Stranger Factory

Them Dollz goes BEEP and BOP

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beepDon’t let their disgruntled demeanor and stitches fool you, Beep and Bop are just wishing they were at the circus. They don’t have to wait too long, because Jen Musatto aka Them Dollz has them en route to the circus we know as Stranger Factory.

Beep and Bop are two monster boys that live for the circus. Everything about the circus excites them from the rides, to animals, the clowns, and especially the extra sugary cotton candy and delicious salted peanuts. If they had their way, they would be the leading stars under the big top. Their matching attire of stripes and hats is all part of their act, but the thing is they don’t just have one-act, they have every act. Being such avid connoisseurs of the gilly, they believe that have mastered every performance from juggling to high wire (even if they have yet to practice). They know what they love, and nothing is going to stop them.

Bopbeep2You can see Beep and Bop at Stranger Factory when Jen Musatto’s exhibit opens in the project room December 6 at 6pm. Jen will be attending to talk about her creations and meet with all in attendance.

Watch your fruitcakes, Shing Yin Khor has Fattybugs for Winter Salon III

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circusannual_shroomfatty1Look like someone is grumpy they didn’t get enough presents for the holidays, or they just didn’t get enough cake! Regardless of why these fattybugs look like they are in permanent pout mode,  we can all rejoice because Shing Yin Khor aka Sawdust Bear has her magnificent dioramas ready for Winter Salon III.

It looks like there will be two species of these round plump fattybugs: Shroom (above) and Bantayan Reef (below), on display for the show. Both are in their wood diorama displays with various accompanying relics from their natural habitats. Also, notice the Bantayan Reef fattybug is doing its best impression of Lil Bub for all the fans out there. What a wee little tongue!
circusannual_bantayanreeffattybug1Winter Salon III runs December 6th – 29th, with an opening reception on Friday, December 6th from 6 – 9 PM.
To keep us all on our toes, I have to sneak this in since I just saw it on Instagram. Here is what appears to be a work in progress collaboration between Shing and Tim Lee for the show. Holy snow balls batman, this is going to be monumental by the looks of it!
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Move over Wampa, Stan brings the Snow Monsters

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SnowMonstersWinter is coming.

Well, it actually is, and so are the monsters. Not the White Walkers…but more lovable and cute ones from the glorious mind of Stan Manoukian. Alright, this is more appropriate…Winter Salon is coming! With most of us getting hit hard with dropping temperatures and pesky flakes of crystalline water that falls from clouds, it is a good time to look at amazing art. It doesn’t look like they are all into hibernating for the winter but rather have started coming out to enjoy it!

Stan has spun the harshness of winter and themes of snow and fur into his magical illustrations of creatures. The first image we get to see for the exhibit incorporates both of those elements. A diverse group of creatures aren’t hibernating for the winter, but are coming out to welcome it. Some still brushing off the blanket of white on top of their heads while others have started their season change of fur coats. I don’t think they will be inside all winter hiding, but they will be up to no good playing in the frozen forest!

One image just won’t do for this. The level of detail Stan has poured into this one piece is extraordinary. Here are several close-ups of the Snow Monsters to show you just how skilled and incredible this is.
SnowMonsters01 SnowMonsters04SnowMonsters05For an even better look, come to The Winter Salon III running December 6th – 29th, with an opening reception on Friday, December 6th from 6 – 9 PM.

Work in Progress shots for Winter Salon from Carisa Swenson

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All the artists involved in Winter Salon III are hard at work completing their pieces for the show. After some minor sleuthing, we found some progress images of Goblinfruit Studio aka our very own  Carisa Swenson.
16c9aa06497811e3928d12ca4fdf17b7_7 93cb259e4a3511e3a67012d965504916_7Carisa appears to be working on some of her amazing “Jackibous” and “Marottes”. Of course, these are the early stages and she is sculpting away, but we know what she is capable of. Winter Salon might turn into Winter Battle Royale with all the great work coming!

The Winter Salon runs December 6th – 29th, with an opening reception on Friday, December 6th from 6 – 9 PM.

Dr. Paul Koudounaris Signing and Talk for “Heavenly Bodies”

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Dr. Paul Koudounaris, the art historian recently dubbed by the UK press as “Indiana Bones” due to the discovery of caches of incredible jeweled skeletons for his new book “Heavenly Bodies”, will give an illustrated lecture on these masterpieces of macabre art in Albuquerque at Stranger Factory on November 22 at 6pm.

The event will also be the only area book signing for the title. The event is free.

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The book “Heavenly Bodies” has already provoked a tremendous international response, due its often shocking images of fully articulated skeletons covered head to toe in dazzling jewels. The lecture, accompanied by a full slide show, will explain the puzzling and hidden back story of these marvelous skeletons: once believed to be early Christian martyrs, celebrated and decorated in the most exquisite of fashion, and then, as faith in them waned, turned out by the Catholic Church that once promoted them, often in humiliating ways.

For more information about Dr. Koudounaris and his book, check out the following – Your Corpse Will Never Look This Good (Vice Magazine) and the Smithsonian’s blog.

You can also RSVP at the Facebook event, although an RSVP is not required to attend!

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

 

Jen Musatto and “Them Dollz” beginning stages

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Just like any project, proper planning comes into play. With Jen Musatto “Them Dollz”, it takes figuring out the right patterns and arrangement to create the perfect doll.

JMWIP1Jen takes her time to pick out the proper fabric and pattern when putting together her perfect creations. Her dolls are a fluid combination of movement and patterns in a rag style, which composes a story all their own! We get to see Jen laying out some styles here before she gets sewing and stuffing. The finished products will be available soon, and we will most definitely bring you the scoop.

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Jen’s Project Room exhibit will run December 6th – 29th, with an opening reception on Friday, December 6th from 6 – 9 PM.

December Project Room: Jen Musatto

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Jen Musatto creates “Them Dollz”, a line of handcrafted plush dolls that evoke a broken and gloomy image of childhood where innocence and the longing for companionship take a most unusual form.

Musatto’s dolls are immediately unsettling, but give the viewer room to slowly bond with them over time. Made from a combination of new and found materials, Musatto’s “Them Dollz” figures are each wholly unique and provide a fresh, if slightly creepy, voice in modern plush art.

Jen’s Project Room exhibit will run December 6th – 29th, with an opening reception on Friday, December 6th from 6 – 9 PM.

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

Winter Salon 2013!

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The Stranger Factory Winter Salon III show features new works from the Circus Posterus family of artists, as well as specially invited friends. This year’s roster of talent includes Brandt Peters, Kathie Olivas, Joe Scarano, Tim Lee, Amanda Louise Spayd, Chris Ryniak, Kelly Denato, Carisa Swenson, Shing Yin Khor, Stan Manoukian, Katie Carillo, and Megan Baehr.

These gifted artists will present a wide range of their inspired character-based artwork in a wide range of mediums including paintings, drawings, sketches, sculpture, plush, and mixed media.

The Winter Salon is one of our most eclectic and highly-anticipated exhibitions of the year! Sneak peeks and previews of works will be posted regularly on the Circus Posterus blog, as well as our Instagram feed.

The Winter Salon runs December 6th – 29th, with an opening reception on Friday, December 6th from 6 – 9 PM.

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

Sentimentrees and Engine!

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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.

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More from Ragnar and Gary Ham

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The preview for Ragnar’s “Engine” and Gary Ham’s “Sentimentrees” 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.