Work in progress: Blue Devil


A blue devil is what depression is referred to...thus, the little blue pills to make it say goodbye. I was inspired by Gary's use of vintage photos, so this is the first shot. Good and constructive input...to consider the person who is the "father" of depression...and consider using him. Hot here (expected)...We will hear an hour from James Ransome this afternoon. Mr. R. Williams had a great review...with a handpicked selection of people who hugged him at the end of his review. Management noted that we (Chris W. and I) had it thrown at us by comparson. And so, we move forward. Expecting to work on this tonight to get the sketch finished...

Syracuse: Day Two


Continued with Gary Kelley who is a true inspiration, someone we view as the best teacher we have had with Syracuse. He is articulate and teaches while he critiques and works with the students to move the concepts ahead--beyond where they might not have gone. He is tireless in his own work--trying new things, thinking new thoughts, seeking out inspiration that takes him further in his work. He is straightforward but respectful and kind about others and their own work. I love the way he integrates his thinking and direct inspiration to the history of art. He directly references Matisse,the cubists, Picasso (who he views are truly a giant based on his ability to design-how every single line that Picasso places is understood, and designed), jazz and music/ musicians.

We are working on the topic of blue. Lots of good ideas. I am constantly stunned by a classmate who always pushes back and tells our professsor she will not move on the idea, direction etc.--essentially, missing the opporunity to grow and expand. And, she is rude. Inappropriately so. And no on takes her aside and suggests she shift her perspective. I was working on pictures of Krishna "blue boy",Blue Bayou, Bluebird of Happiness (blue valentine) and Blue Devil (depression). After working with Gary, I am working on Blue Devil--essentially, a monkey on the back of the person who is depressed. It's going to be a blue to black/grey image. I found some good images including some vintage photographs of men (inspired by Gary's work)--to work with. Today, around noon, we have to present scaled up drawings. I am fighting a little with this and feel a bit "out there" about it...but todays a new day--and I am sure that with help, I can get where I want to go.

I had to track down Syracuse management to collect "the orange folder"--essentially a listing of classes with paperwork that we needed to fill out to make sure we got our degrees and credits versus dealing with the tangle many of our recent alumni stuggled with to get his transcript. We had to remind our leader about this form and that form so that the credits register etc...which he is good with...but we all need to be little herding dogs, nipping his heels to make sure all continues to run right.

I had my thesis review. It was, in general, fine. Lots of good questions, lots of questions that made me think--but questioned whether there is art in my work, questioned the value of my work, critiquing the work entirely differently from the "pat on the shoulder" critiques that are handed out during the entire two years. The thesis defense was acceptable, but totally out of context-- and to me, no problem, but to those who are not used to this sort of thing, could be crushing. I am a bit depressed over the thesis--not elated, not celebratory but quesioning whether I can do this thing...(which in my heart of hearts, I can)--but it was sobering. I am a bit sad/sorry that there was no exchange like this earlier on--to prepare me/us, but if the meaningful aspect of "art" (which from lessons from David Tatham, is pretty much as defined by the artist) in the illustration--to give us a better context for this final discussion. The woman on my panel has an agenda and something to prove. It was supposed to be my moment, and it felt like it was hers.

Moving forward.
More later.

ISDP Syracuse MA Illustration: Day One


The halls felt empty. Silent. No traffic. Where is everyone?

We started at nine. Our teacher, Gary Kelley was delayed due to the overbooking of pilots at the end of the month.So, the games officially began at 1. The folks who did London pictures had a critique...and we talked about thesis and the things we all learned in the process. We saw the thesis show (every piece created was hung). It looks great--very big and bold. There are signs at the front of the show saying that there is mature material in this show and that one should consider wheither you could take it or not. To Mr. Richard Williams delight.

