Hey, it's snowing..... kind of

I can tell the holidays are here because it started snowing yesterday, not much, but enough to remind me that they're on their way. That's good too, because it reminded me to write this blog.

We are going to be at a few Holiday Markets and events this season. As always, you can find us at our usual spot at Skidmore Saturday and Sunday Market right up till Christmas Eve (Take the Max to Skidmore Fountain and you have arrived). We will also be at the Christmas Bazaar starting Black Friday! It's at the Portland Expo center, November 26th - 28th and December 3rd -5th. We will have a bit of a Holiday sale as well.


The 28th Annual America’s Largest Christmas Bazaar
@ Portland Expo Center
Nov 26th - 28th & Dec 3rd - 5th
Open Friday & Saturday, 10am-6pm, and Sunday, 10am-5pm
located just south of the I-5 Interstate Bridge. Take exit 306-B from I-5 north or south.
View Map


Next we have Portland Saturday Market's "Holiday Artisan Market", where you can find your favorite Saturday Market Artists during the week, for one week only, December 7th - 12th. Visit us at Pioneer Courthouse Square!

"Holiday Artisan Market",
Pioneer Courthouse Square
December 7th - 12th 11:30am - 6:30pm

701 SW Sixth Avenue
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Relativity Exhibit November 4th - 20th

It's been a pretty long time since I've last posted a blog. I guess I've been keeping busy.

Well, I have something to blog about, so here goes:

Our little company, FrogFaith Media Group, is partnering up with the classy, AM Living, in downtown Portland for an exhibit this November. We're calling it the "Relativity Exhibit". Tab and I are showing a new collection of work in AM's beautiful showroom. My collection is "Here and Now". I have a series of Math and Science scratch board etchings (many of which you have seen, but a few that you have not), as well as the continuation of my Perpetual Motion series on time and living in the present. The new "Evening" series focuses on moments to cherish once the sun sets and ranges from 6pm - 6am. I will be showing a collection from this unfinished series. All but one of these pieces will be revealed for the first time at the exhibit.

There will, of course, be a wide selection of prints, and the possibility of some special limited editions.

The Math and Science series has become a new fascination with me. My aim is to capture beautiful or amazing aspects of our world (and possibly beyond), and draw them with the information that makes them function in such awesome ways. It's like pulling back the first layer, and seeing all the glorious information teaming beneath. Reason, patterns, numbers unfolding into the beautiful images that fill our lives.

For each piece, I do hours, days or weeks worth of research, and while much of it is based on subjects I had at least a loose understanding and interest in, much of it is new for me, and has allowed me to continue learning and pushing myself forward. As an artist, I'm sure you can understand that I am not predisposed to Math and Science. Conceptually, sure, but we artists have rarely been associated with left brain thinking. That doesn't mean I have to like it, and it doesn't mean I have to stick with it.

This world is fascinating, and every time I learn more about it, I am pushed on to learn more.... also it does have the dull effect of realizing just how little I know now, knowing that there's so much to learn. Research Scientists, Physicists and Mathematicians are constantly redefining their field and data and seem to be skimming the surface of the full range of what's going on in this complicated universe. Given that, it's obvious that I have light years to go.

But the process is wonderful in itself. I am often eager to draw, feeling that compulsive need to put "pen to paper" (often an obsessive need that's hard to ignore), and I find myself having to reign myself in and finish researching first, but I enjoy it just as much.

I've become a Documentary Junky.
I'm pretty busy with our little company, printing, market and drawing new pieces, so I don't have as much time as I'd like to research, but I get it in as much as possible, and when I don't have time, I find I miss it.

Oh right, news. I should back to talking about the show.

Tab, my wonderfully talented husband, is creating a series specially for the show. His series is called "Far and Away", and centers around his fictional company "Watson Positronics" and it's new Luxury Space Ship, Phaeton One, on a trip through space. He's creating this in Blender (always open source), and will be showing a collection of these pieces at the show.

We will have live music, wine, cocktails and prints. It should be a lot of fun and we're excited to show the new work.

The pertinant dates and info are below.

Come see us November 4th - 20th at AM Living in the Galleria!

AM Living in the Galleria

600 SW 10th Ave and Morrison

Portland, OR

Soft Opening: Thursday, November 4th, 7pm - 11pm
GRAND OPENING: Saturday, November 6th, 7pm - 11pm
*This is the day we are revealing all the new work*
Live music by Cassia DeMayo
Special Event: Saturday,November 13th, 7pm - 11pm
Closing Gala:Saturday, November 20th, 7pm - 11pm
*Live Music by Trashcan Joe *

Siren Nation - Live Painting Auction

'

A live art auction and live paint featuring 30 of the Northwest’s greatest artists.
Music by DJ Safi and Calico Rose.

The Jupiter Hotel in Portland, Oregon
Thursday, August 12 | 7-10pm | $10

(I stole the above ad from Bret Superstar's blog, because it's rather rad).

Tonight, Thursday August 12th, at the Jupiter Hotel, in Portland Oregon, I am making my first ever Live Numberism Painting for Siren Nation's "Paint Your Art Out" live auction.

Siren Nation is an Oregon based group that offers support, inspiration and creative and professional outlets to female artists in music, film and visual arts. They hold year round events, performances and exhibits, and nights like tonight help keep them going.

If you are interested in owning an original numberism piece, I recommend coming tonight. The live painting pieces are 2 x 3 feet. I plan on using paint pens, and the subject matter is avian in nature.
But I'm not alone up there. There are 5 of us painting live, as well as a variety of printed artwork up for auction, including a couple of my prints, and Tabs as well.

See you there. It should be fun.











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PDX Gen-Y Interview

I will be on PDX Gen -Y, (of PDX.FM) tomorrow (Monday) at 1pm. Bret Bernhoft will interview me, most likely, on all things numberism. But I don't know, it could go crazy. I may go off on a random rant. Tune in to find out! :P

PDX Gen-Y

Hosted by Bret Bernhoft

Mondays at 1pm

PDX Gen-Y is a look at the influences in our lives. From DIY culture to Portland City politics, the idea of community is explored. Your host, Bret Bernhoft, interviews natives and new-comers alike, trying to capture what it means to be young in the city. With a dash of curiosity and a serving of backyard experience, PDX Gen-Y is your source for the Portland experience.

Tune In.

Seahorses, Fireflies and Beaches at Sunset

Recent Happenings:

We have been meeting more and more of the friendly neighbourhood PSM regulars, as we have recently started setting up shop on the Portland Saturday Market side as well as our usual Skidmore location.

I have been delegating stretching our canvas prints to other people in our company or friends, as the last time I stretched these prints, my hand was out of commission for over a week. I injured it after having stretched about 100 prints, and it hurt so badly, I couldn't open a door or flick a lighter, let alone draw for my usual 6 hours a day. So no stretching for me! - Many thanks to my friends who have been picking up my slack.

I will be painting live next month for a local charity, and I plan to paint in numbers. The piece will be auctioned off at the end of the show, so this might be a good way to get an original numberism drawing without having to pay a couple grand to do so.... I will devote another post to that next week. It will be August 12th, in Portland.

* We will be at Last Thursday tomorrow with all the new work I refer to below. :) Come see us.

I have a few new pieces to speak of (come on Sienna, get to the good stuff! ) ;)

From a recent comission, here is my newest scratchboard etching, which is currently titled "Seahorse", unless one of you have a cleverer name for it. I wanted to draw the seahorse with the remaining population, as they have recently entered into the endangered species list, but there are no accurate figures curently. (Anyone who knows good resources for genome data, please send me links, as I have a frog to draw that I could use that information with.)

Anyway, so the seahorse itself is drawn with the numbers of the clock, 1 - 12, which I think is relevant, seeing as their time here has a ticking clock these days. The sea grass I drew with the number 12000, to signify the 12000 square miles of sea grass destroyed in the last decade. With those two pieces of data combined, I think I got around the fact that there is no hard data on their estimated population, while still getting my point across.

Below, is the finished scratchboard, with watercolour wash, as well as some detail images.




You can purchase this at our FrogFaith gallery at www.FrogFaith.com/gallery , my Etsy account at www.SiennaMorris.Etsy.com

Next up is a new piece from my Math and Science series. My friend, Traci, (who is a killer stylist at the Chameleon Salon) let me use her beautiful daugher, McKenna, as the model.
The Firefly's abdomens are drawn with the chemical formula for their bioluminescence, C12H13N203S2. The light emitted from the fireflies (the jar and everything in it that is visable due to light), is drawn with the speed of light, 299792458 m/s. The girl is drawn with the numbers of the clock, 1 - 12, to signfiy time in her fleeting moment. All my people will always be drawn with time.

