Guerilla Knitting in NYC

Names of Participating Guerilla Knitters

Guerilla Art and Guerilla Knitting is not such a new concept but when you get to see it in action, its always refreshing and innovative.

While my hub and I were visiting the city this summer, we ran into this corner on 1st avenue on 9th St. more than once (a very cool urban art/toy and graphics store called Giant Robot resides on that street).

green flower

Guerilla knitting is a great way to add color and warmth to the cold, and often hard face of the city. In this project, which was sponsored by the PS 122 Gallery last Spring, the work spawned from, and in conjunction with, a larger effort entitled Yarn Theory.

Covered iron bars

As you can see, the project certainly does add color and warmth, but I also think it creatively adds to the interdependent nature of the chaos and distraction of the city, especially into a space that is already a stimulating environment. That sounds negative, but I see it as a positive contribution to the meaning and symbolism evoked by the architectural features we walk by daily in the city.

iron fence on an angle

The PS 122 Gallery presented an exhibit this past Spring from April 25th to May 17th called Yarn Theory in hopes to spur on the realization that there is a deep relationship between science, math and knitting and crocheting:

Highlighting the work of some of today’s most interesting practitioners, Yarn Theory juxtaposes installations and art objects made with a scientific or mathematical basis as a starting point, and with mathematical models and items made explicitly to explain or clarify abstract concepts, which end up being compelling aesthetic forms unto themselves. Because of their incremental structure, the crafted shapes often mimic growth systems found in nature. Today’s needle workers, many of who are also scientists and mathematicians professionally, are exploring such correlations.

whole web

My personal favorite out of the Guerilla knitting on the corner of 9th St. is this grey web. It is brilliant in the way that it complements the color, complexity and interconnectedness of the city. The relationship between the yarn and the iron fence becomes truly symbiotic and relevant.

The way the web travels up between the iron bars is nothing short of artistic brilliance in my humble opinion.

detail of web

Gregg Emerys Azucarera Exhibit was a Blast

Gregg in the packed Gallery

The opening was a great success. Since Gregg Emery is a Dean and instructor at the Dwight-Englewood School, there were many former and current students as well as faculty support.

The postcard circle

A circle was made using the announcement cards by family who attended the opening reception, Devin and Alexandra.

Substratum painting by gregg emery - Sold

This particular painting was worked over several times during the past year. The crackling paint effect was achieved while working in a below freezing studio space.

Gregg and Former student Jerry Igdalev with his girlfriend Nadia

It was great seeing such an amazing turnout in this new alternative exhibit space. The work looked beautiful, the atmosphere was friendly and welcoming and a good time seemed to be had by all.

NYC Weekend Edition- Artist Gregg Emery at Azucarera Gallery

This Friday night, August 21st, at 7pm Artist Gregg Emery (a.k.a. my husband) will be exhibiting a show entitled The Drawn Line -On Reading The Human Soul. The Azucarera gallery is located at 414 W. 145th St. (basement) between Convent Ave. and St. Nicholas Ave., Harlem - if you're around stop by!!!

Cynosure by Gregg Emery

Some of you may remember when I wrote a blog post on Gregg and his work and I urge any of you curious about him and his process to check out that old post here! As a special treat the exhibit will also have a wall dedicated to his phenomenal gestural figure drawings from his numerous sketchbooks.

figure drawing by artist Gregg Emery

And for an EXTRA special treat for those who follow my work - Gregg and I collaborated on a piece entitled Fleeting Seedling and you can see that complete painting only at the exhibit - but here is a detail shot of my work. Come to the opening to see the whole thing!!!

detail of Fleeting Seedling Collaborative Painting by marisol diaz and Gregg Emery

Treat Yourself to a Subscription of Color!

The full spectrum of colored pencils by Felissimo

So during my blogging escapades I discovered the kind of mail subscription I would have LOVED, and I mean LOVED, to have had as a young budding artist - heck if the times weren't so financially tight I would LOVE to have it now!!!

just one sample of the cleverly named pencils- Mermaid's Gown

Think back to a time when (instead of a new encyclopedia every month) your parents ordered wonderful little packages of animal flashcards that you could build a zoological collection of and catalog in that great little complimentary index case. Well this subscription is just as good if not better! 500 pencils and not just any pencils, color pencils!!

Japanese design house, Felissimo has created a new social experiment by developing this subscription plan in which 33 dollars a month will buy you a Japan-mailed-package of different assortments of 25 like-minded colored pencils, for 20 months until you have 500 varigated colors. The different colors have names like Tragedy, Tea with Milk, Maple Sugar and Drizzly Afternoon. Geez I want these!

