Nicole Northway

This Thursday!

2012-02-15T09:38:00.000-08:00

Come see the first iteration of "Diary of a Shipwrecked Sailor" this Thursday! I am in a group exhibition called "What She Saw" at North Park University. Jennifer Cronin, Clare Rosean, and Katsy Johnson will also show work. Join me for the opening from 5:00-7:00 p.m.

North Park University

3225 W Foster Ave, Chicago, IL 60625

View Map · Get Directions

Here's a little sneak peak of some of the work in progress on my studio wall. I am hoping to have about 14 there tomorrow!

Diary of a Shipwrecked Sailor

2012-01-27T12:25:00.000-08:00

I am painting again! Thanks to deadlines for two upcoming shows, I'm back into it. I've been working on a series of small works, completely different than my usual mammoth paintings. This is in part to allow my work to open up in a way, begin to build a narrative between works, and allow for the more practical application of painting at the store!

This is loosely based off the book "Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor" by Gabriel García Márquez. I liken my new responsibilities as a small business owner to being shipwrecked in a way, in that I am in a liminal space and committed to a specific space for a large amount of time each week. Anyways....more on this later, here are some photos!

Stargazer by Nicole Northway

New Tees!

My muse

This is my "happy lamp" I have to use everyday so I'm not bummed in the winter

A new technique I am trying out of using wax and printmaking techniques directly on the paintings

Nicole Northway- winter studio

This week in Instagram...

2012-01-21T11:19:00.000-08:00

Nicole Northway-Lino Cuts at One Strange Bird

Cuts and Coffee

Geometric Mountains

Peacock Design in progress

Rainbow tone ink roll out

Screen print (Nicole Northway)

Handmade lotion

Untitled Pancake #1 (a day off together)

Mountains

"My" studio at One Strange Bird

FFFFForever

2012-01-11T14:11:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, it has been a REALLY long time since I updated my personal blog. As you may know, I opened a store! One Strange Bird opened on October 1st, 2011 and is host to ballsy craft and fine art by local Chicago artists and other national talent. It has totally consumed me for the past three months, along with teaching three courses at Columbia College and participating in the One of a Kind show at the merch mart. Lady Bird, my feathery company was in the Etsy pavillion....did I mention how much I love Etsy????

So... I just took my piece down from the Blaque Lyte show at the Hyde Park art center. That was pretty amazing! I got to show with David Shirgley. WOA... I just drove the piece back to the studio on the top of my car yesterday.

Let's see, other than that, I've been trying to get back into the swing of things in terms of painting. I started a couple of small pieces for a show I've been asked to be in soon. I've got to get busy. Yes. I am still obsessed with ink painting and have been doing more and more research and practice. Here are some of the latest attempts:

Paste Paper Experimentation

Weeping Wilow practice with some homemade stamps and ink practice

Nicole Northway in progress

One Strange Bird GRAND OPENING!

2011-10-08T10:09:00.000-07:00

You heard it here first, One Strange Bird, located at 2515 W. North Avenue, in the wonderful city of Chicago, is having a party for the grand opening of our wonderful boutique!

Check the awesome flyer out below for all the information!

Clutch Opening!!!

2011-09-13T18:02:00.000-07:00

Check out this little blurb about the Clutch Opening:

Wish Granted

2011-08-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

The last post's wish has been granted. I am scared shitless and super excited to announce that I am officially a Small Business Owner. Serious details later this week.

For now...

an update on clutch gallery's piece "Island" opening at the beginning of September.

Wooden Skeleton:

Paint:

Salt Crystals day four:

I need more space...

2011-07-28T16:09:00.000-07:00

If only I could be this organized:

Lately, I am really into raw wood and industrial finds.

