Danielle Foushee Art & Design

Speaking to Strangers

2012-02-05T08:21:00.004-07:00

Mojo, my wing-dog

One of my earliest and most significant memories as a child growing up in the American Southeast is of my dad, teaching me the social norms of interacting with strangers we met in daily life.

My dad was usually a quiet, laid-back guy, but on this subject there was no compromise.

The proper way to handle any chance meeting is to:

look everyone in the eye, and
speak up with a warm and friendly greeting.

There were no exceptions to this rule, and I was sternly reminded of them anytime we were about to enter a new situation where we would be met with strangers.

I took this lesson for granted most of my life, until my family and I relocated to Seattle, Washington, hub of the Pacific Northwest.

The cultural differences are stark.

Seattle is plagued by a notorious phenomenon known widely as the “Seattle Freeze.” Many recent transplants to the region perceive an ice-cold reception by long-time residents, and complain of difficulty making meaningful social connections in their new community.

This regional trait is perhaps a product of a city whose primary commodities involve technical geekdom populated by creative introverts (Google, Adobe, Amazon, and Microsoft have outposts in the area), or the cultural norms of historical immigrants (the city has strong roots in the reserved and stoic Scandinavian and Asian cultures).

The reserved nature of my new neighbors initially struck me as rude, and I struggled to make sense of it, especially with my roots in Southern hospitality.

I love to go for walks with my trusty canine sidekicks Mojo and Kala, and I was surprised to find that most people I pass on the street either actively look away as I approach, or—to the extreme—actually cross to the other side of the road to avoid any interaction at all!

This gave me an idea!

It occurred to me that maybe my neighbors crave the same connection that I do, but nobody knows how to break the ice. I want to bring a little of my warm & friendly Southern hospitality to Seattle, hopefully crack this “Seattle Freeze,” and maybe create a little sense of connectivity and community in the process.

I am embarking on a new artistic project called Speaking to Strangers in which I will document through photos many of the friendly interactions I have with my Seattle neighbors.

With Mojo and Kala as my wing-dogs, I will create a collection of portraits through a sustained effort to engage with folks we meet on our near-daily walks through the city. I hope this project will bring positive energy and joy to those we meet and also help to develop a natural sense of community and shared experience among my neighbors.

My Paintings at Home in Los Angeles

2012-02-02T12:52:00.001-07:00

Late last year I was commissioned by Umesh Vaghjiani, uber-talented interior designer and owner of Inbox Designs in Los Angeles, to create two new paintings for his client's new bedroom. I was honored to produce the two works you see pictured above the bed in this photo.

I think the room is gorgeous!

It is so gratifying to know that my work is bringing joy to the homeowner each time he enters the sanctuary of his new bedroom.

Thank you, Umesh, for giving me the opportunity to collaborate with you on this project. It was such a pleasure to create these pieces for you and your client!

See the paintings up close here.

I Dreamt of Things: The Oracle

2012-01-30T14:14:00.003-07:00

I dreamt I went to see The Oracle. I stood in her kitchen waiting for her sage advice. When she turned to speak to me, her hair stood on end, her fangs came out, and she snarled and growled at me.

Handmade Typography Underway

2012-01-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

I’m working on a new poster for FIDM's summer scholarship promotion. I’m already excited about the direction it’s going! I’m planning to focus on ideas of authenticity/artificiality, natural/unnatural, handmade/digital.

This is a hint, more to come in a few weeks... I have lots of handwork to do in the meantime!

Logotype Concepts for FIDM

2012-01-16T11:34:00.000-07:00

I’m working on a new logotype for a program offered by FIDM to help it’s faculty keep their skills up to date. These are three options I’ve come up with so far.

I like this purple one the best so far. I can see ways that it can be expanded into a whole system of logotypes for various sub-programs within the FIDM brand.

Peacefulness: My 2011 Sankalpa

2011-12-30T15:14:00.005-07:00

Ice Lake in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado is

my peaceful place. It is where I go in my mind

whenever I want to feel comfy and free!

01/20/12: An updated version of this article is published for the yoga/spirit/health community at ElephantJournal.com.

Each year, I choose an intention (sankalpa) to focus on. It’s like a new year’s resolution, except there are no specific goals—only an idea or thought that I bring into awareness for the year. I spend the year studying my intention to see how it affects my life and attempt to cultivate more of it. (You can see my past blog entries about sankalpa here.)

2011 was my seventh year doing a sankalpa practice, and this year I focused on peacefulness. There has been a lot of change and upheaval in my life this year, so focusing on peacefulness has been a challenging but worthwhile endeavor.

For some reason my exploration of peacefulness in 2011 brought up a lot of issues about another quality: passion. American culture tells us to “live your passion” and “follow your passion” to find fulfillment and happiness in this life. But after much reflection, I think passion is too strong a word; it doesn’t seem to be a truly positive quality to embrace, especially as an entire culture.

Passion implies a loss of control, a kind of tunnel vision where all the factors of a situation may not be considered. It connotes greed, irrational behavior, and unconcern for consequences of one’s actions—perhaps it’s where the phrase “crime of passion” originated. After considering the prism of passion from many different angles, I realized that at least for me, passion and peace are mutually exclusive.

Now, that doesn’t mean there aren’t things that I don’t care about deeply — family, friends, healthy lifestyles, social justice, creativity, community, yoga, learning, and teaching, the environment, etc.

But passion cannot exist where peacefulness lives.

Passion says that where we are now isn’t good enough or right enough, and we have to keep searching outside ourselves to find self-worth and fulfillment. Passion looks too much into the past and future to the detriment of awareness of the present moment, where true living takes place.

As my sankalpa for 2011 winds down, I have decided to stop living with passion as a value. I would rather have peacefulness in my life than passion. I realized this when I began to describe to a friend how I knew that Matt was “the one”. I told her that unlike other boyfriends, I never felt that crazy teenager feeling of being out of control in my infatuation. When I was/am with Matt, I feel peaceful. I feel a sense of being “home”. I like this feeling of belonging and acceptance. So, choosing Matt was the first of many choices that have prioritized peace over passion over the past 9 years. I will continue to choose peace, because that is where happiness and fulfillment truly reside.

New Small Works

2011-12-18T17:35:00.000-07:00

Untitled Diptych. 18 x 8 inches. Ink and pastel on paper. 2011.

I just finished pulling together about 50 new small works for a small solo show that’s coming up at Grand Junction City Hall in Colorado. I’ll be posting many of them in the days to come... Here are the first two!

Untitled Quad. 16.5 x 16.5 inches. Ink on paper. 2011.

I’ve been in an introspective mood over the last several months, so it seems fitting that my work has shifted back to the smaller format. Most of them are even smaller than this, some even as small as 4 x 4 inches.

Stay tuned for more to come!

My First Commissioned Work

2011-11-18T19:19:00.001-07:00

In the spring, I hosted a booth at the Beverly Hills Affaire in the Garden Art Fair. It was one of my favorite art fairs to date. While there, I met an interior designer and his client who were looking for something special. They loved the spontaneity and whimsey in my work, and they were impressed by the conceptual framework of yoga philosophy that drives much of my creative process.

They commissioned me to create these two new pieces for a new bedroom design. They’ll hang as a pair over a king size bed as a headboard. They are being framed now, and I can't wait to see them in place at their new home! After they’re installed and I get some photos, I'll be sure to share them with you.

I Dreamt of Things... A Covered Wagon

2011-11-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

I dreamt that Matt and I took two horses and a covered wagon on a joyride through the city streets.

Nine Years Ago Today

2011-11-11T16:01:00.008-07:00

Photo from the Angeles National Forest Lookout Association

Nine years ago today was my first hike with Matt: 12 miles round trip from Shortcut Saddle to Vetter Mountain Lookout in the Angeles National Forest. The lookout burned down in the Station Fire of 2009, but Matt and I are still going strong—I love that guy!! You can donate to help rebuild the Vetter Mountain Lookout here.

Therapeutic Yoga for Seniors at Duke Integrative Medicine

2011-11-08T15:50:00.001-07:00

I spent last week at a yoga teacher training in Therapeutic Yoga for Seniors, taught by Carol Krucoff and Kimberly Carson. The workshop was held at Duke Integrative Medicine in Durham, North Carolina. Since most of my extended family lives in North Carolina, I got to visit with some of them, too. I was especially happy to see my sister, my two grandmothers, and one of my best friends from college, Danielle Anthony (also an amazingly talented portrait photographer!).

It had been three years since my last trip to North Carolina, and I had forgotten how beautiful the state is; the fall color was spectacular! During the workshop at Duke I stayed in a hotel that was 1.5 miles from the classroom, so I enjoyed walking back and forth as the sun rose and set each day.

Learning a gentle supine twist with very little load on the spine for students with osteoporosis.

The workshop was intense (as you would expect anything at Duke to be!). Preeminent doctors, physical therapists, and scholars came to speak to us about the processes and diseases of aging, as well as how to adapt movement programs for people with limitations. We heard lectures on exercise for seniors, heart disease, pulmonary disease, dementia, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, pain management, and palliative care. One of my favorite parts of the course was observing the seniors' yoga classes for cardiac rehab and pulmonary disease. We also got to see a panel of cardiac rehab patients describing their experiences from the circumstances of their trauma all the way through their rehab and recovery. Their stories were heart-wrenching and totally inspiring!

Practice teaching Warrior I for seniors.

Throughout the week the class participants worked together to address the issues that our seniors—and ourselves—face as we get older. We broke traditional yoga postures down into component parts and focused on adapting them for our special populations. A lot of the work we did validated everything I learned in my apprenticeship in 2007 with Jasmine Lieb in Los Angeles. In addition to that, my new understanding of the physiology of aging opened my heart and gave me confidence to teach seniors yoga safely and appropriately.

Now all I have to do is find opportunities here in Seattle to help improve the quality of our seniors’ lives through yoga... I can’t wait!

