On with the show

Getting an exhibit ready takes time and effort. I wasn't quite sure what I was going to show at first. I knew I'd include some of the pieces I did while traveling abroad.

 I had new paintings inspired by my vacation in Puerto Rico. I wanted to capture the feeling and energy with the bright colours and nature on the island.

 I found some frames that fit the drawings fairly well and my helper did a fantastic job framing the work up for me.

 I also included some of my favourite images from Italy which allowed me to try out my new photo printer.

 I laid the work out at the New Edward gallery along the wall while Eddie and Karen were rolling out a final coat of paint on the gallery walls.

 They offered to hang the pieces as I had a lot on my plate and it was late, they did a great job!

Here is the Man, Eddie, in the space looking over the exhibition.

Here is a view with the lights on. I think it was a good amount of work and quite an eclectic collection.

Italy - a bit of reflection from my journal

I write every day in my journal, a discipline I’ve maintained since I did The Artist's Way after high school. I has served me well over the years in getting out what may hinder me throughout the day taking up precious mental real estate. I would recommend it to anyone to try for themselves. It does mean I have to pack a book around when I travel. I keep a daily odometer of how many days I’ve been alive to remind myself daily of my mortality and the preciousness of each passing day. I also keep an active sketch book practice. If I were to stack my collection of both they would be taller than me. This is a collection of ideas and points distilled from both sources after I returned from my trip. I hope you enjoy getting inside my mind.

 

Day 1 – Monday May 11, 2015 – Spectacle

What a big day already. I have never flown for this long before.  We landed after a long arduous journey into the new surroundings, hot sun and new language. Welcome to the chaos that is Rome. My first impression on arriving is pure delight and awe at the sheer scale and grandeur of the sights.

Fortunately we take a quick pit stop giving me a chance to set down my backpack and collect myself before an adventure.  In order to optimize our time and avoid the jet lag we keep on going and get an initial orientation, we are within walking distance of the coliseum, how advantageous.

The walk was long, the air, hot and humid.  I’m overwhelmed with visual stimuli, a bit delirious and elated to be here.  I am so elated to see Trajan’s column as it is part of my course curriculum and I’ve never had a good image for slide presentations, that is until I took some!

I had no way of preparing for this epic spectacle. It’s the “wedding cake” that causes my jaw to drop, imagine every other building since ancient times, this white with marble, excessive, impressive, decorative, amazing!

 

Day 2 – Tuesday, May 12, 2015- Ancient Rome: Forum, Coliseum, capitolini museum

Bright eyed and busy tailed, I arise excited to travel back into history.  We arrive at the site of the earliest temple built on tuffa, the volcanic rock found all around the area what would soon be ancient Rome.  For a time, these ruins were buried under cow pasture. Little remains, but there is enough and continuing archeology to piece together the past. At the forum, our guide, Liz, describes the history and uses of the many spaces that developed with time.   So much to see and Liz’s guidance was so dynamic, interesting and informative. She had a book with her with vellum fold overs to help explain what the ruins we were seeing were and what was once standing. The death of Caesar signaled the transcendence of man, immortality, the period where man could become a god.

Site has meaning. The intense story of the founding of this city makes you wonder why its intention at birth did not drive people away. It celebrates cunning fratricide, Romulus, Remus and the she wolf. The birth of a city whose god, Vesta, the mother of all, takes on wayward sons. Giving men without rank a chance to be part of something bigger than themselves, all wanting to be great, orphans to become sons of Rome.  I was amazed at the sheer scale, cost and number of skilled men it would take to build something so impressive. Architecture = immortality. Men becoming gods.

Once Nero’s personal residence and manmade lake was here, it angered the people of Rome so it’s fitting that later the Coliseum would be erected here, a political move to entertain the masses. For a time it was for theatre, with elevators as a means to create special effects, later a place for wild animals and gladiators. So many movies have been set here, it feels surreal to be standing in this place. I get the sense that the residents are indifferent to the history that surrounds them. Things in your vicinity do eventually get taken for granted. 

Day 3 –Wednesday, May 13, 2015 - Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St. Peters

Upon entering we are given whispers and see a copy of Michelangelo’s Pieta in plaster. It was beautiful and we were able to get much closer to it than the original which was further away and encased in glass. I can’t believe he was only 25 when he made this, puts my work in perspective, in a painful way.

