86x47 oil & canvas on panel
July 23rd, 2021
A first look at a the last 5 months of effort. Completed two days ago, a new direction takes form. Hidden ciphers and double entendres collide with re interpreted Victorian images of
femininity and sexuality, all while playing with voyeurism and fantasy. I will have more to say about the origins of this piece and the potential for a series in a fourth coming video. Maybe.
July 18th, 2021
Unlike an 80’s titty comedy, my spring break didn’t come with sun, bikinis and irresponsible drinking.
Where did you go?
In a previous post, I made my 95 day hiatus seem as if one particular event was the driving force for the absence, when, in reality, it just sort of happened. It was the culmination of
many little events. However, the purpose of this post is not to delve into the why’s, but the how’s. How did I spend my time? What did I learn? Things of that nature.
In part one of this discovery, I answer one of the most asked questions of my career, “Whats your inspiration?” Here, I will examine the first and deepest part of my inspiration: Music. Through this examination,
I answer one of the “How’s” of my spring break.
Specifically?
Last spring, I got deep into a very specific portion of my music collection, dedicated to the great Manfred Eicher and the ECM label.
Specifically, the early years, 1969 to about 1984. I have a significant portion of the catalog on original vinyl. There is a point to it being on vinyl and
it’s just as as important as the music itself. This is only an examination, post fact. In actuality, I just started doing it and then it ended up become a “thing” for me.
I simply started with an early sonic gem, that I found from a German collector and I just kept going.
Why This Label?
I started collecting this label in vinyl for sonic purity in the analog signal chain and the exploration of genre bending forms and idioms from what were, at the time, new artists.
The 1970’s are a terrible decade for BeBop and straight ahead. Minus a few standouts, the old guard did not move to the next decade well. At ECM, there was a European renascence, mixing
metaphors and styles in mostly all acoustic music. They did it in glorious recoding studio environments with very exacting standards.
These production standards can be heard and felt in both the sound and presentation of the entire catalog.
Alright Already.
Space, expansion, exploration, juxtaposition, complex, engaging …these are typical words used to describe this music. I could go on, but let’s try this a different way. I can write a great
deal about these titles, but instead I want the reader to have an opportunity to develop their own palette. Let me be clear. This music in not approachable. If you have been on a diet of pop music,
you are in for an uphill climb. Your americanized western ears will have a tough time. The attention span of the streaming audience
listener was not even a consideration in these artistic endeavors. The truth is, you may never "get it". But if you do, I promise a new world awaits. Below are some examples to start your journey.
Matchbook
Gary Burton and Ralph Towner
An odd instrument pairing that is sonic bliss. It has every emotion, blended in a wide space, stretching time and littered with mind altering nuance. I could go on, but just listen.
The Köln Concert
Keith Jarett
FUUUUUCK. Thats the first word that came out of my mouth when this performance hits its crescendo. This is a solo piano concert and this album changed the genre. Vera Brandes
was a 17 year old concert promoter and this was one of her first efforts. It was a disaster. Take an out of tune 5 foot rehearsal piano set up on stage by accident, with no time
to get the 91/2 foot 97 key concert Bösendorfer, no dinner for the artist, a massively delayed 11:30pm start time, a terrible storm and a tired Keith Jarett, wearing a back brace who had to drive
in from Zurich the night before. (no airline ticket on his ryder) Listen for the mark where he stomps time as a crescendo builder and wrings every drop of sound out of that piano. Just brilliant.
In the end, talent can’t be stoped and the performance is nothing short of amazing. Look up Vera Brandes as well. She was a pioneer.
The Colours Of Chloë
Eberhard Weber
Magical thematic expression from a small ensemble led by a bass composer and performer with mind bending abilities. The slight use of analog synthesizers and the electric piano is a
great juxtaposition to the acoustic instruments. It has slight psychedelic vibes and pushes a little too much fusion at times but it’s a wonderful journey. A stellar exploration of the
mind and soul. An Evening With Vincent Van Ritz is a stellar example.
Terje Rypdal
Terje Rypdal / Miroslav Vitous / Jack DeJohnette
An undulating expressive small group that separates and distances itself with an icy coolness and other worldly sound. Deep meditative long form repeating mnemonics in trio form, with outstanding playing.
Jack DeJohnette is in sublime understated form. Will is a great example of the album and may be the most approachable for the uninitiated.
Ondas
Mike Nock
Space and emotion, combined with evocative soundscapes and restrained playing. The mind has ample room to traverse the sonic landscape laid before you.
Forgotten Love is a standout and I like visionary almost as much.
Solstice
Ralph Towner
Lush sonic textures and stellar playing with unusual instrument pairings make for a wonderful exploration of the conscious. Much gets made of the first track, Ocenus, but I prefer the expansive space of Drifting Petals. A touch too much finger picking in some sections for my taste, but amazing performances none the less.
MORE???
This is just a few artists. In the end, I went through 67 different recordings in my 95 day sprig break. I took the time to absorb the entire album in one sitting.
