Calculated Seating

While perhaps not art related, I found this idea/image too interesting to not post here. Aren't these Numeric Keyboard/Calculator Chairs cool?



(via swiss miss)

Matthew Porter at Ballard SPL!

If you find yourself in Ballard on July 16th, swing by the library and catch Matthew Porter's talk about his new book Monkey World: An A to Z of Occupations.




More information is available here

"Crush on Plush" at Velocity Lab on Wed!

Kristen, Moxie and Hansi will be at the Velocity Lab this Wednesday to discuss all things plush, the publishing business and craftiness in general.



As if seeing three of Seattle's finest wasn't enough, Craft magazine has kindly donated a boxed set of their first year as a door prize as well as current issues for the taking!

Do you need any more reasons to be at Velocity on Wednesday, June 25th from 6:00 to 8:00? I didn't think so. See you there!

Denis Darzacq

Denis Darzacq's series of photos entitled "Hyper" is an oddly mesmerizing collection.



The set features people jumping or falling in retail settings. You can definately see its outgrowth from his earlier "La Chute".

(via swiss miss)

Hi-Fructose Group Show

Hi-Fructose, the counter culture art magazine founded by artists Annie Owens and Attaboy, have curated a show at Copro Nason Gallery including many of the artists that they've featured in their publication.



There are scads of amazing people in this show! Be sure to check it out if you're in Santa Monica!

(via vinyl pulse)

I Eames to Please

I'm such a mid century mod-nerd. I've been waiting patiently for almost a year for the new usps Charles and Ray Eames stamps to arrive at my local post office.



I'm planning on picking up two sets the next time I'm at the po but until then, I'll be content looking at these versions of their iconic lounger.



Kelly Reemsten's version. (found via apartment therapy)



pleasebestill's modern design deck print.



tinymodernist's pattern for cross stitch- retro modern Eames lounger chair

Mark Hundley Presale

Welcome to the Mark Hundley Presale!

If you would like to purchase a Bisbee Stitches of your very own, please contact us at Schmancy (206.728.8008) and we'll be happy to assist you!

Don't forget that Mark's opening with Ashley G. and Drew is this Friday, June 13th from 6pm-9pm at Schmancy (1932 Second Ave, Seattle, WA).



"Stitches #3338"
9"x4"x5.5"
$75.00




"Stitches #3339"
10"x4.5"x2.5"
$80.00



"Stitches #3340"
larger--10"x3"x2.5
$60.00

smaller--5"x3"x2.5"
$50.00

OR $90 for both together




"Stitches #3343"
13"x8"x10
$150.00




"Stitches #3344"
8.5"3x"2.5"
$75.00

Ashley G and Drew Presale

Welcome to the Ashley Goldberg and Drew Bell Presale!

All pieces are digital prints on archival velvet fine art stock with archival pigment ink. Sizes and prices vary and are listed underneath each item.

If you would like to purchase an Ashley G and Drew print to hang in your home, office or rv, please contact us at Schmancy (206.728.8008) and we'll be happy to assist you!

Don't forget that Ashely G and Drew's opening with Mark Hundley of Bisbee Stitches is this Friday, June 13th from 6pm-9pm at Schmancy (1932 Second Ave, Seattle, WA).



"James"
13" x 19" (image area about 9" x 13")
Edition of 5
$82



"Pretty Pretty (Blue)"
13" x 13"
Edition of 5
$68



"Pretty Pretty"
13" x 13"
Edition of 5
$68



"Thor"
13" x 19" (image area about 9" x 13")
Edition of 5
$82



"Float On"
11.75" x 15.25"
Edition of 5
$72



"Gershwin"
5" x 7"
Edition of 10
$42



"Grrrarrr!"
5" x 7" (incl. .625" white border)
Edition of 10
$38



"Lonely Sandwich (Green)"
5" x 7" (incl. .625" white border)
Edition of 5
$35



"Lonely Sandwich"
5" x 7" (incl. .625" white border)
Edition of 5
$35



"My Secret's Keeper"
7" x 9.5"
Edition of 10
$48



"Nothing to Hide"
5" x 7"
Edition of 10
$38



"Oh So Wary (Orange)"
7" x 5"
Edition of 10
$35



"Oh So Wary"
7" x 5"
Edition of 10
$35



"Papa Bird"
5.5" x 5.5"
Edition of 10
$42



"Precocious Little Monster"
7" x 5" (incl. .625" white border)
Edition of 10
$38



"Chuck"
5.5" x 7.375"
Edition of 10
$35



"Chuck (Blue)"
5.5" x 7.375"
Edition of 10
$35



"Clifford"
7" x 6.75" (incl. .625" white border)
Edition of 10
$35



"Lil"
5.75" x 7.5" (incl. half-inch white border)
Edition of 20 (10 available)
$20



"Lincoln"
5.75" x 8" (incl. .375" white border)
Edition of 10 (8 available)
$35 each

Pens and Needles Opening This Friday!

