It's going to be long -cuz I want to try hard not to forget any of the experience. Writing it now has me trying to preserve it. As I write all these details keep coming out. So here goes volume 1.
How can I even begin to record the excellent events of the past few weeks>>?
I am wishing I could have stopped the clock amidst all the flurry so I could have updated this blog about the wondrous happenings! An honest attempt I shall make --to record the events and emotions as they occurred. But the way it turned out, I have had to wait till now to unveil pictures of the show and the tale of how it went down.
Pre Show Jitters and Issues
Imagine my luck. The show was on my mind for months prior to the opening. I had my email from Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts stating that the show was on Sept. 27 from 1 - 3. I had informed all my family and friends about the times as soon as it was a month away. I created a Facebook event so that I could keep my peeps informed. I could see them confirming that they were going to attend daily. MVCA sends out postcards to their own mailing list, and also to the people on a list that I supply them with. Sweet deal, right? I was able to have my mailing list of cards sent officially from the gallery to my peeps. I knew when they were mailing and was waiting to hear when my friends got them in the mail. One day, I got this weird message from my friend and boss, Janet Stanley, telling me she was confused. I had said on FB that the date was 9/27, however the postcard said the date was 9/20.
WTF?!@#$%#$%@&!!!
I called MVCA immediately. Sure enough. There had been a mistake. They had emailed me the wrong date! I started crying on the phone. Good grief. The opening was one week earlier than I thought. Instead of 2 weeks away it was only a week away!!! I was so freaked out. However, an hour later the gallery called back. They were going to fix the problem by having not one, but TWO opening shows! One on 9/20 and one on 9/27! Holy crap am I lucky or what?
I was nervous about this, wondering if there were enough people to attend 2 shows. My father and several of my friends had already committed to coming on the 27th. I didn't know what to expect. My daughter Rose, wasn't planning to attend because her birthday is on 9/27. Because of the new date, she immediately made plans for both her and my 1 1/2 year old grandson to come up for the first opening. What good news! Rose would be there to help me from imploding with nerves! However, this was starting to get crazy...Now I had to clean my house like a mad person cuz they were going to stay at my house! Talk about pressed for time. How could I accomplish all this? There were last minute artworks to tweak and finish, you know how it goes. And then the thorough house cleaning on top of it (and believe me I let my house go over this past month of frenzied framing!!)....It was going to get crazy around here!
AAAAA!!!!@##$%^$&@&!!
I hustled insanely that last week. Framing framing F r A M I n g FRAMINGGGGGGG until I thought my fingers would fall off. Actually, I did lose the fingerprint on my thumbs from twisting wires on the back of frames. My hand felt like a club as I pounded in the glaziers to keep the frame and glass all together. Then I was soaked and pruny when I had to wash every surface in the house for visitors. I was PUMPED to say the least.
The whole date/2 show thing caused a bunch of confusion for people and I kept getting questions and emails. When the 20th came around, I was ready just to get it all over with.
I didn't have any idea what to expect. I was so worried that nothing at all would sell and that I would be the first show this year at the gallery to be skunked. I was not going to have high expectations, so I wouldn't be disappointed. Mostly, I wanted to share art. So many thoughts crossed my mind prior to the opening, sleep was out of the question.
I wasn't as nervous as I would have been had I not just started teaching as an adjunct at SUNY Cobleskill. Facing 11 student strangers for the 2 weeks prior to the show helped me get over the speech thing. I knew I would be asked a bunch of questions. Finally the day had come. The gallery looked so amazing, I blush to think of it. The committee had hung the show to my specs, and I was so pleased to see that my 38 works filled all walls! It was colorful. Dignified. Professional. COLLAGE! In all it's glory. I had 2 distinct themes. The Sharon Springs DK (decay) pieces that have been waiting in the wings to be seen for 2 years and also a hand-picked assortment of my best works and some newer pieces. There were a few 3-d assemblages, too which added to the unique flavor of the show. On one wall I had a slide show playing large scale on a wall from a projector attached to a Mac...playing over 300+ photos of Sharon Springs that I had taken over the past 2 years. These photos were the food and fodder for the SSDK works. I also had my 3 videos that I had created out of 3 of the Sharon Springs works to play when I felt the time was right. Let the show begin!
10/02/2009
Attn:Berlin David Hochbaum @ Strychnin!
TOTAL collage overload. This is mayhem! The sheer amount of really exciting collage exhibits, including my own..., it's just staggering!
Berlin Strychnin is hosting the latest visual extravaganza that is David Hochbaum....The Garden of the Dispossed. Such a dark theme, I love the October season.
I can remember this particular piece in progress...perhaps...or maybe it was a generation ago...when I visited David's salon last January. Sweet work. His stuff.
Ya know what I like best about Hochbaum? His people are current because in his photography, he uses folks he knows in his search for collage media. The modern twist to his works, (such as the tattoo on the girl in the show poster) really kicks and opposes the old fashioned themes and imagery he uses. In my work it's always decaying objects--architecture, stumps in forests, and long gone people. The contrast intrigues me.
