A Cut Above: Kai Margarida-Ramírez de Arellano's Intricate Artwork, From Papel Picado To Downton Abbey

"Skeletons in the Closet' by Kai Margarida-Ramírez de Arellano

3rd Ward member Kai Margarida-Ramírez de Arellano can trace her artistic roots back four generations. "None of my family members would identify themselves as artists, but they are all intuitively creative people and they have always nurtured my passion for art," she says. "My great-great grandmother was an amateur photographer, she choreographed elaborate scenes with members of her family during the 1920s, and these photos are definitely a source of inspiration for me. Her daughter, my great-grandmother, made collages and was often the model of her mother's photographs. My grandmother (a nuclear physics professor) used to draw and paint, and my mother (a law professor) creates found-object art, collages, and graphic art."

Kai Margarida-Ramírez de Arellano"My family also has a tradition of story telling that has deeply informed my aesthetic and identity," she adds. "These stories tell my family history, but also the family mythology which in turn has informed our family consciousness. This unique relationship to my roots plays a huge role in my work."

Growing up in New Mexico, Margarida-Ramírez de Arellano was exposed to the Mexican folk art of papel picado, or paper cutting. "In 2008 I took a workshop at a local art center with papel picado master Catalina Delgado Trunk," she says. "The medium came easily to me, and I realized I could really use this technique to combine my multi cultural roots with my interest in politics and popular culture." Read more about Margarida-Ramírez de Arellano below and hit the jump to see more of her intricate work (including some fantastic embroidery pieces).

"I use this ancient art form to discuss sex, politics, pop culture, my family history and my own experience of walking the line between cultures, while maintaining a sense of wit and irony," she explains. "I also establish inter-generational collaborations by referencing photographs taken by my great-great grandmother."

3rd Ward has inspired Margarida-Ramírez de Arellano to further expand her skills. "I wish I could take every class!" she says. "The great thing about taking so many classes is once in a while you really find something that speaks to you, that's what happened when I took Extraordinary Embroidery with Iviva. I never embroidered before, and now I can't stop."

"I am finishing two embroidery series of Downton Abbey and Parks and Recreation which I'll submit to Bust Magazine's Craftacular fair this spring," she tells us. She just completed artwork for Brooklyn band Elliot and the Ghost and is brainstorming with her mother on some collaborative projects. Her work is also currently featured in Cutting Edge: Contemporary Paper Cutting at the Boise State University Visual Arts Center. "This is particularly exciting for me because it includes such paper cutting greats as Beatrice Coron and Nikki McClure!" she says. "It is a huge honor to be showing with these talented women."

And now for two of Margarida-Ramírez de Arellano's Downton Abbey embroidery pieces, the awesomeness of which we can't begin to adequately describe, followed by a couple of her equally amazing papel picado works:

'The Dowager Countess' by Margarida-Ramírez de Arellano

'Lady Cybil' by Margarida-Ramírez de Arellano

'Manchild' by Margarida-Ramírez de Arellano

'Ozon' by Margarida-Ramírez de Arellano

-- John Ruscher

3rd Ward Member Barnett Cohen Named A "Contender" For His Southern Gothic-influenced Photography

'Bust' by Barnett Cohen

3rd Ward member Barnett Cohen was recently named a "Contender" in Hey, Hot Shot!, an international photography competition presented by Jen Bekman Projects, so we asked him, how does it feel? "The opposite of Marlon Brando," he said. "I feel like a somebody."

In that witty and poignant response we see the spirit that makes Cohen's work so powerful and unique. The most frequent subject of his photographs is Oliver, who seems like a quintessential "Southern Eccentric," but Cohen's photographs don't simply affirm that stereotype. "They reflect an intimate relationship based on even needs: He wants to be seen and acknowledged, and I want to see him in the starkest of terms," Cohen says in his Contender post. Check out more of his photographs after the jump.

Here's how the Hey, Hot Shot! folks described Cohen's work:

In seeking out "eccentrics" from the South, Contender Barnett Cohen met and befriended a man named Oliver, the subject of much of his portfolio. Rather than creating images that focus on his subject's eccentricities and idiosyncrasies, however, the series offers an intimate look at a willing subject, complete with relics and glimpses at a past life.

