Studio notes and news
Since no one is commenting on my Art Thoughts, I thought perhaps a few photos from my studio would whet your commenting tongues. Above, you see the outlines of numerous prescription slips which I've been painting in latex over the last few weeks (both sides). After both sides are painted different colors (pink/green; red/blue; yellow/orange, etc.) I fold the sides in 3/4" and then fold the top down 3/4", so that the resulting paper object is like a extremely simple origami of a post-and-lintel doorway (you can see a grid of them on the left of the second photo, being flattened under glass). My idea is to eventually glue or otherwise affix them to a larger, finer piece of paper (such as Arches).
My emerging concept is loosely doorways/passages, a reoccurring theme that's been in the back of my mind for years, but it has not amounted to anything terribly concrete so far... this is definitely one piece in which the form is emerging before the concept. I habitually make notes and lists for myself on random pieces of paper, then folding them and putting them into my pockets, so that has something to do with this idea, I think. In fact, that might be where the idea came from for this project...I folded the paper in a way which made me think of doorways, and realized the visual possibilities of having two-sided/two-colored papers. And I had been pondering what my next use of these prescription slips should be...
Anyway, above picture is of the attractive marks leftover from painting the paper slips; this photo shows the results, and the last photo shows a close-up of the painted slips.
This photo is of a different project which has just recently begun. My studio mate, Mark brought these great panels in for me; they are from old shipping crates for GE refrigerators. I've begun trimming off the battens, and hope to eventually make these all (there's more) the same size, and do a large series on them. I'm pretty sure I want to continue with my use of cloud-shapes on these. In front of the panels is a recent painting; I thought I was done with it, but just this morning changed my mind; I'll post a picture of that later.
Now for the news: my friend and Chicagoan Dayton Castleman has included me in a group show in a Chicago gallery; the show is being called The Strange Place, and opens April 5th. I won't be able to make the opening, but if you're in the Windy City then and see it, let me know how it was. Here's the gallery's website: http://alogongallery.com/
That's all for now; stay tuned for Art Thoughts for Week 8 (hopefully actually posted in the week this time...)
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Looks really cool! I love the bright colors. They really make me think of spring. I know that is not what you are going for, but this weather is making me grasp onto whatever I can!
Best wishes with your are. I can't wait to see the finished project.
I really like your uses for the prescription slips--where did you get them, by the way? I love the piece that you posted some time ago, with the slips overlaid with two abstract shapes; the word that comes to mind when I see it is simply "redemptive." I've always loved the image of something covering something else, thereby canceling, protecting, or redeeming it. I've been considering the concept of atonement lately, and still need to do a blog post on it, and these things fit into that as well. Thanks for posting some of your own work!
Hey Tim- I saw what you were working on when I stopped by the studios for the b-day party, and wanted to leave you a note saying that I liked the colored papers that were in process. Also that I'm way jealous of the GE scrap boards you found somewhere.
Very cool. - Justin
Thanks for the mention of the show, Tim. Those appliance crate parts are pretty amazing...
Regarding the lack of commenting on the other posts - for my part, it's because they're really, really good. They don't leave me with much to say that might add to the conversation. Don't give up on those. I like them a lot.
Thanks for the comments guys, after I "milked" you a bit...
Crystal, the prescription slips were given to me in an old rum box, found by my friend and fellow artist Douglas Witmer, in the trash outside a defunct drugstore (I think I have that right). They have been a source of inspiration for me ever since, so I owe a lot to Douglas.
Dayton, thanks for the kind words; that buoys me a bit for continuing the series; I was feeling a bit bogged down this past week, and contemplated skipping out. But I'd like to take all 52 after the year's out, clean 'em up a bit, and see if I could (gasp) get the collection published somewhere...we'll see; just dreaming here.