Victor's Table, 2008 by Michelle Arcila

Pull out your calendars and circle Wednesday, September 9th Thursday, September 10th, for on this day from 6–8 p.m. Jen Bekman Gallery will open the Hey, Hot Shot! 2009 First Edition Group Exhibition!

You'll see photographs from:

Michelle Arcila
Daniel Cheek
Mike Sinclair
Parsley Steinweiss
and Kurt Tong

See you there!

Jen Bekman Gallery
6 Spring Street
(between Elizabeth + Bowery)
New York, New York 10012

Gallery Hours:
Wednesday - Saturday | Noon - 6pm
Opening Reception: Thursday, September 10th, 6pm - 8pm
On View: September 10 through September 19, 2009

Assignment by Clare Grill

Cake by Clare Grill

Happy September dear collectors! It's Sara, again! Jen is seriously lamenting not being here today to bring you these two charming editions from Clare Grill. Aside from the fact that Jen's still out and about in San Francisco, attending to some very important meetings, today could not be a more perfect day to introduce Cake and Assignment.

For one, we're on the verge of major celebrations! 20x200 and Ms. Jen Bekman are both about to be one year the wiser, this Saturday, September 5th! That's right, 20x200 is two! And as Jen's birthday gift to you (she's just that kind of girl), we're offering:

FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $50, now through next Monday, September 7th at midnight EDT.

A couple details: this offer extends to collectors within the United States only and cannot be applied to orders shipped outside of the U.S. Additionally, this offer does not apply to gift certificate purchases. You do not need to enter a code at checkout, the offer will be automatically applied if your order exceeds $50.

It's easy, so may this be the sign to stave off end-of-summer blues with some new art!

For two, fall is certainly in the air. And while for us, that means moving into our third (!) year at 20x200 HQ, it also means that summer is retreating and school is starting. Clare's works are splendid partners for this unofficial shift in seasons as we linger between summer and fall.

There is something particularly nostalgic and sweet about both Cake and Assignment. Almost painted from—and of—memory itself, they are warmly colored and softened by the passing of time. These paintings are celebrations of little things: candles on cakes, assignments on chalkboards, renderings of fresh starts and first attempts. While some of Clare's brushstrokes evoke finger-paintings, they reveal a lesson that is anything but childish: we are reminded to bring the best of what used to be, "when we were little and wide open and so un-suspicious and safe," to every new step forward.

Stepping forward and celebrating is exactly what Jen has been up to in SF. In addition to the aforementioned meetings, she managed to sneak in some toasting too. The last few days have had her touring around the gourmet ghetto of 18th Street, drinking champagne at Delfina, eating ice cream from Bi-Rite Creamery and noshing on pastries at Tartine. A special thanks to Dylan of Arlo for hooking her up with a home-away-from-home in the foodie-hood.

We'll welcome Jen back here and back to NYC soon. More toasting, cavorting and general revelry are sure to come—two birthdays in one make the festivities doubly special. Like these prints, good things come in pairs! In honor of both, we hope you'll join us in lifting a glass (or picking up a print!). Till then!

Within by Gary Petersen

20x200 painter Gary Petersen will have work in an upcoming group show, Color-Time-Space, which opens on Thursday, September 10th and Friday, September 11th. Confused? Well, the exhibition will be held in two galleries, Lohin-Geduld and Janet Kurnatowski. Two galleries means two openings! See details for both below.

Lohin-Geduld Gallery
531 West 25th Street
212-675-2656
Reception: September 10, 5-7pm

Janet Kurnatowski Gallery
205 Norman Ave
Brooklyn, NY
718-383-9380
Reception: September 11, 7-9pm

Gary's 20x200 edition print, Squeeze, is amazingly still available in all three print sizes.

Untitled (Santa Barbara) (2008) by Liz Kuball

Untitled (Santa Barbara) (2009) by Liz Kuball

Bright and sunny Wednesday greetings collectors! It's Sara, sending salutations again. What's Jen's deal lately, you ask? It's hard work running three businesses (seriously!) and there are more than a few people in Cali wanting to meet + greet her. So, she's being all business-y, but business-y in the name of the art! Art—and our artists and you, collectors—are always at the forefront of Jen's mind. She does want me to remind you that we are offering FREE SHIPPING on orders over $50 till Monday!

We also had the chance to chat about today's editions, so I'll be able to share some of her thoughts below. Still, I know she's really sorry to not be here herself! Instead, I am happy to introduce you to Liz Kuball and two prints from her ongoing series, California Vernacular. I first laid eyes on Untitled (Santa Barbara) (2009) when Liz submitted her work to Hey, Hot Shot! in the last round of competition. As I wrote then, over on the HHS! blog, Liz's photographs are rich allusions to the stories, personal and public, small and epic, that we all associate with California. Liz was first a writer, and then a photographer, and it shows in her work; each image is bursting with tales to tell.

For example, I would imagine that the driver of the car in Untitled (Santa Barbara) (2008) was seeking out secret waves, long before surfing was cool in California. The car, the wooden board and the vine-covered chain-link fence speak of eons soaking up the sun. Jen had similar thoughts:

I keep thinking about this concept of new vintage... the hot Cali sun bakes everything into this timeless Mid-century moment. Liz's photographs feel like a more southerly reflection of my own California experience. When I moved to the Bay Area, I noticed similar things. And while Brad Moore notices that stuff too, he idealizes this past while Liz is sort-of reveling in its perfect imperfection.

We end up talking about photography's role in shaping—and its representation of—the West a lot. I grew up in Colorado; Robert Adams spent many years living and photographing in my hometown and I've long been fascinated by him and his work. Jen knows this and sent this text to me yesterday: "OMG D.M. has the most amazing photography in his office! You would die!!!! Adams, Callahan, Friedlander. Incredible." There is nothing like seeing those works in person and as we talked today, Jen admitted to being on the verge of tears in the presence of the photographs. She said:

I almost cried again talking about it [the Adams photograph] later in the day because it was SO beautiful and so reverent of the mundane... In regards to Liz's work, it's all connected for me; learning about the photographic tradition of the West is [relatively] new to me. So, I am especially appreciative of photographers like Liz and Brad for providing me a path to connect into that past.

Liz's photographs work to bridge the past and present, within the photographic tradition, and also with their own way of storytelling. They whisper about glowing trees leaden with fruit, Baja-bound surfers of the last century, the storied light of the South, attempts to wrangle nature and tumbleweeds settling in on the outskirts of town.

So, *huge* thanks to you, Liz, for giving us these excuses to California-dream in the middle of the week. Lastly, duty calls and I have to close with a few notes of business:

As I mentioned above, the FREE SHIPPING offer on orders over $50 is valid through Monday! But, please note, the orders must be over $50!

