Yes, the anticipation of the event deserved an all caps headline.
I went to artomatic for, embarrisngly I might say, the first time. I know, I suck as someone working in the arts field living in metro-ish DC area to not have been to it the other previous oooh 8 years. ooh but wait, I was in um richmond like 9 yrs ago. so there!
So last year I vowed I would participate this year. Goal acomplished! But alas, what did I do, even with a years worth of planning? I kept changing my mind on what I wanted to display and at the very last minute I embarked on a half a dozen different projects and threw something together at the last minute. So it's definaltely not the best representation of my work. But its not 100% crap either. well art is subjective.
If you have never heard of Artomatic, I put together a little FAQ for ya'll. a little more personal than the www.artomatic.org site gives ya
Q: What is Artomatic?
A: It's a 5 week long art showcase in Washington DC. There will be close to 1000 visual artist and hundreds of performance artist including musicians and dancers.
Q: When is it?
A: Opening night is this Friday May 29th and it goes until July 5th!
Q: How much does artomatic cost?
A: It's FREEEEE! although donations are greaty appreciated. This is an all volunteer based event. From the security personnel to the bartenders and etc.
Q Where is it it located?
A This year it is located at the Navy Yard Metro - Nationals park exit. Yes, the building is directly on top of the metro exit. Liteally. Come out of the metro and take a right, then take another right to get into the main doors. I highly encourage metro-ing there.
Q: But I can't ride metro b/c I get motion sickness/I'm agoraphobic/joe biden told me not to in order to avoid swine flu.
A: There is parking available- however, please look at the Nationals schedule before heading over. If there is a game, then parking is limited or wicked $$. OR make a day of it- drive in for a Nats game and come see the show! Let me know, I'd love to join:)
Q: What floor is your installation located?
A: The 2nd floor. my installation is pretty random and w/out much direction. much like my life. or my english papers. Please also see my dear frind Heather Borra o Donnell on the 9th floor.
Q: Is the artwork for sale?
A: It depends on each artist. If you do want to purchase a piece please note that artwork cannot leave the building until the end of the show-for security reasons. There is a marketplace which will be open on select nigts where artsts can set up tables and such and you can bring your shwag home w/you that day.
Q: Is this a family friendly event?
A: If your "family" is OK w/seeing nudes- both male nd female- um, then um congrats? er. Our artist -esp on the floor I'm on, really like to use their freedom of expression and the right to bare, well a lot more than arms. So use your own judgdement or see this as a time to teach junior about nudity and art- real art- not the ladies who are missing their clothing in daddy's magazines.
Q: Will there be beverages - mainly alcoholic ones? esp after I see them nude paintings near the elevators on your floor.
A: yes, there will be 4 bars throughout the building plus mobile drink carts! warning pleassseee bring your ID. We are told we need to card everyone. yes even -80 yr olds. not my rules. and if we don't follow the rules we'll be blacklisted for future artomatic events. All proceeds from beverage sales go to the operation of artomatic.
Q : Is this why we haven't seen/heard from you and you didn't congratuate me on my birth of a child/divorce/b day/breakup/growth on my neck.
A: pretty much/congrats!/congrats..er/happy birthday/congrats, I mean sorry/you really should get that checked out but I have a lovely scarf for you to borrow in the meantime.
Q: DC is kinda a hike for me. I'd be up for a weekend trip if thee is crash space available.
A: my place can sleep about 5. 6 if you're skinny and you like to spoon. or both. I promise I will have my cat's valium prescription refilled by then.
Q: How long does it take to see all the work?
A: 9 floors /1000 artists...it's like the louvre, you can't do it in a few minutes. Ok so its not exactly like the louvre-dan brown hasn't written a book about us and ya know, we're not in france...and stuff.. ok whatever. lots of stuff. take lots of time. enjoy. come back often!
Q:Are there any special nights to come, iek say, meet the artist night?
A: Yes, Funny you should ask! June 13th is meet the artist night!
Q: your cat's on valium?
A: you think these marks are from losing a battle with a ninja? no, these are from not feeding a feral cat at 5 a.m.
Q: Whom do you feel best explemifies your work in a time period persona nothwithsatanding the idealism behind impresisonism and the like?
A: dude, its called artomatic and I have a BFA from the top rated state art school in the country. so pffflllllt. leave your pretenses at the door and enjoy the show. and get a tattoo while you're there. I am ;)
What is this I see before my eyes..oculd it be. No. no, it simply can't. It's been so long, I almost have forgotten what it looks like.i.it is..SUN! Holy bajesus there is a break in the monsoon and the clouds have opened and the heavens are shining upon us ..ahh euphoria on a Friday Good times.
Speaking of jesus and heaven and stuff...
Signs you perhaps drink a little too much beer. microbrews at that: during your nephew's confirmation ceremony, you notice that the Bishop's staff looks a lot like the tap handle for Magic Hat 9.
see:
and
I mean, it does seem appropriate b/c at times, or for some, drinking can be a religious experince. Some find god in church, I often times find it in a nice pint of beer.
So in my last post I made mention of growing a balcony full of fruitful vegetative bounty...from seed. Some might call this a recession garden. well, perhaps if I started planting the seeds when the recession started then I would have a garden by now.