I pick up the last copy of Liz’s book in English at the Vatican book shop. (I read it that night). We enter the collection and I’m floored. Works of beauty I did not expect. Gorgeous, intricate tapestries by Raphael. I learned that he was an artist ready to take on any medium. I fully admit that I was brought to tears inspired by the beauty of the work of Raphael.  I went to the back of the group to gather myself and really take it all in. I felt vulnerable admitting this but glad that I did, learning that the same moving reaction was had by Martinho.

Seeing Raphael’s school of Athens for real and in print, I was surprised that the work was hard to see in reality, in the room to the side adjacent to accompanying frescos that were never mentioned in my Art History text but equally masterful. It was great to hear about the back and forth competition between the artists of the day and the conjecture my question about their relationships brought, no one really knows the answer. 

The Laocoon and other notable sculptures are in a beautiful outside garden. It is so impressive to see these works in person. Once more my love for marble sculpture is validated. Inside it is so hot and crowded, I have no idea how anyone could do this during summer. Seeing the modern collection after all the great master works really left me feeling as flat, dark, ugly and uninspired as the works appeared.

The pace is grueling, yet I can’t possible stop taking it in, my eyes and soul are fueled by beautiful artworks.

I was surprised by the scale of the work in the Sistine Chapel, but also on how it was a completely enclosed space. No stained glass, no windows, it felt like a gymnasium. I was humored how the silence of the museum goers rose to cacophony so quickly then over a loud speaker a voice boomed “silence please’, then the chapel was once again still in silence which slowly rose once more in a crescendo of cacophony and the voice boomed again and the scene repeated once more. 

It was easy to see the greatness of Michelangelo’s depiction of scaled figures and riving bodies in the last judgment over the alter. All of this makes me question my existence and the validity of my art practice.

I didn’t want to leave the splendor of St. Peters. It is magnificent, I am amazed and in love with the feeling in this holy place as well as Bernini’s creations within. Imagine the span of the dove in the stained glass is nearly 6 ft. across, implying the floating chair in the air must be close to 40 ft. from the base. 

Day 4 –Thursday, May 14, 2015 – Piazzas, Trevi fountain, Pantheon

Outdoor adventures, ate like a king. I wish I had more time for sketching, for now I’ll have to let my camera replace it as we quickly breeze through mountains of content. We toured the piazzas, fountains and Pantheon. It was amazing to see the scale of the dome and quite different to be in a round building. 

Day 5 –Friday, May 15, 2015 – Santa Cecilia

Breathtakingly beautiful, fragile and delicate the marble of St. Cecilia represents how her body was discovered when they opened her tomb. I picked up a replica for the home alter. She is the saint for music I later learned and enjoyed her life story as we went through the basement, the church built on top on the location where her home was.

At this point it sinks in how I feel that the lifestyle of the Italians is superior. The rest at lunch is seemingly more humane. The unequivocal quality of the food, the pleasure taken it, the sharing around a table together and the real connection people appear to have. I have always questioned the pace and hectic stress here in Calgary. How I’m constantly working, improving or chasing after the next thing. It seems there is not time to rest or reflect and here I see how it works without the society crumbling. And yet they are so centered around capitalism, or at least buying fashionable wares. The women look amazing and take the risk of high heels on uneven streets, somewhat comical but they do it with style and grace. 

Day 6 –Saturday, May 16, 2015 – Basillicas and Masterpieces

Today got turned into a free day, but I still want to hit the stuff on the itinerary that will be closed on Monday.  I got lost looking for the Barbarini Palace, 2 hrs of walking in circles, but eventually found it, totally worth it. I’m not going to miss a thing, I had to lone wolf it in order to do it. Here I saw the full spectrum of my favorite painters from Caravaggio to El Greco. I also got a chance to see Michelangelo’s Moses. Afterwards I walk back to the Piazza Venezia. I aim to get a bit of drawing done on my own, I just sat and ate lunch while sketching. The birds were aggressive and came close in multiple attempts to steal my lunch. I got one good watercolour out of it fortunately.

 

Day 7 –Sunday, May 17, 2015 –Gallery Borghese Piazza, Catacombs

I walk around the huge park on the estate while waiting for the Gallery to open. This would have been an extravagant suburban party place, full of gloriously decorated rooms for entertaining and showing off their power.

The catacombs were interesting and cooling off below the earth was a real treat after being in the hot sun all day. The early Christians came way out here to bury the deceased. They dug down into that same soft tuffa that was the foundation for ancient Rome.  I was surprised at the sheer number, and how many were tiny, presumable for babies and children. Later that evening we visited two practicing artists studios, it really inspired me for what my bohemian sensibilities think an artist’s life should look like.

