Press Release for "Love, Sex & Chocolate"

Contact: Joe Kitsch
Tel. (617) 686-1923
Email: jkitsch@joekitsch.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LOVE, SEX & CHOCOLATE

When:
Friday, February 1, 2008
6 to 9 PM

Where:
The Art Kitsch(en)
450 Harrison Ave. #223 B
Boston, MA 02118

Fall in love this Friday, February 1, 2008, when the Art Kitsch(en) presents its third multi-artist show, “Love, Sex & Chocolate.” This Valentine’s Day inspired show will display works based on the themes of love and sex as represented by Greater Boston Area artists while art lovers can enjoy chocolate refreshments. Don’t miss out; take advantage of this show’s one night stand.

These artists want to be your Valentine:

Seth Diamond
In 2003, Seth founded THOOMP!, an entrepreneurial and artistic venture that would readily make his artwork accessible to the public. Seth's THOOMP! aesthetic is about taking a stand in today's colorless and conservative times, and offers people countless ways to be unique, subversive, stylish, and downright sassy through his pop-culture designs.

Mike Howard
Primarily a location photographer, Mike concentrates on editorial, fashion, and environmental portraiture. Equally inspired by the subject and the environment, Mike wants his images to evoke questions, particularly about the story of the subject. Mike seeks to capture the character of his subjects in a unique, pronounced and profound fashion.

Joe Kitsch
Under the brush-name 'Joe Kitsch', this conceptually oriented pop artist works in a wide variety of media, from acrylic on canvas to a multitude of store bought and "self" made objects. The language of Eclectic Post-Modernism and the utilization of appropriation are used to focus on issues of being, identity and social perceptions.

In addition to showing his work, he curates monthly thematic shows at the one-night-only, once-a-month gallery, The Art Kitsch(en), during SoWa First Fridays in Boston’s South End.

Sara Theophall
Sara is a fine artist hailing from NYC and based in Cambridge, MA. Her forte is oil painting, and her work ranges in style and content from realism to surrealism. Her current work comments on society’s catch-22 idealization of the anonymity of women.

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If you’d like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Joe Kitsch or the other artists in the show, please contact Joe Kitsch at (617) 686-1923 or email jkitsch@joekitsch.com

What is the Art Kitsch(en)?

• The Art Kitsch(en) is a once-a-month, one-night-only gallery that shares the name of this blog.
• The gallery exists during SoWa First Fridays, which is the first Friday of every month from 6 to 9 PM.
• The Art Kitsch(en) is currently located at 450 Harrison Avenue # 223 B in Boston's South End.
• Pirate Gallery was Joe Kitsch's first attempt at creating an alternative gallery scene; the Art Kitsch(en) is Joe Kitsch's second attempt.
  
• The Art Kitsch(en) is currently a no-profit (not to be confused with non-profit organizations) alternative gallery space where local talent of all disciplines can come together in thematic shows in order to gain exposure and meet other talented local artists.
  
• When the space is not The Art Kitsch(en) for 1/30th or 1/31st of the month, it is a working studio space for Barbara Poole and myself.
• Look and Listen and Battle Royale! are among the many thematic shows that have taken place there. These group shows have featured talent in the greater Boston area.
• Love, Sex & Chocolate is the next scheduled group show. It will take place on Friday, February 1, 2008.

(Hot dog) P.A.N.T.S.

I have recently undergone knee surgery and have been house bound. Compounded by piles of snow and holiday ennui, I've acquired much time on my hands and acute cabin fever. Much of the spare time has been put to good use (i.e. making much art) and some... well, I blame on the cabin fever.

These are lyrics for a brand new dance for guys. I've named it (Hot dog) P.A.N.T.S. They go to the song D.A.N.C.E. by Justice (so you can sing along).

H.O.T. and D.O.G.
P.A.N.T.S.
Tuck in the M.E.A.T.
Like your shorts got ants
You can be celebrity
Giving such a fright
Just easy as A.B.C.
Go ahead and swing it right (x3)

H.O.T. and D.O.G.
P.A.N.T.S.
Just easy as A.B.C.
Hot dog PANTS

Hot dog PANTS
What's down there's a mystery
Hot dog PANTS
Girl's so tempted to look and see
Hot dog PANTS
What's down there's a mystery
Hot dog PANTS
Boys so tempted to run and flee

H.O.T. and D.O.G.
P.A.N.T.S.
Swing 'round my M.E.A.T.
Like my shorts got ants
I know there's a party
My pants are a sight
Yeah you're an invitee
My, what a trouser delight

Hot dog PANTS (hot dog pants)
What's down there's a mystery
Hot dog PANTS (hot dog pants)
You're so tempted to look and see

Hot dog PANTS
What's down there's a mystery
Hot dog PANTS
C'mon baby look and see

Under the spotlights
Either truth or shite
It doesn't matter
Hot dog PANTS (hot dog pants)

As strong as you might
Groovin' day and night
Whatever happens
Hot dog PANTS (hot dog pants)

Under the spotlights
Either truth or shite
It doesn't matter
Hot dog PANTS (hot dog pants)

As strong as you might
Groovin' day and night
Whatever happens
Hot dog PANTS
Hot dog PANTS
What's down there's a mystery
Hot dog PANTS
C'mon baby look and see

Girls tempted to look and see

Boys are scared and want to flee

Working with leaves

Legendary artist, Jasper Johns, once said to (loosely quoting this here) "take something, do something to it, do something else to it." I prescribe to this ideology quite a bit. It is often present in the form of mixed media, such as collage.
I'm a big fan of using whatever I can get my hands on. The materials I use aren't random; they help to convey the content of the work. I recently made two "paintings" using foliage from the trees in my neighborhood. This is my tip for working with dried leaves.

