It was only a matter of time until the San Diego Union Tribune caught on to what’s going on at The Glashaus. A big congrats to our neighbor Greg Brotherton for the so well-deserved recognition. If you haven’t checked out his work, you simply must! Here’s the UT’s take on the Barrio Logan art scene. Read it if you will…then come down and check it out for yourself. You are welcome here!

Details on the September 4th Barrio Logan Art Openings at The Glashaus, The Bakery, & Voz Alta here!

With Current right around the corner, the transformation of the fabrication studio here at The Bakery has begun. On September 3-5 we present mercantile, an impromptu pop up shop featuring hand-crafted works by 9 American designers and artists. It’s an opportunity for this multi-discipline group to unveil limited runs of their latest experiments. Here’s a sneak peek of the items that are rolling in (more here!)

Above: a preserved beetle elytra necklace by L.A. based Cloven Hoof //Below: a repurposed roof vent lamp by Chicago-based designer Casie Lurie

Saturday, September 4th will be quite the night in Barrio Logan. Join us for Current at The Bakery, then head across the street to Voz Alta for Keeping Time, a group show featuring 7 local photographers. Then hit The Glashaus — a mere 3 blocks away — for Device Gallery’s Creatures of Industry featuring Greg Brotherton, Nemo Gould, Jeremy Mayer, and Guillermo Rigattieri (shown above). It’s all within strolling/biking distance, with Blueprint Cafe around the corner open 5-10 pm.

For those of you coming into town for the festivities, get in touch with us for special discounts at The Pearl Hotel! The Bakery and The Glashaus will be open Friday through Sunday for the ART SAN DIEGO 2010 Contemporary Art Fair (at The Hilton) so you can stroll by as you please. Hours here.

Current — Sept 1-5th at The Bakery in San Diego — unveils Black Whale, a knitted lighting installation by Korean designer Kwangho Lee.

Kwangho shared these photos with us of his inspirations, including some snapshots from Seoul and some from his grandparents’ farm in rural Korea. View his photo set at Flickr.

Kwangho’s rural upbringing on the farm inspired him to apply traditional hand-crafted techniques (knitting) to otherwise uninspired urban materials (power cables), to create these sculptural lighting installations. His idea is that “works done by hands can bring new meanings and value to the ordinary things.”

The Bakery transforms for Current September 1-5! RSVP now:

Weds., Sept 1: Patrons’ Night > A special preview night in Barrio Logan, catered by the infamous MIHO Gastrotruck with a hosted bar and live music by members of The Silent Comedy. More details here! It’s a thank you to our Patrons ($50 donation) – join now & toast with us Sept 1! (Space is limited)

Sat., Sept 4: The Opening > The opening event for Current — same night as art openings throughout Barrio Logan — across the street at Voz Alta, and 2 blocks down at Device Gallery at The Glashaus! FREE. RSVP here!

For ten days, Mike Maxwell’s Live Free Wall lived here in The Bakery’s back lot. Prepare to be mesmerized by this time lapse of the whole project — in other words, 26 artists attacking one wall. It was unveiled last Thursday night to the overwhelming crowd that showed up at Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego for a TNT inspired by the Viva La Revolucion exhibit, which features the work of Banksy, Shepard Fairey, Barry McGee, Calma, JR, Ryan McGinness, Os Gemeos, & co. Hats off to Mike Maxwell, Rebecca Joelson, Kevin Joelson, and the artists for a job seriously well done!

Ten days ago, Mike Maxwell launched the Live Free Wall outside The Bakery. Since then it’s been a blur of artists painting the wall over and again. The time lapse of the whole project will be unveiled Thursday night August 12 at Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, alongside the Viva La Revolucion exhibit, which features the work of Banksy, Shepard Fairey, Barry McGee, Calma, JR, Ryan McGinness, Os Gemeos…the list goes on and on. Check out the preview above, and we’ll see you at TNT!

Update: See the full time lapse here!

His work has taken him to exhibitions from Paris to Milan, Berlin, and New York. This summer he’s dreamed up Black Whale for Current, and it’s now making its way to San Diego. Mark your calendar for its debut — more event details here!

Above: Wall by Calma, in East Village

We had a wonderful time with you all in Tijuego (aka Tijuana+San Diego) this past weekend, enjoying a wealth of street art and experiencing our two cities the way they should be – on bike. We must thank the 15+ organizations we partnered with — most intimately Sezio and Turista Libre — as well as our 2010 Patrons who help us put on events like these and further our mission of promoting cultural exchange in San Diego. And of course, thanks to you 150+ cyclists who came out to ride!

Below: Freeway underpass space-scape, Tijuana

Check out the time-lapse of the SD ride from Charles Berquist, with photos of the San Diego ride by Charles here and some Set & Drift Tijuana faves here.

Also… make sure to see the winning photo sets of Tijuana (David Cannon: here) and San Diego (Nadja Lancelot: here), who are going home from the Tijuego rides with gift certificates to El Take It Easy, El Camino, and Velo Cult!

Below: Wall by Shepard Fairey, Hillcrest

Thank you all for coming on the Tijuego Street Art Bike Tour over the weekend. This was truly a community effort with many sponsors, bike and art organizations, visionary building owners who helped murals materialize, and ad-hoc helpers along the way.

Help us out by letting those involved know you had a great time and value their support!

MCASD
Honest Tea
El Camino
El Take It Easy
SD Bike Coalition
Velo Cult
Paseo Urbano Bicicletero
SD Bike Commuter
CROL + Irene + Chicano Park
Miriello Grafico
Bic Control / Los Cruzadores
The Tijuana Police for escorting us through the streets!
La Casa de Tunel
Reacciona Tijuana

Apologies for anyone we forgot to mention!
Sezio //  Turista Libre //  Set & Drift

Set & Drift is honored to bring the work of Kwangho Lee out from Korea for Current — an exhibition of hand-crafted design — this September. For the upcoming exhibition, Kwangho is building a large scale lighting installation, a transformative and sculptural piece knitted with power cords as his unconventional medium. Though born and raised in rural Korea, Kwangho now lives and works in Seoul, and he’s been sending us some tantalizing shots of his studio and work in process.

Below: Kwangho uses this table with a circular hole surrounded by pegs to knit some of his pieces. He says he created it after coming across a similar smaller scale tool used in metal jewelry making.

The creation that he’s dreamed up for Current has acquired the name Black Whale, a 7 foot long knitted lighting installation that’s coming to life and being prepared for its migration to San Diego. Read more about Kwangho’s process here and be sure to make a date for The Opening at The Bakery. {Full event details here!}

This September at Current – an exhibition of hand-crafted design, guests will experience the intriguing work and story of Korean designer Kwangho Lee. His rural upbringing inspired him to apply traditional hand-crafted techniques (knitting) to otherwise uninspired urban materials (power cables), to create transformative and sculptural lighting installations.

As a very young child, his grandparents looked after him on their farm in rural Korea, where the ability to transform everyday materials into useful tools and objects is a way of life. Lee’s grandfather worked stone, rope, wood, and clay into implements for growing vegetables, raising cattle, and supporting the family. His mother points out that from a very early age, Kwangho became adept at manipulating material with his hands, which led him to an interest in the arts.

When Lee moved to the city to begin primary school he continued to visit his grandparents in the country, splitting time between urban and rural environments, forming a pattern of duality that inspired his creative output. Prairie and parking-lot met and became his muse.

Between his grandfather’s farm tools and his mother’s habit of knitting (check out the sweater vest above), Lee started down a path with the thought that “works done by hands can bring new meanings and value to the ordinary things.”

We’re honored to present Kwangho Lee’s work at Current – an exhibition of hand-crafted design – with an Opening Reception on Saturday, September 4th, at The Bakery in Barrio Logan, San Diego, California USA. For details on the events, including the Patrons’ Night gathering September 1, click here.

LOOK: The work of Josh Higgins & Grant Brittain converge at Subtext this Friday, July 30th!

We’re so looking forward to this collaborative show featuring our fellow collaborator and San Diego based graphic designer Josh Higgins (you might recognize his posters from past Set & Drift events below!). He’s also the founder of The Haiti Poster Project, quite a monumental undertaking, which continues to raise funds for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti through sales of posters designed by artists and designers from around the world. He’s one insanely talented, hard-working, passionate, and wonderful guy! So come out:

Different artists, different mediums, different content. But the song remains the same (or at least similar). Friends and fellow artists Grant Brittain and Josh Higgins will grace the walls of Subtext. Brittain’s portraiture of some of skateboarding’s greatest names through the years features icons and underground heroes. Higgins’ poster-art focuses on his work with punkers, musical heros, and charitable causes.

The place will be packed, so get there early!

Set & Drift Presents CURRENT:
An Exhibition of Hand-Crafted Design

PATRONS’ NIGHT:
Wed. Sept 1, 2010
7-10 pm, $50 Patrons’ Circle donation: donate here
As a thank you to our 2010 Patrons, we’re inviting you to join the Current designers for a private gathering at The Bakery, in celebration of hand-crafted design. The evening includes a sneak preview of “Black Whale”, Kwangho Lee’s knitted lighting installation (which our collective of Patrons has helped bring to San Diego from Seoul) as well as first dibs on the goods at the exclusive pop up shop, featuring textiles, jewelry, and limited edition objects by 9 American designers. Join Set & Drift and the designers for a supper courtesy of the infamous MIHO Gastrotruck {hand-crafted gourmet street food}, a champagne toast, and live roots-Americana music by members of The Silent Comedy. With surprises from generous supporters including Olive View Vineyards & Winery, Vin de Syrah, Trumer Pils, Influx Cafe, Suzie’s Organic Farm, Halcyon Tea, Caxao Chocolates, New Belgium Brewing, The Linkery, Sea Rocket Bistro, The Pearl Hotel, Temecula Olive Oil, The 3rd Corner, Cafe Moto, and Honest Tea.

Not an official Patron yet? Join the circle today! A $50 tax deductible donation ($100 for two) makes you an official Patrons of 2010 programming! We couldn’t do it without you.

THE OPENING:
Sat. Sept 4, 2010 (7-10 pm, free > RSVP here!)
Sounds by Will Redd and DJ Claire
Saturday night will be host to Artist Openings throughout the Barrio Logan neighborhood. Drop by Current then check out the photography show across the street at Voz Alta and open artist studios throughout The Glashaus (a must-see re-purposed glass factory), including Device Gallery’s Creatures of Industry.

OPEN GALLERY:
Fri-Sun. Sept 3-5, 2010*
*open throughout ART SAN DIEGO Contemporary Art Fair (at The Hilton Bayfront)

View full event details and photos here!

Join Sezio, Set & Drift, and Turista Libre for a bicycle-powered street art tour of Tijuego (Tijuana + San Diego). The tour will be split into two rides and will visit urban art installations adorning both of our sister cities.

TJ Ride // Saturday, July 31 // 1:00 pm
Meet at the gates on the South side of the pedestrian border crossing in Colonia Federal. After-party at Pop Diner starting at 4pm

…SD Ride // Sunday, August 1 // 11:00 am
Meet at Urban Outfitters, Hillcrest by the OBEY mural
The ride will conclude at MCASD Downtown at 2pm
After-party at Super El Camino in Little Italy at 4pm

Photo Scavenger Hunt
We’re encouraging all participants to document this ride, and the art we’ll experience along the way. After the weekend, upload your photos to Flickr and email the set link to info@sezio.org. We’ll choose two winning albums, one based on quantity of photos and one based on quality photos. Each winner will be granted a one year membership to Sezio and to MCASD, along with gift certificates to El Camino and El Take It Easy, and some gear from Velo Cult.

Border Crossing Details
We recommend taking the trolley to the border. If you choose to drive, park at San Ysidro and cross through the first turnstile into Mexico. Walk down the promenade with a mural on the right and a row of official-looking teller windows on the left. Soon thereafter you’ll come to a fork where you can keep going straight or turn right. Turn right, go through the second turnstile, and we’ll be right there on the other side waiting for you.

Bike to the Museum Day @ MCASD
The SD Ride corresponds with Bike to the Museum Day at MCASD’s downtown location, and the Viva La Revolucion exhibit. A free bike valet will be provided at the TNT location (across from the museum). Your bike valet ticket will be good for 1/2 price museum entrance and for a 2 for 1 drink special at the El Camino after-party.

RSVP on Facebook

Check out the tour map

Oaxaca based artist and tattooist Dr. Lakra just got into town for tomorrow’s opening at MCASD. He’s painting into the night on the West wall of the Miriello Grafico building at the edge of the infamous Barrio Logan neighborhood. Some of you might recall the art show we held at this building a couple years ago.

Barrio Logan is an appropriate location for the artist with its rich tradition in Latin American street art including Chicano Park, one of the most densely concentrated areas of murals in the entire country and the site of a crucial show of civil disobedience by the local community.

Dr. Lakra was a very nice, soft spoken dude. With our studio just around the corner from “The Logan” building, we couldn’t be happier having his art so close. The full shot below shows what’s left to paint tonight, and apparently he’ll keep painting toward the right (if he has time).

The Survey Select Narrative Art Exhibition is now up — taking place July 15 to September 5, 2010 at the Wonderbread Factory in San Diego. Mark Murphy has gathered a truly admirable group of 65+ artists, including the likes of Jeff Soto, Dalek, Kelsey Brookes, and Bonnie Marie Smith (a Set & Drift favorite, shown above). The exhibition examines “a new tradition of storytelling”, and we are thrilled that it’s here in San Diego. Catch the public reception tonight! (And keep an eye out for the clever display pieces by local design-build firm Bells & Whistles.) Find artist and event details here.

There were plenty of onlookers during the second day of work on the OBEY GIANT mural in South Park (San Diego) by Shepard Fairey and his crew (day one here). The crowd was a good mix of photogs, hipsters, fixie riders, random curious ladies taking neighborhood walks…and along came a man who seemed to be plucked straight out of a Quentin Tarantino film.

He moaned some nonsense about how he “owned most of all this…” property next door to the mural, and whined, “I gotta look at this every day!?” The hipsters had some fun chatting with him as Grandpa Grumpypants kept staring up with fire in his eyes at the scissor-lift while Fairey & co. cut huge stencils of a cloaked figure.

It was interesting to see the artists cutting their stencils directly on the cinderblock building. Seems like a mundane detail, simply a time-intensive task required to get a huge mural up on the side of a building – and indeed it is.

But it’s also a reminder that the patronage of a museum like MCASD (or for that matter, lending our own wall to Mike Maxwell) can make a world of difference for what an artist is able to do with a public work. Having several days to underpaint, create background patterns, wheat-paste in several layers, and overlay figurative images with enormous grid-based stencils is a lot different than showing up at 3am with a pre-cut stencil and a couple cans of aerosol.

Both modes of operation have their owns merits, but they are vastly different when it comes to decorative complexity or the context created by risking arrest.

We’re pretty happy about the freedoms granted to the artists of Viva La Revolucion, and hope the extra time they’re spending on these pieces will open more dialogue with Grandpa Grumpypants or anyone else who’s a stranger to street art.

After putting up an enormous mural in Hillcrest (check Carly Ealey’s beautiful photos for Sezio here), Shepard Fairey and his crew were back at it, this time in the South Park neighborhood of San Diego. They have the underpainting and some stenciling out of the way, and we’re excited to see the progress in the coming days.

With MCASD commissioned works popping up all over town (officially or otherwise), it’s been like a street art Disneyland in San Diego over the past several weeks. Undoubtedly, the carpet-bombing from Space Invader, Barry McGee mural, Os Gemeos’ human step ladder, and the large-scale OBEY GIANT murals underway are creating tons of excitement leading up to the Viva La Revolucion exhibition opening this Saturday.

But the hype is a little uncomfortable, and immediately stirs up the dialogue that came out of the brilliant (mock or doc- umentary ?) Exit Through The Giftshop. But the excitement is also simply a good reminder that art should be a part of everyday life.

We also can’t help being stoked to live 4 blocks away from an in-process OBEY mural.

More updates from the field soon…

We’re hosting a happy hour gathering at The Farm Proper at our Barrio Logan studio on Monday, July 12 – 6 pm. Drop on by!

Details here.

The upcoming exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD), entitled “Viva La Revolucion,” has generated a tremendous amount of dialogue around the idea of street art, and with that dialogue – controversy. This came to a head with Barry McGee‘s (TWIST) mural across the street from the city hall. Mike Maxwell has been documenting as well as contributing to the explosion of murals showing up on walls across the city, and caught some great footage of McGee’s team attacking an enormous wall while under scrutiny.

Although it’s a common practice to commission walls for artist murals, and we totally understand the value of MCASD grabbing some walls for these artists, we find it a little ironic that an exhibition specifically about the street art movement includes officially sanctioned walls for artists (especially if the MCASD backs down under local criticism).

The beautiful thing about the museum’s exhibition is that while some walls are “official”, some are very much unofficial works done by the artists under their own accord. You may be able to take the street artist off the street, but you can’t take the street out of the street artist.

We’re looking forward to watch this play out over the coming weeks (the exhibition opens to the public on July 18th), and see how MCASD handles ongoing criticism and subsequent education/outreach. One thing is for certain so far: this museum is doing their job by starting dialogue and pushing this city to consider what contemporary art is or should be.

Above: balloon installation by Jason Hackenwerth

The New Children’s Museum of San Diego has launched their first Open Call for Artists. The museum is a hybrid contemporary art museum / children’s museum, housed in a beautiful modern, sustainable building along the harbor downtown. They are looking for proposals for contemporary art installations in all media, for an audience of both children (toddler to teen) and families. They focus on works that are participatory and approachable, with opportunities for open-ended interpretation and play. Decisions will be made end of summer with installation this fall. Details and budget info here (deadline is July 30, 2010).

Below: Toy an Horse by Marcos Ramirez

Set & Drift Presents Current

Reception: Saturday, September 4, 2010 / 7 to 10 pm

VIP Preview Night: Thursday, September 2, 2010

Open Studio: September 3-5, 2010, in conjunction with the international San Diego Art Fair (downtown San Diego)

Set & Drift presents Current, an exhibition showcasing the blurry line between art and design. The working furniture design workshop of The Bakery will undergo a temporary transformation, to feature a sculptural knitted lighting installation by Korean designer Kwangho Lee. A pop up shop in the studio will also showcase limited edition furniture pieces, prints, and objects by designers including Miki Iwasaki (mi-workshop) and Josh Higgins. The Bakery is a historic building in Barrio Logan, which houses a creative studio and exhibiton space, as well as The Farm Proper, a mobile, urban farm experiment.

