potatobanana76 art diary

Vermont Studio Center - Weeks 3 & 4

2011-04-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

More photos in the studio and new work:

So very sad to be leaving on Friday. Photos of dance parties to come!

Dead bugs in my VSC studio

2011-04-15T12:18:00.000-07:00

...I needed a break from painting...

The energy is building like mad around here. Only one week left!!!

Vermont Studio Center - Week 2

2011-04-10T19:31:00.000-07:00

New work after two studio visit critiques from visiting artists Carrie Moyer and Phoebe Adams, as well as resident open studios. The visiting artist critiques, while constructive, left me feeling overwhelmed and my work came to a brief halt. But after a day I recovered and the above is the result.

More photos from the past week:

Barbara White studios - my studio is on the 2nd floor, front corner.

Vermont Studio Center Residency - Week 1

2011-04-01T18:39:00.000-07:00

I made it to Vermont! Some images of this week's worth of work. I should write about the work, the people I've met so far and the experience of being here, but I am beat (in a content way) and in need of a drink.

Charles LeDray at the Whitney

2011-02-05T07:36:00.000-08:00

Photo from the Whitney's website

GO! SEE IT! (Charles LeDray: workworkworkworkwork, at the Whitney through Feb. 13th.)

Clay - A Tantalizing Medium

2011-02-03T18:48:00.000-08:00

While doing some freelance work up in snowy Toronto this past January, my friend and colleague, artist Kelly Houghton, and I took a ceramics class at the Gardiner Museum.

Finger relief vessels that I made. Photo by K. Houghton.

Working with clay. Photo by K. Houghton.

Kelly and her textured vase.

Close-up of Kelly's work. Photo by K. Houghton.

And here are my cups after the clay was fired:

I wanted the vessel to be sort of an extension of the hand when held. I was going to mold a lip print into the edge of the vessel but I didn't get the effect I was looking for, so nixed that. I like how the finished work gives the illusion of being soft and squished when held with my fingers in their relief cavities.

I think this class might have been the first time I've worked with clay, at least from what I can recall (perhaps in art school although no memory of it stands out). I enjoyed it immensely; I especially got lost in smoothing the clay, an act which lulled me even more than drawing repetitive lines.

2010-12-23T20:13:00.000-08:00

Upcoming group show at Soho20 Gallery. I won't be showing work in this exhibit but somehow Elizabeth Bisbing and I ended up in the postcard image - ha! Yes, well, come see it when it opens.

Tote Sale Fundraiser

2010-11-10T20:36:00.000-08:00

EKG Tote - front

EKG Tote - back

I decorated this Soho20 tote bag as part of a fall/winter fundraiser for the gallery. I drew and painted directly on the canvas tote using acrylic paint and fabric markers. Visit the gallery's Facebook page to see more totes decorated by Soho20 artists - there are bags with prints, original paintings, print transfer and original drawings. All are one-of-a-kind. We're working on creating an online shop but if you're interested in buying one in the meantime, contact the gallery directly at soho20@verizon.net or at 212-367-8994.

Savoir-Faire 2010!

2010-10-31T09:14:00.000-07:00

Soho20 is hosting its second annual performance series! From November 5 - 20, you can visit the gallery to watch and participate in exciting performative works by women artists. Click here to view the schedule and here to learn more and help support the series via Kickstarter.

Calling All Artists - 2011 Soho20 Studio Residency Program!!!

2010-10-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

Deadline to apply is November 20th. Click here for details and to apply.

"Between the lines" at Soho20

2010-10-23T19:03:00.000-07:00

Photos from Soho20 Gallery's 2010 member group exhibition, Between the lines, which closed on October 2. I was very excited to have exhibited work with this prestigious group of artists.

Work by (L-R) Darla Bjork and Martha Edelheit

(L-R): Francine LeClercq, Lannie Hart and Darla Bjork

(L-R): Carla Hernandez, Susan Hockaday and Eve Ingalls

Foreground: Kathy Stark; background: Anne McKeown

Work by Aphrodite Desiree Navab

L-R: Anne McKeown, Mariangeles Soto-Diaz, Gayle Tanaka and Lannie Hart

L-R: Gayle Tanaka, Lannie Hart and Aphrodite Desiree Navab

Paintings on center wall by Diane Churchill; background: Eve Ingalls; foreground: Lannie Hart

L-R: Anne McKeown and Mariangeles Soto-Diaz

Foreground: Anne McKeown; center: Carla Hernandez; back: Darla Bjork

Closer images of my two pieces in the show:

Molten (I come when you call), 2010

acrylic and pencil on packaging paper

48 x 30 in.

Molten (I come when you call), 2010 - detail

Can Barely Contain Myself, 2010

mixed media assemblage with cut up postcards from my "Exploding Heart" exhibition

9 x 12 in.