Holding the jacket, like a book and a concert ticket at the same time, I engaged with every note. I listened. I was shaking my head and there were moments of bewilderment.
Surprise even. Sometimes even disappointment, but always a great journey. Note choice, restraint, technique and craft come together for some amazing art in this period and on this label.
I hope some of these artists, obscure as they may be, show you a path.
Wrap Up.
It wasn’t a sexy spring break. No bikini clad booze filled nights. In fact, if you don’t want to meet any women, or sexy men, go to the jazz section of any record store.
At best, all you will find is the occasional weird beard and dirty shirt dude arguing, most likely with me, over turntable tone arms and 1920’s era Bix Beiderbecke records.
However, the avenues and ideas explored, expanded my thinking in new ways that have yet too fully flush out in my work. A priceless foundations for new material. I find music engaging.
It keeps me looking for answers to questions not yet asked. That kind of artistic exploration alters a story tellers path. IT should be pretty clear by now, that exploration through sound is completely relevant and influential to my work.
I also hope this gives better insight into my creative process and a glimpse at my inspiration. My musical taste and collection is deep. Like make Barry Judd look like a light weight deep.
The ECM catalog is one portion of my collection. For me, the jacket and full album play experience is paramount. It is the sonic equivalent to a museum’s passage ways and rooms, showcasing the totality of an idea in time and space. If you do stream the material, try to listen to the entire album as intended.
I know the music will be unapproachable for many of you, so I get it you can’t. But try just one and see what you discover.
July 13th, 2021
I tend to work in long form content manifestations, also know as a series. Broken Bank Note, and other efforts, have all had at least 5 iterations.
It is rare that I create a one off or singular expression. Usually those are just failures of a complete idea. Even my new direction has great series potential. More on that in a future post.
However, I have a problem: I suffer from the over use of certain colors based on many factors, but mostly archivability and convenience.
Why?
To a large degree, I know what I know. So it becomes convenient. It hurts to admit that, but I guess thats the first step. I also know it helps create a uniform appearance in a series
and has a lot of impact on gallery walls. You know ...when you present multiple iterations on a theme in a monolithic color scheme, it can be quite stunning in a large gallery space.
It also helps to keep a production standard on the mixing palette, so you can work multiple paintings at a time and not be in constant clean up. I know all that reads very sales oriented,
but I am in the business of moving ideas, not storing paintings. It helps to know what creates impact for buyers. However, this can water down ideas and present one dimensional efforts.
It’s a fine line between the coolness of the monolithic color study on multiple pieces, and just being a lazy painter. I was getting worried I was becoming the latter.
Struggle?
The Broken Bank Note paintings color schemes come from that nations paper currency, making it very difficult to create color consistency between multiple paintings.
This was brutally challenging for me. I used a consistent size and scale to achieve the uniform look, needed for a strong visual presence. As for the colors, while I did had
the paper currency as a guide, creating colors I had never mixed before was difficult for me. Many pieces of foreign currency use soft tertiary color palettes that can be difficult to mix,
especially if you have overly image and advertising saturated western eyes. I call it being “star spangled”. We see a lot of red and blue in everything in the west. TV, print advertising,
online efforts. Some derivation of those colors are everywhere. We live in primary land. Conversely, those colors are almost non existent in a lot of other parts of the world.
There are many reasons, too big to tackle here. Some of the reasons are fascinating, so I may visit this in a future post. But none the less, getting red and blue out of your mix is hard.
Muddy Violet.
I needed help and I needed to find answers that were beyond me. I normally do a lot of experimenting, but my color experiments were getting expensive and going no where.
I was just ending up with lots of violet mud. Then it occurred to me. I needed to toss out every paint I was using and buy colors I would never use. That exercise was tough.
Every tube I touched I said “but wait, I really like this color for _fill in the blank". So after hours of excruciating debate in my head over every tube,
I decided much like a hoarder on a TV series, to pack them in another box and put in storage. This way I can revisit these colors once this exercise was complete. However, I may never use them again.
Self Help Book.
On my dusty shelf, I realized I had the answer staring at me in the form of a book I never bothered to open a second time. CHROMATOPIA: An Illustrated History Of Colour was purchased a couple of years ago,
flipped through and left unattended. In its pages were answers that I needed. David Coles presents, in very succinct ways, the history of color and the root of pigment. My search began for new palettes
based on this book’s revelations to me. I am not suggesting that it has recipes for color mixing, but it has very good fundamentals that you can apply to color mining, beyond what you may already know.
I played with hues that I never thought possible and I can certainly say this is a new journey for me.
Wrap Up.
As I work on this new direction, I am utilizing a new approach to color, fueled by this book. I still have a little of that “star spangled” color in my mix,
but It is softer than ever before and has complementary secondary colors that both challenge and intrigue the viewer. I am certainly just starting to develop and perfect a new color
regime, but I am as excited by the nuance and depth of the new palette, as anything I have done before. Maybe even more so. Some of you are studied painters and may be
saying to your self "this idiot can’t mix colors." That would be fairly accurate. I am getting better. If you need a little boost or a history refresher, it is a great book. If you already know
this and have a better book or different approach, please share. Send me an email or text me. And, if like me, you have been in a color rut, maybe this book is just the answer.
