Upcoming Shows in April

There's a lot going on this month! Here's a quick rundown of where I'll be showing my work in the coming weeks. In all cases it's in the presence of several other talented artists who I feel honoured to share a wall with.

April 12: Baronesque

I am really excited to see who else is in this show. Local art magazine Baron celebrates one year of operation by putting on an exhibition of local contemporary art. It opens Tuesday, April 12, 5 pm - 7 pm at the Maison des Conseil des Arts de Montréal, 1210 rue Sherbroooke.


April 14 - 17: Papier 11

Papier is an art fair featuring works on paper. It is a rare opportunity to catch most of the city's major contemporary art galleries under one roof, and is, in my opinion, a not-to-be-missed event. I will have never-before-seen original drawings on display at the Maison Kasini booth, where I will also be displaying Papirmasse. If I get a chance I'm going to run off to the Galerie Pangée booth to paint with En Masse.

The Contemporary Art Galleries Association (AGAC) will open the 4th edition of PAPIER at the Place des Festivals, right in the middle of the Quartier des spectacles (coin Bleury & Maissonneuve), from April 14th to 17th 2011.


April 16: Machine Wash Cold/Tumble Dry Low

I can't wait for this one! MWC/TDL is the annual event where the super awesome screenprinting company Moniker puts artist designs on shirts, tote bags, and posters. This year the launch is bigger and better than ever, going down in a fantastic warehouse space in Griffintown. I am putting a free Papirmasse print in 50 tote bags, so make sure to arrive early if you want one! The day kicks off with a free family-friendly portion from 2pm-7pm, and then swings into full party mode from 9pm-3am. April 16th, 2011 at L’Espace Griffintown - 1314 rue Olier in Montreal. $10 after 9 pm, 18+


April 22: No Sleep Till Brooklyn

With less than a month away from their show in Brooklyn, New York at Rouge 58, Montreal based artists Alan Ganev, JP King, Tim Barnard and Regimental Oneton are putting an art show together at Underworld skate shop to raise funds for their upcoming trip and promote their latest artworks in Montreal. I'm putting a few pieces in the show too - probably some never-before-seen large format prints. No sleep 'Till Brooklyn happens at Underworld, 251 Ste-Catherine Street est from 8:00pm - 3:00am on April 22.

And last but not least...

Papirmasse is having an exhibition all month long at the S.P.A.C.E. Gallery in Vermont. The show is up right now, and we will be hustling on down to Burlington for First Friday on May 6, 5pm - 9pm. If you're in Vermont please come say hi! It'll be a fun chance to check out Papirmasse and get a taste of the affordable art project. I am looking forward to eating ice cream, which as far as I know is a mandatory Vermont tourist activity. Check out an article on the show here: http://www.7dvt.com, and let me know if there are other fun things I should check out while I'm down there.

As always, if you come to one of my shows and we haven't met - please come say hi! I love meeting new people and haven't bitten anyone in a long time.

Another Threadless entry :)

'
I've turned my latest drawing into an entry for Threadless. It's a giant patterned deer head. The more votes the better, so please stop on by and cast yours if you happen upon this while the contest is still open.

The two detail shots above show the original drawing (at the bottom, with plenty of ink variation), and a 'flat' version of one solid blue. Basically it's a two or one colour print. I'm partial to the greater variation myself - I think it adds depth. I would be curious to hear other's thoughts on this.

Click on the images to see them larger.

Finished Work

I finished this drawing ages ago, but due to a broken CD drive the scan was stuck in la-la land for several weeks. So happy to see the finished product and get a chance to put it up here!

It's just Sharpie on paper, pretty large (about 22" x 30" if memory serves...). Click on the image for a better view.

I've been drawing a lot lately, so there will be more to come in the next few weeks.

Helicopter Painting! Distroboto!

This Helicopter painting of mine from 2009 will be exhibited at the Distroboto 10th Anniversary Art Show at Monastiraki on Friday, February 4 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm. Be there or be square! Monastiraki is located at 5478 Saint-Laurent in Montreal, QC (right next to Cagibi, where you will not pass up a chance to order the chili or nachos if you know what's good for ya).

Distroboto are art vending machines, made from converted old cigarette vending machines. They sell all sorts of stuff by artists, writers and musicians, all for the bargain price of $2. Most of the $$ goes back to the artists, so it's a great way to support the local scene as well as grab some cool stuff (also a great way to win over a first date, just sayin').