Inspiration in Barcelona, Spain

2011-09-28T16:44:00.016-06:00

Museu Nacional D'Art de Catalunya

There was a plethora of things to get inspired by in Barcelona, and one of my favorite places was the Museu Nacional D'Art de Catalunya. The museum houses an extensive collection of Catalan art from throughout history. Below you’ll see some of my favorite artworks from their current exhibitions.

View of the Barcelona from the steps of Museu Nacional D'Art de Catalunya

Painting on the interior dome of the museum

I’ve always had a special affinity for Byzantine paintings. I love the use of gold leaf and dimensional texture in the halos. This is a detail of the Virgin Mary.

Ballerina, Pao Gargallo

Untitled mural by Xavier Nogues

I laughed out loud when I saw this painting: two bandits and a ginormous glass of red wine. I wonder what mischief they are planning!

A beautiful eclectic cabinet, Josep M Jujol

Chandelier, Josep Puig I Cadafalch

Salvador, Unknown Artist

Yellow Aster Butte Trail to Gold Run Pass near the Canadian Border

2011-09-06T16:08:00.002-06:00

Mt Larrabee (right), American Border Peak (middle),

and Canadian Border Peak (back)

Matt and I spent this Labor Day hiking up the Yellow Aster Butte Trail in the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest, near the Canadian border.

View from the top of Gold Run Pass

The hike is short, but steep: about 3.8 miles round trip and 1800' elevation gain. It was a good workout, and once we popped out of the trees the views were spectacular.

Douglas’ Spiraea

Wildflower season is late this year due to an unusually cool spring.

Lupine

I was playing with my camera on the “super vivid” setting, just to see what would happen. It really brings out the color, but I think I also lost some depth and midtones.

Looking back at Mt. Baker from the Yellow Aster Butte Trail.

Mt. Baker is still completely covered in snow, in September! There is still so much snow there, Matt’s co-worker went skiing last weekend.

Colville National Forest: Northeast Washington Weekend

2011-08-09T10:05:00.000-06:00

After living in Washington only a few weeks, we’re starting to get our bearings. We spent the weekend in the extreme northeast corner of the state, exploring a small stretch of the Pacific Northwest Trail called the Kettle Crest in the Colville National Forest.

The forest in eastern Washington is, at first glance, very different from the forests closer to the coast, where there is more rain. The Colville National Forest is dryer, less dense (although still dense by my own standards!), and more like what we're used to (California/Colorado mountains).

Kala always enjoys romping around on the trails—I think she must hike 30% farther than we do, since she runs back and forth and back and forth, the whole time!

Mojo likes to hike too, but I think he likes resting in his bed on the picnic table after a long day even more... what a little angel!

Exploring the North Cascades

2011-07-11T10:53:00.000-06:00

Ross Lake, N. Cascades National Park

Matt and I just moved to Seattle, Washington for his exciting new job as the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail Coordinator at the US Forest Service. We were excited to get out on our first trip to explore the area. Matt took these beautiful landscape shots... Check out more of his photography here and here.

Canyon Creek

Coming from Colorado where the mountains are upwards of 13- or 14,000 feet, it seems odd to be in the midst of the Cascades where elevations are often lower than 8,000 feet. But, don’t let the lower elevations fool you, these are some steep, rocky mountains!

There are waterfalls and wildflowers everywhere! Check out some of my favorite wildflowers from our earlier adventures here. We also saw tons of roses and wild strawberries growing along the trails.

Tiger Lily

I think this might be a penstemon,but I don’t know what kind.

Flowers in Snowmass, Colorado

2011-07-04T11:20:00.003-06:00

I spent last week making art at Anderson Ranch Art Center in Snowmass, Colorado. Late June is the perfect time to spend some time high up in the Rocky Mountains. The weather is spectacular and the flowers are unbeatable.

These poppies were planted near the spot I chose for my daily meditations. Their scarlet color caught my eye every time I walked by . . . breathtaking!

I saw numerous varieties of Columbines, like this peachy-yellow one above, and this rich violet one below.

This is the traditional Colorado Columbine, the state flower. These flowers are so delicate and short-lived. They are truly a testament to the beauty and fragility of life!

And finally, I had never seen lupine in this shade of pink before. I have typically seen the silver, purple, and yellow ones in the wild. I’m amazed by the color variants found within one species.

Next week, we’ll begin exploring all new flora and fauna in our new home-state of Washington, see you then!

Anderson Ranch + Critique Workshop / Part 5

2011-07-01T15:04:00.001-06:00

My final presentation at Anderson Ranch this week was really minimal and simplified. I narrowed down my concept so that the work would be more specific, yet also more open-ended.

I wrote up a mission statement to describe what I wanted my work this week to be about. It all boils down to this:

My work is about the material body plus the mental/emotional space that partners with physical embodied experience. It has a voice that is powerful but not aggressive.

I had worked all week trying to do too much within each individual piece I was making (especially the Stuffed Blue Heart). I wanted to strip away any extraneous visual information and leave only the essence of the physical/emotional experience in the heart center.

Each piece spills out from the wall at about chest-height, and is about 6x6 inches square.

I have about 1,000 ideas on ways to expand and build on this concept. I never thought about doing sculpture before now, and suddenly it’s all I can think about!

I hope I will be able to attend many more Critique Workshops at Anderson Ranch in the future. This was an amazing experience that has changed my work forever.

Anderson Ranch + Critique Workshop / Part 4

2011-06-30T21:07:00.004-06:00

Ribcage Study

Finally, I figured out what I wanted to convey with my work this week at Anderson Ranch. But I still felt I needed to look at some other avenues for expressing it. I thought I wanted my work to be very open-ended and abstract, but I wanted to be certain. So I did these more representational drawings of the heart and ribcage, since the chest area became the primary area of the body to which I wanted to relate.

Heart Study

I like these drawings, especially combined with the ink washes, but the mood/tone I am going for right now is much more subtle. I think I should stick with abstraction for the final crit on tomorrow.

Anderson Ranch + Critique Workshop / Part 3

2011-06-30T18:41:00.001-06:00

Stuffed Blue Heart (detail)

Ink and twine on paper mounted on board

In process

I had been working on this piece for several days, trying to combine the ink work with the twine work. I worked out a lot of issues in this one, and I am able to really begin to focus on the issues that really matter to me: making art that is about a/the material body and the mental/emotional space that partners with physical embodied experience.

Stuffed Blue Heart (detail)

Ink and twine on paper mounted on board

In process

I began to add more and more design elements to this piece, which I think looks good, but was actually taking away from the simplicity of what I’m trying to convey. I love decoration (see my graphic design work), so it has been hard to let go of wanting to decorate everything with color and little graphic elements.

Stuffed Blue Heart (detail)

Ink and twine + gouache on paper mounted on board

In process

Gary Simmons, workshop leader, suggested that I was using the painting surface as a crutch, because it’s something I’m comfortable with. Perhaps that’s true. He asked me if I really should be doing sculpture at this point, to which I responded ‘probably, yes, but that makes me uncomfortable.’ . . . So, here I go, abandoning the painting surface and moving my work directly onto the wall (look for that work tomorrow, it’s not finished yet!).

Stuffed Blue Heart

Ink and twine on paper mounted on board

In process

When this piece is finished, knotted twine will billow and spill out from all the holes in the center of the painting, creating a three-dimensional effect. You can see that the piece is really about the action in the center, and I need to get rid of the background completely.

Anderson Ranch + Critique Workshop / Part 2

2011-06-29T23:27:00.004-06:00

Holes and Protrusions

Studies for twine

This week at Anderson Ranch, I’ve been working back and forth between using my inks and working with twine. You can see yesterday’s ink work here.

This series of studies is looking at ways to utilize the membrane of the paintings’ surfaces as something that can be penetrated in different ways with the twine (plus perhaps other materials).

Holes and Protrusions

Studies for twine

Tomorrow I’ll show you how the two (ink & twine) are starting to combine in new ways for me. The jury is still out on whether my experiments are going to be a success.

Anderson Ranch + Critique Workshop / Part 1

2011-06-28T16:34:00.002-06:00

Self-portrait on a blank sheet of paper

Digital photograph

This week I’m at Anderson Ranch Art Center in Snowmass, Colorado taking the Contemporary Studio Critique workshop with Gary Simmons. It has been interesting so far: Monday was spent going through a preliminary overview and general critique of the ten students’ work up to the present moment. Today, we’ve been working on our own and have had individual discussions with Gary.

Self-portrait on a painted sheet of paper

Digital photograph

I usually work on several different artworks at once, and it’s no different at Anderson Ranch this week! I have 6 pieces going already, and it’s only the second day of the workshop, and that’s not including the process photos above and the video you’ll see below.

The painting with quivering aspen leaves

Digital video

I’m always interested in conveying some sense of spiritual energy in my art, whatever the media. Today was the first time I took my inks outside to work (I didn’t want to smoke everyone out of the studio with my rubbing alcohol), and now I wonder why I never did it before! I set up shop on a wooden balcony that sits on the edge of a rushing creek. The first thing I noticed were the shadows cast by the aspen leaves overhead, and how they moved over my empty sheet of paper. Then, again, as I worked on my painting, the little quivering shadows surely must’ve influenced my composition. I decided to shoot a quick video of the shadows dancing on top of the painting.

I’ll show you some of the other stuff I’m working on tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Colorado Love

2011-06-26T21:41:00.001-06:00

Colorado makes
me feel

grounded.

The earth

up
reaches
to meet me.

Design In Progress: FIDM View Book

2011-06-20T19:42:00.003-06:00

I’ve been working on a new college view book for the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. It’s about 64 pages, and will include lots of information for students on life at FIDM. These are two of the cover concepts I’ve been working on. The text is being tweaked now, so the interior pages are still in progress. I think this view book will be a nice snapshot of what it’s like to be a student on campus. When we finish this one, we’ll start working on the second view book in the series, which will focus on the exciting careers of FIDM graduates.

See more of my design work for FIDM here.

New Designs: Ute Learning Garden

2011-06-16T12:50:00.000-06:00

Several months ago, I finished working on a project to create seven interpretive signs for the new Ute Learning Garden at the Mesa County Fairgrounds in western Colorado. I worked with the Bureau of Land Management, the US Forest Service, and Colorado State University Extension to complete the project.

