contour line drawing critique

A critique is an evaluation or review of a completed assignment. In this case we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of a finished drawing. The focus is on line, both inner and outer contour line. It’s the class’s first full assignment, which means nine plus hours of work for most of the group. The subject matter is complex.

They begin by pointing out one or two favorites, from the entire group.  Then discussion moves to their individual work.  The student begins with one positive comment about process and/or result…and then the floor is open for class comment. I say at start, that everyone is learning, and feedback is valuable and always respectful.  Not only is the class learning to draw but the group is also learning to speak about their work and they are also learning to evaluate their own and others work.

If this critique is any sign of what the semester will be like…it will be full of surprises. The experience is a quality one, in terms of drawing and discussion. The dynamics of the group is unique, eleven males and four females.

In these examples note that some of the students supply more than contour lines. We learn line is simple and elegant, or complex and exciting.

Andrew

Arturo

Kevin

Justin

Rachel

Charles

Class comes to an end for the day. Everyone has taken a turn and most everyone has had a say.  I stay for a long while deciding which six works will get displayed in the cases outside.  For every student this first assignment is a challenge, some move through it more easily than others.  No one breezes through it.  That’s the consensus during critique.  I often wish I could hang all the works.  I take the six class favorites and hang those.

phoenix college art faculty exhibition

Next Monday join Phoenix College in the first Art Faculty Exhibition of 2010!

D. Young

Who: Phoenix College

What: Art Faculty Exhibition

Where: Eric Fischl Gallery
ART 231,  2nd floor of the ART building.

When: Opening Reception  Monday, 2/8/2010 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Exhibition runs Feb. 8th – 26th Hours:  Mon. – Thurs. 10am to 6pm

The Phoenix College art department has an exciting array of producing artists who display their passion for art in the classroom and in galleries.
For more information call 602-285-7277.
On line map, click here.

FYI… I’ll be showing a small, mixed media Intaglio print titled “La Persona.”

La Persona

let the line go for a walk

“Drawing is taking a line for a walk.” Paul Klee

Third week of the semester, challenges for all of us. Drawing class is studying contour lines: inner and outer contour. Contour is the edge of something, more specifically, it’s the line that defines a shape or object. Line is a point in motion that becomes a visual element of length.

The subject matter is complex. Students realize quickly they must look closely and they must learn to work slowly and carefully. They are at the beginning stage of finding and learning to sustain focus. They’ll need patience and commitment. It’s a greater challenge for some than others. I enjoy watching the process. They’re all apprehensive, some move past it quickly, others fidget for some time. Now and again an excited student jumps right in…and doesn’t stop for the entire 2.5 hours!  There are things going on in the brain…connections between eye and hand… neurological pathways forming.

I help them out by filling the classroom with Baroque music. This supports the entire learning process. I may change this as the semester progresses, it depends on them. Most of the students learn to appreciate the calm ambiance the music sets.

I say we’re off to a great start. Take a look…

To be continued….

formation

New Sketches….

Form-

(noun) 1. external appearance of a clearly defined area
2. the shape of a thing or person.
3. a body, esp. that of a human being.

( Fine Arts)
1. the organization, placement, or relationship of basic elements, as lines and colors in a painting or volumes and voids in a sculpture, so as to produce a coherent image; the formal structure of a work of art.
2. an object, person, or part of the human body or the appearance of any of these

(Philosophy)
a. the structure, pattern, organization, or essential nature of anything.

(verb)
1. to construct or frame.
2. to place in order; arrange; organize.
3. to frame (ideas, opinions, etc.) in the mind.

Reform-

(noun) the improvement or amendment of what is unsatisfactory
the amendment of conduct, belief, etc.
(verb) to change to a better state, form, etc.; improve by alteration, substitution, abolition, etc.
to subject to the process of reforming
to amend

To be continued…..

on the Row

Downtown Phoenix. Roosevelt Row. Modified Arts, Eye Lounge and 515.

I walk into the newly remodeled Modified Arts. A very different sort of space this month, than it was last. It still has its unique character, but in its renovation it has picked up a new level of sophistication; more open and bright.

