Gary Ham

Sentimentrees and Engine!

  • by

The preview for Gary Ham’s “Sentimentrees” and Ragnar’s “Engine” will be out tonight, but here is a collection of what we have seen so far.

boxboy

Picture 1 of 14

More from Ragnar and Gary Ham

  • by

The preview for Ragnar’sEngine” and Gary Ham’sSentimentrees” goes out tomorrow, but we thought it would be fun to squeeze in a few more glimpses into the show (and their studios).
DSC_0789Another angle in Ragnar’s studio with an entire arsenal of work ready to go to Albuquerque. We finally get a better view of the alien spaceman I was wanting to see, and it is everything I imagined! The almost night vision greens give this alien (or is it human?) a great vibe.

DSC_0835And another view that shows some of the fun in Ragnar’s studio.

Teenwolf_HamYes, you are seeing double! Scott Howard and his alter ego Teen Wolf! Gary’s amazing wood piece is a nice nostalgic throwback to that classic 1985 film. Oddly enough, I watched it this week and it holds up. Be it riding on top of a van as the wolf or hanging in a dark closet with Boof, this wolf will howl this coming Friday at the opening.

Teenwolf_wipRagnar’s “Engine” opens alongside Gary Ham’s “Sentimentrees” on November 1st at Stranger Factory with an opening reception from 6-9pm.

Call it a Seesaw or Teeter Totter

  • by

Seesaw_Ham_front_webGet ready for another fun-filled trip down memory lane, because we have another preview from Gary Ham’s Sentimentrees“.

Crank up the nostalgia meter to 11 because this one we all probably know very well.

Some call it a seesaw and some call it a teeter totter, but for most of us, it was a staple of our childhood. Fond memories of pushing up into the air faster and faster …and then your cohort jumps off and you crash down hurting your bum.

Well, Gary has captured all the fun of the seesaw, with his little wooden kids and the huge smiles on their faces and not a care in the world! The anthropomorphic totter is a bright smiling ray of sunshine, and on the reverse is a pleasantly exhausted night.  Being a new father, we suspect that Gary is drawing on a lot of real life for this show.

Seesaw_Ham_back_webDid you notice the wood cut blades of grass? Gary’s attention to detail is stunning, as usual, and we can’t wait to see these perfect little playsets set up for the show!

Sentimentrees” by Gary Ham is based around the personification of his own sentimental childhood memories.

If the things we loved as a child could walk and talk, what would their childhood be like? As children, we saw our treehouse as a trusted friend and sanctuary; as adults we see a wood box nailed into tree branches. “Sentimentrees” brings us back to seeing our playthings through the optimism and unconditional love of our youth. 

November 1st – December 1st, with an opening reception on Friday, November 1st from 6 – 9 PM.

Stranger Factory
109 Carlisle Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
505-508-3049

Merry-Go-Round!

  • by

Gary Ham is full of playground mischief for his upcoming show at Stranger Factory! Once again a favorite on the playground, this Merry-Go-Round shows another duo of kids spinning until their hearts are content(or until they barf).

merrygoround_redo_3 Merrygoround_redo_4

I’ve been really loving Gary’s take on simple childhood pleasures, and his anthropomorphic playground equipment is certainly no exception.

But – that’s not all! They move too!


“Sentimentrees” by Gary Ham opens November 1 at Stranger Factory with a reception from 6-9pm.

Moons over my HAMmy

  • by

Oh. we can’t sit on these too long because we far are too excited.

We have some updates to a previous post on what Gary Ham will have at his show “Sentimentrees“.
Boxboy_Ham_3_hires (1) Boxboy_Ham_2_hires (1)Oh, the hours upon hours of entertainment a discarded cardboard box could bring. It was always a fort, star ship, base, tank, or solace away from siblings. A good cardboard box could be anything at anytime. Box Boy is that embodiment of our youth.  You can see the joy (taped) oh his face along with that of the two little ones having the best day ever with him.

“Sentimentrees”  by Gary Ham opens November 1 at Stranger Factory with a reception from 6-9pm. Gary will be present!

