Personal note

As my feet touch the ground I look beyond my small world into the larger global experience and am reminded of what inspired my paintings. It is hard not to be affected by the events happening across the earth. Devastation and violence reach beyond the boundaries set up by nations. Indeed it crept into my studio space. What started as a series about the general effects of time and history on our part of the universe became more specific about human choices made for power and greed, so willing to sacrifice the many for financial gain. It seemed fitting to call the series Moloch after the Caanite god to whom children were sacrificed and for my artist statement use the quote from Alan Ginsberg's poem Howl:


"Moloch! Solitude! Filth! Ugliness! Ashcans and unobtainable dollars! Children screaming under the stairways! Boys sobbing in armies! Old men weeping in the parks!

Moloch! Moloch! Nightmare of Moloch! Moloch the loveless! Mental Moloch! Moloch the heavy judger of men!"


Thank you Harry Kent for reminding me of Howl in your moving self-portrait last year. It has been a touchstone for when I need some way to express frustration not only with my petty angst but also the horror experienced by many that I feel helpless to do anything about. 

Stretch of Road

The year end show opening was last night and a tremendous success it was! The attendance was excellent with a great variety of people. The pieces were varied both in medium and in content making it interesting and aesthetically exciting.

It was personally exciting because it had a number of firsts for me. It was the first time I showed a large abstract series, four 4'x3' pieces.  And someone expressed an interest to purchase my work. It's definitely a night to remember when the demons are snapping at my heals.

I will post photos soon.

I received recognition and an award but I'm not sure it was for the video, "Near Journey's End" or the "Moloch Series" since I missed the first part of the announcement. Anyway it's all good.

Thank you all for your continued support and encouragement. It' an honour to be included in such a talented community. It may be virtual but it's definitely real.

Where I've been working this semester

The building is spectacular architecture in the public space.The rest of the building is a large box-like and houses the Trade programs with one large space for Fine Arts. It's a strange combination :D but I think they're getting used to us being there, after all we have a shop in the humungous studio. 

outside view of Cloverdale campus where I've been working this semester

inside the lobby

Raced Past Mid-Term

I didn't have time to notice the mid point of the semester. The Open Studio is a double course, studio time is eight hours once a week plus eight to twelve hours outside class. It has been challenging. I love working in the new space. There are only six of us using it and not always at the same time so it feels like my own studio. I go in every day for three to four hours. I've learned a lot about what I can and can't do with the cold wax medium. Painting four by three foot canvases has been challenging. When something doesn't work it's in a big way LOL. Everything needs to be finished by March 22 fir the year end show jury.

Hope you and your families are well and safe.

End of year show

Full steam ahead

Approaching midterm at full speed. Finished the first digital media project, three digital images using Photoshop, approximately 3' x 2' making a comment on the Big Three auto companies glut (not too heavy handed though).  Starting my second project for digital studio, a video, and a more personal theme,  aging. 

Meanwhile in the studio I'm working on a series of oil and cold wax abstracts, eight 4'x3' wood panels. Three are started. Aging, passing of time and its effects on surfaces - a variation of the aging theme. I'm using a different technique from last semester, inspired by Rebecca Crowell. I'm still finding my way but by the eighth one I hope I know more. This is one of the biggest projects I have tackled but it is exciting. The work is physically demanding. My next step is to build six more wood frames for the door skins. 

On a different note

This demonstration is pretty awesome. Watch and enjoy and marvel at the human mind.

Moving Forward

Well the first four weeks of the semester is finished and I've already had a creative block. I'm working with cold wax again but this time on board. I'm doing several small pieces. To save money I used the cradles from small cheap canvases by removing the canvas and replaced it with door skin. It turned out to be more time consuming then I thought but the price was right.

I was looking for inspiration to overcome my wall and came across a slide show by Rebecca Crowell talking about her process in her abstract work. It was just what I needed to move forward. She talks about her residency in Spain and how it influenced her painting reminding me of my own experiences in Spain. Loved the architecture, textures, colours and landscape.

I've included the slideshow below. For full screen viewing go to the Slideshare site.

Source: Catalonia

View more presentations from Rebecca Crowell.

Art Collective Exhibit

Last week was a double positive. I received an Award for Excellence so I was able to take fourth year Open Studio this semester. And at the Awards Dinner (held at the River Rock Casino Theatre) our Art Collective exhibited some of our work. It was exciting to get recognition in both the Award and sharing one of my pieces in a public forum.

I didn't take any photos but some of the Collective did. I'll see if I can snag a couple.

Here's a link to Chelsea's blog. She has some photos from the event.

Pieces from last semester

Last semester was an intense one - new art making experiences - conceptual installation, encaustic, performance and abstract painting in acrylic. My boundaries were really pushed. Below are some images of my work.

I took this photo of Venus and didn't notice the sun was shining on the bottom of the painting. 

 

2'x3' canvas oil, cold wax using pallette knife and heat.

Diptych acrylic on canvas 18"x24"

My first intuitive abstracts paintings. The colours in the photos are slightly off and the edges are not straight either so ignore the black edges. Hmm why don't I notice this stuff before I upload.