Right now I have a bunch of 2 inch high seedlings. Which I can't tell appart except for the squash. Why? b/c er when I went to take them out of their starter pods into some cow pots (pots made out of cow manure!) and place them on the balcony to start their "hardening" phase. I um, I pulled a Gina (pulling a Gina can mean two things 1) that you do some klutzy thing that normally only happens in qauasi slapstick movies a la bridgette jones or 2) you fall alseep on a really comfy couch when a party is in full swing) I tripped and soil, pots seedlings went flying all over my balcony. my perfectly mapped out plan of where everything was planted was moot. On the plus side, I was able to save most of the seedlings and replant them.
So I have no idea what anything growing is at the moment. And holy crap does it take godamn long to grow stuff from seeds! And things that you think would be easy to grow like ooh petunias, yeah not so easy. But whatever, my organic hybrid heirloom tomatoes are doing well. I think. Or is that the basil? I try veery hard not to stop by those stands in shopping centers and buy already grown and ripe plants. must resist. I can do this. Stop taunting me you lucsious tomatoes, I will not take you home with me! ...I'm talking to fruit. this may be yet another reason why I am single.
Signs you are getting old...
You get excited about a sale at an upscale womens boutique outlet store aka Talbots. Where you run into your Mom.
And spekaing of my Mom. For mothers day there is something I want to give my Mom, but there is no way. I want to give her her sight back. She's currently learning brail. My Mom has Retinitis Pigmentosa. RP is a degneration of the rods and cones in retina your eyes. Night blindness, tunnel vision, cateracs and eventual blindness.
She has been classified as legally blind since 1976. So she has been legally blind before I was even born. We were always aware of her RP. Oftentimes it doens't phase me. Growing up bumming rides off ppl, or taking her arm at night to guide her are all part of normal life.
I sometimes think the reason I went into the art field was that I felt that since I am the only member of my family with perfect vision (supposidly) that I was to carry on the family art trade. use my gift of sight.
But the bittersweetness of that is there will come a time when my Mom won't be able to see the work I create. And if I continue with my current suckass luck with men, she probably won't see me get married or have children. But she is here with me, physically, emotionally, spiritually, as a hero, a friend, and a confidant....
and if you there a paaaartay aaaand invited everyone you knewwwwww you would see the biggest gift would be from me and the caaard attached would say Thank you for being a friend....
RIP Bea Arthur. Good night funny lady. glad I was able to see you in 2002. thanks for the memories.
Speaking of jesus and heaven and stuff...
Signs you perhaps drink a little too much beer. microbrews at that: during your nephew's confirmation ceremony, you notice that the Bishop's staff looks a lot like the tap handle for Magic Hat 9.
see:
and
I mean, it does seem appropriate b/c at times, or for some, drinking can be a religious experince. Some find god in church, I often times find it in a nice pint of beer.
So in my last post I made mention of growing a balcony full of fruitful vegetative bounty...from seed. Some might call this a recession garden. well, perhaps if I started planting the seeds when the recession started then I would have a garden by now.
Right now I have a bunch of 2 inch high seedlings. Which I can't tell appart except for the squash. Why? b/c er when I went to take them out of their starter pods into some cow pots (pots made out of cow manure!) and place them on the balcony to start their "hardening" phase. I um, I pulled a Gina (pulling a Gina can mean two things 1) that you do some klutzy thing that normally only happens in qauasi slapstick movies a la bridgette jones or 2) you fall alseep on a really comfy couch when a party is in full swing) I tripped and soil, pots seedlings went flying all over my balcony. my perfectly mapped out plan of where everything was planted was moot. On the plus side, I was able to save most of the seedlings and replant them.
So I have no idea what anything growing is at the moment. And holy crap does it take godamn long to grow stuff from seeds! And things that you think would be easy to grow like ooh petunias, yeah not so easy. But whatever, my organic hybrid heirloom tomatoes are doing well. I think. Or is that the basil? I try veery hard not to stop by those stands in shopping centers and buy already grown and ripe plants. must resist. I can do this. Stop taunting me you lucsious tomatoes, I will not take you home with me! ...I'm talking to fruit. this may be yet another reason why I am single.
Signs you are getting old...
You get excited about a sale at an upscale womens boutique outlet store aka Talbots. Where you run into your Mom.
And spekaing of my Mom. For mothers day there is something I want to give my Mom, but there is no way. I want to give her her sight back. She's currently learning brail. My Mom has Retinitis Pigmentosa. RP is a degneration of the rods and cones in retina your eyes. Night blindness, tunnel vision, cateracs and eventual blindness.
She has been classified as legally blind since 1976. So she has been legally blind before I was even born. We were always aware of her RP. Oftentimes it doens't phase me. Growing up bumming rides off ppl, or taking her arm at night to guide her are all part of normal life.
I sometimes think the reason I went into the art field was that I felt that since I am the only member of my family with perfect vision (supposidly) that I was to carry on the family art trade. use my gift of sight.
But the bittersweetness of that is there will come a time when my Mom won't be able to see the work I create. And if I continue with my current suckass luck with men, she probably won't see me get married or have children. But she is here with me, physically, emotionally, spiritually, as a hero, a friend, and a confidant....
and if you there a paaaartay aaaand invited everyone you knewwwwww you would see the biggest gift would be from me and the caaard attached would say Thank you for being a friend....
RIP Bea Arthur. Good night funny lady. glad I was able to see you in 2002. thanks for the memories.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
- Follow Us on Twitter!
- "Join Us on Facebook!
- RSS
Contact