Old Town Country Fair

I am happy to announce I will be participating in the Willimantic Food Co-op's Old town Country Fair for the second year in a row! Last year's show marked the very beginning for me in terms of my craft show endeavors, and I think I've come quite a ways since 2011. I am very excited for all of the new items I will have on display and to show off all of my newly learned tricks and display tactics. I am offering a 20% discount to everyone who mentions this blog post :) Have a great rest of your week, and hope to see you on Sunday, rain or shine!

Old Town Country Fair
Willimantic Food Co-op
91 Valley Street
Willimantic, CT
This Sunday, October 7th
11am-5pm Rain or Shine!!!

Free Jewelry Making Tutorial: Jeweler's Saw Blade ...

I wanted to re-post this for everyone because easy access to artsy knowledge is a good thing!  Also, I am taking an e-course with Beth Hemmila which starts up at the beginning of October. I took the first course (there are a total of six) back in May and it was very enlightening. I encourage you to check out her website at hintjewelry.blogspot to see what she's all about!

Beth Hemmila of Hint Jewelry: Free Jewelry Making Tutorial: Jeweler's Saw Blade ...: I don't use a jeweler's saw very often, but every time I do I always have to refer back to my notes I made during a metalsmithing class...

February Gallery Show at Pigeon Hole

I am delighted to announce that I have booked a [solo] show at Pigeon Hole Gallery in New London for the month of February! For those of you who are unfamiliar (I too am new to this funky space), Pigeon Hole is a grassroots gallery space operated by a small artist collective. More details are soon to come, but for now, flag your calendar with lots of red hearts and arrows. Expect frosty, smooch-worthy art, sure to heat up your Valentine's Day.


Visit their facebook page here: Pigeon Hole Gallery

Mind Pops

On my latest trek to the library, I relished in my amazement and capability to be very easily distracted. I decided to browse the magazine section and picked up the latest issue of Scientific American. A very interesting article in the psychology section prompted me to think about the momentum of creativity. Ferris Jabr writes about a recently identified phenomenon coined as a "mind pop". He compares it to the signature moment in Marcel Proust novel In Search of Lost Time (Remembrance of Things Past), when the protagonist takes a bite of a madeleine and is sucked into an involuntary reverie of memory. This theme of involuntary memory prevails throughout the eternally lengthy text, and is the precise subject of current scientific research taking place. Psychologist Lia Kvavilashvili explains that mind pops are the product of long term priming as a process of memory. For example (this is my own), if you go to an art exhibit that featured abstract photographs of New York City, it might remind you of a melange of things, where you used to go to college, your own exhibit that you recently had, etc. Later on, other things might trigger these "active" concepts, but might seem to come out of nowhere. She goes on to say how this phenomenon can proliferate creativity because "if many different concepts remain activated in your mind, you can make connections more efficiently than if activation disappears right away." My conclusion is that for the sake of one's creativity, it's best to keep your mind engaged as much as possible to keep the juices flowing. Jabr, Ferris. "Mind Pops." Scientific American Aug. 2012: 28. Print.

Summer Festival

Noank Foundry Artist Studio presents "Summer Festival" which will feature a variety of artists and artisans, from stained glass to stone carving, photography and jewelry. Saturday, August 4th, 12-7pm. Noank Foundry Artist Studios 70 Marsh Rd, Groton, Connecticut 06340-5647

The studios are awesome, I hope you can join us Aug. 4th to check them out! The fair will be outside, and there are great views of the water. Its right across from the Seahorse Restaurant--I'm attaching a link for you :) The Seahorse Restaurant

ArtisticEndeavors101 Highlights Spiders Secrets

Spiders Secrets is currently featured in a Treasury List created by Artistic Endeavors102 and can be viewed here: Nothing Beats a Day Junking with Friends.

Accent Yourself Handcrafted Jewelry: How to Make Your Own Earring Cards

Accent Yourself Handcrafted Jewelry: How to Make Your Own Earring Cards

Noank Foundry Artists "Summer Festival"

The Noank Foundry Artists are collaborating, and will be hosting their "Summer Festival" Saturday Aug. 4th from 12-7pm. This outdoor festival will include lampwork glass, stained glass, silversmithing, stone sculpture, photography, jewelry and more! I will be setting up a space which will include my photography, printmaking and treasure boxes I have created, along photo based jewelry for your wearing pleasure! The area is absolutely beautiful, so save the date for a nice day in the sun, right near the water. Event will take place at 70 Marsh Rd in Noank, CT, across form the Seahorse restaurant.

