Studio Snapshot: 09-11-09

"Third Eye Reprise" Oil on Canvas, 42"x 54", 2009.

Studio Snapshot: 09-10-09

"The Great Satan" Acrylic on Canvas, 16 x 20 inches,2009

This piece is part of a series that will be on display at Cafe Wha Who. Lately I've thought about what to do with the smaller scale pieces in and around my studio. Those works often consist of small studies for the larger scale works. However, over the past month, I have focused on developing those smaller works into pieces that stand on their own.

I am doing this for a number of reasons. There has been a lot of interest in my work, but my inventory of artwork consists primarily of large scale paintings. I love painting on a large scale, but it can be a logistical nightmare. Some of the problems with large scale works are:

1. They require a greater investment of time and materials.
2. They take up a lot of storage space.
3. They are difficult (and expensive) to transport and ship.
4. They carry expensive price tags and are more difficult to sell.

By working on a smaller scale, I hope to:

1. Produce a larger body work in a shorter amount of time.
2. Increase my exhibition opportunities by having work that is easier to transport and ship.
3. Provide potential collectors with more buying options.
4. generate sales by offering more affordable works.

This is an experiment that I hope evolves into something more. Feel free to contact me with any inquiries, comments or suggestions. My goal is to get my work out there and for it to be appreciated.

Studio Snapshot: 09-08-09

"Third Eye", acrylic on canvas, 18"X24", 2009

This is just one of several small works that is going into an exhibition at the end of the week. I'm posting it now to see what it looks like on the web. I've had some problems with how my images look while I'm working on them, and how they translate on the web. They always appear a bit more dull when I post them online.

Reason for the Blog Hiatus

I know, I know, it is total bad form not to post in nearly a month. I needed to step away and reconsider what my intentions were with regards to this blog. I discovered that writing these posts opened up some old doors for me. I began writing these posts, but then I quickly shifted to writing in a journal again.

Maintaining a journal was something I used to do quite regularly. There was a period of about five to six years where I would log an entry daily. It was an important part of my routine and I would use it to drive the internal dialog that kept me going. It was my dumping ground, and it was the place I went to sort things out. At some point during graduate school my journal writing had ground to a halt, and I no longer saw the point in logging daily entries. I did write occasionally, but these entries were often very sporadic.

I've experimented with blogging off and on for a number of years, and I have a bitter sweet relationship with it. I enjoy being able to share my ideas and its kind of exciting to know that my words exist somewhere out there on a random server. However, I feel that the writing is often a bit restrictive in the sense that I am conscious of someone reading it. My writing takes on a different tone, and I often feel like I am holding back. It also seems like I am less inclined to go out on a limb. In my journal I can stumble and fall and no one ever sees it except me. Most of the stuff I am going through recently would have to fall into the stumbling category, and I've preferred to sort things out in the privacy of my own journal.

The journal has worked its way back into my routine, and now I am sitting here wondering what purpose does this blog serve? I guess the only way to find out is to start experimenting with it. The main hurdle I am facing is what to do about content... does the world really want to hear what I have to say? Furthermore, do I really want to put myself out there?

Finding My Groove

I had a very productive day in the studio today. Lately its been a struggle there, and I've often felt like I wasn't accomplishing much of anything except spinning my wheels. Over the past few months my studio practice was sporadic and rarely was I privileged with back to back sessions like I've had this week. Time was usually short and I would head to the studio just to tackle a specific task; stretch and prime this canvas, transfer that drawing, or cut down that piece of wood. Needless to say, there are quite a few projects started and not too many completed.

When I look back at some of my most recent sessions I can take note that I wasn't particularly motivated and I was usually too exhausted to give it my all. Even when I did feel well rested and had an entire day to spend in the studio, I would get there and it didn't feel right. I would haphazardly start work on a painting and nothing would come of it. I've continued to produce, but not at the level that I expect to. To a certain degree, I was out of practice and by the time I got going it was time to wrap it up. After that it was usually an entire week would pass before I would be able to devote a significant chunk of time to continue working, and by that time there would be something else clamoring for my attention.

Today was different. It was the third straight day that I was in the studio, and the second of which I was able to devote an entire day! Earlier in the week I was able to put in a couple of 3 or 4 hour sessions, and yesterday I put in about 6 to 7 hour session. Today I put in close to 9 hours! What a great feeling. After weeks of frustration, it truly feels like I'm finding my groove again.

What is Painting?

This question has haunted me lately. I'm trying to determine where I stand, but I do not know where this conversation is taking place. I walk through the Museums and I see what painting once was. A stroll through the galleries gives me a sense of the market, as well as what is in fashion. Then I see the paintings hung in cafes, art fairs, and sold on the internet, and I see a version of what the public consumes as art. I look at the art periodicals and I am baffled by the language, which is clearly driven by intellectuals purely for the sake of intellectualism. Each time I venture out, I end up feeling disappointed and I return to the studio.

I am looking for painting as a practice and how it relates to art production. I am looking for critical discourse. I am looking for new challenges within the medium. I want to know the dialog around contemporary painting and where I can join in. Are there current issues in painting? If so, what are they, and who says so?

Transition

This past Friday was my last day of work at Blick, and I have spent the last few days acclimating myself with my new life. My biggest concern is making adequate use of my time, and not wasting it by sleeping in or surfing the internet all day. On the flip-side, I do not want to try to be super-productive and cram my day full of a million projects either. My goal is to ease myself into this process and not attempt to tackle too much too soon. The reason I took this leap was because I was feeling burnt out and that I no longer had control over my life, and I would like to avoid feeling that way again.

I have made it a point to wake up earlier in the morning at 7:30 a.m. even though I do not have to be at Street Level until Noon. I'm attempting to get a jump on my day so I do not feel like I am rushing around, which I most definitely would be if I chose to sleep until 10:30 or 11 a.m.(it is very tempting though). It means I can truly eat breakfast and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. It also means I can have time to read and write, and even have time to throw a load of laundry in. At some point I am even thinking about starting to run again, which is something I have not done in years. I am using this opportunity to structure my life as I would like to live it.

As my routine emerges, each area of my life will find a place. The biggest impact will be on my studio practice. I am not sure exactly how it is going to work itself out, but it is looking like I will be doubling and even tripling the amount of studio time I used to have. This is both exciting and terrifying. I have always looked at my artistic career and always sighed the sigh of,"if only I had more time in the studio I would do this..." Now that I have the time, it is a sort of shock to my system and it almost doesn't feel real. I have two consecutive days scheduled entirely for the studio, and I also have several smaller time blocks figured in on days that I have other commitments. This means I can really begin to focus on what I want to do, rather than on the bare minimum of what needs to be done right now! This is a great feeling and I look forward to watching the results.