I Kinda Wanna Win. You Kinda Wanna Help?
Ok so I entered a competition on Brooklyn Art Project’s website late last night. It’s called “Best of 2008″. So I submitted my favorite painting from this past year. Or at least one that I liked a lot. Wasn’t sure which to pick, so I just picked the one I felt challenged me the most during the year. If I win, I get a bitchin Fuji camera that I NEED. And if I place but don’t win, I get a book made of my artwork, which would be AWESOME.
Anyway, if you’d like to vote for me for Best of 2008, just click below! It will take you straight to my submission. You might need to sign up, so just do that, takes like a minute. Then just click “Add to Favorites” below my painting. Thank you!
XO, dreXeL
Technorati Tags: brooklyn art project, brooklynartproject.com, best of 2008, submission, competition, art, painting, mixed media, nyc, chinatown
Tshirts Going Bye Byes
I’ve finally decided to not be selfish about the last few “Smack is a Vampire” tshirts I designed that I had here in my apartment. As long as I have one to wear, I don’t really NEED to have 7 more just in case of some imaginary situation where I’d need to have one for someone. So I’ve made them available on my online store.
Click the above link or the image below to go to the store and go get you one!
And for those of you who aren’t familiar with these tshirts, they’re limited edition prints, signed with print number and a secret quote from me under the neck line in the back. And they’re really soft!
XO, dreX
Technorati Tags: tshirt, smack is a vampire, etsy, limited edition, artist tee, harlem, nyc, illustration, billie holiday
RIP Bettie Page
Usually I just write about my own life, my art shows and occasionally my friends’ art, but today I feel compelled to write about someone who’s been so much a part of our culture from the 50s till now, that I’d be willing to assert she single-handedly is responsible for the pinup genre of modelling, photography, clothing, as well as alt modelling sites like SG and Gods Girls and a lot of other stuff I’ve probably not even thought of.
Not that there weren’t other women involved in this, but in the 50′s and 60s, posing for photographs with a whip in your hand was extremely…avant garde if not taboo. Remember back then men and women even slept in different beds on television. I call them “Ricky and Lucy beds”.
Now fast forward 50-60 years and there’s not ONE of us who hasn’t been touched in some way by the life of Bettie Page, by emulating it in some small way or at least admiring it. While the women have been sporting the short bangs, polka dotted dresses, leopard cat suits, tight pencil skirts with pumps, and dressing up for fetish clubs, dancing in cages, the men have been right by our sides enjoying every moment of this aesthetic, coming to these same clubs, buying pinup calendars, signed bettie page prints, and helping to keep her influence on our culture alive all these years.
Bettie Page is everywhere we look in popular culture. Currently Masuimi Max is, in my opinion, THE superstar of the classic pinup genre. And understandably so. She’s gorgeous, She’s also the spokesperson and a primary model for Pinupgirlclothing.com. If you want to know where to go to keep the memory of Bettie Page alive in your own fashion, THAT is the site to go to.
Her life was tragic, and its end no less so. We’ll miss you. XOXO, dreXeL
Technorati Tags: bettie page, pinup, sg, suicide girls, gods girls, pinupgirlclothing.com, masuimi max
Long Awaited Younity Photos
Ok, so I’ve finally gotten it together. A bit. Last night’s Closing Party for the Younity “Heart & Soul” book launch and exhibition was fantastic, as expected. Lots of amazing people, amazing talent, good music, breakdancing and good times. And the venue itself is amazing too. Thanks to Alphabeta for hosting Younity’s show and helping make it the success that it was.
Since I was so lame and didn’t upload pics from opening night when it happened, I’m doing it all now in one giant fun-filled post. Happy memories for those of us who were there, and appropriate jealousy from those who weren’t. You definitely missed something special.
So here’s the story in picture form:
My contribution to the exhibition and book:
Opening Night: A little bit of the crazy crowd that just got larger and crazier as the night progressed:
Opening Night: The amazing, talented, wonderful founders of the Younity Collective, and my good friends, Alice Mizrachi and Toofly:
Opening NIght: Papparazzi photos. Or possibly MTV. There were so many we didn’t even know which way to look. That’s why in some shots we’re all looking in different directions!
Closing Party…friends with fingers:
Some breakdancing entertainment for the last night of the exhibition. I could have watched them all night. I don’t know how they don’t break and dislocate…things.
So that’s what happened, that’s what I was fortunate to be part of…and that’s what you missed if you weren’t there. I <3 my collective. I’ve got some Younity-related whispers of upcoming things, but I can’t say until it’s DEFINITE. But trust me when I say more is coming! XO, dreXeL
Technorati Tags: younity, younity collective, woman artists, street art, urban art, avant garde art, heart & soul, book launch, exhibition, group show, toofly, alice mizrachi, alphabeta, nyc, brooklyn, greenpoint, avone, 2esae
Younity Closing Party
I know I haven’t even posted pics of the opening yet, because I suck. But I have them here and I WILL be posting them shortly. A LOT has been going on and the opening was a GIANT success. All the books sold out in like 20 minutes, thousands of people in and out, MTV taking photos of us. It was dizzying. The artwork was amazing, the music was perfect, the crowd rocked my socks.
And if you didn’t get to the opening, you now have ONE MORE CHANCE. The closing party is Friday, Nov. 14th, 7-10pm same venue:
Alphabeta
70 Greenpoint Ave.
Brooklyn, NY
(G train to Greenpoint Ave.)