While Cohen has been pursuing photography for a long time, he dispenses with any sort of myth-making or exaggeration in describing how he got started. I found a copy of COLORS magazine many, many years ago and was hooked," he says. "I did not grow up with a brownie box camera in my hand or drenched in processing chemicals."

Cohen continues to travel between Brooklyn and the South for his photography, and in June his will be featured in Small Works, a group show at Boston's Flash Forward Festival. "The show is curated by Jon Feinstein and Amani Olu of the Humble Arts Foundation in conjunction with the Magenta Foundation," he says. "I am pretty stoked about it." Then, in the fall he's headed for grad school to get his MFA in Photography. "No names just yet but I am going somewhere for sure," he says. "As always, stay tuned."

We will, and in the meantime we'll be rooting for him in Hey, Hot Shot! The competition's grand prize winner gets $10,000, a solo exhibition and two years of representation from Jen Bekman Gallery.

'Mailbox' by Barnett Cohen

"Oliver #1" by Barnett Cohen

'Oliver #8' by Barnett Cohen'Toothbrush Holder' by Barnett Cohen

'Present Tense' by Barnett Cohen

'Mark' by Barnett Cohen

'Shaka' by Barnett Cohen

-- John Ruscher

3rd Ward Member Goes From Big Bird To Big Time: Meet Illustrator and Caricaturist Cathy Nolan

Cathy Nolan and her showcase table at the Craft and Hobby Association Winter show.3rd Ward member Cathy Nolan made her first illustration when she was 18 months old. "Of course it was a bunch of scribbles and circles," she says. "I waddled up to my mother and my first words were 'Big Bird.' A million years later she still has that drawing!"

By eight she knew that she wanted to be a caricaturist. "As a kid growing up in the Chicagoland area my family would often go to Great America amusement park," she remembers. "When I first saw artists drawing people I was mesmerized. I couldn't get pulled away from watching the process of someone sitting there and getting drawn. My siblings had to drag me away from the caricature booth to ride the cool rides."

At 18 she turned pro. "I did my first county fair drawing people and made $1000 in five days," she says, "so I thought 'Hmmm... I could get used to this!'"

Nolan has been drawing ever since. Her caricatures allow her to engage and connect with her subjects in a unique way. "I love talking to people, putting them at ease to talk about themselves and their passions and then drawing them doing what they enjoy doing in life," she says. Hit the jump to read more about Nolan and see some of her work.

Nolan's career has naturally led to some fascinating experiences, such as her caricature of one Vietman veteran:

I was working at a county fair and he came up to my booth and told me his life story. He asked me to draw all of the aspects of himself with his different personalities.  I wasn't sure if he was schitzophrenic or crazy. I drew him in the middle of the page and drew all the different personalitlies around the main image. When I began to draw his evil crazy side, I was a little bit nervous while drawing him because I didn't want that particular personality to appear. He loved the drawing and later that day his wife came up to me to thank me. She said, "He has NEVER told anyone about his time in Vietnam and of his personality disorder! Great art!"

We often think of a caricaturist as someone that we'll only encounter on a stroll through Central Park, but many major clients have commissioned Nolan's work, from American Airlines and Citibank to Highlights for Children and the New York Rangers.

Working for Scholastic Media she also picked up valuable skills in licensing and product development. She teaches student illustration workshops and has presented her work in showcases such as the Brand Licensing Show in London and the Craft and Hobby Association Show in Anaheim, California. At 3rd Ward she's also honed her skills even further through Photoshop and Illustrator classes.

You can see Nolan's work in person at Connecticut Muffin (423 Myrtle Ave) in Clinton Hill. She'll be hosting a reception there on Friday, March 30 from 6:30-8pm.

"All are welcomed to attend!" she says. "If I'm feeling inspired, I might be drawing caricatures of those who attend too!"

Cathy Nolan with author Elizabeth Gilbert.

