Enamel, spraypaint, ink, pencil, oil on canvas. 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Reflection
The summer has proven to be a productive one. I have completed 3 sculptures and 5 paintings. This is pretty good for me considering that I juggle the responsibilities of being a husband, a father, and working various jobs to scrape out a living. These areas of my life compete with my time to be creative, but also have come to realize how it fuels my creativity. There is something to be said for working through adverse situations and in inadequate circumstances. For one, I have grown to appreciate the time more that is allotted for my personal work and squeeze those moments for all it’s worth. I have also become quite accustomed to working at night. Everything is so still and life seems to cease just a little bit more than usual. I’ve learned to cut out all distractions by leaving off the radio and music. To some degree, I feel like these outside things have more influence on our bodies and minds than we give them credit-so I have eliminated them altogether. I find that this has really opened up my ability to think wholly about the particular piece I am engaged in and to rather converse with it in my mind-a kind of coaxing as to what it wants to be. This is an important practice for me since I work abstractly. So often the question is, “what am I doing here?”
I often tell my students that I teach drawing to, “be specific, but don’t be particular.” At first this may sound like a cancellation to the statement, but in fact I believe that it is one thing to be specific with something and being particular about another something. To be specific is, in my mind, to be direct and intentional in what you do. It has to do with stating the facts-show us what is there. To be particular is, again in my mind, to do with choices-being choosey or stuffy. Being particular slows down ones intuitive nature and replaces it with doubt, or second guesses at best.
I have really tried to live by these words and to practice what I preach. For me, this has meant that I needed to set up some rules for my work-boundaries. These boundaries are so that not everything becomes permissible otherwise everything can become polluted. These rules have boiled down to the shapes I’m allowed to use and the materials I implement. It then becomes a great challenge to find invention within the purposeful limitations. In turn, these limited means also become very liberating. No longer do I need to concern myself with questions over which, “does this painting call for a circle?”, “will I put a pair of antlers on this sculpture?” Circles are not in the rules nor is anatomical anomaly. Distractions are removed and is replaced with assuredness. The simplistic becomes complex but not perplexing. It is not about reduction, but about resistance.
I often tell my students that I teach drawing to, “be specific, but don’t be particular.” At first this may sound like a cancellation to the statement, but in fact I believe that it is one thing to be specific with something and being particular about another something. To be specific is, in my mind, to be direct and intentional in what you do. It has to do with stating the facts-show us what is there. To be particular is, again in my mind, to do with choices-being choosey or stuffy. Being particular slows down ones intuitive nature and replaces it with doubt, or second guesses at best.
I have really tried to live by these words and to practice what I preach. For me, this has meant that I needed to set up some rules for my work-boundaries. These boundaries are so that not everything becomes permissible otherwise everything can become polluted. These rules have boiled down to the shapes I’m allowed to use and the materials I implement. It then becomes a great challenge to find invention within the purposeful limitations. In turn, these limited means also become very liberating. No longer do I need to concern myself with questions over which, “does this painting call for a circle?”, “will I put a pair of antlers on this sculpture?” Circles are not in the rules nor is anatomical anomaly. Distractions are removed and is replaced with assuredness. The simplistic becomes complex but not perplexing. It is not about reduction, but about resistance.
*recent works will be posted shortly
Friday, April 29, 2011
Work
In thinking about my work and working, I went to my favorite authors work to find a bit of inspiration. Raymond Carver has a poem about work titled Work and am posting it here.
Work
For John Gardner, D. September 14, 1982
Love of work. The blood singing
in that. The fine high rise
of it into the work. A man says,
I'm working. Or, I worked today.
Or, I'm trying to make it work.
Him working seven days a week.
And being awakened in the morning
by his young wife, his head on the typewriter.
The fullness before work.
The amazed understanding after.
Fastening his helmet.
Climbing onto his motorcycle
and thinking about home.
And work. Yes, work. The going
to what lasts.
-Raymond Carver
Work
For John Gardner, D. September 14, 1982
Love of work. The blood singing
in that. The fine high rise
of it into the work. A man says,
I'm working. Or, I worked today.
Or, I'm trying to make it work.
Him working seven days a week.
And being awakened in the morning
by his young wife, his head on the typewriter.
The fullness before work.
The amazed understanding after.
Fastening his helmet.
Climbing onto his motorcycle
and thinking about home.
And work. Yes, work. The going
to what lasts.
-Raymond Carver
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Reclining Figure
Reclining Figure. 25”x 39”x 39” Steel, wood, broom sticks, filter, fabric, rubber, graphite and spray paint. 2010
Willem De Kooning knocked on my door when this piece was in the process of being fabricated. He looked at it and said, "No, it's all wrong. There is no eyes, nose, or mouth." I asked him if he thought it was a man or woman. He replied, "It does not really matter...but if it does not have a mouth, it can't possibly be a woman."
I gave her a mouth and eyes.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Rocky Sez...Rocky Dice...
Rocky Sez...Rocky Dice... 46”x 20”x 9” Steel, wire, fabric, bucket, paper, spray paint, and Durham’s Rock Hard Putty can. 2010
The Rock Water Putty can was the springboard for this piece-particularly the odd image/text of the weight lifter and accompanying quote, "Rocky Sez...Rocky Dice".
Here is a history of the company and product.
http://www.waterputty.com/pages/history.html
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Sweet Discovery
Sweet Discovery (wall relief). Dimensions variable Steel, wood, wire, fabric, plastic, tin, rail spike, cardboard, and spray paint. 2010
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Curbside Therapy
Curbside Therapy. 18”x 12” Oil, graphite, ground chalk, gesso, ink and collage on vacuum bag mounted on linen sitting on SPAM cans. 2010
Baloney On Bowery
Baloney On Bowery. 4’ x 4’ Oil, acrylic, graphite, ground chalk, gesso, ink and collage on linen. 2010
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