Advisors Meeting with Andrew

My advisors meeting with Andrew, was specifically about my MFA show in Berlin and final piece for the project.  I have been working with raw pigment in a acrylic skin form and weaving the pieces together.  The idea is to form a rooted in red symbol suspended from the ceiling out of these weavings.  Andrew had a ton of wonderful insight about installation and references.  Richard Sera's pieces to look into and possibly see in New York when I arrive.  Also Wolfgang Laub, Eva Hesse and Rauschenberg.  We discussed the carrier for the pigment, acrylic gel medium versus glue.  Test will be done soon!  Also we agreed that I should attempt a trial run of the weaving project to install for New York residency, which will really allow some growth, which is needed.  We also talked about leaving them as sheets of weaving or creating a 3D shape and create the symbol in 3D.  We also talked about the ground and if and/or what should e there, more pigment?  YES!    We didn't wear red this time, but we were both in shades of black!   Andrew was showing me the Raushenberg Pajamas Venetian.  We had an awesome chat and was so motivated, I worked hours afterwards on creating a small diagram....needs some work:)

December UPDATE!

I have been in the studio painting and exploring more of red ochre and its relationship with other mediums and how that reflects directly or indirectly my Rooted in RED project.  I started by reducing the Rooted in RED symbol which created an abstract space, in which I used multiple other shades (all from the original 8 reds from Dear Red).  As I was doing that I was working with weaving canvas saturated in pigment.  From the weaving the canvas I have moved onto creating skins of pigment cutting them and weaving them together. I have been drawn to the weaving, trying to master the technique and size that is manageable to hang understand its source.  I have finished  Waasa Inaabidda a book by Thomas Peacock on Ojibwe traditions.  I have saturated myself in Ojibwe teachings and traditions for last few months and am finding myself becoming more comfortable allowing the knowledge that I am absorbing to regurgitate itself in red ochre.  I was focused on the historical aspect, stuck rather, of red ochre, but I have not begun to view red ochre in a contemporary lens.  The painting below is the beginning of that layering skins of red ochre onto a red ochre background.  I am working with the collage mentality and that makes pigment an object, which is fascinating to me.  Still referencing the artificial vs. natural in these paintings, the acrylic has always been the the artificial but I would like to address as the contemporary aspect of my studio practice.  

With the acrylic skins that I cut into strips, I started to weave them.  Using a simple basket weaving technique, just to see how durable the acrylic would be.  It is very resistant to over stretching will reduce back to its starting form.  

The next few images are of weaving into already stretched canvas. It has not captured the image that haunts my head of how I want this to turn out.  I am working canvases that gessoed on the front, but I do believe I should gesso the back side as well, for keeping the shape of the canvas.  

The image below has canvas saturated in red ochre pigment woven into a pre-stretched canvas saturated in Vermillion acrylic paint.

The image above is the same painting below accept it is woven with bronze acrylic skins.

The paintings below are from reducing the Rooted in RED symbol down and using the red ochre pigment raw and layering glazes of red ochre on top.

November UPDATE!

Things have been coming along nicely. I will admit that my patience have been tried a few times with the tediousness of the process of working with the city and other people, really.  So while all my proposals, grants, fellowships sort themselves out, I have been in the studio painting away!

Recently have been working on a few paintings that have been difficult for me to finish, getting feedback from my crit group as I type this and had an excellent skype meeting with Andrew about it as well.  Feeling better about those, but have been using the Rooted in RED symbol as the subject of the painting, in a design my itself etc.  I was finding that the design aspect turned into more of a color by number and allowing the symbol to become abstract and even more basic allowing the pigment to really be the subject is where I am headed now!

