Someday all this will be dirt

4 days in August & Verona

click to see large

i never sleep

sleep is the cousin of death

TEDx video now online!

I'm very funny.

Matt Shlian - “Implications of Paper Folding” from TedEx 6 on Vimeo.

Matt Shlian turns 30!

Tomorrow I turn thirty and I'm having a $30 virtual yard sale on my
site. Tons of prints, drawings etc and all the proceeds are benefiting
the Crohn's / Colitis Foundation of America. Please help me spread the word!
I need to clean out my studio before I move to my new space - The Dharma Initiative...

edit:
sold 12 drawings in the first hour. One drawing sold 6 times....I'm teaching this week and will do my best to update the site with which work has sold.
m

edit 2: site online for less than a day and nearly half the work has sold! this is amazing. best birthday ever.

edit 3: it's 9pm and we've raised over $1200. I'm crying right now.

edit 4:SALE IS OVER--- in a week we raised $1453!!

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who bought some work!!
m

Siggraph 2010

Come on over to Siggraph in LA this year (July 25- 29th) stop by the STUDIO!
I'll be there with an all-star team showing people how to make inflatable sculpture.
RAD!
m

I'M AN UNCLE!!

WHATS UP REBECCA EVELYN??!!?
this is how i feel right now


I cannot wait to be crazy uncle matt who folds things.

Back in the studio

I've got a block of time to work in the studio and I'm thrilled about it. Working on a few commissions and a few collages. The second shipment of MURQ just came in and the reaction has been great so far! Happy summer everyone.
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Apple news

One week from today I'll be at Apple in Cupertino presenting my work. I'm very excited to spend the week in San Francisco. West coast friends let's get together!
m

Grafik Award

I created these awards along with Amelia Noble for Grafik Magazine. Peter Saville and Wim Crouwel both presented them to the winners. Totally Geeked.
m

Mr. Weschler's Wonder Cabinet (part 2)

talking bout paper

after my talk this happened


Thanks a million to Ren for organizing this event!

DATA FLOW 2

Just came in the mail today and it is HUGE and so so beautiful. I can't wait to spend some quality time with it.


David Bowen makes crazy drawing machines, and he's a nice guy too.


Natalie Miebach also makes crazy things based on weather patterns, she is also very nice.


Sweeney and Racine and Ivanyi and Shlian. I haven't met these people yet, which is strange because Richard and I seem to run in the same circles. I'm sure they are all nice.


Shlian & Voight. Voight is probably nice too

Murq book preview

TEDx and Festifools

This past weekend I spoke at the TEDx event for the Univeristy of Michigan and had my paper engineering students march at the yearly Festifools event.

The site of TEDx


The talk went well and I'm told will be available on the TED site shortly.


My paper engineers killed it!!


Daniel demonstrates the robot while I demonstrate my paper fanny pack.


Maddie and Chrissy!


Yes!


The parade was surreal. Giant puppets and Enochlophobia


The next major project has begun at WCC where my students are working in the woods to create this yarn explosion! more pics soon.

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TEDx University of Michigan Tomorrow

I stab art.

Come see the TEDx event tomorrow at the Biomedical Science Research Building, 109 Zina Pitcher Place in Ann Arbor. Starts at 9 goes until 4. I'm rocking at 1:50.
Cant be there? Go here instead and stream it. Woo!

MURQ book is here

Edition of 100
7 x 7 in
120 pages hard cover
includes all of 2007's Ghost town and 60 pages of new work
comes signed with additional special edition MURQ drawing
Ships May 1st
purchase here

Computer arts projects magazine

I was recently interviewed in Computer arts projects magazine from the UK. I advise people to stop using computers and start folding paper. There is also a nice article about Yulia too.
Available now at Barnes and Noble.

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Mr. Weschler's Wonder Cabinet

I'll be presenting my work as part of Lawrence Weschler's Wonder Cabinet on April 24th at Occidental College. If you are in the LA area, come say Hi. It's free and open to the public.
Also presenting (tentative):
Ricky Jay <----watch this video David Wilson
Walter Murch
Jessica Yu
Lauren Redniss
The Oakes twins
Lena HERZOG!!

