My awesome, radical, and inspiring friend Natalie Cox is fighting a rare and aggressive form of cancer called Angiosarcoma. She needs all the love and support of the community that helped to raise us: we both put in time at The Punk Rock Dollar Theater aka the State-Tri Cinemas (back in the early 90's), and we both have played in punk bands (Neon Panda!!), growing up in the amazing Olympia DIY scene. I just set up this little blog page where Nat can post updates on her treatment at the Natural Oncology Center in Del Mar, but in the meantime we need to raise some serious $$$ so that Natalie, her hubby Dee, and son Dillon can focus on her health and remission and not worry about the costs of treatment, travel (they live in England), and medications. GO TEAM NATALIE! To donate directly to the cause, just send a paypal donation to midnighttosix@btinternet.com.
I kept trying to make a direct link to her paypal page, but blogger is being a real jerk about it! You can also go to my facebook page and there is a 'donate' button if you scroll down on the left hand side -- instant link. Hooray!!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
News + Prints
Upcoming awesomeness!
I'm having an art show at Land, the sweet little shop/gallery that Buyolympia.com opened in Portland. There will be birds, foxes, squirrels, moths, and.. an echidna. And vino and the Korean taco truck!! Kimchee tofu tacos! But the most exciting part is that the radical Mecca Normal of Vancouver, will be PLAYING at the opening!
April 30th - 6 pm - Land Gallery - 3925 N. Mississippi - Portland, OR.
CONVERSATION
between SARAH UTTER and Mecca Normal's JEAN SMITH
Jean:
I like the idea of Mecca Normal doing something to make the event cohesive as opposed to us doing a set of unrelated songs.... you know, unless the critters in your paintings have been doing more online dating than I suspect...
Sarah:
I'm so excited that Mecca Normal will be playing at the opening! -- and yes, in a way it is maybe an odd pairing. Fairly non-subversive paintings of penguins and owls with your music, but what I think is interesting about our two different representations of 'art' is the confrontational aspect.
Jean:
David and I are at the beginning of a project called The Black Dot Museum for Political Art and Music. The museum will be online with traveling exhibits, some of which will include our lecture "How Art & Music can Change the World". I'm trying to figure out where your work fits into what we're doing.
Sarah:
My work is very much about repetitive patterns in nature colliding with man-made imitations such as textiles or wallpaper. I've always been a bit of a 'maximumist', overloading each painting with bright colors and graphic elements. It's a busy environment, but what remains still/quiet in each piece is the stare of the fox or egret or echidna -- unblinking, looking right at the viewer. I feel like Mecca Normal is also unblinking, looking right at the listener. It can be uncomfortable, in a way, but in a good way!
Jean:
The idea for the museum is to have artists submit their work to be archived, featured and in some cases exhibited. If general promo and the museum name are available as infrastructure to share, then this may create a way to have centrally-curated group exhibits reciprocally hosted in cities and towns, here and there, encouraging artists to travel to their openings to give talks and exchange ideas etc. I dunno... like an indie music touring structure for painters.
Sarah:
Compared to the music I've made, painting and visual art has always been my happy place, a space I go to feel good things and play.
Jean:
For myself, I see almost everything as 'political' or it seems that I can look at things in that way, whereas I notice other artists take the term literally and create narrative art intending to have the viewer understand a specific political perspective or event, let's say. I intend to make political a broader and more inclusive idea. It isn't essential to me that the viewer "gets it".
Sarah:
I don't have much interest (right now, at least) to make paintings that explore the darker realms of existence, because I feel like that's what I do all day long when I'm going on walks or grocery shopping or whatever. Having my little existential crises peppered with bouts of laughter, but mostly over-thinking life and the world and what it all means, etc. So then I go to my studio and play with bright colors and talk to squirrels and it is a major release from everything else there is to think about. It's a more automatic way of working; I rarely plan out a painting or do any sketches, I just pick a starting color and go with it.
Jean:
What I'm getting at here is... is your art political?
Sarah:
I've always had a difficult time with the word 'political' in relationship to my own music or art. As a woman in a loud rock band, putting out albums on a label known for its roster of very political female artists, I often felt critiqued for 'not being political enough'. When I was asked by interviewers about my lyrics, why they weren't more feminist or radical or whatever, I always felt baffled. Like, 'hey -- I am a woman who has taught herself to play electric guitar, who has composed music, who has written words to go with this music, who has driven herself and her friends around the country playing shows without financial help, who has led workshops to teach guitar to young women, who has endured sexist creeps at every turn to continue doing what it is I want to do, to not have a 9-5 life and/or a marriage and kids -- that's not radical enough for you??!' I think I've always felt that my approach to being a feminist is to live this life as an artist free of guilt or self-judgment (still working on that, btw), and to remain prolifically busy with my hands.
