art blog by alex remy

Blog move! | Colorado Springs Artist

2011-03-15T19:18:00.001-06:00

Please update your bookmarks to simply:

http://www.alexremy.com

For the past two years I've divided my three loves--photography, art, and piano--into three different blogs. This year, it's time to bring everything together in one place. The new site is much more streamlined and user friendly, and includes several freshly created galleries (including one for Project 365). Best of all, the upgraded site includes past content from all three blogs, so nothing is lost! I hope you'll join me there. : )

"Mirror" | Colorado Springs Artist

2010-12-07T18:17:00.005-07:00

Crossposted on my piano blog. Scroll down for video and photo!

There are several things I'm shocked and awed by at the moment:

-How little time I've had for blogging over the past few months
-How quickly this year has gone
-How quickly this semester has gone
-How soon it will be 2011

and finally,

-That I *just* finished my final project of the year.

Several weeks ago, I entered the last stage of my first semester back at school. While this semester has been dominated by music, I've also been taking an art class--and as it turned out, our last assignment for this class was a project of our own creation.

The opportunity got me thinking. I've been a pianist and artist for most of my life, and these two passions are huge parts of my identity. But in all these years, I've never blended the two worlds. In fact, I've struggled quite a bit to find a balance between those sides of myself, if only because they're both so involved and emotionally consuming. And I know that, although I've chosen to pursue music as my primary focus, I will always be an artist...and if I want to continue to be fulfilled and content, I'll need to find ways to continuously incorporate art into my life, and reconcile my competing interests.

All that said, I decided to take this assignment as an opportunity to finally prioritize art and music at the same time, and share the contrasts between my major emotional outlets. So without further ado, I present to you: "Mirror", a tribute to Rachmaninoff, piano, art, and passion.

I'll take a higher quality photo later on, but for now, here's a still shot of the finished portrait:

String Theory | Colorado Springs Artist

2010-09-06T20:02:00.006-06:00

In addition to music courses, I'm also taking an art class this semester. Over Labor Day weekend our assignment was to implement "line" in five public spaces. After mulling it over for a bit, I thought I'd try creating spider web/dreamcatcher designs with yarn or ribbon...but after messing around unsuccessfully for two days, I realized the complexity of that idea was too much for such a short-term project. So, I simplified, and went for linear wraparounds that created colorful frames wherever I put them. Here are the results!

Kara Walker Presentation

Textile adventures | Colorado Springs Artist

2010-08-14T16:05:00.000-06:00

My studio table has been taken over by my sewing machine. I'd be hard pressed to find my brushes and easel and canvases under the mess; most of the area is covered with fabric scraps, random spools of thread, pins, and miscellaneous bags filled with sewing goodies. I've mostly been custom tailoring shirts (both for my husband and myself), but I've also made curtains, bench covers, and a variety of alterations.

The most recent project was inspired by a gift of two oversized men's t-shirts. They were standard in every way, and much too large, so I immediately started the reconstruction. In fact, I got so swept up that I forgot to take a "before" picture of the blue shirt, but on the left below you can see what the original size and shape looked like:

I wasn't about to stop there, though. We're on our last vacation period before the fall semester starts, so we picked up a used Nintendo GameCube and have been playing Mario Party and Mario Kart like the happy geeks we are. And since I have a special fondness for Yoshi, I decided to take the brightly colored shirt to the next level:

I've never stenciled anything before, and I'm extremely happy with the result. It was fairly painstaking to complete...the tip of my right pointer finger is still numb from pressing against the exacto knife for hours, and my neck has a decent crick in it, but it was so worth it.

Meanwhile, my husband has been using an old AOL messenger/laptop bag for school. In April we celebrated our 4 year anniversary, so I got him a collection of Doctor Who mini pins, one for each of the 11 doctors. He'd been wanting to put the pins on his bag, but wasn't happy with the big embroidered AOL logo--so we worked together to create a sturdy cover, and then I splattered "stars" and painted the new Doctor Who logo on the front. By the time we were done, I was pretty jealous:

But it's ok--I have my Yoshi to keep me happy. : P

'Kevin' by Annalee | Colorado Springs Art Lessons

2010-06-29T16:44:00.000-06:00

I have a wonderful new student who has a passion for cartooning and graphic art. Last week we sat for an inspirational hour while she drew this little bird, then we scanned it so she could play around with her first digital painting. I for one really love how it turned out!

Drawing 101 | Colorado Springs Artist

2010-06-11T17:24:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I make little demo animations for my students during online or offline lessons, to help them "see" what I see when I draw. Here's a quick example of how I would approach a line drawing of a wolf--

1. Identify and lightly sketch the basic shapes of the subject.

2. Clarify the lines you want to keep.

3. Erase the sketch lines and enhance the drawing with details and darker lines.

4. Enjoy!

Doctor Who | Colorado Springs Artist

2010-05-08T20:44:00.005-06:00

As I mentioned on the photoblog, I want to apologize for the lengthy blogging drought--things have been busy in our new home! Thankfully it's the good, purposeful kind of busy, so I can't really complain.

In the meantime, here's a mini bookmark/painting I made for my husband for our recent anniversary. We're big Whovians, and this is the Doctor he grew up with, which means he's also his favorite. It was a totally geeked out celebration, and we had a BLAST.

The painting accompanies another gift I created recently--bonus points if you know what it is!

Both paintings are 3.5 inches by 2.5 inches on cardstock, painted with acrylic paint and a steady hand.

Using inspiration to become an authentic artist.

2010-02-24T14:43:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking lately about authenticity and inspiration.

I was trained as a classical artist, but as I've gotten older I've realized traditional art, as exquisite as it can be, doesn't really "speak" to me as loudly as it used to. Instead, I'm much more drawn to 'newness', saying and showing things in innovative ways, although I'm afraid this attraction doesn't always appear in my own art.

The artistic process is such a fascinating journey, and I think a large part of it is a lesson in "listening". Listening to others, and deciding when not to--listening to yourself, and sorting out what's true for you. Part of my own evolution has been a battle between my right and left brain. After being immersed in the highly analytical and practical world of mental health for so many years, transitioning into a place of imagination and intentional rule-breaking has been, at times, pretty challenging. Fortunately, I can think back to myself at a young age, when I was completely consumed with creativity, and use that as a map for my adult self.

After thinking about these things for a few days, I decided it would be helpful to create an actual, tangible, visual map for myself. As the years have passed I feel like my artistic restraint has been loosening...but I want to take that even further. Really test my limits. So, last night I created an inspiration banner, filled with images and ideas that always get me excited, or passionate, or feeling inspired. Most of these images have a theme--magic, dark fantasy, vivid colors and strong blacks. There's also a rawness to them, a sense that they were created in a dream where only the most strange and whimsical things live.

Just looking at this banner is personally motivating. I don't want to "be" these artists, but I do want to explore and tap into the part of me that strongly identifies with them. I'm learning to listen to myself--and this is where I want to continue to go.

[Click to enlarge]

In the banner: Mirrormask, Pan's Labyrinth, Dave Mckean, Tom Waits, Red Nose Studio, Dennis Mcfarland, Andrew Bird, Mike Maxwell, Stephen Moffat, Byroglyphics, Malcolm Liepke, Regina Spektor, The Fall.

If any of you feel like creating an inspiration map, please post the link here--I'd really love to see it.

Recently finished portrait: Kumasan

2010-02-07T16:52:00.007-07:00

Here's a new commission of a beautiful, fluffy Great Pyrenees:

Acrylic on canvas
6 x 8

If you're interested in requesting a customized portrait, feel free to drop me a line at contactalexremy@gmail.com for more information!

Scared, Asleep, Dreaming

2010-01-25T08:33:00.004-07:00

My art related entries have been stalled lately, but I wanted to post a drawing I completed in fall 2009. It's part of the large-scale graphite portrait series I started last year, which also includes this piece. Once again, the title was chosen by the model--three words he feels best represent himself.

Graphite/charcoal on paper
18x23

This may be the best thing I've ever seen.

2010-01-03T02:20:00.001-07:00

David Hasselhoff, Hooked on a Feeling. I don't know what else to say.

"The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch

2009-12-27T15:10:00.002-07:00

You may have seen this already. If you haven't--yes, it's over an hour long, and yes, I watched the entire thing at 3 am this morning.

It's the time of year for reflection, and this video is perfect for just that. Worth a watch, I promise. He passed away last year.

We're here!