Search for it used or find it online. Not only is it really helpful, the photographs of pigments and raw earth materials are gorgeous, and it has some wonderful use of type.
July 5th, 2021
First let me be clear: I do not have an Only Fans account. The title of this post will have one of three reactions.
You’re either laughing along with the joke, especially at the picture, nodding and thinking it’s a great idea, or scratching your head wondering what the
hell Only Fans is. For those in the last category, in brevity, Only Fans is a place where people post exclusive content for people
who pay to consume that content, on a subscriber basis. To a large degree it has become mostly fetish adult content in some form or another.
It is not gender specific, so everybody is welcome.
WTF?
I get that you might be curious as to where this post is going, so let me back up. One of the last times I met with a potential "collector"
they were really curious why I don’t take my blog content and tailor it to an Only Fans(OF) style Patreon audience.
Knowing that the majority of OF content skews adult material I couldn’t help but laugh and discuss with him the different ways in which
I could present myself as a “bear“ for a specific audience who are interested in art. However, sexualizing myself aside, he was serious.
Not using Patreon, but using Only Fans.
Really?
Yeah. Really. He didn’t think it should be adult content, but he really felt strongly that there would be people who would pay to see more
personal stories and have greater access to me, my process and my studio. Like the old blog stories. Not just talking
about mixing oil paint, but personal accounts of life and my daily routine. He felt this could give someone who otherwise is intrigued and
engaged with my art, a chance to engage with me, in a very personal way, without the financial investment of acquisition. Interesting idea. I thought
someone who engages with me personally and gets involved with my daily routine and can't buy my art was called a "girlfriend". However, I am open to new ideas.
Side Boob.
On the surface this was a rather intriguing concept: Allow more personal access to me and the studio, during specific
times of the week. I straight up think this has no fucking value to anybody and really reeks of ego and vanity issues. However ...I could lean into that.
(You’re supposed to laugh here) He felt this idea was pure gold, especially knowing my gifts socially, but, how much of me do you want for $10.00 a month?
And what exactly am I supposed to do for it? No one wants to see "those" kind of pics of me let alone videos. And you know exactly what I'm talking aout.
In fact the picture to this post is most likely going to be met with derision and ridicule, so ...lets be realistic.
I do know two female artists who do quite well with Patreon and this style of content. They have great attributes that work for them in this venue.
I don’t have those same attributes and if I stood next to their art and said “look at my new work” you would all ask if I had a head wound.
That last comment will probably lose a friend or two, but just as some of their "truths" are too big to ignore ...so is this one.
If Only.
This brings us to the bigger problem: “If Only”. This is where where one is told,
usually un solicited, by an individual who has had some success or notoriety in life, on how they could really be great, if they just did something
different. I call this the “If Only” syndrome. I have heard this for years. In its most basic form, It goes something like the following:
“If only you did [fill in the blank here] then you would be so successful.” There are many iterations of this, some more sophisticated
some less …but in the end it is always some tweak or re imaging of what you already do, that would make all the difference in the world. And if only you did this one thing,
your world would explode with potential and you would be so succesful that they too would even be interested. Here is the thing. For all of the people who have said this to me,
NONE of them have ever put their money behind any of my efforts. To be clear, money is what we are talking about here. Mortgages don't get paid on 'atta boys and accolades.
Encouragement is great. Go pay your cell phone bill with that.
Maybe?
On the rare occasions where I did make a change, pivot or re tool, nothing materialized into a tangible success.
Making matters wore, those same individuals mysteriously vanished when it came time to put up. So I was left with a poorly focused, re tooled effort, with no potential at all. Great.
Oddly enough, the magic bullet that they prescribed also never amounted to the avalanche of succes they were so convinced would happen. I could go on, but you get the point. I have countless stories, from people, some famous, that I would love to put on
blast for offering sage advice to all those who could be so much more succesful ...“if only”. This potential collectors idea about making an OF account was no different.
I mean shit ...only is in the name, so you know this is going down the wrong path. I have been around long enough and heard this in so many iterations, that it has finally come down to
essentially sexualizing myself for money. I get it. You didn't like the work ..but nobody wanna see that. Well ...I guess he did so I got that going for me.
I know women reading this are saying "yeah dude ...me since high school."
Well...
In response to this idea, I did one better and I retreated into silence and contemplation. It has been 15 years or more since I let someones ideas about my work
shape what or where I am going, based on their potential interest and this was going to be no different. So, I spent the last 95 days in solitude, just working and creating.
I shared nothing and I photographed or filmed next to nothing. It was great. Liberating, freeing… fill in the adjective, but great none the less.
Here is the point. You want to have real ownership and real access and insight to me and my work? It is so simple. Nothing needs to be tweaked or re thought or re imagined.
