Checkmark, etc.

I finally finished the piece I've been working on which I've titled "Songs of Optimism." It was basically finished a while ago but I needed to touch up a few areas in the clothing. I could probably obsess over it a while longer but sometimes you just need to step away and be done.

 

Just a few reminders of newsworthy items:

I had 3 pieces included in the latest issue of Leaf Garden Press's publication. It is a small independent press which features writers of prose and poetry and visual artists. 

I'm assisting with a benefit for World AIDS day this upcoming week. On December 5th, there will be a fundraiser including an art auction,  spoken word performances, and a collaborative mural which I am designing. Proceeds raised will support the Bridges of Healing Project and the Ubuntu Global Village. Their mission is one of empowerment for children and youth living on the streets of Durban, South Africa. More details can be found on their Facebook page including ticket prices and donation information. 

My upcoming solo show at Fermilab Gallery in Batavia, IL opens in March 2010 and will continue through May. Also during March I will be giving a lecture on my work at the gallery. 

In Fall 2010, I will be participating in a group show at LUMA (Loyola University Museum of Art) of artists of varying faith backgrounds.  Wicker Park Grace, where I currently have work on display, is curating a group show of interfaith artists whose work reflects something about their faith practice. 

Time in 1:30 + Thinking about the title

Today I'd love to wrap up the Nell/Michele piece I've been working on. I've been using the title "Songs of Optimism" for it. This came to mind as something I've been thinking about personally which I'm sure has influenced my selection of the expressions for this piece. 

In this series, I want to allow for many interpretations and to represent complex psychological states. In this latest piece I see strength, transcendence, pain, power- contradictory emotions with the common demand for hope. I can't help but think of the title "The Agony and the Ecstasy" because sometimes those penetrating feelings manifest themselves in similar expressions. When I think of the word "optimism" I initially imagine happy hopeful faces and perky people picturing the glass half full. However in reality, optimism can be experienced as urgent demanding and severe.

. 

TO DO:

Nell: cool hot spot on right cheek

Michele: lips- volumize

Background: clean up white

varnish

photograph 

add to website

update news page on site

PLAYLIST: 

My chill mix tape

Murder Room by PD James

Bird York

Massive Attack

Bob Dylan

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?

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

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

New Piece/s

Time in: 1:30pm

I started a few new pieces this past weekend. I'm pretty excited about this one, although I really only have a very rough underpainting done. I plan on developing it much more, but I like the energy it has right now- hopefully I can keep it.  

I went back and forth between using these more serious shots, but I am really drawn to them. I am particularly drawn to the shot of Michele (on the right). Typically, I don't paint people with their eyes closed because the eyes are usually a significant part of the piece. I loved her expression though- it could be pain, sorrow, rapture... she could be singing, praying or maybe just have a headache- it could either be seen as negative or positive. 

And then the shot of Nell (on the left) always grabs my eye too. These are both very pleasant, happy women and some part of me wants to portray them as such, but I think these snapshots are much more powerful at this moment. 

TO DO:

Michele/Nell: 2nd layer

Asher: finish up?

Sarah/Asher: Change background- white out

Finish Scott in Tom/Scott- 

Start thinking about titles

Build frames

PLAYLIST:

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Sublime

Mix Tape from Margaret

Laura Viers