March 2021

Newsletter

It All Started with a Video

acrylic on canvas 16 x 12 in.

This is actually the 2nd iteration of this drawing. Graphite on Yupo, approximately 12 x 9 in.

I have been experimenting with drawing from videos. During the height of the pandemic made a video of herself washing her hands. I kept playing it in slow motion, drawing continuously as the video was running. I discovered that working in this way prevented me from getting bogged down with details and allowed me to keep the drawing "open" for a much longer period of time. I sensed I was onto something, so I made more drawings. Now I am trying to use them as the basis for paintings. After several flops with watercolor I switched to acrylic. The first painting I didn't toss is displayed above followed by its source drawing.

The cutout image in brown tones below is yet another experiment. Due to TXRX Labs being temporarily closed because of the pandemic I have been without laser cutter access for some time, so I started looking for materials that would be easy to cut without special tools. EVA foam comes in various thicknesses, is firm rather than squishy like polyurethane foam, and is PH neutral. Pieces up to 1/3 inch thick cut like butter with a good pair of scissors and it takes acrylic beautifully, and unlike wood, you can't break it. That last feature means I will probably continue using it for work that has lots of skinny, attenuated shapes even after I resume working with a laser cutter and wood. It is used a lot in the theatre and movie world for creating stuff like fake armor and other props.

Those of you unfamiliar with my acrylic on laser cut shaped birch panels can see some here.

Fingers in Motion, acrylic on EVA foam, approx 24 x 24 in.

Exhibition News

It's been a busy month.

I have 4 paintings in a group show sponsored by The W.O.W Museum at Simone on Sunset, 2418 Sunset Blvd A, Houston, TX 77005 which will be up until May 3.
Details here

and one painting in
"At the End of the Tunnel", curated for Spring Street Studios by Cheri Randolph
Show will be up til June 12; building is open 9-5 Mon-Sat
Details here

I also have 2 drawings that are part of a series I haven't shown before in a juried virtual exhibit titled "Models in Motion"
Show will be online through April 30

The New Normal

Artist's Spotlight: Ibsen Espada

acrylic and carborundum on Fabriano paper, 2020

At some point long after we both were classmates at the Glassell School, I lost track of Ibsen Espada. A few weeks ago he turned up in my Instagram feed. I've been feasting happily on his latest abstractions ever since. He is represented by Foltz Fine Art in Houston and you can also see more of his work on Instagram or at https://www.facebook.com/ibsen.espada

Also if you want to draw from a movie