Obligatory Comparison

Making my Powerpoint for Friday on sentimental religious art and ran across this dashing Jesus portrait on the left. It immediately reminded me of Fabio.

Very Productive Art Day

The goal today was to get my painting matted and framed for the Art Center show and deliver it. On the way, I stopped in the Museum of Contemporary Art here in Hot Springs. I was surprised to find two photographs on show that I researched for my thesis!

"Dressing Gown" by Julia Fullerton-Batten

"Aurore Eveillee" by Clark and Pougnaud

I was so excited to see the pieces in person! Along with them were three other pieces I really like which were also fairy-tale ish.

"Mirror 02" by Agata Stoinska

"Marwori Stallion" by Tom Chambers

"The Loners" by Polixeni Papapetrou

After I got all done browsing around, I decided to head into the Golden Leaves Bookstore. I figured it was your average vintage book store. I was wrong. This place was stuffed to the brim with metaphysical books and romance novels. On top of that, they had an incredible power crystal section and many many many dreamcatchers. This place was far out.

They were going out of business so everything was on sale.

Then, upstairs, in a dark room, on the floor - I found this painting:

It's a painting by C. Carey Cloud, the dude who created toys to put in the Cracker Jacks boxes.

And get this - it was $3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I bought it. For Realz.

I found they bought it at an antique store for $75 several years ago.

I'm going to sell the crap out of this thing. This is one of those antiques roadshow moments!

Super Pumped

What a productive day. I've also been working on several other paintings for the Art Walk this Friday in Russellville - 5-8 pm if you want to come :)

I'm going to give the Arkansas Art Council fellowship a try too. Why not?

I'll post them when I'm all done. You'll buy them all before I can show them.

Visual Simile

Above: Juergen Teller, Russian Vogue

Below: Gustav Klimt, "Mada Primavesi"

Wedding Centerpiece FAIL

"Piss Christ" by Andres Serrano vs. "Vintage Photo Mason Jars"

So I was browsing Pinterest and ran across these "Vintage Photo Jars." I couldn't help but immediately think of "Piss Christ", which I doubt was what she was going for.

The jars are made with a photograph submerged into a Mason Jar with olive oil. According to the blogger - the oil gives the photo a vintage look. She also added a sprig of dried lavender so it smells nice.

At least it smells nice?

In case you disagree, instructions for your own wedding jar can be found here.

Barbie as Art, Two Mona's

Jocelyn Grivaud, a french artist, has used Barbie in place of famous characters in paintings. There are some great and fun works here. This is one of those "I wish I had thought of that!"

See a whole lot of them here.

Speaking of Masterpieces, a copy of the Mona Lisa has been found. It is thought that this one was made at the same time, in the same studio as Leonardo's, but by an apprentice.

Here is a detail:

According to researchers, this version shows Mona younger and more vibrant.

Read the whole article here.

New Work and Art

After reflecting on my lips montages, I decided I liked the photos much more than I originally thought. I've been experimenting with more.

Anyhow, I recently got into another art show - the Hot Springs regional. Ironically with a painting that I did in Olivia Fondue Style.

Here it is:

Seems if these are so popular, I might have to enter the old Artist Fellowship thingy this year through the Arkansas Arts Council - the category is painting.

It's Been Awhile..

Well. It's been a while. I've been busy with my new job and trying to get rid of my house.

My art making has unfortunately been on hold. I keep thinking all the ideas are swarming around in my head and eventually they'll converge and explode in one brilliant series.

During my MFA Thesis defense - my professors said that both my strength and weakness was that I work chaotically in different media. I feel like my whole graduate career was me consolidating things and I am proud of where I ended up. But I still feel like things should be simplified more. That eventually it'll all be boiled down into work that is more cohesive.

With all that said, I had this idea for a series of portraits, but instead of faces - there would just be hair. I made a few digital sketches. Here is the most successful one:

You get the idea.

Anyhow, I planned to make these into paintings or drawings or hybrids.

Then. Today. I found this artist: Maia Flore

Check out these images from her "Big Head Poetry" series:

BLARG!!! That was my idea...kinda sorta...almost.

I think I'll still go with it, but I need to hone the idea down more.

Maia has made a hair head and added a bow or something for the mouth. I don't want my peeps to have mouths. I also would like the hair to be more ornate and frivolous looking.

I have this chart that I keep a list of all my art ideas on -I looked at it yesterday and I can't remember what half of them mean. :/ Hopefully this semester I'll get back to work!