I really enjoyed working on this project, and learned a lot about how Native Americans lived on the land before they were pushed out by white settlers.

My only regret is that I didn’t have a voice in creating the posts that the signs were eventually mounted on. I probably would’ve chosen something a little more substantial weight-wise and painted them darker colors that aren’t as distracting. But overall, I think the signs themselves look great! I’m looking forward to the completion of the garden. Hopefully then they will invite me to help them unify everything graphically throughout the entire exhibit.

I’d love to have more opportunities in the future to work with educators to create interpretive displays for the public.

My Work at Gregory Way Gallery

2011-06-09T17:37:00.001-06:00

Musical Series: Orange Triptych

Available in the window at

Gregory Way Gallery

245 S. Beverly Drive

Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Last month I hosted a booth at the Beverly Hills Art Festival. I met the director of the Gregory Way Gallery there, and we’ve been corresponding about getting more of my work there on display! These are the pieces I’ll be shipping next week:

Karma #04

48x36 inches. Acrylic & ink on board.

Tangential Thinking #04

24x36 inches. Ink on paper on board.

Tangential Thinking #02

24x36 inches. Ink & gouache on paper on board.

Tangential Thinking #05

24x36 inches. Ink & gouache on paper on board.

Sold! In Downtown Denver

2011-05-31T14:45:00.000-06:00

Jewels of the Mind (05)
Ink and gouache on paper on board.
24x24 inches. 2010.

I sold these pieces (plus some others) at the Downtown Denver Arts Festival this past weekend. I also made some contacts for possible future opportunities!

Moments of Clarity (04)
Ink on paper.
13x10 inches. 2010.

Karma (02)

Ink and gouache on paper.
13x10 inches. 2010.

Maneki Neko in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles

2011-05-24T07:48:00.001-06:00

When I was in Los Angeles last week, my friend Kim and I took a stroll around Little Tokyo. I saw this Maneki Neko in the window of a shop, and fell in love with it. Maneki Neko is a “beckoning cat” which is known as a welcoming cat, and is also thought to attract luck and fortune. I think I may get one for my next art show, and see if my sales improve! I want one that’s about 6 inches tall.

Sold! In Beverly Hills

2011-05-22T21:43:00.000-06:00

YoYoYoYo. (Detail) Twine on paper. 20x26 inches. 2010.

I’ve just started a whole new series of these white on white beauties! Hopefully I can show you more of them soon. This first one was really popular at the Beverly Hills Art Show this weekend.

Astronomical 02. Ink and twine on paper. 10x13 inches. 2010.

Intertwining Strands of Something (06).

Ink and gouache on paper. 6x19 inches. 2010.

My Beginning Drawing Students Rocked This Semester!

2011-05-15T20:05:00.000-06:00

Brandon Smith

Jessica Weidner

Anthony Via

Dylan Svaldi

Doug Martin

Oops, I can't remember who did this awesome gesture drawing!

Be an Organ Donor: Ella Watson

2011-05-13T12:15:00.001-06:00

Get Well Soon (detail)

I found out this morning that my friend’s father is having a liver transplant today. I feel such gratitude and hope everything goes well for him. Being an organ donor is probably the most selfless gift you could offer to a family in need. My own dad died while waiting for a life-saving liver to come his way, which sadly, it never did.

Self-portrait in Bile and Beets

When another artist friend, Katie Shaw, heard about this, she introduced me to one of her former art students from Virginia Commonwealth University—Ella Watson. Ella had been liver transplant recipient herself, and documented her experiences through her artwork (shown in this post).

My First Drawing on IV Morphine (Mummy would be so proud)

Karma 04 / Samskara

2011-04-27T12:27:00.000-06:00

Karma 04

Ink and acrylic on panel. 36x48 inches. 2010

This is the fourth piece in my Karma Series (they seem to be getting bigger each time I do a new one!). Check out the first three here and here.

The relationship between karma and samskara has been front and center in my life over the past month or so. Big changes are underway (more info coming soon!), and I think it’s really important that I stay aware of possible samskaras (automatic responses) that can take over in stressful situations. Hopefully I’ll be able to use some of what I’ve learned through the painting process and meditating on these ideas to achieve positive results.

North Carolina Museum of Art: Art of the Auction 2011

2011-04-25T13:17:00.000-06:00

Tangential Thinking (03)

The North Carolina Museum of Art just posted online all the available works in their upcoming Art of the Auction event that will benefit the North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation. I’m honored that one of my paintings was chosen for inclusion in the auction.

The work will be on display at the museum from May 6–20, and the live auction will be held on May 21.

Go check it out!

Spring Weekend in Southern Utah

2011-04-18T14:28:00.001-06:00

Matt and I spent the weekend poking around one of our favorite springtime stomping grounds—Southeast Utah. Matt took this photo of the Colorado River near Lake Powell, with the Henry Mountains in the background. Check out more of his beautiful landscape photographs here.

This was the view of the full moon from our campsite in Lower Johns Canyon, on the edge of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Lots of amazing Native American rock art was there to be admired.

I think Kokopelli might be one of the figures featured on this rock (above, center). Kokopelli is a fertility god, according to the Hopi tribe. He’s also considered to be a trickster and represents the spirit of music. He is usually pictured playing a flute.

Mojo and Kala had a blast exploring the canyon. This was Kala’s first camping trip, and I think it agreed with her! I wish I’d gotten more photos of her romping around in the creek. She loved splashing around and sprinting through the water pools even as Mojo was quite content to watch from the sidelines.

North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation: Art of the Auction 2011

2011-04-07T06:34:00.000-06:00

Tangential Thinking (03), 2010

Ink and gouache on paper on panel

A few weeks ago, I submitted some of my work to be considered for the North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation’s inaugural Art of the Auction event. I just found out that my painting, Tangential Thinking (03), was chosen by the jury for inclusion in the auction!

There’s a special sentimental feeling I have about this opportunity, because I spent a lot of time at the North Carolina Museum of Art as a young art lover. As a design student at NC State University I would often go to the museum, choose a painting, and just sit in the gallery staring at it until I felt I understood something about it’s essence... And now one of my own pieces is going to be a part of the life of the institution. Perhaps, if I’m fortunate, one of my works will someday make it into the museum’s permanent collection.

My piece will be on view at the Auction Preview on May 6 and remain on display for two weeks leading up to the Art of the Auction event on May 21 at 7pm.

Cindy Sherman: Favorite Famous Artists / Part 8

2011-04-06T16:11:00.002-06:00

I mentioned in some of my earlier “Favorite Famous Artists” posts about Barbara Kruger and Georgia O'Keefe that I've always loved Feminist art. I especially like art that is somehow creepy or disturbing in some way (see my post on Francis Bacon). As a young artist, I loved when women artists were in your face. I wanted to be in your face, too!

Even though I’m not usually inspired by photography, there is something about Cindy Sherman’s work that grabs me, on a visceral level (which is exactly where I like it!). Her photographs are painterly, imaginative, and abstract, even though the images are (sort-of) representational. The colors and lighting are so vivid, so saturated, so dramatic. As a viewer, I really get a sense of emotion, something sinister under the surface, something surreal and dreamlike.

Maybe activist art about Feminist issues has fallen somewhat out of fashion since the 1980s, but I think it’s as relevant now as much as ever... especially with many of the services that benefit women (and children) who live in poverty on the government’s budget chopping block. Cindy Sherman’s work isn’t directly about these issues, but I think her female caricatures are so powerful and disturbing precisely because they reflect something truthful about the way women are (de)valued in our culture.

Downtown L.A. Fashion District Mannequins

2011-04-02T17:11:00.000-06:00

On Friday morning I went down to the Fashion District in Downtown Los Angeles to get some visual stimulation, and to see what’s new at Michael Levine’s fabric store. Whenever I’m in L.A., I like to see what’s new.

These two displays of head-wear were right next to each other on the street. I like the juxtaposition of the rainbow-colored wigs next to the rainbow umbrella (top). And there was just something funny (and a little creepy) about all those stuffed animal hats, especially on the head with drawn-on eyes (bottom).

I bought two small blue feather boas for $2.50 each. I have an idea I want to try with one of my paintings. If it works out, you’ll probably see it in a future blog post.

Grand Junction Free Press: My Art Featured Today!

2011-04-01T09:42:00.001-06:00

My artwork and trip to The Artist Project New York were featured in today’s Grand Junction Free Press!

Western Colorado Center for the Arts Curator (and my friend) Camille Silverman said about my work, “You can feel her restraint and her letting go of control within the body of work. That’s interesting; it adds this tension and release that makes her work alive.”

This summer, I’ll be teaching a workshop at the Art Center based on processes for conceptualizing and creating abstract art. It is already open for registration and space is limited. Find out more here.

New York to Colorado: Road Trip Detour(s)

2011-03-29T09:42:00.001-06:00

A covered bridge in Greenup, Illinois

After my art show in New York City, Matt and I decided to take the scenic route back home to Colorado. The first couple days were dreary and rainy, so we waited to take our detours until the weather was more pleasant.

We found an old road in Illinois called the Old National Road (US Hwy 40). It was America’s first transcontinental highway, before the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System was implemented. It once ran all the way from Atlantic City to San Francisco.

Gateway Arch at dusk in St. Louis, Missouri

As we traveled, Matt and I listened to the audio book of On The Road by Jack Kerouac. He mentions many of the places we passed through on our journey cross-country. I suspect the characters spent a lot of time hitchhiking along the Old National Road. Of course, now I'm obsessed with this book. I don’t know how I never read it before. Apparently, they’re making a movie to be released sometime soon.

A silver lining somewhere in central Kansas

Kansas is comprised of flat, rolling plains. Many of the small towns we passed through seemed to be half-deserted, their better days behind them. Mojo wore himself out barking at cows as we passed by. At dusk, our spirits were lifted by this beautiful glowing cloud with a silver lining.