2009-12-04T01:23:00.001-07:00

I'll be posting all sorts of pictures on the photoblog as soon as things get a bit more settled, but since we just got our internet up and running, I wanted to say that we did arrive safely, and everything here is fantastic and beyond our expectations. After a massive packing marathon last week where we somehow managed to cram the entirety of our lives into two trucks, we headed for Colorado on Saturday and arrived at our destination Sunday evening. Fortunately, the weather was picture perfect and we completely avoided the snow (which arrived yesterday, along with very chilly temperatures), and although both trucks were worn out by the uphill climbs, the drive went extremely well. Even better, our new home is a dream and fits our lifestyle perfectly, with two parks and a fabulous bike/walking path just a few minutes away--and while we're both worn down by the frantic schedule of the past few weeks, we're very relieved to be here and are quickly settling into our new lives in Colorado.

There's still some unpacking to do before I can do much art of note, and it will be about a month before I officially begin lessons--but in the meantime, here's a picture of Tess bundled up before a walk in 7 degree weather:

Moving On

2009-11-23T13:54:00.003-07:00

[Crossposted from the photoblog]

Posting has been a bit sparse lately, and here's the reason why:

(...no, not a prolonged drinking binge. Liquor stores are just an excellent source for boxes. ; ) )

Yes, it's moving time. I've been in Utah for a little over four years, and this week, my time here will come to a close. It's been an interesting ride with a lot of lessons learned, to say the very least--but it's definitely time to move on, and I'm extremely pleased and excited we're able to do so.

So in a few days, across the Rockies we go! I've lived in Colorado before, and while I never thought I'd live there again, it's exactly the right place for us to be right now. We have a lot of exciting plans that will begin shortly after we get there, including the official launch of my pet photography services. Better still, 10% of all proceeds will be donated to the Dog and Cat Cancer fund, so believe me when I say I cannot wait to get started.

In the meantime, the girls are getting along just fine, and will soon have a fantastic new home to explore:

I'll try to post again before we go, but if not, plan on hearing from me again when we're settled in Colorado.

Man-made island:

2009-11-08T12:10:00.001-07:00

My store!

2009-11-03T18:44:00.010-07:00

As some may have read on my photo blog, yesterday I re-launched my print store on etsy. I've been hoping to do this for some time--I opened an etsy store two years ago, but quickly got busy and never really took the time to figure out how things worked. But with the recently updated alexremy.com, I decided it was time to give it another shot. Namely, I wanted to offer bright, cheerful prints of my art and photography, at reasonable prices.

Over the past months I started collecting my favorite images, then had some fabulous, vibrant prints made on exceptional lustre paper (seriously, I can't express how pleased I am with them, they absolutely surpassed my expectations). This weekend I finished my "photoshoot" with the prints, and yesterday I got busy relaunching by Alex Remy, my store.

You can visit the store by clicking the banner below, the new tab at the top of the page, or the goodies button at the bottom of each new post. Additionally, I've added a store browser on the left side of this blog, so you can see any recently uploaded prints and images.

Here's a sampling of what you'll see when you get there:

In which we paint faces

2009-10-19T13:53:00.003-06:00

Last weekend my husband and I spent a few hours at the downtown Marriot, painting faces at a Geocoin convention. I received an email from the wonderful lady organizing the event back in September, asking if I knew anyone who might be willing to volunteer. As it happens, I've done face painting in the past, and have been interested in doing it again. I told her I'd be happy to help out, and recruited my husband (he's a writer and teacher, but has amazing artistic talent too).

As always, the kids were a bit shy about getting their faces painted near the beginning, but once they saw their peers wandering around with pandas and snakes and skulls and other miscellaneous creatures, we had quite a rush. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to take any pictures during the event since we were so busy, but here are a few to give you an idea.

Sketchbook Page 3

2009-10-19T13:42:00.003-06:00

This was a quick scrub painting, done in haste as my, uh...rear end fell asleep on the hard wood floor.

In case you haven't seen the news, that sleeping figure is Tess, the newest edition to our family. You can read all about it over here.

Original Art: Unexpected

2009-09-22T19:00:00.005-06:00

Another painting. This was fun and quick to create, and the splattering was very satisfying. This is a scene from a park we went to recently--an unexpected, solitary grove in the middle of a city.

You can see a larger version here.

The original piece and a very nice 8x10 print are for sale. Please contact me if you're interested!

More pieces for the show

2009-09-19T17:15:00.005-06:00

Just finished a new painting for the Canvas and Gavel art show, inspired by this incident. You can see it framed below, and a full sized version on the main art site.

Before the Leap
9x12
Acrylic on art board

I also went through my collection of smaller pieces and found a few to sell. Earlier this year I messed around a bit with sculpture, and wound up creating this Dean Martin inspired bust. Although the likeness is a bit questionable, it was incredibly entertaining to make, so I touched up the paint job and added some felt to the bottom in case anyone else finds it entertaining too.

Volare?
4 inches tall
Clay, Acrylic

To see these pieces and more, feel free to drop by Mark and Associates any day this week. I have a total of 12 pieces on display, and the interior walls are covered with a large selection of art from many different artists (almost all the pieces are priced below $1000). The address is below, as well as the office number so you can call ahead for hours and information:

Mark and Associates
346 East 900 South
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
(801) 531-1723

Sketchbook Pages 1 & 2

2009-09-15T15:23:00.004-06:00

I'd like to begin posting more regular sketches and doodles--I purchased a new sketchbook a few months ago, and haven't put it to nearly as much use as I'd like. Ideally I'd prefer to be sketching each day, but to start I'll shoot for one page a week. We'll see how it goes.

Here are the first two pages from the new sketchbook. The first was completed well before Sara got sick, so it didn't have any special meaning at the time. The second was playtime, more or less.

For Sara.

2009-09-14T17:29:00.003-06:00

Most of my students know my husband and I recently said goodbye to our best friend and companion dog, Sara. I adopted her before we were married, and she was already an adult at the time, so I knew I wouldn't have a full lifetime with her. Even so, we both hoped she'd be with us for a few more years.

Sara was by my side almost every day since I adopted her, and even more once I began working from home. She slept at my feet as I worked to finish new pieces or taught piano lessons, and had a knack for endearing herself to everyone she met. She also had an uncontrollable addiction to water, a loving determination to eat grass, did her best to master fetch, enthusiastically waded in local creeks, and above all else, was mad about having her face scratched. Really, as far as she was concerned, a good face petting solved all the world's ills. And for all her sweet and funny ways, she made us incredibly happy. She was our family in the truest sense of the word and we both miss her terribly, although we know it was the only possible choice.

Sara struggled a great deal in the last two months of her life, and we eventually learned she was suffering from a very aggressive, fast-moving form of bone cancer. I'm still shocked by how quickly it developed. We'll be donating regularly to the Dog and Cat Cancer Fund in an effort to help other owners and their animals, and the next time we adopt we'll be sure to screen early and often. Between the toxins in the environment, toxins in our food, and breeding that causes genetic weaknesses, cancer has become a true epidemic amongst companion animals. It deserves all the time and attention we can afford.

It's been a sad week, but I've put together a video tribute for Sara that I'm going to share with you now. It features many of the photos and videos I took during her time with us. I'm sorry we didn't have a better camera to record memories during the first years, but I'm still so glad I took photos as often as I did. I've lost two other companions in my life, and I only wish I had more records of their lives. Memories fade too easily, and these photos have already been a tremendous comfort to me.

Upcoming: Canvas and Gavel Art Show

2009-09-13T19:05:00.003-06:00

I've spent the past few weeks prepping for this show--I have several pieces that will be for sale, including three from my new and evolving series. You can see them below ("Hidden Treasures", "We've Come so Far" and "Pleased to Meet You"), along with a piece from last year which was featured on the cover of the SLCC Community Writing Center's literary magazine ("Saturday"). The drawing of the bowl of cherries will be donated to a charity auction for the And Justice for All program, which provides legal assistance for lower income families and individuals. I'll post more information as it becomes available.

"Hidden Treasures"
9x12

"We've Come so Far"
8x10

"Pleased to Meet You"
8x10

"Saturday"
9x12, framed

"Two Weeks" fan video by Gabe Askew

2009-09-13T03:01:00.003-06:00

Artist Gabe Askew created this video to accompany Grizzly Bear's song, "Two Weeks". He's not affiliated with the band--just super creative and dedicated to his craft. I've watched this thing no less than three times and I'm still digging it. Check it out:

My new favorite thing: "studio drive by"

2009-08-24T17:33:00.009-06:00

The other night I was updating an old post about paper artisan Jen Stark, and in doing so I discovered an incredible online documentary series by wetheat, a Miami based production company that creates documentaries about artists and art lovers. One of their series is studio drive by, or impromptu visits to the studios of local Miami artists. And let me tell you, it is awesome.

I've watched almost all of them by now, from sculptors to painters to textile artists, and enjoyed each for different reasons. As an artist, it's incredibly interesting and even validating to see how other artists work, what their process is, and how they incorporate art into their lives. I also got a kick out of wetheat's description of the series, calling it a "behind-the-scenes look
at the most mysterious and impractical vocation". I'd never thought of it that way before, but I suppose there's some truth to that.

