As with most Artists, it is very difficult to talk about my work. Art is a language in and of itself and any translation falls pitifully short of actually viewing the work. Interpretation of an artpiece can not ignore what the viewer brings to the image. So I choose to merely guide you through my thought processes.
The first of my personal works here is called "Food for Thought" (Although its first title was "Round Peg Square Hole"). Medium: Oil on canvas, size: 24" X 36".
The painting began with taking a photo of my son Jack exploring his world with a fuzzy plastic ball. I was fascinated with how uninhibited he was while playing with the ball. He very quickly found new ways to experience the tactile nature of the ball and was very proud of his clever new use for it.
As I studied the photograph, I wondered why this image struck me as being so fascinating. Which led me to think about how we as humans, especially in modern times, struggle with living in our mind vs. living in the sensual, physical world. How are we evolving psychologically as human beings? How do we connect our natural (primitive) self with the technological, or conceptual, self we are creating in modern times.
And so this is how an idea begins. And as the weeks go on, you will find that I struggle to distill the subject and my composition to its purest and most unified form.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
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Food for thought
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Photograph by Theresa Mutz of Jack
Food for thought 1, oil on canvas, 24" X 36"
I began this painting with basic decisions about composition. Very purposefully flattening out the interior of the house using it as a metaphor for the conceptual mind. Choosing The concept of line as a major element. For me this is very reminiscent of the Artist Piet Mondrian (1920s) and of Japanese Kabuki paintings (mid to late 1800s).
Food for Thought 2
Building volume in the figure
Food for Thought 3
Notice the appearance of the birds. I often use the image of birds in my artwork. Specifically, mocking birds as a metaphor for the lanugage of art. I see my activities as an artist to be very much like that of a mocking bird taking and borrowing songs to create a beautiful song all its own.
Food for Thought 4
I thought it was very important to capture the tactile nature of the ball. I want the viewer to be able to image what it feels like to run their fingers through its worm-like appendages. I am imparting a lot of visual imformation in order to make this possible.
Food for Thought 5
The Japanese lace paper that is beginning to emerge is a by-product of how we think of trees and leaves. So in the case of this painting I have used it as a screen or a filter by which we see nature. I keep the basic beginning divisions of that area of the canvas. but I abandon the flat "Mondrian" abstraction of the house's interior. I also am drawn to the textures and patterns I see coming out of China's Art community and the lace paper is an excuse to pay tribute to that genre (even though the paper is Japanese in origin). It is an image that I have used over many years and have made part of own personal symbolism.
Food for Thought 7
I added the element of a Shinto gate to further my message of our connection with nature. In one of the origin myths of Shintoism the goddess of the sun became annoyed with her trickster brother and hid in a cave, rolling a big rock in front of the cave and leaving the world dark. Fearful that the world would stay dark the people built a huge bird perch (the Torri) to attract many birds. When the goddess peeked out to hear the birds sing a sumo wrestler pushed the boulder from the cave and the goddess came out and the world was bright again. In the Shinto myth the gate as a bird perch fits in with the mocking birds in my painting, both with the physical connection and the metaphoric. On a personal level, it also reminds me of my grandfather who was an accomplished amateur gardener and bee-keeper.
Food for Thought 8
I added at the top right corner a symbol of another Shinto origin myth. at the time I felt it brought a mirth back to the painting. But now as I look at it on the computer it seems contrived and tacked on.
Food for Thought 9
I removed the symbols in the upper right corner and began to play up the mocking birds. I felt the mocking birds where more in keeping with what the painting was about. also I felt I need to bring color into the composition at this point.
Food for Thought 10
I began painting the shinto gate a vermillion as is tradition.
Food for Thought 11
I decided the vermillion gate would compete too much with the pink ball and the figure so I opted for an equally traditional orange wood color.
Food for Thought 12
I have begun painting in the flesh tones and the pinks in the ball..
Food For Thought 13
Food for thought 14
I've begun dealing with the color in this painting as it relates to the overall message of the painting. I wanted more of a storybook look to the painting so my color are bright and "super" real.
William
Underpainting oil on canvas 12" X 12"
William
Finished painting oil on canvas 12" X 12"
William
"Detail"
Michael
Underpainting oil on canvas 12" X 12"
Michael
Finished painting oil on canvas 12" X12"
Michael
"Detail"
Harrison
Beginning sketch oil on canvas 12" X 12"
Harrison
Underpainting oil on canvas 12" X12"
Harrison
Finished painting oil on canvas 12" X 12"
Harrison
"Detail"
Lana Day 11
after looking at the painging for a day I decided it need one more day of work.
lana day 11 detail of face
Lana detail 2 hands
for a closer look click on picture to go to website and veiw this detail at bottom of website.
Lana day 10
I am going to say I am done with this painting. although a painting is never truely done there comes a time when I need to move on.
Lana Day 7
from this point I will continue to refine details and make polishing type adjustments
Day4 Lana
Hands and Highlights. Ready for color!
Lana Day 2
Day 2 blocking in light and dark areas. getting a general likeness.
Lana
Oil on canvas, Size: 12" X 16", Day:1 a couple of people have shown interest in watching one of my painting develop. so I will try to post a daily picture of my current painting.
Family Fun
Oil on canvas, 36" X 48". it was such a joy working on this painting. The mother and I have trained together in shotokan karate for many years. It was neat painting her in such a maternal role.
Dona
Oil on canvas, 16" X 20" This is a unfinished sketch. I think I haven't finished it becuase I like having it in my studio. Dona is an author and has a wicked sense of humor.
Pam in red chair
Oil on Canvas, 30" X 40" This painting was an epic undertaking which challenged me in many areas. But I enjoyed the challenge immensely.
Self Portrait in progress
Charcoal on paper,18" X 24" I use alot of personal symbolism in this drawing. The rose and the rosary refer to my name. The mirror image is the artists eye. The tatoos are symbols for my children. the halo of blue tooth sticks is my need to communicate with my art. The back ground and the mocking bird are my inner eye and the vehicle by which I transport the things I think about to the phyical world.
Let's pretend we're drinking wine
Oil on board,20" X 24"My nieces and cousins were posing for a picture and decided to act like they were drinking wine. I thought it was interesting how children see us and the passages of adulthood.