How to Dye Feathers Tutorial

2011-07-26T17:33:00.000-07:00

Hi, friends...so seriously this whole LadyBird thing has really taken off and I can't tell you how thrilled I am! It is really wonderful a) being my own boss b) getting paid $ to make stuff c) playing with feathers and pretty things all day d) MOST importantly making ladies happy. I have suddenly been thrown into the strange world of fashion and girly-ness that I am by no means accustomed to.

I have always loved feathers since I only answered to "Tigerlilly" when I was a young fan of Peter Pan, wielding plastic tomahawks and wearing rainbow colored headdresses. Once I was older, I made myself a couple of amazing bird headdresses for Halloween and defiantly rocked some feather wings at Burning Man in 2001. In grad school at UIC, I liked sticking giant turkey feathers in my pony tail, when I felt like the man was getting me down. Needless to say, I have always been captivated by this small treasure and I am amazed that other people no longer look at me like I'm a freak-werido when I rock my feathers.

I am totally okay being a bird lady.

I thought that since I've been on an Art with a capital "A" hiatus (because of being so busy!), I would do a little blog tutorial on how to hand dye feathers. It took me quite sometime to find this info, but really it is so simple.

Step One: Procure white feathers. I got a serious shipment in last week and I want to roll around in them.

Step Two: buy Jacquard acid dye in hot pink, of course

Step Three: Drink lots of coffee, steal gloves from your doctor's office, and order Thai takeout. Check. You will want to wear gloves while dealing with these dyes or you will end up looking like me...a strange smurf.

Step Four: Fill your sink with cold water and soak your feathers.

Step Five: Heat water on the stove until just boiling, pour into coffee can, and add dye. I use about half the dye per coffee can. (Dyes brightly) You can also add a little vinegar, but I think it is too stinky.

Step Six: Add your feathers and mix them around. Make sure they are covered up by the dye/water. Now wait.....about 30-45 min per batch. I usually give them a stir every 15 min. or so...

Step Seven: Rinse feathers under cold water (with your gloves on) until the water runs clear. Pat them dry with a towel. Lastly, I like to blow dry mine because they get fluffy again.

Step Eight: Make pretty things and have fun!

Here is the Lady Bird headquarters....totally crammed into a teenyweenie little room...

The shelf has saved my life.

notice stack of Nicole Northway originals on your left. For sale to a good home :)

In the back, my "vision board" because you all know I'm a major nerd and love the good vibes, man.

Feather rolls and wire...a new kind of palette.

Take care, ride your bike, and have fun!

Smoke and Mirrors...

2011-07-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

I hate writing about my work. I am currently avoiding writing this proposal by blogging. Here are my experiments with dry ice:

Hand Dyed Feathers

2011-06-30T08:27:00.000-07:00

So...still haven't had too much time in the ART studio. I've been thankfully very busy with the feathery stuff. I also put together some of the shirts for a boutique in L.A. yay!

Here are some hand dyed feathers I made this week:

Today I am working on a proposal for the sculpture center! I will post some sweet pics (yes this will involve smoke and glitter) later this weekend.

No more sleeping.

Black Light, Black Magic, Black Tail

2011-06-15T20:50:00.000-07:00

So....It has been an insanely long time since I have posted and I am very sorry! The image above only slightly explains the madness really.

It all started here:

I was trying to figure out how to make some money out of something handmade, so I didn't have to wait tables again. I started making jewelry!

One day I was making a feather earring and got a little carried away with the beadwork. It them got turned into a hair clip.

Presto: one month later I am a small business owner. So...needless to say I have been working 12-15 hours a day to fill jewelry orders, hunt down rare rooster saddle feathers, and try to stay on top of teaching and painting....

It is all AMAZING. You should check out the shop. It's to your left of this post.

I never dreamed to know so much about fly tiers or rooster bodies:

So these guys are genetically bred to have long, beautiful tail feathers. There are only so many roosters out there. Before jerks like me, fly fishermen who tied flies as a hobby had prime pick of the Whiting Euro rooster saddle hackle, a glorious explosion of long as hell soft tail feathers. They used to be around 40-90$ a pack (100 feathers).

