monday studio tip of the week

images, the selby

this exercise comes from twyla tharp's book the creative habit.

before beginning a topic, write down twenty interesting things that you want to know or study about that topic. the example tharp uses is leonardo davinci's fascination with water and in one of his notebooks was a comprehensive list of aspects of water that he intended to study. by doing this, tharp contends, he fully understood water and was better able to make creative use of that topic. some examples from leonardo's poetic list:

of the different depths of the rivers.
of the different shapes of the hills covered by the waters.
where the water is swift at the bottom and not above.
where it bends and where it straightens itself.
where it is low in the middle and high at the sides.
of the different slants in the descents of the water.

the list goes on..stay tuned for my list in the coming week....try it yourself in the meantime and have fun!

sunday church drawing

erica steiner

ornamental tree (reverie in blue-green), oil, graphite, gold leaf on canvas, 30x30, miniature textile (pink), oil, graphite, gold leaf on canvas, 4x6, time and distance (with orange mountains), oil, graphite, gold leaf on canvas, 10x10, crossing of the sun, oil, graphite, gold leaf on canvas, 36x36, celestial imprint (with roses), oil, graphite, gold leaf on canvas, 12x12

erica steiner's elaborately decorated, lush, luxurious paintings are full of depth, exuberance and life...i love how she seamlessly ties together forms derived from landscape, decoration and the body...i'm so inspired...

I am powerfully attracted to objects of adornment, particularly traditionally feminine objects such as flowers, fabric, beads and jewels. At the same time, I am wary of the allure of shiny things— objects desired—and the endless hunger to consume which drives our culture to destroy the natural world, and one another, in their pursuit. I use my painting as a means to explore this attraction/destruction dichotomy, to pursue my affinity for beauty, for ornamentation, for excess, and the more turbulent psychic territory that lies beneath.

what i'm working on: using blue

so because of my recent dry spell in the studio, i tried using blue for a couple of weeks to see if this works. let me say that blue is not my color, i always reach for reds, pinks and earth tones, so this was a little difficult for me at first. well, it didn't get me out of my dry spell, but it got me started to DO SOMETHING, which are some simple collaged pen & ink drawings, which got me thinking about a whole new body of work. so was it using the color blue that jump started me or just working on something? i guess both is the answer and i'm happy to say i'm slowly getting out of my funk!!

click here for the post about the color blue and creativity.

matteo bergamasco

MCMDC (world with colour machine), 280x380 cm, oil on canvas, 2005, MCCB (world whit a white castle), 266x252 cm, oil on canvas, 2006, magic laboratory, 280x400 cm, oil on canvas, 2006, double night vision with owl, 230x300 cm, oil on canvas, 2007

truly original, truly magical, somewhat strange, yet truly amazing paintings by matteo bergamaso...interesting drawings, too...

found drawing friday: rusty truck

read this post for information about found drawings.

elise morris

subtle loop 4.2, 2008, acrylic and graphite on paper, 30 x 22, subtle loop 4.1, 2008, acrylic and graphite on paper, 30 x 22, blooms scatter 3.1, 2007, acrylic and graphite on paper, 30 x 22, woad loop 1, 2008, acrylic and graphite on paper, 30 x 22, passing through 1 4.2, 2008, acrylic and graphite on paper, 30 x 22, passing through 2, 2008, acrylic and graphite on paper, 30 x 22

'being watchful of my surroundings, i find beauty in the unexpected.'

click here for more of these lovely dreamy, floaty drawings...

karen kunc

the wanting pool, 2007, woodcut, 18x54, wild remnant, 2008, woodcut, 18 x 18, desert diamonds, 2007, woodcut, intaglio, 15x11, seeding jewels, 2008, woodcut, 18 x 18, sprawl, 2007, woodcut, 14x14

i could look at karen kunc's work forever...she has such a simple, yet strong and unique visual language that always leaves me inspired and wanting more.

'My work as an artist/printmaker addresses issues of the landscape and our natural surroundings as direct influences from my Nebraska heritage, my daily experiences and viewpoints in the landscape of the plains and from extensive travel, and as artistic interpretation and contemplation on larger issues of the eternal life struggle, of endurance and vulnerability, growth and destruction. My prints suggest extremes of weather and natural forces at work, a sense of the micro/macrocosm, set against landscape or space, both wild and cultivated, intimate and unknowable. I am interested in the span of time it takes to wear away a canyon, build a mountain, the erosion forces that continually wash onto the plains, forming the earth, and, ultimately, shaping our world. My hope is that these larger concepts are provoked by viewing my work with a poetic and intelligent sense of wonder.'

jane south

Untitled (Tower), 2009, hand-cut & folded paper, ink, acrylic and wood, 15' x 6' x 5', untitled (blue and orange construction), 2003, ink, paper, wax, acrylic, balsa, 23"x16"x9", between foreground and background, 2003, ink, paper, wax, 4'x3'x1'

jane south's poetic paper....

workshops in june

there are still spaces available for these workshops i'm teaching in june...

Workshop: Markmaking and Encaustic
June 1-5
Jackson Hole Workshops/Art Association
240 South Glenwood Street
Jackson, WY
www.jacksonholeworkshops.org

This workshop involves the exploration of encaustic, one of the most exciting and versatile mediums available to the contemporary artist. With an emphasis on mixed-media, the basics are covered as well as a variety of advanced techniques. In addition to encaustic, participants will also explore the mark-making possibilities of branding, rust printing and composting and are encouraged to respond to these marks utilizing encaustic as well as other media. Participants are encouraged to develop a personal vocabulary by applying these new techniques to their current ideas and methodologies.

Workshop: Alternative Embellishment
June 22-26
The Society for Contemporary Craft
2100 Smallman Street
Pittsburgh, PA
www.contemporarycraft.org/

This workshop focuses on the stitch as both mark and structure to alter, enrich and transform the surface of pliable materials. While exploring traditional surface applications such as machine and hand embroidery, unconventional materials such as Tyvek, polyester, found and recycled items will be combined with processes such as crayon and image transfer, collage, flocking and foiling, layering and heating to create complex and sculptural surfaces. Participants are encouraged to develop a personal vocabulary through the creation of a portfolio of samples which may be worked into a quilt, a book or exist as small-scale art pieces suitable for framing or further embellishment.