Lou Haney

small paintings....

2012-02-09T10:21:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of 16" x 20" or 12" x 15" paintings that I have been working on recently. My studio is in transition right now. I will be working on paper and on small paintings for the time being.

A couple of things that are going on....

At the Ole Miss Art Department (Gallery 120)

Not everyone (can carry the weight of the world)
curated by Les Christensen & John Salvest

February 7-29, 2012

Gallery Talk: Thursday, February 29, 2:30pm

This is a great installation piece about the civil rights movement and more specifically about Ole Miss. It is really powerful.

The Oxford Film Fest and Music Festival kicks off tonight with a Thacker Mountain Radio at the Lyric. They are also screening the community film, The Show Must Go On (the trailer is below).

The film fest is absolutely one of my favorite weekends!

Sketchbook project

2012-01-22T10:47:00.000-08:00

Way back in October, I decided to take on a challenge (for me)- The Sketchbook Project. My interest in works on paper has been growing this year and I thought the deadline would be good for me.

The Brooklyn Art Library sent me a 5" x 7" sketchbook with 32 pages. Over the fall, I became obsessed with frames and circles and I wanted to continue with those ideas. Ultimately, I would like to make some large drawings. One day, I want to do a works on paper show.

I chose a monochromatic theme because I love to organize anything by color. The book starts with red and ends with violet- ROY G BIV. Some of the small drawings/paintings in the frames were recycled from the 100 drawings project and I also made some new works. I used fluid acrylics, pencil, pen, colored pencils, stenciling, and collage.

I had a really good time experimenting with new materials and hopefully this will make it into new work.

If you are in the following places on the dates listed- you should check this out in person along with hundreds of other sketchbooks.

Brooklyn, NY
April 14th-30th
Brooklyn Art Library
103A N. 3rd St
Brooklyn, NY 11249

Chicago, IL
May 3rd-5th
Hyde Park Art Center
5020 S. Cornell Avenue
Chicago, IL 60615

Portland, OR
May 11th-13th
The Cleaners at the Ace Hotel
1022 SW Stark St
Portland, OR

Vancouver, Canada
May 15th-16th
W2 Media Cafe
111 W Hastings St.
Vancouver, BC

Los Angeles, CA
May 24th-26th
iam8bit
2147 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA

San Francisco, CA
June 2nd-June 23rd
Pop-Up Shop

Greater Boston Area
July 6th-8th
LynnArts
25 Exchange Street
Lynn, MA

Portland, ME
July 11th-14th
SPACE Gallery
538 Congress Street
Portland, ME 04101

Toronto, Canada
July 18th-22nd
The Gladstone Hotel
1214 Queen St. W
Toronto, ON

Philadelphia, PA
Aug 23rd-25th
The Painted Bride
co-presented with InLiquid
230 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Atlanta, GA
Aug 29th - Sept 1st
MASS Collective
364 Nelson St. SW
Atlanta, GA

Austin, TX
September 8th-16th
Co-Lab Project Space
613 Allen St.
Austin, TX

Melbourne, Australia*
November 10th-25th
NGV Studio
Federation Square
Russell & Flinders Sts
Melbourne

***the call number is 147.4-8***

quick update

2012-01-19T06:34:00.000-08:00

I have a small break before the spring semester starts. I think small (quick) paintings and drawings are on my agenda for the next couple of months. I just started this painting on Monday and I am not sure if it is finished....

Here is a detail shot from a lace cowl (Imogen cowl). I love negative space of lace.

Ole Miss meet OES

2012-01-13T09:18:00.000-08:00

I have been teaching a Service Learning in the Arts class for Winter Intersession. Our community project was to beautify the Oxford Elementary School cafeteria. Here is the before and below are some progress shots.

Kids painting...

The murals or Walls that Teach were actually 4' x 6' panels. It is hard to paint on concrete blocks. The kids chose life cycles as the subject. The second graders painted the outside blocks and my students painted the cycles of plants, water, and animals.

Here are all the kids with my students and the teachers.

I did the welcome sign and the penguin is the school mascot.

A more intellectually stimulating and aesthetically pleasing environment I must say!

Finally....

2012-01-03T10:17:00.000-08:00

I think this might be done. I have been working on this since August and it feels so good to resolve it....

Any ideas on a title?

Christmas in Cottonplant, MS

2011-12-18T07:56:00.000-08:00

Last night, we headed up to Cottonplant, Mississippi for a Christmas spectacular. It was something else! They have over 475 inflatables. We should have know it was pretty great when we were stuck in a 45 minute long traffic jam on the highway (rookie mistake- 8pm on the Saturday before Christmas). Everyone was going to Cottonplant... they even had state troopers directing traffic.

Here are some drawings/paintings that I have been working on in my studio. They are on yupo with fluid acrylics.

Based on a "sculpture" from a Nactitoches, LA gift shop

We also picked up the "Lou with a View" show in Niceville, Florida at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College. Here are some installation shots.

Sale/Party/Good Times

2011-12-10T08:39:00.001-08:00

Here are some preview pictures from the Christmas Sale...

Gettin' my art on!

2011-12-07T12:29:00.001-08:00

Snow in Oxford! Don't worry, it didn't stick. For some reason, I am compelled to photograph the snow.

It is that time of year again. My exams are done and I am ready to make some art.

Still plugging away on this...

The line drawing is from the 100 drawings project. I transferred the drawing to linoleum and made a relief print. And because it is that time of year... I thought why not try to make the drawing. So here a is a version of it.

