Belsar

"Belsar" 24"x 25" cement & dry pigment on panel

(click to enlarge)

What Have I Gained from Blogging?

“Facade” 31”x 38”

polished cement & dry pigment on panel

(click to enlarge)

I use to sit out here in artist land, working away in anonymity. When I first started blogging, I was unsure of my motivations (see my first blog entry, October 7, 2009). I envisioned that it would most likely be a diary, serving mainly to clarify my thoughts and document my journey. I failed to take into account the value of the input from other working artists out there. First of all, I was astounded to see the amount and quality of the talent of artists working today. Who knew? So, the first thing I gained was inspiration. Fellow artists kindly took the time to make many insightful and useful comments about my work. So, number two, encouragement. I think another plus is the feeling of community and friendship that has developed as I am able to relate to like-minded individuals all over the world. What really floored me was a comment from an artist I really admire, David Weir. He made the observation that my work had "the feelings of Rock Art." I had never considered this! I have been trying to follow my instincts, letting my work evolve naturally by allowing it to flow from some unknown place. Who knows where? I relied on my likes and dislikes to guide my work in a direction that, hopefully, was unique. What an epiphany! I now realize that David saw the direction that I was being drawn. I am essentially working in stone (construction cement), using natural materials and mainly earth tone pigments. I construct abstract surfaces that have a feeling of evolving naturally over time with gouged fissures eroded and distressed areas. These stone-like tactile constructs are often adorned with marks that feel vaguely man-made. How did I not see this? I have observed stone art and cave paintings in the past and been captivated by their mystery and primordial commonality. I feel they strike a chord in our collective consciousness. Is this what I am reaching for? A type of modern day declaration that I was here? Maybe my Native American heritage is kicking in. I had just finished "Facade" when I read David's post about my last piece "Succotash". As I sat sipping coffee in front the finished piece, the relevance was deafening. I wonder about the impact on future work as I surrender to this revelation. So, one more thing that I have gained from blogging is the perspective of better understanding of my own work.

Refining Succotash

After living with this painting for a while and reading the positive comments of other artists, I came to the conclusion that I liked this piece. As often is the case, I felt the need to push it just a little farther. I played with the relationship between foreground and background and gave the surface texture a little more complexity and maturity. I decided to fuse the strong white strokes into their surroundings with some intermediate areas to create a little more atmosphere. The resulting changes are subtle but just enough to allow this piece to speak to me.

I am very grateful for this digital age and to the artists who are willing to give their opinions and feedback about my work. It gives me valuable incentive and helps to produce thoughtful art. I would be very interested to hear any comments relating to the changes in this image pro and con.

“Succotash” 31”x 38”

polished cement & dry pigment on panel

(click to enlarge)

Succotash

“Succotash” 31”x 38”

polished cement & dry pigment on panel

(click to enlarge)

Finished this one today. Thought I post it and get some opinions. I'm undecided and need to live with it for a while. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Should Juried Competitions Effect the Evolution of an Artists?

When I was first beginning my career, I entered many juried competitions. It seemed the thing to do. It was always a roller-coaster ride of emotions. I either felt vindicated and on my way to superstardom, or I felt I had been found out and recognized as the no-talent pretender I really was. It all depended upon the likes or dislikes of a particular juror. The more prestigious the juror, the more extreme the hills and valleys. I can't help but feel that the direction of my early work was, to some extent, steered one way or another by encounters with people whom I considered experts. Was this a bad thing? I must admit, looking back, it forced me to examine my directions and motivations in a new and sometimes harsh light, removed from the isolation and safety of my studio. Whether I was acccepted or not, I always did my best to attend the openings, see the art, meet the juror and hear the gallery talk. This process, I believe, contributed immensely to my growth as an artist. Eventually, as I matured, it helped me to develop confidence and the thick skin essential to a working artist. The fact that a piece of work could be rejected, or more politely "declined", by one juror and then awarded "Best of Show" by another, served to underscore the fact that good art is a matter of opinion. When I attended shows where I had been "declined" I would see art that I considered as good or better than mine but I would also see works that I felt were derivative or just plain boring. How could an expert value these over mine? Don't go there! It is all subjective. I have also gotten into shows only to find myself embarrassed to hang next to work far superior to mine. If you put it all in perspective, even the best of shows are eventually reduced to a line on a resume, filling space during a particular year, usually skimmed over or ignored.

So my advice, take them with a grain of salt. Exhibitions can be great learning experiences and help hone your skills. They can be good exposure and lend toward name recognition, but "to thine own self be true." Follow your own path, continue to look within. Your own honest opinion matters more than anything else. It is better to be bad and original than good and derivative.

That being said, I just got into the "2011 Texas National". Yea!!! I'm sorry, it still feels good! There were over 1250 entries from 39 states and mine was one of the 114 selected by juror and well known artist, James Drake, Texas Medal of Honor winner. Reception 6 pm to 8 pm April 9th at the Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House, 329 East Main Street, Nacogdoches, Texas. I am happy that the chosen piece is small and the crating and shipping won't be much of a hassle. Nacogdoches is only a 4 hour drive from my home, so I am looking forward to being at the reception.

I only enter two or three shows a year nowadays and their acceptance does not carry the weight that it used to. I know that a different juror would pick a different show, one that may or may not include me. But for now, I willingly accept the fact that a peer appreciates my struggle and honest search for relevance.

Below is the "invited" work .

“Abernathy” 18”x 19”

polished cement & dry pigment on panel

(click to enlarge)

Scream If You Must, Just Don't Whisper

“Scream If You Must, Just Don’t Whisper” 31”x 38”

polished cement & dry pigment on panel

(click to enlarge)

I finished this piece this morning. I think the title says it all.

Open Dialogue

“Open Dialogue” 31”x 38” polished cement & dry pigment on panel

(click to enlarge)

My last few pieces have all been the same size, 31"x 38". The size and aspect ratio greatly influences the marks that I make in an image. At this point, I am standardizing the size mainly to eliminate a variable, plus I think they will work well together in an upcoming show. I have introduced some rather strong color elements to see how they affect the surface relief and texture.

No Strings Attached

After I posted this piece I decided to try and unify the surface by lightening the background and darkening the relief areas. It is subtle but I think I like it better. I would be interested in other artists opinions. What do you think?

“No Strings Attached” 38”x 31” polished cement & dry pigment on panel

(click to enlarge)

I have decided to stick with very little color in this piece because I am concentrating on creating a relief surface. Texture was a very strong element in my early cement pieces. Surface has always been important to me, so I have made an active decision to again emphasize texture but combine it with the polished surfaces of my more recent work. I think in my next image I might introduce more color and see where that takes me.

Ecole

"Ecole" 38"x 31" polished cement & dry pigment on panel

(click to enlarge)

Here, I am trying to free myself from the constraints of formalized design and concentrate on organizing chaos. I eliminated most of the color from the equation in order to allow me to concentrate on content and its arrangement. I am relying on my innate sensibilities to make the image feel right. I try to let it flow without much intellectualizing.

Ecotone

"Ecotone" 31"x 38" polished cement & dry pigment on panel

(click to enlarge)

In this piece, I decided to calm it down a bit and play with a large simplified area that depended on subtle color transitions and small bits of texture for interest. My work has taught me a lot recently. I just needed to learn to pay attention. I had to recognize myself in my work and play to that realization. Half of the joy of creating authentic work is getting to sit in front of the finished piece with a cup of coffee and let it speak to you. Ahhh, good to the last drop.