Rusi Returns

A few years ago I made a digital collage based on a character from

a Nang shadow puppet theater. The character is Rusi, an old man you 

might meet in the woods. For better or worse he knows everything

about you. The Nang theme is essentially morality. I return to the Rusi 

theme from time to time in my art. I created this Flash(click here for the show) 

(sorry about the long load) for my final project in my media 

art course at Wesleyan mentioned in the last post. 

I was trying to achieve the same flicker book look of an actual performance.

Falling Leaves

Please click here to view my first foray into Flash! (oops-it takes a few seconds for it to load and become visible) I've been taking a digital media course at Wesleyan this fall. The flash portion of the course has been difficult to say the least. My learning curve has been slow and frustrating, but so satisfying when things come together. Todd Jokl  my instructor has some interesting work to check out at his link.

A modern fairy tail

Yes, I'm back after a brief time out. I haven't been posting for awhile. Plus, I admit

I have much to catch up on the blogs that inspire me. I can't explain it, I just needed

a break. I haven't been totally inactive. I worked on an artist book project that just

hasn't come together. Some art failures I'll blog about some not. I've been working

with narative and I have something to offer. The following is a 12 piece fairy tale. 

Each panel telling a story. 

An Old Work

I've been looking over old photos of my early art and thought

some bloggers would be interested in where I was at my beginning. 

Born in a small town in mid-state New York to a family business

of auto body repair. I worked in the shop from age 12, and learned

welding. Thank God I excelled in school and got a scholarship. I 

started in business but quickly found art. Much to my family's

distress. My work in the shop lead me on a path of large welded

 sculptures. But times change and now my canvas is different.

A very minimal approach - concentrating on structure.  This work 

consists of three one inch thick steel plates holding a concrete 

wedge. This work was part of an exhibit at the Arnot Museum 

in the 70's. Got a $500 dollar prize for best new work, but not

the collection prize. 

Nightball

Karen and I were in Ithaca, N.Y. over Labor Day. I was involved with

developing an upsurd game that has persisted with our college friends

for 30 years. Yes, we even party with our college age children during 

this event. The game is based on croquet played at night. The illuminatin

is provided by lighter fluid. We set the wickets, balls and sometimes

mallets ablaze. At the start Fluxus and Happenings were the thing.

I  dropped Minimal went with the flow and 30  years later I still

 have a work in progress. To most a wild party, to me a work of art.

A big multi-generational get together. I get to meet everyones kids

not just to see pictures. How cool is that!

The t-shirts have become a pet project. I've been providing free t's 

for at least 20 years now. This years model features a rift on a

1890's croquet rule manual. The mister wicket® has a long history

probably explained on my other blog, if I can get help or find time.

Enough summer fun, I'm back on the trail of some art fun. Best

job on the planet as long as we realize the responsibility.

Writing on the Wall

Bittersweet to return home after a nice vacation. I did  miss

my technology; as it turned out we were so far off the grid

I didn't even have cell phone coverage. So updating a blog

via iPhone wasn't going to happen, nor checking email. In 

fact I only got in two painting sessions. Karen loves this; get

Bill to hike, bike, canoe until he drops. I admit to being a 

weekend warrior in the exercise department, but my wife

always thinks I'm still 25, bless her heart. So every muscle 

is sore, but telling me she is right, as usual. So today was

like this: mow lawn, run out of gas, pick up gas, food shop,

do laundry, pick up the dog, return calls and emails, sort

mail, gasp at the bills, and finally sit down and do a quick

30 minute photoshop work to remind myself of myself. 

Glassman

Some Photoshop play. I just upgraded and am trying to learn the 

new features. Just some basic play using some old files and images.

Remaking and recombining and trying some filters. Probably more

angst showing than I'm feeling because we're about to leave for

vacation! Maybe the angst comes from the fact that I don't have

a laptop to take with me. But nine days in Canada with just a 

camera and my sumi-e brushes might be just what I need. I have 

been practicing updating the blog with my iphone but don't 

expect much. Karen thinks I need a break from technology; get

back to roots- draw, paint make sandcastles. She's usually right; 

we'll be celebrating our 32nd anniversary on this trip.