Since my last critique I have also beefed up my Rooted in RED website and found a comfortable schedule in posting that is making me crazy and always on the computer! ha!
http://www.rootedinred.blogspot.com/

Here is a link of the paintings that I have finished up last week.
http://www.rootedinred.blogspot.com/2015_10_01_archive.html

Below are what I have been working on the past few days!  In progress!

raw red ochre pigment, acrylic, gesso on canvas  5'x6.5'

raw red ochre pigment, red dye #5   8"x20"

Red dye #5, raw red ochre pigment   12"x20"

Testing the reaction of these two dry pigments with water. 

Starting to weave a painting.  I soaked strips of canvas in red dye #5 and painted with raw red ochre pigment on a sheet of cut canvas.  Waiting for layers to dry before I weave them together.  Looking forward to seeing how I can play with this one!

I have been reading two book on Ojibwe culture that I ended up buying, because they are so wonderful.  Both are more on the overall traditions of the Ojibwe culture.  I am feeling the need to know as much as I can to verify my actions with this project still.  The question is how much am I find out, versus digging into my own thoughts.   Its my work, my perception, I need to remember that.  Overall, things are good.  Searching for a venue for my MFA show and figuring out Berlin needs too!

Advisors meeting with Andrew!

We both wore red again!!!!  It just seems appropriate:)
I have been having issues specifically with two paintings, painting in more of an advertising/ marketing way.  Not really allowing what I do naturally to surface, but hiding it under geometric coloring shapes.  I talked to Andrew about these paintings and our conversation was extremely helpful!  Addressing just putting these paintings aside and allowing them to show their own path in their own time.  We also talked about 'messing it up' and then having to deal with the consequence, building the painting from those results.  The two paintings were having issues with space we finally decided.  There is no depth.

We discussed the work of Joyce Kozloff, with her pattern and decoration style work in relation to using my symbol in my work as the subject.  Mark Rothko came up a bunch as well when we discussed how size does matter!  Having a painting overwhelm and take over your space is what Rothko accomplishes with his soft edges of radiating color.  It would not emanate as much if it were only 2'x2'.   Andrew sent multiple links to Rothko work including the play "RED" which I can not wait to find more footage of, and a link to Kozloffs stuff as well.

I got off skype with Andrew definitely not feeling defeated anymore!  Thanks Coach!

Conference advisors meeting

Excited to work with these two!  We had a superb conversation regarding Rooted in RED project.   I received a ton of references which include;

Ralph Mayer- artists materials book

Navajo sand paintings-performative aspect

Harold Rosenberg- action performative painting

Hans Naymeth-Ottawa gallery

Jackson Pollock- psycho analytic drawings

Steed Taylor- road tattoos

We discussed the three aspects of the project as Herman brought to my attention.  Technical, the actual pigment of red ochre and the actual pictographs.  Anthropoligical - symbol meaning and Participation/sharing- universality versus the personal of symbol.  We also brought to the table the over-arching theme of past/present.   Herman wants to see more history of the muzzibinakon.  Which I agree and so did Andrew.  Andrew and I discussed more of what to do during the winter months.  Pigment in the snow!  Using the pigment dry as the medium.    We also discussed how I see the community aspect of the project coming together, which I am finding out to be a slower process than I thought.  But discussed, how I see this project just beginning, and I want to spend quality time making sure the foundation is strong.

Overall a great start to the year!  Looking forward to more conversation!

Making a mark- Berlin 2015

http://thislittlepigment.blogspot.de/2015/08/making-mark-berlin-2015.html

Lindey Anderson- Transart link

http://www.transart.org/people/lindey-anderson/

Berlin 2015- reading responses

Encountering Subjectivity

Elena Marchevska

testimony, memory, joy, faith, belief, artworking, transference, trauma, connectivity

It seems that the basis of creativity comes to those who create between one emotion and another.  The vulnurability of these ‘tweener’ moments fuel the psyche and emotional cup.  Not only for the artist to create the work, but for the viewer in which will receive the work.  In the world of art, it seems that we need to leave it altogether and find our ‘tweener’ that can resonate the truth in which we are trying to convey.  I am encouraged by the space in which these articles created already in which utilizing and understanding how to manipulate the mind and heart to create within all boundaries.