Yeah for Christmas Vacation!!!

Eat, Drink, Shop!

2011-12-03T12:48:00.001-08:00

We are having our Christmas Sale again this year. Kevin and I will be selling work along with Brooke White, Ashley and Ginny Chavis, Katherine Fields, and Allan Innman. If you want to come let me know in the comments!

Happy Turkey Day!

2011-11-24T07:44:00.001-08:00

We have the week off for Thanksgiving so I was able to head up to Memphis. I saw Brian Selznick's (my MacDowell friend) show at the Dixon. The exhibit focuses on Brian's illustrations from his many children's books. There were some nice drawings. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to take pictures so I had to sneak.... not great quality. Here are some I liked!

From the Meanest Doll in the World

Kevin and I went up to Coldwater, MS to Homestead Farms to buy some plants for the yard. Look at the thousands of poinsettias!

Fun new app for the iPad- LetterMPress

Painting update

Savann-ahhhhh!

2011-11-15T04:24:00.000-08:00

I attended SECAC last weekend in Savannah. I gave a paper called "Field Trippin'."

Savannah is full of squares and spanish moss. Most of the historical structures were built in the early 1800s.

We headed over to the Telfair Museum. They were showing some interesting contemporary art and the two solo shows were Betsy Cain and Anthony Goicolea. Betsy Cain is a really nice abstract painter and I really liked her paintings on Yupo.

No photos in the exhibit... boo!

Here is a SCAD Gallery on Liberty Street. Above is a South Africa Artist, Zander Blom.

Savannah is great and hopefully I'll be back for FATE 2013!

100 drawings

2011-11-14T08:15:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite Drawing 2 projects every semester is Cloud of Ideas (100 drawings). This year I decided to take on the challenge with my students- 100 drawings in 10 days. The drawings should be between 3"x 4" and 5" x 7" and the subject matter is random. No rules- just produce!

Here are some of my drawings.

I have some great pictures from SECAC in Savannah. Stay tuned!

Natchitoches

2011-11-06T05:46:00.000-08:00

Kevin and I are in Louisiana for my mother-in-law's birthday. We visited Melrose Plantation yesterday. Melrose is interesting for many different reasons. Below is the African House (built in 1800). It is the only example of Congolese architecture in the continental US. I bet Art Historians have a field day with that!

Clementine Hunter's pickin' cotton

Clementine Hunter is a famous Louisiana folk artist who grew up at Melrose (She was Mrs. Henry's cook). On the second floor of the African House, she did murals of her memories.

Clementine Hunter's wedding

Here is Clementine's quilted portrait of Melrose.

I think Cammie Henry was the most inspirational figure of Melrose for me. She learned how spin, knit, and weave. She also created an artist's colony. She would invited artists and writers to the Cane River. She wanted them to work and quizzed them about their production at dinner. If they had not created anything after 3 days, Mrs. Henry politely asked them to leave. oh snap!

The Morning After....

2011-10-30T08:44:00.000-07:00

the One Night Stand.This was my first installation in almost 10 years (it may be 10 more before I do another one)

Here are some process shots.

Room 134 before we "moved" in.

I reused the Redneck Stained Glass from the Powerhouse show last year. It became quilted wallpaper. My love of Graceland is no secret. I wanted to recreate a version of the billards room.

Here is the room during the day. Notice the party lights!

Here is the same room at night.

Quilts in the front room and drawings and prints in the back!

Here is room 134 this morning!

Tonight

2011-10-29T14:20:00.000-07:00

Room 134

Ole Miss Motel

7-10 pm

Oxford, Miss

A Lou with a View

2011-10-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

I have a solo show at Mattie Kelly Arts Center Galleries, Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, FL. Here are the paintings at the beginning of their journey.

Thanks, K.C. (the gallery director and long haul art transporter!

Drawing

2011-10-15T07:07:00.000-07:00

I am still getting ready for the One Night Stand show. I have been playing with lace, spray paint, and pencils. Above is a master copy from the Walter Anderson show at the University Museum.

This drawing is from the Biology Department's taxidermy bird collection. Thanks Jason!

Painting update...

One Night Stand

2011-10-10T11:34:00.000-07:00

Daily Doily

2011-10-09T08:23:00.000-07:00

I am getting ready for the Motel Art Show and printing like crazy. Lace gone wild!

Here is the first official collaboration between TCF (Kevin) and myself. It is a ebonized oak bench with doilies encased in resin.

This is not a collaboration but is a sweet oak beam bench.

Art Crawl

2011-10-08T06:15:00.000-07:00

The Water Valley Art Crawl was last night. I love any opportunity to look at artist studios. We started at Yalo Studios. The WV is definitely happening! Lots of cool spaces and young artists....

Yalo Studios- Coulter Fussell

Upstairs from Yalo Studio... It looked like a magazine spread. I loved this space...

I loved the bathroom and original door!

Madeline Moore from UGA's textile piece

John Davis instrument

Kevin in a John Davis chair

The big house on Main Street with the over the top femininity and sweet miniature paintings.

detail of a crazy quilt

Ridge and Furrow fine letterpress printing. I think I need some stationery.

giant press!

Studio update from my less than cool studio

Surprise Lilies

2011-10-01T07:06:00.000-07:00

These Surprise (spider) lilies pop up in our yard every fall. I love them- the shapes are so funky and the color is so bright.

I got my Flying Geese "May" quilt finished. I think it looks awesome! The batting is 100% cotton- the perfect weight for a Mississippi winter.