We found Liz's work via Hey, Hot Shot!. She was an honorable mention in the 2009 First Edition. If you want to see your work here, now's the time to send it our way. HHS! 2009 Second Edition is open. Read the details, then submit your work!

And please, join us for the opening of the Hey, Hot Shot! 2009 First Edition Group Exhibition at Jen Bekman Gallery in one week, on Wednesday, September 9th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. See you at 6 Spring Street, NY, NY!

..........

The ever-industrious Todd St. John will open a solo show, Section, at Mollusk Surf Shop in San Francisco later this month. St. John, who teaches at Yale in addition to being a designer, animator and filmmaker, will show works on paper and sculpture. From the press release, "The Mollusk show pushes further some of St. John's experiments with parallel representations of two and three-dimensional space, and the start use of cropping, both photographic and mechanical."

Todd St. John: Section
Mollusk Surf Shop
Opening: Saturday, September 19th from 7-9pm
4500 Irving St | San Francisco, CA
Map

We still have prints of Todd's faux bois 20x200 edition Untitled (Black Blocks) available in all sizes.

Todd's sites:
http://www.toddstjohn.com/
http://www.huntergatherer.net/
http://www.greenlady.com/
http://www.iglooshop.com/

Cake by Clare Grill

Tomorrow, Saturday, September 5th, 2009, 20x200 will be celebrating birthday numero dos! We've had two fabulous years, full of gorgeous prints created with over a hundred ridiculously talented artists!

We are ever-grateful for our loyal and super-supportive collectors. So, this weekend, we're offering:

***FREE SHIPPING on all print orders over $50 (before taxes, shipping + handling) through Monday at midnight EDT.***
Fine print: The offer applies to U.S. orders only—does not apply to international orders, we're sorry—and cannot be used with gift certificate purchases.

You won't need to enter a code at checkout; if your pre-checkout order totals more than $50, shipping + handling will automatically not be added. Facile!

Cheers!

The Heller interviews our one-and-only Jen Bekman in the October 2009 issue of Print magazine. The two dish about art, design and collecting in this economy. Also gracing the magazine's glossy pages are think-make-think by Clifton Burt and Verlag 3 by Carol Padberg.

Wondering about the chock-full-of-new-art-email Mr. Heller mentions? Make sure you're signed up too—your inbox will never look better than it does every Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon when 20x200 pays a visit! Then, maybe your walls will start to take after your emails...

Photo by Laura Levine

Think: what is the first thing you would shoot if Time Out New York sent you a disposable camera (yes, they still make them!) and asked you to document the city as you see it? Not sure? Well, 83 New Yorkers, including 20x200's own Laura Levine, were sent out on this mission and now have their photos published in this week's issue of Time Out.

For her Time Out assignment, Laura chose to make photographs of a little girl dancing on the front porch of her shop in the Catskills, Homer & Langley's Mystery Spot Antiques. Laura said, "She just decided to start interpretive dancing all of a sudden."

You can see photographs from the likes of Jonas Mekas to Marty Markowitz, here, then go visit Laura's zippy site.

Laura's 20x200 editions:
Meadow Lark
Birds of the Pacific Northwest
Birds of the Rockies
and
Laura's AAA Page

Untitled #9 by Matthew Tischler

Last chance to pick up prints sans shipping charges collectors! Our very merry birthday offer of FREE SHIPPING on print orders over $50 ends at midnight tonight!

Here are the details:

The offer automatically applies to all print orders over $50 (before taxes, shipping and handling) at checkout. You will not need to enter a code. The offer does not apply to international orders or gift certificate purchases (sorry!).

Feeling nostalgic for beach days past? Browse our summer selections. If you're looking forward to cool, crisp afternoons, falling leaves and the first frost, take a peek at autumnal and wintery prints.

Happy Labor Day!

Tree Tops, from the series Somewhere in Israel by Curtis Mann

I've always liked the work of 20x200 edition-maker Curtis Mann, his apocalyptic take on found imagery is graphic and fresh. It's no wonder that he has attracted the curatorial attention of Ms. Jen Bekman, fellow edition-maker Rachel Hulin and the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago, where he is currently part of a group show.

His images are captivating but how they are made is a bit of a mystery to me. I was super excited to come across a four minute documentary by Alan Del Rio Ortiz on this very subject. Do yourself a favor and take the next four minutes of your life to watch Curtis don a gas mask and get to work on some found photographs:

Curtis's 20x200 edition is almost completely sold out but the remaining $2000 prints are actually original works...tempting! Also make sure to head over to Curtis's website and check out some of his work, such as The Wanderers series using the cool zoom-viewer he has set up.

I'd love to keep entertaining you, but I've got a date with some Clorox, a box of old photographs and the kitchen sink!

Down By the River My Lungs And I by Pattie Lee Becker

Ramona's Bright Idea by Pattie Lee Becker

Happy Tuesday collectors! Jen will DEFINITELY be back in the newsletter-writing saddle tomorrow but for one more day it's Sara. Jen's just getting settled in, back in the office and the gallery, gearing up for the opening of the Hey, Hot Shot! 2009 First Edition Exhibition at the JB Gallery tomorrow night. There's a lot going on around here but they are all good things!

As is our usual Tuesday and Wednesday morning routine, Jen and I chatted about today's editions: Down By the River My Lungs and I and Ramona's Bright Idea by Pattie Lee Becker. We've all been drooling over the proofs for a couple months now. There's SO much rich detail in each image; it's easy to get lost in the work for awhile. Pattie Lee said it best in her statement:

Personal stories are transformed into imaginative invention. Color and pattern narrate; images conjure both the familiar and the fantastic.

As Jen noted this morning, Becker has an approach and aesthetic similar to that of a couple other 20x200 stars—Megan Whitmarsh and Ky Anderson—as well as art world canonical figures, Louise Bourgeois, Philip Guston and Edward Gorey. Like Bourgeois, Guston and Gorey, Becker spent several years creating in New York, making Brooklyn her home for ten years before relocating in the West. And, like Whitmarsh, her drawing practice is accompanied by some serious sewing skills. The fantastical creatures and organic details in her two-dimensional works are often echoed in three-dimensional stuffed sculptures of both small and larger-than-life scale. Youngna, who almost moved into Becker's Brooklyn apartment—for some reason, 20x200-land is a very small world!—described the home as a "magical forest house." You can see by the sheer amount of work on Pattie Lee's website, she's an artist who is always working; and there is little separation between work and life.

I think this is why the narratives evoked by her work effortlessly seem personal but accessible, with room for everyone to write their own. In Down By the River My Lungs and I, I am instantly transported to a seat on a river bank, eroded so that the roots of ancient trees are visible and the air is heavy with water splashing and mixing with decomposing vegetation. In Ramona's Bright Idea, I am reminded of childhood pranks and adventures gone awry. These are drawings that you can long spend looking at and re-creating the stories that exist within them.