@Uferstudios in Berlin

"Loyal to your impulse to create"

My experience with Elena and her class Encountering Subjectivity was more than I ever thought I needed.  Her insights into Ettinger and the artists she surfaced in that conversation were amazing resources to sight readings.  Our ability to perform the readings in a way were an amazing way to incorporate a dense, at first overwehlming text.  A renewal of vocabulary allowed to format a varied perception.  

Artist as Curator

Merete Rostad

Mondialite should be a synonom for the artist.  That is what we do.  We curate our own ideas into a form that can be identified by the senses.  If that is what we do at the basic level then mondialite seems to be the exact same thing.  We are all the same in which we have an ability to process, organize and interpret all things differently, which in itself allows us to be on a global plane.  I feel as if this conversation between artist and curator is one that should not even be.  I find myself always wondering why people who don’t create try to create something out of our creations.  I feel as if anything it should be about collaboration.  Seeking the ideal to reach as many viewers as possible, but not to drop off your work and be selected out of a thousand people to complete a puzzle for someone else.  I am hoping to become more knowledgable about this relationship within myself and within the artistic community. 

Art v. Life

Michael Bowdidge

Creating a dynamic between the viewer and its site of installation seems to be the key to a contemporary art site/installation.  I am realizing that the future is the key to keeping the art scene alive.  The way that we interact and consume art isn’t about the white walls and what is on them, but the involvement or respectably so, the lack of involvement connects us these days.   Art is not about recollecting the past anymore but being able to see the future or try and understand the possible answers to our contemporary questions.  Curating, installing and being isn’t enough anymore, but we as artists demand more and I feel that is the affect of the viewers response to art right before us.  For my generation the 1990’s were the art that we viewed as contemporary growing up and now I feel as if we are answering the questions in which these artists have asked.  But have we answered them or will we ever?  If we do will that be the end of contemporary art?

Praxis

Andrew Cook

Understanding exactly what we vision to understand exactly what we write.  The article expands upon the winding path in which to reveal the subject.  Specifically I find myself assuming that the reader can fill in the holes in which I have left.  The point is to find a balance between too many holes in the writing and too much info that they can not form their own opinion.  Barthes, a reading from last year has become a bible for this specific class, and others.  Apparently need to read more from his than this article to assume that I am on the same playing field as everyone else!

Letting Go
Linda Montano

I believe that the death and reincarnation is not of others but our artistic self.  I find myself identifying with certain aspects as I evolve as an artist.  Also in a personal standing of the research and readings death is a new life.  A new beginning.  Whether it be of someone close to you or it be people on the other side of the earth.  I feel as if whether they knew death was apparent or not, they get the opportunity to be along their loved ones and start another life beyond their current one.  I am interested in the title of this class and exactly how this will be implemented.  I have the general idea of letting go of someone, but is it someone?  or is it the idea of death to let go?

more collages

First Fridays on Santa Fe, Denver

-MAY FIRST FRIDAY-

This First Friday I featured my collages.  I have never exhibited this group of work and was found that my vulnurability seemed to be received well.  Very different aesthetically than my routine work, these collages allow me to create 100% on intuition and whimsy.  The simplicity that I rely on and the relationship that I try to create with the subjects. 

-APRIL FIRST FRIDAY-

My first First Friday in Denver at my studio on Santa Fe Drive.  I featured paintings from the Red Rock series.  Its great to be able to talk about my work with strangers.  It forces me to think through the last year and sum it up in 2-3 minutes.  With each experience to talk about my work, it'll become easier and more second nature to be able to articulate exactly what  I want to say.  

Red Rocks Installation

It FINALLY was clear enough to take the Red Rocks series up to Red Rocks and photograph them.   I am happy with the reunion of materials.  Some seem to have red rocks in the painting and others the painting in red rocks.  The juxtaposition of the paintings in the setting bring to life the mentality of the collages I have been doing.  These are just a few of 150 images I took.