Here is the back of the quilt. I got the green sheet at my neighbor's estate sale (Laura's house) The former neighbor was a home ec professor and had an excellent textile collection. This is the perfect sixties green.

studio update

Jerry "The King" Lawler can draw!

2011-09-17T08:48:00.000-07:00

Jerry "The King" Lawler is an artist! His show at Yalo Studios in Water Valley (20 minutes south of Oxford) is up until the end of October.

Here is a description from the Yalo Studios website-

From large oil paintings to original illustrations for various comics to self portraits from the 1970's to color drawings for a book about unruly Christmas elves that have watched too much wrestling, Lawler will exhibit a showing of work that is impressive in its diversity and history. We are thrilled to have the great southern artist JERRY "THE KING" LAWLER represented at Yalo Studio.

The King and I

Here is the space- the whole building is 10' wide and 100' deep.


One of my favorite drawings! I really like these for the intersection between kitsch and earnestness

Showbiz Pizza anyone? Rock-afire Explosion? You should check out this documentary if you have any memory of the "Southern" Chuck E. Cheese.

September

2011-09-16T14:57:00.000-07:00

Anniversary time... Sunflowers for me and p-i-e for Kevin

Prints for the Motel Art Show

painting update

Hummingbird Festival

2011-09-09T16:33:00.000-07:00

I headed up to Holly Springs to the Hummingbird Festival at Strawberry Plains. Here are some photos.

Crafts, birds, and native plants!

Rainbow Cake

2011-09-02T08:55:00.000-07:00

This painting is 40" x 50". I took the photos in Decatur- my parents were my photo assistants. The Rainbow Cake is from Sugaree's in New Albany and the background is a tablecloth from Mexico City. This cake is really yummy! You buy one in Oxford at Holly's Sweet Tooth.

Here is another photo from the series.

The Cobbler's Wife has shoes

2011-09-01T12:16:00.000-07:00

Yay! I got something I have been wanting for a long time. Here is the newest piece of furniture at Chez Wadney.

A file chest!

Butterflies by...

2011-08-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

Hello again! I am back in Mississippi and school has started. I have been struggling with this painting. Here are the stages...

Almost finished in NYC

At the Open Studio

Back in O-town- I decided to crop the painting down to 4' x 4'. I also changed the background color to a greenish chromatic gray. Unfortunately, I did not pack them correctly so I had to do some corrective painting. Future self, remember this and wrap the rolled paintings.

Here is it is with a background. It is not done but it feels more resolved.

Stay cool!

Last day....

2011-08-05T17:04:00.000-07:00

After packing up my studio, I went for a last trip to Chelsea. Here are the highlights...

Chad Person at Freight and Volume. His Underdog is above and his text pieces are below.

A Classic- Joan Mitchell at Cheim & Read

Alice Neel

I want to stay here on my next trip- The Standard above the Highline

The End!

Open Studio... tonight!

2011-08-04T10:57:00.000-07:00

My NYC debut!

335 W. 16th St from 6-9pm

invite

Bye Bye

2011-08-02T17:51:00.000-07:00

On Kevin's last day, we headed over to Brooklyn Heights. It is still one of my favorite places in the city. Here is Kevin on Brooklyn Promenade overlooking Lower Manhattan.

Brooklyn Bridge- those diagonals never get old!

Joe's Shanghai- Soup Dumplings in Chinatown

Furniture in Soho at Matter...

Studio update- I think this painting is getting smaller.

Maine

2011-08-01T04:54:00.000-07:00

Here is a postcard from Maine!

more high line

2011-07-28T15:50:00.000-07:00

At the end of the High Line, there is roller skating for the kids...

and a beer garden with food trucks for the grown-ups!

Mamma Moma!

2011-07-28T15:46:00.000-07:00

Kevin and I visited MoMA today. Here are some of the new things that I saw and liked.

Jacque de la Villegle, 1968

Arman, I Still Use Brushes, 1969, brushes in resin

Table Chair

MAD MAD World

2011-07-28T15:26:00.000-07:00

Kevin is here in the city with me so we decided to get our craft on. We visited the Museum of Art and Design (MAD) on Columbus Circle. It was my first time to the museum and it really had some nice things. I would recommend it to anyone!

Here are some of my favorite things. The first show was all about dioramas, called Otherworldly in art. Some were sculpture and some were for photography. They showed both the diorama and the finished photographs. This show asked some really interesting questions about truth of photography and craft.

Alan Wolfson, Canal Street Cross section

Amy Bennett- This paintings is about 2 inches square and the model below is that tiny as well.

James Casabere, "Landscape with Houses, Duchess County, NY"

Kevin is looking at a Micheal McMillen diorama. He lectured at CGU while I was there.

Bethany De Forest Diorama

Diorama detail

Photography from diorama

A giant ceramic installation piece from the permanent collection in clay by Beth Katleman

Confettisystem in the foreground with a neon piece by Brendan Fernandes in the background

glass display with the street down below.

Open Studio at SVA

2011-07-27T15:12:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to the invitation.

It is on Thursday, August 4 from 6-9 pm
at 335 W 16th St between 8th and 9th avenue.

Oh Andy!

2011-07-27T12:18:00.000-07:00

On my walk back to the dorm, I detoured through Union Square. I found this sculpture of Andy Warhol by Rob Pruitt. Rob Pruitt is an artist that I really like. His use of glitter 10 years ago really opened up some interesting (and tacky) terrority. Here is an interesting article about him.

so shiny! This is a really fun example of public art. Most public art is really dry.

