found: photo (the beginnings)

this is the initial piece that started all the ideas for my Found project.  i first wanted to collect photos of strangers, which i kind of accomplished when i bought Lots of vintage family photos, which is actually kind of creepy. you're now finding out that i have more strange obsessions that you probably thought, and trust me, i have more than you've imagined. but i dare you, imagine.  however, the photo strangers didn't really happen, there weren't any plausible ways of going about it. but that turned into artmail, which i am still figuring out the logistics but, i think there are some great things in store. 

so. i present to you this stranger, who is now a small part of the Found Project: 

enjoy your day. 

- k. 

little treasures

there's nothing quite like receiving mail on a crummy day in the middle of a crummier week.  this morning i felt inadequate, insignificant, and empty... its been building up for the past couple months - working every day combined with dark weather just makes sad thoughts sadder and being inspired less inspiring. 

but today, in the midst of this, i received two postcards. it reduced me to tears and told me that i was more valuable than i let myself believe. 

that's why we need people in our lives. that's why we need community. while sharing your life over the internet is easy (yes, you and i are guilty of this), getting a small little treasure in the mail amongst coupons and bills does something different to us.... because that little piece of paper traveled many miles to get to you. did you hear me? to get to you. to brighten your day. to make you feel special. which is why i believe the postal service is something worth treasuring.... would you treasure it with me?

 from katie collins - a fantastic artist living in chicago. 

from LJ. 

d. h. told me this morning that asian soup or thai food cures crummy days. he's right about that. miso soup it is. 

- k.

some of my favorite days are those spent with my best friend and chatting with my sisters. there's nothing quite like it.  and there's nothing quite like friends who encourage your creativity and push you to be productive and do your best. 

yesterday was spent grocery shopping, skyping with my sister, creating lovely things, homemade pizza, wine, blueberries, and ended laughing with good friends. not much is better than that.  so here's what i made: 

what do your favorite days look like?

enjoy your monday, its overcast here in nashville, but its beautiful and lovely and in the 40s. 

- k.

currently reading Tribes, The Good Body, and still working on The Beautiful & Damned. 

friday madness.

wow. a few things to share with you. first of all its friday! are you excited? i am. this is my first work-friday that has landed on a real life friday in a while... which means i have a real weekend.... which also means that Ellie & i are going to be celebrating our birthdays this weekend. oi, i am excited about this.

last month i was in LA for my brother, Chris', wedding. my brother Jeff & Jacquie (wife, best friend, creative-extraordinaire) and i spent the week hanging out, going to the beach, and... haircuts.

also. here are some monsters that i wanted to share. i'm kind of excited about them.

and a little bit of artmail that i sent to my dear friend Morgan:

Spike Jonze does it again with the new Arcade Fire video. sheesh, i have a huge crush on him...... who doesn't?

(if the video doesn't work, click here)

we're hoping to take so many photos this weekend. can't wait to tell you about everything that happens, and all the lovely people we get to see and spend time with.

so much love, enjoy your friday,

- k.

ps. put your iTunes on shuffle. it'll brighten your life. SO MUCH.

i've really been loving egon schiele, lately, his lines and perspective are beautiful

today starts the preparation to (perhaps) live in new york (see. i haven't even committed to it yet):

go to bed early.

wake up early.

hangout less.

work all the time.

work out - to de-stress & be fit.

make art, every day (work on those illustrations).

read regularly.

...

i mean, the list could go on, but if i'm really supposed to be there i believe the right doors will open and the appropriate doors will close, hopefully making it a smooth transition. all of these are things that i need to be practicing anyway, to be efficient & hopefully successful... especially if i'm going to call the Big Apple 'home'.

here are a couple pieces of artmail that i have sent out this past week:

so much love,

- k.

check this blog out ROCKOUTURE - really lovely, pertaining to fashion.

and Lykke Li. listen listen listen. especially this video, with Bon Iver.

also Yelle. listen too! (gotta love the french music).

ay ay ay

there's been a giant storm in nashville. it's fall. real shocker.

so today i watched a documentary on The Donner Party (eeeeeek). so very interesting, and so very gut wrenching. literally. i thought that just maybe i was going to throw up. but it's a very important part in the movement to civilization in the west (yes, that's right, all you californians.... and seattlites). so educate yourselves, its a good story & piece of history. and i believe some artwork is going to come of it.

also, i thought i'd share a little sketch (rough. very rough) for a piece i'm working on (which you'll be able to see it, in its entirety, if you come to my art show in december. yeah? yeah.).

told you its rough, any thoughts?

lots of love & wonderful storms,

- k.

