages of planning an art book

It’s really exciting! As long as I work hard and hold true to the craft, I feel like the world is my oyster.

Rose Wong

Thanks again, Rose, for opening up and sharing a piece of your world! It is a pleasure to hear about your process and studio practice!

You can find Rose's work for the Omnibus Treasury Exhibition on the Light Grey Shop, on the permanent online gallery, and on her site here.
tags: The Omnibus Treasury, artist interview, rose wong
Saturday 06.28.14
Posted by Jenny Bookler
 

STACKS- Opening August 1st!

Mark your calendars for Light Grey Art Lab's newest exhibition and project, STACKS, coming August 2014! We are honored to present this incredible and clever collection of artwork, limited edition zines, and handcrafted works!

STACKS Preview Preview of work by Barbara Dziadosz (Year 2002)

STACKS, invites you on a journey through time, as artists commemorate and revisit the past 30 years 1984-2014. This collection and visual timeline, celebrates the history, politics, pop culture, personal monuments, and childhood memories throughout these significant years and drastic decades.

STACKS Preview Preview of work by Julie Boehmer (Year 2007)

This project is made possible by the contributions of 60+ artists from around the world. Each of the artists have selected a year of focus, illustrating, printing, and creating limited edition zines based on an important topic from that year.

Some of the zine subjects include hairstyles from the 80s, teenager angst, the Legend of Zelda, Pokemon, personal anthologies, roaming the streets of New York City, romance stories, and more. Each zine is clever, humorous, and insightful look into the recent history and our experiences of the world.

STACKS Preview Preview of work by Ian Densford (Year 1998)

We invite you to celebrate this project, all of the artwork, and the memories of years past! You can find out more information and see all of the participating artists on the STACKS facebook event page here. You can also check out the STACKS webpage, and keep an eye out for previews on our blog and tumblr.
tags: Preview, Stacks, opening reception, sneak peek
Friday 06.27.14
Posted by Jenny Bookler
 
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