Painting update

here is a detail.

I am getting photos printed for the Open Studio on August 4th. I can't wait to see all of them! I am going into a new medium, but I will always be a painter.

Studio envy

2011-07-26T04:27:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we took a trip out to the Hamptons to look at artist studios. It was pretty amazing out there.

Steve Miller's studio

Clifford Ross's giant landscape photography. Above is the detail from the digital print below.

Dorthea Rockburne

Eric Freeman and his paintings

These paintings are a mash-up between Dan Flavin and Ellsworth Kelly. The paintings seem to glow!

I also like the steel boxes that he used as an easel.

Lucy Winton's work is narrative and romantic.

Here is the view out her door.

Another Lucy Winton piece.

Toni Ross had an amazing studio. Unfortunately my camera was dying... She is a ceramic sculptor. This is her showroom or gallery space.

The last studio was Hans Van der Boverkamp. He is a large scale sculptor. The grounds were unreal!

We ended the trip at the Dan Flavin Institute run by the Dia Foundation. I had to find a photo online- however the installation was outstanding. I am not a huge fan of minimalism but I love color and light. The work is so much stronger in person than in reproduction.

Studio Update

2011-07-26T04:06:00.000-07:00

Here is the big butterfly. I am definitely on a fruit kick!

I think this is done.

Joan Mitchell MFA Award Winners show

2011-07-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

Joan Mitchell MFA Award

Cue Foundation

Here are some of the best works...

Brian Porray, UNLV

Molly Anderson Smigelski, Tulane

Jon Lee, Syracuse

Cobi Moules, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

I feel famous!

2011-07-21T16:49:00.001-07:00

I am the "Lou" in the blogpost. I am doing on the ground cuteness research.

PPOW

2011-07-21T04:58:00.000-07:00

More of my favorites....

PPOW

Oak Ridge Road

Jessica Rohrer

These paintings are super tight. There is no evidence of mistakes or excess paint. In other words, they are just as sharp up close. I love that this looks like a more organized version of my own freezer.

Illustrated poems from the altered book above. Amy Jean Porter is the artist and Matthea Harvey is the poet.

Psychedelic Lambs!

More trippier lambs!

Cake, pie, sheep, and Vermeer- these might be my favorite things!

and Oprah!

D'Amelio Terras

2011-07-20T17:58:00.000-07:00

Affinities: Painting in Abstraction

D'Ameilo Terras

Curated by Kate McNamara

Laurel Sparks

Detail- I love rhinestones and glitter!

detail- shiny/ neon

Carrie Moyer

Joanne Greenbaum

Matthew Marks

2011-07-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

La Carte D'Après Nature

Matthew Marks Gallery

An exhibition curated by Thomas Demand

Rene Magrite

Italian photographer Luigi Ghirri- vintage photography from the 1960's

Ceramic examples of succulents

Postmasters

2011-07-20T17:29:00.000-07:00

I took a trip to some galleries this afternoon. Here is some stuff I like!

COLORIFIC! We Make An Art Rainbow at Postmasters- this is a group show organized by color.

Gallery view

Diana Cooper

William Powhida- these pieces are especially rich if you read a lot of art blogs...

Chris Verene- you have to read the captions (funny and sad)

Steve Mumford

David Herbert

Michelle Matson- paper sculptures titled, "Murder She Wrote"!!!

Kristen Lucas- drawings based on computer mouse movement

Straight outta Brooklyn

2011-07-20T17:13:00.000-07:00

I went on a field trip to Gowanus, a neighborhood in Brooklyn. My friend from MacDowell, Stephanie Snider has a studio out there. Here are a couple of images-

Gowanus Canal

The old can factory that houses studios.

Images from Stephanie's studio

Stephanie's paintings

studio update

2011-07-19T03:42:00.000-07:00

My website went live yesterday. You can check it out here!

This needs a bit more work on the edges, but it is close. I am thinking about calling it "Shrink Mellon"
What do you think?

Williamsburg Galleries

2011-07-17T08:11:00.000-07:00

Here are some works that I liked in Williamsburg.

Front Room Gallery

I was drawn to the work that has a push/pull with the viewer. The images worked from across the room but also rewarded the viewer up close.

Peter Fox

detail

Ross Racine makes digital drawings of fictitious suburbs

detail

Julia Whitney Barnes

Pierogi has some very nice paintings and drawings.

Sarah Walker's Maximalist paintings

Ati Maier

Darina Karpov

Will Lamson walks on water!

isn't it ironic?

2011-07-16T14:57:00.000-07:00

I took the train to Williamsburg this afternoon. I checked out some galleries and the whole neighborhood.

Here are some images of street art in the 'Burg (i don't know if anyone calls it that)

Caramoor Paramour

2011-07-16T06:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was quite the adventure. I worked in the studio and attended a lecture about art and neuroscience by Suzanne Anker. In the afternoon, I got a text from some ole Oxford friends inviting me to join them at the William Tell opera in Kaltonah, NY at Caramoor. It sounded like an adventure and I had not left the city so off I went. Here are some pictures of the Caramoor grounds.

We attended a lecture before the opera in a beautiful Italianate courtyard. Marc is writing a book about William Tell as a symbol of rebellion. The performance of this opera is a historical clue as to the feelings of the people towards their ruler.

The opera was performed outside in a beautiful tent (sorry for the bad picture). It was an amazing experience- all four hours of singing.

