Sunday, February 26, 2012

Worlds in Small

I am thinking about creating small spaces that are real and intricate. I guess I am thinking about how a person reacts to scale and imagery within smaller scale. These are some process shots. The piece is about 4" high 8" long and about 3" deep. It is on Bristol and later foam core. These are painted in watercolor and drawn in ink.




Cut Outs

I have been working on cut outs, just drawings with shapes cut out. I would like to layer them and possibly color them. I am moving slowly on this, but really like this. I feel like I am really presenting dreams and memories in a very beautiful and compelling way. These are works in progress with names only for organization purposes. All of these are on Bristol paper.

Layer 1

Layer 2

Layer 3

Layers 1 and 2 together

Drawing before cutting

Paintings in Progress

The following are two pieces I recently started. I was simply trying to get myself to paint again. I am really pleased for the most part with these pieces, even though I feel they are not quite finished. As always forgive the poor quality images. You have no idea how crippled an artist is without photoshop and poor lighting... pity.


"Blooms of Midnight (Temp name)" Ink and Acrylic on Canvas 10"x24"


"Sunrise (Temp name)" Ink and Acrylic on Canvas 10"x24" (The names of these pieces have changed and their sizes updated on a later post.)

Valentines Greetings!

I hate Valentines Day, as does anybody who doesn't have a significant other. Yet, it was on this auspicious holiday that I would receive a glimpse of wit. I made three versions, one rather innocent and two rather grim. I love them! To all of you Happy Valentines Day (belated).

"I got you the biggest Valentine I could find!"

"I just couldn't figure out how to mail it. Happy Valentines Day!"

"You gave me your heart for Valentines Day!"

"Oh! I wasn't supposed to eat it? Happy Valentines Day!"

"I'm giving you my heart for Valentines Day!"

"I didn't really think this through... Happy Valentines Day!"

Wood Nymph Portraits

The following are a couple of portaits I did of some nymphs of sorts. They are rather simple and just an indulgence in my imagination.


"Young Man" Watercolor on Bristol 8" x 12"


"Aging Well" Watercolor on Bristol 8" x 12"

Interview regarding Mania

I am about to introduce something new. Self-interviews. I sometimes have a hard time expressing ideas. Recently though I have discovered that if I interview myself it makes more sense... to me at least.

Interview of Mania and Art
- 2/23/12-

If art were to be truly a combined matter of inspiration and training, then what is to say that a hint of madness can be an aiding tool to the natural creation of art. I would like to propose that there are certain aspects of madness that is crucial to the creation of honest work. The type of madness I would like to explore is better known as “mania.” Mania is seen as an overdrive setting to the mind, something often seen as a semi-drug induced state. The more positive aspect of this is that no drugs are required to accomplish this “high”, as we’ll call it. The following will be an outline of thoughts and questions in a pseudo interview style:

1) What would Mania look like in art?
 This is tough to say. I think of layers, color, no color. A celebration of everything and nothing.
 Scale shouldn’t be an issue. Mania can be viewed in many sizes.
 Medium: collage? Although I am afraid of clutter.
 It should be unexpected and avoiding cliché.
 It should explore many subjects.

2) What subjects specifically should be explored?
 The subjects should be “subject” to whims and fancies.
 They should be deliberate yet interpretable (open).

3) If so much is dependent on whims and fancies, then what acts to hold it all together?
 I would like to avoid “illustration”. The word still scares me.
 Its “concrete” is the mania itself. Maybe it’s unity is found within the practice of art itself.
 Or… maybe the lack of something concrete is a part of the mania.
 An artist was saying the following, “I believe this expectation and allowance for uncertainty with a reliance on the daily environment makes art making and life more exciting and less of a predictable, regimented process. It involves taking risk, following your intuition with decisions and allowing things to unfold


Mania itself is a bit unstable. It still needs some more groundwork for something to be built upon.

4) Mania often indicates a sense of repetition. How will this appear in the work?
 I have never been a fan of repetition. Mostly out of the fact that I can’t repeat images.
 Repetition of forms and color is possible, but seems…weak.

I see mania as an excuse to do whatever I want.

5) Mania as an excuse? What prevents you from doing what you want now?
 Pressures from surrounding supporters. People all have a certain expectation of what they want to see in my work.
 People want abstract, they want portraits, they want landscapes…
 I lack a clear vision of what I would like to be doing in art.

6) What have you been doing?
 Abstract with a hint of landscape in it. I do it because it is what comes naturally. I find this kinds of painting to be rather effortless.
 I guess it is because of the “effortless” quality of the creation of this work, that I feel like it is sub-par to what I am really capable of.

7) And what are you capable of?
 That’s the mystery. I would like to believe that I could really create some incredible work. Pieces that really affect the mind and emotions of humanity. I know. It seems to be a bit grand.

8) Do you feel like Mania is the key to it?
 It is a subject that I keep returning to. I don’t know if it is because of a hidden fear of madness, or rather a grasping the dark for anything that can make me substantially successful.
 I recently read an artist statement regarding and action as the catalyst. It was saying that walking was the catalyst for the work rather than the work itself. And on the walks, she would work to deconstruct the world around her and interpret its meanings. This would manifest itself in her sculptures, drawings and movies. So I think this is an interesting thought. Maybe mania is a catalyst for the exploration of artistic mediums.