Young Artists

As challenging as teaching art to young people can be, occasionally I find huge rewards in looking at their work and their comments, which all seem so casual but can produce a real revelation in my mind.  

Last week after I commented, "you really like color don't you?" my six year old student responded:

"Well, first I like my detail - then color - actually quality comes first, then detail then color."

Genius.

Here is the piece we were examining:

Day to Night Dessert

Day to Night Dessert Detail

 And another student's sketch that I pulled out of the trash, because its the best thing I've ever seen:

Sphinx

Memory Paintings of Milos

Milos in the Midday

Milos at Night

I did these two paintings two days after getting back from Greece.  I had a very clear image in my head of a specific view in Milos, Greece.  It was a view I studied from our balcony for four days and attempted to commit to memory around different times of day.  Landscape painting is a theme I always struggle with because I lose interest and as a result somehow over complicate the whole thing.  However, the opportunity to paint a landscape which I felt a personal connection to and was able to work on from memory made these pieces feel satisfying in the way my still life and figurative work can feel.

Drawings from Greece

Here are a few of my drawings while on my honeymoon.  I really like to draw when I'm in a new place or traveling because it makes the memory of the details so much more vivid.

Nervous Flyer at O&B

Waiting for the Ferry

Our Stuufff

Alex on the Balcony, Playing with His Ring and Our Stuufff

I liked the way these two drawings became a larger drawing.  I did not see this until I unfolded my sketchbook but found it funny that I made the exact same line placement of the cord and Alex's arm.  It's like an exquisite corpse drawing or something...

Alex in Greece, Cliffs Beyond

Breakfast #1 in Santorini, 21 White Dishes

Caught in the Studio

How funny is this photo I caught in the studio?!  I was trying to capture a painting I did a while ago of Nugget and when I moved the camera back the real wood floor and my painting of the same floor came into view along with my feet and her painted paws.  Love it...

Summer Shows

I have gotten the good news that I have been accepted into two juried shows I applied to for the summer.  

The first is at Prince Street Gallery in Chelsea, NY.  It was juried by Yvonne Jacquette (her painting below).  

It is open from June 19 to July 7. 

Washington Square View with Bobst Library at NYU II, 2010-11, Oil on canvas, 48 3/4 x 69 1/2 inches

The second show is at the Woodmere Art Museum right in Chestnut Hill.  It's a very interesting place, the collection is mainly Philadelphia painters and artists, so the show was open to artists in the Philadelphia area.

The juror is Alex Kanevsky (painting below) who teaches at PAFA (where I did my MFA).  I always liked his work but never got to know him because he teaches in the undergraduate program.  I applied to both of these shows because I was interested in the juror's work.  This one is open from July 28 to September 30.  

Fridge, Oil on Wood, 24 x 24

NY Shows

I went up to Chelsea last week for some gallery browsing.  Most of what was there, we decided, was mid-career artists with a name that did not deliver anything new to look at or think about.  But a few shows made the trip worthwhile.

1. Kathy Bradford at Edward Thorp 

2. Janice Nowinski at Bowery Gallery

3. Maira Kalman at Julie Saul

4. Chantal Joffe at Cheim and Read

5. Kathryn Lynch at Sears Peyton

(no image)

These were the few and far between artists I saw as making interesting work.  They all seemed to be making it for the personal joy and struggle of it.  For me they felt like shows where the artist was swept up in their practice, and showing it after that experience (which should be normal) -- but many of the shows that fell flat, seemed like the artist was too self conscious of making a show that felt cohesive or fit the gallery space or that critics would recognize.  I also get a lot of joy out of the fact that as I compiled this list I noticed that they were all women taking these risks and engaging in serious and daring practices.