2 Days Left to See "Dreamgirls and Ukes" at Thinkspace

This video was actually taken of The Hokum Scorchers on Feb 13, 2009 at Thinkspace on the opening night of my art show. I believe there are a couple more videos on YouTUBE of the rest of the performance. My solo art show will only be up for two more days, March 5 & 6th. Be sure to catch it if you are in Los Angeles. Hours: 1-6pm. 4210 Santa Monica Boulevard.

Thanks to Dinosaurs and Robots and King David Ukulele Station for recently blogging about the art in this show.

Here's a link to my Complete Art Show on FLICKR . I think I managed to pull off a really different type of art show with the help of Mr. Reimuller and the good folks at Thinkspace. I owe them all a ton of gratitude.

Teenar- Most Outrageous Guitar?!

Can it be? Teenar is still making news - even a couple of years after we brought her out of the mothballs. This old mannequin is Number One "Outrageous Guitar" on the internet according to Music Radar .

(Thanks, Mark Lowrie for heads up.)

This guitar was made by my luthier, Lou Reimuller, back in 1986 from a vintage mannequin. Exactly what is so "wrong" about her, I'll never know! She's just art made out of a found object -a "sculpture". But, she also happens to play. The outrageousness must have to do with people projecting their own thoughts onto her and the whole idea of someone playing her. But, she really doesn't mind. She's not human!

Self Decapitation

Do you ever feel like doing this? Releasing your own head from your shoulders? I do. Promotional poster for Magician Kellar by the Strobridge Lithograph Co., Cincinnati, New York, 1897. "Trials and errors" has collected a nice set of performing arts posters on

flickr (from the Library of Congress). This is one of them.
LINK

Uke Backs and Me

Photo of the backs of some of my ukes and a photo of me at Thinkspace measuring for the mural in the front room of the gallery. You can see the duco finish 1930's Stella uke, second from left. It's amazing-looking on the back! What a collection of fine specimens!

The Art of Amy Crehore

DREAMGIRLS AND UKES SLIDE SHOW

Only a few days left until my show closes in L.A. - last day is March 6, 2009.

The Painted Ukulele Headstocks in my Fine Art Show

Peekaboo

Slither
Geyser

Crehore

La Pacifica

Demon

Nymph


Moth


Squirm


Lucky 13

Tuxedo

Wasp

Here are the painted headstocks of the fine art ukes in my solo show, "Dreamgirls and Ukes".

I came up with these names (and headstock logos) based on my paintings on the bodies of the ukes. These are painted fine art "sculptures" that are also rare antique musical instruments. They all actually play and were set up by a luthier. The ukes also relate to the framed oil paintings (on linen) in the show, using some of the same motifs on both. I wanted the show to be not only painterly, but literary and musical. Poetic, like surrealism and dada, yet also all about design, too. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed collecting and painting these ukes and having them restored. I saved them from the trash bin in some cases and also enhanced them. It's a miracle they have survived this long (some are 90 years old!), since many ukes have gotten destroyed over the years. Playing them wears them down, too, and it has always been up to the person who owns them what he or she will do with an old instrument. Mint condition ukuleles are ones that no one has ever really played, and because of that, we are able to experience them without seeing any damage. Some people just love to look at rare things. Some people love instrument design and wood. Some love to collect historic things. Some love fine art. And some love the sound of an antique instrument. These are all one-of-a-kind fine art objects. There will be no others like them. Some of the antiques ukes are so rare you will be hard-pressed to find another like it.

The Art of Amy Crehore
See my previous posts for the bodies of these instruments!

All of these designs are copyright 2009 Amy Crehore

More Photos of My Art Ukes

La Pacifica
Nymph
Squirm

Peekaboo

Tuxedo

Wasp

Geyser

Crehore

Slither

Demon

Moth

Lucky 13

Regal

Here are close-ups of my painted designs on the bodies of my restored antique ukes in my solo show at Thinkspace gallery in Los Angeles. Some are painted on the original art deco backgrounds, some are painted on hide heads, and some are on mahogany or koa wood. I will post the headstocks next. These ukes have all been restored professionally. They are mostly from the 1920's and 1930's. Some were already in near mint shape, but some had to be re-built, parts added or glued. I had so much fun thinking up the perfect design for each.

SLIDESHOW of "Dreamgirls and Ukes" on flickr (Show runs until March 6, 2009)

Thanks to Johnny at Drawn.ca for blogging about the ukes today.

The Art of Amy Crehore

All of these paintings on ukes are copyright 2009 Amy Crehore

Four More from my Solo Show

"Second Fiddle Infatuation" oil on linen, 18"x12"Amy Crehore 2009
"Monkey Love Song" oil on linen 16"x18" by Amy Crehore 2009

"Hokum Hallelujah" oil on linen 12"x 18" by Amy Crehore 2009

"Dragonfly Vanity Waltz" 10" x 18" oil on linen by Amy Crehore 2009
CLICK TO ENLARGE

Here are four of the major works in my Dreamgirls and Ukes exhibit in Los Angeles, CA.
See these hanging next to beautiful antique, restored ukuleles that I also hand-painted with original designs. The effect is wonderful, I think. This show only runs until March 6th, 2009.
Thinkspace Gallery
The Art of Amy Crehore
Slideshow of exhibit
All of this artwork is copyright 2009 Amy Crehore