Artist Wednesday: Anne Grgich

Welcome to Artist Wednesday, the first of its kind, wherein I will highlight one folk artist every Wednesday. Consider it a crash course in intuitive art history. Super crash. As in, since folk art has been around since time immemorial, I’ll just jump in wherever and pick whomever appeals to me that particular week. (Like your average absent-minded liberal arts professor would do, but without all that arbitrary grading afterwards.)

Today’s artist: Anne Grgrich
“Crown Yourself”

Born in Harbor City, California in 1961, Anne Grgich began making spontaneous art at the age of fifteen, mostly by clandestinely painting in her family’s books, or making junk constructions. She first introduced collage into her work around 1988, but took it to a higher level in 1997 during a period of illness. During her convalescence she worked in bed, making paintings on file cards and CD’s and organising collages from material she had collected. When she had recovered, later that year she began to produce collage paintings — images of people encountered over time in the street and in mind journeys that manifest themselves and recombine, according to her mood, in the process of creation. Recently, she has described her faces and people as ‘manifestations of conglomerated persona, in a way acting out these characters’. In a way they are a displacement for action in the world out there; fragments of experience, thought and interaction brought together to produce new possibilities out of contemplation. As she puts it, ‘bundling images, separating them’, then looking for ‘interrelating pieces to build meaning and feeling’. Seen separately these faces are individually commanding, but seen together, they form not so much a series of portraits as a group of living presences. (Bio found here, written by Colin Rhodes)

portland bummer

My Portland Saturday Market gig, scheduled for early August, was potentially my coming-out-of-retirement party. But I got this e-mail recently, putting the kabosh on it.

I am writing with sincere regret to inform you that the Portland Saturday Market Main Stage has been unexpectedly closed for the remaining 2008 season. The Portland Saturday Market has lost the street closure permit from the City of Portland for Naito Parkway which eliminates the space for the Main Stage and several craft booths.

I apologize for any inconvenience to your schedule. Notice of this closure came upon us very suddenly. This is a temporary closure. Portland Saturday Market is transitioning between site layouts to accommodate development in the neighborhood. We will gain the Main Stage back in the 2009 season once we move into our new home in Waterfront Park. Please take a look at the attached files of the Market’s new home in Waterfront Park.

The Market’s music program is very important in creating a wonderfully inviting and energetic environment for our customers. We have a heavy heart knowing that this closure has disrupted the incomes and schedules of musicians who contribute their talents to Portland Saturday Market.

I look forward to working with you during the 2009 season.

When the new date is set, I’ll be sure to post it. In the meantime, check out the album at CDBaby.

hey it’s good to be back home again

I just spent ten days in Illisconsin visiting the old homestead. A much needed break from the ho hum every day. I also managed to do some crafty stuff while I was there, too.

First, I gave my dad his green Brangelina, which turned out perfect. Just the thing for those cold Illisconsin winters.

Second, I completed the seed stitch version of Le Slouch, to replace my mother’s old hat we like to call The Brain. This one’s not as brainy as the original, but it still looks good.

And Third, a last-minute Saturday Market Bag for my nonna. She’s going to use it as her mailbag, to hang on her walker for when she goes downstairs in the morning to get her mail. Nonna was so impressed she e-mailed me the link to Etsy, to encourage me to start selling my crafty wares. I’m on it, Grandma! Just gotta come up with the yarn/pattern/etc. It’s all in the works. Believe me.

Should I mention that all of these were made from my own handspun? I’m one step from owning the sheep myself.

Nonna’s mailbag was made in under 48 hours, using some of the antique knitting needles she graciously passed down to me on this trip. I’m going to post a photo of those as soon as possible. Sadly, I had to leave them behind, since traveling with both an infant and a big wooden box of antique knitting needles was kinda out of the question. Hopefully my parents will bring them here on their next trip west.

So I wanted to head south to see the Fiber & Folk Art show in McHenry County while I was back home, but it didn’t happen. I did gather a few helpless victims on a destination yarn store visit. KnitMap, my friends, is a beautiful beautiful thing. Without much planning, I found an excellent yarn shop not too far from where I was staying.

The Yarn Sellar in Loves Park is fantastic. Not only are the ladies super kind, they have loads of great yarns. They also have a few amazing patterns that can only be found in their shop. I picked up a felted flower pot cozy kit, under $10 for the whole thing, flower pot and seeds included. Also inspired by some art yarn and a pair of size 50 needles, I’ve started something I call my Pride Shawl. Finished product will soon be posted.