One of the ways to display your pencils as they arrive

In addition to being able to order your pencils you can order high-design displays that rival some of the great stuff you see in the Moma (Museum of Modern Art) gift shop, like this wall display on the left appropriately named Orchestra. Felissimo's Social Design Network states,

Social designer curates and creates smart products that tune into the greater good. You can join the cause by submitting designs for our competitions, weighing in with your opinion, purchasing goods or just simply talking about them. After all, every good idea (and every good cause)... starts with a conversation.

The Color Wave Display Option ($104)

So if you do happen to indulge or splurge on this beautiful monthly treat let me know! I would love to see pics of your open packages as they arrive - they're sure to be works of art in themselves!

Glass Explorations II

While contemplating the word encasement, I explored some new glass powder work this summer.

Unintentionally, my concept was very similar to an assignment that I gave my students last year. The assignment (to paint a distorted self-portrait by basing the composition on a scanned/xeroxed facial print) was a blessing for some students who flourished with the 'chiaroscuro' demands of the project. However, the assignment proved to be challenging for others, who were left feeling disillusioned, which for me as an art educator is never ok.

quick sketch of idea as I saw it in my mind actual xerox of my facexerox of my face 11"x 11" layered glass tile made with glass powders entitled ENCASED by marisol diaz When working with glass powders, your initial drawing is very forgiving since the dry powders can simply be wiped (or blown) away until you fire it. However if you're working to create strong blacks it can be challenging since the material that you're working with is transparent and will also be reflective (it is glass) - thats why we use light tables during the process. Once the glass is fired your options become very limited since you can only add material and re-fire.

For this piece I combined both picture references of my face to create a new composition that included my hand. After the piece was fired I re-fired it with a layer of clear glass on top. The thickness and depth that created is difficult to see in the above shot. That clear glass layer also really helped 'encase' the piece. In addition, it made more sense why this piece was made out of glass as opposed to a drawing or a painting. I love sharing these explorations with you all!

Some Glass Explorations

powdered glass sketch by marisol diazGlass landscape sketch with powdered glass on light table - marisol diaz

Illustrations and The Azucarera Exhibit

Sugar Plum by marisol diazIdle Cherry Bomb by marisol diaz

Inspiring Glass Artist Richard Parrish

The teaching assistant for Catharine Newell's glass class at the Studio in Corning, NY was glass artist Richard Parrish (who was off to teach his own glass class at Pilchuck Glass School in Seattle WA after ours). Richard had been Catharine's teaching assistant before and fortunately their working relationship was great one. As students we benefitted the most from this combo because each artist was so dramatically different yet very stimulated by the other's art.

What on Earth? by Richard Parrish 2007 Kiln-formed and coldworked glass panel

Richard has moved on from a career in Architecture and has roots in Montana. Although often subtle or invisible Richard's work is very much informed by the figurative. The above series of work (which really resonate with topographical earth views) are my favorite. However, Richard also does architectural commissions, glass tapestries, studio productions plates. He sells some of these art pieces on Artnet if you are interested in purchasing one. While we were in class together my class mates and I were privileged to see Richard make some TESTS for future work and now you can be just as lucky too!

Check out these dimensional glass powder and kiln-formed tile- tests, in which Richard is investigating surface textures, colors relationships, dimension and landscapes!

Test1 (and my personal favorite)test2test3

The End of Glass Class

Ok so I fell off of the blogging bed and have struggled to get back up, and the clapper was of absolutely NO help!!! Luckily with a little rest and resuscitation under my belt I can now safely say that, I'm back! I have a gallery opening tonight that I will soon be posting about - but for now lets see the end of my glass class experience with instructor Catharine Newell at Corning NY.

The view of Corning from the pedestrian bridge on the way to class A dream kiln filled with my classwork...

Because of these hard economic times our class was incredibly small (we only had three students)! As any one who is familiar with education knows (super-small intimate classes such as this one can be a double-edged sword that cuts both ways, positive and negative. However, I ended up LOVING my classmates whose work and personalities couldn't have been more different than mine - Lynn Smith and Sue Hill. We were riding the same wave and trying to fully immerse ourselves in Catharine's high- concept manner of teaching powders. We also were charged with making a collaborative piece together. Each of our different styles lent greatly to this endeavor and we made one of the best pieces of the whole two weeks! We donated the completed piece to the Auction which raises funds for The Studio's scholarships.

Our student Collaboration piece in the kiln before its stacked and fused! We were also intrigued and deeply affected by the artwork created by our teaching assistant Richard Parrish whom I am looking forward to writing a post on next! One thing we all found we had in common was a deep penchant and appreciation for dessert. Sue's Notorious Dessert

My Desk at Glass Class

So I have been furiously working away, sipping all the nectar out of the fruit it is to be at glass class again (at the Studio in Corning). Soon, I will post images of the work I have completed and you can see why my desk looks as angst as it does!