I suspect most people underestimate the level of physical and emotional commitment professional artists put into their craft, but it truly is a labor intensive profession, with almost no guarantee of success, driven entirely by love and that 'mysterious', compelling, overwhelming desire to create. As you'll see, when each artist is asked "Why are you doing this?", they often don't have any tangible response. For many, creating doesn't feel like a choice--it's a mandate, a necessity, something that must be done.

To watch the series, click the image below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. I only wish every city had a crew of talented filmmakers like those at wetheat, to chronicle the activities of each creative community.

AAUW Utah Women Artists Exhibition

2009-08-13T19:44:00.004-06:00

Just got back from the opening reception for the AAUW Utah Women Artists Exhibition, and what a great turnout! I think we may have been packed to maximum capacity, they had to pull out a pallet stacked with extra chairs right before the awards ceremony.

I neglected to mention this news while I was in the midst of my site redesign, but earlier this summer I learned I was one of 70 artists selected to appear in the AAUW exhibition. This is my first group show since switching careers from mental health to art and music, so it was thrilling news. Even more exciting, my submission was also awarded the Florence E. Ware Honor Award, one of nine major awards offered to selected artists.

If you'd like to attend and view all the excellent pieces featured in this show (including three by one of my art students, Jo Stephens), you can find the exhibition at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center on 1355 West, 3100 South. It's a lovely venue, with high ceilings and a beautiful gallery space. The show runs from August 13th to September 30th, so I hope you'll get a chance to stop by. My piece, 'Sincere, Determined, Evolving' is one of the first you'll see when you arrive at the gallery, so you can't miss it. Attending the show is free to the public, and many of the pieces (mine included) are for sale.

Here's a map to give you an idea of where the Utah Cultural Celebration Center is located (click to go to the actual map):

Additionally, you can learn more about the center at their website, and more about the show here.

Thanks to those who stopped by tonight, as well as the support I've been receiving on facebook-- it's greatly appreciated!

Ch-ch-changes!

2009-08-08T02:20:00.006-06:00

Just a quick announcement:

I've been working on a site/business redesign these past weeks, and will be launching the finished product this weekend. As most of you know, I've been teaching private art lessons for the past few years--but additionally, I've also been teaching piano lessons and gradually venturing into the world of photography. This new redesign will help me incorporate these three passions (art, piano and photography), and also connect with friends and students on a more personal level.

As part of this redesign, the site you're currently on will be changing URL's. Beginning this weekend, http://alexremy.com will link to the main hub, and you'll be able to find this blog by going to:

http://artblog.alexremy.com

Make sure to update your bookmarks/subscriptions after the switch! For extra help, here's a guided screenshot of the new site layout:

You can also find an interactive site map here.

I hope you'll check out the new digs over the next few weeks, and please feel free to email me at contactalexremy@gmail.com with any feedback or questions you may have.

Tone of Everyday music video

2009-07-09T02:19:00.000-06:00

Disney and Dali

2009-07-07T20:32:00.001-06:00

Doodling

2009-05-08T00:15:00.003-06:00

Life is busy and the weather is beautiful lately, but I wanted to offer a quick update. First, a random page of doodles:

...which was more fun than I care to admit.

Second, I've been venturing slowly into the photography world. You can see some of the results here, at my "daily" photo blog:

http://life-in-a-bowl.blogspot.com

We recently visited Southern Colorado, so over the next few weeks you'll be seeing a variety of photos from our trip. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them!

Sculpting demo by Philippe Faraut

2009-04-10T20:28:00.000-06:00

Student spotlight: Matt

2009-04-05T14:27:00.004-06:00

This is an abstract painting created by a young, fantastically imaginative, and rather philosophical student of mine. He writes:

"This painting shows the borderline of good and evil. Can you see it? No--and that's because this is the Medium. There is no good and evil. There is only the middle, and in one's eyes, their good is the evil in some other person's eyes. It never changes and it never will. This is life, the world, and everything. This is the Medium."

'The Medium'
Acrylic on canvas

Insanely Entertaining

2009-03-20T14:29:00.001-06:00

Recently finished: 'Sincere, Determined, Evolving'

2009-03-09T23:03:00.006-06:00

'Sincere, Determined, Evolving'
Graphite and Charcoal
18x24

This portrait is part of my new series entitled "Strangers", which features large-scale graphite and charcoal drawings of people looking directly at the observer. The titles are chosen by the models, who have been asked to select three words they feel best represent them.

I'm looking forward to sharing each new portrait in this series, and hope you enjoy them too.

Liz Lomax: Sculpting Video

2009-02-17T12:16:00.005-07:00

Via Drawn.

This is a fascinating video by 3D Illustrator Liz Lomax, sculpting a bust of Oasis' Noel Gallagher. Be sure to check out her blog and her website, as well.

.

Student Spotlight: Lauren

2009-02-11T01:12:00.002-07:00

Here's some work from a talented young student of mine. She has a vivid imagination, a passion for fantasy art, and a wonderful determination to create and improve her work. I very much enjoy helping her research different animals and tackle challenging angles and perspectives, and hope she'll continue drawing for many years to come.

Recently finished: 'Uncertainty'

2009-02-02T22:48:00.005-07:00

Colored pencil, watercolor
6 x 8

This piece is based on a photograph taken by Lauren Lanzaretta in Chiang Mai, Thailand in June 2006. She writes:

The young girl photographed is the daughter of a Thai Pastor who is one of the few caretakers at a large children's ministry in Chiang Mai. She must share her father and mother's attention with many other children, however, she knows that she is a special girl, and it was evident by her demeanor.

This ministry is designed to prevent the vulnerable children of the Thai Hill Tribes from being sold into the sex trade industry. It houses, feeds, and educates the children so that they will be able to one day return to their tribes and be a vital source of hope for their people. To find out more about this ministry and many other ministries just like it, please visit http://remembernhu.org/.

I want to extend my gratitude to Lauren for allowing me to work from her photo, and for drawing attention to this profound and exigent issue. I hope everyone will take a moment to visit the site and learn more.

As far as technique is concerned, I used two mediums (colored pencil and watercolor) for this piece--unfortunately, the paper I had on hand was exactly the wrong kind for those mediums, but I'm still pleased with how it turned out. More importantly, I really enjoyed working on the piece. I was immediately taken by the girl's expression when I first saw the photo, and really felt compelled to draw her. I also enjoyed having to make guesses and experiment as I went--it can be so refreshing to not know how something will turn out.

New in 2009: Online Art Lessons

2009-01-20T23:25:00.011-07:00

I'm very excited to announce the launch of my new online classroom (onlineclasses.alexremy.com). After having several requests for online lessons, I finally decided to go forward with it. I hope you'll stop by and check it out!

To take online lessons, all you need is internet access and some way to submit photos online (whether it's a scanner or digital camera). The classroom is a message board format, with private, password locked forums for one-on-one lessons and group workshops. Right now the focus is private lessons, but I'll be offering a Drawing Basics workshop sometime over the next few months.

In addition, the message board has a section devoted solely to Community Boards, allowing students and non-students to interact with one another. You don't ever need to take lessons in order to participate, and artists of all backgrounds and skill levels are welcome. Feel free to say "Hi" and introduce yourself, or join one of the currently posted Art Games. As a bonus, registered users have access to several interactive tools, including an arcade, chatroom, galleries, map, and built-in radio.

I'll continue to post updates on alexremy.com about online lessons, particularly when I begin offering more workshops. I also hope to recruit other teachers for online workshops or private lessons, so if you're interested in teaching on the creative evolutions online classroom, please send an email to: contactalexremy@gmail.com.

Thanks for your support, and I hope to see you there soon!

Fascinating! Charlene Chua using Illustrator:

2009-01-13T21:49:00.005-07:00

I'd like to wish everyone a happy belated New Year, as this is my first post on creative evolutions for 2009. I hope it is a healthy, prosperous, and satisfying year for all of us.

Now to kick things off--I just spotted this interesting video on Drawn!, and can't resist sharing it here. This is illustrator Charlene Chua, rendering a piece using Adobe's Illustrator program. She says the process took her around 50 minutes, and in the video it's sped up to about 5 minutes.

Recently Finished: Bowl of Cherries

2008-12-27T22:41:00.003-07:00

Here's a small piece I completed a few weeks ago. I believe it's the smallest fully rendered drawing I've done so far, weighing in at a petite 4x6 inches. I usually don't draw still-lifes, but I thought the shadows on these cherries were too enticing to pass up--and I hope I did them justice! This piece is for sale at my etsy store, so please feel free to stop by and take a look.

Bowl of Cherries
4 x 6
Graphite and charcoal on cardstock

Student Work: Tasha's Night Sky

2008-12-24T18:37:00.010-07:00

This is a recently completed oil painting by one of my students. It's her first completed painting in several years, and it turned out extremely well. She began with a paper-towel application to get the base colors on, then gradually built layers of clouds and color with a variety of strokes and dry-brush blending. Near the end she applied the moon, landscape silhouette, and stars. The colors are quite vibrant, and the overall effect is very calming and serene. Excellent work Tasha!

24x36
Oil on canvas board

For more information about lessons, please go here.

The Art of Byroglyphics

2008-12-11T19:28:00.006-07:00

I've been mesmerized by the work of byroglyphics for some time now. Bold splashes of color, evocative poses, and outside-the-box blends of humans and animals--his work is beautifully textured and always interesting to look at. I'm also happy that he's begun to post more non-digital art, and hope he'll continue to do so.

For more of his work, please visit his website.

Almost Blue

2008-12-01T15:50:00.003-07:00

I'm normally not a fan of Elvis Costello (apologies to any fans!), but this song came on the other day and I was startled by how much I enjoyed it. I've since discovered that he married Diana Krall (one of my preferred musicians) a few years ago. This slower, sweet, slightly melancholy jazz piece almost seems like a tribute to their relationship, and I think this video illustrates it nicely. It's so interesting to see how artists perform when they try on different styles and techniques:

Recently finished portrait: Dakota

2008-11-29T14:05:00.008-07:00

Just wrapped up work on this beautiful dog. As I was drawing, I realized this is the first animal I've rendered in black and white--all my past pieces have been in colored pencil or paint. That said, I loved working in graphite and charcoal for this piece, and am happy with how it turned out. It was really a pleasure to draw.

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Graphite and charcoal on bristol board
8 x 10

Imagine

2008-11-14T13:51:00.001-07:00

Past Work: Anatomy Study

2008-11-01T14:32:00.009-06:00

I believe I was fairly young at the time of drawing this--14 or 15, somewhere in there. It's always interesting to see how my technique has changed over time.

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Graphite on Paper

I had a wonderful instructor at that age who cautioned me not to get too overzealous with smudging, and to never smudge with my fingers (which was my most overused technique up to that point, much like my overuse of the damper pedal when playing the piano). I took his advice to heart, and started relying solely on the tip of a very sharp pencil. This was my technique for years--very slow!--until I gradually allowed myself to explore healthier blending options, rather than using my fingers for smudging. I now make regular use tortillions, paper towels, blending stumps, etc, although I've never lost my appreciation for the finely sharpened pencil.

A little levity...

2008-10-20T23:25:00.000-06:00

Love Letters

2008-10-18T14:23:00.003-06:00

I just discovered a fascinating website by a dreamer named Asia, featuring 400 love letters to a wide variety of people, including loved ones and strangers. Their explanation:

"So: what is this project really about? Of course, it's about love, and relationships, which anyone who knows me can tell you are about the only things that I'm interested in. Well, not the only things, but two of the main ones. At the start I had one very simple goal: by the end of this project I wanted to be able to write a love letter to anyone, a stranger on the street, or someone that I have nothing but scorn for. I wanted to be able to pull out and vocalize the small thread connecting me to them, them to me, the something in them that I found beautiful or real and the something between us that existed beneath everything, acknowledged or unacknowledged, forgotten gestures and moments, strange and rare affinities. In the same way that part of art school training is training your eye to take in and process the world around you, to stop and notice things, to learn how to really see , I wanted to train my heart to really feel. Some romantics are wincing now: how can you train your heart? It's a lot like training your eye: there was always that crack in the sidewalk, you just never noticed before the way that the lines trace like lightning bolts, the starkness of the light grey concrete, and the blackness of the crevices, the perfect intricacies of it all. There are always connections between people, things to admire in people, trust that goes unnoticed, small kindnesses, shared silences. There is always so much to see, and there is always so much to feel.

There is so much we don't talk about, so much we have trouble believing in."

A sampling (see the rest here):

The Art of Malcolm T. Liepke

2008-10-13T01:53:00.003-06:00

I recently discovered Liepke's paintings, and find them quite mesmerizing. I'm strongly attracted to art that depicts the rawer elements of humanity--whether it's melancholy, eccentricity, loneliness, sexuality or desire. Liepke's work seems to cover them all:

Obama and McCain's Stance on the Arts

2008-10-08T19:08:00.006-06:00

Via strangedolls.net and the Vermont Arts Council.

I'm going to post these documents in their entirety. The first is Obama/Biden's statement on arts funding, the second is McCain's, and the third is a comparison of their positions.

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BARACK OBAMA AND JOE BIDEN: CHAMPIONS FOR ARTS AND CULTURE (See .pdf)

Our nation’s creativity has filled the world’s libraries, museums, recital halls, movie houses, and marketplaces with works of genius. The arts embody the American spirit of self-definition. As the author of two best-selling books – Dreams from My Father and The Audacity of Hope – Barack Obama uniquely appreciates the role and
value of creative expression.

A PLATFORM IN SUPPORT OF THE ARTS

Reinvest in Arts Education: To remain competitive in the global economy, America needs to reinvigorate the kind of creativity and innovation that has made this country great. To do so, we must nourish our children’s creative skills. In addition to giving our children the science and math skills they need to compete in the new global context, we should also encourage the ability to think creatively that comes from a meaningful arts education. Unfortunately, many school districts are cutting instructional time for art and music education. Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe that the arts should be a central part of effective teaching and learning. The Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts recently said “The purpose of arts education is not to produce more artists, though that is a byproduct. The real purpose of arts education is to create complete human beings capable of leading successful and productive lives in a free society.” To support greater arts education, Obama will:

Expand Public/Private Partnerships Between Schools and Arts Organizations: Barack Obama and Joe Biden will increase resources for the U.S. Department of Education’s Arts Education Model Development and Dissemination Grants, which develop public/private partnerships between schools and arts organizations. They will also engage the foundation and corporate community to increase support for public/private partnerships.

Create an Artist Corps: Barack Obama and Joe Biden support the creation of an “Artists Corps” of young artists trained to work in low-income schools and their communities. Studies in Chicago have demonstrated that test scores improved faster for students enrolled in low-income schools that link arts across the curriculum than scores for students in schools lacking such programs.

Publicly Champion the Importance of Arts Education: As president, Barack Obama will use the bully pulpit and the example he will set in the White House to promote the importance of arts and arts education in America. Not only is arts education indispensable for success in a rapidly changing, high skill, information economy, but studies show that arts education raises test scores in other subject areas as well.

Support Increased Funding for the NEA: Over the last 15 years, government funding for the National Endowment for the Arts has been slashed from $175 million annually in 1992 to $125 million today. Barack Obama and Joe Biden support increased funding for the NEA, the support of which enriches schools and neighborhoods all across the nation and helps to promote the economic development of countless communities.

Promote Cultural Diplomacy: American artists, performers and thinkers – representing our values and ideals– can inspire people both at home and all over the world. Through efforts like that of the United States Information Agency, America’s cultural leaders were deployed around the world during the Cold War as artistic ambassadors and helped win the war of ideas by demonstrating to the world the promise of America. Artists can be utilized again to help us win the war of ideas against Islamic extremism. Unfortunately, our resources for cultural diplomacy are at their lowest level in a decade. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will work to reverse this trend and improve and expand public-private partnerships to expand cultural and arts exchanges throughout the world.

Attract Foreign Talent: The flipside to promoting American arts and culture abroad is welcoming members of the foreign arts community to America. Opening America’s doors to students and professional artists provides the kind of two-way cultural understanding that can break down the barriers that feed hatred and fear. As America tightened visa restrictions after 9/11, the world’s most talented students and artists, who used to come here, went elsewhere. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will streamline the visa process to return America to its rightful place as the world’s top destination for artists and art students.

Provide Health Care to Artists: Finding affordable health coverage has often been one of the most vexing obstacles for artists and those in the creative community. Since many artists work independently or have nontraditional employment relationships, employer-based coverage is unavailable and individual policies are financially out of reach. The Obama-Biden plan will provide all Americans with quality, affordable health care. Their plan includes the creation of a new public program that will allow individuals and small businesses to buy affordable health care similar to that available to federal employees. Their plan also creates a National Health Insurance Exchange to reform the private insurance market and allow Americans to enroll in participating private plans, which would have to provide comprehensive benefits, issue every applicant a policy, and charge fair and stable premiums. For those who still cannot afford coverage, the government will provide a subsidy. His health plan will lower costs for the typical American family by up to $2,500 per year.

Ensure Tax Fairness for Artists: Barack Obama supports the Artist-Museum Partnership Act, introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT). The Act amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow artists to deduct the fair market value of their work, rather than just the costs of the materials, when they make charitable contributions.

