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

What's wrong with this picture?

Time in: 2:00pm

Sometimes I have a hard time with a piece (have I mentioned that before?) and I have to take a break from it and return to it. Sometimes I just have to start over. I've been trying to figure out what to do with this one. I'm really happy with how Tom (left) is coming along- I think he'll be really good once I tweak a few of the shadows. I really like how the picture of Scott (right) works with Tom, but I'm struggling to capture him successfully. 

I mentioned before that I think the captivating part of these portraits are their eyes. When they're closed or squinty, they don't have the same effect. I really want to make this one work though. I just keep painting and painting though and it's not getting to where I want it. 

TO DO:

Tom- shadows around right eye and mouth, make contrasts more subtle

chin too big? 

Scott- ?? 

Eyes- up the contrast

L Eye, open up more and round out undershadow

left cheek- make more interesting?

Hair- refine

Build frames

PLAYLIST:

M Ward

Thom Yorke - The Eraser

Galactic- Coolin' Off

The Piano soundtrack

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

Early Start + thoughts on Andrea Fraser

Time in: 8:00am

In checking out some other artists' blogs, I came across this link. Unfortunately I don't remember where I got it so I can't credit the blogger, but here it is:

Craziest Moments in Modern Art 

It lists many of the absurd, controversial, attention-seeking artwork produced in the last century or so. I think it's a great conversation starter as I'm sure many of us have had that "but my kid could do that" argument and have been baffled by some of the more extremely graphic performances and artworks. 

Whatever your opinion on the artworks, you can't deny that they have triggered thought and dialogue and challenged many accepted understandings of Art. I had the opportunity to hear one of the artists give a lecture recently. I heard Andrea Fraser at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and it was one of the most stimulating lectures I've heard. 

She is an artist that is known for her work with "Institutional Critique." It was clear in her lecture that she is dedicated to the field of art while also being conflicted at what it means and how it affects her to be a part of it. While the piece listed on the blog about her selling a sexual encounter and DVD of the event for $20,000 is most definitely controversial, she was making a point that this is what the Artworld asks of you. 

Andrea Fraser was visibly disturbed during her talk while explaining how she arrived at that point. It was hard to tell whether she was upset at the fact that she had done it or that it seemed the only thing she COULD do with the path that being involved in the art world led her in. 

It's still a little early in the morning to be getting deep into this for me, but I remember being provoked by her work and discussion and wanted to remind myself about it. And now back into the studio. 

TO DO:
Start Sarah/Asher
finish Asher single
Work on Scott
Start Michele and Nell? pick images!
Update website

PLAYLIST:
NPR 
The Murder Room by PD James
Lizzie West- Holy Road
Norah Jones
Nick Drake
Chet Baker

Gross

Yesterday I gessoed a new panel and left it on the floor to dry. 

Work, work, work

Time in 1:00pm

I've got to get some work done today. I finally once again feel energized and motivated to work, and even behind on things (in a good way). I've got a lot of projects that I want to get going and a few more to finish up. Just as I hoped, having an exhibition (even if it is just in my apartment) is putting the pressure on, as are tight finances so I've got some side projects in the works to start filling in the empty spots in my bank account.  

I've just cleaned up the basement and have a rat trap down there waiting to be broken in. C'mon rats...

TO DO:

gesso paper for Asher portrait

Get board for Sarah/Asher

Start Michele/Nell piece

Continue Tom and Scott

Title for Dyptich?

PLAYLIST:

Ray LaMontagne

Nick Drake

The Raconteurs

Bob Dylan