I had the extraordinary fortune of being featured on the exquisitely, enchanting Victoria Lane's Metblog this weekend:
http://la.metblogs.com/2009/04/24/david-gough-at-the-hive/
Victoria Lane-an avatar of the kind of Hollywood, classy cool with a capital K, so sorely missing amongst your 'Lindsey-style-starlets-of-that-ilk' these days-is a stalwart from my live journal days.
I have the honor of being counted as her friend.
She describes my work as:
"pretty death on the prowl or life’s inevitable darkness romanticized..."
I think its one of the best thing 'someone' has ever said about me.
I could recite it for you verbatim, but its probably better that you read it for yourself.
Just enough time this morning, to tell you that I shall be displaying my wares for the next two days over at the Little Italy Arts Walk, in downtown San Diego.Directions Here http://www.missionfederalartwalk.org/directions.htm
You can find my Booth at:
2100 Kettner Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92101
(In the front of Pacific Rent A Car, one block West of Starbucks)
Hope to see you there.
I promised pictures from last weekend, and so-in no particular order, the highlights (or lowlights) from what may just be my final street fair.
Below: The booth looking resplendent on the Sunday-our cohorts from the previous dayperhaps having decided that the removal of an ingrown toe nail would be more promising than enduring day two of art walk (crawl), we were able to spread our wares out a little.
This is a part of the layout from day one-with the lamppost doubling as an easel-next years Turner Prize for sure.
So where is everyone?
We have puppy dog eyes and everything?!
This chap admired my work at least (please don't pee on my paintings)
Thankfully, the flow of traffic improved
I contemplate making a run for it..
.but its not over yet
Success!! I dance my first sale of the day.
The crowd goes wild-selling a handbag.
The best part of the weekend-vending with other artists in the same boat without a paddle. Here the enchantingly lovely Martha Martin- a rising young talent , graciously stooping because I didn't have a crate to stand on. Please Check out her website- her work, literally wears her (he) art on its sleeve.http://www.heartsandstuff.com/
With the incomparable Johnny Tran-trip hop DJ, poet laureate and arts champion-immerse yourself in some of his choonz here:
http://www.myspace.com/johnnytranmusic
Do I look Moody,bored or pissed off...?
Will it all look any more legitimate in black and white?
Swap Shop-little did he know that in years to come, young Martha would become bigger than Frida Kahlo, and that the two amazing prints he exchanged from her for his own tat, would make him rich beyond the dreams of avarice.
Not an entire dead loss then-and like I said, you can't fault a day if even one person walks by and shows interest-worth more than pieces of gold that stuff.
Next up are the two shows in LA, so for the moment I shall leave you with the furry Entre that greeted me from the kitchen cupboard the other day.
My daughter Emma-who I miss as if I'd lost my right hand-sent me a wonderful e-mail this morning, featuring an installation piece that she had produced at college. She didn't include a title, and will probably kill me for this, but its a wonderful work (and I say that without a hint of bias) that explores themes broadly resonant beyond her years. To quote:
"This piece was meant to symbolise the constructions of all relationships. It purposely is meant to look like a chain, to show the strength and bond within a relationship. I have made the links different sizes to show different points and factors of being in love. Some are really small, some are thicker than others and some are long and thin.
It was inspired by Jackson Pollock and Eva Hesse. I have hand stitched them together to show the long and hard hours that go into making something work, I have also used thick acrylic paint, and I have embroidered it heavily in thread"
She is just eighteen by the way.
I am so very proud.
On an entirely separate note , I've tried to think of a multitude of ways these past two days, that I could address the death of J.G. Ballard, but I really don't think I could say it as well as Neil Gaiman did in his post.
Suggested Reading: The Atrocity Exhibition.
Theothanatos X-Eve/Sacramenstrual
24" X 36"
Oil on Canvas
2009
Primarily with this work, I wanted very much to observe the symbolic contradictions that exist within religion-or at least within the holy sacrament and the way women are treated. From the ingesting of Christs blood- offset against the vilification of the unchaste (Eve-Magdeline) symbolic of a bloodied hymen through the virtuous elevation of the virgin, to the doctrine charge of impurity and desexualisation of women during the menstrual cycle in Leviticus 15 (some cultures still sequester females in menstrual huts), echoed by the torn red curtain of the confessional, and the 'rivers of blood' snaking between the columns.
I'm hugely proud of the accomplishment of this work, its evolution was very much an ongoing organic process.
I'll make prints available soon.
Okie, Dokie-as I mentioned in a previous post-Lani and I have several events coming up ~ so eyes down for all details...
First will be the San Diego Art Walk in Downtown Little Italy. Saturday April 25th and Sunday April 26th, Noon till 6pm.
My artwork will be featured both days,along with prints and other items for sale!
You can find my booth at:
2100 Kettner Blvd. San Diego, CA 92101
(In the front of Pacific Rent A Car, one block West of Starbucks) The Art Walk website is: http://www.missionfederalartwalk.org/
The Unique Show that both Lani and I will be vending at is the very next weekend.
Saturday May 2nd and Sunday May 3rd, 11am till 7pm It will be held at:
The California Market Center penthouse
110 E 9th St Los Angeles, CA 90015
The entrance fee is $5 per ticket (children 10 and under are free) with 50% of ticket sales benefiting a local charity For more info, here is the event's official website: http://uniquelosangeles.com/
Finally, For the third consecutive month, I have been invited to display for the group Exhibit from May 2nd, until May 29th at the Hive Gallery, LA, and shall be in attendance opening night. Doors open 8pm till Midnight.
729 S. Spring St. Los Angeles, CA 90014
See more info here : http://hivegallery.com/
All events will be packed with great art and handmade crafts. It's so wonderful that there are still organizations who support local artists. We'd love to see you all there if you're able to attend.