1. Collect an ample amount of leaves that have fallen from their branches. Make sure they are in good condition- look for mold, bugs, wet rot,etc. and discard these leaves.
2. Let the leaves dry out completely. You may want the colors of the Fall, but they won't last. Using them prematurely will lead to complications in your work, such as discoloration of your work and rotting. I let my leaves dry out on their own; I'd be interested in seeing how the leaf would look by artificially drying them out (such as elevated dry heat exposure).
3. At this point, the leaves will be "crispy." Handling them in this brittle state will crumble them, so be gentle, unless that is what you are going after. If you want the whole leaf to be present, you need to make them soft again. This is done by soaking them. I filled a sink with hot water and immersed the leaves in it.
4. Give them time to soak- half hour or so will do the trick. I figured this out by observing spices in the kitchen, in particular, the bay leaf. Bay leaf is often used in soups, stews and Italian red sauces. Store bought bay leaf in the container is dry and brittle. When added to a soup or such, over time it will soften up. The longer it is cooked, the softer it gets. The same goes for dried leaves from trees outside. The hot water in the sink will "cook" the leaves and make them pliable.
5. Drain the water and dry excess water off. You could towel dry them, but I let the leaves air dry about 10- 15 minutes. Now they're ready to use. At this point, you could press them if you want flat shapes or skip that and just go for it.
6. I opted to "just go for it." (I like the texture and the visual presence of the leaves.) I tried using Golden Mediums polymer medium to adhere the leaves. Don't do it- the medium is too "loose" and the leaves don't stick. Golden Gel Mediums regular gel (matte) did the trick. Liberally apply the medium to the surface you want to attach the leaf to. Place the leaf on the area and gentle massage it to get it to stick. Apply more gel medium over the leaf. Repeat.
7. You may want to cover the entire surface this way, but you can also be selective about the leaf application. Doing so is easy... just make sure the gel medium you are using to apply the leaves doesn't go in that area. Allow the leaves to intrude the non-gelled areas and let the gelled areas dry completely. When dry, used an Exacto knife, or similar accurate blade, to cut along the areas you don't want the leaves to be. Be careful not to cut the surface you are working on.
8. That's it. Continue to apply layer of leaves as the previous layers dry. You can also paint the leaf surface.

Call to Artists

Call to artists!

"Love, Sex and Chocolate"
Friday, February 1, 2008 from 6 to 9 pm (one night only)

@ the Art Kitsch(en)
450 Harrison Ave. #223 B
Boston, MA

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I'm looking for artists with work themed "love" and "sex."

There is NO FEE for submission. NO COMMISSION! Artists take 100% of their sales. All I ask for is a $5-10 donation to help with costs of snacks and beverages for the show. If interested, send jpeg files or a link to your web site to jkitsch@joekitsch.com with "Love, Sex and Chocolate" in the subject line.

My favorite cereal...

If it's true that "you are what you eat" then I am wholesome, sweet, fun and not for everybody.

My favorite cereal is Frankenberry. Unfortunately, it has limited production and after a short stint on the market it gets discontinued. It has been years, somewhere between seven to a decade, when I last enjoyed the strawberry, marshmellow wholesomeness of Frankenberry. One day I was grocery shopping and stumbled upon the pink box in the cereal isle. A note attached to the shelf stated it was on sale- five for $5. Just as quickly the joy of my discovery was upon me, it was taken away. To my dismay, the note also claimed it was being discontinued. I bought the last five boxes on the shelf.

By the time I got home, I was ravenous. The first of the five did not last through the day. I did, however, cherish the next three boxes over an extended period of time by satiating my craving for the strawberry flavored cereal by substituting a glass of Strawberry Quik. This is a trick I learned to subside the craving when Frankenberry production is on hiatus.

I don't care if it's a kid's cereal. It's the most extraordinary breakfast food on the planet. Why only eat it in the morning? It's a marshmellow delight between meals and as a crunchy, late night snack. I love it.

I have one last box of Frankenberry cereal left (pictured above). Sadly, it is past its expiration date. I am inclined to ignore the expiration date and consume the delicious contents. THIS MAY BE THE LAST BOX IN EXISTENCE!! I could savor it one last time, like the last kiss in Romeo and Juliet. But heeding William Shakespeare's play, I don't want my star crossed love of Frankenberry to potentially land me in dire conditions, perhaps not death but more likely the hospital, so I've also considered to respect the expiration and leave the box unopened...

I could always sell it on EBay as a historical relic.

Art Tip

Remember...

always paint fat over lean.