All you have to do is buy a painting. My collectors get the world from me. When you acquire my work you get raw emotion, beauty, intrigue, didactic lessons,
scale, nuance, color, mystery, conversation and life in one ready to hang piece of art. No, it's not $10.00 a month. However, we won't have to have awkward pre planned conversations
from my studio while I try to reamin relevant and appealing, so you feel like you are getting your subscription value. Ownership has a price.
Wrap Up.
I know you did not see this coming. I hope sharing this helps when you are encountered with great un solicited ideas about being more successful.
If you are struggling with how much of your self to sell to get by, I hope my story gives you some insight that helps with your own decision making. Also,
if your going the OF route, let me know your account name. For my part, I promise no more unbuttoned shirt photos.
July 1st 2021
It has been 94 days since my last post.
I have spent some time being quiet, working in private, looking for new directions and building my vocabulary. No cameras. No plans. Just exploration.
I thought it might be time to engage, sharing a small portion of detail work from a new painting in production. Earlier in the week I began to film again.
To be clear, I went out of my way not to film anything for the last three months and ...it certainly felt strange to put cameras on again.
I will have more to write about my new directions, what I have discovered, and specifically more about this painting as Summer goes on.
For now, here is a look at fresh detail work, and of course I ramble as I paint. This video also features a 90's play list of obscurity on the studio speakers and is 4:25 in length.
March 29th, 2021
Above is what a Broken Bank Note painting looks like in a shipping crate. I custom make these in the shop and hand stencil the brand on the cover.
This peice, titled Polska Slip is on its way to a show in the Denver area. I wanted to address something else: Your lack luster packaging and shipping materials.
Is It Really Important?
I dont know ...what did you spend several thousand dollars on that came in shitty packaging? Thats, right, nothing! Consumers have brand expectations at every point of contact. Once you start selling work to
people other than family, you are a brand. Like it or not, customers have been socialized into high touch packaging in the luxury retail world for decades. A $10k painting is a luxury item and better meet those expectations.
I'm Not A Carpenter!
Of course you can talk your way out of anything. But if you are an artist and truly can create, the materials and media don't matter. So if you are for real, building a crate is nothing. Search Youtube
and the internet for a million ideas and tutorials on how to do it. I will even give you a plan if you message me. I also understand that now might not be the time to pick up a new skill set, so I do have other ideas.
Such As?
The obvious choice is a professional art crating company and if your price tag can justify the expense, it will completely exonerate you from the process. However, those companies are usually in
big markets and can have quite a long lead time. They typically want the cartage to go with the crate fee as well ... a sort of all in one deal if you will. Other ideas: Local framing specialty stores and galleries
in your area could be a good resource. Here is another idea. Find a local cabinet maker. They will have the tools, materials and can walk you through the design aspect, to best maximize you packaging to weight ratio.
Things To consider: Who is the cartage company? You may want to figure out which shipping company you can use and what maximum weight and size limits are. FedeX, UPS and USPS all have different requirements.
If you find yourself outside of those requirements, for large or heavy pieces use an LTL bidder system, like U-Ship to find a carrier your package can be bundled with. They are essentially Less Than Full Load trucks that your package hitches
a ride with for a fraction of the total load price. No matter what carrier, I suggest designing the packaging backwards from a given companies specs, to hit a goal size and weight.
It's Easy, Right?
No it is not easy. In fact it can be rather difficult. When I used the term "fraction" above, I did not mean cheap. I have spent as much as $1100 on an LTL for a large painting out of Los Angeles.
But thats the deal. Everyone knows they have to pay shipping. You have to make your brand a viable option and convey the same care and attention that you did in the creation of the art, in your execution and delivery of the art.
When you really get it dialed in, you start managing expectation and customer experience at the delivery and installation level as well. Regardless of what a customer spends, that level of care and detail will be their expectation.
More troubling yet, If the customer spends a lot, the expectations will be even greater. You can always decide how to handle the fee. Maybe you absorb it?
Maybe it is already figured into your price and you just simply offer free shipping.
In the end, if a customer spends a substantial amount of money on your work, you can decide if you want to pass the shipping fee on, or absorb the fee to develop your
relationship. Either way, you need to get your brand executing at every point of contact. Including the packaging and shipping.
As for developing customer relationships ...I am saving that conversation for a different post.
March 27th, 2021
I just returned from Icon Labs on Wilshire. My own developing is still questionable, so I use a lab, until I can nail down my technique with color. I was processing two chromes of paintings I am sending to
shows (video forth coming) and decided to grab another film holder that had been lying around.
Remember the post about sucking and just keep doing it? 15 minutes ago, I dropped this Portra 400 negative on my little light table, took a pic on the iPhone and inverted it. The above is what came out. (minus a slight color alteration)
That's it. No scan, no nothing. Just a crappy iPhone preview of a negative. I would call this the beginning of a new phase for my LF work in the field.
Does Your Arm Hurt?
Patting my self on the back aside, this goes to my point about repetition and progress. These two negatives represent a new level in my ability to work with the medium.
And yes, it is still flawed. There is a slight keystone issue, that I did not correct with the mechanics of the camera. There is also some other issues with reciprocity, but frankly, I have a lot more latitude than I thought.