1701 National Avenue, San Diego, California USA

We launched the Farm Proper to make the most of an unused industrial lot and start a dialogue about re-imagining the way we grow food. After coverage from Fox5 and DesignBoom, a conversation did start indeed (see here and some lively comments on this post).

A response to our critics:

1. We do not endorse stealing shopping carts.
2. We encourage and celebrate creative and resourceful ways of growing food in urban environments (such as making use of broken shopping carts or wooden produce crates that have been thrown out)
3. We question the logic of an industrialized food system, and our use of shopping carts as planters is a symbolic way for us to encourage this discussion

Thanks for stopping by. We invite you to join us at the Farm Proper anytime!

As a sequel to the Shaken, not Stirred show at Spacecraft Gallery in June 2009, a group of San Diego designers, architects and educators are coming together again to show recent projects and concepts under development. The exhibition will include sculptures, drawings, digital fabrications, and models to showcase fresh perspectives and a snapshot of the work being created in San Diego.

Artists & designers include: Ted Smith & Kathleen McCormick, Rinehart/Herbst, Hector & Adrian Perez, Miki Iwasaki, Rene Peralta, Megan Willis, David White, Jim Darroch, Christopher Puzio, Jose Parral & Tasi Paulson, Philipp Bosshart, Andy Ralph, Brian Dick, Jon Linton, Michael Hoffman, Daniela Deutsch, Cameron Crockett, Adriana Cuellar & Marcel Sanchez-Prieto, and Nathan Colkitt.

RSVP & more details

Saturday, June 26, 2010 (5-9 pm)

The Bakery / 1701 National Ave, San Diego, CA

It’s a busy night — Sezio drew up a handy bike route that hits on the events happening at The Bakery, San Diego Space For Art, & Suture!

We hope you’ll join us as an official Set & Drift Patron! Through a $50 tax-deductible donation here* (or a $100 donation for you plus a guest of your choosing), you support cultural exchange in San Diego and are added to the list for private Set & Drift Patrons’ engagements. We couldn’t do it without you!

*Fiscal sponsorship graciously provided by NYC arts organization Fractured Atlas.

Patrons: want to be listed in our program? Send us an email with your individual/family name listing or organization’s logo!

Watch the preview.

& Purchase tickets here.

See more photos here.

He also gave this wall a 70 foot mustache at 14th & J with his so-called “Everything That Has Ever Existed”. Awesome:

What we’re harvesting: Aztec spinach, strawberries, wild arugula, pole beans, magenta lambsquarter, purple radishes, beets, kale, tatsoi.

The Farm Proper is an experimental project created by a collaborative of artists, designers, and backyard growers to inspire urban cultivation and pocket farms. Using abandoned/defunct shopping carts as our medium, we have designed a scenario to take over a temporarily available industrial lot to provide the community with organically grown food.

Our intention was to start a conversation and indeed it’s begun with some welcomed coverage via Fast Company and designboom of Milan, Italy.

Check in on the farm at Facebook or Flickr for an evolving set of photos. And don’t be a stranger – we’ve got some events planned for this summer at the farm. Sign up for updates here.

On 15 May 2010 Set & Drift hosted a Seed Bombing Potluck at The Farm Proper.

The Farm Proper is an experiment in the urban landscape.
Set & Drift, in collaboration with mi-workshop, have repurposed an industrial dirt lot outside The Bakery in the Barrio Logan neighborhood of San Diego, California. The farm is comprised of abandoned/defunct grocery carts filled with vegetables cultivated organically by a collective of artists, designers, backyard growers, and other creatives. It’s a project meant to inspire urban cultivation and pocket farms. Using abandoned shopping carts as our medium, we’ve designed a scenario to take over a temporarily available industrial lot to provide the community with organically grown food. The designer is the new farmer!

Above: An assemblage of artists and designers discuss and farm: Mike Maxwell, Kevin Joelson, Patrick Kenney, Sean Kelley, Scott Ballum & Stacy Kelley

Project details here.

Full Flickr set here.

Below: Architect Miki Iwasaki of mi-workshop builds architecture for the pole bean climbers.

Art and Copy, A Film by Doug Pray, is coming to Birch Theater in North Park June 24th.

ART & COPY is a powerful new film about advertising and inspiration. Directed by Doug Pray (SURFWISE, SCRATCH, HYPE!), it reveals the work and wisdom of some of the most influential advertising creatives of our time — people who’ve profoundly impacted our culture, yet are virtually unknown outside their industry. Exploding forth from advertising’s “creative revolution” of the 1960s, these artists and writers all brought a surprisingly rebellious spirit to their work in a business more often associated with mediocrity or manipulation…

Details found here.

Seed Bombing Potluck at The Farm Proper
Saturday 5.15.10 // 2-4 pm

it’s harvesting time at The Farm Proper, and we’d like to share some of the bounty with you! we also have a load of newly acquired carts that are filled with soil and ready for the planting. {we have seeds for you to plant or bring ones of your choosing} …

BYOB for the ice bucket //
we’ll have a couple Farm Proper salads & snacks, bring some farm food to share if you like.

bring friends, bring your shovel, drop by for a few, don’t be a stranger.

The Farm Proper is a mobile, urban farm experiment at The Bakery.

established January 2010 :: photos

Facebook invite

Photo by Carly Ealey (full photo set of the event here)

Much gratitude to Sezio for the review and insightful documentation of this month’s Liquidation Sale hosted by Set & Drift here at The Bakery!

Pop Zen and a Fort with The Vision at The Bakery in Barrio. Fear not, folks, this isn’t 2012. What may sound like an apocalyptic nursery tale was in fact Set & Drift’s latest collaborative event, presenting the work of Keikichi Honna and Wes Bruce, and including a performance by The Vision of a Dying World, hosted at The Bakery on April 3. This event marked The Bakery’s gallery debut… <more>

Update: Friday, April 23rd (that’s today, folks!) we’re opening up The Bakery to Wes Bruce to show the fort one last time before it’s dismantled. Drop by and get a tour with the artist himself.

More than just a movie about British graffiti artist Banksy, “Exit Through the Gift Shop” tells a story that reminds that art, in all its forms, is a constant, very human conversation.

The movie is an insiders’ look at the street art scene, which ends up documenting the journey of the impromptu filmmaker “Thierry Guetta” himself. It’s a study for everyone who’s both fascinated and confused by art. At the end of the movie, someone sums it up by wondering aloud who the joke is on… or whether there even is a joke. The story it tells is entertaining while it hits on some of the same issues as Ryan McGinness’s Sponsorship, which considers the complex consequences that are born from the mingling of money and art.

It’s playing in LA and comes to San Diego April 30: locations here.

It’s April, making this officially month #4 at The Farm Proper. Established at The Bakery in collaboration with mi-workshop, The Farm Proper is Set & Drift’s experiment in mobile, urban agriculture.

This bit of a “farm” that’s taken over the dirt lot behind our studio is dedicated to food production: Everything planted (with the exception of some marigolds and cosmos to attract beneficial insects) is vegetable and future food. We’re putting this out there as a replicable model to propagate pocket farms; we hope you and yours will design a takeover of unused land. So we’re sharing every failure and success along the way as our impromptu group of artists, designers, and backyard growers try our best to make this stuff grow.

Month #4 at The Farm Proper

POLE BEANS. We started the pole beans first so by now they’re on their way. They’re finally climbing up the wires, being more agreeable with the architecture we’ve designed for them. We planted some nasturtiums (edible leaves) and kale in between the beans. It’s getting a little crowded so hopefully the beans head up the teepee and clear some air for the plants below. A tip — plant beans. They’re so easy to grow – it’s a good plant to make you (or your kid) feel like a proper farmer. We started the seeds in small containers then transplanted, but they’re so hearty you could plant them direct.

Also coming up: Red Aztec spinach (below) and magenta lambsquarters (an iridescent edible wild spinach)

{For the whole lot of Farm Proper photos, visit Flickr.}

We’ll be hosting seminars and cookouts at the farm so send us a note to partake & receive info!

A ‘thank you’ to all of you who came out for our most recent show at The Bakery — Liquidation Sale! by Keikichi Honna with Live-in-able Fort by Wes Bruce (detail pictured above).

Another thank you goes out to Keikichi and Wes, two very soulful artists and longtime collaborators of ours; Miki of mi-workshop; Jackson of The Vision of a Dying World; our supporters at New Belgium; and Brian Deppe, who caught the whole thing on film. And lastly, a very special thank you to all of you who purchased Keikichi’s work!

We hope you had a chance to explore the fort by foot but if not, peep some shots here. Voz Alta also threw a great show across the street, making it quite a night down here on the block in Barrio Logan. It was a pleasure hosting ye. ‘Til next time!

Update: Wes is hosting one more showing of the fort Friday, April 23, before it’s dismantled. Details here!

We are very much looking forward to Only In Your Fondest Dreams, the Brian Flynn opening next Friday (4/9/2010) at Subtext. While Flynn’s graphic edges couldn’t be more crisp, the line between art and design is starting to blur in a rather beautiful way, opening the door for new dialogue.

Talk amongst yourselves.

We love modern craftsmen. Whether you grow or cook food, design posters or grind down slabs of marble… it’s all about having an undeniable gravitation toward diving head-first into the process.

One such craftsman, Tim at Quality Letterpress, recently helped us print some posters for our upcoming LIQUIDATION SALE art exhibition (take a close look and feel when you see one around town). Tim is a true craftsman, with a horde of antique letterpress equipment and type that he’s collected from all over the country (and world!).

If you’re a designer, visiting Tim’s shop is a must, especially due to his policy with designers who want to get their hands dirty (through classes and shop rental time). There are several letterpress options in San Diego, but Tim’s been doing this much longer than most (25 years) and he approaches the work with the passion and curiosity of a mad scientist – e.g. his constant mumbling of calculations as he measures, searches for, saws down and places the “furniture” around hand-set type to create a tight-fitting plate.

If you’re a non-designer looking to get some incredible wedding invites, business cards, baby shower announcements, etc… look no further. Tim’s apprentice Brett happens to be a darn good designer with a burgeoning knowledge of the letterpress craft, making QL a one-stop shop.

Another note of interest for you audiophiles out there – Tim played in bands, toured Europe and has plenty of good stories from those days. When you head out to his shop, you’ll be greeted by the smell of ink and a constant playlist of deep cuts.

Happy pressing!

Featuring Keikichi Honna, Wes Bruce, and The Vision of a Dying World.

Details here.

Did you catch Sezio’s show at the Boat House? We were delighted to partake as artists in this one-night takeover, and we were in quite good company too. Here are some shots of our eucalyptus bearded piano man – we hope you enjoyed him. Peep some more event pics including works by Mike Maxwell, Niko, Exist 1981, Tocayo, and so many more at Flickr. Thanks to Mr. Brian Deppe for the photos!

Installation by Set & Drift’s Stacy and Sean Kelley

These are some songs that have been swilling in my head for the past few months. They’re not particularly slow, and they’re not particularly fast. So, just sit down. Put on your headphones. Take a deep breath, and plant yourself. You’re exactly where you need to be right now.

Can’t help but finding Jules Buck Jones’s artwork interesting and endearing.

Heard of Kickstarter? He’s posted a project to document his artist residency in Everglades National Park in a multi-media art book. His stats as of today, Feb. 20:

+Raised $4,947 of the $7,500 goal

+42 backers

+82 days to go

How does it work? You give him money, and he makes a kick ass book to unleash on the printing press. You support creativity unadulterated and straight from the source, plus you get something in return. ($50 scores you a copy of the final book and an audio CD).

Kickstarter is a great way to gather small amounts of funds from various backers to get these projects off the ground. If the goal isn’t met, your donation is reimbursed. Set & Drift collaborator Acamonchi has a project for Sketching New York City going as well – check it out.

Browse the projects and be a patron! Your fellows will thank you.

Music is universal. Love, hate, happiness, sadness, joy and wonder are universal. Music is life. Songs create the soundtrack to our lives. Music is essential to my being and has changed my life in many ways. Originally I was going to make a CD that was the soundtrack to my life then add songs from my favorite soundtracks. The new year has arrived and I decided to put together the mix that created itself on shuffle while I was on my hour walk. It’s a new year and time to live in the present and not always have everything planned or figured out. Enjoy the mix and share it with your friends. Joie de vivre!

Jen Correia
KGTV Helicopter Reporter
Music News Reporter
X1FM VJ

Blog: http://thefullservicereport.tumblr.com/
Twitter: @jencorreia

—

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

>> Right-click here << and save this mix on your iPod/iPhone.

1. Across the Universe: Fiona Apple
2. Man Ray: The Futureheads
3. Ready Steady Go: Generation X
4. Investigative Reports: Genius/GZA
5. Kevin is Gay: Giant Drag
6. Transmission: Joy Division
7. Waltz for Koop: Koop
8. The Body Says No: New Pornographers
9. Shady Lane: Pavement
10. Insistor: Tapes N’ Tapes
11. Grow Up and Blow Away: Metric
12. Fences: The Soft Pack – RMX Phoenix song
13. Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space: Spiritualized
14. Destination Venus: Rezillos
15. Ca Plane Pour Moi: Plastic Bertrand
16. The Greatest: Cat Power
17. It Was a Good Day: Ice Cube
18. Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?: She and Him
19. Pictures of Houses: Tilly and the Wall
20. DJ: Amanda Blank
21. Stand and Deliver: Adam Ant

Feat. Mike Maxwell, Niko, Exist 1981, Tocayo, Kelli Murray, Brent Sandor, Carly Ealey, Wes Bruce, Sean Kelley, Stacy Kelley, Sean Ward and Jane Weibel

More details from Sezio here, and the Niko/Mike Maxwell collab time lapse video here. 6-10pm // Musical acts include The Paddle Boat, Black Mamba & Dr. Popsicle

Here’s a peek at what’s going on over there right now.

Below: Sean Kelley’s piece

A collab by Carly Ealey & Brent Sandor (left) & Sean’s work in progress (right)

Tocayo, work in progress

Love this one by Exist 1981…

And this one…rar.

By Wes Bruce. (We have been up late…)

Hope to see you Friday!

Sweet Sixteen – the birthday that lots of teenage girls celebrate with a massive party…but me, well I celebrated by getting my very first electric guitar. Though it’s been years since I turned 16, the Sweet Sixteen lives on in an annual challenge I most look forward to: pick my favorite albums from the year, choose my favorite songs from those albums, put them all together in a neat little mix, package them up with a dorky album cover and distribute to both willing and unwilling friends. It’s pretty typical for these songs to end up being very tied to certain times and places in my memory, so in the end, each Sweet Sixteen mix serves as a really good reminder of what happened over the course of that year. 2009 was one of my favorite years in music to date. I’m excited to see what 2010 has in store. Happy New Year!

—
Lauren Daniels
SeattleGraffiti

—

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1. Two Weeks – Grizzly Bear
2. Heart Skipped A Beat – The XX
3. Turn Me Well – Micachu
4. Coast of Carolina – Telekinesis
5. Fables – The Dodos
6. Just The Same But Brand New – St. Vincent
7. i am the changer – Cotton Jones
8. This Tornado Loves You – Neko Case
9. When We Swam – Thao with the Get Down Stay Down
10. Maybe So, Maybe No – Mayer Hawthorne
11. French Navy – Camera Obscura
12. Home – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
13. Lalita – The Love Language
14. I And Love And You – The Avett Brothers
15. Sirens – Grand Hallway
16. 1901  –   Phoenix

Attention all artists and designers…

THE HAITI POSTER PROJECT
Just launched: A collaboration of artists and designers from around the world, benefiting victims of the earthquake in Haiti

Moxie Sozo, the organizer of the 2005 Hurricane Relief Poster Project, is teaming up with Josh Higgins, the organizer of the 2007 So-Cal Fire Poster Project to produce the 2010 HAITI POSTER PROJECT. We’ve had the great fortune of collaborating with San Diego based graphic designer Josh Higgins through Set & Drift events (remember his fantastic prints…) and we’re excited to spread the word and keep you updated. The deadline for submissions is March 15:

All designers and artists, please step up! THE HAITI POSTER PROJECT seeks limited edition sets of posters from artists, designers and design firms from around the world. The donated posters will be sold online to raise money for Doctors Without Borders. As designers, we have the collective ability to do what we love, AND to create a difference. THE HAITI POSTER PROJECT has been conceived as a collective effort by the design community to unite and effect change through our work. In order for this project to be successful, we are counting on designer participation.

Our goal is to raise at least $1,000,000 for Doctors Without Borders. Please help spread the word.

Website: thehaitiposterproject.com
Twitter: @haitiposters
Facebook: become a fan!

Josh Higgins prints from Set & Drift projects:

Set & Drift has moved to Barrio Logan — we’re sharing a studio space with mi-workshop {object & space design}. We opened the studio up the other night and are looking forward to hosting future events! Here are some shots, including our golden chihuahuas and a film screening of Jean Painleve’s Science is Fiction in the workshop {below}. Keep in touch for details on upcoming happenings.

Above: The Salk Institute {La Jolla, California}

What’s it like to be part of the design scene in San Diego (proclaimed “small but vibrant” by Dwell Magazine)? We could tell you, but we’ll give Dwell the honors since they’ve called upon local architectural talent Aaron Anderson to run through the stand out architecture of the city in this month’s issue. Congrats to our studio-mate Miki Iwasaki of mi-workshop for a shout out in the feature!

Below: The beloved Las Cuatro Milpas Mexican eatery, blocks away from the Set & Drift studio in Barrio Logan

Tired bicicletas. These guys made the trek from the San Diego neighborhood of South Park down to Tijuana. (We gave them a break on the trolley on the way home.)

On 05 of December 2009 we set out by bicycle — joined by Jay, Katie, and Michael of North Park farm-to-table restaurant The Linkery — in the direction of Suzie’s Farm, an organic farms that supplies The Linkery with some of its produce.

Set & Drift also happens to be part of the Suzie’s Farm CSA program. Every two weeks we pick up one box of whatever is in season at the farm (from Grant’s Marketplace in South Park – oh so convenient). To give you a sense of what’s inside, we laid out a December box on our table.

So beautiful. Such variety. Building recipes based on what’s on hand is a new creative challenge.

Suzie’s Farm owner Robin was generous with the taste tests. We were also excited to hear that strawberries will make their way into the CSA box in early spring.

They’re trying out growing heirloom tomatoes in the greenhouse. Farm owner Lucila explained that sometimes it’s good to be rough with tomatoes. Perhaps if they think they’re on their way out, they’ll make babies faster. And those are some delicious babies.

