suckers and biters

Now that you've read about Suckers and Biters perhaps you and your significant other will want to submit your own pair of unique creatures for our next show. There is a $20 fee to participate to help us cover costs. Inclusion in the show is contingent upon your willingness to sign an agreement that has info pertaining to: rights to photograph and publish your art, to install your art using map pins, insurance issues, and sales. There are also shipping or delivery instructions, blanks for bios, and your assertion that you are a romantically involved couple. As soon as you feel you're likely to participate [email us] for a copy of this agreement. Your request will help us forecast the number of works we'll be hanging. Also, please follow our guidelines for deadline, materials, size and process…otherwise we’ll have to lovingly reject you and we all know rejection both sucks and bites.

deadline: All work and signed agreements must be received by TBD [stay tuned].

materials: Your submissions should be on paper so that they can be pinned to the wall. Please do not mount or frame. Otherwise, use whatever you wish to make these works reflect your own style and sensibility. (Below we used ink, black and white pastel, and electrical tape.)

size: All submissions should be a pair of 12" x 9" sheets, or you can choose to show 2 pairs of 7" x 5" sheets. We can't predict how many submissions we’ll have, so we can't promise to show more, but you’re welcome to submit an additional pair just in case space permits.

process: Start with two equally sized pieces of paper (see size requirements above). Somehow shield your work from one another so stray glances won't influence you or spoil the surprise. (We erected small cardboard barricades around our drawing pads). Now mentally divide your paper into three equal horizontal sections. The top will correspond with the head/neck region, the middle with the torso, and the bottom with the legs/feet. Designate which paper is to be female and which male, (or make them both the same sex if you're a same sex couple).

Time to let your imagination run wild, be playful, all while reflecting what's going on in your lives together. You should be integrating both words and images in your design.

When done with your section, cover all but the bottom-most bit and the last few words with scrap paper and masking tape (being careful to affix in a way that won't rip your piece when you remove!). Now exchange papers with your partner. You must each continue what the other began, maintaining the gender they started but connecting in your own unique way to what little of their image and words you see. Once completed with the torso middle section and accompanying words, again cover all but the bottom-most bits and words and exchange for the last time. Now you're onto the legs and feet. What you do here can really tie the piece together.


Left text: w/ ur 75 baby snakes, back and forth we trained at Stain how to bend bars into art promis'd. "Too full of the milk of human kindness." To..."look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under't."	Right text: Blow me up...the biggering of life, as we create, complicate, a pet, a pet project. Understanding is sometimes tricky, but to illuminate without distortion or clouds you can see me, big dirigible, high on air.