If you have the chance, Becker's original works are on view in Brooklyn, beautifully framed and hung at Bird in Williamsburg through the end of the day and maybe a little bit longer. One other show that will be short but sweet—the aforementioned and upcoming Hey, Hot Shot! 2009 First Edition Exhibition opens tomorrow night from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Jen Bekman Gallery, 6 Spring Street (between Elizabeth and the Bowery). Before then, Jen will be back with brand-new editions from one of the latest Hot Shots!

San Sebastian, 2008 by Michelle Arcila

Ciao collectors! Tonight, Wednesday, September 9th, from 6–8 p.m., Jen Bekman Gallery will open the Hey, Hot Shot! 2009 First Edition Group Exhibition!

Come see photographs from:

Michelle Arcila
Daniel Cheek
Mike Sinclair
Parsley Steinweiss
and Kurt Tong.

You've already seen some work from one of the newest Hot Shots here on 20x200; Mike Sinclair's Fourth of July #2, Independence, Missouri graced the homepage in July. And, there's more to come! Later today, we'll be releasing two new editions from Michelle Arcila.

Stay tuned and see you soon!

Jen Bekman Gallery
6 Spring Street
(between Elizabeth + Bowery)
New York, New York 10012

Gallery Hours:
Wednesday - Saturday | Noon - 6pm
Opening Reception: Wednesday, September 9th, 6pm - 8pm
On View: September 10 through September 19, 2009

Jen Bekman Projects is now accepting entries for the Hey, Hot Shot! 2009 Second Edition Competition.
The entry deadline is Friday, October 23rd, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. EDT
Upload your photos today!

Eivind by Michelle Arcila

Kind Intruder by Michelle Arcila

Wednesday-that-feels-like-Tuesday greetings, my long-lost collector pals. As reported by Ms. Distin, my schedule has been particularly bananas as of late. I feel really fortunate that she's such a capable channel-er of my energies and inclinations. She's got an amazing knack for spinning our hurried IM conversations into entertaining newsletters, but I've missed the writing and the contemplation that goes along with them. You won't be surprised to hear that my brain performs as a multi-channel mechanism—art is always on in some capacity, but presenting new editions to you all each week is the greatest privilege of my job. Vociferous grousing about deadlines and such aside, reflecting upon the images, artists and audience of 20x200 is seriously amazing and inspirational.

Also inspirational are the five photographers who are debuting work at tonight's Hey, Hot Shot! opening over at the gallery. It's my job to be excited and enthusiastic about the artists that we show, sure, but my excitement about this exhibition goes well beyond the call of duty. I'm just so proud of who we're showing! I am particularly mama-bear aglow (pun intended) about today's edition-maker, Michelle Arcila, since I first showed her photographs way back in 2004, as part of Future Perfect, an exhibition of work by recent alumni that I curated for the School of Visual Arts.

Years later, I remain intrigued by Michelle's work. Her narrative-rich interiors, portraits and landscapes are "right up my alley"—just like Sara proclaimed over IM this morning. The tales told in Eivind and Kind Intruder are infused with a hint of magical realism that's somehow grounding—Michelle's scenes are built from dreams with a refreshing moxie. She imagines it and then makes it so, and with a seeming sense of effortlessness. That's a nice prescription for living, wouldn't you say?

See you tonight!

Palm Aire by Tema Stauffer

This Friday, I am excited to share with you some five-star selections from our archives culled by photographer and Jen Bekman Gallery favorite, Tema Stauffer.

Tema is a busy bee, and she has some news she wanted me to pass along to you. First, as an Assistant Curator at Culturehall, Tema selects artwork to appear on the homepage and is always seeking new artists to contribute portfolios to the website, so consider applying! Also, Tema will be teaching a course called COLOR PRINTS: BIGGER AND BETTER this fall at the International Center of Photography. Finally, in only-in-New-York style, a couple of Tema's photographs will appear in the new season of Gossip Girl!

And now, here's Tema!

Rachel Hulin has already selected two of my all-time favorite 20x200 pieces, the haunting Untitled (LA20070805) by Noah Kalina and No. 13. 3/11/2006 (plane lifted by men) by William Lamson. But I also love Lamson's other photograph from his enigmatic sublunar series.

No. 6. 8/6/2005 (plane) by William Lamson

A German photographer who similarly mystifies me with her control of light in her nighttime scenes is Juliane Eirich. I saw some of her gorgeous prints at the Scope Art Fair last March and have since poured through her website. I am awed and jealous to say the least.

Bus by Juliane Eirich

Also very mysterious and sexy is a portrait by Shen Wei. The image brought to mind the pensive, lonely, intensely sexual films by Taiwanese director, Tsai Ming-liang—the mood, the setting, the isolated subject, the sense of desire and longing...

Yi, Beijing by Shen Wei

This quirky image by Kelly Shimoda, an early addition to 20x200, uses light beautifully to make kitschy pink and blue balloons strangely seductive.

Untitled (Hanoi no.2) by Kelly Shimoda

Then, of course, I must mention the two prints I purchased from 20x200, Eric Graham's, Unleaded, Unleaded, Premium Unleaded, and Justin James Reed's iconic western scene, Idaho Springs, Colorado, both of which are hanging in my apartment.

Unleaded, Unleaded, Premium Unleaded by Eric Graham

Idaho Springs, Colorado by Justin James Reed

Kevin J. Miyazaki's work seems to be influenced by the same tradition of exploring the American vernacular, and I like his understated contributions from his Fast Food series.

Jones Boulevard Location, #1 by Kevin J. Miyazaki

And Katie Baum's cool photograph of a gumball machine might have been painted by a Photo-realist in the 1970s ...

Gumball Machine by Katie Baum

So yes, I confess, I love this kind of stuff.

Finally, is there any artist out there who can't relate to the sentiment captured by Clifton Burt? I think that pretty much sums it up.

think-make-think by Clifton Burt

Ta-da! Another edition of Browsing the Archives to inspire you (and those hungry-for-art walls behind you)! Now is a fantastic time to visit our Going, going, gone! selections to collect work that will surely not be available for very long.

Not just any walking tour, mind you, but an art walking tour! Meet in the lobby of the New Museum and enjoy a free walking tour of LES galleries. Believe it! Yes, 20x200's sister project, Jen Bekman Gallery, will indeed be included as a stop on the circuit. It's perfect timing since we've just opened a show of new photographs from our 2009 First Edition Hot Shots, including work from recent 20x200 edition-makers Michelle Arcila and Mike Sinclair! If you've been eying Sinclair's Fourth of July #2, Independence, Missouri, now's your chance to see it in 30"x40" glory.

