art for art's sake

I've spent the entire evening checking out the art scene on line. I was most heartened to find so many Trini artists on line. I especially liked ARTPUBZ. Here I found Chris Cozier's "Fear....available in stores everywhere" ......boxes labelled with the word fear and installed as tough for sale in a shop or store. can you imagine this extended to racism, corruption,?? What a great way to make a statement. .
I was also intrigued by Adele Todd's performance art........an embroiderer trying to change the crime situation in five days.......the pathos of it......even though the actual embroidered pieces were simple yet beautiful.
There was also another artist who cast shadows on hung sheets. I've always been facinated by the play of shadows on the walls at night but I've never done anything about it.
Finally I paid a visit to Ink Tracks and felt inspired to just relax and enjoy being consistently creative....not worrying about perfection or fulfilling any particular objective.

Perseverance

I

In the face of adversity, persevere. This is the second and improved portrait of my friend, Martha. I hope she likes it this time.

Upon comparison with the first one, it is vastly different. I was able to make the improvements by scanning and enlarging the tiny images that she had given me. A pity that I hadn't thought of it earlier. It would have saved a lot of frustration, time and paint. How do you think the second one compares to the photograph?

More fun at Mary's

This little fellow made his way into Mary's studio: a beautiful leaf insect, so delicate and intricate. It was a joy to discover him, just like learning a new technique. I expect that I'll be just as happy when I get to play around with screen-prints, next at Mary's

More Drawings

These drawings were done while "traipsing" around Port-of-Spain and St. James with my friend and fellow artist, Marissa. As an artist, one has to be very discreet when using unwitting models.For, if you are discovered, they may become self-conscious or even down-right surly.

Imaginative Composition

This is one of a series of conceptual paintings that I am developing. However, I am not working entirely from my head because I use real life drawings to work out some of the areas that might be difficult to visualize. fortunately for me, I live on a river-bank so the bamboo that I needed for this painting was readily available. I also did several studies forthe figures until it was right for me.

MONOPRINTS

At last my anticipated monoprinting session with Mary Adam came off yesterday and these are some of the fun results.

DRAWINGS

REH

Here are two of my drawings. the one at the top is called Pensive Youth and this one shows some patrons in one of my favourite haunts on Chacon St, downtown Port-of-Spain. I call it The Bocas Four. Like all of my drawings, they are done on the spot.

Affirmation

After viewing the images on Inktrack's blog, I realized that I haven't been taking much stock of my drawings. So I thought I'd upload a few.

ACRYLIC TECHNIQUES

http://www.nancyreyner.com/acrylic-techniques.htm

I am now a fan of Nancy Reyner. I've learnt so much in fifteen minutes. and we seem to share the same philosophy. Click the link to see what Imean .

HEALING POWER

"......... I believe that art can heal. Man has the powerful ability to dream, to create better worlds and new realities. And images play an important role in this. Our history begins with images, which go far back in time, even farther than language, and are cross cultural. "

Nancy Reyner, Santa Fe

I came across this qoute and my heart leapt because this is what I BELIEVE. Indeed....i have lived it. Ialso know that images, art, can destroy. Thus I am accutely aware of my social responsibility to use this power positively.

This statement by Nancy Reyner isthe most accurate expression of what is, for me, a profound truth.

PRINTMAKING

I'm falling in love with printmaking....more specifically monoprints and screenprinting. The latter, I have limited experience but i'd like to change this. i love the black and white linos of Sasa Marinkov and the monotypes of Howard Jeffs. However, I must sign out now. I'm sleepy.

BITTER-SWEET

This is supposed to be a portrait of my friend, Martha but I'm afraid that it fell short of her expectations. However, I'm doubly disappointed that I did not follow my gut instincts about pricing the commission and about the arrangements for viewing the piece, before it was framed. Now I have to pay to have it reframed after I rework it. It was a costly mistake.

However, I am exceedingly pleased with my handling of the medium, acrylic. I am also happy about the anatomical correctness of the facial structure. I hope that I can retain these qualities as I re-work it. Wish me luck.

I definitly concurr with Mary Adam on the fact that, with acrylics, " what you see is not what you get" because the colours really do dry darker than they first appear. I'll definitely choose oils for my next portrait.

thanks

I think that it's really important for me to write about art and to communicate with other artists about their craft. This was an aspect that was missing from my activities as an artist. Im grateful to Mary Adam for the inspiration. Thanks Mary.. I'm looking forward to that session on monoprinting

First Thoughts

I'm sure that you're familiar with the saying "A picture paints a thousand words".

Well , art is my language and if it's yours too, then welcome to Art Talks