Also ...the subject matter and composition are less than desirable, but right now I am trying to work with material I don't find intersting. I am trying to prove out my technique and see if I can find a story
in an otherwise banal subject matter. I dont have that part down yet. However, this is a decent negative and a decent documentation of the LAX complex, looking east towards Century Blvd.
Shot at 6:20pm,
December 25th (that's how I do Christmas) from the top level of the Terminal One parking garage. For those who know, yes, the better shot was looking west to the tower and through the construction.
So, like the post from January. Just keep doing it. It gets better. As for me, this worked out well enough that I might just attempt a shoot in the desert tonight.
March 26th, 2021
This photos is from a presentation on Thursday night. I was summing up for a group where my work has been this last year. 12 months and 10 paintings later, Broken Bank Note is still as relevant and strong as ever.
I am currently working on two new BBN's, and a concept for a future direction. It's safe to write, my creative output is the strongest it's been in 10 years.
Now What?
I am working on a new deal with a gallery group, for a substantial new shift in how I do business. The first 10 paintings will be considered "First Issue" and subsequent sets
will follow the same ascending hierarchy. (Second Issue, Third Issue...) Once I complete my last few shows/exhibitions, this group will have exclusive rights to the BBN First Issue set.
Subsequent "issues" will be determined on a yearly review. These details are important only to people who make a living selling art. I am sure the rest of you are losing interest.
That's cool. I will have another video soon. However if you are in the business of art, read on.
Why Tell Us?
When I relaunched this effort, I made a commitment to transparency in my craft and business. The internet is full of people who will tell you how to mix your colors or apply
paint with a given tool. Find one that will actually tell you how much their art sells for, to who and how they do it. That artist is far and few between. I dont know about you, but another
video of some one painting a ho hum effort, in a way overdone, outlandish studio, on store bought, pre stretched canvas with craft supplies from Michaels is telling me nothing. How do you pay for that space?
How do you pay a mortgage with 16x20 pieces? They never tell you that part. Or worse yet, videos of New York art luminaries, in multi million dollar spaces that are ridiculously out of reach for any body watching.
I learn nothing from them other than buying property in NYC in the 1970's was a good idea.
And So...
Soon, I will have a pricing matrix and a break down of past client purchases, my cost and final rational for setting the Broken Bank Note price structure. In truth, there is no "right" way to do this.
It's all about what the market will bear for your work. I know we all have dreams of being "discovered" and fostered through some secret society of insiders in the art world and becoming the darling of Art Basil.
Or maybe jumping on the NFT train, for quick access to riches. How's that going so far? Got your Turner Prize yet? Yeah, I know, it sucks. You most likely will never be an art world darling. If so, you would have no interest in what I am writing.
I know a former art world darling that never re created the hype of years ago. They work in ad sales. I also know musicians who toured the world and played on big records. One was a bartender at last check and another
was a real estate agent. Shit my real estate agent was in blockbuster Holywood movies. They dont talk about that on the red carpet.
Cool.
In the end, for me, I have to foster relationships and work really hard to make connections with people who find value in my work. I am not an art darling. As for the NFT market ...I have
thousands of digital images I have produced in a 2 decade long career as a designer and illustrator. Some are available as NFT's. In fact some are the same images that won awards in PRINT
and CA. Guess what? They have not made me hundres, let alone millions. For every story about a Beeple, there are thousands of artists that don't make more than a few coins per image.
And thousands more who don't sell anything.
I will walk you through my process and be as transparent as possible. Hopefully you will find value in the information. Maybe you and can apply some of my ideas to your own business.
If you are just starting out you are in a great spot. You won't be handcuffed by a lifetime of overly romantic ideas about success in your craft. But that deadly syndrome is for another post.
March 25th, 2021
A young woman once acused me of being very dramatic. She siad I always had "art dramas." She was right. Above are several screens from a private presentation I just completed tonight. And tonight, I brought the drama and the theatrics.
What?
In co-operation with a new gallery group, I have been testing online Zoom meetings for would be patrons from my studio. Part presentation, part social commentary and part bull shit session, this inside look
in my studio gives qualified buyers a real glimpse into the paintings and a more intimate conversation with me.
The pandemic has changed a lot of dynamics for galleries and artists abilities to connect with audience. I have a lot of technology in my studio and take advantage of this fact to provide
private, small group presentations, or one on one meetings about my art and even possible commissions. Theatrics, drama, verbose langage and a back ground playlist that would be the envy of Nick Hornby's Barry Judd,
I bring the show. And actually get pretty serious about the work in the process.
How?
While I work details with this new group for representation, I can be booked through my contact page.
I promise, it doesn't suck and you will walk away with about as much understanding of me and my work as possible. I promise to bring the theatrics and drama. As for the young woman I mentioned above ... that would be one of those old posts, I dont do anymore.
March 22nd, 2021
I realized that with out a social media account the selfie is virtually pointless. Now, in terms of my own life this vanity issue is not
consequential, but it got me thinking about the value of image if no one is looking. Last week was cold in LA. Like 40 degree mornings cold, which I know is spring to some of you, but I am delicate.