Jean:
Can you tell me about the art for the show at Land (in Portland Oregon)?
Sarah:
I'm super stoked for the April 30th show/performance/party and feel honored that you have written 'Blue Sky and Branches' especially for it!! All of my work is on my website at http://www.sarahutter.com, just click on the 'art' tab. There will be 6 new big paintings of the animals at the end of the alphabet, u - z, those are hanging right now at the Tacoma Public Library and haven't been photographed, and then I'm going to make a bunch of smaller pieces this month on wood panels. Not sure if they will just be birds or what. Like I said, I'm kind of a spontaneous worker!
And also, the Reading is Sexy limited-edition letterpress print is available in the shop. So much going on!
I'm having an art show at Land, the sweet little shop/gallery that Buyolympia.com opened in Portland. There will be birds, foxes, squirrels, moths, and.. an echidna. And vino and the Korean taco truck!! Kimchee tofu tacos! But the most exciting part is that the radical Mecca Normal of Vancouver, will be PLAYING at the opening!
April 30th - 6 pm - Land Gallery - 3925 N. Mississippi - Portland, OR.
CONVERSATION
between SARAH UTTER and Mecca Normal's JEAN SMITH
Jean:
I like the idea of Mecca Normal doing something to make the event cohesive as opposed to us doing a set of unrelated songs.... you know, unless the critters in your paintings have been doing more online dating than I suspect...
Sarah:
I'm so excited that Mecca Normal will be playing at the opening! -- and yes, in a way it is maybe an odd pairing. Fairly non-subversive paintings of penguins and owls with your music, but what I think is interesting about our two different representations of 'art' is the confrontational aspect.
Jean:
David and I are at the beginning of a project called The Black Dot Museum for Political Art and Music. The museum will be online with traveling exhibits, some of which will include our lecture "How Art & Music can Change the World". I'm trying to figure out where your work fits into what we're doing.
Sarah:
My work is very much about repetitive patterns in nature colliding with man-made imitations such as textiles or wallpaper. I've always been a bit of a 'maximumist', overloading each painting with bright colors and graphic elements. It's a busy environment, but what remains still/quiet in each piece is the stare of the fox or egret or echidna -- unblinking, looking right at the viewer. I feel like Mecca Normal is also unblinking, looking right at the listener. It can be uncomfortable, in a way, but in a good way!
Jean:
The idea for the museum is to have artists submit their work to be archived, featured and in some cases exhibited. If general promo and the museum name are available as infrastructure to share, then this may create a way to have centrally-curated group exhibits reciprocally hosted in cities and towns, here and there, encouraging artists to travel to their openings to give talks and exchange ideas etc. I dunno... like an indie music touring structure for painters.
Sarah:
Compared to the music I've made, painting and visual art has always been my happy place, a space I go to feel good things and play.
Jean:
For myself, I see almost everything as 'political' or it seems that I can look at things in that way, whereas I notice other artists take the term literally and create narrative art intending to have the viewer understand a specific political perspective or event, let's say. I intend to make political a broader and more inclusive idea. It isn't essential to me that the viewer "gets it".
Sarah:
I don't have much interest (right now, at least) to make paintings that explore the darker realms of existence, because I feel like that's what I do all day long when I'm going on walks or grocery shopping or whatever. Having my little existential crises peppered with bouts of laughter, but mostly over-thinking life and the world and what it all means, etc. So then I go to my studio and play with bright colors and talk to squirrels and it is a major release from everything else there is to think about. It's a more automatic way of working; I rarely plan out a painting or do any sketches, I just pick a starting color and go with it.
Jean:
What I'm getting at here is... is your art political?
Sarah:
I've always had a difficult time with the word 'political' in relationship to my own music or art. As a woman in a loud rock band, putting out albums on a label known for its roster of very political female artists, I often felt critiqued for 'not being political enough'. When I was asked by interviewers about my lyrics, why they weren't more feminist or radical or whatever, I always felt baffled. Like, 'hey -- I am a woman who has taught herself to play electric guitar, who has composed music, who has written words to go with this music, who has driven herself and her friends around the country playing shows without financial help, who has led workshops to teach guitar to young women, who has endured sexist creeps at every turn to continue doing what it is I want to do, to not have a 9-5 life and/or a marriage and kids -- that's not radical enough for you??!' I think I've always felt that my approach to being a feminist is to live this life as an artist free of guilt or self-judgment (still working on that, btw), and to remain prolifically busy with my hands.
