Rasputin

Oil on canvas,
9″x 12″

With Russia in the news again, I thought it’d be quite nice to trot out one of the Slavs other infamous sons- the Mad Monk, Grigori Rasputin-Alla Prima.

He’s another of those fascinating esoteric cult figures, from the time of the Romnovs, ministering all manner of occult practices from Theosophy to being faith healer to Tsar Nicholas’s son, Alexei.

A nice gig if you can get it, particularly if  the laying on of hands extends to the local nunnery.

Ongoing rumors of an affair and his influence over the Tsarina Alexandra, that such were the times then, it wasn’t too long before he was knocked off, although given that it took an afternoon buffet of arsenic laced cakes and wine, three bullets-one in the forehead- and dropping in the frigid Nevka waters to do the trick, may lend to the reputation of his mystical prowess, and the rumor that he did a zombie Jesus.

Regardless, the fall of the Romanovs wasn’t too far behind.

One hopes a similar fate awaits the current US dynasty.

Splendor Solis

A reproduction of my piece “Space enough have I, to lie in such a prison” was recently included at ‘The Studio and Gallery’ exhibit ‘Splendor Solis, which is based on an alchemist grimoire of the same name from 1532.

My piece was a kind of riff on one of its plates, having first saw it in the magazine Man, Myth and Magic back in the 70’s-the golum figure stepping from the mud into the welcoming arms of the princess. The princess of course in my version, being my wife Lani as the Miranda figure to my Ferdinand.

Including among others, are the exquisite works of Laurie Lipton, and I’m honored to be included, as it looks like a tremendous exhibit. Its also notable because its my first showing in beautiful Scotland, and I’m hoping it promises to be my first of more exhibits in the UK.

You can see full details of the show from the following website:

The Studio and Gallery 

Show runs until the 24th February.

Climbing trees.

This was a week ago, so I’m further along. Detailing, nitpicking, slowly losing my mind  seeing the wood for all the trees, or at least its many branches. I never imagined that the landscape would be something I’d busy myself with, but on daily walks with the little dog now, I find myself lost in the threadbare treeline and crooked manzanita’s, not on the internal dialogue. I suppose it could be that thing Larkin said about his own fascination with trees…’Is it that they are born again, and we grow old?”

Still ten more to go before showtime in a year, got myself a portable easel courtesy of my wife in the meantime. Weather and knees permitting and as a sort of compliment to the series, I’m going to be knocking out some of the little landscape study’s to sell in the interim.

Perhaps I’ll follow in the footsteps of my more famous namesake after all.

If only I could find a money tree.

Bugging out

Been locked in the studio for a full six days solid on this one. Do you know in that entire time, this singular, milky, bugs-eye hasn’t turned it’s withering gaze from me once. It makes me think of the old man in Tell-Tale Heart staring accusingly from the dark like a bitter moon.

The paint has flowed appeasing the great eye none the less, like blood from a sacrificial lamb. Even the damp cold that clings into the midday from the night before doesn’t deter me, and I’m reminded how easy it is, when there is nothing else imposing itself other than the work at hand.

In a moment of epiphany last week, I typed something out on social media about so much art being manifested in silence, with the accompanying choir of a thousand voices screaming self doubt. It’s true-the visions are barely audible at times over the constant drone of  rejection, failure, hardship, exclusion or…well, name your self-flagellating poison.

It made me think I’ve probably been listening to the choir for too long.

I should have squashed the voices rather like our  vexing bug here.

Freedom and enlightenment comes when there is no fear of nothing left to lose, and it dawns that I flourish best from my place of exile.

Tending the garden

This is me, applying the final flourishes to a piece that may turn out to be called “Infernal Pitts shall never hold celestial spirits in bondage”, which of course is a couplet from Paradise Lost, but may end up being called ‘spirits unbound’ because it’s far easier to remember at my age.

Still working through the preliminaries for the rest, half way there as far as best laid plans go, realizing the scope of this is akin to staring up from the foot of an ancient great oak you’ve grown yourself, before attempting to traverse to the top.

From little acorns as they say.

Did manage to escape partial exile from my exclusion zone last weekend for the La Bodega fourth anniversary. My little 45″ vinyl contribution of a Siren, depicting my friend and extraordinary musician Eliza Rickman, which was made all the more special when the model herself made an appearance.

Thank you Eliza <3 p="">

Incidentally, if you aren’t already acquainted with Eliza’s output, I implore you to go and do so, enchanting,haunting, strange and lilting-all the prerequisites I have for great art- plus her videos are visual feasts of gothic loveliness.

elizarickman.com

No other shows planned until the big one in 2019, although I’m mooting the possibility that I am pretty much done as far as group shows are concerned.

Emphatically, this has zero to do with La Bodega-who I consider the singular shining light as far as an art scene in San Diego- but I may decide to say something about the gallery that has been the tipping point in consideration of that decision at some future event.

Suffice to say, that for the moment I’m too focused  on tending my own garden as opposed to being dismissed as no more than a thorn in the side of  someone else’s.

Paradiso's Fall

Though it may seem a little premature, best laid plans being what they are, I thought I would let you all know where a majority of my focus is going to be for the next fourteen months.

Following on from 2014’s show Purgatorium -I am honored to announce that  Paradiso’s Fall, will be debuting at The Dark Art Emporium in Long Beach, March 2019.

Though it may seem a ways off, experience has shown me that if time waits for no one, then it accelerates at light speed in the studio.

Over time, I’ll be posting works in progress, possibly even video peaks throughout the next twelve months, so I hope you’ll continue to follow me as I take another excursion down the rarebit hole.

As always the support and encouragement you provide sustains me like a manna, so my indelible thanks.

Rogues Gallery Featured artist for January

“In the studio he wields his brush over the fibers of his canvas with the precision and authority of a magistrate’s gavel… Weaving tapestries of man’s wonderment at the terror he poses to the world around him, and the terror he poses to himself.”

Kicking off the first day of the new year-in what hopefully is a shape of fortunes to come-I’m honored by having been chosen as Featured Artist for the month of January, in what is a beautifully eloquent article over on Rogues Gallery.

You can read the full article from the link below:

ROGUES GALLERY FEATURED ARTIST

Thank you so very much Steven Lee Matz at Intersekt Art