A look around the studio as it was set up for the Philadelphia Open Studio Tours.
It was a great couple of days with lots of great conversations, new faces and some that I hadn't seen in a while. The great weather brought out a lot of visitors and the new work generated some good dialogue and feedback. Thanks to those who were able to make it out and thanks to the organizers of the Philadelphia Open Studio Tours for helping to make it happen!
Oops! This post has been a 'draft' all week, which has been a very busy one, so please forgive the late announcement Anyway, if you are in the Old City section of Philadelphia this Saturday and/or Sunday, October 15th and 16th, feel free to stop by my studio. I will have it open as part of the Philadelphia Open Studio Tours. I will have a selection of new and recent paintings and works on paper on display.
Here's what you need to know:
Dates: Saturday, October 13th and Sunday, October 16th
Times: 12pm-6pm, each day
Studio address: 16-A North 3rd Street, 4th Floor (location map)
Old City, Philadelphia.
While you're in the area, make sure to visit some of the other Old Ctiy POST participants, as well:
Divided by Zero, 2011, 40" x 30, acrylic on canvas
A new painting, Divided by Zero, on the studio wall. It's one of a few new "hybrid" works that highlight spatial and compositional dynamics previously unexplored in my painting. This is one of the results of new creative challenges I set up for myself recently in an effort to rethink some of my art-making practices. The process of moving beyond places of stagnation in the work is always tough, but necessary for the the work and artist to grow.
The creative growth process can be harrowing at times because of all of the questioning that comes along with it, but you have to be willing to take on those doubts with action(s) since doing so is an essential part of creativity. The real issue is understanding that for the art and artist to grow, those questions, whatever they may be for any particular artist, by nature, are unanswerable.
I watched a video of an artist talk given by Bill Viola on the Tate Channel (from 2006) not long ago. In it, Viola addressed the issue of creative doubt by saying, "Artists need to know how to fall, to step off of the ledge in a leap of faith." I could not agree more. When I'm in the studio, I'm often in a state of "falling". Not only that, but I also thrive and gain energy from what feels like a striving to get "there", even when I know that there is no "there" to arrive at. As soon as you get "there", all bets are off since what you have been looking for doesn't always seem quite as satisfying anymore. All that's left to do is to start falling again. I'm sure that anyone pursuing any kind of creative path already knows this, consciously or not. It's good to hear someone speak about those feelings and remind us of how important it is to accept the risks of a creative life.
Falling, as it is generally understood, has failure attached to it because falling implies that a goal has been missed; you fall from a cliff, you can die. The goal of living, in this extreme case, has been been missed. For artists, falling is critical for there to be growth and discovery. When I take that step and don't quite know where I'll land is the thing that fuels the fire. It's one of the ways I keep myself connected and thoroughly engaged with the work. Without falling from time to time, real engagement with the work is lost and what's left is, at best, mediocre.
Thinking about falling as it relates to creativity got me thinking about Laurie Anderson's "Walking and Falling"
Yes, it's that time of year again, that time when Philadelphia artists open our studios up to the public for a peek behind the curtain(s).
Today was the first day to pick up our promotional materials.
Imagine the surprise on my face when I saw my mug staring back at me from the back of the brochure for the 2011 edition of the Philadelphia Open Studio Tours. I had no idea this was happening, but I'm pleased and honored. The brochure photo was taken in my studio last year by Bernadette Dye. And, no, I don't smile...ever.
My studio will be open on Saturday and Sunday, October 15th and 16th from 12-6pm both days.
The view from my studio on a recent morning after having stayed over night. I didn't sleep well and was up early enough to watch the sky go from deep indigo to bright pale blue.
For the second year in a row, the banks of the Schuylkill River becomes an outdoor studio as a select group of Philadelphia artists brings their working processes outdoors for all to see. Visitors will be able to view artists at work as well as participate in many events and make some of their own art in the open. Art In The Open celebrates artists, their inspirations and their relationship to the urban environment.
There will also be an exhibition of works created during Art In The Open at the Painted Bride Art Center from June 18th-July 5th, 2011. Closing reception Friday July 1, 2011 from 3-6pm. All works will be available for purchase.