Tours leave from the New Museum at 12pm and 3pm.

See you Sunday!

P.S.
Here is a link to the map above, made by the JBP team. Consult it in case you get lost, or just want to venture off on a choose-your-own-art-adventure.

You probably remember Jorge Colombo's stellar New Yorker cover released in May. We've got exciting news however that Jorge is at it again with another New Yorker cover!

Newyorker.com has provided us with a video of how Jorge created Finger Painting: New Day. This video series is frequently updated with new installments each week. My most recent fave is On The Corner.

Go out and buy your copy of the New Yorker today and feast your eyes on Jorge's work. Also, watch your inbox for another special 20x200 announcement about Jorge. Sign up for the newsletter, if you haven't already, to make sure you don't miss out. The 8"x10" prints that accompanied his four editions have completely sold out. (Don't worry, they are still available in larger sizes!)

Nonsensical Infographic No. 1 by Chad Hagen

Nonsensical Infographic No. 2 by Chad Hagen

Good day collectors! It's Sara at the helm here. Jen had a brief break last week and is back to business-in-the-name-of-art and soon to be Boston-bound, so I'm filling in. Jen was so bummed she wasn't able to write this newsletter herself that she picked up a *phone* to talk about Chad's work. That's right, we did not have an IM conversation but actually spoke.

We were introduced to talented Minneapolis-based designer Chad Hagen by design writer Allison Arieff. She recently featured Chad's work in her NYT By Design column— not the first 20x200 artist to be seen both here and there—hopefully not the last!

As Allison highlighted, "good design can make the nonsensical beautiful and what seems to be nonsense... clear." Nonsensical Infographic No. 1 and Nonsensical Infographic No. 2 are indeed beautiful representations of the far end of the scale of useful information, in that they are not relaying any data. There are, of course, infographics out there that actually impart handy stats and figures: GOOD Magazine's pages are illustrated with transparencies that dissect and evaluate all of our social, political and environmental advancements and failures. Edward Tufte is likely the king of information design, giving us glorious works to examine and interpret, paving a pristine path for info design junkies and experts alike. And, Ben Fry deftly harnesses complex information into elegant, intelligent graphs.

Nearing Chad's end of the nonsense-scale is Andrew Kuo with his music-related analyses of the last summer of pool shows at McCarren Park and top albums of 2009 for The New York Times. But Chad's drawings delve furthest into the complete nonsense spectrum of info design, most akin to this diagram that explicates the origins of mythical creatures. Like these animals, Chad's diagrams are completely fictitious—whatever information they may convey is up to us to determine. Fun little game, no? Let's give it a go.

While the numbers and letters in Nonsensical Infographic No. 1 do not align, I'd like to think that this graphic may be tracking the intricate lives of bees and honeycomb production. Also possibly plausible: the graphic is an analysis of the parallel increase in anxiety levels of Tetris players and the speed at which each geometric shape falls. Non-stop puzzle action can be intense!

I am particularly pleased by the potential use for Nonsensical Infographic No. 2: documentation of the lifespan of a bubble. Perhaps, as indicated by the past, present and future aspects, Willy Wonka is in the process of manufacturing new, more durable bubbles that may float for minutes or hours instead of seconds, before bursting. The world would become like that anti-tobacco commercial, only better.

Because of the conversation in the office this morning, I'm wondering if the round diagrams might instead measure the density of fried bologna as its edible chemicals are processed over time. It's one of those foods that would still be on grocery shelves, post-apocalypse right? The future would be a relevant indicator were this indeed the story told by Nonsensical Infographic No. 2.

Nothing like a little nonsense on a Tuesday afternoon, is there? Now get back to work!

Gosling Lake by Kurt Tong

RAF Vulcan XL-361 by Kurt Tong

Good afternoon collectors! It's Sara, sending salutations to you all from Jen. She'll be back as soon as she can but for today I'm pleased to introduce two new editions from current Hot Shot and Blurb Photography.Book.Now Editorial Prize winner Kurt Tong. This man is on a roll!

If you're in NYC, be sure to see his work in person at the JB Gallery as part of the Hey, Hot Shot! 2009 First Edition Exhibition before it closes this Saturday, September 19th. We'll be opening A Square by Hosang Park the following Friday, September 25th, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Be there or be square! (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) In celebration of all this photo-goodness, and more to come, we're throwing our first-ever HHS! Confab and Print Trade on Tuesday, September 29th, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. at White Rabbit; we'd love to see you there. More info to follow but, please, save the date!

Today's photography editions, Gosling Lake and RAF Vulcan XL-361 are from Farewell in Labrador, a finely-tuned collection of landscapes, portraits, interiors and still-lifes. The series tells the tales of this remote corner of the East Coast of Canada: the closing of an air base and the scattering of jobs and families, a cod moratorium that inhibited locals' livelihoods, a government settlement program that brought the Inuit and Innu nomadic cultures to the brink of extinction and the general dispersing of youth in the search for greater opportunities. They are stories unique to Labrador's geographic location and cultural and social history but similar to that of many places in the world as progress ramps forward.

Kurt—although I regretfully missed the opportunity to meet him—strikes me as an immensely compassionate individual. Before becoming a photographer, he was trained as a health visitor and co-founded Prema Vasam, a charitable home for disabled and disadvantaged children in Chennai, South India—and his photographs reflect this about him. The series is contemplative and reveres the place and culture he has documented, replacing what all-too-easily could be pity with hope and empathy.

For me, these photographs together recall Antoine de Saint-Exupery's Wind, Sand and Stars, so I will leave you with these passages:

A man cannot live a decent life in cities, and I need to feel myself live. I am not thinking of aviation. The aeroplane is a means, not an end. One doesn't risk one's life for a plane any more than a farmer ploughs for the sake of the plough. But the aeroplane is a means of getting away from towns and their book-keeping and coming to grips with reality.

...Always and everywhere I have seen men attach themselves more stubbornly to barren land than to any other. Men will die for a calcined, leafless, stony mountain. The nomads will defend to the death their great store of sand as if it were a treasure of gold dust. And we, my comrades and I, we too have loved the desert to the point of feeling that it was there we had lived the best years of our lives ...it was here in the desert he possessed his veritable treasures—this prestige of the sand, the night, the silence, this homeland of wind and stars.

You will have to allow for the substitution of "icy coast" for "desert" and "snow" or "sea" for "sand" in these instances, but it seems that Labrador too is a beloved homeland of wind and stars.

