Strawberryluna

New poster released: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin! (yay!)

Hand screenprinted poster for the neato Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

Hand screenprinted spring tour poster for the neato Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

Good grief, we loved Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin‘s music before they ever played Pittsburgh. And now, we like ’em even more. Smart sweethearts, every one of ’em. They might be the best band that not enough people have heard. For realsies, so go listen. Don’t fret, they will be out on tour again soon.

This hand screenprinted and emotional poster is my 2-color fella with sad blue and black inks. Edition of 150, with 100 copies going to the band. Size: 16w x 22h inches. Paper: acid-free & archival Cougar 100 lb White, cover weight. Available at my website here, and soon, at the SSLYBY’s Super Store, once they’re home from tour and it’s back up & running. And, as per my usual dweebyness, here are some process photos I took while printing their poster at AIR here for you on my Flickr page.

And here’s a photo of 2 SSLYBYs and 2 Drew Danburrys in the King’s Monroeville parking lot on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Horsing around.

Horsing around.

Fresh Del The Funky Homosapien & Sigur Ros coolness

Two cool and fresh things musically that you should be aware of this week:

Sigur Ros, performing in the small Parisian restuarant, la Closerie des Lilas

Sigur Ros, performing in the small Parisian restuarant, la Closerie des Lilas

1. The hauntingly excellent Sigur Ros‘ appearance on the Paris-based fantastic music + performance blog La Blogotheque‘s super dupes Les Concerts A Emporter, aka in English Takeaway Shows. If you are not familiar with the Takeaway Shows, well, here is your chance to get cozy with one of the most fun, creative and intimate things going on with current music. Filmmaker Vincent Moon shoots bands performing acoustically in an ever-changing array of impromptu and unexpected places from small Parisian alleys (Of Montreal vs Axe Riverboy), to hotel rooms (Tom Jones), to an abandoned turn-of-the-century exhibition hall (The Fleet Foxes) and in this case Sigur Ros sitting in booths and playing at the very small, very old, and exceptionally traditional Paris restaurant la Closerie des Lilas. Check out Sigur Ros’ Takeaway Show here.

Del The Funky Homosapiens stimulus package, Funk Man

Del The Funky Homosapien's stimulus package, Funk Man

2. Hell yes! Del The Funky Homosapien is making his new bag of tricks, Funk Man available for a free download. I’m listening to it now, and it is awesome. Click download, enter your email address and zippy little link for you to get your own free copy of funky stimulus is yours. Thanks Del! Get your Funk Man on here.

New poster released: The Fillmore presents Brett Dennen w/ Angus & Julia Stone!

And it’s my first Fillmore poster!

Poster for Brett Dennens 2 shows in San Franciscos legendary Fillmore Theater.

Poster for Brett Dennen's 2 shows in San Francisco's legendary Fillmore Auditorium.

Yes! THAT Fillmore. Indeed. And Mr. Brett Dennen and the siblings Angus & Julia Stone played there for a very special 2-night, back to back engagement on Friday & Saturday, March 20 & 21, 2009 at The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA

Happy happy little fellow freed himself from the bonds that held him.

The Fillmore is where it all started for rock poster art. Since 1966, Bill Graham and The Fillmore have been commissioning posters from artists all over the world to hand out at shows as a thank you for fans. Within that tradition grew the seeds of the modern rock poster movement. As you can imagine then, I’m so excited and honored to be working with the legendary Fillmore in San Francisco, and this was a fun poster to work on as my inauguration into that incredibly rich history of rock posters.

Being that this is a tradition Fillmore poster, it is an offset print, NOT screenprinted, and printed by The Fillmore for this show. It’s a 4-color, desgin with an edition of 1,000. Of that 1,000 given to the fans at the show and to the bands’ members, I have just 50 posters. Size: 13w x 19h inches. Paper: thick and heavy white stock.

For more infomation or to purchase a poster, please visit my website here.

New poster released: A.C. Newman & The Broken West!

Hand screenprinted 4-color poster for A.C. Newman & The Broken Wests show  in Pittsburgh. PA.

Hand screenprinted 4-color poster for A.C. Newman & The Broken West's show in Pittsburgh. PA.

Yeps! It was a great show, and sold out, did you go? The show was in the film theater of the Andy Warhol Museum, there was room for maybe about 150 people, so maybe you did and maybe you didn’t.  If you’re the latter, too bad. it was an awesome show, replete with jokes about dickery and private dressing rooms in one’s mind.

The above is my poster for the show, proudly a part of the A.C. Newman spring tour 2009 poster series for their show with The Broken West (they were lovely) on Saturday March 28th 2009 at The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, PA. Getting to do a hand screenprinted poster for any show at the Warhol Museum is a thrill in an “extension of a legacy” sort of way. If you feel me.