A quick glance around the room and I recognize lots of  the work on the walls. I see artists whose art I remember from my first years in the valley, back in the early 90’s, hanging alongside newer artists art work. It’s what the show is about, honoring the past, and forging the future.

I appreciate seeing a small, surreal Philip Curtis painting hanging within reach of black and white Annie Lopez photographs,  that include text. And among 3 Car Pile Up collages, hangs a Beth Ames Swartz textured work. A Janet De Berge Lange sculpture sits in front of a Beatrice Moore painting. A Fritz Scholder is at the entrance, it makes perfect sense here. And a tall pedestal sculpture by Steven Yazzie moves your eyes up a corner area.

I notice some of the artworks on view, are from Ted Decker’s private collection. He summarizes the experience (of Modified and of the art scene in general, here in Phoenix) in a small keepsake handout (*click on link at the end, to read it).

I talk with Adam, one of the new managers. He’s busy arranging chairs for an evening event but he takes time to share a few words about what they’re doing and why. Calm excitement emanates from him.

A good start to the afternoon, I decide, as I leave the space.

Next stop, Eye Lounge.  Two installation works fill the main galleries. Third year member Kaori Takamara, whose installation, The Streets, sits in the west gallery, greets me. Though it’s her sensibility, the form itself, is a new direction. We discuss working and commitment to continued growth. Craig Randich’s installations are in the East Gallery, and he also hangs 2-D works. in the Project Room.  I have to say, I am very drawn to the works on the wall back there. They completely amuse me. I get it.  It’s as though writing something down a hundred times…could make it be so.  Go see the work, you’ll see what I mean.

I walk into Made and am pleasantly surprised to catch both Greg and Cindy.  We talk about the exhibits. Cindy considers that this might be the first time two installations show at the same time, in Eye Lounge. Greg calls out artist names and the year, of when it happened before. Installations are great Cindy says, because each time they’re experienced, it’s unique.

And last but not least….Mary Shindell, at 515. Wow!  Marys new work is such a clear evolution of her earlier work.  It is so different, but then not so different, if you really look at it and start to break it down.

I spend a long time with Mary, cause both her work and process intrigue me.  We discuss printmaking, drawing, tenacity, discipline, hard exhausting process…process and more process. Her new process is…well frankly…very cool. It’s all about problem solving.  She had an idea and then…one problem led to another problem, requiring another solution, and on and on…until the work, as we see it now, was born.

The forms, materials and content interest me. She is generous to share it all. They are a series of works inspired by cacti. I can tell from our discussion, she’s observed them well, for many years. In the sculpture, she (literally) contains computer generated drawings into  long, vertical, cylindrical plastic forms and then drills into some areas and runs fiber optic wiring through and out the surface. The wires are reminiscent of thorns and in one case, a bird’s nest. The work is meticulous. They’re each wired inside with lighting, and as the sun settles for the late afternoon, they’re transformed into quieter, somehow more fully alive objects.

An opaque blue/green work in the center of the room takes on solid depth while a more translucent green one looks more hollow and reminds me of quiet, internal, fluid filled space. I look at each one carefully and then I sit and look at the grouping, for a long time. I only leave because the gallery is closing soon and a couple comes in and they clearly want to discuss the work with Mary.

As I head back to my car, I realize that I am fortunate that I can walk down one street, on any given weekend and visit with artists/friends and look at their exciting work, and talk to them about their process, and their progress. I can’t imagine not having this…it’s not always been this way, but thanks to a lot of creative people, past and present, it is that Now.

And here, now…I am back to painting in my studio, just a bit more clear about what I do, and why.

* read more Ted Decker Blog

text as an element within a 2d design

Preparing to facilitate a workshop at SMoCA, in the coming week. Thinking about my use of text in an art work.  Text as an element within a design, is the focus.

The World Stage, a play in finite acts

The first time I consciously used text in a painting, I wanted to create a series of works that together made up a narrative. I was drawing/setting up (the idea of) an act, a play. And like the playwright, I too had a cast of characters I was to direct. I was influenced some, by Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. I liked his use of the narrator/stage manager. I created narrators that stood in the foreground, in black and white, while the cast stood center stage, in full color. Introduction text was in black and white. I wanted the audience to read the words and relate to the characters, so the words were literal, familiar, direct.

