Salty Sculpture

Incredible!

Hi Hi.

Hello everyone,

I am sorry I have been slightly MIA as of late....Cupcake spilled water on my computer and I didn't get a new one for a couple of weeks. Luckily, I had it before the Thanksgiving weekend, so I worked feverishly while in Butternut and was able to catch up on all my school work. The farm was wonderful-it was great to have my dad there. I was able to bake a ridiculous amount of pies, we surprised my mom with a kitten, Abby came down with mono, my brothers and dad went deer hunting everyday, it snowed, and our neighbor's pygmy goat has baby 'kids.' Very eventful and nice to be away from San Diego....though it did make me miss Jay even more, as the last time I was there we had a terrific time together. But now I am back into my routine and have one more week of this quarter-then I start to prepare for Elly and Riccardo's visit and then Libby, Kris and Jamie (so excited!) I fly to Pittsburgh tomorrow for a cousin's wedding-never been and am looking forward to a hotel room all to myself!

Elly: very exciting about the Biola Art Abroad event--can't wait to hear more.
Libby: wow, bummer about the tree incident-no fun! Hope all is coming together. And I am calling you after my class today because I want to talk about things!
Jamie: how are you making it through your first semester? When are you done?
Lauren: Hi. What are you up to?

Miss you all, talk soon.

P.S. This is am image I created for an assignment to make a personal montage of five things that are "important to us." I think it is fun.

December

I've begun compiling fascinating links, resources and points of interest pertaining to our upcoming "month of awareness." Excited. Get ready.

Our first baby...

Kris did the installation and I contributed the sound:



Songs of Our Daughter
Kris Cowen & J.R. Uretsky
Mixed media sound installation

The concept of cross-pollination makes us think of sharing, exchanging, borrowing, or appropriating an element from one thing and then applying it to something else. The idea of cross-pollination is inherently collaborative, and speaks to the type of art we are both interested in making; for us, sculpture is communal.

We wanted to create a personal art experience for a viewer in a public space. By combining private narratives (in relation to another sort of cross-pollinating) with an abstract environment, we provide the viewer with a space equipped for listening and contemplation. Songs of Our Daughter is a voyeuristic installation, a sort of eavesdropping experience, where the viewer is let in to the artist's personal lives the same way a friend would be- by listening. This project is a multi-sensory art experience that invites the viewer to "be in the know" in regards to the personal life of the artist; in doing so, we have creating an authentic feeling of acceptance in an artificial, constructed environment.

future Mr. Jamie Uretsky.

Fernando Zòbel, Diario 8

"Constant travel to see friends, it can kill you. The distances are too great, no wonder Americans complain of loneliness. The pleasures of friendship have to be planned weeks in advance and involve endless hours at ticket windows, packing and unpacking, train schedules, etc. ..Almost makes me feel like going home. Except that it´s so good to see one´s friends again."

Nobody

I'm always interested in films that portray the woes of Art School, and this one could be something:

Nobody

What do you think?

Jon and Kurt

I got to hang out with Kurt and Jon today at their show opening at George Fox and then afterward for dinner. I'm reminded just how great it is that we have each other, that we are here, that we are friends, and that we are artists.

Jon and Kurt are just as they have always been: sweet, smiling, gracious, engaging, adorable. Also, Kurt is still wearing that same hat, huzzah!

balls

just reminded...

Some strange Peruvian/Italian has been trying to make me read Plato´s Republic in Spanish...

"It is easier to ask than to respond."

And in response I pull out Rilke...

"try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers...the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer."

20 Mins a Day

To my Dear Friends who are spread far and wide,

I jet set this weekend to sunny California to visit a good friend who is attending Master's college for one year. My heart speaks of home when I return to my native roots, and the warm air felt like an embrace.

My friend is learning a lot and there were many stimulating conversations. It caused me to think about beliefs and my need to further explore the intersection btw my artmaking and beliefs.
What are you girls thinking/reading/believing?