Don't forget to mark your calenders! The opening for Pens and Needles with Bisbee Stitches and Ashley G and Drew is this Friday, June 13th from 6-9 pm at Schmancy (1932 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA)!

Ashley Goldberg Interview!

Ashley Goldberg and Drew Bell of Ashley G and Drew have been creatively collaborating since the moment they met in 2002. In 2006 they combined Ashley's love of illustration and Drew's talent for "computer magic" and began a body of work together including digital illustrations and prints.

We at Schmancy Gallery adore their work! Ashley and I swapped emails during the coldest of cold Northwest springs.

Schmancy Gallery: I read on your blog that you recently moved from St. Louis to Portland! Are you enjoying the Pacific Northwest and the lack of summer that we have here? Are you experiencing any kind of culture shock? Are you enjoying your proximity to an Ikea?

Ashley Goldberg: I did move just over a month ago and I am LOVING your lack of summer. Everyone has been very kind and reassured me that this year is particularly unusual -- I don't have the heart to tell them it could be overcast and 55 degrees every day of the summer and I would be in heaven. I have spent 26 years with some of the HOTTEST, most HUMID weather in the country and I am ready for a change.

There's actually no culture shock yet. This is my time to say that although I didn't want to spend my whole life in St. Louis, it is greatly underestimated. Parts of it are wonderful and beautiful and the housing is fantastic and cheap! But, I was ready for a change and to be on a coast. One of my favorite things about Portland is that I can go to most breakfast eateries and get a tofu scramble. And people stop for you at crosswalks! The views, trees, and moss. Breathtaking.

I love being close to an IKEA! I'm sitting on my new IKEA couch right now. However, I believe if you are in a city that is big enough to have an IKEA you are also in a city where it's hard to find a not-picked-over-or-pricey thrift store. So far that is proving true here. If anyone has some awesome thrifting tips for Portland...




SG: I have to tell you, every time I do an image search on Etsy, something wonderful from your shop shows up in the results. Are you a mind reader? If not, how do you come up with your subject material?

AG: Mind reader? Yes. Mwaa haa haa. Noooo... but I do think there is a collective creative vibe that artists can pick up on almost simultaneously. You can sense a trend coming or going. If you pick up a magazine, go to a website, read a blog and you're not looking for inspiration, you're just looking, you still absorb that information. Those colors, that trend, that shape. And somewhere down the line there is a good chance that it will appear in your work just filtered through your own voice.

There are so many ways to come up with subject matter. I, like most, have quite a few recurring themes, characters, and colors. Other times I hit on something that excites me and I want to explore it further or rediscover a character I have neglected.

Sometimes I have that tingly feeling that my work is beginning to feel stale so it may not be far behind for my audience to feel that too, and I want to find something new.

But the bottom line for me is that I want the process, not just the end result, to be something I enjoy.



SG: Speaking of Etsy, one of my favorite Etsy promotional postcards is based on your "So Close" print. How important has Etsy been to your career?

AG: Without Etsy I may have not had this career at all. I will always be extremely grateful to Etsy.



SG: Your bearded men series is fantastic! Do you know that many men with serious facial hair or is it artistic license? Also, why beards and not mustaches?

AG: Well, thank you! For me, men and facial hair is about quality not quantity. I don't know MANY guys with facial hair but my MOST IMPORTANT guy has sported a beard for 99% of our relationship. Little does he know his facial hair is a major artistic inspiration to me. :)

Sometimes I do draw mustaches and I know many a fine fellow who has one, but I prefer beards because I think you can use them to show a larger range of "guy". They can be a fatherly type or your future brother-in-law or unironically convey a cute boy. I can't even count the times I get e-mail that says "that looks just like my [fill-in-the-blank]." I LOVE that.



SG: Your color palette tends to be very limited and sophisticated. What draws you to those particular colors?

AG: I like colors that I would want to see in my home. Bright but soothing. Subtle but rich. Drew loves telling me "there's no difference between those two colors!" but to me they are worlds apart. My drawings are simple, so the meaning or the color needs to be sophisticated. Otherwise I would be afraid they would look too cartoony.

