Friday, March 28, 2014

Figure Drawing with the Model Christopher

I enjoy drawing Christopher because he has excellent contraposes and brings interesting energy to his stances. I am fairly pleased with several of the drawings, however there is problems with the  final foot drawing. The top and bottom of the sketch are incongruous, but I may try to work on it again to see if I can pull it together.

My favorite drawing of the evening.









Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Birthday Card Made

I made this card for my mother's birthday using watercolors and graphite on vellum paper. After it was drawn, I pasted it onto a blank recycled card I got from Scrap Reuse Center.






Saturday, March 22, 2014

Southern Exposure Auction

Tonight was the annual Southern Exposure Auction. This year, I volunteered by building a temporary wall. There was some nice artworks by Andy Vogt and Sarah Smith and I especially loved this piece by Michelle Mansour.

Michelle Mansour
Bind, 2003
acrylic, ink, and silicone on panel
10" diameter

Friday, March 21, 2014

Jason deCaires

I remember reading an article about Jason deCaires' underwater sculpture garden and thought at the time that it had great concepts, but I did not care for some of the figures he had created, such as the man lounging on the sofa watching TV.

Yesterday, my friend Scott sent me pictures of the simpler figures and their evolution with underwater life taking over. Since I am interested in mortality and distress in the body, I am fond of this dissolution that is taking place, while giving new life. I am really excited and inspired by these pictures!

Check out his website for more: Jason deCaires


























Mark Garrett's Art Opening Attended

A few weeks ago, I met an artist Mark Garrett who mainly works with collages. Tonight I attended his much-attended art opening. The works are beautifully executed and beg the questions, "Where is the artist from?" Does he feel a sense of displacement in the world? Why the maps?

UnTethered: Drawing With Scissors

March 21- April 19, 2014
Opening: 6-8PM
DogPatch Gallery, 2295 Third St SF,CA 94107

This liminal body of work evolved before I was fully aware of its origins. My practice of folding and cutting maps with scissors and applying the deconstructed fragments to paper with paint became my technical mantra for almost 3 years. Their sinewy, emotionally linear, and ruptured appearance are visually reminiscent of Rorschach inkblots. There is often some evident duality, or mirroring effect at play here. Though it was never in the forefront of my mind, I believe these maps fueled a better understanding of my/our subconscious minds and how a series of life altering events contributed to this visual expression.
MMG








Wednesday, March 12, 2014

A Day in the Studio

Today was perfectly warm and I went to my studio, wherein spent some time sketching a dissected leg on a prepared panel. Afterwards, I set up a space to begin painting, but could not find a bright lightbulb for the light. Got tired of wrangling extension cords, so ended up sitting down and simply drawing and painting my hand. I also looked at dissected hands on-line. I used acrylics mixed with a lot of water. I'm fairly pleased with the results.




Tuesday, March 11, 2014

You're W, I'm W, Repeat: 25

And yet another white face that I painted tonight.







Thursday, March 6, 2014

Creativity Explored Opening

Tonight I visited my favorite art gallery Creativity Explored.


A Curious Menagerie

March 6 - April 16, 2014
Venue
Creativity Explored
Location
San Francisco, CA


Menagerie by Jason Monzon © 2013 Creativity Explored Licensing, LLC. Acrylic on paper, 14.5 x 21.5 inches.



A Curious Menagerie is a group exhibition of artworks depicting various members of the animal kingdom, factual as well as fanciful, as viewed through the eyes of more than two dozen Creativity Explored artists. Encompassing everything from the domesticated to the wild and exotic, plus a few imaginary creatures, this show also comprises a range of media: watercolor, pastel, acrylic, pen and ink, wire, wood, paper, clay, fabric, and cardboard.
Artist Zachary Adams shows his love for “man’s best friend” in a winsome artwork of his own pet, entitledMy Pretty Pepper Girl Dog, in oil pastel and ink text on paper. Christina Marie Fong contributes Bobcat Rabbit, a fanged, savage-looking bunny covered in ornate Indonesian-inspired patterns of gold and silver, using watercolor and metallic felt pen. Gerald Wiggins brings an anthropomorphic element into his Lizard Man and Jake, both glazed ceramic sculptures of half-man, half-animal creatures, dressed like urban hipsters complete with stitched jeans, modern caps and goatees.
Curated by Suda Changkasiri & Glenn Peckman.
Opening Reception
March 6, 2014

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Featuring a 20-minute performance by Chorissima, the concert, recording, and touring ensemble of the San Francisco Girls Chorus.


Here are some of my favorite highlights of the show along with a few other pieces that I discovered in the back gallery. As you can see, I am a huge fan of Pancho Cruz.


Charles "Panco" Cruz
Hummingbird 
Charles "Panco" Cruz
Rooster

Lucinda Addison
Melancholy Cat with Green Eyes

Lucinda Addison
The Hare

Charlie Barthelet
made from pantyhose, string, and yarn

Charles "Panco" Cruz

Charles "Panco" Cruz



Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Mixed Media Project

The working title is "In a Most Delightful Way". Here are my initial sketches:



















































Here are some inspiration photos: