I enjoyed a visit last weekend from Dianne Axtell, a friend and former neighbor back in Denver. Catching up with her prompted me to recall moments when I was actively engaged in forcing my creative impulse into the nooks and crevices of my personal environment - something that I've been thinking more of lately with my recent projects like Kamp Maykr, kork - and even WOMS from which I have unofficially retired as organizer.
Intermittently, over the course of a handful of years, I hosted an open studio event at my live/work space in Denver. The first open studio was held as a going away party for Sara Wolfe in June 1998. Sara's friend David Corell created the post card for the event, and I believe it was he that christened the event Kitchen Sink - and it stuck. The KS happened steadily for a while, then intermittently after 2001 encompassing areas both inside and outside and on the roof of my space, my neighbor Cole's joint next door, where the music would usually happen, and at times portions of the insurance agency's office two doors down. The final event was held in October of 2002 as I began preparing to move to Beacon.
I wanted to provide an alternative happening along with the other offerings of the monthly First Friday art walk in the Golden Triangle neighborhood, and I wanted to avoid the boring, unchanging open studio routine I'd seen other artists do. I wanted to mix things up, make it not about me, and get an eclectic energy rolling. I think we succeeded in doing that. Each event was different, with very different character.
Intermittently, over the course of a handful of years, I hosted an open studio event at my live/work space in Denver. The first open studio was held as a going away party for Sara Wolfe in June 1998. Sara's friend David Corell created the post card for the event, and I believe it was he that christened the event Kitchen Sink - and it stuck. The KS happened steadily for a while, then intermittently after 2001 encompassing areas both inside and outside and on the roof of my space, my neighbor Cole's joint next door, where the music would usually happen, and at times portions of the insurance agency's office two doors down. The final event was held in October of 2002 as I began preparing to move to Beacon.
I wanted to provide an alternative happening along with the other offerings of the monthly First Friday art walk in the Golden Triangle neighborhood, and I wanted to avoid the boring, unchanging open studio routine I'd seen other artists do. I wanted to mix things up, make it not about me, and get an eclectic energy rolling. I think we succeeded in doing that. Each event was different, with very different character.
The main constant in all of the KS's was the effort it took to clear out two of the three rooms in my apt/studio. Each time, as piled everything into my bedroom, I questioned why I was doing it, and after each event, I was already looking forward to the next installment (this M.O. has not varied much over the years).
Michael Dahl, Lisa Townley, Marc Willhite, Dianne Axtell, Chad Smith & Max Smith, Barbara Deeter, Phyllis Lerud, Desiree Stavry, Chris Nelson, Elizabeth Nelson, Cynthia Boteler, Sara Wolfe, Dean Yoder, Nancy Rossen, Marina Tito, Thad Jacobs, Mike Thamert, Julie Greason, Terry Womble, Angela Beloian, Angelika Rinnhofer, Phuong-Lan Nguyen, Mary Rosenberg And many others were among the artists that participated. There were many more who took part by designing the postcards, spinning, performing and bringing food for the potluck... At the moment, I don't have all of the information about each KS and everyone that participated, but in the coming months I will be collecting and documentation and archiving it all on my website.
Michael Dahl, Lisa Townley, Marc Willhite, Dianne Axtell, Chad Smith & Max Smith, Barbara Deeter, Phyllis Lerud, Desiree Stavry, Chris Nelson, Elizabeth Nelson, Cynthia Boteler, Sara Wolfe, Dean Yoder, Nancy Rossen, Marina Tito, Thad Jacobs, Mike Thamert, Julie Greason, Terry Womble, Angela Beloian, Angelika Rinnhofer, Phuong-Lan Nguyen, Mary Rosenberg And many others were among the artists that participated. There were many more who took part by designing the postcards, spinning, performing and bringing food for the potluck... At the moment, I don't have all of the information about each KS and everyone that participated, but in the coming months I will be collecting and documentation and archiving it all on my website.
No comments:
Post a Comment