Jean:
Can you tell me about the art for the show at Land (in Portland Oregon)?
Sarah:
I'm super stoked for the April 30th show/performance/party and feel honored that you have written 'Blue Sky and Branches' especially for it!! All of my work is on my website at http://www.sarahutter.com, just click on the 'art' tab. There will be 6 new big paintings of the animals at the end of the alphabet, u - z, those are hanging right now at the Tacoma Public Library and haven't been photographed, and then I'm going to make a bunch of smaller pieces this month on wood panels. Not sure if they will just be birds or what. Like I said, I'm kind of a spontaneous worker!
And also, the Reading is Sexy limited-edition letterpress print is available in the shop. So much going on!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Re-Toolin'
I did a little maintenance and makeover over at ye olde website. Oddly, this default blogger template came up w/ a really bitchin' color combo, so I borrowed it for a subtle, yet valentine-y home page. Could it be that I'm favoring 'understatedness' right now? CRAZE. Now.. if only I could figure out how to post mixtape podcasts! Baby steps, Utter, baby steps. Behold:
Speaking of mixtapes, the Western Hymn album is finally available online for purchase! Both K Records and Kill Rock Stars are distributing it. Its just a few clicks away from actually being listed on the KRS site, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, grab a copy of letterpressed northwest punk rock goodness at K: go here.
And finally, a shot of what's going on in the studio as of last week. A mess, basically! I'm working on 6 big new paintings for the show Animal Abecedary, which will be up at the Handforth Gallery in Tacoma during March. My mom is in the show too!
Speaking of mixtapes, the Western Hymn album is finally available online for purchase! Both K Records and Kill Rock Stars are distributing it. Its just a few clicks away from actually being listed on the KRS site, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, grab a copy of letterpressed northwest punk rock goodness at K: go here.
And finally, a shot of what's going on in the studio as of last week. A mess, basically! I'm working on 6 big new paintings for the show Animal Abecedary, which will be up at the Handforth Gallery in Tacoma during March. My mom is in the show too!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Blogg Love
Thanks to Jena from the fabulous Modish blog for featuring my prints.. rad! Snag one while you can, they are selling fast and I have another totally new batch on the horizon.
I promise to post some new work soon.. I'm in the middle of a tornado of projects! 6 big new paintings for a show in March at the Handforth Gallery, signpainting class (!), scrabble addiction, full body-mind cleanse (a totally boring but healthy way to spend January.. no sugar, alchohol, wheat, soy, fruit, root veggies, etc.), designing a wine label for Deux Punx (SO STOKED FOR THIS ONE!), letterpressing Western Hymn Lps and Cds, playing shows, getting back into the Hot Yoga practice. Whew. I'm exhausted already.
P.S. I finally watched 'Beautiful Losers' streaming online, and it was pretty inspiring.. particularly the Margaret Kilgallen part. Though I still have a lot of questions rolling around about women in the Art scene. I'm glad to see a few up front and center in this doc, but disappointed at the general imbalance.
I promise to post some new work soon.. I'm in the middle of a tornado of projects! 6 big new paintings for a show in March at the Handforth Gallery, signpainting class (!), scrabble addiction, full body-mind cleanse (a totally boring but healthy way to spend January.. no sugar, alchohol, wheat, soy, fruit, root veggies, etc.), designing a wine label for Deux Punx (SO STOKED FOR THIS ONE!), letterpressing Western Hymn Lps and Cds, playing shows, getting back into the Hot Yoga practice. Whew. I'm exhausted already.
P.S. I finally watched 'Beautiful Losers' streaming online, and it was pretty inspiring.. particularly the Margaret Kilgallen part. Though I still have a lot of questions rolling around about women in the Art scene. I'm glad to see a few up front and center in this doc, but disappointed at the general imbalance.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Paint Paws
My studio is next door to many wonderful things-- the world's best pizza, a plethora of vietnamese restaurants, an all-ages venue-- but I recently discovered a new fave. A cabinet shop, Carras Cabinets, and their infinite recycle bin of thick wood scraps.
This is a piece I just made for my nephew, who lives in Florida. I love working on reclaimed materials that aren't janky; I'm totally really not into pastiche-style assemblages on found cardboard scraps (and believe me, there was once a time when I loved and made that kind of work!). I like a clean edge and nice presentation. I'm thinking of launching a line of these wood mini-paintings after the new year.. so many projects!
