Grindhouse

Have been unemployed for more than four months. Realized a couple of weeks into it that it would be unlikely that I would return to work soon. Also realized I didn't HAVE to and didn't WANT to. Settled into the idea of a taste of F/T artist status. Over that 4 month process have come to where I am today. Yes I spend alot of wasted time in the studio. Distractions and indulgences like the web, tv, movies, and partying..but the lifestyle is nothing but indulgent anyway..and alot of time is spent letting ideas develop and or come to you..in any event, the inevitable has arrived and I have to look for a full time "grind". Fortunately, the turning point of late May has left me with a direction to make it interesting and worthwhile to continue the studio practice which I shall.
The biggest win was the realization that I could make interesting larger items using found wood, and cheap large masonite. Then also the canvases stretched on cheap plywood.

In three weeks I find myself with at least 6 or 7 pieces that I would be willing to submit in a small exhibition and look forward to a deeper commitment this fall and winter.

Status Update

So this is a look at some of the major pieces after that period of prepping the found wood and the bought masonite. I still haven't begun work on the large canvasses but that will come soon. The unemployment period has got to be coming to an end. In it I allowed myself a taste of "total commitment" to studio practice uninterrupted by the "survival job" of CIBT or any other drudge work..the "turning point" came in late May when I decided to do larger pieces and stretched canvas, I overcame the logistical problem of stretching on expensive stretchers by trying the large masonite and the Basquiat method of cock-eyed stretching. Now I have a sense of a direction but know that I will have to continue to explore beyond the facile and superficial.

6/3 Wednesday

Began work on several of the primed surfaces. Just laying down backgrounds. the only attempt at real imagery was on a couple of drawings while watching "Brother from Another Planet". Working from iconic photo of Tuskegee airmen and some of Basquiat's more recognizable figures. Mostly working on approaching all this with a little more method and restraint vis a vis the pallette.

content.content-ment

have alot of surfaces prepped...now the fun starts..the issue of content..had a friend over..she said when I try to get to 'cheeky' and conceptual it leaves her cold, and the ones that come from my own voice..not referring too far outside myself, that's the most interesting. then there is the question of 'relevance', mastery of technique, pure art etc