Acorn Man

This is an image that has been bouncing around my sketchbook for a year. Like many of my paintings, "Acorn Man" started as an idea for a sculpture (sculptures I never make), which is not a bad way to envision a picture. What kept me from putting him in a painting?..well... humor is a consistent element in my work, would this be skating too close to "silly" though? But it is summer, right, not a time for "heaviness" and this was going to be the last painting for my upcoming show in Nashville so, what the heck. I kept the landscape pretty bleak to counter the cute, kinda like a last man standing image. "But that squirrel?.. man" Hey, I like painting squirrels, couldn't resist.

Above: Keeper Of Acorns, 28x25, oil/canvas 2011
I noticed my face contorting weirdly while painting his face.

Art In Chicago

A recent visit to Chicago confirmed something I have suspected for years; when it comes to the aesthetic enjoyment and the appreciation of viewing art, "context is everything". Well "duh" you might say, but many would argue that great works hold up regardless of placement. To make my point and to keep this post brief I have a few very bias opinions on what I observed at Chicago's Art Institute: Cubism, esp. paintings by Picasso and Braque (1910-15), couldn't look at them, they seemed to disappear from the walls (they look stunning at MOMA and in Paris), even Matisse caused a shrug (heresy!) accept his large "Bathers By The River". The Picasso that stopped me was his huge "Mother and Child", a neoclassical painting of heavy-set figures on the beach, amazing. Highly conceptual, contemporary art takes a hit in a museum such as the Institute (this work needs a whole separate building to do it justice). I tried reading the wall text that explained the photographs of curtains.. but there was a Poussin waiting in the next wing, sorry. What worked the best?, (besides the obvious, Seurat, Hopper,etc.)..late Philip Guston (above), almost a full room of them, not fussy or too cerebral, just raw paint, power and emotion, perfect for Chicago.

Top:Red Box, Philip Guston 68x96" 1977
Middle:Looking at Nighthawks

Below:An abstract painting of mine from 1985, relatives had it hanging in their house in Chicago, hard to believe I painted that, I must say, it looked pretty good there by the kitchen, nice to see it.

The Springs Mills Art Show

This drawing is the first piece of art I put on display publicly. Every year the Springs Mill textile plant in Lancaster, SC sponsored an art exhibition, at the time ('73) if you brought work they would hang it. Prize money was awarded and the show drew decent crowds, (kind of a big deal in the SC Piedmont art world). At 16 I felt I was worthy. Mom had the piece framed and we drove it over. Wandering around the "salon style" exhibition weeks later, I had my first experience of those thoughts that enter the mind when you put your art on display; "Why did that win a prize?", "They hung mine too low!",,,etc. Makes me chuckle to think of that kid, get used to it pal.

The next year I entered a drawing of an antique coffee grinder, now I was a veteran, play it cool. Found my piece and there was a red dot beside the name tag. I looked at my parents "What does that mean?", A prize? No, those have stars, did a quick check around, didn't see any other dots. I was getting anxious, maybe I did something wrong? It was a bright red. Went to the entry desk and the smiling lady said "That means the work has been sold". What!! A month later a check came in the mail, $50, free money, I was hooked.

Above:"Ouch" (clever title, huh? love the weird perspective.)
I wonder if that coffee grinder is still on a wall somewhere?

The James Kalm Report

"Why do young artist's leave Atlanta?", this was a recent topic over at the BURNAWAY website, a discussion that appears locally about every 6 years. I always enjoy reading the debate because it reminds me of the conversations I would have with studio chums back in my 20's, "We need to be in New York!", some left, all were tempted.

Those romantic notions have long passed for me, but I still enjoy taking a look at what is being shown in the galleries "up there", which brings me to James Kalm (aka. Loren Munk). James and his digital camera take you inside the scene, filming openings, art fairs and museum shows. James is an artist and gives you that perspective, zooming up close to the work, commenting on materials, technique and occasionally interviewing the artist, not much art critique but that is fine, I just want to look. There are hundreds of posts on three different YouTube channels. Enjoy a certain artist's work?, chances are good he's covered it.

To bring this post full circle, there is a great interview with retired UGA professor, Jim Herbert, who moved from Athens to Brooklyn four years ago.

Easter

The sharp contrasts associated with this celebration are enough to make your head spin;Calvary/Easter bunny, chocolate/spiced ham, jelly beans/boiled eggs, life/death/life. As an over analytical/literal kid, these contrasting emotions were the cause for a lot of head scratching.Now, as an adult, I understand metaphor, its all good, accept for those pastel Easter eggs. I double up on the dye tablets, gives them a more"Baroque" hue, less "Candyland".

Above: Finished this painting last week, the Dogwood has a long association with Golgotha, thought this picture had the spirit of the season.

Yonder Wall

The first four months of this year have been productive. The studio wall that was empty in December has begun to show some life and I have felt a calm burst of creative energy as of late. Can't point to any reason for this, nothing has changed materially in my world, so... I guess, in my head something has grown or broadened, that is vague, so how 'bout this.. "time" has been less of a factor in the painting process, that means, the eye and mind are not as distracted by what's ahead or the outcome. If I focus on what is before me at the moment the outcome/future will take care of itself, an ageless philosophy, that in practice, is so difficult for us humans.

Above:This painting got pretty literal as it developed, I am debating whether to break it down for you viewers, maybe next post?

Business Noir

The "Businessman Series" was an idea that came to me while sitting in traffic on Ga400, I looked over at the cars around me and everyone was urgently talking on their cell phones, dressed for work, just yacking away, (I kinda felt left out of the world they were involved in). Got back to the studio and started sketching out what I had seen on 10x9" gessoed paper, cartoony images that I would fill in with paint, it was cathartic fun. For the next 5 months (Jan-May 2001) I would start the day drawing up a few "cards" and work on them during breaks from paintings.


Moving from cars to the office, I began to feel that these were morphing into a homage to the work place of my Dad's generation ("Mad Men" without the ladies and fashion sense,,, a darker, lonelier version). As a kid, visiting my dad at work was always a surreal experience, I would stand outside his door and look in, he would be behind the desk on the phone, cigarette smoke billowing around a desk lamp, like some Wizard from Oz. Who was that dude waving me in?

Before I ran out of steam I was lifting images from the Wall St. Journal, and the characters were beginning to have a contemporary feel. What has happened in the world since then, I could never have imagined. Now, spiritually, I don't think I could get into this kind of exercise, the humor in "power" just isn't there for me.


I first showed these as a group (108 pieces) at the Arts Company in Nashville, October 2001. They have been boxed up in the studio here for a few years and now I am sending them back to Nashville. I thought this would be a good time to finally photograph the remaining 90 pieces and give them some internet exposure.You can see the rest of them, here on flickr.