Drawing Breath-art comission by David Gough for local Sexologist

Some last minute retouching on the erotic drawings before I deliver them later today.



Here they are in no particular order.

'Paradox'-11" x 17"-Graphite and acrylic wash on paper

'Palindrone'-11" x 17"-Graphite and acrylic wash on paper

'Osmosis'-11" x 17"-Graphite and acrylic wash on paper

I'm very pleased with the set, and at some juncture I may put them together as a series of limited edition prints. We'll see.



All being well, I should have some more good news to impart over the next few days, and as its the week that celebrates (or commiserates) another year older, I'll be posting a daily feature showcasing five things that influenced me growing up.

Mosaic gallery show

Expanding on the work I did for the recent Mosaic show, I'm currently working on a series for a sexologist. It's fascinating, and certainly not a direction I saw my artistry geared towards, but I'm really enjoying the diversion all the same.

Speaking of the Mosaic exhibit, there are four pieces still on show there, so anyone in the locale, could do better than staying in to catch reruns of Kourtney and Kim, by enjoying a glass of fine wine and enriching themselves with some local art culture.

Mosaic Gallery,
3422 30th North Park,
San Diego, CA 92104

Finally, I've been honored with an induction into the San Diego Visual Arts Guild, and have a rather nice gallery page on there website-check it out:

http://sdvag.net/G/DavidGslide.htm

Drawing in Love-show at Mosaic gallery featuring David Van Gough

The Mosaic anniversary show is next week, so I spent the past week completing three sketches for it.
The show being two days short of Valentines, the theme is 'Drawing in Love' and here are my submissions.'Chimera Rising'
11" x 14" (approx)
Ink, Acrylic and pencil on paper
$150

Regular visitors to my blog, will know that this piece has already been through several incarnations, but until I completed this version I realized what was missing. I've had an aversion to putting wings on any of my muses for some time now, since the connotation with my old work is there, but then I thought that doing something I didn't want to do was as good a reason as any, so it followed.

Chimera of course was a fire breathing creature from Lycia, comprised of animals, and there is something compelling and enigmatic in her manifestation. Beautiful but deadly, sophisticated but primeval, Its that juxtaposition inherent in woman that can enchant man even to his own detriment. The cracks are merely reflections on a false idol.
'Palindrone'
11" x 17" (approx)
graphite and acrylic on paper
$250

Autonomy was the key to the conception of this one, and so its meaning didn't really reveal itself to me until I was almost complete. Certainly, its an overtly sexual piece, but its mired is in that transcendental moment of orgasm when the self becomes detached and fragmentary from time and space and yet there is that conjoining of the physical through the act itself, so becoming almost a third entity.
'Osmosis'
9" x 12" (approx)graphite and acrylic on paper
$125
Without being saccharine (when could one ever accuse my work of that) this was very much about how love is a unifying force, but also means the compromise of the individual as a possession. The arms could be all encompassing or suffocating depending on ones viewpoint and the merging of forms either a consolidation as a whole or the loss of the singular, which is why the figures are androgynous.

The show opens on the 12th February from five pm until 12am at Mosaic Gallery, 3422 30th North Park San Diego, CA 92104.

Mosaic-Speaking in Tongues Show snippets

Exhausted, elated, elevated.

Three shows, in two weeks which culminated in the Grand Guignol of Mosaic last night.

I've noted before that I entertain leaving San Diego every two weeks, and then I am prompted to remember how many wonderful, talented, generous, supportive, beautiful friends I have here.

What a spectrum of stars and starlets you all are.

I want to stay here forever.

Barely any photos to share at the moment, because we barely had a moment to capture the dizzying throng of friends and family who attended, but I'll be trawling my friends Facebook's to rectify that over the coming days.

As obligatory as the thank you often is, it's meant no less-Thank you all.

top photo courtesy of Jenny Larson

Notes from an Easel-Legend-new painting by David Van Gough

The work is done-I dropped off the 30"x 40" piece, still wet at Mosaic last night.
By and large, I'm very happy with it, but given another day or two, I may have been able to erase those minor niggles from my critical eye forever.

After Mosiac, I ship it to the Hive featured show, a week short of October.

Group show at Mosaic

Last night was the group show at Mosaic, in aid of Envirofest. For a gloomy Thursday evening, attendance was healthy.
Some grand moments to commit to memory, the number of people who sought me out, to tell me how much they admired my work, was humbling. The camaraderie with my fellow artists at these events which far outweighs any remuneration, but I was most delighted when one of my pieces was won at auction by this lovely lady. Thank you Jenni, and thank you everyone, you spur me on.

Also catching my wings was the confirmation yesterday that I am to be one of the artists featured in the next issue of 'I want your skull'
As soon as it becomes available, I'll post details on how to order a copy.

Humanity Healing the Earth through Art-Mosaic Gallery

As promised, here are the full details for the showing at Mosaic on the 10th of June. With the West Coast choking on the sp-'oils' of corporate greed, healing the earth couldn't be a more apt. Eyes down then.
HUMANITY HEALING THE EARTH THROUGH ART
A Benefit for Envirofest at Chollas Lake Park

MOSAIC WINE BAR
Thursday, June 10th
6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Featuring Special DJ Guests, Dancing, Art Auction and Sales!
RECOMMENDED $5 DONATION!

