http://www.sharielf.com/news.html

View the works and bid on them on Ann's Facebook page as well as her Myspace page. Also find info at her website: AnnMagnuson.com.

Randy Polumbo and Shari Elf of Art Queen in Joshua Tree, California are proud to announce "30 in 30" x 1", a showing of Ann Magnuson's adventures in creating 30 art works in 30 days.
Ann Magnuson came to our Art Queen "Many Mansions" art opening party with her "Fake Basquiats" (Heaven and Hell), which she had made that day. Hanging them as the guests arrived, Shari thought to herself, "This woman works well with deadlines!"
Since at the time Shari was trying to record 30 songs in 30 days on her computer, she had the idea to ask Ann to make 30 art works in 30 days. We would show the works she came up with, the emphasis being on her process, not so much the product. For instance, if she had a busy day or was traveling, she could make a drawing on a cocktail napkin. Just so she tried to make a piece and be creative every day. To our delight, Ann went for it! We also asked Victoria Williams to do the same thing and she wanted to but got too busy with music stuff. We look forward to Victoria's 30 in 30 show later.
Ann Magnuson is an actress ("Making Mr. Right", "Clear and Present Danger", "Panic Room", series regular on the ABC-TV sitcom "Anything but Love"), writer, performance artist, former singer/lyricist for the psycho-psychedelic band Bongwater and a part-time resident of Joshua Tree. "I've been visiting JT regularly since the eighties" Ann told us. "My husband and I finally got a place out here 5 years ago and I love it." She loved our '30 in 30' exercise. "Making art is more fun than acting!" she told us. "The anything-goes approach gave me a sense of liberation I haven't felt since I was a kid. It's really helped me look at the creative process anew."
Although Ann had always enjoyed making craft projects or fake Jean Michel Basquiat paintings (which are fantastic!) she had never applied her talents to putting together a whole show of her artworks. Ann used materials from local thrift stores as well as organic and inorganic 'found objects' from her rustic desert environment in Joshua Tree.
Please join us this Saturday, April 11, 7-10 pm for the opening party at Art Queen, 61855 Highway 62 in Joshua Tree, California!

Ann Magnuson's exhibit will be viewable weekends and by appointment from 1-6 pm at Art Queen through June 5.

p.s. Randy Polumbo and his "Trash House" in Joshua Tree are featured in the April 9, 2009, NY Times Home Section

RockStar, the art exhibit will run from May 13-March 2008, with musical recordings playing of all the artists.

PS. Check out this link if you are interested in Biodiesel fuel in Joshua Tree, California. Randy Polumbo has made it possible for us to fuel up in Joshua Tree from a 500 gallon tank behind Art Queen.

ROCKSTAR

Randy Polumbo and Shari Elf were happy to present Rockstar at Art Queen in Joshua Tree, California. (May, 2007)

Since the dawn of civilization different creative disciplines have cross pollinated one another. Blacksmiths discovered their forging hammer had rhythm, and the beatnik poets were inspired to set their words to bebop more recently. Sometimes 1+1 does not equal two, it equals 20 when inspiration strikes twice. Come and witness both the visual art and music of folks who have been knighted by both swords.

From world famous Rock Star Artists: Ann Magnuson, Daniel Johnston, Victoria Williams, Graham Nash, Rennie Sparks (Handsome Family) and Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blond)....

To desert luminaries Debora Iyall, Travis Kline and Carol Ann of The Thrift Store All Stars, Bingo (Bingo's Dream Band, Thrift Store All Stars), Korinna Knoll (Neulander), Ted Quinn, Krissie Gregory, Joshua Kjerstad (The Clouds), Jessika Rabbit (Gram Rabbit), Moby Dick and Shari Elf...

and including wild cards like author Rick Moody (Wingdales), Alicia Bay Laurel, , Doug Newman, Randy Polumbo, Art Paul Schlosser, Randy the Banjo Ghost.and New York performer/artists David Wojnarowicz, James Nares, Hannah Marcus, Alan Vega and Phranc.

Preformers at the May 13, 2007opening included:

Ann Magnuson, (Phranc had to cancel, sadly!), The Sibleys, Ted Quinn, Doug Newman, Neulander, The Clouds, The Krissie Gregory Band, Shari Elf and the Fairy Elf Band (which includes Carol Ann, Krissie Gregory and Randy Polumbo and audience volunteers), and Victoria Williams. It was so much fun, we look forward to our next big opening in the spring of 2008.

61855 Highway 62, Joshua Tree, California

Seamstress Video, now playing!

(click on the Seamstress below to see the award winning video by John Bergin of Kansas City, that's me singing my autobiographical seamstress story)

I am happy to announce the release of my debut CD (September 2001) "I'm Forcing Goodness Upon You"

Hear samples now!

To receive this CD, please let me know me if you'd like to send a check. Purchase with your credit card through Google's new Checkout service.

A bunch of nice reviews and longer sound samples at CD Baby

This is where most of that good and sturdy art happened for a couple years at Art Queen in Joshua Tree, CA, coming soon pictures of my new studio at Art Queen.

The long awaited Shari Elf Tribute Album is here!

(Click album for more info and free downloads of all of the songs)

Well, I thought it would be fun to make a tribute album even if I've only released 1 CD before this (hey, that CD took me 15 years, I figured I should celebrate!). And I didn't want to sit around waiting for someone else to do it for me, what if they took 15 years?, so here it is, with 45 fabulous contributions from my very good friends, and since it's my album, I threw in a few songs myself.

I am delighted to be the subject of a chapter in Mary Randolph Carter's latest book in her Junk book series, Big City Junk. Released in November of 2001, there are photos and stories of my old apartment in Venice and my favorite places to find junk in Los Angeles. You will also find a picture of Bunny the Crochet Alligator and the humble beginnings of the Crochet Museum.

Visit CarterJunk.com

I am also happy to be the featured artist in the summer of 2004 issue of Artitude Zine! You can order your very own copy of this fun art zine (mentioned in Utne Reader June, 2004) by going to the Artitude web site. There are 6 color pictures of works from my collection such as this one below (titled "Here are Some flowers for Me").

Our good friend Ramona Otto is the featured artist in the fall issue of 2004.

Speaking of Ramona Otto, her name is on the back of a lot of my works cuz she gives me so much crap (in the best sense of the word)! Here she is with one of her famous folk art flags with Bob Barker, that Ramona!

Check out Ramona Otto's cool web site.

If you are in Los Angeles, be sure to see Ramona's big exhibit:

An American Love Story: Works by Ramona Otto

February 4 - June 10, 2007

Friends, say "Hi" to Bunny and me at MySpace

Articles about me, Shari Elf:

by Fred Beshid

at Erasing Clouds

Links

Fairy Elf

Look for the Fairy Elf Band next on May 13 sometime after 4PM at the Art Queen Rockstar art opening and party in Joshua Tree, California. We are pleased to announce, Carol Ann will be playing her bass, and Krissie will be finger drumming along with Randy Polumbo on various instruments and other surprise guests. We hope to see you there, it's going to be fun!

Fairy Elf Band Page