Justin Simoni - News

Cubelets Video Has Landed!

2012-01-06T05:01:39Z

Just sit back and enjoy.

Great Divide Mountain Bike Challenge Is ON!

2011-03-14T08:17:45Z

If you've ever spent an appreciable amount of time with me, you'll know that I dig bicycles, mostly riding them while covering great distances. I've taken trips down the Pacific Coast from Vancouver, British Columbia to Mexico, around France for a few months, down the North and South Islands of New Zealand, as well as smaller trips, like Paris to Amsterdam following the route of the Paris-Roubaix Spring classics race and through a good part of Colorado's front range, riding to trail heads of some of the state's more famous 14ers (and then up them!).

This year in June, I'm staying close to home and taking on the personal challenge of racing the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. My goal is to cover the 2,745 miles, 39 Continental Divide crossing and 200,000 feet of total elevation gain in twenty-one very, very, very busy days. The race is self-supported, meaning: no support crew follows me and I can only use resources found on-route. Camping along the way, I'll be riding around 16 hours a day, attempting to cover between 100 and 150 miles each day, NO rest days. There's no entry fee, or prize money - it's me against the route.

I first heard about this insanity while hanging out at Salvagetti, my local bike shop and listening to one of the mechanics named Fixie Dave talk about riding the same race. That was many years ago and I was just starting out transitioning into a car-free, bike-full lifestyle.

Fixie Dave is still at it and this year I finally feel prepared to try it myself. It's not going to be easy, but it's going to be incredible.

I've created an entire mini site about training my body and mind to tackle such a challenge, and also started a fundraiser to help pay for things like, a bike to ride it on and food to eat along the way. I'm challenging myself to riding 1200 miles in the Month of March and I challenge you to donate to my fund raiser. I'm giving half of whatever I take in to benefit a local organization called U.S.E.D., who help get used syringes off the streets of Denver. Yes - I'm getting into the best shape of my life to help some of the most worse-off people in my community.

You can donate to the fundraiser by visiting the donation page, or by choosing the level you want to contribute in the handy infographic below. Thanks so much for helping out!

New Print: WOMAN3 - $20 + s/h

2011-01-03T08:50:49Z

Been experimenting with various custom inks and processes in the studio lately. Some fruits of my labor:

$20.00 + shipping/handling
Four-color archival-quality acrylic-based ink
8" x 8" w/1.5" white border on #120 Bristol Vellum, 157lb
Edition of 25, signed/dated/numbered on the lower right

My friend Brittany has a show at Illiterate Gallery in Denver with Drew

2010-10-18T02:20:20Z

I bumped into Brittany after playing in a parade (yes, a parade) and she gave me this card, for her next show:

Brittany Gould and Drew Englander are having an opening at Illiterate on November 5th, 2010, and you should check it out. There's an artist workshop on the 15th of Nov. and a closing party on the 26th. Brittany and I have been in many shows together and I really like her work. I also really really the music she makes.

This is one of the most moving performances I've seen her do - it was just another show and my camera can't capture Brittany in any precision, but imagine,

Turbulence | Ian Fisher Art Show at the Buell Theater | Oct. 18th

2010-10-07T09:04:30Z

My studio mate, Ian Fischer is having a art show at the Buell Theater, opening Monday, October 18th.

You should check it out;

D'ANDY WARHOL'S 15 MINUTE MOVIE

2010-10-01T02:03:11Z

August 6th, 2010 would have been Andy Warhol's 81st birthday, and it was also First Friday, where in Denver, most every art gallery has an opening of their latest show.

Dana Cain decided to have a neighborhood-wide birthday party for Warhol and hired me to play Mr. Warhol and take some footage of us causing trouble around the neighborhood, while attempting to make screen tests for a new film.

The film, a collection of these attempts is called, 15 MINUTE FILM and premiered at the Denver Modernism show, later that month. Here it is, for you to enjoy:

Thanks to Dana Cain for making this soiree possible! Thanks also to all the actors that helped out, Ashley Schiwart, John Birdman, Robin Whatley - as well as everyone that was unaccredited, Nichole Banowetz for filming and the VU cover band, Sweet Nuthin' for providing the soundtrack!

Thanks for all your generous donations to the Itchy-O Marching Band - we made our goal!

2010-09-29T04:15:26Z

We made our $3,00 goal for the Itchy-O fundraiser! Now, time to raise hell!... with... drums and cymbals and noise box makers and drum machines and vocoders and mini-Korgs and the like. Not demons and all that:

You did it, we just surpassed our goal. Amazing!