IF you are in Europe, you need to make and effort to see this show. Only a fool would miss it.
Bits & Pieces
A collage by Steven Specht
It's a special honor when an artist visits the show of another artist. Imagine my surprise to find that I was fortunate enough to meet Steven Specht a couple of weeks ago. He's a fellow collagist that lives near me (imagine THAT!) in New Hartford, NY, outside of Utica. He attended my first opening and in fact purchased some of my work. We talked a bit about copyright, technique and shared contact information. I was so appreciative of him being there. He is an associate of Jonathan Talbot, and there's a lot going on for these 2 men at the moment! Both Steven Specht and Jonathan Talbot are involved with the Bits and Pieces show.
I posted yesterday about Jonathan Talbots' show in Milford, PA at the Bluestone Gallery. Today I have information about the Bits and Pieces show that will be in New Rochelle, NY. This will be a super show. With top names involved, this is a must see if you live downstate.
Here's the info:
You are cordially invited to the opening of
Bits & Pieces
a collage exhibition curated by Jonathan Talbot
Reception: Thursday, October 15th from 5 to 8 PM
at BID Gallery 542, 542 Main Street, New Rochelle, NY.
Included in this exhibition will be works by
Robin Colodzin -
Rockport, MA
Linda Cunningham -
Junction City, OR
Lynne Foster -
New York, NY
DJ Gaskin -
Springfield, VA
Kevin Gilmore -
Brooklyn, NY
Joan Hall -
New York, NY
Peter Jacobs -
Montclair, NJ
Kitty Killian -
Utrecht, Netherlands
Gennielynn Martin -
Langley, WA
Susan McCaslin -
Darien, CT
Nancy Egol Nikkal -
New Rochelle, NY
Carol O'Connor -
Warwick, NY
Steven Specht -
New Hartford, NY
James Michael Star -
Dallas, TX
Martha Valezuela -
New Rochelle, NY
Pierre Jean Varet -
Plemet, France
Lisa Zukowski -
Warwick, NY
9/30/2009
Circumstantial Evidence: Jonathan Talbot
It must be show season with so many good options! And collage shows are not lacking...
Here's a show in Milford, PA that Jonathan Talbot is having. This also would be a terrific show to see. Perhaps I need to arrange to see this show, then take the Metro North Train from Poughkeepsie down to the city for the Cutters show....Looks like I am arranging my next art trip!
Info here:
Jonathan Talbot Collage Exhibition
"Circumstantial Evidence"
at BlueStone Gallery
Opens Friday, September 25th, 2009
You are cordially invited to attend the opening of
Jonathan Talbot's exhibition
"Circumstantial Evidence"
at the BlueStone Gallery
104 East Ann St., Milford, PA
on Friday, September 25th, from 5 to 8 PM.
Milford, PA is 75 miles northwest of New York City
via routes I-280, I-80, 15, and 206.
It is 8 miles southwest of Port Jervis via route 209.
Among the works included in the exhibition will be
some from Jonathan's "Patrin" series
and the first twelve works in his
Duchamp-inspired "Bachelor" series.
For additional information or directions call
BlueStone Gallery at 570-296-9999
or call Jonathan at 845-258-4620.
Here's a show in Milford, PA that Jonathan Talbot is having. This also would be a terrific show to see. Perhaps I need to arrange to see this show, then take the Metro North Train from Poughkeepsie down to the city for the Cutters show....Looks like I am arranging my next art trip!
Info here:
Jonathan Talbot Collage Exhibition
"Circumstantial Evidence"
at BlueStone Gallery
Opens Friday, September 25th, 2009
You are cordially invited to attend the opening of
Jonathan Talbot's exhibition
"Circumstantial Evidence"
at the BlueStone Gallery
104 East Ann St., Milford, PA
on Friday, September 25th, from 5 to 8 PM.
Milford, PA is 75 miles northwest of New York City
via routes I-280, I-80, 15, and 206.
It is 8 miles southwest of Port Jervis via route 209.
Among the works included in the exhibition will be
some from Jonathan's "Patrin" series
and the first twelve works in his
Duchamp-inspired "Bachelor" series.
For additional information or directions call
BlueStone Gallery at 570-296-9999
or call Jonathan at 845-258-4620.
Cutters
This looks like a super show and I am already scheming my way to NY to go see it. Such a vast array of collage work in one place just HAS to be amazing.
Here's the skinny:
Cinders Gallery Presents:
Cutters: An Exhibition of International Collage
October 16th - November 15th 2009
Opening Reception Friday October 16th, 7-10pm
Curated by James Gallagher
Cutters showcases a variety of contemporary collage from North America and
Europe. The selected artists range from young google-image searchers to
collage veterans with roots in the 70s punk scene. Each one has a unique
vision and exciting visual vocabulary that includes collections of images
sorted and stacked, layered and glued, cut to pieces and ripped apart.
