Zoe from Tampa

This is Zoe.  This painting was a commissioned piece.  I had to work from photographs as she lives in the warm Florida sun.  I can't speak to Zoe's character as we are not acquainted, but if I were judging on her eyes, I would guess she's rather sweet.

I enjoy painting pet portraits and I'm always struck by the frequency with which dogs have made their way into art through many years.  A basic query for "dog" in the Art Institute of Chicago collection data base results in 128 pieces.  This prevalence seems to speak to the long time curiosity and affection of people have with these animals.  

Why do you think people are so drawn to canines?

Other Projects

Preparing for Bicycle Season
During the spring, summer, and fall months, virtually all of my transportation in Chicago is done via bicycle.  This past summer, in particular, I rode on the lakefront trail from my northside home to Grand Avenue dozens of times and made longer trips to Hyde Park, Oak Park, and the Chicago Botanic Garden.  There is so much to love about city cycling--it's great exercise, really fun, and, particularly at night, comes with a sense of exhilerating freedom.  Chicago's flat terrain coupled with a fair number of bike lanes make it relatively bike friendly.     


That said, it can be rather treacherous, at times...one must be constantly looking out for drivers opening car doors into bike lanes, cars merging unexpectedly in front of cyclists, and a myriad of other hazards.  


These last several weeks my bicycling has been curtailed by low temperatures, as well as lots of snow and ice.  So, I've been engaging in a popular Chicago winter past-time: daydreaming about summer.  I was delighted to come accross this "Magnetic Yellow Card, cyclist-intervention."  It was designed in 2004 by Peter Hopkins Miller, an artist and filmmaker, living and making work in Vienna/Chicago.

Peter has generously provide this pdf of the Magnetic Yellow Card and made the project open source, meaning that anyone can make own magnets. So, you can self-produce as many magnets as you would like (though you must attribute any authorship of the work to Peter and you may not reproduce the work for commercial purposes).  Vistaprint will print these magnets very affordably, so why not pass those cold winter days by preparing for the upcoming cycling season.  While your at it, check out the safety is sexy campaign which my friend Lauren started, perhaps you've seen the "You'd be hotter in a helmet" stickers associated with her campaign. 


What's your favorite bicycle campaign?

Featured Artist

Butcherooney
Butcherooney  is a newly retired union carpenter, living in the Pacific Northwest.  He discovered junk!  Garage sales, flea markets, thrift stores, auctions, junk stores, and junk yards are some of his favorite places.  He says that his worst day of creating things have been better than his best working days.

Beesley, found object sculpture, Butcherooney

What inspired you to make your first found object creation? 
I was surfing on the internet one day and came across a site that displayed "yard art". There are always lots of links to click on and one thing lead to another. Pretty soon I honed in on something that interested me and realized, "Hey! I could do that!" Within a short time I had a few of these things in my own yard and I began to get some good feedback from friends and family (I emailed them the pictures) and that encouraged me to keep creating.  Not only is it fun it has a certain therapeutic quality associated with it.

Coalman, found object sculpture, Butcherooney

What have you found to be the best sources of “junk” for your creations?
The best sources are mentioned below in my bio, but to really get to the actual "source" I would say the junk itself. Let me explain. For instance I bought an old Bell and Howell movie projector at a humane society thrift store. It had a treasure trove of "parts" for creating robots, etc. So that is the absolute best- the junk itself, ie; sewing machines, typewriters, mechanical devices, just whatever. 

Queenie, found object sculpture, Butcherooney

Do you typically have the idea for a character in mind and search for the pieces to make it or do the objects you find inspire the characters?
Actually, the objects I find inspire the characters. In my shop I have a wall that has several hundreds of pieces of "junk". I call it the "creation wall" because I am always scanning that wall for "body parts". Every once in a while though I do get to a point where I wish I had something else to complete my creation and will go hunting for just the right piece. Truthfully, going shopping is just as fun as creating.

Slick- The Banker, found object sculpture, Butcherooney

Are any of your characters inspired by real-life people or animals?
No. While they may be in the likeness of a human or animal they were not inspired in that way. 


Many thanks to Butch for sharing his wonderful work!  Be sure to check out more of his creations.


What do you think these found object creations?

Custom Wedding Maps

I recently completed this custom wedding map for a couple who will marry this fall.  They purchased my Birds on a Wire wedding invitations in "creamsicle" orange and I designed this map which was printed on the back of their invitation.  

I really enjoy designing maps or even just sketching a quick map on a napkin.  As a visually- oriented person I am drawn to create graphic depictions of my city and the places I visit.  As an architect, I'm interested in the spacial relationships created in urban and rural environments.   Also, maps often just look really great!  There was a tremendous exhibit of maps at the Field Museum several years ago that featured some amazing maps, check out some of the beautiful maps!

What are some of your favorite maps?

Detail: El Capitan Theater

With love, to mauve? Gallery
This small painting features Mexcian Baroque architectural details of the El Capitan Theater in San Francisco.  It will be donated to the fundraising efforts of mauve? Gallery, located in Berkeley, California.  mauve? is run by Tarak Shah and featured artist, Sabina Nieto.   

mauve? is an small art gallery located in an empty cubicle in a typical office building--brilliant idea right!  Wouldn't it be wonderful if micro-galleries dotted the empty cubicles which are ever present in offices across our country.  Shah and Nieto report that the people working in the office in which mauve? is housed are researchers, data analysts and IT workers.  Though, at first blush, this environment might seem inhospitable to art, the reception has been quite warm, with the occupants of the office appreciative of art and even reporting their own forays into art production.  I was extraordinarily pleased to exhibit work at mauve? in 2009.   

mauve? is currently endeavoring to print a commemorative publication, "mauve? Journal," which will feature essays and images from their first two years.  They are aiming to print 1,000 copies which will be distributed at mauve? and other storefronts.  In the spirit of public radio stations across the country, your donation comes with a "thank you gift."  These gifts range from a copy of the publication, "a scheduled reading of your scars, via our practiced art of ouleimancy," a Yi-Jing tattoo, a love letter, and a piece of art work from a past exhibited mauve? artist. So, why not visit their kickstarter page to make a donation.  


Can you imagine a micro-gallery in your workplace?  

Other Projects

Listening to This American Life
I don't really watch a whole lot of TV, but I am rather fond of a few radio programs.  This American Life is among my favorites.  I love that the This American Life website has an archive of every episode, so I thought I would a few of my favorites with you.
Going Big
Paul Tough reports on the Harlem Children's Zone, and its CEO and president, Geoffrey Canada. Among the project's many facets is Baby College, an 8-week program where young parents and parents-to-be learn how to help their children get the education they need to be successful. Tough';s just-published book about Geoffrey Canada and the Harlem's Children Zone is called Whatever It Takes. You can see a slideshow of more photographs from the project here.

The Harlem Children Zone's Jeffrey Canada was also prominately featured in a recent education documentary: Waiting for Superman, which was rather interesting as well.

My Pen Pal
The story of a ten-year-old girl from small town Michigan named Sarah York, and how she became pen pals with a man who was considered an enemy of the United States, a dictator, a drug trafficker, and a murderer: Manuel Noriega.

Break Up
In the wake of a break-up, writer Starlee Kine finds so much comfort in break-up songs that she decides to try and write one herself—even though she has no musical ability whatsoever. For some help, she goes to a rather surprising expert on the subject: Phil Collins.

Stories pitched by our parents
After listening to this episode, I was endlessly amused by saying, "She was a good lay........dy."

Fear of Sleep

Mike Birbiglia is a really entertaining story teller and the science is rather interesting.  I was fascinated by the fact that normal bodies produce a chemical which paralyzes us during sleep, preventing us from acting out our dreams.

What are your favorite radio programs?

Featured Artist

Anna See
After often being admonished for “being all over the place,” Anna See finally realized that it’s okay to challenge yourself and explore, and that versatility can be a strength.  Her many interests and love of all kinds of art is evident and she hopes to continue to explore the different avenues the art field has to offer. Anna currently resides in Pasadena, CA, where she graduated from Art Center College of Design with Honors, works at UCLA Center X as a graphic designer, and is currently open to freelance opportunities. Most recently, her work will soon be carried by Urban Outfitters.

The Raccoons,  5" x 7",  Cut Tissue Paper,  Ink,  Linocut,  Hand-pulled print,  Anna See,  2010

Given your varied artistic interests, have you found yourself particularly inspired by a particular medium recently?
I've become obsessed with tissue paper and just handmade papers in general. I'm fascinated by non-traditional mediums, and have been using tissue paper (the kind you wrap gifts/clothes with) in my shoe block prints for some time now. More recently, I've transitioned to scanning it and using it in my digital work.

Great Horned Owl, 5" x 7", Oil Paint, Linocut, Hand-pulled print, Anna See, 2009

A large number of your illustrations feature birds, including their silly antics and those you see in Southern California.  Is there something in particular that draws your to illustrate birds?
Living in the urban sprawl that is LA, I find that it's often hard to witness wildlife/nature firsthand, unless I make an effort to. Birds are something I encounter on a day-to-day basis -- viewed from my car while stuck in traffic, walking to the store, at the park, etc. No matter where you are, you will always find some kind of bird and I find that comforting. In general, I'm drawn to all kinds of "wild" creatures that come in to regular contact with human beings (squirrels, insects, possums, etc.) as this often urban human-to-animal relationship really interests me.

Christian Louboutin Anemone Pumps, 5" x 7", Cut Tissue Paper, Ink, Linocut, Hand-pulled print, Anna See, 2010

Do you have any goals or resolutions related your art for 2011?
I'd love to explore how my art can translate to different applications -- clothing, home goods, etc and would like to somehow get my art out there to a wider audience. First, I need to get better at actually finishing my many projects! I'd also like to chance pursuing my work full-time (God-willing)!!

Siamese Twins, 8.5" x 11", Scanned Papers, Ink, Digital, Anna See, 2010

Many thanks to Anna for sharing her fantastic work.  Be sure to check out more of her work.

What do you think of Anna's prints?