Posted by libby on April 30th, 2008 in Events and In The Press ·
–or– Good Lord, My Life Is Crazy
This week has quite possibly been the wildest one I’ve had in a while. A few days ago, I was asked to participate in The Heather Gold Show live from the Maker Faire. It will be streamed live from the main stage on this Saturday, May 3 at 4:00pm PDT (watch online at heathergold.com).
The issue we’ll be addressing (for which I’m vaguely responsible) is:
How can you be authentic to yourself and part of a (sub)culture?
Through the lens of Steampunk, a meta-subculture that is currently at its tipping point of growth, we explore the inevitable question a subculture faces as it grows from disparate DIY roots. Who and what belongs? Can it transform permaculture?
Conversating with Heather will be computer and car modifier Jake von Slatt, Abney Park singer Captain Robert, yours truly (on behalf of Steampunk Magazine), and the live/web audience. Expect hijinks.
Item Number Two of OMG Insanity is that I learned yesterday that my photography of Seattle artist Molly Porkshanks Friedrich will be featured in the New York Times in a week or so as part of her interview. I’m not yet certain which image will be featured but it will be one from this set, which we shot last fall. I will post more details when the article is published.
Call this my 4.23 seconds of fame. Um, squee.
Posted by libby on April 28th, 2008 in Events ·
I am incredibly honored to announce:
MOLLY MITCHELL - INTERLACED
Molly says:
“…To think beyond the formal overlap between the disciplines to how they impact the body, a dress and a building are both constructed to facilitate certain forms of movement while restricting others – they shape how we think and move. Our sense of ourselves as bodies in space is mediated by fashion and architecture throughout the course of our lives – and the way we interface with the world and with each other directly reflects the advances in both disciplines.
The invisible, felt relationships between bodies and the culturally constructed environment that sometimes restrains them, sometimes frees them and sometimes does both at once is my area of interest in this work. …Interlaced will involve two dancers who are linked to each other through the architecture of the Nave by white rubber strapping that runs through their costumes. The simultaneously stretchy and resistant nature of the rubber restricts certain avenues of movement while enabling others; the piece is about reciprocal movement, a striving to connect over distance and direct vs. indirect contact.”
I couldn’t have put it better myself. This is my best gal’s MFA show for California College of the Arts in San Francisco. I will be in attendance, and if you’re in the area, please come too. I’m very proud of her and all that she dreams up.
Posted by libby on April 24th, 2008 in Events ·
I just returned from the Left Coast, only to travel back again next week for the Bay Area Maker Faire!
For those of you who are out of the loop; “Maker Faire is a two-day, family-friendly event that celebrates the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mindset. It’s for creative, resourceful people of all ages and backgrounds who like to tinker and love to make things.” Make Magazine, the event’s sponsor, has allotted a number of my friends and I a Contraptors Lounge , a space where a variety of steampunk makers will congregate to share projects, spread the brass gospel, and encourage ideas amongst old pals and new friends alike. Along with our gang, there will be all manner of tinkerers, hackers, artisans, performers, creatives, and mad scientists demonstrating their projects. Projected number of attendees might top 50,000!
Appearing with me in the Lounge will be Datamancer, The Legion Fantastique, Magpie Ratt of Steampunk Magazine, Molly ‘Porkshanks’ Friedrich, Meredith Scheff, and my good buddy Jake von Slatt. Abney Park will be headlining the evening’s festivities, which will no doubt involve many shiny surprises.
Maker Faire will be in San Mateo, California, on the weekend of May 3rd and 4th. If you’re in the area, please stop by our booth to chat and get your photo taken!
Posted by libby on April 15th, 2008 in In The Press ·
Weird Tales #349 (March/April 2008), the magazine’s 85th (!) anniversary issue is now available.
I was asked last November by the inimitable Molly “Porkshanks” Friedrich to shoot the photos for Cherie Priest’s coverage of her steampunk artwork.
Little did I know at the time that Molly’s artwork is actually Molly herself. She’s a fully-automated diesel-powered crafting machine, spouting philosophies and plans, and is constantly decked out in lavish handmade garb and ray guns.
She was a pleasure to work with, and we did the photos for this article in Gasworks Park, Seattle. See some of them here on my Livejournal.
You can check out Molly’s artwork on her Deviant Art site, or in her Etsy store.
You can acquire a copy of this issue of Weird Tales here. I haven’t yet seen the article in question, but I’m very excited about the collaboration between Cherie, Molly, and yours truly.
Many thanks.
Posted by libby on April 12th, 2008 in Uncategorized ·
ExoCab is going to be a blog from this point forward! After several years of slacking regarding turning this place into a webstore, I’ve decided I’d rather use it to promote and archive various projects on which I’m working. It will be under construction for a few days, but expect many good things to come.
And a big thank you to my illustrious web mistress, Sara, whom I now owe a very large piece of cake and a special hat. <3