In our current age of vast visual stimuli, images and information are
swirling all around us at a faster pace than ever before. We process what we
can, latch on to fragments, and quickly move on. As we get used to
everything being remixed, edited, mashed up and shuffled around, these
collage artists freeze that frenzy and bring you in for a closer look at the
hand at work.
In this diverse collection you will find....Ophelia Chong's quiet moments,
Kareem Rizk’s weathered nostalgia, Max-O-Matic’s controlled chaos, Joe
Ryckebosch’s memory screens, Vanessa Lamounier’s stunning erotica, James
Gallagher’s unseen stages, and Jason Glasser’s visual soul (on glass).
Sophie Kern creates magical worlds (where goddesses, witches and
sorceresses rule all!), Bill Zindel attempts to make sense of stacks of
paper he has amassed,while Valero Doval combines vintage imagery with
delicate handwork.
With over 40 artists contributing close to 150 works of various sizes,
shapes, and colors, the gallery will be transformed into one giant
assemblage, glue stains and all.
Featuring:
Andreas Banderas (Norway), Michael Bartalos (USA), Melinda Beck (USA), Brian
Belott (USA), Jorge Chamorro/ La Cascara Amarga (Spain), Brian Chippendale
(USA), Ophelia Chong (USA), Saiman Chow (USA), Cless (Spain), Rebecca Conroy
(USA), Cristiana Couceiro (Portugal), Valero Doval (UK), Andy Ducett (USA),
Carl Dunn (USA), Lisa Eisenbrey (USA), Elroy (Germany), James Gallagher
(USA), Jason Glasser (France), Hort (Germany), Jordin Isip (USA), Lidy
Jacobs (Netherlands), Sophie Kern (UK), Eva Lake (USA), Vanessa Lamounier
(Netherlands), Matt Li[pps (USA), Sean Mackaoui (Spain), Max-o-matic
(Spain), Taylor McKimens (USA), Cameron Windish Michel (USA), Agnes
Montgomery (USA), Justin Mortimer (UK), Pedro Oliveira (Brazil), Julien
Pacaud (France), David Plunkert (USA), Kareem Rizk (Austrailia), Matthew
Rose (France), Brion Nuda Rosch (USA), Joe Ryyckebosch (USA), Katherine
Streeter (USA), Mario Wagner (Germany), Oliver Wiegner (Germany), Johanna
Wilhelm (Germany), Jessica Williams (USA), Bill Zindel (USA)
CINDERS GALLERY
103 Havemeyer st.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718-388-2311
www.cindersgallery.com
Wed- Sun 1-7pm
9/28/2009
In the royal realm of the crocus
I had a quiet moment at the studio table after a long 2 months of show preparation and the whirlwind of 2 opening receptions.
I felt free. Like a butterfly.
I felt free. Like a butterfly.
9/22/2009
A Book About Death — My Side of the Story
If you read this blog, you know I participated in Matthew Rose's most interesting theme show, A Book About Death. Artists were invited to send 500 postcards based on the theme A Book About Death. Visitors would come to NY to the Emily Harvey Foundation and pick and choose between the cards to create their own unbound book about death. The idea for the exhibition stemmed from the late Ray Johnson, collagist and installation artist extraordinaire, who had created his own Book About Death.
I was busy preparing for my own show that opened this weekend, and attending was impossible. I was depressed to think that I would not get to see the other artists' interpretations and cards. So I asked my daughter Rose, who lives in Northport on Long Island, to attend and collect the cards for me. I warned her to bring a bag, it might get heavy. She had invited her friend Shane Blewett to go with her and help with the collecting. To add to the mystery and intrigue, I did not show my daughter what my card looked like!
The day after the show, she called me to report on how it went. "This was a free for all!" She reported. She described and extremely packed gallery. Lots. Of. People. Indeed. Packed. Heat. Scrambling. Sweat.
She had to stand in line for an hour in order to get in. Luckily the card stacks held and she was able to bring me over 424 cards and even a pile of duplicates!
She brought them up to me this weekend at my show opening.
I ended up sitting down and really looking them over yesterday. What an interesting and amazing group of artworks! I couldn't believe the effort that some had put into the work. I couldn't believe the high quality of the cards. I really liked the various takes on the theme, with some humorous, some serious, and some dedication cards.
I am currently an adjunct at SUNY Cobleskill teaching a Typography and Layout course. I couldn't help but notice the various myriad uses of typefaces on these cards. Some really used type in the work and I challenged my students to a font face-off! I had the duplicates spread out on the table and I had the class split into 2 teams. Each team would pick thru the cards, pick out 10 cards representing 3 different type categories and then most importantly, pick out cards in which the type accented the design and help propel the overall idea behind the card. This was a super exercise, and the students spent at least 15 minutes looking over the cards and inspecting them for graphic design inspiration. At the end of the exercise, I let them take the cards if they wanted. I noticed when I left, several were left on the table.
The postcards worked as a great example of the use of typography.!!
But, I'm not so sure that freshman college students are ready for Death!
I was busy preparing for my own show that opened this weekend, and attending was impossible. I was depressed to think that I would not get to see the other artists' interpretations and cards. So I asked my daughter Rose, who lives in Northport on Long Island, to attend and collect the cards for me. I warned her to bring a bag, it might get heavy. She had invited her friend Shane Blewett to go with her and help with the collecting. To add to the mystery and intrigue, I did not show my daughter what my card looked like!
The day after the show, she called me to report on how it went. "This was a free for all!" She reported. She described and extremely packed gallery. Lots. Of. People. Indeed. Packed. Heat. Scrambling. Sweat.
She had to stand in line for an hour in order to get in. Luckily the card stacks held and she was able to bring me over 424 cards and even a pile of duplicates!
She brought them up to me this weekend at my show opening.
I ended up sitting down and really looking them over yesterday. What an interesting and amazing group of artworks! I couldn't believe the effort that some had put into the work. I couldn't believe the high quality of the cards. I really liked the various takes on the theme, with some humorous, some serious, and some dedication cards.
I am currently an adjunct at SUNY Cobleskill teaching a Typography and Layout course. I couldn't help but notice the various myriad uses of typefaces on these cards. Some really used type in the work and I challenged my students to a font face-off! I had the duplicates spread out on the table and I had the class split into 2 teams. Each team would pick thru the cards, pick out 10 cards representing 3 different type categories and then most importantly, pick out cards in which the type accented the design and help propel the overall idea behind the card. This was a super exercise, and the students spent at least 15 minutes looking over the cards and inspecting them for graphic design inspiration. At the end of the exercise, I let them take the cards if they wanted. I noticed when I left, several were left on the table.
The postcards worked as a great example of the use of typography.!!
But, I'm not so sure that freshman college students are ready for Death!
9/15/2009
The Whirlwind that is Me
Holy crap. I can't explain the utter crazy focus that I have been able to maintain over this past month.
The show of course is what is on my mind, and it's difficult to get by the myriad of tasks that have faced me in getting ready. The tedium of framing was something I was not prepared for! I am using vintage frames, which all required a complete and thorough cleaning and then a swab with some of that miracle elixir...Old English! What great stuff that is, it hides everything. The cutting of glass, the cleaning of glass. It's in a class all by itself and I hate it. What difficult work, cleaning glass and not cutting yourself on the edges.
I felt as tho I was doing a delicate ballet on every single work as I slid it onto the glass, trying to avoid dust and little bits of stuff as I put it all together. Then there was the glazier points. UGH! On a nice pine frame life is good. On a 50 year old oak frame, life sucks. I have taken a beating in making the frames work. Stripping off the old swivels and wires hurt my fingertips. Then I saved the wire to re-use it when the works were framed again. That hurt. Whine whine. Putting in new swivels, my poor thumbs. I have no fingerprints!
This morning I dropped off over 35 pieces to the gallery.
BIG SIGH O' RELIEF!!!
They hang the works themselves at the Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts, and I will be stopping in on Saturday to see how it all came together.
Meanwhile, I have a video to finish up, a pricing list to make out and my SUNY Cobleskill class to teach. Not to mention the full time day job.
Anyone got some time I can borrow???
The show of course is what is on my mind, and it's difficult to get by the myriad of tasks that have faced me in getting ready. The tedium of framing was something I was not prepared for! I am using vintage frames, which all required a complete and thorough cleaning and then a swab with some of that miracle elixir...Old English! What great stuff that is, it hides everything. The cutting of glass, the cleaning of glass. It's in a class all by itself and I hate it. What difficult work, cleaning glass and not cutting yourself on the edges.
I felt as tho I was doing a delicate ballet on every single work as I slid it onto the glass, trying to avoid dust and little bits of stuff as I put it all together. Then there was the glazier points. UGH! On a nice pine frame life is good. On a 50 year old oak frame, life sucks. I have taken a beating in making the frames work. Stripping off the old swivels and wires hurt my fingertips. Then I saved the wire to re-use it when the works were framed again. That hurt. Whine whine. Putting in new swivels, my poor thumbs. I have no fingerprints!
This morning I dropped off over 35 pieces to the gallery.
BIG SIGH O' RELIEF!!!
They hang the works themselves at the Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts, and I will be stopping in on Saturday to see how it all came together.
Meanwhile, I have a video to finish up, a pricing list to make out and my SUNY Cobleskill class to teach. Not to mention the full time day job.
Anyone got some time I can borrow???
9/11/2009
Sharon Springs DK — The Show Poster
The show hangs on Tuesday. I am crazy in the background framing, planning, finishing. It's a freakin' frenzy and I LOVE IT! Things are coming to the home stretch. I can't wait to see this all hanging on the wall.
Here's the poster I am hanging all over the Mohawk Valley:
Here's the poster I am hanging all over the Mohawk Valley:
9/10/2009
Red Roses on White Sulphur
Movie #3 for the upcoming show....
Thank you NIN for your visionary usage of creative commons.
Here's a little nudie show for you on this Thursday in September.
Thank you NIN for your visionary usage of creative commons.
Here's a little nudie show for you on this Thursday in September.
9/09/2009
A Book About Death — The Show
This show opens up tomorrow nite in NY City!!! There are over 400 artists that are participating. I won't be there because I am hanging my own solo show in Little Falls, NY this week. My daughter will be attending the opening and collecting my little Book O' Death for me. While you are there, collect the 400 cards to create your own Book About Death. This is such a great concept! And also, it's sort of like an installation.
If you have the chance, this show is a Must See!!!
A BOOK ABOUT DEATH
a project by matthew rose
OPENING: September 10, 7:30 pm - 11 pm
RUNNING: September 10 - 22 2009
The Emily Harvey Foundation
537 Broadway, NYC, NY.
www.emilyharveyfoundation.org
212.925.7651
A BOOK ABOUT DEATH involves a global participation of artists who have each sent in 500 postcards (the "pages") in a massive unbound "book" on the subject of death. More than 275 artists including Yoko Ono, Julia Hoffmann, Peter Schuyff, Dame Mailarta, Rodney Alan Greenblat, Julie Sadler and others have contributed works thus far.
www.abookaboutdeath.blogspot.com
www.abookaboutdeath.net
Matthew Rose is an artist and writer based in Paris.
www.homepage.mac.com/mistahcoughdrop
8/25/2009
Gates & Fences
making movies. my way.
the process is quite involved really.
i take a picture of something that moves or intrigues me.
i use different cameras. digital. holga. lomo colorsplash. lomo fisheye. vintage box cameras. 35mm.
sometimes i use the picture as is. but that is rare.
sometimes i scan the picture in.
if i want to create video from stills i pull the stills into MAX/MSP with jitter and mix them and record it.
sometimes i combine the mixed videos with other stills and videos. there's no end to this process, it lasts until i get the visual satisfaction i am looking for. watching MAX mix the video sometimes creates new possibilities. and this process sometimes spins out of control.
sometimes i print the altered still out of MAX.
sometimes i use different printers to print the stills. laser. inkjet. various substrates.
the prints are cut up and repositioned in my collage art. my favorite part of this journey.
the collage gets scanned into the computer.
i go into photoshop and use the pen tool to crop out portions of the collage to use in animation.
sometimes i use the MAX movies as a background to the Flash animation.
sometimes i use the original still as a background.
sometimes i use the collage as a background.
sometimes i scan in other material for the background.
the parts and pieces come alive in flash. this can consume many hours, depending on how focused i am.
the flash animations are exported to .mov format.
sometimes i crop and regroup these movies in quicktime.
the .mov's are imported into imovie.
the movies are sequenced.
the music is added.
i study the movie.
sometimes i have to go back and rework the flash animation to fit the music better.
sometimes there are little things that disturb me like subtle white edges that don't meet, or parts that don't quite work right. these get the final tweak. this can get tedious.
the movie is exported from imovie and ready to be combined with other movies for my dvd.
i can't sleep at night because i get such a thrill from the finished product.
i wake up and post the movie on my blog to share with you.
Sky Swirler
Still doing exercises with these smaller canvases. I can't bite into anything too heavy, since I am steadily working on the show at this point.
Currently, it's movies that have me going crazy. I am animating some of the pieces with Flash, combining them with movies that were treated in MAX/MSP and then putting the clips together in iMovie. Lots of computer work, not enough studio art work!
Currently, it's movies that have me going crazy. I am animating some of the pieces with Flash, combining them with movies that were treated in MAX/MSP and then putting the clips together in iMovie. Lots of computer work, not enough studio art work!
8/20/2009
Beneath a pale blue sky
Beneath a pale blue sky, I did indeed sit, a few times, for a few hours total, in my yard under 100+ year old locusts. The heat has been insane, and it effects the thistle that is now seeding in the field. The seeds cut loose on the wind, and then they float upwards with the flow of hot air, and float away to meadows unknown. I was fascinated.
So how odd is it that upstairs in the studio, i had already picked out these 4 photos--of the very same field-pix taken last year at this time-- plus the girl to work with. It seemed totally autobiographical! The coincidence interested me. I was toying with a journal entry and what I would say about this week. Words came to mind and I couldn't remove them from my mind. I was freakishly compelled to use words in my work! AAaCK! I usually avoid words like the plague. I would rather you came to your own conclusions about what I was trying to say, instead of infusing you with my thoughts. After all, it's a visual medium! But it kept nagging at me to put them in there so I did.
