emiko-o reware

Getting some of my exhibition pieces ready for the upcoming SCRAP show, which opens Monday, Nov 3 here in SF, called Recollections: Celebrating 30 Years of SCRAP. I can’t tell ya how much I love SCRAP (Scroungers Center for Recycled Art Parts)–I don’t know where I’d be today as an artist without such an inspirational source of materials. Even more fitting is that my Lionize II collar is on the postcard and PR, being that it is the reincarnation of the original Lionize collar which was the first serious exhibition piece i created 10 years ago from materials I salvaged at SCRAP.

The Market Street Gallery (1554 Market St, SF) is again hosting this SCRAP show, this time featuring 18 artists, which appears to be mostly female, including moi and my fellow recycling cohort, Christine Dhein.

I heard that the Bay Guardian had selected this show as its Monday Pick of week, very cool, and it didn’t occur to me until tonite as I was flipping through this politically laden issue (what to make of Prop H?), that hey, the show must be featured in THIS WEEK’s issue, since the opening of the show is Monday. Lo and Behold, almighty, can you believe what I saw:

Here’s a closeup–even has artist and photo credits–yeay!

What an amazing month it has been for PR!  For those who want to see the show, it runs Nov 3-25th, with an Artist Reception on Saturday, Nov 15 from 6-8. On Saturday, Nov 22 there will be a silent auction for which I’m donating the Mondrian Limited Edition bracelet (see right).

To attend the auction event, there is a $30 entry fee, the proceeds going to SCRAP; word on the street is that Ruth Asawa is donating a piece! Could be worth it to check out the auction….

For more info on the show and events, go to The Squid List.

Tomorrow: I hunt down the address of the SF Examiner’s Circulation Desk and get me that Oct 13 issue that apparently my LEGO necklace is featured in!

Came across these unbelievably cute plushies on etsy, though no longer available, too bad….
Chris of ChrisCreatures in Rockville, MD made this awesome Tofu for Obama

the text says: “Tofu plushie knows who he is voting for this year!
This Tofu plushie is soft, cuddly, and interested in politics. He’s perfect for any Obama supporter. Includes tofu, t-shirt, and an Obama sign for rallies. Tofu’s t-shirt is removable and has a velcro closure in the back. Because each one is hand sewn and unique, it may vary very slightly from the picture. ” And even better, proceeds of tofu sales went to the Obama campaign! ROck ON, TOFU!

Cassie from talkproof in Fremont, CA had made this Eugene the Polar Bear as a response to the whole Palin issue:

About Eugene: “Eugene just heard about Sarah Palin and her opposition to putting him and his family (and extended families) onto the endangered species list. He is infuriated and sick and tired of her shenanigans, and has decided to take a stand >:(”

While we’re on the Cute-Tip, I must give props to a fellow craftsperson whose work i truly enjoy, Hilary Pfeifer, a Portland, OR wood artist who does exhibition installations of wood multiples, and makes uber cute small figures through her bunnywithatoolbelt site. Monsters, holidays, and i really like the sets she puts together as vignettes. You almost can’t just buy one by itself, they are so appealing. I mean, how can you resist a green love monster?

just in time for halloween.

and the irresistable tall orange monster, who i refer to as CarrotMonster

Hilary brings her latest installation “Natural Selection” to San Francisco’s Velvet da Vinci this coming January.

Read more about this work on her blog, Bunny with an Artblog.

My show has been getting lots of attention on the web, I can barely keep up with the thank you emails. It is truly awesome. My favorite post so far has been from an Italian journalist, Anna Battista and her blog: Irenebrination: Notes on Art, Fashion, and Style. See her Oct 23rd entry:

The strangely (and fashionably) therapeutic power of Lego

She covers both my ready-to-wear line and the exhibition pieces. She writes, “Oye’s best pieces though are the ones she has done for different exhibitions and events.”

The day after that, LEGO blogger, Michael Huffman posted my show on his BrickBuildr blog; which is great since I don’t usually hear from fellow LEGO lovers.

Yesterday, the show was posted on Object Fetish, an online jewelry gallery run by Whitney Couch.