Now they are all gone. The guys that run the fly shops have an incredible amount of personality and sense of humor. They probably find it quite strange that we want to put them in our hair like this:

or this:

I have become obsessed. These things are gorgeous and I want to hand dye them and offer them to my customers. I e-mail fly shops all over the country. Gone....

I was told by one man that his birds left early this year...saying something about L.A. hairstyles. At least he has a sense of humor about it all. Needless to say the saddles are going for 300-500$ on E-bay. I found 2 smaller ones that I have in my possession and I'm using in designs.

Ahhh that is all for the birds....

Let's talk salt crystals. These are some studies (successful?) for a sculpture I can't wait to build for Clutch gallery.

When I'm not plucking rooster rear ends or growing things in dark, damp places, I zone out under the black light. I am doing research for a show at the Hyde Park Art Center. David Shirgley is going to be in it too! I'm so pumped up.

It is a mild coincidence that the feather earrings look amazing in backlight too!

That's all for now. This is my 5th 15 hour day in row.

Snore time.

Thomas McCormick Gallery Exhibition

2011-05-19T07:29:00.000-07:00

Hello! I just wanted to share the virtual tour of the exhibition at the gallery with Michael Hedges. The show is up until June 4th, so you should come by and see it if you can get a chance. Tom and Mary are awesome people and great to work with. (and they both have a great sense of humor!)

Department of Beautification Report #4

2011-05-18T12:46:00.000-07:00

Update: New Birds on Head!

And! Totes of birds in the One Strange Bird shop!

Department of Beautification Report #3

2011-05-16T10:13:00.000-07:00

Hello, Everyone. Sorry it has been sometime since my last update. The giveaway was such fun. My awesome artist friend Mathew Paul Jinks won a small painting. I will post pics of it in his new home as soon as he returns my calls. Ha!

I have been really busy with the craft side of my practice making stuff for my two Etsy shops. (There are links to them on the left-hand side of the blog.) I have also been crafting with my girls Amanda Baker (super talented an all-around amazing person) and my sister, Madeline and fake sister, Allie Corwin. Madeline moved back to St. Louis for the summer, so I am sadddddfaced. :(

Below you will see the most recent of street pieces I made. I realized Mod Podge has subversive potential. You can see below some lady heads in Wicker Park....

She is in good company with my good friend Hebru Brantley.

This next piece is on Milwaukee Ave. and is a "time based" work, in that I have been adding birds to her head over a span of about four weeks. She now has four birds on her head. I have to photograph the other two still, as we went out at night last time.

Bird #1

Context: Street art in wicker park

Two birds up on her head

That's all for now! Enjoy the sun, beautiful people.

Drop it like it's hot.

2011-05-02T07:26:00.000-07:00

This is the newest piece in the studio. This is my hard core rapper face. I'm so cool it hurts.

But more seriously, I had an awesome opening at Thomas McCormick. I realized how many amazing people are in my life...wow! So thanks to everyone that showed up to show some love. It was so much fun to see the paintings outside of my tiny, cramped studio.

To show my love, I want to give away one tiny painting to someone. Here is how it works.

1."Follow" me on this site.

(Click follow on the right hand side)

2. Comment (anything) on this post

3. I'll pick a number via a randomizer

4. The winner gets a baby 5 by 5

5. I get to show my love...

6. I'll pick on Sunday May 8th, post, and give it to you!

Good luck.

So... I have two new pieces I'm working on. I am SUPER excited. I haven't been this pumped up in the studio in a while. One is above and the other I'll show it to you later this week. Right now, it is still pretty rough.

Lastly, look for lady heads around wicker park! I did it again. There is also a "time based" piece, where I've been adding a new bird on top of a lady head every 5 days or so. Let's see how tall it gets.