Mojo, exhausted after confronting all those cows

I Dreamt of Things: Sand Storm

2011-03-25T21:58:00.007-06:00

I dreamt of an immense windstorm. Dust blew all around, darkening the sky as far as the eye could see. Sand dunes buried all the local homes. No one seemed to notice. Everyone went about their business as usual.

The Artist Project New York: My Experience

2011-03-21T19:48:00.012-06:00

Unpacking and hanging the paintings.

Matt and I arrived at Pier 92 in New York City to set up my booth for The Artist Project New York after a 3-day drive cross-country from Colorado.

Here I am, sitting in my booth.

Overall, I think the quality of the work on display was very good, and professional (Check out The Artist Project New York Facebook page for images). I met tons of people, got lots of great feedback, shared my info with some interior designers, and met several gallery owners who were interested in displaying my work. Most importantly, I was able to develop the narratives that best describe my work to everyday art lovers.

I met people who were genuinely moved by my paintings. Two separate women had such strong experiences, they were nearly brought to tears! These are truly the moments that artists (at least myself) hope to achieve through their work — the transcendental communication, the electric connection, with the heart of another human being.

This is the other side of the booth.

If I go again next year, I think I'll fork over the extra money for more lights. The only downside of this show is that the booth fee is so expensive, and then you have to pay extra for every little thing (lights $90/ea, the table was over $100, the chair over $50, internet access, and electricity are all extra — and they’re only rentals... highway robbery!), on top of travel expenses. Luckily, we were able to stay with Matt’s family, and my mom gave us a gazillion Marriott points we used to stay in Manhattan for a couple nights during the show.

I will also bring an iPod player to have music in my booth. It was so quiet on the pier, except for the rattle and hum of the industrial air conditioner. I think some music will add a bit of excitement and energy to the air! Research shows that people are more likely to linger longer and spend more money when there’s well-considered music playing in the background.

Come See Me at Artist Project NY in March!

2011-03-10T08:53:00.002-07:00

I will be in New York City for The Artist Project New York from March 17-20. Click the logo above to get your complimentary tickets to come out and see me and my work in person!

Check me out at Booth #130.

In association with the Architectural Digest Home Show:

The Artist Project New York
March 17-20, 2011
PIER 92 • 55TH ST AT WEST SIDE HIGHWAY.
NEW YORK CITY

Chitta Vritti 02 & 03

2011-03-06T10:10:00.001-07:00

Chitta Vritti 02: Night Fire

Mixed media on panel

24x48 inches. 2011

Here are a couple new works in my Chitta Vritti series. See the first one here.

Chitta Vritti 03: You Like Mustard

Mixed media on panel

24x24 inches. 2011

Patanjali, sage and writer of the bedrock text on yoga practice—The Yoga Sutras, begins his famous work with the statement “Yogas citta vrtti nirodaha”. In English, this phrase roughly translates to: “Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.” This new series of paintings seeks to juxtapose the chitta vritti (mental chatter) against its opposite (mental stillness).

Richard Serra: Favorite Famous Artists / Part 7

2011-03-02T21:57:00.004-07:00

My first job as a graphic designer out of Cranbrook was working at The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. As soon as I arrived , I was asked to design the invitation to Richard Serra’s retrospective. I’ve read stories about Mr. Serra’s temper and passion, but he was nothing but welcoming and friendly to me when I showed him the comps of the invitation. I was in awe.

I got to walk around behind the scenes as his work was being installed at MOCA at the Geffen Contemporary. If I remember correctly, they had to cut a giant hole in the side of the building in order to get the work inside.

It’s hard to talk about Richard Serra’s sculptures, because they’re better experienced first-hand. I wonder if he has ever been influenced by the slot canyons of Utah’s red rock canyon country. His leaning and twisting surfaces of steel rusting away, remind me of the red iron-stained walls of the natural rock canyons out West.

The San Rafael Reef, Utah

Little Wild Horse Canyon

My Work Chosen for “Process of Peace” Exhibit

2011-02-19T19:41:00.000-07:00

Jewels of the Mind (01)

Ink on paper mounted on board

24x24 inches. 2010

These two pieces were chosen by curator Sarah McCann for her Process of Peace exhibition at the Towson Arts Collective in Towson, Maryland (just outside Baltimore).

The exhibition will be on view from March 4 – May 20 at the Towson Arts Collective. Since I won’t be able to attend the exhibition in person, if you get a chance to see it please let me know how it looks!

Intertwining Strands of Something ... (06)

Ink and gouache on paper mounted on board
Triptych, 6x19 inches. 2011

Click on the image above to see it larger.

I Dreamt of Things: Dinner in the Sky

2011-02-15T09:33:00.002-07:00

I dreamt that Matt and I were having dinner high up in the sky atop a small round pedestal.

Jewels of the Mind (continued)

2011-02-11T12:04:00.000-07:00

Jewels of the Mind (06)

Ink on paper mounted on board

24x24 inches. 2011

Check out additional works in this series here and here.

Negative Space Drawing

2011-02-10T20:22:00.001-07:00

This week my drawing students were focusing on drawing negative spaces surrounding various objects. One student (Doug) got inspired to not only literally draw the negative spaces around the stools, but also to play with the 2-dimensional positive and negative spaces on his paper.

We discussed the idea of “gestalt” in design/drawing when he presented these drawings. I love the way these leave as much out of the drawing as possible, while still expressing the essence of the objects. With a minimal amount of visual information, the viewer is still easily able to discern the subject of the drawings.

Afternoon Storm / A New Triptych

2011-02-04T06:55:00.001-07:00

Afternoon Storm

Ink on paper on board

19x6 inches, 2011

Francis Bacon: Favorite Famous Artists / Part 6

2011-02-03T06:01:00.015-07:00

Study after Velazquez’s Portrait of Pop Innocent X

This was the first piece I ever saw by Francis Bacon. I was a typical angry teenager, and this painting expressed everything I felt inside. The religious connotations added that extra punch that brought everything home for me, as I was beginning to question the belief systems I had grown up with.

In a previous post, I mentioned my attraction to the juxtaposition of Francis Bacon’s work against that of Piet Mondrian’s [early work]. Both incorporated religious iconography and themes, but the effect on the viewer couldn’t be more different (contemplative/peaceful vs. violent/aggressive). I created a diptych at the School of the Arts that mimicked and highlighted the contradictions present in the two artists’ work. (If I can find those two old paintings, I’ll try to post images of them.)

I can’t find the title for this one.

I’ve always been interested in the relationships between the physical and energetic bodies (see my yoga practice here), so Bacon's deformed, bulbous forms fascinate me. His interpretation of the body was so twisted, so painful — It seemed like I could really feel, inside my own body and beyond the literal image on the canvas, what was being depicted from an emotional and spiritual point of view. I think the placement of the body in the center of a red, round, unfurnished room adds to the visceral, biological quality of the piece.

Portrait of Lucian Freud by Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon was close friends with another well-known artist, Lucian Freud, and the two bounced ideas off one another and collaborated for decades. Eventually, they began to create portraits of each other.

Bacon said of his portraits, “I would wish my portraits to be of the people, not like them. Not having a look of the sitter, being them. I didn't want to get just a likeness like a mimic, but to portray them, like an actor. As far as I am concerned the paint is the person. I want it to work for me just as flesh does.”

Portrait of Francis Bacon by Lucian Freud

Unconditional (01)

2011-01-31T06:00:00.009-07:00

Unconditional (01)

Mixed media on board

36x24 inches, 2010

My “Unconditional” series introduces more direct symbolic imagery into my work. The symbol of a cross is woven with kitchen twine over an abstract “heart center” in the painting. There is something unsettling about the way in which the twine embraces the heart and, at the same time, binds it.

Formation of Mental Objects (02)

2011-01-26T08:51:00.002-07:00

Tangential Thinking (03)

Ink and gouache on paper.

24x36 inches. 2010.

See more from this series here.

Jacquelyn Gleisner / Painter

2011-01-24T13:50:00.000-07:00

CSH No. 9

2009, 16x12 inches

Mixed media on panel

I came across Jacquelyn Gleisner’s work today after reading an article she wrote for the Art21 blog. Ms. Gleisner received her MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art (also my alma mater) in 2010.

Pink and Purple Interior

2009, 24x36 inches

Oil on canvas

I enjoy the use of color and decorative elements in her works, but I have to admit... I like what she says about her creative process even better.

She starts her article on Art21 with a quote by David Hockney that I also find poignant in my own life/work as an artist: “We live in an age where the artist is forgotten. He is a researcher. I see myself that way.” [emphasis mine]

She says, “I believe that as artists, our hunger for the acquisition of knowledge must be unequivocally matched by our desire to create. Making art that is singular in its focus simply fails to communicate to a broad audience.”

Well said!

I am continually struggling with how to create artwork that is viscerally appealing—with a wider audience in mind—while also bringing in those elements of discomfort and conflict that provide a larger sense of purpose, meaning, thoughtfulness, and passion.

Formation of Mental Objects (01)

2011-01-21T00:02:00.005-07:00

Tangential Thinking (01)

Ink and gouache on paper.

36x24 inches. 2010.

The word “thought” is simply defined as the “formation of mental objects.” I like the efficiency of this definition, as it reminds me of the “chitta vritti” I’ve been working with in some of my other paintings. I see each of these little ink bursts as discreet objects—perhaps an abstract representation of those mental objects (thoughts) that ceaselessly bounce around in our heads.

Alex Couwenberg & Wabi Sabi

2011-01-19T13:23:00.005-07:00

I recently came across these abstract paintings by Alex Couwenberg. His work is heavily influenced by his Dutch-Indonesian heritage. He grew up in California, and you can see the obvious Californian character of his paintings.

These paintings remind me of the work of Rex Ray, another contemporary California artist whose work I admire. I love the graphic qualities of these works, as well as the slightly sickly color palettes. I'm reminded of 1950s surface patterns, maybe textiles, wallpaper, or linoleum.

There’s an appealing tension in these paintings—maybe something uncontrolled, something undesired being swept under the rug. It’s a kind of forced order that seems a bit out of order (if you know what I mean).

