The Studio Plunder...A History, Part Five

2000 turned out to be a big turn around for my art. I started taking a sketch book with me every where I went. I started spending much more time on each drawing or painting. Simplicity was my objective. I was shooting a lot of photos as well. I was fascinated with high contrast.

James

John

Marilyn - unfinished


I loved sketching places that I spent time. In this case it was the restaurant. When ever I got a break I would sit on the fire escape in the alley and draw.

This was a tough night. This is drawn on the back of one of our menus.



I always wanted to do murals. One of our servers asked me one night if I would paint her apartment. After we talked I realized she wanted a scene, not just a paint job.

This is what I came up with.

This is the one we decided on. It was 8 1/2 x 12 feet, in full color. I painted it on her bedroom wall across from her bed. It took me a couple of weeks. About three weeks after I finished she was forced out by one of her room mates and she painted over it to get her deposit back.
It was still worth it. I love doing things like this. About half of the places I have ever lived I have painted murals on.

The Studio Plunder...A History, Part Four

The late 90's were a difficult time in my life. The personal trauma that comes up can be more than some can handle. I didn't deal with mine very well. I had started to spend most of creative energy on photography. The time spent drawing and painting had become experimentation. I wasn't sure what mediums I wanted to work in, what style, what subjects.

I let my sorrow dictate most of my work. They were dark and heavy most of the time. I stopped rendering eyes open with few exceptions.  I was searching for direction but had no idea of where I wanted to go.

This is the first of the "Sorrow" works. The morning after I painted this my life was turned upside down and inside out. All of those memories are now attached to this work. I have thought about getting rid of it, thinking that maybe if the painting were gone, the memories would go with it. I look at it and I can still feel all of the pain. 

This was on the cover of a book. I saw it and this boys face was burned into my brain. One morning I woke and had to get it out. 

I was always a fan of colored pencils. The graphic designer in me. When I was a student all design work was still done by hand.

These were my take on high contrast photographs I had taken. In case you don't see it, it's a reclining female nude.

I have always like Pop Art. Romero Britto is one of my favorites. I started following him before he was the international superstar he is today. These were done in oil pastels. A wonderful medium that I still use.

Markers are also a medium that I use quite often. More of my design background. They are great for quick studies in color. This is called "Race to Naked"

It was 1998. I had been in the gallery side of the art world for about 10 years already. It had beaten me down. My luck being what it is, I had managed to work for several of the sleaziest people in the art world. It was breaking my spirit. I was questioning my own beliefs. I need a new path. That was the year I decide to become a chef. I left the gallery world and started volunteering at a local cooking school and ended up with a job in one of San Diego's most decorated restaurants.

From the end of 98 until mid 2001 I trained and cooked, learning everything I could get our executive chef to teach me. Cooking really is counter culture. Late nights, long hot hours, lots of drinking and drugs. And I loved every minute of it. Cooking is and art after all.  It was just what I needed and it turned me around and gave me the direction I had been looking for.

The Studio Plunder...A History, Part Three

This is from 1992. It is the only work I have ever done in a 'primitive' style. It was created in the frame shop of Turner Fine Art in Denver. It's marker on craft paper. I have very little memory of what was happening at the moment I created it but I have always liked it.

The fire I spoke of previously, took most of my work prior to the 90's. In part it was also responsible for a lack of work in the mid 90's. In part, the fire I speak of was not so much an actual fire as it was a partner that was very insecure, and did not understand or support my need to create. I was a different person then and I gave in. Because of that I went for years with out ever drawing or painting.

The following works were created in those years. 91 to 96-ish. She resented my desire to be an artist, even though that is what I studied in school. But I would at times of need, sketch something. I never thought of myself as an artist until I met someone that encouraged and supported me. It meant everything to me at the time. I know now that I was then and always will be an artist. Good or bad. Success or failure. It doesn't matter any more. It's what I am. It's what I need to do and be.

This is my oldest niece at about 4 or 5 years old. She was dressed as a princess with a beautiful green dress.

A girl on the bus that I had a secret crush on. She didn't like my sketching her either. Even after I showed her this, she thought I was some kind of weirdo.

