“Untitled Project: Anything You Want” Exchange is in Motion

While checking out last year’s CAA Conference in Chicago I stumbled upon these lovely little hot pink forms with an image of the shiny Jeff Koons bunny. I have a thing for hot pink- so snatched the little morsel up immediately. The forms were for applications for artist Conrad Bakker’s “Untitled Project: Anything You Want.” This is an awesome project where you can commission the artist to create “anything you want” out of paint. The artist offers the option to trade or pay for his services. You have to submit the form (you HAVE to submit the form- Conrad does not accept emails to initiate the process).

Of course the biggest thing i want is my deceased dad- my obsession. So i requested 2 Polaroid photos from my family’s various prison visits. I offered in exchange, to cover an object with beads using the peyote stitch. There was some back and forth- but eventually we agreed on an exchange. Conrad would produce two of these Polaroids of my dad and in exchange for covering a geode with beads plus a small amount of cash. The agreement was solidified with a contract that clearly states the parameters of the exchange.

To my dismay- the geode Conrad sent was not cracked! Just an ugly looking rock. I am not enormously experienced beading spherical objects. But i have the internet available for consultation.  I plan to incorporate some rock-like colors and phase into some brilliant inner geode colors (likely purple) But here we go!

For more info on Bakker’s “Untitled Project: Anything You Want” visit the webpage.

Working with Ordinary Projects for 2015 ACRE Exhibition

I am pleased to announce that I will be working with Ordinary Projects for my 2015 ACRE Exhibition. The ACRE residency just keeps on giving! I am very excited to be working with the partner gallery Ordinary Projects and curator Meredith Weber.

My experience at ACRE has truly sparked a great deal of ideas and new works (as an artist residency should). I am anxious to exhibit my new work, but I am also eager to show some of my older found artifacts in conjunction with the new stuff. I am embarrassed to say that I can’t remember what the Ordinary Projects space looks like. I need to schedule some time to speak with Meredith and get the ball rolling.

ACRE Visit 2014: Part Two

Beautiful reflections on a visit to ACRE- A life changing artist residency

Evanston School District Graphic Design Project

Finishing up working on a Design Project for Evanston School District.

Noelle Garcia Graphic Design

I have been happy to work with Kingsley Elementary School & the Evanston Skokie School District on the Cool Tools for Life project. Cool Tools is a program that is designed to help young children cope with emotional stress. These flyers were designed to help encourage familiarity regular use of the Cool Tools vocabulary by students. Cool color schemes were used to convey calming emoitons. In addition characters were designed to be playful and appropriate for young children. In addition to these flyers I am creating contour line versions of all the characters for use in other educational aids such as coloring books and activity sheets.

For more information on this project and my other design projects please email me at garcia.noelle@gmail.com

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ACRE Artist Residency Award for 2014 Summer

Noelle Garcia is pleased to announce she has been awarded a 2 week Artist Residency at ACRE (Artists’ Cooperative Residency and Exhibitions). ACRE is a volunteer run non-profit organization based in Chicago. Every summer ACRE offers numerous Artist Residencies in Steuben, WI designed to support and nurture emerging artists.

 

“I am a multidisciplinary artist and my studio practice focuses on identity, relationships and the Native American experience. I have been estranged from my tribe since my father (through whom i claim my tribal status) was imprisoned for murder. Without my dad I find myself constructing who my dad was and what my culture is. I am interested in the concept that all of my artwork is authentically Indian merely because I am a documented American Indian enrolled in a tribe.

Through this residency I would like to make a collection of beaded “paintings” and mixed media paintings. I am concerned about the relationship of painting and multimedia in my practice. Through this project I would create a bridge and better understand how they relate to each other.

The beaded paintings would be made from pre-drawn patterns that are then woven on a beading loom with glass beads. I would create paintings combining beads, glue, buckskin and acrylic paints. With these paintings I will play with the illusion of depth and texture, and actual depth and texture. The imagery in these paintings will reference personal photographs of my father and my estranged family.”