Obviously, I don't letter things too often! The bottom words went on first, and I was amazed they almost balanced each other. (can you believe both sentences have the exact same amount of characters!??) Everything was cool till I had to try to center the top line. I did that the next morning, and I wasn't warmed up and it bummed me out that it wasn't more...uh....perfect. In fact, it's kinda lopsided and not kerned properly AT All. Too late. It's pen and ink, and the way the acrylic kind of blends into the top of the photos was planned, so I wasn't going to cover it or repaint.
I kind of like the imperfect nature of the letters. If I blur my eyes and look at this piece, the letters look like another language.
Not sure I will use words again too soon. But for now, I am intrigued with it for some reason. It kills me how a simple thing like adding words throws me completely off.
p.s. note to self: you are working on symmetrical pieces WAY too often. Lets break this habit.
So how odd is it that upstairs in the studio, i had already picked out these 4 photos--of the very same field-pix taken last year at this time-- plus the girl to work with. It seemed totally autobiographical! The coincidence interested me. I was toying with a journal entry and what I would say about this week. Words came to mind and I couldn't remove them from my mind. I was freakishly compelled to use words in my work! AAaCK! I usually avoid words like the plague. I would rather you came to your own conclusions about what I was trying to say, instead of infusing you with my thoughts. After all, it's a visual medium! But it kept nagging at me to put them in there so I did.
Obviously, I don't letter things too often! The bottom words went on first, and I was amazed they almost balanced each other. (can you believe both sentences have the exact same amount of characters!??) Everything was cool till I had to try to center the top line. I did that the next morning, and I wasn't warmed up and it bummed me out that it wasn't more...uh....perfect. In fact, it's kinda lopsided and not kerned properly AT All. Too late. It's pen and ink, and the way the acrylic kind of blends into the top of the photos was planned, so I wasn't going to cover it or repaint.
I kind of like the imperfect nature of the letters. If I blur my eyes and look at this piece, the letters look like another language.
Not sure I will use words again too soon. But for now, I am intrigued with it for some reason. It kills me how a simple thing like adding words throws me completely off.
p.s. note to self: you are working on symmetrical pieces WAY too often. Lets break this habit.
8/17/2009
Pink Cabinet
I love working on birch plywood!
I did 2 sample pieces that were small and would need no support. I need to prepare a few larger pieces and use it again. I also have been using canvas lately, but I don't like it nearly as much as the wood.
On these smaller pieces, I am trying to remove all fluff and leave just my subject. It seems kind of stark and plain for my kind of work... he he he
I did 2 sample pieces that were small and would need no support. I need to prepare a few larger pieces and use it again. I also have been using canvas lately, but I don't like it nearly as much as the wood.
On these smaller pieces, I am trying to remove all fluff and leave just my subject. It seems kind of stark and plain for my kind of work... he he he
8/14/2009
Cut & Paste in Stockholm
Here's the scoop on an upcoming exhibition to be held in Stockholm in September. This is another reason why I want to go to Scandinavia! (the other reason would be that I have relatives in Norway) If you are in the region, this show would be worth the time.
The type is kind of tiny on this .jpg. Information is repeated here for you:
Cut & Paste
17.9 - 10/10 - 2009
Kammakargatan 52, Stockholm
www.kg52.se
info@kg52.se
exhibition homepage: www.cutandpaste.in
The type is kind of tiny on this .jpg. Information is repeated here for you:
Cut & Paste
17.9 - 10/10 - 2009
Kammakargatan 52, Stockholm
www.kg52.se
info@kg52.se
exhibition homepage: www.cutandpaste.in
8/12/2009
Avoiding A Book About Death
Matthew Rose has this great call for art going on, for A Book About Death. It's coming to a close soon, and finally I settled down and came up with my entry.
I had all these grandiose ideas when he first posted the call. I thought about my own experiences about death...those family members of mine who have recently died, including my mother. It was overwhelming. The power of the subject. I had a hard time approaching the work.
Matthew and I skyped and brainstormed all these wondrous ideas and cool ways to deal with this project. I dreamed about setting up a booth at our local grocery store, sitting with 500 blank cards, and asking people to write a small thought on the card regarding the Death Subject. But if was avoiding thinking about death, I assumed most others also would be. I loved the idea of getting 500 schoolchildren to draw me some death. Not sure where I would find a quick 500 students since Canajoharie only has 3797 residents--I doubt there are 500 kids in the school! I thought of Iraq and how easy it would be to dedicate a card for each of 500 totally unnecessary and bogus war deaths. I would have to leave many out, or do several series of cards for fairness, so this wasn't working for me.
He Giveth His Beloved Sleep
(a favorite gravestone slogan of mine)
I realized that these modes of operation were just another way for me to avoid thinking about death. With deadlines for my show looming, I already am overwhelmed. But I really liked the way A Book About Death was pushing my limit--I know that sounds silly that I liked being uncomfortable, but usually this means a growth opportunity--a chance for me to learn something. So this weekend I engaged it.
