A Feature on, Etsy Art Blog:

This week, one of my pieces is featured artist on Etsy Art Blog. The piece is titled, "things that I remember" and is part of the latest 48x48 series on gratitude.

The Etsy Art Blog shares an interesting piece of art found on etsy.com. Featuring creative and thought-provoking work. Over 80 artists have been profiled.

Intimations : 6.26.10

Intimations is a documentation of emotional reactions to events that have occurred in my life. This

body of work is a series of 15 monotype prints that were created one piece a week. Each piece

contains secrets, statements, and utterances, which I only became aware of during the creation

process. The work deals with memory & connecting emotions to a moment. It is self-exploration. It

is the place we are forced to go in order to claim healing and empowerment.

A repeated concept in the works on paper, as well as the 48x48 series is, “gratitude”. With a

thankful heart, I created the 48x48 pieces, in recognition of my father and grandfather. They

feature images of objects and materials that were frequent sights in my childhood. When I re-

connect with these arbitrary items, I remember safety.

My process includes a method called, auto-matic writing, where I subconsciously journal to find the

place my mind is dwelling. Many of these writings have been torn from my sketchbook and are

incorporated. I think generally everyone can relate to subconscious honesty and authenticity. I

hope that one can view the series with sensitivity and awareness of the human condition, and in

that sense, might relate, and have a dialogue with the work. I believe we all have a common story,

and, in part, all things are relative. My hope is that when confronted with the work, one is obliged to

remember their own condition, and in essence, have compassion.

Why Conceptual Art?

The essence of abstract expressionism is conceptual art, meaning that while principals and elements of design are considered in the composition, the concept in most cases is far more important than the aesthetic qualities of the piece. Concept driven work can be loaded with emotive content.

My recent series of works on paper are documentations of emotional reactions to events that have occurred over the past few months. It's an archive of self-exploration.

?Why should anyone find this significant? Because, as people, as a unit, as a society, we can ALL relate.

There is a narrative that I'm offering. If the viewer will take a few moments to become aquatinted with the work, I hope they will find a genuine human connection with the piece. We have common conditions, emotions, and reactions. There is an opportunity to understand, relate, and take comfort.

life:

Definition: person's experiences

Synonyms:

attainment, behavior, circumstances, conduct, development, enjoyment, enlightenment, growth, hand one is dealt, happiness, human condition, journey, knowledge, lifestyle, participation, personality, realization, suffering, trials and tribulations, vicissitudes, way of life, world

my life in art

My recent body of works on paper, (monotype screen prints), are a reaction to daily occurrences in my life. They are literally a visual documentation of feelings, thoughts, and emotional content as a result of my environment and circumstances beyond my control. You can read my narrative, and the past 4 months of my life in this body of work. This particular piece is violent and full of hate. All I can say about it is... don't fuck with my grandma.

I'm obsessed with time because I want to keep you with me

Don't leave me I need you.

This piece is a reaction to my grandma's recent diagnosis with minor pneumonia. She is better now. But I was frightened and desperate that day, and thankful for all she's done. A brave woman, with 10 children, my grandma now has 40 (give or take) grandchildren. A hard life, she loves us sweetly, and sacrificed her life long for all her family. She is a hero and an angel. My godsend. I have no doubt she saved my life, and is owed all of my gratitude.

I'll fix it

I'm sorry you're in this place. If I could I'd fix it. I want you to be safe. I'm sorry you're worried. But I always love you, I want to protect you. And I really wish I could fix it. We have our love, that makes it worth it all. I'll fix it. Sweet sweet sweet little agony, I take what you have for me. We all want you to change.

I want to make it right, everything, everyone I love, I want to take care of. Blessing and a curse, because I need control, I like to know what the future holds. I agonize over loving dear ones and making us comfortable. But I just love them.

this is not just a bear...

I still sleep with him every night, and have since I was four. Someone special gave him to me. I keep him on my bed, I kiss him before I leave for the day.

