Holding Out

_©evertson_New work for Abalcabal issue #3_"Holding Out"_

I was visiting friends over the past weekend and the topic of how we first came upon the brave new world of computers came up. My friend mentioned the punch cards we were issued when signing up for classes as college freshmen and how they got feed into a room sized machine which somehow spit out our first class schedules.  Today, most of my creative work is done on my laptop that is many times more powerful than those used in the first Apollo missions. 

Issue #3 of Abalcabal

I’m connected to the Internet with my iPhone and I create much of my work in Photoshop.  The Internet itself is a great organizing tool.  I send people interested in my work here to see what’s in progress, I learn about exhibition opportunities and find collaborators on projects.

A Book About Death was one such Internet project.  That project lead me to my collaborators, Ria Vanden Eynde and Susan Shulman, on the Kali project mentioned in my last post.

_©evertson_contribution to Abalcabal #2_"Codes"_

Another great project I've been involved with is Abalcabal.  This is a zine made by and for those who collaborate by submitting work. Abalcabal was conceived by Jennifer Kosharek as a way for artists who had participated in ABAD to share work with one another. Other artists have found us on Facebook and have started to contribute as well.   I received our third issue recently and continue to be amazed by the creative spirit of the contributing artists.

#2 issue of Abalcabal

Jennifer has done an amazing job of organizing and curating this exchange opportunity as an off shoot of her mail art activity.  This second link for Jennifer has information concerning a mail art show she is organizing for September on the theme of UR Toy Story.

©evertson_contribution to Abalcabal #1_"Introductions"

Abalcabal continues to be only available to the contributors; although despite our "secretive" nature we are not above on occasion sharing some of our "sweet secret things".

First issue of Abalcabal

Abalcabal = A Book About Life + cabal (a group of people joined in a secret)    Shush!

New Work

_Kali Dance_ ©evertson2010_

I’m not sure what others think of artistic collaborations. I find them intriguing; at least when you find the right people for a project.  The piece above is one of the images I’m contributing to a book that I am working on with Susan Shulman of Canada and Ria Vanden Eynde of Belgium.  The Hindu goddess Kali is our topic for an artist book containing giclée prints. 

_Wheel of Time_©evertson2010

Our project began simply with an exchange on Facebook; a few innocuous statements that lead to the idea for doing “something”.  The first exchange began back at the end of January and continued for several months with sporadic chats on Kali, her historical references and our intersections with the mythology.  

_Queen Sara Gypsy Kali_©Susan Shulman2010_

Ultimately these discussions have coalesced around an artist book where we each contribute several images. At this stage we have settled upon loose folio sheets either in a drop spine or portfolio-style book case.  

_Untitled_©Susan Shulman2010_

We have no set deadlines but I thought that while we are in a preliminary but energetic state it is time to start showing off some of the imagery.  Neither do we have any idea how many images we ultimately will produce.  Presently we are working in a folio format in which a single sheet of archival quality paper is folded in half giving each artist several potential layouts for each of the individual folios.

_Kali Ma_©Ria Vanden Eynde2010_

On several occasions during our talks of collaboration we came full circle in our fascination with Kali's many manifestations; she creates and destroys, she is mother and she restores worlds out of balance.  

GREAT MAIL ART:

In the mail this week were several great pieces.  First to arrive was an original collage by Matthew Rose. For those unfamiliar with the particulars of mail art, Matthew's is a great example of trust and allowing for chance. The work consists of original collage on light board that is not wrapped in any way but simply stamped and left to the vicissitudes of the postal service.

collage by Matthew Rose©2010

It came through perfectly!  Now when I want art to make it through without damage...well, it never goes as planned.  Matthew Rose is an American artist that is based in Paris.  His largest collage project, "A Book About Death" continues to gain momentum as new artists step forward worldwide to curate and exhibit this project. Currently ABAD is in Omaha at the RGN Gallery and a fall exhibit is planned for the C.W. Post campus on Long Island. Matthew was recently interviewed on KHND radio.  He describes life in Paris, the story behind A Book About Death and life as a collage.

_detail of Matthew Rose designed artist stamp " Reubens Rounding Third"_
Note that it was cancelled by the postal service - their stamp of approval

I also received a full sheet of artist stamps and Encyclopedia Fluxanica #s 1-6 from Portland, Maine artist Reed Altemus.  Reed works across several media but always with an eye to Fluxus inspiration.  Well known for his copier art and fluxus performance work, these two works are a wonderful gift.  Some information on Reed's copier works are contained in the essay found here.

_Artist Stamps by Reed Altemus©2009_

Reed Altemus©2009

Speaking of collaboration... I don't think I've ever mentioned Abalcabal.  Next time perhaps because I work with some great artists on that project also and we specialize in sweet secret things.