Thanks for helping us keep the streets random!!!

We're elated (and exhaling) over here.

We have a few days left.

If you have potential backer pals on the fence, let them know it's safe! The rewards are a GO!

The more backing we muster together, the more we're able to pass
along to the local artists designing and producing the merch, cd and
DVD.

We're really thrilled.

Tonight we jump up and down, tomorrow we get cracking on those rewards.

Uber-grateful...

Your friendly chaos-makers, IOMB

More Itchy-O love - this time crashing the Melvins show at the Ogden. We went there because the Melvins rule. This is the show people were throwing $20 bills at the dancer. And I was the dancer. Hella!

You all rule. Thanks so much (again and again) for your collective help for our collective chaos!

The Itchy-O Marching Band Wants to Destroy Your Next Outing. With Sounds!

2010-09-20T03:51:39Z

The IOMB, the world's only percussion-centered electronic marching band, prides itself on bringing sophisticatedly savage, avant-garde music to the people, when and where it is least expected. We live for the stunned faces, staggering delight and the awkward cross-eyed wonder that spreads across unsuspecting crowds whenever we turn the corner.

A recent press shout-out in Denver's Westword sums it up best;

"some odd electronic music accompanied by the sounds of percussion filled the air. Turns out the sounds were emanating from members of the Itchy-O Marching Band... A lot of people probably had no idea what was going on, but Itchy-O sure did bring smiles to a lot of faces..." Tom Murphy (Westword, August, 2010), Second Night of Warlock Pinchers Reunion Offers Twice the Mayhem, Plus a Marching Band.

We're preciously close at reaching our $3,000 goal on Kickstarted to record an album, make a documentary and continue on with our nonchalant mayhem. Have you seen us around? Dig us? Think about donating. We have swag to give, in return:

Some of my favorite moments in the Itchy-O Marching Band:

at the Underground Music Showcase (univitedly crashed), you'll see me as the Chinese Lion:

Itchy-O Marching Band from Mixtec Media on Vimeo.

Playing The Filmore (Denver) :

Crashing the Warlock Pinchers reunion show, at the Gothic:

Finally, at the Illegal Pete's 15th anniversary party:

Like this? Help out with the Kickstarter! (please!)

Civic Peculiars - Live Screen Printing/Collaging of a Community of Drawings!

2010-06-30T16:54:17Z

TONIGHT is the opening of many, many, many art shows - the one I've been helping in my small way is Objectophillia - lots of going up and down ladders and putting holes into walls and attempting not to break anything.

I will also be at the opening with a little project called, Civic Peculiars! I've asked people in the Denver Community to make a drawing about something in Denver - whatever they wanted, pretty free form. I'll be bringing almost 20 different designs to print on shirts and some larger areas to cover.

Facebook Event RSVP!

Stop by around 7:00 - 10:00pm (1900 16th Street) TONIGHT (Wed. June 30th) to see the spectacle. There's so many things that are going to be happening. It'll be as if Disneyland was real, or Burning Man was a little less fuzzy pink boots and naked people... and drugs and... free love, but in the middle of downtown and not in the middle of the desert. OK - I'll get naked for you (at least!)

Civic Peculiars

Denver Drawings Printed and Collaged to Construct Impossible Spatial Relations
Large/Small, Real/Imaginary, Popular/Obscure, Personal/Public
Colorful. Diverse.

SHIRTS
Unique Collages - $15

LARGE PRINT COLLAGES - $100

Robert Atkinson
Nicole Banowetz
Justin Beard
Brandon Borchert
Erin Lea-Dougherty
Avery Flinta
Ishmael Hallin
Tyler Jacobson
Derek Keenan
Lauri Lynnx Murphy
Mariah Raymond
Justin Simoni
Alex Skazat
Harry C. Walters
Wendy York

THANK YOU! Everyone that submitted a drawing! I couldn't have done the project without input from our Fair City of the Plains residents. See you at the opening, tonight and get a shirt!

Call For Volunteers During the Objectophillia Opening. Yeah!

2010-06-28T04:47:29Z

I will be in need of one or two volunteers during the Objectophillia show that opens this Wednesday at 1900 16th Street in Denver, CO, between 7:00pm and 10:00pm. If you can come a few hours before, that would be awesome! And a little after would rule, too, but whatever you can swing.

