laurennmccubbin.com

	Jan 06/10/	Press release
	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SPEAKING TO LAS VEGAS IN THE LANGUAGE OF LAS VEGAS AT THE ADULT ENTERTAINMENT EXPO A PERFORMANCE ON THE LAS VEGAS STRIP (in front of The Venetian) SATURDAY, JANUARY 9, 2010, 3pm-7pm Las Vegas artist Laurenn McCubbin explores the connections between the economy of Las Vegas and the legal and illegal sex industry with a performance on the Las Vegas Strip that mimics everyday economic exchanges. Editor’s Note: Interviews and hi-res images available upon request. Las Vegas, NV – Artist Laurenn McCubbin aims to uncover some of the roots of the hidden economic exchange between sex work and the Las Vegas economy, and what better time to highlight it than during one of the largest conventions in Las Vegas – the Adult Entertainment Expo? Taking place from January 7-10, this convention brings in upwards of 30,000 convention goers and will bring in untold money to Las Vegas’ struggling economy. But how much more money will be paid into Las Vegas’ “underground economy”, and to the sex workers who keep the “sin” in Sin City? McCubbin has created her own array of illustrated “hooker cards” featuring actual Las Vegas sex workers, that mimic the advertisements passed out on the Strip by escort agencies. Accompanied by the same workers that the agencies hire, she will be passing these cards out in front of the Venetian Hotel & Casino, right around the corner from the Sands Convention Center, which is hosting the Adult Entertainment Expo. As well as the hooker cards, McCubbin has created her own rolling billboard (sponsored by Vegas Mobile Media - http://www.vegasmobilemedia.com) that will be trolling the Strip during this performance. By recreating what is admittedly a common occurrence on the Strip, the artist hopes to draw attention to the contradiction of Las Vegas – a city built on sin and sexual excess that keeps prostitution illegal, while maintaining a financial relationship that continues to make sex work a viable and profitable economy. The secondary part of this project will take place off the Strip, via the phone number and website that McCubbin is promoting on the mock hooker cards – (877) LADY-BIZ and www.vegaslady biz.com. These multimedia presentations go live on Saturday, January 9th, and include audio and video interviews with the sex workers depicted in her work. On February 5th, at the Grant Hall gallery at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, McCubbin will be presenting photo and video documentation of this performance in a gallery setting, as well as pieces involving giant sized hooker cards, a memorial wall of custom made hooker shoes, and a burlesque performance. Uncategorized :: no comments

	Dec 03/09/	Have you donated?
	Uncategorized :: no comments

	Nov 05/09/	I know, I neglect you terribly
	I am >this close< to revamping this website, I swears! But right now, here is a quick update: I just got an opportunity to go to the Mustang Ranch outside of Reno to interview ladies & draw their portraits. I cannot TELL you how exciting this is, and what a boon it would be for my upcoming thesis show. However, the only day they can accommodate me in Sunday, Nov 15th, which means I have an insanly quick turnaround, & I need to buy an overpriced plane ticket & get a rental car. So... help a sista out? Buy a print from my Etsy store - i have 3 new ones up, as well as 3 older pieces: You should follow me on Twitter to get updates on my Hookertown Adventure - I’m so excited! Uncategorized :: 1 comment

	Mar 12/09/	Linkage
	Article about me and two other new to Vegas artists in the Las Vegas Weekly. I sound like a little bit of a jerk. I am not a jerk, I swear. Also, some of the info in the article isn’t strictly true: I never did any illustration for Shojo Beat for example. I was interviewed about the wedding, with pics by the lovely Bonnie Berry. Great interview with my beloved Jill Allyn Stafford, in which she gives me a very kind shout out. You should check it out if for not other reason than there are beautiful images of her work for you to check out. Big weekend coming up - having a birthday party for Alex as well as a housewarming. A bunch of the awesomest people in Vegas will be here, and we are even importing more people from LA and KCMO. Hilariously, I am regretting the lost studio time, because I am chugging right along on stuff: HOOKER CARDS… so many hooker cards… Ink wash/gouache study for a larger piece. So… this piece. Remember when I said I thought I was finished with this? Evidently I was wrong. I was really loathe to do anything with it, because I loved the pencil drawing so much. But I kept thinking, “this really needs some color and depth.” so… I started by just adding the red gouache: That was good, but not enough. So I jumped in and inked only the figure, did a light ink wash (it’s lighter than it looks in the photo), and now… I’m not sure. I am going to add more gouache to the sign, but.. I think I miss the gentleness of the pencil. Not sure, not sure. I’m going to live with it for a little while and see what I think. Uncategorized :: 2 comments