2010-09-20T18:17:00.000-07:00

This photo of me was taken in '97 or '98 by Jennifer Poole, a fellow visual art student at Rutgers University (and my next door neighbor in the Jameson dorms on Douglass campus). I recall her asking me to sit for this portrait, taken from the opposite side of plastic sheeting, for a project that she was working on in which she asked every sitter to write down their biggest regret (mine was that I did not say "I love you" to my father before he passed away). I like the dreamy quality of this image - it has a blurry affect almost like seeing through eyes welled up with tears. It also makes me think of a vintage photo, or of how some memories appear fuzzy in the mind.

Speaking of regrets, I lost touch with Jennifer after we graduated. I ran into her once in Chelsea but don't know why I didn't do a better job of following up with that encounter. I really enjoyed knowing her when we were in school and her work always impressed me. Jennifer, if you by chance Google your name and this blog post comes up, drop me a note!

Group Show at Soho20

2010-08-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

I'll be in this upcoming group exhibition with several exquisite artists at Soho20 Gallery.

A Thrilling Offer!

2010-07-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

I've been invited to attend the Vermont Studio Center in April 2011 for a one month artist residency! The Review Committee has recommended me for an Artist's Grant and a Work Exchange Award. I'm so thrilled that I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight - oh Happy News!!!

Exhibition Postpartum

2010-04-30T07:28:00.000-07:00

Removing my name and exhibition title: a mourning practice.

I didn't realize that the close of my exhibition would come with a wave of depression; a sense of loss, displacement and heartbreak. I'd spent the last year creating an intimate body of work that had previously existed in the privacy and security of my home studio, then spent weeks preparing for the exhibition itself; exposed that intimate body of work to the public for nearly four (short) weeks, then took everything down and put it all to rest. Three pieces were sold - a wonderful transaction but one that means I hand over pieces of myself.

And now to figure out what comes next; I feel immobilized and unmotivated. Everything I'd been putting off because the exhibition was my priority now needs to be faced (finding a job is on the top of that list) and all the while I want to keep up the pre-show momentum I had built. But I don't know how or where to start and am even questioning everything I'm asking myself to do.

I googled "post-exhibition blues" and found this article on ArtistPortfolio.net, among other blog entries and articles. I'm glad to know now that what I've been experiencing is normal.

CALLING ALL ARTISTS! STUDIO RESIDENCY CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

2010-04-15T11:59:00.000-07:00

Click on image to view larger version:

APPLY HERE!

2010-04-11T17:25:00.000-07:00

Exploding Heart installation photos have been posted on my blog, http://explodingheartwork.blogspot.com/, created specifically for the exhibition at Soho20 Gallery Chelsea.

"Exploding Heart" Opening Reception

2010-04-06T13:29:00.000-07:00

I can't thank enough all who came out to celebrate with me. Thank you also to all those who wished they could be there but sent me their love and best wishes. And thank you to Jessica Nilsen, Diane Habjan Matarese and Wen Wen Lin for taking these photos.

Upcoming Exhibition at Soho20

2010-03-13T15:38:00.000-08:00

I Would Rather Go Like This, 2009, mixed media on drafter’s vellum, 58 x 36 inches

For Immediate Release:

CARLA HERNANDEZ

Exploding Heart

SOHO20 Gallery Chelsea

547 West 27^th Street, Suite 301

New York, NY 10001

March 30 – April 24, 2010

Opening Reception: Thursday, April 1st, 6-8pm

SOHO2O Gallery Chelsea is pleased to announce the exhibition of new work by artist Carla Hernandez. The exhibit features large-scale drawings and paintings on translucent vellum as well as small drawings on wood.

Exploding Heart is a visual colloquy traversing both heartache and happiness.
Central to Hernandez’s work is the dichotomy that the heart is an organ that circulates blood through the body yet also serves as an emotional metaphor. Visceral reality combines with intuitive compulsion in her work as she seeks a sort of reconciliation.

In the works Somewhere In There I Am and I Would Rather Go Like This, carefully rendered lines gather concentrically around bursts and folds of color. In others works, a union of both plant and human anatomy can be seen as a metaphor for the physical and intellectual conundrum Hernandez dissects as problematic to human existence.

Carla Hernandez was born in Newark, New Jersey and currently lives and works in New York. She received her BA in Visual Art from Rutgers University in 1999. A painter and performance artist, Hernandez has exhibited and performed in group shows at galleries and alternative spaces in New York and New Jersey, including Mason Gross School of the Arts Galleries, Kenkeleba Gallery and ABC No Rio. She has been a member of Soho20 Gallery Chelsea since spring 2009. This is her first exhibit at SOHO20 Gallery Chelsea.

For more information please contact gallery director Jenn Dierdorf at 212.367.8994 or soho20@verizon.net

Home base

2010-03-06T09:37:00.000-08:00

I have a website! http://www.carlahernandezart.com/

So busy, so soon...

2010-02-19T16:46:00.000-08:00

Photo: Fantasy of second self to help share the load

Things to come: a website showcasing my work and my exhibition at Soho20 (March 30 - April 24). Details will be posted in the next few weeks...maybe even days (oh, daze).

2010-02-05T19:58:00.000-08:00

Work in progress.

Sashi presents an exhibition preview.

