Sisyphus Revisited

So, the art making game has been pretty busy as has the exhibiting. Lately I was part of a couple of interesting competition/exhibitions. One in Ashtabula, the Tikkanen Painting Prize. I had two pieces make the first cut and one piece made it into the show. Unfortunately, I did not win, but it was an interesting show. I also have a piece in the NPAA Biennial, which opens tomorrow at the Erie Art Museum. Getting ready for a solo show at 1020 Holland in January/February, figure paintings. So that will be a first.

Below is the Beachwork for the year. Much of it survived the last Winter. Most of the right hand side of the structure is new. My goal was capping the window on the right side. I didn't get much new stone this year, as the beach topography was a bit unusual. Much of the old beach was covered by one or two feet of  sand and cobble, covering much of the stone that I would usually gather.

The image below is the piece that I put in the Biennial. Based on photos taken from the kayak in the lagoons at the 4-mile mark, it is one part of a planned three piece altarpiece. I have been working on several pieces using this technique relating to mechanical/geometric objects and  in these images, applying it to organic subjects.

Playing around with it below, combining color and monochromatic areas. Turned out OK. May continue to play around with the concept.

The other area that I have been playing around with recently is figure painting. I've arranged an exhibition at the 1020 Holland Collective. A great space that I have had works exhibited in the past and look forward to putting together a show of about 80-100 works. The Birth of Venus works and a frieze of 25 dancing figures will be the backbone. Below are two recent works that are exploring the relationship between the body and drapery of some kind. So, that is what the state of the art is. Also working on a couple of commissions. So I have been busy.

 

CANADIA BURNS STILL

My beach project miraculously survived the winter largely intact. So I've gone down maybe a half dozen times to continue the exercises of Sisyphus. This is where it stands as of June's end. While working the sun emerged out from behind a cloud bank complete with the rays reaching down to the horizon. Moments like that are an extra little bit of magic in a magical place.

 

Seriously

 

When not working on figure painting, I torture myself with the much more labor intensive works that I refer to as being architectonic...deconstructed and then reconstructed architectural forms, originally, then adapted to natural forms, starting with fish. So here are a couple of recent ones. 

The first one originated with a trip to hike in Colorado over the Spring break. While traipsing around I kept coming across old mining equipment and train/locomotives and such. So the mechanical piece below is a result...the second such experiment..."The Works"

The next two pieces are derived from some dead fish photos that I've taken over the years and have appeared in numerous paintings. There is a mechanical quality to fish that works well with the obvious organic qualities. A nice combination. So it goes.

This piece was based off of photos of lobsters, horseshoe crabs, which are insanely interesting as forms, and blue crabs. Just playing.

Bodies of Music

So, within the process of becoming a decent figure painter in watercolor, I started to play around with a thematic series involving musical instruments...Guitar, violin, sound bowls for starters. The forms are complementary to the human figure, so I just played with that idea for a while and this is what I've come up with so far. We'll see what comes next.

 

A Long Hard Pull

The school year is almost over. It was a struggle this year. So many problems. The mental health issues of students were like a thick fog over everything. Hopefully some of them get out from under it before too long. 

Finished this commissioned piece based on images from the south of France. Still enjoying the challenge of these types of works. Went out to Colorado over break and did some hiking...mostly knee deep in snow. Not the best conditions, but I really needed to get away. Saw a bunch of old mining equipment and some of locomotive/train cars and did this piece as well. 

Still working on the figure project. Slowly coming together.

So, the end is in sight and hopefully there are greener fields ahead.

 
 

Moving On

A couple of paintings for the new year. It is traditional to begin the year with a painting of dead fish in many cultures...or it should be. To honor that ancient, venerable tradition, I offer this painting, but with a twist. It also includes butterflies, which in many cultures symbolizes unrealized potential...or it should.

After a brief summer visit to Ireland, I put together this painting of Dublin. I am currently working on one of France and lots of figure painting. I will post some of them at a later date.

  

This has nothing to do with art, but how can so many stupid people get elected to national office? Have Republicans just given up on their party? From Trump on down, you couldn't make this kind of crazy shit up.