Tonight is the opening reception for Barbie as art at Ann Street Gallery in NYC; “The Ann Street Gallery is delighted to present its newest exhibition Gendered Object: Barbie as Art, with an Artist Reception on Saturday, May 19 from 6 – 9 pm. This event is free and the public is cordially invited to attend.

It seems the entire world knows who Barbie is, and in Gendered Object: Barbie as Art, a group of contemporary artists embrace this plastic beauty, whose iconic pop culture image exerts a powerful influence on artistic and visual culture alike. Mass-produced objects like dolls can tell us much about the creation and significance of self-image in the context of group identities. Since the 1960′s and the advent of the “consumer society” playing with gender identity through styling and fashion has moved from the margins to occupy a more mainstream position. This has since been expressed in popular culture through an interest in androgyny, breaking conventional gender dress codes, gender bending and body reconstruction. Read more here

I have contributed about eight dolls, this is one of them in the exhibit:

Ann Street Gallery

Ann Street Gallery, 104 Ann Street, Newburgh, NY 12550

While my time is for the most part currently usurped by our transition from one home to another, I have been able to do a drawing or sketch here and there.

This is a study for a painting, titled “Listening Fence”, the idea came from a dream I had, although in the dream, the figures were more angst and the heads were ended before the eyes start. that still could happen I am undecided until I start the painting.
I may change the composition a bit, depends on my intuition when I begin the painting.

This is also a sketch/study, the idea of being rooted. I may take that further…

I drew it on a piece of card board, that is all that was around at the time.

May 19th, the “Barbie as Gendered Object” exhibit will open at the Ann Street Gallery. If you live in NYC have a look, there you will see “Pucker” among other altered Barbie beauties.

I have been forcing myself to not spend too much time in the yard. In Calabasas the roses are in full, glorious bloom and are so lovely and fragrant. I do adore a cut flower and will be planting roses in Ojai for certain. If you are new to this blog, I am moving from Calabasas, Ca to Ojai, Ca. Both locations have their merits.

On the kitchen table, yellow beauties:
and on the living room coffee table, pretty in pink:

I tried to feed the birds by making these orange cups from a recipe I saw on pinterest.

I do believe that they ate the whole thing including the string inside, peanut butter, oatmeal, sun flower seeds and bird seed.

Thought I had a very sick pug on my hands, turns out he is just an old man :b

This is a pic of our house going up for rent May 15th, looking for good tenants~~

In the back, a bit of an oasis:

A lovely covered patio area with grill.

Its a little cluttered with my many plants which I will be removing soon. The house is in a safe and quiet neighborhood. We love a Mediterranean style house and have eleven contented years, but times and needs change
That is bout it for an update, I hope to be creating a lot more soon.

I am an artist and an intuitive person with the ability to not only see but empathize and recognize the beauty in chaos, the beauty in a single rock and the beauty of the hearts eye. I have a friend who has inspired me by his ability to see beauty in “monsters” and outcasts which always has me trying to see through different eyes and recognize that there are many things and people who at first glance appear to be beautiful but are deadly or evil or ugly in reality. There are people like Ted Bundy who are attractive but a lie and Gacy who pretends to be funny and a friend to children, pure evil. People turned their heads aghast at the elephant man who’s deformity was mistaken for an ugly heart when it was those who tortured and exploited him who were much more ugly. Why we mistake external beauty for goodness is kinda crazy. Crinkles has a twinkle in her eye and offers up a flower and if you look at her expression closely you will see there is nothing menacing in between the lines. XO

Those who come here to see the dolls will remember Barbie Redux from last year and the about fifty Barbies I altered. Some of the Barbies are featured in the Spring Issue of ADQ.

These photos aren’t so great as I can’t take them outside to photograph because of rain rain rain.

If you are wanting to alter a Barbie and have any questions that I might be able to answer please don’t hesitate to ask. I am happy to help.

Tip: You can find Barbies for cheap on ebay.

Camille Rose Garcia has a great show coming up at the Merry Karnowsky Gallery. Her work is rather spectacular in person, where you can actually see all the mica and glitter. I’m a big fan.

Merry Karnowsky

Have a great weekend peeps, hubby is on his way home, his commute is an hour no less so he will be home by four, love when my hub comes home early he has been getting home round 8:30 all week

I don’t know recall why or how the idea of a braid from the chin occurred to me, but I like it. She is a bit monsterish. Monsters are real. Some are very pretty. Some are hideous. I see her as sublime.

Prints available in my etsy shop

At Ten Women Gallery, a Barbi Q truck is on its way to park in front of the gallery to sell BarBQs at the Barbie gallery! Gallery members can get free barbie Q if they come by today.

Kathy’s niece was one of the girls dressed up like Barbie and she is well endowed.

from Kathy:

“i have a funny story about fri with my niece

she had to back up for people to pass thru and a very old gentleman passed right up in front of her w breasts at eye level. he moaned “mmmm barbie”! My sis and niece just started laughing so hard.”

So Kathy is now calling her girls “Barbies”

FUNNY!!

So adorable!! Sasha to the left and Tiffany to the right and to the right right Jillian .

living Dolls!

People wanted these cupcakes just for the rings!! blingy bling!

Besides being a Barbie girl, Jill made a couple of really cool Barbies