Sneak Peek and Pack Artist Picks
Here's the next sneak peek. This is the left side flap from Will Sweeney's pack. Will is a comic book artist. His most recent work was illustrating a full graphic novel retelling the story of Le Morte D'Arthur. Here's the story that goes with his seed pack.
A red star in your garden.
Early enough for a quick Russian summer and with a taste that’s positively celestial, (guess) will land a regular spot in your garden. The variety is of Ukrainian origin, but was selected by Russian space engineer turned avid gardener Mikhailovich Maslov. He thought it one of the best of his garden and named it after his comrade (guess), a Russian astronaut who perished while returning from the first visit to the Earth’s first space station. This exceptional variety will keep the spirit of adventure alive in your garden.
Can you guess what variety this is. In the meantime, we're trying to catch up with some of our Pack Artists to see what they are up to!
*Here's an update and guest blog post from Martha Lewis (Kaleidoscope Carrot)
September 27, 2011 - December 3, 2011
Central Library, 2nd floor Balcony Cases
Various Bookworks: Drawings and Books by Martha Lewis
For many years now, in addition to my studio practice, I have been working with graphic designers and making artwork for the covers and interiors of books. These tend to be academic books that the press feels for one reason or another, that a wider audience would enjoy reading, and therefore they warrant a more elaborate cover.
Over time I have done books on food history and culture, poetry volumes, books on politics, books on language and once, a book about organ donation! I never know what I will be offered and that is part of the magic and fun of it all.This is a line of work I stumbled into, but it suits me really well: I love books and reading and enjoy the puzzle of reading a text and coming up with something visual that complements it and echoes in some way it's characteristics. Working with good designers is a real pleasure and the process is very collaborative. Over the years I have worked with several, but I think my best work has come out of collaborating with book designer Linda Secondari. There are many examples of our work together on display in the show. With my studio work I have a clearly defined style and way of working. With the books I put that aside and base what I do visually on what I feel the text calls for. I research, sketch and then decide on medium, style and approach. The main commonality is that it is all handmade. I scan the work at the end, but if I want to collage, I cut by hand, if I want paint, I paint it. this gives a tactile quality to the work that I really like. For me reading is about touching as well as seeing and the cover artwork contains that as well.
This exhibit is the first time I have ever publicly displayed these works. For the exhibition I assembled a selection of sketches, original artworks and preliminary ideas as well as the final printed books. It gives a glimpse into my working process, and personalizes the exhibit. I feel really honored to be showing at such an important public library- they are great social institutions, have so many people using them, visiting, looking, working. I have spent hours of my life happily choosing books, reading, pouring over card catalogs and shelves myself, and it feels strange but wonderful to now be included in their offerings. Barbara Wing, who curates the exhibitions at the Brooklyn Public Library's Central Library has done a really thoughtful job of putting the whole thing together- there are several shows going on at once, which all bounce back and forth nicely off one another.
The show will be up until December 3rd, and there is more about the show HERE.
*Cynthia Winika (Calendula) is showing Accidental Mycologist ll or Mushrooms of Gardiner at the Gardener Library.
*Lynne Friedman (Ground Cherry) is showing some of her Hudson Valley and New Mexico landscape paintings at Northeast/Southwest at Prince Street Gallery-Oct 4-29.