Group Show: Playful at Melbourne’s City Library

There's lots going on in Mochimochi Land suddenly (including a new human baby)! Coming up soon is the group exhibition Playful, at Melbourne's City Library April 2-29th. 

The work I’m contributing are gnomes from 2015’s Gnome Genome Project, but I also made these tiny eggs with legs to go in a capsule machine that the show will include.

Here’s all the show info: 

​PLAYFUL GROUP EXHIBITION

Celebrating National Youth Week 2016 at Melbourne Library Service 

Opening: 7 April, 6-8 PM

Location: Gallery at City Library, 253 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000

Exhibition dates: April 2 – 29, 2016

Curated by: Sophia Cai

Artists: Anna Hrachovec (USA), Ashley Ronning, Beci Orpin, Christina Gordon, Cat Rabbit, Evie Barrow, Erica Fustero (Spain), Hiné Mizushima (Canada), Holly Leonardson, Isobel Knowles, Kenny Pittock, Luke Temby, Misako Mimoko (Spain), Philippa Rice (UK), Rosaleen Ryan, Soreureubear (Korea), Tessy King, Yiying Lee

PLAYFUL is a group exhibition that celebrates the power of play and imagination. Curated by Sophia Cai for National Youth Week 2016 at Melbourne Library Service, City of Melbourne, PLAYFUL features leading Australian and international artists with works in soft sculpture, ceramics, textiles, toy design, animation and illustration.

PLAYFUL is an exhibition that encourages fun and play. Come along to a series of four curated workshops during the month of April, and learn from artists Beci Orpin, Kenny Pittock, Luke Temby and Holly Leonardson to sew, sketch, make and cut your own works of art. (Workshops for ages 15+).

Local small press Helio Press and Sophia Cai are also producing limited edition catalogues for the exhibition that feature colouring pages by more than ten artists. Last but not least, the exhibition is also home to the exclusive PLAYFUL Gashapon toy vending machines, co-curated by Rosaleen Ryan. Bring $2 coins to join the fun!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2015 Holdiay animation starring new Mochimochi Land characters the Generosi-trees! Made with help from Maureen Boyle; music by William Steffey.

Tiny Turkey vs Tiny Tofurkey

A little series I whipped up for Thanksgiving 2015. Happy Thanksgiving! 

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.