Released Press

WaPo
MidCity DC
And a detail of the "Molotov" painting appears on the cover of East of the River where it is called "Molotov Slide". I actually like that title too. Like it's a dance or something.

Fin.

Finished! Well, not exactly. There is one little thing that I have to do, which will be finished by the time that you read this. 

This week is dedicated to drawing, reading, and sleeping past 6 am one of these mornings.

Flaming Moes

Here it is...the complete, for the most part, "Molotov Slide Tackle" painting. I am not sure if that title is going to stick.

Unfortunately a crease in the linen came back to haunt me. It is stretched over a panel, so I'll just slap some stretchers together and KER-POW! a taught little painting. There are a few other adjustments needed but overall I'm glad that I snuck it in to the process this year. It helped me solve some problems that I didn't even know I was going to encounter with the "jailbreak" painting.

Steal This Issue!

Surprise! Surprise! I am one of 10 "Ecstatic Chromatics" in the current issue of DC Modern Luxury. This is the result of the interview I had mentioned early in November. Jeffery Cudlin, I think, stole the show. Look for it at a salon or boutique near you.

"Noble" and "Cross-eyed" have been adjectives to describe my visage. I will take either one. The verbiage accompanying the photo is nice too. Better than I could have written for sure. I am a bit more flattered than I was previously.

In the background you can see the very nearly completed (at that time)paintings which you can see a little further down the page. It was before I had gotten the clouds painted. That makes me squirm only slightly.

Now back to it...

Spy vs Spy vs Brueghel

The Four Ring Circus reception was great! Critical response was extremely positive. There was a lot of discussion about Spy vs. Spy and Brueghel. There was also a very flattering review in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Now as I float back to earth from all of the positivity and reunions with old friends, I decided to start a drawing while I am in the building phase for the next big painting. It is a good activity while primers/glue/grounds dry.

Untitled, 72" x 78", Oil and Acrylic on Canvas

Here is the first of six paintings. Completed. I doubt it will have a definitive title for about another year.

Only five more to go!

In other good news the descent people at DCCAH gave my grant some economic stimulus. I get to use this extra octane as I see fit. So, finally, I can see some new studio furniture in my future.

Faux-to Finish

This image from last Friday shows some exquisite faux finishing on my part. It was a very long and productive day, deserving of the hamburger that awaited me upon my return home. 

I have started working this geometric pattern from the Mustansiriya Madrasa into parts of the painting, which you can see a bit of in the image. 

In "self congratulations" news... The Assassin painting is the cover image for the Four Ring Circus show at Gross McCleaf. Link forthcoming.

Self Congratulations

The reception for the Penn State Show of my work, which I have effectively titled "Good And Dead" (Michael Ondatjee's words, not mine) is on Monday, March 30th if you are anywhere near Harrisburg, PA. The reception starts at 5pm and there will be a little informal discussion about the work. I should probably prepare some remarks, huh?

The show includes both the "Predella paintings" and still-life paintings. Believe me they are related, but you have to kind of be there to see it I suppose.

Big thanks to Paul Manlove (pictured) for making it happen. More flattering images of the show will soon follow.

Macho Package

Grant materials, not all but most, arrived about a week ago. With everything else that went on last week, I haven't been able to get to the studio to take inventory of it all. So tonight will be Christmas Part Deux, when I break open the packages to see what terrific quantities of paint and stuff I received. More than that I am in a total mania about getting these stretchers built and getting these paintings moving!