Here's an image of the New York Times article on Distroboto from back in the day. Congrats to the project for going strong for 10 long years. Here's to another 10!

Things I Love

1) This amazing book by famed book-designer Chip Kidd that my A+ boyfriend sneakily bought for me even though we agreed on no Christmas presents.


2) Four-eyed dog print by Chrix Morix (seen alongside my helicopter painting and Jacques Brel Papirmasse print).


3) My bad-ass new 'Projects' whiteboard, with what's going on listed in the order of Frontlines / Simmer / Backburner. I drew the categories and title in Sharpie so that they won't erase when I wipe down the board.


4) My bad-ass new desk, made from pipe and a salvaged door. Full post on this sucker to come soon!

Lucha Libre

New drawing for the pin-ups issue of Decover Magazine, a free Montreal arts mag that showcases the work of local artists. I made this one specially for them.

I wanted to turn the notion of a "pin-up" on its head a little. That's why I chose to use a man instead of a woman, and also used someone without an ideal body. I gave the guy a Lucha Libre mask because those dudes are all about performance and presenting an idealized masculine image (much like female pin-ups, who represent an idealized version of femininity). I liked the idea of a pin-up who is the centre of attention but betrays some self-consciousness; it's like he's wondering if he's really sexy enough to be up there. I think that's a feeling we all know too well. Don't worry, Lucha guy: you're super cute in your socks and underpants. Work it!

New Drawing!

All's been quiet on the blog front lately. I have been keeping busy restarting Papirmasse, painting with En Masse and doing a few Christmas card commissions, and just haven't been doing as much personal work lately.

All that changed this week when I finally had a bit of free time and sat down to a much needed day of one-on-one time with a Sharpie Paint marker and some nice paper. I'll post a final photo when this sucker is finished, hopefully by next week!

UPDATE: Here it is!




As you can see, En Masse has infiltrated my brain a bit. There's just something so nice about how easy it is to sit down with a pen and paper - 2 colours and you don't have to bother mixing paints. I am looking forward to the eventual return to my neglected studio, but in the meantime this really hits the spot.

Papirmasse is BACK! Affordable Art lives on

Papirmasse, the affordable art subscription, is BACK IN ACTION after a year-long hiatus! Are caps locks necessary? YES! This is exciting news, folks.

During our little nap, we restructured and found some partners in crime. Papirmasse is now produced by Maison Kasini in Montreal, a fantastic art house and small press located in the bustling Belgo building. This means that you can come and visit us, because we now have a permanent home where new releases and back issues will be displayed! I am pleased to be sharing the title of Head Honcho, and will retain the job of Art Director and Editor of the subscription.

Even more exciting, we're cheaper than ever. $5 a month - no catches. No added shipping, no hidden fees, no tricks. 5 bucks a month gets you 12 prints in the mail, with art on the front and writing on the back. Click here to subscribe.

If you're as excited as we are about these new developments, come and celebrate this Saturday at our new home in the Belgo: #408, 372 Ste. Catherine east, Montreal. 3-5 pm (that's 15h00 - 17h00). There will be prizes, free issues, and lots of great contemporary art to look at.


More details at:
www.papirmasse.com
www.maisonkasini.com
www.facebook.com/papirmasse
www.twitter.com/papirmasse

Countdown to Expozine 2010 (this weekend!)

It's almost here! Yes, the one-and-only event of the year that will thoroughly satisfy your inner art nerd/print dork/small press junkie, the amazing Expozine!

2 beautiful original paintings by graffiti artist extraordinaire Produkt.

For those who are selling, Expozine is like art camp for grown-ups, a chance to completely dork out with 300 like-minded vendors who are just as into talking the ins and outs of print as you. If you're a visitor, well, get ready. It's rare indeed to see this many unique handmade paper items under one roof. Posters, prints, books, original art, and zines can all be found in the same place for 2 scant days, and many vendors (myself included) offer up their goods at discounted prices for this weekend only.

Because I didn't blog about it last year, here are a few pictures of the (mostly traded) things I picked up last year. If any fellow vendors are reading this: let's trade again!

A ton of great stuff, mostly by JP King (who is super generous with trades).

Awesome poster.

Prints! Prints! Prints!

Zines! Zines! Zines!

Expozine, Montreal’s annual small press, comic and zine fair, will take place on Saturday, November 13 and Sunday, November 14, 2010, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 5035 St-Dominique (Église Saint-Enfant Jésus, Laurier Métro). Free admission.