Old Paintings

2010-01-22T07:15:00.000-08:00

These are paintings that I had done during my final year at Rutgers in 1998. I finally photographed them last night - I had slides made of these long ago but they currently live in a registry in New Jersey. They are all untitled, small works, oil on canvas. I'm very attached to them. I like to look at them every now and again to see how my work has evolved. I think much of what I do is based on these - although recent work may look very different, the colors and intuitiveness carry on. Actually, come to think of it, I've been watching a lot of The Outer Limits lately (science fiction series from the early 60's) and looking at these images suddenly reminded me of the show...

Our City Dreams

2010-01-19T05:59:00.000-08:00

On Sunday I started to feel ill (seems it was an allergic reaction to wall paint!?!) so I stopped working and watched the latest dvd I had from Netflix: Our City Dreams, a documentary by Chiara Clemente. It features five artists - Swoon, Ghada Amer, Kiki Smith, Marina Abramovic and Nancy Spero - discussing their work as well as when, how and why they came to NYC. It was fascinating and inspiring to see the artists in their studios and hear them talk about what inspires them, their challenges and triumphs. Some highlights for me: Swoon installing her show while discussing the pros and cons of having her work become more widely accepted; Amer's parents sharing their pride on their daughter's success as an artist despite not really understanding her work; observing Smith's calm haste to finish her museum installation and still find time to get ready for the opening; watching Abramovic's footage of early performances; and sharing Spero's intimate 80th birthday celebration with her family. I very much enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

A Colorful Season

2009-12-29T15:21:00.000-08:00

December was to be the month when I would buckle down. Instead it's been so full of social engagements that I haven't been able to isolate myself and concentrate as much as I would have liked. But I'm happier for the merry distractions. I did finally finish painting a portrait commission that I had been working on and off of since September. And I've been finalizing details on my most recent body of work, a series of mixed media works on drafter's vellum that I started last spring. Big challenges lay ahead in the next few months as I prepare for my first exhibition at SOHO20 this spring - part of me wants to linger in December and have a few more cocktails.

Enforced break-time

2009-12-04T12:27:00.000-08:00

Oh well...I guess I'll have to hold off on that work until she decides to get up. Time then for a snack break!

2009-11-20T12:18:00.000-08:00

New work in progress.

"We Play (Slide Redux)" Performance, 11/6/09, Soho20 Gallery

2009-11-09T20:40:00.001-08:00

Here are some photos of my performance at SOHO20 Gallery. I couldn't have done it without the dedicated participation of "Slide" players: Jessica Funaro, Cherkea Howery, Karl Knauer, Maori Stanton and Jonique Williams. Nor would the performance have been as successful without the participation of gallery visitors. I was the evening's referee (or the official whistle blower), guiding the players and visitors through the game - or at least trying to. I felt a little punch drunk, and certainly not from the rum fruit punch that we served. I think I was overwhelmed by the evening, in a pretty good way.

The performance was one in which five blindfolded "players" paired up to play the children's hand clapping game, Slide. A referee guided them through the gallery and paired them up with other players, or with gallery visitors who volunteered to participate. Mutual guidance was needed from all participants, as the blindfolded players could not see their partners and the visitors were being introduced to the game. Eventually a casual atmosphere was established in which blindfolded players were socializing with gallery visitors - a surreal and amusing sight.

I want to thank Jenn Dierdorf, Director of SOHO20 Gallery, for inviting me to participate in the Savoir-Faire performance series; the "Slide" players for agreeing to do this and for being incredible performers; Elizabeth Bisbing for photographing the performance; and Jack Cesareo for documenting the evening. And also I thank everyone who was able to come, watch and play with us.

2009-11-03T21:01:00.000-08:00

Click on image to view details. Happening at Soho20 Chelsea Gallery, 547 W. 27th Street, Suite 301, New York, NY.

Performance Art-This Friday, November 6!

2009-10-29T20:18:00.001-07:00

Come see and be a part of my new performance piece, "We Play (Slide Redux)", on Friday, November 6, starting at 6:30 pm at SOHO20 Gallery, 547 W. 27th Street (between 10th & 11th Aves), Suite 301. This performance is part of SOHO20's Savoir-Faire performance series. The performance is free and open to the public. Bring friends - lots of friends. Sweet treats and punch will be served.

From the gallery's press release:

"In 'We Play (Slide Redux)', artist Carla Hernandez recaptures childhood nostalgia through play. Blindfolded performers will entertain themselves in the gallery by playing 'Slide', a children's handclapping game, with each other while they wait for visitors in the gallery to join them in play. The game, which is not accompanied with a verbal rhyme, will develop into a social environment of rhythmic sound and activity as a multitude of players simultaneously clap to the game."

SOHO20 Affordable Art Sale & Benefit - THIS SATURDAY, 10/24!

2009-10-20T19:14:00.001-07:00

Above, two works I'll be selling. Works by Louise Bourgeois, Faith Ringgold and Kiki Smith, as well as others, will be up for silent auction. Works by SOHO20 members as well as established and emerging artists will be on sale. With performance art by Vernita N'Cognita and Brazilian influenced jazz by Michael Lawton. Hors d' oeuvres, wine...6 - 10 pm. Come out and see us!!