My hands after a recent studio session where I was using powdered graphite in some new works on paper. They looked like this after using gloves, I should say. I don't care about my hands getting dirty because making art is a messy business, if anything, I welcome the mess. The thing about using powdered anything to make work is that the dust can get everywhere. The majority of my work has been with liquid-based mediums for years, with the exception of using charcoal and pencils, of course. The last time I used pastels was over 20 years ago.
I used a mask with the graphite powder. However, I was still surprised by the amount of blackened sweat that I wiped away from my face and head while I was working. I found out later, while cleaning up for the day, that every exposed part of my body was covered in a film of graphite dust. Some research I've done has shown that long-term inhalation of carbon dust can be harmful to the lungs of course. However, I'm keeping my exposure limited with masks, using small amounts of the graphite powder and not snorting it up with old, rolled up drawings. I'm sometimes more scared of what I'm breathing in on a daily basis when I'm out in the streets.
Marker I, 2011, acrylic and ink on paper, 50" x 38"
Marker II, 2011, acrylic and ink on paper, 50" x 38"
Marker III, 2011, acrylic and ink on canvas, 50" x 38"
These are the first in the "Marker" series. They are really new and unlike some of my other work, they immediately took on an identity of their own that was at once identifiable to me but also hauntingly mysterious. They have something of the patina of age about them, but of what age, where, when, and why?
Artist and blogger Kesha Bruce invited me to participate in a series on her blog called "Art School Confidential". For ASC, Bruce asks participants a series of questions relating to art schools and their roles/responsibilities in preparing art students for the business aspects of being artists.
A great post by Jeffrey Collins with behind-the-scenes videos of the preparation and installation of Howard Hodgkin's huge print, "As Time Goes By", at the Phillips Collection.
Jon Manteau's third solo show with Luella Tripp opens tomorrow and continues through May 14th. Check out the video below to get a sample of Jon woking in his studio preparing for "To a Hammer..."
TV On The Radio is one of my favorite groups to hit the scene over the past few years. This is the video for their new song, 'Will Do'. There are few music videos that really grab me, but this one works so well with the song. I like that the effects don't overpower the song. The concept remains pretty strong throughout, as well.
If you've been following my blog for a while, you'll recall this painting from last year titled, Lagoon. It was the only canvas of this size (70" x 130") that I had painted on that wasn't stretched first. Due to it's size, it was easier for me to paint it unstretched so that I could store it rolled up. Had I stretched it first and left it stretched, I would not have been able to get it out of my studio. Not only that, I would have no place to store it in there.
Fast forward to this year. I was asked by Bridgette to stretch Lagoon so that it could be included in the Dallas Art Fair next month. Not having had experience with stretching painted canvases previouisly, I was undoubtedly anxious about the prospect. However, I went ahead with it and even managed to finish it in a much quicker time than I had anticipated. I opted to purchase some extra heavy-duty stretchers from French Canvas and am very happy with the results.
As I mentioned, stretching Lagoon at my studio was highly impractical since there is no way I could have gotten it out of there without a crane or some kind of pully system, which I had not the time nor money to deal with. Luckily, my boss was generous enough to allow me to use some space in the basement to do the stretching. From joining the first two stretcher bars to putting in the final staple, it took me maybe 3 1/2 hours to complete-way faster than I initially thought. The corners were a pain to deal with because of the stiffness of the canvas, but I made it work, as you have to in these situations.
So ends the latest installment in the life of Lagoon. I say latest because while working on it last year, I documented almost every step in it's evolution on this blog. To follow the progress of Lagoon, see the links below:
This painting has been sitting in my studio for several months now, probably a record for me. I've been working on it here and there, trying to get a handle on where to go with it. It's a bit different from my other recent paintings in that the image is completely made up of stenciled markings.
I've been taking my time with it and instead of turning it to the wall in a corner of the studio when at a loss as to how to proceed, I've left it out. I've worked on other things and then turn around to this one sometimes grind my teeth in annoyance, but I have refused to let it get the best of me. Doing a number of works on paper in the interim has moved me to a place where I think that I may have a resolution within reach. It's not there yet, but I have the beginnings of that familiar tingling in the pit of my stomach that tells me that I'll be ready to leave it alone soon and possibly send it out into the world.