This friend also stated that if one reads for 20 mins a day, you will end up reading the equivalent of 18 books a year. I believe it was schoolhouse rock that wisely stated, knowledge is power (and if it wasn't them it would still fit with the many wise things they promoted). I recently spent
8 hours organizing all of my articles, essays, readings that i have from college. I arranged them by type (such as aesthetics, art history, surveys, etc) into two, 3 ring binders complete with tabs. Yes it was a neurotic undertaking, but I have recently decided to dive head first into continuing my education. For right now this will mean self directed study, but hopefully soon I will decide if grad school awaits.

So this post was written to check up on you all. We are busy little bees and I am curious as to what you are working towards.

love, lauren

make new friends...

...but keep the o-ld. One is silver and the other's gold.



NESBIT is gold.

How is everyone?

Some stuff

This is interesting. Maybe we could do something like this for Jamie, sans the whole texting thing. I don't know.

Also, I am contemplating all the out-of-character things I will try once my sister moves away. It almost feels like I'm moving out of my parents' house. Like, maybe I'm going to go get drunk with that kid John and his crazy roommates. Maybe I'm going to make-out with my friend Josh, who is equally single and lonely. Maybe I'm going to get high with Amy and eat some bacon. Maybe I'm going to live it up and let loose.

Or maybe not. We'll see.

Tonight my sister is hosting a passion party. Think "Mary Kay" meets "A Touch of Romance." It should be interesting.

Here is my new address:

2325 NE 39th Ave Portland, OR 97212 Yay!

...

I miss you 4.

free audio books

seriously awesome.

give up now...

or later

go check this out....

...NOW!

Going about my day....

I am lounging on my bed, listening to Cat Power and am surprised that my venti iced coffee has not worked its magic yet....also, am thinking of you all. I just emailed Eleanor, ending with a note asking if she ever had days where she feels more grown up than others. I am having one of those...though I cannot quite ascertain why.

I just wanted to say that I enjoy thinking of you all and where our lives are leading (Jamie with her gigantic studio space and new finger adornment, Elly with her new job and internship, Lauren with her new creative position and Libby with her possibilities-which, we need to hear about by the way). My hands are currently covered in paint as I am working on an apartment sewing new curtains, painting furniture and generally re-arranging and purging.

I also wanted to give each of you an online present....

For Libby:
http://www.woollypocket.com/

For Lauren:
http://masking-tape.jp/

For Elly:
http://swipple.com/exhibit.php?id=201

For Jamie:
http://www.nytimes.com/ref/crosswords/setpuzzle.html

Love to you all, my dears.

Annabel's voice

That's my BFF!

big ass cupcake

Libby, Sydney- get on it.

for those who are interested...

...he made it.

and she's off!!!!

Jamie is off to MFA boot camp in the eastern winds of Connecticut. xoxo

3/5 Nesbit in Monterey.

Sydney and I arrived in Monterey last Thursday around 9pm, greeted Jamie, drank wine, spoke of men and went to sleep. Friday morning we went to the aquarium while Jamie worked and then got together for lunch, conversation and a road trip through Carmel. We had drinks with...



Kris! We met up again for coffee at ACME that next morning but in between, we headed to...



fine art base, a new, non-profit, gallery/studio space in Sand City in which Jamie is currently exhibiting Fear Out Front, a multi-media and interdisciplinary exploration of personal fears and how they are made manifest in communal interaction.








We then headed over to the National Steinbeck Center in who's next exhibition, From the Stone and Anvil:Arthurian Legend Exposed and Abstracted, Jamie is showing some new work which takes a bit after abstract painting...




We talked all night and needed more time, decidedly so.


Jamie is moving off to UConn in less than a few weeks, Sydney begins with a new design program soon, I am moving back to Madrid on August 17th, Libby is looking for a new place to live and Lauren has accepted a new store-design position at Athropologie... where shall we meet next?

Love, Elly

first morning news.

Merce Cunningham has passed away.

