Luc Tuymans

Saw some great work at the Luc Tuymans show at the MCA while in Chicago last week.  Great to see someone using oil painting as a persuasive language for contemporary ideas.

Class Gifts

For my graduate drawing class this past semester we were supposed to make ten small gifts for an exchange.  I decided to make small drawings/paintings with crayon on a hot plate, and then adhered them to magnets.  The direct process of the paper on the hot plate makes the crayon melt and blend together.  The drawings I did were copies of famous paintings.  They had an awkward childlike quality. Let me know if you'd like one for just $1.00!  They look great on the fridge.

Sharing Spaces

I was able to take a panoramic shot of the room after I had my graduate review.  The images get somewhat distorted so I have individual shots as well.

Kimberly Trowbridge

When perusing through The Painting Center (in NY) website, I stumbled upon the work of Kimberly Trowbridge.  I found a great affinity with her work and really appreciate the way she is utilizing color and experimenting with formal concerns by way of the figure and some very curious scenes.  So inspiring!

Haiku

Kevin and I were bored in Asheville and decided to write this Haiku in a cafe.  We took turns with each word and initially had a more rigorous format but then switched to just looking at syllables.  I am aware of my misspelling of Moratorium in the first one.  Kevin told me the correct spelling which made me wary of using it (sorry Kev).  This may be a good time to mention his blog: Mishaps & Misspellings, which we are ALL capable of making.

Haiku #1

Clear zuchini breathes

Relentless fancy stardust

Moratorium 

Haiku#2

Jet-Black baby. Boom.

Latex/ aluminum/ cork

Everything dies.  

*SKETCHING*

So, I am not really much of a "sketcher," I tend to write ideas and perhaps "doodle," but have never been one to constantly draw what I see.  Recently I tried using some EXCELLENT pastels handmade by Josh Zerangue, and discovered I was doing more painting then drawing.  I then decided to "sketch" a copy of a Bonnard painting with oil pastels.  I was able to paint with the pastels and invest more time in the color and shapes rather than a linear extraction.  I'm hoping to do more of these sketch-paintings in my free time.

Self Portait on Bristol using Joshua Zerangue Pastels 11x14

Copy of Breakfast by Bonnard.  Oil pastel on Bristol 11x14

Sufjan

We saw Sufjan Stevens in Asheville this weekend.  I'd always liked his music but felt like I got a lot more insight into his creative process and internal struggles after hearing him speak.  He's begun using sounds and even dance as a way to get more in touch with what he's feeling.  He also felt the new album was a response to the life and work of outsider artist Prophet Royal Robertson. One of Robertson's work below:

All I can say is- these dance moves are unparalleled.

Videography by Kevin Archie