Laser Dance Wars by Megan Whitmarsh

Hej collectors! 20x200 artist Megan Whitmarsh recently opened a solo show, Yeti Crystal Rainbow, at Krets Gallery in Malmo, Sweden. Megan is showing new embroidered pieces, soft sculpture and a site-specific wall drawing featuring her unpredictably mischievous Yeti.

From the press release (for our Swedish speaking friends):

Los Angeles-baserade konstnären Megan Whitmarsh arbetar med en rad olika analoga medier för att skapa en optimistisk bild av framtiden inspirerad av Star Wars och trasiga robotar. Hennes verk inkluderar såväl teckningar och animationer som broderier och mjuka skulpturer. Lekfulla färgexplotioner samsas med Darth Vader-figurer, boombox-försedda Yetis, kristaller och bling-bling.

The show will remain on view through October 11th, 2009.

Krets
Kristianstadsgatan 16
214 23 Malmö | Sweden

Megan also has two 20x200 edition prints available for you: Trash Mountain and Color Work Station.

See more of Megan's work on her site.

Team JBP is gearing up for our first-ever Confab + Print Trade on Tuesday, September 29th from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Come mingle with Hot Shots, esteemed panelists, contenders and fellow artists at White Rabbit, 145 E. Houston Street (between Eldridge + Forsythe).

We'll also be having a Print Trade! To participate, bring an 8.5" x 11" (or smaller) photographic print of your own and leave the party with another artist's work!

When you RSVP, please email us a jpeg of the photograph (800 px across @ 72 dpi) you plan to bring to the Confab.

RSVP to RSVP@heyhotshot.com.

In addition, there will be drink specials, giveaways from our generous sponsors at Arlo/Artists and Crumpler—with a few surprises from JBP as well—and ample opportunities to meet fellow photographers and artists in the JBP community.

We're looking forward to seeing you there!

I Bought All of These by Kate Bingaman-Burt

Happiest Friday wishes collectors! Today I am pleased-as-punch that Miss Kate Bingaman-Burt has stepped up to bring us this week's installment of Browsing the Archives! Kate's selections are, in her words, "rather random, but all make my belly hurt in a good way." Belly-hurting in a good way is perhaps part of our unwritten mission statement, so, let's get on with her selections!

Red Plastic Plates by Ann Toebbe

Cut paper! Midwest! Mundane! Flat! Gorgeous!

Vanity Fair MAY08:pg269 (and, incredibly, looking not a day older) by Lauren DiCioccio

This is probably one of my favorite 20x200 images of all time. I love everything about this. So smart and lovely.

Industrial Part 1 by Christine Berrie

My dad used to draw combustion engines when he was in school. He would meticulously render the lines in color pencil and press down on the paper so hard that you could see the grooves that the pencil left. The same intensity is happening in this image. Simply fantastic.

Resting on a Bush by Yijun (Pixy) Liao

The purple, the red, the green, the girl, the boots, the bush. awkward and lonely and yet I keep looking at it over and over again.

Dinosaurs at The American Museum of Natural History by Jason Polan

My sister is getting married this weekend. She is having a dinosaur themed wedding and I wish the brilliant Jason Polan could be there to draw everyone's favorite dinosaur.

Thanks, Kate! A dinosaur themed wedding? I think we all wish we could be there for that! I for one will be stalking your flickr stream for evidence of the ensuing awesomeness!

West Forty-third Street (Yellow Cabs) by Joseph O. Holmes

Surprise Monday greetings collectors! It's Sara with a bonus edition from 20x200 favorite, Joseph O. Holmes. Joe sent us some of his newest work and we were immediately smitten with West Forty-third Street (Yellow Cabs). From recently spotting Yellow Cabs on PDN's Photo of the Day, to contemplating our own views from the 9th floor 20x200 office, this photo has not left our collective memories for long.

Last Friday evening, the 20x200 crew was enjoying perfect end-of-summer weather in Madison Square Park, scarfing down Shake Shack burgers, when the very New York-ness of the occasion got us all to talking about Joe's photographs. As you know, Jen's been the busiest bee lately, causing her to lament that she feels like she's been missing out on New York and all of the hustle, bustle and craziness that make the city great. And truth be told, it's not often that you'd find us all out of the office. But, with some relief Jen remarked, Joe's out there on the streets, witnessing and documenting his vision of the city—its chaos and chance encounters. We are thankful that as random and magical moments like the one pictured here occur, they are recorded by Joe who shares them with us all.

Jen dug up this pitch-perfect poem to accompany today's edition for your enjoyment:

Steps by Frank O'Hara

How funny you are today New York
like Ginger Rogers in Swingtime
and St. Bridget's steeple leaning a little to the left

here I have just jumped out of a bed full of V-days
(I got tired of D-days) and blue you there still
accepts me foolish and free
all I want is a room up there
and you in it
and even the traffic halt so thick is a way
for people to rub up against each other
and when their surgical appliances lock
they stay together
for the rest of the day (what a day)
I go by to check a slide and I say
that painting's not so blue

where's Lana Turner
she's out eating
and Garbo's backstage at the Met
everyone's taking their coat off
so they can show a rib-cage to the rib-watchers
and the park's full of dancers with their tights and shoes
in little bags
who are often mistaken for worker-outers at the West Side Y
why not
the Pittsburgh Pirates shout because they won
and in a sense we're all winning
we're alive

the apartment was vacated by a gay couple
who moved to the country for fun
they moved a day too soon
even the stabbings are helping the population explosion
though in the wrong country
and all those liars have left the UN
the Seagram Building's no longer rivalled in interest
not that we need liquor (we just like it)

and the little box is out on the sidewalk
next to the delicatessen
so the old man can sit on it and drink beer
and get knocked off it by his wife later in the day
while the sun is still shining

oh god it's wonderful
to get out of bed
and drink too much coffee
and smoke too many cigarettes
and love you so much

A few notes before we leave you till tomorrow:

Joe's teaching a photo book workshop *tonight* at Adorama. More info can be found on the Hey, Hot Shot! blog.

And, one week from tomorrow—Tuesday, September 29th, 6:00 to 8:30 p.m— is our first-ever Hey, Hot Shot! Print Trade + Confab. Come mingle with Hot Shots (including Joe!), esteemed panelists, contenders and fellow artists at White Rabbit. There will be drink specials, giveaways from Arlo/Artists & Crumpler, and we've got a few other surprises in store. Space is limited, so RSVP to rsvp(at)heyhotshot(dot)com. See you there!

A few weeks ago, several of us on Team JBP headed over to style and shoot Jen's apartment, and have been itching to share the photos. So, we are are extra-pleased to announce that Jen's apartment was featured on Design*Sponge's Sneak Peek today, where her art-filled apartment joins the annals of other stylishly featured homes! You can see the original post with lots of photos on Design*Sponge, where you will very quickly notice that Jen heeds the words of the 20x200 motto, "Live with art, it's good for you!"

