A Few New Favorites

Below are some creative endeavors of people outside of painting that I have been enjoying: 

TV Show - Please Like Me

This is a show about 20-something Australians who face fairly typical life situations but with really fabulous senses of humor.  It's based on the life of the main character, Josh Thomas.  You can watch illegally online, here's a preview, and listen to an interview with him on Fresh Air here.

Album --The Stray Birds -- Best Medicine

Snapped this picture at World Cafe Live a few days ago at the Stray Birds concert.  They are a nearly local band, from Lancaster, PA and Alex found them via Pandora which meant they could have been from anywhere.  Unbelievable talent with string instruments, I love the voice of the female vocalist -- listen to her sing an old favorite of mine here, or a new favorite here.  (note: I am not a country listener but I love them, give it a chance)

Audio -- Serial Podcast

This American Life just launched a spinoff podcast and I'm hooked.  Serial tells one story over multiple episodes, this first series re-investigates an old murder case, digging into court documents and speaking with multiple sources including the convicted murderer.   It is unfolding in such a way that feels very unbiased and thorough and leaves me feeling very conflicted.  Just listen here, you will not be disappointed but you will be waiting anxiously for Thursday to come each week.

Book-- A Tale For the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki 

Recently finished this book for a book club I have yet to attend.  Which sucks because I want to discuss it with other people.  Written from two points of view, there are conflicting paragraphs of blunt wording and others of poetic language that weave together into a very thoughtful narrative.

Studio Shots: October 2014

A few from my collection of cardboard snacks (sushi, a poptart, hard shell taco, behind: Al's Knee)

Finally cleaned up my space.  Some paintings in various stages of finish

Excellent catalog I bought from DC Moore's recent exhibition here

Recent painting of cake, with a sinister fork

Sunday Pick: Alice McCabe

Pale Office Man Eating a Banana, 2013, Acrylic on Canvas

Woman in a Fur Coat, 2012, Acrylic on Canvas

He Brought you the Flowers that I Wrapped, Acrylic and Oil on Canvas

I am happy to have stumbled upon Alice McCabe's work through the internet, the wormhole that seems to just keep giving.  McCabe lives and works in Zurich, Switzerland and makes really nice, pretty funny paintings. 

Sunday Pick: Ian White Williams

I keep having this experience where I see a painting that I really like and go to write down the name of the painter and it turns out to be the same name: Ian White Williams.  It has happened both online through blogs or facebook and in person, at the Woodmere Art Museum.  So basically this post is way overdue.  The wonderful work of Ian White Williams (click to check out many more beautiful drawings and paintings):

Equally poetic yet unencumbered words on his work too:

 I PREDOMINATELY MAKE DRAWINGS AND PAINTINGS, OFTEN IN THE FORM OF SMALL WORKS ON PAPER. MY WORK MEDITATES ON THE CONSTANT HUM OF THE PERIPHERAL AND UNNOTICED.I ATTEMPT TO TRACE OR MARK THE FORMLESSNESS OF INFLUENCES ACTING ON ME AND MY SURROUNDINGS IN THE MOST ORDINARY OF MOMENTS.

  

Friend Paintings #2

Emmanuel Seitz

Milton Avery

New Painting

 2014, Oil on Panel, 50 x 48 inches

  

I finally finished this painting that has been lingering in my studio for close to a year.  It has many layers of failed paintings of this same space (my bedroom) underneath.  I think it might be one that not everyone responds to but for me it is taking on that rare, sacred, touchstone-type painting persona.  I'll have to hold on to it for a while and see what happens.  

Its a bit hard to photograph, a lot of subtle change in the dark values, comes through a bit better in the detail shots.