I realize keeping this old object might seem a little juvenile, but the truth is, I feel like these things can carry and keep energy. I feel loved and cared for, and protected when I have this bear, and I remember the feeling of my granddad, whom I miss with every fiber of my being. I cherish that bear, like I cherish his memory, and when I feel desperate, I hold my bear tight and close to me.

I was attached to him as a child, my dependence developed immediately upon opening a preset, Christmas 1986.

The print above (16x20 on Fabriano) accommodates an image of my bear, repeated 3 times, (for a better composition and significance of representation), in addition to faded ladders and text, (which was a free write in graphite directly on the paper). I love to practice free-writing exercises when producing artwork, it offers me a distinct direction and awareness to where my heart and thoughts are. The free-writing always surprises me when I read over it, sometimes I offer secrets to myself! This piece describes the roses I take to my grandpa's grave, and an invitation for him to visit me while I'm alseep- I like to think that my dreams of him are occasional visits, I hope they are.

things that I remember

I remember piles of wire nuts on my dad's nightstand and in his pockets. I recently acquired some, and they sit in a container on my coffee table.

I'm forever indebted to my dad, who was the father he didn't have to be. I'm forever thankful and have the greatest respect because he loved me when he didn't have to. Thank you, to my dad, who provided safety and stability in my life.

These photos are inspiration for works ahead. Funny how there's so much more to some little orange object, means nothing but it's function for everyone else, but for me, it stimulates memory, respect, and gratitude for the hardest working man I know.

The tacks are also a memory, not so pleasant though.

SIX11 CREATIVE

I'm totally stoked about this upcoming exhibit at 611 Creative with Natalie Miller. I have loads of new work, and new concepts I've been exploring. It'll be interesting to finally see a body of my work in a "legit" gallery space. Furthermore, I think the space really lends itself to my work, especially the latest "concrete" series- modern and somewhat minimal.

I don't know Natalie, but I've seen her work at a few local events, and it's really beautiful and whimsical.

Thank you to my pals, Amanda & Dylan Bradway at DNA Galleries, for the invite. If you aren't familiar, DNA is a very hip gallery space in the Plaza District, packed with artful delights and locally made goods. They have some rad gifts, apparel, jewelry, prints, accessories, cool things for la casa, and my personal favorite, the Oklahoma T's. . .

Saturday, February 27th, 7-11pm

More on Concrete

This piece, (still in progress), "I bring you red roses because they were your favorite" is 48x48 concrete, acrylic, prisma pencil, graph paper, graphite on board. The above images are sections of the painting in detail. I thinned the concrete out to a thick soupy texture, and painted it on a damp surface.

I've learned a lot in the past few weeks about concrete products, sealants, and bonders. What I've found most effective for my work is, epoxy! I love epoxy. After the painting is complete I coat, or paint epoxy in areas of interest and concern. What I dig the most, is you can draw into the epoxy, subtract it, ad it, build it, it's totally interesting and it's become part of the media.

I included the photo above of the silk rose, because this rose is from my grandpa's grave. I take him red roses every week, because they were his favorite. I replace the sun-faded roses with a new batch, which I stock up on from the "Dollar Tree", and keep in my car. My grandpa ran a concrete construction business, thus my determination and obsession with the material. I know many of us are close to our grandparents, but mine played major parental rolls in my life, and they have a most special place in my heart.

Concrete Details

For my next series, I'm experimenting with concrete on canvas, as a major element in the painting. I haven't been able to find any examples of this, I'm finding that the concrete doesn't like to adhere to gesso. Guess I should've known...

On the subject of media, I've had several suggestions from my piers, to use other elements in place of concrete, i.e. plaster, calking, wax... While I try to always welcome input and suggestions, I feel like I have to conquer this concrete "thing". I specifically chose this media for it's personal, sentimental value to me. In addition to my memory and story, I'm interested in the color, the grey, the cold, the stone-hard qualities, and the cracking, crumbling, expanding, organic qualities of concrete. I think of squares and rectangles, I see lines, I see basic geometric elements and space studies, (and Dolese trucks).