The Shiny Squirrel:

Hi!

Shiny Squirrel here. I hope you are doing well and this e-mail finds you in the best spirits. I don't normally e-mail about things that aren't Shiny Squirrel related, but I am working on a new project and I need all your help. It is called Brooklyn Skillshare and it is a one-day event that will be happening in October at Gowanus Studios.

It is a free day of food, Workshops, and plenty of fun! We are looking for anyone would like to teach a class, volunteer the day of the event, or commit to being apart of the collaborative. The workshops are each around an hour and will be a wide range of topics includin Silk Screen, indoor gardening, and vegan baking. We are looking for your skills and knowledge to help spread the word and participate in the event.

Please e-mail me with any questions or comments and I can help you get on board! We think this is going to be a huge success and enable people to learn something new or discover a passion they didn't even know they had!

Thanks and make sure you check into the latest interviews on The Little Interview series with Andy Smith and Jess Rotter!

kind regards

jessica

goldfondj@hotmail.com

Woohoo Jess Rotter!

What is your background in art?

I'd been scribbling for ages and focused on studying oil painting for my entire time in college. My paintings were always said to be very illustrative, and when I moved to NYC and couldn't afford a proper studio, the inevitable alternative was drawing so I began illustrating for a slew of lifestyle magazines. In 2002, I was the artist-in-residence for a British label called Birdie which had a killer 6-year run and led to exhibitions of my work in Tokyo, New York, and London.

After that ride, in '06 I started Rotter and Friends which has turned into a warm little world that in tandem with being a tee shirt label-hosts events, rad collaborations and serves as a fun discovery forum of rare nostalgic music and art.

If you could collaborate with one person who would it be?

I'm going to hopefully collaborate soon with my dear friend from London, Zakee Shariff. She is a magical illustrator, printmaker, textile designer, and a rainbow soul sister. I have a dream and it involves a room filled with crazy 3D props...Woah!

What is your artistic process and how do you know when a piece is completed?

Depending on the project, my process involves a ton of coffee, good jams and a little Japanese ink pen. I recently moved to Brooklyn after living in Manhattan

for almost 8 years and the space difference is giving me excited owl eyes. I can't wait to work in a place where I don't have to unfold an easel every night from under my bed!

What is your next big project?

The next adventure is a killer event with digital reissue label Anthology
Recordings (www.anthologyrecordings.com) and American Apparel's
Viva-Radio, June 25th where the GREAT Bobb Trimble
(http://www.bobbtrimble.com/) will perform for the first time in NYC.
Pretty stoked for that moment.

What currently inspires your work?

Besides the obvious influence of vintage sounds, which always throws colors and ideas in my noggin, the following are blowing my mind this month:

- Jeff Wall's A Sudden Gust of Wind (after Hokusai) - great visual of the world vibes right now.

-"American Pop" film by Ralph Bakshi. Rad rotoscope movie adventure that spans decades of pop music. Sorry, CGI.

-The work of Richard Amsel. A wizard that masters any time period by making his illustrations iconic and timeless.

- Big Sur's landscapes.

What piece of artwork would you love to own?

Philip Guston's "Painting Smoking Eating" from 1972. This man kick started my deep love for painting and I always revert back to that image. This was one of the first for a new move/series for Guston, who at the time was known for abstract work. "PSE" is drunk, cartoony, political, childish, smokey, sweet, brash, and truly original. I visit the piece any chance I get when it's up.

http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/art/reviews/n_9444/

Describe yourself in 5 words?

Goofball

Lover

Driven

Froggy

Boogiarized

What is the last 6 songs you listen to on your ipod?

Mother nature-Mike Harrison (thanks z)

You Should Be Ashamed-Emitt Rhodes

Never Make a Dollar That Way-David Wiffen

Young Turks-Rod Stewart

Madman Across The Water-Elton John

The Bible-D.R. Hooker

Do you read blogs and if so are there any you love?

I do!

I love the honesty, wisdom, and genuine passion you can find in the bloggage of Kimi Buzzelli, Jennifer Brandt Taylor, and Cathy of California for amazing images of 70's crafts.

I don't know what I would do without Rad Dudes and DListed

Currently reading/ watching anything?

I love the Mighty Boosh and Tim and Eric shows on Adult Swim. Kills me everytime!

Just picked up the book "the Mad Cub" by Michael Mclure which I scooped up solely for the cover which features a sunglass clad guitar holding 70's rock star hunk flocked by a slew of adoring fans-pretty stoked to tackle that easy read beast over the summer!