Gary went through some slides and discussion and thoughts on illustration, his sources of inspiration and change. I had heard this two years ago--but it was far more meaningful and energizing today. The journey was worth it--as I have changed. He talked about Robert Weaver (must find more info on him), painting and pastels, monoprints and drawing. He talked about the tour de France, french light and color, Matisse, Milton Avery, Richard Diebenkorn,Picasso, Cubism,Tuscany, and Jazz. Robert Johnson and his singular contribution to music, his short life and history--and how it resulted in his book , " Black Cat Bone"--a place that the monotypes, passion and story all come together for Kelley. I need to see this book...and to read some about Johnson. Scott Bakal also was inspired by Johnson in his current HAS thesis work. The few images I have seen from him are dynamic and inspired.
Gary Kelley's Black Cat Bone

He showed us posters, books, and now huge murals way beyond the size and scale (painted with housepaint outside) for the University of Northern Iowa. Bigger, bolder than the Barnes and Noble notable murals. I like the way Gary intregrates paintings in his illustration (a Vincent VanGogh sending his ear to NPR, the Malkovich portrait for Mr. Ripley with paintings on the left,right and top--very triptych-y). His love of Matisse in his current Venus paintings is apparent and inspired. He is searching and working--constantly turning over ideas and design>>resulting in new work, new thinking and a fresh body of work. Yesterday was yesterday. His ten year old work is as fresh as tomorrow. I wish I could be more like that.

Our project is based on "blue". There is a wealth there. Thumbnails by 11. tomorrow. I have developed BlueBird of Happiness valentine, Bluestocking or even blueribbon bluestocking, blue bayou and the blue boy, Krishna (blue being the color of the god's skin that indicates his divine nature). I am liking the bluebird of happiness valentine and the work on Krishna and his little lovely cows.

I talk about my work tomorrow to the thesis folks. Have to sleep now.

Syracuse: Pre-game warm up.


Poor R, driving like a maniac today. First, we went down to the Farmer's Market to see what the Ithaca Art Market was like...how much were people charging, what was the expected presentation, who was there, the types of offering and the subject matter that the art addressed. Interesting. Everything of any substance was matted...so the inexpensive mats are in order as well as the plastic sleeves. Pricing for prints and giclees were the "going rate" ($45 for 8.5"x 11") to something more in the mid $20 range. And it goes from there. I think the lady from Spirit and Kitsch has her pricing pretty much sharpened for sale along with nice print promotion and postcards to promote her web presence etc. The Ithaca Art Trail brochure was out with my rooster featured inside and on the cover. I just checked their website to find my loon and rooster as the header for the artists' page. Big coverage.

Then back to the lake for swimming and bobbing in the cool water with Shady Grove at a distance up on the now pristine dock (thanks to the bobble head Owl we have as well as a 'Scare eye" ball positioned under the dock to frighten the nasty gulls from covering our dock with a thick layer of poop. The scare eye is supposed to look like the eyes and open beak of a predator bird to the gulls and swallows. I guess it does. They have been frightened away. I however, adore the Scare eye balls and now have plans to decorate the house with them. About $85. for a dozen of them. And think of the effect. You could use the eye in a fabric etc. And, think of a teeshirt. My mind is on fire!>??

The water was perfect and just brisk enough to keep you moving. It had the spa effect and the boys immediately had to go lie down for an hour to recover from where the swimming takes your mind. Away. Erased. We love it just for that.

We left around 5:30 to drop me off at school with a perfect dinner from Doug's Fish Fry in Skaneatelas. We sat in their secret garden off the parking lot surrounded by flowers, birds and these strangely pruned trees. Very "Little Prince" and the Baobab trees. Shady sat with us and watched (without tugging or dragging us around the yard) the squirrels, birds and other dogs with their families. Man, how did we get such a good one?

I am a bit tearful to see the home team leave me. But jobs, golf games and horses await along with more spa swims and the pace that summer sets in August.They will be fine, I just will miss them tons.

After about a half an hour on the phone with the Time Warner guy (to get a web connection) I hung up...as of course, they dont know anything about Apples...and while I was waiting for him to get help, I solved the problem and away we go...

The spa effect is working on my brain, so I think I will play hookie with my portraits book for one more night and delve into the world of Hogworts and Mr. Potter.

Packed and ready.


My pencils and ink, tracing paper and bumwad, bristol and wacom are all packed and ready to go. Teeshirts and sneakers--and a hairbrush, an ipod with my new junkie audio book. It promises to be in the 80s for the week (not the smothering 90s in studios with windows that dont work with tiny fans). Tomorrow is day one of the last contact period with Syracuse. I have my thesis defense on Tuesday and have been told not to be nervous. I wish I knew what to be nervous about because I would easily oblige. Still churning away on the Portraits book and feel I have a handle on it. Will be showing up late to spend some time with Kitty. We also plan to see the Ithaca Art Market at the Farmers Market today to check on the work, the pricing etc. to best gauge what to expect with the Art Trail.

