Time Pit Close Ups

Time Pit VI

Time Pit V

Time Pit IV

Time Pit III

Time Pit II

Time Pit I

Splitting Up the Panels

If you look at the February entry on this blog you can view the originally placed together work for the WIP show.  I've now split the sections up and each series is much stronger for it.  The series titled "Time Pit" visually moves along the horizontal orientation as with memory each image is individual yet part of a larger whole bridged to one another as all the victims are bound/intertwined to one another yet separated by both time & memory.

Been Awhile ... Let's Catch Up

I've been balancing work, family, and some hand issues (from car accidents) this semester so time management has been kicking my a$$.  Since the Works In Progress show in February I have been spending some time putting together my committee as well as having a guest artist visit my studio.  In the process speaking with Alf Ward and Shaun Cassidy (along with Taro) helped me step back and look at my most recent work which I had been struggling with.  

The pieces in the show looked good visually but still had real issues of relationship to the disparate pieces (groups) as well as the concept.  It was Alf's discussion with me that really cinched what was the problem - I split the larger works from the smaller works and the combining of those groups with each other helped me both visually (process-wise) and conceptually.  So I am able to work more in line with both my original concept and exploration of the materials which was causing so much concern earlier in the semester.

In addition to the my artwork, I have been inundated with anatomy and figure pedagogy class. Putting together my "teaching figure I" book is actually been very helpful with the anatomy class.  My hand/arm issues have caused me much stress in trying to create the armature for anatomy with the plasticine being much to hard for me to adequately use the material.  I have also had to slow down on the drawing as well but have found ways to compensate and as such I have also started the large scale figurative drawings to use as preliminary work for the large panels I hope to start and work on over the summer.

Close Ups of Encaustic Studies

Encaustic Wax Studies

Examples of small encaustic experimentations with adding chemicals and either torching or setting on fire. Also practicing my transfer skills - transferring is a real pain in the as**.  

Works In Progress Show Feb. 15 -28 Lewandowski Gallery, Winthrop

At Winthrop, the MFA program has a a "Works in Progress" show featuring work by continuing MFA students (not graduating MFA candidates).  The new work is either part of their body of work or unfinished work in their body of work.  I submitted six of my 12 panels for the next painting in my Holocaust series.  This series is continuing my exploration of the memory as it relates to generational witnessing or narrative, in this case, my obligation to continue the dialogue on the impact of the Shoah on the lives of today's Jews - and me, in particular.  In addition, how to connect viewers in an intimate way by relating the imagery to something personal to themselves.  I was successful in doing this (in some ways) with Panim el Panim (my first painting) at its show at the Landing Dock, Gallery Up, Rock Hill, NC in December.  These new paintings began as 12 panels.  I am connecting the larger panel to the smaller one through both a visual and an esoteric manner - more conceptual representation of the gaps of memory and the juxtaposition of memory and reality.

Lastly, I am excited and obsessed with my continued exploration of the medium and how its organic nature lends itself to the process of building layers and meaning into the artwork.  These three panels are in different stages.  Like in Hebrew read from Left to Right - first two panels are prepped panels, the center two have been just started, and the last two are not quite finished.  Half-dozen layers of wax, etched and rubbed with oil paint on the larger panel and a transfer of one of my drawings on the lower panel.  The drawing was reproduced in a variety of ways onto the smaller panels. I am working in inorganic materials and have further experimented with the medium.  I have learned to torch and set the panels on fire further creating a controlled chaos in surface expression.  Wild! Really liked it.  I will be added materials, pouring wax on top of the materials and then pulling them through the wax to create and emotive tactile surface - Pictures to be forthcoming. 

No Opening Reception - Closing Reception is being tentatively planned.