Exchange is an exhibit featuring new artworks by ten artists. Art exists inside of a network. When we view artwork, we view the friendships and partnerships that informed and sustained it. We see it through the lens of our own experience and memories. It would be impossible not to make this most basic exchange. Artists featured in the exhibit include Chicago-based painter Nick Butcher, East Lansing-based mixed media artist Aaron Curtner, Lansing-based sculptor Cody Hinze, East Lansing-based printmaker Kimberly Lavon, Chicago-based painter Nadine Nakanishi, Bath-based mixed media painter Robert Park, Detroit-based collage artist Teresa Petersen, Detroit-based painter Cedric Tai, Lansing-based painter Anthony Vasquez, and Ann Arbor-based artist Adam Winnie.

Along side Chicago's robust music scene is a vibrant and thriving set of designers and artists producing its show posters, t-shirts and album covers. This group exhibition featured a selection of fine art prints by some of the leading screen printers associated with Chicago music. Curated by Anchor Graphics and on exhibit at the A+D Gallery.

Image: Courtesty Nick Butcher, print is titled Dryland, 13-colors with partial wax layering. If you are interested in the process or want to purchase his art print, go to this ->link.

Reviews so far:
Chicago Public Radio, blurb.
Print Magazine, review, Issue August 2008.
Chicacgo Reader, review, Issue 080703, Galleries and Museums section.
Time Out Chicago, review, Issue 175, Art and Design section.

Nick and me participated under Sonnenzimmer in GOFFO which was part of the NEXT Art fair, which was again part of Art Chicago. It was sure weird being around all the great art for four days and weirder being around gallerists and collectors all the way. Thanks for coming out. I was inspired to see Chicago on the international map for art and hope it will help all makers and believers in this city. Not often, do we read over a 40 page manual for exhibitors. Pew!

The Plagiarists invited you to an art show featuring the work of Tony Fitzpatrick, Nick Butcher, Nice Lena, I'm Smitten, Mat Daly, Emily Rapport, Kingdom Kilpatrick, Nadine Nakanish and Quang Hong at the Lotus Keep Gallery. Artists displayed and sold their works in a show entitled, ART IN THE TIME OF PLAGIARISM: A Plagiarist Art Show . A portion of all sales from the show went towards The Plagiarists, non-for-profit.
Official site www.theplagiarists.org.

"Radar Eyes" - Canadian Print duo Seripop and their Lumpen friends in Chicago are currating a large group show representing the works of experimental printmakers on March 7, 2008. The show, Radar Eyes, contains work sharing a similar aesthetic highlighting the talents of artists and designers making hand drawn, ephemeral work. Many of the prints depict distortions of perception, altered states of awareness and geometric, sometimes hallucinogenic subject matter or compositions.
Featuring work by: Seripop, Xander Moro, Michael DeForge, Ron Liberti, Daniel St George II, Cody Hudson, Sakura Maku, Zeloot, The Little Friends of Printmaking, Justin Gradin, Jesjit Gill, Tom Hohmann, Nolen Strals, Delicious Design, Nina Logan, Mark McGinnis, Raphael Lyons, Lisa Ceccarelli, Dominique Petrin, Rob Churm, Keith Herzik, Urban Inks, Dan Grzeca, Christopher Norris, J. G. Pizzoli, Luke Frost, Gunsho, Tim Gough, N Freibert, Alphonse Raymond, Other, Dernier Cri, Bongout, Devon Varmega, Matt Hart, Dan William, Tetsunori, Push The Button, Dave Bailey, Michael Comeau, Mille Putois, Sonnenzimmer, Mike Krol, Lizz Hickey, E*rock, Brent Wadden, Paul Nudd, Matthew Lock, Jared Connor, Alvaro Ilizarbe, Luke Ramsey and others!
Opening reception & performance: Friday, March 7, 2008, 7pm - 12pm
Performance by The Chandeliers and special guests ($5 cover after 9m)
For more information go to, click here.

Image credit: Seripop.

I know, it's another show... but for me, it's was then that. Meeting new artists, putting something together... taking it in, exchanging thoughts and ideas, being empowered by this real encounter - that all makes me remember why I struggle to do this, why I love to make things. Curated by Stephen Eichhorn (please be sure to check out his solid work), I got invited to participate with fellow artists: Jessica Paulson, Romeo Oros, Brion Nuda Rosch, in the group show, Snow Blind. For this show, Stephen set up, a blog as an ongoing work diary for all artists to post what they are working on. Check out the blog to this show.

I still can't believe it - I got accepted to a biennale in my home town, Schaffhausen, which is also in the state Schaffhausen. Schaffhausen is one hour North East of Zuerich, situated by the beautiful Rhine river. The exhibit opened at the end of November 2007 and closed in January of 2008. The Ernte has been a local exhibition of emerging artists with a relationship to the city. In the past years it's reputation has grown. I was very honored to show there, especially considering that the Museum zu Allerheiligen is only a half of block away from the Halle fuer neue Kunst, that features an astonishing collection of post-modern artists such as Robert Ryman, Ellsworth Kelly, Bruce Nauman. Not that I would ever measure myself up to those names... And the Museum zu Allerheiligen itself has an amazing collection.
Artists exhibiting were: Jennifer Bennett, Simon Bruehlmann, Brigitte Buehrer, Daniele Buenzli, Katharina Buergin, Andreas Dal Cero, Carlo Domeniconi, Simone Eberli / Andrea Mantel, Andrea Ehrat, Klodin Erb, Erwin Gloor, Andrea Klaiber, Hannah Kuelling, Andreas Luethi, Tatjana Marusic, Nadine Nakanishi, Eliane Rutishauser, Elzbieta-Ella Schilling, Christine Senne, Maya Spuhler, Ursula Steinacher, Conrad Steiner, Stefan Sulzberger, Richard Tisserand, Martin Volmer, Doris von Stokar, Marianne Weber, Asa Elzen / Markus Wetzel.