His newer works are becoming more and more mechanical, more precise—they look almost computer generated. I would like to see them in person sometime... When I look closely, I think I see textures on the surface of the paintings that don’t come across well in the photos. I hope so, because I really like the idea of the artist attempting to control something that is inherently uncontrollable. Personally, I like to see evidence of the artist’s hand in his/her work... there’s just something more authentic, perhaps closer to the spirit (at least for me) when a work of art is flawed in some way.

I think my desire to see evidence of the artist’s process is residue from my experiences working digitally for so long as a professional graphic designer. In my best (favorite) graphic design work, I try to incorporate evidence of physical processes, through hand-painted textures, scanning in objects/textiles, or simply by designing elements to be purposefully slightly off-kilter.

I’m newly intrigued by the Japanese concept of “wabi-sabi.” According to Richard Powell in his book Wabi Sabi Simple: “[Wabi-sabi] nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect.” I think I will be studying this idea more in-depth very soon. According to my limited research so far, it appears that this concept is mirrored in Native American and ancient Indian cultures as well. Stay tuned—I think I’ll be returning to this line of thought in future posts.

Chitta Vritti 01

2011-01-13T10:59:00.005-07:00

Chitta Vritti (01)

Ink, pastel, acrylic, and twine

on paper mounted on board.

36x36 inches. 2010.

Sold! / Mesa County Libraries

2011-01-11T10:07:00.004-07:00

Ribcage

Ink on paper. 20x26 inches. 2010.

This piece was just purchased by Colorado’s Mesa County Libraries for their permanent collection! It will be on view at the Fruita Branch. Please join me at the new Fruita Library Open House on February 2, 2011.

Piet Mondrian: Favorite Famous Artists / Part 5

2011-01-10T15:22:00.005-07:00

As a visual art student in high school at University of North Carolina School of the Arts, I became infatuated with the work of Piet Mondrian. I liked his earlier, more ambiguous paintings better than his later, purely geometric works.

There was a spiritual warmth to the earlier works that seemed to be missing in the later ones. I think it had to do with the color palettes as well as the imperfection of the geometry he was creating at the time.

I remember seeing these and trying to mimic them in my own work. I remember doing a project at The School of the Arts — a diptych — where I juxtaposed the influences of Piet Mondrian and Francis Bacon (Check back for Part 6 in my “Favorite Famous Artists” series). The two artists’ work couldn’t be more different.

I do still like the geometric, primary works too, though. I guess they just seem a little cold compared side-by-side to the other ones. One thing that redeems some of this later work for me is that although it attempts to be so perfect, the hand is still very apparent. I like this one: it’s a little bit dirty. I’m not sure why that pleases me so!

Snowy Southern Utah from the Sky

2011-01-06T16:06:00.004-07:00

I was working in Los Angeles this week, and was lucky enough to have a window seat and beautiful weather for the flight back to Colorado today. I think you can make out the San Juan Mountains way off in the distance.

Notice the narrow fins protruding up from the desert floor on the left... And the formations on the right look like someone just came along with a razor blade and sliced into the earth in a cross-hatching pattern.

I’m always surprised to see Lake Powell from the air. Strange gnarly shapes are created when the water fills big canyons. It looks so much different from the air than it does on the ground.

The snow on the Utah landscape really accentuates the geologic forms in the earth. Amazing!

Click on the photos to see them larger...

Under Water / Jewels of the Mind

2011-01-05T11:46:00.001-07:00

Jewels of the Mind (04) Under Water

Ink on paper mounted on board
24x32 inches. 2010

Jewels of the Mind

2010-12-30T18:11:00.003-07:00

Jewels of the Mind (01)

Ink on paper mounted on board

24x24 inches. 2010

“Jewels of the Mind,” in this series, refers to the various thoughts and actions that inspire us daily. Each little explosion has a precious, jewel-like quality, glowing on the surface of the painting.

Jewels of the Mind (05)

Ink and gouache on paper mounted on board

24x24 inches. 2010

Karma 03

2010-12-20T18:55:00.004-07:00

Karma 03

Ink and gouache on paper. 26x20 inches. 2010.

This is the third piece in my Karma (Meditations on Samskara) series. Check out the first two here.

Drawing / Conclusions

2010-12-16T19:06:00.004-07:00

Student: Jordan Nicholson

Perhaps a self-portrait of sorts, a geometric head filled with nostalgic memories of home. I love the detail and contrast, but would like the background to be more complete.

Today was the last day of drawing class for the semester. These are a few of the best final drawings that were presented. The assignment was initiated before Thanksgiving. In honor of the holiday, I asked students to take photographs, while they were at home with their families (or where ever they went), that illustrated their ideas of “gratitude.”

Student: Melissa Vargas

Appreciation of natural landscapes in her home state of Colorado and her Native American heritage. I want to see more contrast, as this drawing feels a little flat at the moment. More detail in the foreground would help bring the ruins forward three-dimensionally.

From their photo collection, the students were asked to create an entirely new image to convey their personal concept of “gratitude” and to feature the technical skills they practiced over the semester. There were many interpretations of gratitude amongst the class, but most of them focused on ideas of “home” and “family.”

Student: Brenden Nelson

Acknowledging the emptiness of material consumer goods, and the importance of human connection. I would like to see more people together (perhaps a family or group of friends) on the right to contrast against the “lonely” figure with the packages.

The class was as much a learning experience for me as I’m sure it was for the students. Teaching freshmen is a whole different ballgame than teaching the upper division students that I’ve gotten used to over the years. I didn’t anticipate the magnitude of the transition students would be making from high school to college. Many of the students struggled with discipline (attendance and self-motivation). Others really focused and took their work to the next level.

Student: Sarah Heaps

Grateful for the relationship shared by her parents and their contribution to cultivating a positive atmosphere for their family. I would like to see more natural shading in the hands to make them appear more voluminous.

I definitely have some ideas for how to revise the course next semester. I hope to find ways to help students improve their time-management skills and maintain a disciplined work ethic during their first experiences away from home and on their own.

Moments of Clarity / New Collages

2010-12-14T08:42:00.003-07:00

Moments of Clarity 04 / Landscape 01 (under water)

10x13 inches. Ink on paper, collage. 2010.

Sometimes after a sustained wave of productivity, I like to look around the studio to see what kinds of scraps are lying around. These two small collages are the result of recombining some of them into new compositions.

Moments of Clarity 05 / Landscape 02 (growth spurt)

10x13 inches. Mixed media on paper. 2010.

See some earlier works in this series here and here.

Intertwining Strands of Something . . . / No.2

2010-12-11T08:33:00.002-07:00

Intertwining Strands of Something ... (2a). 6x6 inches. 2010

This is the second piece in a new series I’ve been working on (see the first one here)... As I’ve said before, I’m really interested in the spiritual inner-workings of our minds. Perhaps a reflection of the (im)balance of the intuitive brain and the analytical brain, my work tends to swing back and forth on the continuum between uncontrolled (chance-based) application of pigment and very precise layering of graphic elements.

Sometimes the two begin to overlap, as in this series...

Intertwining Strands of Something ... (2b). 6x6 inches. 2010

According to Yoga philosophy, there are thousands of nadis, or energy channels, that govern the subtle body. Of these, the Ida, Pingala, and Shushumna are the three most influential. The intuitive/right brain and parasympathetic nervous system are governed by Ida. The analytic/left brain and sympathetic nervous system are governed by Pingala. When these two channels of energy become balanced, then Shushumna begins to take over, offering a more direct energetic path to clarity and enlightenment.

Intertwining Strands of Something ... (2c). 6x6 inches. 2010

Below is the entire triptych as one piece:

Intertwining Strands of Something ... (02/Triptych).
6x18 inches. 2010

Click on this image to see the whole triptych up close.

Georgia O’Keefe: Favorite Famous Artists / Part 4

2010-12-03T14:27:00.001-07:00

I’ve loved the work of Georgia O’Keefe for so long, I don’t even remember now how I first discovered her. I had posters of her flower paintings on my bedroom wall when I was in high school. Back then, I think I was mostly drawn to the formal qualities of the colors and organic forms... I don’t think I really understood the broader implications of her work.

Poppies

Later, I came to love the flowers’ visceral suggestion of human (particularly female) flesh. I’ve always been fascinated by aggressive art by strong women—never wanting to be a “wilting flower” myself.

Ram’s Head

After she made a name for herself as an artist in New York City, O’Keefe moved to New Mexico where her work shifted to new subjects. Now that I’ve been living in the American West for a while myself, I’ve come to understand O’Keefe’s desert and skull paintings more clearly. I think one of the toughest challenges is to fully convey the beauty, spirituality, vastness, and harshness of western American desert landscapes.

Gerald’s Tree

Her skull and desert images share the aggressive qualities of the flower paintings, but there's something more contemplative about them, too... It is easy to infer that with age and wisdom, O’Keefe was forced to confront the idea of death and individual insignificance head-on, acknowledging the power of mother nature and her lack of sentimentality. Living in the New Mexico landscape probably heightened her awareness of these things.

O’Keefe’s painting of the dead desert juniper (above) reminds me of an idea I’ve been contemplating for some time now:

Skeleton Study #2 (Danielle Foushée)

Xerox transfer, ink, and gouache on paper.

10x13 inches. 2010.

I’ve been photographing numerous juniper skeletons in the Colorado and Utah deserts, knowing that there is something profound about them (yet, I can’t quite put my finger on it). The negative spaces left by the branches are so graphic and majestic, a relic of a life lived in the harshest of environments. I want to find a way to visually celebrate that sense of life and death and passing time in my own works of art.

Happy Hand-Drawn Meditations

2010-11-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

When I have a few minutes here or there, I like to doodle in my sketchbook with some tracing paper. Some of the doodles turn into nice little drawings that make me happy!

These patterns were drawn in layers and then reconstructed in Photoshop, allowing me to adjust and recombine colors on a whim...

My friend Tony Toven at Clear Image Printing Company in Los Angeles generously printed my handmade patterns onto blank note cards. I packaged them up into sets so I can give them away to clients and friends.

