Evil Genius in Residence

Live painting for MasterPEACE

jenna — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 03:16:55 +0000

Let me tell you from start to finish from Jenna Downing on Vimeo.

Somehow through my sketching escapades (namely at the zoo of all places), I was invited to organise a group painting/sketching event as part of MasterPEACE, a one-night visual art exhibition at the end of the ARTillery festival (Amnesty International’s human rights festival). This year the organisers wanted more live components to complement the static works and engage the audience. There were musicians, solo painters, an open chalkboard event, and I wandered with my sketchbook.

I organised a pre-recording of the live group painting that would screen on the night and develop as people meandered around the exhibition. The piece was arranged around the simple theme of presence/absence, anonymity and disembodiment. I wanted to use silhouette and started scouting for the largest windows. Frisk Cafe agreed immediately to my outrageous request to completely cover their window in paint and then take it off again. Plenty of fellow sketchers jumped at my idea also, making it a really fun conclusion to a very intense preparation process (oh, but then comes the editing)..

Interesting note: standard wallpaper paste is the most amazing thing for sticking paper to glass – it stuck immediately and peeled off like a plastic sheet. I had come prepared with scrapers and brushes but only needed to give it a quick rinse.

Painters:
Jane Chang
Renae Coles
Joseph Filocamo
Nadia Johnson
Tina Lam
Chi Lito

Special thanks:
John Downing and Mark Splittgerber for documentation,
Frisk Cafe for trusting us with their beautiful window.

Dr Sketchy’s Santa Special

jenna — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:20:40 +0000

After the 5min poses (the best of the night!), Santa disappeared backstage and returned in FULL viking armour. Two senior members of the Grey Co gave a flashy show of brute-swordsmanship. No frills, all grunt.

Santa did not return. The holiday cheer was replaced by lust for booze and blood… But behind those amazing cheek-bones – and lithic ability to keep a straight face – was a warm, fuzzy demeanor. Was anyone else reminded of Asterix?

As an interesting aside, and shout-out to the Bakery to think about cleaning their floor one day: the ground was so sticky i broke BOTH flipflops on my way across the room to get my camera. MC, Dr Barry Umenema: “They should put zis shit on ze shuttles so astronauts can go for space-valks! SSCHLooOIP-PUK!”

Pen and water-brush:

Young master Jeffery has also posted sketches from the night!

http://evilgeniusinresidence.com/2011/12/dr-sketchys-santa-special/

wearable electronics at Scitech!

jenna — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:27:36 +0000

Brother and I survived 6hrs of holiday workshops at Scitech with 7-14yr-olds after developing a blinky-light bracelet kit.

Luckily the kids were all very focused and switched-on. Many of them knew a thing or two about circuits, but that didn’t stop them tangling their conductive threads terribly.

We designed (and extensively tweaked – see images below) a twin oscillator board to demonstrate beat frequencies. We ran out of time for the explanation, but the pulsing was pretty.

Instructions and diagrams to come soon!

Special thanks: Scitech, Perth Artifactory, Sparkfun, Toysdownunder, Altronics, Element14

polished pieces

jenna — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:01:50 +0000

fast and furious

jenna — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:01:22 +0000

accumulated gestures

jenna — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 07:55:34 +0000

A very talented friend of mine, front man of The Accumulated Gestures, recently launched his smoking new album at Deville’s Pad. I arrived a little too early.. What does one do at a bar at 7.30? Sketch the interior!

Drawn on a nintendo DS using Colors

life drawing and live music

jenna — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:32:41 +0000

Another Dr Sketchy’s session with the talented performer, Odile Devine; a sunny sunday sketchmeet; and another visit to the Ellington jazz club to see the superbly entertaining Beans Buma’s Boys of Rhythm!

Drawn on a nintendo DS using Colors

sketching at the jazz club

jenna — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 07:31:32 +0000

It is a revelation being able to draw in the dark!! Here are sketches from three separate visits to the Ellington, the last of which was to see Sly – a mind-blowing performance. Each player was genius.

Very nice to see Andy Fisenden back on home turf. He gives those drums a life of their own.

(I also included a portrait from the train ride in. I couldn’t stop staring: he reminded me of captain Haddock.)

Drawn on a nintendo DS using Colors

sketching at AQWA

jenna — Thu, 12 May 2011 09:04:11 +0000

My eyes were not built for this! Four hours in semi-darkness, drawing mind-numbingly complicated alien fish. Still, it was good while it lasted!

My favourites from today:

Drawn on a nintendo DS using Colors

sketching at the zoo

jenna — Tue, 10 May 2011 05:49:55 +0000

We had a large group this time, with most sketchers soldiering on for the best part of six hours!

Drawing in public with such skilled comrades is intimidating and inspiring. You should definitely try it.. unless you were there. Thanks for coming, it was awesome!

I got myself a ‘friends of the zoo’ pass, so i can save money if i go a million times in the next year.

I discovered that my conte pencil (which doesn’t smudge much because it’s HB) makes a really good wash! I used my DS in the nocturnal house; others fared just as well with paper.

Simon and Nick have also posted their zoo sketches – really nice work!