Art Trail Show with the SPCA is happening first week of September. Above, you will find one of my two entries for the show entitled : Best Friends: Twelve Artists Celebrate their Pets. So,upfront and personal is Miss Shady Grove, celebrated in song and story amongst the old time musicians and on Camp Street. R. challenged me to view the making of a picture of Shady as the true Masters Degree as she closely resembles a black Swiffer. And so, my second thesis is done for R. I wonder what the defense of this will be?

She's Back!

Picked up K last night to great happiness. There was a lovely dinner with speechmaking and slides along with a terrific show of the work all the NYSSSA students accomplished over the past month. Here's a link to images from the show>>

K is in great shape...her world full of possibilities, ideas and new friends. Her energy passes through to all of us. She has a very happy bounce and outlook. This has been an extrordinary experience for her. I will need to contact our legislators to praise the program and thank them for their support.

Moon's Friend


This sun is the opposite of the moon. This sun is an illustration I created for Steuben Glass. It is a hand engraved image on perfectly clear, optical, no lead crystal.

thinking?


I was looking around yesterday to find out that Dan Brown of The DaVinci Code is pursuing a new book based on tenets and symbols of Freemasonry. I love this stuff. Love. Coincidentally, I was reading this lightweight "special" magazine (playing hooky from my required reading) that US News and World Report has put out on cults and secret organizations (they lump the masons, the mormons and Jonestown all together which makes my brain ache)). Pretty lightweight, but interesting that they feel this offbeat stuff has legs for a larger group of people. However, it did perk my memory and interest in freemason symbology again...and am thinking this would be a supreme body of work... I mean, they have the ALL SEEING EYE! There are angels, and temples and beehives. There is this gorpy, high victorian approach (read from the same tradition from which the Museum of Jurassic Technology has sprung) that all the work, the aprons and the portraits portray.

Maybe a thesis with Hartford? This thing could go someplace...

Freemasonry, Symbols, Secrets, Significance by W. Kirk MacNulty

Some symbols include:

The All Seeing Eye: Belongs to the Great Architect, the omniscient deity acknowledged by all Masons.

Sun, Moon and Stars: The first two symbolize an ideal balance of opposites: Seven Stars are the Pleiades- seven is a sacred number for Jews, a symbol of immortality.

Beehive: Symbol of industry; also represnts Freemasons' efforts to gain wisdom and understanding as most of the work is done on the interior.

Temple: Place of divine mysteries and a symbol of human art and technology; the spiritual reconstruction of the emple (inside oneself) is the end-purpose of all the Craft degrees.

Royal Arch: Together with the keystone and the cornerstone, a symbol of the rebuilding of the temple.

Compass and Square: Represent the convergence of matter and spirit; orf earthly and spiritual responsibilities. They form a hexagram,the union of earth with the heavens.

Two pillares with terrestrial and celestial spheres: Part of a lodge official's insignia of office. They recall the two pillars crafted by Hiram Abiff for Solomon's Temple.

Angels: Symbols of the perpetual watchfulness of the Great Architect.

Ionic, Doric and Corinthian Orders of Architecture: The pillars of wisdom ,strength and beauty. They also represent the three principal officers of the lodge.

G can mean either God, Great Architect or geometry.

Coffin: Recalls Hiram Abiff;s death and redemption.

My friend Tina is all over this stuff and has a collector friend. I may give her a call to see if I could link up with this friend to get the wheels moving. Rich slice.

More later

Hi Kiki!


Kiki Smith
German / American, born 1954
My Blue Lake, 1995
photogravure with lithograph
43 ½ x 54 ¾

Kiki Smith is a feminist multi-media artist who, for the past twenty years, has explored the body from inside to outside, conflating the borders between the two, and has helped to restore the human body to a central place in contemporary art. Though western art has long been fascinated with the human body, especially the female body, the body parts she is interested are not typically found in art. She examines body functions and parts that are culturally taboo and embarrassing.