We will be screen printing t-shirts LIVE with the drawing submissions everyone has giving me (there's been a ton of them). We will be collaging the drawings together in any which way we want. We'll have people freakin' out with the designs. Kind of like this:

It would be incredibly rad to have:

A Messy-Hand, helping me with screen printing shirts. Bring some clothes you don't mind getting messy. I'll be happy to supply gloves and an apron thing.
A Clean-Hand, handling purchases, picking out blank shirts, helping people with what's up - that sort of thing.

Perks include being in the center of an event that's estimated to bring a few thousand people to hang out, perhaps a custom t-shirt for your troubles and lots of booze, either from the opening, or I'll swing by the package store and get some stuff. Do a rad job and let's split any tips we get. Sound fair?

Please, if you're interested, get in touch with me, either via email: me@justinsimoni.com or give me a call: 720.436.7701. It would be wonderful if you're into the Denver Art scene, want to learn about crazy performances, screen printing, like hanging out with a few thousand people - that sort of thing.

Let me know as soon as you can and please do not be a flake!

Word! Justin!

ART SCHOOL LOSER shirts available exclusively at the YesPleaseMore Popup Store!

2010-06-27T01:18:57Z

I just dropped off a new batch of hand-pulled ART SCHOOL LOSER shirts and delivered them via bicycle to the YesPleaseMore Popup Store. They look, a little bit like this:

They'll be available exclusively at the YesPleaseMore Popup Store, so get yourself down there and get one, my little Art Stars! Here's what YesPleaseMore says about themselves,

YesPleaseMore is a temporary retail store that sells 100% Colorado designed goods. We believe in supporting the local creative economy by offering free co-working space, workshops and starter grants for creative entrepreneurs.

Visit us at our retail store and co-working space located at the Denver Pavilions, 500 16th Street Suite 252.

The money the retail store takes in is directed toward starter grants for artists and designers that people can apply for and other people vote for - the most popular idea gets the grant. Brilliant!

The YesPleaseMore also has a small, co-working space, where you can stop by, utilize their free wi-fi and get some work of your own done. I was writing an article about the PRESSED! exhibit that's just next door and this space came in handy to work on my piece. Brilliant! (Again!)

Nativeyewear Live Screen Printing: Total Success!

2010-06-09T04:42:49Z

Last weekend, I loaded up a borrowed truck with a portable screen printing studio: nine designs on nine screens, nine colors, nine squeegees and hundreds of really nice t-shirts to Vail and set up shop at Nativeyewear's lounge at the Teva Mountain Games area to screen print t-shirts to anyone and everyone that wanted one - whatever t-shirt, whatever graphic, wherever they wanted - and how every many they wanted of each design.

We had some fun. Actually, we had a smash hit.

That line formed about three minutes into starting to print t-shirts and didn't relent until we ran out of them. Actually, not even then! As I was more than happy to screen print whatever people were wearing. In one case, we attempted to screen print a kayak!

Printing custom t-shirts takes a little time to do. To my surprise, my extremely patient t-shirt fans did not mind the wait - or my goofing off, while we wait for a design to cure onto the t-shirt. A pleasant experience and wonderful to talk to all the people who came for the event.

A Nativeyewear team member shows off some enhancements to a previous Native shirt!

Above is custom design whipped up! Mounntains on the front, tire treads and a mountain biker over the seam! Sweet!

Another happy custom t-shirt owner!

Hard at work!

Thanks has to go out to Nativeyewear for supporting me and letting me do some great designs for them, taking me up to Vail and letting me have fun with all the people who came round for a complement-of-Native shirt! Awesome people to work with and I feel pretty lucky to play a small part in all the fun they put together. Let's do it again, guys!

Find my this weekend in Vail at the Teva Mountain Games - custom shirts complementary of Native Eyewear

2010-06-03T17:48:00Z

Nativeyewear has so graciously invited me to Vail to work with them during the Teva Mountain Games - find me at the Nativeyewear booth, where I will be screen printing t-shirts on Friday June 4th and Saturday June 5th, from 11:00am to 5:00pm.

Check out their fancy and sexy sunglasses, and design a custom t-shirt with me out of 9 different designs Nativeyewear has commissioned that we can mix and match in any way imaginable. If that wasn't sweet enough (and it is), Nativeyewear tells me the shirts will be complementary!

Don't forget to tip the fine artist, but seriously, stop by visit, grab a custom t-shirt for free and leave the Teva Mountain Games super happy. Locate us at the Vail Village, "Gear Town" - won't be hard to find, this event is basically taking over Vail.

Here's what they say about the Teva Mountain Games,

The Teva Mountain Games are the country's largest celebration of adventure sports, art and music and they return to Vail, June 3-6, 2010.