This week I have a lot of goals: make more shirts, work on the new pieces, finish a piece for 3 walls Spring Gala, make more jewelry, hang out with friends, and guest crits at Columbia.

I love spring.

Take care friends,

Art Chicago, Thomas McCormick, and Sunshine!

2011-04-29T14:22:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! I've been super busy working on my "crafty" side this week.

Check out the OneStrangeBird and LadyBird shop for all my hard work. I think I'm getting better at this thing...at least I hope. (Now if I could only make some sales......)

This whole "life as an artist" thing can be spiritually and financially tricky. I have been swinging back and forth emotionally since I quit my day job. I will say that having time to make stuff every single day is/has been a goal that I have reached!

Big news! Art opening at Thomas McCormick gallery tomorrow night. I am so excited to get my work out into the world...

This guy will be there.

Happy Spring!

Department of Beautification Report #2

2011-04-22T17:14:00.000-07:00

One Strange Bird

Oh, Schiele...I wish you would want me

Sometimes I feel like a big, dumb bunny

From the photo archives

2011-04-08T09:04:00.000-07:00

My camera is broken and in the shop. Sad news. It has made me realize how much I've come to enjoy talking photographs and being able to look back on how the work is evolving (or regressing). So I shall rely on words and my digital hard drive to get us through this week.

Let me try to explain in words a slight breakthrough I had around 11 p.m. last night:

1. I need to keep doing what I'm good at. This is not necessarily repeating myself, but following ideas through until I feel they are exhausted.

2. There is nothing wrong with being interested in caves, the ocean, the forest, and mountains. (and I don't need severed heads in the water to be relevant)

3. Spirituality is inherent in nature, there is no need to spell it out.

4. I am older now.

So in lieu of process photos, here are some studio photos from the archives:

Grad school studio at UIC summer of 2007

Undergraduate studio at University of Missouri St. Louis circa 2006

Undergraduate studio at University of Missouri St. Louis circa 2004

Undergraduate studio at University of Missouri St. Louis circa 2005

Stretching 7 X 8 canvas in the front yard Humbolt Park studio

Portrait of the artist as an angry painter

Studio at the Zhou Brothers building 2008/2009

Studio at the Zhou Brothers building 2009/2010

Nicole Northway solo show opening, Escape Route

at the Contemporary Art Workshop October 31st, 2008

Circa Now

Wishing I was still on "Tico time"...

2011-04-01T17:59:00.000-07:00

Costa Rica was absolutely amazing! I am sunburned!

We got to go to a cloud forest in Monteverde and the ocean in Montezuma. We went hiking, zip lined through the canopy, and went scuba diving. I think I am still buzzing with everything we saw: monkeys, tarantula, coati, fish, strangler figs, heron, dolphin, and on and on. Not to mention the people, cities, and places. Here are some photos that I have/will use as references for new pieces.

So...I'm feeling slightly lost again in the studio. I have definitely ruined the piece I have been working on for months. (So frustrating!) I haven't ripped it off the stretcher yet because I am hoping I can salvage it in some way. I have been working on smaller pieces, just to test out some colors, techniques, and ideas. I think it is a good way to see what might stick.

Here is my wall of smalls. Most of the ones you haven't seen are in progress still.

Also, here is the next layer on "Vomit" painting:

Lastly, I am very excited to say that I will have some newer works at Thomas Mccormick Gallery on April 30th, the weekend of Art Chicago madness. Also, Escape Route will travel to a museum in China! If only we could travel with it.

Also in the works for next fall is an opening in Meg Duguid's purse (Clutch Gallery) and an opening (illuminated only by blacklights!) in November at Hyde Park Art Center organized by the super fun Chris Kerr and Paul Nudd.

Spring Vomit

2011-03-20T17:51:00.001-07:00

A new big painting in its "underlayers". This is the beginning of my non-blue period. We are going to the rain forest in two days, so I'm hoping for some inspiration. I started it on the floor with liquid inks and acrylic. I then started to layer oil on top of it. Happy Spring break everyone!

