ARTANYA

Reading the New Yorker

2011-07-27T00:16:00.000-07:00

Last night, or I should say very early this morning, in a bout of sleeplessness I reached for the New Yorker by my bed. The title of a particular article peaked my interest: What I Learned When I Learned How to Draw

In the first paragraph, a scene is set at a dinner party, where the author of the article, Adam Gopnik, is seated across the table from another guest, who after a brief conversation reluctantly agrees to teach Gopnik how to draw; this guest is none other than the man who taught ME how to draw at the Grand Central Academy - Jacob Collins.

There is now just one degree of separation between Adam Gopnik and me;)

Written from the perspective of an art critic (and one who commonly writes on the activities of the contemporary art scene, not on learning how to draw representationally) this article sheds a curious perspective on all things 'Traditional Realism Revival".

Jacob Collins tries to teach Gopnik how to draw, and many of the lessons Jacob teaches him are eerily familiar. I thought back to my own Drawing Intensive class (taken in the summer of '09), and realized just how often I draw (pun intended) on the lessons I took away from that experience. Some of these lessons are practical in application, but most just propel me further into the world of the impractical, impossible, 'old fashioned' and overlooked.

And I am endlessly thankful for these lessons...

Here's a quick video of Jacob Collins in his studio discussing his work:

And this is just a quick snapshot I took of Jacob, during my Drawing class in the summer of 2009 at the Grand Central Academy.

Please feel free to share your thoughts.

Thanks!

Banner Year!!

2011-07-20T17:18:00.000-07:00

This year I had the great pleasure of being involved in a cool project with Edmonton's talented poet laureate, Rollie Pemberton and 3 other visual artists: Nikelas Johnson, Tim Rechner and Pearl Rachinsky.

Poetry meets imagery meets the streets of the city of Edmonton.

Please check out some of the Press coverage, and learn a little bit more about the project!

You can also visit Latitude's 53 Blog, where a quick post appears on my involvement with the project. This will give you a chance to catch up on some of the other art action taking place in Edmonton.

And if you are in Edmonton, and find yourself itching for a stroll through the city's Downtown core please look up at the light posts on Jasper Ave, 104th Street and Rice Howard Way and you will see some of my work, as well as the work of the other artists who collaborated with words and light posts!

Happy summer,

Summer Workshop Review

2011-06-13T14:25:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Toronto and NYC, where I had the pleasure of taking two painting workshops.

First was the Portrait Painting Workshop with Juan Martinez at the Academy of Realist Art in Toronto. We worked on two portraits over 7 days. In the mornings Theresa sat for a couple hours, and in the afternoons Evgeny sat for 3 hours. Below, I have included a video progression of Evgeny's portrait (Day 1 - Day 5).

Painting from life was a huge treat - there is nothing like having your subject right before you, so you can obsess over creating a three-dimensional illusion on a flat surface.

Evgeny, 18x24", oil on linen

Evgeny Portrait Progression (Day 1 - Day 5)

Theresa (aka Left Eye Undone), 18x24", oil on linen

After Toronto I went on to NYC, where the world of the "gray scale" was revealed to me. This was a true academic exercise in understanding how Value creates a successful realist painting. Under the patient tutelage of Tony Curanaj at the Grand Central Academy, we first worked on meticulous mixing of the Gray Scale, according to the Munsell Colour System. Premixing our grays (please see image below), we made our own tubed paints and proceeded to paint gray cubes against the gray background, surrounded by gray shadows. I must admit that I started to go a little cross-eyed... Leaving the classroom and stepping out into the colourful bustling world of Midtown Manhattan after hours of painting nothing but grays, blew my mind nearly every time.

Mixing our 'gray mixtures', which we then put into empty paint tubes, and sealed.

Tony Curanaj demo, directly on our glass palette - showing us how to use the gray scale to model a sphere.

I am confident that all the 'cross-eyed' exactness of painting Value still-lifes of gray cubes will be worth it. I cannot wait to continue the practice of not just painting what my eye sees, but to use my mind to train the eye in actually seeing the subtleties of the world around me.