Lots of fun, seeing the work get posted. Check out more images on my flickr set, as well as images of people wearing my work on the SF Museum of Craft + Design’s flickr set. Here is a sneak peak at some of my fav photos from the interactive, digital part of my show…

People definitely discovered the Effects in Photobooth. Would be awesome to print all of these and plaster a wall with them….. stay tuned for more people images…

In the midst of setting up the SF Museum of Craft+Design show, I managed to whip out a necklace for Ethical Metalsmith’s Radical Jewelry Makeover. Revere Academy students were at it for 3 days and by the last night I couldn’t resist the piles of random costume jewelry and other jewelry bits. So, why not pull another all-nighter, this time channeling the ever-fabulous Vivianne Westwood! Way too much fun, wish I could have kept it, but here is the result, a collage necklace. Titled “Dia de los Muertos de Westwood“, named mainly for the skeleton charm that started the whole deal, along with having been inspired by the Westwood show that was at the De Young museum awhile back. (model photo by Christine Dhein).

The piece is now on exhibit at Velvet da Vinci, SF through Nov 9. It is for sale, one of the more pricey items at $300. Proceeds benefit Ethical Metalsmiths. If you’re in town, please check it out!

Some other works by Revere folks: Jenny Reeve’s ring

Christine Uemura’s ring/pendant/brooch

Elizabeth Oppenheim’s plastic pendants

Last Thursday, Oct 16 was the artist reception for my show, My First Royal Jewels Jewellery Collection, at the SF Museum of Craft+Design. Finally, the day had arrived after an intensive, adrenalin-pumped month of prepping, making, photographing, and installing. Wow! I still can’t get over seeing my name all huge in vinyl wall lettering. My first solo show, and boy does it look sharp! It’s so exciting that it has a nice long run through Jan 4, 2009.

Here I am finally taking a moment to catch my breath and take it all in. Salut! Photos taken by the ever-gracious Matt Cantu, who made the digital interactive component of the show possible.

I really dig this angle, where you can see all four pieces, including Maharajah’s 6th necklace (in the mirror).

I feel that people really responded to seeing the process of each piece, through the drawings and historical photo reference. Above is The Duchess 2, based on a Cartier necklace and Harry Winston pendant. Below is The Duchess, based on a Cartier bib necklace.

Luckily, no one tripped over or got tangled in the brass ball chain that secures the necklaces to a fixed surface. It actually adds a bit of jewelry-esqueness which I like.

Turnout was super, considering it was an invitation-only event. Best part for me is observing people interact with my work, especially when they have that AHA realization that: A. They are allowed to try on the work,  B. It’s LEGO, and C. They can take a photo of themselves in that proud moment, wearing the work. And hopefully by the end of next week, these self-portraits will be viewable via the museum’s Flickr account. Stay tuned for more info on that front.

We’re planning on having a docent tour/walkthrough/2nd opening, very casual, sometime in November (tentative date: Nov 9, Sunday). The Critique Collective’s Jewelry_cycle show (see Julian at work!) will also have a walkthrough/tour at that time as well.

In case you’re near Union Sq and want to check out the shows at the museum:
SF Museum of Craft+Design
550 Sutter St @ Powell    SF CA 94102
Open Tues-Sun: Tues-Sat 10-5, Thur 10-7, Sun 12-5

My circuit board boxer briefs, Population Control 2.0 are DONE and at the SF Museum of Craft+Design awaiting install! Julian is hanging out there, getting some special spa treatment with the other models–full body whitening. Before he left, we did some classic bathroom shots of the briefs.

This is the back view close up

Here is the front view closeup: 

Here is the text that explains the piece and will be in the show booklet:  “In Population Control 2.0, my initial idea was to recreate a belt based on a 1960s metal scalloped belt that I got from my boyfriend’s grandmother. But the circuit board pieces just screamed LAPTOPS and MALE, which led me to revisit medical studies on continual laptop use linked to male infertility. Not only is the production of computers toxic to our environment, it may also  hinder our ability to repopulate future generations.”

And in Pygmalion fashion, here it is in the flesh: