Another Semester Closed

Another semester has come to a close. This one ended on a really good note, I'm no longer fighting to paint. I don't know if its that I've proved myself of if its that Ive out stubborned the facility, possibly a little of both. In any case its really exciting that the conversation had move passed the well "why paint?.... why 2-d?..." mombo jumbo and onto a dialogue about content and aesthetic. Im stoked and really excited.

Anyway, I got online tonight to post images of the last few paintings of the term, to realize I left to portland without transferring them to the computer so I'll save that for another day.

 For now I will share these images of Philly food carts that I've been collecting. I dont know what i will do with them, I don't think they would make for good paintings, but maybe some form of printing into paintings. Whatever happens with them, Im really interested in the funny personalities that they show.

With one week left in Ireland.

This is the body of work I am happy with... and there are a lot of disregarded projects that will not be coming home with me. They are are works on paper composed of found materials and imagery taken from this beautiful land.  Collage materials are phone book pages, image transfers and maps. The foreground objects are from items I purchases (the toys all came from the Wooden Heart Toy Store in Galway) or from photos I took, with the exception of the biplane which I found online, to accompany the toy plane. 

When I return to Philly I will construct custom panels to mount these works on, in order to five them a more finished appearance, now the hard part comes... writing a relevant artist statement, writing a terms paper and polishing on my sketch books, which have become more of scrapbooks of nerdyness. 

 

                                      Toy Chicken                                            Resident Rooster

Acrylic and photo transfers on paper. 

                                    Toy Boat                                                                    Galway Hooker

Acrylic and phone book pages on paper

Biplane

Toy Plane 

Acrylic and Irish maps on paper.

Little Pig, Little Pig, Let Me In

Acrylic on photo transfers, of nursery rhyme cards (purchased in Galway) on illustration board.

Too Hard, Too Soft...

Acrylic and collage, of the back sides of the nursery rhyme cards, on illustration board.

Making a lot of junk.... but some good stuff too.

Well, Im spending this residency learning what doesn't work.... but here are a couple more that im into.

 Galway hooker, painted on phone book sheets. I think he needs a partner.

 These doors are my version of the three little bears. Painted on transfers from playing card nursery rhymes.

The rooster now has a friend.

getting into the swing, Irish Style

Because my work is so Americana influenced, I had a hard time figuring out what I am doing in Ireland. It would be pointless to paint "this american life" while abroad. So I've been collecting photographs and collage material. Here is the beginning... more to come. 

Looking At The Work Of : Glennray Tutor

So Great.

The Term is Finished

 Im not sure how and if I will continue this blog, but defiantly less work in progress. It seems as if my "sign" paintings are reading too much as shaped canvas than as commercial signs. Too much of "where did you get that shape from?" Eventually I will make another one, one sided with lights and see how that reads. I really like the idea of these things, but they are a pain in the ass and take some much time to construct that I feel could be spent making images. After all it is the image making that fuels my passion... for now here are the images from the end of this term

 

 

The American Sign

I realized i have been taking photos of signs for several years now, all over the country. I thought i would share a few....

 

Portland OR

Portland Or

 Philadelphia PA

 Brooklyn NY

 Vancouver BC

 Idaho

 South Carolina

 Portland OR

 Portland OR

 Manhattan NY

 Chicago IL

 Chicago IL

 Milwaukee WI

 Philadelphia PA

Collages

I worked on these some more. I brought the packaging all the way to the edges of both and scrubbed away some of the paint on the peanut one, added more layers of packing to both and paint to the hotdog one. I think that they are starting to work better, but not there yet.





I worked on these some more. I think that they are starting to work better, but not there yet.

sing 2.

I finished the first side of this today, some spots might need a little touch up.... but ill have to see it with fresh eyes. Now i need to decide how to approach the other side. I'm thinking the same objects arranged differently. or maybe painted flatter/ even more graphic... not sure yet.