The smell of fresh sawed wood!

  • by

Ramps_WIP_HamWe got in some in progress shots from Gary last night for his show “Sentimentrees” coming up at Stranger Factory in a few weeks, and we can practically smell the fresh-cut wood. Who doesn’t love the aroma of some fresh sawdust?

(ed. note: many people do not like the smell of fresh sawdust, Brad.)
Merrygoround_WIP_HamFrom the two glimpses into Gary’s woodshop, we see the beginning stages of some wood work he is doing.

Continuing with the theme that embodies our childhood treasures and memories, it looks like Gary has transformed our beloved amusements into walking personifications. The halfpipe will make all the old skaters relive their days of pushing around skateparks for hours while trying not to twist an ankle. The spinner was always one of the most popular playground treats. We would always try to go as fast we could until sick or make someone fly off. Is there an adult park I can go to do these right now?

“Sentimentrees” opens alongside Ragnar’s “Engine” on November 1st at Stranger Factory with an opening reception from 6-9pm.

 

Marked Fragile

  • by

BoxteaserComing up this November at Stranger Factory is the wonderful show “Sentimentrees” by Gary Ham, which will be a throwback to childhood memories and all the wonderment that it entails in Super Ham form.

We have only seen a small handful of what Gary has in store for us for the show, but from what we have seen, it is wood working magic! The above image is just a glimpse of a piece Gary has coming. It must be a box of sorts, marked fragile… and the tape mouth looks reminds me of my 3rd grade Halloween costume (I was a robot). Wait, this is exactly what Gary was planning!

“Sentimentrees” along with Ragnar’s “Engine” open November 1st – December 1st, with an opening reception on Friday, November 1st from 6 – 9 PM.

November at Stranger Factory: Ragnar and Gary Ham

  • by

November 2013 brings two new solo exhibits to Stranger Factory from Gary Ham and Brandon “Ragnar” Johnson.

Both exhibits run November 1st – December 1st, with an opening reception on Friday, November 1st from 6 – 9 PM.

Engine” brings us original work by Brandon “Ragnar” Johnson, a renowned artist and illustrator. Usually known for his clean and minimalist illustration style, this new body of work by Ragnar introduces his fans to a grittier, more organic series of paintings. Leaning visually on a 1960s / Film Noir vibe, “Engine” is a bold reminder of everything we love about mid-century art and design.

Sentimentrees” by Gary Ham is based around the personification of his own sentimental childhood memories. If the things we loved as a child could walk and talk, what would their childhood be like? As children, we saw our treehouse as a trusted friend and sanctuary; as adults we see a wood box nailed into tree branches. “Sentimentrees” brings us back to seeing our playthings through the optimism and unconditional love of our youth.

Stranger Factory
109 Carlisle Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
505-508-3049

Get Ready for Halloween

  • by

IMG_3150We are determined to give you all the tools you need to create the perfect spooky atmosphere for your Halloween. We will continue to give you some haunting suggestions from the CP Store up until the big day! This week, we have Gary Ham’s Pumpkinhead Letterpress. This pumpkin take on the wooper looper is 6×6″ signed and numbered festive print for your holiday decor. Limited to only 31 and a low $30, it is a fun addition for Halloween activities. You can find it right here. 

SHOP TALK: The Hamterview

  • by

After closing out his very successful show, Dead Wood, at Stranger Factory last month, Gary Ham is barreling full speed ahead with lots of new work and a new child on the way! He’s had a busy year, with the release of the adorable Wooper Looper and the stackable Monster Toytem, which was first seen in handmade wood form at last year’s Bewitching show.


(Ham, hamming.)

Ham graciously allowed me to hog a bit of his time for a short interview on some of his processes, tools, and artistic choices. Process images usually make me squeal with delight, and the trough of images Gary sent in are no exception. Anyway, I won’t boar you to death with my bad puns, sow let’s just move on to the interview, shall we?

Read More »SHOP TALK: The Hamterview