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McCain and Palin's statement to the Salt Lake Tribune: (See .pdf)

John McCain believes that arts education can play a vital role fostering creativity and expression. He is a strong believer in empowering local school districts to establish priorities based on the needs of local schools and school districts. Schools receiving federal funds for education must be held accountable for providing a quality education in basic subjects critical to ensuring students are prepared to compete and succeed in the global economy. Where these local priorities allow, he believes investing in arts education can play a role in nurturing the creativity of expression so vital to the health of our cultural life and providing a means of creative expression for young people.

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Arts Positions of the 2008 Presidential Candidates

	Sen. Barack Obama Democratic Nominee	Sen. John McCain Republican Nominee
Campaign has met with Americans for the Arts Action Fund to discuss policy issues.	Yes Meeting held 4/1/08	Yes Meeting held 4/1/08
Campaign has published policy proposals on the arts and/or arts education.	Yes Read policy proposal, 2/28/08	No
Candidate has made statement on federal support of the arts.	Yes View Pennsylvania speech, 4/2/08	No
Candidate has made statement on federal support of arts education.	Yes View Texas speech, 2/28/08	Yes Read statement, 10/3/08
National party platform includes statement on the arts and/or arts education.	Yes Read platform (p.49), 8/25/08	No
Candidate has pro-arts Congressional record.	Yes Co-sponsored S. 548, Artist-Museum Partnership Act	No Voted to cut funding or terminate the National Endowment for the Arts (*Roll call votes on 7/12/00, 8/5/99, 9/15/98, 9/18/97, 9/17/97, 7/25/94, 9/15/93, 9/15/93, and 9/14/93)

Past Work: Jimmy Stewart

2008-10-07T19:31:00.008-06:00

Here's a slightly stylized graphite drawing of Jimmy Stewart, who is quite possibly my favorite actor and public figure of all time.

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Graphite on Paper

Arty Music Videos

2008-09-16T13:08:00.006-06:00

One funky, one mellow--like candy for the eyes.

Lykke Li - I'm Good, I'm Gone

Edison Wood - Last Night I Dreamt I Would Last Forever

Past Work: Photo Blends

2008-09-13T16:40:00.012-06:00

In 2003, I did a series of "photo blends" for an acquaintance of mine, by adding her face to images of her choice. Below are the four completed blends. For each, I used Adobe Photoshop Elements to combine webcam photos of her with other photos and paintings.

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Past Work: Mark Wahlberg

2008-09-11T23:30:00.009-06:00

Over the next few weeks, I'll be moving some old pieces of mine to this site as I update my portfolio (with bigger thumbnails and easier navigation). Here's one from 2000, I believe. This was before I'd discovered the magic of charcoal and soft graphite, and you can see that I pushed the 6B pencil so hard it became reflective.

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Graphite on Paper

The Art of Katy Horan:

2008-09-09T22:40:00.004-06:00

I recently came across a piece by Katy Horan via my love for you is a stampede of horses, and was immediately struck by the primitive, whimsical renderings of both spirituality and unity.

From her site:

Katy Horan’s paintings and drawings are meant to be the long lost folk art from an imaginary world. Based on a wide variety of interests and influences, her work tells stories about the characters and communities that populate this world. Originally from Texas, Katy has lived in 5 different cities and isn’t ready to stop moving quite yet. Since receiving her BFA in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2003, she has shown her work in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Louisville. For now, she lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. When not painting pictures of witches and horned ladies, Katy likes to bake pies, watch movies and play the banjo. (for a list of shows and accomplishments, see below)

Here's some of her work, although you should definitely drop by her site to see the rest:

Oh so silly (arts education PSA):

2008-08-27T13:50:00.001-06:00

Recently finished portrait: Monty

2008-08-24T14:13:00.014-06:00

I've had the unique opportunity to watch Monty (a blue merle Australian Shepherd) grow from a tiny pup into a beautiful dog, thanks to Jessica Valenti's weekly "Monday Monty Blogging" posts:

For those who may not know, Jessica is the founder of feministing.com, an online community for feminists and their allies. Each week, from Monday-Sat, the site offers a collection of the latest feminist/activist related news, as well as commentary from the Feministing team and their readers. They also recently launched a new community section that allows feminists around the world to connect with one another, speak out, and get involved. It's extremely informative and one of my daily reads (you should definitely check it out if you haven't already), so I was thrilled to be able to create this portrait for Jessica, particularly since Monty has become a bit of a mascot on Feministing.

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Acrylic on canvas board
6 x 8

You can also see this portrait on feministing.com. Thanks Jessica!

Recently finished portrait: Stella

2008-08-13T14:55:00.019-06:00

This portrait was a special surprise birthday gift. It features a beautiful dog who is apparently so camera shy, the photo I used for reference is the only one they have!

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Colored pencil on bristol board
6.5 x 8.5

I also received this nice feedback:

"I wanted to tell you how happy Tracy was with the Stella drawing. She was confused at first. She opened it and then said "I don't understand. When did you take her for a photo?" She thought I'd taken her to a studio for a formal photograph! When I told her you'd drawn her from the photo on the hill, she was just amazed. It was a great gift!"

Happy Birthday Tracy. : )

Recently finished portrait: Skiddles

2008-08-05T21:26:00.013-06:00

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Acrylic on canvas board
6x8

I began this portrait alongside one of my students, as she worked on her own painting. I typically work in layers, starting with a sketch, then filling in values, clarifying the colors and basic details, and finally fleshing out the nuances. This time (perhaps because I had someone next to me), I was more aware of those initial awkward stages that every piece goes through--rough ideas, muddled colors, and not at all representative of where the artist intends to take it.

I explained to my student what I was doing, and told her how they've discovered similarly awkward layers or abandoned pieces beneath the the finished art of the masters. The next day, I heard the news that an early, unfinished piece had been discovered beneath Van Gogh's Patch of Grass. I always get such a kick out of this kind of thing. I think it's good to remind ourselves that even the masters had their awkward stages and rough ideas to work through.

That said, I want to share this portrait with you in a slightly different way. This time I took pictures at different stages of painting, all the way up to the end--including those early awkward moments.

3D look at Picasso's 'Guernica'

2008-08-03T22:35:00.001-06:00

Student spotlight: Jo Stephens

2008-07-26T20:29:00.006-06:00

Jo has been taking lessons with me since February of this year. She is a joy to work with--extremely passionate about art, naturally talented yet eager to learn, and continuously testing herself with something new. She is equally gifted at creating whimsical collages as she is at rendering her subjects in paint, and her work is always vibrant and fascinating to look at.

I have tremendous respect for both Jo and her work, and am very happy to share a sampling of her recent pieces with you. Also, her website is currently in development, so be sure to check back soon for more news and information.

Recently finished portrait: Weezie the Mini-Pin

2008-07-22T20:42:00.005-06:00

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Acrylic on canvas board
6x8

I've had the pleasure of meeting this little guy in real life, and he is delightful--sweetest face, fur like a seal, and has the hilarious habit of licking toes (I'm hoping it's a sign he likes you). Painting him was fun, and marks the first black animal I've rendered in any portrait. At first I wasn't sure how the highlights would work out, but I think it came together nicely in the end.

Past work: Bean Tiger

2008-07-21T22:30:00.010-06:00

This was a piece I did several years ago. It was completed in one afternoon, sitting at the kitchen table with piles of beans scattered around me. It was a lot of fun to make, although I originally mounted it on cheap cardboard (I hadn't planned on liking it so much!), which led to a lot of warping and cracking. After repeatedly wetting both the cardboard and glue, then gently pressing it flat, I finally got the piece back in shape and ready to be framed. Good thing, too--I really think the framing (kudos to Frameworks in Colorado Springs) enhances the piece, more than a regular frame job could have. (Yes, that is wood--this thing is heavy!)

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Beans, glue and cardboard
17.5 x 23.5

Recently finished portrait: Sara the Golden Lab

2008-07-19T22:20:00.015-06:00

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Acrylic on canvas board
6x8

This piece is for sale at the creative evolutions etsy store, so feel free to stop by if you're interested. I'm psyched to finally give etsy a shot, and will be adding additional work and prints soon!

Greetings from Joe Cocker.

2008-07-11T15:13:00.005-06:00

Little known fact: This is about how I hear all lyrics, all the time. For some reason, my brain doesn't process singing easily--I hear every instrument, every melody, every beat, but the lyrics just blend together and become another wordless sound.

Perhaps my training as a musician has something to do with it...? Or perhaps I'm just weird. ; )

Recently finished portrait: Jackie

2008-07-06T14:32:00.014-06:00

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Graphite on paper
8x10

Blog News: Portrait Commissions

2008-07-01T21:02:00.015-06:00

Just a general announcement to let everyone know I am now accepting requests for commissioned portraits. The process is very straightforward--just send a few photos my way, and receive a personalized painting or drawing in return.

