March 3rd. REPORT

Hello from Portland!  Amelia and I are here visiting friends and attending the opening of a fantastic group show at The Tribute gallery.  If any of you are in town, it would be so wonderful to see you there!

Opening reception: March 4th, 6:00-10:00 pm.  On view through March 27th.

Featuring work from Molly Landreth (Seattle), Amelia Tovey (Sydney, Australia), Rachel Papo(NYC), Carmen Winant (San Francisco) and Sarah McKemie (Tulsa).  Curated by Ashley d’Avignon Goodwin (PDX).

We also wanted to share a few pictures from our recent trip to Munich where we (thanks to very supportive individuals at the Amerika Haus and the American Consulate) to be able to give a talk on our current exhibition.  Here are a few snapshots from the lecture!!  If you're in Munich, the exhibition is on through March 12...be sure to check it out!  

FEB 13. JET SETTER

After six long months of dodgy internet connections and frustrating gchat meetings....even viewing video footage via mirror and webcam (yah yah, we learned about screen sharing a bit late in the game), Amelia is returning to the United States this Monday.

Yippie!!  Amelia is a very worldly lady but this week will really put her jet setting abilities to the test!  After a few days of rest and most likely a few glasses (bottles?) of wine...we will both be getting on the plane to Munich, Germany.  As we've mentioned before we will be giving an artist talk about Embodiment on the 23rd at the Amerika Haus.  This is the biggest exhibition of work from this project that has ever been on exhibited at once, with 30+ peices and a video installation.  We are jumping out of our skins we are so excited finally see everything!

STAY TUNED NEXT WEEK FOR A POTENTIAL TALKY BLOG REUNION!!

Dec. 31 NEW YEAR

Happy New Years Eve!!  I hope everyone has something fun to do with friends and family tonight.  I for one am going to a 10 year anniversary party for some lovely ladies that I met a few months ago.  I have decided that it would be fun to do something a little out of the norm this year, in hopes to make some new friends for the new year.   Not that I'm getting rid of the old ones... no no no.  Just trying to open up my little crab shell to new faces, new adventures, new stories to tell.  I'm such a resolution junkie.  And so....in honor of resolution numero uno.....I bring to you:  

"Friendship Truck Stop, Van Horn, TX.  2009  © Molly Landreth

I also bring to you another talky-blog-blast-from-the-past, to celebrate the one of the most exciting friendships that was rekindled in 2009.  Yehaw.  This ones for you partner.

Dec. 28 RITZVILLE

Whew, what a weekend!  After catching up with heaps of relatives, eating way too much food and shoppin' till I feel like droppin', today feels blissful in it's banality.  Everything is quiet.  To do lists are being made.  Resolutions are being considered.  Carb intake is back to normal.  Almost. 

I felt that this image was especially appropriate today.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Ritzville, WA.  2009 © Molly Landreth

If you remember correctly....This is the site of the very first Talky Blog that Amelia and I did on day one of our trip last June.  It's so cool to think of all of the amazing folks that we met that month and how much we learned by photographing and creating video interviews of them.  Only a month and a half to go and we're going to set off on another trip to meet more people, hear more stories and create new work.  I can't wait till we can share this footage with all of you instead of just the snapshots along the way!!  ...perhaps a sneak preview is in order soon.  hmmmm.

Memories.....

Dec. 25 MERRY XMAS

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!!!

El Campo RV Park Chapel, Van Horn, TX. 2009. © Molly Landreth

Dec. 24 SILENT NIGHT

It's Christmas Eve and the Landreth house is anything but silent. My sisters and I have gathered at my parents home to celebrate, and I have already consumed so much wine, good food and cupcakes (flown in from Kumquat!) that I feel like I may be sick. Aw yes. Nothing hurts as good as the holidays. Bring it on!