I had done a journal a few years ago that was themed around cemetaries. My bestest pal Travis and I had spent so many lunches in various local cemetaries, experimental photographing, seeking Mason gravestones, graverubbing..., and I had used some of these pieces in collage work.
left: pic of fence from the cemetary behind the historical Indian Castle Church (off rte 5s, outside Little Falls)
right: Travis in creepy Halloween mask beside the quiet ravine that comprises some of Canajoharie cemetary
I spend 3 hours looking for that journal. I was going to cheat and use a page from the journal instead of coming up with a new piece. My wonderful organizational skills (or lack thereof) totally prevented this from happening. Still cheating, I knew I also had a favorite piece of mine that I did in my own private journal that would probably work. I even scanned it in, preparing to make the post card entry from it.
private journal entry: 2004
Again, I caught myself in the act of cheating and proceeded beat my own ass. That was it. I sat down at the table and found some clips that I have been saving for a long time. The girl with the netted hat, she has been passed over at least 500 times. Her time had come. Along with some black and white double exposed Holga photographs that Trav and I took years ago. After all that buildup, I'm not sure the end product was "all that". The entire time I composed the piece, my mind wondered to distant Lithuanian and Norwegian relatives that paved the way bravely for me to exist.
However, it's what went on in my own head that interests me. For me it's the journey that matters. The continuous brain games that go on while I avoid things. The personal acknowledgment of my weaknesses. The triumph of thinking it all through. It's this I share with you. Like a mini-performance art.
my final entry
I had all these grandiose ideas when he first posted the call. I thought about my own experiences about death...those family members of mine who have recently died, including my mother. It was overwhelming. The power of the subject. I had a hard time approaching the work.
Matthew and I skyped and brainstormed all these wondrous ideas and cool ways to deal with this project. I dreamed about setting up a booth at our local grocery store, sitting with 500 blank cards, and asking people to write a small thought on the card regarding the Death Subject. But if was avoiding thinking about death, I assumed most others also would be. I loved the idea of getting 500 schoolchildren to draw me some death. Not sure where I would find a quick 500 students since Canajoharie only has 3797 residents--I doubt there are 500 kids in the school! I thought of Iraq and how easy it would be to dedicate a card for each of 500 totally unnecessary and bogus war deaths. I would have to leave many out, or do several series of cards for fairness, so this wasn't working for me.
He Giveth His Beloved Sleep
(a favorite gravestone slogan of mine)
I realized that these modes of operation were just another way for me to avoid thinking about death. With deadlines for my show looming, I already am overwhelmed. But I really liked the way A Book About Death was pushing my limit--I know that sounds silly that I liked being uncomfortable, but usually this means a growth opportunity--a chance for me to learn something. So this weekend I engaged it.
I had done a journal a few years ago that was themed around cemetaries. My bestest pal Travis and I had spent so many lunches in various local cemetaries, experimental photographing, seeking Mason gravestones, graverubbing..., and I had used some of these pieces in collage work.
left: pic of fence from the cemetary behind the historical Indian Castle Church (off rte 5s, outside Little Falls)
right: Travis in creepy Halloween mask beside the quiet ravine that comprises some of Canajoharie cemetary
I spend 3 hours looking for that journal. I was going to cheat and use a page from the journal instead of coming up with a new piece. My wonderful organizational skills (or lack thereof) totally prevented this from happening. Still cheating, I knew I also had a favorite piece of mine that I did in my own private journal that would probably work. I even scanned it in, preparing to make the post card entry from it.
private journal entry: 2004
Again, I caught myself in the act of cheating and proceeded beat my own ass. That was it. I sat down at the table and found some clips that I have been saving for a long time. The girl with the netted hat, she has been passed over at least 500 times. Her time had come. Along with some black and white double exposed Holga photographs that Trav and I took years ago. After all that buildup, I'm not sure the end product was "all that". The entire time I composed the piece, my mind wondered to distant Lithuanian and Norwegian relatives that paved the way bravely for me to exist.
However, it's what went on in my own head that interests me. For me it's the journey that matters. The continuous brain games that go on while I avoid things. The personal acknowledgment of my weaknesses. The triumph of thinking it all through. It's this I share with you. Like a mini-performance art.
my final entry
8/04/2009
Collage on Wood - Boy and Caterpillar
This freakin piece of wood!
I had my honey pie Chris cut me up a few samples of birch plywood. Hochbaum was using birch plywood as his base, and I liked the idea of a firmer substrate. (the 140 lb paper isn't working for me and I am too cheap to purchase the 300 lb!) This particular piece of wood has been sitting in gessoland forever it seems. It took 3 good coats of gesso to get a nice smooth surface to work on, and after sanding the last coat, I decided it was time to try it out.
I love working on wood! The grain does pick up my paint, however, since I like to use acrylics watery and loose like watercolors. This effect came in handy for the distant trees, tho...
I wanted to show how this piece came into being. I had taken these 2 photos of a really gnarly willow and at first the actual laser print of the photo was going to be used as the background.