Most of the work in her apartment is by Hot Shots, Jen Bekman Gallery artists and 20x200 stars—including many editions that are still available! We've listed those editions for you below; get them while they're hot!

Many Mountains by Ky Anderson
Plattsmouth, Nebraska, Carts #1 by Kate Bingaman-Burt
Just Let It Go by Kotama Bouabane
Praia Piquina 02/08/07 15h16 by Christian Chaize
You are Important by Stephanie Cinelli
Birds of the Rockies by Laura Levine
House Plant no. 2 by Carrie Marill
Site by Sarah McKenzie
Bookshelf 20 by Jane Mount
Polly by Christina Muraczewski
Needle-Needle-Nee by Coke O'Neal
Mercedes Planter by Amy Park
Fortune (will be successful in...) by Kirby Pilcher
Auditorium by James Rajotte
Grand Finale by Rachell Sumpter
Cascade by Jessica Snow
ny.07#32 by Jennifer Sanchez

Thanks to Grace, Anne and the d*s team for inviting Jen to share her apartment!

iSketch837 by Jorge Colombo

iSketch802 by Jorge Colombo

Tuesday greetings, collectors! It's finally me again, reporting live from mi casa, the very same casa that was featured yesterday on one of my favorite shelter blogs, design*sponge. I've been spending quite a bit of time in trains, planes and automobiles lately, so it's a delicious luxury to be typing this dispatch from the comfort of my couch with The Otter napping nearby. I'm also glad that I've been home long enough to enjoy our transition into my favorite season of the year, in my favorite city, surrounded by my favorite people. The team 20x200 Shake Shack field trip Sara referenced in yesterday's newsletter is a prime example of the season's bounty.

With today's editions—iSketch802 and iSketch837—we get to pay tribute to my other favorite city, San Francisco. Jorge Colombo's New York love letters are among my favorite 20x200 editions, capturing as they do the New York of my day-to-day and my daydreams. I was utterly thrilled to discover that we had a love of the City by the Bay in common as well, and had the good fortune of getting to spend time with him while he was developing these new sketches there. (Over delicious buttery things at Tartine no less, joined by his wonderful and talented wife, Amy Yoes. Are you jealous? You should be!)

It was really hard to choose just two, since Jorge managed to do something I'd imagined to be utterly impossible: faithfully evoke one of the most magical things about San Francisco, its spectacular light. This brings me to another thing I love about Jorge's iSketch series, which he creates using the Brushes app on his iPhone. He's taken his skill—which is formidable, as evidenced by his many years of working as a successful artist and designer—and put it to work using the most contemporary of tools.

I know for certain that a few people think it's the app that makes Jorge's sketches the little slices of genius that they are, and was incredibly relieved when my friend Anil pointed out that it's the artist, not the application, that should be the focus of our admiration and support. (And I chuckled the other day when a friend, who'd bought one of Jorge's prints, subsequently failed miserably in his attempt to put his own artistic sensibilities to work with the very same app.)

Ultimately, it's not completely one or the other. I am relieved that I don't have to choose between San Francisco and New York, and feel similarly fortunate that I don't have to choose between art and technology. An interesting conversation has been ricocheting around the blogosphere, discussing why it is that NYC doesn't have the same tech community that SF does. Kicked off by Chris Dixon, who posited that NY is poised for a tech revival, Caterina, Anil and yours truly have all chimed in. My point of view in that conversation echoes how I feel about Jorge's work—I'll always be a believer in the medium AND the message.

And with that, I'll take my leave till tomorrow. In the meanwhile, I suggest you occupy yourselves with another marriage of art and technology. The What print should I buy on 20x200.com? topic on Hunch is proving to be fun AND useful, thanks to help from the Hunch crew and Kika Gilbert's patient care and feeding. I've been spreading the link far and wide, via Tumblr and Twitter and Facebook (you know how I am!) and have gotten back glowing, somewhat incredulous reports about how well it works. It'll only get better as more people use it, so please check it out.

I'll be back in tomorrow's early afternoon with a couple of photos from another denizen from one of my favorite cities—look for me then!

What print should I buy from 20x200.com? - make thousands more decisions on Hunch.com

Choosing your next 20x200 print just got a whole lot easier. Thanks to our friends at Hunch we were able to build a quiz called "Which print should I buy from 20x200?" with 8 easy-to-answer questions that'll help you surmount those hours of indecision you've likely spent pouring over the site trying to select a print. (Though you are still more than welcome to comb the site for treasures!).

Take the quiz and if you sign up for Hunch you can also give us feedback on the results. Didn't like the print it suggested? Let the quiz know. Hunch will be more accurate the more it's used!

And, what is Hunch you ask? In their own words:

Hunch is a decision-making tool that gets smarter the more you use it. After asking you 10 questions or less, Hunch will provide a concrete result for decisions of every kind.

While you're over at Hunch taking our quiz, poke around the site for help answering all those other plaguing questions in your life. For instance, thanks to this quiz on Hunch, I already know what homemade holiday ornament I will be making this season.

Bowlers, Martinez, CA by Geoffrey Ellis

Penguin, Memphis, TN by Geoffrey Ellis

Live-from-New-York Wednesday greetings, my collector friends. I'm a little woozy as I type this, still sleepy from last night's lateness. Our friends at Hunch, they of the aforementioned What print should I buy from 20x200? widget, hosted a fun little get-together for the burgeoning NYC start-up community. I skipped the pizza, but enjoyed comparing notes on our respective workspace hunts with inspiring entrepreneurs like Kenyatta Cheese and Zach Klein, both of whom I haven't seen in, like, forever. After that, I made my way further downtown for a perfect al fresco meal in the finest of company, which was accompanied by perhaps a bit too much wine. Ergo: woozy!

Woozy, sure, but I'm also happy, and (as per usual!) excited about everything that's coming up: Friday's opening of A Square, the NYC solo debut of 20x200 edition-maker and 2008 Hot Shot Hosang Park, next Tuesday's first-ever HHS! Confab + Print Trade and even the transcontinental flight that will follow hot on the heels of said event. Yup, I'm going back to Cali.

Unlike LL, I'm headed to my normal Cali destination to the north, San Francisco, the subject of yesterday's editions and also the town in which today's talented edition-maker Geoffrey Ellis makes his home. I met Geoff at our first-ever 20x200 Collectors Confab, held in SF at Crown Point Press the summer before last, where he gifted me with copies of his fantastic zine, Sadkids. It had been on my radar long before then, so I was really pleased to get a few copies of my very own from its inventor. As I'm always on the lookout for fresh art for you, I'm pretty sure I hit him up to do editions then and there.

