Back to abstract....

I've wanted to get back into abstracts lately but I was stuck. Nothing seemed to work. I broke down and bought a book by Rolina van Vliet called "Painting Abstracts: Ideas, Projects and Techniques."  Generally I'm cheap -- by spending $$ on a book I effectively forced myself to try some new abstracts.  (FWIW, the same technique, in this case paying for 3 months at the gym, seems to be working!)  Both are acrylic on 12 x 16 canvas board.

Ahh!!

I reconnected with a dear friend through the ubiquitous social media. He asked about my latest show and said he checked my blog/website often. Of course that suggests a fairly boring experience because I have been less than active in posting new pieces, ideas, things that interest me and the like.

His comments hit home. One of the things I am working on in my life in general is the need to throw perfectionism out the window. For whatever reason (ask my therapist) I have allowed perfectionism to fence me in, to stifle what I do and inhibit free expression within my work, relationships and art. I've actually made progress in this area but I'm not so sure it is seen in my art.  Perhaps it is in my recent photography. (Digital photography is so liberating in its costlessness.)

In other words I don't have too much to show right now, partially because I haven't taken any photos of what I've completed or been working on lately.  Here goes.

Tall Nude.  Acrylic, ink and charcoal on canvas

Four Woodcuts Based on Man Ray.  Woodcuts with ink and acrylics.

Woman in Ecstasy #1 of 3.  Acrylics, pencil, charcoal on paper

Two new pieces

These are under construction.....

Pencil and charcoal on watercolor paper

Acrylics, pencil and charcoal on watercolor paper

Thanks to those who stopped by last night!

We had a good showing last night on a chilly Carrboro evening at the 2nd Friday ArtWalk.  I enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting and talking with many strangers.  I'm just sorry I wasn't able to go to the other venues.  I big thanks to the kind folks at Weaver Street Realty for hosting me.  Stop by anytime over the next month if you want to look at my show.

I did stop by Steven Silverleaf's opening of his new collages at Fleet Feet Inc. corporate headquarters at 406 East Main St. in Carrboro.  Here's my review on this amazing show.  Go see it!

2nd Friday ArtWalk December 11th 6-9

Don't forget the ArtWalk this Friday in Carrboro and Chapel Hill.  The weather should be nice and cool for a lovely walk between venues (stopping of course at Weaver Street Realty for some wine and a look at some of my new pieces.)

There will be many things to see but there are two that I hate to miss while smoozing at my opening. 

The first is collages by my friend Steven Silverleaf at the Fleet Feet Gallery 406 E Main St, Carrboro.  If you haven't seen Steven's collages you are in for a treat!  Bright, vibrant and strong.

The second thing that caught my eye was the showing of some big artwork on shirts and paper by Jenifer Padilla at the Merch 101 Lloyd St, Carrboro. According to the 2nd Friday webpage "Jenifer's most recent, experimental works combine silkscreen with her original drawings and paintings." See some samples at her website. They look really interesting.

2ndFriday ArtWalk Opening at Weaver Street Realty on Main St, December 11th

I will host an opening for my show of new & old works at next week's 2nd Friday Artwalk. The pieces include small to large pastels, acrylics, collages and photos in representational to abstract styles.  I'll post some pictures of the pieces on Flickr this weekend.  Hope you can make it.

December 11th, 2009 6-9 PM during the 2ndFriday ArtWalk
Refreshments (including adult beverages) will be served.

Weaver Street Realty
116 E. Main Street
Carrboro, NC

And a reminder that the show at the Red Bicycle Coffee Shop on Homestead at Airport Road is up through December.

The invitation for my new show

I hung most of the pieces today at the Red Bicycle Coffee Shop in Chapel Hill. Photos of many of the pieces -- acrylics, oil pastels, photography -- are on Flickr. I hope you'll stop by, the show will be up through December.

Picasso at the Nasher Museum at Duke

We finally got round to visiting the Picasso exhibit and it was a treat.  Without going into too much detail it is quite impressive, displaying Picasso's humor, imagination and breath-taking range of expression.  It also reveals a bit of his development over time from an early impressionist piece of a cafe scene (1900), a traditional portrait, "Head of Fernande" (1906) up until his later years.  It doesn't necessarily stick to the language connection but that does give the show a broader picture.  Definitely worth a visit.  Amy White at the Independent Magazine has an excellent review.  Steve from Durham has some interesting thoughts and a few pictures on his Take the Bull by the Horns blog.

Here's how the Nasher describes the exhibit:

"August 20, 2009 - January 3, 2010.

The Nasher Museum presents a groundbreaking exhibition examining Pablo Picasso's lifelong relationship with writers and the many ways in which language affected his work. "Picasso and the Allure of Language" comprises some 60 works in all media by Picasso, as well as select examples by fellow artist Georges Braque, and photographs, letters, manuscripts and book projects by a diverse group of artists and writers. Together, these works illuminate Picasso's deep and multidimensional interest in writing and language, and challenge the notion of what have been considered "highlights" of his lifetime of work."

Show opening soon at Red Bicyle Coffee

I will have a show opening this weekend at the Red Bicycle Coffee Shop on the corner of MLK/Airport Rd and Homestead Road -- physical address is 2805 Homestead in the little shopping center with Chapel Hill Wine.  It's where the old coffee shop was located.  I'll hang the show either Friday or Saturday and it will be up through December.  I may try to have a event but I'll keep everyone posted.

I will have some new things, some old things and for the first time some photography (priced conveniently for the holidays!) A couple of samples are below.

Come Out and Play!

Go to my Carrboro Art Scene blog for info on the 8th Annual Come Out and Play Sculptor show outside of Carrboro. The opening is this Saturday, noon til dark and continues each Saturday though September.