leanne biank DESiGN + iLLUSTRATION

*It took some time

2009-10-28T17:52:00.000-07:00

VIMBY - Leanne Biank

*So it took some time but Vimby.com has finally

posted my interview, on being an illustrator in

Philadelphia, on their site. Unfortunately, it took

well over six months to get the video up, so some

of the info. in the interview is old. For instance i

do not work at Jinxed Gallery anymore, i now

work as a textiles designer for Printfresh, i was

actually officially hired onto the design team just

a few weeks ago, woot! Also, i plan on never

wearing my hair like that in public ever again ^_^.

I was actually getting over being pretty sick when

they came to film the interview section of the video

+ i totally forgot they were coming so i look +

sound awful. Please take my appearance with a

grain of salt. Enjoy...

*Installment Two of: "Back From Maine... or was it Heaven?"

2009-08-28T15:47:00.000-07:00

*And Here is my second installment of "Back From Maine... or was it Heaven?" ...enjoy.

*Back From Maine... or was it heaven?

2009-08-27T17:24:00.001-07:00

*So i realize its been forever + a day since i've updated my blog + i do apologize for it, but ill be sure to make this post a good one. And since i just got back from one of my favorite places in the world, Wayne, Maine, that shouldn't be too difficult. Above are some of my favorite images of, Nick, Ben, Lauren + i hanging out at little red, fishing, watching the humming bird just outside the porch, + going to Acadia National Park. (the first national park in the United States.)

I realize this is a lot of images so ill give you some time to take those in before loading the last of them... enjoy.

*New Job, New Shirt

2009-07-12T15:50:00.001-07:00

*Tomorrow I start working at Printfresh full time + I couldn't be more happy about it ^_^. And in light of having this weekend off I took some time to make another new shirt for myself. This shirt, as the last, was made from altering a thrifted mans XL button-down shirt. Unfortunately, I didn't have a camera on hand to take a before shot but I'll be sure to do so for anymore in the future. Anywho, enjoy!

*Crazy For Cult

2009-07-12T15:20:00.000-07:00

*I have an opening coming up this Thursday, July 16th, at Gallery1988 in LA ^_^. The show is called "Crazy for Cult," where over 100 Artists will pay tribute to classic cult films + I'm sure it will prove to be a huge opening, with a giant turn out as it is every year! The opening will be hosted by the great Kevin Smith + Scott Moiser + will start at 7pm + will run until 11pm, so if you're in the area be sure to check it out! All the work will be available for purchase not only through the gallery but also from their website + it will be up in the gallery until August 8th.

Above I have posted images of the postcard for the event + some images of the work that I have produced for the show. These are actually my very first linoleum cuts, which I'm sure seems really strange seeing as most kids do them in middle school! But I have to say I really loved the process + I'm thinking of doing more in the future.

Gallery1988

7020 Melrose Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90038

*You can also check out Gallery1988 LA on their blog.

*So Busy So Sorry!

2009-07-02T16:16:00.001-07:00

*I just wanted to post a quick, "Im Sorry" for not doing anything with my blog lately, I've recently been hired as an apprentice to soon hopefully be a junior textiles designer at Printfresh Studios in Philadelphia! Its all extremely exciting + totally awesome, pretty much a dream job ^_^. But I am currently working both there + at my normal Whole Foods job because I'm too nice + felt I had to give my two weeks notice. So when I'm not working at Whole Foods I'm at Printfesh + when I'm home (which is rare) I'm working on my stuff for Crazy for Cult group show at Gallery1988 in LA that is quickly coming up in July. Anywho, lots going on but I promise once my two weeks is up at Whole Foods I will be better at updating my blog!

*Another Part From the Dresser

2009-06-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

*To reference a slightly older post, "I found this wonderful beaten up dresser in the ally behind my apartment, the other day + since it was broken beyond repair, I stole a few drawers to use as shadow boxes + small shelves through out my house," I also took this one drawer front that had fallen off. I thought that it might work well as a coat rack if I could just add a few more knobs to it. So yesterday I headed over to Anthropologie to check + see if they had any dresser knobs on sale, + luckily enough they did! I found these three beautiful knobs, + at two dollars each I just couldn't pass them up! Then I immediately went home + got to work.

