Today, I finally completed the piece which has probably been the most contentious in some time and am genuinely happy with the results. I'll premier it at the Mosaic show, this coming Thursday. I also made some progress on the next piece-Ghost, which will be the culmination of this particular series of skulls- making it a sort offshoot of a sideline of a series. There are of course several more skull themed pieces to produce,along with the completion of the original Theothanatos series, but the hope is to have enough to compile a book at some point, that may or may not be titled 'Skulking Around', 'Dead End' or some other title appropriate pun. In the meantime, my cat-Pepper-who is barred from my studio whilst paint dries, hides in my closet, in the hopes that I cannot see her and foil her heinous plan.
This one has been perilously close to being cracked over my knee so many times, that I'm glad that I stuck with it. The lighting struck me as too melodramatic-too comic book- but after giving it some thought, I figured that was my problem, and as good a reason to leave it be. The other thing that I hadn't noticed was that the jawline in the original photo reference was uneven (displaced, or broken), so beyond some cosmetic surgery, the piece is done. For the moment, the wine beckons.
Nothing incenses me more, than when I see a lesser artist dismissing another-as I've stated on innumerable occasions, and will state beyond the point of broken record status-armchair critiques are the easiest things in the world, and in the blogosphere, it is so much easier to be disparaging about something, than get up off ones arse with the intent of Bowies lyric from 'Queen Bitch' resonating-'Oh God, I could do better than that.' So further to my rant about a certain abstract art, I placed my dribbles where my mouth is, and painted a piece that is a conscious attempt, at combining abstraction as more than an embellished flourish for contemporanious sake.
'Corrosion'. depicts the measure of time melting away, much in the same way as the disintegration and decay of the physical and cognitive. Man and machine as a simulacrum of paint, giving this piece something of a unintentional steampunk flavor, but its there nevertheless.
I would have posted a link to the auction, but its already been purchased, which is marvelous.
In other news, some potentially interesting things afoot, should they happen.
On Friday, we wandered over to Alex Salazars new gallery downtown. With more than a nod to Jenny Saville, the huge smeared portraits of adolescent boys, weathered faces and a bloodied newborn by Justin Bower may take the lions share of attention, but its the work of Renzo that held me captivated. In a city still without any culturally artistic center, its a welcome addition here and should do very well. And a new solo show fell in my lap this morning, on the back of my showing at Thumbprint. I shall be exhibiting from April 24th to June 5th at the San Diego Art Institute, with opening reception May 14th. I have my work cut out for me, I have at least three new pieces I want to finish before drop off, and our trip back to the UK at the end of April will be such a relief.
The entire day has been given over to this piece, which means I really am in no state of mind to be objective about it. If I like it in the morning, then it'll be on the wall at Thumbprint come Saturday-if not, I'll crack the fucker over my knee. I've painted as close to the nail as I could with this one. Given that this piece was primed innumerable times, had something else painted on it before it was abandoned, and primed again, the lack of any porous surface to cling to really hindered the wet on wet approach.
I don't fucking hate it right now, I'm just uncertain its at the stage where its finished.
Finally, the scaled oil is coming along, which with three days before showtime is a good omen. After working three pieces, I am barely able to keep my eyes open, so I'll post more after a good nights rest.
Title: Trinity Size: 11" x 14" Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
As Nietzsche said "if you gaze long into the abyss, then the abyss will gaze back at you"..In the shadows of my abyss are the triumvirate of friends I lost to colliding cars and disease. The temptation then was to give the piece names like some sort of plaque, but then to do so would be to suggest a monument to heroes, and as much as they were to me, there is nothing heroic about an end snuffed out prematurely. In the crevices of these melting angular craniums, there are echoes that there is no open armed three-tiered father figure to kiss away the rich vestiges of fleeting life with a new one. What the fuck could such an entity say to indemnify such cruelly snatched fate anyway? For the concept is as empty and brittle as a skull. A fossil of something that was once vivid, animated and filled with potential. A wasteland where nothing will ever grow. Almost certainly, this will be one of the scaled pieces for the shows in October. I've been listening to Big Audio Dynamites brilliant classic E=mc2 and feeling like the angry young man of my teens again, suffused with rage for the robbery of living at the hands of power brokers and merchants behind closed doors. Which is why I shall not be revealing the next piece until tomorrow, because its informed by some of the vitriol I've been feeling lately about the 'situation' here in the US, and as such could be possibly seen as controversial.
I went with my original instinct, and decided to deviate from the dense green cloud of the original comp, by painting a simple cream impasto for the background. The sense being that this represents a kind of rebirth, as well as making the image more prominent. Its odd how much more contemporaneous the locale feels with this minimal approach. I generally resist such artistic candor, because as I've said in the past, melding both the figurative and the abstract, feels like fence sitting to me-like illustrative spatter as a sidecar embellishment for the sake of modernity, it has no resonance other than for trad cool, but on the evidence of this piece, its something I want to explore more of with future works.
Tonight is Mosaic again, where I have two pieces as part of the ongoing collection. Rich Walker and Sanford Wolcott are featured, alongside the usual suspects such as Mark Jesinoski. Hope to see a few familiar faces as well as some new ones.
The paint flowed with ease tonight-oil heady in my nostrils again-autopilot style with Elbow on loop. We all need an escape from the rage of daily existence, and I never feel more at home than when I am paint spattered and high on wine and turpentine.
Talking of sanctuary in dark places, I also discovered that my work is featured on the site Eye Want Your skull, which is a really wonderful online resource for the best in skull inspired art.I am well chuffed.
The world may be going to hell, but sequestered in the uterine bubble of my studio, I could paint with the flames lapping at my heels.
