Cold today, but the sun is shining.

I have been painting and drawing a lot getting ready for shows coming up in NYC and NJ. I like to show in places where I encounter strangers. I have the fortune of some loving my work and buying it. So I have added to the list of collectors I have. It is fun to go to certain shows too. The energy and the public support is incredible in some places, Millville, NJ and NYC.

Also, framing is an activity that I fit in to my daily routine. I try to frame 3-4 things per day, when I have frames. It is important because if you are showing your work, a frame helps.

Typically I work on many paintings at once, as each one is the learning ground for another. After many years, I find that painting, is not easy, but sometimes it flows. Most of the time it is work. But when it flows, damn, there’s nothing more sensual and exciting.

So it may be cold, but the sun is shining, and when you don’t want to freeze by leaving your house, then work is the way to go.

WINTER

Today, it snowed as it did the last couple. Today it stuck on roofs and lawns and parked cars. It is cold out but not very. Syracuse can get very cold, like below 0 even 30 below. I don’t go out then, and my car might not start. Any way Winter is here after a fine display of a warm Autumn.

Visit with my sister.

I am staying at my sister’s place as tomorrow I am hanging an art show. Today we went to Long Beach Island in-between Seaside Heights to the North and Atlantic City to the South. The last time I went there was in 1971. It is one of those quiet communities where Pa and NJ folk own or rent places at exorbitant prices for a week or weekend. I think at this time of the year they probably have to have had their reservation in at birth. 

The ocean was at low tide and it was so far out, with a 6 foot cliff in front, which i did not go down, as coming up with a bad hip was not an option. I fell on my ass my last trip when the cliff was 2 feet. I did snap some pics. There is nothing like the ocean. The womb like salt water allows you to be buoyant and swimming isn’t difficult if there is no undertow. Watch out for the cross current undertows you’ll be carried out to sea and the life guard would have to do his job. This happened to me when I was 12 in Florida on Indian River Beach. My family lived in Eau Galle at the time which has since been subsumed by Melbourne. I really loved swimming in the ocean and body surfing. I live far from it and am thinking about moving closer maybe next year.

 

 

 

South Jersey Art Show

I have been preparing a show in New Jersey. I have some last minute things to do, but I have selected the paintings to go. 2 large and some small paintings and drawings. Packing today as I want to leave … Continue reading →

Selection of paintings from 2012 to 2014: Chaos Series

This gallery contains 21 photos.

Although I find chaos exciting and an important part of finding order, I am finished with it and am on to other things. This of course doesn’t mean that I will not embrace change, flow, flux and uncomfortability, as I … Continue reading →

The Floor Has Walls.

The Floor Has Walls.

This is a show I was In April 5, 2014 at the Art Rage Gallery. I was in Washington, DC, and came home to see my work in this show, after being invited by Jacob Honis, the curator of the art that was hanging on the walls and sculpture. It was a one night only show that I found very innovated. Dancers were there to preform as well. The above stream of photos really capture the show a great deal. Enjoy, mine are there, and I will place photos of them here so you can recognize them.

 

Monkey Mind: Chaos Series

Grasping for Buddha: Chaos Series

 

 

Water, water, everywhere . . .

April 30, saw the entire month’s worth of showers in a 48 hour time frame: actually it started April 29 and stopped May 1, here in NJ, as well as other places in the Eastern part of the United States. I was unable to go into the nearby woods to create a particular art piece I was woking on. Now, with the mud It might be easier to sculpt the form I wanted to do. 

more later

Earth Art Update

This gallery contains 1 photos.

