The CozInk Collective is (finally) on YouTube

I don't really know why it took me so long to create a YouTube channel for us. You know how sometimes you have a reason for doing, or not doing, something and then as time goes on you forget what your reason was? I think at some point I had a reason not to make one, but I don't remember anymore, and it seems silly for the collective not to have a presence there.

So, I give you the CozInk Collective YouTube Channel!

It currently has 10 videos, comprising past shows from Old Man Forest and Arborea. I'm working on uploading more videos, from Jan Mayes and from the L/A Comp release party in 2008, and of course I'll continue to update it with NEW stuff as it happens and I can be there to take video.

Leaves of Life

Artwork by Hanna Tuulikki


June 23rd was the official release date for 'Leaves of Life'.

Leaves of Life is the essential collection of songs by some of today’s most creative Indie Folk musicians. This record brings together unique and contemporary artistic voices to create an evocative and stunning collaboration; with all proceeds from the sales of this record going to benefit important relief programs in Africa, and other communities in great need around the world.

Curated and produced by Buck Curran of the Alt-folk duo Arborea, Leaves of Life features 19 exclusive songs by artists Alela Diane, Devendra Banhart, Marissa Nadler and Black Hole Infinity, Fern Knight, Shanti Curran (Arborea), Rio en Medio, Larkin Grimm, Mi and L’au, Starless and Bible Black, Silver Summit, Micah Blue Smaldone, David Garland, Citay, Big Blood, Mica Jones, Eric Carbonara, Ora Cogan, Cursillistas, and Magic Leaves…along with the beautiful art work of musician Hanna Tuulikki. This project hopes to further inspire people around the world to join in vital artistic and social efforts to make a better life for all of us.

In addition the digital release of the compilation will include special bonus tracks by Jozef van Wissem, Laurent Brondel, Denise Dill, and Plains.

To purchase the cd in the U.S. please visit Darla Records

http://darla.com/index.php?fuseaction=e4_ecom.ecom_superitem_detail&item_cat_id=36667

For purchasing in Europe visit here

http://bornerecordings.bigcartel.com/product/various-artists-leaves-of-life

All proceeds from the sale of this record go to the World Food Program!

if you would like more information about the world food program please visit: www.friendsofwfp.org

Please help us get the word out about this record compilation- every cd that sells will help!!!

-Buck & Shanti

Blog Feature and Upcoming Shows in Oct.!

Fairly recently, I added a schedule to the blog layout to keep track of upcoming events featuring CozInk Collective folks. The schedule is right over to the right of this entry, underneath the images of two wonderful CozInk CDs.

As you'll notice, October is shaping up to be a very busy month! Sunwell, Arborea, and Jan Mayes are playing all over New England (and a little further!). In honor of their upcoming shows, I'm going to provide everyone with a few links to see or hear them play, and entice you to catch some of these shows.

Sunwell
Video from Sunwell's performance at Roots and Tendrils in August.
A couple tracks from Sunwell.

Arborea
Video from Arborea's performance at Roots and Tendrils in August.
Arborea's website.

Jan Mayes
Pictures and video from Jan's performance at Holly's Own back in April.
Jan's website.

So if you're going to be near any of these shows, take the chance to support some very talented local musicians!

As a side note, CozInk Paper Goods (me...) has just been featured on the Etsy Maine Team's blog. The Maine Team has been calling for team members to share their work spaces or studios with the blog, and since I just got my first real studio set up, I was only too happy to oblige... You can see the blog, and pictures of my studio here. You can see more work from more talented Mainers by going to Etsy.com and searching for the term "maineteam". That will bring up all sorts of awesome handmade goods that members of the Etsy Maine Team have been working on!

CozInk Cards in a new brick and mortor

Hashed out some details today, and shipping cards off tomorrow. You will soon be able to purchase CozInk Cards at Dalton Heritage Arts, which part of the Maine Heritage Village in Wiscasset, Maine.

CozInk featured on a Maine craft blog!

Peggy, who owns Three Bridges Sewing Co. also runs a great Maine craft blog called The Fabric of Time. Every Tuesday she does a Twos-Day Morning Artist Feature, where she features two artists from the Maine Etsy Team.
I'm totally flattered that this week Peggy featured my Etsy shop along side Paige/Knitster.

Blog feature is here, take a peek!

CozInk at Valhalla Fields Festival this Saturday!

This Saturday (June 20), there's a great little FREE festival in western Maine. In Poland, to be exact.

Valhalla Fields Farm is a second generation homestead, started in the 70s with the vision that one day the land would serve as a sanctuary of sorts; a place for artists and musicians to share their crafts in a relaxed, low key way. On the longest day of the year, the farm opens its land to the public for the Valhalla Fields Festival. The festival is free, full of great music and art, and a great way to spend a family-friendly afternoon. No one gets paid, and no one has to pay.

