Opening
When musicians, actors, dancers, and even writers have their big events – when we Fête them for their new piece, cd or book, there is usually some activitity going on like a performance – and then a bit of a party. But when artists come out of their studios to show their work, we have openings. And in an opening, the artist is the center of a lot of attention, much the way someone is when they have their 80th birthday party, or when someone retires from a job of 30 years. I had my own opening last night at the ASK Gallery – a great event for me, as I haven’t been able to produce a show of large-scale paintings for about 10 years. That, and the gallery is a real sweet place.
It is tiring and somewhat mind-numbing. If you’re a bit shy (I really am shy!) it can be a challenge to have all that focus on one’s self. I probably had chats with over 50 individuals last night – old friends, new acquaintances, and a lot in between. I take all the well-wishes and kind words in, the way some mammals store fat for the long winter – to hold me over until the next show which could be years off.
I’m so appreciative of the support, and all the people who spent time looking at my work.
It was also great getting to meet many artists who submitted work to the group show. Helen Gutfreund wrote an appreciative blog post about the opening. Also discovered that fellow painter Jerry Teters is also a fellow jazz drummer. I’m hoping to still meet some of the other artists – quite a community we live in.
posted March 07, 2010 | Comments (0)
Moving On
Artists often have to do odd things for a living. A little over 10 years ago, I started doing web production for a graphic designer friend – and ended up being an entrepreneur. The company, Oxclove Workshop, eventually had close to 20 employees, and its share of stress. Last week, I was bought out of the company by a new partner, leaving me a bit less stressed (OK, a LOT less stressed). I’m still in business with another company, DragonSearch, an online marketing company. But I’ve got a bit more headspace, and time for the studio.
I envy my artist friends who’ve been able to live closer to the poverty line – more modestly. AND stick with the art. When I was NOT in business, I kept getting futher and further into debt. Being in business helped alleviate that. But hopefully, I’ve learned to be more careful about finances – and will spend more time in the studio. Thats the game plan, at least.
Another side note: I learned things running a company that I never would have doing art alone. I feel like its made me a better, more rounded individual. So, no regrets.
posted February 08, 2010 | Comments (1)
Bifurcations
When I was invited to show my work at ASK, I had been sitting in the gallery where I’ll be showing. After the invitation, I regarded the room. It has several beautiful walls. The window wall won’t be so good for hanging paintings, but the other three are superb, although one is now… bifurcated – by a support pole.
Back in the studio, I considered my stock of stretchers and canvases, and in remembering these walls, felt that my canvases were just a bit small. What if I bolted them together as panels?
I haven’t typically worked in terms of “projects”. In the past, I just painted, and if I had the good fortune to be invited to show, I would just reach into the painting racks, and take out the latest work. The past ten years haven’t been a good time for me as regards to studio time, but after hearing Gregory Amenoff talk about his own propensity towards “projects”, I thought, “why not”. And thus this project was born.
The four paintings in this show were all made from pairs of canvases bolted together. The paintings were made as unified pieces, but the underlying supports are bifurcated.
The theme of this show and the juried show is “abstraction”. I have my share of hang-ups about that term. After all, aren’t these paintings “real”. Aren’t those paintings of people, vases of flowers, and landscapes, all very, very abstract?
Samuel Johnson meant the word as a sort of summarizing , “a smaller quantity containing the virtue or power of a greater”. Fair enough. You have to admit; there really is a difference between an abstraction, and a realist painting… you can see it quite clearly. Where’s the picturing? I would argue that its all there… just that those artists who practice “abstraction” hide their pictures – take more liberties with how the scene changes. Or they are focussed on relationships between things. Its can be like in a dream where one moment you’re driving your car, and the next moment you’re back in your first grade cafeteria without clothes on. Reality shifts. Perhaps there is an element of obsfucation – if we came out and showed you what we were really thinking you’d all be apalled and have us put away. Or perhaps there is a play of associations, like those found in really great poetry – and those associations drift in and out. Or perhaps I really do like the way that blue brushstroke sits next to that purple brushstroke, and my, aren’t they great friends?
At the end of the day, I still feel that too much is made of the distinctions. All of us painters make paintings – and whatever the approach, paintings are objects that often require being lived with – or seen many times – before they reveal themselves fully. Each painting is created from quantities of colored matter, usually tranferred to the painting with a stick with some hair on it – and that usually being held by a human appendage (I’m leaving out all the painters who throw, spray, hold brushes in their mouths, and elephant painters). And that aspect of markmaking generated by a human body is near universal to all paintings. Each painting speaks to that bodily experience.
posted January 17, 2010 | Comments (0)
Scanning
Having a blast scanning old slides and transparencies – as much as one can. With this image, I can smell the oil paint…
This is in 1983
posted December 05, 2009 | Comments (0)
Lionel Neykov
A couple of weekends ago, my friend Mary Gormley had a wonderful singer/songwriter, Lionel Neykov, come and perform at my studio for a bunch of friends and family. Keep your eyes and ears open… this guy is going to make his mark.
 He has a show upcoming in the city… if you’re around, catch it….
Saturday December 20th – 9pm (no cover)
The Living Room
154 Ludlow Street (btwn Stanton & Rivington) New York, NY 10002
212-533-7235
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Check out this link: http://www.dragonsearchmarketing.com/blog/new-adwords-interface-search-on-steroids-and-text-ads-accompanied-by-videos
posted December 15, 2008 | Comments (0)
Joey at the Woodstock Library kid’s show…
On the cello, with Susan Robinson, Popper Easy Pieces, #2
posted August 03, 2008 | Comments (0)
Drawing in Show
VisualLit, Collaborations Between Visual Artists & Writers
July 05 – 31 2008
ASK Collaborative Exhibit kicks off Literary Events at ASK.
At: Arts Society of Kingston).Â
Mine was a drawing based on a poem. I still don’t know who wrote the poem…
 See http://askforarts.org/exhibits/details.php?num=167 for more info….
posted July 09, 2008 | Comments (0)
Winter Salon: Gallery & Invited Artists – At Denise Bibro Gallery
The invites are in (and going out) for the
Winter Salon: Gallery & Invited Artists
One of my monotypes is going to be included!
 Other artists include:
Sarah K.
Christa Blatchford
Nora Chavooshian
Sara Crisp
Lisa Dinhofer
Sydney DrumRuth EpsteinCamilla Fallon
Daniel GieseJosephine Haden
John Hrehov
Carol Jacobsen
Mary KingJoyce KorotkinDamon Lehrer
Myung-Ock Lim
Charles Olson
Linda Lippa
Shane McAdams
Aija MeistersMichael Paul MillerNancy NicholsonChristopher ReigerTim RossAl Sprague
Dennis Tremalio
Martha Walker
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posted January 06, 2008 | Comments (0)
Anthony Frost
My Pal Adrian Frost brought his brother, Anthony Frost – but I was out. Anthony left a beautiful catalog of recent work. http://www.beauxartslondon.co.uk/AF-pic-index.html
posted November 07, 2007 | Comments (1)
Art as religion
Instead of First Holy Communion, instead of a Bar Mitzvah, there should be a solo show. Instead of wafers and wine, its wine and cheese. I cherish the sensibility of art as religion, but maybe not at all in the religious sense. Just that in art we have our cosmogeny, our way of understanding the universe, life, and death.
Found a small bit: September 2005 Todd Gibson wrote about Gregory Amenoff’s response to artist queries in Art on Paper. Gibson’s summary read as follows:
-Artists drive the bus (not critics, curators, art historians, etc.)
-Let your studio be a sanctuary
-Don’t be afraid to do dumb things in the studio
-Keep away from art fairs (“Instead visit a museum and spend time in the wing housing art from centuries past. You will be rejuvenated not demoralized.”)
-Support your fellow artists as they support you
-Read biographies of artists
-A life in art is a long race not a short sprint
I have an old casette tape I made of Nick Marsicano speaking to some students, once, in 1983…. something to the effect that we needed to look at each other’s work, visit each other’s studios – in short; be involved with one another. Funny, though, artists are so often NOT that way; but carping, competitive, and just outright ungenerous.
I’m going to keep thinking on this issue; and maybe find some more to post on the issue.