Time in: 9:15am + Side Street Projects

There's a NFP organization in LA that I've come across only through the world wide web, but have really been interested in their programming. Side Street Projects does incredibly interesting and useful podcasts which I've been listening to lately. Last year's podcast series was titled "What Do Curators Want" and consisted of interviews with several well known curators asking questions about what they look for, how they want artists to approach them, what do they love/hate about being a curator, etc. 

This year's series is called "Shop Talk". From the website:

Our new series— Shop Talk — debuts today and features frank conversations with your favorite contemporary artists. Hosted by artist Bari Ziperstein, you can think of Shop Talk like that “Inside the Actor’s Studio” show on Bravo, except for visual artists. What are some misconceptions about being a contemporary LA artist? How do you juggle deadlines, personal life, and your day job? Has your life suffered because of art?These are tough questions, and Bari gets some very honest answers from some of LA’s most celebrated and respected artists.

Have a listen. You won't be disappointed. 

TO DO:

Nell: right eye, move highlight, the pupil looks dead

Chin/lower lip too dark still

Glasses- thicken on right side

Shirt- make it look more like fabric

Hair- on left side, add under shadow on forehead

Michele:lips- they look flat, need to give them more volume

Nose- doesn't look quite 3D enough

Chin- work on it

forehead- blend more? fix area above right eyebrow, still not quite correct

Think of title

email Ezra regarding "Strips" 

Work out schedule for submissions

email about "talking reviews"

Research Puffin Foundation grant

PLAYLIST:

Air

Chet Baker

Thee More Shallows

Conjure One

Thom Yorke

Bird York

Beth Orton

Time in: 3:30pm + colleagues (is it possible?)

Things are happening, but slowly. I have been putting my energies into a lot of  business efforts and research, so I haven't had as much to document here. Things I'm thinking about: the next series, places I would like to show my work, possibilities for developing networks for artists. 

I was discussing with some friends today how one of the things that I feel is desperately lacking in professional life as an artist are colleagues. It could just be the nature of artists and people in art fields to be solitary and flakey, but I would hope that at some point I begin to build a community of people that I would consider colleagues. For some reason I've found it incredibly difficult in every city that I've lived in to develop such a community/network. 

What is it that I want? I would love to have people with common goals and professional pursuits interested in supporting/collaborating/brainstorming/ and working for professional growth. I'd love to have people around with both common and different experiences, yet it's so difficult to develop this and the established networks don't always effectively connect people. 

I'm just getting down my thoughts at the moment. Perhaps I'll return to this train of thought with a better idea of a way to move towards establishing some kind of network/community. 

I'd be interested to hear any thoughts from artists on whether or not you have what you would consider a professional network, would you even want one, and if so, what would it look like to you?

Gotta keep working

Time in: 12:30pm

I need to get back in the studio and finish up the Nell/Michele piece I've been working on. It's coming along so nicely and I want to include it in some of the submissions I'm working on. Rat removal is completed so I don't have any good excuse not to be in the studio.  This is one of those days where I just have to make myself go into work- if I want to feel like painting is a real job, then I need to treat it as such and not lay around just because I'm feeling lazy. 

On Monday I have the owner and store manager of Zella Brown coming in to look at my paintings, specifically the "Ornament and Silence" series. They are an art and design store on Milwaukee in Bucktown and I love their stuff every time I go in there. They sell paintings by local artists and I think some of my stuff would work for their clientele. They are also interested in the "I live in a duplex" series- we'll see what comes of it. 

TO DO:

Bring stuff down to studio

Around the Coyote registry application

New references for last piece

pick Janneke pic- get canvas (or board?)

Nell/Michele:

Michele- mouth area needs work, 

develop creases? expression is slightly off

Nell- right cheek, right eye needs work

finish up earrings

PLAYLIST:

Kings of Leon

Chet Baker

Ry Cooder

Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter

Spoon

Some worthwhile events happening tonight:

Last week was a whirlwind getting ready for my show- getting all the paintings in hanging shape, moving all the furniture out of the back bedroom into the middle one, and cleaning 8 months of dust off everything- not to mention how tiring (though incredibly fun) the actual event was. 

So I haven't actually gotten back into the studio yet this week. (The real reason is the dead rat in the trap in the back of the basement that hasn't been cleaned up yet. One down, probably 14 to go). 

There are a couple of events tonight in the Chicago area that I'm trying to decide between. Unfortunately both are happening at the same time, but then that's one of the great things about Chicago- there's lots of things going on. 

First of all, ThreeWalls is having an event tonight that is part of their current programming/exhibition called In Search of the Mundane. Their website describes it as such:

 In Search of the Mundane, organized by Randall Szott and the Institute for Community Understanding Between Art and The Everyday (InCUBATE) will feature extended conversation and programming about the arts of living. This exhibition's activities focus on mundane life, drawing upon the spirit of Allan Kaprow, Michel de Certeau, Jane Addams, John Dewey, and others. These  artists, activists, and thinkers will serve as a jumping off point to consider what constitutes “the good life.” In addition to  considering the perceived divide between art and everyday life, we hope to highlight how ordinary creative strategies in day to day life might enhance one's living conditions.  What might mark the difference between thinking of art as a career and living life creatively?  Associated programming will bring together a range of people engaged with this question to share their own strategies for artful living.