Come closer, that’s it, just a step more…let me take your photo…

This swirling hypnotic psychedelia is my 4-color, all hand screenprinted poster with black, magenta & cyan inks. Overprint magic makes a pretty luscious violet. Edition of 150 Size: 16w x 22h inches. Paper: acid-free & archival Cougar 100 lb White, cover weight.

This poster was available on tour with the bands at the show and is now also available from my website here. And, if you enjoy geeking out as I do, there are some process photos of this poster on my Flickr page of this poster being printed.

Thank you Austin Texas!

Man, whew! I’m beyond tired. We had such a great time at this year’s SXSW Music Festival and Flatstock Poster Convention in good ol’ Austin, Texas.

Lots and lots to tell, but overall the show was really successful. I feel like we all got to talk to a lot of new folks, see some happily familiar faces and once again get people jazzed about posters and music and the art in between them. Such a great feeling. Especially since the Flatstock show was 4 days long this year, up from the former 3-day event.

Dan, from Crosshair Press, photo by Mary Sledd

Dan, cool cat from Crosshair, photo by Mary Sledd

The Austin Chronicle’s Audra Schroeder wrote up a very nice piece about Flatstock and it’s tradition with SXSW here with some super photographs accompanying the article by Mary Sledd, above and below.

Me, strawberryluna, doin my thing. Photo by Mary Sledd.

Me, strawberryluna, doin' my thing. Photo by Mary Sledd.

Dave Witt, being awesome. Photo by Mary Sledd.

Dave Witt, being awesome. Photo by Mary Sledd.

Flatstock is a really crazy mix of super hard work and high-energy talking, particularly the SXSW version and then…so much fun. We bunked up with our best pals from Hero Design Studio, as per usual, and the laughs seriously never stop. Just when you think it’s bedtime and you can’t take any more? BOOM. The North American Free Trade Agreement becomes the funniest thing to happen all week.

Studios we adored hanging out with afterhours and that you should check out: Mike Budai, Delicious Design League, Design Medicine, Doublenaut, DWITT, Hero Design Studio, Largemammal, Brian MercerMiss Amy Jo, Popfuel, and good ol’ Dan Stiles,

Places we ate, and so should you when in the Austin area: Juan in A Million, The Salt Lick, Rudy’s BBQ, Mama Fu’s (they delivered to us in the Convention Center, thank you forever!)

We loved Austin so much that we made a very special stop at Cavender’s Boot City in Austin (with the world’s loudest women’s rest room EVER) on the way to taking our good friends, the Doublenauts to the airport on our last full day in town. Check out the boots that I could not pass up.

Takin a little bit of Texas home with me.

Takin' a little bit of Texas home with me.

Hope to see you all next year!

New art print, “he likes to read books written for girls” released!

Books Written For Girls, what a softly brutal song by Camera Obscura.

3-color, hand screenprinted art print "He Likes To Read Books Written For Girls"

3-color, hand screenprinted art print "He Likes To Read Books Written For Girls"

So! Independent Record Store Day is quite a great little way to help support your local indepents. This print is part of a print exchange and show in conjunction with Independent Record Store Day on Saturday April 18, 2009. This particular print show will be up for viewing at 3 different indie record stores around the country: Signed & Numbered and Slowtrain Records in Salt Lake City, Size Records in Oklahoma City and 52.5 Records in Charleston, SC.

The theme for the show was to take a song lyric from a favorite band and translate that into a print for the show. I chose Camera Obscura’s “Books Written For Girls”, which is just a sweetly sad and devastating songhere combined with text from a classic book written for girls rife with odd gender roles and unfair treatment of one’s loves. Or so I think. And here they are, just about to have a heart or two broken.

Available now at my website here. And don’t forget to support your local independent record stores!

Flatstock floorplan

I’m just about packed, and getting super excited to head down to SXSW in Austin, TX for  the Flatstock rock poster show. I almost can’t sleep, it’s like Christmas. I figured that for anyone else thinking about checking Flatstock that I’d post a floorplan to help folks negotiate all of the awesome.

It’s a bit wide, so I’ve popped it up on my Flickr page here. If you come through Flatstock, definitely come say hello!

New art print, ‘Going To See My Baby Blue’ released!

Love love love! Everyone falls in love.

Going To See My Baby Blue

Going To See My Baby Blue

This screenprinted happy day is a new colorway of a very popular and quickly sold out print that I did in 2007, but in a super smaller edition, now returned in blue & periwinkle, just for you. Fresh off the press this weekend. Available at my website, and my Etsy shop.