A n

From the window, to the wall

2011-03-05T13:00:00.000-08:00

I guess if I'm going to hit any kind of wall, I would prefer it at least to be rainbow colored.

Merde

2011-02-27T17:26:00.000-08:00

I always forget that I need to trust the process on days like today.

This week I was freaking out most of the week preparing for a studio visit. Oddly enough, I have become a very private person and have rarely allowed people over to the studio post grad school. I have become quite protective of my in-progress works, because I tend to get de-railed so easily. I started this blog as a way to try open myself up again. The studio visit went well and was very refreshing. I was treated as if I was the authority of my work and got a lot of positive feedback. I was also exposed to a very different type of visit than I am accustomed to, one that doesn't turn into a critique. It was a strange feeling to have someone trust me and the work and just ask questions.

So...Since I hadn't been in "production mode" all week, I tried to overcompensate today. I believe I may have actually ruined Empty Gesture for good. I also mutilated several small pieces I had been working on. Lastly, I tried to start new works that ended up forced and wobbly in a bad way. Some days I just try to keep pushing through the bullshit. I probably should have just stopped.

One of the most frustrating things about being an artist is the inconsistency of the creative process. Some days I can make 15 beautiful water color drawings in 3 hours. Other times, I work for weeks and everything feels like meaningless garbage. The main issue is that I'm a junkie for working and stubborn. These two things lead to many frustrating, messy, and uninspired days in the studio.

I also doesn't help that the sun has been out for about 5 hours in two weeks.

So in lieu of showing crap here are some funny sketchbook pages from the archives:

The Joy of Painting episode 1: Happy Little Explosions...

2011-02-17T17:00:00.000-08:00

Alla prima, ladies and gentlemen.

I made this painting in 1 hour. I wanted to force myself to make really fast decisions and paint wet-on-wet.

Bob Ross is my new guru.

Monsoon Season

2011-02-15T15:56:00.000-08:00

Hello, Valentines.

I've been busy making a handmade gift this week/end for my Valentine and writing a slew of last second letters of recommendation for students.

Today, after sorting through the hand cut paper hearts strewn about the house, I had time to start preparations for a new large painting. This piece will be 71 X 81 inches. I have made a color chart and some tiny study panels. I will attempt to create a piece with a muted palette. I am still working from storms, Modernism, and Chinese landscape. Right now I am particularly interested in the Monsoon as a metaphor for a quick shift in states coupled with unruly repercussion.

Listen to:

Artist Statement

2011-02-08T09:29:00.000-08:00

I'm hoping this clarifies everything about my work:

Post Party

2011-02-03T17:21:00.000-08:00

Here is Empty Gesture with a new layer in its party phase. The other images are details of some "gestures" I think are interesting. Tomorrow the "confetti feeling" of the painting will be addressed.

In addition to working on this piece I have been playing around with the small wooden panels I gessoed, practicing Spanish, planning a trip to Costa Rica, and wandering in the insane blizzard outside. Hope everyone is warm and toasty.

Pretty Maids

2011-01-25T20:29:00.000-08:00

I think I ruined the painting I posted yesterday today. (or Cody says maybe it is just in its teenage phase). I gesso-ed more things and organized my studio after ruining said painting.

WTF

2011-01-24T19:02:00.000-08:00

This is a new piece "Empty Gesture". It is about four layers in now. I had a loose plan and it has deviated wildly. Trying to loosen up my marks, investigate "gesture" in terms of Ab-Ex (questioning expressive mark-making now, attempting to access this so-called "pure expression", etc. etc.), and bridge the gap between the "Chi of painting" in Chinese painting and the "action painters" idea of the painting as a residue of a struggle.

With that aside, I am trying to censor less and let some things move through the brush.