12-13-14-15 and Cover

Final post on the book. I suppose I have to move on to some 

new works. I realize I never showed the cover. It is a very

thick handmade paper that is heavily embossed with

symbols that at first resemble letters, but.. aren't.

Page 14 contains an ancient page element, a brief colophon and

The missing cut outs turned into dice from page 5. Page 15 

contains a final quote and an image I created from a dust

filter in Photoshop. There is a page 16, which contains the 

last of the embossed prime numbers 73,79,83. 

Page 12 comprises of a revisit to the Cage musical notation, river and 

two quotes. Page 13 reveals the rest of the picture that was hinted

at under the gutter at page 4. 

testing - testing

Trying to post from my iPhone. (Wow Dr. Watson, it really worked) Now I just have

to figure out the pix part. You see, K and I are going on vacation and I'm

afraid to go cold turkey on blogging for ten days. Yes, off to Ontario, Canada and 

Algonquin park at a quiet lodge for awhile to regenerate. Now if I can only figure 

out pictures on this mini marvel. Any suggestions?

pages8,9,10 and 11

Laura's recent post asked a question about how the progression

of the pages were thought out. My approach to this book was

one of accepting chance but also thinking about how the flow 

of the book would resolve. I think about how each page opens

and what the viewer will see. Will it mesh? Will it mesh with 

the overall feeling? Although this is a purely visual book, there

has to be a beginning, middle and end. Resolve.

Pages 8 and 9 form the center of the book. Very sparse, but intentional, 

to focus attention to the power of the randomly selected but powerful

phrases, the stream and transparent nature of the paper.

Pages 5,6 and 7

Page 7 is simply mirror/extended version of the John Cage notation.

Plus the little dots that compliment page 5. Yes, this complex in the 

explanation. Plus I realize that if you have to explain too much

you lose half your audience. Well this is not so much a book report

as a joy of creation explanation. 

Thanks to our instructor, Robin and Box Car Press. we had a 

series of images to work with, besides what was available

at Wesleyan. the images on this page are printed from

photopolymer plates that can be set type high using

a precision machined aluminum block. I like the river 

image-it transitions from the topo map nicely. The other

two images need a little explaining. In the gutter (fold area)

is a John Cage musical notation. So bizarre, that all I can do 

is appreciate its graphic nature. I've also got an upside shark

plate that was determined by blind toss.

Page 5 is actually printed onto a portion of a topographic map. An

etching from Wesleyans collection was set up type high and printed

I freehanded a swoop and cut through the paper and put dots on 

page 7 to reference the title, Chance in a Bowl.

page 4

I do love unveiling this work. On page four if you look closely you will see

that I am using embossing and creating a prime number sequence. The 

spacing of the numbers corresponds to the numbers missing in the

math problem. Also, peaking out of the gutter is a glimpse of a work to 

appear on a later page. I think I am enamored with with this art format

because it is touch, feel and even smell. It's not under glass; instead it's

meant to be enjoyed as an art object that one can hold, handle and enjoy

without the intrusion of a frame and glass. A little like mail art. I've been 

working on version two and three this week and may take the artist way

and throw something else in the mix. 

page 3

Page 3 and still none of "my work" other than I set the type

on page 1. A unique plate by Jean Arp sets the stage for a 

forward by Robin Price .

Page 2

Like so many posts, I try to examine the technique and the why of what 

I'm doing. I think that trying to describe making an artist book is next 

to impossible. You need to have personal contact to make any sense of 

it. This is page two. This is a collaboration of six people. Six people 

who are embracing chance in the creation of these books. 6 decide on

quotes derived from random books; 6 decide on images available at 

Wesleyan (via Robin, our tour guide) and 6 print four folios.  The four 

folios give us 16 possible pages to customize. Now bear in mind we have

 to learn a new measurement system and the upside down of the press.

We need to learn the art of the press. The machine that impresses our 

work. I think each one may have a unique temperament.  I did have the 

pleasure of setting type for the opening and the pleasure of inking and 

running the second page. I promise that the images will appear soon.