I find that drawing these patterns is meditative and soothing, giving my brain something repetitive to focus on (like a visual mantra). It helps clear my mind and make room for (hopefully) new creative revelations!

Taking it Too Far

2010-11-24T09:18:00.001-07:00

Untitled (Dead Painting)

When I’m working on a new idea, I tend to push things too far. This painting is an example of that. About halfway through creating this piece, I took a photo of it (what you see here). Then I kept painting on top of it, and eventually I killed it. Now it is in the “dud” pile in the corner of my studio... I should have stopped while I was ahead!

Alternative Materials for Creating Self Portraits

2010-11-23T16:30:00.004-07:00

Zack

I wanted to take the pressure off my drawing students before the Thanksgiving holiday. I asked them to bring in a variety of alternative materials with which they could create mixed-media self portraits. They brought tape, fabric, cotton balls, string, popcorn, sunflower seeds, aluminum foil, peanut butter, and so much more.

Sylvia

The students piled all their materials in the middle of the room. It was a free-for-all as they vied for materials they wanted for their collages. I told them the self portraits could be as abstract as they wanted—they didn’t need to be a realistic representation of their faces... I’m much more interested in the inventive use of the available materials. I hope they enjoyed this opportunity to just play, without worrying about making things look “perfect.”

I was so inspired by the materials everyone brought in that I decided to make my own self portrait (above). My favorite part is the spaghetti hair and the knot for the nose. It turned out a little bit scary, but I had fun letting go for a day!

The Art of the Still Life

2010-11-21T08:32:00.004-07:00

In-class drawing by Brenden Nelson

My drawing students have been focusing on still life drawing for the past couple weeks. We have spent quite a bit of time talking about symbolism, narrative, and meaning that is wrapped up in the selection and placement of objects.

Paul Cezanne’s Still Life with Skull

I showed them examples of still life art (both painting and sculpture) that gave me pause, then asked them to find their own examples to analyze. I never really appreciated still life art until I began to research it for this class/assignment. I felt that the work was usually a bit static... But when I looked closer I was able to see beauty in the layers of meaning, the open-ended storytelling, and the moral themes that are often conveyed.

Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef, Christine Wertheim & Margaret Wertheim

Intertwining Strands of Something . . . / No. 1

2010-11-13T07:51:00.005-07:00

Intertwining Strands of Something ... (1a). 6x6 inches. 2010

I’ve been working on a new series of paintings using these intertwining pearl-like strands that weave and curl around each other over an atmospheric background. I think there’s a meditative quality about them, something peaceful, contemplative.

Intertwining Strands of Something ... (1b). 6x6 inches. 2010

My yoga practice is often a strong inspiration for my artwork, even though the specific connection isn’t always planned out ahead of time. Yoga allows its practitioners to connect with and gain knowledge about the innermost (and interconnected) workings of their minds and bodies.

“The central doctrine of Yoga philosophy is that nothing exists beyond the mind and its consciousness, which is the only ultimate reality. The objective of this philosophy is to uproot misconceptions about the existence of external `realities` from the minds of men. It believes that it is possible to reach this stage of self realization through regular practice of certain yogic meditative processes that bring a complete withdrawal or detachment from all false sources of knowledge and inculcates an inner sense of balanced calm and tranquility.” —Life Positive magazine

Intertwining Strands of Something ... (1c). 6x6 inches. 2010

These three little paintings work as individual pieces, but they seem to embody a little more meaning when seen as a triptych. The intertwining strands connect when the pieces are placed side by side, perhaps implying an abstract narrative of a moving spirit transported through time.

Intertwining Strands of Something ... (01/Triptych).
6x18 inches. 2010

Click on this image to see the whole triptych up close.

More images in this series to come...

Deborah Jane Batt’s Abstract Communities

2010-11-08T17:42:00.004-07:00

I just came across these paintings by Deborah Jane Batt today. I love the colors and compositions. They connote the idea of aerial landscapes (which I’ve mentioned before here, here, and here). I’m drawn to the graphic quality of maps and aerial photographs, and these paintings add another layer of whimsy and color to the subject.

Ms. Batt says of her work: “Although my paintings have become increasingly non-objective over the years, all my work still originates from the idea of community, the towns we build, and the way we shape and destroy the rural landscape.”

I love that the shapes in these paintings are slightly off, imperfect rectangles. In my own work I struggle with never being able to achieve the level of precision that I want. But when I see how beautiful flaws can be (in art and in life), I’m reminded that it is in those moments of imperfection that we find the humanity in our work.

I wonder if the quiet beauty of the rural landscapes Ms. Batt depicts is too harmonious to clearly convey the destruction she points out in her statement—or maybe I have latched too tightly onto this conflict. I do love to see strong contrast within works of art. These contradictions are what makes some artists’ work so memorable, and I know from experience that it’s not an easy balance to achieve.

Fresh Out of the Studio: Meditations on Samskara

2010-11-04T20:26:00.003-06:00

Samskara (study 01). 13x10 inches. 2010.

Lately I’ve been exploring the idea of chance encounters and controlled responses... I’m fascinated by the way in which the human condition (both on the macro level of a larger culture and at the micro level of the individual) is basically characterized by habitual responses to various unpredictable situations. We tend to live in a state of inertia until some cathartic event causes us to change our path, usually for only a short time. At some point when we’re not paying attention, we tend to revert to our old way of doing things.

According to yogic philosophy, this repetitious cycle of behaviors (called samskara) is caused by the karma we’ve created for ourselves. We must necessarily continue in this Groundhog Day scenario until we finally learn the lessons that bring about lasting positive change.

Samskara (study 02). 13x10 inches. 2010.

These new paintings are my first attempt to convey the process of releasing karma — not from a judgmental point of view — but more from an observational standpoint. Perhaps it is an illustration of the constant trial and error we all experience through the waves of life and the occasional breakthrough to something more free, more creative, and more aware.

These paintings are the small sketches (the ones that fit on my scanner)... I have some bigger ones in process that I’ll post eventually... when I finally get my stuff over to the photographer. (He gives me a discount when I have a bigger batch of stuff to shoot, so I need to keep making more stuff!)

More Student Drawings

2010-11-03T15:16:00.000-06:00

I think perhaps the only way to improve your drawing skills is to keep practicing, so that’s what my beginning drawing class does (in one way or another) each week — exploring various techniques and adjusting in areas of weakness after a critique.

One week the students practiced drawing each others’ hands in different positions. Another week the students practiced figurative gesture drawings as an initial sketch (see their first attempts at gesture drawing here). Then they came back in on top of these quick gesture drawings to add shading and detail.

I’m still dumbfounded at how quickly the students’ work has changed and improved over the course of the semester. Many of these students had never taken a drawing class (or any kind of art class) before now.

I’m scheduled to teach drawing again next semester, and I already have a number of ideas on how to improve the sequencing and hierarchy of the assignments. I appreciate having the opportunity to teach the same class over several semesters because then I have a chance to incorporate the things I’ve learned through each unique experience with students.

Josef Albers: Favorite Famous Artists / Part 3

2010-11-02T11:49:00.001-06:00

Homage to the Square

I was first introduced to artist Josef Albers as a design student studying color theory. His book Interaction of Color influenced the way I’ve understood color ever since. A couple of quotes from the book’s introduction seem particularly poignant, at least for my own art-making practice. The quotes reproduced below use the same line breaks found in the book.

Homage to the Square

“In visual perception a color is almost never seen as it really is

—as it physically is.

This fact makes color the most relative medium in art.”

This image from Interaction of Color illustrates the illusions that occur when the same color is placed on different backgrounds.

Albers also says:

“First, it should be learned that one and the same color evokes

innumerable readings.

Instead of mechanically applying or merely implying laws and rules

of color harmony, distinct color effects are produced

—through recognition of the interaction of color—

by making, for instance,

2 very different colors look alike, or nearly alike.”

Native American Ruins in Road Canyon on Cedar Mesa, Utah

2010-10-30T22:17:00.000-06:00

The Citadel is out this finger in Road Cyn

Matt and I spent another weekend exploring Cedar Mesa before winter sets in. We spent the night on the rim of Road Canyon, and then hiked out to The Citadel under a royal blue sky and perfect temps. The Citadel is perfectly situated at the end of this skinny ridge in a defensive position. Residents could see 360° from their location, and would have known if any visitors were approaching.

The Citadel, exterior view

According to scholars Jonathan Till and Winston Hurst, the Anasazi (ancestral Pueblo) lived in the canyons around Cedar Mesa in southeast Utah for over 2,000 years. They finally left for good around 1200 A.D. Today, visitors can still find cliff dwellings, artifacts, rock drawings, and granaries left by the people of the past. We left everything exactly as we found it (and kept our dog away from the ruins) to protect these amazing resources for future visitors.

The Citadel, interior view

(I didn’t go inside, just stuck my arm inside the door with my camera.)

Mojo taking a drink from a slick rock puddle.

Students Draw “Art on the Corner”

2010-10-25T12:47:00.002-06:00

Recently, I was invited to join the Downtown Grand Junction Art on the Corner Committee. Art on the Corner is a local public art program that supports the work of sculptors with exhibits along Main Street and at other public landmarks (like the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens). As a committee member, I will be helping to develop and promote public art exhibits and cultural events in the city.

After being asked to be on the committee, my first thought was to introduce my beginning drawing class to the Art on the Corner program. I asked the students to visit downtown Grand Junction and practice their skills by drawing the sculptures on display. Here are a few examples of the their work... Not bad, if I do say so myself!

Colorful Installations by Megan Geckler

2010-10-24T08:03:00.000-06:00

Spread the ashes of the colors, Wexner Center for the Arts, 2010

I came across Megan Geckler’s work the other day on Facebook (we must have mutual friends)... and was stunned by its simplicity and graphic beauty.

