An Epic Week of Giclées, Goccos, and Books

This is quite a week for all you 1xRUNNERS… an exclusive print from (quickly) upcoming artist, Sam Wolfe Connelly, our first run to feature a top-notch art book, I Love You, OK? by Gary Taxali, and a super fresh print release release with the always amazing Jason Limon.

 

Romance by Sam Wolfe Connelly

 

Sam’s solo exhibition at SpokeArt is coming up in October. Like many, we’re excited to see what new pieces he brings to the table wall. We’re happy to get on board with this artist at the time we did, and we might even bring you guys a follow-up RUN with something special from the solo show!

The image alone has the vibe of an average, old photo you find in a box… but with hospital gown and (toy?) baby limb in hand, it’s not average at all. I think it starts molding that same, foggy curiosity you get at the start of a Chuck Palahniuk plot (Kurt Vonnegut also comes to mind). Perfect compliment to the Playboy debut of Palahniuk’s story, Romance.

Gary Taxali Book and Print Combo

About making his new book, Taxali commented that “seeing them in all in the early draft versions [of the book] made me realize how every gallery exhibit I have had is a mere chapter in the larger book of my life’s work.”

 

Once the book came together, it needed introductions so Anshana asked me if there was anyone I wanted to write something.  Many people may be aware of my involvement with singer/songwriter Aimee Mann through my work on the cover and inside of her last album, Smilers. Along with her brilliant Art Director/Designer, Gail Marowitz, we three were nominated for a 2009 Grammy for Best Art Package but alas, we lost to Radiohead.  Since that “Grammy Shmammy” blow off, , Aimee and I have grown closer and become really great friends. [She] immediately agreed to write a foreword.  I had no idea what to expect but the wonderful, kind, thoughtful and honest words she wrote describe me to a T.
The next person whom I asked to write something was internationally famous street artist, Shepard Fairey.  Shepard and I show in some of the same galleries, and have been in many other group shows and books together over the years.  Shepard was the perfect person to ask because I knew he loved my work and we have even traded art.  He had sent me a few nice notes over the years and we even had a wonderful time over dinner in LA talking about our love of punk rock music a few years ago.  Shepard happily agreed and wrote a fantastic, intelligent, insightful and awesomely perceptive foreword.  It’s such a great and penetrating analysis of my work conveying my exact ideas and themes.  Like Aimee, Shepard gets me.

– Gary Taxali

 

Luna by Jason Limon

If you’ve been a 1xRUNNER for a while, you probably recall that we’ve done three (very large) prints with Jason in the past. Every time we release something with him, they instantly disappear! We also realized that if you keep collecting 30 inch prints, you’ll soon run out of wall space (the dwindling of this precious resource is something everyone at 1xRUN is faced with).

So, in an effort to save a little bit of your walls and wallet, while giving a few more people the chance to have a signed Limon piece, we’re going to release this print on more a standard paper size. We’ll be able to bump down the price, and bump up the edition size a bit, and as I look at the printer proof on my desk today, I’d say that without the gigantic length, the narrow aspect of this print is accentuated. Perhaps we have a thing for unorthodox dimensions. Who says art should have to be in standard paper sizes?  Psh.

 

Anywho… that’s our summary for the week! Is this the sort of news you like to see from 1xRUN? Or do you prefer the more specific breakdowns we’ve done in the past, or maybe something completely different?We’re curious about what you’re interested in. Leave a comment here, or reply to @1xRUN on twitter with some of your thoughts!