I snapped this picture at 7:45 in the morning on my way out. Why? Well ...thats a great fucking question. And this is not going to go where you think.
What?
Dirty mirror and cold weather attire not withstanding, a self portrait of me is nothing new. I have taken many in the last 20 years. In fact, at it's core, the self portrait is about as old as film.
It is true, that over the last 100 years, it has become more accessible to the average person, but rest assured, the moment that camera and film were invented, someone took their own picture
...then took one of another person. Probably naked. Maybe not in that order. However, social media, gave a platform for the self portrait that never existed before. Validation and acceptance by the group.
But, if you are not participating in social media, does the self portrait no longer have value? Here is where I am really going:
If no one is looking at your efforts, do you still do it? Does it have value? It's the tree in the forrest conundrum if you will.
Again, What?
Look. It's simple. If no one is looking at your efforts, does that decrease the value of the output? How do you define value? Does lack of external validation diminish value? Can humans actually thrive with out validation?
Could you create, every day if no one gave a shit. Every artist struggles with these questions. It's why none of you can price your work. As Eric Fischl said: "...Nobody can pay you enough for the love your looking for and of course everything
they pay you is too much." Take a moment. Read that quote again.
The Point?
Now the average, non artist, regular person on the street, can struggles with the same questions of value and worth in their image. I remember being at gallery shows watching accountants and human resource managers stand in front of pink
walls taking multiple pictures to get the "just right" shot for Instagram. It was like watching aspiring photographers obsessing over every little detail ...but the detail was them. Their own image. It is as close to being a painter or "artist"
that they can be. It may possibly be more destructive. An artist can always stop. But a human has no choice. They are who they are.
And So?
I get every single woman is reading this and saying "...dude ...that's my every day, since ...like, middle school." Bet. Women have been subject to the outward approval and
validation curse since the dawn of time. Maybe that's why they are better at navigating this world. I have noticed in my own personal life, many women I know sound like artists, when describing the rituals and routines of beauty
and self care.
Essentially, I am asking this: Is your message so important that with out validation and acceptance, you still create? Do you still go into the studio
and make selfish choices, putting everything second to craft? If so, maybe you will be okay with out the likes. With out the followers. With out the awards and with out the acceptance
in juried shows. We do this because we have no other choice. Frankly, telemarketing is easier. Go do that if you can. This is a fucking hard road to travel, with little or no reward.
If you need reward or value from others ...good luck.
Whatever.
Agree. But, I know you didn't see this coming. Do your self a favor and search Eric Fischl. He is a stalwart in the art world, who is much better at this than I. As for me, I am still working on it. I'll let you know how it goes. Also ...does this mirror make me look fat?
February 27th, 2021
Double entendre aside, I do like exhibition season. I am good at it. I can hold court, engage and connect with a crowd. This morning,
I was recording some new video describing We 3 & The Ho Chi Me for an exhibition in the SF Bay area. Unfortunately, this will be very limited viewing and more of the virtual tours. [insert sigh here]
Exhibition season is certainly muted this year and the lack of enthusiasm from patrons and artists is palpable. This is very disappointing for me,
because smug look aside in the photo from todays video, I really like the human connection and sense of show from an art opening. I like to engage and connect.
On line Is The Same, Right?
Crowds are limited due to necessary mandates, which deny one of the biggest aspects of a modern collector/buyers reason for getting involved with art: A personal 1+1 relationship with the artist.
Everyone of my buyers will tell you it’s about our relationship. They call me and talk about life, art or whatever. On a regular basis. These people have put a commitment into my success and we have become close friends.
The gallery settings, the party and the nights out afterwards are the connections made in those moments of show, that align to create and foster lifelong bonds between collector and artist.
That is impossible via zoom and telephone alone. As far as the art goes, on line is no where close to the same. A picture on your phone or even desktop computer, still pales in comparison. And if it doesn't, you should fix that. The scale, the detail,
and even the smell of the oil create a connection and visceral response that will never translate on a flat two dimensional screen.
What Do We Do?
We keep going. The shows, the awards, the coverage, the outbound efforts to get our voice out ... it is as important as ever. And I get it. I have been waiting nearly a decade for new work that has the merit of the Broken Bank Note series.
It been years since I have had the kind of opportunities being presented to me right now, and I hate that unforeseen circumstances are in my way. But ... thats the reality and I am doing my best to cope. You have to do the same. Or don't.
Because, as that Coke executive said, "nobody's waiting to hear from you."
February 1st, 2021
I do more videos than a teenage girl on TikTok. I know one and have confirmed this to be true. The state of affairs when it comes to art marketing
is no easy topic. Many artists struggle desperately with this component of their career, and so do I at times. Yes, I have a million out takes, mostly of me swearing, some tripping,
lots of butchered words, and a lot of hair malfunctions. The pandemic in LA, has made hair next to impossible. There is a lot of me declaring "...this is all bullshit I fucking suck!" "Mother fuck shit" is also a
a common expression in my failed videos. You get the point.
Art Marketing Sucks.
