It is almost time for South Boston’s annual Spring Open Studios event. My studio will be open for visitors – along with around 50 other artists in The Distillery and down the street in the King Terminal – on Sunday June 3rd from noon to six. For those that have been to The Distillery building before, there are quite a few new artists this year so it is a great time to make another visit.
Visit the official Southie Open Studios site for more details and directions:
http://www.southbostonopenstudios.org/
And if you are on Facebook you can help spread the word by joining the Facebook event page and inviting your friends:
https://www.facebook.com/events/326080234132631/
I have been in the studio this week working on another collaborative piece. In many of my paintings I have experimented with text elements in different ways but this time, I decided to approach it from a different direction. Generally, I will search around for some segment of text (often times taken from the writings of the talented models) to hijack for the paintings. Words will get swapped, sentences will be moved around, meanings will be distorted and played with and a sort of word collage will happen that will then be layered over the painted image.
This time I handed control of the text over to someone else. It was just dumb luck really, I was sitting in the studio, struggling over the phrase to use in this painting and got a call from a friend of mine – he said, “Hey we have a lot of friends that are working on some amazing projects… why don’t we collaborate more?” Perfect timing. I sent Mitchel Heard (who happens to be, among other things, a songwriter and poet) the image for this portrait that night and asked him to come up with a phrase or two. I was pretty interested in how this little experiment would work out, two (possibly conflicting) interpretations of the same image coming together into one piece. Whether I liked what he came up with or not, it was going to be featured prominently in this painting – fortunately he nailed it.
I won’t reveal the text he came up with yet but, here is a shot of the painting in progress after the first few days or work:
Working on paintings is always so much like dating. The start of a new piece is always filled with excitement, I end up staying up late into the night painting and when I am forced to leave its side, I am still daydreaming of the endless potential of my new fling. Unfortunately not all relationships are like the movies, some thing are just not meant to last and sooner or later every minute is pure torture. This latest painting started out easy but, putting the finishing touches on it seems to be dragging out endlessly. While I am happy with how it has come out, I can hardly stand the idea of working on it another minute. I think that means it is time to put it aside (for now) and start something new.
While I was trying to finish this piece, and dreaming of the next painting I received some great news. I walked out to my mailbox expecting the normal assortment of junk and was instead greeted by a letter from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation notifying me that I have been awarded a grant to help fund my painting. Needless to say my idea for the next painting went from, “make some small paintings to sell at open studios” to, “make the biggest best painting possible.” So I immediately stretched myself a monster canvas and got to work. The new piece is all laid out and the under painting is nearly finished so, check back soon too see what the next piece will be.
The sun is shining, the paint is flying and it is a good day in the studio. I am pushing forward on this piece, trying to increase the range of sharp to softer areas to really make this composition do what I want.
Here is a quick image of the first of the new set of mixed media pieces. I am planning on making 4 of these in various colors with slightly different treatments of the paint. Sending this first one over to Lot F Gallery for the show opening this Friday. Check it out.
I have the image all ready to burn to the screens for my next mixed media piece. It took quite a bit of time to get it just right so, I may make two of each color this time.
These screen print/paintings will share similar imagery as my next painting, I am hoping that offering some smaller, more inexpensive options will help fund even larger, better paintings. So my plan is to offer small prints or mixed media pieces that will also serve as studies for a larger painting. With that said, here is a peak at what I have started painting, based on this idea and some studio time with these models.
Still trying to find the right title for this painting but, except for putting a final coat of blue on the background (to make it flat and even) and a few other finishing touches, I am calling it done. I plan on sending this one over to Lot F next week so, come on out to the opening on Friday the 3rd and check it out in person.
Next month I am participating in a show over at Lot F Gallery along with two of my favorite Lot F artists, Josh Falk and Sean Flood. I will be showing some of my large paintings along with the next set of mixed media pieces. As always, the art will be good, the people will be interesting and the beer will be free so, be sure to come by the opening.
Facebook members can join the event page here
Lot F Gallery presents THREE
Works by
- Sean Flood
- Nick Ward
- Josh Falk
New works from three Boston artists. Each with strong and distinct styles. A number of large substantial works will be available, as well as a range of other pieces.
Refreshments will be provided
For more information and pre-sale appointments email info@lotFgallery.com
I have done a bunch of work on this piece since the last time I posted it. Still searching for a fitting title for this piece and I will need to refine the dark areas a bit more before it starts to look really good but, it is shaping up to be one of my best pieces yet (do I always say that?).
Here is a closer look at all the colors and details that are making up the skin tones and textures, you can see the areas that are more finished, and the areas that still need to be mellowed out with the final skin tones:
Really tried to pack as much as possible into the flesh (as usual) without going overboard. With this one nearing completion, I have set it aside temporarily to start a new diptych which will include a male face (finally). I had the models over to the studio for the first time a couple of weeks ago and the two panels are off too a good start. Should have the first preview of the progress on that piece posted later this week. I also have another screen print/oil paint, mixed media piece based on the same imagery in the works that should be ready in February. So, if you liked the last batch, start saving your pennies now because it will be another limited run, this time of 4 different colors/editions (CMYK).
I just finished three new small-ish mixed media pieces. I started out by sketching out a simple line drawing of the portrait, then scanned it in and used the sketch to create a halftone pattern for screen printing. Then, printed the image on primed panels and went back into the image using my normal methods of painting. Mixing the mechanical looking screen prints with some pixelated looking painting seemed like a good combination and, overall I am pretty happy with the results. I am thinking about pushing this technique further by using more layers in the screen print but I need to mull the ideas over a little more before I make the leap. In any case, would love to get some feedback on these pieces and, if you like them, head on over to Lot F where all three (one printed in red, one printed in blue, and one printed in black) are available for sale this month.
By the way, excuse the junky cell phone photo, sent the pieces out without getting a decent image… oops.