Suzie’s farm is not far from the U.S./Mexico border. So close, in fact, that we decided to take the bikes across. We ended up at Tijuana ceviche restaurant Erizo: amazing. The quail egg was a nice touch.

After many shared plates and a few bottles of wine we decided to link up with Derrik on his Turista Libre outing. We found ourselves at TJ bar Garces, a fantastic lounge that pays homage to Mexican actor Mauricio Garces — fully outfitted with gold upholstered booths and mirrored tables. We spent a good amount of time with the Turista Libre crew, admiring their loot from the Tijuana shopping spree, before hitting the road.

So sore the next day but so worth it.

2009 was a fine year for Set & Drift, as we followed the compass eastward and trekked it over to New York City. October in NYC was host to the Feast conference: an inspiring gathering presented by All Day Buffet that is definitely worth putting on your calendar. It’s an interdisciplinary happening of open dialogue and presenters that explores how creativity impacts business in a positive way.

We checked out the Ace Hotel (above). It was inspiring to see the creators behind this hotel putting artists to work to create individualized and soulful scenes behind the beds. Back at home in San Diego, we have been equally excited to see the work of up and coming artists grace the walls of local establishments (like the Tocayo murals featured at local eatery El Camino). We experience creativity in the everyday when business leaders in the community make conscious decisions to showcase it. Got to support that.

Which is why we loved this DIY ice cream truck kicking it in Brooklyn… Unicorns and hot pink bow tie included.

Another highlight was The High Line. The city reclaimed an elevated rail from the 1930′s and with the help of a talented team of architects converted it into a mile and a half long public park.

East Coast driftage…

And an undercover shot from the museum.

Set & Drift is proud to support The 2009 Gingerbread Collective: a charitable showcase of gingerbread houses built by over a dozen San Diego architects and designers. The event benefits local non-profit Second Chance, which provides job training and housing opportunities to assist with employment and self-sufficiency. Set & Drift’s Sean Kelley experimented with a little baking to design the event’s tasty 3-dimensional graphic (above). It’s a tricky material for us creatives, and we are super excited to see the masterpieces that come out of this multi-discipline exhibition of creativity and collaborative networking.

Above: Sculptor Matt Devine’s mid century modern “Case #22 Inspired Gingerbread House”, feat. a frosty pool, edible shrubbery, and some seriously creative furnishings.

Below: Furniture designer/architect Miki Iwasaki of mi-workshop unveils COLLECTIVE LANDSCAPE, which considers how we live on our landscape and what it means to be a collective. He’s crafted some reclaimed hardwood remnants to stand amongst a community of sculpted cookie and surreal candy living spaces.

A public showcase happens at Arclinea — a modern Italian kitchen design showroom — Thurs/Fri 12/10 & 12/11 from 6-9 pm.  Or, if you want a more intimate viewing, gather with the builders for a cocktail gala the evening of Saturday 12/12, where the jury will announce the winners and guests can bid on houses to call their very own. Gala tix are $25 with 100% of proceeds benefiting Second Chance. Added bonus: tasty treats from spots like Starlite, Cucina Urbana, & Stone Brew will be served up at the gala as you meander through the maze.

One of our favorite artists, Matt Stallings, unveils his show After the Bomb Popped at Subtext Gallery in San Diego this month. We’ve located an interview // photo preview of his work –> Muchas gracias to Sezio for the diversity of questions and the entertaining format, and for letting us ask him what his power animal is.

And so we tell you of the wonder-fulness that is Matt Stallings and remind you to meet him on your computer, and at Subtext, if you are in the area 12.11.09.

Matt Stallings’s DNA =

Coffee + Television + Fruit Loops + Cartoons + Bear Suites + Nostalgia + Comedy + 1+1=3 + Madonna Gap tooth + Beer + Kids + Tabloids + Love + Wife + Family + Red Beard = White. Medium height. Slightly hairy human.

Photos via Fecal Face (including one below), and watch the studio tour/interview by Sezio. (And if you really want to get crazy, there’s a preview of the upcoming show here.)

-buckminster fuller

::via Toxico Cultura

If there’s anything consistent about us creative types, it’s that we need inspired space — for architectural models, for interdisciplinary think tank meet-ups, for gallery shows, for filming. etcetera. We’ve seen a surge in the collaborative workspace concept here in San Diego, and over in London, they’ve created a non-profit version.

Village Underground is an innovative coupling: ex London Underground tube train carriages have become creative studios, piled above the expansive raw space of a restored Victorian warehouse below, which can be transformed into a flexible and multi-functional arena.

This Friday, October 2nd, San Diego based artist Mike Maxwell opens his new La Jolla studio to the public for the first time. Join Mike for drinks and hors d’oeuvres on the rooftop lounge over looking the Cove above his studio. And take a gander at his blog for the latest.

Make sure to mark your calendars for next Friday’s opening of Cereal Killer at Subtext, which promises a tasty exhibition of breakfast-mascot-inspired paintings by Patrick Ballesteros. There is mischief in those eyes, and as Stephen Colbert reminds us, bears are not to be trusted!

This is a brief mix of music I might take with me on a desert island. I picked it fast and decisively, as if someone was forcing me to leave abruptly, saying I might never come back. I tried to choose different genres and moods of music for my purposes of trying to live life apart from the rest of the world. In the end if I found that I had this list of songs around I might be content for a long time. Some songs just keep getting better…..

Heather Ace
San Diego House Parties

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1. Murderer – Barrington Levy
2. Pimper’s Paradise – Bob Marley & The Wailers
3. Stella Was A Diver And She Was Always Down – Interpol
4. Hair Down – Cold War Kids
5. Take Five – Dave Brubeck
6. The Beast – The Fugees
7. Hit Me! – The Sounds
8. Silent House – Dixie Chicks
9. Your Heart Is An Empty Room – Death Cab for Cutie
10. Sullivan Street – Counting Crows
11. I Only Have Eyes For You – The Flamingos
12. Lose Control – Missy Elliott
13. Digital – Joy Division
14. Weed Party – Band of Horses
15. The Long Way Around – Dixie Chicks
16. Sunday Morning – No Doubt
17. Supermix – The Notorious B.I.G.
18. Brothers On A Hotel Bed – Death Cab for Cutie
19. Minha Galera – Manu Chao
20. Lovesick Blues – Patsy Cline
21. Brand New Colony – The Postal Service
22. There Is a Light That Never Goes Out – The Smiths
23. Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect – The Decemberists

Photo credit: HighContrast

Get down to the Kava Lounge tonight at 9pm to kick off Fall the right way – with hip-hop. The Fall Hip-Hop Showcase, presented by San Diego House Parties, will feature live performances by K The I ??? with onepersun, Edword Sizzamouf, and M-Double-A-L, and the Afta Shock Dance Crew will also be on hand.

Half biomimicry, half psychogeography, Jarbas Agnelli’s response to this photo of birds sitting on telephone wires is a simple but provocative idea. The composer interpreted the image into musical notes using the positioning of the birds. It’s a nice little tune as well!

Read more on Agnelli here. Found via Utne Reader.

We recently visited the Lux Art Institute in Encinitas for the opening of Elizabeth Turk’s artist residency. The residency and show is a coming-home of sorts for the artist, who grew up in Orange County but until now has been working in New York. The Lux space seems to fit her work well, as the modern lines of the architecture and sculpture blend with the inherent organic atmosphere of her conceptual queries and the surrounding landscape.

Elizabeth’s stark white marble forms look convincingly skeletal, offering an inverse to the dark bio-mechanical world of H.R. Giger.

She’s a slender lady, but unleashes a plethora of power tools to create her intricate sculpture from such a hard material. Elizabeth grinds the marble with a wide range of diamond and carbide-tipped tools, from large power grinders to small metal files and dental instruments.

The corner of the gallery space will act as Elizabeth’s makeshift studio during her stay.

The studio space is filled with studies, images of inspiration, and notes on patterns in nature, evolution, and psychology.

One of Elizabeth’s sculptures is made from an immense marble slab, resting on the floor. These stalagmite-like water droplet forms had us glancing up at the ceiling… for what I’m not quite sure.

Elizabeth has created a series of collars that are intended to be “delicately monumental.” The time and physical exertion takes it’s toll on the artist, motivating her to find relaxation in graphite drawings. I’m not sure how relaxing it was to draw these highly detailed hair-like strands on two 45 foot rolls of vellum – I guess it’s all relative.

Elizabeth also creates intricate drawings and prints, mixing flora and fauna into semi-recognizable but otherworldly patterns.

In addition to the opportunity to interact with the artist and her art, the Lux property itself is most definitely worth the visit. The Lux building, which was recently LEED certified (the first art museum in California with that distinction), is nestled into a native California chaparral covered hillside just north of San Elijo Lagoon. Elizabeth will be working in residency at LUX through Oct. 3, but her work will be up through 10/31.

There are only a few spots in each city that define its culture, create neighbors out of strangers, and become a weekly part of life for everyone from grandpa to high school emoboys and girls. Lou’s Records, which has been around since 1980, is one such institution in North County San Diego. It’s part of what I like to call the Holy Trinity of Leucadia, which includes The Pannikin, Ducky Waddles and of course, Lou’s.

Record shops infamously employ some interesting characters and Lou’s is no exception. Neil McLean, the creator of this installment of Minstrel Fridays (and a loyal Lou’s employee), is from England, stands about eye-level with me (6’7″), and shares music knowledge with a humble and thorough passion. Never aloof, always generous, and naturally jovial, Neil is one of a kind. After walking – yes walking– 6 miles to attend one our Sanctuary143 art events, he waltzed into the gallery with a smile and proceeded to jot down about 30 or 40 bands he suggested I check out. His hand-writing is shitty, but that list was like a gold mine for me.

