Website updates

I've been able to update my website with all the projects from this past semester:

Sustainable Fanaticism in America Series

1st Annual Black & White Sustainability Mixer & Recognition Ceremony

Sustainability, Fanaticism, and Fashion on Demand!

Mark your calendars for Pecha Kucha V4

PECHA kUCHA V4
Friday; Jan 15, 2010

20slides x 20 seconds + 8 presenters = a great night of art, innovation and creative thinking

presenters include:
becky flanders | april childers | robert neff | ellen mueller | michelle malott | raina benoit | tom wagner | kathy gustafson hilton

Come join us at studio 620 in St Petersburg.

Friday, January 15th, 2009
studio@620  |  620 1st ave S, St Petersburg
7:00 doors, 8:20 presentations
$5 at the door
cash bar

Pronounced ("peh chak cha") is the Japanese word for "chit-chat." It is also a blend open mike, happy hour and forum for new ideas. Designers, adovocates and overall creative people are given 20 slides shown for 20 seconds a piece. Originated in Japan, Pecha Kucha has spread virally over 260 cities around the world.

follow Pecha Kucha Tampa on facebook .

Inter/National Exhibition at Box Heart Gallery

 

I'll be showing two pieces from the Calendar Series at The 9th Annual Art Inter/National Art Exhibition.

January 5, - January 30, 2010
Public Reception: Saturday, January 9th: 5 pm - 8 pm.
Free and open to the public.

Box Heart Gallery

4523 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
P. 412 687 8858
http://www.boxheart.org


If you know anyone in Pittsburgh, tell them to swing by!

The Art Inter/National Exhibition began in January 2002 with the concept of exploring space, how the immediate environment impacts the artistic process and influences what each artist creates. The tradition of this exhibition continues this January with notification to the artists selected for participation in the 2010 Art Inter/National Exhibition. Inspired by the prestigious Carnegie International, Box Heart Gallery is thrilled to offer the Pittsburgh community an intimate, yearly alternative. Over 275 entries, from regional, national, and international artists, were received this year. Of these entries, 20 artists were selected for participation and 29 works of art in a variety of media will be exhibited.

Fashion show wrap-up

PHOTO CREDIT: April Waldman-Slone

PHOTO CREDIT: Photochick

PHOTO CREDIT: KDIVAPHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO CREDIT: KDIVAPHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO CREDIT: April Waldman-Slone

The fashion show was a great success!

In the end, 3 articles were written:

Student fashion show models a deeper purpose - USF Oracle

USF students inspire sustainable fashion show - Tampa Tribune

Fashion speaks - USF Oracle

We have a growing bank of photos on Flickr.

And you can view the whole event on Vimeo.

If you're interested in taking a closer look at the clothes, visit this page, and click on the design of your choice.

Thanks again to everyone that helped out!

Fashion Show to stream online

Ghandi Shoes

Due to the involvement of my awesome tech-savvy grant team member, Robb Fladry, the fashion show will be streaming online!  The broadcast will probably start around 7:45pm tomorrow (Eastern Coast Time).

Click here to Stream the Fashion Show

After the show is over, check out the site to view all the clothes:
EllenMueller.com/fashion

Articles about the Fashion Show

This T-shirt, one of 30 designs in the fashion show, depicts a styrofoam-seeking eagle that steals styrofoam out of the hands of unsuspecting bystanders.

Just for fun, here's a couple links to articles about the fashion show tomorrow night:

Tampa Bay Online article
The Oracle article

Hope to see you at the show!

WHAT: A fashion show featuring clothing designed with sustainability in mind and featuring images that reflect student opinions
WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: USF's Marshall Student Center, Room 2100 A
ADMISSION: Free

All of the designs from the show will be available for purchase online immediately following the show at:
EllenMueller.com/fashion

Sustainability, Fanaticism, and Fashion at USF!

"Sustainability, Fanaticism, and Fashion at USF!," an upcoming fashion show, will take place November 14, 2009 at 8:00pm at the University of South Florida Marshall Student Center, room 2100A.  There is no cost to attend this event.  Free refreshments will be provided, and catalogs of apparel will be dispensed.  This event is funded in part by a USF Graduate Student Challenge Grant. 

The purpose of this event is to display a new line of apparel, which has been designed to fit the opinions expressed by USF students who took a recent survey measuring attitudes on fanaticism in relation to sustainability.   