Let Go

I used text in another series where I was thinking about the power of the words, thoughts and the make-up of the mind. The series dealt with the creation of a limited identity. I used Spanish words (alongside English) for the first time in this series. Because large canvases, with a central figure were surrounded by words, I recognized the use of text as a way of creating movement in an artwork. I played with letters and punctuation, and created rhythm using strings of words. Not only can text be read, it can also create interesting space.

Label and Seperate

Lately I have been using words or complete sentences to create small intaglio prints. In this case, words generate the image.  They come first. Words are used to frame or surround a focal point.  Text informs the form. The printmaking process lends itself to making small, quick, stream of consciousness artwork that stands alone or can be the start of a larger series, at a later time.

The workshop will be fun. And it will be informative for all of us. I’ve prepared a presentation of some work, to begin the day. And then I’ll teach process.  The participants will hopefully complete a small work within the allotted 4 hours. I’m sure to learn some specific things about each of them, while they apply what they learn.
Using text, communication is usually immediate.

next month at five 15

Peeking into Five 15 Gallery, in downtown Phoenix, I recognize Mary Shindell’s work. Slim, vertical sculpture fills the center area, small 2D work lines the walls. I catch a glimpse of Mary at the back of the long, narrow space.
The gallery isn’t open. It appears she may be completing the install. I am tempted to knock on the door but I decide against it just then. I don’t want to interrupt her and anyway… I would want time…to really look at her work.

If you’re familiar with Mary’s art, you know it’s captivating. Her drawings and sculpture are based on the landscape that surrounds her, the Sonoran Desert.

Planning to spend an afternoon, in the new year, to catch this exhibit of new work. 

 

Who:               Mary Shindell

What:              Amend, Amass A Solo Exhibition

When:             Opening January 1, 2010, First Friday
                          Exhibit runs:  Jan 1-30, 2010
                          Reception: January 15, 5 p.m., Third Friday

                          Open every Friday 5-9 p.m.
                                               Saturday 1-5 p.m.  or by appointment

Where:             Five 15
                            515 E. Roosevelt
                            Phoenix AZ  85004 

For more information about Mary’s work, visit her web site at  www.maryshindell.com.

El Paso/Juarez- Border Art Biennial 2010

Interested in a juried International Art Exhibition opportunity….here’s one.  
Note: Application deadline is Jan 31, 2010.

El Paso/ Juarez

 

Border Art Biennial 2010 / Bienal Fronteriza de Arte 2010
Exhibition will take place November 14, 2010 – February 13, 2011

The El Paso Museum of Art and the Museo de Arte de Ciudad Juarez announce the Border Art Biennial 2010, the first juried exhibition to examine and highlight the often under-represented, but vital art and artists from the states on the US/Mexico border: Arizona, Baja California, California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, New Mexico, Nuevo León, Sonora, Tamaulipas, and Texas. To emphasize the notion of collaboration, each Museum will exhibit one of two artworks by every artist selected. All works included will be reproduced in the accompanying exhibition catalog.

2010 Jurors: 
 Rita Gonzalez, Assistant Curator in the Department of Contemporary Art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
 Itala Schmelz, Director at the Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil 

Important Dates:
- September 1– January 31, 2010- Exhibition entries accepted 
- February – March 2010 – Judging of entries 
- April 5, 2010 – Acceptance notifications sent 
- October 18 – November 3, 2010 – Delivery of accepted artworks to EPMA/MACJ 
- November 14, 2010 – Exhibition openings 
- February 13, 2011 – Exhibitions close 
- February 16 – March 4, 2011 – Artists pick up artworks at EPMA or MACJ. 

Visit the El Paso Museum of Art web site for registration information.

last day of drawing class

Maya

 

Last day of class…
Quiet, except for the Baroque music that fills the room. Students are focused… ahhhh… heaven.

