New in the "Explorer" series. These pieces are 18"x24" mixed media pieces that I am using as studies for 3'x4' paintings. Fun! and an opportunity to clarify my intent and adjust/tweak my compostions.

"Storage"

"River of wheels" 

"Tools"

"Wrong way"

Toile series
For those who missed the Guardino Gallery show, here is a visual and expanded recap.
Artist statement below.

 "Toile Series"- a suite of mixed media paintings inspired by original "toile" printed in 18th century France.  I have been working on this idea on and off for the past two years, looking at the historic toile with its illustrations of genteel society and thinking about how it compares to interactions and/or conventions of today.  Toile is a starting point allowing me to sort my own thoughts about society.  Compositionally it is a little different, as it is flat and arranged in floating vignettes.  Also, if you are familiar with my work, you can witness my fascination with layer upon layer, often variations of mesh, netting, fencing, woven or something sheer.  Maybe that is really what this is all about for me...who knows?

How did they turn out?

In the winter I posted some images of new work from my studio.  Some colors were brighter and I was really wondering how they would develop, what direction they would take? 
I took some photos of the finished pieces a week ago and have the "before" and "afters" below.
(Kind of like a "hidden picture," as I was wrestling with these pieces, I went on a tour of Vigor Industries- a large local shipyard, collecting ideas for a different project, art about the "working waterfront."  There are structures in each of these paintings that I saw on my Vigor tour and rendered, added to contribute to the theme and solve some compositional problem within each piece).

before

after

 

 

 

 

 

before

after

I am looking over my work for the upcoming show at the Guardino Gallery - opening 6/28/12.  This work consists of my other series "Toile," about women's' roles in society...or at least reflections on how those roles are the same over time.  The original Toile was made in France in the 17th century with an instructive goal of communicating middle-class mores, but the most famous images are about romance and the harvest.  Heck, I don't want to get into a history lesson here, what I wanted to show was how it is important as an artist (and my students know this) to be honest about the work. 

I had a piece, "Mother and Daughter," that I liked, but suspected did not "work."  (I am still unsure, if the "Toile" format is worked out or I have more struggling to do?  Of course the "struggle" is stressful, but is the real fun and challenge of making art).  I worked on "Mother and Daughter,"  trying to define the weaknesses.  I decided there was some awkward rendering and the overall piece needed more structure to be unified.  Of course it took some time, question posing, thinking and step by step revisiting, diagnosing, and proposing solutions...all to myself, but I am very happy with the current result.

So I thought I would post a before and after version of the piece, just because I find those examples interesting to compare.

 

 

 

BEFORE

 

 

 

AFTER - rough photo

photo I took 20 years ago, that I love and has resurfaced several times in my work

March 19, 2012
"the more things change...the more they stay the same"

I dug up old slides of work to include in an art application.  I was pleased and only a little surprised to see the formal continuity in the work.  Some of the sculptures were done in the middle 1990's....which was just a few minutes ago, or at least it seems.  I'll pair some of the "look-a-likes." 
See what you think.

~2003 painting, 36"x36"

 

 

~1994, sculpture, 8"x8"x4"-ish

OR

2010, 12"x24", eves

~2002, painting, 12"x24"

OR

2010, 22"x30" searching above and below

2005, sculpture, stepping stone, 8"x8"x5"-ish

OR

2011, arctic explorers, 11"x17"

2003, painting, 24"x24", red chain

that was fun...

Opening reception

Thank you, to all who braved the cold, dark night to come to the Opening Reception.  I appreciate the effort.  I am gratified that so many of you enjoyed and "got" the work in its complexity and humor.  It will be hanging through the month of January.