	Mar 08/09/	Where I’m At, March 8, 2009 edition
	In the last month, this is what I am: WATCHING: Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (Bleah, but I liked Eddie Izzard as Reepicheep) The Rundown (I love the Rock. There is no shame in my love for him. It is pure.) Kung Fu Panda (Surprisingly awesome!) Mamma Mia! (Unsurprisingly awful. Plus, ABBA.) Ghost Town (I like Kinear and Gervais, but this was boring) Iron Man (YAY!) RoboCop Dawn of the Dead (I was forced to watch both of these by Alex. I want those 4 hours back.) Lars and the Real Girl (Terrific. Odd. I heart Ryan Gosling.) Hancock (Bleach.) Helvetica (Every designer and design student needs to watch this) The Dark Knight (Not Oscar worthy. Sorry.) Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels Snatch (EEEEEEEE! STATHAM!) Enchanted (Fluffy and enjoyable) The Professional (Still love this movie. What is Jean Reno doing now? Like, RIGHT NOW?) READING: Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman (Got it for Getchell for his birthday, he read it in a day. My turn!) “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” by Laura Mulvey (Investigating the “male gaze”) “Patrilineage” by Mira Schor “Eccentric Abstraction” by Lucy Lippard (It’s feminist art theory week! Wheee!) DOING: Drawing - I have one large piece done, two others started. Painting - I have been working with gouache and ink washes. Did an enamel piece, wasn’t thrilled with it. Did a small ink and gouache study that I am happy with. Sculpting - Sorta. I am starting a VERY LARGE piece, but that is only in the sketch stage right now. And of course, there is the ever expanding wall of hooker cards. This is… still in progress. Update to come later this week. I am still thinking about it. Uncategorized :: 1 comment

	Feb 26/09/	Studio time
	I’ve been spending a lot of time in the studio right now - trying to up my output. What I have been working on: Here is a TERRIBLE iPhone pic of a piece in progress. Pencil on Rives BFK. I am thinking of coloring it partially with enamel, partially with watercolor. Enamel on wood, and it’s DRIVING ME CRAZY. The enamel isn’t spreading well, and I have all kinds of unforeseen ridges. I am going to try sanding it down - hopefully that will work. Grr. WALL. OF. HOOKER. CARDS. I’d like to fill the whole wall to start with. After that… well, I have ideas, but nothing I am ready to talk about yet. Except that I might do a giant hooker card. One thing about Vegas is that it does make me want to build everything on a monumental scale. Uncategorized :: 2 comments

	Feb 18/09/	Vegas on the brain
	Things I have been thinking about: Decaying neon signs. (Shot at the Neon Boneyard) Hooker cards. (Collected on the Strip for me by Alex.) Projections. (Taken in my studio.) Red Velvet Cupcakes Originally uploaded by Kelly Sue Cupcakes. Always cupcakes. (These were made by Kelly Sue.) Painting with enamel. (Thanks for the tips, Rusty - I like the more toxic 1-Shot stuff, and I am working in my studio, so the animals are safe from the fumes!) Painting with an airbrush. Foreclosures in Las Vegas. Alex was telling me tonight that Vegas has the highest rate of abandoned and vacant houses in the US. Higher than even Detroit. art, process :: no comments

	Feb 16/09/	So, if this is to be a sketch blog, I should post some sketches, huh?
	A quick and sloppy color sketch for an upcoming painting - the final will be 3′ x 5′, done with One Shot Enamel (the same stuff you use for pinstriping cars) on board. I took a pinstirping class from this crazy old school car dude, and while I don’t think I am going to be a professional pinstriper anytime soon, I really like the technique. Enamel is a new medium for me - I’m trying new stuff to get the glossy surfaces I want - and it’s super toxic, so I am wearing gloves and a respirator. Yes, I look like I am fighting aliens while I paint. I am going to start working with an airbrush as well (as soon as the right one shows up - grr, Dick Blick, grrr), and I really wanted to work with auto body paint, but I found out that it causes straight up sterility in women, so… yeah, no. I found some water-based auto paint, and I’m going to try that out and see how I like it. I’ll post pictures of the painting progress on Wednesday. Uncategorized :: 3 comments

	Feb 13/09/	My website works! MY WEBSITE WORKS!
	I heart you Frank Beaton. I rilly do. Ok, so - website back. Update by Monday. Do me a favor - post a comment if you still even come here, would you? xxxL Uncategorized :: 12 comments

Shot by Chu.	Aug 05/08/	I’m just a girl in the world
	Ok, the blog is FIXED. I am not a web designer or tech-type, so it took me way longer than it should have. Things I am doing: Moving in to my new studio at UNLV. Getting ready for my first show in Las Vegas. Shooting at the Neon Boneyard with Charlie Chu, and going to Roller Derby Con. Assistant teaching at UNLV in preparation to teach drawing this fall. Cooking a lot. I can make a pretty mean pork tenderloin and parmesan chicken, and I made a (very pink) non-dairy strawberry pie. Working out with my friend Miles who used to be a gymnast and who is now trying to teach me to walk on my hands. (I don’t think this is going to happen, but I am willing to keep trying!) Working on CARRIER. Oh, neverending CARRIER, how I love you. Thing not on my list: Going to SDCC. Yeah, I missed it this year, first time in 9 years. I am still a little bummed, if for no other reason than I would have liked to been around to see Comic Book Tattoo, which I have a (very short) story in (with Kelly Soup!). But with the wedding coming up, and my way reduced income (teachers make bupkis, y’all!), I just couldn’t afford it. Plus, I have nothing coming out any time soon that needs promoting, and Serpico will kill me if I take on anything else. So… yeah, no Nerd Prom for me. Anyways, I am now all fixed, web-wise, and I am still thinking about what to do with this space. I want to keep promoting my work, but lately, it’s all CARRIER, all the time. I like talking about stuff that I obsessed with, so there is always that. (Lately, it’s the abuse of female soldiers in Iraq, and the government and Halliburton covering it up - more on this later.) But I would like to have this kind of go towards being my journal of my experiences in grad school, my work processes, and… yeah, I don’t know what else. It’s a fucking blog, whadda ya want from me? Uncategorized :: 9 comments