Stacey Rozich // Fleet Foxes

I know I said I wasn't going to post until after this weekend's Art vs. Craft madness, but I wasn't expecting to get the first interview with Seattle based artist Stacey Rozich who's illustrations define the new Fleet Foxes video for "The Shrine / An Argument" released just yesterday. Stacey is both a friend & work college & I am very proud of her. Knowing the challenges of making films I am humbled by what they created. It's really something other-worldly.

Please take a moment to read the very personal full interview with Stacey Rozich on the Sky High Gallery blog.

34 & Much Much More.

As my life seems to go in waves of really busy to mega busy, currently I am finding myself nearly in over my head. But, I'm an expert at rolling with it, 2 months will pass & I'll look back and think wow, that happened.

Aaron wins the prize this week for planning early birthday celebrations. On Monday, 6 days before my actual day of birth, November 20th we took a 24 hour trip. My birthday falls on the week of Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving means that Art vs. Craft is soon to follow- which = me being slightly nuts & don't get to really relax. We drove down to Chicago & I was really excited when we pulled up to Longman & Eagle, a delicious restaurant owned by some friends that also has a few beautiful rooms you can book upstairs. It was my first time staying there and I highly recommend it.

Our dinner was fantastic. The room was great. Breakfast back downstairs was incredible. We didn't have to leave the building. Thank you Aaron for being such a thoughtful man & making my birthday special.


The thing about Longman & Eagle is that it is perfect down to the smallest details- mix tapes in every room, good ones. My favorites were the Folks & Raps.

After I check off turning 34 off the list on Sunday, eat a lot of food with friends on Thursday, remember to stop and reflect on why I am thankful for my rad life-- next on the list is Art vs. Craft. I can hardly believe it but this is the 8th year we have done the show, and to be clear, not the 8th show, the 8th year. For the first two years I used to coordinate 2 events a year. Then I started working on Handmade Nation and got too busy. So if your near, you should come, 100 vendors selling some of the best handmade goods in the Midwest.


Poster design by the Little Friends of Printmaking

A few days to wrap up that event then Sam & I head out for a quick 2 day shoot for the Sign Painter Movie. Home on Thursday November 30th just in time to see my old friend Solana who will be in town for a day. She is the tour manager for Beriut, so if we get home in time I'll get the extra bonus of going to that show at Turner Ballroom. Solana lives in Porto, Portugal so I don't get to see her often- the last time was actually when I went to visit her there almost 2 years ago.

Then, I have one day of prep and the second annual Sky High Gallery Holiday pop-up opens. You are all invited on December 2 to the open house from 5-10pm. I'm really excited about the inventory I've collected for the pop-up this year, it's pretty lovely.


Cursive typewriter // Sky High Gallery pop-up Menu

I probably won't be posting here for a few weeks, keep up with me on twitter if that's your thing.

Told you, 100% non-stop.

The Poor Farm

Wikipedia explains poor farms as "country or town-run residences where paupers (mainly elderly and disabled people) were supported at public expense".

The poor farm I went to this past Sunday was in Central Wisconsin, about 2.5 hours from Milwaukee and it used to be just that. There was even a jail cell in the basement and a small cemetery out back where the residents who passed away were buried. But, for the past 3 years the Poor Farm in Little Wolf, WI has housed a contemporary art space run by Michelle Grabner & Brad Killam who are known for their many contributions to the art world such as The Suburban and from what I gather from talking with them and seeing the space myself is that it's only going to gather momentum as a destination point for both art appreciators and artists themselves.

I had heard about the Poor Farm from reading Mary Louise Schumacher's art city column and just had never found the time to make the trip. Like most things that I finally find time for, now that I've been I'll be going back every August for their annual opening party.












Images 4-6: collaborative project with Peter Barrickman, Celeste Verhelst, Perre Kerch, Xav Leplae + friends (Milwaukee)


Upstairs


Inspirational posters by Alex Jovanovich (New York) + Nicole Perez (Chicago)





Images 9-10: The Catalyst by Yvette Brackman (Copenhagen)




Guillaume Leblon (Paris, France)




Lily Cox-Richard (Ann Arbor)




found this dude & was gifted a book from Michelle & Brad


I was in love with the lettering on the barn out back which still reads "Waupaca County Home"

Many thanks to Mary Louise for taking me this past Sunday to be inspired by this space. And also to Brad & Michelle for the tour, cake and greens from their winter garden. It was yet another reminder to take advantage of what is near-by and to always be thankful for those who are establishing conventional and crazy art spaces, those who make up the programing/keep the lights on and of course the creatives who make beautiful and undefinable work to fill them up.

Photo set here.