Spread the ashes of the colors, Wexner Center for the Arts, 2010

She creates site-specific installations using translucent surveyor’s tape in various colors. The repetition of linear form within room(s) creates smaller spaces of many shapes within larger architectural spaces. The translucency of the tape and the empty spaces between strands of the tape control our ability to see from one space into the next — sometimes spaces are more open, other times they're more closed off. I love this play between openness and secrecy, and the super-saturated color is both enticing and sickening (like eating too much candy).

Spread the ashes of the colors, Wexner Center for the Arts, 2010

Her work is on view now through February 2011 at Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio. She also has a piece on display at the Pasadena Museum of California Art through October 31, 2010. I wish I could be there to see these pieces in person!

New Work: Little Ink Paintings

2010-10-17T22:07:00.000-06:00

Untitled. 6x4 inches. Ink on paper. 2010.

I’ve been sketching with some new inks that arrived this week. Check out these quick little paintings. I’ve got some bigger paintings in progress so check back often to see my newest work.

Untitled. 6x4 inches. Ink on paper. 2010.

Alphabet Design (In Progress)

2010-10-13T16:24:00.007-06:00

Alphabet (unfinished)

Last year I designed a custom logotype for FIDM’s acronym (see below) on a poster project. Now, I’m about to start a new FIDM college viewbook design. So, I’ve been thinking about using the forms I created last year as a starting point for a whole new display typeface that I can use throughout the new student viewbook.

Last summer’s FIDM Poster

This alphabet is still in progress, but I think you can get a sense of where I’m going with it. One of the perameters I set for myself is that this typeface will be a monoline, which presents some special challenges in the design. I’m trying to come up with solutions for the quirky counter spaces and bowls in the “e” and “s”. I’m not too excited about raising the x-height, and the only other option I can see offhand is to decrease the weight overall.

lower-case word test

And then I suppose eventually there should be numerals and punctuation. Check back soon to see how it turns out...

Watching Paint Dry

2010-10-09T20:14:00.001-06:00

Wet Ink (detail)

I’ve been working on a new painting today... I love the the process of this technique (although it is a test in patience!). Watching the ink dry is actually an amazing metamorphosis. Someday I would like to videotape the process, and play it back in ultra slow motion HD (a la Bill Viola). When I apply the ink, the colors bleed into each other. It shifts and moves as it dries over time.

This piece took about an hour to dry completely... Both images are details from the same painting. The first photo was taken when the ink was initially applied, the second was taken about 40 minutes later.

Dry Ink (detail)

By the time the ink dries, it looks totally different than when I first applied it. I can’t precisely control the way the colors combine. I can influence how the ink runs across the page, but the end product is largely determined by chance. I have a few additional layers to add to this piece before it’s finished. Stay tuned...!

Cy Twombly: Favorite Famous Artists / Part 2

2010-10-06T12:32:00.000-06:00

Untitled VII from Bacchus Series

I found out about Cy Twombly when I was a high school student at University of North Carolina School of the Arts. My drawing teacher, Clyde Fowler, liked Abstract Expressionism as a way to teach us about a variety of mark-making techniques.

Lepanto

It was Cy Twombly’s work that first showed me that drawing and painting doesn’t always have to be a perfect, representational rendering of a person or object. Drawing could be abstract, emotional, and alive!

Wilder Show of Love

And, of course, as an artist and graphic designer, I’ve always been fascinated by the use of language (or hints at language and writing) in visual creative expression. I have never understood those people who argue that fine art (painting, sculpture, etc.) shouldn’t need words. . . I don’t think they are always necessary, but sometimes a few choice words can push a piece quite to the edge of meaning, other times can make a work more concise and pointed (see my post on Barbara Kruger).

Untitled

Autumn in the San Juan Mountains

2010-10-03T21:59:00.002-06:00

West Fork, Delores River, San Juan National Forest
Photo by Matt McGrath

Matt and I decided to make one last trip to the San Juan Mountains south of Telluride, Colorado before the cold weather sets in for winter. We had a great weekend camping camping and hiking in the San Juan National Forest.

Colorado Hwy 145 from the Calico National Recreation Trail

On Saturday, we day-hiked Priest Gulch cutoff of the Calico National Recreation Trail. The weather was perfect, and we were lucky enough to catch the tail end of the fall color. After the hike, we drove along the West Fork of the Delores River towards Dunton, Colorado.

Aspen Trees Changing Color on the Road to Dunton, Colorado
Photo by Matt McGrath

On Sunday, we hiked up to Lake Hope in the Uncompahgre National Forest. The views of Trout Lake from above were incredible.

The View Down-valley to Trout Lake from the Lake Hope Trail.

View from the Lake Hope Trail.

Student Drawings Improving!

2010-09-30T18:21:00.002-06:00

On the first day of my beginning drawing class this semester, I asked the students to draw portraits of each other. I thought it would be useful to give them a sense of their progress over time. It is currently week six of the semester, and their ability to see their subjects has drastically improved. I’m surprised to see so much growth in such a short amount of time!

The drawings on the left are the ones they did on the first day of class. The drawings on the right were done today by the same student, six weeks later (click on the images to see them larger) ... Amazing!

This is the reason I love teaching, right here in these drawings! I can’t wait to see what they’re doing in another six weeks!

New Paintings: Musical Series

2010-09-28T12:36:00.000-06:00

Your Lucky Day

26x20 inches. Mixed media on paper. 2010.

Here are two new paintings I’ve finished recently. They have a real musical feel to them, I think. More to come in this series, as soon as I have time to sit down and focus. . . Enjoy!

Your Lucky Day (detail)

Staccato

20x26 inches. Mixed media on paper. 2010.

Barbara Kruger: Favorite Famous Artists / Part 1

2010-09-24T13:39:00.003-06:00

Over the past few days a bunch of my college design buddies and I have been sharing our lists of famous artists who have been most influential to us. I love this little game, because it has reminds me of what got me excited about art and design in the first place. I decided to turn it into a new blog series to share the who and why of my favorite famous artists with you. I hope you find their work as inspiring as I do!

I first learned of Barbara Kruger in high school. I think her use of aggressive language and typography juxtaposed against images from the media really connected with that teen angst I was experiencing at the time. I wished I could be as succinct and sharp with my feelings as she is. Her work expresses that tension between wanting power and not having any that I felt so strongly back then.

Even though Barbara Kruger is a fine artist, I was intrigued by her unconventional use of the written word in her work. Her work definitely inspired me toward the study of graphic design when I went to college at NC State’s College of Design.

I met Barbara Kruger when I worked as a designer at MOCA in Los Angeles. I created the press kit for her exhibition at the Geffen Contemporary. I remember feeling so awestruck to have her sitting next to me at my computer as I worked on it.

Spirit and/or Science: Artist Lissa Rankin

2010-09-16T16:51:00.001-06:00

Seeing is Believing

Artist and medical doctor Lissa Rankin creates these beautiful encaustic and mixed media paintings. Her writings detail her personal struggle between the spiritual nature of art-making and the pragmatism of medical practice. In the end, she chose to give up medicine to make and teach art.

A Place Apart

While, on their own, I find these paintings perfectly stunning in their quiet beauty, I must admit I’m disappointed that Dr. Rankin was unable to find harmony between these two aspects of her life. I’ve experienced the cold, impersonal medical system. I think people with her passion and sensitivity could offer a bit of spirit, warmth, and heart to the medical field. It would make such a difference in so many people’s lives.

What Are You Going to Get?

On the other hand, these paintings offer a sense of peace and serenity that probably doesn't go hand-in-hand with practicing medicine... so I can see the conflict Dr. Rankin must have experienced while trying to be an artist and a doctor at the same time. Perhaps I am a bit too idealistic in hoping that someone could negotiate both of those extremes. I’m not sure I could do it either!

Sold! in Breckenridge

2010-09-07T16:50:00.006-06:00

Yellow Sky

Mixed media on hardboard. 36x24 inches. 2008.

Matt and I spent the weekend at an art festival in Breckenridge, Colorado. It was a great experience — meeting other artists/craftspeople and talking to art lovers. My art was very different from anything else I saw there, and I received a lot of compliments on my work.

Gardening at Night

Mixed media on paper. 13x10 inches. 2010.

I didn’t know what to expect since this was my first art festival, so I tried not to have any preconceived notions about how things would play out. Mostly, I just wanted to cover the costs of the space rental and travel expenses.

You Knew She Was Out There

Mixed media on paper. 13x10 inches. 2010.

I sold several of my smallest pieces throughout the event, but didn’t make any big sales until the very end. One of my fellow artists told me this happens a lot. I guess people want to review all their options and think things through before making their last-minute decisions. As I was beginning to close up shop at the end, a woman came to my shop and bought four of my pieces for her new house. While I was wrapping her pieces, another lady came back to buy one of the pieces I had just sold. I gave her my card and told her that I would love to make a similar piece just for her. I hope to hear from her soon!

Sprouts

Mixed media on paper. 13x10 inches. 2010.

Gesture Drawing

2010-09-02T15:33:00.003-06:00

Mojo, the studio dog.

One thing I’ve learned over my years teaching college design and art classes: you have to be flexible and adaptable, especially when you teach a class for the first time... experimenting with different teaching tools, different ways of talking about ideas, different ways of demonstrating techniques—It’s as much a learning experience for me as it is for my students.

Take this week, for example. We focused on gesture drawing, and the students have been doing okay. But I realize, they need way, way more practice in this technique. Maybe I need to play some really loud rock music to get the energy flowing.

Students took turns modeling for the class.

I had a plan outlined for the semester... but now I’m thinking of rearranging it a bit. I know the students need another week of gesture drawing, in addition to continued practice on their blind contours. Perhaps I should focus on negative spaces next week to give the students a chance to focus more closely on shapes and relationships... then return to gesture drawing the following week.

These are two of the better gesture drawings from today’s class. Not too bad, since this is their very first experience with gesture drawing.

New Work for Your Enjoyment

2010-08-30T06:16:00.009-06:00

Astronomical 02. 13x10 inches. Mixed media on paper. 2010.