More Nesbit updates to come along shortly...I need to get out of bed and eat breakfast first.

life

Hi team. The show went well, it's over and I am happy. I will be spending the next few weeks doing absolutely no art... finally. I had never felt like not making something until I found myself in the middle of two hell months jam packed with over commitments. As it turns out, it is possible to have too many goals. It does feel good to find your limit, be pushed to it, then allow yourself the space to relax. I miss you all and cannot wait to see the NESBITERS in Monterey.

The Boyfriend.

Dear Nesbitties,

In an effort to shake things up a bit and expand our blogging horizons, I have a proposition for you. How would you feel about having my boyfriend, Jay Drose, as our guest blogger for the month of July?
He promises to post at least once a week and I am also hoping he posts some of his short stories because I think they are very interesting and he is an excellent writer, but you all can judge for yourself. So, let's put it to a vote. You can also look at his website (jaydrose.com) to see some of his undergrad film work.

Hope you all are well and I miss each of you,
Syd.

color hunger.

I will be flying into San Diego on July 14th at 8.10pm with American Airlines.

in an effort to post more

Nothing but a quick invitation for a friend's wedding shower. I was thinking that I should post more, even the little things.

The Recession-proof artist

Jay thought you would like this--as a uplifting anecdote to being a year out of art school.

Video Here.

angry blogging is back!

so my last blog got kind of nasty...I would like to know your point of view.

Happy...

....25th Libby!

Tell me now

I'm learning that it is really important to say things out loud. I'm a notorious thinker, observer, watcher-- forming my opinions of the world based on the story I build in my brain. Instead of saying sorry, I often get quiet and ignore the discomfort until things explode. I feel silly when I tell people I like them. Even just my friends. And yet I yearn for someone to say that to me.

I think of lot of my failure in goal-keeping is that I also don't like to be frivolous with my ideas and plans by telling every soul, for fear of having to tell all those souls that things didn't work out. I keep it to myself and hope that when things DO work, I get to say, "Surprise! I did it! Yay me!" Really though, this rarely happens.

So, for the month of June I am telling you all (as insignificant as it may seem in the bigger picture, and although you cannot do much from afar but cheer me on) that I am giving up gluten, dairy and refined sugar. I know, right? Food? You're thinking, "where are all the lofty life-goals I was expecting to see next?" Well, I'm starting with food.

Anyone else have any June-goals? Tell me, and I will tell you I like you.

I woke up with a headache, which is never a good start to a morning.
I have drank far too much wine and coffee this week, not enough water, and have slept very little. A 6am start every day; much easier in the spring/summer when the sun is on your side. I have been merchandising at Anthro this week. This equals job satisfaction. It's a bit like tetris: you must place all the pieces together just right. Sometimes things disappear and a new tile starts to fall. Your task? react quickly.

I am getting ready to make my way to the gym, where I routinely find my feet moving on the same elliptical machine and silently competing with those endorphine'd gym folk who surround me. It is fascinating to watch people beat their body into submission. I catch my reflection in the mirror and see my sweaty pink face stare back as I too am struggling against myself trying to improve and running in place. I like to feel my body's ability to lift heavy things, to feel the muscles pull and push and my limbs move freely and wildly at times. The body: something we can praise and celebrate and something we can also despise. Fascinating.

I will be making my way up north later today, to a series of small lakes. There I will lay on a lawn with friends letting the sun sink into my skin and smelling of sunscreen. I will eat vegatables and hummus and think of you all and our reunion in the golden state.

The Pacific Northwest has been graced with five days of temperate weather. It may even tap out at 74 this week.

OK then Lauren...Jamie...

6 of May: Late afternoon in the park. The children piling upon one another and rolling down the hill in a giggling, wrestling, tumbling glory. Cigarette butts and a used condom mark the passage of after school teenage occupation and make me sick. I hold Fabian up by the arms while he goes to the bathroom, defecates, in the flowery brush. The girls watch and laugh, covering their mouths and I see them in their twenties.

Yesterday: A man in a bright yellow sweater. Cadmium yellow medium, a bit of yellow ochre and pale green light. Someone smells like candy and I am looking for a job. Tried on a green cotton/linen dress, liked it.