First I measured out three equally spaced points for my new knobs to sit. Then I picked out a drill bit that was the same diameter as the screw on the back of the knobs. Once the holes were drilled, i simply screwed in the new knobs, added a hanger to the back + hung it just outside my door in our hallway. I also added an old skeleton key to the key hole for some more visual interest. As you can see the new coat rack works + looks great. I'm really pleased with this one ^_^.

*Ready For His Close Up

2009-06-17T08:01:00.000-07:00

*About four months ago I was so happy to learn that my very good, long time friend, Edmond Hawkins, had landed a wonderful job as the head animator on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. And as I was watching last nights episode, online, while I drank my coffee this morning morning, I was so excited to catch his second TV appearance + first close up on the show as a back ground actor for a hilarious weekly skit called, "Second Floor West." The skit is basically making fun of reality TV shows like The Hills + The City. Edmond did a great job acting surprised while he ate his pizza at the exclusive pizza party, when Miles + Lauren walked in to cause a dramatic scene. Great job Ed ^_^ !

You can check out the episode for yourself right here: Edmonds Close Up Episode

*Spicing It Up a Little

2009-06-16T07:54:00.000-07:00

*I found this wonderful beaten up dresser in the ally behind my apartment the other day + since it was broken beyond repair, I stole a few drawers to use as shadow boxes + small shelves through out my house. I thought this one, with the key hole, worked great as a small spice rack in my kitchen. And in the interest of health, I headed to IKEA + picked up some glass spice jars ($2.99 / 4 pack) so I could get rid of the plastic containers that they came in. Plastic containers; including heavy duty plastic plates, cups + tupperware my leak harmful BPA chemicals into your food. So now healthily they sit in their new easy to reach + nicely displayed home.

*Let There Be Light

2009-06-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

*I thought I needed a little more light in my life + found a way to use some river rocks + 99 cent mason Jars, that I purchased from A.C.Moore, to create some fun little candle holders. Now normally I wouldn't have chosen green candles (I would have rather gone with white) but I just couldn't help my love for the woods + decided on these for their lovely pine sent ^_^.

*The Shirt Off Your Back

2009-06-14T19:36:00.000-07:00

*I did a little thrift store shopping the other day + found some mens shirts, in some really great prints, that I thought would be perfect for my new project. Altering a large button down shirt to fit as a slim drop waist tank top for these hot summer days. I made my own pattern + I was done in no time. I still have three more shirts left to do, but don't worry ill be sure to post them as well. The material is so light weight + comfortable... Thanks Good Will ^_^

*University of the Arts Show Case at El Bee

2009-06-10T15:24:00.000-07:00

*Opening this Friday, June 12th, at El Bee in Manasquan, NJ. El Bee will be showcasing artwork from over 20 University of the Arts alumni (including me ^_^) + students. There will be plenty of high quality work to check out ranging from paintings + illustrations to jewelry + furniture. The opening is from 7-10 pm + will be showing through June 15th. So head over to El Bee on Friday, meet the artists, view the work + enjoy the ocean + refreshments.

You can also check out El Bee on their Myspace or Facebook!

*Top Five Fun Things in My Room

2009-06-05T09:11:00.000-07:00

*Above are my top five favorite things in my room right now, in no particular order ^_^.

- My old singer sewing machine, donated to me by the wonderful Daria Romankow! (thank you so much Daria, my sewing machine has helped me to create so many wonderful things + there are many more to come!)

- My pup Andy Boy. I just couldn't help myself, he needs at least 2 pictures to truely capture his cuteness!)

- My brand new Ukulele + my new summer project, once i start playing her its hard to get me to stop ^_^.

- My desk, its a wonderful place to work + create.

- And last but certainly not least, Pedro, my cockatiel. Lately she has decided she is a rooster + likes to wake me up as soon as the sun shines through our window, but i love her just the same. Of course she deserves more then one picture as well.

*Let Them Eat Cake!

2009-06-02T05:50:00.000-07:00

*For my boyfriend, Nick's, birthday, i thought i'd try my hand at baking. And let me just say that i've never been a good cook in any way shape or form. But this one i'm actually pretty proud of! I took one of his paintings (which ive posted above) + used it as inspiration for the decoration. Once he + his friends got a bite the cake was pretty much gone in a few minutes. ^_^

*You can see more of Nick's artwork on his website or blog.