SOHO20 Affordable Art Sale & Benefit

2009-10-11T07:43:00.000-07:00

Click on the image to see it enlarged. For more information, visit the SOHO20 website. If you are an artist who would like to donate a small work to the art sale, please contact me for details.

Summer to Fall

2009-09-28T06:44:00.000-07:00

After a very busy summer, I'm getting back to my own work. I had the very good fortune to work this summer assisting artist Susan Stair with a mosaic she designed and fabricated for PS/IS 189 in the Bronx. The photos are of me with artists Jessica Funaro and Mitsuyo Mori working in Stair's Harlem studio. Stair was awarded a grant by the city of New York to create the mosaic as part of a program to install public art pieces in new schools around the city. This piece is a tribute to Rosa Parks and is inspired by the lyrics, "Just like a tree that's planted by the river/We shall not be moved." Made of glass tile (smalti) and ceramic, it is a gorgeous work. I would love to post images of it installed but I don't have permission to do so yet - hopefully will be able to post an image or link someday soon. But if you have the time and inclination to visit PS/IS 189 to see the mosaic, which includes two columns on the side entrance which were designed by Stair and the school's students, it is located at 3440 Steenwick Ave - the last stop on the Eastchester/Dyer bound no. 5 train in the Bronx.

In addition to my recent work, a series of mixed media images on drafting vellum, I'm working on a new performance that will happen at SOHO20 gallery on November 6. Details will be posted soon - visitor participation will be encouraged! I'm also working on a commission for a friend - a portrait in oil on canvas that is coming along v e r y s l o w l y.

On top of all the work I need to begin researching graduate school applications for MFA programs. I'm feeling a little (a lot) lost here and would be grateful for any advice. Right now Hunter College is the only school I have myself set on but I know I shouldn't apply to just one school. And time is running out for Fall 2010 application deadlines...

New Exhibition at Soho20 Gallery

2009-07-21T17:33:00.000-07:00

Opening reception this Thursday, July 23, 5-7 pm. Look for me there.

First Crush

2009-07-15T09:01:00.000-07:00

This beautiful print by illustrator Julia Pott is being offered as a prize to the best first crush story. Go to Doodlers Anonymous to enter your story for a chance at winning. Here's the story of my first crush:

It was the first grade. One boy with Luke Skywalker hair made me a little prickly with heat and for that I didn't like him. I was just too little to understand the concept of "crush" and was afraid I'd somehow betray and shame myself. So I ignored him. One day I saw him in the cafeteria eating a sandwich he brought from home and to my horror, I saw that he had peeled off the crusts to eat around them, which is what I always did. When he noticed that I did the same he gave me an adorable grin, but I quickly turned away in embarrassment. I think that hurt his feelings. I wish I could go back to that moment so I could return his smile that day in the cafeteria, at least to acknowledge our solidarity in eating crustless sandwiches.

What To See...

2009-07-09T09:58:00.000-07:00

Artist Joanne Mattera features several noteworthy exhibitions on her Art Blog. You can read her post here.

Tribute to the People

2009-07-07T19:58:00.000-07:00

I have had absolutely no time to blog lately and should be working right now, but I thought to take a break and check in with some blogs that I follow. I had about a week or two's worth of browsing to catch up on.

One art blog that I highly respect had a week-old post saying that their blog was "proudly Michael Jackson-free: no news, no gossip, no pics, "no interest." My first reaction was "YESSS!" Mainstream media has surely milked this passing while very urgent issues lie like fallen trees in the road (you can't just drive over them).

However...my next reaction to this blog post was, "well, wait a sec..." I sheepishly admit that I've been swept up with fascination over the last week of MJ mania. At first I wasn't quite sure why since I was never a true fan of Michael Jackson - he kind of lost me when the video for "Thriller" came out since I was seven-years-old at the time and afraid of everything. So by no means did I run home to watch live coverage of his memorial tribute. But the act of remembering the guy has brought on a wave so strong of childhood nostalgia that I, like so many others I'm sure, haven't felt a long time. (And, on a personal level, this nostalgia has flooded me with childhood memories of my father, who also died an untimely death that could have been prevented. I mostly feel for the children left behind.)

But the reason I partially take back my emphatic agreement with the art blog's Michael Jackson-free post is because I commute to work through Harlem's 125th Street, passing the Apollo Theater. The feeling of communal mourning and celebration is hard to miss - I can't help but be swept up by the old hits emanating from boom boxes and the spontaneous dance-offs on the sidewalk. I was at first disturbed by the instant capilalization of the spectacle of death, with T-shirts and CD's being sold at every turn of the head, but hey - it's a living.

It's the fact that in their own way, so many people are reacting at once, and I find this is what affects me. And I'm not talking about Mary f*cking Hart feigning mourning on Entertainment Tonight; I'm talking about everyday people that I see in this city - total strangers meeting on the street to celebrate a life, which to me celebrates life in general. I suppose that's also the power of pop culture.