For more information, please visit http://www.ellenmueller.com/fashion or email Ellen at emmuelle@mail.usf.edu 

Sustainability, Fanaticism, and Fashion at USF! Date/Times: Saturday, November 14, 2009, 8:00pm Location: University of South Florida Marshall Student Center, room 2100A 4202 E. Fowler Avenue Tampa, FL 33620 More Info: http://www.ellenmueller.com/fashion Media Contact: Ellen Mueller, emmuelle@mail.usf.edu

Promotional Image available for download at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/iJ1kDuLErsnxPGE6Ju2zzA?feat=directlink

700 x 467, 72dpi (web quality)

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Pj3vm01Kku7RHcyAEqt6_Q?feat=directlink

6" x 4", 300dpi (print quality)

Linear Thinking

Know anyone up around Madison, FL?  I have some new panel drawings in a 3-person show for the month of November, so send your North-Florida friends to go check it out!

LINEAR THINKING

Nov. 3-30, 2009

Reception:  Nov. 10, 12-1:30pm

at North Florida Community College

Hardee Center for the Arts

Hours: M-TH, 10am-4pm

850-973-1642

Featuring the work of Ellen Mueller, Sayward Henry, and Wendy DesChene

Wrap-up of the Sustainability Mixer

I'm lucky.  Clark Brooks has done an excellent job of summarizing the events of the "1st Annual Black & White Sustainability Mixer & Recognition Ceremony" in this recent blog post.  I hope you'll take a look and see how the evening went.  He has a bunch of pictures as well as some humorous commentary from his point of view as the CEO of the evening.

Enjoy!

Making of the fish trophy

Just for fun, I thought I'd show how I made the 3 foot long chocolate fish trophy that was featured in last Friday's "1st Annual Black & White Sustainability Mixer & Recognition Ceremony."

Step 1: Make wood fish

Step 2:  Make a mold of the fish (I vacuum-formed the wood fish in 2 pieces because our vacuum-former was not big enough to do the whole thing at once, and then taped the halves together and embedded them in plaster for sturdiness)

Step 3:  Pour chocolate into the mold, let cool completely, and pull out a chocolate fish!

Step 4:  Decorate with little chocolate disks that look like scales.

 

Step 5: Give the trophy away to people that will eat it!

 

Interview at Clark Brooks' blog

Check out this interview at Clark Brooks' blog, "Ridiculously Inconsistent Trickle of Consciousness."

Clark Brooks

We talk about my work as a whole, and upcoming events, including the "1st Annual Black & White Sustainability Mixer & Recognition Ceremony."  Hope to see you there!

Canvas5 Exhibit on October 16th

http://www.canvas813.com

How to Get There 

I'll have a drawing in this show, and I'll be at the opening after I finish up at the "1st Annual Black & White Sustainability Mixer & Recognition Ceremony "...

See you there!

New Panel Series on Fanaticism, Sustainability, & America

Here are some pics of my most recent series of paint and charcoal on wood panel.  The works are inspired by my recent research into the relationship between fanaticism, sustainability and America.  These are the first four in the series of eight.

1st Annual Black & White Sustainability Mixer & Recognition Ceremony

1st Annual Black & White Sustainability Mixer & Recognition Ceremony
Get talking about sustainability, and recognize leaders!

TAMPA, FL – The 1st Annual Black & White Sustainability Mixer & Recognition Ceremony will take place October 16, 2009 at 8:30pm at the University of South Florida Marshall Student Center, room 2708.  Black and white attire is encouraged, but not required.  There is no cost to attend this event.  Free refreshments will be provided, and door prizes will be dispensed.  This event is funded in part by a USF Graduate Student Challenge Grant. 

The purpose of this event is to get members of the Tampa Bay community talking about sustainability with each other, and to recognize exemplary achievements by sustainability-minded people.  By recognizing our awareness in each other, we will cultivate stronger support for sustainability in ourselves and others. 

For more information, please email Ellen at emmuelle@mail.usf.edu 

1st Annual Black & White Sustainability Mixer & Recognition Ceremony Date/Times: Friday, October 16, 2009, 8:30pm Location: University of South Florida Marshall Student Center, room 2708 4202 E. Fowler Avenue Tampa, FL 33620 Media Contact: Ellen Mueller, emmuelle@mail.usf.edu

Promotional Image available for download at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8uOVGOgeBV4MorybQY29AA?feat=directlink

800 x 544, 72dpi (web quality)

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8H1lKzk9NUQR2-g5S-_1_w?feat=directlink

6.25" x 4.25", 300dpi (print quality)

MFAO Exhibition at Centre Gallery

Yesterday I helped install the new Master of Fine Arts Organization group exhibition of recent and new member works at the USF Centre Gallery (runs September 7–18, 2009). Centre Gallery is the University of South Florida’s student-run gallery located in room 2700 on the second floor of USF’s Marshall Student Center. Gallery hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Admission is free.


Exhibiting artists include Toni Billick , Ariel Baron-Robbins , Bruce Monroe , Biff Bolen , Chris Otten , Cindy Mason , Ellen Mueller , Jordi Williams , Khadijah Queen , Lin Li , Maria Bevilacqua , Maxim Maximovitch, Megan Hildebrandt , Ryan Foster, Robb Fladry , Serhat Tanyolacar, and Taylor Pilote.