Day 8 –Monday, May 18, 2015  

Rodolpho Papa’s lecture about the New World Order and how the CIA brought about the fall of great figurative Art, it was interesting but we ran out of time. Tomorrow we leave Rome, so I plan to get as much in today before its too late. I spent the final night photographing and hanging out with Dan to do some sketching of the columns. Finally a chance to get in some sketching. Martinho’s B-day is quickly approaching so I’ve been working on a suitable card signed by everyone in the group.

 

Day 9 –Tuesday, May 19, 2015 – Travel to Florence/orientation

Today we leave Rome and head to Florence on a high speed train, I’ve never been on a high speed train before, the landscapes out the window were gorgeous and I am surprised they don’t just whiz by like I expected.

Brunelleschi’s Duomo in the heart of Florence is amazing, the cathedral is white and highly decorated. There is a sculpture of its creator looking up nearby, the gaze a time portal in between. We headed on over to a sculpture park near the Uffizi filled with copies of the David, work by Donatello and a copy of the Rape of the Sabine Women. The copy of the David left me feeling unimpressed, I expect little of the real thing. Later, we visited a real marble sculptor studio where a lot of the magic was revealed. I was always under the impression given in school of the pure genius of sculptors “releasing” the figures from the rock, but that is not so. There is a process to the technique. A Maquette is made then a full size version in clay, and then a measuring apparatus guides the sculptor in marble. It kind of took the wind out of the sails in one sense and enhanced my reverence for the craftsmanship and technical skill involved as well.

Day 10 –Wednesday, May 20, 2015 – Martinho’s B-day

Martinho’s B-day we took on the Florentine steak, never have I feasted on such blue flesh, but it was good. For years I was vegetarian, I wonder if I have the enzymes to digest such a heap of nearly raw meat. 

Day 11 –Thursday, May 21, 2015 – Pitti palace, Angel Academy

Slept like a rock and rose early to see the doctor then meet up with the group at the Pitti Palace.  I didn’t think we’d cross paths so I took my time going through the extensive collection and eventually caught up to my group. Donatello’s David, a Mercury bronze cast, Michealangelo’s ability to bring riving figurative forms forth carved in from the front of the stone, the cast room was immensely enjoyable as were the icons on the hard to find access to their floor. A quick word on the breathlessness caused by seeing the real David, it is truly epic. It is the largest sculpture from one block since antiquity, soft massive and cartoony.

I got to see my friend Nicole who is an instructor at the Angel Academy. It was great to see the process and teaching method at a classical Atelier. Part of my reason to come to Italy was for reconnaissance to see if Angel Academy could be a good next step for me, deciding after seeing it in person that it was not. Glad I checked it out before diving in.

 Day 12 –Friday, May 22, 2015 – Ravenna in the rain

I’m glad we are taking this out of town trip, even though it’s pouring and clearly the cheap umbrellas are useless.  I love the rain, I refer to it as “liquid sunshine”. I took a hilarious picture of Martinho with his destroyed umbrella kind of covering his bald head while he speaks to the group. Warrior Christ and the Easter calendar were important historical marks I was glad to see. Byzantine era mosaics in ancient reclaimed spaces like a roman bathhouse turned baptistery. The glinting and gleaming of the gold is mesmerizing. In some way these meticulously made mosaics are far more impressive than frescos, they have a real life to them in their cartoonish representations. 

Day 13 –Saturday, May 23, 2015 –Uffizi gallery

We visit a Franciscan monastery filled with gorgeous frescos by Fra Angelico in each of the monk’s rooms and a surprising selection of illuminated manuscripts. My questions about the process of icon painting where answered with a display at the back showing the tools and materials involved.

Botteccelli, was ruined when Martinho pointed out what was being done in oil at the same time frame, like the works by Flemish artists. Or haow about  Da Vinci’s Annunciation. It is clear when you see the work in the flesh. His angel to the left is so much more masterful than his teachers. It was said that he quit never painting again after seeing his pupils angel. Clearly.  Some of us stay behind in the gallery in order to make sure we see everything else in the collection, there was an entire floor with walls painted a soft blue filled with Dutch works, notable Rembrandt portraits plus tons of still life and landscape paintings.

  Day 14+ –Sunday, May 24, 2015 – Group leaves, I continue on

Highlights – Brishigehlla and Favena – medieval town, natural waterfalls, and gypsum mine, Natural Park with pet wolf, and “the best” gelato. Everywhere you go in Italy everybody’s opinion is that what they have is “the best”. I’m starting to expect it. Rather, what I hear now is what I have is the best and therefore what you have is sh*t, it’s becoming almost comedic.