Check out the new mini-site under the "Portraits" tab for more details, and please feel free to drop me an email at contactalexremy@gmail.com if you have any questions. It's been a few years since I last offered commissioned portraits, and I can't tell you how excited I am to be doing them again.

Tea Eggs

2008-06-15T20:01:00.003-06:00

It's been a little while since my last update--I've been busy with lessons and some independent projects, both of which are going well. In the meantime, I couldn't resist trying this recipe when I found it. As described in Chinese Cookery (Rose Cheng and Michele Morris):

"Picturesque street vendors carry large buckets suspended from bamboo poles balanced on their shoulders. These buckets contain Tea Eggs being kept warm until a hungry customer approaches the vendor. Eggs are hard-cooked, left in the shell and soaked in black tea. The shells absorb the color of the tea and when an egg is peeled, it resembles brown marble."

Modified recipe:

Hard boil 2 eggs in roughly 2 quarts of water, for 5-7 minutes. Remove from water. Once cool, gently tap shell on hard surface until covered with fine cracks. Carefully return eggs to water; place 2-4 bags of tea in water (I used Earl Grey since I didn't have any loose black tea on hand. Also, I've since learned the type of tea can change the color, which could be fun to experiment with.). Add one cinnamon stick, one tbsp anise seed, and one tbsp salt. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for one hour. Remove eggs and let cool. Peel while still warm and serve whole.

Recently finished: 'Saturday'

2008-05-10T21:40:00.011-06:00

I was asked to create another cover for the latest sine cera, a local literary magazine. Here's a sneak peek of the front. The background image was used with permission, copyright Ard Hesselink of the Netherlands. You can see his original photo here.

Acrylic on paper + digital collage

And here's the original:

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Acrylic on Paper

Trapped in Elevator for Forty-One Hours

2008-04-30T17:02:00.006-06:00

(Eight McGraw-Hill security guards came and went while he was stranded there; nobody seems to have noticed him on the monitor.)

From The New Yorker article by Nick Paumgarten :

The longest smoke break of Nicholas White’s life began at around eleven o’clock on a Friday night in October, 1999. White, a thirty-four-year-old production manager at Business Week, working late on a special supplement, had just watched the Braves beat the Mets on a television in the office pantry. Now he wanted a cigarette. He told a colleague he’d be right back and, leaving behind his jacket, headed downstairs.

The magazine’s offices were on the forty-third floor of the McGraw-Hill Building, an unadorned tower added to Rockefeller Center in 1972. When White finished his cigarette, he returned to the lobby and, waved along by a janitor buffing the terrazzo floors, got into Car No. 30 and pressed the button marked 43. The car accelerated. It was an express elevator, with no stops below the thirty-ninth floor, and the building was deserted. But after a moment White felt a jolt. The lights went out and immediately flashed on again. And then the elevator stopped.

Continue reading on www.newyorker.com.

Recent Photos: 'Animals at Rest'

2008-04-21T20:36:00.005-06:00

(Canon Powershot A510 + Adobe Photoshop Elements.)

The Photography of Henri Cartier-Bresson

2008-04-15T18:09:00.003-06:00

Elephant Painting

2008-04-03T15:09:00.001-06:00

Recently Finished: Miranda ("I will not be shamed.")

2008-03-24T05:48:00.015-06:00

For the latest jam at The Drawing Board. Sketched and inked by hand, then cleaned up in Elements with my trusty mouse.

Black and white:

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Ink on Paper

Color:

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Ink, Digitally Colored

Recently Finished: Character Test

2008-03-22T02:20:00.007-06:00

Working on some character sketches this weekend. This is a rendering of an early attempt--not quite right, but I'm still pleased with how it turned out. And as always, I'm curious what I'll be able to create once I have access to Photoshop/Illustrator--and maybe a nice little Wacom tablet. This piece was sketched by hand, scanned, then completed in Photoshop Elements.

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Ink, Digital

Reconnected

2008-03-13T14:38:00.004-06:00

Called our internet service provider two weeks ago for help with a connection issue, and wound up with a broken modem. All is well, though--a new one just arrived, so we're back online.

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Papercut and Ink
6"x7"

Hubert de Lartigue: Airbrush Painting

2008-02-27T17:31:00.004-07:00

Here's a fascinating 'tutorial' by artist Hubert de Lartigue. You can see the complete walk through here, and more original work on his site.

Six Word Memoir

2008-02-20T16:56:00.004-07:00

I recently heard this being discussed on Talk of the Nation, and was just tagged to try it myself by janie over at ragamuffins. I normally don't talk about myself on this blog, but this exercise is appealing:

1. Write your own six word memoir
2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like
3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post and to this original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere
4. Tag five more blogs with links
5. And don’t forget to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!

Here's mine:

"Triumphant journey, from chaos to contentment."

How's that grab ya? I feel like it needs to be read by a guy with a booming, gravelly voice who does movie trailer voice-overs for a living. "Coming soon to a theater near you: A triumphant journey, from chaos--" (cue chaos) "...to contentment" (music swells).

I don't read many personal blogs, so I'll have to cut my tags short:

Diewachen
Cynthia

See Saw - Butterfly paint illustrations

2008-02-11T00:48:00.000-07:00

From L Filipe dos Santos:

Recently finished: Paper Snail

2008-02-01T19:14:00.002-07:00

By "recently", I mean a few months ago. There was once a paper log to complete the sculpture, but it has since been lost in a transitory shuffle. Additionally, at the time of creation, the environmental irony of creating a tree and forest-dwelling creature out of paper was not lost on me, or those who saw the finished project. However, it was still fun to make--the snail is small, extremely delicate, and has a hollow shell.

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Paper and Glue

New site: Irish Arts Blog

2008-01-29T15:29:00.000-07:00

I recently learned that Paul O'Mahony of Siopaeile.com has launched a new blog, focused on bringing together Irish artists and their work. Thus far, there are 11 artists in all, and they plan to add additional artists in the coming months. The artists come from all over Ireland and offer a variety of styles and perspectives. From what I've seen thus far, the work is rich in diversity, covering a range of mediums including paint, photography, mosaic, sculpture and crafts.

Here is a selection of the work featured on Irish Arts Blog (click each image to be taken to an entry with information about the artist). This is an exciting addition to the art blogging world, so be sure to stop by their site for more!

Dolphins playing with bubble rings:

2008-01-22T13:57:00.000-07:00

2007 Pulitzer Prize winner Renee C. Byer

2008-01-17T13:41:00.000-07:00

Though not one prone to emotional reactions, I found this slideshow extremely powerful. Be sure to turn on the captions.

A Mother's Journey

Performance Art with Sand

2008-01-10T01:58:00.000-07:00

Book Fore-edge Paintings:

2008-01-04T21:53:00.000-07:00

All images courtesy Martin Frost of foreedgefrost.co.uk:

The Bookologist Examines Fore-Edge Paintings

By Edith Reynolds

About 12 years ago a bookseller advised me to check 19th century books with gilt edges very carefully. He once discovered a treasure sitting on the shelf of a well-established shop. The book itself wasn't very noticeable but when he fanned the pages, the real gem emerged. A fore-edge painting was hidden within.

I've never been so lucky, but that doesn't mean treasures aren't out there waiting for one of our readers to discover. Fore-edge paintings are sometimes called "invisible paintings" because they are done on the very edge of paper when the text block is beveled. Typically the illustration is one of a scene-a castle, a university, a cathedral, etc. When the text block is returned to its natural shape and the edges are gilt, the painting is secreted from sight.

The peak of the fore-edge movement began in the mid-17th century, but I found one source that claims this technique was used as far back as the 10th century. Those early samples began with symbolical designs such as one created by Thomas Berthelet for King Henry VIII. They were predominately done by the British.

The zenith of the art of illustrating landscapes, according to some experts, began with William Edwards of Halifax (1723-1808) and his son James (1756-1816). The earliest works were monochromes, later evolving into a full palette of color. There are some examples of portraits being added to the sides of landscapes, but these are not the norm.

Though the process is one of antiquity, the art has not died out but remains a popular collectible. Early books were usually Bibles, prayer books, the classics, travel books, and poetry, but today, almost any book can contain a fore-edge painting pertaining to the subject matter. Golf books many show a man in knickers sinking a putt; chess books with a chessboard and men, polo books may show a game in progress.

Though these newer examples are works of art in their own right, collectors should not be paying the same price as they would for more vintage examples, according to collector and bookseller Arthur Boutiette of Little Rock, Arkansas.