A version of a Milton Greene photo of Marilyn Monroe. She has always been one of my favorite celebs to draw or paint. Something quite remarkable about her. And working from photos doesn't get you thrown off the bus.

Greta Garbo, another favorite. I love that era.

Priscilla Presley. This was actually before she turned herself into a freak. It's not even close to good but I kept it for some reason. Maybe the purple. I love purple.

Another Marilyn.

The Studio Plunder...A History, Part Two

I was always taught that if you want to be a good painter, you need to be good at drawing. Sadly, drawing has always been one of my biggest weaknesses. I really have to concentrate and struggle with my drawing skills. Some days are better than others but most are difficult.

The following works are from 1990 - 1992. Many of my favorite works have been created in graphite. (pencil) The Dixon Ticonderoga's are a good choice. They come in a wide range, from soft to hard. I prefer the No 3. I don't know why.

In my sketches, I try to maintain a minimalist quality. Less is more. I like to have the mind fill in the blanks. Our brains know what's supposed to be there. Given just enough information we will see the whole, even if the whole is not there. Ya know what I mean?

The top three are worked studies. Meaning, not the first set of drawings but not yet complete. Done some what quickly for me. They still need some work to be finished.

The next three are what I considered a finished sketch. It took any where from three to ten or more drawings of the same image to get to this point. I was pleased with the out come and I'm not sure I would part with these.




These last two were part of my final for a life drawing class. It was a bout the time I had discovered pastels. I was instantly in love. Pastels are a fabulous medium. I prefer the pure pigment but they can be expensive. The cheaper brands have more additives in them and don't cover as well. My only problem is that I happen to be allergic to the dust they create. It kills me but I refuse to give up the chalk.

If cared for they will last as long as an oil and hold up just as well color wise. They are quite fragile though. Fixatives can be used to hold the pastel to the paper but it changes the color and mood of the works. The do work well though. I'm torn as to use a fixative or not. I guess it depends on the work. If I really like it, it wont get fixed. These two were never sprayed. They look just like they did 19 years ago.

It was these two works that pushed me into wanting to be a real artists. They are not my best work but I have fond memories of working on them as well as a couple of class mates. We worked on each others pieces, gave input and ridicule when ever necessary. I miss that interaction. I haven't had anything like since school. I won't part with either of these.

The Studio Plunder...A History, Part One

Where does the world go? You stop for a second and it all goes buzzing past. Feels like I've been gone forever.

Lately I have been de-cluttering my studio. Actually for years. I have a lot of stuff. Pack-rat in my genes. But that's an different post. For as long as I can remember I have been carrying around portfolios, sketch pads, large envelopes, rolled pages and canvases, boxes and at times just loose papers with drawings and paintings. 

This week I pulled out every thing I could find and started photographing it all. Not counting all of the art we have collected from other artists, (I didn't count those - yet) I have 414 of my creations. 108 of those I have decided that I like enough to keep for myself. Several are hanging in our home. 

The other 306 works...well, I'm still not sure why I have been lugging them around the world. A few date back to 1990, while I was still in school at SDSU. The incident that I refer to as "The Fire" eliminated everything that dates before 1989. (I'm still pissed about loosing my journals.) Except for one. This one.

I painted it for my Grand father circa 1971. I would have been about 5 years old. It's a paint by number. I was so proud. He kept it on his night stand until he died, some 22 years later. It's one of my most prized possessions.

It was rather amusing to go through it all. Some of it is really bad. Made me wonder why I even kept at it. There are periods when I was trying out new mediums, techniques, subject matter. For the most part it is all graphite, colored pencil, marker, and pastels. Mainly figurative. There was a period of erotica. I still dabble with that one. Duh...I'm a guy. After Mr. Man was born I was fascinated by all things small and work strictly in miniature for almost six months.

Many are complete works. Most are sketches, studies or just doodles.

Well, now that I know what all I have, it's time to get rid of it. Most of it. Before I do, I thought it might be fun to post them all, or most of them, here. A journey through the progressive years of Mad William. As frightening as that may be.

I am going to try and put them in some sort of an order. Either by date, subject matter, style, medium, or maybe just as they come up. If you see anything you like, speak up. I just might give it to you. (don't ask for the mouse. not going to happen)

To be continued...