A Continuation of "If You Looked Over My Shoulder" Post

If you looked over my shoulder, you would see that I can create some pretty ugly things.  In the quest for improvement, it seems that it is inevitable.  I finally decided that the two images didn't work together - the layer study and the charcoal drawing.  There was something to it that was attractive to me, but I'm not sure if they really did anything for one another except muddy the golden ratio type of design of the charcoal drawing, and then add confusion to visual space.  I tried.

So moving on...this is what I have been working on lately.  I've been trying out a different strategy for incorporating layers with drawing.

This one has been exciting to make so far, and will have a narrative when it's done.

Olive helping me...whether I liked it or not.  She was allowed to lay there before I had drawn the center leaf, but it was brief.  She began batting at my pencil.



Also not done yet - it's for a Talenthouse/Secret 7 opportunity to create an artwork

based upon a song by Florence and the Machine- "Only If For A Night".  It's an awesome opportunity to create work for one of my favorite musical artists!  What's not to love about that?!  The submissions are due 9 days from now, and this work needs much work before then. 

(Check out http://www.talenthouse.com/creative if you are interested in this or other opportunities - very fun site that I had no idea existed until three days ago!)

Will these be ugly?  Who knows.  Maybe.  At the very least, they will bring me that much closer to creating something that is beautiful, and I'll hopefully learn from them.  I'll be posting about the 2011 Vision Board Review in the next few days and creating a new one for 2012.  Cheers to a new year for all of us!  Happy New Year to you and your family!

If you looked over my shoulder...

I've darkened areas with more washes of color...it's better, but still is not quite right.  Maybe I'm trying to make two works that are too different combine into one, and they are stubbornly saying, "NO!"

This is the way I had them positioned beside each other in the last post. 

And now I kind of like them like this! ha! 

The third work that will be incorporated into this is about to get underway.  I think after that I'll be at a better place to start making judgement calls on this...hopefully! 

Enjoy the beautiful sunshine for me (if it's sunny where you are)!  The sun is taunting me as it comes through the window and onto my two slumbering assistants.  I'm sure I'll sneak out for a walk at some point.  Have a good day!



Photo of the Slumbering Assistants from 2010

New Work of the Day - Will It Work?

Transition, 2011

Charcoal and graphite on Paper, 7x5"

This is how I spent my day - space traveling with the point of a charcoal pencil.  It was inspired by a texture study and the golden ratio.  The big moon type of sphere in the upper right corner was drawn using graphite so it has a sheen to it - (the sheen/values/textures turned out beautifully in person, but don't quite translate in photographs or when scanned - the shiney graphite fights against the dark areas).  After I finished it, I placed it beside the texture study to see what it would look like together as a single piece of work.

What is strange is the fact that they fit together more peacefully with these sides touching more than the way I had planned.  I can see an elipse type of shape that stretches across both of them in an almost seamless manner (squint at it and then it appears).  That is what convinced me that this is how they want to be shown...

However, the two do not quite fit because the layer study is anemic in the contrast department.  It needs darker areas in order to balance out the charcoal drawing.  I'm going to go back into the layer study and work on building some more dark and light areas.  I'm hoping that maybe they will be more unified and balanced after that.  We shall see!



Red Flags and Modigliani's Warning

I could tell you this amazing story of being approached by a gallery located in New York City (in Chelsea) who want to represent my work.  I could tell you that they are listed in the Artist's and Graphic Designer's Market Book.  I could tell you that they came across my website and that is what prompted this desire for partnership.

I could tell you that.  I wouldn't be lying.
I also wouldn't be telling you the whole story.  Teehee

Gilda Radner was right in titling her book, "It's Always Something".  There is always something, isn't there?  So here is the rest of the story -

Yes, I recieved an email from a NYC gallery located in the Chelsea who came across my website and were soliciting representation.  How did I not immediately freak out with happiness and scream while running around the neighborhood?  Red flags.

Red Flag #1:
My website currently sucks and has nothing on it except for one work.  I'm still in the process of redoing, revising, and/or getting rid of that particular webhost and blah,blah,blah.  Anyhow, the bottom line is they saw nothing.  Hahahahahaha!