Arthur currently has about 60 in his collection but has handled at least a thousand in his 30-year career. How a novice can tell whether a fore-edge is older or more recent isn't that hard if you abide by the Boutiette rule: everything is suspect.

He recommends watching for the following:

One: Check to see if the amount of gilt is thick or thin. Thicker gilding was used to cover fore-edge paintings.

Two: Older works will have more vibrant colors because the watercolors used back then were thicker and more opaque. If you see brush strokes and a translucent quality, then it may be a newer application.

Three: If the scene is bordered, if it has a "frame," then it is probably a newer painting.

Four: If the scene is topical, pertains to the subject matter of the book or is an English book depicting quaint scenes of early America, then it is probably not antique.

Five: If the paint bleeds into the page, then it is a more watery paint and therefore newer.

"You have to remember that England wasn't big on depicting America, so if you have an English book about America with a cabin and Davy Crockett rifle leaning against it, it's probably not original." Boutiette adds that scenes of Columbus sailing to the new world were unheard of for the early English printings. "The majority of scenes you'll find on early books are bridges, castles, and churches."

Price ranges depend on the age of the book and illustration. Whether the book is antique or not, a collector of fore-edge works is buying the age of the illustration and should not pay a premium for newer works. $200 to $400 is a fair market value for newer fore-edges, and antique examples can range from $500 to $1100, with the Edwards of Halifax being about the most desirable.

Of course, special fore-edge works can exceed these expectations. There are some paintings added to both sides of the beveled text block and these are referred to as "double fore-edge" paintings. Panoramic views that span all three free sides of the text block were not done in ages past but can be quite striking in a collection.

Special frames that hold the book in a way that displays the illustration are available, but Boutiette advises that these contraptions should only be employed if you want to show the book without having people handling it, since oils from fingers can damage the design.

"If you're having a party, you can put a fore-edge in a press out for display, to show your guests but take it out afterward and let the book rest in its natural position," he advises.

The Art of Isabelle Arsenault:

2007-12-30T01:52:00.000-07:00

Isabelle Arsenault is a Montreal based illustrator who got her start in graphic design. You can see some of her work below, and more on her website.

Ian Mckellan on Extras

2007-12-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

Outtakes:

The Life and Works of Edward Hopper:

2007-12-22T15:59:00.000-07:00

Born in upper Nyack, New York to a prosperous dry-goods merchant, Hopper studied illustration and painting in New York City at the New York Institute of Art and Design. One of his teachers, artist Robert Henri, encouraged his students to use their art to "make a stir in the world". Henri, an influence on Hopper, motivated students to render realistic depictions of urban life. Henri's students, many of whom developed into important artists, became known as the Ashcan School of American art. Hopper studied under Henri for ten years.

Upon completing his formal education, Hopper made four trips to Europe to study the emerging art scene there, but unlike many of his contemporaries who imitated the abstract cubist experiments, the idealism and detail of the realist painters resonated with Hopper. His early projects reflect the realist influence with an emphasis on colour and shape. Eschewing the usual New England subjects of seascapes or boats, Hopper was attracted to Victorian architecture, although it was no longer in fashion. According to Boston Museum of Fine Arts curator Carol Troyen, "He really liked the way these houses with their turrets and towers and porches and mansard roofs and ornament cast wonderful shadows. He always said that his favorite thing was painting sunlight on the side of a house."

While he worked for several years as a commercial artist, Hopper continued painting with moderate success yet not as much as he yearned for. He sold a variety of small prints and watercolors to tourists and minor publication yet received only a casual if warm response from curators and gallery owners.

Continue reading the biography at Wikipedia, or visit the Smithsonian's Edward Hopper Scrapbook.

You can also listen to a podcast discussing the art of Edward Hopper on the Diane Rehm Show. A gallery of images is included so you can follow along with the discussion.

Below is a selection of Hopper's paintings:

This is Charley.

2007-12-19T16:06:00.000-07:00

New T-Shirts For Sale:

2007-12-17T04:14:00.000-07:00

"Not Your Black Sheep"

They're just afraid of what they don't understand.

"Not Your Scapegoat"

Don't let them keep you down.

"Not Your Show Pony"

It's not your job to make them look good.

Be sure to visit the creative evolutions store for other t-shirts--
plus prints, posters, magnets, postcards and more.

Snow Sculptures:

2007-12-14T16:09:00.000-07:00

Caroline Scott and Rookie:

2007-12-10T18:42:00.000-07:00

People who see the Internet clip of Texas-born Carolyn Scott performing a song from "Grease" with her golden retriever Rookie are riveted to the screen. Thousands have sent her e-mails, many saying they cried with joy.

They know they're seeing something special between this woman and this dog as Rookie spins and grins at Scott in the relatively new sport of canine freestyle dance, but they can't quite put their finger on it.

"They look at that capacity for love and they want it," says Rochelle Lesser, a school psychologist who is making a documentary film on Scott and Rookie. "They can't comprehend anything that pure."

Scott, 58, and Rookie, 12, are making their first appearance together in the Northwest this weekend in Woodinville, where they will demonstrate and teach their technical skills for canine freestyle, which uses choreographed musical routines.

But their lessons in life are even more powerful.

Scott was scarred by polio that weakened her right side and damaged her self-confidence. She was shunned from people's houses out of fear when she was 4 years old.

As an adult, she grew too afraid to leave her house without the support of her husband, her high-school sweetheart.

Then she got Rookie, a submissive puppy who was fearful of people and tight places. He collapsed when confronted with anything new.

Their journey is a lesson in reading each other's strengths and the trust that comes from consistent, positive reinforcement.

"Through the process of working on his fears, I started addressing some of mine," said Scott, in a warm and moderated Texas accent by phone from her home in Houston.

Seeing the limits fear placed on Rookie's life allowed Scott to see how she limited her own life.

Today she and Rookie appear all over the country and on television, though Scott still has to talk herself through her nervousness.

She says she owes it all to that "little yellow dog." Though she worries about what will happen when Rookie grows too old to accompany her, she's made successful trips on her own for workshops in Japan and Australia. Norway is next.

"My husband is totally in shock, and so are my kids," Scott said. "I'm getting over the hump."

"You must do what you find hardest to do." — Eleanor Roosevelt

The journey for Scott began in 1950 when she contracted polio at age 4, just two years before the terrible disease reached its peak, afflicting 21,000 people in the U.S.

By the time she was released from a hospital for "crippled children" near Gonzales, Texas, her right leg was an inch and a half smaller than her left and the muscles had atrophied.

She hid her limp, just as President Roosevelt hid his paralysis after contracting the disease in 1921. FDR used arm strength and braces to appear in public as if he were standing.

"Most of us polio survivors did overcompensate," Scott says. "We worked hard and just focused on achieving. I didn't start talking about it until the last few years."

Much of her hard work as a child to rebuild her mobility has come back to haunt her. She wore her leg out, she says. She suffers continued deterioration on her ride side. Her left leg is starting to give from carrying the load.

Scott's first bond outside her family was with a collie. As an adult, she trained dogs for obedience.

But the handler must confine movement in obedience and Scott "wavered in the wind." She was afraid of falling and embarrassing herself. And when she got Rookie, she could see that obedience was too rigid for his fragile nature.

In 1996, when he was 3, she introduced him to the new sport of canine freestyle dance, a natural for him and for her.

They won — or, as she says, "he" won — the first national competition in the off-leash division, a highlight of her life.

"It was a process of discovery," Scott says. "I had no idea how much talent he had. I started watching him closely to see what he enjoyed doing."

She built his confidence by using a "clicker" device that signals to the dog immediately that he's doing the right thing and reward is on its way.

She taught him spins but he added throwing his feet in the air and other moves that give him such verve. Though she's trying to keep her balance, she lets him improvise.

"Then I reward him like crazy. He loves doing it."

Lesser, who's making the documentary, says she also has a fearful dog but she accepts the dog's limitations because she can't or won't put the hours in that Scott did with Rookie.

"Trust, me, when Carolyn had this fearful dog, this was her life; she was devoted to overcoming this," Lesser says. "The amount of hours she put into this would just amaze people. They just see the end product."

As a consequence, there is no other team like them, Lesser believes. No team that moves so much as one.

She's hoping her documentary, "Gotta Dance," will show that connection, raise money for canine oncology and deliver the message that people don't have to stop enjoying life because of difficulties.

"Unfortunately, Carolyn can't be who she is right now without what she went through," Lesser says. "She's just incredible. She has a real presence."

Instead of telling herself she's going to fall down and how frightened she is, Scott restructures her thoughts to tell herself she's going to do a good job. If she falls down, it's OK.

And if she questions herself, she has only to look at Rookie, whose natural personality was hidden under all that fear.

"All of us walk around masquerading ourselves," Scott says. "We don't let ourselves be vulnerable."