I take a day to myself to visit the Specola, natural history museum. I have had the Encyclopedia Anatomica book for reference for my art from this very museum for so long it was breath taking to see them in person. Wax replicas of every single layer of human anatomy, so realistically rendered so that real bodies were unnecessary for dissection and education, yet creepy and tragically beautiful as their sublime, angelic Botticelli like faces are frozen in time with the contrast of their bloody entrails exposed. They are wax works of art in their own right, maybe more suitable today for a death metal bands CD cover. 

I was advised by the doctor to extend my stay, with much self reflection I eventually decide it’s not in my cards. I need to go back to finish up projects and to do the required work for the class. C’est la vie. I will miss Italy. Much more to come...

Week-end update 2, but wait there's more

On friday night I bought a ticket to the Landscape demo at Swinton's Art Supply. When I showed up the owner, Doug asked me if I liked Vodka. That was a trick question because before I knew it I had slammed back a few too many screwdrivers and thus was a screwed driver in that I couldn't drive him. lol.

Neil Patterson gave a demo and wisdom session to a full house. It was fun watching him work the crowd while working the paint. He's quick, that's what years of experience can do for a painter and not a drop on his outfit = pro. It was great hanging out with the Swinton's crew and reconnecting with Milo who gave me my first break at the Sugar Estate Gallery back in the day.

Before and after After Effects. lol. Thanks class for being awesome!

We began the advanced animation portion of the class after a brief review of the principles and functions of how after effects with key framing transform properties. I taught the students how to make their work more professional by using the 5 types of motion. In order to do this I demonstrated a variety of ways to adjust the velocity and behaviour of the keyframes using the graph editor as well as keyframe assistant etc.

We also launched the animated music video/novella I have been working at in my "spare" moments. It is done in After effects with scanned watercolour drawings. Take a look.  I am on the last week of art production for the Aboriginal Youth Animation Project and we are really behind, which is to be expected. Stress levels are rising as deadlines are quickly approaching but I am really looking forward to a long week-end so I can catch up on household chores where needed.

Moving on…..

What a way to start the new year with a bang than to totally change my studio situation. Time to move out and change things up in 2014.

I saw that CAAF advertised their residency program for the new year in the space I was subletting from them. They took a really long time to get back to me a confirm that indeed I was being kicked out but I bit the bullet and in an attempt to be the bigger person in the situation, strapped up my boots and used the majority of my Xmas vacation to vacate the property.

Having been the the space for two years, I  managed to utilize the space very well for cramming in all sorts of art supplies and project materials. Luckily as soon as I found out I had to move, Richard Reeves was in town visiting and Duncan had his van. That very evening they helped me move a big chunk of stuff to my house. One down!

So the situation seemed stressful. I have a lot going o and not to many nice days to do it over the holidays. I will however point to the brain ability to select and group things into patterns. In my case it doesn't have to do with the packing and organizing of stuff…….

It has to do with having a good friend willing to help and it just so happens to fall onto the most beautiful chinook days as well. I feel like one lucky "Bunny".

My neighbour Greg insisted on pulling out his trailer and helped me move all the large paintings and even the big red bean bag chair. While at my place unloading his girlfriend dropped by and helped him with a painting. He asked if he can hang it in his room. I said for sure. She got pissed and wouldn't let him take the piece because she said if she looked at it in his room it wouldn't turn her on. WTF?!, that chick is crazy!

He broke up with her then and there because he wasn't going to have anyone tell him what he can or can't hang on his wall. AS if this is a turn off, lol. He keeps telling me he loves the piece and sent me this pic from his phone.

On another day my best friend Ben helped me tackle all the loose ends remaining, the most annoying bits. It just so happened to be another chinook day and we were able to get wrapped up just in time as the final light left the sky and darkness and cold returned to Calgary.

Yesterday my room mate Ray helped me with the finishing touches. I had to move out the final stuff, patch and paint the walls and leave it better than I had been given, it's how I roll.

Here is the final view with the furniture CAAF first lent me with the studio as well as a few donations from myself. I am sad to let this wonderful space go but I am equally compelled to pass it on as an opportunity to another emerging artist, as it was integral to my development and success in the past years. My thanks and gratitude go out to CAAF for the wonderful opportunity subletting their space has afforded me. Now a new year begins, let's see where we go!