*A Little Error

2009-06-01T20:09:00.001-07:00

*Just to let you all know, for some reason my blog is being weird and might not let you post your comments on the first try. But it seems to be that if you click to post your comment a second time that it will go through. I'm going to have to look into getting that fixed. Sorry for the inconvenience!

*Giant Flowery Felt Broach

2009-05-28T18:37:00.000-07:00

*Continuing with my craftiness, here is a giant felt broach i made last week. Using some cheap ivory felt i found at A.C.Moore, i cut 5-6 pedals out (i think that 6 pedals looks best), pinched the ends + sewed them together in a circle to create each flower. After making quite a few in different sizes i hand sewed them all together to complete the finished look. The broach is pretty freaking big and looks best on something bulky like my wool winter coat (yes i realize its spring.) i intend on making smaller ones next for a more appropriate spring/summer time broach ^_^.

*Embroidery Hoops + Kitchen Color

2009-05-28T09:06:00.000-07:00

*One of my very favorite fabric shops in the city, which luckily is within walking distance from my apartment, Spool, has started selling little bags of their left over fabric scraps! Now i wouldn't normally end a sentence like that with an exclamation point, but seeing as Spool has some of the most interesting, colorful + modern fabrics around i just couldn't help myself. And of course i had to buy a bag + find some way to use them in my crafting + decorating.

After much consideration i came up with a great way to use the scrap pieces, along with some of my own scraps + embroidery skills, to create a lovely decoration, on a blank wall in my kitchen, that really needed some sprucing up.

I learned quickly that the hardest part of all of this is choosing the correct layout to fit your wall + make for a interesting composition. After playing with a few different options i finally settled on one and snapped a picture of it to refer back to when i was hanging.

Once all the hammering was done + Andy thought it was safe enough to come out from under the kitchen table, we stepped back and took a few "after" pictures + enjoyed our new kitchen view.

*You can also visit Spool on their blog, or twitter.

*Seeing Green This Summer

2009-05-28T07:16:00.000-07:00

*So one of my many little projects + goals this summer was to start doing some indoor herb planting. I think that having living plants inside brings a lot of happiness to a home + makes things seem a bit more warm + inviting, plus with the added use of herbs it just makes sense to plant them as oppose to flowers. And since i really love the idea + look of terrariums i decided to try + capture that around my house by recycling/reusing glass bottles i pulled out of our recycling bin. I used everything from apple sauce jars to jelly jars + i think they really got the look i was going for. I love how you can see the root system of the plant and see how much you've really watered it. I also did use a large wooden planter box that we had purchased for five dollars at a thrift store (originally from ikea i'm sure) to plant a bit more, since we had just been using it to hold our laundry detergent bottles.

*If you want to try this for yourself be sure to put a good half inch of pebbles at the bottom of the glass to insure proper drainage. Living in the city, with little access to free pebbles, i decided to purchased a few bags from A.C.Moore, but you can easily go in your back yard + gather them for yourself.

*I May Be More Crafty Then You Think!

2009-05-27T16:08:00.001-07:00

*So i've been wanting a place to post some images of some of different crafty things i do when im not painting and i think this blog is a great place to do that. Above are some clothes, stuffed animals, quilts, etc. that i've designed and made in the past. And you can look forward to seeing more crafty posts in the future as i just can't help myself, i love to make things...

"Beyond the Page" ...a little late is better then never...right?

2009-05-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

*Because I've been so busy making my new website I never got a chance to post anything about this wonderful show I have work in out in San Francisco. The show is called, "Beyond the Page" at Gallery1988SF. The opening was Friday, May 1st (so sorry to be late with this post, but a little late is better then never ... right?) The work, however, is still up on the gallery's blog for sale.

leannebiank.com all done ^_^

2009-05-26T17:14:00.000-07:00

*i finally finished updating my new site, leannebiank.com, with new work + a new look! I am still, however, waiting on my Vimby video to come back from the editing room. but don't you fret, as soon as i have it my hot little hands i'll be sure to post it .

my updated site includes a new sketchbook page, along with design work, + 3-D work pages, easy navigation "next" button, a brand new up-to-date links page, a link to this wonderful new blog of mine, along with a beautiful new look + mahogany finish ^_^.

so please feel free to drop by and poke around.