"American Made" Craft Show

Well, after twelve straight hours of work in my studio, I finally have my eggplant (car) all packed up and ready to motor to Chester for the "American Made" craft show today! Its crazy, but I still feel I do not have enough merch, signage or price tags, yet I am infinitely more accomplished than I was for the East Coast Craft Fair two months ago. After those not surprisingly quick hours (time flies by when you're running out of it), I have made a resolution from this: I need to sell about 75% of my artwork, or buy a bigger vehicle. Or, I could do both! That would be the ideal scenario. Iv'e known this for a long time coming, but last night it rang clear for me: out with the old and in with the new. My goal for the next show is to mat/frame all of my old pieces and find them new homes. Way to much clutter of things that should have been sold years ago. Know that I would love to keep everything, but lets face it-I need a mansion for walls of that caliber! Have a fabulous day :)

"Protect the Neck"-Shrink Wrapping Your Art

I came across this useful handbook whilst on my own mission to find the best way to prepare and preserve my artwork for craft shows, shipping and storage. It is a bit lengthy, but very informational. Happy shrinking!
Packing and Shipping Art, PDF.

Another perspective on body modification

Wow, I came across an interesting link to a blog and had to re-post it!  I am writing my thesis on Orlan, who is a provocative performance artist that has undergone several aesthetic surgeries to modify her body in the name of art.  Although the motivation behind the "Vampire Woman" seems quite different, there is an obvious correlation.  The video in the link is in Spanish, I will be searching for an English translation in the meantime.  Enjoy, and I would love anyone's feedback on this post!

Photos From "Tie One On" at Artsake Gallery

Although I was unable to make it to Artsake Gallery for the one night event, I did commission my cohort, Jaci Sinkewicz, to take some photos.  The premise of the show was to make art out of ties, drink and be merry.  Everyone started with the same wooden cookie cutter tie, but we each ended up creating something totally unique!  I am pleased to say, that although my tie did not sell during the reception/auction, it was purchased the next day by an amorous buyer.  Proceeds from the event were collected as a fundraiser for artists.  Jaci's tie is the colorful swirly tie (blue, green, orange, red) second from the left, made out of melted crayon wax!  Mine is the sexual pulsing red phallus on the right which is aptly made out of collaged photos of my lips.  Strange but true....

       

"Tie One On" Artsake Gallery, April 27, 2012

Sold!  Auctioned off for charity.

Log onto www.kelilemoi.com to keep up to date with current events.  Thank you for joining me!

Giving Yourself Credit

I am posting a link to the Etsy blog, which talks about pricing vintage items for resale.   For you see, my newer, bigger, studio is getting quite crowded with all the lovely items I've been collecting lately.  I will be getting ready to expand my business Spiders Secrets to include these vintage treasures, because its not fair for only me to enjoy them!  For any vintage DYI'ers out there, this article should be helpful to you in your monetary pursuits.

"A Simple Formula to Pricing Your Work"

Spiders Secrets has joined the family!

Hello everyone!  I'm pleased to announce Spiders Secrets debut on the web and out in the field!  This weekend at the East Coast Craft Fair in New Haven, I had a booth display of my photography and new work, including eclectic treasures and gemstone jewelry.  Spiders Secrets will be featured one last day at the Trolley Square Mall as part of the East Coast Craft Fair this Saturday, May 12th, 10-4.  There is a huge Zumba event planned with an expected 500+ guests!  I am attaching a link to the Spiders Secrets blog, which will feature these new items as soon as I can get them digitized.

www.spiderssecrets.blogspot.com

Also, visit me on my website to stay tuned to current events!  Thank you :)

www.kelilemoi.com

Regional Art Reception in Westerly

Last night's opening reception at the Artist Cooperative Gallery of Westerly was a great success!  It is their 19th Annual Regional Art Exhibit, and it will be installed in the gallery until June 2nd.  There was a variety of artists who participated, including mediums in pottery, jewelry, textiles, photography, sculpture, drawing and painting.  I was very honored to have two pieces in the exhibit, and to have been re-introduced to the gallery world through this juried show.   I learned that the first Wednesday of every month is the Westerly Art Walk, and that many galleries are open late with artist receptions, gregariously providing snacks, soda and wine!  I had the opportunity to check out some of these spots after the ACGOW reception, and even purchased a beautiful eggplant combo bracelet from one of the artisans.  After the Art Walk, Peter, Jay and I headed over to the Bridge, which if you don't know hosts what we call "Wino Wednesday" which may or may not be the official name for it.  All house wines are 1/2 off, hence $3.  Not bad if you want to plan a cheap, yet cultured night on the town!  Especially make a point of heading into the Artist Cooperative Gallery of Westerly for a pre-drinking, art-viewing snack fest, because they go all out with pizza, shrimp, cheese, fruit and desserts.  You can expect pictures in my next blog!

