Been working at the ole' Poster Repair shop again. It's just like old times. I really love it! Here's a peek at my next challenge. It's nice to work all day around such good graphic design....classic :). Even the navy had a good eye for color and composition then. 

From May 18th to June 22nd I was an artist-in-resident at Lobot Gallery in the industrial warehouse complex of West Oakland, CA. I completed three new large drawings and installed a piece, which showcased 19 of 33 known edible and medicinal weeds found within the urban landscape. Nineteen of the thirty-three were foraged from no more than a 3 block radius of Lobot. Each of the glass vials is supported by one or more colored rubber bands which correspond to the color coded anatomical drawings of internal organs. Pink, for example, demonstrates the plant is good for digestive complaints while yellow can be used for skin irritations, blue for respiratory, etc, etc. Many species can be used for more than one ailment. See more photos of the installation here. Some plants included:

Matricaria discoidea    Pineapple weed

Calendula arvensis   Calendula

Sonchus oleraceus   Sow thistle

Lobularia maritime   Sweet Alyssum

Raphanus raphanistrum Wild Radish

Capsella bursa-pastoris    Shepards purse

Malva neglecta   Common mallow

Solanum nigrum Black Nightshade (Parts are very toxic. Be careful.)

Trifolium pratense    Red Clover

Portulaca oleracea    Purslane

Rubus discolores  Himalayan Blackberry

          I'll be showing brand new works on paper at BOTH Ellen Miller Gallery and Howard Yezerski Gallery in Boston until July 10, 2012. These drawings are investigations into the possibility of urban foraging and the resource viability of plants, which thrive within city landscapes and surrounding industrial complexes. For example, one species I’ve been focusing on is Paulownia tomentosa, which is a prolific weed that can often be found sprouting out of brick and mortar. Paulownia has been used as a sustainable wood source in building small structures as well as musical instruments in countries around the world. It has only recently been recognized in the U.S. 

I’ve also been interested in urban edibles, which can also be used for medicinal purposes. I have highlighted this research in Schematic Digestion, which include plants that were used in a digestive remedy prescribed to me by an herbal physician. The plants include Filipendula ulmaria (Meadowsweet), Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel), Taraxacum officinalis (Dandelion), Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice), Mentha × piperita (Peppermint), Calendula arvensis (Calendula). See more work from the show at my website.

Ellen Miller Gallery
38 Newbury Street Boston, MA 02116
(617) 536-4650

Howard Yezerski Gallery
460 Harrison Avenue Boston, MA 02118
(617) 262-0550

December 2011 my work and I both traveled to Miami where I had the fortunate opportunity to exhibit in a solo booth with Kesting/Ray, NYC at ImPulse. This was the most successful opportunity for making a living my work has ever seen. Thanks to all out there who have supported me. I was also one of three to be nominated for best in show! Margot, Andrew and Adrianna were able to join me and it was hella amazing! Andrew and Adrianna had work at Red Dot (another one of the many Miami art fairs). We saw so much art that week and basked in the sun.

October 2011 I ventured back to New Orleans for a month to work on my own project at the lovely artist run space, Parse Gallery. I was hosted by some of the most incredible people on the planet, Margot, Andrew and Ricky :). During my month stay I worked on a few drawings but more importantly added to and installed an exterior version of Stripped Opacity Construction Playground in a very site appropriate location in the enchanting urban ruins of the Parse Gallery courtyard. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect spot. The piece was also part of an exhibition called Between the Tracks which, was a branch of the satellite shows for New Orleans city wide biennial, Prospect 2.

September 2011 I had my first NYC solo show, Amalgamation, at Kesting/Ray in SoHo. Here's a full catalogue of the show and interview with Callie! Thanks to all my rad friends who were able to make it to the opening. Carver kids unite, right?!! There were so many of you. You filled the space with the Carver Center honor of support. It was a blast.

With a second Swoon project came a third, Anthropocene Extinction, which started construction in June 2011 and was installed in September at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston. This project was constructed in Callie's old church in Braddock, PA. We worked long days but it was like summer camp because we all cooked together and stayed in Callie's house which, was very close to the church. Like the last, this project  holds environmental consciousness up to the light. The term anthropocene gives distinction to the evidence of human activity on the planet as being so severe to constitute a mark in geologic history. Find out more here. The last photo of me and Callie is by ICA photographer and artist Geoff Hargadon.