I have a new drawing in the show - come check it out!
The reception is this Friday, Sept 11, 7-9pm at the Centre Gallery.

Open Auditions - August 22, 2009

Open auditions for two original performance works are occurring August 22, 2009, 2:00pm - 4:00pm, at University of South Florida FAH (Arts Building) room 280. No prepared material is necessary, although if you have a monologue or other performance you'd like to present, please feel free. Auditions will last no longer than 5-10 minutes each. Please bring a head shot or photograph of your face, and a brief resume or list of past performance experience.

The performances will occur in the evenings of October 2 and 16, 2009. Anyone auditioning must be available for at least one of these performances.

To reserve your audition spot or ask questions, please email Ellen Mueller at ellen@ellenmueller.com

DETAILS:
Ellen Mueller presents:
Open Auditions August 22, 2009

Date/Times:
August 22, 2009
2:00pm - 4:00pm

Location:
FAH (Arts Building) Room 280
University of South Florida
4202 E. Fowler Ave
Tampa, FL 33620

Media Contact:
Ellen Mueller, ellen@ellenmueller.com

Final week of Physical Theatre Intensive

The intensive wrapped up with a week focusing on clown, which was very fun and interesting because I've seen many clown performances, but had little idea how they came to be. The DAI website describes it as:

Week 4 : THE DRAMATIC REALMS: Clown & Comic Archetypes
Coming full circle from the cleansing work of The Showers, the actor researches an organic, non-traditional personage to find the play of failure. Clown lives not just in eccentric behavior, but also in authentic play in concert with its partners, for the audience. Work in duos, trios.

Our assignment for the week was to partner up and create a scene where you are clown presenting something for the audience, but you flop (fail). My partner and I presented a super-fast version of Rapunzel. Here's a couple somewhat blurry pics from that endeavor (my nose was slipping off for most of it!).





We also continued our work with acrobatics, and I successfully stood on two people's shoulders, which was awesome! I don't have any photo evidence, but you can take my word for it ;) Here's a fun picture of everyone in the workshop:



It was a great workshop with great people, and I learn a ton! I'm so glad I went...

Week 3 of the Physical Intensive - Comedy and Acrobatics

To start things off, here's a pic from last week's project in the realm of tragedy and set to the Yeats poem:

This week is described on the Dell'Arte International website as:

Week 3: THE DRAMATIC REALMS: The Human Comedy

With a focus on craft--  rhythm, timing, partnership, entrance/exit, dynamics, the mask and more – this week engages the atypical playing of comic types through work on theme and the timeless situations of the human comedy.

We've spent the week with an acrobatics session and 'games' session every morning, and a comedy and mask session every afternoon.  I have to thank Minneapolis' Brave New Institute for superbly preparing me for the 'games' section because it was a bunch of improv!  It was one of the few parts of the workshop so far where I've felt like I know what's going on.  

In addition to all this class work, we also had to present a fictional infomercial today.  This was a super fun project and was ten times easier than the tragedy project last week. Here's the least blurry pic I could get my hands on (we were selling a product called "Gap-B-Gone" which was for those unfortunate gaps that can occur at the beach or with low-rise pants):

And here are a couple videos of me doing my new acrobat tricks (not too fancy, just rolls and a cartwheel, but exciting none the less, having dramatically exited the world of gymnastics at the age of 6, only to re-enter 21 years later!)

Physical Intensive Workshop so far...

Here I am, already finished with the first two weeks of this four-week Physical Theatre Intensive workshop!  Time is flying by.

Dell'Arte International describes the weeks best on their website:

Week 1 : “NEVER TOO CLEAN”

The essential work of Dell’Arte founder Carlo Mazzone-Clementi, known as “The Showers,”  because “you are never too clean to do them.” Through this set of structured improvisations -- open, non-psychological play in the empty space of the stage, the cleansing of unnecessary habits -- the actor becomes a more powerful presence. The Showers are complimented by  the FM Alexander Technique in vocal/physical work and by movement training with Donlin Foreman.

Week one was all about raising self-awareness for me, and a very good reminder of the hard work it takes to maintain quality work as an actor.  

Week 2: THE DRAMATIC REALMS: Melodrama Through Tragedy

The training proceeds as presence becomes intention; energy becomes action. The actor in the space; explorations in space, time, rhythms, music and visual forms; the poetic dimension of the protagonist or tragic hero(ine), epic and sacrifice. Melodrama teaches us about heightened stakes—“Life, ramped” (actor  Ethan Hawke).