Amazing new things are happening!

Iv'e registered my business name, obtained a sales and tax license, published my website, and am participating in three shows this month!  Its crazy where a little bit of momentum can take you!  With everything going on, its hard to keep up, but at the same time I am getting more done now that I had been in years.  Its quite refreshing to be strung out and overwork, strangely enough!  I will do my best to keep all of my social media sites updated, soon I might need to hire someone for this task!  My most current site will be my webpage, which will be constantly changing and evolving as I acquire new html knowledge, also with the additions of digital pics, if i ever do download them from my camera.  Have been searching for the usb cable for a few days now....

Stay tuned!

www.kelilemoi.com

Printer Follies Have Been Overcome!

After many pitfalls and obstacles, I finally have a functioning printer in my studio.  I was about to throw my Dell V715w out the second story window, when I decided to press as many buttons as I could at the same time (a very high tech strategy reserved ONLY for the extremely inexperienced).  The goal was to switch the totally annoying all-in-one device off the "print mode" where I could not do anything because of a "problem with the print head.  Consult the user's guide" prompt.  Mind you, the user guide was of no help.  Well, this seemingly futile attempt worked, and I got the device to switch to "scan mode", where it shall be infinitely more helpful than before!  All of this was so frustrating because the warranty had just expired, and the printer was practically brand new.  I felt depressed that my father had spent a fair amount of money on what he thought was a top of the line device (the reviews were excellent when the Dell V715w came out), and yet I couldn't get the thing to do anything except click and beep and sound like a broken closed captions record:

"Problem with the printhead.  Consult User's Guide."  "Problem with the printhead.  Consult User's Guide."

I would have much rather consulted the User's Garbage, which was in fact out the window, on Main Street, Willimantic.  Alas, it is always worth "one more try," you never know what might happen.  In my case I got the Dell to switch to scan, and bought an entirely new Epson 1400 for my printing needs and desires.  Funny thing with that, when I got it back to my studio it didn't print the black ink!  Fortunately, Epson being the reputable company that it is, replaced my printer totally free of charge and it arrived after only two days.  Magnificent!

Keli LeMoi: Abstract Bio

Keli Lemoi has been working with photography and art for over 18 years. In 1999 Keli completed her undergraduate degree at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and continued on to Columbia College Chicago to earn a Master of Fine Arts in Photography. Keli was also a member and representative of ARC Gallery & Educational Foundation where she chaired the Invitationals Committee for over four years. She has curated two exhibitions and participated in numerous others in Chicago, New York and Germany. In 2008, Keli returned to the East Coast, and is currently working out of her studio in Willimantic, reviving creativity after a three year hiatus. Her work has primarily dealt with an acute interest in sexuality and the objectivity of the feminine. More recent works explored the duality of beauty and imperfection and are an homage the intriguing nature of portraiture.  Currently she is writing her master's thesis and reestablishing art connections on the east coast.

Expanded My Internet Portfolio

Well the branches have started sprawling further as I infiltrate the fickle internet with my photos!  Ive posted some gems on Pinterest (which I believe you must sign up for before you can access images) and updated my account on LinkedIn.  Visitors welcome!  You can also tweet me, oh yes, TWEEEEEEEEET me on twitter. 


LinkedIn:  http://www.linkedin.com/in/kelilemoi
twitter:  @kelilemoi

Edging Further

Yesterday I made much progress in the studes (studio); installed the pegboard, orange and blue milk crate shelves and hung six pieces of artwork!  Getting things up off the floor is monumentally helpful in seeing what I have to work with.  Now, the organization can begin-years of finished work, scrap trial pints and reminants that I can never bring myself to discard.  Not to mention negatives and slides and more slides!  I'll save this task for next week, although the most urgent order of business is getting my sample work in digital format (that is if I cannot unearth previously burned images), along with finding and revising my artist statement and bio.  Here is a start: image shown is from my thesis work at Columbia College Chicago.  All pieces from this series are 20"x24" Duratrans lightboxes which display crispness in every detail.  Along with the scrutiny of examination, these images also explore the subtlety of beauty in the wake of imperfection.