Monday, September 18, 2017

still (always?) multi-tasking


A busy week in Artlandia! Making new work for an upcoming group show, En Masse at Thompson Giroux Gallery. I tried something new with this.  The goal is to have many, small pieces for the show, so I made this panoramic piece to be cut into sections.  The sections can be read as stand alone pieces, or they can be combined/ lined up to make an extended narrative - this way, adding, subtracting, and rearranging the pieces changes the story (an art build-your-own adventure).







I'm happy with how these turned out, but I admit, cutting them apart was hard.  Also, while I'm happy to see that I think they do work as I'd hoped, for this particular show, they won't be hung together . So I know that the concept works, but it won't be put into practice this go round (unless someone were to buy 2 or more, that is O:) ).  
 These will join the Phoenix, and I'm hoping to complete one more panoramic style piece that can be divided into 3 before the deadline (we'll see - it's an ambitious goal.  I'm relieved that these are done and framed, knowing I'll have something good for the show whether or not it's as many things as I'd like).
face balloon
from April 2015

I also got some encouragement to make a figurative piece and picked back up a project that's been set aside since April 2015 (yes - that long ago.) I made a collage where I wanted to put the face in a balloon... but it didn't work out (so there is no face on the balloon in the piece). I saved the attempt though, wanting to get back to it at some point.  

This failed attempts was just one of the many things that helped motivate me to pursue a certificate in graphics that I worked on January - November 2016.  Going back to it with additional skills, I was more able to make what I'd originally envisioned. Though, the first attempts did not totally go to waste - I used that face as the starting point, scanned it, worked with it digitally, and put the resulting image on a polyester lithography plate.  


I got pretty into it and ended up making 4 variants - I started with the one on the lower right and got more adventurous from there.   

Once again, filling the drying rack O:)
I also (re-)carved some insect blocks that I've, temporarily I'm sure,
misplaced and carved the knot and end of the balloon 













In para-studio work, I've continued work on the basement (where I marble my paper). I've been parging the old walls with new concrete and then sealing them with drylock.  It's been slow going, but progress is being made. It's a very functional repair (prevents the walls from leaking), but it also makes the space look much brighter.

In creature news, Honey continues to love hiking. We switched to a longer (retractable) leash and she really seems to enjoy being able to run ahead a little bit (but not too much :) ). She was very good about waiting for her human.


The garden is winding down, but still some beautiful flowers - I was especially surprised by these lantana. I love that this plant is multi-colored, and it did really well this year - but now, the late blooms - look how some clusters are completely pink and then, only inches away, others have only yellow blossoms (?!) I don't know, I just find this a surprising degree of variation on a single plant.   Also, very excited that the blue morning glories bloomed for the first time this year.  

I took this while Honey and I were in the conservation area and I think it's funny - these clouds are so archetypal that, in a painting, they would probably be criticized as "too idealized," haha, but they really did look like this. 



It really does look like this.