However, this would completely cover the beautifully sanded and gessoed wood I just spent all that time preparing! Oi! NO WAY I was going to waste that work and gesso... no way. Seriously! So I ended up painting an acrylic background. This was so satisfying as I have been craving to paint landscapes en plein air lately.
Finally I got to use the set of Derwent colored pencils my father bought me for Christmas, as I lightly penciled in the far background trees.
I hated to cover up the pen and ink with collage. In fact, as soon as I painted the piece, I didn't want to cover anything at all. Yet, when it was a laser photograph in the planning stages, I was hell bent on it. I guess I had an investment in the time it took to pen and ink and somehow this altered my perception when it came to put this together. All in all, it's pretty busy.
I did have moth wings on the boy, even real ones I have collected from, dare I say it, spider webs and other dark and miserable places. But the wing thing is pretty cliché and rather overdone. I would think you might want to imagine the tree branches as his wings as he will probably adorn them and take flight!!!
7/30/2009
Collage Comments by Elbow-Toe
Chalice Begonia 2008
Charcoal and acrylic paint mounted on reclaimed lumber on birch support
35 x 46 inches
Was reading some of the blog posts on Elbow-Toe's blog today and came across a very inspiring and sage comment he made regarding collage. I really enjoy it when an artist speaks about how the process of art affects them.Here is a short quote...but I really feel it's right to go to his blog and read the rest!
"The collage works are as much about the process as they are about the finished product. Every mark is a comment on the emotional presence of the model, descriptive as well as gestural."
Isn't this true? I luv luv luv the feeling I get while I am creating collage. It's not the same as painting, because I am constantly forced to go left-brain/right-brain as I sift through ephemera for the correct components. It ends up being a very intuitive process and after I finish a piece of artwork, I can find subtle hidden references and layers that my subconscious was filling in for me while I worried about color and line!
Art. It isn't always about the money. It really isn't! For the artist, at least. The money portion is just the necessary evil required to buy more art supplies.
7/27/2009
I hate decision making
My show is coming up and it's time for some decision making. I have to choose the pieces that are going to hang. I have to match them up with the frames I have. I have to purchase mat board for them. And finally, I need to professionally frame the work. (Oh sheesh! I almost forgot the Pricing!!! AAAARRrrgghh!!!) Can I run away now?
There's the Sharon Springs DK series in which most all the pieces are 11 x 14 landscape and I want to include several of these.
There's a humungous pile of 16 x 20 frames stacked nice and neat behind my drafting table. I have been saving these for a couple of years now just for this purpose. At least 15 vintage frames, all the proper size for the Sharon Springs series. But they vary in design. One is mahogany with grain painting, one has elaborate metal frames with filigree borders, one is white and huge and made with architectural elements. It's a huge puzzle to figure out which piece will be enhanced best by which artwork. and then the mat board color. grrrrr.
Decision making is NOT my strong point!
The Sharon Springs DK will only take up half of the gallery. There's a little alcove in which I am setting up a computer with a projector. In this little room my Sharon Springs movies will play in a loop on the wall.
There will be a large dressing screen made of vintage green round-top shutters that will divide the gallery ...down the middle. On both sides of the screen will be the food tables and alcohol (for the opening anyhow) In the front windows I have 2 sculpture pieces that will display.
The other half of the gallery is the part I am still thinking about. I need to select maybe 15 - 20 random works and figure out how they will be displayed. For this group, I have to find frames still. My man owns an antique shop, so I won't have too much trouble finding them, luckily. But again, it's the decision making. HOW do I choose these works? By color? Theme? Pick the ones I like? Pick the ones that have done the best on flickr?
???????
Can you tell I have some indecision here?
There's the Sharon Springs DK series in which most all the pieces are 11 x 14 landscape and I want to include several of these.
There's a humungous pile of 16 x 20 frames stacked nice and neat behind my drafting table. I have been saving these for a couple of years now just for this purpose. At least 15 vintage frames, all the proper size for the Sharon Springs series. But they vary in design. One is mahogany with grain painting, one has elaborate metal frames with filigree borders, one is white and huge and made with architectural elements. It's a huge puzzle to figure out which piece will be enhanced best by which artwork. and then the mat board color. grrrrr.
Decision making is NOT my strong point!
The Sharon Springs DK will only take up half of the gallery. There's a little alcove in which I am setting up a computer with a projector. In this little room my Sharon Springs movies will play in a loop on the wall.
There will be a large dressing screen made of vintage green round-top shutters that will divide the gallery ...down the middle. On both sides of the screen will be the food tables and alcohol (for the opening anyhow) In the front windows I have 2 sculpture pieces that will display.
The other half of the gallery is the part I am still thinking about. I need to select maybe 15 - 20 random works and figure out how they will be displayed. For this group, I have to find frames still. My man owns an antique shop, so I won't have too much trouble finding them, luckily. But again, it's the decision making. HOW do I choose these works? By color? Theme? Pick the ones I like? Pick the ones that have done the best on flickr?
???????
Can you tell I have some indecision here?
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