With time, I hope to persevere and be able to apply the painstaking lessons of the 'gray cubes' to the beauty of human form.

Baby steps... once again.

Thanks for looking!

To Toronto!

2011-05-23T15:51:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report from Toronto, where I am taking a portrait painting workshop. I hope to hone my craft, and get to know this city of trams, CN towers and old trees. Here's a snapshot of my workshop 'home' at the Academy of Realist Art on the corner of Dundas West and Pacific Avenue:

In the meantime, here are few samples of the recent portraits I've completed.

Ethan, 6x8, oil on wood

Sophie, 6x8, oil on wood

Marcus, 6x8" oil on wood

Elizabeth, 6x8, oil on wood

Juliette, 8x10" oil on wood

Jack, 8x10 oil on wood

Marcus, 8x10 oil on wood

April is Here!

2011-04-01T13:32:00.000-07:00

Hello All!

Despite the merciless freeze of winter that has dragged on and on in Edmonton, time has been flying.

Apologies for my long absence - the sun has finally found its way back to our fair city, and I am pleased to post a little preview of an auction item that will be up for grabs tonight at Splash!, the wrap up party hosted by Latitude 53 for Western Canada Fashion Week

Contributing artists were asked to create a piece using City of Edmonton uniforms, incorporated into the work in some way. The red fabric strips you see in this portrait are actually pieces of City of Edmonton Lifeguard uniform.

"Guard", 16x20" oil & fabric on canvas

Come one come all!

It's great to be back.

Thank You!

2010-11-21T10:54:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who attended the "Arty Parties" this November! In spite of the weather, the ice and the cold both events were delightfully warm and festive.

It was wonderful to share the work with appreciative viewers!

"Where Beauty Goes Unregarded, oil on wood, 2010 sold

"Muscle Memory III", 2010, mixed media on wood sold

2010-11-05T08:49:00.000-07:00

Art in Real Life

There are some great arty parties coming up in the next few weeks, and you are cordially invited to attend the openings, and see some of my work in person.

And I would be very glad to see your persons ;)

Up first is the Menagerie show at SIDESHOW GALLERY (9609-82 ave, Edmonton AB) opening next Friday November 12, 2010 from 7-9 pm. Over 20 artists will be on view, so it is shaping up to be a great event!

And on the following Thursday, November 18 2010 another art exhibit and sale is taking place at 29 Armstrong, a contemporary design and furniture store in Downtown Edmonton. Please join me and my fellow artists Erin Elizabeth Ross and Jordan Lee for an exhibit of our recent work:

29 Armstrong

10129-104 street Edmonton, AB

www.29armstrong.com

It will be a festive party, with music, refreshments and objects of wonder.

Please contact me directly for details, or to RSVP . You can also RSVP at info@29armstrong.com

Hope to see you all there!

So Long Dream, 2010 mixed media on wood

Some New Faces

2010-10-24T19:00:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend I had exhibited a few new paintings at a group show in the Old Strathcona Arts Centre.

I thought I'd share a few of the portraits with those who couldn't attend the actual show.

Some of these faces might be familiar to a few of you!

Nathan, 6x8" oil on board

Kirby, 6x8", oil on canvas

Stella II, 4x4", oil on board sold

"The Cult of Ugliness"

2010-10-16T19:48:00.000-07:00

I just came across a 'video rant' by artist Scott Burdick, that I wanted to share.

The basic premise of his rant rests on the notion that a work of art must have 'inherent value', that it must be 'beautiful'.

He doesn't outline any concrete definitions of beauty, but he certainly does have a bone to pick with the art establishment. Mr. Burdick wags his frustrated finger at those critics and curators who are responsible for the 'cult of ugliness' that according to him, dominates our contemporary art world.

This is a rather loaded topic, but I thought I'd put it out there...

So: does art have to be beautiful?

Please discuss.

Oh, and here's a little preview of what I've been working on.

Virginia, oil on board 8x8" 2010 sold

Art and the City

2010-10-09T11:11:00.001-07:00

Here are few works I recently completed for an illustration project, themed 'City vs. The City'.

