Artypants Update….

Helloooooooooooo bunnies!!

Just a few little artsy announcements to fill your Saturday afternoon (which I hope isn’t as unseasonably hot for you as it is for me… because it’s like hell took over outside here in too-sunny Huntington Beach- and it’s GROSS!!).

TONIGHT!!!….  in beautiful Asbury Park, NJ (I love this town) at the AMAZING Parlor Gallery (I love this gallery even more) I am in a wonderful group show called “We Find Our Way”.  Artists in this show include Michael Mapes, Paul Romano, Scotty Albrecht, Jody Travis Thompson, Bryn Perrott, Brandon McLean, Ray Sell, Andy Pawlan, Kevin Hebb, myself, and Dennis Lee Mitchell.  It opens tonight, and if you’re in the area you should go.  For reals, yo.

“We Find Our Way” Group show at the Parlor Gallery in Asbury Park, NJ

The next show coming up is local for me (which I hardly ever do local shows, so I don’t have to travel for this… YAY!!!!).  I am participating again in the wonderful “Monstoberfest” group show at the fantastic Rothick Art Haus gallery in Anaheim, CA.  The opening is October 13th, and it is always a blast!

Aside from works for upcoming shows, I’ve decided to start a couple huge paintings (which I always regret doing because they take so damn long to finish and cost a fortune to ship- but I apparently am in an abusive love affair with stress, so I will continue to keep doing this to myself), and have been doing silly drawings.  To put giggles into your day, here is some of my new silliness:

I did a bunch of these… they’re my “Hare Studies”… get it? “Hare” studies?! Well… it made me laugh. 🙂

I’ve been posting a bunch of my “works in progress” on instagram.  So if you want to find me and be a friend with me on there, my username is kristenferrell.  I also post way too many photos of my dog, my cats, and all the ridiculous plants I grow in my backyard.  That is all I have to say for today.  Until we meet again, my darlings, I will leave you with some glorious photoshop magic performed by my dear and wonderful Stevil Kinevil on a photo of me and Brad …. enjoy.

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HORRAY for mediocrity!!!

Brad left for tour a week ago, kicking and screaming (and I mean that almost literally).  He’s recently developed a severe phobia of flying- and add to that the fact that it’s been ages since he’s been on tour, so he’s grown a little too comfortable being at home and didn’t want to go “back to work”.  I lovingly shoved him out of the car at the airport, told him to go earn a goddamn paycheck- and it’s been me and Sully flying solo.  I’ve got no problems doing the single-mom-thing while Brad is away (I did it before Brad was in the picture, so I slip back into that role with ease).  And there are perks- like less Man-mess infiltrating my clean home.  But this month was a pretty shitty month for Brad to go earn his paycheck.

He had to leave a few days before Sully’s birthday- which Brad was BUMMED about.  And in 2 days, Sully’s school year ends and then it’s a couple weeks of “what the fuck am I going to do with this kid while I’m at work!!” stress.  But my parents (being the AMAZING people that they are) are coming out for a week to hang with the little fella while I work- so that lightens my load considerably.  And the folks are coming into town just in time for Sully’s “Graduation”.

Here’s where the title of this little posting comes into play.  Sully is moving from the 5th grade into the 6th grade.  As proud of him as I am that he survived another year of existing in the academic world- does this really warrant a “graduation”???

This is one of the MANY examples of why the youth of our country are growing up to be spoiled lazy brats- and things like this drive me fucking batty.  Going from the 5th to the 6th grade is not a ceremonious accomplishment… it is a social expectation.  Ceremonies are supposed to be special things, marking a major life accomplishment, or a rite of passage.  Graduating from high school is the embarking of adulthood.  Graduating from college is the beginning of new major life paths and the celebration of a difficult accomplishment.  Weddings, funerals, birthdays, baby showers, etc… these are all ritualistic ceremonies that celebrate the beginning or finalizing of different important stages in life.

The problem is when we start having ceremonies for simple and expected behavior, then nothing is sacred anymore.  When children are praised, rewarded, and put on a pedestal for doing things that are simply expected of them- then why work harder for that higher goal?  Kids are SUPPOSED to move from the 5th to the 6th grade.  This isn’t something that deserves a fucking ceremony- it’s something that a kid should just DO.  We’re not supposed to shit our pants, either… so should I get a round of applause every time I don’t shit my pants?  No… because I’m EXPECTED to not shit my pants.  But it’s cute to dress our kids up in little hats and robes, and it’s precious to parade them across a stage and give them little computer-print-out diplomas and make a little event out of it.  But in reality, it’s celebrating the mundane- and tainting the specialness of REAL accomplishments that are deserving of a ceremony.  And what it teaches our kids is that all they have to do is the bare minimum- and they’ll get a fucking party. Total bullshit.

But yes… I’m attending Sully’s little “graduation” because it would be ultra shitty of me to be the only parent not there because I see the ridiculousness of it all.  But no, we’re no making a big thing of it, or inviting all the family, or having a party afterwards.  When he graduates from high school and college- both of those will be deserving of festivities.  But moving on to the 6th grade?  Gimme a break.  This is deserving of a special “end of the school year” trip to the ice cream parlor…. NOT a god damn ceremony.

On a lighter note… there are 2 gallery shows that I’m currently in that if you’re in the neighborhood you should go and check out.  First is the current exhibit at the Strychnin Gallery in Berlin, Germany titled “Midsummer’s Night Madness”.  It opened a couple days ago, and there are TONS of artists that participated.  You can check out pics of the opening night on their official blog HERE.

The second show I’m in is in Brooklyn at the Eastern District.  The show is titled “Plenty of Room on the Couch”, and again there are TONS of artists in this show.  AND all the pieces in the show are under $300!!!  I’m super giggly about this show because my pieces are in another show with the diabolical Steve Smith– a glorious fella and amazingly talented artist that I’ve had a show with before (and we’ve been aching to show together again).  Click on his highlighted name above and check out the wonderful things he does.

Finally… I’m doing oodles of “Tinys” drawings again.  If you’re unfamaliar with these little guys, they are drawings no bigger than 3 inches by 3 inches.  They come framed in tiny ornate frames- and they make me giggle.  I’ve got a few on the webstore– and there are more to come.  Here’s a couple of these little guys…..

Tiny Oops! There goes my hand!

Tiny Hauntings

That’s all the love I’ve got to give for tonight.  Off to vaccume the house, and make some cookies for my folks arrival tomorrow afternoon, then more drawing drawing drawing.

Go-Go-Gadget hugs to you all!

Before I go…..

Today I’m off to fetch my son from Kansas.  This little journey back to the wheat fields is filling me with anxiety because it’s taking time away from massive amounts of work I have to get done here at home.  I wish there was some “Child Delivery System” that exists so that Sully can be safely transported back home to me.  Unfortunately, there is none.  So back to Kansas I go.  He’s been visiting his dad for the summer, and it’s the longest we’ve been apart.  Brad says it’s good for us, because both of us desperately cling to the umbilical cord like it’s our lifeline.  Sully has no desire to even put one toe into adolescent independence, and I am so very very ok with that.  Brad says we’re creepy.  I say “Fuck you, Brad”.  Sully’s 10 and still wants to always hold my hand, and give me hugs and kisses on the cheek, and is openly affectionate in front of classmates and in public.  I like this.  I prefer this to those kids who are all “too cool for their parents”.  And before I know it, he will be too embarrassed to be seen with me….  so I’m taking advantage of my cuddly little boy while he still is a cuddly little boy.  And as stressed as I am about having to go to Kansas to fetch him… I am delighted that he will be home with me.

But before I leave, I’m posting everywhere that I have new stuff available on my webstore, AND I put a ton of the older stuff on super-sale.  Almost the entire line is now available, and the more stuff that sells, the more stuff I can make.  So YAY for new stuff, right?  Here’s a few of the new items….

With all the clothing-related insanity going on, I’m trying to get ready for my upcoming solo show in Berlin at the Strychnin Gallery.  100 new pieces.  I’m kindof losing my shit.  But I’m trying my hand at teeny-tiny drawings, and I’ve fallen in love with them because they’re so tiny it makes me laugh and laugh.  I found these insanely decorative antique looking frames for them, so they look ultra fancy all framed and everything… here’s a few of them (and these pics are still larger than they actually are… they’re all only about 2 inches by 3 inches):

If you want to see all the pieces I’ve posted on line for the show, they’re on my flickr page. I still have to post a bunch more… but you’ll get the idea.

Off to gather my things and battle the crowds at the LA airport.  God…. I really HATE the LA airport.  Can someone PLEASE invent “The Jetsons” form of transportation where you just step into a tube and are at your desired destination in a matter of minutes?  PLEASE???!!!!  ugh.