Saturday, February 16, 2008

Perhaps A Painting A Week


I have followed with great interest the recent boom in Daily Painters and their blogs. Realistically for me with all the other balls I'm juggling, I'm aiming at a painting per week. So Here goes.

Monday, February 11, 2008

For Your Consideration



I just finished a great book on Chuck Close,"Close Reading:Chuck Close and the Art of the Self Portrait," by Martin Friedman. I became interested after a recent wonderful exhibit at the Portland Art Museum on Close's prints and the many amazing processes involved in his work. The show was a wonderful homage to printmaking as well as the art of Close. The book does a terrific job of following Close's life, thought process and the art of portraiture from his perspective as well as that of fellow figurative artists who have been his subjects. I am impressed with the man,his determination and perseverance. The book is well written, insightful, and sprinkled with an ample quantity of color plates. Have a look.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Something To Think About


Art and money never touch. They exist in parallel universes of value at comparable levels of cultural generalization: Art does nothing to money but translate it. Money does nothing to art but facilitate its dissemination and buy the occasional bowl of Wheaties for an artist or art dealer. Thus, when you trade a piece of green paper with a picture on it. signed by a bureaucrat, for a piece of white paper with a picture on it, signed by an artist, you haven’t bought anything, since neither piece of paper is worth anything. You have translated your investment and your faith from one universe of value to another.

--Dave Hickey (winner of the MacArthur Genius Grant), “Dealing,” in Air Guitar: Essays on Art & Democracy


Any thoughts out there?

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Here Comes The Sun


Hi Folks,
We are having a break from the monsoons today. It's Saturday and there is time to rest, relax and rejuvenate. It's a great day to be alive.Get out and enjoy the world.