Monday, October 26, 2009

Recipes for October 26

Kale/Pepper Masala
Sautee one chopped onion til slightly brown.
Add whole spices:
black cardamon, cinnamon stick, cloves, cumin seeds, peppercorns
soften a bit more and add ground spices:
coriander, tumeric, chili, salt
and the magic puree of raw:
onion/garlic/ginger
a lil' water
Sautee until oil separates
Add a can of tomatoes
Sautee some more
Add peppers & kale & bok choy (any veg will do, but be sure to pre-cook things like potatoes)
Cook until vegetables are tender and flavors are melded. Adjust S & P, and chili.

Yello Dahl
Soak yellow split peas overnight
Change water and boil for about an hour or until soft
Drain most of the cooking liquid
Add some onion/garlic/ginger puree
plus ground green cardamon & coriander
S & P
Process with a mixer for a smoother consistency, if you wish.

Basmati Rice
1 c rice to 1.5 c water
Add cold water to rice, bring to boil, lower heat and cover- steam til done
You could add saffron threads or spices or raisins/nuts

Green Tomato Chutney
Make a small mixture of white, rice or cider vinegar & sugar, bring to a boil.
add chopped green tomato, chili flakes, fresh ginger and a few cumin seeds.
Simmer for 20 minutes and if inclined, put in sterilized jars or just keep in the fridge for a week or two.

Wealth Underground Farm donated the kale, peppers & tomatoes. Ralph was my helper. Thank You!

Friday, October 23, 2009

Recipes for October 19

Kale-Chard Filo tart
Sautee a chopped huge onion, some chopped garlic and a bunch of cleaned, stemmed kale & chard. Puree in a food processor or chop it all small in advance. Fresh fennel bulb is a really good addition to this, as is almost any not-too-wet vegetable.
Layer thawed filo dough quickly and neatly on a baking sheet, brushing layers with olive oil. When half through your pack, spread on your filling, then layer the rest of the dough with the oil. Every other layer is really ok.
You can de-veganize this recipe (recommended) with feta mixed in your filling and melted butter in your layers.
Bake at 350-375 for 20+ minutes or until golden and flaky.

Yogurt raita
Finely chop red onion, green pepper, radishes, carrots, etc. Mix in a tub of yogurt, a big pinch of cumin, fresh herbs (mint is great), S&P, and a dash of sugar to cut the tanginess of the yogurt.

Fried green tomatoes - Thanks to McCallah, a real southerner, for correcting this.
Slice em up thick. Add S&P. Dredge in mixed eggs, then in cornmeal. Fry in hot oil til nicely browned. Drain on papertowels. Good with aforemetioned raita.

Lentil Soup
Oh, I always make stock from my vegetable peelings but it is a pain in the butt, so feel free to use prefab (no msg!) stock or the fabulous "better than boullion" concentrate.
Sautee chopped onions, carrots, celery, garlic and ginger in olive oil or butter. Add washed green lentils. Add plenty of water or stock, tomato paste, S&P. Cook til lentils are just tender. Some chili flakes give it more life.

Green leaf lettuce and chard salad with beets and dijon vinaigrette
See recipe on preceding post

Wealth Underground Farms donated the kale, peppers, beets and tomatoes.
Urban Gleaners/Sea Change Gallery donated the lettuce, radishes, carrots and chard.
Jillian was my helper. Thank You!

Recipes for October 12

Freekeh stuffed peppers with Heirloom tomato-pepper sauce
Cook freekeh (lebanese toasted grain): 1 c freekeh. to 1.5 c liquid. Sautee freekeh in olive oil and S & P briefly, add water or stock, bring to a boil, cover and lower heat to lowest possible. Listen for silence, and it should be done absorbing liquid. Remove from heat & Fluff.
Make Sauce: Toss tomatoes into salted boiling water for 1 minute. Pull out, skin, chop.
Sautee lots of onions, garlic, a few peppers, S & P, and some fennel seed. Add tomatoes when onions are soft. Cook over medium heat for about a half hour. Sauce should get thinner then reduce to get tastier and thicker.
Mix half the sauce with the freekeh. You could add goat cheese to the mixture if you wish.
Cut tops off peppers, gently pull out seeds. Stuff freekeh mixture in and pop into a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or a half hour, depending on how soft you like them.
Serve with sauce on top.