 

Letterpress

This turn of events, this new exploration will take several posts to

unravel. Like the onion, many layers exist. I've finished my three

week intensive of artists books. I'm encouraged by my toe dipping

into this world. What I learned was not able to measure. To show

something on a wall, under glass, is one thing; to hold and require

the receiver to respond is another. Don't touch when we visit a

museum, but artist books can be touched. They are made to be 

unfolded and unraveled. So to begin telling this art saga I will reveal 

title page - observe the ghost of type and image to come due to the

paper choice.

  

Letterpress

So this is our first project - collaborate with someone at random. One sorts

through the image selection of the Wesleyan collection and one sets type.

Words of our own choice. My collaboration with Carol. It took a long time 

to set the jump jumble, but the result was worth it. A nice call and response.

There are six more cards in this series. Plus the cover, which you have a

sense of from my last post. We are making individual covers. Our next project

will be much more complex now that some of us are taking advantage of 

open studio time on these presses. I'm a little sad that you can't feel the paper,

because it has a slight impression, so that there is a tactile feel not available 

to us computer people. Plus the choice of paper, etc. I'm making books!

So busy crazy until at least Friday. Best Love to all who post.

Letterpress

I've been taking an art course. A three week intensive starting 

last Monday. Robin Price is instructing and the course concerns

constructing artist books. We are also working with chance 

operations, think John Cage. Old fashioned letterpress

with plenty of quirks. Midway through the second week. I

have to admit that learning the fundamentals takes a bit, but 

the results are not only a feast for the eyes but a feast for touch.

For those of you coming of late to this blog, I have a master of 

arts but love to continue my learning curve at Wesleyan

University, because of the caliber of visiting professors.

Plus in the world of art why not think of ourselves as

beginners? We get stuck when we are too wrapped up in

our own world. Robin's course is breaking down that thinking

by requiring us to work not only in collaboration but with

chance as well. The pix above is a section of a cover I'm working

on for a series of cards that six of us have collaborated on.  More 

to follow on the unique world of artist books.

I had this great idea after posting on Victoria's Horse Wisdom site.

Follow her example and make a post about my work space. Hers' is

serene, mine chaos. I thought what a great counterpoint. So, of 

course the blogging demon has been screwing with my attempts to 

post. I just hope this is the last time I'm going to reconstruct this

train of thought. My studio-just a computer and a window to

stare out of. A printer, scanner, a slide to digital converter and 

a chair. But, I'm out of control in the picking up after projects

department. Just scroll down and you will see that all is not 

serene with the guy who loves a great zen meditation.

Now, the table is an heirloom.  Made by my great-great

grandfather. Passed down and restored when my son and I 

stripped the original finish which turned very soft in the 

summer humidity and exposed the wonderful chestnut

underneath. But, I confess when I run out of space I

turn to the dining room table. This time to make a quick 

sign for a friend. I can't paint letters to save my life.

My shop is no better-total chaos after two back to back

projects; there is no time to clean and pick up.

A further example of my lack of discipline, the basement.

I haven't picked up my workspace here since getting ready 

for the art fair. This is the area I use for matting and shrink-wrapping.

Falling Monks

Yes there are falling leaves and there are falling Monks.  In Zen tradition

 there are many Monks who fail to understand. I only pick upon 

this due to my commitment to understand the differences in religious 

traditions.   

Maze

First off - Thanks to everyone for holding my hand through my own hand wringing

of late.  "Art Contemplations" took a back seat for awhile.  I was wrestling with

some thorny personal preferences.  I should know better.  I've made the decisions

that place me here and now.  I pursued art; gave up on it once and am back for 

a second round.  Trouble is, these rounds last years.  If you have followed this blog

for awhile you must realize my infatuation with Zen koans.  Of late my life 

seems to encompass "The great way is not difficult if you just don't pick and

choose." (Sengcan)  It's difficult to accept where you are, especially if it's 

not where you want to be.  If I look back, I realize I am here.  Everything

leads to this place. Every decision from the time I was able to make decisions.

I link to Horse Wisdom  because whether we are talking horses, art or life; we 

are speaking about a mindful life - full of the unexpected - full of love.

My work today is far removed from this picture.  This is an installation piece

where I created  a maze to follow to the main gallery.   Thank you for curators

who are open to the new. I need to find a few more.

Over the Top

So how did it go you ask?  Was it worthwhile?  I'm not  sure.

