Manic art with infinite colors and asymmetrical dreams

I've recently been wanting to make more manic art.
I'm inspired by cluttered madness. The crazier works of Gustave Moreau, Nick Bantock, Bill Seinkiewicz, Dave McKean and many many more.
I don't care if I have an audience, I find it nearly impossible to follow any convention (believe me I have tried!) So I am just having fun here.

First of all, let me show you an old digital layering piece I did.


I mixed about 3 paintings here and applied various layering techniques. I did this in 2009. I love the effect so much, I decided that I should not only do more digital remixes of my work, I should also try to emulate the effect in a physical work of art with paint and collage.

Here is a very recent digital layering.


(Text: "Stage III The inhibition experiment.
With great visual disturbance and complex asymmetrical dreams.")

And here is a work in progress of an actual painted work on canvas.
Its getting pretty manic - some colors possibly need to be darker/more muddy.

32" wide. Work in progress.

I'm not sure what I think of it so far, and this recent COLORFUL twist to my works, but I'm going to do some shows with them. We shall see!

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In other news, its very hot today, and I just might pass out in front of a fan. Time to put the AC in the window finally!

SELF DRIVE AGAIN?

Whoa nelly! Looks like I fell off the bandwagon for a while.
But it only LOOKS like I have!! Ok ok, I did ... a little.

But thats ok. Sometimes we need some time to process things, and sort things, and spend time with family and help with garage sales and prepare for work and thinking of ideas and sending things off to a CA gallery.

My sketchbook has been sorta ~blah~ lately because I still feel like I'm waiting for the right book. (that perfect sketchbook from England that I havn't ordered yet because shipping and VAT taxes are too expensive, and my plan of ordering several and selling them is even more expensive.)
But I'll share the latest anyway.



The second image above was a study inside the Palace Theatre in Louisville KY.
 
The second page is my own personal study of a bag-worm sac. I was curious.


** I'm also wanting to pursue studies and sketches of things I normally don't study and sketch (like anything real besides faces) So I did a digital landscape, based on a photo from D's and my drive to Vermont.


** I also sent a work to the Hive Gallery's "Circus Circus" show in Los Angeles CA.
I will not show that one here until it gets put on their website - but I will show the first one I created. It didn't turn out as circusy as I wanted, so I created a different piece to send.
This one seems to be a back-and-forth metaphor for life and death, youth and old age, and the energy that transfers between them.

7.25"  x 7.25"  acrylic, collage and oil on wood. ... available

** And finally, this is a gift for a friend who inspired me and gave me an exercise bike. Our conversation led me to do this piece. (Jeffrey, if you see this, ah well, the surprise is ruined, but I didn't want to wait before posting it! - It will be in the mail as of Thurs afternoon) 

7.25"  x 7.25" mixed media on paper, mounted on wood

the charity birdhouse pictures

Finally, I got these on my computer.
My previous post explained the birdhouse and the found poems.
The charity that is auctioning these arty birdhouses is for homeless - not only do they find homes for the homeless, they help build them community.
Stay tuned for more art soon. I'm deciding to be mysterious again and not share EVERYTHING. 

Found poems

The charity Birdhouse is done. Abstract colorful background, abstract trees, abstract bird on the front, and 2 found poems on each side of the roof. These are phrases and words cut from novels, ficton and non.
 I have not indicated with any symbols or spaces the specific cut pieces of text. I just typed it together, and added spaces for easier reading in type.

They read as if pulled from a dream.

"Fluffy White Feathers were suspended from a circular chandelier.
Two great white wings swayed back and forth.
They have great power already...
Then inexerably, light from the sanctuary materialized and
dozens of tiny feathers waved wildly above the branches.
Something like laughter pounded the trees. "

"Standing deeper in the grove, light fading,
at least for the moment.
Two black feathers chimed.
Something had unleashed smoke.
Sudden and surprising,
a half-grown figure started to emerge
wildly creeping forward
Beneath his cloaklike wings
crystal arms sprouted.
The resulting movement reveales broken bits of questions."


I will post photos on another day. Right now I'm interested in the images conjured by just the poem.

Every day should be an adventure

Time for an update!!

It always seems like so much has happened since I updated last.
Lets see, since the last time.. I have:
- Re-Defined my goals, and switched gears
- Learned that its best to just say 'NO' to narrative/ sequential illustration.
- Looking toward the gallery scene again.

Gallery stuff
I have started a relationship with the HIVE gallery in Los Angeles California - I sent a work for their May group show, and will be sending work to them throughout the year. I am very excited about this. I will also be submitting a work for a call for artists at another California gallery. Lets see what happens!
Also, I just picked up all my work at Euphoria Restaurant, and took some to Urban Optics in Broadripple (Indianapolis, IN) for the May gallery walk show.

Life reminds me of a Charles deLint book lately
(ok, I'm copying from my facebook status yesterday) "The afternoon was spent at a beautiful house in the woods, full of intelligent creative conversation over a cup of coffee, followed by gifts and a sense of wonder, and a Marmalade cat. Next I spent over an hour in the old studio getting inspired by wooden pieces and clock parts. Then I taught a drawing workshop. The day ended at a tavern full of mostly magicians and creative minds, where I ate and made more connections and had even more great conversation."
And today after work, I picked up art from Euphoria, then Dave and I went to see the "100 acres" show at the IMA. We didn't walk the entire path, but we did see most of the sculptures at the beginning. We saw floating rings, a ship, giant funky cartoony skeleton bones that one can climb on, a strange igloo like structure in the middle of the lake and a weird yellow 'bench'. Then we spent a fair amount of time confusing the wildlife. We saw a deer, after video taping it, we spoke at it with funny voices until it ran away. *grin*

ART!
Ok, Ok. Bring on the ART.