Sauteed Kale & Chard with caramelized onions
Clean & Stem greens. Chard stems should be used, chopped small. Slice lots of onions really thin. Sautee on medium heat in olive oil for a long time, until soft. Add S & P, and a large drizzle of molasses.

Mixed lettuces with beets and apples in a Dijon vinaigrette.
Clean and dry your lettuce well but gently. Wrap in kitchen towels inside a plastic bag in the fridge for best storage.
Cook beets in foil in a 400 degree oven for an hour. Cool & skin. Slice. marinate in dressing.
Slice apples at the last minute or generously cover in lemon juice.
Vinaigrette: Mix a spoonful of dijon mustard, a drizzle of honey or apricot jam, white wine vinegar & finely chopped shallots. Whisk in olive oil.

White Bean Puree with Sage
Soak beans overnight. Change water and cook for an hour with a few whole peeled garlic cloves, some fresh sage leaves and S&P. When beans are soft, blend with a bit of the cooking liquid, plenty of olive oil, and more sage if necessary.

Wealth Underground Farm donated the tomatoes, kale, peppers and beets.
Urban Gleaners/Sea Change Gallery donated the lettuce, apples and chard.
Ariana was my helper. Thank you!

Recipes for October 5th

Moroccan Stew
Sautee a mixture of finely diced carrots/celery/onions (this is a good start to many recipes)
Add cooked garbanzo beans
plenty of tomatoes
ground cumin
a cinnamon stick
S & P
** This dish is really best with lamb: start by browning a small leg of lamb and add other ingredients to it- cook until lamb is falling apart. Yum- from the mouth of a pescetarian

CousCous
This is not the traditional way, but the easy way:
Boil 1 cup of water or stock for every cup of couscous. Stir a little olive oil, S&P, and if you wish, currants, pine nuts, etc. into the couscous. Add boiling water/stock & cover for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Voila.

Steamed Kale
Clean & Stem kale, pop in a covered pot with a tiny bit of salted water or stock. Cook still soft- about 5-10 min.

Beets with Ginger Vinaigrette
Wrap beets well in foil and pop in a 400 degree oven for an hour. take out, let cool, and skin.
Slice on a cutting board you don't mind turning magenta. Sit atop steamed kale. Add dressing.
Vinaigrette: mix together a spoonful of good mustard, add champagne vinegar, finely chopped or grated ginger, S & P. Whisk in olive oil.

Heirloom tomatoes with Tarragon
Use ripe heirlooms for obvious reasons. Slice as you like, sprinkle with S&P, olive oil, balsamic & top with fresh tarragon leaves.

Hummus & Baba Ganoush
food processors make this easier..
Hummus- cooked garbanzo beans, cooking liquid, a bit of tahini, garlic, lemon juice, S&P. Blend.
BG- roasted eggplant meat (no skins), a bit of tahini, garlic, lemon juice, S&P. Blend. Can add yogurt for smoother texture.

Wealth Underground Farm donated the kale, tomatoes & beets.
Nicole was my helper. Thank you!

Updated Project Descriptions

Thanks to Jen and Harrell for their patient listening and commenting, and to Hannah for the inspired presentation the other day, which is helping me sort through the piles of ideas, 'stack the functions' and get moving

Lexa Walsh Current Projects 2009-2010

Locations:
Anywhere, Oakland, Portland, Philadelphia, Paris@ Béton Salon, New York @ apexart, New York at Smack Mellon. Future site specific projects ideas for Japan, Taiwan, India to be discussed at a later date

Qualities/Themes:
· Access to & Exchange of Knowledge & Resources
· Identity/Place/Personal & Collective histories
· Travel/Mobility/Occupying Space