Still, with all this bombardment in the "news", it really is very nice to have a Michael Jackson-free zone.

At Soho20...

2009-06-23T18:34:00.001-07:00

Art on Water

2009-06-17T06:56:00.000-07:00

The artist SWOON and her crew of artists, musicians and dreamers crashed the Venice Biennale this year with their fleet of three ships known as the Swimming Cities of Serenissima, made of found objects and "treasures". All I can say is that I wish I had been a participant of this project. With Jack's boating experience and my dance moves, we would have been a valuable part of the crew...or so I happen to think. Swoon, I'm swooning for you! Please, please, please take me with you next time.

Soho20 Chelsea

2009-06-10T20:02:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled and honored to have recently been invited to be a new member of Soho20 Chelsea, a non-profit artist-run organization and co-op gallery "promoting the work of women artists and serving the community through public events" since 1973. I look forward to meeting and showing with other members of the gallery who include Elizabeth Bisbing, Lucy Hodgson, Eve Ingalls, Darla Bjork, Ellen Hoffman, and Anne McKeown, among many others.

If you're in New York visiting the galleries at Chelsea, be sure to stop by and see what is currently on exhibit.

More from Trunk Series

2009-06-02T10:38:00.000-07:00

Top and Center: System I, 2009, pencil and acrylic on wood

Bottom: System II, 2009, pencil and acrylic on wood

More Recent Work

2009-06-01T07:03:00.000-07:00

Top: Column Ruin (Trunk Series), 2009, pencil and acrylic on wood, 3 7/8 x 3 1/2 x 1 5/8 inches

Bottom: Network (Trunk Series), 2009, pencil and acrylic on wood, 4 1/2 x 4 3/8 x 1 5/8 inches

These are part of a new series of drawings I'm currently working on; additional works from the series were posted on May 4. More images will be posted soon.

Storm King Art Center

2009-05-16T13:11:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from the Storm King Art Center, where Jack and I spent a beautiful rainy afternoon last week. The clouds eventually gave way to sun as we were leaving the park; a very uplifting experience. Someone asked me whether Maya Lin's Wavefield was worth the experience. I think it is - if you're going to Storm King anyway, definitely take the time to walk through the grassy waves before climbing to higher ground to see them from above. Since the grass is rather tall and had been wet that day, my enjoyment of the walk was a little marred as my sneakers got soaked through and through. But overall yes, definitely worth experiencing. The temporary exhibition, Maya Lin: Bodies of Water, on view inside the visitor's center, is also a must-see (up through November 15).

Tuesday I Saw...

2009-05-12T16:35:00.000-07:00

This week I predict there will be less getting work done and more seeking out inspiration. I spent the first half of today visiting friends and co-workers at the American Museum of Natural History, one of whom, Anibal Rodriguez, I needed to photograph as a model for a new painting. (Anibal is portrayed alongside Jack in my painting, La Conversacion.) I'd love to display some of my photos of him here but since I haven't yet decided which one to use for the painting, I'll momentarily keep them on file.

The first photo above shows part of Anibal's windowsill in his office, which is located in the Anthropology Dept. I didn't ask him how long he's had these objects arranged this way, whether they were placed happenstance or were a strategic effort in office decor, but I found this small, personal touch emblematic of the museum itself.

The second and third photos are views from my apartment window. There was a sun shower this evening that produced the clearest and most complete rainbow I think I've seen in years. And I love the purple flowers that this tree produces, which resemble little bells or fairy hats. I wish I could remember the name of this species of tree - I don't think it is a native species, but feel free to correct me on this.

2009-05-08T19:29:00.001-07:00

I find the story of Everett Ruess fascinating - an artist and writer longs to leave the confines of the city, ventures out into the desert wilderness and disappears, never to be seen again. For decades people only had theories of what may have happened to him. An article with the answer to the mystery was posted today on npr.org.

Writing a Statement

2009-05-04T16:06:00.001-07:00

Top: Stilts (Trunk Series), 2009, pencil and acrylic on wood, 8 1/4 x 3 3/4 x 1 3/4 inches

Bottom: The Long Column (Trunk Series), 2009, pencil and acrylic on wood, 8 1/4 x 4 x 1 3/4 inches

I enjoyed drawing the trees in my Rabbit series so much that I wanted to create a body of work dedicated to trunks. These two vertical diptychs are part of the new series.

I'm trying to finish my artist statement and am finding it really difficult to accomplish. I can't summarize without sounding too vague and can't go into detail without getting to weighty. It's a difficult balance that intimidates. I'm hoping procrastination will help. Or perhaps a drink...

2009-04-28T13:53:00.000-07:00

I've had very little time and interested for blogging this past week. I'm trying to get some new work finished in addition to writing an updated artist statement, all the while a hurricane has been ripping through my brain. It could be a symptom of the early onset of summery weather we've had the last few days.

For a calming effect, I'll post some photos from an intimate dinner party this past Saturday at the lovely home of lovely friends who live in Kingston, NJ.