"Metamorphophobia" - One of my newest pieces. 8" x 24" oil on panel (2" sides)


"Into Beyond" - I started this quite a few months ago and just finished it.18" x 26" acrylic and collage on canvas.


In process painting another birdhouse for the "Partners in Housing" Charity. Serious good help for the homeless, not to just acquire a home, but also to build a community.

Now for some sketches from the sketchbook. 
  
  

One last random Tid-Bit:
So, yesterday I drove to Bloomington to pick up an exercise bike offered by a faculty acquaintance from college - That is what inspired the whole magical day of making connections and great conversation.
I have now ingested the name of the artist "Leonard Baskin". I was given a William Blake poem book with some Baskin Illustrations in it, and I have a book called "Moon-Whales" by Ted Hughes, also with Leonard Baskin drawings in it. A name to add to my ever growing list of favorite artists.  

Easter , art., randomness

Here I am.
Progressing.
Idling.
Arting.
Busying.
Wishing.
Pondering.
Hoping.
Waiting.
Evaluating.
Wanting.
Balancing.

Moments pass by. Satisfaction followed by unsure placement. I am not where I want to be. Am I where I need to be? Where am I going? Will I get there? Confidence and Doubt mixed together like stew. I have half of what I want, and the other half is waiting for itself to happen, before it can happen.
Money and love and artistic integrity and comfort... all dancing and struggling together, wondering how they got in this mess together, blaming each other for their own faults. I stand back watching the fight. I am inside, at the center of a carousel. I am the controller in an automatic machine, I'm afraid to step forward into the ride, into the game. I am not alone. I am distracted, my name is called, I am conjured, faded, forgotten. I am where I began. Moments pass by.
_______________________________
Enough inner INSIGHT.  ...NOW for some ART!

First of all, playing around with digital. If you watch my facebook, you've probably already seen the first image. The last pic of me in my coat, manipulated with art behind me.


The next image: Some digital play with one of my sketchbook sketches.


EASTER!
Easter eggs! Blown and decorated with food coloring. But, I made the image black and white for fun.
They look more... Textural.


... ok ok, here's the color version.



Awww... a heart in the Omlette.


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Oh yeah, finished a commission!


And I balanced a box of donuts on a ball. I am so arty. @_@

Art updates, Motor City Nightmares con, and more art. art art art.

This month is too crazy to update. Working 3 part time jobs at 3 separate universities, attending conventions,trying to keep up with my own art and commissions and projects, along with saving time for family and other stuff... But I can't complain. I love all of my part time jobs, and the stuff in between, and somehow I'm able to save time to watch old episodes of BONES. (I think its my sanity saver right now)

Motor City Nightmare's convention
This past weekend I took my arty wares to Motor City Nightmares convention in Novi, MI. We had a blast, hung out with friends ~ new and old, and made a lot of connections. Funny, I ended up making 6 little book page paintings while at the con - the four I did at my booth sold, and two I did at the after party on Saturday were given as a thank you for good food, drinks and conversation.
I was invited to help judge a tattoo contest. Awesome except for the very sore looser who told us we all sucked after stealing the mic even though I tried telling him his tattoo was awesome, it just didn't happen to win. {rant removed}. I traded a sketchbook drawing with another artist known as 'Saint', discussed awesome
movies with Marv Blauvelt of " Muscle Wolf Productions I had Alex of "
Metal Artisan Studios" manipulate my jacket (photo at bottom), Ate dinner one night with Artist Tony Steele and his wife Kay Steele,awesome people whom I know from previous conventions, and another dinner with long time friend Barrett - who happens to live in MI., I ate a really awesome chocolate cake-pop, made by last year's Miss Motor City Nightmares, Alloy Metallic. (I wanted to buy some but time slipped by too fast). I forgot to go chat with Kyle
Gas from Tenacious D (my one regret that weekend), I participated in Skullibration (a page full of skull drawings to be raffled), and so much more.
Photos can be seen on my Motor City Nightmares facebook album.

Here are a few drawings I made while there:

2 of the 6 book page paintings


2 sharpie drawings in the back of my brain candy books

They smiled as they fell, taking flight at the same time...

SCALES!
Had my jacket manipulated - scales added, and gold studs at Alex's suggestion.


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And now for 2 more text page drawings I did.
I'm on a roll!
I am not sure if I am making them available yet, I might want to submit one to a call for artists thingy.

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What else art progress related? Got the go-ahead for a fairly large commission project, finishing up projects still hanging in the air, still organizing the stuff in mothers studio - I condensed the interesting objects into one bin... well, the interesting metal and industrial objects anyway..., still need to grade art appreciation papers, scanning in works, updating/posting things on Etsy, getting inspired others's art, still looking for an affordable studio downtown and I'm going to stop right there!
Except, one more thing. Thanks to D for making a lovely yummy manwich dinner on our Month-aversary! (YES, its art related can't create without food!)