But Neil McLean is more than that – he’s also a creative genius who’s hard at work creating a stop-motion animation series in his garage. This “televisual situation comedy” entitled DUNGEON is 6 years in the making, and the disturbingly funny trailer shows signs of greatness with Adult Swim written all over it. Like any creative pursuing an ambitious feat (or what he calls “my idea”), Neil has moments of doubt about the project, stemming from his lack of funds to the validity of spending 6 years building animatronic puppets and miniature sets.

That’s where you come in. This mixtape is obviously a shameless plug for Lou’s, keyword shameless. Many of you will recognize several tracks, but there are plenty of obscure gems that only Neil could dish out. Enjoy the mix, support a noble record store, and in the process, Neil’s project!

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

So where’s the tracklist?

It’s up to you to uncover the tracks! We’re giving away a Josh Higgins print for the first person to get the entire tracklist correct. Take a guess in the comment field below. Or go visit Lou’s and ask Neil… he’s always happy to share.

Winner’s Choice!

The winner gets to choose between these two limited edition hand-screen prints by Josh Higgins. Both are out of print and impossible to find.

It is the pleasure of Set & Drift to publish this interview with Oliver, we hope you enjoy his images and insight.

S&D

What draws you to photography?

OW:

Photography, in my quite personal style, has become my elixir of life. It gives me strength and it makes me happy. Every little moment is important in itself and every photograph has its own little story in my head. The photo is not in the foreground but rather quite a lot of human interactions and meetings that originate from it.

S&D

Could you tell us the story behind one of your photos? How do you begin a conversation with the people you photograph?

With this man, I spent almost a whole afternoon in his modest home. I was invited by him, and we drank tea and entertained ourselves with our hands and feet. In the end I asked him if I could take a picture of him. What I want to say is: there are situations in photography which need time. In other situations, you have to be more quick.

This is a typical street scene. The group of children passed me. Here I was able to make eye contact with a child. Within seconds, there it was, the photo.

As a general rule, I drift along on the streets; things don’t come to me at a hectic pace or in a rush. Photography is not actually at the forefront of my mind, rather it’s about having a lot of human interaction. The image through the viewfinder creates a sense of eagerness in me, as well as a sense of relaxation at the same time. All events condense around me in one moment. Then it’s a matter of capturing it in such a way that it becomes something special. My photos aim to reveal deep insights into human lives. The situations embody what develops while watching people’s lives and tell unmistakable small stories. I’m never an outsider to the story. Photography is, for me, a picture language that everyone all over the world can understand. This makes it valuable as well as inimitable and this is why I love it so much.

What brought you from Germany to your current home in the Canary Islands?

My work as a doctor.

You are like a modern storyteller, documenting the lives of others through photography and human interaction. Why do you find this an important role for today?

Thank you for the “modern storyteller”. In our crazy world, there is such a hurry and bustle.
Since 2002, I’ve pursued photography, if you want to put it this way, seriously. The so-called “street photography” has arisen through my creating different cycles. It comes to life through spontaneity and the feelings and recognition of situations and moods. You never know what will happen next. The art is to use foresight to grasp the right moment and take the picture. Once the moment is over, it is lost for good. If you have managed to capture this unique moment that makes you rest for a moment, then the picture has its justification.

If you were a mythological creature, what would you be?

Honestly I have not given this much thought. So I took a test on the Internet.

The result: I would be a Griffin: “Loyal hardworking, winged beast, the fierce griffin is a trustworthy friend. One of the more famous creatures, you should be proud of scoring this. You are valued as a tough fighter but are also dexterous in the ways of the world. You will look to the light to know what to do. You can become sulky and secretive if left without guidance though.”

What is inspiring you this week?

I am inspired by the crazy world we live in day to day.

What would your dream assignment be? Where would you like to go next?

I would like to make a picture story about my neighbor, a man who lives a very modest and hard working life. But he is happy and content with his life. Perhaps I will manage to carry this happiness through in my pictures. I will go out today and ask him…

What more do you feel you need to accomplish in this life?

My vocation is being a doctor, and my passion is taking photographs; the two together is my dream combination. There is nothing better than connecting work and hobby. The one can’t be without the other for me. For me personally, there is no absolute “need” to accomplishing something in my life. I am content as long as I have ideas in my head and the power to implement the ideas.

You can see more of Oliver Weber’s work on his website.

All photos © Oliver Weber – from the series Marrakech and other collections.

Los Angeles artist Megan Whitmarsh has a show coming up on September 12th at K___R____E_T___S, an art gallery/project room in Malmö, Sweden. KRETS shares our common vision, seeking to show contemporary art in a way not bound to the conventional and commercial art market. KRETS works with diverse media and happenings, such as art exhibitions, workshops, film screenings, and music performances.

The upcoming show, “YETI CRYSTAL RAINBOW”, is up through October 11, 2009, and includes an opening with the artist on September 12th. The exhibit features Megan’s signature embroidered canvasses, soft sculpture, and a site specific wall mural, communicating her desire “to synthesize an optimistic vision of the future with the detritus of modern life.”

Not in Sweden? We hear ya. Check out her embroidered yetis and other fanciful creations here.

Pictured below – (Not necessarily in this show but one of our favorites nevertheless) –

King Kong Shares Kit Kat

San Diego’s Subtext Gallery+Bookstore celebrates its third anniversary this Friday, September 4th (6-10 pm), with “Wanderlust”: new works by Art Center colleagues Brody Albert and Demetrius May.

It seems like human nature to hold onto our youth, continue exploring, and to pursue paths not yet traveled. Yet, in true human fashion, we process these emotions in different ways...

Thank you for the memories, Subtext, and cheers to many more to come!

<The exhibition will be open by appointment September 4th-27th, 2009.>

-Harry Bertoia

Acamonchi is moving to NYC next week! As a tribute to Acamonchi’s creative influence on San Diego, we asked him to create a mixtape. Rock out to it on your way to Streetscene or as a pre-Critical Mass warmup.

A big thanks to Acamonchi for giving back to the community through punk, bicycles, art, and positive messages about food (he’s vegan). You will be missed!

Connect with Acamonchi: Website | Facebook | Flickr

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1. The Misantroph – Neoangin
2. Dog Days – Matthew Dear
3. Actionist Respoke – Mouse On Mars
4. Strateface/Kcl0 (07/10/99) – Lackluster
5. Tanino – Latinsizer
6. La Torre Y el Diablo – Ford Proco
7. Bad Natured (Vocal Reprise) – Styrofoam
8. Brothel Trainbox. – Sindri
9. Pax Romana II – Si.Da
10. Out There Somewhere (Part 2) – Orbital

I guess you saw the first wall painting.  But it wasn’t finisched stage.  So here comes its entire picture.  Also I’ll write down each word.
I can tell you the meaning, too. Here is a list of the word.

1 Eichhornchenschwanzspitze
The very first word I got from a visitor.  “tip of the tail of a squeal.”

2 Oberschenkelknochen
I can’t remember the meaning.  rather short, but good practice.

3 Telekommunikationsdiensteleisungen
Someone found this word on an old phone bill.  So this word is legit.

4 Betaubungsmittelverschreibungsverordnung (2-bit a)
regulation requiring a prescription for an anesthetic

5 Muhlenstillgugsdurchfuhrungsverordnung (2-bit u’s for the first and fourth)

6 Konstantinopelitanischerdudelsackspfeifenmachersgesellschaft
From Mark Twain’s Connecticut Yankee.  He invented this word as a magic spell to scare people at King Arther’s Court.
Bagpipe Maker’s Union in Constantinople

7 Niedergeschwindigkeitswidkanalversuchsergebnis
Results from low-speed wind tunnel testing

8 Rindfleischetikettierungsuberwachungsaufgabenubertragungsgesetz
Specially mentioned at Germany’s word of the year ceremony. This is a legit legal term, regarding to regulations on labeling on beef.

9 Donaudampfschffahrtsgesellschaftskapitan
Every German knows this or other variations. Danube Steamboat Company Captain

10 Schneckengrunerfeuerwehrdrehleiterverantwortlichrinreservestellung
Someone told me, or just made up in front of me.  Something about a position at a small village’s fireengine, or something like that.

There are some misspelling, which I can’t remember where.  And  can’t keep mentioning “2-bit” this time.  It became way too cumbersome.

And the last but not least, here is a quote from Mark Twain again.  It’s nice reading, and my last work is from this anecdote. Here goes.

A Dresden paper, the Weidmann, which thinks that there are kangaroos (Beutelratte) in South Africa, says the hottentots (Hottentotten) put them in cages (Kotter) provided with covers (Lattengitter) to protect them from the rain. The cages are therefore called Lattengitterwetterkotter, and the imprisoned kangaroo Lattengitterwetterkotterbeutelratte.

One day, and assassin (Attentäter) was arrested who had killed a hottentot woman (Hottentottenmutter), the mother of two stupid and stuttering children (Stottertrottel). This woman, in the German language, is entitled Hottentottenstottertrottelmutter, and her assassin takes the name Hottentottenstottertrottelmutterattentäter. The murderer was confined to a cage – Beutelrattenlattengitterwetterkotter – whence a few days later he escaped, but fortunately was recaptured by a hottentot, who presented himself at the mayor’s office with beaming face:

“I have captured the Beutelratte”, he said.

