1. Tonight is the Faith and Formulas show at Thumbprint gallery, here in San Diego. Having seen the artists installed, I think this show promises to be the best one yet. Doors open at 7pm and runs until midnight-driving directions here: 3925 Ohio St, San Diego, CA 92104 Hope to see some of you there.
2. I had the real pleasure of seeing the demo for the online video game for the first time yesterday. The game elevates the genre from a standard shoot em up, by placing the universe in a series of rotating galleries, all represented by the cream of 'San Diego surrealists'.Its a very exciting project to be involved with, and already has marked interest from art periodicals such as Juxtapoz. Much credit and thanks should go to Producer- the incomparable Dark Vomit-whose work deserves a post all of its own.General release isn't until October 1st from-www.interactiveartshow.com but you can see a short reel demo, in the youtube link below. My dungeon gallery (with decapitation,) shows up at around the 2.02 mark.
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.
I've never worked so meticulously before-but the precision of perspective and angles requires nothing less-my concentration so acute that at times I have to remind myself to draw a breath.
The image haunts me, and my mind finds itself hearing Bowie's 1972 rendering of My Death by Jaques Brel for some bizarre reason-particularly the lines 'whatever lies behind the door...' The performance of which has never failed to move me, particularly at the denouement where Ziggys final lines are eclipsed by the audience cries.
El Barco De Tontos-or Ship of fools-like Death and the Maiden-followed a very European tradition in Art. From Bosch to Durer-there are examples littered throughout art history. It also had its origins in the satirical medieval German poem (Das Narrenschiff) warning against over 100 vices and follies, which later became the basis for a tarot of the same name.
For myself-in the fall of 2006-folly was something that I felt my artistic career path had fallen victim to. Continually stiffed by a series of bad licensing deals, the diminishing returns and production line mentality of selling on Ebay and the alienation of what I considered was the cultural vacuousness of living in California for the first year, I felt I'd reached a nadir creatively and integrally. In truth, I despised everything I had painted over the previous five years, which seemed bogged down by the flotsum and jetsum of symbolic embellishment, ultimately trying to imbue the cultural trends of a certain Hot Topic audience with some depth of meaning.
So, ever one for the posturing of melodrama, I proclaimed that El Barco De' Tontos would be my final ever piece,and that on the eve of my 40th Birthday, it was time to give up the lifelong dream of being an artist and disapear into the anonymity of a faceless institution. I had probably read Bukowski too much, because, that was exactly what I did, taking a mundane day job at a post office box in La Jolla-one of the most vacuous places in southern California.
As my swansong, I was sending a representative cast of my own familiar characters-clowns,grim reapers, demons pirates and lepers-helmed by a harlot muse, into the endless horizon of an inevitable vanishing point.
It would be six months before I would paint again,and not until I had relinquished an audience,contractual obligations or any expectations of myself.
I'd give all wealth that years have piled, The slow result of Life's decay, To be once more a little child, For one bright summer day. ~Lewis Carroll, "Solitude"
5. The Thumbprint gallery, here in San Diego shall be opening a group show on the 19th September which is a perfect showcase for my work, entitled Faith and Formulas. Doors open at 7pm to 12am, at 3925 Ohio St, San Diego, CA 92104 6. Whilst my daughter was in town, we had the opportunity of seing an exhibit of Richard Avedons work, entitled Portraits of Power, which was still showing at the Museum of Art in Balboa Park, here in San Diego,up until a week ago. A former photographer for the New Yorker, mostly known for his high society and movie start portraits, the exhibit centered largely around his political work of the sixties and seventies, utilizing portraits of political benefactors and activists juxtaposed alongside ordinary citizens, to express the moral, class and racial chasm that still exists within American society. Its a very powerful collection, which stays with you long afterwards, and may be touring to a different city, but is well worth the admission fee should you find it opening in your locale. 7.Accompanying me daily on my artistic travels, are my cats, who have taken to squatting in my studio and using it as their post catnip chill out zone.
After ten wonderfully hectic days, traveling up and down the coast to enjoy the best sights and company,that California has to offer, my daughter-Emma and her boyfriend, sadly returned to the UK yesterday. A great time was had by all, and I'll be adding a selection of pics to my Flickr account, as soon as the moment presents itself. In the meantime,there is much to catch up on, starting with my weekly roundup of forthcoming events-Eyes down.
The Hive Show September
1. Whilst we had company, I was delighted to attend this months Hive showing, and proudly introduce my little girl to the work on display,which-alongside the cream of pop surreal bazaar-was a daubing by her old man. The show runs until September 26th-729 S.Spring St, CA 90014, LA. The Hive Show October-Tarot Group Show 2. Next months Hive showing will be a Tarot themed show, and will include a selection of the deck, by all of the artists involved. I missed the boat on picking the minor arcana card I wanted, opting instead for the seven of swords.The card itself is fairly innocuous visually, so instead I'll be working from the premise of a few of the keywords pertaining to the cards meaning, such as irrational, duplicity,instability and juxtaposition. Looking Forward-The Alternative Cafe-October 2010 3.Alongside the featured Hive showing in October 2010, I received confirmation that I shall be a featured artist at The Alternative Cafe later that same month. The gallery is one of California's most prestigious Art hot spots, and regularly advertised in Juxtapoz magazine, so it is a great honor to be showing there.Currently exhibiting for instance, are works by the eminent Eric Joyner, and Gabe Leonard.
Losing my head over a Virtual Show. 4.Having mentioned in a previous post that my work is to be included in the 'Dark Vomit' video game project, and I can now reveal some of the first screen caps, portraying the dungeon room that my art is on display. I'm delighted with the results, and will post further details as they come. I'll make a second posting shortly.
2. I had the real pleasure of seeing the demo for the online video game for the first time yesterday. The game elevates the genre from a standard shoot em up, by placing the universe in a series of rotating galleries, all represented by the cream of 'San Diego surrealists'.
Its a very exciting project to be involved with, and already has marked interest from art periodicals such as Juxtapoz. Much credit and thanks should go to Producer- the incomparable Dark Vomit-whose work deserves a post all of its own. General release isn't until October 1st from- www.interactiveartshow.com but you can see a short reel demo, in the youtube link below. My dungeon gallery (with decapitation,) shows up at around the 2.02 mark.
