Bad Wig and Ugly Tracksuit Walk - Happy New Year at Green Lake

Photo by Ann-Marie Stillion, 2012 "Annual Bad Wig and Ugly Tracksuit Walk at Green Lake (left) Cory Gooch (right) Jana Rekosh"

For more photos from this deliciously fun day,  follow me to flickr.

Just watched Portlandia for the first time last night. I would say Seattle can easily give Portland a run for it's money. Shout out to Marlow Harris and Jo David for keeping this new years event alive and well.

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas

Photo by Ann-Marie Stillion, 2011 Fremont Arts Council Solstice celebration "Winter Feast 2011"

Photo by Ann-Marie Stillion, 2011 Fremont Arts Council Solstice celebration "Winter Feast 2011"

Hair

"Joni's braids" photo by Ann-Marie Stillion, 2011, all rights reserved

Last week I started exploring the small space of my studio for portrait shooting. The lovely Joni and her amazing head of explosive braids dropped by for a few hours of fun. I am pretty excited about the possibilities. Natural light with a simple hot light. Pretty cool.

Occupy Wall Street - the 99% must be heard

From Westlake Park, Seattle Occupy Wall Street Protest, 2011. All rights reserved, Ann-Marie Stillion

 

 

It has been widely reported that Homeland Security has been coordinating the Occupy Wall Street crackdowns. Today I sent the following to  President Obama.

Dear Mr. President,

I have been a strong supporter and writing this pains me. How could you allow the government to play a part and coordinate the police against Occupy protesters? Attacking media, hurting old people, destroying books. Really? The White House should be coordinating conversations not crackdowns. We are your people and using the police against us is wrong.

Please find a way to stop attacking the people who elected you.

Thank you.

Occupy Seattle 10.08.11

Photograph by Ann-Marie Stillion. All rights reserved. 2011

If anyone at the Occupy Seattle event on Oct. 8, 2011 in Westlake Plaza knew what was going on, it was this little marcher. Headed up the street with hundreds of others of all ages and backgrounds, it's hard to imagine a sterner or more purposeful look on a child. I couldn't stop to talk as people flooded over the corner of Pike and 4th headed out for the beginning of the march. But when I looked at the shots later I wondered what this little girl would say now and in the future. I hope she sees this someday.

For more images of Occupy Seattle from that day take a look at this slideshow. The images render a difficult truth for some politicians and business groups alike: this group of people is purely grassroots, on a message of their own, as well as educated and smart enough to keep on bringing it. If you are in Seattle, stop by and lend a hand. You can get started at the Occupy Seattle website.

Fall afternoon at Green Lake

Photo by Ann-Marie Stillion, 2007

Any afternoon, depending on the season the time may change, but any afternoon there is this timeless moment at the edge of Green Lake. Such a remarkable place.

Happy Fourth of July

"Georgetown, Seattle, an artists' trailer park, 2011" by Ann-Marie Stillion.

Longshot 2011 - get going

 

Lumber, a dog from West Seattle, makes a plea for donations. Visitors are encouraged to go to http://pcnw.org/l... and pledge - a few dollars. Lumber's friend, photographer Ann-Marie will be shooting on the Longshot. You can make a flat donation or pledge an amount for each hour she shoots. It's a 24-hour shoot, so who knows.

churn 2011

"Subject two," by photographer Ann-Marie Stillion, 2010 from the ongoing project, churn, about American technology

For more about churn, visit my web site.

Push Pin Show at PCNW -- through April 17

"On the beach - dog," digital archival print, 2009 by Ann-Marie Stillion

 

 

 

 

One of a series of three prints on exhibit.

Photo Center NW
Push Pin Show
900 12th Ave, Seattle, Washington 98122, (206) 720-7222

Visual abstraction

"Winter, 2010" @Ann-Marie Stillion, all rights reserved, 2011

Abstraction in visual art hovers somewhere in darkness these days. Often images are called abstraction when they are merely not well understood or don't seem to be a picture of something. I offer the idea of abstraction as being an image which brings the viewer to the same place as the artist. An abstract brings our busy minds to a pause and we breath in and out more slowly. --ams

New Work

"Truth and Beauty Redux," mixed media on wood, 12'x24", 2010 by Ann-Marie Stillion

So long to 2010, no regrets. 2011 already looks better to me.

On to new adventures. Began combining photographs and painting in late summer. This rose above pulled me into the process. Others to come. Looks like encaustic but is acrylic based and less toxic.

With thanks for hollyhocks in fall

For good friends and family,

the inspiration of art and music,

and the grace of God.

For the small moments and big.

For all that we are blessed with.

For challenges which keep us moving forward.