Mile High Hotel, Custer, SD. 2009 © LandrethTovey

Dec. 23 CORNER STORE

Corner Store, TX. 2009 © Molly Landreth

....Does everyone have their holiday shopping done? I'm nervously waiting for the stores to open so I can scoop up a few last minute presents before I pick my sister up at the airport at 11. Problem is, I think everything opens at 11. CRAP. Sorry sis.

Dec. 22 TOVEY TIME

I just talked to my favorite Australian on the phone a few hours ago and oh I miss her so. Why are you so far away? Come on back, ya hear?! Here is little video makin' Tovey in Austin fighting a losing battle with the daylight while the roller girls practice their moves that the Austin Speed Shop.

Tovey Time, Austin, TX. 2009 © Molly Landreth

Dec. 21 BACK TO BED

Good morning! Drinking coffee and scrambling to pull together all of the prints I made for the VERSUS show yesterday so that I can get them to NY by Wednesday. Yikes! ...I must think about shipping myself over to that coast as well. It's all very exciting but what I would love to do is crawl back in bed...and I think that the one pictured below would do quite nicely. :)

This particular bed can be found at the Sands Motel in Van Horn, TX. Sight of the filming of The Three Burials of Melquiade Estrada, in the town where everything is abandoned and lovely.

Sands Motel, Van Horn, TX. 2009 © Molly Landreth

Ps! Any photographers out there reading this blog? Does anyone know how to keep the color looking good after uploading to blogger? I have them all in srgb but they're coming up with a yellow red cast anyhow. If anyone has a solution....email me! mollylandreth@gmail.com

Dec. 18 GO WEST

After battling with iPhones that are on the fritz and GPS systems with mean, scolding, Australian accents (no...not Amelia!...shame on you!) it's always nice to have a friendly stranger to point you in the right direction.

Go West, Dallas, TX. © Molly Landreth

Dec. 17 I *HEART* FRUIT

With a snoring bulldog behind me, traffic noises out my window and dozens of lovely coffee vendors at my door step...I find myself this morning happily situated (if only temporarily as I dog sit for a friend) back in the glorious neighborhood of Capitol Hill in Seattle. Ah gay town, how I have missed you. As a tribute to this land I love. Today's postcard of the day is...

Washington State, Fruit. © Molly Landreth 2009

Dec. 16 RAIN

Nearing Van Horn, Texas. 2009 © Molly Landreth

Dec. 15 IF YOU WANT TO FIGHT...

Thrift Shop, Wallace, Idaho. 2009 © Molly Landreth

Dec. 14 TIPI + TAVERN

All images © Molly Landreth

Dec. 13 REWRITE

The bluest skies in Texas are haunting me tonight....

© Molly Landreth

Dec. 5 AT WORK

Amelia and I have been busy sifting through Embodiment footage (Amelia in 100 degree summer-time Sydney and me in icy wintery Seattle) and it is so much fun to uncover little memories like this one! :)

Amelia and Dusty shooting in the Ozarks, June, 2009.

Oh to be on the road again. (sigh)

JULY 7. LOS ANGELES, REVISITED

Molly did such a lovely job on that last post, the only thing missing was a little sumthin' from the AV club - so here it is - us on the couch with our gracious hosts Ross, Sal & Wee Wee. As I write this Molly is working hard and developing film in Seattle, while I'm in Brooklyn staring at piles of footage, excited to start the next phase of this project...

JULY 5. RECAP + A TALKY FOR ADRIEN!!

A sneak peek at Ross' fridge displaying proudly 1. his lovely mother 2. our fancy business card! and 3. the awesome town of Mount Vernon Washington where we grew up together!!

Surprise surprise....we're not in Texas anymore!

I am writing from my bedroom in West Seattle. Bags empty, washing machine full. Amelia is sitting next to an undisclosed body of water in Brooklyn, talkin' life and love with a friend. Sad but true the trip is over....for now...and we are recuperating on opposite coasts.

The trip up the West Coast from Texas through the City of Angels, San Fran and Portland was accented by windmills, power naps and new friends. It was both beautiful and sad and we were once again blown away by the generosity of our hosts and contributors.

