Artists & the general public
It started when they sent me books that were printed not to the technical specifications I clearly gave them and ended in them telling me that they wouldn't reprint my books in the correct way and that they "didn't want my money".
Needless to say, I am in need of a new printer.
Does anyone have any recommendations? I just want books with high quality prints and a company that you can stand by. Any and all suggestions are appreciated!
Thank you in advance!xo
Gracie
May 15th!
ATTENTION INDIANA RESIDENTS (or people who want to go from not there!)
I will be at the opening reception on Friday, May 15th at Grunswald Gallery of Art. (1201 E 7th St, Bloomington, IN 47406)
Two pieces from Illusions of the Body will be shown!
Come say hello to me if you go, I WILL GIVE YOU A HUG!!! (unless you don’t want that of course)
Selling stuff for a new project!
I am selling some prints to raise money for an upcoming project!
Each print is:
- $50
- 8" x 12" giclée
- Every purchase gets a FREE copy of my book* Illusions of the Body (lowres proof copy)
I thank you in advance for supporting me & my upcoming project. Whether it be by sharing my post or purchasing something.
You are the best.
xo
Gracie
www.graciehagen.com/store
*while supplies last
OMGGGG
You guys, I am the most excited!
A couple pieces of my work will be shown at The Kinsey Institute from May-July!!!!!!!
MUCH EXCITE!
Alive Rescue
I’ve gone to a couple animal shelters recently to try some new photography styles. Also because the amount of animals that die yearly makes my heart hurt (30 million from cruelty, neglect, and exploitation). I want to use my voice to help educate people on why you should #AdoptNotShop & neuter/spay your animal when you get one.
At this particular shelter, Alive Rescue, there were some pitbulls there that just made me want to cry (abuse, neglect and abandonment issues). Pitbulls have tons of misinformation surrounding them which causes their position in the world to be a lot harder than other types of dogs. Here is some pertinent information:
MYTH: Pit Bulls are vicious to people or more dangerous than other dogs.
FACT: There is no room for human aggression in a behaviorally sound pitbull. A pitbull poses no more of a threat to people than any other large dog. The American Temperament Test shows that Pit Bulls consistently score above the average for all breeds tested over the years. As of December 2007, American Pit Bull Terriers had a pass rate of 84.3 percent compared to a pass rate for all breeds tested of 81.6 percent.
MYTH: Pit Bulls have locking jaws.
FACT: No! In proportion to their size, their jaw structure is no different than that of any other breed of dog. There is absolutely no evidence for the existence of any kind of ‘locking mechanism’ unique to the structure of the jaw and/or teeth of the American Pit Bull Terrier.
Part of the problem is sadly; the pitbull, more than any other breed in history, is continuously made a villain through media hypes and irresponsible ownership.
In March 2000, the ASPCA asked representative U.S. shelters about their experiences with pit bulls. Thirty-five percent of shelters take in at least one pit bull a day, and in one out of four shelters, pits and pit mixes make up more than 20 percent of the shelter dog population. New York, Chicago, Boston, Phoenix and Honolulu each saw 3,000 to 7,500 pits turned in during the previous year. One shelter staffer recounted hundreds of abuse cases that came through their doors — pit bulls that had been burned, beaten, starved, neglected and used for dogfighting.
According to the shelters surveyed in 2000, a third did not adopt pit bulls out — some because it is against the law to have these dogs in their communities, and others because of concern about where the dogs will ultimately end up. Sadly, in these cases, the dogs are euthanized.
Alive Rescue has multiple pits available for adoption along with other lovely doggies & kitties. Just remember, #AdoptDontShop & make sure to sterilize your animal because it can prolong their life, and helps to prevent the overpopulation problem which causes millions of animals to become homeless/euthanized.
MOAR BOOKS
I sold out of Illusions of the Body a while ago but guess what?! Another batch is coming!