Completed piece and details below. Buy a print at www.FrogFaith.com/gallery







Next up is actually an oldy... kind of. I drew this etching of Cannon Beach a couple of months ago and never got around to getting a good scan of it in full colour. I'm finally printing it now. I used a local photographer that you can find at PSM for the refernce photo of the beach. I am a terrible person, because I can't seem to find his contact info right now, but I promise to let you know as soon as I get it. :)

Completed piece and details below. Buy a print at www.FrogFaith.com/gallery

CBLDF Auction @ SDCC

I am excited to say that I am participating in this years Comic Book Legal Defence Fund at the San Diego Comic Con. I am unhappy to say that I won't actually be able to physically be there for it, so those of you who are going have to have an extra good time to make up for me not being there.

This worked out brilliantly. I needed to draw a portrait of my friend, John C. Worsley, in return for him drawing me (see his version of me below)


He happens to have a bit of a (possibly) unhealthy obsession with the numbers 12 and 24, but then again, so do I. Being that this is about Comic Books, I decided to use this opportunity to draw Worsely as his comic book identity, which is clearly DC's "The Clock King".

I'm smitten with Batman TAS, and used their version of The Clock King for the piece.

Here it is, as a scratchboard numberism drawing (1 - 12, to mark the hours of the clock, of course). Original is 8" x 10" and will be available at the auction. If you will be there, you should go, and bid. Not just mine. There are many awesome artists participating, including one of my favorites, Jim Lee.






detail


deatil


reference photo

First Friday in Milwuakie - June 4th

I will be at First Friday in Milwuakie tomorrow, June 4th with all my little goodies. Come down and join in on the fun. They gave me a nice big space to play with. :)

For more info on the show, check out their website at firstfridaymilwaukie.com or fan them on Facebook

Captain Ankeny's Well

I put up some work at Captain Ankeny's Well, which is a pub a few blocks from where I work at Saturday and Sunday Skidmore Market.
I put up pieces from the last series as well as a couple from my Math and Science Series. Go on by, grab a beer, and enjoy.










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May's over? What?

What a busy month May has been! The art walks we have been to have been a lot of fun, but that's not even the half of it! I can't believe it all fit into one month, and I'm still having a hard time believing that tomorrow is JUNE! Aiya!

Well, my biggest focus right now is the new series. I am etching away and am excited about this series more every day. It's starting to take on a life of it's own and will most likely go places I'm not expecting. It helps that a lot of my material I am getting from my photographers. I am interested in what they bring me. What they see.

I am busy busy busy preparing for our show in the fall. The big question is the speakers. We're looking for some scientific lecturers to come in and wow us with the wonder of the natural world. The question is "who". If you know of someone, send the info my way. I have a few people I am looking into, but who knows what I'll find if I ask you. :)

I just took down my work from PCA's A Rainy Day Wildfire. That was a great show, with some exceptional artists, and I was happy to be a part of it. It's also the reason for the Fall Show, "Here and Now", which I'll be exhibiting at PCA's new gallery in Pioneer Place.

There isn't all that much news in this post, just a little me update really.

Oh, wait, no there is. We are probably going to be vending at First Thursday this week in the Pearl, and at First Friday in Milwuakie. We're looking to add a few new additions to our little company, so you'll be seeing us at more shows, building up our resources for our little plans. Basically, we're saving. Wish us luck. We're always full of big ideas. It's the funding and follow through that really counts.

Okay, and now for some daring heroics..... Not really.... actually I'm just going to go draw for the rest of the day.

Art Hop on Alberta

The sun came back to play in Portland just in time for Art on Alberta's 11th Annual Art Hop!

15 blocks on Alberta will be closed to traffic and filled with over 150 artists, crafters, musicians and foodies. This event is free and runs this Saturday, May 15th, from 11 am to 6pm. There will also be a series of live murals that the public can participate in!

The sun is shining, music is playing, artists are arting, and there is so much to see. Come see me at my booth. I'm on block 14 on the North side of the street.

We've recently added a new addition to FrogFaith with our new 42" printer, whom we've dubbed "Morgan", and we've been printing all week. We will have "C25H52" , "2 AM", Tab's new manikin series, more photography from Benjamin Frothingham, as well as the usual assortment of our work.

Art on Alberta
Saturday, May 15, 2010
11am – 6pm
NE Alberta Street, Portland
artonalberta.org/arthop


"Cold People" by Tabulanis Snow ( 3D modeling and FX)


"C25H52" by Sienna Morris (Numberism Etching)


"Greenlake" by Benjamin Frothingham - Photograph

(Tabulanis will be set up at our usual spot at Saturday Market as well, with the same selection of works).






"Fibonacci's Snail" by Sienna Morris (Numberism Etching)






"2 AM" by Sienna Morris (Numberism Etching)

C25H52

(Fibonacci's Snail. Click Here To Learn About Fibonacci's Sequence)


The Universe is a complex and awe-inspiring place. It continues to challenge and surprise us at every turn, opening up new perspectives and opportunities the longer we look.

