choci

11/18/09: Ack! I got a bit behind over here. I have a few swaps to catch up on, and will have everything up to date by the weekend. Apologies to all I'm sending late to... I will try to make it up to you and I WILL NOT FLAKE! Thanks for your understanding. :)

Artist, graphic designer, gardener, zinester...

I live in the old tourist town of Niagara Falls, NY -- just minutes away from the falls themselves! We moved here when we bought our first house a couple years ago, this amazing little arts and crafts-style bungalow that I am in love with.

What I feel most identifies me is my creativity. I am an artist first and foremost. I paint, draw, collage, make books, and whatever else I feel like trying out. I do show and sell my work and my life goal is to be able to make my living from my art, mixed with a little teaching. I enjoy designing, but I'd rather get out of it as a full-time profession and keep it as an aside for projects I feel strongly about. Dreams. There is still so much that I want to do.

I have also been active as a musician in the past, but not so much in recent years. We've got a house full of equipment -- guitars, basses, drums, 4-track -- that sadly doesn't get used. I played clarinet for years and can still pull it out competently when I think to.

I was very involved in the zine "scene" in the mid-90s until early 2000s. I put my last issue out in 2007, and haven't officially thrown in the towel on them or anything... I still love zines so much, everything they represent.

I also love gardening, the arts and crafts movement (c. 1910-1930), film, travel/road trips, reading, writing, cooking and baking, animals (we have three cats)...

Quite the gamut, but centered on post-punk, 90s indie rock, and 80s new wave. I also like a bunch of other genres -- classical, classic jazz, old time country. Some of my favorite "rock" bands: Young Marble Giants, Wire, Air, the Birthday Party, Philistines Jr., Gram Parsons, Flying Burrito Brothers, X, the Yips, the Cramps, Sonic Youth, Astrud Gilberto, Swell Maps, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Black Heart Procession, Townes Van Zandt, Elliott Smith, Fugazi, Interpol, early Cat Power, Smog, early Devo, Deerhoof, Swell Maps, The Walkmen/Jonathan Fire*Eater, Joy Division/New Order, Kicking Giant, T. Rex, Nick Cave, Nick Drake, Stereolab, U.S. Hair Force, P.G. Six, Arcade Fire, Gorillaz

We're rather movie obsessed at our house. A sampling includes: Do Not Deliver Us From Evil, Le Cercle Rouge, Grand Slam, late 60s-early 70s Italian and French crime films, Dogtown & Z-Boys, Cindy & Donna, Desperate Living, Death Proof, Bullitt, Female Trouble, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, Battle Royale, Oldboy, Tale of Two Sisters, The Last Picture Show, Fitzcarraldo, The Wicker Man (the 1973 orginal), 24 Hour Party People (the first half), Pretty in Pink, Buffalo '66, Don't Look Now, Ghost World, Chungking Express, Irma Vep, Frailty, Kill Bill, Down By Law, Suspiria, Italian giallo films, zombie films and horror in general, Planet of the Apes 1-5

I will read just about anything I can get my hands on. Working for a book publisher has its advantages! Some of my favorites: Paul Pope, Adrian Tomine, Los Bros Hernandez, comics in general, Nicholson Baker, Lynda Barry, Julie Doucet, Gunter Grass, Bukowski, "Ivory" by Mike Resnick, "Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides, Joyce Carol Oates

Painting, drawing, collage, knitting, sewing, quilting (Denyse Schmidt has the aesthetic I like), paper dolls, bookbinding, ATCs, mail art, zines, chocolate (especially milk and orange), vintage Syracuse china (I am on the hunt for Fanfare and Mobile patterns), Swatch watches, cat eye glasses, skeleton keys, simple jewelry (only studs for earrings, for example), hand knits, cozy socks, striped and argyle socks, the arts and crafts style, art deco, art nouveau, natural woodwork, long sleeves, a-line skirts, mary janes, clogs, bakelite, cuckoo clocks, Vermont, Kentucky, equal rights for all, mix CDs, horror movies, cats, books

"Cutesy" stuff in general (ugh), yellow gold or anything that resembles it, dangly earrings, the "new" country western music, conservatism, organized religion, rude people (which seems to include so many people these days... where have our manners gone?), the 80s as a fad

Swap-Tag: US Only... received brads from kthanxbye... sent small handmade journal to CariahCreates

Crafty Swap Tag... received a handmade needlebook from lovetherain... sent small handmade journal to Yesh

I can always use things like...

gluesticks (can never have too many!)

unused postage

embroidery floss of any color

felt

fat quarters, any colors

acrylic paints, tube or bottle

gouache paints, tube or pan

watercolor or aquarelle pencils and crayons

brads, decorative or not (office or school type is just fine!)

quilt batting (any kind, any size -- scraps are great for miniature quilts!)

vintage fabric or vintage inspired prints (again, scraps are fine for me!)

card stock

decorative papers (more on the traditional/classic side, not so much scrapbooking stuff, but I'm not too picky!) I especially can use marbled papers!

used file folders (funny, huh?)

stickers

stationery/envelopes

rubber stamp pads, any color

vintage ephemera, old letters, photographs...

lipgloss/balm, Chapstick, etc. -- I am addicted!

socks, especially striped or argyle

chocolate!!! (anything except the really cheap stuff that doesn't even taste like chocolate)

gummy candy/gumdrops