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Author: Robin Weirich
This blog is created to share some of the creative words of all the artists I've met and have yet to meet, in addition to showcasing some of their amazing art.
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Man, how time flies!
Working from home…
Other than being a gallery curator and working with incredibly amazing artists, I also am an Area Manager for a national mortgage company and oversee six locations in Oregon and Washington. In March, I had a very complex task of getting all these locations into their own home offices with all supplies, equipment, secure protocols in place in order for each team member to be as successful working from home as they were working from their traditional office. In short, it was a lot of work!
So, what I found for myself is I would start working at 6am when the markets opened, and often times not stop until 9pm. I found it interesting that unemployment was skyrocketing, but my industry was so crazy busy because of the low interest rates. It really left me astounded at this juxtaposition. Brassworks Gallery was also closed and all the art shows I was curating were also on hold due to COVID.
My biggest issue with working from home is the close proximity from my desk to the refridgerator… it is exactly 24 steps. Yes, I counted.
I’ve also turned my dining room into a makeshift workspace with my designer Hilary as we work together during COVID publishing our second art book and keeping Greg’s website up to date.
Not sure what the rest of the year will pan out to be like, but I will be set no matter what office I will be working from.
It’s not always about work while home…
These are all images I took around my home and neighborhood.
Gallery Updates
During the COVID-19 crisis, Brassworks Gallery has been doing the 2019 Retrospective through their website and by appointment. We have had some nice success from that, but we are trying to figure out how to move forward with future openings while following social distancing rules and keep everyone safe.
Also during this time, I decided to create a sales office within the gallery and the surrounding studios for undergroundrobin.
We are anticipating being open for First Friday on August 7th with our show ‘Abstraction Distraction’ followed by September 4th opening of ‘Post Digital Pop’. Watch for details and updates regarding social distancing, maximum capacity, and more.
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2020 Lockdown, Yowza!
Well, I hope everyone is adjusting to their new normal for the time being. It’s amazing how fast life can change in 30 days since I wrote my last blog post — March was a blur of nonstop change, negativity and politics. So, since we get enough of the latter when we turn on the TV, the computer or news radio, I am just going to skip over all of that and focus on the little bits of humor I find in any given day.
My new norm is now working from home, as is most people’s currently. I share my home with my husband and 5 cats. We never intended to have 5 cats, but somehow it just happened. All 5 have different personalities and I have discovered that no matter what age they are, during the day they are a bunch of lazy cats who spend their days sleeping. If one gets up to eat, another will get up and take his or her sleeping place, causing another to get up and take their sleeping place. This pattern plays out all day long. Then around 7pm they all spring to life and run amok! I imagine that this is because this is the time I would traditionally return home from work.
I have discovered that there are a lot of neighbors in my hood, I mean, I live in the inner city and our lives are all so busy and we often don’t get home till later in the evening, so I really have only noticed my neighbors closest to us. However, now that I have been home for the past month, I notice I have a big community. When I go on walks we are all eager to chat with someone, as humans are social creatures, and while we chat at a distance, we all feel the need to communicate with each other. I have one neighbor in particular who takes 4 to 5 walks a day. I wish I had her motivation, if I did, maybe by the time we are allowed back to work, my hair will have grown out and I could drop some weight LOL… instead, the refrigerator calls my name, quietly at first, then louder and louder and next thing you know, I have found myself in the kitchen with no memory of getting there.
I had an opportunity to run to Brassworks Gallery a few weeks ago because I had a package waiting for me and I was so excited to see it was from Hi-Fructose Magazine. They sent me a box with 10 copies of the newest issue and I have 2 shows advertised in it that I am curating. I did a fun short video for Instagram and received 3,450 views to date. My next two major shows are the Post Digital Pop group show, which has some amazing superstars in the Portland, OR art world, and the Flesh & Concrete 2-person show featuring artists Glenn Barr and Gregory Hergert. Both shows are hosted by Brassworks Gallery.
Because of the shelter in place order across most of America, I had moved my April show to later in the year and everything else is fluid now, but like the rest of America, we shall adapt and move forward. What I find amazing is how often I touch my face. What’s up with that?
Stay home, stay safe, wash your hands, wear your mask and for the safety of everyone, please quit touching your face!!!
Ciao…
ur
March is roaring in … Boom!
And just like that its March 1, 2020 – where did the first two months fly off to? How fast will the next two months fly by? Soon it will be the 4th of July and then Halloween… wait a minute… slow down sister. Let’s not get too far ahead of yourself and let’s get back to talking about March.
