The Value of Learning from Others

I now have time for reading, reflecting and taking notice of things beyond the studio walls. I'm looking forward to visiting my friends blogs at a more thoughtful leisurely pace. 


As I was going through my emails I found an article, called "The Value of Learning from Others" by Chris Tyrell in the Opus Art & Community News.

Tyrell wrote a book  Making It: Case Studies of Successful Canadian Visual Artists and he talks about what he learned from interviews with twenty artists, ten self-represented and ten represented by galleries. A short interesting read that I thought might be useful no matter what country you're living in.

Painting Surface

Another recommendation from Rebecca Crowell is lightweight  multimedia artboard

Accepts oil and water-based paints. No priming required. Can use on either side, flat or textured finish. Archival and non-buckling. Works with adhesives. 30"x36" Pack of 5 - White List - $83.50 Your Price - $70.98

I think I'm going to try these this summer. There are a variety of sizes and some specifically for plein air.

Rodney Thompson- encaustic painter

Was at a Oil and Wax forum I belong to and discovered a source for panels as well as an artist, Rodney Thompson.

Since the Stretch of Road Exhibit where someone expressed interest in buying my paintings I was suddenly moved out of the student reality of scraping up something to paint on to an artist reality of paying attention to details from start to finish. Hence I am looking at the condition of the supports I use for my paintings. Some of you may wonder why I haven't done this already. Well no money and needing something to paint on had me using whatever I could find and my carpentry skills are sadly lacking.

I don't think I can invest in using Thompson as a supplier yet but I might be able to have a local carpenter's apprentice to help me make panels that won't embarrass me if someone is interested in purchasing my work.

Thompson's paintings are also definitely worth a look. :)

NB: Link to Thompson's wbe site is updated.

Moloch Series

 I've finally reformatted the photos for the blog. It's been grueling, trying to get the final projects finished. Here's photos of the Moloch Series: Quietude, Disturbance, Maelstrom and Extinct. As I said in an earlier post the events in Japan really struck me hard. The chances we take to maintain "progress" becomes frightening. My faith that things will be okay diminish as more revelations about the safety standards of the nuclear industry come to light.

Quietude

Disturbance

Maelstrom

Extinct

                    

Campaign | Access | Ai Weiwei: Deleted from the internet

The Chinese government in the midst of the worst crackdown on free speech in at least a decade, has just detained China’s most well-known artist, the activist Ai Weiwei. Afraid that any mention of the “Jasmine Revolutions” sweeping the Middle East right now might lead to similar protests in China, Chinese authorities are cracking down hard. In the past month, dozens of Chinese bloggersand dissidents have been detained “disappeared”, and in less than 24 hours after his arrest, Ai’s name has been virtually erased from the Chinese internet.

The UK, Germany, France, and America have already called for Ai’s release, now it’s time for the world’s internet users to stand with him and the countless other Chinese that have been unlawfully detained. Sign the urgent petition to the Chinese government link below.

Campaign Access- Ai Weiwei: Deleted from the internet

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