Fuer diese Ausstellung habe ich 14 kleinere Bilder fertig gestellt. Sieben davon sind Serigraphien auf Shikishi Tafeln (die ich in unserem Studio gedruckt habe), und sieben sind gemahlt mit Acryllic und Vermillion Tinte auf Tanzaku Tafeln. Beide Bildtraeger bestehen aus Reispaper, das auf einem festeren Untergrund aufgezogen wurden. Shikishi und Tanzaku haben ein bestimmtes Format, worauf man traditioneller Weise in Japan mit Sumie geschrieben hat (japanische Pinsel Kaligraphie).

For this exhibit, I made 14 paintings. Seven of them are serigraphs on Shikishi boards and the other seven are hand painted with acyrllic and vermillion ink on Tanzaku boards. Shikishi and Tanzaku boards have defined formats and traditionally they were use to do Sumie paintings on, or carry Haiku poetry on them.

Photo credit: Kunstmuseum zu Allerheiligen Schaffhausen

Had some posters up in Michigan at the (Scene) Metrospace Gallery. The gallery is located at 110 Charles Street, East Lansing, MI. If you are curious about this space and you are in the area, check out their webpage for more info. Participating fellow artists were: Ben Assaff, Chris Corneal, Eline Dam/Zeloot, Delicious Design League, Chafe Hensley, Craig Horky, Jeff Lamm, Dan Macadam/Crosshair, Brian Methe, Jack Muldowney, Jason Munn/The Small Stakes, Gregory Pizzoli, Dennis Preston, Jay Ryan/Bird Machine, Kelly Salchow, Josh Siwek, Davin Brainard/Time Stereo, and Devon Varmega.

A Summer extravaganza, LumbArt 07! I took part in with fellow artists: Chris Royalty, Annie Siffermann, Cassandra Stadnicki, Michelle Graves, Judy Higgins, Benjamin Murphy, Kathleen Bolin, Susan Tusa, Aliza Morell, Rebecca Beachy, Annie Stone, Dave Snyder, Carla Barger, Robert McDade, Angela Mobley, Danja Elbaridi, Jeremiah Ketner, Ellen Gradman, Katie Rodrigues, Sarah Houle, Chelsea Wagner... Check out the Splat Flats website to see the works of artists that reside in the cozy two wing historical building.

I had such a blast with this show at station 21. It was still D.I.Y and yet very cozy and professional run. Please check out their gallery if you should be in the area, they feature alot of great young artists from and around Zuerich and also have performances and events. Their housebar is definately a gem, featuring home-made sodas, roasted cashew nuts, local brewed biers and a fine selection of wine. You want something not sterile and still really stylish, this is definately the place!
station21 | Plattform fuer junge Kunst | Stationsstrasse 21 | 8003 Zuerich | Switzerland.Still purchasable the hand-printed silkscreen exhibit poster.

The Splat Flats, where I had my former studio, had it's annual open house. I had a little nook in the West Wing, on the third floor, where I showcased some small paintings. It was a very relaxed and fun atmosphere and approx. 600 people came through the studios. Valerie Pell, manager and artist of the Splat Flats, Jude Higgens, artist and graphic designer, who made all the print materials for the event and of course the Miller Lumber crew, they all once again did an outstanding job with communicating the event to the press (Time Out Chicago, did a write up on it, as well as the Chicago Reader) and making the event awesomely special (for example vegan catering) and open to the public. Thanks to all the people who came out to support this artist community.

Elastic is a multiple arts venue located in Logan Square, Chicago. It showcases readings, experimental music shows and visual art. I felt very lucky to have an exhibit in such a dynamic space. My thanks go out to Alan Lerner, who organized it and the Elastic Arts Foundation for letting me show there during an entire month. For press.

A truly great experience having a show in a lumber yard. The LumbArt show was super fun. 555 people came by, young and old, from Wickerpark and from outside of the area. Big shouts to Bob of the L. Miller & Sons, the Miller Family and the Splat Flat artists ? Valerie Pell ? that spun together such a show and made it happen. Magical! Check out the Splat Flats for more events in the future.

Big thanks to John and Celina Flowers at City Bookshop for letting me show my paintings at their awesome lill' but big time cozy and secret hot-spot bookstore. If you are around the Belmont area be sure to stop by there for a secret find from their great selection of books (3125 N Broadway St, Chicago, 773.880.8003). For press.

Friday, July 8th 2005, 1042 N. Rockwell, The Yartbirds, Kevin Duneman, Mat Daly, Nick Butcher and me, organized an art event, called Migration 1. An exhibition catalog, Migration 1, was made, which included an artist print cover of Kevin Duneman's poster for the event. There are still catalogues available to be purchased. Any issues sold will go towards funding a new Migration event. For more info go to Yart Birds blog.