-- John Ruscher

Lost and Found With Coworking Member Nickerson Hill

Stop to talk with anyone in our ever-buzzing coworking space, and you'll surely find a fascinating story. You might encounter an awesome science writer, an e-book entrepreneur, an award-winning web designer/music maker, or, as you'll see right now, a licensed social worker who's found a second calling helping people find things they've lost. All while she's applying to public health PhD programs. Meet Nickerson Hill (and get to know her more after the jump).

3rd Ward's John Ruscher: So you work for Foundit! Tell us a little bit about that.

Nickerson Hill: Essentially, FoundIt! is an automated (fast, safe & easy) lost and found system. We believe that people generally want to do the right thing, including returning things they find. Lost and founds are full of good intentions. Stats say that 70% of items turned into lost and founds never make it back to their owner. Sometimes stuff isn't returned because it may seem difficult or time consuming.  FoundIt! eliminates these barriers by making it easy and quick for people to do the right thing and return things they find.

JR: How does it work exactly?

NH: Our members each have a unique FoundIt! ID, which is printed on super-durable stickers and tags and they affix these stickers/tags to things they might lose. When a member misplaces something they labeled with their FoundIt! ID, the Finder simply enters the info into FoundIt!'s secure system via text or on our website. Our member then receives an instant FoundIt! Alert via text and email sharing the Finder’s contact information and/or message. Many of our members have reported getting a FoundIt! Alert even before knowing anything was missing!

I'm also excited about our next generation of stickers, which include QR codes as yet another, even faster way to make a FoundIt! report. When scanned, a FoundIt! QR will automatically send the SMS message of the Member's FoundIt! ID to our system.

JR: So how did FoundIt! find you?

NH: FoundIt! was originally conceived of by a close childhood friend of mine and my father (the two of them are close, as well). I initially got involved with the business just talking with them and the (small) staff, as I had some thoughts on FoundIt!'s marketing and branding. As a licensed social worker and academic, I didn't necessarily plan on joining in an official capacity, but the more I worked with them, the more excited I got about the prospect of being involved. This past fall I decided to apply to PhD programs and so I found myself job searching for a 1-2 year position. At the same time, FoundIt! was looking to hire a second full-time person (the initial 2 founders/idea men are still involved, but have other projects). As I was already involved, I was a good fit & ended up joining the FoundIt! team. The timing was just right and I feel like I kind of got lucky. I have always had a personal interest in technology, marketing, design and small businesses, but I saw this as a rare opportunity to explore this kind of work before venturing farther (possibly crossing the Rubicon?) into the world of academia.

JR: Could you tell us about that side of your life?

NH: I have a masters in social work (MSW) & a masters in the history & ethics of public health (MPH), and I am hoping to begin a PhD program in the next year or two.  My work is interdisciplinary, involving histories of mental health/psychiatry, transgender health & rights, critical race & gender theory, eugenics & human classification, activist rhetoric, radical feminisms, nostalgia & technology, public health ethics, privacy, young philanthropy, and social justice movements (I know that is a lot, but it actually comes together...).  Recently, I have been revising a few papers for publication, focusing on the history of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the evolution and revision process of gender and sexuality diagnoses and activists concerned with these revisions.

JR: Sounds amazing! How do you like coworking at 3rd Ward?

NH: I certainly benefit from having access to this space. Most of my work is otherwise done from home (FoundIt! is based in Seattle), so it is extremely helpful to have an alternative, quiet workspace. The main things that stand out are the amount of light in the coworking space—those windows are amazing—and how focused everybody is. Of course, people do have conversations and speak on the phone in the shared space, but I always feel able to concentrate. The free coffee doesn't hurt, either.

JR: Absolutely. Anything else on the horizon?

NH: The big event I am looking forward to with FoundIt! is SXSW. We are participating in SXswag and will be running a few events during SXSWi, so it should be great exposure (in addition to being fun).

I also recently started playing around with Arduino, so who knows what will come of that.

Nickerson has also kindly offered a discount on Foundit! membership for her fellow 3rd Ward members! Use the code "3RDWARD" to get 25% off.