Professional and amateur athletes from around the world converge upon the mountains and rivers of Vail to compete in eight sports and 24 disciplines for more than $100,000 in prize money. This year's sporting events include kayaking, rafting, mountain biking, road cycling, World Cup Bouldering, amateur climbing, fly fishing, stand up paddling, trail running and a half marathon.

Lifestyle components include the Mountain Click Photo Competition, the Serac Adventure Film School, Outdoor Reels Film Festival, Mountains of Music free concerts and the Teva Mountain Ball. The weekend is rounded out by the Gear Town and Green Light District expo areas and the interactive family zone, Adventure Village.

The Teva Mountain Games are a project of the Vail Valley Foundation.

Nativeyewear has been super nice to work with and any company that treats and supports artists like Nativeyewear does is a great company in my book. The sunglasses are pretty sweet, too.

Saturday, May 22, 2010 - Food Not Bombs 30th Birthday Benefit Extravaganza! - Art Auction!

2010-05-21T19:55:46Z

I'll be helping doing a little part for Denver's Food Not Bombs 30th anniversary fund raising event - I'll have fun, fancy prints in the silent art auction.

Kathleen St. John Mary of the Onion A.V. Club sums it up quite nicely:

Give peace--and free vegetarian food--a chance: The Denver chapter of Food Not Bombs is celebrating the organization's 30th anniversary tomorrow at The Other Side Arts (1644 Platte St., 303-561-3000). FNB volunteer Alex Dismore says it'll be a "feast for the senses," with art and live music from local acts Paper Bird, Paper Bear, and Princess Music, as well as food and drinks.

With chapters all over the world, FNB's mission is to spread its anti-war, pro-food message through the public distribution of free meals. "Each chapter collects unwanted food that would otherwise be thrown away, and cooks vegan or vegetarian meals and serves them in public places," Dismore says. "The idea is to keep overhead low and operate with all-volunteer labor and almost no budget, and serve in a place that everyone can access."

The event runs from 6:30pm - 11:00pm at the Other Side Arts on 1644 Platte St. between 6:30 - 11:00pm. There is a sliding scale door cover to help with the fundraiser, but no one will be turned away. There's some more info on the Facebook event page.

See you there!

Pressed: An Exhibition of Letterpress Printed Ephemera - Fundraiser!

2010-04-25T05:00:02Z

Rick Griffith, designer, artist and general man about town in good standing is holding a fundraiser for a wooden letterpress art show. In his own words:

We will be presenting an exhibit of letterpress printed works, in Denver including the Hamilton 10th Anniversary show, Prints from Hatch Showprint, Nashville, TN and Works produced at the TypeLab/Rob Roy Kelly American Wood Type Collection at the University of Texas, Austin. This exhibit is also open to printer/designers elsewhere, we expect to have projects from Amos Paul Kennedy Jr, Columbia Center for the Book, and other influential institutions and individuals.
The call for entries is still open.

This exhibit, curated and organized by Rick Griffith will be staged for the first time May 29, 2010 through July 4, 2010 in Denver, Colorado. This exhibit is organized in collaboration with The Design Council of the Denver Art Museum and co-presented by AIGAColorado.

This, is our first round of funding, is to provide material support for the exhibition, the building of large movable wood type walls, paint and, feeding volunteers whilst in construction. We will not be charging for the call for entries, or for curatorial fees, or for publication in the catalog.
The catalog will be funded with advanced purchases.
The traveling show will have its own capital funding campaign. Once the show is complete.
Organizers in potential host cities should contact me directly...lets see if this baby has legs.

Our Funding Goal here is designed to succeed (this is our bare minimum) we would simply make a better exhibit with more. Feel free to give as little as you have to, and as much as you can. We'll appreciate everything. Our hope is to show solidarity and raise 200% of our goal.

Anyone who can figure out the significance of the funding goal number will receive a free catalog.

Type First, Ask Questions Later.

Rick (Griffith) (303) 893 0330

Visiting Rick's printing press studio is always a pleasure and I hope that, if you can, you can help out with their fundraiser. I wouldn't ask you, unless I also helped out a little (I did). I'd love to be a part of this show, but my reason for helping is really that I love to see neat things happen in town and this would be a really quite interesting thing indeed. I'll have to ask Rick if I can help paint some walls, or somethin' -

Here's the link to the kickstarter fundrasing page:

http://kck.st/dzvGpW

As well as more information about his strange and wonderful studio doings:

http://designartartdesign.com/enter/

I will see you at the opening!