Painting and Photography

One possibility for my research this semester is the relationship between painting and photography. In an 2002 article from Frieze Magazine, the writer explains how artist Robert Bordo explores this idea in his work. In 2005 he had an exhibit at Alexander and Bonin in NYC.
The New York Times reviewed an earlier show at the same location. Another more recent 2008 piece from the New York Art Beat describes how Bordo's work "hovers between abstraction and landscape". This article from the Dec. 2004 Art Bulliton (from Jstore aerial photography as subject) includes valuable information about the history of photography related to painting.

More ideas-nature as a reference

I have been exploring ways to integrate my interests in tree reflections, the relationship between man and nature, and the open space that has been preserved in my urban environment.
I am still trying to understand the meaning of the falling figures. Since I have been thinking about how to do more intuitive work, I started tearing old watercolor paintings and these are the images that resulted from that experiment. They could be a way of discussing the ideas of freedom from the urban lifestyle that often requires accumulation of stuff and in many cases leads to discontentment and stress. By letting go of the intense desire for material wealth people can be set free to appreciate the privileges of life in a free country.
Meanwhile I have continued to work on the tree reflections, this time with acrylic paint to eliminate the problem of the slow drying time of the oils. Although this practical choice has resulted in more paintings faster, I think the overall quality of the image is still better achieved with oil paint.
I literally gained new perspective on the landscape around my home by painting from photos I found on google earth, and others which I took from the air.
My mentor has encouraged me to use nature as a reference rather than a subject. This new work does refer to nature, but hopefully gives the viewer clues that there are ideas behind this work beyond literal representation.
I don't know where these explorations are taking me, but I have met my goals for this semester by going beyond the typical landscape painting. My last body of work now in progress involves using these images in a different method of mark-making -- monotype printing.

New Studio Work in process

I have started several different types of work:
1. Working with the idea of "escape" I have created figures out of a paper mache medium called clay crete. These are about 8" high.
2. I have also incorporated the escaping figure in 2 dimensional mixed media works with pastel over mono-type
3 Painting on gessoed paper: "Reaching" (40 x 32) and "Spring Fantasy" (18 x 24) depict reflections in water with the first layer dripped and poured on top of wet underpainting. Subsequent layers were added using liquin and transparent oil colors. These works incorporate the aspects of landscape that are most important to me--trees, sky, and water--in new ways
4. Urban Journey I (8x10) and Pedestrian Bridge I (18 x 24 ) are some new images that I am working with to explore the contrasts between the urban life and the unpopulated landscape, and transition from opposites such as darkness to light or ignorance to knowledge

Interview with Karen Gunderson

Karen Gunderson answers some important questions that relate to my research.

Visual Literacy

I came across this essay on An Artists Perspective on Visual Literacy by April Gornick as I was researching the "New Old Masters". She presented this information to the New York State Art Teachers Assosciation in 2004.

Colorado Abstraction

Attended a panel discussion on the new book, Colorado Abstraction, at the Center for Visual Arts in Denver. Interesting to hear that Colorado has an extensive history of abstract painting.
The contemporary artists in the book are showing at the CVA and Robishon galleries, and the historical artists' work is currently in an exhibition at the Vance Kirkland Museum. One of the co-authors commented that she has observed that the openness of the Colorado landscape has inspired artists to go beyond the boundries of their representational painting. The vastness of the sky and land inspired artist,... to seek the perspective of the landscape from a parachute as he jumps from an airplane! Lorey Hobbs, my mentor, is also inspired by nature.

Figurative Work

After another round of critiques at the January residency, I have been caught between moving on to new subject matter and defending my choice of landscape. I've been thinking about other subjects that address either the same themes as landscape painting, or opposing themes...I have realized that my attraction to landscape painting is to escape certain aspects of urban life. Does our society have an awareness of how the external influences of modern life have on the health of our interior? Constant negative media coverage of every event in the world, and the barrage of advertising lead to pervasive feelings of fear and discontentment. I believe that exposure to this chaos has a negative influence on the mind and soul. As a result, many Americans though living in a free country, are imprisoned by either anxiety or apathy. They have become disconnected from the natural world and have lost respect and appreciation for the mysteries that surround us. My next body of work will focus on oil paintings, monoprints and collage of figurative studies that depict the desire to escape, the searching for contentment, and the fearfulness that seems to dominate our culture. At the same time, I will be using pastels to paint very optimistic colorful images of the sky that provide a stark contrast to the figurative studies.