Which brings us, at long last, to today's editions: Bowlers, Martinez, CA and Penguin, Memphis, TN. Geoff is so totally speaking my language with these images from his Horses, Dolls and Other Junk series. I too have accumulated an astounding amount of junk via thrifting and flea-market finds and based on a perusal of his series, I'd say we've got similar tastes in such things. But Geoff and I have taken different—yet complimentary—approaches to addressing our enduring addiction. I collect art and he makes it—photographs are exponentially more portable than plastic penguins, perfectly weathered vintage tin cans and aged artifacts of mid-century advertising.

We also share an affinity for printed matter in the form of books and zines. Admittedly less space-efficient than wall art, they're far easier to contain than the variable dimensions of second-hand detritus and exponentially more portable than either. Which brings me to my next recommendation: once you've snapped up a couple of Geoff's prints, head on over to the Sadkids site, and get yourself on his mailing list. Issue 6, the Around the World edition, is due in mid-October and his list subscribers will be the first to know when it's ready to go.

Speaking of ready to go, that'd be me. I'm off for the day and done for the week too, but fear not! I'll be back on Tuesday with tales from Hosang's opening, and some pre-party jitters as I look forward to that evening's HHS! Confab at White Rabbit. Look for me then!

Limited-edition food journal by Mark Menjivar & Kate Bingaman-Burt

At 20x200, we love it when we see brilliant artists connecting and collaborating. So, when we got word that for the past few weeks artists Mark Menjivar and Kate Bingaman-Burt have been working together creating a limited-edition food journal to raise money for Janus Youth, an organization in North Portland that creates community gardens with at-risk youth, naturally, we were psyched. The journals can be purchased at Ampersand for $12 or on the blog via Paypal for $13.50; all proceeds will be donated to Janus Youth.

Anesthesiologist | Ft. Worth , TX | 3-Person Household | Youngest son works on lobster boat in Alaska | Day after Thanksgiving, 2007 by Mark Menjivar

This project coincides with Mark's new show, You Are What You Eat, a series of portraits made by examining the interiors of refrigerators, now open at Ampersand in Portland, OR. The photos document three years spent traveling across the US exploring issues of hunger and Mark hopes they will spark a dialogue on human consumption as well as showcase the personality of each individual whose refrigerator he has photographed.

"A refrigerator is both a private and a shared space. One person likened the question, "May I photograph the interior of your fridge?" to asking someone to pose nude for the camera...My hope is that we will think deeply about how we care. How we care for our bodies. How we care for others. And how we care for the land."

Keep your eyes out (and mouths open) for upcoming editions by Mark on 20x200 in the very near future. Several editions by Kate are also still available including: Drawings From July 2009, I Bought All of These, and the very last remaining print from the edition Plattsmouth, Nebraska, Carts #1.

You Are What You Eat
Ampersand
On view through October 25, 2009
2916 NE Alberta Street
Portland, Oregon

Jongam-dong by Hosang Park

Hosang Park was recently crowned a HHS! Ne Plus Ultra, earning him representation with Jen Bekman Gallery, and tonight he will make his solo show debut in the United States with A Square. We hope you'll join us tonight at the gallery from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. for an opening celebration.

Jen Bekman Gallery
6 Spring Street
(between Elizabeth + Bowery)
New York, New York 10012

The exhibition will remain on view through November 7th, 2009.

Gallery Hours:
Wednesday - Saturday | Noon - 6 p.m.
Opening Reception: September 25, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
On View: September 26 through November 7th, 2009

Hosang has two 20x200 editions available, Howon and Uman.

P.S.
Jen Bekman Projects is now accepting entries for the Hey, Hot Shot! 2009 Second Edition Competition.
The entry deadline is Friday, October 23rd, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. EDT
Upload your photos today!

Three Points, 2009 by Ky Anderson

I've just returned from a long visit to Ky Anderson's website, which has been newly updated with archives of her paintings from the past five years. It is an interesting study to see how her past usage of color, line and shape continue to unfold and inform her current body of work.

Ky is also an ardent art collector who has indexed her ever expanding collection here. Her personal archive includes work from 20x200 artists Megan Whitmarsh, Jason Polan, and Beth Dow, so you know she has superior taste!

Three edition prints from Ky are still available to you on 20x200: Fingerprint, Handing, and Many Mountains. Get 'em while they last!

While most of our 20x200 artists call the United States home, a few of our artists live in distant lands, only heading to our familiar shores for short trips. New York is lucky to have 20x200 artist and Hot Shot Donald Weber in town this weekend for his solo show, Russian Archive, at the Alice Austen House on Staten Island.

The exhibition includes the Canadian-born, Ukraine-based artist's most recent documentation of post-Soviet daily life. To catch Donald before he leaves this fair city, you are invited to the opening tomorrow, Saturday, September 26th from 4-6 PM; drinks will be provided by The Bubble Lounge.

Russian Archive
Alice Austen House
2 Hylan Boulevard
Staten Island, NY
find directions here!

Unfortunately, Donald won't be in town for very long and leaves even before our Hey, Hot Shot! Confab + Print Trade next Tuesday. But, he did send over a new image for us to share during the event. Be sure to RSVP to rsvp@heyhotshot.com to make sure you don't miss out!

Two of Donald's editions—Forest. Exclusion Zone, Chernobyl and Dinner. Village of Zorin, Exclusion Zone, Chernobyl—are also still available on 20x200.

Welwitschia Mirabilis #0707-6724 (2,000 years old; Namib Naukluft Desert, Namibia) by Rachel Sussman

Photographer Rachel Sussman is hosting a fundraiser this Tuesday night, September 29th, from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m. at Galapagos in Brooklyn to support her project, The Oldest Living Things in the World. The monies raised will go to subsidize her intended visit to Antarctica where she will, of course, seek to document more old things. I'm told that there will be free Grimaldi's Pizza in addition to the music and live performances.

From the press release:

Join us for an evening of art and entertainment benefiting The Oldest Living Things in the World project. Internationally acclaimed artist Rachel Sussman has been researching, working with biologists, and traveling all over the world to find and photograph continuously living organisms 2,000 years old and older. Sussman, who is fiscally sponsored by the Brooklyn Arts Council, is endeavoring to raise funds for an expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula to photograph 5,000-year-old moss this winter.

Tickets for the benefit can be purchased here. Because Rachel loves 20x200, she has created a discount code for us to get $15 tickets—simply enter 20x200 during checkout or mention 20x200 at the door.

For a full evening of photo-goodness, join team JBP first at White Rabbit at 6:00 p.m. for the Hey, Hot Shot! Confab + Print Trade, then scoot on down to DUMBO to show your love for Rachel and OLTW!

To view Rachel's The Oldest Living Things in The World project visit her website and her blog.