Jingle Orchestra
The Jingle Orchestras are transient, impermanent grouping of musicians, writers and interested persons to “think positively” and write ‘cheerful advertisement songs’ about the places they live and work. I started the project in Jyderup, Denmark and it has continued in Oakland, California, Ljubljana, Slovenia, and Tábor, Czech Republic. I continue to initiate and collect songs from different cities; Paris, New York, Portland & Philadelphia Suburbs are planned this year, to eventually make a compilation CD. The goals are to bring both friends and strangers: professionals and amateurs alike, together and discuss/discover a sense of place though public and collective thought and nostalgia, and build community through song. The public is invited to come to a variety of meetings in various locations, to improvise together in a short time and make these jingles. It is hoped that the Jingle Orchestras will continue on their own.
Locations: Anywhere

Journeys/Tourism/Monuments/Souvenirs/Mapping/Community Bulletin Board
Similar to Show Me Your Ljubljana, Jyderup Journeys, Oakland and Other Journeys…
Locations: Portland, Paris, New York, Philadelphia

Community Building Square Dance for Artists and Others
An interactive performance that invites artists and others in need of networking and problem solving to identify their strengths and weaknesses and share them with both friends and strangers through a led dance. This project has been realized in Oakland, CA.
Locations: Portland, Paris, New York

First Impressions
Business Cards for un/under or wrongly employed people. Please introduce yourself and your situation and I will make you a custom set of cards.
Location: Anywhere

fäkart
There’s art & there’s Art. “Affordable” art tends to mean cheap ugly prints, while “Real” Art usually implies an inaccessible and incomprehensible market. fäkart makes affordable decorative art that can add beauty and style to anyone’s life. Artists are paid by the hour, inflated prices based on WPA standards from 1938 to create custom or copied artwork based on our clients’ needs.
axel fäkart – abstract acrylic paintings- custom & copies
horst p. fäkart – photography
PLEASE APPLY to be added to the Artist Roster
Location: Portland

Free Design Services NEW!
Everyone deserves good interior design. Studies have proven the relationship between good design and good society. Sometimes all it takes is a can of paint or furniture placement. I will provide free design consultations in exchange for the client opening their house (? to be decided), once design changes have been made. Consultations include assessing the clients’ personalities, style and needs. Addressing the needs through furniture arrangement, accessorizing, color choices, and research of outside sourcing needs.
Locations: Portland, Paris, New York

Personal Recipes NEW!
In collaboration with Nicole Penoncello, we will visit Gardeners in Portland that may not know how to maximize their crops with a variety of recipes. We will design cookbooks based on their crops, likes and skills
Location: Portland

Neighborhood Histories NEW!
Interview neighbors about current and past histories, personalities, events.. Make signage (brass/wood plaques) & post.
Locations: Portland, Oakland

Art & Social Practice Library & Portland Artist Resource Center NEW!
This Library & Resource Center are aimed at both the Portland State MFA students and the General Public.
For the Students:
an Opportunity Board, a Resource Exchange Board, Personal Files for each student with work samples, CV, ephemera and printed matter from their practice, Books and Objects reflecting the needs and interests of the students,
Articles and cards reflecting contemporary art issues and practice, International Gallery/Artist files, Consultations for writing proposals and budgets.
For the Public (slated for Winter 2010 onward, in a public storefront in downtown Portland (Based as an Education and Recruitment center):
Books about contemporary art, Articles and cards reflecting contemporary art issues and practice, International Gallery/Artist files, Consultations for writing proposals and budgets for artists, Contemporary Art Education Seminars
Location: Portland

Cheer for Hire NEW!
Need a lift? Hire A Cheer offers a custom cheer to counter lack of motivation, self-pity, and disappointment. The exchange starts with a discussion or letter describing what is getting you down. I will make a custom cheer for you that can be delivered in person or by video or MP3. I am neither a psychologist nor a therapist, so my services are aimed at non-clinical depression. Also seeking fellow cheerleaders to visit events that need cheerleaders.
Location: Portland

Airline Safety Par Course @ PDX UPCOMING!