I see Chelsea

2011-07-14T18:44:00.000-07:00

It is Thursday night- openings! We went up to Mixed Greens. They had a great group show, Cabin Fever. Here are a couple of my favorite pieces.

Painting by Abraham Storer

Mixed media piece by Megan Foster

Jonathan Ehrenberg's great lo-fi videos

Art Blog Art Blog

After Mixed Greens, we went across the street to Ross Bleckner's Studio. Bleckner is in the Hamptons this summer so he donated his space to his former assistant, Joshua Abelow and author of Art Blog Art Blog. He has been hosting shows in the space (called Art Blog Art Blog) all summer. The show, "Can I Get A Witness" had some interesting pieces but I loved the space. It was big and white with incredible light/windows/view. How do you make art when the view is so amazing?

I am not sure who made what...

Nice drawing but the way it is hung feels gimmicky.

View from Bleckner's studio

Another view- the High Line from above. I can't stop taking pictures of it...

Midtown

Another High Line shot- I have never seen it from above. I'll stop (for now).

studio update

2011-07-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

Honey Don't or Honeydew You?, 24"x 36"- I love painting the plastic!

Acrylic painting on Yupo, 9" x 12"

Whitney: color me happy

2011-07-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

I headed uptown to the Whitney on Saturday. I saw the Lyonel Feininger and Cory Archangel shows. Unfortunately, I could only take pictures on the Cory floor so I had to troll the internet for the Feininger images.

Cory Archangel's work is about digital, internet, and video game culture. I would compare him to Warhol, Christian Marclay, and Tim Hawkinson. This is a giant video game piece about bowling and he has programed the game to throw gutter balls.

I love the robotic display stands which he programmed to dance (a la Hawkinson)

Big, shiny, colorful--- my favorite. These pieces were very nice. He gives all the coordinates so you could make them yourself in Photoshop. The questioning of originality of the artist (a la Warhol) is very interesting.

The rainbow one was speaking to me....

He also did a mash-up (a la Marclay) from YouTube guitar tutorials. I love the DIY spirit of the piece however the musical quality wasn't as elegant as Marclay's mash-ups. I guess that is the difference between YouTube as your source material and movie scores.

The Lyonel Feininger show was on the 3rd floor. Feininger was an American who moved to Germany in his teens but came back to the US in the late 1930s. He was the painting professor at the Bauhaus. My favorite works were his early Die Brucke paintings. His use of color is fantastic- it looks so fresh. I am not a fan of his analytical cubist phase but I love the lyrical and expressive quality of his first paintings.

Jerry Saltz

2011-07-08T18:20:00.000-07:00

click to enlarge

On Thursday, Jerry Saltz gave a lecture on Thursday at SVA. He was great. I felt ready to conquer the art world after he spoke.

Here are the links- Jerry's recent piece for New York Magazine- "Generation Blank"

blogsphere response #1, response #2

You Met!

2011-07-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a wonderful morning at the Met. We went early to see the Alexander McQueen show. I snuck one picture in the exhibit. It was amazing. Maximal, textured, theatrical- it had it all. My favorite was the red satin and sequins (of course). Here is a link to some of the objects. Wow!

Alexander McQueen flowing cape.

Anthony Caro on the roof. What a letdown compared to Roxy Paine and the Big Bambu...

More my speed- El Anatsui in the foreground with Anish Kapoor in the background. Shiny.....

Liza Lou "rope".... if you look closely you will see all of the tiny, tiny beads. I love the obsession.

What a great corner! Hans Hoffmann, one of my all-time favorites, with Elsworth Kelly on the back wall.

Here is a discovery- Florine Stettheimer, Catherdals of Fifth Avenue, 1931. I need to use more gold leaf.

Malcolm Morley, On Deck, 1966

I am off to the studio to make some work of my own!

Openings

2011-07-08T05:05:00.000-07:00

I went to the Chelsea openings last night. Here are some of my highlights.

William Steiger at Margaret Thatcher Projects

Paul Bobko at Alan Klotz Gallery

Frances Barth at Sundaram Tagore Gallery

Toba Khedoori at David Zwirner

Performance artists crashing the opening at David Zwirner

Studio shot

2011-07-08T04:53:00.000-07:00

Here are some images of my studio. It is not huge, but I think it will be good.

Highline extension

2011-07-06T12:39:00.000-07:00

I love the Highline! Here are my previous posts- one and two. They have opened a new part up to 30th street. It was definitely more crowded in parts, but it is still amazing. I think the Highline might be one of the most photogenic places in nyc. It is difficult not to take a bunch of pictures. I think it is the contrast between nature and the city.

see chelsea part 1

2011-07-06T12:22:00.000-07:00

So one of the reasons that I chose SVA for a residency is its location. I am steps away from the Chelsea Market, the High Line (stay tuned) and the galleries. Long-time readers will know that I love all three of these things. I am going to try and see as much art as possible this month. I started off on 20th street at Postmasters Gallery.

The piece above is an urban garden by Natalie Jeremijenko at Postmasters. The piece below is a digital work on canvas by Kenneth Tin-Kin Hung.

The installation shot (above) and drawing (below) are by Jason Polan at the Nicolas Robinson Gallery. The artist was in the gallery playing ping pong with someone while I was looking at the show.

Roberta Smith reviewed the show in the NY Times. She says...