No doubt. The two are antithetical concepts that barley exist in the same ecosystem and one is often used at the expense of the other. I have a lot to say about art and
marketing and have done so at several events around the country for presentations. I will tackle that concept in another post. But, know this: You have to tell people you are here.
To quote and old Coke executive to my old business partner Arthur Milano in a pitch session, “No one is waiting to hear from you.” And that was Coke saying that.
I am not Coke. Are you? Maybe Jeff Koons is.
So What Then?
Before we tackle the nuances of art and marketing, we got to get in the game. If you feel uncomfortable in front of the camera, well ...most people do. Get over it.
I dont love it. I pick myself apart relentlessly. However, If you remember, from another post, you just have to keep doing something you suck at to get better. So
I keep making the videos. Swearing tripping, stuttering and all the rest of it. 70% of the time its garbage with bad hair. The other 30% is actually usable information and footage.
I often get messages, from people in the art business, how much they appreciate the depth and breadth of material, videos and profesional presentation.
Unfortunately, the bar is really low, as artists, who may be stunning makers in their own craft, are usually horrible at creating a presence and telling their story.
That's It?
The pandemic has taught us that the idea of the virtual show doesn't work. At least not yet. I know first hand. No one spends $12k or more on a painting from one picture. At least not a new buyer.
Maybe I can break down audience and help identify patrons. I have insight into the pitfalls of contemporary collectors and their buying habits, compared to art lovers.
I know I have lots to say about social media and audience. Retention, stickiness and all those buzz words I used everyday helping big brands hawk their trash, well, it works. It might work for us too.
For this first post, I will lay the ground work, set a tone. When I return, I will have more, but for now, know that I make a lot of shitty videos. And like my girl on TikTok, I 'aint gonna stop.
January 30th, 2021
This morning I walked through the studio and discussed Lenin's Rube,
alongside a few other finished paintings. No paint clothes and a lot talking, I cover modern art technique, visual commonalities in the series, repeating tropes, a little history and my creative decision making.
This video also features my self trimmed pandemic hair. It's 10 minutes, so I know it's an investment. Hopefully you will get something out of it.
January 28th, 2021
Spend a little time with the new work. Here is the latest in the series, Lenin's Rube ... you know ... the one from the last few videos.
January 26th, 2021
As a followup to the Broken Bank Note painting from last week, I take 2 hours of work on the edge of the newest painting and condense it into 5 minutes and 20 seconds.
Last week's effort is now in play with the figurative elements. There is a nice sense of how, what seemed like an almost Easter egg color palette, works to create mood and contrast, under the chromatic black figure.
Quiet in presentation, witn no studio speakers playing, I add minimal music from the TonePoem series. I chose to use edits with no timelapse or speed manipulation, for a more reserved and real time idea of the work in progress.
January 20th, 2021
In the studio and working. Here is a glimpse of #10 in the Broken Bank Note series under construction.
January 17th, 2021
Crippled Crown is installed for exhibit and sale at Shockboxx Hermosa Beach. Above is great example of the lantern like effect of display at night.
Up for in person viewing until the 30th and available on their page and at the link below.
January 13th, 2021
Polska Drop, at sunset, as seen from Mainstreet on a recent afternoon. There is something quite nice about the interaction with the windows and outside world.
But I like looking from the outside in. I like structures that create lantern like glows, marking physical space and providing a glimpse into another world.
I might have more to post in the coming days. In the mean time, if you can't visit in person, there is a virtual exhibit online. I can be seen in the "Part Two" video, and Lobby 1 virtual tour. Up until February 13th for in person viewing.
January 11th, 2021
Now that Polska Drop is hung in Minneapolis, I thought I would take a
deeper dive into the Broken Bank Note sereis, my thought process behind this particular piece and look closer at my rendering of letterforms.
Technique, narratives, visual tropes and a deep dive into the totality of the Borken Bank Note concept are all subjects LA artist, Brian Drake touches on.
Brian also does not refer to himself in the third person in the video, so theres that.
January 7th, 2021
Once you become established and can actually support yourself as an artist, you begin to limit your creative potential.
It's based on expectations and need and could be the beginning of the end. As it happens, with all of the trappings of “success” (however you want to define)
comes a lot of pressure, both internal and external, to produce and generate more of that ...well ...“success”. We begin to lean on what got us
to this point, using the studio as a microwave, re heating the same creative dish. And I get it. I have done it too. And sometimes,
from an economic standpoint, especially if you are a working commercial artist or illustrator, there are limits to the creative
boundaries in which you can push. That’s ok. I have a solution.
You Need To Suck.
It is no secret that one you have a mastery of a subject, it is tough to push to new outlets, because sucking ...well... sucks! But not for long. Because, if you are truly creative,
your discipline and need for validation will drive you. If you are nodding your head, you know what I am writing about.
All that time in the shed, studio, or wherever your practiced and honed your craft had purpose. The multiple hours a day, weeks turing into months that turn into years.
You have muscle memory that will catapult you past that early study failure and you will realize some form of success sooner than you think.
In truth, there is a lot of value to doing something you are just not good at doing.
Another creative avenue. Another place to express your ideas and vision. It's also a place to work from humility, and grace,
remembering what it was like to use discipline and study to achieve results. I mean really challenge yourself.
Not just some idle bullshit that can be mastered in days or weeks. But, something as challenging as your principal craft.
The Point?
First and foremost, it becomes an outlet for all the pent up frustration you have in your own dedicated principal. It also begins to expand your mind and critical thinking abilities,
letting you absorb the world with a different perspective. It teaches you humility through failure and imperfection. It humbles the ego.
An interesting side effect: The more you do it the better your technique becomes. The better your story telling becomes. Eventually you have another discipline to create with. Imagine, all the times you have been “blocked” or frustrated or
whatever term you use when your output is limited ...they all go away, when you can move to another discipline to tell your story.
After exercising in this new medium, a return to your principal discipline is often is rewarded with fresh perspective, less constraints, more agility and a new purpose.
Getting Practical.
So, I know I can often read as lofty, ambiguous or some other term that I fail to articulate in the moment, so let me be clear.
If you paint. Learn to write. Learn to use a camera. If you are a musician, get a paint brush. If you are a photographer, do anything else to get a better understating of how to document the world around you.
If you knit, play piano. If you write, work with clay. If you work in digital, challenge yourself to make a square box out of solid material.
In fact, for all creatives, the more physical you can be with your second discipline, the better. Get a saw and lumber and learn to cut a straight line. Reads ridiculous,
I know ...but 6 years ago I could not build furniture to save my life. Now I can craft very luxurious case goods. Exotic veneers, lumber, good joinery ...all foreign to me until
I saw The Poplar Shop's YouTube channel in a hotel room in SF, while working in advertising. That changed my life and gave me a needed push to learn a new skill set.
And Today?
Instead of showing you how good I am at crafting luxe case goods... I thought I would show me struggling with something I know well, but not as well as I thought. In the above picture, I am practicing my 4x5 technique in the field. I have good studio chops, and can shoot nudes really well. Big surprise, I know. But frankly, shooting architecture and
working with the crowds and the random nature of the city environment, really fucks with me. And guess what? My images suck too. If you know architecture and LF photography,
the first thing you might ask, when seeing that picture, is “why the hell are you using the tripod head for tilts when you have a functioning view camera?” Good question.
See, the whole point of using LF is to eradicate those perspective issues, but by using that head tilted like that I am just compounding it. To make matters worse thats a 90mm lens. Disaster. But, in the end, I learned. I keep learning.
I don’t really even care for the subject matter, it is more akin to practice than anything else. You do it. And then you keep doing it. And then... you get good at it. It really is that simple.
Wrap It Up.
Do something different. And get good at it. Use the same discipline and study you used to master your primary creative and apply it to something new. You will begin to
lose phrases from your vocabulary that block and limit you. You will feel more confident in your storytelling and have a new skill set. You will be able to use multiple mediums to communicate your ideas and will shed old constraints you placed on yourself based on ability. I promise, it works. It really works.
December 31st, 2020
I have been asked many times about inspiration. In an effort to be more frank and less flippant with my responses, here is the first of a few posts, that aim to address how I find creative energy and what fuels my passion for finding and telling a story.
The first and most important part
Do not look to your own craft for inspiration. I stole this from Dan Wieden two decades ago. It was true before me and it will be true long after. What ever your discipline, creatively speaking, looking at what others are doing as a source of your own inspiration will kill you. There are many other talking points, but on this New Years Eve, 2020, I thought I would share a very personal moment from my home and what I do to fuel my inspiration.
My night in
The pandemic in Los Angeles, as it is in many other places, is out of control and I will be spending this holiday alone and isolated. I decided a quiet trip to Japan via import vinyl, and Hibiki Harmony whiskey would work nicely. From Wayne Shorter, to Sonny Stitt, the needle drop will deliver fuzzy warm waves of inspiration in many forms. I see colors and shape when I hear sound. The conversation between soloists in this genre allows me to stretch my intellectual self to new heights. It’s a language I can speak and yet is wholly new to me every time I hear it. I live for nuance and conversation, and certainly this music is filled with just that.
I am not suggesting a turntable and vintage vinyl is a secret sauce. This is one of several things I do. This ritual slows me down and allows me to take part in a total creative story telling experience. The smell of the vinyl, the 60 year old jackets, the sonic bliss and the inability to easily change the program or song to fit my perceived mood, gives me the pleasure of letting another story teller take control. I am frozen in time, re imaging life and experience, told by a creative long gone form this planet. And that really inspires me to listen more, speak less and tell better stories in my own craft.
Have a happy New Year.
December 30, 2020
In the last hours of 2020, Los Angles artist Brian Drake (I have to stop referring to myself in the 3rd person) ponders detail choices, his playlist and finalizes the 9th painting in the Broken Bank Note series. Sister painting to the larger We 3 & The Ho Chi Me, this painting plays with obsolete currency, social values and challenges long standing narratives. In the video I'm just painting and talking. So ...theres that.
