Congratulations! It's an Artist!

The public is now half way through the season of Craft Wars, and I find the internet apron deep in reviews and recaps of the episodes.  For what purpose, I don't know.  If you watched, a recap is useless.  If you didn't watch, a recap can really only deliver a mild satisfaction from knowing the outcome, tinted with some author's familiar air of forced cleverness, but without the sense of urgency and disaster that makes even the worst reality show a little irresistibly crack-like.  A friend of mine likes The Bachelor, and I'd like to check her in to a 12 step program.

Today while reading a recap written by a fellow Craft Wars veteran, I did stumble upon an interesting factoid:  There have only been 2 male contestants so far.  Hm.  I can only guess that male applicants were scared off by the use of the term "crafting", as it does sort of imply the stuff your grandma used to make with cornhusks and old lace.

Several years ago, I did an interview with an all female owned and operated production company.  Their line of questioning practically begged you to respond in a way that would appeal to their young female audience; teenagers who needed to hinge their identities on "girl power" because it was an alternative concept, yet already pioneered by others and thus not scary.  One question in particular made me realize something.

"So, Ashley, you're a successful woman working in a male dominated industry. Do you consider yourself a feminist?"

Obviously, they were looking for a 'yes'.  They were hoping for war stories about how hard I had to fight to get where I am because I'm a girl; how I wasn't taken seriously or, better, yet, had encountered sexual harassment and persevered!  I'd also be able to provide anecdotes about the elder, wise, women who had helped me along the way, giving doe-eyed young women hope that role models DO exist.

Nope.  None of that.  I am not a feminist.

Seeing the modifer "female" used in relation to a profession bugs me.  I'm not an accomplished "female" artist, I'm an accomplished artist.  We're all playing on the same field, and I'll take on all you muthafuckas!  I don't need to be categorized, nor do I need someone to give me an extra special award because I did all this stuff AND was a girl at the same time.  I know it sounds like an awful lot to handle with all the lipstick re-applications and the tampon changing and whatnot, but I assure you it's manageable if you're good at what you do.

To be honest, until they asked me that question I had never really thought of my work in terms of gender at all.  Anything I truly want to have, I pursue wholeheartedly and more often then not the hard works pays off.  I'm not thinking about whether my chromosomes will help or hurt my chances.  When it comes to work and art, I don't think of myself as a "woman"...or a man.  I am Ashley Long.  Love it, or get the hell out of my way.

As the Craft Wars season moves forward, I hope to see more male contenders in the mix.  While my whole genderless artist rant prevents me from being counted as Craft Wars dude #3, I'd like to think I'm a bit more akin to the guys when it comes to my method.  We don't look at blog tutorials, we don't have parties.  We just are. We work alone in our shops, dig in, and figure shit out guerilla style. Building, designing, stitching, glueing, installing, evil genius-ing, ...making bacon guns and posing like the Terminator when we're bored.

Hmm.  Maybe I should look into some genetic testing....

The Id and the Ego

Unemployment is a very introspective time.  One has all hours of the day to ponder the big questions; What am I doing with my career?  What would I do if I could afford to do whatever I wanted?  How long has it been since I washed these pajama pants?
I've been working in tv animation for almost 7 years.  Well, until very recently, when I became a vicitm of *DUN DUN DUUUUUUN!*-- budget cuts!  That's sort of the end of that story.  I just wanted to clarify that I'm unemployed entirely against my will, and not because I'm a worthless bum.  I often feel I should explain it to my mail carrier.  Every time I hear him open my mailbox and drop off my unemployment check, I feel certain he's shaking his head at the deadbeat in #101.  I want to drag him inside and show him my "Sent" email folder, my jumbled files of what studios I called and when; proof that I have been pimping my portfolio all over town and doing everything in my power to become a functioning member of society again!

While I wait for animation to pick up again, I've been considering my three dimensional work as a source of employment.  I'd like to start freelancing in the costuming or prop design industries because  I've found that I really enjoy building things.  Entirely self taught through experimentation with materials, I've found that my art objects provide for me the sense of artistic satisfaction that I think many animators are chasing with their drawing, but will never find in their day job.  Even if it's for a show you like, animation is essentially a manufactured product.  To be happy in a studio, you must understand this.  People who say things like "what I really care about is STORY" need to wake the fuck up and realize you're not going to find it here.

I was always very happy to work on someone else's product by day, because I knew I had limitless fantastical creatures to make by night (and weekend).  I particularly enjoy my masks because you can look at them empty and still feel who the character is.  Constructing them is very relaxing because there are no rules.  I can build as big as I want, as gaudy as I want.  There's nobody who knows these characters better than me, and thus nobody who can critique my aesthetic choices.  I can abandon all standards, opinions, and other nitpickery one might expereince during their day job as an artist.  You know what I say to perspective?  BAM!  I just glued a sequin on that shit!  There's your vanishing point, bitchez!
Building, for me, is a release of the Id.

  Plus, how often do you get to deal with fur bikinis in storyboarding.  Well, actually, maybe a handful of times.  I will truly miss drawing Roger from American Dad...
For a complete portfolio of my masquerade fanciness, visit my newest web presence:
http://www.bleidu.com/ashleyjlong

Craft Wars! Impending fame and preparing for stalkers.

