August 19th Signing at The Book Cellar

I’ve got a book signing coming up next week that I'm quite excited about. For once it's at real local bookstore!

The Book Cellar in Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood was nice enough to invite me for this month’s Local Author night. I’m a very local author, actually, since this is my neighborhood bookstore. I plan to show some animations and also put together a small Mochimochi landscape—it's always fun to show it in person. 

We’ll have copies of my new book, Adventures in Mochimochi Land, on hand too of course. 

This all starts at 7pm at The Book Cellar, 4736-38 N Lincoln Ave in Chicago. I hope to see some of my neighbors there!

Happ Fourth!

Made with help from Maureen Boyle. 

Adventures in Mochimochi Land is Here!

I'm excited to announce that my new book, Adventures in Mochimochi Land, is now on sale everywhere! 

 

Well, it's not on sale in the UK until later this summer, but it's available all across the US at least! 

As I've mentioned before, this book is really special, becuase it's a combination storybook and pattern book in one. In the stories,  a giant donut tries to eat a city,

sea creatures hold an underwater election,

and a balloon falls in love with a blimp. 

The patterns are, of course, for the characters and props that you see in the stories, so for knitters it can be an interactive experience. 

Adventures in Mochimochi Land is now available from online retailers like Amazon, hopefully from your local bookstore (ask them if they have it!), and signed copies are available from my shop.  

You can see more images from the book here. 

The Gnome Genome Project

I'm very pleased to announce a new Mochimochi Land solo exhibition opening Saturday, May 23rd at Everyday Mooonday in Seoul. 

This show will be different from my previous solo ventures—instead of one installation, it will comprise knitted gnomes in a variety of forms—two-dimensional, sculptural, gnomes depicted in scenes, and stand-alone gnomes in unusual forms. There will also be a large collection of "gnome diplomats" knitted and crocheted by people all over the US and other countries. 

Here is my introduction to the exhibition. 

The Gnome Genome Project 

Mochimochi Land 

In Mochimochi Land, it is commonly believed that gnomes are the glue that holds the universe together, from the subatomic to the cosmic level. Gnomes (sometimes spelled knomes) are neither male nor female, and once mature, they are ageless. To those who live in Mochimochi Land, they represent wisdom, tradition, mischief, and magic. These are properties that they share with the craft of knitting. 

In our world, gnomes are generally associated with northern European folklore, but they appear in many stories from various cultures, where they take on all manner of personalities, from good to evil. In Mochimochi Land, gnomes are neither good nor evil, gnomes just are. They’re busy, weird, playful, and quick to love or fight. 

This exhibition is a celebration of gnomes to an almost obsessive degree. It also asks: What do gnomes do when no one is looking at them? How much can a gnome be twisted, morphed, or given a costume change before it’s no longer a gnome? What do we see of ourselves in the gnomes that we make? Is there such a thing as too many gnomes? Where the heck will all of these gnomes end up? It may all just be a big silly joke in the end, but for now it’s time to go gnome or go home!

Anna Hrachovec

Mochimochi Land

If you're interested in seeing all the pieces that will be available for sale early, please sign up for my art newsletter. 

More photos from the show will be coming once it's up! 

Adventures in Mochimochi Land: Official Trailer

I’m excited to share an official trailer for my new book, Adventures in Mochimochi Land!

So that's a little taste of the fun that’s coming June 9th. You can also read a preview of the first story in the book here. 

Adventures in Mochimochi Land is coming out June 9th! It’s now available for preorder from Amazon, from Barnes & Noble, and from Powells, among other places. Signed copies are also available for preorder from me in the Mochimochi Shop. Or if you have a local bookstore or yarn store that you support, please ask them if they’ll carry it! 

Thanks to Maureen Boyle for putting the trailer together!

Funky Fleece

There are many uses for wool in Mochimochi Land! (Too many, maybe.)

I made this with help from Maureen Boyle. Funky music by William Steffey.

Character Portraits Book

I'm thrilled to have my work featured in Pictoplasma's new book Character Portraits. 

As you can see, the gnomes are thrilled too! 

Gnomes looking at gnomes looking at gnomes looking at gnomes... I like this theme becuase it reminds me of how I'm constantly making stuff that looks back at me. 

The image is of the Gnome Team Selfie I made for Pictoplasma's Portrait Gallery in 2014. The book is full of portraits of all manner of characters by some wonderful artists whose work I look up to. Get it on the Pictoplasma website. 

Happy Baa-lentine's Day

When love is in the air in Mochimochi Land, the results come quickly. May love blossom all around you this weekend!

Animation made with help from Maureen Boyle.

Group Show: WonderWomen at University of Minnesota

As it happens, I have work in another group show that starts with a W this month! 

WonderWomen, at the University of Minnesota's Katherine E. Nash Gallery, is a show of works by female artists who are influenced by comics and other pop culture. I sent them some animations from the past year and this assortment of tiny mochis. 

But I'm burying the lede here: I'm in a group show that also contains work by Alison Bechdel! Along with others whose work I admire, and others whose work I look forward to exploring. Here's a closer look at the show information: 

WonderWomen

January 20 - February 14, 2015

Katherine E. Nash Gallery

405 21st Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Group Show: White Monsters at Everyday Mooonday

I'm thrilled to be a part of White Monsters, a group show opening on January 9th at Everyday Mooonday in Seoul.  

The theme of the show is self-explanatory, and as you can see, I'm in extremely good character-artist company! 

My own white monster is named Big Thwicked in Thwhite (Thwilla).

Thwilla is an extra-large thwicked, so she's extra cute and cuddly, and also extra evil. She gets her rainbow colors from all the candy creatures that she eats in Mochimochi Land. 

White Monsters

January 1 - February 22, 2015

Everyday Mooonday

9-17 Songpadong, Songpagu,
Seoul, Korea