 = :D

Epcor show installation

Window Galleries - A View Through the Glass

EPCOR CENTRE Window Galleries (across from Max Bell Theatre)
January 10, 2013 – March 31, 2013
Reception: Thursday, February 7, 5 - 8 pm, Upper Centre Court

Today I installed a new exhibition of my sacred images in the main hallway at the Epcor Centre of Performing Arts.

They already had up these placards that they made for me, super rad! I'm definitely keeping this for my records after the show.

I brought a bunch but not all of the pieces from my collection. Some are too graphic and sexual in nature to display in a city run public space. I wasn't sure with the layout and size of the space how the hanging would go. I bought extra wall hangers for way too much money at the frame ship but they were necessary since the art supply store I hit on the way was out.

The difficult thing about the space is hanging the work so that the metal strips down the center of the windows does not hinder the view.  I had odd sizes and the lighting can't be controlled, but you do the best you can with what you've been given. The nice part is the walls are black which really helps to set off my bright colored paintings.

It was a fair bit more challenging than expected to hang the work. The walls were plywood, bending my nails. It was hard to measure off but with a little trial and error I nailed it. No pun intended. Who am I kidding, puns are usually intended. There is still a bit more work to do in terms of adding some writing to help contextualize the work for viewers but other than that the show looks really good.

Here is a link for more info:

http://www.epcorcentre.org/WhatsOn/ShowDetails.aspx?show_id=E442E2DB-8F9C-4DA0-B6B3-414F7410299B

Window Galleries - A View Through the Glass

EPCOR CENTRE Window Galleries (across from Max Bell Theatre)
January 10, 2013 – March 31, 2013
Reception: Thursday, February 7, 5 - 8 pm, Upper Centre Court

Well hung.

I dropped off the work to the Stride Gallery last night and began hanging the work in the gallery today. It has been a strange journey to this point. I'm feeling remarkably vulnerable and a bit nervous about this opening. It feels strange, the work isn't exactly how I imagined it looking and it seems so much smaller now that is is out of my studio and in a big empty gallery.

Here my buddy Ben is putting the final painting into the studio freight elevator to bring to the loading dock.

It was a crisp and snowy Monday at around dinner time, the pieces are all lined up outside the loading dock.

We loaded them into the trailer. Each piece has a little foam separator between them and then the whole lot was strapped to the sidewall so they wouldn't shift in transport.

Went to Stride, measured each piece and spent some time figuring out where the work would go. This is the hard part of the job I didn't anticipate taking so much out of me, but in the end I'm happy. Larissa Tigglers is so extremely helpful in hanging the work - a real superstar! I greatly appreciate her experience and knowledge. We ended up hanging the works a little higher as per my desire at 60" from the ground to the painting center, that way you have to look up a bit at the deities.

More to come, Come out Friday!

Horror faces

I am creating two 8"X8" pieces to hang on the wall of the House Gallery Horror 3 show.

The Gallery provided two pre-cut MDF boards to work on. They were not primed, so I primed one in black Gesso and the other in traditional white gesso. I drew out a basic design and rubbed the back in charcoal. I placed the image and traced over top my initial drawing to transfer it to the surface below.

Then I worked over top the charcoal with black or white gesso respectively, to lay down the line work.

I decided to block in the horror faces with silver and gold opalescent paint to give it a slight shimmering quality.

I then went in with  a dark blue onto the skull.

I used a dark red on the face on the white ground.

I followed it up with a lighter blue and red paint on each.

There is still another session in the studio to be had, to go further develop these pieces and to bring them to fruition for the show.

Come to the Horror show to see the finished pieces, to keep in touch like the gallery page on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/houseglry

The Motion Gallery opens it's doors.

The first exhibition, a huge success!


I'd say that the Motion Gallery's opening and first exhibition exceeded my expectations,  it's hard enough to get an audience to attend an art opening, but combine that with X-mas season parties and it was a Friday night, making it even more exceptional.  Motion = momentum. 
Here are some of my pics taken with my sh*tty iPhone camera.

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  That's what I like to see, people engaged with my work!

  

  and people chatting, connecting and enjoying themselves.

  

   The name "Motion Gallery" is inspired by the  principal of Newtons first Law 'Objects in motion tend to stay in motion'.   This Gallery, like it's artist's, are in motion: Creative, active, and proactive!

  
  

  

  Motion Gallery has a diverse collection of art from new and veteran artists, that  appeal to any taste.

  
  

  "Engage yourself in culture. Take in some Art."

  
  

  If you couldn't make the opening, go and take a walk around the huge gallery space.

  Motion Gallery is located at 200 Barclay Parade SW, on the main floor at the NW end. of Eau Claire Market.