Wackadoodle

Every once in awhile you have to add some or rather a "wackadoodle" to the mix to bring on a smile.  Here's another week in pictures:

 Getting lost in a corn maze en route to a pumpkin catapult AND enjoying getting lost, the monochromatic wandering of it all (yellowing brown/blonde to smashed orange)!  Really, a calming experience...

a visit to KK Kozik's studio, brushes above, paintings below.

I like this pairing, a painted walk through the woods with a black and white of portrait of Billy Bragg above it, looking above.  The portrait accompanies KK's article in this month's Brooklyn Rail, titled "Content Over Style."

A lava lamp, stands in as a beacon in this soulful KK painting.  

A detail of a different kind of light, also KK's.

The bigger painted scene above and below in several parts.

Switching scenes below to a more performative 48-hour scene, I follow-up  with a report on the aftermath of Julie Torres's  most recent collaborative, a time-based art making project at Camel Art Space: All the art was made over a 48-hour time span by 14 artists.  The show was open to the public for one day only or rather for 12 hours this past Sunday.

Rebecca Goyette's unoccupied controlled intimacy sacks.

Joey Parlett's portraits of Muybridge, also controlled (an operative word for this 48-hour work session) in that each portrait was drawn by covering up the previous portraits, an appropriate stop and go and stop after 48-hours way of interacting with a subject.

Next up, above another set of rules governed 

Chris Mcgee's drawing, with all lines turning 180 degrees with each line drawn smaller than the one before it. 

Julie Curtiss pictured above, not governed by a set of rules of engagement but engaging and made a very particular way, by layering and arranging so that there's a re-engaging of how you are looking at something...A

wackadoodle.

Look, I match a painting!  (Jamie Powell above and below)

Camel Art Space - the opening and from their mission statement, and they seem to be true to it: an artist-operated exhibition space with a focus on current trends in art within a not-for-profit framework and is affiliated with the studio artists at 722 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Camel Art Space does not represent artists in the traditional sense, but merely composes shows of their works for the inherent merits of showing art. Situated in one of New York’s artistically richest neighborhoods we strive to provide an accessible exhibition platform and meeting venue for artists, curators and audience alike. In an inclusive spirit, Camel Art Space is open to proposals from independent curators and artists. As an affiliate member of Williamsburg Gallery Association, Camel Art Space participates in 2nd Friday Art Walk. Camel Art Space has been named by New York Magazine as one of the City’s new galleries to watch. (groovey)

Julie Torres above and below!  She organized this whole thing, yes real artists curate!

A partial view of a longer painting by Erin Halrup.  View the entire piece from her link.

 
Let's end here again with Rebecca Goyette contained within 48 hours.

Nothing but Happiness as things Descend into Chaos

Nothing but happiness as things descend into chaos, unease remains under the surface...I read this statement on the back of my notes from my last blog post, so I thought I would start there.  I'm behind on posting, but getting ahead in other areas, so here's an update in pictures, all taken on my new phone, since my camera broke.

Most afternoons find me getting down and dirty with my public art piece.  How will this thing attach to the ground? The Guild and Ben are helping me, HELP ME!

When I need to be inspired, I hang out with Karina Aguilera Skvirsky, whose new Laundromat Project folds the art-making process in with oral history and the spin cycle.  The result of this folding is displayed in a postcard series available at her local laundromat.  See below:

I had the best time at the Laundromat's recent $35 a head fundraising dinner, held at the Julia De Burgos Latino Cultural Center in a 
beautifully decorated cafeteria with amazing food by Berlin Reed the ethical butcher.

Below is not the $35 fundraiser but last week's very successful NurtureArt's benefit where we drank and auctioned our work to much fanfare!  They open a new space November 11, so we're anxious and excited to see what exactly they do...as they say their name is their mission.  Nurture me!

