New Orleans New Year

It's been months since my last blog post. I guess I'm a bad blogger. But something interesting is happening and I wanted to share it.
These are pics of some beautiful buildings here. I'd love to turn one of these into an artist residency studio building.

Greetings from Grand Rapids

I’ve been in Grand Rapids, Michigan for a week now and have made real progress getting my wearable sculptures made and meeting lots of people. Last Sunday I went to a big church picnic. The night before that there was a little street art fair in downtown where I met a number of local artists. I also became friends with Dan and Lisa, the owners of The Cottage Inn. It is an old pub that I think is awesome. Lisa was so sweet she introduced me to the entire place after the band took a break. I was running around twisting lots of balloon hats.
This week was mostly up early and working late. Romy Owens and Luke Homitsky who are here helping me here look as exhausted as me.
Tomorrow is Friday and we will be playing some of the sculptures downtown at a pre-registration event that will be going on all day in a little park a few blocks from my venue, The UICA. I have recruited some attractive young people who are going to come out and get in the sculptures for us.
I expect to have some great pics of all of that on here by Saturday.
Thanks to those of you who bought a print. Those of you still waiting, keep in mind, after October 10 the price goes to $600.

Check out the flicky movies Romy is making each day.

Flicky Movies on Vimeo

PURCHASE PRINTS

Hello Friends,

I want to urge you all to take a look at my Limited Edition Prints on my website. I am offering beautiful signed and numbered prints for only 125 until ArtPrize is over. After ArtPrize they will go back to $600 if there are any left. If you are able, please click on the Purchase Prints and get one through PayPal.

The whole idea is to raise money for us here in Grand Rapids for things like food, gas, supplies, and things that just add up. Please don't wait, go now! Thanks

In Progress

Today was an early call time. We had to be at the UICA at 730 to be interviewed by Emily Richett at the local Fox News affiliate. After the interview we worked all day on the second wearable sculpture. Romy took a time lapse video of it's construction and you can see Luke moving around in frame taking video and pictures.

So far things are going well over all. We are staying at the Vant Hoff residence. Barbara and Bill have been super great and the house is very nice and comfortable. Thanks Barb and Bill!

At this point is is imperative that I sell some limited edition prints from my website. We still have a few weeks to go and we are dangerously low on funds.

The prints are on my Purchase Prints page and can be gotten for only 125 plus tax. After the 10th of October the prints will be 600. So please get them now while they are such a great deal!

To Vote For Jason Hackenwerth

Planning

Today I will pick up Romy from the airport. It will be great to have her here. There is much planning and work to be done and she is no slacker.
Some of the things we will be working out is exactly where and when we will be doing performances and appearances out in public. There are many targets to choose from and I want to make it to as many as possible.
In order to do this I will be borrowing or renting a box truck to move the sculptures around and looking for a handful of young people to get in the sculptures.
Get in touch if you want to participate in the Megamite Army. And for all of you who are able, please don't wait, go to my website and purchase a print. We are running on fumes here and need your help the most.

Grand Rapids Arrival

After months of planning I have finally arrived in Grand Rapids where I will make my bid for the ArtPrize. Luke Homitsky flew out with me so he can get video footage of every possible aspect of this project.
When we first arrived we took a cab to Fox Ford where they let me borrow a beautiful black Mustang convertible. In exchange for this fantastic transportation for a month, I have agreed to spend the weekend of Oct 1st creating sculptures at their dealership and doing a performance. I will post more info about that in the next few days.
After picking up the car, we went to Barbara Vant Hoff's house. She and her husband Bill are putting my crew and me up for the duration. The place is wonderful and she greeted us with a delicious steak dinner.
Thanks Barb, and Thanks Pete at Fox Ford.
Here are some pics. Pictured are: Me, Luke, me and Steve Samson at UICA, and the car in front of Barb's house and the UICA.
Weee.

Goodbye 5 Points

Last week I packed and moved my studio from the Crane Street building AKA 5 Points into storage until I finish a long run of projects on the road that will keep me busy until April or May of next year.

I will miss all of my friends and neighbors at the building. It really feels like the end of a era.
The building attracted people from all over with its fantastic graffiti and talented artists. It seemed like there was always something going on.
Well wishes to Nicole Gagne, who was hurt in the collapse which triggered the buildings close.
Here is a link to the article.

