Hazel the Humpback

I have just finished a new knitting pattern of a humpback whale.  You can download the pattern here: Hazel the Humpback

I would love to see photos of any Hazels! (But please don’t sell any..) You can also find it on Ravelry; my username is becbrittain.

ICFF shows

I’m very excited to let you know about a few shows I have pieces in this week during the ICFF in New York!

CITE Goes America — Showing the SHY light, a linear fluorescent chandelier
www.citegoesamerica.com
131 Greene Street, New York, NY 10012
May 15 – June 11, 2010.
Opening May 15th, 6-9

New Useless Machines @ OAK – Joe Brittain and I collaborated on a mobile, using paper tubes and LEDs
28 Bond Street, New York, NY 10012
May 15 – May 18, 2010.
Opening May 15th, 7-10

And also check out all of Lindsey Adelman Studio’s shows this week too!
www.lindseyadelman.com

Crystal Waterfall!

For the Ramiken Crucible show I made a crystal waterfall — a solution with minerals dissolved in it was continuously running down the length of knotty rope, slowly depositing crystals.  The idea was that over a long enough period of time the crystals would begin to take over the form, taking control away from me.   I hope to install it again soon to keep the process going.  You can see the sparkles and some stalactites forming in the photos below.

Christopher Marley Bugs

Christoper Marley was on CBS Sunday Morning today talking about his bug specimens.  His work consists of beautifully spread and framed specimens which are culled from rainforests.  Apparently he has his own relationship with collectors who are constantly on the lookout  for beautiful specimens.  I particularly like his photographs of beetles which are compositions many different specimens — the diversity of form and color really highlights how absurd it is that these things are real.

It was nice that he made mention of something I frequently worry about — killing the bugs:

“The only way you can damage or really adversely affect an insect population is by destroying its habitat or destroying its host plant,” Marley said. “What we do is we go in and we cull a very few specimens. And that gives an economic incentive to people to preserve their habitat. They’re making a living off of the standing rainforest, instead of having to develop it to make a living. And so, you’re actually preserving the species.”

He writes more extensively about it here: http://www.formandpheromone.com/public_html/environmentaleffects.htm It’s a valid argument to be sure.  But I’m still getting increasingly weirded out that my art involves killing something.  I’ll get back to you about that….

Anyhow, here’s a photo of Marley’s work.  If you google him it won’t be hard to find more — he’s everywhere.  And while we do very different things, at the heart of both of them I think there is a shared awe of insects and we are both just trying to get people to take a closer look.

Monsters take New Orleans

If you find yourself near New Orleans in January, I’ll be showing a bug monster/blue crystal piece at Barrister’s Gallery:

I Wish I Was Dead Biennial:
Works by Unsettled and Unsettling Natures

Curated by Martina Batan
(The Ronald Feldman Fine Arts Gallery, NYC)

January 9 thru February 6
Opening  Saturday,  January 9th  6-9 pm

Sight Unseen, I love you.

Monica Khemsurov and Jill Singer have started a really great web magazine called Sight Unseen. It’s like a design magazine mixed with a trip to the crayon factory with Mr. Rogers to see behind the scenes.  I also think it’s a notable presence as all the magazines are dying — it’s very pretty and is visually satisfying in a lot of the ways print mags are.

They did a profile of my studio– take a look!

Barnacle ring

I’ve been continuing to enjoy the theme of natural growth, but the instances where it is slightly disturbing or gone wrong (parasitic, tumor-like, messed-up along the way).  This is the first casting for a group of jewelry I’m working on:

I like the idea of the barnacles taking over the body, and being beautiful, but also slightly uncomfortable. The plan is to also develop neck pieces and earring crawling up the ears too.

Psychic Neighbor!!!

Joe and I are having a show at Ramiken Crucible, hope you can come!  You can see Joe’s work at www.joebrittain.com.  Download the press release here.

A Ritual for Elephant and Castle – NOMAD

Nomad presented a new performance with Chrome Hoof and Marcus Coates this Friday June 5th in London which I unfortunately had to miss.  Their invite had a pretty awesome animation designed by Le Gun:

From Nomad’s website:

Nomad was established in 2006 to facilitate new dialogues between artist, collaboration and exhibition in the public domain.  Nomad continually strives to build support structures for artists to explore non-traditional working and presentation methods. Our commissioning process is orientated towards increasing knowledge and experience for artists, collaborators and audiences alike.

Look them up at www.nomad.org.uk

Le Gun is at www.legun.co.uk

Necklaces

A few pieces I’ve been making for fun.  Gold plated cast macaroni, and gold plated cast vertabrae.  Still working on how to put the vertabrae together.  Thinking of making a slightly morbid charm bracelet.