shannon gerard
My visual art practice operates across several platforms and media. I write, draw and publish in a variety of forms including on-line comics, periodical illustrations, trade-paperback graphic fiction, and self-published artist’s books and multiples. Thematically I am very curious about issues such as magic, hope, faith and human frailty. I also produce large-scale installations that incorporate stop-motion animations and digital print, and spend at least 50% of my waking life crocheting soft sculptures.
A lot of my work employs play as a research strategy. Areas of interest include the mindset of the collector, the sculptural and performative possibilities suggested by books and book-objects, the conceptual space that books occupy beyond the presentation of texts and images, and how the social position of works (in other words, where we tend to encounter particular modes of art) mediates how we become engaged as readers/viewers.
I am also really getting into marionettes.
I love to work with small gallery shops and retailers! If you are interested in carrying my crochet work or books, please contact me via email (shannon AT shannongerard DOT org, or click the envelope icon below) for wholesale prices and policies.
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projects
- UNSPENT LOVE
- BLOOD & THUNDER
- plants you can't kill
- BOOBS & DINKS
- PLAYING DOCTOR
- PLUSHTACHE
- anatomical hearts
- crocheted coral reef
- SWORD of MY MOUTH
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13 posts tagged theKID
William The Tattooed Baby was Willy’s favourite song as a toddler. Our favourite part was “Here’s Najinsky doin’ the rrrrrrrhumba. Here’s his social security numba.” I’d jiggle his tummy on the first part and then tickle him behind the ears on the second. CUTE.
Hips on his ships!? Good ship to be on.
Merry Chrrrrristmas!
More Than Anybody Can also includes a few spoken pieces, like the example included here. I recently read this amazing passage in Christopher Hitchens’ autobiography Hitch 22 and I want it to be true of my life:
The stupendous importance of love, friendship, and solidarity has been made immensely more vivid to me by recent experience [the knowledge of his own death]. I can’t hope to convey the full effect of the embraces and avowals, but I can perhaps offer a crumb of counsel. If there is anybody known to you who might benefit from a letter or visit, do not on any account [emphasis his] postpone the writing or the making of it. The difference made will almost certainly be more than you have calculated.
So this recording is posted in solidarity with other dreamers and parents and lovers of the world. We should say things to each other and not— on any account— put them off.
The thoughts in this recording pertaining to the continuity of time and to the inevitability of change are shared for those of you like me who oddly experience a nostalgia for the present. Do you know what I mean? Do other people mourn the end of their happiest moments while they are happening? I feel that odd collapse of reality every single day.
It’s almost Christmas Eve. I can’t wait to post this darling gem. Spoiler alert!
This year Willy’s gift from me is a record of songs I used to sing him as a baby. It was an emotional time making it— and scary! Singing into a real microphone (with a spit screen thing in front of it? whoa) was so different than a hairbrush in the bathroom. The result is a kind of off-key (for my part), clunky, sweet thing that I hope he will love.
This song, Egg Suckin’ Dawg, was the stand-out for me. So. Much. Fun. (Thanks Sparky!) Tumblr only lets me post one song a day, so I’ll put up three between now and Christmas Actual.
The record title, More Than Anybody Can, is lifted from John Denver’s lullaby, For Baby For Bobby: I’ll walk in the rain by your side. I’ll cling to the warmth of your tiny hand. I’ll do anything. Help you understand. I’ll love you more than anybody can.
Can I express the depth (and height and width and time and space) of my gratitude to Graham and Aaron for helping me make this silly little bit of true love? I’ll try really hard.
The HI WILLY » HI MUM series continues this summer. I started a blog to collect them all in one place. You can scroll through the album HERE > http://hiwillyhimum.tumblr.com/
Jen B over at Fidoodle HQ told us about this amazing iPhone app called Frameographer and we have been playing with it tonnes on the road!
Willy and I are gearing up for another road trip, starting this Sunday. This is my favourite photo from last year’s epic journey, accompanied by the John Denver lullaby my mom and dad used to sing us when we were little and which I sang to Willy almost every night when he was a toddler.
Follow our adventures on the Blood and Thunder blog:
http://bloodandblunder.tumblr.com/
Or on twitter:
HIM: @wilbo45
ME: @shannongerard
We’re also planning a cool Instagram project:
HIM: “wilbonianempire”
ME: “shannon_gerard”
Last weekend I went to Detroit with a collection of the world’s loveliest people. Maybe I got a bit carried away with the orange? It was supposed to be a cute Godfather thing, but since when is the Godfather cute?