I also finished priming a new 7by8 foot canvas and 3 big papers for experimentation. These are some things I am trying out:

*representing states of/layers of consciousness

*pentimenti/process/residue

*making a painting that is a portrait/landscape/still life at the same time

*working myself into an altered state of consciousness while painting/meditating while painting/meditating before painting

Avalanche, Stormcloud, Eruption, Ceasefire

2011-01-19T14:10:00.000-08:00

Here are yesterday's drawings....

I was working with the same ideas of representing the 15 brushstrokes, but also allowing myself to become slightly more illustrative and narrative. These all were completed in roughly 1 hour. I like the spontaneity of them, but I think at the end of this particular experiment, I would like to work back into them with more layers.

Tonight, I teach an art class at DePaul. It is a studio course for non-art majors. I really enjoy teaching this course because the students are so open and non-critical. Tonight I am introducing them to india ink and brush. I think I might try the "Mustard Seed" experiment with them and see how it turns out.

New Year.....

2011-01-18T11:36:00.000-08:00

It has been one year since I've started this studio blog. I have decided today to move the blog from Wordpress to Blogspot. Wordpress has been giving me anxiety attacks every time I try to upload images. In the spirit of my New Year's Resolution to go easier on myself, I have switched to a more user-friendly blogggy. I have archived all of the old posts which now all fall under today's date. I have included the original post date in the title. I hope I don't confuse anyone too much.

I am going to try to make something and post everyday. We'll see how that goes. I am reading a huge biography on Picasso right now and I am inclined to allow myself to begin to slip between styles and subjects as easily as he did. It seems to be time for production. In an effort to move beyond my constant self criticism, I am going to attempt to utilize this kind of frenzied production to evade criticism. Bear with me, as this may lead to some embarrassing experiments. I do think, however, it is interesting to also share my failures with you, dear reader. So at best, I hope you may have a smile or laugh at my expense.

I have made a lot of changes in my life in the past couple of months. I quit a job that was taking over my life emotionally and actually, I quit smoking after 15 years, I've started up my yoga and meditation practice again, and I now have the luxury of time to myself in the studio. It is a blessing to have this time to decompress, research, and produce.

I am currently studying Chinese Painting. The other day at Myopic, I found this amazing book for $3 dollars on the ideas and techniques of Chinese Painting. There are excerpts from a manual called "The Mustard Seed Garden". It was originally published in 1701. I have often noticed in my practice that I tend to enjoy the process of repetition of small elements. I have naturally incorporated meditation while painting, as it seems to be the one way to focus and restore balance in my mind. Reading this and other books about these "Old Masters" is interesting to me as their whole philosophy of image making is so radically different than all of the Western philosophy that is taught and practiced in American art schools. I feel like things are finally starting to make sense to me. More on this later, as these ideas are still percolating.

Also, an interesting link I am exploring in my work and research is American Abstract Expressionism and 6th century eccentric Chinese Painters. I've always been drawn to AbEx. In grad school, I made a series of (really terrible) paintings that I affectionally refer to as my AbSex period. I was channeling Ex-boyfriends while painting little "monuments" (Adam Farcus called it Sexpressionism). Now I'm not really sure what I'm doing...and it's wonderful. Here are 7 colored ink drawings I made on paper yesterday. I followed the Mustard Seed Garden's prompts for ways to make brushstrokes:

like spread out hemp fibers, like entangled hemp fibers, like sesame seeds, like big ax cuts, like cloud heads, like raindrops, like a whirlpool, like the veins of a lotus leaf, like lumps of alum, like skull bones, like the wrinkles on a devil's face, like raveled rope, like brushwood, like hair of cattle, like horses' teeth...

I'm not sure what any of those really look like, but I tried to include all 15 of them in each drawing. I allowed my interpretation of each brushstroke to vary per drawing.

Blue is Sooooo Last Year (01.17.11)

2011-01-18T11:01:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of pieces I finished in 2010...

Prints! (01.11.11)

2011-01-18T10:57:00.000-08:00

So I haven’t posted in a long time. I’ve been very busy with the holidays (making gifts) and some studio detours… We had a our 6th Guerrilla Dinner, where we showed Adam Grossi's paintings and shared a deliciously decadent four course meal.

I’ve also been spending a lot of time becoming obsessed once more with screenprinting. It has been a great way to indulge myself in some super flat, graphic imagery that I have always been interested in. Here is a link to my Etsy Shop. I've been trying to get ONE STRANGE BIRD up and running for about a year now. Thanks to my "just do it and don't think about it." mantra of the last couple of months...it's up and running.

WallFlower (11.15.10)

2011-01-18T10:53:00.000-08:00

Screen print Sunday! 22 hours later, I have “wallpaper”. (to be installed on a non-rainy day.)

Department of Beautification Report #1 (11.14.10)

2011-01-18T10:50:00.001-08:00

Fall Sketchbook Update (11.08.10)

2011-01-18T10:49:00.000-08:00

Here are some sketchbook/journal pages…I am officially obsessed with colored India ink.

Line Work (11.07.10)

2011-01-18T10:47:00.001-08:00

Line Work=Complete

On to the next layer...coming soon

Avalanche (10.30.10)

2011-01-18T10:45:00.000-08:00

Proposal for a Dystopic Avalanche

Here are some sculptural “sketches” I’ve been doing in the studio. I’d like to do an installation piece where the work emanates from the corner and spills onto the gallery floor. Everything is built from architectural scale lumber and hot glue. The tree is an experiment with wire, spray snow, and L.E.D. lights. Since 2007 in graduate school at UIC, I’ve been making these little models to use as an observational reference for the paintings. I think it would be an interesting move for me to create an installation alongside the paintings. Now I just need a space…

00000 (05.25.10)

2011-01-18T10:42:00.000-08:00

Here is the rough start of a new piece in progress. It’s about 20 hours in. All the white lines are being done with a 5/0 brush. (My hand hurts.)

More Experimentation (09.27.10)

2011-01-18T10:40:00.000-08:00

Here are some paper cuts I did for fun this weekend. I’m not really sure…maybe they will live outside soon.

Sketchbook (09.27.10)

2011-01-18T10:37:00.000-08:00

Weekend Warrior (09.27.10)

2011-01-18T10:36:00.000-08:00

So…I have been trying some experiemental approaches to start paintings… a la Chinese painters in the 6th century who started with ink bleeds and then worked the landscape into the random forms. We’ll see what happens. Here are the first starts….(2 paintings with 2 details of each) Really into to chance/play/experimentation as of late….trying to loosen up my practice and give it some space for new ideas.

Sketch for Island (05.19.10)

2011-01-18T10:31:00.001-08:00

Home Studio (05.19.10)

2011-01-18T10:29:00.001-08:00

Climax In Progress (05.19.10)

2011-01-18T10:27:00.001-08:00

Step by step stages of a new piece "Climax"....

"Break" in Progress (05.04.10)

2011-01-18T10:23:00.000-08:00

Water Color Studies (05.04.10)

2011-01-18T10:17:00.001-08:00

Zhou Brothers Studio Before I Moved Out (04.02.10)

2011-01-18T10:15:00.001-08:00

The Front Yard is My Studio (04.02.10)

2011-01-18T10:11:00.001-08:00

Art and Life (03.20.10)

2011-01-18T10:08:00.001-08:00

FTW (03.04.10)

2011-01-18T10:07:00.001-08:00

Blind (03.03.10)

2011-01-18T10:06:00.000-08:00

Some sketchbook pages...

Sumi Ink (02.25.10)

2011-01-18T10:01:00.001-08:00

01 (02.25.10)

2011-01-18T10:00:00.003-08:00

Painting is about belief…and a healthy amount of doubt as well.

Some New Smalls (01.14.10)

2011-01-18T10:00:00.001-08:00