Our Fearless Feline!

Our cat Danii loves to impress us with her tree climbing skills, so when I saw her shimmy up the tree trunk I grabbed the camera! What a show-off!

Purchase My Wearable Art!

My Unique Wearable Art! Size: Each charm is 2inches high.
Material: Acrylic. The design is printed into the acrylic so it wont scratch off!

These designs are based from my unique art and photography, so they are special pieces!
Add a bit of colour to your outfit with a sweet brooch or wear a statement necklace! (TOP: L to R – Monster Necklace, Ramona Brooch, Red Rose Necklace BELOW: L to R – Black Cat Brooch, Toadstool Brooch.)

Purchase here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/rhayvenjane?ref=seller_info

My New Polaroid Camera!

 

Copyright Rhayven Jane 2011

My Published Article ‘There Is No Limit On Love’

(Please Note: My name has been spelled  incorrectly at the top of the page)

My Exhibition at El Gordo in 2012!

JULY 14th – AUGUST 10th 2012 @ El Gordo in Chancery Lane, Bendigo!

I am very excited  – this is the very first exhibition of my art in a public space!! I will be exhibiting photography, illustration, writing and crafty accessories!

Over the next several months, I will be a creative hub, developing art and displays for my exhibition with the guidance and curation of Megan Spencer, who approached me and granted me this amazing opportunity!

Watch this space or go to:

http://www.facebook.com/rhayvenjaneart

My Letter to the Editor, Sep 13 2011

Rhayven Jane Art Logo!

I now have a beautiful logo for ‘Rhayven Jane Art’ thanks to Kelly Robson of ‘The Tea Children‘! Her gorgeous illustrative skills have produced a wonderfully quirky design! Thank you Kelly!

Have a peek at her unique art & creative projects!

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheTeaChildren

Blog:http://theteachildren.blogspot.com

My Interview With Musician ‘Jess Harlen’

Hey Jess, Im really excited to be doing this interview!
Thank you for responding.

When did you first realize music was your calling?

A week after I turned 18 I went fruit picking in north qld and accidentally started playing gigs in the pubs up there. I was singing happy birthday to a mate and the bar guy was like ‘keep playing keep playing’ for free booze. Needless to say that was an appealing offer to me. I only knew about 8 songs so I was just making shit up on the spot to entertain the messy drunk backpackers for the rest of the night. The next week I had 2 residencies in different pubs and I guess it was around then that I realised music could be a goer. I always feel like I’m in full flight when I’m singing, it was that feeling that got me.

I love your debut album, it has a really chilled-out vibe.
What inspired you when you were writing?

I’m inspired to write when I can’t otherwise articulate how sad, sore sore, elated, peaceful or pissed off im feeling. It’s like craving savory when all you’ve got is sweet crap to eat. Those songs are each like bowls of wedges.

If you could pick a musician to collaborate with for an entire album, who would it be and why?

They’re all dead.

Would you ever create a song that was completely written in the Maori language?

I have written a couple in collaboration with my family, I’m hardly fluent when it comes to the maori language let alone poetic. I need to sharpen up on that though, it’s important to know you’re native tongue.

Since your music career has taken off, you’ve been able to travel to so many different places. Where have you gone that has sparked your interest the most?

Over the last year I’ve been to a ridiculous amount of countries that sometimes I forget I’ve been to them. Places like Slovakia and Austria, they’ve only ever been words to me but Japan was the most interesting. It feels surreal. It has the most hectic yet most peaceful places within one city. Tokyo felt like walking around a theme park most of the time, and for the first time in my life I felt tall. Occasionally..

Has anything bizarre happened to you whilst touring?

Some bitch called me fat.

Thank you again!

Sweeeeet

Discography:  Album ‘Neon Heartache’ – Jess Harlen

Jess Harlen won the BEST UNSIGNED ARTIST at the 2007 Urban Music Awards (Aus&NZ).

She tours as a Backup Vocalist with BLUE KING BROWN and features on the latest MUPH & PLUTONIC album And Then Tomorrow Came.

For a preview head to: www.myspace.com/jessharlen

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jessharlenmusic

Myspace: www.myspace.com/plethorasoul

Website:  www.jessharlen.com

My Interview With Artist ‘Sheila Pepe’.

Firstly, when I first started tertiary study in art, I discovered your beautiful artwork installation, ‘Yo Mama’ – what is your main motivation behind putting together this piece? And how was it received by the viewing public?

