FiberGraf

Recycled Hens...

2010-08-19T02:38:00.000-07:00

"from the tongue" opening

2010-07-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

The opening to "from the tongue" was a blast. This photo is FiberGraf: Iviva Olenick and Jon Baker.

Why was the opening so special? Tons of friends showed up, and I got to meet artists in person for the first time whom I've known through my other blog, and via email only.

Thanks to everyone for coming out to support FiberGraf and the 29 other exhibiting artists!

from the tongue opening this Thursday!

2010-06-20T17:46:00.000-07:00

I am so excited for the opening this Thursday (6/24) of "from the tongue," a show of works on paper and on fiber by 30 artists. "from the tongue" is curated by Joetta Maue (http://littleyellowbirds.blogspot.com), Brooklyn-based embroiderer.

"Rose Hens" will be included - yay!

I hope you will join us at the opening celebration. Here's some more info:

June 24-August 6 2010
Opening Reception Thursday, June 24, 8-10pm.

34 North Moore St/Lotus Gallery Space, Tribeca, NY, NY

Artists include:
Allison Manch, Audrey Manning, Bren Ahearn, Bridget Franckowiak, Brooke Holloway, Drucilla Pettibone, Elana Adler, Ellen Schinderman, Eloise de Hauteclocque, Eric Johanni, FiberGraf a.k.a Iviva Olenick and Jon Baker, Grant Olsen, Jamie Chalmers, Jee Hwang, Jennifer Hunold, Jung Eun Park, Katrina Eaton, Kirsten Rae Simonsen, Kristen Wulff, Lathorial Badenhausen, Leila Daw, Leslie Nichols, Marcy Chevali, Marilyn Henrion, Mary Coss, Nathalia Cortada, Orly Cogan, Richard Saja, Rubi McGrory, Sarah Bahr, Susan Moss, Susan Sharman, Tricia L. Johnson

For links to the artists' web sites, visit: http://connectivethread.blogspot.com/2010/06/from-tongue.html

Fiend

2010-03-27T05:53:00.001-07:00

I love the gold color of this brochure, and the references to physical fitness underneath Jon's throw up and Iviva's stitches.

"FiberGraf Fiend." 2010

Finally, pink Hens

2010-03-18T02:29:00.000-07:00

I may add a few more French knots here or there, but for now, I am pretty happy with this piece.

How I love French Knots!!

2010-01-22T03:06:00.001-08:00

Start of a new piece with French knots, my favorite stitch. I love the mix of graffiti styles in this piece, and can't wait until I have completed my transformation of it with thread.

Three French Hens

2009-12-28T11:08:00.001-08:00

FiberGraf wishes everyone a happy holiday season and a great new year. To our surprise, one of our favorite pieces, Hens with French Knots, was included in a blog about the 12 days of Christmas. To see the posting, click here.

Cityscapes

2009-11-27T03:07:00.000-08:00

In addition to tags, pieces, and throw-ups, Jon has a series of line drawings that I call Cityscapes. In some cases, the looping quality of the lines looks like thread, like in this drawing at left.

What you see here is one of Jon's Cityscapes printed on mostly sheer, silk organza fabric. I've begun stitching over parts of it. I plan to make a book with several of his drawings printed on this quality fabric. You will be able to see the hint of the next drawing underneath the one you're looking at.

I can't wait to get more work done on this. It's going to be beautiful.

Sneak peek of what's coming

2009-11-25T02:49:00.001-08:00

Jon and I have been hard at work generating new FiberGraf pieces. We've made a number of look books, or small portfolios of our work. At left, Jon had fun tagging the cover page...

It's finished! Blending Mode final image below...

2009-10-10T14:42:00.001-07:00

Isn't it wonderful!

Blending Mode -- near completion

2009-10-07T02:46:00.001-07:00

This piece, which I have been stitching for months, is very near completion and I'm so excited! I will post the absolute final one very soon!

FiberGraf T's for sale on Etsy

2009-09-19T12:49:00.000-07:00

Check it out-FiberGraf t-shirts are available on Etsy!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31184429

Get yours today!

FiberGraf T-shirts are here! Get yours today.

2009-08-29T03:20:00.000-07:00

Photo at left: Jon modeling one of our new, custom-made FiberGraf t-shirts. You can have one, too. Just ask, and we'll get the process started.

Photos taken outside the F/G train on the corner of Bergen-Smith Streets.

August 27, 2009. A close-up image is below.

Hens with French knots

2009-08-26T04:06:00.001-07:00

This piece is one of my favorites, "Hens with French knots." It took a considerable amount of time to make. In addition to the hours Jon spent "painting" the image digitally, I rendered each and every stitch as a French knot.

Stitch by Stitch

2009-08-17T17:44:00.000-07:00

This piece is composed entirely of French knots, which require patience. When I teach embroidery classes, I have my students take several deep breaths before attempting a French knot for the first time.

I am enjoying the slow, meditative process of working on this piece, and am excited by this past week's progress. I know Jon's original painting was also time-consuming.

FiberGraf t's on Brooklyn streets

2009-08-15T05:03:00.001-07:00

Marketing is the part of art-making most artists shy away from discussing. It's as if artists are ashamed to admit that work, no matter how innovative, does not sell itself. If no one knows about your art, if won't sell.

FiberGraf is test-marketing several t-shirt designs, with a logo created by Jon (see left), and a panel hand-stitched onto cotton with some embroidered embellishment, by Iviva.

After Sol LeWitt

2009-08-07T15:38:00.000-07:00

I chose to embroider this particular image because Jon's original drawing, done in marker on paper in his black book, reminded me of Sol LeWitt. I like the confluence of graffiti, embroidery, and reference to a master of contemporary art.

The piece is called "Evil Hens (After Sol LeWitt)." Embroidery on fabric (ink jet print of original marker on paper drawing). 8.5" X 7.75". 2009.

Abstraction versus Representation

2009-08-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

Progress view of French Knots Blending.

8.5." X 11". Embroidery on fabric (inkjet print on fabric of marker "painting"). **This image is a detail of the whole painting.

When Jon and I first began working together, he showed me images of graffiti he had created digitally. Later, as we got to know each other a bit more, he shared his book with me (of graffiti done on paper with markers). Looking through it was like a journey through his past.

I fell in love with a page where he had created a painting to practice blending with markers. I have begun stitching French knots over an inkjet print on fabric of his original piece. (See image at top left.)

While this piece is not what we normally think of as graffiti, it retains a graphic quality that I'm drawn to, along with the palette.

FiberGraf Takes Brooklyn

2009-07-31T02:40:00.000-07:00

About a year ago, Jon Baker, a personal trainer at New York Sports Club, and Iviva Olenick, an avid gym member, met and became trainer and client. While working together, they discovered a mutual love of art, and decided to combine their media. Jon is a native New Yorker and graffiti artist who works primarily with marker on paper. Iviva Olenick is a textile designer and fiber artist. This site documents the development of FiberGraf, where street art, graffiti, and embroidery merge.

The piece above: Hensoe. 2008. Embroidery on fabric (Iviva's reinterpretation of Jon's digital graffiti). 10" X 3.5". FiberGraf's first piece.