Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Why, YES!

I'm still here - well actually there..... and there too....
I'm pretty much committed to doing all of my posting on our show blog.
Yes the library is letting us put artwork in the stacks - it feels rather subversive and quite fun!
Got two more artists signed on this week so I'm quite happy that the idea seems to have taken off... Very satisfying to see it out of my head and on the walls, cases and in the shelves.
So see you back here in November I guess!

Friday, June 6, 2008

Cross your fingers

Here's a new proposal I just finished writing - we already have the wall space, just trying to get a buy off to take the art into the stacks - I hope they go for it, it will make for a much more interesting show (I think!)

ArtistCircle Proposal for October Port Moody Library show

Tag Line:
ArtistCircle presents "By the Book - Artists interpret literature" an exploration into the significance of books in our lives.

Our Proposal:
We are inundated with information daily without request or permission yet we still find time to go to the library and seek out information ourselves. The library is almost a sacred space, a reliquary for the texts our culture considers significant enough to require an embodiment in the printed page, not just an existence as bits of data. In this age of electronic information something still draws us to cradling a book in our hands, this show is an homage to that desire. The pleasure of getting lost in a book.

In addition to displaying paintings based on favorite works and altered books we are requesting permission to take the show into the stacks by tucking small artworks into the shelved books. We feel that this will create a much more interesting, expansive and intimate show. The huge popularity of Griffin & Sabine by Nick Bantock points to the fascination that people have with the personal documents of other's lives. Discovering an artwork would allow the reader into a shared relationship with the author and other readers, crossing boundaries between fact and fiction, or history and the present. It would be a wonderful way to make an intimate impact on the viewer/reader as they discover a hidden gem in a book that happened to catch their eye, or even better bring something new in one of their favorite texts.

Some examples of possible planted artworks include:
Portraits of characters in the books
Trading cards of authors with vital stats (like sports trading cards)
To do lists of authors or characters which mirror the narrative in the book.
Fictional correspondence of authors, readers, and/or characters.

We would set up rules regarding the placement of artworks into books in the stacks. First and foremost the items should not damage the book. The artwork should be age appropriate for the books they are placed in. The artist would not hold any expectations that the artwork would be returned - they may be lost, collected, or perhaps enjoy an extended journey with the book. They would all be cataloged and marked with the website for the show. This website would provide a place for the audience to comment on their discovery experience and find the locations of the other artworks. If requested all planted artwork could be removed from the stacks at the end of the show.

Thank you for your consideration of our proposal.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

You know it's been too long when...

you forget where the "new post" button is on your blog!

It's been too long for many things - getting enough sleep, actually painting instead of filing in the studio, chill time with the hubby (I of course get plenty of time to hang out with the toddler every day!)

But it's all been for a good cause since I've just been in my first Studio Tour - technically not in my studio since that is the 3rd upstairs bedroom.... It really was fun, got to meet a lot of artists and really get to know the 4 others I shared a venue with. Even better I sold a piece on opening night, had an order for two knit carrots, and collected contact info for someone who might want to purchase a work in the future (they wanted the one that sold!)

I'm itching to get back in the studio but first there is writing to do (more show proposals!), resumes and websites to update, and work to deliver... and a flu ridden hubby to cure, or at least comfort... so much for easing into a routine of painting every day - well, one can dream, can't one?! Still fits and starts, but eventually it will happen.... patience is a virtue, I must be becoming quite a virtuous woman!

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Early Spring

So I'm finishing up a series of 3 paintings of cherry blossoms right now - The first one I had started last year and put aside unfinished- the other two fresh but from the same series of reference photos. What I really like about them is how "painterly" they are, kind of realist-ish, graphic outlines but realistic/impressionistic treatment of details.

What I don't like is that they are just what they are - pretty paintings of pretty flowers - but maybe that is enough no? To just be what you are?

But what flowers are is something completely different then what we humans take them for. They are absolutely built for sex - and the seduction of pollinators - I would love it if my art could speak of the tawdriness of flowers - they are complete sluts really! I guess that's what led to the sexual readings of Georgia O'keeffe's work - you can't get away from what flowers really are.

Anyway my thought for these was to be in a series of plant life in the four seasons - as stand ins for humans and a reminder that there are always spring blooms waiting during the harshest barren winter. The decaying dead leaves are the stuff of which verdant life emanates.

One final thought - Acrylic is soooooo not the thing to paint cherry blossoms with - may feel the need to do some watercolo(u)rs to do justice to the translucency of the petals.

Friday, February 29, 2008

The word of the day

is didactic which I just found out is what I hate about my own work - I love doing the research and learning new things about a subject - but when I put it to "paper" I feel like I'm bashing people over the head with it... it feels far too literal and not poetic... however there is someone out there doing a spectacular job of it and he recently won the Turner prize.

Last time I felt this way was when I had an extremely feminist (male!) professor who felt I wasn't taking things far enough and I ended up feeling that my personal statements (which were my exploration of women in the world (as I was discovering my "womanhood" as it were - like when I was 20!?- seems so young now!) manifesting in my art were way too over the top. I ended up abandoning my painting studio and literal work and doing abstract sculpture out of sticks in my back yard - still with the same thoughts but completely different manifestations. I ended up winning the senior sculpture prize that year so maybe I should follow my gut on this one as well! Maybe I'm just not giving the thoughts time to percolate through my subconscous and come out the other side - if there is a Jungian global consciousness thing going on then I should be able to find some meaningful form of representation that doesn't have to be so literal. I guess I need to see more work that really resonates with me and feels like something I want to be doing and dissect the why and how... time to do more.... Research!!!

Had a great day for the brain - Rick took X down to the states for the day and the house was silent - after having guests for the past 2 weeks - it was quite strange but restful and I was able to listen to "Q: your daily dose of arts, culture and entertainment" which is a totally awesome radio show on CBC - which is how I made my discovery - on podcast while setting up the studio - let's hear it for the internet! Hopefully I'll now have a few good hours of painting - need a new image to send out for the Studio Tour promo stuff tomorrow....

I see rocks...

when I close my eyes

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Slowly but surely


So the painting is coming along super slowly - I keep promising myself to work more loosely and use my big brushes and I keep ending up pulling out the 0's. This picture isn't totally up to date as I've finally broken into the big white square and started painting the rocks (b+w pass first, then I'll decide on colors) And there was another glazing pass on the snowflake. I've realized I'm making a painting that will be impossible to capture in a single photograph as I'm taking advantage of the acrylics to do things viewable at different angles.

This is the first time I've had a regular studio practice since grad school and it feels great - although the lack of sleep might get to me - I can get a few hours in after X is asleep now that I have a ton of lights in the studio - a few cool Otts to balance my big floods - it will be quite a warm setup in summer but for now it's perfect!

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Water Painting



This is the current painting on my painting table - the work is for a show I'm organizing for the ArtistCircle group. It is called "Water = Life" and is on from Feb 14th - March 23rd. It is in celebration of the UN World Water Day on March 22nd. I'm scrambling to finish the painting and coordinate the show so I'll probably not be posting much until this one is completed.

This work is about the properties of water and how the existence of life on earth depends on these properties. I'm happy with my start but now need to figure out the huge blank area and my next layers of images for the left side - so I'm going to do some digital sketching / collage and then take that back to the real world!