Blog Posts From Old Website

2009-05-13T18:33:00.000-07:00

Dec 18 2008

*Since I now have a blogspot for my website, I have decided to take the majority of my old posts from my old site and add them on here so that they wouldn't be lost forever ^_^. Check back soon for new posts!

* I am very excited to be a part of Under the Influence: An Official Tribute to The Beastie Boys at Gallery 1988
*If you are in the LA area you should definitely try to make it out to the opening. It should be a huge show with over 100 participating artists and a special appearance by the Boys themselves!
*For a complete list of all the artist CLICK HERE

Dec 18 2008

*The Untitled Love Project, has been a long time coming, but its finally out and being printed. If you are in the Culver City area on December 13th come on by to the book signing, pick up a copy and get it signed by some of your favorite artists. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it out to Cali for the signing but I'm sure it will be a great time.
*You can also purchase your own copy of The Untitled Love Project HERE
*The Untitled Love Project,
Book signing December 13th 7-10pm

At the Cerasoli : Lebasse Gallery Cerasoli : LeBasse Gallery

8530-B Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232

Nov 21 2008

*I'm currently working on a piece for the Beastie Boys show at Gallery 1988 in January. Here are some of my sketches of the Boy, enjoy ^_^.

*Mike D.

*Ad Rock

*MCA

Nov 10 2008

*I'm very excited to be a part of Art Shop 2008! Featuring over 60 local Philadelphia artists, there will be a ton of hand made goods. So if you're in the area come on out, it should be a really fun time, and good place to find unique and affordable holiday gifts.
*location:
2007 Frankford Ave. Philadelphia, PA (circle of hope)
*opening:
Friday December 5th
7-10:30pm
with food, drink & music
*continuing:
Saturday December 6th
11am-4pm

see you there ^_^!

Nov 10 2008

*I have a show coming up at the Suite 100 Gallery in Seattle. Their holiday exhibition, "Sweet 100," opens on Friday, November 14th, so if you're in the area go check it out. There will be a lot of work there to purchase at affordable prices for the holidays including a brand new piece from me ^_^.

Oct 18 2008

*a sketch of my good friend Mary Catherine. For a painting that I'm currently working on for the Holiday Show at Suite 100 Gallery in Seattle, WA.

Oct 06 2008

*i think andy found a snack on the carpet*

*i made a quilt and pillow cases this week... i was feelin a bit crafty i guess. The quilt is made almost completely from thrifted clothes ^_^.

Sep 30 2008

*some sketches i did for the Blue Cadet character.

Sep 14 2008

VIMBY - Crazy 4 Cult

*Here is a video from the "Crazy for Cult: This Time Its Personal," group show at Gallery 1988 in LA. My good friend and old roommate, Danielle Rizzolo, flew out for the opening and you can see her interview with Vimby on here. And towards the end of the video a quick shot of my piece "Edward Safety Scissor Hands." ^_^

Sep 04 2008

*Here is a new sketch from the sketch book

Sep 02 2008

*Here is a sneak peak at my sketch for the "HOME grown" group show ^_^. Hope to see you all there!

Aug 28 2008

*I'M CURATING MY FIRST SHOW!!! So you ALL BETTER BE THERE ^_^! The "HOME grown" show will include over 20 artists (including myself) who have graciously agreed to be a part of my first curated show at the Jinxed Gallery, in Philadelphia, PA. Each artist is putting one or two pieces in and it should be a huge turn out. The "HOME grown" show opens September 19th from 6-11pm and will be up for five weeks. So please come and check it out! (there will be food and beverages as well)

Aug 28 2008

*okay so im a little late with this one but don't worry its still up... I've got a piece in the Crazy 4 Cult show at Gallery 1988 Gallery 1988 in LA. The opening was August 22nd and will be up for a month. If you're in the area check it out! ^_^.

Jul 18 2008

*I recently got back from Portland, OR were I was invited to be one of six artists chosen by Nike 6.0 and Bob Kronbauer (G2 artist mentor),
to take a Nike G2 vinyl toy and apply my own artistic aesthetic. I chose to turn my G2 into my version of a Native American Kachina doll.

*Above is the video that we premiered at our opening out in Portland, OR at Nemo Designs. Along with eight G2's to mess with, each artists was given a digital video camera to document our progress and vision.