Going To See My Baby Blue is my 5-color, all hand screen printed art print with sky blue, bright bike red, dark grey, black and transparent periwinkle hand mixed and non-toxic water based inks. And yes! The periwinkle cloud breaks the margin/border, just like a good cloud should.Tweet! Edition of 85. Size: 15.5 x22 inches (39.4 cm x 55.9 cm.) Paper: acid free & archival Cougar, White 100lb cover weight.

A printing progress photo of crazy screenprinting action is below, and there are (of course), more on my Flickr page here too.

Going To See My Baby Blue print, 2 of 5 colors printed.

Going To See My Baby Blue print, 2 of 5 colors printed.

Flatstock, Part 1 The What Whats.

Part of my booth at Flatstock, SXSW in Austin, TX 2008

Part of my booth at Flatstock, SXSW in Austin, TX 2008, photo courtesy of Hero Design Studio

Sooooo, if you are a keen reader of this blog, you’ll notice that it’s been a few days since I’ve written a new post. Apologies about that. It’s not for lack of work or a spate of boredom though, trust me. This time of year, usually starting in mid-February right after the winter lulls, is what I like to call the “Pre-Flatstock Craze”. Just as new work starts rolling in as bands begin tour season, I’m starting to get ready for SXSW Flatstock by printing tons of new work, pulling, packing (safely! fingers crossed. yipe.) and shipping years worth of work down to Austin ahead of me. What is Flatstock you ask? Ahh yes. Let’s talk about that shall we?

Flatstock is an ongoing series of poster shows and events that happen at different music festivals throughout the year, starting with SXSW in Austin, TX In March, then during the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, Il in July, followed by Seattle, WA over Labor Day weekend during Bumbershoot, and then in September in Hamburg, Germany. Flatstock is part convention, part exhibition, part show, and a lot of tell where the top currently working poster artists from all over the world converge to show and talk about their work. All of the poster artists and studios involved in a Flatstock show are members of the the American Poster Institute (API), which helps produce Flatstocks, but is also a guild of sorts for the gigposter art industry.

Look for more Flatstock info coming over the next month. If you are in Austin or heading down to SXSW, come by Flatstock and say hello to your favorite poster artists! We don’t bite, unless you have a tasty breakfast burrito, that is.

Flatstock Schedule:

  • Thursday March 19 from 11:00 am – 6:00 pm.
  • Friday March 20 from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm.
  • Saturday March 21 from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm.
  • Sunday March 22 from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Here is a list of exhibitors who will be selling their posters, prints, and talking with folks like you!

And here is a floorplan layout to help you find your must-see studios.

Flatstock in Austin, TX
Rows of rock’n’Roll goodness at Flatstock in Austin, TX

Fresh Test Prints!

Test Print 17

Test Print 17

Well, after an extended season of printmaking and cleaning out screens, the new Test Print Crop is in. Yes, that’s right, after careful tending, printing, layering and ink mixing we have some rare results.

So rare, we also call ’em one-of-a-kinds, or monprints in the art & printers lingo.

I’ve got a few new test prints listed on my website, and even a few more over in my Etsy shop where I have a little more breathing room. (For now, although I am working on a new website re-design, yay!)

In screenprinting, there is always room for mistakes. Yeah, it’s totally awesome. One of the ways to combat a clogged screen or to test hand mixed colors is to use scrap sheets for “test prints”. What starts as a throwaway can sometimes magically transform into something really special looking, if the stars align just right. Due to their random nature, no 2 are exactly alike. 

My test prints travel with me to and from the studio, some just a few times, others take a bit more coaxing to reveal their singular charms. Picking out which test prints have elements of which prints and posters is like a wicked final round  of Family Feud. “Survery Says…Jucifer…”…DING! But soft! I’ve done the hard work for you and list many of the discernible titles for you, should you be so trivia-minded. 

I’ve been been printing over & over on many of these prints for while now, and though I have just 6 listed on my website, and just 12 currently listed in my Etsy shop, there are more to come soon. Got a big ol’ fresh stack here, so keep a sharp eye out if you’re into monoprints & test prints like I am.

Test Print 12

Test Print 12

New Bluebottle interview

Quickie post here to share a new interview with me by Amy  from Bluebottle  Art Gallery + Store. I don’t know that I could love the people at the Bluebottle any more. This month marks my first solo gallery show at Bluebottle, after a successful part in a holiday show in December of last year.

And now adding to their awesomeness, Amy, who is also a writer, asked the best questions I’ve ever been asked for this interview for the Bluebottle blog. Have a peek the Bluebottle blog called Art, Craft, & Design and also Amy’s website called Fairy Tale Factory, specializing in fairy tales and writing workshops and spread the magic. If you like process talk about design geekery, be sure to read interview is here.

