War Paint 3

Self-Portrait in War Paint 3

graphite on Arches paper

18 x 17 inches

This is the current state of the third War Paint drawing. It is not finished. Actually, none of the drawings in this triptych are finished, as I have not felt compelled to take them off their little drawing boards. Something is going to happen with them; somehow they will interrelate, come together, either with a connected compositional element or literally put together into one drawing. I am setting them aside for awhile and waiting until I know what will finalize the triptych.

Here are all three together as I have planned to arrange them:

Plus, some details of the War Paint 3 drawing:

The new drawing that I have started is very intense, both as an emotional undertaking and with subject matter: although not by any means offensive or particularly disturbing, it is acutely autobiographical. I think it is best not to post this one until it is further along or perhaps even finished: newly started drawings are a bit like newly-born foals on spindly, unsure legs - not quite ready to weather the outside world until fully stable. I will let the drawing out of the studio when the idea and composition are more decisively out of my head and formulated on the paper.

Art in process is not something that I take lightly; I protect my ideas in the earliest stages because, quite frankly, when I start a drawing I do not always think about what I am drawing and I do not want any external responses during this embryonic stage of the artwork. Rather, I intuit the work on a more subconscious level and then, as the drawing is coming into more of a defined and recognizable state, I will gradually allow the analytical parts of my brain to explain and articulate the narrative. Frequently negative space and even larger compositional elements are not even resolved until the drawing is well underway.

It is a rather risky affair for those without a deeply realized sense of their own creative self or confidence in their own skill to show their artwork to others during the germination of an idea. I learned this the hard way during graduate school – I allowed myself to get caught up into what a couple of my professors thought I was, or should be, pursuing. The most damaging guidance came from the professorial type who felt that too highly “tight” painters or drawers need to be broken and “loosen up”. That damage was only compounded by the professorial type who decided to take a total hands-off approach to “teaching” without offering guidance or to even acknowledge the more banal and lowly sides of art education, specifically craftsmanship and, heaven forbid, design and composition.

I took some hard turns, had some ridiculous run-arounds, got side-tracked and otherwise lost a couple of years of my own art. But, I eventually found my creative self again: it was not bruised or distorted, rather well-weathered and tolerant of criticism, intolerant of prevarications and misguidance.

Now my creative self is welcome to suggestions and useful, sincere, and constructive criticism. But I am only willing to act on suggestions that seem to viscerally resonate once I am alone with my work in the studio. Since my creative self is also protective, I also know when an idea is ready or not ready to emerge from the studio, and this new one must wait.

Strange Tales From My Little Black Book #15

This one is 6 x 4 inches, pencil on Moleskine sketch paper:

Pierro Gallery: Committee/Committed Exhibition

I have two drawings on display in the exhibition Committee/Committed which opens this Sunday at the Pierro Gallery of South Orange.  Having helped to put up quite a few shows at the Pierro (in truth, following that great master of exhibition hanging, Jennifer Takahashi, around with a pencil, level, hammer and nails), I can say without hesitation that this one is quite compelling in quality and scope: 25 talented artists who have given their time and energy to be part of the Pierro Gallery committee.  

I do feel like a newcomer - technically on the committee for only about a year.  All of the groundbreaking work to get the gallery up and running was done over 15 years ago by a group of incredibly dedicated artists and art lovers.  My affection for the Pierro goes back to nine years ago, when it was quite a surprise to discover that I had moved into a town that was home to a gallery with such a unwavering dedication to serious art and exhibitions.  After struggling in Boston for several years to find some sort of connection to the artistic community (quite unsuccessful for me in that traditional-portrait-and-sea-landscape-painting-lovin'-town), finding the artists in South Orange and Maplewood (and of course the Pierro and 1978) was like finding a little artistic sanctuary in the Garden State.

It is true that artists serving on the committee are not permitted to exhibit in the Pierro, however this exhibition marks a significant crossroad for the gallery - the departing of Judy Wukitsch, Assistant Director of  Cultural Affairs in South Orange.  Judy, along with her husband Lennie Pierro, co-founded the gallery 16 years ago.  I never had the opportunity to meet Lennie, but watching Judy as the dynamo behind the gallery has been an eye-opening experience (quite simply marvelling at the dedication and time that it takes to make a non-profit gallery of this nature run seamlessly ~ she will be difficult to replace). 

Oh, by the way, speaking of my committee duties, any artists who are interested in exhibiting at the Pierro (from anywhere in the US), the next portfolio review deadline is June 20th; acceptance will put you into the file that is used to curate exhibitions in the gallery space.  Portfolio entry information is here. 

Committee/Committed

Opening Reception:  Sunday, June 12th 2 - 4 PM

Directions to the Pierro are here.

Virtual Studio Tour 2010

The South Orange/Maplewood Studio Tour was a success!  Thanks to all who came out to visit the artists in our two towns.  I am posting my virtual studio tour here to document the fact that I did, indeed, clean my studio...I can guarantee that it will not stay this way for long. 

Art Books; Coelacanths on the wall, Lady Lucy on the paint easel

Minnie in her spot next to the drawing easel

The Strange Tales on the walls

 

As far as interesting things found during cleanout (and there were quite a few) a favorite little item was my certificate for being Barnett Shoals Elementary School's Artist of the Year for 1980; my humble thanks to my 5th grade teacher Ms. Ann Nelson (who recruited me to make most of her classroom posters)...

 

I have now started the final drawing in the "War Paint" triptych, so back to the drawing board... 

A new portrait drawing

Just off the drawing board - a portrait of my youngest son, Gabriel.  It is similar in technique to the one I did of my son Wallace, however this piece has another layer of Arches paper attached to the surface of the drawing (the poppies painted in watercolor): 

Detail photos showing the graphite, the leaf, the attached paper:

(The poppies are actually a bit brighter, but the reflections from the gold leaf throw off the light meter in my little point-and-shoot digital camera.)

This drawing as well as many others will be on display at the SOMA Studio Tour this weekend.  (Still not sure about coming?  Local artist Nancy Tobin has outlined a visitor's guide to the tour in the NY Times Local).

Currently listening to:  Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse present Dark Night of the Soul with David Lynch