The next few weeks will be spent making the final preparations for ArtPrize, and my up-coming shows at The New Children's Museum, in San Diego OCT 10, and at The Skybox at 2424 Studios in Philadelphia OCT 30.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3147/2409309568_ae0ac42e6b.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.liqcity.com/neighborhood/5pointz-stairwell-collapse-severely-injures-woman-building-neglect-cited&h=375&w=500&sz=179&tbnid=V52Rhy_1LyfHyM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnicole%2Bgagne&hl=en&usg=__CBiMk9sFJT4YTitu9SC60jrfRhI=&ei=b_ySSoeiK9KYlAfyz4isDA&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=6&ct=image
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/nyregion/19pointz.html

The Fun Factory

There is much work to be done this August. As I am pulling the pieces together for ArtPrize, I must also move out of my studio. It feels like the end of an era at The Fun Factory. Here are some pics that Romy Owens took at the Great Caper party. Look how awesome this place was.

Flown the Coop

The prints have gone out! They should be 6 days in the mail. Thanks to all who ordered them.

Back to work in NYC

Traverse City is fantastic! Everyone I met was absolutely kind and generous. I felt right at home with the Allen-Wickler family. Chris, Roger, Zoe, and Olivia. Their house is the most peaceful place I have ever stayed.
Check out their stuff online.
www.allen-wickler.com
For making sculptures John Robert Williams handed me the key to his studio and let me use it like it was my own for the week. He and his wife Terrie were incredible hosts.
Check out John Robert Williams online
www.jrwpix.com
Kat, Olivia, Zoe, and Roger.

Swimming in the lake was amazing. The water was crisp. clear and super refreshing. After jumping in once I was hooked. Each time was like a spiritual awakening.

Here are some piles of sand I made to get heated before jumping in the cool water.
This week I will be fulfilling all of the prints. Yay!!
Thanks to all of you for being so patient. They're coming.
Lot's of exciting things to report about my ArtPrize campaign, as well as some potential upcoming shows that will be jaw dropping if they come through. More about that later.


Here is the link to a little video from last week-end.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TaipXsNPA0&feature=channel_page

Traverse City Film Festival Megamites

Greetings from Traverse City!

Making sculptures here the last few days has been fantastic. The lake, the cherrie orchards, the inviting and friendly people have made it great to be here.

Here are some pics from the opening events at the film festival last night.


This is Josh in The Oracle, Aly in The Madonna, and Jane in the light pink Lust Lizard going in to flirt with the cops.


I plan to make a couple more for Saturday nights closing events and finish with a bang.

Traverse City, and Your Prints.

This week has been non stop administrative work. Sending out images, working on sketches, planning out assistants, working out travel dates, On and On...

Tomorrow I leave for Traverse City where I will be making Megamites that I will perform for the Traverse City Film Festival. The festival producers got in touch a few weeks ago and asked me if I could squeeze it in last minute. It seemed like a great place to network and a chance to visit Grand Rapids to meet many of the folks I will be working with during ArtPrize. If you or anyone you know will be there please say hello.

PRINTS.

There are still limited edition prints available. They will remain $125 dollars until ArtPrize is over. After October 10, if there are any left, the price will return to the normal $600.
If you were considering picking one up, now is the time! If you weren't planning on getting one, change your plans and get one.

http://www.jasonhackenwerth.com/?goto=purchase-prints

To those of you who have paid for your prints, I thank you and appreciate your patience while I waited for the mats, foam core, and packing materials to arrive. I believe the mats arrived yesterday so I will be getting all of those orders fulfilled the minute I return from TCFF.

On a lower note, the Crane Street studio building where I have my studio has been officially shut down. We artists in the building have until the 20th of Aug to get every thing out. It was a great studio building with fantastic artist neighbors. I'm going to miss it all very much.

I guess it's time for a much bigger better studio!

OH, I almost forgot, meet me on Twitter!

Yesterday was a fantastic day! It was warm and sunny on Gansevoort Street during the High Line celebration. Thanks to all who helped out!

Here is a list of the people who got in a Megamite and made that party awesome.

Alessandra Delacruz
Andy Monk
August Barber
Brandon Wolf
Carlos Restrepo
Dustin Flanigan
Graham Seaton
Kevin Oconnor
Lauren Molina
and me.

I try not to worry about diminishing my work by playing with it at street parties.

Don't Delay, Order Today!

Dear Friends and Family,

With help from Sean Gilligan, I am offering two Limited Edition prints at a very low price but for a limited time. The pics here aren't great but the prints are really nice!

"The Shepherd"
Shot in April of 2007 at an ancient lava flow in Oregon by Sean Gilligan.

"Cyclops"
Taken at 5Points January 2007 by Sean Gilligan.

Printed in edition of 100 at 13 x 19 on 17 x 22 inch cotton paper and matted in a 18 x 24 inch white cotton mat.
That means they are large, archival, and ready for a standard size frame that will look great in your home.

Until October 10, 2009, these prints will be offered at $125.

To get your print go to my website and click the Paypal button on my Purchase Prints page.
http://www.jasonhackenwerth.com/?goto=purchase-prints

Thank you very much for your support.