Drawing 1 students complete a still life using charcoal.  They utilize everything they’ve learned thus far about looking closely and putting down what they see. I remind them to pay attention to a couple of things; the value created by the light source, and the detailing of the various materials they are drawing which includes plastic, glass, wood, clay, and rope.

Working with pen they learned to work organically. They were asked to complete one shape/object before they move on to the next.  With charcoal the students learn a different approach. They lay out the general shapes of the composition  and then come back and refine. They move a bit more freely.

Johnny

 

Andrew

 

Diana. General shape and its value

 

lights and darks defined in the central form

 

Virginia

 

Advanced students work on copying a masters work. Another set of rules applies to this group.  Again they have some freedom, but they have many more restrictions. They are still looking closely though as I watch them, I guess they have to look more closely than they would have imagined. They use a variety of drawing mediums, lots of color in the case of this particular group.  It’s a challenging assignment.  Some of them look weary and some of them make the whole thing look effortless. 

Charles reproducing de Vinci

 

Lilly reproducing Degas

 

McKenzie reproducing Van Gogh

 

Tiphanie reproducing Degas

 

 

Class comes to an end and assignments are impressive.
Drawing 1 group, progress is so evident, they know it. Energy is high.
In the advanced class the work is stunning, but they still have much work to do. Homework. It’s a given. Energy is mixed… nervousness and excitement.  

Looking forward to their final critique.

master multi-tasker and arts advocate

Buy Art! Create your own STIMULUS PACKAGE! Full service art consultation, art collection management, independent curator, marketing consultation and project management. This is the Facebook status update Ted sent out a few weeks ago that caught my attention.

I’d heard of Ted Decker long before I met him. Kate Timmerman introduced me to him, while she and I were members of eye lounge. I sat my exhibit on weekends; he came into the gallery most every Saturday after picking up organic vegetables from the local growers. I wanted to thank him, in person, for his contributions to our Inaugural Member Artists Catalog, produced that year. Kate took the lead, Come, I’ll introduce you; he’s a nice guy. He had a fresh carrot in his hand and he broke it in two and offered me half. We munched carrot as we exchanged greetings.

I had noted now and again, on Roosevelt Row, in eye lounge, and specifically in the Project Room, The Ted Decker Catalyst Fund supported various exhibits. I visit Ted’s website to learn about him.

I click on the Ted Decker Catalyst Fund. Many artists’ whose work I know come onto my screen: Christy Puetz, Rebecca Ross, Roy Wasson Valle, Sue Chenoweth, Jen Urso, Melissa Martinez, Andrea Evans, Carolyn Lavender, Karolina Sussland, Marcus Payzant… The photographs are great little captures of the artists and their work. I watch the moving images several times before I move on. The artist can only submit a proposal thru invitation. This impresses me. I know now the funding invests in artists’ futures by awarding advocacy marketing and mentoring mini-grants to encourage artists to more effectively position themselves for success in their careers. Ted calls it a Legacy investment. In other words…he takes the artist and his or her work seriously, for the long haul.

I go to Art Brokerage. This photo is fun too. I see an array of bright objects. I recognize some of them. Ted’s involved in Fine Art Consulting. He represents clients, as opposed to individual artists. He’s knowledgeable about the making of art and the business of art. He’s a collector himself, and has been for over 30 years. He helps clients manage their collection. This can include installation, appraisal, framing, and restoration.  He may even arrange a studio visit, if the situation calls for it.

Last, I click onto Travel Treasures. I find more photos of craftspeople of various cultures. Ted personally selects hand-made crafts from his travels. He sells them at various local venues including Made Art Boutique (where I purchased a beaded necklace) on Roosevelt Row. The net proceeds of the sales of these beautiful objects goes directly to the Ted Decker Catalyst Fund. The works often include tags with photos of the craftspeople thereby making a connection… building a cultural bridge between the artist and the buyer.