As far back as we can look into our history, we have been awe inspired by the seemingly magical world around us. Magnets. Perfect Spirals. Rainbows. Animals that live in unlivable conditions; at the Oceans floor around lava flow, worms in solid ice. The Universe thrives, against all odds. Not to mention meteors and the complex Celestial world above us.

In the past, we attributed these things to gods, magics, karma. Now, we are able to watch in wonder at our world, and then take a closer look, inspecting and decoding these wonders into something we can understand, something we can track and predict. Beneath the surface is a world teaming with information: numbers, genomes, orbital patterns. It can all be tracked. Those things we don't understand now, we will later. Our understanding evolves, and grows exponentially.


(Click Here to see a diagram of the temperature of Plasma on a candle.)

I'm just an artist. A human being with a lot of curiosity and an addiction to drawing and numbers. I'm trying to bridge the gap between the wonder we see in our every day lives and the fact that it is made of reliable, organized information. After all, it's the numbers, the code that make it beautiful.

These are 2 of my newest pieces that I will be showing in August and September with Portland City Art at Pioneer Place in Portland Oregon. They are from the Science and Math portion of the show, and are an effort to show that the beauty we see in the world around us has a method. This is the secrets beneath the beauty.

"C25H52"
14" x 11" Scratch Board Numberism etching.



The Candle wax is drawn with the molecular make up of Paraffin ( C25H52). The flame is drawn with the temperature of plasma at it's different points on a candle (800 C - 1400 C). The woman is drawn with the numbers of the clock, 1 - 12, signifying time in this fleeting moment. All of my people in my Science and Math series will be drawn with time, as this is all we have, and all we can hope for. We are experiencing this moment as sentient human life against all odds. We might as well take advantage of it while we can.


Details:



"Fibonacci's Snail"
4" x 7" Scratch Board Numberism Etching



Fibonaccis Sequence maps out a naturally occuring phenonenon that we see in nature and space. Pine Cones, Pineapples, Snails, the arrangement of seeds on a sunflower. They all follow the pattern perfectly.

Mathematically speaking, you simply start with 0 and 1 , add the two numbers to get your next number and do so again and again, adding the last 2 numbers.
0 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 144 233 377 610 987 1597 2584 4181 6765 10946 ...
Creating a perfect spiral. This drawing is drawn with these numbers.




Detail:




Both of these pieces are available as prints on our FrogFaith online gallery at www.FrogFaith.com/gallery

I will be exhibiting these along with the rest of my Evening Series and Math & Science Series at Pioneer Place in Portland Oregon, August and September 2010. More information coming soon. These are Numberism drawings etched on Scratch Board.

"2 am"

I've officially exhibited my newest Numberism piece, "2 am" at the PCA's "A Rainy Day Wildfire"
(The original will be hanging through May at OMCC).
So here it is, for your viewing pleasure.

This is a 16" x 20" scratch board numberism drawing, drawn with the numbers of the clock, 1 - 12, signifying time in a fleeting moment. Each piece focuses on moments we cherish once the sun sets. Much of the series will be more adult in nature.

Each piece in my Evening piece will be titled between 6pm and 6am. This is the first. I have about four more of these already planned, and there will be 12. I am employing the services of three Portland Photographers to shoot these pieces, including Ian Dawson and Benjamin Frothingham. When I exhibit, we will be showing both my drawings and their original photography.

Below are a few detail shots of the piece. I'm not telling of the specifics, but there are secrets in this drawing....

Prints available at www.FrogFaith.com/gallery @ My Etsy account at www.SiennaMorris.Etsy.com and @ My Redbubble account at Sienna.Redbubble.com

Model: Talia Burkett.

A Rainy Day Wildfire Group Show

This month, 150 Portland Artists exhibit their original artwork based on the theme, "A Rainy Day Wildfire", in celebration of Portland City Art's One year Anniversary. I am one of them. I am extremely excited about this piece. It has been challenging and rewarding and I can't wait to show it off. It is a Scratch Board Numberism drawing, focusing on the reward of passion and the possibilities of a rainy day....

Next Thursday, April 15th, is the opening night of the show at the Olympic Mills Commerce Center from 5pm - 10pm. The Artwork will hang until May.