Scott taught Rookie that life is a fun game. She gives him random rewards and lets him play with people when they go out.

"Of course, now he thinks that's what they're there for," Scott said. "Both of our personalities have taken a change. He's confident and enjoying life — just like I am." (Via Seattle Times)

The Life and Art of Gustav Klimt:

2007-12-07T01:20:00.000-07:00

Gustav Klimt (July 14, 1862 – February 6, 1918) was an Austrian Symbolist painter and one of the most prominent members of the Vienna Art Nouveau (Vienna Secession) movement. His major works include paintings, murals, sketches and other art objects, many of which are on display in the Vienna Secession gallery. Klimt's primary subject was the female body, and his works are marked by a frank eroticism.

Klimt was born in Baumgarten, near Vienna, Austria, the second of seven children-- three boys and four girls. All three sons displayed artistic talent early on. His father, Ernst Klimt, formerly from Bohemia, was a gold engraver. Ernst married Anna Klimt (née Finster), whose unrealized ambition was to be a musical performer. Klimt lived in poverty for most of his childhood, as work was scarce and the economy difficult for immigrants. (Continue reading on Wiki, or view a timeline of Klimt's life.)

Below is a selection of Klimt's work. Keep in mind that photographs are a poor substitute, as many of his pieces are embedded with gold leaf.

For Sale: Sine Cera Anthology

2007-12-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

I was recently commissioned by the SLCC Community Writing Center (CWC) to create cover art for their latest anthology and ad campaign. The anthology has been published, and these are the final results:

The CWC is the first non-academic writing center in the United States. It is a non-profit organization that offers a variety of free and low-cost programs to the public, including writing groups, writing coaching, and workshops. The Sine Cera anthology is a compilation of writing from a variety of CWC writing groups, and proceeds from sales help support the efforts of the CWC.

You can visit the Community Writing Center website here. The 2007 Sine Cera features the work of twenty-four writers, including non-fiction, creative non-fiction, and fiction. Below is an excerpt from this years anthology:

"Peg, my old terrier, walked stiffly out of the yard to greet me as I approached. I scooped her up in my arms and told her sadly, "She's gone, old girl. Sarah is gone."

Peg let out a "woof" and struggled to get down when she heard Sarah's name. I sat her back down on the sidewalk and watched as she looked for our Sarah. Finally she whined, disappointed, and followed me toward the house. I tiredly opened the door and entered the house to sit in my old recliner. Now I wept; now that no man could see me in my sorrow, the tears came in great racking sobs. Peg whimpered her sympathy as she tried to comfort me. Finally the tears slowed, then stopped.

I remembered how it had been those twenty-some years ago when I held her close and vowed, "Sarah May, I love you so much I'm going to explode."

She hugged hard and whispered, "Me too. Let's go back inside before we get foolish." We had engaged in a little petting and quit after one near mishap. We both vowed to wait for marriage, our marriage, because we wanted things done "just right".

"About now, I'm ready to get foolish as hell," I told her. She laughed and dragged me back inside so we could dance another slow dance together. It was the night of the senior prom and we guys all wore our dress suits and the girls were turned out in their formal best or party dresses. It was a magical night for the both of us--sadly, our last for all too many years."

--Tommy Bird
75 years old, contributor to the Sine Cera Anthology 2007

Purchase your copy of Sine Cera: Two Old Guys From Brooklyn, and lend your support to the Community Writing Center. It's a wonderful organization, and all contributions are extremely appreciated.

Sine Cera 2007
$8.00

Losing our dreams:

2007-11-30T15:07:00.000-07:00

Randall Munroe runs a webcomic and is an occasional philosopher. He writes:

"I'm just this guy, you know? I'm a CNU graduate with a degree in physics. Before starting xkcd, I worked on robots at NASA's Langley Research Center in Virginia. As of June 2007 I live in Massachusetts. In my spare time I climb things, open strange doors, and go to goth clubs dressed as a frat guy so I can stand around and look terribly uncomfortable. At frat parties I do the same thing, but the other way around."

His take on losing our dreams (click to enlarge):

Eight days, come and gone:

2007-11-27T03:07:00.003-07:00

< | >
Ink on Paper

Back from holiday travels! Hope you all had a good one.

Punk paintings for sale:

2007-11-19T00:24:00.005-07:00

Here are two pieces from my latest experimental series ("Splatter Punks"). Both original pieces are for sale. More soon to come-

< | >
Watercolor/Ink
9x12

< | >
Watercolor/Ink
9x12

Sony Stop-Motion Animated Commercial:

2007-11-18T03:39:00.000-07:00

The Making Of:

Finished Product:

Online Artist Resources:

2007-11-15T22:32:00.000-07:00

Amateur Illustrator. "Amateur Illustrator provides a platform for artists and illustrators to showcase their work and receive critique. The forums are the real heart of the community where most of the discussion goes on and the articles section aims to provide useful and informative reading on all things art and illustration."

The Drawing Board. "The Drawing Board is an ever-growing community of artists of different levels of ability from beginners to veterans of many fields including animation, comic books, fine art, film...you name it. The Board has developed into a place where these differently-abled artists can visit and are welcome to post their art with little stress and, perhaps, get some criticism from what is essentially a world-wide talent pool."

Drawn. "Drawn! is a multi-author blog devoted to illustration, art, cartooning and drawing. Its purpose is to inspire creativity by sharing links and resources."

Exchange Art Links. "ExchangeArtsLinks.com is a free place for exchanging links. Do you have a website you'd like to share? We'll be glad to list it for you. Link to your website or portfolio, and allow visitors to learn more about you." Requires reciprocal link.

Illustration Friday. "Illustration Friday is a weekly illustration challenge. A topic is posted every Friday and then participants have all week to come up with their own interpretation. Topics are picked each week from a list of suggestion that have been emailed by participants."

Phirebursh. "What is Phirebrush (pronounced: fire-brush)? Well, we in short, we are an online magazine (art group if you want) that displays user submissions in monthly issues. These submissions showcase visitor submitted artwork, photography, music, desktop wallpapers and writings of various styles. Unlike most art groups and e-zines, we let ANYONE submit, trying to showcase both the famous and beginners, giving everyone a voice and a chance in the spotlight. Along with each issue we release an interview as well. We try to spread the variety around, one month talking to an artist, another month with a photographer or maybe a band, spreading insight into their minds and styles. So, what is Phirebrush? Phirebrush is whatever you make it to be."

Saatchi Gallery. An online gallery that "has always aimed to provide an innovative forum for contemporary art, presenting work by largely unseen young artists or by established international artists whose work has been rarely or never exhibited in the UK. Many artists showing at The Saatchi Gallery are unknown when first exhibited, not only to the general public but also to the commercial art world. Many of these artists are subsequently offered shows by galleries and museums internationally. In this effect, the gallery also operates as a springboard for young artists to launch their careers."

Sclipo. "Sclipo is a social network for sharing knowledge and teaching through video and webcam. At Sclipo, you can upload as many skills-videos (tutorials, how-tos, lectures, etc.) as you want and share them through your own Academy with friends, family and people anywhere. In addition, you can teach personal classes - live! - to people anywhere on the globe via webcam (and make some money)."

Surreal Art Forum. "The Surreal, Fantastic Realism & Visionary Art Forum is a free artists resource for networking, exhibition invites, discussion, feedback, resource sharing, publication opportunities, calls for submissions, statements, competitions, gallery proposals, automatic writing, collaboration and inspiration."

Talent Database. "The Global Talent Database is the world's most comprehensive directory for talent and creativity. Think of it as a global Yellow Pages that allows people from around the world to connect with top talent in all creative fields."

WorldWide Women Artists. "Worldwide Women Artists is an international collective of women artists showing and selling our original art through the worldwide web. As women artists, we give birth to our ideas in a variety of styles and media. We embrace the diversity of each other's work, celebrating the joy of creating our art and sharing it with the world."

Learn how to draw celtic knots:

2007-11-11T15:18:00.000-07:00

From Wikipedia:

"Celtic knots are a variety of (mostly endless) knots and stylized graphical representations of knots used for decoration, adopted by the ancient Celts. Though Celtic knots were being created in Polytheistic Celtic times, these knots are most known for their adaptation for use in the ornamentation of Christian monuments and manuscripts like the 8th century Book of Kells."

Here are some tutorials from various sources:

Felt tip method:
No erasing. Draw solid colored lines, then outline to create the knot.

Double strand method:
Draw lines with staggered gaps, then connect to create the knot.

Dots method:
Use dots and arcs to create a celtic border or column.

Graph method for square knots:
Use graph paper, lines and arcs to create celtic knots.

Graph method for round knots:
Use graph paper, dots and arcs to create celtic knots.

And finally, some reference photos: