Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012

Much time and space has passed! How strange to now be living in Venice, FL after having spent some 44 years in Minneapolis. It is a whole new world, in almost every way. I'm now preparing a painting for an "abstract" show in Englewood - the first time I've painted since giving up the studio on Central Ave. The new painting space is a single room in the beautiful house of the McMurray (Stephanie's sister Melanie's family), also in Venice. It's nice to be painting again - very centering and validating. And so the journey begins anew. I think of the unnumbered Tarot card, "The Fool," where he is stepping off a cliff as a little dog jumps up to greet him. C'est moi.

Not such a good photo but it gives you an idea... Size is 30" x 36" The painting is still a work in progress - underway.

Weds, Mar. 14, 2012

This is adios, Minneapolis. I gave notice on my beautiful studio on Central Ave. and am in the process of cleaning it and moving out. Next stop is Florida. In the mean time, I continue to experiment with sound and direct you to click on the following link to experience one of my soundscapes:
Mann Hawks "SonicOpium" soundscape

Sat, Feb. 18, 2012

OK, here's a one-off piece. 10" x 8" and done entirely with gold leaf.
 I've been reading a book about the French artist Odilon Redon and this piece came as a result of that (unintentionally). Redon painted and drew numerous one-eyed creatures - and the green glass blob that is partially covered with gold leaf reminds me of an eye looking out of the surface.
 Over the last 2+ years, numerous paintings of mine have exhibited subtle influences of other artists, without any overt intention of doing so. But it makes sense, since we're all part of the same continuum; the ineffable wave of creativity that moves across the Universe. How's THAT for waxing poetic?

Click on photo for larger size.

Fri, Feb. 17, 2012

Here is my "DJ table" at the studio. It's messy in there right now! Click on the image to see a blow up.  So, on the table is (L to R) a Digitech JamMan Stereo looper (#1), then a Digitech JamMan Stereo Delay looper (#2), and then another Stereo looper (#3). They are hooked up in series, from R to the L. The #1 looper is also hooked up to a separate delay unit and it has a line out to the amp you see in the photo, on the left - while Looper 3 goes out to a separate amp on the far right (not visible). This probably makes no sense to anyone except my pals in Reno.

 Being someone with virtually no electronic knowledge, it took me a LONG time to figure out how to set this all up so that it became functional! And logic doesn't seem to be fully compatible with electronics, from what I can tell.

This set up allows me to trigger various electronic sound files (which have been stored onto all 3 loopers) in interesting combinations/configurations. I can add delay - and the sounds can be reversed, stopped or started instantly. Theoretically, each looper can hold 198 sounds, although none of them contain that many now. There is no software/DAW to control anything; everything is done intuitively, "on the fly." Some amazingly weird soundscapes can be created in this manner and I have done this for hours at a time. Hours. An entire day at the studio can and has been spent making sounds at this table. Uff da.

Thurs, Feb. 16, 2012

Here is a new one that is not finished. The size is 10" x 30." It is difficult to depict the subtleties altho you can click on the image to see more detail. I'm really enjoying the straightforward-ness of using various color panels with small forms within. And these are very much informed by the sound experimentation that I've been conducting at the studio. Tomorrow I'll post a photo of the set up, for anyone who might be curious about what has been eating up so much time over the last 2 or 3 weeks. Creating sounds has been a major obsession and, consequently, the painting has been relegated to a distant second place. But today I painted more than made sound. The act of painting is very grounding and centering whereas sound production has taken me to the furthest reaches of outer and inner space...

Monday, Feb. 6, 2012

This one ("Tri-Plane(t) 002") is officially done as of today. It's 14" square and I like it. It is a gift to not have to labor over paintings but to have them produced rather directly - and without psychological strain.

As it stands, I intend to do a series of paintings that follow the same general format. It is the first painting done completely subservient to/resulting from all my sound experimentation in the studio (see previous post for more info on that).

Click on the image for more detail.

Sun, Jan. 29, 2012

This is another small one (8" x 10"), titled "Inversion of Absolute Power." It has a lot to do with the current political tragicomedy being played out in the US and throughout the world. And it's hard to see, since it is so black. But that's how it's supposed to be. It started out upside down and went through many other changes before it turned into this.

 My interest in creating soundscapes has really taken over; the painting aspect of creativity is taking a backseat to sound creation. In a sense, sound is even more ethereal (has less of a material presence) than painted imagery. You could say that I'm becoming even more abstract than before.

I have a small table set up with two Digitech JamMan stereo loopers and two delay pedals - all of this run into small Crate amplifiers. And no guitars; all that is used to create sound are WAV files that have been stored in the JamMans. Infinite amusement that somehow is very much aligned with who I am and what needs to be happening now. Which is not to say that painting isn't happening - but...

Sat, Jan. 28, 2012

Here is the officially completed painting that appeared on Jan. 11. Not too much has changed except for the small form near the top, on the right. "Tri-Plane(t) 001" I like this one a lot; it was a fast and easy birth.

Remember to click on the image to see a larger version.

Friday, Jan. 27, 2012

Long time, no blog. Still, there has been a lot of painting going on (albeit most of the paintings are quite small). This one is 9" x 12" and it is untitled - and will remain untitled because I do not know what to say about it. It's really odd and indescribable. Towards the bottom, on the left is some gold glitter, used in a linear fashion. And you cannot see it in this photo but there is some black flocking on the diamond shape.

It started out much more concretely, in a completely different manner. This painting is a complete mystery to me; it's as if someone else created it. One of the reasons I haven't posted in such a long time is that I am currently creating soundscapes in the studio. Much more time and energy has gone in that direction over the last few weeks. The sounds are very abstract and abstruse, as you might expect.

Tues, Jan. 11, 2012

OK, at long last, here is the first posting of the new year. This painting is 16" x 20." I'm playing with forms/shapes. Usually I work from small pencil sketches but this was directly outlined onto the surface (no pre-plan).
It is not finished but I think it might be close to where it's ultimately going to end up. But I've been wrong before.

Click on the image to see it larger.

Tues, Dec. 13, 2011

10" x 14" I'm hoping that this one retains its distinct shapes. It seems rather regal and powerful. Again, not even an inkling of a title at this time.
 A bit of gold glitter is suggesting that this be incorporated but, so far, I've resisted the actual implementation!
Also, I want to start adding 3-dimensional items (like acorns or olive pits), painted over, so that there is a bit of depth. But that won't happen on this particular piece. I like its flat visual power and don't want to interrupt  that flow.

Click on image to see it larger.

Tues, Dec. 13, 2011

Here is a new 9" x 12" work. It was completed on Friday or Saturday of last week. I enjoy its simplicity, as well as its distinct solid areas versus the amorphous, washy forms. It is nicely balanced, IMO.
 No title as of today. I'm working on two other small canvases, in preparation for a 2 week holiday hiatus in a much more enjoyable climate!

Remember to click on the image to see more detail.

Thurs, Dec. 1, 2011

OK, look at the previous image (directly below today's post). This is the same painting! Sorry if you liked the previous incarnation but that's how it sometimes goes in the wonderful world of art.

 After returning from FL, I felt differently and could not complete the painting as it was. It became very burnt umber on Tuesday and today it became very burnt orange. There is a psychological and spiritual dimension to this transmogrification - but I won't bore you with that here. Let's just say that I felt a need to get the painting (and my life) under control and this is the result, as of today.

 The powder blue form emerged last and it is definitely related to the amygdala and the hippocampus glands (and how they affect our thoughts and feelings). And I feel A LOT better right now too. Good paintings are the externalization of the internal goings-on of the artist, not mere pretty things that match the carpeting and drapes. It is all too easy to make pretty pictures and not so easy to plumb one's depths and really REVEAL something that's never been expressed in such a manner. I feel good today after a very bad start. This painting works.
 As always, remember to click on the image to see a larger version.

Thurs, Nov. 17, 2011

Nice parallax, eh? Oh well, at least you get a rough idea of what the painting currently looks like. As mentioned previously, I'm working on producing a hard edged, non-blurry work. The colors are not straight; they're being built up (there's a slight transparency that reveals the underpainting). It's a bit clunky but worth the effort to see where it goes/how it ends up. Exploratory. I think of Jean Arp or even some Matisse paintings/paper cuttings.

 Some of the shapes remind me of things. As an example, the blue shape on the left reminds me of a goose and the red orange one on the right makes me think of a pig. Obviously, that was not the intent!
 So take a look at this one because nothing is going to be posted for over a week. Click on the image to enlarge it. And I'd love to receive comments in the mean time...

Sat., Nov. 12, 2011

Here is the painting that first appeared on the 8th. It's still not finished but it's quite close. Title is "The Three Collisions." Again, these titles just pop up out of nowhere. Two larger shapes have more or less disappeared.

Friday, Nov. 11, 2011

Here is the newest one. 30" x 40" and using hard edge shapes. It will be interesting to see if I can truly "toe the line" and keep it that way. I'm sure I'll rework most of the colors but I want to keep all the shapes solid, solid, solid. Shapes and forms are magical. Stay tuned...

And remember to click on the photo to see an enlargement.

Weds, Nov. 9, 2011

Tues, Nov. 8, 2011

Here is another one, also 9" x 11." Things are getting crowded in the studio so I'm working smaller these days! Plus the evolution goes more quickly.
 The blue background is very brushy and fluid (click on the image to see details better). Yesterday it was much whiter but the blues reasserted themselves today. The background changed after this photo was taken - it's a bit lighter, more opaque and the diamond shape is now more faint.

It looks scorpioid to me. And I kind of see a salamander or lizard on the lower left. But, of course, there was no conscious intention for any subject matter; the shapes always assert themselves, first and foremost. As mentioned yesterday, I'd expected to work with definite, solid forms. Alas, ambiguity and watery brushwork demand their presences in this work.

That being said, there is a new 30" x 40" canvas that is expected to conform to my wishes of high contrast and sharp outline. Which is easy for me to say now.

Monday, Nov. 7, 2011

Back to the studio after 9 days in Denver. I'll bring my camera tomorrow, to post photos of new paintings.
As you'll see, the new work is quite different; kind of washy, brushy, empty. Odd. And not as I'd intended. My intention was to have these canvases pretty hard edged and precise. But there is a greater overdrive that dictates what REALLY happens, once the process begins! You could call it intuition or spirituality.

I forgot that I brought one back with me - here it is. 9" x 12" Extremely difficult to show the subtleties of color and brushwork (especially since the images always appear differently on everyone's monitors). Kind of ghostly botanical; I guess that's currently my state of mind.

Remember to click on the image, to see it larger.

Sun, October 16, 2011

Unlike anything else I've painted. It just wanders around and is vague. A lot of washy stuff going on here. And rarely are my paintings horizontal (this one did not start out as such). 9" x 12."
The title is "Unknown Painting" so what else is there to say?