Week two consisted of tragedy and melodrama work.  I was assigned to a group of 5 people, and we developed movement to accompany the tragic poem, The Cold Heaven, by Yeats.  If you're not familiar with the poem, feel free to check out this YouTube video of it.  

Next week is comedy, and the last week is clown.  I'll try to get more photos of the workshop participants, including myself, so keep an eye out!

Dell'Arte International Photos

Here are some pics of Dell'Arte International, Blue Lake CA.

This is the Main Office, where they have an indoor theatre and an outdoor theatre behind the building.  They also have a couple rehearsal rooms/studios, and all the admin offices here.

This is another view of the main building.

This is one of the studios we hold most of the workshop classes in.  It is at the Riverside campus, which is a few blocks away from the main building.

This is another studio at the Riverside campus - everybody loves the red bouncy floor!

Blue Lake, California

Here are some pics of quaint little Blue Lake, CA.

This is the type of housing we live in.  

This is the Blue Lake Museum. I haven't been yet, but I plan on swinging by on Sunday - it's only open in the afternoons on Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

These poppies are all over the place right now.

This is one of the walking paths by the river.

The Mad River.

Another view of the Mad River and the bridge leading to the hatchery.

Dell'Arte International at Blue Lake CA

Blue Lake is a beautiful small town (only around 1000 people) situated right next to the Mad River.  There's not much here other than Dell'Arte International - a cafe, post office, bar, laundromat, a bed & breakfast, and a small industrial park.  However, the surrounding natural beauty makes up for the tininess.  I don't think I could ever live here, but it makes for a great artistic getaway! 

I've already wrapped up the first of two workshops here at Dell'Arte.  The first workshop was entitled, "Grand Guignol: Theatre of Terror and Laughter." Here's the description from their website:

Once the most popular entertainment in Europe, Grand Guignol is an exciting theatre form that begat current thriller and horror films. Rarely taught, this “theatre of laughter and terror” explores our fascination with the macabre, playing with the violation of society’s taboos. Grand Guignol is wildly physical, intensely psychological, and filled with gruesome special effects.

We spent mornings focusing on the physical performance style, and afternoons working on original scripts and the special effects.  I don't have any pics from the gruesomeness yet, but my workshop-mates assured me they'd send some images as soon as they arrived back home (I forgot my camera card reader in Florida!).  I'll be sure to post any pics as soon as I get them.

 

On Saturday they had a fun evening where the company presented a lifetime achievement award to Rene Auberjonois, who's done tons of projects on screen and stage, but most notably in my opinion, he played the voice of the french chef in The Little Mermaid!  He was a very humble and personable man, and it was great fun to dance to a live band with all the hippies after the presentation of the award!  It reminded me of many different events back in Bemidji MN...

Updated website!

Check it out - I've finally updated my website to better reflect my work right now. You'll find all my latest projects in the gallery, and the whole thing has been streamlined to load faster.

Let me know if you have any questions/concerns/difficulties/issues (I hope not, but if you do, please let me know so I can fix it ASAP!)

Enjoy! - ellenmueller.com

Skepticism Book

For my final project in my "Against Interpretation" class this summer, I created a little book along the lines of "The Idiot's Guide to..." series.  The book is entitled, "Skepticism, A Simpleton's Guide to an Unduly-Optimistic World."  It's very tongue-in-cheek, and has some fun original illustrations.  Feel free to check it out at my Lulu shop.

Florida Consortium of Art Schools 2009 Juried Exhibition

Fun news: Some of my work from "The System" has been included in this year's Florida Consortium of Art Schools 2009 Juried Exhibition, which will be held at FSU Museum of Fine Arts, Tallahassee FL. This year's juror was Libby Lumpkin, a noted essayist, critic, curator and educator. Most people recognize her as the author of Deep Design: Nine Little Art Histories.

The show runs July 6-September 20, 2009. So if you're in Tallahassee, be sure to swing by and check it out! And if you can't make it to Tallahassee, the exhibition catalog (pictured here) is available online.

Pictured: Front of the FloCAS 2009 Juried Exhibition Catalog

Grant Progress

It's time for an update on that grant I first mentioned last December (Fanaticism, Sustainability, & America).  It's been a long bumpy road, but we finally have a survey up online for USF students (sorry we couldn't open it up to people beyond the USF campus - I was really bummed we had to restrict our sample population so much!).  

The other people on my grant team developed the survey and will use it's results to write a paper.  Meanwhile, I'll be taking the results and using them as source material for a performance piece.  The two workshops I'm attending at Dell'Arte International are also partially funded by this grant and will contribute to my research for this performance piece.  

I've already started some visual research by compiling the first 10 pages of Google image search's results on the three key words: Fanaticism, Sustainability, & America.  All the images have been printed out and collaged together for a quick reference on my studio wall.

 

Full collection of images

 

Detail shot

Detail Shot