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Cranbrook Show

OPENS 7PM MARCH 2ND AT THE CRANBROOK KINGSWOOD GALLERY
MAP HERE
books, prints, folded things.

DATA FLOW 2

a
My work is being featured in a new book dropping March / April in the states.
more info

TEDx @ Ann Arbor and Solo show at Cranbrook!!

I have a solo show at Cranbrook (Kingswood) this March! 1st- 19th. Come say Hi.


I've been invited to speak at the Ted Talks in Ann Arbor on April 10th! It's at the Biomedical Science Research Building in the Pringle-shaped Auditorium. Tickets should be free.
I'll most likely talk about cat camouflage or my work, it could go either way.
Details on both events to follow
-m

The Art of the Artist Book

Walker


Sylvia


Shlian

I'm in a book art show with Kara Walker, Kiki Smith, Vija Clemens and the Cremaster? like woah!

Show is open until April 4th at Oakland University
reviews here and here

a day in the life of matt shlian 1.28.2010

My cat alarm clock goes off at about 6:30.

After feeding the alarm clock I stumble in the dark to the bathroom.

If you are reading an email from me there is a 90% chance I wrote it from the bathroom. The ipod has changed the way I do business. I'd like to have a bathroom office someday...

Enter the studio and put out any small fires from clients / students and prepare for the day

The new signage in Ann Arbor is very prominent. Kamilah compared it to a hands on museum display. I like it for its bluntness.

The sun starts to show up on my morning commute. Today I teach 3D design at WCC.

#3 Bus to Ypsi is 35 minutes too long than it needs to be but I do get a tour of the VA hospital and Huron Valley Highschool. I've also met some bizarre characters along the way.

WCC is a frozen tundra of learning.

My classroom is a windowless one point perspective room in the TI building.

Before my students show up I watch a bit of the state of the union.

I wonder who's office is inside the men's bathroom at Wastenaw Community college. I don't have an office at WCC and wonder if it would be a good or bad thing to have a bathroom office.

At the student union, It's fur coat weather.

Back in Ann Arbor I drop off my last copy of PAPERCUTS to be shipped out. Time to re-up the 3rd order!

It is so cold.

Stop by Sparrows in Kerrytown to pick up some food.

Stop in to Kosmos for a quick lunch. Ate here 2 weeks ago with Bob Stack and kept thinking about the bibimbop since then. so good. Soon there will be a giant robot here, with food coming out of its mouth. Bob Stack is a genius.

Back in the studio after lunch I finish this piece Ive been working on. Lily helps.

Mostly she just watches the birds.

Document and Photoshop the piece. Tony Hepburn once told me "you are not your artwork, you are the digital representation of your artwork". Yes, I am rocking CS1. They made fun of me at siggraph this past summer for using CS1. It's not the tool, its how you use it. I still use Auto cad from '93.

Take a break and read a bit of Oscar Wao's wonderful life. It feels like a gabriel garcia marquez novel...I'm about 1/2 way through and ready for some magical realism to show up. I have a verona habit and eat too many.

This results in a nap. lily is all about it.

Brave the cold to see the Stamps lecture at the Michigan Theater. With the wind it is far below 0.

Dave Hickey is speaking for FREE!!!

Dave Hickey is incendiary. He questions the idea of an arts education at a University. Addresses the role of professors, students and Administration. It is like listening to your texan grampa go off and talk shit. He is brilliant. I get to meet him afterward and he signs my copy of Air Guitar.

Run into Ben Teague after the lecture, man I love that guy.

Walking home I always like this piece under the bridge by the YMCA. There are tons of toy throw ups in Ann arbor, but no one has gone over this piece.

Double full moon or something pretty close to it.

Come home, eat some leftovers and watch a few episodes of season 5 of lost. I am so ready to get back on the island in season six.

Thats it I'm out and ready for Freshmen friday @ U of M TMP2!!
Peace,
m