I ask Ted why he chooses to take on all these various tasks. He says because he is passionate about all of it. He understands the collector, because he is one, and he is connected to the artist and craftsperson. He’s a man who wears many hats: Art Consultant, Collection Manager, Art Broker, Independent Curator, Marketing Consultant, Project and Management.   And he’s easy-going and approachable.
It seems to me he cares about the arts, artists and craftspeople…globally

 
Inform yourself about Ted’s work, visit his web site.  Also know that Ted accepts contributions for his Catalyst Fund. Your donation is tax deductible. He will tell you that the best time to take action for supporting artists is NOW. The Catalyst Fund has no overhead expense, which means that 100% of donated funds go to assist and mentor artists.

Ted is not only well-informed, well-traveled, a multi-tasker, an advocate for the arts and artists alike, he’s nice. Kate was right.

among other drawing things…a value study

Time to tell you a bit about my drawing classes this semester. I have a generally good group of students, who really want to learn. They follow directions, work carefully, and observe closely, and they’re curious. I don’t hear many complaints out of them, despite the various challenges they experience. We’re at the end of the semester at this point, and they are so ready to be creative. But this is still the beginning stage for most of the students. They’re still developing important skills that they can later use for their more creative endeavors. They’re very patient, I have been impressed.

Today we held critique. In critiquing work, we discuss the strength and weakness of each completed drawing. Everybody gets a turn. It’s positive, respectful and includes the understanding that everyone is learning. It’s based on specific criteria that everyone is aware of. In the beginning it can be nerve wrecking, eventually it becomes easier, and even fun. My hope is that the students develop confidence and a sense of trust, in themselves and in their peers, and in the learning process itself.

The assignment is the first full still life using charcoal. Drawing 1 students use soft charcoal (and some conte) and though I ask them to focus on local value, they can’t help but pick up on the value created by the light source. Drawing 2 and 3 students use mixed media of their choice like soft pastel, oil pastel  and graphite.  If they have studied with me before and I know their skill level they have some freedom and can play with creativity.

I like the end results of all the assignments we go through…but this one…is visually the richest and strongest in general composition. The clear contrast between dark and light areas, the variety of values in between, the shapes, the patterns, the movement, and the materials make it so.  

As each student moves through the critique I always ask him or her, to pick out the strongest work, in their opinion.  They’re asked to comment on why they are attracted to the drawing. Many times it’s a challenge for them to pick one, most point out several. 
Here are a few of todays class picks…

Amelec, Drawing 1, Charcoal

 

Maya, Drawing 1, Charcoal

 

Davin, Drawing 1, Charcoal

 

Virginia, Drawing 1, Charcoal

 

McKenzie, Drawing 2, Graphite

 

Charles, Drawing 2, Pastel

 

 

idea firmly planted

Out on an early morning run, a fairly clear idea for a new series of drawings comes right to me. Not looking for ideas. I’m taking a break.  But one shows up.  I like it. I accept. Break could be a brief one.

 

Long, narrow. Story board.
Height: 15″ to 18″.  
Width: Long. Wide. Twelve feet…a couple of eight feet panels hanging side by side…or maybe a number of shorter 36″ drawings set up in sequence. Framing considerations will have to be made, this will be a work on paper. I’ll have some limitation in terms of glass, frame and general support. Can decide on exact width as I progress.
Materials: Mostly graphite. Some Casein or pencil color for emphasis and focus.
I have rolls of Arches, Hot Press, cream and white. Saved for just this sort of thing. Both pulled out of storage upon my return, this morning.

Humor, irony, abstracted figures. Linear.
Characters, as social studies.   

The idea materialized I realize now, as a result of numerous Facebook invitations. Descriptive words used in events. Maybe some of my realizations from recent travels are presenting themselves as well. In a nut shell, culture and semantics will be at play.
I have a title, and a sketch.

I don’t know when it will all be actualized.  Right now it’s a little seed, firmly planted.
Good way to begin a new day.

purpose and place

The view from Monet's studio window in Giverny.

Busy year. Worked slow and steady for much of it.
Took a short break, Paris and Vienna.
Fantastic architecture. History.
Great art at Versailles, the Louvre, the Albertina, and the Leopold… Visited Norte Dame Cathedral, the Arc of Triomphe, and the Sacre Coer.
Ancient history, Renaissance, Baroque, Spanish, Modern, American…Bosch, Durer, Goya, Klimpt, Rothko, Cassatt, Kollowitz, Keifer…

 

 

Experienced great objects.
The artist has purpose and place. Perhaps the artist exposes purpose and place. Creates purpose and place. 