Hosted Wine From 6-7 p.m.

Join us for a celebration of experiences and expressions featuring the work of our special guest artists:

Mark Jesinoski
Mark Richmond
Isaias Crow
Cristina Artigas
Chris Vance
Jill Joy
Flo Li
Tracy Black
Rich Walker
Sean Brannan
Shay Davis
David Gough
Todd Sanders
Fei Zhou
Katinka Clementsmith
Roberto Diaz-Gonzalez

LIVE Painting by Isaias Crow and Mark Richmond.

LIVE AFRO CUBAN DANCE and DRUMMING Performance by:

Araceli Carrera
Irene Pulli
Silfredo lao Viggo
Reinaldo Atesiano
Giosvanni

Desserts provided by San Diego Desserts!

Envirofest at Chollas Lake Park occurs 9/25/10 and
is community environmental health and wellness event
~ A project of the SDGA: www.girlsalliance.org

Notes from an easel part 71

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.

Mosaic Gallery Grand Opening-San Diego-featuring David Gough

I’ve deliberately taken a few days to assemble my thoughts about Saturday's show. Not only to soar above the inevitable comedown but to try and find some cohesion in the whirlwind that was the night. Unfortunately, my camera was not up to the challenge and as a result, more than half the photo's look as if we were caught post nuclear flash. As hugely disappointed as I am that I shall not have a solid visual record of the night, I am happy to say that was the only shortfall.So many friends who had said that they would come-did, and I met so many people who were genuinely interested in my work.
It was a humbling, vindicating experience.
Add to which I sold art-which was wonderful.

I have several people to thank-firstly fellow wall sharers-Shay Davies, Mee Shim and Rich Walker and Mark Jesinoski for being hugely gifted and rising above ego to be a pleasure to exhibit alongside.

To owner Mos and all the lovely staff at Mosaic for being so accommodating and keeping me well watered throughout a very busy night.
To all the friends who came out especially in support to see me-too innumerable to mention, you are diamond. To my wife Lani for being beautiful and patient and my rock-I love you.

To those that bought art, you are the people that help me keep doing it.

And finally to my great friend, fellow journeyman and organizer Mark Jesinoski-thanks for having the vision and determination to put together a grand first show.Cheers.

Mosaic gallery opening featuring David Gough

The suit is trimmed and the beard pressed-or should that be the other way around? I wish I could approximate the way Ethan Hawk looked in Great Expectations, but shall have to live with my Edward Norton's grizzled, older brother look.

Because people are there to look at me and not the work on the wall right?

My wife however promises to steal the show, with her deliciousness.

Regardless, I shall be working the floor from around 4pm, which is as much as I can muster competently right now, except to say that if you are reading this, and live in San Diego, then you should come to The Mosaic Grand Opening tonight, because it promises to be the best art show you will see in this city this year.

Saturday, January 16, 2010 5:00pm - 10:00pm
Mosaic Wine Bar,3422 30th North Park, San Diego, CA 92104

Head Candy

Mark posted a sneak preview of the hanging today, and it looks splendid. As my personal guest list grows, I grow ever more nervous at being the guest of honor, as I begin to realize how many friends I've made here in the US. It shall be something to stand in a room of familiar faces, surrounded by the last three years-perhaps even a little vindicating.

I began a new piece this evening, which is in no real state to view for the moment, but I am very happy with the first daubings, to the point that I shall probably choose it as a piece for the show in October.

For the moment, I am exhausted so here are two sketch book pages from the last few days, which include hand studies for a proposed work and poses for a commission.

Head Candy-Best Laid Plans

Following a few last minute touch ups, tweaks and a peddle to Aaron Bros for frame clips, the (partial) sum total of three years work, lines the wall of my hallway, awaiting transportation to Mosaic. It's always oddly unnerving letting them out of the house, but of course 'letting them out' is entirely the point, and rather like dutiful little soldiers,one hopes that once on display, they will hold fort.
I'm hugely excited by this showing, I think the company is stellar, and I owe a huge tip of the hat to my bud and fellow artisan Mark (Jesinoski) for inviting me.

Tomorrow however, the business of business, shall be my return to normalcy with a withering plop.The immediacy of looking for some more regular and steady source of income, bares it's sneering face again-at least whilst I'm touting around looking for illustration work. Let the fun times roll.

Showboat-putting peices together for Mosaic

With days to go before delivery of around twelve pieces, here is the flyer with the details for the Mosaic Show. Grand opening is on Saturday the 16th January, and I do so hope people will come that night. I sent out around fifty invitations to people I know through Facebook, but still have to send out a newsletter. time willing-I also want to put together a catalogue as well as replenish my inventory of prints.
Added to which I am working on a commission, which my beautiful wife-Lani, helped me with, by sitting for me for some sketch poses-it will be a relief to have something to show the client tomorrow.