The above group of photos represent various ways in which I see the world. It is filled with signs and sights that speak to me in a subtext way. It is intuitive and when I actually create the images I use what the Earth has on its surface and utilize non toxic substances, food that wildlife eat without harming them and in an area native to them, not people. It is an ecological conscious way to create art. I used to destroy it and not photograph it at all. I only did this to show the impermanence of things. As a young artist in the 70’s, I was taken aback somewhat to the harsh requirements of showing art. For example everything was about archival, traditional materials. It was difficult to find the money to create with such things. I did however work in various art supply stores, SU Book store in Syracuse University 197-79 which enabled me to take some art courses as well. Another place I worked is in the High Street art and Supply store, Millville, NJ. I was able to use fine materials that I never would be able to afford and canvas and linen remnants.
Today with all the repurposed art folk running around it is a different scene. My work with the Earth as a canvas continues. I have been able to buy a decent camera and tripod to snap some photos of my work. This is a way of collecting images to display at a later time. Possible with an installation. Another exciting aspect to this work is that the studio one needs is anywhere. I have lots of arthritis and thought that it would keep me from forest and field rambles, but it has not. So I am excited to continue with what I have been doing for ages, before I knew about Goldsworthy, and Utica’s Ann Reichlin, both are influences.

Continue reading →

The beautiful Earth

I have been traveling a lot since February 25th. Not that far from Syracuse, NY my home. I went to So Jersey for 2 days in February and Washington DC for the month of March. I spent a couple days with my sister In Marlton, NJ and then home to Syracuse April 3. On April 19th, I came back to stay with my sister, visit friends and find places to display my art. I did all of those things. 

Yesterday I met up with my friend Wendy, from Millville and we joined other folks she knew from a variety of Environmental agencies and groups to go scour an area that was just purchased to protect it as a Pine barrens area that will save pine snakes and other critters. When I got to the place I was very amazed at the dry undergrowth. There had been a fire nearby which blackened the woods for acres. In the area of our search, any passing motorist could flick a cigarette out their window and start a fire that would spread like gossip in a country diner. Fortunately, it didn’t happen when I was there, and the next day it rained a little to dampen the woods.

While I was there, I was amazed at what I learned from our guides, Jane and Emile. I learned how and where pine snakes wintered and nested-layed their eggs. A pine snake can travel up to a mile to lay eggs and 2 miles from their winter nest to find food and appropriate places to sun themselves. Politically, it is not easy to protect land in the area because of similar problems everywhere. The powers to be are more apt to want land to develop it to make money, bring jobs in the community, (even though jobs seldom manifest.)

I often think, now how does an artist help the environment. I have been wavering for a long while between working in oils and acrylics on traditional surfaces and doing what I refer to as Earth Art. I feel that now, it is imperative for me to evaluate how I will do art. I love 3-d and I love 2-d. I like to write about art and talk to people about their art. I feel in fact, a huge energy shift in myself, and in the people that I am meeting outside of the city of Syracuse. People that are interested in Art, Music, Spirituality and Peace. 

I have collected some interesting colored and textured rocks, shells and earth and will utilize these in the paintings I do, not on canvas but on the Earth.  I want to utilize what the Earth freely gives, and in turn not disturb it much.  There is so much art done by artists everywhere. 

more later

 

 

Traffic in NJ

Today I pissed off a woman. I am sorry, but I’m from NJ and I drive like I am. Oh my NY license plate is a trigger for NJ motorists ire, to be sure..

I went around this woman, who took up two lanes in her Mammoth Mercedes SUV while talking on the cellphone. She hesitated as the light changed and I went around her in my small Kia, I guess you could say I cut her off, but seriously stop talking on your cell phone lady. Any way I heard her comment to the person she was speaking to about how awful I was.

We got through the light, me in left lane she in right and she stood on horn. When I finally made a left, yep I flipped her the bird. I know it was unnecessary, but she probably didn’t see it as she was still gabbing. I love NJ and the way we ride. I normally just yell at them with the window down, and without making eye contact. I really try to not allow my emotions to influence my driving, but its kind of an adrenaline rush when someone with a 5,401 lbs. auto is out there paying little attention to where they are going. It is frightening. My car weights 3,272 lbs. That is a formidable weapon too.

So why did I post this, because I needed to be accountable for my dumb driving. Just because I have lived here for half of my life (almost), doesn’t mean I have to drive like them. I do think though it is in my blood. However, I must remember that my 3,272 lb. auto is not to be used as a weapon, either.