YO Mama was made specifically for my solo show at Naomi Arin Gallery in Las Vegas” Yo Mama: Sheila Pepe and Friends”. The basic idea was” What happens when you take a big cozy crocheted Vagina to Las Vegas?” I figured it was a place that was very sex friendly – but wondered how much “polish and glamor was required of the vaginas. I found out – a lot!

The women there loved it and were happy to get their pictures taken standing in it.. but everyone was pretty taken aback – not by the sex, but by the overt feminism. Not only was it 7-8 foot long and somewhat architectural, it had a massive main of black, grey and silver “hair” that filled the space. Of course this was the abstracted element of the installation, but it was pretty hard to miss as something not all in compliance with “Brazilian wax” standards.

As a matter of fact – this section was also made up part of the “and friends” part of the exhibition. Sixteen people, friends of mine in NYC, and of the Galleries’ in Las Vegas knit pieces to be included in the piece. A count-stitch method was used to record each participant matrilineal Ancestors. Some folks, Like Martha Cedarholm know a long way back – so the abstract form changed over the course of 15 feet. Others, like Sara Saltzman, only knew a three generations – so she just kept repeating them over and over again to create a length. And still others, like Vanessa Chow new a long line – but when using traditional names came up with a very slim and subtly changing knit line.

So there were a variety of ways into the vagina – directly into the overt imagery – by means of the group memory of mothers, of through a totally abstract field composition that fills the room with a big drawing.

I am happy to say I got great press in Las Vegas – and had a great time there with members of a small, but really vital art scene.

When did you first realize your art could become an amazing career?

I think I realized that I could actually BE an artist – make art and “really do this thing,” the summer of 1994 I spent at Skowhegan School – in Maine. Before that I had taken out huge loads to go back to Grad school for an MFA after 9 years of being out of school and doing lots of different things. That summer I saw that I might have a shot – and I have to say, it took until recently to really say – OK, I know how to keep this all going and make solid work! Making art requires a constant vigilance that you focus on the work first– and the career happens in great part because of that vigilance. If you get that sequence wrong – there’s no telling how long any career will last.

Is there a particular artist, musician or writer that never ceases to inspire you?

LOTS!! I have many debts in this realm – both people I know – and don’t know – alive and long gone. Right now – I am totally grooving on the early fiber work and persistent use of craft ideas that Harmony Hammond embeds in her paintings. I don’t think Harmony gets enough craft buzz – but I think that’s happening now.

Of course I LOVE the paintings f Carrie Moyer, my partner. We’ve been together for 13 years now – and the art/politics conversation is totally amazing. This summer we collaborated on a piece with the writer Alice Randall, author of Wind Done Gone, and amazing retake of Gone with the Wind. As well as a bunch of other great novels! So I am totally into Alice’s writing right now!

What’s the most unusual experience you’ve ever had?

I’ve had a lot of great jobs –

Washing busses in Boston in the ‘80s before school each day at Mass Art. I worked for a great group of Dykes who rescued me from my brown polyester waitress uniform at the restaurant around the corner.

Getting hired to work at the Lesbian-Separatist-run restaurant Beetles Lunch in Alston, Mass. by Laura Pattison and Ellen Sperling. They invited by into my “home world” and I have a lot of thanks to give to Laura Pattison for her early support for making an artful life.

Picking cabbage with an axe in the rain in Sunderland, Mass. wearing a full rubber rain suit and big rubber boots.

Working in the storage of Museums where I could handle many beloved works of art by Lee Bontecou, Mary Bauermeister, Vuillard, Bonnard, Calder. John Storr, I could go on!

Becoming the Acting Assistant Dean of the School Art & Design at Pratt Institute this year.. I’m having a blast!

Whats your personal definition of art?

OK – that’s a BIG one.. not sure if it could fit in this venue.. maybe that’s a clue: Art requires a ton of time and best not defined in a blog.

Are there any particular social or political issues you address when creating a piece?

In all of it: I’m looking as systems of power in art and education. The terms are all about social justice. So I focus on tropes and behaviors that call up class, race, ethnicity and gender.

In just one word, define yourself!

(the) TORTOISE (not the hare)

(Pictured: ‘Yo Mama’ Installation by Sheila Pepe)

Photo Shoot with Leah!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photography by Rhayven Jane. ALL IMAGES Copyright Rhayven Jane 2011 May only be used if given permission by Rhayven Jane.