8.0807° N, 67.0411° W | 44+ IS THE LONELIEST #

All work from 44+ IS THE LONELIEST # show will be available for local pickup or domestic Priority USPS shipping starting in May 2021.

If you have any questions about the work or availability please don’t hesitate to reach out here.

44+ IS THE LONELIEST # | BRIE KOLE | MAR ‘21 - APR ‘21 on display at THE BARLEY in downtown Steamboat Springs, CO.

This original collection of alcohol ink [aka alchy ink] paintings features 44, one of a kind pieces. In 2020 over 44 Trans and non binary people were murdered in the US. The number of pieces is reflective of those lives we’ve needlessly lost from pure hatred, racism & intolerance. In the aftermath the injustices continue to pile up through deadnaming, unreported or misreported (due to deadnaming, etc.) records and the appalling atrocity of of the LBTQIA+ Panic defense. This shit is still legal in most of the nation. This is an interactive map, showing if legislation to ban this defense in each state has been passed (12/50), has been introduced (14) or is being allowed to continue unabated (26+PR.)

Though this (Yampa Valley/Steamboat Springs, CO) community shows up largely as 1% and or cis white bubble, greater awareness of the atrocities that have always faced the Trans (& non binary) people can make a difference. Once you know you can’t unknow, so why not step up, get educated, support Trans (& non binary)  resources, legislation, advocacy, mutual aid, share your wealth, whether by recurring monetarily or volunteering. There are so many opportunities to do better and it simply starts with YOU. Yes YOU! Don’t dismiss what value your time or money can have on a Trans or non binary life.

$20 of each piece’s sale will go to one of these places:

• Direct / Mutual Aid funds to Trans & Non Binary in need of immediate monetary support

• G.L.I.T.S - “We approach the health and rights crises faced by transgender sex workers holistically using harm reduction, human rights principles, economic and social justice, along with a commitment to empowerment and pride in finding solutions from our own community.”

• The Sylvia Rivera Law Project

About Alcohol Ink [alchy ink] HEX paintings:

Whether you’re starting your art collection or adding to it, alcohol ink aka “alchy ink” style paintings will be a great addition to any space. Abstract, these lend themselves to inner contemplation and meditation. 

HEX style “alchy ink” paintings are made for art collectors that can’t have any holes in walls or surfaces. They are painted onto 1/8” thick industrial plastic sheet that is cut into a hexagonal shape (like humans and the human that made these, expect variation, these are hand made). HEX paintings come with LG size strip of wall safe 3M velcro hanging strips that are paint & wall safe. Between the lightness and innate durability of the plastic sheet to the hassle free hanging, this style of paintings are great for renters, van lifer’s, nomads, and boutique shops & vacation rentals.

I have taken an environmental stance on sealing my alcohol ink paintings, or rather the not sealing of them. However with a few details to bear in mind, this omission is unlikely to affect your piece in any noticeable way. This blog goes into further detail (more than I’m sure you’d ever want to know) about why I’ve arrived at this decision. The quick & dirty of it is, there’s no non aerosol option for alchy ink sealers (yet!). So if you keep out of direct sunlight and don’t ever spray or touch with solvents (anything alcohol or like based) you’ll continue to have the innate beauty and complexity of these works for years to come. Alcohol inks are dyes suspended in alcohol, they reactivate (get liquid) when in contact with anything containing alcohol (yourself excluded). You can gently dust with a soft dry cloth, while water will not reactivate the inks, it’s not recommended to “wash” the work. 

The plastic panels are unlikely to be archival, but the material that would have otherwise landed in a dump is now art to be loved, enjoyed and shared and not toxing up our oceans or environment! WIN, WIN.