-- John Ruscher

Member Pursuits // Noah Wall Creates A Video For "Blue Station," Plays Live Shows Friday And Monday

When we caught up with new 3rd Ward member Noah Wall back in December, we talked with him about both his award-winning web design work and his recent musical pursuits, including the September release of his album Hèloïse, which he celebrated with a scavenger hunt through Manhattan that spelled out the albums name. He also told us that he had a few more musical projects in the pipe. One of those was this video for the Hèloïse track "Blue Station," which premiered on The Fader last week.

Just as fascinating as his scavenger hunt (and, naturally, his web design work), the video employs a mysterious technology, "Colormind," which has its own equally mysterious website stating that it "uses SOUND, SHAPE, HEAT and subliminal COL☯R to condense TIME and bind EMOTIONAL RESPONSE." To demonstrate the technology, the video for "Blue Station" takes the classic Paul Newman Western Hud and "condenses" it into two and a half minutes. Here's The Fader's take:

It's dizzyingly beautiful and the swirling gradients over black-and-white are charmingly anachronistic, though reducing everybody's facial expressions to mood ring colors and debatably evocative shapes renders the actual film that whizzes by mostly illegible. Which is pretty much the fun part, how hard it is to figure out what's supposed to be simple.

Wall also has some live shows coming up. He'll be performing not to far from 3rd Ward at Diamond Mouth Surprise (30 Maujer St. #2C) this Saturday, January 14, and Williamsburg DIY venue Death By Audio on Monday, January 16. We don't know if he'll be able to recreate the Colormind phenomenon on stage, but we're sure he'll put on a fantastic show.

-- John Ruscher

MEMBERS WITH 9-to-5's // Heather Ripley Balances Tax Law And Visual Art

Heather Ripley's Yeah, You.

A lot of the 3rd Ward members we feature on this blog are full-time creators, spending their days adjusting lights and snapping shots in the photo studio or forging and crafting things in the shop, but many other members come to 3rd Ward to pursue passions that fall outside of the scope of their day jobs. Take Heather Ripley, for instance, who spends her days as a tax lawyer but is also an active visual artist.

One might not typically imagine a lawyer shedding business attire for an artist's clothes at the end of the work day, but Ripley sees her professional and artistic pursuits as quite similar beyond that surface level. " My hope is to fully invest in whatever is in front of me at the moment, a quality that both creating art and practicing law often demand," she says. "That level of investment can be tough to achieve and sustain, especially with a million other things going on. But there is a cycle of intensity, restraint, and release common to both fields, and I want to learn as much as I can about how those patterns play out. Plus, art and law each entail creativity, problem-solving, setting priorities, and communicating with an audience."

Hit the jump for more about Ripley and the relationship between her work and art.

While a 9-to-5 job might require her to separate her creative and professional time, Ripley says her mind is often occupying both realms. She might be drawing on her notes during a stretch of tax research, or using the bulky Internal Revenue Code to prop or her art materials. "I can't just shut down the lawyer-y parts because I'm holding a paintbrush," she says. "Ah, if it were so easy!" But that overlap can results in some unique connections. "For example, my work includes line drawings where I set up arbitrary constraints or problems and then work my way through them," she says. "Not to say that law is a set of arbitrary constraints, but the notion of working in and through (even around—legally!) restrictions and limitations appeals to me."

Ripley was first drawn to 3rd Ward by Drink N' Draw. "Less for the drinking, more for the drawing," she says. "The existence of this low-cost, high-quality time and space to draw and engage with others was utterly fascinating." Since becoming a member she's found that it offers much more. "The simple premise of artists coming together, making art, and having a good time sort of sums up the place nicely," she says.

Her most recent project was crafting holiday cards for her friends and family. "I really wanted to do linoleum block printing, which I hadn't done since, oh, elementary school," she says. "As sometimes happens, the demands of law practice set me a little off-schedule with the cards, but I got them done!" For the last Member Show Ripley showed her painting Yeah, You (pictured above), which "considered the juxtaposition of being loud/in-your-face with being quiet/subtle, definitely a tension I experience in my lawyer life."