The set up went well and I had a location that was near the entrance.

I was next to one of our towns treasures - Elizabeth Sennentt. (sorry no web presence)  Gorgeous works in oil and watercolor - a local legend and a very gratuitous 

woman.  I didn't sell a single piece.  Yet, I have this nice third place ribbon and

a check for $50.  I had so many people pass asking how these images were 

produced and after explaining - there was still - is that possible look.   Why

should I be afraid?  I've spent eight years learning Photoshop, plus I still 

continue my sumi-e and other traditional techniques.  We went from the 

60's yesterday to over 90 and humid today.  K and I are melted. Time for

some extreme iced wine.

This is my set up.  Praise be to having worked as a framer for so many years.  If I

 had to pay someone to frame all this stuff I'd be in deep crap.  I've been framing,

cutting mats, shrink wrapping and generally not sleeping for the last couple of weeks.  I'm not 

sure if this will pay off, but todays experience was positive.  Even people I'm 

friends with were amazed with the depth of my work (frankly some were unaware

of what I'm up to)  Yieks - I'm so bad at marketing.  The big bright side was my

friend Teri  coming over last night to share some wine and distract K and I for an hour.

• 
  
• The piece that caught the judge's eye was my work 'Meltdown' : I don't 
  
• think I've published this on my blog to date.  I use elements of this 
  
• piece as my logo in the blog world.  The piece derives from a difficult
  
• period in my art life.  Art life - what is that?  Thats the point where
  
•  art can't possibly pay bills and all the nay sayers are pointing fingers
  
• at your decisions.  It was a period in NYC that Karen and I lost three
  
• great artist friends within a year.  Leukemia, heroin overdose and a 
  
• highway fatality.  Yes, NYC seems the art capitol of the world, but we
  
• had to retreat - too much pain.  My piece 'Meltdown' remains a 
  
• reflection on these emotions.
  

I can't wait until next Saturday - My Art Fair debut.  I've been scrambling.  I thought I had a fair number of works framed, but of course I needed twice to make a display.  Then I thought people may not be interested in framed work. So I started to just mat and shrink wrap. I thought the worst years of my life were spent at Brewster Gallery in NYC as the framer, but now I'm cutting my own mats and building my own frames.  So, you never know.  Despite my initial reservations, this seems to be a good exercise. Yet I have one mental obstacle.  Help me think this though.  It concerns limited editions.  On the one hand these types of shows demand limited editions if you are in the "graphics" media - yet digital imagery is new enough to wonder if an artist should limit his/her best efforts to an edition of 100 or whatever.  Plus - you will see elements of my art repeating in works in years to come.  The way I work is to compile a digital library of sky, textures, plants, people, writing and everything I can imagine.  I combine these, and if you compare the works you will see similar elements reappear.  So any comments on the idea of limited edition prints?

May Madness

Oh dear! Oh dear!  I shall be too late!  Yes, I'm feeling a little like 

the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland.  So much to do

and so little time.  I realized this morning that a whole week

has passed since I last blogged. (forgive me father for I have 

sinned?)  Oh well, by the end of this month I'll probably resemble

the other rabbit in Alice's story, the March Hare or sometimes 

referred to as the Mad March Hare from the tea party.  I'm 

not quite sure why March is mad, to me things seem particularly

unreal every May.  Probably because our gardens need so much

attention plus the various groups we volunteer for all seem to

love May for some endeavor or another.  Plus throw in a job, well

at least I know I'm not alone.   In any event, the image I'm

presenting is another of my 'Reflection' series.  I keep adding

to this group if I'm lucky enough to first remember to keep the

camera handy, then have the good fortune to stumble across the

 right light and reflection.

Thank You

My last post had some great comments by some people doing 

great art.  Art that I respect, otherwise I wouldn't return to their blogs.

