What A Crock!

This Croc A Dial was made for our dear friend and Moe's Ache fan, Martha. We think it is a perfect fit for her collection of wacky art. Once, a wire armature, it now is covered with plaster, concrete, glass, crockery and dials from old appliances. It now resides near the White River in Indianapolis.

Some Like It Hot!

Not only is that the title to a new piece, it's my mantra right now. I want spring! What is up with this cold, dreary weather? I'm trying to stay optimistic and make a few fun pieces, but the view from the studio window is a little depressing. There is nothing better than spring in Bloomington and I am anxious for this year's to arrive. Now that I've finished a pair of super-sunblocking glasses, entitled "Some Like It Hot", I want an opportunity to wear them! Bring on the warm sunny days!

Tropical Paradise Show Is A Go!

It's been a wild month preparing for the Queeney Park Art Fair this weekend in Saint Louis, as well as finishing and delivering work to the Orchard Gallery in Fort Wayne for the "Tropical Paradise" show opening today. My friend, talented fiber artist, and coconspirator, Martina had this say about the show:

Bloomington artists Cappi Phillips and Martina Celerin have collaborated to create a vibrant art exhibit, “Tropical Paradise.”
The collection of works is on display at The Orchard Gallery, 6312 Covington Road, Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
The Galley is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m Monday through Saturday with extended hours to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday.
The show will be up from April 2 to 30, 2009.

“Even though our media are completely opposite, I work with hard objects, glass, stone, metal, plastics, and Martina works with soft materials, yarns, wool, cotton, fleece, we both share a whimsical side and create pieces that encourage smiles as well as tactile responses. Patrons discover the unexpected when viewing (or touching!) our work,” said Phillips, of Moe's Ache's studio. “When the gallery invited us to participate, it was the cold dreary days of December. The thought of starting on pieces for a ‘Tropical Paradise’ show seemed like such a warm, happy way to be working!” recalls Phillips.

“Cappi and I both use reclaimed and recycled materials to create our art. We’re always on a treasure hunt. As I was making the piece ‘Sangria!’ I realized that I needed plastic ice cubes to complement (and contrast with) the needle felted fruit. Of course the first and only person that I had to called was Cappi!” recalls Celerin.

The artists encourage people who can’t attend the show to visit their web sites to get a little sparkle in their smile (www.MartinaCelerin.com and www.moesache.blogspot.com)

Chicks with Dicks Window Is Up!

We just finished installing the window for the Bloomington Playwrights Project (BPP) upcoming production of "Chicks With Dicks II
Battle With Cannibal Sluts in Outer Space!".

“Chicks II has a much bigger cast and is literally and figuratively, ‘further out there’ than the original,” explains Richard Perez, director. “Where the original was confined to small town America, Chicks II has now broadened the gang's exploits out into outer space. I think audiences will have a blast meeting the new crew of foreign bodies found on Planet 19 in the X Solar System.”

“The instinct was to do a sequel that riffed further and farther on pulp-pop culture,” explains Trista Baldwin, playwright. “As you might guess from the title, I take on the other classic pulp genres, sci fi and horror.

In keeping with Trista's themes, I created spacy-looking chickens clad in aluminum, and horrifying hair rollers. If you get a chance, check out the window and the production this month at the BPP 107 West 9th, Bloomington, Indiana. Show times and ticket info below.

http://www.newplays.org/content/NewsRelease.aspx?nid=188

Crock Cock!

It's chickens, chickens everywhere in the studio. We are finishing up some chicks for the Bloomington Playwright's upcoming play "Chicks With Dicks II
Battle With Cannibal Sluts in Outer Space!"
http://www.newplays.org/content/Default.aspx
For each production, they invite an artist to create window art promoting the play. I'm intrigued by the concept of space chickens, and am eagerly awaiting the installation at the end of the month.
The chicks created especially for the play are waiting to be revealed, but in the mean time, here's a cocky guy that was finished earlier.

The Indiana State Museum TV has a name!

The Mosaic TV made especially for the 2009 Indiana State Museum Art Fair finally has a name. A big "Thank You" to Joanna Hahn and the staff at the ISM for all their help with the display and collection of tv name suggestions. Here are the results as posted on the Indiana State Museum's blog site. http://indianastatemuseum.wordpress.com/

The results are in and the Indiana Art Fair Signature Artist piece has a name. It was tough for this year’s artist to choose among the over 400 suggestions left by Indiana Art Fair visitors in February. But there was one title that 11 contestants all agreed would make a terrific name: “Tile-A-Vision.” Congrats to all of the following contestants who recommended the title: Rebecca of Plainfield; Jeb Smithwick of Indianapolis; Jeff Marsh; Greg Mac of Indianapolis; Brian Blackburn of Decatur, Illinois; Christopher Lyons of Indianapolis; Betty Cockron of Indianapolis; Jacob Crouch of Indianapolis; KyleeAnn Wheeler of Indianapolis; Adam Hon of Marion; and Mary Jane Schnake of Danville. And thank you to all who helped to give this piece of art a unique name!
Here are the “runner-ups” that were also personal favorites of the artist:
“Archaic Mosaic” by Vicki Bohlsen of Whiteland, Indiana
“Don’t Touch That Tile!” by Greg Dale of Defiance, Ohio
“Ode to Analog” by Sheila Walsh of Toledo, Ohio
“Boob Tube Redux” by Jane Runge Darlage of Indianapolis

Indiana Art Fair February 21-22

The time has almost arrived. The Indiana Art Fair is right round the corner! And with that, the Signature Artist piece has been revealed and will be on display in the Indianapolis museum’s Frank O’Bannon Great Hall leading up to the event. Though plans for the event are pretty much finalized there is one last point of business – there is not title for the Signature Artist piece!
Here is your chance to get involved with a real piece of art. We are looking for a title for this year’s 2009 Indiana Art Fair Signature Piece by Bloomington, Indiana artist Cappi Phillips. To contribute, visit the Indiana Art Fair on Feb. 21 or 22 and visit Cappi’s booth (#1) to get an up close view of the piece and leave your title suggestions. The chosen title will be shared via the museum’s website by the end February. For more information about the Art Fair visit: http://www.in.gov/ism/PublicPrograms/SpecialEvents/inartfair.aspx

Moe's Ache Studio is honored to be able to create this year's signature piece for the Indiana Art Fair. Why a television you may ask? As a resident of Bloomington, Indiana which was once home to RCA whose televisions are featured in the museum’s collection the idea of a mosaic tv seemed like a perfect fit. We created glass tiles depicting iconic television programming. These tiles were incorporated with cut glass mosaic pieces and applied to a vintage television set that at one time was in the museum collection. Although the television is no longer receiving a signal, we hope it's still capable of transmitting signals and memories you'll find entertaining.

The television can be viewed at the Indiana State Museum's Indiana Art Fair February 21-22, 2009