In LA we stayed with and interviewed my BFF Ross and his lovely boyfriend Sal (some of you may know Ross as "Ross The Intern" from the Tonight Show....check out his new show HERE!) This was a really amazing time to rest, catch up with old friends and gear up for San Fransisco. Talky blog with Ross and Sal will be ready soon!


In San Fransisco (where evidently we forgot to take any digital pictures!!) we were lucky enough to squeeze in three photo shoots in two days....one of them being with Nomy Lamm whose work has inspired me for many years and who was a driving force to create this project. Needless to say it was a truly amazing experience to be able to sit down with her for a chat and to hear her play a song for us on a homemade music box!! Check out her website HERE.

When we reached Portland we decided that it was once again....TOVEY TIME. Switching gears from one project to another, "Shoot the Player" stepped up to bat in full force. Amelia met up with a possible new collaborator (Toddy) and together they filmed 4 music video's in 24 hours. Now that's talent! They will be posted on the Shoot the Player website in the months to come! Check it out at: SHOOTTHEPLAYER.COM



Here Amelia directs "Lovers" Carolyn Berk, Emily Kingan and Kerby Ferris, while Toddy and I have a camera showdown. These girls climbed trees and pranced through alleyways while singing the nicest songs one could possibly hope for on a sunny day in the Northwest. Check out the "Lovers" website HERE and find them on MySpace HERE!!

Portland band "Nurses" were fantastic sports as well and did an impromptu video in a lot filled with food vendors serving up Nutella filled crepes, frites with garlic aioli, and much much more. The lot was packed with late night snackers who didn't seem phased in the slightest by the roving band of musical gypsies and their camera girls! Go Portland for being tasty and spontaneous.

You can find Nurses on MySpace right HERE!

The next morning at a very early 10am, Mel of "Tender Forever" serenaded us with a Justin Timberlake cover and some of her new tunes in a nearby rose garden....what a way to wake up! Check out Tender Forever HERE.....

Our very last shoot appropriately combined a queer interview / photo shoot and a music video. Carolyn Berk of "Lovers" graciously concluded our trip by telling us about her personal definition of queer life, which included environmental awareness, a love for Oprah and an understanding that you don't have to be gay to be queer. She sang us a song about love, family, god and acceptance.....made us laugh, made us cry and opened up a whole new way to think about what it means to be Queer in America today. Thank you Carolyn.

Stay tuned for more talky blogs from the road as Amelia catches her breath and wades through footage! In the meantime I leave you with this:

Meet Shey. One of our wonderful hosts in Chicago has created a Talky Response to Adrien. THANK YOU SHEY!!

JUNE 22. VAN HORN, TEXAS

We took a ton of pictures in Van Horn, Texas. The town itself was quiet and empty, entire hotels were abandoned, old vintage cars sat in driveways filled with clothes and plastic flowers, signs were rusting in the street, empty swimming pools collected furniture and as we were leaving a giant storm pushed us on our way. We're in such a hurry now so these two pics are just a taste - this is where we stayed. More photos to follow soon.

JUNE 22. WE HEART TEXAS

We have been having an unexpected love affair with Texas. We didn't want to leave. We definitely want to come back. This seems to be a theme as we are now in LA and never want to leave here either. (As I write this Molly is packing the car and we really need to get moving.... San Fransisco awaits us)

We filmed this talky blog somewhere in Texas a few days ago.

This was the view from inside the gas station.

We stopped to take pictures along an amazing little strip of shops in Dallas. We had interviewed a guy in the same suburb the night before and were blown away by all the painted signs and colorful displays we found the next morning.

In Austin we filmed roller girl Britt, she's the one in black getting smashed in the middle. We had a great time interviewing her and Molly took (fingers crossed!) a great portrait in amongst old vintage cars in the yard of this auto shop. Within 5 minutes of meeting Britt we realized we had mutual friends in NY and Sydney - amazing! Small queer world.
We're leaving LA now, we'll update again soon, onto SF!