Miss Blossom Dearie

Ms. Dearie rocks a Verve record cover like no other.

Ms. Dearie rocks a Verve record cover like no other.

One of my long-standing favorite sounds, let alone singers, Blossom Dearie passed away at her home in New York City on February 7, 2009, at the age of 82. She defined artistry and singular vision with her voice that sounds like no other. Described as distinctive, unique, child-like, innocent (though lyrics like “I’m an evil, evil woman, but I want to do a man some good” prove that adjective false), and heart-felt, it is impossible to describe her sound or her appeal across generations or genres. She played out regularly until 2006, with critics and reviews saying that her voice and performances were undiminished by her age.

Anyone who grew up watching Saturday morning television in the 1970s through the mid 1980s in the US will instantly know her by the song titles: “Unpack Your Adjectives”, “Mother Necessity” and the hauntingly beautiful: “Figure Eight” from the kickass Schoolhouse Rock series of animated educational films. Most of the original music for the Schoolhouse Rock shorts were composed & also performed by Dearie’s friend Bob Dorough, whose voice is as familiar & recognizable as the perfect male reflection of Blossom Dearie’s own style and phrasing.

Sweet without ever being sacharine, everyone could use a little Blossom Dearie in their lives. A very nice and descriptive discography is here. 

Even though you were born in New York, Rhode Island Is Famous For You, and we will miss you. A few of my favorites are listed below:

I Won’t Dance

It Might As Well Be Spring (en français)

Rhode Island Is Famous For You

New art print released: “Night Birds

Tweet!

Night Birds, 4 color hand screenprinted art print

Night Birds, 4 color hand screenprinted art print

Little bright birds coming home to roost for the night. 

I’ve always loved the chatter of birds at twilight. As a kid walking past the Free Library of Philadelphia, which was home to a hefty flock of pigeons, it always sounded as if everyone had an awful lot to talk about from their day at that lovely pink hour. I’m still an avid little bird feeder. I just love to hear the din of song birds at my feeders.

This print is my all hand screenprinted 4-color print with Dark Chocolate Brown, Bright Canary Yellow, Leafy Green, and Orange water-based and non-toxic inks. Edition of 100, Size: 16w x 22h inches. Perfect for framing. Paper: acid-free & archival Cougar 100 lb White, cover weight. Fresh off the presses this weekend and now available at my website.

Short & Sweet. My first solo art show!

In the words of Roger Daltrey: “YYYEAAAAAHHHH!”

Bluebottle Art Gallery + Store info

I’m so excited about this, I just can’t help but invoke the CSI opening exclamation. The good folks at Bluebottle Art Gallery + Store in my favorite home away from home city, Seattle, WA will forever be special to me now. Well, even more special. They are showing my very first solo gallery show this February.

Perhaps you recall that I was a part of their fantastic holiday art print show “Jolly Good”  in December, (blog post here). Well we’re back baby! Teaming up once more for my solo show in the adorable little month of February, hence the name “Short & Sweet”. It is obvious, right? Do I really have to lead you along with explanations of the shortest month of the year and the second most candy-fantastic holiday of the year? (Flag Day being the first, naturally.) No? Excellent!

Wanna now what’s in store for “Short & Sweet?”, well Bluebottle Art Gallery + Store is here to help your nebby way. They have a preview link here with just some of the screenprinted art prints that I will be showing. All prints are available for sale at Bluebottle from February 1st – 28th. 

And, there will be a brand new print debuting for this show, called “Night Birds”, so fresh on the presses it’s not even OFF yet. Yup yup! So if you are in the Seattle area, please do stop by and see the show. Bluebottle Art Gallery + Store is located at 415 East Pine Street in Seattle, WA with gallery and store hours of Tues – Sun 12 -7.  Bluebottle Art Gallery & Store also runs an email preview list that you can sign up for here, which allows you to get sneak previews of art work before the general public.

 

Short & Sweet show preview page

Short & Sweet show preview page

Happy Inauguration Day

Out with the old, in with the new.

Out with the old, in with the new.

 

This afternoon the US will proudly welcome in our new President, Barack Obama. Rather than detailed the already well known unprecedented layers and aspects of this incredible day and moment, I will just say one word that sums up my chills, tears, hopes and desires for our next President and a new era:

YAY!!!!!

Absolutely in keeping with this administration’s love of democratic forms of communication, if you are not near a television today, you can watch the entire proceedings live via the web at hulu.com

I’m looking forward to a fresh and inclusive government and participatory time in our country. Best to us all, everywhere and everyone. Peace.