Rachel's 20x200 edition, Towards Christiana (Copenhagen), has only one remaining, so hurry up!

Installation view of Chris Ballantyne's mural at Park Life Gallery

Brooklyn-based artist Chris Ballantyne is currently in a three-person collaborative exhibition in San Francisco's Park Life gallery. The exhibition was chosen by ARTFORUM critic Glen Helfand as a pick of the month. Of Ballantyne's work in the show he writes:

Ballantyne’s view of disaster is more placid in his wall painting of blocky multistory buildings partially submerged in calmly rippling blue water—a stoic version of J. G. Ballard’s dystopian 1962 novel, The Drowned World. The artist also incorporates the gallery’s architecture—a hanging pipe cleanly pierces one of his buildings, fittingly enhancing the tone of controlled chaos.

Read the full ARTFORUM review here, and see Chris's two 20x200 editions:
Untitled, Tidal Bore (Surfer)
and
Untitled, Neighborhood (Overgrown)

Andrew Schoultz, Chris Ballantyne, Mark Mulroney
A collaboration
PARK LIFE
220 Clement Street | San Francisco
September 4–October 11

The Figure Skater by Austin Kleon

How It Works by Austin Kleon

Gorgeous Tuesday greeting collectors! It's Sara, filling in for Jen who is sick as a dog. Jen never takes a day of rest, so the fact that she's vying for some shuteye in the middle of a perfect, crisp and clear, NYC fall day, is a sign of serious flu-ish-ness. Please send get-well thoughts her way!

As Jen rests and recovers, I have two charming editions to introduce you to from Austin-based Austin Kleon. As you can see in The Figure Skater and How It Works, Austin is a writer who draws. He also blogs, Tumblrs, Twitters, Blips and Flickrs. In short, he is an artist who is as in love with The Internet as we are at 20x200.

He also shares our affection for the good old-fashioned printed page. While we heart the internets for so many reasons, perusing actual paper and ink is often more satisfying than skimming pixels and light. Sometimes there's just too much information on the web and the opportunity to digress is great. We are tempted to either wallow in the shallows with bite-sized bits of info or drown in the coverage of a single event from hundreds of sources. It seems, there might be just enough information in finite columns. If you're Austin, there's too much. So, he simply blacks out what he doesn't need.

This is where Austin departs from the rest of us. He whittles paragraphs of words down to sweet little poems, making you wonder what else is embedded among the pages. While eliminating most of what he comes across in columns, Austin's pulled together a book featuring some of his best blackouts. You can pre-order Newspaper Blackout on Amazon and you'll get your copy as soon as it's available in April. In the meantime, aren't you glad we have these prints for you right now?

One last thing! If you're in NYC tonight and you haven't already RSVPed for our Hey, Hot Shot! Confab + Print Trade, it's not too late! We'd love to see you at White Rabbit (145 E. Houston), tonight, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m., for drinks, chatting and great photography with good company. If you're not in the neighborhood, never fear, we'll fulfill your photography cravings with fantastic editions over the next two days!

20x200 stars Jane Mount and Kate Bingaman-Burt will both be speaking at the AIGA Design Conference, Make/Think in Memphis, TN, October 8-11. So, if you've been itching for inspiration, are trying to polish your design practice, or just want to make a trip to the home of William Eggleston, early October would be the optimal time.

Jane and Kate will join a talented cast of design-industry professionals and artists including Jill Greenberg, Stefan Sagemeister, and Daniel Eatock at a series of main stage presentations, roundtables, a Design Fair, workshops, and tours of host-city, Memphis.

Kate will be on an early morning roundtable discussion on Friday, October 9th from 7:45-8:45 a.m. along with Andre Andreev, Dan Covert, Nick Law, Bobby Martin, and Paul Sahre.

Jane will be on a panel alongside Jim Coudal, Liz Danzico, and Derek Powazek called Wisdom of Communities; Inspiring Communities also on Friday, October 9 from 2:15–3:30 p.m. See more details about the conference and the locations of their presentations on the 2009 AIGA Design Conference site.

Interested in attending?: Register here.

Midwife/Middle School Science Teacher | San Antonio, TX | 3-Person Household (including dog) | First week after deciding to eat locally grown vegetables. by Mark Menjivar

Bar Tender | San Antonio, TX | 1-Person Household | Goes to sleep at 8AM and wakes up at 4PM daily. by Mark Menjivar

Hello collectors! It's Sara, subbing in for Jen, who is still battling what appears to be a very evil and persistent flu. It even kept her from attending last night's super fun shin-dig, our first-ever Hey, Hot Shot! Confab & Print Trade, which was a smashing success. Photographers and artists turned out in droves to meet, greet, share a couple of beers and trade artwork; it was truly a lovely evening over at White Rabbit. Thanks to everyone who could join us!

Today's photographer would have been most welcomed among the party crowd. He made several friends during his last visit to NYC and is certainly a great example of why we love HHS! so much. We first spotted Mark Menjivar's You Are What You Eat series when he entered the competition last winter. Mark was featured as a contender on the HHS! blog. And from then on, Jen and I were plotting and scheming to get Mark's work on 20x200. So, I am happy to present to you today—finally!—Midwife/Middle School Science Teacher | San Antonio, TX | 3-Person Household (including dog) | First week after deciding to eat locally grown vegetables. and Bar Tender | San Antonio, TX | 1-Person Household | Goes to sleep at 8AM and wakes up at 4PM daily.

The titles and the images, in a sense, speak for themselves. Mark has essentially outlined portraits of the owners of the featured refrigerators, examining the notion, that yes, we are what we eat. With the fast-growing Slow Food movement, the recent popularity of books like Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and the release of the film Food, Inc, what and how we eat has never received more scrutiny.

Mark was slightly ahead of the curve, beginning his project a little over three years ago. Since then, rightly so, he's received a lot of attention for the series. It was selected for CENTER's Director's Choice in the Project Competition, GOOD magazine featured the work on their site, sparking a lively dialogue in the comments, and right now, the series is on view at Ampersand Gallery in Portland, Oregon, through October 25th. If you're anywhere on the West Coast, I highly recommend that you scoot over to Stumptown and check out the show. You'll also be able to get your hot hands on a copy of the limited-edition food journal that Mark produced with Consumption Queen Kate Bingaman-Burt.

If you're really not anywhere near Portland and are feeling bummed that you missed last night's confab, it's not too late to get in on the action! The Hey, Hot Shot! 2009 Second Edition Competition is still open. We're accepting entries until October 23, 2009 at 8:00 p.m EST. Yes, that seems like a little ways away but it will be here before you know it. So, jump on it and enter your photos today. And we'll see you tomorrow with a bonus, bookish edition from another HHS! favorite. Till then!