To keep up to date sign up for my newsletter -
www.graciehagen.com/contact
Inspiration
I found this amazing article, "What it Really Takes to be an Artist: MacArthur Genius Teresita Fernandez's Magnificent Commencement Address" The following were some of the more impactful parts for me:
"In Japan there is a kind of reverence for the art of mending. In the context of the tea ceremony there is no such thing as failure or success in the way we are accustomed to using those words. [...] All of the fumbling and awkward moments you will go through, all of the failed attempts, all of the near misses, all of the spontaneous curiosity will eventually start to steer you in exactly the right direction."
"Whenever you catch a little a glimpse of that blind spot, of your ignorance, of your vulnerability, of that unknown, don’t be afraid or embarrassed to stare at it. Instead, try to relish in its profound mystery. Art is about taking the risk of engaging in something somewhat ridiculous and irrational simply because you need to get a closer look at it, you simply need to break it open to see what’s inside."
- Not every project will survive. Purge regularly, destroying is intimately connected to creating. This will save you time.
- Edit privately. As much as I believe in stumbling, I also think nobody else needs to watch you do it.
- When people say your work is good do two things. First, don’t believe them. Second, ask them, “Why”? If they can convince you of why they think your work is good, accept the compliment. If they can’t convince you (and most people can’t) dismiss it as superficial and recognize that most bad consensus is made by people simply repeating that they “like” something.
If you have any articles on creativity or what it means to be an artist or anything you think I'd dig reading, send them my way!
xo
Gracie
Red Door Animal Shelter
I recently decided to go into a couple animal shelters to document what's there. As an exercise and also because I feel very strongly about the amount of animals out there that don't have homes. These photos were taken at Red Door Animal Shelter where they have a ton of adorable cats & bunnies for you to take to their forever homes.
I did not adopt my animal and feel incredibly bad about it. I was young and uneducated about the statistics and reasons why you should fix your animals. Here are some stats on why you should Adopt Not Shop & sterilize your animals when you get them. Pet overpopulation is a huge problem.
- Number of animals in the U.S. that die each year from cruelty, neglect, and exploitation: 30 million
- Number of animal shelters in the U.S.: 4,000 – 6,000
- Number of cats and dogs euthanized by U.S. shelters each year: 3 – 4 million (nearly 10,000 animals killed every day)
I know baby animals are cute but there are many at shelters that have them, you just need to put some extra work into finding one.
Note: A good resource to use is PetFinder.com, the only postings that are allowed on there are from shelters. No breeders or pet stores. You can search by breed, age gender etc.
Trials in the inanimate
Part of what I'm doing this year is forcing new things & realizing what works & what doesn't.
I've also reached out to other artist friends and created a system of accountability & support.
I like how I'm starting to feel about art again.
Very Excited
The most fulfilling and interesting series to date for me has been Secretomotor Phenomenon. I connected with each subject & I feel like I got some powerfully emotional shots.
That being said, I’ve been working on a project for the past year and a half & I am SO excited to show it to everyone. It’s not finished yet but I am super proud of it & think it’s going to be the best thing I’ve ever made.
More from the fighter promo I’m doing. For $100 you get fancy photos & a video!
www.graciehagen.com/fighters for more info
A recent Unique session at my studio -
Gracie Hagen Photography 2301 W North Ave Chicago, IL 60647
Sessions run from $150 - $800
Email or call for free consultation: info@graciehagen.com • (773) 800-0517
Hello!
Do I have any followers who go to church frequently or are involved in a religious organization? (more specifically in the Chicago area)
Asking for neutral, non-judgemental & artistic reasons.
Please shoot me an email (info@graciehagen.com) if you fit the description!
THANK YOU!!! <3
A Month of October
For the last 3 years during the month of October I have taken a portrait each day.
This year was a rough one, not just that particular month but in general. A bunch of days are missing this time but I figured I would post it anyway because it’s real. It is a documentation of how absent I was; in my art, in my life, in almost everything there was a lack of myself.
It is therapeutic to look at an entire month of my life. It’s even more informative looking at three sets of these. To see who I was last year & the year before. To remember things that are only jogged by visual cues. I hope one day to have 20 or 30 of these; I will get to experience all over again the different hair styles, body types, clothing disasters, moods I was in & the choices I made.
"Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
You can view the larger version of this image HERE Here are the large versions of Oct 2012 & Oct 2013