All are mixed media on paper, and are 11 x 14"

Imaginary

2010-09-21T20:00:00.000-07:00

I used to keep a journal when I was young. Alongside real events, I would get lost in writing about imaginary happenings.

I re-read the journals recently, and found that it all seemed imaginary now.

It seems the passage of time and memory's trickery smudge the distinctions between reality and imagination.

And to my own surprise this thought appeals to me.

It is a theme that I hope to pursue in future work...

At the Brooklyn Flea Market this summer I rummaged through a box of old black and white photos - images of others, their lives, their living rooms, their moments in the sun. All these people are likely gone now, but their images remain. A few I selected and bought for a $1 - these will remain with me.

And to my own surprise this thought appeals to me.

It is a theme that I hope to pursue in future work...

But for now, all I have to show is this Foot. It is a Bargue study, in graphite. It is contrasted with a piece of cardboard that was part of a package that was recently delivered.

One small step from Summer to Fall...

What's the Latitude for the National Portrait Gallery of Canada?

2010-06-11T16:58:00.001-07:00

Apparently, the answer is 53. Latitude 53.

Over the past few months I have been working on a painting of Rich Terfry, a.k.a Buck 65, a.k.a host of "Drive" on CBC Radio 2. He has graciously agreed to be the subject for a portrait that is on view at Latitude 53 until July 17, 2010.

The portrait was completed for a show entitled: National Portrait Gallery, whose curatorial focus stems from constructive criticism on the state of the actual National Portrait Gallery of Canada (the NPG collection is currently warehoused and not available for viewing).

I am thrilled to be a part of this cheeky project. It has been a dream working with Rich Terfry, who has been an incredible inspiration and a true friend.

I am having a very 'proud to be Canadian' Friday night. Maybe at the opening reception tonight, I'll have a Canadian or two. On second thought...

Winter Silence is Over

2010-05-11T13:23:00.000-07:00

... Here comes the sun.

Life has presented many distractions lately, so artistic productivity has sadly been on the decline. However, I have been plugging away on a rather large portrait of a rather cool guy, for a group portrait show coming up in June. Here's a sneak peak of the 'eyes', in detail. The whole painting is 24" x 36", oil, and I'll post the full view once it is complete.

Thanks for checking out the blog, despite the long winter silence.

Everything Moves Real Slow When it's 40 Below

2009-12-09T18:25:00.000-08:00

The cold and the snow are coaxing me to reminisce. Here are a few more pieces from the past... All are quite small, and involve watercolour, graphite and charcoal in varying proportions.

"Self", 2007

"Stuck", 2007

"Man About Town", 2007

Some things from my past

2009-12-08T08:14:00.000-08:00

These are a few of my older works, some for commission, some for the imagination. A strange brew of sorts.

When imagining is fun...

2009-11-17T12:43:00.000-08:00

From time to time I like to draw straight from my imagination. Doodles and such. Here is a recent adventure in free-association.

I like to call it 'Hug', and it's 9 x 12", graphite and gouache on paper.

I'm Listening...and I'm Drawing

2009-11-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

Went to New York in June - studied drawing at the Grand Central Academy. Learned that graphite is a magical material.

Intense drawing workshop ran Monday - Friday, 10-5. Mornings were spent on traditional cast drawing, and afternoon sessions were all about life drawing.

After a month, I only have these two drawings to show. One of an ear and one of a model. Those who haven't spent 20 hours perfecting the flatness of a shadow using graphite, cannot understand how one month can result in just two drawings. Well, this traditional French Academic approach is not for the bored of heart. Instant gratification is not the name of this game, and 'perfectionist' should be a pre-requisite for anyone who tries their hand at it. Try at your own risk.

Baby Steps

2009-11-11T10:59:00.001-08:00

Have been working on a little portrait of a little girl named Sophia.

The Ability to Miss

2009-08-17T19:43:00.000-07:00

This painting is no longer in my possession. This painting is of a dear friend who will soon move away.

Today is about missing.

Hopefully, the following days can be about painting.