I think that now that I have gone ahead and signed up for a few shows,

I'll just let it play out for what it is.  I've have to lay out some cash

for tent and display system but I'll try to live up to Sarahs expectation

that I'll do a good job - Get some contacts, sell a few, perhaps uplift

my marketing brain. Already, I'm printing, matting, cutting frames,

creating a new biography. This might be a journey that reminds me

why I hate art fairs.  For now I'll go with it this summer and see if 

it leads to a more promising land.  I'm posting an older work created

four years ago.  The strange thing about this is that I have used digital

pieces of this work to create others

Sleepless

This always happens when I become my worst enemy.  Sleepless

in Connecticut.  I've always hated art fairs but I've decided to do

several this summer.  I've been to a number of them and want to

shove my finger down my throat. The work seems all the same,

boats and flowers and beach scenes.  All very nice, but not the 

kind of art that inspires me.  But the artists do seem to be selling

some work.  I really need to be selling more.  Exact same problem when

I lived in NYC for ten years after grad school.  I'm an artist but don't 

have a clue on how to really market what I produce.  I'm probably

on another fools mission  Damn, I really need to make the transition

from woodworker back to artist. Plus find some success, humor and grace.

 

Rock Art

One of the art fascinations I have concerns rock art; whether petroglyphs

 pictographs, assemblages etc.  The idea of the artist working rock to

record, evoke magic or express is a powerful stimulation.  Mostly

we don't know the why of the creation; in many instances the artist 

and his/her culture has faded.  We are left with a mystery and speculation.

I decided to create my own petroglyph after taking some photos of rock

formations overlooking the Connecticut river.  I combined one of those 

images with a photo of old machinery that I reduced to line drawings.

I hope there is some magic in deciphering the image.  I printed this on

13x19 Canon Photo Pro paper.

Koan

Sometimes, I throw self portraiture into the mix.  What is it like to put your work 

on display?  Artists open up and lay down plenty of emotions that many people

bottle up.  I think our audience likes to distance themselves and perhaps prefers 

to view this on a canvas as a way of expressing themselves when they display

 our works.  My photo here is something I shot when contemplating a Zen koan. I still 

haven't thought of a way to bring this image to a final concept.  Any suggestions? 

"Master Xiangyan said, suppose someone is up in a tree, holding on to the branches

by his teeth, his hands without a grip on a limb, his feet without a toehold on the 

trunk.  Someone under the tree asks about the meaning of Zen.  If he does not 

answer, he is avoiding the question; but but if he answers, he loses his life.  At 

just such a time , how would you reply?"

Pots and Kettles

The great thing about a few days vacation is the opportunity 

to collect some new photos.  Our trip to Block Island provided

that chance.  The picture I worked on today started as a nice 

little shot taken on one of the beaches.  We found this little

beach called Pots and Kettles.  Over in Photoshop I played

with various filters, blending modes and the unsharp mask.

For the last several months the theme of my digital work is 

to create an 'hyper real' look to my photographs.  Hopefully

it takes a second look to to realize there is something

'odd' to the photo.  

Sorcerer's Apprentice

Four days of vacation are great.  Karen and I haven't been on a 

vacation since last May, when my mom took a bad fall.  Many

changes; way too much medical responsibility; way too much

involvement into her care, wishes etc.  Hint to the wise,

talk early to your children and keep talking.  We finally had 

the space to go and do something for us!  Great beaches, hiking 

nature trails, an afternoon nap; laps in  the pool until the 

grandma squad interrupted us with the daily "walk across " and 

asked us to join in.  Oh well - we swim laps and they bound back and 

forth.  Just giggle and leave: We're never going to be that old - are we?

Enough of that - my post is a photo taken not to long ago of some 

brushes with a mystery setting of tea candles - of course some 

drama provided by Photoshop.

Visual Influence

 Blogging has become a very interesting part of my life since

I started this year.  I have met many online artists that inspire me

to create something each day.  I have to admit that before 

blogging I was in the habit of waiting for inspiration to

hit.  I realize now that slogging through bad days and

nights of the rubbish I produce is a healthy process.  

I was browsing my hard drive for photo's today; trying

to find a thread to begin a digital work.  I was stunned to find 

a screen shot from a video I made back in the summer of

03.  For this one scene I had used marker on a variety of 

flower petal to write on.  In my hand is the word visual and

in the for ground is influence.  Think four years later and

I have run into a very creative person, Sarah Elizabeth, who has 

 a wonderful site, full of creative thinking, that has the 

name Visual Influence. Karen and I are off for four days of

vacation on Block Island, so no posts until Sunday.