I Blog For…Art!

It’s November and in addition to my birthday, I’m anticipating a show at the Artiste Winery in Santa Ynez! I’ll be sharing a room with my delightful sister Lily in our debut joint art show. It feels auspicious, but I know it will be more so if you all can make it to the opening reception on Saturday, December 6th, from 2-5 pm. I’m meeting with the manager/curator of the Santa Ynez location on Monday and will post more details afterword. I’d love to see some supportive faces in the crowd, as it’s a bit scary to be putting so much of my work out in the public for the first time, well—ever, really! The opening reception will overlap with a wine and culinary event at the gallery, so if you enjoy wine tasting, it will be an added bonus to enjoying Lily’s artwork and my own.

Here’s a little piece I’ve been working on. It’s only 5″x7″. I started it long ago and had not worked it since.

On another note, as a birthday present Lily is paying for my first ever voice lesson! I’m excited and nervous, but trust I will be in very good hands! Michel Marc Gervais seems like the best teacher anyone could hope to have. In fact, I’m trying not to feel unworthy of this great gift and opportunity to explore singing, a skill I’ve always dreamed of developing and honing. Thank you Lily! It’s one of the most thoughtful gifts I have yet to receive!

I was in Seattle and couldn’t make it to the reception to a show at Art Resources, but Rob took some great photos for me. I had one painting in the show.

“Thank you for calling” was the title of the show, and was primarily the work of Rafael Perea de la Cabada, and a few up and coming artists of his recommendation.

My self portrait is to the right.

A wall of drawing that Rafael did while on the phone by his desk!

The self-portrait I chose to submit for the show. The title didn’t make the price sheet. It’s called “In the evening light.”

Heather Mattoon also submitted a self portrait. I love it!

Jonny Troyna to the right of his painting, “Sea Foam Black.”

“Sea Foam Black” by Jonny Troyna.

This is “Untitled,” by Matthew Woodford.

“Power Outage,” by Richard Irvine.

Three framed drawings by Rafael Perea de la Cabada.

A framed drawing by Rafael Perea de la Cabada.

More materials from Rafael’s studio.

Rafael Perea de la Cabada with his son.

To visit the show, stop by Art Resources at 512 E. Haley St. from Oct. 4-Nov. 4 (Hours: M-F 9-5:30, S 10-2.)

It’s been a busy couple of weeks! The portrait below is going in a small group show at Art Resources at 512 E. Haley St. from October 4th to November 4th. (Hours: M-F 9-5:30, S 10-2.) The art reception will be on October 11th from 5-8 pm. Unfortunately, I will be out of town and won’t be able to make it, but come anyway and meet the rest of the artists. The main body of work will be Rafael Perea de la Cabada’s studio artwork. Also featuring art by Heather Mattoon, Jonny Troyna, and several others.

Here it is in progress:

Here is the “recycled” canvas:

And here is the progress on the copy of Frida Kahlo’s Self Portrait With A Monkey:

I had to put this aside to finish the self portrait for the show.

I started a copy of Frida Kahlo’s Self-Portrait with Monkey yesterday on a lovely recycled 11″x14″ canvas. I’ve been tempted at every point to call it quits because I love the juxtaposition of the abstract shapes and wonderful brush strokes and colors of the background with my homage to Kahlo.

Here it is around noon:

And here it is in the evening:

I’m frustrated with myself only a little, after deliberating over three copies of Frida’s work, (the one above and two others I worked on today,) when I have so many ideas that are forced to lap the fishbowl of my mind. Friends, acquaintances, even fictional characters from films, books, and my imagination fight for their place on one of my canvases. They stare angrily through the moss and rust shades of my eyes, in disbelief that I would laps yet again into obsessing over a nose shadow on a Frida portrait finished about a year ago. Soon, you’ll see them here! They’ve been using a log on the door of my mind and are bound to come racing onto a canvas near you shortly!

Below is the most recent progress on the painting I started last week. I didn’t get much feedback, so I followed my instincts and put more detail. I ended up liking it better— what a surprise!

After slaving over a yard sale for hopefully the last time, I rushed up to Los Alamos for Dara Mark’s solo show at the C Gallery. Another great show at Connie and Nina’s new contemporary art gallery. I particularly loved this piece:

It’s formed from multiple translucent layers, so already it has a depth that draws you to it. The next thing you notice is that it interacts with light, so wherever you are in the room, you see quite a different painting. You have to walk around it and study it to really see all of its beauty. A lovely piece!

Dara was my mentor when I was in high school. It was fun and educational to learn from her artistic sensibility  and techniques, and gain experience from showing my work for the first time in a group show at the end of the program.

And speaking of teachers! I also studied art and drama in high school with Connie Rohde. That was fun and intense! A shy teenager breaking into Shakespeare in front of her peers wasn’t easy. Nor was taking advanced chemistry as a sophomore so I could fit Connie’s wonderful art class into my last semester at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School! I still cringe when I think of the oral report on vitamins I made in AP Chem! I think moments of extreme embarrassment like those that immediately followed my oral report serve to form our character. So fortunately, there was a bright side!

I wish I had the patience to check if everyone’s eyes were open! Nina is second from the left, followed by Lily and Rob.

Lily chatting with Dara, with Wayne in the background.

You can check out the show at C Contemporary Gallery’s homepage.

I have been able to start a number of painting in the last several days, some more exciting than others. That’s the good news!
Here are some of the works:

This was done completely with a palette knife Monday evening, September 1st. I believe it’s a 20″x 24″ recycled canvas. I’m debating whether to add details or not. I’ve got mixed responses from people I’ve asked! What do you think? More realistic or is it fine rough and stylized as it is? Click the images to view larger.)

This is almost finished at one sitting! Not the greatest photo. Oil on a 16″x20″ recycled canvas. August 31st.

Not the best start, but I was once again in a hurry to finish so I could sleep! I mostly used a palette knife. August 29th.

(Yikes! This may be my worst drawing yet. I’m still hopeful for the final painting. A bad drawing and under-painting doesn’t necessarily mean a bad painting in the end! This was done late at night after already painting quite a bit that day and posting! August 29th.)

The bad news is that three pieces in the State of the Art 2008 Exhibit were vandalized. Pieces that the artists invested thousands of dollars into, just for the privilege of displaying their work to the public, and for only $1,500 compensation. It’s really a shame. Here’s a link the article describing the events.

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.