Monday, March 14, 2011

This weekend at Fancy Pony Land


Very eagerly anticipating the flag-raising.  Today we start scheming on the flag hanging arrangement and methods.  Flag-makers and good friends Seth Damm and Nick Terry have generously agreed to help me with the hanging, for which I am most grateful.  Will it be diagonal runs or rows of garlands?  Staggered height?  Flags have been arriving every day and they are pretty amazing.  There are flags from my dad, aunts, uncles and cousins, my kindergarten teacher, someone I made a wedding dress for, and some people I've never met who, no doubt, will soon become friends.  


Also this weekend I am happy to welcome my favorite New Orleans designer and good friend, Andrea Loest, for a trunk show at Fancy Pony Land. Andrea will be presenting a sample sale of one of a kind garments based on material explorations and new garments based on reinterpretations of existing garments.  She will arrive Friday afternoon and set up, so if you want to get an early peek, come by late afternoon on Friday.  The trunk show runs Saturday the 29th & Sunday the 20th 12-6pm at Fancy Pony Land.  Some of her work will remain at the store after the show.  I can't WAIT to see what new stuff she's been up to!


Andrea and I met in New Orleans in 2005.  We immediately hit it off and started doing trades.  She made me an amazing one of a kind "Fiancee" dress which I wore to my engagement celebration dinner at Jacques-Imo's in New Orleans (she got this flying penises bandage dress with rhinestones).  We collaborated on a line of tops years ago--my tops with her silkscreens and my appliques.  Highly collectible no doubt.  We also did the Austin City LImits Festival together and shared a booth.  She approaches design in a very conceptual and narrative manner and is always working on big questions and big projects.  She's also a total independent and the rare combination of artist and business woman.  

her bio:


Andrea Loest is an artist and fashion designer who currently lives and works in New Orleans, Louisiana.  She recently received her MFA in Fiber and Material Studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has a BFA in Painting and Drawing from the University of Iowa. Her interdisciplinary art practice explores the intersections of art, retail, and garment, while her ready to wear collection and stage performances have been exhibited in New York, Amsterdam, and London.  More information on the artist is available at
www.andrealoest.com


Monday, March 7, 2011

My Personal Flag

I'm working on a new show called My Personal Flag.  I am very very excited about this project.
So far more than 50 people are making their own personal flags.
The show will open at Fancy Pony Land on March 18th and be up until we leave in May.  
We'll have an opening reception the evening of March 19th.


It's been really interesting talking with the different artists involved about their takes on flags.  Flags as political tools, emblems of nationalism, symbols of identity much like tattoos, communication devices like ship signal flags, advertising.  Others have talked about the technical issues of visibility and boldness.
I have been thinking about flag-waving in terms of enthusiasm.  I see flags as a big "hello!" or "I'm here!".  I'm thinking about planting flags on the tops of mountains, newly explored territories, the moon.  You can look at it as imperialistic or as a big old shout to the universe.  Sort of a shout against death, of course.  
I see flags as an essentially positive and life-affirming symbol.  Also kind of sad and cute; what a tiny thing to wave in the face of nothingness.
The flags I am making are cheerful and a little silly.  I am making two Fancy Pony Land flags that will become signs for my store and a series of word flags.  I can't WAIT to see what everybody else makes.

Here are the people who have pledged flags:

AdrinAdrina
Alexandra Annello
Alyce Santoro
Amanda Barr
Andrea Loest
Anne Senstad
Ann Marie Nafzinger
Anthony DeSimone
Beth Murray
Buck Johnston
Camella Clements 
Camp Bosworth
Caroline Rankin
Cat Downs
Dave Leedy
Elizabeth Fisher
Elizabeth Worcester
Elliot Coon
Faith Gay
Gina Coffman
Hilary Dupont
JD DiFabbio
Jonathan Mergele
Karen Longshore
Kathy Schott
Kevin Taylor
Leslie Wilkes
Louise Riley
Maryam Amiryani
Matt Vis
Megan Whitmarsh
Meghan Gerety
Michael Bianco
Molly Maguire
Nancy Downs
Nate Manny
Natalie Nicholls
Nick Mamood
Nick Terry
Nicki Ittner
Ricki Hill
Sarah Fontaine
Seth Damm
Shawn Hall
Siobhan Feehan
Susannah Lipsey
Tom Brierly
Tom Leedy
Tony Campbell
Valerie Arber
Will Hemmings