Many of her works are body fragments, such as prints taken from organs or a porcelain pelvis on a pedestal. Blood, fluids, sperm, tears all appear in her works as emotionally charged elements. Her art is messy, open, uncomfortable. It is indecorous rather than polite, personal rather than official, unpredictable rather focused, meandering rather than goal oriented. Her figures bridge the gap between seductive beauty and grotesque body, open, leaking, uncontained.

from http://www.wfu.edu/

I have been reading the Kiki Smith chapter in the required Portraits book. I think this is the one. Her energy and wide vision is
infectious. I love the way she observes aspects of art she adores and turns it on it's head to learn something that is hidden to all except her. She speaks of a bronze figure she created "Lilith" which, in reviewing the drawing of the design, pinned it to the wall...and the twist on the piece happened. Kiki decided to hang the bronze figure on the wall, just like her sketch.

Her work is very concept/idea driven with a force but a sweetness that tugs at you.

I love her focus on animals and what she says about them...

CONCORDANCE
Poetry, Mei-mei Berssenbrugge
Drawings, Kiki Smith
$29
Specs: 42 pages Pub date: June, 2006
CONCORDANCE is a new collaborative work by two acclaimed contemporary artists, poet Mei-mei Berssenbrugge and sculptor Kiki Smith working with book artist, Anne McKeown. Inspired by Smith's image of a dandelion, whose floating silks she compares to reading, the poem traces agreements and embeddings of human and animal bodies, ideas, dreams and emotion in a concordance of parallel and contingent contexts. "Then it's possible to undo misunderstanding from inside by tracing the flight or thread of empty space running through things." Then what if, in that bond, "images were Eros as words?" In Smith's etchings, reading, as Eros, is drawn as seeds, feathers, star-like explosions, pods, wide-eyed, unblinking owls. "Animals . . . open their eyes, and a mirror forms on the ground." The effects of the verbal images and gray-blue inked drawings are stunning and other-worldly.

On Pool of Tears 2 (after Lewis Carol), 2000, Kiki Smith, etching, aquatint, drypoint, and sandage with watercolor additions

Hold onto your hat!

First, read all the books. Then, listen to the books on tape. Then, read the books again while you listen to the audio. Then, you might, just might...be ready. If this is as good as LOTR or even the Narnia movies, we are in for a treat this holiday season!! I hope its three movies instead of one long condensed story. There is so much from the Polar Bear warrior, the animal spirits and Lyra herself along with her villanous mom with her shadow self, a monkey and her dad. Characters to beat the band and a transcendent story that rivals CS Lewis in his christian analogies and references. It is good on so many levels. With Harry resolved, we need more to keep us warm during those long winters.

pix.


Flickr links to two sets:

Grassroots:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/qcassetti/sets/72157600986599657/

Chicken Chokers at Grassroots and Felicia's Atomic Lounge:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/qcassetti/sets/72157600981962270/

feeling bored? These may amuse you for a little while.

Books for Students


Portraits: Talking with Artists at the Met, the Modern, the Louvre and Elsewhere (Modern Library Paperbacks) (Paperback)
by Michael Kimmelman (Author)
ISBN-10: 0375754830

This is the book we found out about late last week for digestion, incorporation and completion by Syracuse time...(opening day is Monday, July 30th), though to be fair, we have that week as well. However, the assignment is to read these essays and relate one/ or the impressions of one artist to your own work. I find this stuff stunningly un-fun. So, I scrambled to get the out of print book (Amazon had them for $65. a piece) and found one for $20, called the online store and had them fedex it to me with my number to have a few more days with the book versus waiting. I figured if I could read around 5o pages a day, I could knock it down in 5 days and have a day or two to think about the linking. Or, if I hit my article soon, do I have to read the rest of the book? All gli studenti out there...what's the protocol?