This past week, I worked with the designer at Brassworks Gallery, Red Barn Muse to help design the “Post Digital Pop” Show that will be opening May 1st at Brassworks Gallery – this is such a fun show to curate, I love the 80’s pop images – I have 8 artists featured in this show – The show is a representation of the age of when Pop Art began to expose after the digital era. This show is a retrospect of that ear in time with an influence of today’s current pop movement, thus creating Post Digital Pop!! You will see this show in the next issue of Hi-Fructose Magazine.
Also, this past week, Artists Glenn Barr and Gregory Hergert completed their images for the “Concrete and Flesh” two-person show opening June 5th, 2020 at Brassworks Gallery – I was very pleased to have Glenn Barr design the magazine ad for this show which is advertised in both Hi-Fructose & Juxtapoz magazines. The Hi-Fructose issue will be out in April and the Juxtapoz issue out in June.
Here in Portland OR, Spring is in the air and it’s hard to sit inside and work all day when all I want to do is be outside and play in the yard and soak up some rays of sunshine. Thankfully this weeks’ forecast is rain, rain and even more rain! Guess that means no rest for the wicked… and some days it just plain fun to be really wicked! Spring fever is calling my name big time!!!
Ciao…
ur
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A Little Birdie Told Me…
Wow where did February go? A little birdie told me that this was going to be one busy year.
As March is just merely days away, I am sitting here writing and thinking where on earth did the first two months of 2020 go and how did they manage to go so darn fast!
I had so many things to accomplish these first two months relating to art, artists, shows and marketing and as I sit here working as I do every Saturday with Hilary and we are working diligently on our task list we created – it is apparent to both of us we are running a bit off these first two months. It’s not a lot but enough to make us both go well… I think we better work a bit faster and maybe one more evening a week.
We both have full time day jobs, but are committed to our joint projects in the art world. We have decided to publishing a minimum of 2 Art Books this year, she is the brains in the design, correct specs, type and layout and I am the creative pushy one who also loves marketing and creating ways to drive sales while making her nuts asking to add, move or remove images and change colors.
We also committed to taking the full-time marketing, press features, website updates and digital management of a few artists. Whew! Then let’s add to it the shows I am curating and the non-stop search of new talent to invite to the shows. In doing all this, the one thing I tend to neglect is my own social media marketing for undergroundrobin sigh, I guess I better add this to my daily task list and get my act together and get back on target.
Signing off for now on this quick little update blog and get back to work!
Ciao …
ur
2019 was a fun year for me in the Art Curating world here in Portland OR – I had the wonderful experience of working with some truly amazing talent from all the world the US and from here in Portland. Since several of the shows I curated were from all over the world, this meant art was shipped in.
Since the shows were up for 25 days, the art also went on Brassworks Gallery website for 4 to 6 months, depending on the show. What that meant for me is that for any art that didn’t sell and wasn’t local, if the artist didn’t inquire to ask for it to be shipped back, it means I have some art in storage and eventually we do ship unsold art back once the show is off the website.
With that said, I was setting up all of my 2020 shows and had March to fill – I pondered doing a collective local group show then I considered a show that featured the images of OR, which could be a landscape or a painted city scene, anything that was a good visual of Oregon. I really liked that idea but wanted more time to prepare for it so I decided to move that out to 2021 so I can give artists more time to prepare.
This made reminded me of some of the amazing art I had at the studio storage loft on sight, I mean there are some amazing works of art, that I feel really could sell if promoted. On that note, I thought, what the heck, why not a Brassworks 2019 Art Retrospective and I put on a show featuring all the art I have in the loft.
With that decided, I am curating two shows in March here in Portland OR – first is at Chaos Gallery where I am curating “Urban Surrealism” an in-depth look the of movement and the art of Gregory Hergert, this will be a retrospective of the Urban Surrealism book as well. The show is hung from March 5th which is the opening reception and closes April 25th, I am excited about this because I am starting to venture out to curate into a different gallery.
The Brassworks 2019 Retrospective opens March 6th at Brassworks Gallery and will features works from amazing artists from all over the world. Watch for promotions and show details via Instagram, Facebook and my website so you can see which artists works I choose. Sometimes reflecting can be a good thing.
Ciao… ur
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2020 is looking mighty busy!
2020 has started off with a Bang! I can’t believe it is already February. For the month of February I am working on “My Twisted Valentine” opening at Brassworks Gallery, February 7th. I have such a great line up of talented of Artists for this show and it is going to be fun to see what a Twisted Valentine means to them.
March has me curating two different shows, one at Brassworks Gallery. The show is “2019 Brassworks Retrospective” this show will highlight the art that I have at the gallery from past shows of 2019. Some great art from all over the world and a great way to see some of the great works of art you may have missed last year but really wanted to see. This show opens Friday March 6th, which is also the SE Portland First Friday Art Walk.
My next show is curated at Chaos Gallery – “Urban Surrealism” The Book & The Art of Gregory Hergert. Opening Thursday, March 5th and up through April 30th in downtown Portland OR, which is also NW Portland First Thursday Art Walk.
This weekend, I met with book designer, Hilary Thompson, you will hear her name often, she worked with me in publishing the book Urban Surrealism. We mapped out our next 2 art books we are publishing by June 2020 – seems crazy enough to take on a new book after just completing one Oct of last year, let alone taking on 2. Watch for details, one will feature artist from all over the world for special show I am curating and publishing a book for on opening night. I am not sure what on earth I am thinking but you know, the only thing that stops you is the mental blocks we put in our own mind. So here’s to a no mental block 2020!
Ciao…. ur
WHO (Artists/Veterans): Christian Gabriel, USMC • Joe Lastomirsky, Veteran • Raven Forrest, USCG • Jess Carlock, USMC • Rizwan Abid, USMC • Roger Gillis, US Navy • Igor Zusev, US Navy • Booker W. Taylor III, US Army • Paul Rutz, US Navy • Jordy Brown, Veteran • Julie Berry, US Navy • Lauri Rose, USAF, ANG • Daniel Deleon • Sheryl Abid, USMC • Cole South
undergroundrobin, Curator • Jen Brown, Curator • Gregory Hergert, Advisor • Johnny Fisher, Producer • Austyn Farrell, Editor • Michael Melendez, Videographer
WHAT: “Acrylic Warfare: Built to Survive”, showcasing a variety of Veteran artists. The crew will travel to 10 cities where Christian will talk about veteran suicide and alternative forms of therapy. This art show is meant inspire and educate the veteran community. Throughout our travels, we will be making a documentary so we can reach more veterans for years to come.
WHERE: Brassworks Gallery | Portland, OR
This show was standing room only and featured a total of 18 artists who are Veterans or related to Veterans. What crazy fun opening night. We had standing room only, not even any room for our traditional food table. 2 TV stations came out to do interviews, speeches were given, some tears were shed and it was an amazing night where the community really came out to show their support. We will be doing our show closing in Vegas in April, where we will do a call out to all local NV Artists. The final journey of the documentary will be filmed and will be used for online help for Veterans with PTSD. Watch for more details and enjoy these images and video’s from the show!!
Ciao…. ur
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Call To PNW Veteran Artists
Deadline has been extended through December 5th, 2019 – For Acrylic Warfare Group Show.
Show opens January 3rd, 2020 at Brassworks Gallery in Portland OR. and is up for a 3 weeks.
You will need to be a veteran who is also an artist to participate in this show. Please contact me for information regarding this opportunity, please contact me at:
contactme@undergroundrobin – or – undergroundrobin@gmail.com
Ciao…
ur
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In the Valley of She
This was one of my favorite shows that I curated in 2019. This show came to me after visiting artist Thomas Webb at his studio where he had a painting, he had done hanging on his wall of a playful nude female on a fur rug with a total 1970’s vibe. I left his studio but the image stayed in my head. All 2019, I have had the feeling that 1970’s was making a comeback in both fashion and furniture.
Soon, I began to think what if I curated a show about women in the 1970’s as they were coming of age and exploring their new found power of the women’s movement and sexual freedom. The theme began to evolve in my mind and next I needed to start to look for artist to participate in the show.
Asking Thomas Webb who’s work inspired me, then Gregory Hergert from there I asked Glenn Barr, who was incredibly helpful in helping me to come up with the show title “In The Valley of She” next came artists Sean Madden, Mimi Yoon, Oronde Kairi, Sean Dickinson, Ben Adams and Bishop Lennon. What a fun group of artists to work with and let’s just say, some incredible talent!
For this show, we were able to get our online store-website up and online hours before the show went live, which proved beneficial, selling art online opening night was a success. Opening reception was standing room only lasting late into the night with lots of staring at the art on the wall, casual conversation and lots of show photos taken.
2019 has brought me a lot of wonderful opportunities to work some amazing talent, from super stars, to up and coming to ones who don’t realize they have the gift, those are my favorite, showing them, they have the gift and watching them take off and fly. Can’t wait to see what 2020 holds in store.
Ciao….
ur