SG: You update your blog faithfully! Do you think that it (and the feedback you receive from people) has any affect on your work?

AG: Absolutely. I feel the need to produce work so I can keep the blog going and have something new to share. Also, I feel so lucky to be able to gauge what pieces people are gravitating to or ones that fall a little flat. It doesn't mean I'm a slave to people's opinion, but I certainly welcome and appreciate it.



SG: Do you have any big plans for the rest of 2008? What can we expect to see from you in the future?

AG: I want 2008 to be the year of the cliche "work smarter, not harder". I want to look into getting an agent, tie up loose ends and projects that have been haunting me, and really move forward. I would love to see my illustrations as wallpaper, wrapping paper, on notebooks and cards. I love packaging and product design and stuffed animals. And I would love more time to create personal art. Explore and grow privately. I love abstract work and collage but right now have very little time to work on it. So we'll see. I know I'm excited whatever the future brings.

Ashley G and Drew will be showing at Schmancy this Friday the 13th with Bisbee Stitches. Be sure to drop by to meet everyone! Until then, check out Ashley and Drew's Etsy shop!

Mark Hundley of Bisbee Stitches interview!

Mark Hundley is awesome! Schmancy has been selling his plush for years and his work never fails to elict a delighted response from everyone who sees it. Whether it be due to the oversized eyes, the enchanting stories or just the adorableness of his toys in general, he's developed quite a well deserved following!

Have I mentioned that he's also just an all around great guy?

Mark and I traded emails right before Obama claimed the Democratic nomination. (It's an important note. Please keep reading to see why.)

Schmancy Gallery: I've read that you started making plush as gifts for your niece and nephew. Were you working in a 3d format prior to that?

Mark Hundley: Well, I did a few 3D sculptures here and there out of wood or cardboard or whatever. But not much.

SG: Were there any other reasons you were attracted to making stuffed toys?

MH: Yeah. It fits my personality pretty well, I think. And it's neat to be creating these little things that make people smile a bit.

SG: In my experience, the first thing that people notice about your plush are those incredible eyes!

MH: Thanks!



SG: Were you influenced by any sort of animation?

MH: There's definitely a lot of Japanese cartoon imagery influence there, but I don't really watch much anime. A few years ago , I made a very purposeful effort to teach myself how to make the eyes exactly how I wanted. I even made a few pieces that were basically giant eyeballs with arms and legs.

SG: I really enjoy the stories that come on each Bisbee tag! How do you come up with these? Do the dolls "speak" to you?

MH: Kind of. I basically spend a few hours on each one and by the time I'm finished, they just sort of have this personality so when I write the cards, it's just like describing someone you know really well.



SG: On your Etsy page you say that you've made over 2,000 unique handmade stuffed animals! How are you able to make so many different and distinct plushes?

MH: I dunno. That's not the hard part, though. The hard part is actually finishing each one before I start another because sometimes I get a great idea for something but I still have, like, 3 hours of sewing to go to the finish the first one!


SG: How difficult do you find it to be working without a pattern?

MH: It was kind of difficult at first . But figuring out how to make the shapes work in 3D as I see them in my mind is the most creative and fun part for me , now.



SG: Do you think that living in the small town of Bisbee influences your work?

MH: I think maybe the first few years , where I would sit outside this bookstore on Main Street and sell my work was a big help. The immediate feedback from people was a good way to gauge what was working and what I needed to work on more.

SG: Do you think that you would work differently if you were to live in a larger city?

MH: Absolutely! I kind of feel isolated down here, sometimes, but it's also been good for me to have the space to develop my own style without being influenced by what other people are making.



SG: Your Barack Obama Stitches are wonderful!

MH: Thank you.

SG: Do you think you'll make a commemorative doll if he becomes the Democratic nominee?

MH: Maybe. I already sent 2 to the campaign for his 2 kids, but I haven't heard anything back, yet.



SG: What's on the horizon for Bisbee Stitches? Any huge plans for the remainder of 2008?

MH: I wanna try to get into a few more shows if I can. Mostly I'm looking forward to getting back to work on my book. I've been wanting to do a "Stitches" story book for a long time and I'm finally getting it together . Hopefully it'll be done and ready to print in about a year or so. It's going to be neat!

Mark will be showing with Ashley Goldberg at Schmancy on Friday, June 13th from 6 pm-9pm. Until then, be sure to check out his Etsy store!

Hair of the Dog and Other Animals

Japanese artist Nagi Noda makes insanely detailed hair pieces that look like animals. I'm alternately intrigued and repulsed. More bizarre images here.