I sat down at a table last night after dinner and started. It is pretty good reading except I would love to have the opportunity to read this not under duress. However, sometimes you dont get what you would optimally want. I covered the chapters on Balthus, Francis Bacon, Elizabeth Murray and am half way through Richard Serra. The intent of the author was to interview artists not about their own work, but to visit a museum and have the artists talk or narrate their relationships with specific pieces of art to encourage talk about art, and their personal views. Amazon says:

""One can only speak properly about paintings in front of paintings," Paul Cézanne once said. It is usually, though, critics who speak in front of paintings, not artists. With an eye toward rectifying that situation, Michael Kimmelman, chief art critic of the New York Times, constructed Portraits. He invited individual artists to meet him at museums, then tagged along on their peregrinations through various galleries--sometimes the most unlikely ones. At New York's Metropolitan Museum, the late Roy Lichtenstein, papa of pop, stopped to praise some frou-frou Fragonards. Who knew? "Clearly there's something wrong with me," Lichtenstein said."

The book is good and made better by occasionally opening up the browser and googling the artist or specific works mentioned in the stories to better see what is being discussed. I found Elizabeth Murray salient and embraceable. Bacon is wierdly fascinating with his work and lifestyle, his selection of Constable paintings and his eccentricities which are adorably and frighteningly British. Balthus is someone I know nothing about and would like to explore his work and thinking later...but am inspired by his compositions and direct references to art history in his work. And Richard Serra is a treat.

We love Dia Beacon because of Richard Serra and his sculpture. The enormous rooms constructed like enormous cor-ten steel boats, rusty and seemingly inpenetrable. Serras journey to become Serra is interesting ...including the changes to his work and his friendship with Philip Glass. It all makes his work make more sense...the majesty and rhythm of his work almost seems to mirror the some of Glass' musical compositions (Dias Ira, for one).

I am puzzling on how to relate this art to the venture of illustration as illustration may be an expression of an illustrator's vision --it also reflects a client and an imposed communications objective that does not figure into the art making of an artist. I find it very offputting and may actually need to speak to that at the end of my chit -chat, music and words slide show. Maybe a friendly smile and fudge the whole thing. This is the end of the SU Chapter...

More on this later as I progress through this tome.

Picture above: Elizabeth Murray. (American, born 1940). Yikes. January-February 1982. Oil on canvas, two panels, 9' 7" x 9' 5 1/2" (292.1 x 288.3 cm). Gift of Douglas S. Cramer Foundation. Museum of Modern Art, NY. © 2007 Elizabeth Murray

A Sunday at Grassroots


Grassroots for some is a flat out, no holds barred party that lasts from Monday morning the week prior to the event through Monday morning, the day after the event. It is solid...and hard work...but for these folks, this is IT. THE experience. I have never been in this category. Not a party gal. There is a style for everyone--and our technique is to hear the music we want without getting nuts about missing stuff, visit with our friends from Corning, Elmira, Tburg and Ithaca, and partake of the fare that is offered--and leave when we feel tired....or sometimes just before we feel tired. And we can weather the whole experience and enjoy it. So, in that vein, we woke up a little later, ate breakfast, sat outside and then got the gumption to get going....just in time for the Chicken Chokers.

The Chokers were excellent. Really on their game. Tight--and the crowd LOVED them...which feed a great performance. It was "who do I know that I would never expect to see at Grassroots" for me as streams of people I like and love found me and we had a little catch up along with sandwiching in some picture taking as the tent was a beautiful venue for pix. It was great. There was a very hot and active clogging man in pressed tan trousers, tapping the whole time. Much of the Old Time Tburg locals were there to take in the show. It was really nice. Much too short.

We heard a bit of the Duks who were very good...and towards the end, a little bit of the Turtle Duks that folks were dancing up a storm to.

Found the buffalo bicycle. Here it is.

Visited with a whole bunch of people...and then it got late.
It wasn't hard to sleep.

All in all. Grassroots this year was one of the better ones. The weather, outside of the downpour on Thursday, was perfect--low humidity, no clouds, cool. The scheduling and programming putting the right people in the right venues was very well done. Though it felt like attendance was down, those that were there were in good spirits without the wild and shaggy thing that happens from about the middle of Saturday afternoon until the end of the weekend. It felt orderly and respectful...not tons of weaving and wavering teens and early twenties zoning out. They were there, but not en masse. And the musicians were all excellent and pushing their personal boundries a bit. We noticed that there was a lot more electronic influence in many of the groups we didn't expect this change. Interestingly good...

We will be buying tickets for next years Grassroots on Valentines Day 2008. Starting the saving...

Mark's encampment at Grassroots




Our friend Mark and his wife Heidi always add a little extra to their Grassroots experience. This year is no exception. They gather with their friends with pristine vintage campers and spend the festival eating, drinking and partaking of the music and scene. This year, Mark brought his brand new, handmade Vardo, a wooden gypsy wagon complete with cut glass, tiny wood stove, and beautiful woodwork...with a bright white canvas cover giving the interior warm diffused light. What a treat.

He also offered up a selection of spanish tapas (from Tienda)and interesting conversation to enliven the early evening. What a rich slice--friends, music and crispy almonds and manchengo, chorizo and almond crisps sparkling with anise. What a gift he has given us.

Grassroots recap day 3

Grassroots is rolling. Perfect day, perfect temperatures and wonderful music yesterday. We heard the Horseflies--with new cuts from their new, soon-to-be released CD--very percussive and more electric than I can remember. Judy Hyman is truly a star--with her focus and intelligence shining through with every bow stroke. I hadn't really put it together that the banjo uke, bass, and accordian are really part of the percussion aspect of the group. The crowd was appropriately responsive. Richie was sublime...as usual. And the big surprise was Will from Electric Wilberland and his assistance on the board to make the electric/ synthesized sounds happen so well. High sun, bright, and lots of folks shaking their booties.

Eilen Jewel was stellar(photo of her above). She has a terrific band that goes from zero to sixty-- ramping up the beat and music in a very serious way. She has a lovely clear voice that can keep up with the driving music. We throughly enjoyed her as promised by Nonesuch's Tracy Craig for weeks before. We were appropriately prepped...and were surprised at how great she was.
The happiness parade was happy, I guess. Bunch of people drumming...and all doing their own thing.There was plenty of face paint and ill fitting costumes. There were dream catchers and huge puppets and lots of smiling faces. For those whe pursue this sort of bliss, bliss it was. Speaking of doing your own thing and pursuing your bliss, the next post is one such family.

There was a guy with a buffalo bike...and then, the horse bike. I couldnt resist giving you a peek.

Today is Chicken Chokers play in the Dance Tent. Donna the Buffalo closes the show. A whole lot of other good stuff sandwiched in. More pictures for tomorrow.
next>>

Grassroots day 3


Its been a blur. Chokers played a magic evening on Wednesday at the Pourhouse. The energy was great, lots of friends and families of friends...with great music. It began to heat up and when the group took a break, everyone went outside for a little breather and the music began again with it all going to the street...Thursday we got caught in a drencher with everyone under tents trying to dry in between sessions to having to run out.Richie Sterns and the Henry Brothers were amazing. It was beautiful in the dance tent with the chinese lanterns glowing. I hope tonight to get some images for reference as there are some pretty beautiful details of Grasroots ready to make pictures from.

In between waiting time for the finals for baseball...(which was over at 11 p.m.) we dropped by Felicias Atomic Lounge and saw the Chokers...They were great. Felicia's alley is this narrow space painted electric blue with a long wooden bench running down one side and aluminum tables and chairs down the other. We took some snapshots which I enclose a few in this posting. The band was great...very relaxed with a smallish audience who enjoyed the whole scene.

It is a flawless, cloudless day. Low humidity. High potential. Def. sunscreen, hat and positive attitude. Lots to hear and see.

Later.

Learning lessons


Took all the big pictures up to Syracuse for the thesis show/presentation. This was very fascinating and enlightening. I would have liked to have had this information last summer before the ramp up of the show. First off, there is a wonderful and really smart exhibit designer and preparator who is a tremendous resource we should have met and been encouraged to tap as he is a wealth of options, ideas and resources for how to output/present/ show our work whether it be framed, mounted on gatorboard or a traditional painting (which, to no surprise to me, is all thisprogram is geared to). Andrew had ideas about packing, travelling your work, work protection etc. He also knows all sorts of things such as how to think of editions, how to proceed with archival vs. non-archival etc. My ears were open. My pen was flying.

Chris Wofford, The Trumansblogger "Wonders about Drum Circles" as a little bow to Grassroots today.

They are all here in force. Jamming Rabbit Run.Getting ready for the Nation to get going. Grassroots Nation.

Chokers tonight at the Pourhouse. Baseball practice for the tournament. Posters getting finalized.

More later>>