Rally to Restore Sanity--Seattle

(Photo by Ann-Marie Stillion/arttrek.com, 10-30-10, "Laugh More")

I met up with excellent editor and beautiful friend Sherri Schultz at the Rally to Restore Sanity in Seattle. When we got to Westlake the plaza was filled (more than 6,000 by the rally organizers count) and the mood was high. We laughed while standing for sanity and articulate and thoughtful debate. When the rally broke up at noon as the rain poured down, the "protesters" scattered and one lone sign remained leaning against a retail shop, a lost balloon bobbed nearby. The sign called out "Laugh More" and the yellow balloon's message, "Enough," fell with a whisper to cold blue pavement.

Lots of other signs made me laugh that day like "Hitler is Hitler" but "Laugh More" pretty much sums it up.

Loving Mr. Picasso

Visited the Picasso exhibit at SAM this weekend. I joined my friend's Don and Brenda Gray, up from Oregon.

I wasn't prepared to be struck so deeply by the power of his work. Never a fan or follower of the great Spaniard, I became one that day. I feel every artist must see this work, which is a collection of his own making. The quantity and collection stimulated dreams and new visions. Stumbling out the museum door at dusk I felt unwilling to look at anything for a time.

This exhibit is from the museum of his work in Paris. Above is a drawing from the room of sculpture. The day I visited a group of American girls were exploring the artist's work through drawing it. My drawing reflects one of those moments. The great monstrous women's heads were poised to devour us, at least so it seemed.

New Work @ Habitude in Ballard Extended

This just in. The exhibit of my work at Habitude will remain in the upstairs space until mid-November and then move back to the main floor until Dec. 10.

Go see it!

Asian Guys' Hair

From "Asian Guys' Hair" by photographer Ann-Marie Stillion -- a series of images shot in impromptu street studios in Seattle's Chinatown in 2006-07.

Hard to imagine a month has gone by since I posted here - whoops! Playing catch-up since hanging the show at Habitude. Have been working on building out my website with some of my earlier projects. Am trying for an overview rather than just being current. In the newest version of arttrek.com I including the series, "Asian Guys' Hair," and am thinking of going back to Chinatown for another day or two, setting up the street studio. Looking at these images today proved inspiring. If you are interested in being a subject, send an email.

New Work @ Habitude in Ballard

You are invited to the artist reception for
ANN-MARIE STILLION "New Work"
on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010 from 6-9 p.m.
at Habitude Salon and Spa and Gallery, 2801 NW Market Street, Seattle.
Call 206.782.2898 for more information or visit www.habitude.com.

The exhibit runs Sept. 11 - Nov. 1o, 2010

The reception is also part of the Ballard Art Walk which is
held second Saturdays throughout the year.

Join us!

To find out more about the artist Ann-Marie Stillion, 

please visit www.arttrek.com or call 206-388-3363 --

currently booking portrait sessions, 

accepting commissions and seeking representation.

Churn :: American tech workers, a photography project

Visit the slideshow here
(Updated 8.16.10) Hiring workers while laying off others is defined as churn in the language of human resources. For tech workers, churn has long been a way of life, a undeniable fact of the global economy. For a few months now I have been photographing individual tech workers, learning their stories and documenting their too often silent journeys.

This photography project is meant to maintain the integrity of the broader tech worker story without compromising the individual job seeker: Each individual is photographed in a way to conceal rather than reveal identity. Anonymous text from photographic subjects will accompany the images.

Interested in participating as a photographic subject for Churn? Please contact me at annmarie@arttrek.com. At this time, the project is focused on the greater Seattle area.

If you or someone you know is laid off, or contracting with an uncertain future then consider participating as a potential photographic subject. If you are not in this geographic area but plan on traveling here and would like to be part of the project, please let me know. As support for the project becomes available, more subjects from other geographic locations will be included.

Shooting for a world record in Sammamish!

(Photo above by Anne Lindsay) On Saturday, July 17, 2010, the first annual "Largest gathering of people with natural red hair" will happen in Sammamish, Washington at the Skyline High School Stadium (1122 228th Avenue Southeast, Sammamish, Washington) - right across the street from Sammamish City Hall.

A fine artist, portrait photographer and chronicler of redheads, Anne Lindsay has decided to go for the title of largest gathering of redheads for the Guinness Book of World Records.

I am one of the lucky photographers to join her team for this event. And today Anne told me it's not too late to sign up and be in the shot if you're a natural redhead: just come early and get in line. Gates open at 2 p.m. and the record winning shot is scheduled for 3 p.m. Or if you're not a redhead and want to cheer on the wild ginger madness there is a $5 admission fee. Be there or be square.--ams