Under Pressure Graffiti Festival 2010!!!!!!!

Under Pressure, aka the best damn thing that happens in Montreal in the summer, is gearing up for its 15th year this coming weekend. August 14th and 15th, come down and join the party at Peace Park and Foufounes Electrique (the former being just above Renée Levesque on St. Laurent, the latter...well, you know Foufes, don't you?). Why am I so excited? Because above and beyond being a long-term fan of the event, I was lucky enough to get to design their shirts this year! We went with a playing card theme and the phrase Down With the Kings as our mantra. Below are the results. For more info on the event, visit www.underpressure.ca Posters of these images will be available at the event and online at www.hellokirsten.etsy.com.

2 new shirts & Ampersands

I printed up an absolute ton of Ampersand posters this week, just for fun. About 40 big ones and 540 small ones! You can see them below.

But first! I threw one of the &s onto a shirt, and made another shirt based on the # sign. It's play-with-type time over here. The shirts are up at Threadless and if you voted for them I would very much appreciate it. Thanks :)

Link to vote: http://threadless.com/submission/290430/Ampersand

Link to vote: http://threadless.com/submission/290429/Random_Numbers

Aaaaaaaand, a whole bunch of ampersands below! &&&&&&. Right now they're on 12" x 18" posters, which are big and look amazing, and small 4" x 6" cards, which are fun.

Show in Toronto!

Packing up work for my show in Toronto! Details asap - stay tuned.

Papergirl Berlin

These lovely people give away free art!This summer Papirmasse participated in Papergirl Berlin, an idea that has girls (and guys) biking around Berlin, giving away tubes full of free art! We are always a fan of getting art out there and into the world, and are excited to think of our prints papering many a wall across the ocean. Thanks to Papergirl for being so freakin' rad: here's a link to their stuff so you can read more (it's a mixture of German and English)

Blog: http://papergirl-world.blogspot.com/

Website: http://papergirl-berlin.de/

They are still accepting entries, so don't delay - send your prints today!(a sampling of what we sent. See more at www.papirmasse.com, and www.hellokirsten.etsy.com)

Papirmasse 2009 Folios on sale now!

Papirmasse, the affordable art project, is now available in one sweet package! Full sets of our 2009 Papirmasse run of prints are up for sale on our Etsy shop: www.hellokirsten.etsy.com

12 prints for $80 - it really doesn't get any cheaper than that. Check out the Etsy listing for more information, and visit www.papirmasse.com to learn more about our affordable art project. Art is cheap! Art is for everyone! Long live Papirmasse!

$80 for 12 art prints! What are you waiting for?

Folios are also available at Maison Kasini in the Belgo building in Montreal, and will be added to select retailers across the country soon.

Follow me on Twitter

Papirmasse, and by extension ME, has a Twitter account now! http://twitter.com/Papirmasse
See you there :) p.s. image credit? not me. But pretty awesome, hey?

While we're here, please be our Facebook fan too! www.facebook.com/papirmasse

Making It Montreal

Just did an illustration for the second Making It Montreal show, opening tomorrow night (July 6, 2010) at Shaika Café in Montreal. Here's the FB event, don't miss it!

Vernissage:
Tuesday, July 6, Shaika Café
5526 Sherbrooke Street West (near corner Girouard; Vendome métro)
5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Round-table discussion, 8 p.m..

Making It Montreal

3 new paintings in a unique Montreal show! Opens at Shaika Café July 6, 2010. 5526 Sherbrooke Street West, 5 - 9 pm. Roundtable discussion at 8. Here's my contribution:



On Tuesday July 6, come celebrate the opening of the second ‘Making it Montreal’ art exhibit at Shaika Café, featuring work by some of Montreal's most exciting English artists: Graham Hall,
Naledi Jackson, Dan Buller, Nikol Mikus, and me - Kirsten McCrea

Tuesday July 6, 2010
‘Making It Montreal’ Group Exhibit Two vernissage
Shaika Gallery and Café, 5526 Sherbrooke Street West
(near corner Girouard; Vendome métro)
5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Round-table discussion at 8 PM

‘Making It Montreal’ is a unique research and promotion project highlighting English-speaking artists who chose to make Montreal home.

All of these artists moved to Montreal from elsewhere in Canada in adulthood to pursue their careers. The round-table discussion will focus on the support and resources available for English-speaking visual artists in Montreal.