Title: Disambiguous Foresight (Visions of the Afterlife) Size: 11 " x 14" Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Whilst I'm happy with the way this one turned out, the color didn't quite translate the way I envisioned it in my head, so I'm keen as mustard to transfer this and the last piece to scaled up oils. Working these pieces as comps first is really helping me flesh out the vision of this series, and giving me an ambition for what I'm hoping to achieve with it.
I've managed to paint five of the promised six paintings this month-although I shouldn't be too hard on myself since I've juggled two shows and a 36" x 42" fully painted commission in between. Out of those five, I've sold three, and at least the two that I mentioned, shall be repainted for the Big featured show in October. The show at Mosaic is being extended to the 19th of February too, so anyone who missed the chance to see the pieces should definately catch what is currently the best art exhibit in the city.
I also have two further shows scheduled-another featured show at the new Thumbprint venue, which will run from March 13th, and then on April 7th, I shall be showing and raffling a live painting for the Keep-A-Breast foundation at the Belly Up. Full details are up on my Appearances page, but I'll repost flyers here, closer to the date.
In light of the tragedy that continues to unfold in Haiti, it's difficult to be so trite as to post anything substantive from the warm comfortable safety of a roof over ones head. Which is why it is so abhorrent that a supposed holy man, should leap on such a devastating catastrophe, as a grotesque opportunity to admonish an entire nation with what amounts to an underhand, superstitious, poisoned, racial barb. I hope at the end of your miserable, self righteous existence, that you get to meet the smiting, bigoted, Old Testament monster you so revere Mister Robertson.
There are however, positive ways to contribute something other than ones own despicable agenda, Paypal and Ebay are fund raising for Save the Children, and unlike the bloated church coffers, anything you donate is taxable: Make a Donation Here Perhaps enlivened by the vitriol, I have produced what I think is one of my strongest pieces to date. I had intended to put it on Ebay, since its a preliminary comp to a larger scale for the show in October, but if there is room in the exhibit, I'd like to include it this Saturday.
There's something that encompasses the deadly illicitness of dark passion with this piece.The brittle, stark, cream skull, dark blossoms from its orifices against a bleeding crimson sky, hangs like a terrible longing. I'm exceptionally happy with this one, Lani called it sexy, and I think the brush work is some of my best yet.
The first day of the new decade has gotten off to a grand start-best laid plans have secured a commission, the new piece has already garnered interest from two potential buyers, and I have another featured exhibition confirmed for March-bringing the total to four big showings this year.
The first begins here in San Diego, from January 6th at Mosaic gallery/wine bar, with an opening reception on the 16th. So far, I shall be showing around ten pieces-perhaps more depending on if I can squeeze another piece in beforeWednesday.Mosaic Gallery at Mosaic Wine Bar 3422 30th North Park, San Diego, CA 92104 call: 619-906-4747 I am also showing at the Hive at the group show in LA again this month, opening on the 9th.The plan is to paint something this weekend, so I have my work cut out for me already. Details to follow.
Today we took the opportunity to enjoy the California winter sun, at beautiful La Jolla shores. In between reading chunks of the Gonzo biography my wife bought me, I sketched the collected throng of afternoon bathers, although the crisp breeze made it too cold for actual paddling. From our house this evening, there was the most breathtaking blazing sunset and as Lani made hotdogs and chile fries we listened to 80's tracks, and I felt blessed by the beautiful, awesome simplicity of it all-this first day of 2010.
Here's Perfect Day by Lou Reed with a great animation:
Despite the finality of my signatures flourish, I shalln't be able to tell if the piece is complete until it's dry. Diffusing the black point's to grey, really gives it a nice depth of middle ground. I'm pleased-its a rather delicious counterpoint to the candy-cane, force feeding of the seasons sentiments.
That said, I am not completely, curmudgeonly about the graces of Xmas, so to set the mood, here's something cooler than chilled eggnog- Bowie and Bing singing 'Peace on Earth, Little Drummer boy' back in the good old days of 77:
the smaller study for this piece has gone through something of an evolution, certainly inspired by our weekend sabbatical in Big Bear, and having seen 'The Road' the other night.Despite the minimalism of this scratchy pencil study, putting flesh on those bones perse, is a hugely exciting prospect for me, encompassing everything I've longed to express about the bleak disquiet of winter, peering into murky icy waters seeing your breath dissipate in the cold air, and feeling the goosebumps through your soul.
Save for a few minor embellishments, the piece is done. I have it in mind to expand the concept, although not on this scale, but at the very least, this piece did instill in me an entirely new set of possibilities that I hadn't envisaged before.
All being well, and paint being dry, I shall be premiering it at the show tomorrow.
Progress may seem imperceptible, and even if I'm indulging neurosis, by the end, I may actually have something as crystaline as the bullet of that first vision.
I completed the sketch this evening for what will appear on the cover of Steampunk magazine, which I wanted to share. I'm hoping that it will raise my profile a little, so that I am able to make the crossover to that ever elusive thing of actually getting paid to paint-if one can ever conceive of such a thing. I think its a lovely addition to my skull series anyway.
After a weeks sabbatical from the new piece, I was hungry again. There is something transcendental about the almost imperceptible pace of working the minutiae, I imagine it to be the closest thing to the repose of meditative prayer, for myself at least. Still a long road ahead to my final intention, but I do see a light at the end of my own corridor.
I made a concession and took a break from the intensity of the rooms angles, and concentrated on the skull yesterday. The backlight gives it an almost cinder quality-I think this is my best deaths head to date.
Today, I finally completed the piece which has probably been the most contentious in some time and am genuinely happy with the results. I'll premier it at the Mosaic show, this coming Thursday.
I also made some progress on the next piece-Ghost, which will be the culmination of this particular series of skulls- making it a sort offshoot of a sideline of a series.
