The Armory Show - Christine Hill & Volksboutique

Woman after my own heart. I did not quite need to mention this other thing I am drawn to to my friend, who had heard me yak about hand painted signs for at least a year. This is one of the things I hope to learn to do within the next few years, and perhaps there are a few old timers around willing to have me on as an apprentice.

I'm not sure if apprenticeship is still looked upon fondly by people with such a business, but I'm always scheming ways to become someone's apprentice to learn a skill or trade.

The hand-painted signs of Volksboutique's Armory Apothecary screamed to me from across the fair. While I never quite fully digested what it was Hill was doing and selling, I was inspired by the kinship.

Perhaps Hill was selling inspiration in the form of prescriptions and peppermint candies.

I like that she describes her work as projects. This is most likely the label I will adopt for what I'm beginning to do.

The Armory Show - Julian Opie

This is for Beth to see.

At some point, I had to add to my friend that there was another thing that constantly draws my attention - stylization.

Watching Suzanne is a very sexy collection of lines, positive and negative space.
After encountering more of his work at another booth, I recognized him at the artist who did that one Blur cover. Why hadn't I known his name before?

The Armory Show - Kelly Reemtsen

If it is not clear to you why I love the work of Kelly Reemtsen, then you obviously have not really known me lately. I don't feel quite right explaining why, except perhaps that it is Figurative, A Subject Manner That I Like and That Relates To My Interests and My Artwork

This is another for Caroline to see.

The Armory Show - Robert Devriendt

In the booth of the Belgian gallery Baronian Francy, I found myself drawn to two collections of tiny and intricately crafted paintings on tiny canvases by
Robery Devriendt. These were both titled "Le Noveau Rituel" and were each of a different, seemingly unrelated image, such as a ramshead, a piece of furniture or a womans face. Apparently, Devriendt really likes sequences, and these seemingly unrelated paintings begin to create a story, in the same way that the story creating flash cards create a story, a possibly random combination.

I wanted Caroline to see this.

The Armory Show - Kwang-Young Chun

Kwang-Young Chun is a Korean artist whose work involves wrapping Styrofoam triangles with mulberry paper taken from old books. Then, these triangles are wrapped with string, and apparently tied together to construct free standing or wall-mounted sculptures. The piece that drew me was titled "Aggregation ". I had earlier explained to my friend the things that draw my attention at something as hectic as an art fair: New Tricks, Things Demonstrating Extraordinary Amount of Skill, Figurative With A Subject Matter That I Like, and Things That Relate To My Concerns or To My Art.

Chun fits into the new tricks and skill category. Though I'm sure it was tedious, his work paid off with beautifully undulating triangles that increased and decreased in size while shifting slightly in hue. My eyes enjoyed his work, finding solace in the repetition of shape, and recreation in the variety of sizes and colors.