I just finished these two new works... Just in time for the Gathering at the Great Divide Art Festival in Breckenridge, Colorado. I will be hosting a booth there over Labor Day with these and quite a few additional original pieces for sale. I hope to see lots of art-lovers there (and I hope they like my stuff)!

Astronomical 01. 13x10 inches. Mixed media on paper. 2010.

Blind Contour Drawings

2010-08-26T12:06:00.007-06:00

Blind contour drawing is my absolute favorite drawing technique. I could do blind contours exclusively for weeks on end, I think. I woke up in the middle of the night last night with an idea to shake things up for my drawing students.

I asked them to all go into the hallway and lay down on the floor with their legs up the wall (viparita karani for all my yoga friends). Then they were asked to place their paper on the floor alongside their body, so they could look up and draw their feet without seeing their hand or their paper.

I hope that by making drawing a physical activity—rather than a completely intellectual exercise—the process will be a little more fun and a little less intimidating for them. These are two of the blind contour drawings that were turned in at the end of class this morning.

Next week: gesture drawing.

Drawing and Making Mistakes

2010-08-25T14:22:00.005-06:00

I’ve been teaching college design classes for years now, but this is my first semester teaching a beginning drawing class for freshmen and sophomores. I was/am excited and nervous — I want everything to go well, and I want the students to learn a lot and have fun! Of course, teaching a new class is always a learning experience, too — experimenting with sequencing, finding the best ways to demonstrate and verbalize ideas, realizing that what you thought would be easy for the students is actually difficult (and vice versa). As a teacher, you really have to react to what’s in front of you.

I did a blind contour drawing of Matt.

I knew that students would be self-conscious and afraid of making mistakes, even though I told them from the start that there really are no mistakes in drawing (except skipping class and not doing the assignments!).

To try to loosen everyone up, I’m starting the semester off with blind contour drawings. What I like about this method of drawing is that the time frame is quick, and the resulting marks on the page are unimportant. The goal is for the student to get used to really, truly looking at the subject of their drawing. Some of the students found it impossible to avoid looking down at their paper even for 10 or 15 seconds!

Laurie Rosenwald’s website

Anyway, after the first class, one of the students emailed me. She said she thinks she needs to change her major because she can't draw... ! I was surprised by this, because (after all) she is in a beginning drawing class to learn just that! I wrote her back with some encouraging words and ended my note with, “I will see you on Thursday.” Needless to say, these kids are self-conscious and are afraid of doing something “wrong.”

A poster design by Laurie Rosenwald.

Serendipitously, I happened upon the design and art work of Laurie Rosenwald today. On her website, she talks about a workshop she teaches, entitled “How to Make Mistakes on Purpose.” Apparently, the specific content of the course is secret, and because of that I’m dying to go (of course)!

A painting by Laurie Rosenwald.

My favorite line from her article about the workshop reads: ”If you try to be good, it will probably be bad. If you stop trying at all, it might be good. Or possibly dreadful. But if you are surprised, I will be, and that’s very good!”

I love this philosophy for my students, but I also need to remember it for myself... Because teaching should be a fun, creative, mind-boggling experience, too!

My Portable Gallery

2010-08-23T15:41:00.001-06:00

If you read my blog regularly, you already know I’m preparing to host my first booth at an art festival over Labor Day weekend in Breckenridge, Colorado (Gathering at the Great Divide Art Festival). I’m trying to be a good yogini and maintain a calm, patient, relaxed state-of-mind through this whole process. It has been okay so far.

Matt and I spent this past weekend doing a test-run—putting everything together to see how complex the process is. We also wanted to find out if this is a set-up I can handle alone if need-be. I got a set of Pro Panels, and a canopy tent. The whole process was a lot easier than I expected, although I did psych myself up quite a bit because I expected it to be frustrating.

The main issue I can see is that the tent is really heavy. I'm not sure I can lug it around by myself (hurray for the hand-truck!). The Pro Panels were a breeze by comparison. Each panel is relatively lightweight, and they are easy to connect to one another. Taking everything down was even easier than putting it up.

This coming weekend, we're going to reassemble the whole thing for a true dress rehearsal, complete with artwork hanging in place. We want to time it to see how long the whole assembly/disassembly process takes. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Fresh Out of the Studio: A Triptych

2010-08-15T16:45:00.000-06:00

Orange Geometric 01

Mixed media on paper. 7x10 inches. 2010.

I’ve been on a roll this week making new stuff. This triptych is meant to be seen side-by-side, along a wide horizon. There’s something about these that have a modern retro feel, I think...

Orange Geometric 02

Mixed media on paper. 7x10 inches. 2010.

Orange Geometric 03

Mixed media on paper. 7x10 inches. 2010.

I Dreamt of Things: A Tiny Plane

2010-08-13T09:09:00.002-06:00

I dreamt I was on a tiny plane (apparently all the people were the sizes of Smurfs)... And the plane was in some kind of apartment, or office space, or something. After everyone boarded the tiny plane, it took off in the living room (or maybe the kitchen). But the plane just kept circling around the interior space of this building and couldn’t find a way out. Someone suggested that maybe there wasn’t enough power for the plane to exit the building. So the pilot ended up plugging the nose of the plane into an outlet at the top of a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Only the chandelier wasn't a nice one, it was just a few incandescent light bulbs hanging down. The gist of this scene is an airplane plugged into an outlet at the top of a bald chandelier.

First Art Festival

2010-08-10T07:41:00.006-06:00

Periscopes. Mixed media on paper. 10x7 inches. 2010.

I just got an official letter notifying me of my acceptance into the Labor Day Art Festival in Breckenridge, Colorado! The 34th Annual Gathering at the Great Divide Art Festival will be my first time on the art festival circuit, and I’m going to document the process. I’ll be running around like a crazy chicken for the next few weeks while I prepare! It will certainly be a learning experience.

Be sure to come talk to me and see my art in person (maybe buy a piece or two) over Labor Day weekend: September 4–6 at Wellington Rd. and N. Main Street in Breckenridge.

Western Wyoming Wildflowers

2010-08-09T15:07:00.003-06:00

Fringed Grass-of-Parnassus

Found along the banks of Corral Creek

Along with the beautiful landscapes we saw in Wyoming last week came an abundance of stunning mountain and desert wildflowers. My camera has a pretty good macro setting so I can get good detail in shots of even the smallest flowers.

Yellow Monkeyflower

Found on bank of Corral Creek

I was looking for the names of some of these flowers (still didn’t find all the ones I was looking for), and came across a great archive of western U.S. wildflowers, along with their common and Latin names. If you’re trying to identify flowers you found somewhere, check here first.

Mountain Harebells

Meadow in Black Canyon

Fringed Gentian

Meadow in Black Canyon

Pipsissewa

Found on the floor of a pine forest

Black Canyon above Greys River, WY

Indian Blanket (or Firewheel)

Found along shoulder of US Hwy 191

South of Pinedale, WY

Unknown

(AKA Bon Jovi Hair Flower. You’re welcome, Lindsey!)

Found in a meadow on the trail to White Pine Lake

Cache National Forest, UT

Greys River, Wyoming

2010-08-07T22:38:00.002-06:00

White Pine Lake, Cache National Forest, Utah

To celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary, Matt and I planned a camping trip to Greys River in western Wyoming. On the way there, we spent two nights at Red Banks Campground in the Cache National Forest in northern Utah, near Logan (where we lived for a year in 2003-04). We returned to White Pine Lake almost exactly six years after the first time we hiked it. This time the sky was clear, so the photos came out better (above).

Greys River. Bridger National Forest, Wyoming.

Greys River splits the Salt River and Wyoming Mountain Ranges, and empties into the Snake River at Alpine, Wyoming. It is mostly known as a world-class fly-fishing site. We aren’t fisher-people at all, but we still found more than enough to keep ourselves occupied throughout our time there.

Man Peak over Greys River after a morning storm.

Corral Creek leads into Greys River.

I think we easily could’ve spent another week exploring along the Greys River. What an amazing place, and a beautiful river. The weather is totally unpredictable—one minute dark clouds would roll in and thunder would rumble, and a few minutes later the sun would shine warm and bright. We saw a variety of wildlife including moose, wild horses, antelope, and deer. My favorite thing to do is hunt for wildflowers, so look for my next post with images of all the flowers we found.

The Corral Creek Trail was my favorite.

The five nights we spent along the Greys River in Wyoming were spectacular, with the added bonus that the whole week-long trip cost us less than $350. Next time maybe we’ll splurge and get a cabin at the Box Y Ranch...

I Dreamt of Things: Bouncy Floor

2010-08-01T06:59:00.008-06:00

I dreamt of a yoga room with the typical hardwood floors. Suspended about 8 inches above the floor was a bouncy, transparent film, pulled tight along the edges of the room. It looked like people were hovering over the floor when they walked. It was a little bit like an invisible trampoline.

Garden Art Experiment 01

2010-07-30T08:25:00.002-06:00

Acrylic Tomato v01a. 8x8 inches. Mixed media on board. 2010.

If you’ve read my blog before, you know I have a small vegetable garden in the back yard this summer. I’ve never grown vegetables until now, so there are lots of interesting things going on back there.

I pulled this funny looking tomato off the plant about a week ago when it was still hard and green, and decided to try to do something with it. I coated the tomato with a liquid acrylic and attached it to this board covered with fabric (some of the fabric is new, and some is from my Grandma’s vintage collection).

Acrylic Tomato v01b. 6x8 inches. Digital Photo. 2010.

I’m interested in seeing what happens with the tomato as time goes by. Since I coated it with the acrylic, it has already begun to shift from green to a lovely orange-yellow. I’ll post new pics in a week or so if anything happens.

Canyon Solstice

2010-07-26T11:49:00.001-06:00

Canyon Solstice. 10x13 inches. Mixed Media on Paper. 2010.

This new painting was inspired by a Native American rock drawing I saw recently in Seiber Canyon in McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area in western Colorado. The original rock art drawing is situated in a precise location on a red rock panel so that, at noon each summer solstice, a shadow from across the canyon bisects the rectangle horizontally. This is such an inspiring idea, I think I might do additional variations on this theme.