Lust for Life

(click on image to enlarge)

After about six months I finished this painting, 4 foot by 12 foot in size, it was quite a bit of work. I started it after a decision last year to make something serious, as a piece of Art that I really wanted to make for myself. Not to make it because I thought it would sell or because it was what other people wanted to see, but because it's what I think can bring me closer to the source. I have an idea about artists, that they have this sort of vision they start out with that gets shaped over one's life span but really it's a concept of the world that we're born with. If you look at any museum retrospective I think it becomes quite obvious. You can see early on what substance is there even before the the masterpiece is made, and the later work or masterpiece is often very similar, just a very polished version of the first ones. The trick is the polishing, which is what the life of an artist consists of. And how that time and energy is spent leads to getting closer to that original vision, or if one isn't careful, moving further away from it and living as a mirror for popular thought.
I don't believe we know what we're going to make in the future, but I think we can sometimes get a feeling about what it may be if we're honest with ourselves and take the path of internal motivation. So with this last painting, I got that feeling, like I was getting closer to the ultimate painting I would like to some day make. I don't know what that painting looks like yet (maybe it wont be a painting at all) but I did have a step, so this year ends on a high note. It ends with my Lust for Life.

Underwater

Here's a new piece I made for Gallery 454 (454 Columbus Street is the location). The show was associated with the surf contest in town this week so the theme was around the existential vastness of the ocean, the other worldly power and grace of a huge body of water, to feel comforted in it's interconnected embrace while feeling fearful of one's compromised control. Nature at it's best. Some thing to love and embrace for it's beauty and faults alike. At least that's what was on my mind, enjoy!

PMS Fantasy

(click on image to enlarge)

This is a painting for a Monster Show at Project One Gallery. I decided to go with something content wise that I could relate to, with modifications of course. In doing research for a female movie monster to fit in with the theme of this show, I came across this very powerful image of the 50 ft Woman. She's definitely still sexy, but not sexy drooping in a man arms sexy which works for me because although I would like to bring my feminine prospective into the male dominated group shows that I participate in, I didn't want to make something too cutesy. I like to push the ideas that I have of my self as well as pushing my audience when it comes to what might be considered feminine art. One may think that in this day and age, sexual orientation doesn't matter and for the most part I agree. But still I find myself tucked neatly between the lines of majority male names on the roster of artists when I show, and a smart lady friend once told me to highlight your differences, make the things that make you different stand out in a positive way. So here it is, PMS Fantasy, a wild mad raving character that I think most woman can relate to and probably scares a decent amount of men.

The First Bursh Stroke is the Hardest

Work in progress: I finally started this piece about a week ago. The first touch of the brush to the surface is the hardest. I made a bunch of studies first because I'm working with ink on paper now and there's officially no going back to rework anything once it's been put down. I absolutely love the medium though. There's something romantic about the way paint soaks into paper. It demands a delicate application but still wants to be covered just the same.

The piece is about St Teresa, called Lust for Life. This is one of my first sketches, a self portrait as Teresa.

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These are the most recent photos. The painting is so big it's working it's way into the next room!

A Great Reception

Thanks to everyone that came out for the opening reception for Origins. The night was a big success. The show runs through May 7th. If you haven't seen it yet you can visit during Gallery hours http://lopogallery.com/, or there will be a closing reception that I'll be attending Saturday, May 7th from 7p to 11p for anyone that needs a good excuse to come out. A special thanks to Chris Shaher of Lopo Gallery for all of the support!

ORIGINS: Opening April 9th @ Lopo Gallery

Fascinated by mythology and science alike, my new series of paintings depicts an unique combination of religious imagery and scientific concepts. By using prehistoric and primal imagery and applying it to mythological narratives, I am creating a new story of humans part in history and where we will be in the future. We tend to give man much of the credit for such a spectacular universe, where as I see the humans role in it to be small and still very naive. Not being a religious person, I wish to celebrate a new concept, one based on the information we have understanding of at this point in time with the similar attention and appreciation given to mythological figures.

Warhol Reimagined: The New Factory

Anyone like Warhol? Who are we kidding, even if you didn't start out liking his work, after years of seeing his work in the MOMA and all the people that have paid homage to his work you can't help but have a soft spot now.
He didn't even make a lot of his own work but he was extremely influential in the Art world just the same and after painting my first tribute piece for a Warhol themed art show coming up, I feel I got a little closer to the man. He loved bright colors, which are really fun to paint with, and bold straight forward imagery. No wonder his art is so popular, it's an extremely successful formula for painting. I'm sure his background in illustration helped him in this regard. He made art accessible for us all.

Well, now that we've decided that he's an okay guy, let's get to the point. There is a show coming up at Project One Gallery for Warholian.com directed by Mike Cuffe, and you guessed it.... it's Warhol themed! There's a bunch of really great artists, some of whom I'm sure you'll know, so it' worth coming out to see what the hype is all about.

The opening reception is Thursday March 10th from 7pm to 2am.

I recomend you give the link a look and check out some of the artists involved and I hope to see you there!

Warhol Reimagined: The New Factory

(the image is my partcially finished Warhol painting for the show)