2009-04-20T16:50:00.000-07:00

La Conversacion, 2009, oil on canvas, 40 x 32 in.

Finally, I'm able to post a photo of this painting I recently finished of Jack (on right) and our friend Anibal Rodriguez, both of whom work at the American Museum of Natural History. My good friend Jessica Nilsen, who is a fantastic photographer, took some images of this work for me, which was not easy since the glare from sections of the painting was overwhelmingly visible.

Noteworthy Blog

2009-04-15T07:21:00.000-07:00

I'd like to mention Joanne Mattera Art Blog because I find it absolutely informative and engaging. The author, Joanne Mattera, is also an artist. Check out her weekly posts, "Marketing Mondays," for really useful thoughts, ideas, and helpful tips.

2009-04-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

Houses on the Hills, 2009, acrylic on found plywood, 16 x 7 3/4 in.

Most recent addition to my Etsy shop.

2009-04-08T07:08:00.000-07:00

If you're an emerging artist like me and you're not sure where to start, you may want to consider getting this book by Heather Darcy Bhandari and Jonathan Melber. It's available on Amazon and, look at that, it's even gone on sale since I bought it.

For a thorough review of the book and some other reading suggestions, have a look at this post on Artblog.net.

What listening to Soundcheck did to me...

2009-04-06T19:51:00.000-07:00

Someone's cranky...I tend to disturb Sashi's cat napping now that I work at home.

Heard a really good Soundcheck piece on NPR this afternoon about the evolution of musicians and how some gain more success and new fans with the freshness of their sound, while others are written off by their faithful followers. The show focused for awhile on Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power, who I've been a fan of for nearly 10 years (feeling my age) so my ears perked up to listen. You can listen to that piece and the rest of the show here.

Anyway, I mention it because a few things ran through my mind. The first - and one I'm not proud of - was that I couldn't help but feel envy that someone in their 30's, my age group, already has a biography written about them. (Although the author of the biography, Elizabeth Goodman, who was being interviewed on Soundcheck today, mentioned that Marshall was not pleased about having the book written.) I realize how much Marshall has accomplished in her young life so far with her music, reaching supposed "icon" status, and has indeed lived several lives, recreating herself in persona and in art in order to survive rather than to keep up with trends. But here it was coming through the radio right when I feel like I'm at a point where I need to figure out who I am creatively and can't quite define that creative persona. I have an idea, but getting jump-started is the hardest part. And I feel like it's late - I should have thought of this years ago!

But of course it isn't late! I've met so many people at various ages and at various stages of personal discovery, creative or otherwise. I don't know why there's so much pressure to "make it" while we're still young (however you define "making it" - recognition, awareness, wealth, being affective). Or maybe it's just me who feels this way... Time is borrowed and it is quite possibly the most valuable thing a person can have. And of course you can never get it back after it's lost. My father died when he was only 38; such a short life. I think since that's always in the back of my head I'm constantly worrying about losing time - not necessarily worried that I'll die young, but that I will look back and think how quickly it all went by and why didn't I take advantage of all that TIME I had?

I think I had intended to write more about artistic reinvention but there it goes...this entry just evolved into something else.

Well then, going back to my precious cat, I know she won't be with me forever so I won't stop pestering her while she's cat napping because I want to give her as much petting and love as I can. I want to honor those in my life while we're still together in this life. And my goal is to honor myself and the work I will make by trying as much as possible to not waste time. So today I guess I'm inspired by my cat and Cat Power (hee).

2009-04-02T19:45:00.000-07:00

Untitled, 2009, ink, acrylic, pastel on paper

One of my latest Rabbit drawings. The unfortunate incident with this drawing, which I happen to love most so far of this series, is that I needed to spray it with pastel fixative which ended up leaving blotchy markings on the paper. The scanner also picked up the warped texture of the brown paper, creating ghostly white spots. I had been thinking of making limited digital prints of the drawing but I'm not sure I love the scanned and printed results so far. I'll have to play around with it a bit more and may need to move away from using brown kraft paper and back to watercolor paper, which is too bad since I prefer the former.

Talking About Artists: Elizabeth Bisbing

2009-03-27T11:10:00.001-07:00

Top: Tornado, from the Calamity Series, 2009, collage: ink on paper, 15 1/2 x 11 3/8 inches

Bottom: Mercy (after Simone Martini), from the Paper Madonnas Series, 2008, collage: gouache on paper, with gold leaf, 12 x 8 inches

I met painter Elizabeth Bisbing while I was a student at Rutgers University. We were introduced by her daughter and my friend, Christine Ramsey-Wade (a seriously talented poet), who invited me to see her mother's work at an art opening in Red Bank, NJ. Bisbing's earlier works - small, square paintings depicting iconic spools of thread and geometric Monopoly houses in surreal, flat landscapes of bright, eerie color - conveyed complex themes of feminism and domesticity.