And to get away these days, it's to DC for a Maggie Michael show.  Love it, more folding, sprayed, painted works on paper and acetate...see below:

above might be a work on canvas

nice folding blue above and more below with black tape:

Then it's back to Bushwick for a meal at my favorite restaurant, Cafe Ghia!!  Those shelves look a little bit like the perch trellis (must show this picture to the Guild)

Lots of pictures of one of my favorite artists, Ellen Letcher, she pops up whenever I go out and about.

Here is her's and Kevin's Famous Accountants above with a Scott Hug from their current show below:

Ellen again.

Kevin above.  Did I mentioned that Famous Accountants threw me the best birthday party ever!!!  Thks!

The back of Ellen's head at Centotto.

Look, it's Ellen again at Norte Maar!  Standing next to a Paul, from Centotto, piece.

Above at Norte Maar an Ellie Murphy.

The view from the sidewalk into Norte Maar's living room.

Before Bushwick it was Rico Gatson!  At Exit Art!  Rico, who was in Bushwick before all of us...

Above, I found a picture from the yummy food at the Laundromat Project's "potluck," which wasn't really a potluck.  

That's it, back to work.

Thanks for reading, remember to like us over on facebook, even though I know you already like me!

Raw Creative Energy

Call it raw creative energy or studio time together, Julie Torres joined me a week ago where she completed the below painting on paper:

Above, Julie at the beginning, and next up for Julie, a 48-hour marathon where she along with 11 other artists will paint, socialize and sleep, a little. The other artists are; Paul Behnke, Brian Bustos, Julie Curtiss, Rebecca Goyette, Katarina Hybenova, Ken Kocses, Geddes Levenson, Rebecca Litt, Chris McGee, Joey Parlett and Jamie Powell.  (Hope I got all the links right!)

From the press release: 48 HRS is a celebration and exploration of art-making and socializing in Brooklyn. It is a 48-Hour residency that will culminate in a site-specific group show.

The artists in the show will meet at Camel Art Space for a 24-Hour art-making session. They will then stay/sleep/socialize in the space and exhibit their work the next day. The entire event will take place over a 48-Hour period.

The show will be open to the public for one day only: Sunday, October 23, 12 Noon – Midnight.
Artists will be in attendance at the opening to discuss their work, and the process. Photo and video documentation of the art-making event will as well be exhibited.

The opening will certainly be a time and place experience where we can all look into that creative space where and how art is made.  Will they all influence each other, will it be like a school, what mysteries in art production will be revealed?  We shall see.

Heiner Contemporary

After reading an article in this morning's Times titled The Young Gallerists, I was reminded that a week ago, I traveled to Heiner Contemporary in Washington, DC, where a young gallerist, Margaret Heiner, is shaking things up with her relationally keen eye, art historical saviness, and her choice of pink lettering and cheese balls paired with hot dogs as opening snacks!

Below a pictorial essay of of her space with an exhibition of NYC's David Kramer:

 above notice the wonderfully refined color palette of pink on black on the building (along with the David Kramer artwork for the window on a blue-painted background) calling to mind the hot-hued and typographically daring silk screens of Sister Mary Corita.

Incredibly prolific artist David Kramer plays with the domestic and the invitation to partake in his debauchery in his center-gallery, living room style install.

Jokes, stories and visual puns on one of the gallery's walls above.

Kramer's lining up pairs nicely with skirts, upholstery, and chairs in the center of the gallery above.

Pieces of advice above.

The most beautifully blue hot dog cart I have ever seen!

A peek at the backroom.

A close-up of a Kramer.

Unboundless in Georgetown and beyond, Margaret Heiner above.

Dada meets cheese-ball and twinkies (and extra reading).

Even though, slightly, ever so slightly PG-13 for my household, I love this piece!  Notice the pink again, the message un-Sister Mary Corita, but practical nonetheless!

Gallery view above, and by the way Drawing on the Utopic now has it's own facebook page!

Interacting with David's books and art.

Very rare shot of my spouse Mike, wearing shorts in the background!  He loved the space.  Full disclosure: my show at Heiner Contemporary opens January 20, 2012.

Above, looking ahead to Wisconsin Ave., I like that brick pattern.  

Coming up posts on Julie Torres, the Laundromat Project, and twitter.