I sat on my couch today staring at this latest stage and thinking about it for almost an hour. It was one of those days where I felt that much more progress was made by being more cerebral than physical in the studio. The scene was set with the cold, rainy, dark cloudy day outside and my feeling incredibly tired due to a fitful night's sleep. With that mix, it didn't take long before deep studying of the painting turned into deep napping. When I woke up, I still liked where I was with the painting, so I think I may be on the right track.
So, Sarah Palin is at it again. I don't know why I'm even acknowledging her existence, but Sarah Palin and supporters who think that the arts are "frivolous" can all suck on my big tube of Mars Black.
The CEO of cable network, Ovation, struck back, saying that, "America's arts sector is a huge driver of our economy and proposed cuts to the NEA don't take into account the substantial return on investment those funds generate in tax revenue to local, state and federal treasuries. Shame on her for turning the arts into partisan politics. It doesn't take much creative thinking to work this out". I usually try to ignore uninformed, ignorant partisan political nonsense like Palin's, but sometimes, its just too fucking diffcult not to. It's tiresome when people continually pounce on low-hanging fruit for their arguments against governmental support for the arts, while completely ignoring the obvious financial benefits from revenue and taxes generated by various sectors of the arts. Not to mention the community good that arts organizations and individuals help to bring about.
Unfortunately, as long as the government does fund art and art-related entities, it will always be a political punching bag. Consequently, the bar for intelligent discourse about art in the public sphere of the U.S. is set even lower, providing an ever-widening ignorance about the value that art and artists bring to society. I think that most people see through this sort of ranting, but the problem is that I'm sure that a lot of people, conservative politicians hoping to remain in office, especially, will seize upon it as another reason to disparage art and artists in this country.
The idea that cutting out arts funding is good for the country completely escapes me, but I'm sure Palin and her ilk would have some kind of off-the-cuff answer for the people whose jobs will be lost, the museums that might have to close, schools and centers that will no longer be able to provide any sort of arts education, the state and city governments that will lose money and future generations of Americans who will have even fewer connections to art in the United States than they do now, should anything she proposes gains any support from representatives in the Congress and Senate, which I doubt, but you never know what can happen.
Ok, I'm done for now. Time to go and be productive in the studio, wash Palin out of my head, and make room for more important things.
Interesting. Putting together a short (2-5 minutes) exhibition preview video, if done right, could create excitement for an exhibition in ways that still photos only touch on. Seeing short glances of the artist's work, an installation in progress, and creative editing can lay the groundwork for more interest in and possibly, better attendance of some exhibitions, especially in today's increasingly video/moving-image information-gathering world.
One of the downsides is that this approach isn't something that can be done for every exhibition, particularly with most gallery shows, many of which turn around every four-five weeks. Exhibition trailers might work better in larger institutions or for special gallery shows with some lead time. Still, the idea can do some good in bringing more attention to art exhibitions and possibly aid in demystifying some of the processes behind contemporary art for people who may not feel connections to what artists are doing today.
I'm pleased to announce that my work was juried into the latest edition of New American Paintings-Northeast edition, #92. It's available online and should be available in the art magazine section of your favorite bookstore by next week. In the meantime, there are scans available on the Bridgette Mayer Gallery website.
JR, a semi-anonymous French street artist, uses his camera to show the world its true face, by pasting photos of the human face across massive canvases. At TED2011, he makes his audacious TED Prize wish: to use art to turn the world inside out. Learn more about his work and learn how you can join in at insideoutproject.net.
I'm also happy to share with you that the Bridgette Mayer Gallery will be including several works of mine at the Dallas Art Fair, also happening in April.
Dallas Art Fair 2011
April 7 - 10, 2011
Booth G4
Fashion Industry Gallery, 1807 Ross Avenue, Dallas, TX 75201
Fair Hours: April 8 - 9, 2011, 11am - 7pm / April 10, 2011, 11am - 5pm Preview Gala: April 7, 2011, 7 - 10pm