Bisbing met with me last week to discuss her current body of work that was most recently exhibited at Soho20 Chelsea Gallery in New York and is featured in the traveling group exhibition, The Veil: Visible and Invisible Spaces (now at Indiana University East). Her medium has shifted to collage, although the painter in her is still very evident, and her imagery is sourced from both the home and the museum. Referencing and borrowing imagery from famous masterpieces featuring iconic depictions of women, she re-interprets the paintings through small-scale collages, lending them new context and dimensionality. "I wanted to (reclaim) the word 'Master' since 'Mistress' doesn't work well for women; it has negative associations and implications," commented Bisbing.

The amount of detail and labor that goes into each of these collages is a testament to Bisbing's patience and love of creating them. She starts with several drawings that she then traces for her collage elements, essentially creating patterns which can be re-used for several works. Each element, which is often miniscule in size, is cut from sheets of different shades of colored paper that Bisbing has hand painted herself with gouache. The final product is painterly and mosaic-like all at once; the painstaking process quite evident in the work.

In addition to referencing masterpieces, Bisbing has created a series of collages which she has titled her "Calamity Series." These works, in black/white and gray scale, each show two little girls in the direct path of a natural disaster - a shark, a tidal wave or a tornado - innocently going about their play without any awareness or knowledge of danger. A mother of four, including two grown daughters, Bisbing "wanted to convey what it's like to be or to raise a little girl in our society."

Even if I didn't know Bisbing personally, I feel as though I would after seeing her work. From her art making process to her imagery, you get a sense of the artist's desires, hopes and fears; you can imagine just how she might be working in her studio. It's the work of an accessible visionary; a master you can relate to.

Perfectly Brilliant!

2009-03-26T07:02:00.000-07:00

Art blogger Joanne Mattera posted an entry she calls The Artists' Stimulus Package. You've got to love her for thinking of it!

Pollan-ation! (And ideas about "good" art)

2009-03-24T16:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday evening, two of my friends and I were members of a very lucky audience to hear Michael Pollan speak at Columbia University. In between passages that he read from his books, including The Botany of Desire and The Omnivore's Dilemma, he relayed stories about his progression from his early days working at Harper's to his most recent writings that explore our abnormal modern industrial food chain. Afterwords, he took some time to answer questions from the audience - everything from his writing process to his thoughts on food policy and government funded farm subsidies. He was funny, engaging and enlightening - everything I wanted him to be in person after reading his work. (And I was proud that I remained wide-eyed and alert since the talk was happening at right about my crash-time. I've had the embarrassing nod-off happen at even the most profound lectures...)

I also learned last night that Judith Belzer is Pollan's wife. Belzer is a painter whose subject matter is influenced by the natural world. You can view her work and read her artist statement on her website.

When I first started my undergraduate studies in fine art at Rutgers University, I was adamant that I was going to be a painter and had very strict ideas of what "good" painting should be. I thought that a rigid practice of realism was the truest form of high art and that skill had been replaced by concept, which I considered lazy. WHAT A FRESHMAN I WAS! Especially since I myself was a relatively lazy art student. Fortunately I grew out of that sensibility and my eyes opened up to fresh concepts in contemporary visual culture. And then the opposite happened - I began to reject realism and, eventually, painting in general. Bring on the political criticism and high-concept invention! Art in the moment! Down with traditional mediums - they're sooo bourgeois.

Fast forward to the last 5 months: to my surprise I've not only returned to painting and painting realistically rendered images, but I'm learning not to judge and worry about what it is that I "should" or "should not" be doing as an artist. I still need to learn how to marry technique with a unique visual language (I still think I'm better at communicating ideas through conceptual performance works), but I appreciate all mediums for what they are and how they communicate different ideas and needs to different people.

Which brings me back to Belzer: fourteen years ago, I would have aspired to be a painter like her; two or three years later, I would have rejected her based upon my idea of what was relevant. Today, I look at her work and not only admire her visual language, but I appreciate it for being absolutely relevant rather than simply a display of skill and technique. Like her husband, Belzer is presenting us with a human relationship to nature. And being that we may someday soon lose the opportunity to get that up close and personal with nature, it is definitely work that should not be taken lightly.

More from "Rabbit"

2009-03-22T10:09:00.001-07:00

I'm working on a new assemblage featuring Rabbit; above is the drawing. This time Rabbit finds herself in a ghostly forest of tree stumps. She is completely exposed, in danger of being swept away by any force. The sky forecasts doom, but all she can do is keep moving.

Like my previous Rabbit drawing assemblage, "The House Where Rabbit Slept," I'll sew this drawing onto a found piece of plywood. I've already sold "The House Where Rabbit Slept" to a friend and loyal customer, and I'll truly miss it since I've grown very attached to this work. I'm sure it will be enjoyed by its soon-to-be owners, who are people I admire and trust.

I'll be posting the above work on Etsy once it's complete, which I wish I could say will be tomorrow. I'm usually too eager to post items right away but I think slowing down would benefit me (and the work) in the long run.