Tonight's event:

"Storytelling as an Everyday Art" with Megan Stielstra, 7 PM

Stalin wrote that, "A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic." Everyday we see this on the news--numbers, numbers, “us” and “them”--and it’s not until we hear the actual story, one person’s loss or love or courage or fight, that we start to understand what’s really going on around the world, a jumping off point to that bigger picture. Art is built around storytelling--a painting, a play, a novel, a film--but there are also the s

tories we tell day-to-day in simple conversation: in bars and at work, to strangers or loved ones, to explain where we're coming from and where we want to go. This lecture will explore storytelling as an every day art; how we connect, teach, bridge gaps, unite communities and find truth. How do you use storytelling in your day-to-day, and, more importantly, how can you?

Also happening tonight is a reading series that a friend of mine is involved in. It's called “This Much Is True” and is a writing group of probably the most talented writers I've heard in Chicago. It's usually side-splittingly hilarious, touching and just downright good writing. 

It's taking place at the Hopleaf in Chicago at 5148 N. Clark St. and begins at 7:30pm. 

Preview Exhibition

Last Saturday I hosted a one night only Preview Exhibition of my latest paintings. With the help of my Art Preparator (boyfriend) we were able to clear out one entire room of the apartment as a gallery and hang work throughout the rest of the place. I even cleaned up my studio in the basement and hid the rat traps for the brave souls that were interested in venturing down there to see some of my work still in progress. 

The place was filled with people from before 5 to well after 10pm. Five of my models/subjects were able to attend and see the completed portraits for the first time, (as well as many of their friends and family, and mine too!). I had a total of eight of the twelve double portraits displayed with three of my single portraits filling in some empty wall space. 

One of the things that is always great about showing this series is how diverse people's reactions are to the expressions in the portraits. There were a lot of people that new the subject's personally and were able to have, in some ways, a more intimate connection. 

A lot of the comments that I received were about how I chose to portray each person- for example, some of the men that are known to be comedians and always seem to be laughing and smiling are portrayed in more serious moments. Another guy that typically looks pretty serious is shown laughing. One person described it as showing their vulnerability- that the shots I chose to portray of them are maybe not how they usually come off to people, but a side that is not often seen. 

It's always great to have people look at your work- otherwise the motivation can run dry and you can start to wonder why you spend so much time making these things that are getting stacked up in the basement and take up half the moving truck every time you move.... I'm not represented by a gallery and haven't really started to pursue gallery representation. I've been waiting so long to develop work that I felt is strong that now I'm wondering if that is the next move I want to make. 

I know there are a lot of artist's that don't go the "gallery route" and do just fine. They participate in shows in non-commercial spaces and develop a collector base on their own. While I think the gallery is an important part of that thing we call the Art World, I'm starting to realize that for so long I considered getting into a gallery the goal and hadn't been considering the many alternatives. All that to say that this exhibition, though small and in my home, was one of the ideas I came up with. 

If you missed it, the next show lined up is in March 2010 at Fermilab Gallery. The series will be on display through May and at some point in March I will be giving a lecture on the work (date TBD). 

Networking (sfhdsifsdikfjl!)

Time in 1:30pm

"Networking" is one of those dreaded words for artists. It's that thing we know we should be doing, but aren't, can't or won't, depending on your temperament. I've been actively working on being a better networker even though I'm not sure exactly what that means. I'm finding ways to network (or the uglier word, schmooze) in ways that I am comfortable. Everyone says to go to galleries and just start talking to people. Go to the openings, go during the day, chat up the gallerists.... I love talking to people, but can't do it if it'll seem like I have an agenda, especially when I see their eyes glaze over at the mention of ANOTHER artist that wants to meet them.  

It is much easier to invite everyone over to my place though, to look at my work and hang out without the gallery aura of status climbing. So if you are in Chicago this Saturday evening you should come by. Find my email in my profile and I will send you the details. 

Continuing with the networking, I've come across some very interesting artists and want to share them with you. Renee who I have actually mentioned before is having a couple of openings this weekend (which you should check out) and Tom Gallagher is a photographer working on an interesting project:

Renee Prisble Una-

I met Renee at the Open Crit program at the Hyde Park Art Center. She is an installation based artist that uses various materials from ceramic to iron to recycled thrift store items in her work. She has work in two shows this month with BOTH openings on this Friday evening. Here are the details:

Perimeter Gallery
October 16th to November 14th
Opening Reception: Friday October 16th, 5-8pm 

Perimeter Gallery
210 W. Superior St.
Chicago, IL 60654
312.266.9473
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10:30am-5:30pm

Northeastern Illinois University, Fine Arts Center Gallery
October 5th - October 30th 2009
Reception: Friday October 16th, 6-9pm 

The Prayer Wheel Project was curated into a group show at Northeastern Illinois University. The show, Fast Forward, consists of artists whose work looks past the somber events and conflicts of the past several years towards an optimistic future. While recognizing the impossibility of a utopia, the work focuses on concepts such as community, spirituality, and democracy.