What does the artist do? And why does he or she do it?  Is it important?  Is it necessary? Here, now?
Taking some time to think about this, again.  

then and now

Wishes to Remain Anonymous, 2009 Encaustic and mixed media on panel

Artist Kate Timmerman  is having a solo exhibition, opening the 3rd Friday in November, at Modified Arts. Kate is a mixed media artist who works with materials like wax, pigment, wood, plaster, lead and steel.
The exhibit titled “Then and Now,” will consist of works that date back to 1998 and into the present, included are 12 new works. Kate says of her progression “I noticed themes that were re-emerging over the last decade and I hope this grouping shows the audience how artists revisit themes in new ways and how we also keep investigating themes as we grow and learn.”

This exhibition will look at themes of creatures, desert botanicals and text abstractions.  You’ll see realistic portrayals of bonobo chimpanzees in oil and encaustic, and more abstracted creatures richly constructed with layers of pigmented wax, influenced by outsider art. Timmerman includes botanical works that are distorted and sculptural.
Kate’s references range from personal issues of identity to broader political and social topics.

Who:                 Kate D. Timmerman

What:                Then and Now, A Solo Exhibition

Where:              Modified Arts
                          407 E Roosevelt
                           Phoenix 

When:               Opening Reception Friday, November 20th, from 6-9 p.m.
                          Artist Reception December 4, First Friday.
                          The show will hang thru December 12th
                          *The gallery will also be open Nov 21, Dec 5 and Dec.12th, 1-5 pm.

In addition, visitors will  also have the opportunity to enter a lottery to win one of Timmerman’s paintings with a donation of pet food for the benefit of Poverty’s Pets. Poverty’s Pets is a downtown Phoenix group that rescues, neuters and places animals. Kate will be accepting pet food donations throughout the run of the exhibit. The drawing will be held on the last day of the show, Dec. 12th.

For more about Kate’s work visit  kdtimmerman.com.

yoga, music and art

Join Mary, Meg and myself for…

A couple of friends and I have organized a Sunday afternoon event the first weekend in December. It will include a yoga practice led by Certified Anusara Yoga® Instructor  Meg Byerlein. The practice will be accompanied by live music from professional Jazz saxophonist Mary Petrich. My paintings, drawings and prints will hang in the space. The afternoon will end with a community reception of live Jazz, art, cookies, and chai.
The Venue is the PHX ART LAB, centrally located in Phoenix, on 7th St. 

Mary, Meg, and I have, at various points in time, discussed working with one another.  
It’s A Happening…and you’re invited.

Who:        Meg Byerlein, Mary Petrich, and Monica Aissa Martinez

Where:    PHX ART LAB
                   3508 N. 7th St. Suite 135
                   Phoenix AZ 85014

When:      Sunday, December 6, 2009                  
                    2:00-3:15 Yoga Practice    *     3:45-4:45 Art, Jazz, Cookies and Chai

What:       We invite you to an experience which collectively celebrates
                    YOGA, MUSIC, and ART in COMMUNITY.

Doors will open at 1:30. Yoga begins at 2:00. Practice ends with an open eye meditation focusing on an artwork. Live music (trio) will accompany asana. Participate in all three events: yoga, music, and art. Or join us just for Jazz music and Art, after the practice.                 
(Yoga: All levels welcome. Bring your own mat and blanket)

fees:
Yoga, Music, Art, and Refreshments (2:00-4:45).
pre-registration $25.00, or $30.00 at the door.
Jazz, Art, and Refreshments (3:45-4:45),  $15.00 at the door.

Register by Nov. 30th.
Space is limited (for yoga participants).
Cash or check only, no credit cards please.
Sorry, no refund for no-shows.
Make check payable to: Monica Aissa Martinez
Mail to PHXARTLAB, at address above. On envelope: Attn.: Aissa

For more information contact Mary Petrich @ 602-565-3640 or email her at marypetrich@cox.net or contact monica

©2009 M3Productions