Bridge Work

...And I'm back! After a brief hiatus of visiting friends and family I will again be posting weekly. Did you miss me? 

This painting was created for a group exhibition in New York. It is titled "Bridgework."  The theme of the show was "Bridges." I enjoy wordplay, and the examination of words with multiple meanings, so when I was given the theme I wanted to look at bridges from an unexpected point of view.

My initial thoughts turned to bridge the card game. I have never played bridge, and am unfamiliar with how it works. There have also been many images created around card playing, gambling, etc., so I decided against this.

I then thought about bridges in terms of dental work. This also made me think about how many people have anxiety about going to the dentist. This lead me to think that by creating an image related to dentistry the viewer and the work would create a bridge addressing this issue. This provided another layer of meaning for bridge, and I knew that this was the definition I wanted to work with.

I then began researching the procedures for bridge work. I examined all kinds of illustrations including these:

I also looked at actual x-ray images like these:

 

I determined that while these images are interesting (and somewhat disturbing), they may not be recognizable to viewers. I believed that I would need to create an image that could be interpreted with an element of familiarity. Most people have been to the dentist at some point, and the most common images that come to my mind when thinking about the dentist are the dental chair, the overhead light, and the dental x-ray machine. I then decided to incorporate all these images into the painting. 

Getting back to the issue of dental anxiety I decided to fall back on some of the basic elements and principles of art and design. Compositions with strong diagonals have a disharmonious psychological impact on viewers, and are associated with action, fear, etc. I therefore included many diagonals from multiple angles.

   
Next I put some thought into the palette. Yellow is a color associated with fear ("what are you are you yella?") so I wanted to use a strong yellow base. In addition to the floor of the dentists office and the lead x-ray vest, the rest of the image relies on a strong yellow undercoat. To contrast this I also used violet, the complement to yellow, to push against the yellow and add to the visual tensions.

I think this image successfully communicates all of the ideas I was working with. It was fun to explore all of these issues, and now it will be interesting to see how viewers respond. What is your response?    

Three part post

      This past weekend I attended the "Hot Art Cool Nights" art hop in Baton Rouge. It was great, there were many things to see and experience. I think events like this are good for getting art and community together, which is something that art is supposed to do. In addition, I also found out about a cool Website that brings art and observers together in one location, and finally I finished a painting that I had been working on. So many art happenings, all at one time!

PART 1
      "Hot Art Cool Nights" was an art exhibit that took place across several venues in central Baton Rouge. It happens annually, but this is the first one I attended. More about it can be read here. Attendance seemed a little low, but I attribute that to the stormy weather. At one point I was certain it was going to rain.

        For those hearty individuals that did come out, there was much to see. One of the things I enjoyed most, was the seemingly impromptu set ups. Art was there, and people came. This idea represents a simple concept but one that worked successfully.

  
      One location that I really enjoyed was in the supermarket. Art and a live band were set up adjacent to the meat department! (There was also free wine tasting at this stop). There's just something inherently funny about art being set up and offered next to fresh cuts of meat. Good news if you came to look at and purchase art, not so good if you just stopped in for some bologna and bacon.

   I concluded the evening by sitting down and listening to the music. It was very good, and despite the photograph there were plenty of people-watching opportunities also. 

PART 2

      The Website that I found out about is called Pictify. I do not know how long it has been in existence, but the concept is very similar to Pinterest. The difference is that all of the images are works of art, many loaded by the art museums that display them. If you are addicted ti Pinterest and you like art, then this is a site for you. You can explore it here.

PART 3

      This image represents one of my most recent paintings. It's called the dance of life, and it builds on the techniques and experiments I have been discussing in recent posts. What do you think?

      Well, that is is for this week. More art to come in the future! Keep checking my website, there will be updates soon!
      

Fest for all/Stabbed in the Art

      Last week I mentioned that "Fest for All" and "Stabbed in the Art," two different but art related events were to take place. I did attend both, and they were very good. I am a member of the Louisiana Art and Artists Guild (LAAG) and there is a meeting scheduled this week. There is also an "art hop" event taking place sponsored by the Mid city South Merchants. It is supposed to feature artists, galleries, and offers viewers free rides from venue to venue throughout mid Baton Rouge. This event is called "Hot Art, Cool Nights." I plan to go to these events as well, and will of course let you know about it here. Before moving to Baton Rouge, I figured there would be some kind of art scene, but I had no idea it would be this thriving!

      "Stabbed in the Art" is a monthly exhibition and art party. It features the work of 12-24 artists, a live DJ, and an open bar. It takes place in an out-of-business neighborhood market in the Garden District of Baton Rouge. The owner of the building opens it up once a month for this purpose. This open forum offers artists the opportunity to socialize, network, display and sell their work in a common area. The event is very positive, and although I have only been one time so for, I think the quality and content of work will be different each time. I am excited about next months exhibition!

     "Fest for All" was an art exhibition and sale that featured artists form across the country. I spoke to some artists from as far away as Missouri and Nebraska. In addition, the Shaw Center,  offered free admission throughout the weekend. This art festival also offered food, music, artist demos, and events for children. Some  photos from the event are below. I had a very good time and saw some interesting work. It reminded me of the Des Moines Arts Festival in Iowa, an event that I helped with in the past.

      I have also been very busy in my studio. In addition to the exhibition opportunities I wrote about last week, I was contacted by the New Emerging Artists Houston Art Fair. I plan to submit some work there as well, and so my studio is jammed packed with activity and multiple projects. 

  

It's going to be a busy, art infused spring! As new events occur, I will write about it here. Please post your comments, see you next time.

Art happenings

      These three paintings are some experimental results from the painting and posting last week. I think this is an interesting idea, and I will continue to develop it. Although it may be difficult to believe, these images are watercolors. They look very much like oils. I painted them on foam core, and found that applying the paint to the surface was very much like working with oils as well. The watercolor stays fluid, and can even be erased, reworked, and scratched into just like oils. It was a new experience for me, as I had always been instructed that watercolors could not be worked like oils. I think it has to do with the sheen of the foam core, but whatever the reason it seems like a good surface to use in the future.

      It is a busy time, and there are many art happenings. "Stabbed in the Art" and "Fest for All", two different art exhibition/festivals will be happening in Baton Rouge this weekend. I plan on attending both and will post about them here. You should go too, if you are in the area.

      In addition to these events, I also have some upcoming exhibition opportunities. I will be submitting some of my work to an exhibition in North Dakota at the end of the month. I was also contacted by my gallery representative in New York, with an opportunity happening in early June. She also confirmed that I will once again be listed in the annual Art in America guide to artists and galleries. It is indeed a very busy and exciting time. I will update information here as it is available. See you in the future, don't forget to post your comments.  

Artist Update

    
      I have once again been invited to participate in the Cultural Association art exhibition in Civitanova Italy. The exhibition is May 20th-July 8th in the Cultural Association Gallery. The image above is the one I created for this show. The theme was arts and crafts makers.

      For quite a while I was uncertain what I would submit to this exhibition. I originally thought about doing something with weavers and/or spinning wheels. I still think that might be an interesting idea to explore, perhaps I will do so at a later date. After discussing different ideas with a co-worker (she suggested cheese making), I decided to experiment with wine making. The completed image is interesting, but I think I may need to explore this idea further.

      I like my pallet choices. I find the colors in this image to be very soothing, and I think they create an almost sleepy atmosphere. As I was working this image, I was torn between using distorted, representational figures, or more accurate, naturalistic ones. The result of this quandary is a kind of combination of both ideas. The figure in the foreground is more representational, while the one in back is somewhat more naturalistic. The same idea was carried though in the ellipse of each wine barrel which virtually divides the painting in two. This division is bridged by the viewer’s eye as it moves across and down the page. I think the addition of a third, even more distorted figure, (perhaps in the lower right corner) would add to this image. I was limited to specific dimensions for the exhibition, and I think working with a larger picture place would also benefit the composition.

      These are my considerations for this painting. What do you think?

    
    

Thomas Kinkade

Thomas Kinkade, the self-proclaimed "painter of light" died this past Friday (Apr. 6, 2012). A full article from the New York Daily News can be read here.

Kinkade has been an interesting figure. I have written about him and his work before. Click here to re-read that post. I have never been a fan of his work, but I have found his philosophy towards art useful and interesting when teaching and discussing art. To me, his work represents an extreme of the art spectrum, and helps to define how meaning is derived through art.

When I was in art school, I had an art history class that focused solely on landscape art. This course included landscape paintings, but also sculptures and environmental works. Anything that explored the idea of land, land use, or the landscape in general, was discussed. One day my instructor brought up the work of Thomas Kinkade. We, as art students, dismissed the work as laughable. But when the instructor asked us why we laugh at it, no substantial answer could be reached.

Reflecting on this now, almost ten years later, I can say that we possibly laughed at this work because it didn't contribute anything unique. There is nothing inherently wrong with the work of Thomas Kinkade, but the ideas and information communicated in each piece were not new. What Kinkade did do differently, however, was his marketing. This contribution to the art world does raise questions and can put his work in a separate category.

The way Kinkade sold his works (original works are rare, most were re-prints on canvas or paper) asks what is the purpose of art making. Kinkade claimed that his goal of mass-distribution was to create appeal for art at any level, and that the generation of this interest in art was a good thing. I can agree with this philosophy, I think people need art, but I would also hope that viewers are drawn into the world of art and that they explore works beyond the levels that Kinkade represents.

Shreveport Artist Rachel Stuart-Haas

During a recent conference in Shreveport, LA I surveyed the local art scene. Shreveport has an art museum, a weekly outdoor art market, and a few little art galleries. Many of the buildings are also covered in original murals. Despite this, I found that most of the downtown area seemed abandoned, and I only managed to locate one gallery. That gallery (Artspace, linked here) was featuring an exhibition by Rachel Stuart-Haas. The postcard from her show is pictured below.

Stuart-Hass described her work as drawing on her emotions and experiences of being a woman. Her artist statement added that many of the pieces exhibited were based on thoughts and feelings she had while becoming a new mother.

To that, I would add that her paintings definitely have a sense of mystery to them. I have also noticed how she has drawn inspiration from other artists including Michelangelo and Gaugun. I have included three of my favorites, in no particular order.

I enjoyed the work of Stuart-Hass. I liked how she composed her images and used her space. Many of the images were flattened, but I think this added to the overall feelings derived from the content presented. The pen and ink images were smaller and somewhat playful, which contrasted nicely with the larger paintings that dealt with heavier concepts. What was presented was a nice body of work, and a very talented artist.

I think it is important to support artists and galleries at any level. I know an artist who once remarked that "...artists are a dime a dozen." And while it's true that there are artists everywhere, if we do not support their efforts and build a community the responds to artistic endeavors, artistic expressions will be lost.