Installing a show

I spent this weekend installing a show at the Annex Gallery at HCC Southwest. I've been the gallery coordinator there for two years. Most of the shows are faculty or student shows, but everyone once in a while I get to organize my own show. Last summer, I curated a show called Substance with 5 photographers that turned out really well. Since Fotofest is happening this year, I asked if I could organize a photo show and I got the go ahead.

My friend, David, has been toying with the idea of a project called "How I Will Die" for a few years now. The idea would be to explore ways that he, specifically, could go. One day, I was complaining about having no ideas of things to shoot, he suggested I shoot how I would die because it would be different than his. From there, we decided to make a group show of it. Now, the show includes 10 artists of varying demographics.

So, I installed it this weekend and discovered why curators aren't suppose to include their own work in shows. Oh well, now I know for next time.

Here's a sneak peek of the space.

The show is officially open Feb 22-Apr 1. We are having an artists reception March 26 from 7-9pm. The Annex Gallery is at 13645 Murphy Rd, Stafford, TX.

Kids today...

Today was family day at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and the Houston Center for Photography had a booth there. Since I am now part of the education department there, I got to man the table along with Rachel and Charlotte. We brought several old camera for the kids to look at and some film and stainless steel reels. The weirdest part of the whole thing was that none of the kids even knew what film was. It was weird and I felt old and kinda sad.

2010 Texas Citrus Fiesta Parade

My friend, David, is in grad school at SAIC and his MFA project is going to be about his hometown of Mission, Tx. Mission is in the Rio Grande valley and produces a lot of citrus and every year they have a citrus fiesta parade. So, this weekend, Rachel, Jane and I drove down to help with David's parade float. His goal was a build an 8-foot tall accordion, a bandstand, a light-up dance floor and a planter with cactus in it. When we arrived late Thursday night, only the bellows of the accordion were on the float.

All day Saturday we worked on the float. 14 hours of manual labor is hard. The coolest thing I got to do was play with a blow torch to burn the spikes off of the cactus.

When we ran out of time, the accordion and bandstand were done. We also made an awesome conjunto sign and decorated the float itself. There were also awesome pinatas that looked like David and Jane.

Everyone that worked on the float signed the back.

The theme of the float was conjunto music which comes from the valley and David has been kind of obsessed with lately. David had arranged for a band of old men to play on the float. The morning of the parade though, we found out that one of them had been taken to the emergency room. So, he called the Conjunto hall of fame and got a 17 year old girl who is pretty well known in that scene. She came at the last minute with her bajo sexto player. Gloria Jean and Raymond were awesome!

LOTS of people came out to the parade. Here are some of them.

There were suppose to be dancers on the float, but they also bailed. David, Jane, Rachel and I wound up on the float during the parade. It was really fun. :)

Top Photographers #1

And my #1 photographer is.... the collaboration of Walter Martin and Paloma Munoz. I first discovered their work while I was researching for my thesis show. They have a series called Travelers that is all about being away from home, which is what my work was about. I actually sent an email to them asking more about their work. Paloma wrote back and gave me some more background on her work and encouraged me on mine. I love that there is a big sculptural component to their work because I've always thought if I weren't a photographer, I would be a sculptor. Plus they are kinda quirky...

Top Photographers #2

My second favorite photographer was actually my first favorite photographer ever. It was the first work that I saw and was instantly in love with. I first saw his work at Photographs Do Not Bend gallery in Dallas, which holds a special place in my heart because we used to go on field trips there when I went to Austin College. The photographer is Chema Madoz. The first series I did in grad school was heavily influenced by his work. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I suppose. The little images on the web do not do justice to his work. Not only are the images interesting and thought provoking, but the prints themselves are gorgeous, some of the most beautiful black and white prints I have ever seen.

Top Photographers #3

My #3 choice is Michael Kenna. I'm generally not a fan of landscape photography, but I think his are just gorgeous.

Top Photographers #4

My number 4 photographer is Gregory Crewdson. He sets up these very elaborate scenes in which he controls everything. The thing that I like about his work is that it is so narrative. I love looking at the images and making up a story to go with them. They are very thought provoking for me.