CozInk has some stuff going on in the art show part of the festival as well as the music part. I will have one photograph and one printmaking piece in the art show, and Jessy & Denise will be playing music around 2:30 that afternoon.

Speaking of Jessy and Denise, the name "Tight Like Flight" is out, and they are now going by "Sunwell". "Like a well. With a sun at the bottom." as Jessy explained.

I'll be at the festival with my daughter and my aunt, Jessy and Denise will be there for awhile around their set, and some of the other CozInk people may make the trek out to Poland, I'm not sure. Hope to see you there, though!

-Grace

Upcoming Art Shows

Tomorrow night is the grand opening of Roots & Tendrils, a new multipurpose art gallery in Belfast, Maine. For their first exhibit, they are hosting a great show called "Visions from Voices" which showcases the CD artwork from local (Maine, New England) music. This is a perfect first show for them, since the space is about drawing together art, music, and retail.

I'm psyched to announce that art from Arborea (CD above is their latest, House of Sticks- artwork by Buck and Shanti Curran) and L/A COMP (at right, artwork by Victoria Koldewyn) are both being included in this first exhibit, and also that Roots & Tendrils is carrying some of my paper goods in their retail side of things. Visit them at 2 Cross Street, Belfast, Maine to pick up Cozink cards, copies of L/A COMP, and copies of Arborea's Wayfaring Summer.

Show: Friday, June 5th from 5PM-8PM with live music following from 8PM-10PM.


And the next night...


Captive Elements Art House is having their opening reception for their June art exhibit on Saturday, June 6th, from 7PM-10PM. The exhibit includes three featured artists: acrylic painter Sarah Vorisek, photographer Abi Wellman, and me, photographer/printmaker Grace Kendall. They will also be displaying works from their house artists during the show, which runs June 6-26.
They will have up eight photographs of mine, along with eight or nine prints, and cards/bookmarks/postcards like what is in the Etsy shop. The show is free, and refreshments will be available as well. The show will be right at the gallery, Captive Elements Art House, 25 Landry Road, Lewiston, Maine.

-Grace

Sat. 04/04/09 @ Holly's Own

This past Saturday, Holly's Own Deli in Auburn hosted a two and a half hour performance by Jan Mayes. Jan was also accompanied on several songs by Jessy on hand drums, and Jerry on guitar.

You can read more about Jan at her MySpace page here, where you'll also find future shows, more songs, photos, and a second video from Saturday's performance at Holly's Own.

(Photos & video taken by Grace)

Earbait

The most recent Earbait project that my brother put together is done and ready for play/distribution/purchase? This is Earbait 4, I think.

The project is that several artists are giving one set of lyrics, and all are asked to put it to their own music and vocals. So the compiled CD includes 12 different musical/vocal interpretations of the lyrics.

The lyrics to this Earbait project were:

"note found in a beer can in a parking lot on high st., portland, maine feb 09/00" music to original version: Kelly Nesbit / words: Karl Greenwald

I woke up with a turd on my tongue
The world was bitter to eyeballs and eardrums.
I wanted to spank someone.
I wanted to tell someone they were bad.
So, I spanked myself, 'cause I knew I'd be bad that day.

Bad like carry grant or frank sinatra. I had whores on the brain
And cocain, and cocktails, saxophoning.
Oh it hurts to be alive. It hurts to feel a need.
Is there anybody out there who knows the need I have?

And where were you when the mountains grew?
I'm stuck on the syllable of you.
And you're stuck on the syllable of me.

You've been made nervous by a star that's chosen to follow you, everywhere.
You've been made nervous by horoscopes assessing your situation, perfectly.
You no longer are interested by why. Has the world been by your side?
You have strange tangle things that whirl around your skin and bones.
And like all things it gets in the way.

The here and now is then and gone.
And beyond the waves a land awaits. Sparkling and warm.
Like bubble baths or esoteric stories.
Beyond the waves a land awaits.

Here is Track #2, "r.r.o.c. vs. lonergan" (r.r.o.c. is Rough Ride of Crafts; AKA Jessy)
(I apologize for the poor sound- it's crappy digital camera sound)



CD cover art designed and printed by Shara Dewitt of Nashville. This is a R.R.o.C. records release. For more information please contact Jessy at shirk@riseup.net

Beginning

CozInk:

What: CozInk is a small(ish) group of artists in Maine, or with Maine roots, who collaborate, co-promote, and otherwise work together and support each other in various projects. The name is from: coz/cos = cousin and ink = writing/producing stuff, etc. so CozInk = cousins and family who produce art together.

Who: I'm Grace, I do the blogging and whatnot, and I formed CozInk as a way to organize all the different things our family members were doing. CozInk is made up of Jessy Kendall (music, publishing, writing), Jan Mayes (music), Myles Robert (art, music, writing, somuchmore), Grace Kendall (photography, art, organization), Sarah Kendall (photography), Shanti & Buck Curran (music), Gene Mayes (music, writing), and all manner of collaborators.