Lauren wanted to hear more about our every day lives. Here it goes...

The everyday tales of what I should have done: 18 May 2009

Jacob used to be a boy-scout but he never made it to Eagle. He works at the pharmacy, and every week when I go in to pick up my boss's prescription he never looks at me. Jacob is a German- Japanese mutt with the cloudy voice of a nun, and today I have decided to end our weekly non-interactions. He asked me to "please sign the pin pad," and I stabbed the sleeve of his blue smock, tent- staking his arm to the counter, and plunged my face in his direction. I misjudged my leap and landed with the tip of my nose in his ear hole; the inside of his head reeked of musk and fabric softener. He squawked and with that I slid off the counter and stood before him. I apologized and explained that I was aiming for his neck, I told him that my intention was to glide up to the space between the L of his jaw and his clavicle, lick my lips, and kiss him. Kiss him - right there on the neck; but, I missed and landed with the tip of my nose in his ear.

i do not know how to crop.

Have fun!!! but remember that you are 5, not 4. Un-whole, incomplete, half baked...

Book Art Photography

Three things? Or one thing? One thing!

Check out my post on Thomas Allen's work, where you'll find a link to additional intriguing pictures.

Also, I have a new blog. Yay me.

Feeling intimidated-thrilled-excited...

Here are two artist I will be hanging out with for the next few years... Ben was just featured in New American Paintings...and um I'm five.

I have been chatting with them on facebook and they seem like really awesome folks. Check out their work and weep with me.

lani

ben

On the Brink of Collapse

"Michael Kontopoulos made these wooden sculptures that hit themselves with a hammer and almost tip over. He calls it 'a system of sculptures that is constantly on the brink of collapse. My intention was to capture and sustain the exact moment of impending catastrophe and endlessly repeat it.' " (via boingboing)

art + environment

Kenobi puked and pooped under my bed last night.

Watch out

Because Lauren and I are comin' on down! Yippee! Ok, yay.

residency part 2

Cool!

Fine Art Base is a brand new organization who supports emerging artist...like us! HUZZAH. They are located in Sand City, CA and the organization is managed by two beautiful folks who are very passionate about what young artist have to offer. The long term residency isn't off the ground yet (mainly due to cost of living in Monterey); however, if you go to their webpage you can begin the application process... and uh my folks have a guest cottage....I'm just saying.

To follow up on what Elly said... yes my name is on the webpage. I was awarded a space to do a brand new installation and *cough *cough hang One Wind the way it should be hung. So, super exciting and if I could get a space here any of you can. So, you should really consider applying.

To follow up on what what Libby said... come to Monterey and we'll find you a man. hehehe


(sneak peek)

residency

There is an interesting residency program available to artists...in Monterey Bay. I say one of you apply and come live with me for a few months.

Let me know if you're interested.

More Crochet Love

The person behind Resurrection Fern sells these lovely crochet-covered stones (plus photographs and other little bits) on esty.

Beautiful!

Crochet Goddess

I am very rarely this speechless. Or jealous. Or amazed.

Gooseflesh

These first four are made from recycled plastic bags collected by the artist on the shores of australia (I think?)

Recycled Island

Ok, I found my life's purpose:



So very cool. Anyone want to join me?

For All You Cat-Lovers

"Best internet video evar?"



via Boing Boing

Nesbit Reunion?...

With Special Guests:

David Adey, Artist, Point Loma Nazarene University
David Hlebo, Musician and Composer
Lou Huesmann, Senior Pastor, Grace Brethren Church, Long Beach
Judy Larson, Director, Reynolds Gallery, Westmont College
J. Stanley Mattson, Founder/President, C.S. Lewis Foundation
Patty Wickman, Artist, Professor of Art at UCLA


http://www.biola.edu/academics/undergrad/art/symposium/

Woh. I found this guy, Andrew Holder, via the Hibbleton Gallery as per Hope's suggestion on Facebook.

I LOVE the folk-art, flat, graphic, geometric, and color-block qualities his work has.