ps. a little development on artmail. if you send me a little piece, i'll document it, and redirect it to someone else... (thus getting them involved in the movement) then you will receive something back (whether from me, or someone else involved).

k. baergen

po box 60282

nashville, tn 37206

what a perfect way to start a monday, right? a creative list of goals... which i created MONTHS ago. nonetheless, something i wanted to share with you. what are goals if no one knows about them. right?

i need your input, and your help. can i ask a favor of you? i need your thoughts on how to make artmail work. the goal is to have it's big kickoff on the first of the year. but what are ways that you think it would work best? send artmail, receive artmail, inspire others to send artmail. what would make receiving art in the mail appealing to you?

do you know anything about marketing... yourself? how to get my name out there? there must be something you know that i haven't thought of yet. that's why we work well together.

and the last thing i'll ask of you is to share me with your friends. i'm going to have an art show before the end of the year, and i'd love for you to attend, and all of your friends.

blah blah blah, sorry for rambling. i hope your monday's don't feel blue, but that they are just as wonderful as the weather in nashville says it should be.

- k.

ps. do you see the drawing i made of myself? ha.

mail is wonderful

i received this in my po box today. i probably have the best friend of best friends (sorry best friends, she's pretty awesome).

so i decided to make this to share with you, and others, and your friends:

and this is for my dad... he turned 61 this week. holy shit.

and here is some artmail that i'm sending out today.

i know, it's been a long time, and i haven't shared much of what i've been working on with you. mainly because i haven't been working on anything. between Seattle, moving, and LA, everything has been a whirl wind. oh, and i was sick. twice. so i'm finally settling into my new home, and my new studio - which is heaven on earth, its' true.

greg gifted me with a printer/scanner, so i no longer have to run around trying to find an unused one.

upcoming things (that you should probably know about):

artshow:

this fall (stay tuned)

artmail:

it's going to have a real operating, functioning system,

so we can get the whole world on board.

listening to Mumford & Sons.... because they're beautiful, with beautiful souls, i'm sure.

WORDS

a little inspiration for this thursday... stumbled upon this video by way of Allister Ann's blog, so thank you to her, NPR & Radiolab

be inspired - go make something great.

- k.

p.s. an entire batch of artmail is being taken to the post office today!

p.o. box 60282 nashville, tn 37206

artmail 1.2

this past weekend ellie & i went to the mountains - east tennessee mountains, that is.

the perfect cure for terribly allergies that went south and made me sick.... i mean, what's better than a grandma's cooking to cure the over pollinated nose & an under(homestyle)loved self??? nothing.

a lot of hiking, movies, chats and SLEEP. a smidge reading, and no writing or art... so my task for the drive home: make artmail.

i decided that the truckers needed some artmail too - which i held against the window while we drove past - just to (hopefully) brighten their days (we video recorded some of it.... which i will share with you when i have the chance)

here's what i created (obviously they're a little messy due to the bumpy road... sorry) :

all images © k baergen

send artmail to:

p.o. box 60282

nashville, tn 37206

so much love,

- k.

p.s. currently reading Three Cups of Tea ... soooo good. a little wordy, but i'm just a few pages, but it's going to challenge my vocabulary & knowledge of the eastern region of the world (more on this to come)

p.p.s. i'm currently jamming to Tegan & Sara - gosh i love them! especially the record Sainthood. sometimes i lose them in the onslaught of new music, but they're always good to work to. yes. (follow them on twitter)

PO BOX

ahhh. the beloved P.O. Box. meant for companies, CEO's, mega artists, magazines, blah, blah, blah. and guess who else can have them?! us! regular people. so, as you can imagine, when i found out that i (yes i) could get a P.O. Box, i marched myself right on down to the united states post office. the papers are signed, the small fee paid, so that now we can get this artmail ordeal underway. (victory!)

send me things! i love the concept of sharing ideas and things that inspire us, because usually they brighten our days, and the inspiration is passed on. so, share with me what inspires you:

k. baergen

p.o. box 60282

nashville, tn 37206

if you send me something, i will try my very hardest to send you something back (so don't forget your return address)

remember: not many things are better than receiving artmail.

so much love,

-k.

currently listening to Andrew Belle.

Artmail 1.0

what's better than receiving a hand-written letter in the mail? receiving hand-made art in the mail.

this is Artmail. take it in, embrace it, and start sending some. (soon to announce a p.o. box of my very own)

as well as a list. lists are important. even if you aren't list people (there's no better way to remember things than writing them down... or drawing them out).

so much love,

-k

ps. once all my (? if it exists ?) space is figured out, there will be more scanned images and photographed images (as well as photographs... and larger pieces).