I Blog For…Art!

I finally got rid of my hang-ups about finishing the painting of Gurumayi and put in the shrubs and few details missing in the face and hair. I’m much happier with it now. I experimented with using a pallet knife in addition to brushes again, and ended up liking the results. It’s much faster than only using the small brushes I typically  use.

Here’s the painting:

I’ve always wanted to paint a really large version of this picture. We’ll see if that comes about.

I gave the painting a gold border as an allusion to my subject’s namesake, Gustav Klimt, and because the boy, like his brother, looks like a subject the Austrian artist might have painted. It could be finished as it is, but I suspect I’ll want to put a flower or two on the gold border once it all dries. After taping the gold border, I used a pallet knife to put in his hair, sweater, and the background. It was quick and I ended up loving the look of it as well as the process.

And here it is:

As mentioned, I went to Culver City to catch the tail end of Shawn Barber’s show at Billy Shire Fine Arts. It was fantastic to see his large realistic work up-close. There’s really only so much you can get from seeing a small image online, but here it goes:
(click on photos to enlarge)

I also found a lot of work I liked at the George Billis Gallery. I liked the irony and humor of this piece in particular:

When I was there, many of the galleries were closed for the end of summer already, so I’ll have to go back and scout a bit more.

I was out at my parents’ ranch yesterday without my normal painting supplies or inspiration, and found myself wanting to paint. I found a cut out from a old magazine of Penélope Cruz, and having just seen Woody Allen’s new film Vicky Cristina Barcelona and loving it, I thought it would be fun to paint Cruz’s portrait. Here’s is the result of the first sitting (taken from my cell phone):

20″x24″

Needs at least one more day’s worth of work.

I’ve made progress on the latest portrait, and have gone to some fun events surrounding the opening of the C Gallery of Contemporary Art in Los Alamos. Connie Rohde Stanchfield, (a friend and art teacher from my high school days), and her daughter Nina Rohde Brown opened the C Gallery together this summer after Connie retired from a inspiring career of teaching art and drama at Santa Ynez Union High School. It was fun to see many familiar faces and art by respected contemporary artists at the reception of the first show in August.

Here’s the latest on my painting progress:

and a bit earlier on:

And here are some photos from the opening of the C Gallery, Connie’s retirement party, and before:

These photos are from before the opening:

My sister Lily, me, Connie, and my mother Sandy.

And these are from the retirement party in May:

The front of the C Gallery.

Ariane, Arthur, and Lily in front of the C Gallery.

Lily, Mrs. Kelley, and me.

Connie and friends dance and have fun at the retirement party.

Connie’s son Jesse and daughter/collaborator Nina.

And here are some photos from the reception of the first show this August:

Lily Nathan and Karina Puente chatting in the studio space in back.

My parents Sandy and Barry came to support the new gallery and see my sister Lily’s work.

Bear playing melodies for the opening.

I followed the reception for the State of the Art Gallery 2008 Exhibition, taking photos for those who couldn’t make it. This is a fun juried event that brings new sculptures to State Street. This year’s theme is recycling and consumerism, appropriate and controversial given how gentrified State Street has become in the last few years. I’ll have to update this later to include all the artists. I arrived a little late.

This is a piece by Rafael Perea de la Cabada and Matthew Woodford.

Matt speaking about the piece with Rafael and the crew that helped them construct it.

Rafael talking about the process of making the sculpture and it’s context in Santa Barbara. “Viewers can look but are not able to touch the cuddly and colorful plush contents…The sculpture incorporates open space on all four vertical sides, drawing the observer into the maze of consumerism. Persistence of the Unnecessary mirrors the store windows surrounding it and has fun with the associations. ” (From the press release.)

People studying the sculpture.

Rafael speaking about the piece.

Jeff Elings’s massive steel-skinned sculpture called Gooto, is simultaneously industrial and organic.

Richard Aber’s sculpture called Stupa, refers to the Buddhist structures erected at sacred sites and is made from coated canvas.

Helle Scharling-Todd’s sculpture called “Molecules,” plays with the boundary between art and science.

Jeff Sanders’ sculpture, a “steel and aluminum obelisk, is reminiscent of not just the Washington monument, but more ominously, a watch tower. The Latin title Annuit Coeptis, (which translates to “He approves our undertakings), is taken from the Great Seal on the reverse side of the one-dollar bill. ” (From the press statement.)

Nathan Snyder’s “Our World Breaking Open.” “The open shapes in the sculpture appear like a digital code, with missing units and the structural mass coming apart. ” (From the Press Statement.)

From the side.

Martha with Nathan Snyder.

Unfortunately, Ed Inks’s sculpture, a bronze urn, The Birth of Bacchus, was damaged and removed because of vandalism before the reception. It’s really a shame. His piece “brings to mind the relics of antiquity while being, paradoxically, a form composed of contemporary fabricated materials with a modern means of metal working and welding.” (From the press release.)

And if you missed the reception, on October 2nd, the 1st Thursday of the month, 5 – 7pm, the general public is invited to walk State Street and meet and greet each sculptor.