Dear Friends,
How are you? I may not write very often, but I do think of you quite a bit. Are you keeping cool with some summer snacks? I was recently gifted an ice cream machine and I have fond memories of making homemade ice cream on the porch with my brother, but now I'm allergic to all the ingredients in ice cream so what should I do with this machine? Any recipe ideas?
I've got a few exciting summer updates: two special events on the horizon! One is for the east coasters and the other for the west coasters...
the secret city: woodstock
sunday, july 31
12 noon
bearsville theater
291 tinker street, woodstock, ny
Once a year Obie-award winning The Secret City brings its lively caravan to WOODSTOCK, NY. I am so excited to be the resident artist this year! I have ants in my pants! I can't wait until you see what clandestine, magical world awaits you at The Secret City. Seriously, the first time I attended, my mind was blown.
The Secret City is the brainchild of impresario Chris Wells. It is part tent revival, part ceremony, part salon. With a guest roster that has included Rosanne Cash, Simi Stone, Taylor Mac, Jomama Jones, Jennifer Miller and Justin Vivian Bond, The Secret City occupies a unique place in the heart of NY’s and LA’s (and now Ulster County’s) artistic communities.
For the Woodstock gathering they will present musical guest/former Soul Train dancer Eric Redd, visual artist Jacinta Bunnell (that's me! holy moly!), roller derby troupe The Hudson Valley Horrors and food extraordinaire Lagusta Luscious.
Suggested donation is $15, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Free childcare and art lessons for kids are provided. Guests are encouraged to bring some food to share at coffee hour and to dress for fun!
The new drawings I will be showing are a collaboration between me and my step-father Ed, who supplies me with score sheets from 13, a rummy card game brought back to our family in the 1970s from my grandparents' retirement community. I then add color and pattern to Ed’s tally sheets. These pieces are getting enlarged RIGHT NOW and will provide the backdrop for The Secret City dancers, singers and story-tellers. My fun parents will be on hand doing demonstrations of the game before and after the show.
Read more about the event in this month's Chronogram.
your turn, dear: oakland
jacinta bunnell + cindy hoose
a collaborative art game : 52 paintings in 52 weeks
august 2-30
farley's east
33 grand avenue, oakland, CA
After two successful showings on the east coast, we are excited to bring these paintings to California! Cindy and I played with our art to create the 52 pieces in your turn, dear, taking turns on each painting in a manner reminiscent of Exquisite Corpse. These paintings direct attention to the reasons we play games: to explore the world imaginatively and to connect with each other in the spirit of joy and sentimentality.
We set up a Facebook event with more information. If you live too far to attend, we would be super appreciative if you invited your Bay Area friends to check out the show at Farley's East in August.
Shout out to my BFF Amy Furr who lets us store paintings in her "California closets" for months on end and to my homeslice Nate Homchick who is hanging the show for us!
in other news...
My etsy store is open day and evening and Steven's dog might just be your cashier and please buy direct from me because when the giant corporate amazonian mega-monopo-holics (who probably don't even recycle) sell my books for me, I get about thirty cents.
This is a painting my pal Mary Kirk commissioned me to do. I love personal commissions so much because you get to tell me all about yourself and your likes and favorite colors and words and then voila! I make a painting with you in mind.
Earlier this year, I got interviewed by Rebecca Dolber. Check out her awesome blog where she interviews a different artist each month.
Last year I had the honor of conducting interviews with fans and musicians for a documentary about the 20th anniversary of Natalie Merchant's first solo record, Tigerlliy. It was a memorable, fun and moving experience. The above photo is of Simi Stone and me at UPAC.
Special thanks to my good buddy Katharine from Drop Forge & Tool in Hudson, NY who helped me write this newsletter. If you haven't already seen the amazing things they are up to, check them out! I have been to several performances, art shows and maker's nights and have never been disappointed.
That's all for now! Thanks for sticking around!
XOXO
jacinta