The Fine Arts Center Gallery is located on the NEIU campus, check the website for parking instructions.
5500 N St. Louis Ave
Chicago, IL 60625 
(773) 442-4944

Tom Gallagher:

I have also come across the work of a photographer here in Chicago who specializes in portrait photography. Tom is working on a project right now in which he is photographing artists in their studios/workplaces. This potentially will be displayed in a show or a book format in the future and I'm considering being involved in it. (If you are an artist that is interested in participating you can contact him through his website). I'm not posting any pictures here as I haven't asked permission, so go take a look at the website to see what I'm talking about. 

Still raining, still dim

Time in: 9:00 am

TO DO:

Bio/images for Leaf Garden Press

Continue with Nell/Michele tasks from yesterday

Nell (eye!) Michele (give face volume!)

email AC about commission

frame another piece- pair? (need more wood)

PLAYLIST:

Shivaree

Built Like Alaska

Camera Obscura

Music from "Aspects of Love" by ALW

Bob Dylan

Velvet Underground

Time in: 4:30 + Tom Robinson

It's dark and rainy today. While I love the rain and quite often wish I lived in Seattle, it reduces the natural light in my already dim basement studio. I'm trying to decide if it will even be worth going into the studio today. I need to get better lighting for down there, but have so many higher priorities on the shopping list. 

Over the weekend I went to the opening of a show being held in Tom Robinson's studio space. He is an artist that, among many things, is making these amazing wooden portraits. You have to check them out. 

TO DO: 

frame "Joking"

finish E.G application*

finish exhibition emails

finish White Columns registry submission

Nell- right eye- what is going on?

her right nostril seems high

Michele- get back expression between eyes

mouth/chin area needs work

Brighten shirt color

Earings on both

PLAYLIST:

June Tabor

Niko Case

Bad at Sports podcast Episode  214: Constellations

Chopin's Nocturnes

One big check on the to do list

Time in: 1:30pm

I finally finished this piece of Tom and Scott. I've titled it "You think I'm joking?" and am so pleased with how it finally turned out. Scott's facial expression, as I mentioned, was challenging and I thought about changing it completely but I'm glad that I didn't. It feels good to complete this one- it's one of those that's been in progress for too long. 

TO DO:

mock portrait for Janneke

Continue with Nell/Michele

West Prize submission

Choose references for final piece

Sarah/Asher: Asher- forehead needs work

eyes

Sarah's cheeks- smooth and shape

PLAYLIST:

The Shins

The Velvet Underground

My Morning Jacket - Z (new favorite song: Wordless Chorus)

Jessie Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter

I am Sam movie soundtrack (Beatles covers)

Time in: 1:00pm + Sandor Private Collection

This morning I was able to take a tour of the Richard and Ellen Sandor Family Collection here in Chicago. It's one of the largest private collections in America and focuses mainly on photography. We spent about 2 hours there and there was so much to see that it was overwhelming, to say the least. Photographs filled the walls, floor to ceiling, in every room, hallway, cabinet door and anywhere else that would hold a picture hook.

Although there was so much work that was amazing and it's hard to even begin to list the artists I saw, I particularly enjoyed seeing Man Ray's photography and the photograph he took of Rrose Selavy, Duchamp's alter ego, after having recently read Man Ray's Montparnasse. I also enjoyed seeing some of Diane Arbus' work (inluding a painting) as I've been doing some research on her. 

On the right are some "in progress" shots of the Nell/Michele piece I'm working on currently. The first picture is after my first session on the painting, and the other two are from the second.

TO DO:

Michele/Nell- Keep developing

build frame

Work on Sarah Asher

Think about images for next piece

Get photographs for new piece

PLAYLIST:

The Murder Room

My Morning Jacket

Ray LaMontaigne

Laura Cantrell

Cat Power

Time in 11:00am

TO DO:

Tom- Left eye- black line in crease too dark

Eyebrows- to painted on, make to look more like hair

Lips- bottom lip color needs highlight and to be toned down (too pink)

Scott- highlight on left cheek too "L" shaped- check reference

Nell/Michele- develop 2nd layer

Asher- chin

Sarah/Asher- work on Asher's face, 

background?

New project: Start large Scott? 

Submit images for Banner Art on CAR

Work on West Prize and EG Foundation submissions

Think about email newsletter

start working on submissions; goal of 1/week?

PLAYLIST:

M Ward

My Morning Jacket

NPR

The Murder Room by PD James

Norah Jones