“Which one?”, asked the mayor, “we have several”.

“The Attentäterlattengitterwetterkotterbeutelratte”.

“Which Attentäter are you talking about?”

“About the Hottentottenstottertrottelmutterattentäter”.

“Then why don’t you say at once the
Hottentottenstottertrottelmutterattentäterlattengitterwetterkotterbeutelratte”?

Here’s an excerpt from his always hilarious emails:

This is painting of “Data Matrix,” or 2D barcode, which encodes German text translated from my following Englisch writing.

In German
Every letter has right and duty
Every word is pronounced as it should be
Let Knopf be Knopf

In German
Typeface is as black as a night at a forest
No legal limit is set for word length
Let them call for Mississippi Steam Boat Company Captain (this would be one long hell of a word in German) in the dark

In German
Vowels have crowns (or 2-bit in my own term)
Consonant are strong and clear
Don’t let me say a German word
I’ll spit in your face

97″ x 97″ acrylic on the wall
no more straight lines on uneven walls!

Alice laughed: “There’s no use trying,” she said; “one can’t believe impossible things.”

“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast…”

-Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Gracias once again, Toxico Cultura

Sezio has officially launched their Artist Exchange Program and is getting the party started by bringing Brooklyn-based artist Morgan Blair out to San Diego. A recent RISD graduate and Brooklyn-based artist, Morgan Blair is spending the week living and working at the Luce Loft in downtown San Diego.  The exhibition will be opened up to the public both Friday and Saturday nights with “Brain Glamor – Morgan Goes Pacific”. Check out Sezio’s interview with Morgan here!

When: August 14th & 15th (6-10pm)
Where: Luce Loft (1037 J. St – SD, 92101)
Details: Free & All Ages

Many of you may have heard about Manivela, San Diego’s first food bike delivery service. We haven’t tried it yet, but have been reading good things from Jay Porter at the Linkery so it’s only a matter of time…

Sezio sprouted from a group of artists and musicians living in a white house on Ebers street in Ocean Beach, Ca.  The creative, collaborative mindset of its residents spread contagiously to visitors and passer-bys.  At any given hour there was screen printing in the garage, painting on the front porch and a jam session in the living room or on the roof.  Luckily, Andrew Heine’s Pro Tools was running around the clock, and almost all of it was recorded.

This group of tracks has shaped my current musical taste.  The warmth of the house combined with the organic sounds of plane engines and doors creaking make you feel like you are sitting in the room… and I was.

Track Listing:

01 – “Wish You Well” by Andrew, Jim & Leah
02 – “Lay Back Down (It’s Easy)” by Dogcatcher
03 – “All At Once” by Dogcatcher
04 – “Morning Smile” by Pretty Too Bad
05 – “Pictures And Such” by Pretty Too Bad
06 – “An Ocean Beach Afternoon” by Brian Holwerda
07 – “Battle Hymn Of My Republic” by Brian Holwerda
08 – “Firehouse House Fire 1939″ by Demasiado
09 – “The Mean We” by Demasiado
10 – “Boogie” by Wade Youman

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Track Notes:

01 – This song was written and recorded in an afternoon.  Andrew and Leah share the spotlight here, but as always Jim Hughes is nailing perfect harmonies.

02,03 – Dogcatcher included Andrew Heine, Damon DeLaPaz, Jim Hughes and Brian Holwerda.  Andrew’s music always took a back seat to his art and playing in other people’s projects (Blackout Party, Irradio).  Now that he’s in the Bay Area, I’m hoping for a solo record sometime soon.

04,05 – Pretty Too Bad is a side project of Clayton Edward (Demasiado).  The initial piano-based tracks he recorded at Ebers have been in my iTunes rotation for a while.

06,07 – Brian Holwerda has been a good friend for a long time.  I’ve had the privilege of seeing him develop as a musician and songwriter for the last decade, and over that time this group of tracks stick out in my mind.

Amy Stein describes the photographs of her “Domesticated” series as “modern dioramas of our new natural history.”

She observes and captures certain “artificial spaces” that she considers as both a “passage and barrier between domestic space and the wild.”  The concepts for her photos are based on news and stories of human-animal interactions, and most of the animals shown are stuffed.

As humans, Amy says, we seem to “at once seek connection with the mystery and freedom of the natural world, yet we continually strive to tame the wild around us and compulsively control the wild within our own nature.” :via Amy Stein

–Friedrich Nietzsche

Vienna-based art collective Gelitin crafted the rabbit and has classified the project as a solo show, spanning 2005-2025.  After almost 5 years of knitting, the straw-stuffed toy rabbit has found its home in the Italian Alps. Visitors are encouraged to climb on the comfy 200 foot rabbit (which has been spotted by Google Earth).

The artists explain, “Behind a hill, as if knitted by giant grandmothers, lies this vast rabbit, to make you feel as small as a daisy.” See their full project description below.

Rabbit from the sky:

Rabbit under construction (with visitors):

The creators, Gelitin:

“The things one finds wandering in a landscape: familiar things and utterly unknown, like a flower one has never seen before, or, as Columbus discovered, an inexplicable continent;
and then, behind a hill, as if knitted by giant grandmothers, lies this vast rabbit, to make you feel as small as a daisy.
The toilet-paper-pink creature lies on its back: a rabbit-mountain like Gulliver in Lilliput. Happy you feel as you climb up along its ears, almost falling into its cavernous mouth, to the belly-summit and look out over the pink woolen landscape of the rabbit’s body, a country dropped from the sky;
ears and limbs sneaking into the distance; from its side flowing heart, liver and intestines.
Happily in love you step down the decaying corpse, through the wound, now small like a maggot, over woolen kidney and bowel.
Happy you leave like the larva that gets its wings from an innocent carcass at the roadside.
Such is the happiness which made this rabbit.
i love the rabbit the rabbit loves me.”

-Vienna-based art collective Gelitin

-Albert Einstein

Introducing…

MUSTACHE MAYHEM!

The Silent Comedy is in the thick of creating a new album, and they’re reaching out to the community for help. Here’s how it works:

1. Participants submit a photo of themselves with a mustache (real or fake), along with a donation toward the band’s recording fund.
2. In recognition of the support, the band will include the photos in the jacket of a limited edition pressing of their new full length record.
3. In addition, each contributor will receive gifts ranging from a copy of the new record to a hand painted box loaded with limited edition artwork, merchandise, and rare recordings (depending on their level of contribution).
4. Details, submission forms, and guidelines can all be found at www.thesilentcomedy.com.

MUSTACHE PARTY

To kick off Mustache Mayhem, the band is hosting a Mustache Party at El Dorado Cocktail Lounge on Wednesday, July 29th. Attendees are encouraged to wear mustaches (real or fake), and prizes will be awarded to the best mustache (male and female).

Some of the Mustache Party fun will include:

• On site photographer (and provided mustaches) to help you submit your Mustache Mayhem photo.
• Giveaways from various individuals and organizations (including Sezio.org, Set & Drift, a signed print of The Silent Comedy photographed by Rebecca Joelson, and more). Each partygoer will receive a ticket for the drawing free of charge.
• “Pin the Mustache on Justin” game where participants attempt to correctly place the mustache on a photo of  Silent Comedy banjo/mandolin player, Justin Buchanan.
• A brief acoustic performance by The Silent Comedy.
• Party favors (including mustache decals and chocolate mustaches).

It’s going to be a fun night, and all in the name of getting a rock-album created by one of our favorite bands. See you there!

Mix tapes make me nervous. When Sean and Stacy first asked me to participate in their Minstrel Fridays series, I said yes and then never got around to it. Even though I’ve been writing about music for nearly a decade in this town, I’m very protective of my personal taste. Sometimes it’s questionable. And I don’t have a database of obscure knowledge stored in my scatter-brain, nor an astounding collection of music, though I try.

But it’s not just that. I wanted there to be a story behind this compilation. Nothing too literal, mind you. Perhaps more of an air than a story. An optimistic attitude. Some of the songs have personal meaning; some just cheer me up.

By the way, the current chapter of my real-life story has a happy ending. I’m in love and I’m moving to Seattle with my man after spending my entire adult existence in San Diego. Talk about new and exciting. Life-affirming, really. It was a long wait, but here it finally is. So I decided to make a mellow mix that reflects this mood of love, nostalgia, melancholy, and adventure. You won’t find the latest, coolest indie tunes, if that’s what you’re looking for. Just my heart.

I’m skipping town on July 30. I hope I’ve said goodbye to everybody. I’ve complained about it a lot, but I’ve also loved it in San Diego. To my family, friends, and the people who have inspired me with their creative and intellectual feats heroic over the years: Thank you. I will miss you. Please don’t forget me.

xo,
AnnaMaria
www.uccellinimedia.com

1. “Summertime” by Jesca Hoop
2. “Love” by J Dilla feat. Pharoahe Monch
3. “Via Con Me” by Paolo Conte
4. “Sunshine” by Matt Costa
5. “Flying High” by Brisa Roché
6. “Quiet Houses” by Fleet Foxes
7. “My Baby Just Cares for Me” by Nina Simone
8. “We’re All in the Dance” by Feist
9. “May This Be Love” by Jimi Hendrix
10. “He Needs Me” with Shelly Duvall (from Popeye), arranged by Jon Brion

There’s a north county happening this Saturday that has the makings of a legendary event. The Burning of Rome is playing live at Speakeasy Studios with guests Judgement Day, spoken word by Ed Dekker & live art.