Red Flag #2:
They made a small mention of an annual promotional fee.  Really?  What kind of promotional fee?  After some digging, I found that the promotional fees begin at almost $4,000!  A YEAR! Hahahahaha!  No, thank you.  (Who the hell pays this just to show their work?! - and it would be a group show!  Not a solo!)  I was surprised that they even had any work to show on the gallery walls in the photos.  This solidified my suspicion that it was a vanity gallery.  No thank you to ALL of those.

Turns out that two red flags were enough!  Besides that, I just saw the ending of the movie "Modigliani" and I saw what happened to him when he had an important show.  I'm not quite ready to be beat to death in a back alley yet as crowds applaud my work at the opening.  My work is not ready for that kind of applause, but when it is, perhaps then I will be ready for living on the edge.  Of course, the real moral to the ending of that movie was don't be late to your own show and certainly do not brag about having tons of money in a dimly lit bar.

From Doodle to Puzzle to Meditation

Charcoal on paper, 18x11", 2011

Detail of the above work

A week of exploration!  I have been working on the drawing above this past week and I finished it last night.  It's been a strange one full of fun compositional puzzles to figure out.  It began with just a goal of doodling bubbles one night.  I've been really attracted to circles in recent months...I blame the doodle of overlapping circles I drew on our drawing table for this obsession.  Though the pen marks have faded with cleaning, the circles remain present.  It's acting like some sort of strange reminder.

Soon the page was filled with the large circles connected by lines and I didn't quite know what was next.  It wasn't long before swirls of small circles began swooping down on the picture plane to add depth to the space.  I somewhat do not feel right in taking credit of the small circle placements - it was as if they just appeared, and I was only there to follow directions of what it wanted.  The paper texture guided my marks as well.  It was somewhat of a meditation to create this, and now I have begun a second drawing of this theme using the same materials, but on more of a close-up focus. 

I think the challenge that may be presenting itself is the illusion of space - or the ability to look into an area and feel as though the drawing goes beyond where my eyes can see.  I like that idea paired with areas of flatness.  This idea is not new to contemporary drawing, but it is a new venture to me.  It seems like an interesting direction to see what happens.  I'm still doing the layer studies as well, and perhaps these ideas will cross paths soon - or at least at some point during this year of exploration.

I also purchased a big piece of vellum-like paper for the pleasing price of 99 cents this week!  I have seen some artists use to overlay drawings and draw on the front side and back side to create more depth.  I will be experimenting with this to see if it will be a successful way to go forward.  I'm wondering if it will enhance that depth, or if it will just agitate the compositions by making it seem as though something is obstructing the view (and we'll all be looking at it while screaming in our heads, "Get that damn thing out of my way!").  ha!

Thanks for reading and love to all!  Have a great rest of the day and an excellent week!

K&A and You in 2012

Amanda Knauer Crismore and I have been working on a collaborative art project, Twelve, for the past year.  Each month we took turns creating an artwork inspired by the previous month, and it was a blast!  The project inspired us and kept us on our toes.  We encouraged exploration and venturing outside of our regular medium by imposing the rule that individually we could only do a medium once. 

It is now December, and we're planning the incoming year with excitement.  We would like to extend this collaborative opportunity to other artists, writers, and musicians.  So many times we can feel as though we are working in isolation from one another and Twelve offers a way for artists to come together and connect through our work.

The website and blog are now up and running!  You can find more information and sign up to be a part of Twelve for 2012 through the join us page on the website.  We hope you can be a part of it, and help spread the word!  Thanks!

 Website:  http://www.student.ipfw.edu/~knauad01/twelve/about.html
 Blog:  http://twelve-kandaplasticwear.blogspot.com

Freud and Spontaneous Combustion: Influences

I looked up a music video for Grizzly Bear's "Two Weeks" today out of curiosity.  The way their eyes appear enlarged reminded me of Lucian Freud's early portraits...but maybe not the way their heads combust into fireworks and fire.  None the less, I'm happily making the comparison.

First, Lucian Freud's early portraits:

And now for the video -

What do you think?  I haven't researched if the videographer meant to make that reference or not, but I think whether or not we intend to be influenced by particular visual images does not matter.  We can be influenced by anything and everything we see without being fully aware.

I've been somewhat struggling to figure out what artists I would claim were influences...there are so many and for so many different reasons.  I think it will be figured out more clearly as my own work matures.  We are all influenced in our day to day lives either negatively or positively, and it's nearly impossible to mentally be present and critically minded about this at all times.  What are you most afraid of sneaking in to influence you, and what/who would you like to be influenced by more?