Jason Polan is an incessant draftsman and enterprising artist interested in making both his art and himself more available. Through his Web site he can be commissioned to make an hour’s worth of drawings for $125 and will consider requests. One of his several projects is to draw every person in New York. His self-published books include “Every Piece of Art in the Museum of Modern Art Book.”
Mr. Polan’s New York solo debut includes “One Month,” a series of 31 drawings, each depicting objects encountered during a single day and drawn from life. The exhibition also includes a Ping-Pong table, available for use, that is drawn all over with four-legged animals (polar bears?) evoking Keith Haring; an imposing life-size rendering of the head of King Kong; and, my favorite, a wall covered with drawings in several sizes of dense, smudgy black circles.

Finally at Jack Shainman Gallery, I saw a photograph of Sweet Pickles if he was African. Later!

New York City!

2011-07-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

I am back in the city! I am doing a painting residency at the School of Visual Arts. We had orientation today and I should move into my studio tomorrow (hopefully). I'll have some studio pictures later in the week.

I took a long walk to one of my favorite places in NYC, Gramercy Park.

Do you see the lone man reading peacefully? Where are all of the other people you might ask? It is a private park with locked gates (ask me how I know). With the bustle and crowds of the city, I can understand the allure of a private park. It might be worth staying at the Gramercy Park Hotel just to visit the park- they have keys.

Studio time

2011-06-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

I just finished another smaller painting. I made the jello and took the picture.

I found some awesome old postcards at an antique store in North Carolina. I decided to alter them with some gouache and I want to mail them. The one on the left is a photograph of a 60s era woman on a camel. On the back, it describes the smell of the camel and the hotness of Egypt. The one on the right is Piazza Navona in Rome. The note on the back describes the European itinerary and comments of the cleanliness of Europe.

Does anyone want a postcard?

I love the mountains, I love the rolling hills....

2011-06-27T07:25:00.000-07:00

Elk preserve in the Great Smoky National Park

View from Moonshine Cabin

Quilt Garden at the North Carolina Arboretum.

North Carolina!

2011-06-27T07:15:00.000-07:00

Kevin and I just got back from a week in the mountains. We saw lots of art and a ton of craft. Here are some highlights.

House of the Rising Sun Variation, 1952

We went to the Jack Tworkov show at Black Mountain College Art Center in downtown Asheville. Jack Tworkov is an early abstract impressionist who taught at BMC. He influenced Rauschenberg and was the chair of the Yale Art Department from 1963-69.

Guardian 1, 1952

I love this quote!

We headed up the hill to Blue Spiral Gallery in Asheville. Blue Spiral is one of the best craft galleries in the country but they show a great deal of 2D work as well. I was really impressed by the work of Will Henry Stevens (1881-1949). His work looks like a cross between Joan Miro and Charles Burchfield. His sense of color and surface are very nice. Who knew abstraction was flourishing in the South before WW2?

Lillian Garcia Roig is one of my favorite painters. She teaches at FSU (Meg- make friends). We were in a show at the Huntsville Museum of Art together several years ago. Her work is figurative from across the room but starts to collapse as you get closer.

Here is a detail- she loves paint.

We headed over to the River Arts district in Asheville. It is neighborhood of warehouses turned into studios (we were jealous). Kevin used to work for Randy Shull who owns Pink Dog Creative. Randy is a woodworker who uses a lot of paint. He is making more paintings about furniture than furniture.

We traveled up to the Penland School of Craft which is about an hour north of Asheville. They have a fantastic curriculum and a great gallery. Here are shots from a Typography show. I love the glass pieces from Marc Petrovic.

Mother, don't look at this....

2011-06-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

This is the latest painting. It has been slow in the studio because of a shoulder issue. I am slowly working up to my former pace. I'll have to think about the title.

One of my former students, Dustin, asked me for some artwork for a tattoo. This is from an old painting, "Juicy Fruit". He got several other professors to give him artwork for tattoos. Here is my contribution. Very cool!

Cleaning out the attic

2011-06-09T12:08:00.000-07:00

We are cleaning out the attic for a yard sale on Saturday. In boxes that I have not looked at since we moved in 2007, I found one of my favorite things from grad school. My friend, Kayo Nakamura, gave this to me. I will have to find a special place to hang it!

Here are daylilies from the yard.

Introducing- "Yes We Candles" 40" x 50" acrylic on canvas

Anyone want to come over for dinner?

2011-06-04T10:20:00.000-07:00

Carrots, kohlrabi, pittypat squash, grits, snowpeas from the Midtown Farmers Market... Yum!

What I have been up to...

2011-06-01T15:40:00.000-07:00

Girl Talk

Balloon Glow at Alabama Jubilee

Sugarees!

Orange Pineapple ice cream at Trowbridges

Sale at Billy Reid

numerology

2011-05-23T12:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a studio update. I am having fun with all of the plastic. Does anyone have any fun title ideas? This painting could be done by the end of the month.

may is for sewing...

2011-05-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the Gee's Bend show at the University Museum, I created a queen size quilt using vintage fabric. The pattern is called flying geese. Now to find a machine quilter...

Painting update

studio update

2011-05-05T12:35:00.000-07:00

Check out this Jell-o video- it is very beautiful.

The video reminded me of an old painting of mine. This painting (30" x 36") is from 2005. Abstract Jell-O....

DoubleDecker 2011

2011-05-01T14:49:00.000-07:00

Pet Parade!

Cake on a stick from Honeybee

North Mississippi Allstars

Awww hail

2011-04-21T16:33:00.000-07:00

Last night, it was dark and stormy. I finally found out what ping pong size hail looks like. Luckily, it didn't last long and our cars were under the carport.