Talking About Artists:

2009-03-18T06:13:00.000-07:00

Cat Tyc is originally from NYC and currently lives in Portland, OR. She is a video artist, filmmaker and poet who has been known to disappear in a whirlwind of projects. I first met Cat at a bar in Brooklyn back in 2001, I think it was, through friends of friends and fortunately we've been able to keep in touch. I enjoy getting updates on what project she is working on at the moment; whether she knows it or not, her seemingly endless productivity is a huge motivation for me to keep making.

Cat's recently completed a short film, Umbrella, that she wrote, directed and edited. She hopes to have it screened in New York within the next two months.

Check out two videos that she made for some local Portland bands:

Night Owl

The Feather Test

I fell in love with The Feather Test, both the video and the song, after seeing it for the first time a few months ago. It's heartbreakingly beautiful imagery at first appears to be highly stylized images of the musicians in their surroundings. But about a quarter of the way into the video, a disturbing narrative begins to unfold of intervention, destruction or liberation - I can't decide which since it opens up new meaning every time I watch it. It may be all these things, as nothing so emotive can really be defined in one word.

That's the way I feel about it, anyway.

2009-03-17T07:10:00.000-07:00

Jack and Sashi are sleeping in - Jack's sick today. (hope he doesn't mind me displaying this photo...) I thought the two of them made a lovely composition. And I get to show off an original Jack Cesareo - large, multi-canvas construct painting above the bed. I'm going to marry an incredibly talented artist! He is an amazing help to me. I don't think I would be paintings as much as I am right now if it weren't for him. (I had given up on painting altogether until recently.) The little painting to the left is an untitled oil by me from 1998. It's one of my favorites.

In Time for Spring

2009-03-16T15:46:00.000-07:00

The House Where Rabbit Slept, 2009, mixed media

I just finished this today and posted on Etsy. I decided to attach the paper drawing to a found piece of plywood using thread rather than adhesive because a) I don't trust that adhesive works or is long-lasting, and b) I'm not always sure about adhesives labeled "archival grade" really being archival. I also really liked the visual effect of thread sewn to the paper and plywood, and I enjoyed the physical process of assembling the work. You can click on the image of this work on the sidebar to view more information about it in my shop.

Jack suggested that I may want to attach a piece of plexiglass over the work to protect it since it is pretty delicate. I think that's a fantastic idea; I just need to find some and have it cut to size. For now, I have it posted for sale as-is, which may not be a smart move. Something to consider, but I'm tired of hemming and hawing over it. Just wanted to show it already! Another Etsy seller, Botanary Confections (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6912430), who sells deliciously sounding crunches, sodas and "dirty" sugars made with unconventional floral and herbal flavors, wrote to me that it's really hard to walk when they want to run. How true that is.

About the content of this little drawing assemblage: it's a sad little image. It breaks my own heart to see Rabbit, small and seemingly vulnerable, noticing the imposing smoke stacks in the distance. I worry about how fragile spring is - in my mind, it has become another endangered species.

2009-03-14T12:21:00.000-07:00

Top: Splitting, 2009, oil on canvas, 20 x 25 in. Bottom: Jack (No Left Turn), 2009, oil on canvas, 20 x 24 in.

2009-03-13T06:15:00.000-07:00

I was very excited to find this morning that the above artwork, "House on the Edge of the Lake," was featured in a member selected Etsy Treasury, entitled "i love HOUSE work": http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=45133

I used acrylic paint on found 1/4" plywood. The sky and lake are painted with opaque copper and gold acrylics, which make the surface iridescent. I like the ominous, ethereal effect they create when layered over the grainy plywood. For further detail, go to http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21802412

Yesterday I finished my latest oil. It's a 3 x 4' canvas that should really be re-stretched because the stretcher bars got warped from the gesso. Jack and our friend Anibal were rendered from a photograph I took of them mid-conversation. It's titled, "La Conversacion". I should take a better photo before posting an image here.

By the way, if anyone reading this can offer tips in the comments area re: digitally photographing oil paintings, I'd greatly appreciate it. I'm having a tough time with it.

2009-03-12T19:48:00.000-07:00

In anticipation...

2009-03-12T07:54:00.000-07:00

...of the weekend, of an art sale, of finding work, of the rest of today. I'm not sure what to do with myself this morning. I set a few goals and they sometimes are met. The rest of the time I fret about what to accomplish first, running my head in circles so that the engine stalls. You know how it is!

Some of my artwork is on sale at www.potatobanana76.etsy.com. In this diary you'll hear of new works listed on Etsy, but you'll also hear what I'm working on outside of my capital venture. You may also get to read my fretful ramblings on current obsessions and worries (yay).

I'm working on some oil portraits based on photos I've taken this past year, the latest being a portrait of my fiance Jack and our friend Anibal deep in conversation. I'll try to post a photo when it's finished but right now I have to get back to it.

Before signing off I just want to say that this little cat painting was my first listing on potatobanana76:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21198926

"Rocket" really wants a home. Perhaps someone out there reading this could be her perfect match...

And I'll also leave you with a video I can't stop watching - I'm loving Julia Pott's illustrations and animation work. LOVE the dance sequence in the middle. And the song by Casiotone for the Painfully Alone is painfully sweet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3dUgPvkYnw