Film: DC Counter Culture Festival 2008

Astray Productions has created a super crazy short film documenting Curls Studio at the DC Counter Culture Festival, which took place on January 19. View amazing art, crafts, comics, jewelry, and performances from Cheeky Monkey Sideshow in all their glory! Enjoy!

Memento Pmonk: An Art Auction For The P3 Fund

I have donated a Toast silkscreen print to Memento Pmonk: An Art Auction For The P3 Fund. This is an online, silent art auction in honor of the recently decreased Patrick Power to raise funds for his young son. Patrick was my first web design teacher at VCU and will be missed by many people. When you have a moment, check out the art for sale and place a bid on anything that strikes your fancy. The auction starts today and runs through February 2.

Here is my artist statement about my piece in the auction:

This three color print features the popular character, Toast, from my Curls comic strips. Toast is a life-sized toast with two punched out holes for his eyes and a giant jelly smile. Now you can always be happy with Toast in your presence!

Another version of this silkscreen sold for $100 when it was on display in Alexandria, Virginia at The Art League's Student/Faculty Show last year... Let's make this Toast go way over that - I'd like to see that happen to raise some major cash for P3! Go Toast!

Photos: DC Counter Culture Festival

Last Saturday was the DC Counter Culture Festival at Dr. Dremo's. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to look or purchase something from our table and thanks to everyone who came in support of Curls Studio. We appreciate it! Thanks also goes out to DC Conspiracy, who organized the event.

We have posted photos of Curls Studio and Cheeky Monkey Sideshow. Check 'em out.

The Carolyn & Joe Show: It's Morphin' Time!

We just put up a show recorded on November 28, 2007. This is seriously our craziest show yet... and it will be hard to top! Joe and I are joined again with special guests: Danny and James. Topics include: Joe's films, college eating habits, action figures, old Nickelodeon shows, and Dean Cain. Once we talk about Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the show goes completely insane. Saber Tooth Tiger!

Listen here!

DC Counter Culture Festival

The third installment of the DC Counter Culture Festival is this Saturday, January 19th! Curl Studio has represented for the past two years and is glad to be back for a third... and the last at the venue of Dr. Dremo's, since they will be closing soon.

Curls Studio will be selling our goodies from 4PM until 8PM along with 38 vendors of comics, fashions, crafts, novellas, soaps, musics, and more. The party doesn't stop there. After 8PM we'll have a freak show, belly dancer, and six bands. This is the place to be this Saturday. We had close to 500 people show up last year and we’d rather tear Dr. Dremo’s down this year than have the construction company do it a week later. Feel free to pass this message on to you friends, family, or co-workers... everyone's invited, but you must be over 21 to stay past 8PM.

See you on Saturday! Admission is FREE!

WHAT: DC Counter Culture Festival
WHEN: Saturday, January 19 (Vendors from 4PM to 8PM, Performers from 8PM to 2AM)
WHERE: Dr. Dremo's (2001 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201)

Steven Heller

On January 11, I attended the Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington event, Steven Heller, Iron Graphics: Branding Totalitarian States.

Steven Heller gave a historical analysis of the state of the leading twentieth century totalitarian regimes through the lens of graphic design. With research from his upcoming book, Iron Fists: Branding the Totalitarian State, he described how major dictatorships in modern history used graphics and design to propagate their ideologies. From Mussolini to Nazi Germany to Lenin, totalitarian regimes maintain themselves in political power by means of propaganda through their state-controlled mass media. Heller dissects these graphics using the language of contemporary branding.

I learned how truly important design is in the world and how it can convey ideas.

The Carolyn & Joe Show: Joe's Birthday

Listen to the latest Carolyn & Joe Show! In this remote broadcast on Joe's Birthday, Carolyn and Joe are joined with their friends: Danny, James, and Huzzard. It's like getting the band back together as they prepare for WWE Survivor Series. Topics include: internet message boards, the dot-com boom, citizen's arrest, the bodybuilding website, calling the cops on a party, Criss Angel on Phenomenon, and Booker T.