I am a woman of many principles, and one of those principles is that I refuse to pay for cable tv.  Most of the year, I can boast that I'm not only saving money, but that I'm also a lot more productive because I'm forced to entertain myself.
After 7 yrs without cable, I've finally been struck with a very frustrating downside:  I can't watch Craft Wars!
My episode is still several weeks away from airing, but I'm trying to keep up on the previous episodes just so I have some idea of what the flying glittery fuck people are talking about on twitter.  Don't even tell me it's on iTunes.  I KNOW.  One of my other principles is that I'm not paying $1.99 for something that consumed months of my life and forced me to drink dangerous amounts of coffee.

My search for a reliable viewing source continues.  However, tonight did yield this gem--a frozen still of Megan and I (I'm on the left), standing in place of a YouTube video that got taken down for copyright infringement.  Thank you, dirty web pirate, for making me feel special today <3

A scientist friend of mine has been on several History channel shows and told me to prepare for stalkers.  He says after he was on tv he started getting marriage proposals via email.  Maybe now is a good time for me to get a P.O. Box.....

Turning Trash into Treasure--for realz

I delight in turning trash into treasure.  When most people say that, "trash" means a perfectly good chair that needs a new coat of varnish or a re-upholstered seat cover.  When I say it, I mean serious muthafuckin' trash.  The kind of stuff where you have to chase down the janitor at work and say "Actually, I was saving that" as you lift it gingerly from his cart.  It is in this moment that you become aware that you look like a crazy person.
I see potential in discarded and found objects.  As a child, I would save treasures I found on the playground or the sidewalk; a broken necklace, a single earring, a token from an arcade that has long been out of business.  I felt certain I would find the right purpose for these odd bits.  If you look closely at my masquerade costumes, you'll see that many of them finally found their fabulous destiny years later as pieces of a Burlesque Unicorn or Jaguar Priestess.
Last week on Craft Wars, contestants were challenged to make a bird house using bits and pieces from "the junk drawer".  I don't have a junk drawer.  I have a junk dining room.  This seemed like a great opportunity to share the ways I've repurposed junk on a large scale, and a chance to justify to myself why I save all this shit..
2009:  TikiLand halloween display!  Co-built by Harry Sabin, so is master of lighting and derailing my nervous breakdowns.

Materials used:  Astroturf (discard from an old freelance project), black garbage bags and plastic sheeting, broken bamboo blinds, scrap foam core, old party decorations (palm trees), fake flowers from the dollar store, scrap cardboard (tiki statue), foil, paper mache, reflective sheet plastic I got off craigslist for free, cheap Ikea lights, blacklight reflective paint, and Harry's favorite...dry ice.

We made this for our office's annual Halloween decorating contest, but then they cancelled the contest because nobody would even bother competing with us anymore.  UNDEFEATED, BITCHEZ!

2008:  Haunted Pet Shop.  Interior paintings by Harry.

The concept was to build a home for my puppet, the WeoPup.  The other pet shop inhabitants are also monsters or mutants.  Materials used:  trashed cardboard (house facade), plastic table cover, black trash bags, scrap foam core, scrap bin fur, dollar store spider webbing, black light reactive paint, discarded foam inserts from computer boxes.
A peek inside the window:

2007:  Space Console for an alien creature themed gallery environment.  Probably my crowning achievement as garbage art goes.

Materials used:  Scrap cardboard, poster tubes, ribbon, paper plates, foam inserts from computer boxes, dollar store windshield wiper covers, broken memory card, buttons, circuitboards, and wiring from trashed computers (our IT guy let me go to town), sculpey, tinted cellophane, battery powered touch lights, pill bottles, and an old map.  I made the custom screensaver using photoshop and after effects.
Close up of some faux gadgets:

We also built space shelving for some of the artwork out of foam and computer pieces.  Here are two of my Wumphants doing a balancing act:

So there you have it.  All of this awesomeness brought to you by the letters J, for junk, and B, for budget.  Glory does not come from pre-packaged materials at the office supply and craft stores (except Michael's, the proud sponsor of Craft Wars).  Glory comes from making something out of nothing, and coming up with an impromptu yet convincing explanation when your neighbor finds you digging in the dumpster.  Now get on it!

The Virgin Blog--making a stand.

This is my very first blog.  Anyone who knows me will know that I'm somewhat repelled by the idea of blogging.  Say the word out loud to yourself.  It sounds like a medical condition involving water retention, or a noise you make while revisiting the too many vodkas you drank the night before.  "BLOG".  Yuck.
Don't get me started on "bloggers".  Many people who would put themselves in this category are spending more hours of the day typing about doing something than actually doing it. I'm from the midwest, and we don't waste words or time.  I am a do-er.  My first words were "I'll do it!" when my mom wasn't putting together my toy fast enough.  Seriously, ask her!
My crusty opinions aside, I'm going to make a good, honest attempt at embracing social media as it pertains to my art.  I'll be posting my plush toys, puppets, costumes, and other various entertaining artsy farsty-ness, which I guarantee will make you pee your pants with joy and forget all about my senior citizen-esque attitude toward blogs (uck, that word again).  I'll also be keeping you up to date on my impending appearance on TLC's Craft Wars--YAY!
Until next time, I will be in my workshop (*at my coffee table), Doing, Building, Sewing, Gluing, and definitely not posting desperate Instagram photos every half hour.

Peace out, Suckas!