But that’s not all…

The darkhorse of the evening is a puppet art show from the mind of visionary North County-import Neil McLean of the UK. While at Lou’s Records in Encinitas, we picked up a limited edition DVD sneak preview of Neil’s “televisual situation comedy” DUNGEON that he’s making in his garage. There aren’t many left so hurry over. Your purchase will be made under the watchful gaze of one of the puppets from DUNGEON, who resides on the wall behind the register.

Keep a weather eye on a Minstrel Fridays mixtape from Mr. McLean, coming soon to the Set & Drift blog!

Though freshly baked goods are delicious, no rice to eat sucks.  There is tiny Asian store and buy Tofu, but a little old.  But when there is no other choice, I buy old tofu with a little sour taste. I work in old distillery.  Dark and dump, but no long skinny legged spiders and other crowlies.  Try to go for walk in the morning, otherwise I’m confined in that building in a small area of not much larger than 0.125 sqare mile.  Which is central part of Hann. Munden (period after 2nd n, and 2 dots over u)
No Starbucks, but many Cafes.  No tattoo parlor, no check cashing service, but so many cell phone stores.  I mean So Many, 5, 6, or 7 stores on main street of 1/4 mile long.
Someday I’ll go to Berlin to see wild hogs, or maybe Knoot or whatever polar bear.
TV without Billy, Paris, and all the juicy celebrity crap is boring.  Not much music choice, neither.  I’ve been listening Classic FM station.  Bach, Mortzalt, Beethoven and so on all day and every day.  I can’t wait to spend another fabulous day on the ladder to make fuckin’ cunst!

The first few days were warm and humid, then about a week of cold rainy days followed.
Now I see sun shine again, and I can heal my vitamin D deficiency.  I should probably go for walk to McD in 5 kilo from my resident.

Also into this painting by Kevin Taylor.

I’m often asked who my musical influences are, what kind of music I like and listen to. These days I’m inclined to answer with the Duke Ellington statement that there are only two kinds of music, good or bad. I’ve been surrounded by music my entire life and have had the good fortune of being exposed to a wide variety of artists from an early age; my dad listened to Caruso, my mom cranked “Abbey Road” and the Platters every Sunday doing housework, my sisters had 45′s of James Brown, The Sweet and Ian Dury, my brother rocked Santana and Clapton. Thanks to them my ears have been wide open ever since. Music is the friend that’s always been there for me. It comforts, consoles, excites, envigorates and enlightens. It gives me everything I need and asks nothing in return. This small mix of songs is merely a glimpse into the ever growing library of music that I love.

I’ve called the mix Well what do you thrash? – a nod to my skating days via Thrashin’ the movie.

- Adrian Demain

Catch Adrian at an upcoming show: www.myspace.com/adriandemain2

1. Attitude Song \\ Steve Vai
2. Shadrach \\ The Beastie Boys
3. The Caterpillar \\ The Cure
4. Strange Meeting \\ Bill Frisell
5. Sand \\ Jules Ah See
6. I’ve Seen It All \\ Björk
7. Skating \\ Vince Guaraldi Trio
8. Nobody’s Hero \\ Stiff Little Fingers
9. Galloping Guitar ’49 \\ Chet Atkins
10. Airegin \\ Wes Montgomery
11. You Look That Good To Me \\ Joe Clay
12. Come Fly With Me \\ Frank Sinatra

If anyone’s down for a nautically themed art show, it’s the crew over here at Set & Drift. Cruise down this Saturday to see new work by several Yeller artists at the Wharffice.

Get a preview of the show plus directional coordinates here.

UPDATE: Poster deadline extended to Monday, August 10, 2009. Submission info here.

Here’s an excerpt from ParkerWhite’s call for entries:

The donated posters will be sold exclusively online, and all profits will go directly to the San Diego Food Bank. Our goal is to raise at least $10,000 to help feed the hungry.

The theme is “Help End Hunger.” We are looking for uplifting art that will help educate the public about hunger-related issues.

Set&Drift in conjunction with AIGA San Diego and Subtext is proud to present Objectified, a documentary film by Gary Hustwit.

If you haven’t already heard, Gary Hustwit’s latest documentary Objectified is coming to town July 10 at the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla. The film dives into the world of products we’ve surrounded ourselves with, and the designers that create them. It’s a must see for any creative, so get it on the calendar.

Hustwit also directed Helvetica, a documentary about graphic design and the typeface that’s become a ubiquitous part of human visual communication across the globe. Judging from his directorial debut, Hustwit’s films should probably be required watching for all humans. So if you haven’t seen it yet, rent Helvetica as a warm-up to Objectified.

And as if the screening wasn’t enough, Subtext Gallery is bringing some added radness with an after party featuring a live performance by El Ten Eleven (who rock the soundtrack for Objectified and Helvetica).

Believe you me, this screening will sell out. Get your tickets now and we’ll see you July 10!

-Rene Magritte

These songs are special to me in many ways but mostly because they all remind me of travel, long drives, walking around, seeing different places. For many years thoughts about going places have been just as valuable as actually leaving, since I couldn’t afford the time or money it took to go. So you could say I’ve been traveling in my head. Each song has specific parts that remind me of this:

1. (bare voice)
2. And the hands of hobo fishermen, they fish off the city bridges, the city bridges.
3. You can’t go home again; each time it’s different.
4. Please don’t confront me with my failures; I had not forgotten them.
5. (harmony)
6. I’m headed for a land that’s far away, beside the crystal fountains.
7. Get up from your old couch, with your heart full of flowers – you’ve been broken far too long.
Pass the guy with the heart so blue, he’s got nothing for you to use; it’s all bound to get better. Everyone always misses you when you’re gone, every time you just pick up and run. Eyes black and blue from the war, you’re defeated by your own army.
8. (layers 3:46)
9. (strings 2:04)
10. I’m challenging you in the stormiest sea, each wave is as high as a building. I have a golden sword in my hand; twelve ships are waiting.

- Steph Walker
www.walkersteph.com

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Our friend Linsey snapped this shot in NYC this week… enjoy.

-Edward Abbey

-Andy Warhol

We’ll be cruising down to Subtext this Friday for the opening of Origins. The show features new work from Kyung Soon Park, Francis Vallejo, & Austin McCormick, focusing on their interpretation of heroes/heroines.

See you there!

The good people over at City Heights Farmer’s Market are celebrating their first birthday this Saturday in grand and tasty style. Read their invite below…

9 am to 1 pm // The corner of Wightman & Fairmount

If you (think) make the *BEST* tamales in town, or if you (think) you know someone who makes the *BEST* tamales in town, send them our way. $275 in Cash Prizes will be distributed to the makers of the BEST tamales!, we are especially encouraging City Heights residents to participate. And of course, I expect to see many of your smiling faces at the Market on June 6th, participating in the TAMALE CONTEST TASTING!

Interested tamale-makers should contact Morgan Congdon at the IRC, 619-641-7510 x 279, or morgan.congdon@theIRC.org

Photo by Mexicanwave.

- Sarah Vowell

We took a trip to north county last week in hopes of finding some native new world Cacti and drought-resistant old world succulents – we were not disappointed.

Jeff at Solana Succulents hooked us up with a wide range of plants for our Native Curiosities installation at the Thread Show, including several cacti species native to the Southwestern US and Mexico.

In addition to native species, Jeff also offers a plethora of drought-tolerant succulents from Africa and Madagascar as well as some rare species from isolated ecosystems like the Canary Islands. Let’s be honest – San Diego is a desert region importing 80-90% of its water (a majority of which is used up by residential landscaping), and these plants are a rad alternative to water-hungry lawns.

Cruise by and visit Jeff next time you’re in North County for some xeriscaping help. You’ll lower your water bill, help San Diego conserve water, plus you can hit up Pizza Port, which is just around the corner!

A big thanks to Miriello Grafico for hosting Set & Drift as we prepare for the Thread Show this weekend. MG was kind enough to provide space in The Logan warehouse to stage our Native Curiosities installation this week.

Here’s a glimpse at the staging that began on Saturday…

In addition to housing Miriello Grafico’s design studio and LJG, The Logan will soon be home to video production company DV creations, rounding out a strategic partnership anchored in Barrio Logan that forms an incredibly capable creative powerhouse.

Set & Drift is honored to have the support of the San Diego Natural History Museum in presenting the Native Curiosities installation at the upcoming Thread Show on May 30/31. The installation will feature several specimens from the museum’s collection that are native to the Southwestern United States, including the Red-tailed Hawk (shown above).

More specimens from the collection and info from the museum below…

NATURE TO YOU Loan Program

Bring nature into your classroom, art studio, and home by becoming a member of the Museum’s Loan Program. Membership allows for a year of unlimited access to the program’s collection—over 1300 specimens that represent the biologic and geologic diversity of the southwestern United States, Baja California and the world. Call 619.255.0236 or email loanprogram@sdnhm.org.

Founded in 1875 by a small group of citizen naturalists, the San Diego Natural History Museum is the second oldest scientific institution in California, third oldest west of the Mississippi. A bi-national museum, its mission is to interpret the natural world through research, education and exhibits; to promote understanding of the evolution and diversity of southern California and the peninsula of Baja California; and to inspire in all a respect for nature and the environment.