"That dichotomy is something I want to examine more," she says. "And there's a modest queue of portraits to get to." Ripley will surely explore and expand her work this year, but, as always, she's also keeping her professional work in mind: "April 15th is just around the corner!"

Check out more of Ripley's artwork below:

-- John Ruscher

MEMBER-MADE // Michael Wong's Brass Bronze Bark Dining Buffet

 

Back in May we showed you a wonderful Walnut Waterfall Table made by our very own Michael Wong, and now we're pleased to present another one of his amazing creations, an Antique Brass Dining Buffet with Bronze Birch Bark Doors.

A collaboration between Wong's ETHER Atelier and MR Architecture + Decor, this private commission features an exterior consisting of a light antique brass waterfall surround, natural bronze cast birch bark doors and metallic bronze lacquer. Inside you'll find ultra-suede silverware drawers as well as a remote-controlled security lock. We can't imagine a classier addition to one's dining room.

Wong has recently been exploring new techniques with bronze, and this piece brings together his expertise in woodworking and metal fabrication in a unique and profound way. He also got some assistance from 3rd Ward's ever-present network of support, including Lenin Hercules, Johnny White, Luis Herrera, Jamie Partington, Lee Stehly and Ellen Rosenberg.

Check out more images of this beauty after the jump and head to the ETHER Atelier website for more of Wong's superb work.

-- John Ruscher

MEMBER PURSUITS // This Sunday: Robin Grearson Reads With Her 1441 Writers Collective in Bushwick

This Sunday, October 2, 3rd Ward member Robin Grearson (who curated an awesome Bushwick Open Studios exhibition back in June) will be reading with her writers' collective, 1441, at The Bodega (24 St. Nicholas Ave) in Bushwick from 7-10pm. Select 2-for-1 drafts will be available, along with lots of literary goodness. We spoke with Grearson about 1441 and Sunday night's event.

1441 came together organically, as the group's members were all hunting for a local workshop when they found each other. "I didn't know of any, so I was thinking about trying to form one," Grearson says. "And then I ran into Mike Lala on New Year's Day at Cafe Orwell, and he told me he and a group of writers he knew wanted to do the same. So earlier this year, we all started meeting regularly, and that was how 1441 began."

"We began as a group of writers who got together to workshop each other's writing, so that is a strong element of what 1441 is about," she says. "We meet almost every week to discuss one member's work at length. We're still working out our goals as a collective. For instance, we produced a handmade journal earlier this year as a group, and we've been exchanging ideas about publishing again in the future."

In addition to Grearson and Lala, 1441 is comprised of Allyson Paty, Dolan Morgan, Eric Nelson, Joel Marino, Justin Richards and Matt Zingg. Lala and Eric Nelson are also the founders the Fireside Follies, a reading and arts series at Brooklyn Fire Proof that has featured guests such as poet Eileen Myles, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nick Zinner and L Magazine editor Jonny Diamond.

Sunday night's event marks the seventh edition of The Bodega's monthly storytelling series, and in addition to all of 1441's members, five others will be reading as well: Mary Pat Kane, Emily Epstein, Natalie Jacobs, Becky Roth, and Erik Leavitt. "I'm looking forward to hearing their work," Grearson says. She also told us she'll be trying something new. "Usually I read essays, but Sunday I'm doing something a little different and reading two poems."

In addition to Sunday's reading, the next Fireside Follies event takes place on October 15, and 1441 will be hosting a book swap at the Pine Box Rock Shop on November 5, with surplus books benefiting Books Through Bars.

Grearson will also be reading at the Soda Series at the Soda Bar in Prospect Heights on November 9. She's also teaching a 3rd Ward class, Learn to Love Your Artist Statement (or at least make friends), starting in early November.

-- John Ruscher

MEMBER PURSUITS // Niall McKay Presents The Inaugural Irish Film New York This Weekend (Discounts for 3rd Ward Members)

The inaugural edition of Irish Film New York is happening this weekend, from Friday, September 30 to Sunday, October 2 at NYU's Cantor Film Center, and this amazing showcase is brought to you by 3rd Ward's own Niall McKay. We caught up with him to get the inside scoop on what's in store.