I headed up to Memphis today. I went to the art store, thrift store, and David Lusk Gallery. DLG was one of the first galleries that I went to in college. I love the space!

I need to go to there.

DLG is showing Jared Small's work. I loved the "Lou's" painting. It was painted on mylar. I want to play with some of that this summer. I really liked the effect- hazy but tight.

The painting above is the strongest. I didn't write down the title. It sparkled from across the room. I really like how he manipulated light and color. It was subtle but very smart. His elegant decaying buildings are the most compelling of the show.

April update

2011-04-19T09:41:00.000-07:00

studio update

2011-04-10T09:37:00.000-07:00

We headed up to Sardis, MS to Tribecca Allie. It is a brick oven pizzeria, run by a couple from New York. I had heard rumblings from my friends, but we were convinced to make the drive from this article.

Sardis+ really good pizza= amazingly great unexpected experience.

Here is a painting update. I am really having fun with numbers!

I am really excited about this show!

2011-04-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

Related events- Brown bag lecture about contemporary painting on Monday at the museum.

Q and A with the artist, Thursday, April 14 at 9:30 am, Meek 120, Art Department, Ole Miss.

This should be fun!

Saint Louis Art Museum (SLAM!)

2011-04-04T14:51:00.000-07:00

SLAM at night...

Gerhard Richter, January, December, November, 1989. These paintings are massive- I would bet they are 12' x 15'. The amount of detail in the work is really dense and complex. My battery was fading at this point. I could have taken a ton of pictures

Gerhardt Richter, Betty, 1988. This is a lovely painting. It is probably 4' x 3'. It is soft up close and hard from across the room.

Ahhh Giacometti ....

The German painting at SLAM is really nice, Sigmar Polke, Max Beckmann, etc. I really loved the Kentridge films.

Studio update- This painting is 5' x 4'. It is based off a photo from Mexico City.

How to Steal Like An Artist

2011-04-03T11:15:00.000-07:00

I just got back from the FATE conference in St. Louis. I have some pictures to share with you but my camera battery is dead. Stay tuned.

I chaired a session on Radical Erasures/ 21st century drawing. I also moderated a discussion with Matt Homann of CocaBiz. One of his topics was the positive qualities of art students and what they could bring to business. It was interesting to think about the culture of art/ art school and how it is different than other disciplines.

This is one of the things he said in our session...

What artists can give to business
1) ability to critique, give feedback
2) collaboration
3) creativity under deadline

This post by Austin Kleon is really interesting. He talks about appropriation- it is not what you take, but how you use it. He also gives some advice on how to live a creative/ productive life.

La Dolce Vita

2011-03-27T10:12:00.000-07:00

On this gray day, I thought I would tell you about the best or most colorful meal we had in Mexico City. We went to Dolce Patria in the Polanco neighborhood. I ordered the house margarita and I was in love... hot pink, gold rim, and flowers! I took 15 pictures before I started drinking. I felt kind of goofy taking a ton of pictures of our food until I saw the table next to us doing the same.

Here is the appetizer. It was some kind of taco.

Here is my fish dish- it was yummy. I didn't eat the giant crablike dried chile, but I appreciated the aesthetic quality it added.

Here is Vanessa and Greg's dessert, Tres Leches Cake with ice cream. I order a dessert too, but mine was not as photogenic.

La Dolce Patria, 12" x 16"

I made a little painting from my photos. I am going to have some large prints made to see if they would work for a large painting. I love the over-the-top color, femininity (Martha Ortiz is the chef), and deliciousness of Dulce Patria.

Funny Face cake

2011-03-25T07:37:00.000-07:00

16" x 20"

Breaking news! I just finished a new painting. I promise this is the last painting with a face. One of the weird things about this (from vintage imagery) is that "fun" is spelled out on the side of the cake. I love a cake that is so blatant about the emotion you are supposed to have when you look/eat it.

Xochimilco

2011-03-21T13:39:00.000-07:00

Mexican party barge

I can't believe it has been a week since we were in Xochimilco. Here are some of the strange and wonderful sights.

Floating food court

Island of lost toys

Flowers at the market

Mole powder at the market

Last day....

2011-03-20T08:57:00.000-07:00

Beaded bug

We are back in Mississippi, but here is a highlight from our last day. We visited the Museo Nacional de Artes Populares (Folk Art Museum). It was really great to see all of the finest crafts from all over the country.

Museo Nacional de Anthropologica

2011-03-17T15:59:00.000-07:00

We visited the anthropology museum today. It has an incredible collection of pre-columbian art. This is a statue (about 3 feet tall) from the Aztec period. The Aztecs love skulls...

Teotihuacan

2011-03-16T16:57:00.001-07:00

We headed north of the city to the pyramids. This is the view from the pyramid of the sun which is the 3rd highest pyramid in the world.

Coyocan

2011-03-15T17:59:00.001-07:00

Here is a fountain in the jardin hildago. It is a beautiful colonial plaza in the very nice neighborhood of coyocan. Around the corner, they were filming an episode of Mexican tv.

Xochimilo

2011-03-14T18:41:00.000-07:00

The Venice of Mexico city!

Mexico city!

2011-03-13T19:56:00.001-07:00

We are enjoying a little spring break adventure in Mexico city. Here is the ceiling in the House of Tiles/ Sanborn's in the Centro Historico.

I can only post one photo at a time...I'll do a mega post when we get back.

