But I don't think I've done enough 

Final portrait

To view this, one eye needs to be covered. Titled: duplicate poles

science fiction draft; "3" #1/a

Overview : The southern hemisphere is under attack from a military experiment gone wrong. Experiment code named "3". Technology used; bio organic user nano chemical enticement (BOUNCE) in conjunction with social tripod engineering program (STEP). Theoretical outcome; to obtain and control a self sufficient 'Micro Combat Unit', a team of 3 with the capability to perform at a ratio of 1-10 or current 2017 platoon standards (approx; 30 operatives ).

Social parameters per unit: Alternative 1: Navigator(c female). Driver(male age -35). Crew(male age +35).
                                         Alternative 2: Navigator(c male). Driver(female age -35). Crew(female age +35).
Test unit 54 has malfunctioned  its override system and defaulted itself into 'preservation' mode. 

Portrait

A self portrait of conscious takes time. But a self conscious portrait takes "Time"

Progress report;-

abstractions #2

   Here are some more abviews; to music.

compartmentalisation

It's an update of sorts or hyper navel gazing, my definition is a self diagnosis.

This was written in a moment of insularity -

as was the photo

Last

Whatever happens, the best thing you can do, will be the last thing you did.

 

Proverb m

Zeitgeist Allure

In order to incur fullness in my work I take a holistic view of the arts by embracing all aspects be it music, dance, theatre, film and above all else literature. Contemporary literature can insight the zeitgeist allure of the visceral morphing into the visual. At irrefragable procerity are the English novelists; Ian McEwan, Martin Amis and Will Self. I have recently read there latest offerings : Sweet tooth, Lionel Asbo : State of England and the short listed 2013 Booker prize entry that should have won, Umbrella. To coagulate a moral for these works in a two words would be "beautiful misanthropy".

abstract poster trial #2

Abstraction from Impressionism

on the corner of Brunswick st (charcoal)

In the late nineties I did this willow charcoal drawing of an old area in inner city Brisbane destined for the developers mutilating mutations of progressiveness. This old house on the corner struck a 'c minor' cord within me, neither scary nor serene but somehow wisely foreboding, conjuring an adults memories of being an eleven year old in acute awareness of foreign surroundings. Subconsciously I think I felt the accusing eye of an octogenarian's judgemental gaze from a top middle window sitting room.

on the corner of Brunswick st (colour shopped)

Years had passed since I had done this drawing and upon a perusal of previous works I found myself caught up in the moment again of this seemingly mundane piece of history. The ultimate outcome was to revisit this Sunday mid afternoon Autumns day in a more vivid incarnation through photo shop. 

Pencil portrait

When embarking on a self portrait of a large scale it pays to compile as many sketches as possible of the concluded composition. It may also seem strange but I even continue with these sketches whilst still in the process of the painting.

abrstract poster trial #1

Abstraction from Figurative Impressions

The following designs are amongst my first trials into the exiting world of decorative art posters and wallpapers. They are a derivative from a previous work I had done.
An extensive collection is under way with uploads weekly, so like a potato keep solid.

postimpressionism#2

       Postimpressionism: Van Gogh (modern art #2)

“The imagination is certainly a faculty which we must develop, one which alone can lead us to a more exalting and consoling nature than the single brief glance at reality – which in our sight is ever changing, passing like the flash of lighting – can let us perceive.” Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) letter to Emile Bernard, from Arles April 1888.

     For all Van Gogh’s letter writing the most insight into his theories on art notably came from his time in Arles, lasting from February 1888 until May 1889. A break from a hectic and distracting previous few years in Paris was well needed and the Yellow House in Arles was fruitful and ideal for him to put to practice his theories on art to which he had discussed and listened to in Paris. Similar to Cézanne, Van Gogh also held a high regard for the then aged only 18 but intellectually appealing Emile Bernard, the following exert from a letter to him from Vincent provides explanation of an artists ongoing convictions.

    “However hateful painting may be, and however cumbersome in the times we live in, if anyone who has chosen this handicraft pursues it zealously, he is a man of duty, sound and faithful. Society makes our existence wretchedly difficult at times, hence our impotence and the imperfection of our work. I believe that even Gauguin himself suffers greatly under it too, and cannot develop his powers, although it is he to do it. I myself am suffering under a lack of models. But on the other hand there are beautiful spots here. I have done 5 size 30 canvases, olive trees. And the reason I am staying on here is that my health is improving a great deal. What I am doing is hard, dry, but that is because I am trying to gather new strength by doing some rough work, and I’m afraid abstractions would make me soft.”

     Vincent’s theories on art were constantly being put to his brother Theo, on colour he writes, “instead of trying to reproduce exactly what I see before my eyes, I use colour more arbitrarily, in order to express myself forcibly.” Later he adds onto the nature of portraiture, “”and in a picture I want to say something comforting, as music is comforting, I want to paint men and women with that something of the eternal which the halo used to symbolise, and which we seek to convey by the actual radiance and vibration of our colouring. Van Gogh constantly referred to his art linked to music in the way that a painter could move the viewer as an orchestra playing Wagner would move a listener. In theory one could be lead to the conclusion that Vincent Van Gogh mastered the art of suggestive colouring.

deconstructing a picture

Soft Pastel 2013

The scene is of any ordinary cafe but to delve deeper into a more personal point of view we sometimes need to understand the reasoning of a composition, the why if you like. When I embark upon any type of commission or piece I try to understand the emotional and personal value for the audience. This example could easily be misconstrued as banal, bland, but with a little coxing of a background to the cafe owner it can suddenly become an endearing and cherished work of art. The reasoning for this composition is based upon the empty table for two at the center of the picture, obscured behind the setting but still in view is a high chair, hence signifying the birth of the owners first child. The reflection in the mirrored glass of a blue sky and park from across the way denote a bright and vital future.