Walsh Family Museum UPCOMING!

MFA Cookbook UPCOMING!




Monday, October 12, 2009

Mel Ziegler

We were graced today with a visit by Mel Ziegler- great artist and wonderful person.
I was lucky to have a meeting with him, and he pointed out some new and insightful thoughts about my work. Whenever I end up getting too arty/object-y, the work often comes back around towards me, rather than being about the subject. When the work is more action based, it can focus on its intended significance. Sometimes the simplicity of the action and perhaps a little gift are all it needs. Unfortunately I do love to make stuff sometimes... We also discussed what kind of impact was satisfying to us as artists - does one need to reach the masses or make a big impact on a few people? The second is a lot more realistic I suppose. Thanks Mel!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Librarification

The library is starting to get filled up with goodies- First, thanks to Connie & Zach for getting down and dirty last week to move the furniture around, and Jen's insight about the file cabinet.

I brought in hundreds of cards from art shows/events I have attended worldwide in the last 15-20 years, articles I have taken from art rags, and a few books I dare lend out from my collection.

I would like everyone's opinion on the fun world of archiving. How can it be the most user-friendly?

I think with the show cards: put them in binders by either artist or gallery/space. Then by city, state, country.. If there are doubles one could cross reference, however, I am more interested in referencing by space so it can be of double use. Say a student/visitor is checking out the scene in Berlin. It will be easier to go to the Berlin section than the artist section.. and s/he can check out which venues do what.. However, there can be a master list in the binder that mentions which artists are in the Berlin section.. and so on.

Maybe this is why I am a professional organizer for my job.

Thoughts are welcome. So are donations of books, zines, articles, categories, etc.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

A way to look & discuss

Back at CCAC in 1989, the idiosyncratic, fun loving Charles Fisk offered his Ceramic Art History class this article, which has guided my critiquing methods ever since. Robert L. Scranton's introduction to "Aesthetic Aspects of Ancient Art", titled "The Structure of Style", breaks down the art object into the following for a rather basic & scientific approach to critique:
Elements of the Work of Art:
Material
Conceptual
Sensory
within each, there are the
Aesthetic Aspect
Technical Aspect
Rational Aspect
Variations in Manipulating the Elements:
1. Ontology
2. Epistemology
3. Signification
4. Definition
5. Configuration
6. Dynamics
7. System
8. Focus
9. Cohesion

The article will be in the new Portland Artist Resource Center - PARC (working title) located in room 320.

Now the question remains how we put this towards Social Practice. Let's see..
Lexa

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Things to contemplate

In addition to various committees, projects, classes & readings, I have a far too large list of potential focuses- Current/Ongoing unfinished or un/under realized projects and ideas...
++ Journeys/Mapping/Tourism/Monuments/Souvenirs/Community Bulletin Board..
++Library: Articles/Cards/Info Center.. 'P.A.R.C.' (Portland Artist Resource Center)
++Neighborhood (contemporary) histories/Current Events with signage
++Jingles/Promo Videos
++ Collections/Museum (apply to Mark Dion class?)
Airline/Toys/Chotchkies/Walsh Family/...
Photo portraits/piles/groupings/classifications/archives/lists/repurposing...
++Family: Museum: Getting to Know You/Documents/Jingles/I.P./Tongueties Video..
++Airline: Par Course
++First Impressions: Business cards for Un/Under/Wrongly Employed
++Axel Fakart: Copies & Custom decorative art pieces, similar to the price of IKEA 'art'. Get paid an hourly wage as per the WPA (considering inflation)
++ Free Design Services: Bringing Interior Design to Everyone
++Delhi: Mathematically consider division of Rickshaw Drivers vs. money & kilometers it would take to support each of them
++R5 Paoli Local: Collect stories openly & create LED screen for waiting travellers
++Cheerleading: Show up at random sporting events and cheer for all teams
++Job List: Self Portraits with various hats & accessories to illustrate artists' multiple skills
++Community Building Dance
..........