Orange Jewelus

2011-03-11T09:19:00.000-08:00

I think this painting is finally done. I re-worked the background.

Here is a previous version

This makes me want to sew...

2011-03-11T09:13:00.000-08:00

I took my color theory class over to the University Museum to the see the Gee's Bend show. Here are some of my favorite pieces. The show is up until April 2.

I am going to sew soon!

I am definitely going to this...

2011-03-08T16:29:00.000-08:00

Thacker Mountain Radio at the Lyric on Thursday. It is featuring the Gee's Bend quilters AND Andre Dubus (who wrote House of Sand and Fog).

I wish TMR was podcasted on itunes- a girl can dream...

Little painting

2011-03-04T06:46:00.000-08:00

Here is the latest painting. It is a small one- 16"x 20". It was super fun and fast! Any title ideas?

Here are some process photos...

Oxford Film Fest!

2011-02-11T07:04:00.000-08:00

We survived the Snow My God! Oxford got 5".

It is that time of year again- Film Fest! I went to the Lyric for the opening ceremonies and a special Thacker Mountain Radio. Robert Belfour performed on the radio show.

The most exciting thing is Bill Lilly Builds a Green House. Kevin worked on the container house in 2009 and maybe is in the documentary. I can't wait!

OFF to see some movies...

King Cake

2011-02-08T08:46:00.000-08:00

It is Mardi Gras time! We got a king cake from Honeybee. Yum!

Here is a painting update.

Laurie Fisher!

2011-01-25T15:45:00.000-08:00

Ole Miss Alum and friend of Loutopia! Laurie is hosting a show about artists in KY. Great job Laurie!

If you want to watch her in action, here is the link.

Thanks Lizzy for the heads up!

Art and Etiquette

2011-01-22T13:57:00.000-08:00

This is an amazing post about openings!

2011-01-21T06:45:00.000-08:00

Robert Storr at Meek Hall.

Robert Storr and Bruce Levingston lectured/performed on Wednesday night. Dr. Storr gave an amazing lecture connecting music and art. He focused on the relationship between Phillip Glass (Ira's cousin) and Chuck Close. He also touched on Gerhardt Richter (one of my favorites). Bruce Levingston is a concert pianist. He gave an amazing performance- from Chopin to Phillip Glass. It was a great night. On Thursday morning, Mr. Levingston and Dr. Storr participated in a discussion at the Art Department. We discussed the possibility that the center of the art world has left Manhattan for Brooklyn. It was an amazing 24 hours and we hope they will come back. They had to skip the life-changing tour of the department by yours truly because of the weather.

Here is my new painting. It is small (24" x 36"). I am always interested in the compulsion to put faces on food.

Eicholdt Gallery

2011-01-15T07:34:00.000-08:00

Kevin and I headed south for the L.A. show opening at Spring Hill. We had such a good time! Of course, I forgot to take pictures while people are there. I love the tall ceilings and the checkerboard floor.

It was cold in Mobile. The pelican fountain froze up.

After the show, Kevin and I headed down to the Causeway for dinner at the Original Oyster House. It was so good! We were the last people in the restaurant.

L.A.

2011-01-11T07:53:00.000-08:00

I have been blogged! Read a review of the Spring Hill show here.

snow day!

2011-01-10T11:25:00.000-08:00

It snowed all last night...

Kevin measured the snow with his handy tape measure. We got 8 inches of snow in Oxford last night.

Bottle Tree in snow...

I made a snow angel!

Hwy 45

2011-01-08T07:32:00.000-08:00

I went to Mobile yesterday to deliver my paintings for the show at Spring Hill. On my way back, I saw a familiar site, this slanted barn! I saw this a couple of years ago on another painting delivery trip and I fell in love. However, for whatever reason, I didn't pull over and take a picture. This time was different.

I took some quick photos of the sunset while I was driving. The colors are much duller in the photos...

Flour Power

2010-12-31T08:38:00.000-08:00

Flour Power is done and is going to Mobile.

The cards for the show look great! I named the L.A. because when I was in grad school in Los Angeles, I went out one night when I was home. I ran into this guy I knew from high school. He asked me where I lived and I said "LA." He said, "Lower Alabama?" Mobile- the capital of Lower Alabama...

Huntsville Museum of Art

2010-12-31T07:29:00.000-08:00

My mother and I scooted over to Huntsville yesterday. The Huntsville Museum of Art had a big expansion and it just reopened. Here are some images of my favorite things.

American Studio glass

Buccellati Silver Animals

Mark Messersmith renders the coastal Southeastern landscape as a mysterious environment still inhabited by powerful birds, vigilant panthers, weary gators, blackwater swamps and old cypress trees—all vying with mankind for space and survival.

These painting are big, over-the-top, colorful, and contain dioramas. I should love them.... However, it was a whole room of paintings that where too close together. The paintings were all the same size and the subject matter didn't vary much. The paintings all had a diorama at the bottom and the carved pediment on the frame. The things hanging on the front were a bit gimmicky.

The strongest show was We Hate Jackson Pollock. That is an unfortunate title, but the show highlighted Pop and photorealism from the 1960s and 1970s. They had some Warhols, Lichtensteins, Stellas, Rauschenbergs, and some surprises.

Richard Estes, screenprint

James Vallerio, graphite on paper

A discovery- David Parrish. He is a Huntsville artist who shows all over the world. He makes giant photorealistic paintings of pop culture. He is like Glenray Tutor but more abstract. hmmm...