McKay is no stranger to presenting and promoting Irish films. In 2003 he founded the San Francisco Irish Film Festival, which just celebrated its 8th edition this past weekend. He also co-founded the LA Irish Film Festival, which is in its fourth year. "Starting film festivals is a disease that I have," he jokes.

Now, after moving to New York last winter, McKay is bring that same spirit to the Big Apple. "They are similar in so far as my only real interest is showing great films," he says, comparing his San Francisco and New York endeavors. "I love standing in the lobby after a movie and overhearing people saying 'That was great.' The New York event will be a little more industry focused than San Francisco. We will include distributors, sales agents and producers. We are, for example, holding an industry panel at NYU on Friday afternoon."

"I really like watching films and talking about films, so I approached Glucksman Ireland House (The Irish Studies Program at NYU), Culture Ireland and the Irish Film Board," McKay says. "All three organizations have been very supportive."

More from McKay, along with a ticket discount for 3rd Ward members and the New York Irish Film trailer after the jump.

McKay is naturally excited about all of the films that'll be screened this weekend. "We have something for everybody," he says. "Knuckle is brilliant and violent. The Runway is sweet and funny. Parked is sad and profound. 32a is a touching coming of age movie. Pajama Girls is an interesting documentary and Sensation is for the rest of you. You know who you are. All films affected me emotionally and that's what I like about them."

And how did McKay manage to put together such an amazing event in just a matter of months? Well, in addition to his prior experience, 3rd Ward played a significant part. "When I arrived in New York I was living in a room whose window looked onto the Marcy Ave station," he says. "Every time the train passed (which was about every 90 seconds) I would have to pause my telephone conversation. So I discovered 3rd Ward and it became my second home. Every day, Elias would greet me and make me feel welcome. He also has a uncanny super power that seems to enable him to know that you are waiting to be buzzed in." McKay created the Irish Film New York website in the computer. "And really the whole operation is powered by many cups of the free Intelligentsia coffee," he adds.

McKay is also offering a special discount for 3rd Ward members on all tickets except for the first screening, Knuckle. Use the discount code "WARD" when you buy your tickets at Irishfilmnyc.com. You can also RSVP here for the festival's opening reception, which takes place at 6pm at the Glucksman Ireland House.

IFNY 2011 Trailer from Media Factory on Vimeo.

-- John Ruscher

MEMBER PURSUITS // Oriel Poole's "Bleeding Hearts," a 9-room Walk-Through Album Installation

An amazing and innovative event has been taking shape at 3rd Ward, and on Thursday, June 30 it will come to life at Rebel NYC on West 30th Street.

"Bleeding Hearts" was conceived and curated by Brooklyn indie rock band Futurist as a walk-through experience for their album War Is Yesterday. It will include nine rooms featuring a wide array of artists and performers.

Looking for someone who could lead such an ambitious production, Futurist turned to 3rd Ward member Oriel Poole. "This is truly a new form of art, where gallery meets concert, where design meets improv, where human experience is the root of the work and the vision is the driving force," Poole says. "Together we are curating 42 of New York's finest hearts - through mediums of live music, set design, installation, interactive technology, experiential theatre, aerial silks, and a couple funky house DJs to close the night."

Poole describes the production as similar to a haunted house. "We are offering you an experience that you walk-through—9 rooms of stimulating visuals and performance art," she says. "Except we are not here to scare you. We are here to reveal you."

With Poole at the production helm, 3rd Ward has served as a hub for "Bleeding Hearts," with the co-working space providing a great place for her to work and host meetings and the studios serving as an ideal space to create promotional material for the production.

"Bleeding Hearts" takes place June 30 from 8-11:30pm at Rebel NYC (251 W 30th Street, 2nd Floor) and music and performance will keep going until 4am. Grab your tickets here!

Watch a video of Poole talking about the production of "Bleeding Hearts" after the jump.

Mention 3rd Ward to get a discount on tickets! $10 off before the show and $5 off at the door. Just use the promo code: 3rdWard here.