This is a piece I just made for my nephew, who lives in Florida. I love working on reclaimed materials that aren't janky; I'm totally really not into pastiche-style assemblages on found cardboard scraps (and believe me, there was once a time when I loved and made that kind of work!). I like a clean edge and nice presentation. I'm thinking of launching a line of these wood mini-paintings after the new year.. so many projects!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
By Hand and Machine: A Gift Guide
I made a super limited run of letterpressed gift tags for the shop! They come in packs of ten, all hand-set type on reclaimed paper (a lot of fancy letterpressed goods you see these days are made with polymer plates, which are usually designed on a computer. Don't get me wrong, a lot of this work is beautiful! But I definitely think there's something special about working the old-old-old-fashioned way). Wrap your goods with style and flair!
Now, I'm all for making presents for your loved ones. Most of my special peeps are getting something made by my tiny hands. But, there are also little manufactured treats out there that are what I deem to be SIMPLY THE BEST.. just say no to the obligatory go-to's of yesteryear (candles, a wallet in a box, picture frame, shoeshine kit!) and take a moment to peruse these beauties:
1. RUSSIAN KUSMI TEA
'Prince Vladimir' is the BEST black tea! anyone but a total fool will love this. Bonus = pretty tin.
2. PETZL HEAD LAMP
No one (unless you are a spelunker or night cyclist) thinks they need one of these. Then --poof-- someone gifts you one and your life changes FOREVER!! You could give one of these to your granny and she would be so stoked.
3. HEROES OF THE TORAH GLASSWARE
Jews and gentiles alike find these little juice cups delightful!
I gifted a set to my BF last year and they now live in the 'no touchy' section of our kitchen-- so prized that they may not risk breakage by actually being used. They are display ware. A perfect office gift!
4. ALAFFIA SHEA BUTTER
A snazzy stocking stuffer. Their shea butter is a miracle on craggy gross winter skin, and you can dab it your hair for shine too! Plus awesome points for supporting their company; the founder -- Olowo-n'djo Tchala -- grew up in Africa and works with villagers there to fairly harvest the oil that is then brought to OLYMPIA (!!) where his small company handcrafts each batch of butter.
5. CRAPHOUND
I hate making flyers and other propaganda on the computer, and I have a feeling that copy machines will someday become as hip as that other dinosaur of documentation, the polaroid. My bible is CRAPHOUND. Thank god (Sean Tejaratchi) has made three of these rare beauties available again, with another reissue due any day now. PRINT AND DESTROY!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Dog Bloggin'
My pal Brandi just forwarded me this image titled Unfinanced Love and said 'this reminds me of you and Rosebud'!! SO TRUE. If any of you out there aren't familiar with our saga, Rosebud is my scrappy little feral hound that I rescued while living in LA. Then she came down with an insane freak bacterial infection in her chest cavity and almost died.. but after $10,000 in vet bills, she lived and is currently thriving out here in the paradise of Kamilche. I LOVE THIS PAINTING! Artist: Sara Antoinette Martin. Check out here other work right here.
Rosebud in her body bandage with chest tubes (I only started taking pictures after she turned a corner on day 3 in the doggy ICU.. it was just too brutally sad the first few days):
Truly: Unfinanced Love. She's the sweetest.
Rosebud in her body bandage with chest tubes (I only started taking pictures after she turned a corner on day 3 in the doggy ICU.. it was just too brutally sad the first few days):
Truly: Unfinanced Love. She's the sweetest.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Friday Friday Friday
It's happening! Our record release party!! I know, we've only been a band for like a month or something (ok, actually since March) but when you work with seasoned professionals like Craig and Kris, and recording wizard Matt Buscher, you get RESULTS! And so we have in hand 300 full-length Lp vinyl records. All that's missing is the cover art, which i'll be letterpressing today down at Community Print. Come to the party!
Friday, November 27, 2009
Happy Manxgiving!
5 little paintings I just finished for a charity gala thingy in Tacoma.. my mom and her friend are decorating a tree (sponsored by the Humane Society) with 100 tiny paintings of dogs, cats, and bunnies made by Northwest artists, and then the tree will be auctioned off to benefit the Mary Bridge Childrens' Hospital. Happy Howlidays and Merry Catsmas to all!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Good Advice
Lookee! Another new letterpress print available in my shop, right here. Only 20 available, hurry hurry!
Keep On With The Force Don't Stop
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Force Don't Stop
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Force Don't Stop
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Force Don't Stop
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
[Ad-Lib To Fade]
Keep On With The Force Don't Stop
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Force Don't Stop
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Force Don't Stop
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Force Don't Stop
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
[Ad-Lib To Fade]
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