A Grab Bag Of Progress: Part XIII

A variety of activity.

A few hanging notes from my recent show installation gig at The Figge Art Museum.  Recently they had two pretty amazing shows on display.  Edouard Duval-Carrie, and Power and Piety.  These measurements/numbers/pictographs I used for hanging artwork will find their way into something.

A few months ago, I was cutting up a whole bunch of letters that I had carved with my trusty new Dremel Tool.  The letter blocks and physical orientations of the letters intrigued me enough, that I figured I should quickly sketch them so I might explore that idea some time in the future.  Without the sketch, it's highly unlikely that I would ever remember the original concept/spark.  Here are a few images of the text configurations.

I've also been working on some new 'starts' of pieces. at this point, I don't know what they will ultimately become, but I find them to be full of promise as to what they could become...

This is Arena.

A figure that might ultimately get a physical mask/face (versus a painted one).

I've also been messing around with shape configurations for elaborate scaffolding/sign silhouettes (you can read about the original idea for these 'sign elements' by checking out this earlier POST)

This one still needs the 'sign' part.

Ole Big Cheese Monkey Nuts.

This was originally seen/intended as a ruined Greek temple post and lintel motif.  However, I like the fact that it is also reminiscent of some of the masks from the Dogon culture

More shape configurations.

The first layer of this piece dates back to late 1999 or early 2000.  It has been reworked/re-engaged a few times since then.  The most recent efforts include ladders.

In addition to sign silhouettes, I've been groovin' on ladders lately as well.  Who knows why?  This fragment below looks to me like the visual equivalent of 'Once upon a time...'.

I'm about to start working on 'The Brain Jar of Dr. Pantalones'.  This head/text combo needs to be moved to a larger canvas and have a body added before I can really dig in.

One of my 3-D sketch/storage canvases.

This is also going to be a sign silhouette.

Destination currently unknown for these next two.

This one is going to be attached to a slightly large canvas and have more pipes/machinery added.  The canvas is already stretched even....

More to come.

An Evening At Cafe Ooooo La-La

A few images of a small carving I recently made to be auctioned off at the artBASICS fundraiser.

May present to you, An Evening At Cafe Ooooo-La-La.

Next time we'll take a look at some of the new pieces on which I have started to work.

Naughty Time: Part III...With An Announcement To Boot

When we last left Naughty (a few months ago) the second layer of imagery was well on its way and even its carved frame had received some attention.  The piece served its time inside Pop Culture Palimpsest but did not get a chance to be united with its carved frame before the show closed.

So while Naughty was in the museum, I was working on completing its frame.

Now for the announcement part of this post.  Here is Naughty united with its frame at Gallery Victor Armendariz in Chicago.  I didn't have the opportunity to see how the frame and the canvas worked together prior to dropping off the piece, so I did have a little apprehension that they might clash.  I was pleased to see that they work together quite nicely.

So yeah, I am part of a group show there in October and I have signed on with Victor (quite excited about that!).  So, if you happen to be in Chicago, stop by 300 West Superior Street and check out Gallery Victor Armendariz (you'll be glad that you did).

I also dropped off Collectors' Issue...

...and Cowboy!

We'll close this post with a shot that Victor sent me of Naughty installed and ready for the show!

SWEET!

Finishing The Headdress For Wardrobe Malfunction

I started this post a while back and I am just getting around to posting it.  I was hoping to publish during the run of Pop Culture Palimpsest, but obviously failed in doing so.  Anyway, here is how the headdress for Wardrobe Malfunction came together...

The face is mostly complete.  I just need to add several ostentatious flourishes.

Fortunately, I have Katarina helping for a full session today.  She actually found it easier to work through the headdress than to have it in the way on my makeshift table.

Adding some bases/shapes for the pyramid and eye combo.

I'll give you one guess who got all 'sugared up' before coming in to work...

We added a few more curves and flourishes to the face portion of the headdress.  In order to make sure everything adheres thoroughly, I place everything under some weight.

and PRESTO!...

I need to prime it with several coats of paint before I unleash the gold spray paint.

Here is the whole assembly after getting a delightful coat of gold spray paint.

What about this pyramid and eye business I was talking about earlier?  Where is that?  It's right on top of the crenelated gate house (top center of the image below).

As the headdress looked on the wall in Pop Culture Palimpsest.

Ultimately this piece is going to have a resplendent gold carved gold frame as well.  Here is a peek of the beginnings of the frame.

We'll take a look at the frame carving it in a future post...which may be in a while since I have carved 2 1/2 years worth of frames in the last 9 months.