Younity "Heart and Soul" closing party invite
Technorati Tags: younity, artist collective, heart and soul, toofly, alice mizrachi, street art, urban art, woman artists, younity collective, closing party, nyc, brooklyn, greenpoint, alphabeta
Remember Next Friday! Younity Book Launch and Exhibition
This is the launch party for Younity’s first book. Younity is a collective of 60 urban/avant-garde/street artists. All women. I am fortunate to be part of this collective. The original pieces which are in the book will be on display this night, as well as the books which will be for sale. DJ Laylo and DJ Elle will be taking care of the music. It’s going to be a big night, so if you’re anywhere near Brooklyn/NYC area, come through. Address is on the invitation below. See you Friday!
XO, dreXeL
Friday, October 17th, 2008 8pm
70 Greenpoint Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11222
Technorati Tags: younity, younity collective, alice mizrachi, toofly, drexel, brooklyn, greenpoint, nyc, art show, book launch, art exhibition, launch party, alphabeta, dj laylo, dj elle
Tasty Tees dreXeL Tshirt Launch Party
Thank you so much to everyone who showed up to show their support on Thursday night for the launch of my first tshirt. I definitely want to thank Toby Crabtree from Tasty Tees and Mike Yansen, my good friend and event promoter. It was definitely a successful party and a really good time. Sadly my photos came out horribly due to the low light conditions. I did set the ISO to 800, trying to remember what I learned back in junior high in photography class. And that helped a tiny bit. But not much. If I run across any better photos I’ll post them. Meanwhile, here’s what I got. In the photo are my friends, Drew Odom and Jason Pascall, the original “Smack is a Vampire” painting, and a Smack tee.
If you ordered tshirts, you’ll be getting them SOON. I know some people have already received theirs today. Aight, more soon…
XO, dreXeL
Technorati Tags: smack is a vampire, tshirt launch, launch party, drew odom, andrew odom, jason pascall, retreat nyc, mike yansen, manhattan, nyc, tasty tees, tastytshirt.com
Clock is tickin’
Just a reminder to all my peoples that this is the last week you’ll be able to get my new tshirt from Tasty Tees. After September 30th, orders will be closed forever. Proceeds for the shirts go to help support young artists, and a teeny bit goes to support me. The quota is 1000 shirts by September 30th!
So go get one of your own, and get a friend to get one too. If all my friends get one, and they get one other person to get one, we might be able to pull this off!
Thanks in advance for all your support.
XO, dreXeL
Technorati Tags: tasty tees, tastytshirt.com, drexel, artist tshirt, art activism, smack is a vampire
OMG My First Limited Edition Tshirt!
I feel like I’ve been waiting a YEAR for this! That’s because I’m an impatient girl. But the point is that my official “Smack is a Vampire” limited edition tshirt is officially available as of TONIGHT from Tasty Tees. For two weeks ONLY. If you want one, or more than one, click HERE.
Here’s what the men’s tshirt looks like:
And the women’s tshirt options are below:
To see a closeup of the design on each shirt, go to the Tasty Tees homepage.
The shirt has my artwork on the front, as well as a limited edition print number on the back, the dreXeL logo and a quote from me on the back. The shirts are REALLY soft and comfy, and the ink is IN the shirt not ON the shirt.
This is my first edition, and if it goes well and people buy them etc. there will be others. Sales for the shirt will continue from tonight through the end of this month, September 30th and THAT’S IT. That’s 2 weeks that you will be able to order these. At that point the shirt will no longer be available. (So buy them all, give them to your friends, send them as gifts, keep a few for yourself, wallpaper your walls with them, whatever!)
Just so you have all the details, I was offered this opportunity to create a special limited edition artist tee by Toby Crabtree of Tasty Tees. He gave me complete creative control even down to what style of shirt, what fabric, what color. Everything that goes on the front, everything that goes on the back. I’m really happy with how it turned out, and I hope you are too.
Feel free to give me any feedback, comment, request things, say hi. And of course, get your @$$ over to Tasty Tees to get you some tshirts! Only 2 weeks to go!
Stay tuned for details about the “Smack is a Vampire” tshirt LAUNCH PARTY on October 2nd!!!
XO dreXeL
Technorati Tags: tasty tees, tastytshirt.com, artist tee, art tshirt, limited edition tshirt, nyc, tobias crabtree, smack is a vampire, billie holiday, harlem, urban art
Gnomedex Lurrve
So here’s a story about why I love the internets like WHOA.
A few weeks ago my friend, KK, put a link on his facebook about my art show in Seattle at Bherd Studios. One of his friends, Alex Williams, director of product marketing at Iterasi, and I somehow started talking about him maybe going to check out my artwork while he’s in Seattle for a conference called Gnomedex, that he and KK were both going to.
Out of this the idea was born (by Alex) to create a whole bus tour of Gnomedex goers. So Alex and KK planned that whole thing, while I made sure that everything was set up for these rockstars’ arrival at the gallery. The result was that last Saturday evening about 15 people piled into the magic Gnomedex bus during what I guess was a conference break or something, and went to the place where my artwork was on display. At least that’s how I thought the story went. And in Kurasawa’s “Seven Samurai” format, here is the story as seen through Alex’s eyes…
There’s a lot more awesome beyond that that you may not know about too…like about Gnomedex, what it is, about Chris Pirillo, who hosts Gnomedex every year, about Chris Pirillo’s website which is badass and highly addictive, about Kris Krug’s photography, which is pure genius….about a lot of things. It’s really too much information for one blog post. But if you have a few minutes and want to find out a few things, do it.
Do I have awesome friends or what? <333
The burning question…did they have time for
Technorati Tags: bherd studios, kk, kris krug, alex williams, iterasi, gnomedex, chris pirillo, seattle, art show, urban art