Thursday, April 15th, 2010
5pm - 10pm

OMCC
107 S.E. Washington St.
Portland, Or. 97214


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List of Artists that will be at the show:

Adam Brock Ciresi, Adam Sheppard, Allan Ott, Alexandra Becker-Black, Alison Gayne, Amelia Opie, Amy Matteson, Andrew Young, Angela Gay, Anna Magruder, Anna Velouria Martinez, Ashley Costa, Azad Sadjadi, Ben Pink, Brent Wear, Brigette, Carly Bodnar, Carol Munro, Carolina Medina-Dupaix, Carrie Hardison, Chris Gaslin, Christine Lee, Christopher Himes, Christy, Chuck E. Bloom, Connie Cheifetz, Constance Jackson, Dafna Margalit, Dang, David Inkpen, Dele Mercier, Dianna Fontes-fontes, Dona White, Drew Anderson, Edward Juan, Elise O’Keefe, Emilee Monson, Erika Dean, Erika Lee Sears, Gary Hirsch, Gabe Flores, Haley Robinson, Heidi Wirz, Howard Jacobs, Isaac Holk, Jason Coatney, Jason Edward Davis, Jason Kappus, Jason Vance Dickason, Jenn Feeney, Jennifer Gleach, Jes Bronk, Jocelyn Jillett, Jodie Anderson, Joel Barber, Johnny Tragedy, Jon Rigby, Jonathon Hill-Jacquard, Julia Skerry, Julie Blackman, Karah Bruce-Larkin, Karen Stafford, Kathleen McLain, Kathleen Schildmeyer, Kelly Keigwin, Kelly Williams, Kenny Spurlock, Kerosene Rose, Kindra Crick, Leslie Foeller, Lindsey, Liv Rainey-Smith, Lois Montgomery, Luna Littleleaf, Maitland Jones, Malynda Shook, Mark Randall, Marlena Hatchel, Martha Wallulis, Mathew Barta, Matt di Leo, Matt Schlosky, Michelle Renee Tuffias, Mike Ashland, Mrrranda Tarrow, Misha Capecchi, Misty Ray, Natasha Bacca, Nicholas Orr, Nico Bella, Noel Gayne Reynolds, Paige Lehmann, Pam Nichols, Paul Wolfe, Paula Goodbar, Rebecca Shapiro, Rich Mackin, Richard Schemmerer, Rodrigo Graham, Roscoe Hall II, Rox Geer, Ryan Kennelly, Sabina Haque, Sam Arneson, Sam Roloff, Sara McCormick, Sarah Cruse, Sarah Glover, Scott Raymond, Shawn Demarest, Sienna Morris, Susie Jones, Tara Gelien, Theresa Andreas O’Leary, Tyler Corbett, Tyson Stanger, Virginia Parks, Vonda Roloff, Zach Roy.

Progress on A Rainy Day Wildfire...

I'm working on my new piece for Portland City Art's April show, themed, "A Rainy Day Wildfire".
This is the largest I've worked in scratch board so far (16 x 20), and poses all it's own challenges. Working in scratch board has been interesting so far. I'm drawing light, only light, and ignoring the shadows, which is the opposite of what I'm used to.

For this piece, I plan to finish it in black and white with red lighting filtering through an open window (There will probably also be some blue tones). This will be the first real attempt with this styling, which is what I plan for the next series, which will be the couple series to the last Perpetual Motion series, focusing on all those moments we cherish and revel in once the sun sets.

My photographer friend, Benjamin Frothingham took the photo for me. At one point, I wasn't sure if we were going to get the shot. First I lost my male model, then once I had a new male model, I lost my female model, found another one, and the guy dropped out. At the end of the night, my original photographer had gone home for the night and we were left with two girls and no photographer. Benjamin came to my rescue and shot the piece for me, and in the end, I decided to use what I had, the two girls. It's a moment I haven't captured so far with numberism, and one that is perfect for the piece, actually.

So after all the half stops and reversals, we got the shot, and I am now diligently working on it so that it will be ready for the show on April 15th.

It's 16 x 20 inches, and so far, I've drawn about 2 inches. There's much work to be done! You can assume that I'll be in my drawing room all next week and hardly reachable.

Here's a quick snap shot of the candle. (I won't be posting the finished piece online until after the show, so if you want to see it, you'll have to come.) :)

The image below is about 2.5 inches tall.




Also, I will be at Swan Day working on this today from 12 - 5pm at the Portland Expo Center. Seven of my originals are hanging (some new). They gave me a nice wide space for me and my booth, so I also have prints with me, including some of my limited editions (a new 30" x 24" limited of Transitional).
Tab and co are set up at Skidmore Saturday Market in our usual place with the rest of our prints.



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