The friday feed

A Life Drawing Focus

5 MIN DRAWING (charcoal wiped/ ink overlay) 

I think to gain a semblance of structure in blogging I'm going to try and break it down to a daily focus, because lets face it the majority of us are sentient beings with a modicum and innate desire for routine, one such albeit flailing routine I try to keep is my Thursday evening life drawing group. I must emphasise the word group and for it not to be confused with class. I am of a firm belief that in order to create your own style you must to a certain degree be self taught, aside from learning the basic fundamentals of proportion, perspective and foreshortening (which the ill informed dilettante few egregiously continue to regurgitate ingrained inaccuracies), a continuous and unconscious practice will imbue ultimately an unmistakable styling. Degas wrote if I draw 1000 seagulls then I'll know that by the 1000 drawing I can draw a seagull.

impressionism#1

Post-impressionistic Theories (modern art #1)

“One must make an optic; one must see nature as no one has seen before you…” It is with the common language that one must express new ideas.” Paul Cezanne (1839-1906)

2012 

It is said that Cezanne was difficult to get along with and when he rarely met with groups of his peers he was often seen to be argumentative, though his resentment of the teaching of art and all aspects of its institutionalisation may have attributed to his sometimes being misunderstood. Finding it hard to express his views in a group atmosphere might have been a shortcoming but when placed in a one to one situation with someone he was at ease and comfortable with he could freely express his views. Among such confidants was his childhood friend and poet Emile Zola (1840-1902), close friend and mentor Camille Pissaro (1831-1903), and a young Emile Bernard (1868-1941) to whom he would in his later years discuss his theories on art, counter intuitively  surprising given his favourite maxim – to work and to avoid theorizing.

In his correspondence with Bernard, Cezanne writes that he is positive an optical impression is produced on our organs of sight, which makes us classify as light, half tone or quarter-tone the surfaces represented by colour sensations. (So that light does not exist for the painter) As long as we are forced to proceed from black to white, the first of these abstractions being like point of support for the eye as much as for the mind, we are confused, we do not succeed in mastering ourselves in possessing ourselves.

Cezanne’s feelings were that whatever our presence in nature was, we must paint the image of what we see, forgetting everything that existed before us which he believed, permitted the artist to give his entire personality be it great or small.

100 blogs in 100 days! (when to start?) now.

It's been a long while since I last put up a blog and I know for sure the odds are well against me doing one a day especially something with artistic substance. I can only at worst try to keep it to an inoffensive rant, at best not seem like too much of a douche. This picture is my self portrait in progress, my happy face :/

You can have all the talent ...

You can have all the talent in the world put only persistence will give you the ability to become a world beater, ironically though talent can only be born from thousands of long hard and repetitive hours of practice.

Take for instance a study carried out by an educational phycologist whose work had convinced him that geniuses were made and not born. With his wife’s help they decided to turn there three daughters into chess champions, the girls studied at home with there house filled with books on chess. Two of the daughters became grand masters while the third being less passionate for the game still ended up being ranked the sixth best woman player in the world.

The same can be said for all pursuits in life like learning to hear and avoid mistakes in music or fine-tuning the swing of a golf club. Champion golfer of past, Arnold Palmer produced an amazing shot once to win a major tournament, later a reporter said to the golfer “That was a lucky shot!” Palmer replied “Yes it seems the harder I practice the luckier I get.”

So the adage goes paint a thousand seagulls and only then can you truly say you can paint a seagull.

It’s that time of year again

It’s that time of year again when we Australian artist’s pack our larger than life portrait projects of to the countries two major competitions; the Archibald prize (over 800 entries last year) and the Doug Moran national portrait prize (over 500 entries). I personally am only entering the DMNPP this year, with a portrait of my 14-year-old daughter. My baby left for the judges this morning, and looking at the photo image now makes me feel both proud and nervous.

Portrait painting, I think is the most magnificent and challenging form of painting, I also find it the most exiting. Having painted numerous commissioned and non-commissioned portraits over the past couple of years I’ve felt exhilarated from start to finish, from considering which medium and style would best suit the sitter, to the last minute touches before a deadline.

The amazing privilege for an artist is to immortalise someone, but the ultimate satisfaction is for someone to see himself or herself. Having said that I think its time for me to try another self-portrait, and I almost defiantly will be painting over a previous one.

In the immortal words of Erica Badu “keep in mind that I’m an artist, and I’m sensitive about my stuff.”

Blank White Paper

Procrastination / artist block; simply sitting down to write this has given me an anxious uneasy tension, in so much as to look at the key pad I am typing on and have insatiable urge to clean it. Well it is covered in charcoal dust and paint splatter, maybe I should give it a quick little wipe over. NO!!!! I know if I do that it won't be just a little wipe, but instead I'll have unplugged the thing and attacked it with cotton tipped buds and three different types of cleaning agents, then only to realise I do not need to have all this crap on my desk.

A dozen CD's half without a casees, a tape measure, a T squared ruler on the top of three unopened magazines still in their clear cellophane wrap, amidst all these flyers and wires. Flyers from past exhibitions, wires from headset for the computer speakers, wires for extra speakers, iPOD wires with iPOD accessories, mobile phone cables that connect to my computer and ther's radio cable for my mobile next to a 9V battery I got for the transistor radio I can not find so I could listen to the footy or was that for a race, and by the way where is my mobile phone??? (no distractions remeber, it is down stairs)

From the seven odd pens on this desk you'd think one of them would work and yes there is a clear corner on one of many scrap bits of paper on this heap. Note to oneself: I really must clean that shelf above the computer.