 

Noelle has initiated an Indiegogo campaign in order to raise funds for residency fees, travel and supplies.

Backers will receive the following incentives:

$25 – Sometimes I am Sad Coloring Book Coloring book includes 8 pages on various thoughts of suicide.

$100 – Watercolor and Ink Drawing   (This is an example, All drawings will be unique) Approximate size will be 14″x11 on various types of paper. Paintings will be slightly abstracted figures and studies of dogs.

$ 1000 – Customized Moccasins   (This is an example image. All moccasins will be unique) Moccasins styles can be Reebok, Converse or traditional moccasin. Moccasins will consist of buck skin, rabbit fur and beads. In addition to providing address, you will need to provide style preferences and shoe size.

 

One of multiple unique paintings make with watercolor and ink.

Men’s size 11 mocassins in Reebok style

8 page coloring book about my thoughts on suicide

 

Contribute now: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/2014-acre-artist-residency/x/7634014

A Sneak Peek of Upcoming “Faded Anchor” comic

I conrtributed the art for this comic. The amazing story is by Mike Ogilvie. It’s a total of six pages. I tried to throw a few art historical references in there. It will be printed in the upcoming CHUM, which is a collection of fishing and water based comics.

Complete! Kids Activity Sheets for the Neon Museum

Interactive educational aid for children visiting the Neon Museum

Interactive educational aid for the Neon Museum

They are finally done! The Neon Museum of Las Vegas commissioned me to create some activity sheets to help engage children during tours of the museum. They were way to fun to make. They are designed to be printed on letter size paper. Hopefully there will be some coloring books to make for the museum in the future!

Blast From the Not So Distant Past

It has been a few months since Lust in the Dust was released. The book was a collection of comics about prosititution in Nevada and boasted some very skilled artists. Recently Robert Crumb offered some brief but to the point criticisms of Lust in the Dust in a handwritten letter to Lust producer Mike Ogilvie. Check out the handwritten letter below. I highlighted the section that discusses my work- I know I am totally bragging, but hey, it’s Crumb!

(Click on the page to get a better view)

 

 

 

 

Living Instruments Workshop

Presented by the Beethoven Festival: LOVE 2013

Run by multi-faceted artist and educator, Noelle Garcia, this all ages workshop encourages students to consider the “life” of the unusable instrument and understand that it doesn’t have to go to waste. Students will create a mixed media sculpture combining painting and decorating recycled instruments. Every instrument is different, where it was manufactured, who played it, how it was treated and finally how and when it became unusable. One might say that an instrument has “lived.”

Sign up for one of your two chances to make your own unique sculpture. Supplies will be provided at no charge but feel free to contribute your own broken instrument parts.

Sunday, September 8th, 4:00pm – 6:00pm

Sunday, September 15th, 12:00pm – 2:00pm

Merit School of Music

38 Peoria Street, Chicago, IL 60607

This workshop is free and open to the public, but space is limited. Save your spot here now!

For more information email: education@internationalbeethovenproject.com or garcia.noelle@gmail.com

Here are some pics of some of the supplies we have scrounged up for you!

The Lonesome Crowded Midwest

I am officially back in the Midwest. The boys and I are settling into a cozy place in Evanston- a suburb outside of Chicago. We have already hit up the MCA, the Zoo and Ikea. Now for a visit to the Art Institute and a well deserved First Friday. I am excited about all of the opportunities avaliable to artists in Chicagoland but also a little nervous that it must mean there will be more competition. I have been fortunate in my search for arts jobs thanks to my sister Sarah. The hardest lesson learned growing into a  mid-career art practice is that so much of your success relies on who you know. And thank heavens my sister knows some people.

Anyhow I am happy to announce I am in charge of social media for the Southport Arts School and I expect to teach some private art lessons. I will also be teaching a children’s art workshop at the Beethoven Festival in which we build sculptures from discarded instruments and parts.

Now to get my studio/ dinning room in order.

I leave you with some images of instrument remnants Sarah and I have collected.