The highlight of the yarnie bits of this trip, though, was unexpected. My sister-in-law wants to learn to knit. Totally over-excited for her, I ordered a copy of Stitch ‘n Bitch and will now harass her until she reads it.

Watching me purchase a pair of size 50 needles either totally inspired her, or scared the hell out of her. But if she’s like most craft people I know, it was probably a bit of both. Hooray for craft insanity!

she grew up on a farm there

I’m crying today because I’ll just miss the Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair in Illinois this summer. If you don’t know, I’m a daughter of Illinois, and most of my family still lives there. I’ll be visiting in July, a week or two before the fair. Oh, the humanity!

One consolation, though, is the Fine Fiber and Folk Art Show will be displayed in the McHenry County College galleries during my visit, so I have hopes of dragging my family along on an inspiration-gathering mission.

I’ve never been to McHenry County, but it turns up in my favorite Tom Waits song “Johnnsburg, Illinois” and really, what more of a reference does one need?

1930s marital scale

-11 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Poor (Failure) Take the test!

This pretty much sums it up.

a gift for Pops

For Father’s Day I bought WD a light box with which to take photos of my handspun. (I have dreams of joining the Etsy ranks… please make room on the bandwagon.)

Right now, it’s sitting unopened next to the bed. I fear before the weekend it’ll get buried underneath a pile of dirty clothes. But I’m determined to unearth it this Saturday and document the stuff I’ve been spinning up.  

In the meantime, thanks to a Father’s Day request from father himself, I’ve started knitting a hat for my Pops with some of the more decent handspun and it’s coming along pretty well. I cast on 84 and planned to make a simple 2×2 rib stocking cap, but the yarn is too bulky, so I had to start over with 64.  I mean, the hat was freakishly huge.  Even with the ribbing.  Even with Pops odd-shaped noggin.

Now I’m knitting it from Crazy Aunt Purl’s Brangelina, which is a 4×4 brim and then stockinette stitch. I think it’ll be perfect.

Just don’t tell Pops the name.  Not that he would know what it means, but if it came up in a crossword puzzle, I’d have some explaining to do.

the joy

I slipped into another obsession since my last post.  Thanks to a wonderful series of synchronistic events, and a lovely new friend named Annette, I am the owner of an Ashford Joy.

Don’t know if I have room in my life for another obsession (between Niblo, music, writing, knitting… no sleep for me…  no time to breathe…).

Committed to spinning 15 minutes a day, I find myself still there, long past the proper bedtime of a new mom, treadling away for one to two hours. It is gratifying in that soulful way, turning raw fleece into yarn. It takes my attention away from my other artsy (pre)occupations (I have a gig at the Portland Saturday Market in August for which my fingertips are not nearly calloused enough), but I’m letting it be what it is.  

A psychic once told me that the patterns of my life and work will always be non-linear.  I try to remember this when it seems I’m just fickle and unfocused.  I mustn’t compare myself, is all. (Ha, good luck with that.)

And in addition to the spinning wheel, the joy this summer, my 30th, is kinda overwhelming me.  With Niblo as my sidekick the importance of weddings and births are much more obvious than they were to me even last year, and some of the most cynical people I know are falling in love again.  

Now if only the sun would shine on this little island for a while.  Then all of it would be good.

Garden at Dusk

Yarn
(super bulky, thick&thin, handspun by Bees Knees)

+  Colorway
(hand-dyed by Bees Knees, Garden At Dusk)

+  Needles
(size 15 Options)

+ Pattern
(Mile-a-Minute #3 by Turvid)

= Love.  

Knitting book review!

Wondering about the new Stitch ‘n Bitch book?  Check out my latest article for Feminist Review. 

Now all I have to do is finish the socks…

wildlife habitat

I took the above photo yesterday with my camera phone, so forgive the graininess. It’s been so satisfying to watch the birds make their home behind the very sign that welcomes them into my backyard. 

I’m blessed to live in the Pacific Northwest, on an island that resembles a rainforest. My backyard in particular provides me with the chance to watch wildlife relatively undisturbed, and indulges my feelings of oneness with the natural environment. As much as I adore the city (and when I say “the city” I mean Seattle) my little house on this little island is sanctuary.

Last year we certified our little half acre as a wildlife habitat, through the National Wildlife Federation. I encourage everyone who lives in a natural environment to do this. Not only is it good for the animals, of course, but if you follow the guidelines and assist wildlife in making its home in your backyard, both you and the Earth will gain spiritual benefit. 

And the sign, and the tree, and the nest… a lovely gift for my spirit.  Is Spring here at last?