The discussion will also continue online on the project’s interactive website, http://www.makingitmontreal.org, which features galleries of works, blog posts and links to resources for English-speaking artists in Montreal.

‘Making It Montreal’ is organized by ARCMTL (best known for its Expozine small press fair and Distroboto network of cultural vending machines) and is made possible through the assistance of Canadian Heritage’s Cultural Development Fund.


www.makingitmontreal.org
www.expozine.ca
www.distroboto.com

Hot Topic video

Higher quality Youtube version HERE.

I just made a video that finally puts my Hot Topic painting series to the beat of the song that inspired it. In 2006 I was back in art school after a year-long hiatus and wanted to learn how to oil paint. My profs weren't super helpful - all they said was "Just paint, and paint, and PAINT!". So, I did. I had always had this idea in the back of my mind, to visually record this song, and it seemed like a good excuse to finally do it. Two years and 60 paintings later, the Hot Topic series was done.

Here's the properly-written version of the above:

‘Hot Topic’ is a series of 60 paintings portraying each person mentioned in the Le Tigre song of the same name. This song is a tribute to feminist heroes of all stripes: artists, activists, writers, musicians, and others. Many of the people in the song have strongly influenced my own development as an artist and activist, but are relatively unknown outside of certain subcultures. In a world that celebrates manufactured pop stars but forgets the names of suffragists, I wanted to find a way to solidify the memory of the underground superstars whose creativity and ideas have made such a difference to feminists of my generation.

Portraiture has traditionally been used as a means of depicting the wealth and high social standing of its (often male) subjects. I wanted to use the portrait for its ability to announce importance and greatness, without upholding the tired ideals of the brave and solitary hero or genius. Presented on the wall in a grid, the works no longer stand as individual portraits and instead form a pastiche that is indicative of the interconnectivity and community so integral to feminist culture.

Each piece measures 8 x 12 inches and is a variety of mixed media on board.

About the Song

Hot Topic was released in 1999 by Mr. Lady Records on Le Tigre’s self-titled debut album. Le Tigre at the time consisted of Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman, and Sadie Benning. Benning was later replaced by JD Samson. The lyrics included below are intended to provide readers unfamiliar with the band or song with a better concept of the series.

Lyrics to Hot Topic © Le Tigre 1999 (lyrics from LeTigreWorld.com)

Hot topic is the way that we rhyme

Hot topic is the way that we rhyme

One step behind the drum style

One step behind the drum style
Carol Rama and Eleanor Antin

Yoko Ono and Carolee Schneemann

You're getting old, that's what they'll say, but

Don't give a damn I'm listening anyway

Stop, don't you stop

I can't live if you stop

Don't you stop
Gretchen Phillips and Cibo Matto

Leslie Feinberg and Faith Ringgold

Mr. Lady, Laura Cottingham

Mab Segrest and The Butchies, man

Don't stop
Don't you stop

We won't stop

Don't you stop

So many roads and so much opinion

So much bullshit to give in to

So many rules and so much opinion

So much bullshit but we won't give in
Stop, we won't stop

Don't you stop

I can't live if you stop

Tammy Rae Carland and Sleater-Kinney

Vivienne Dick and Lorraine O'Grady

Gayatri Spivak and Angela Davis

Laurie Weeks and Dorothy Allison

Stop, don't you stop

Please don't stop

We won't stop

Gertrude Stein, Marlon Riggs, Billie Jean King, Ut, DJ Cuttin Candy, David Wojnarowicz, Melissa York, Nina Simone, Ann Peebles, Tami Hart, The Slits, Hanin Elias, Hazel Dickens, Cathy Sissler, Shirley Muldowney, Urvashi Vaid, Valie Export, Cathy Opie, James Baldwin, Diane Dimassa, Aretha Franklin, Joan Jett, Mia X, Krystal Wakem, Kara Walker, Justin Bond, Bridget Irish, Juliana Luecking, Cecilia Dougherty, Ariel Skrag, The Need, Vaginal Creme Davis, Alice Gerard, Billy Tipton, Julie Doucet, Yayoi Kusama, Eileen Myles
Oh no no no don't stop stop............


You can find a short bio on every person by going to www.hottopicproject.blogspot.com, or by clicking the 'Hot Topic' label in the sidebar to the right. I will also eventually have a nice, full exhibition of the series on my main website, www.hellokirsten.com