Blowin' in the Wind

I'm still plodding away on my John Muir portrait, but progress is abound. One area of him that I have altered is his hair. It will be a stylized windswept look, hopefully without looking too carved out.

I have been trying to figure out why I am putting this crazy hair on him besides just finding it interesting, and in the process was reminded of Andrea Kowch. Shes a contemporary painter that uses a ton of symbolism and her images allude to encroaching low-pressure weather systems. I don't recognize all of the symbols the she uses, or how she is using them (and I believe that that's precisely what she wants), but I do enjoy her homesteading imagery and the feeling of shifting -or something imposing- that her style communicates.

Lake Erie Steelhead

Sunday November 17th, Jodi and I visited Trout Run in PA where Rt. 98 ends at Lake Erie. There is a large parking lot there beside a small creek. The parking lot was filled with vehicles of fisherman and  curious sightseers like the two of us. Everyone was there to witness the migration of stocked rainbow trout or Steelhead (the migrating variant found wild in the Pacific ocean). There were about 20 men wading hip-deep in the cold November lake water, trying to catch these large fish before they made it into the stream. It is Illegal to fish in this particular stream because the steelhead are packed in so tight that it would be like shooting monkeys in a barrel. They are packed in so tight because there is a dam maybe 400 ft. up stream. The dam was put there intentionally to block the fish from mingling with native species inland, and possibly infecting them.

Steelhead in the pool below the dam

Jodi meets the steelhead

Fisherman in front of the stream outlet waiting to catch trophy fish

Catch and Release in action. Notice the size of the fish tail

The Progress of John

 Well, after days and days of fussing, pushing and pulling, and after getting anatomy tips from Linda, I have gotten closer to the likeness of John. He still needs some more work, but here's what I got!

After cutting his head off, lengthening his neck and pivoting his gaze

Twinters and John meet

Rolled up sleeve...."we can do it"

Visit to Short North. Columbus, Ohio

CheTrooper at the Rivet Gallery

Doll at the Rivet Gallery

Ceramic seated-boy at a great antique shop

Ceramic elk at antique shop

Stuffed elephants at Gallery 38

Painting at Gallery 38

I found the Sherrie Gallery, But unfortunately its closed on Sundays

Sherrie Gallery through the front Window

More TED...More Puppets...

Handspring Puppet Co. demonstrate the evolution of their puppetry constructions. A great line from the talk:   "A puppet struggles to live on stage, and an actor struggles to die on stage. That's an important metaphor for life"

The solutions they come up with to make the horse and hyena act more alive are beautiful. Also, I am excited to look at how they break down the anatomy of the horse into parts.

War horse prototype

David Binder on Arts Festivals

Check out this great Ted Talk By David Binder on Arts Festivals. This is a great way to think about art on a large scale as well as community engagement!

Arts Festival in London with huge puppets (a girl and a time-traveling elephant)

Portraiture trials

I have been working on an almost life size bust of John Muir, the Yosemite environmentalist.  I am nowhere close, but I think that I have made some good progress. No stopping until he looks similar enough.
The other issue...This is basically just another bearded guy, and I can not count on the audience knowing who John Muir is.  So while considering that, I am in the middle of deciding what other elements to include in this bust. I feel like it needs to be ironic by incorporating an element of modernity, but want to make sure that I an communicating a feeling of respect and reverence towards John. I have some work to do.

John Muir

one week in with the small maquette peeking over Johns shoulder

More fussing...taller torso

This is the most pleasing angle for me.

New Work

 I just took some shots of Paul and Babe and the Cod Fisherman. I added some acrylic paint to the fisherman (I am really enjoying the plasticy pink and yellow) and the horns of Ox.

Paul and Babe

Paul and Babe

Paul and Babe

Are you paying too much for car Insurance?

Take a listen!

 Listen to Craft as an integral part of the fine art world

 

NPR's Radio Times  facilitated a discussion with the Curator of the Philadelphia Museum of Art Exhibition "Craft Spoken Here", Elisabeth Agro, Pittsburgh based goldsmith and author of Humor In Craft, Brigitte Martin, and Craft as an integral part of the fine art world, and Philadelphia's "Yarn Bomber", Jessie Hemmons.   The show Craft as an integral part of the fine art world contributes an in depth conversation about art vs. craft to the greater public. Its worth a listen and introduces some good references to look up (Crafthaus being one of them).

 

The entrance to the Philadelphia Museum of art "yarn bombed" by Jessie Hemmons

Bernini's "bozettos"

I was excited to see terra-cotta maquettes by the marble master Bernini in The NY Times.