Gee!...art!

The sound of persons surprised at the things artists make.... I often wonder what people expect to see. They often seem completely surprised by the work artists produce.

Meanwhile I have been wrestling (rather like Laocoon and the serpent) with this self promotional piece I am working on. Its been one of those experiences where the excitement took off from early on and then ran into some problems due to the work itself doing things I had not expected!

This is the current state of affairs.

art shot

Mythbusters did a show where they fired an impossible number of paintballs at a canvas from a special multi barrel gun. The paintballs were all loaded according to the image it was to create.

All the many barrels fired simultaneously and created the instantaneous image of the Mona Lisa .

I was thinking the other night. One of those thoughts you have as you are falling asleep and then never manage to recall in waking condition, only I did recall it. It was of me firing an RPG.

I'll wait to reveal the entire image as a final punchline. But this is part of the image as it is growing....

come and get it

After some consideration and intense staring and a mug of tea I decided that this picture was cooked and ready to go. Low fat. Lots of good electrolytes, high in flavour. No overly dramatic sound burps like "BAM!" It just is what it is.

Come and get it!

the art of saturday noises

worked all day on the ballot hands image after throwing out the entire piece I started with (the image from yesterday) because I felt it was too perfect and sterile...just seemed like some kind of high school  textbook image explaining something like washing hands. Dumped it.

Started anew and it evetually found its own groove. I didnt know where it was heading and had started wondering how it was going to find a sense of dramatic frisson. It did in the end, but only after some very tentative faffing around on my part. It can be so difficult when you work with a piece that just sits there and doesnt help you, makes no effort to suggest and solutions, watches TV and eats popcorn and wont take the dog out for a walk.

I cant quite recall when or where the moment of truth arrived...possibly while I was making a mug of tea. (I like to live recklessly and make tea in a Starbucks mug!)

The darkness added the exact amount of drama I needed...or could handle, in fact.

As I was falling asleep last night I realised that there was something I still wanted to do. I actually did debate getting up and coming to play with the image, but I think Morpheus arrived and took me elsewhere.

I'll be playing with that idea. It was still with me when I awoke this morning.

And maybe some tea at some point.

the hand that rocks the ballot

South Africa has just had an election. I read about people fearing that their loyalty to a certain party would be held against them and that they could lose their jobs. I know that to many people, your vote is secret. So it should be too. BUT often the mere mention of another party or attending a rally could be noted and you could find yourself without a job. Its not fair. But it is life and reality to many people.

What hides within the ballot box? I was thinking of Escher's two hands...the one drawing the other drawing the first... an endless circle.

Here is the beginning of an image where I will try to explore the situation.

Ive also found a wonderful brush amongst the enormous collection of tools in Painter and giving it a whirl... so far so good. I think its called a sumi brush... I was getting a little carried away by the new toy and wasnt paying attention to the final concept and image... so a little modification will be first thing to do today.

Now I have to have breakfast with my son Michael...cup of tea...then back here to make this thing work better.

art far away

I have been sent some photos of my work at the exhibition. Thanks to Galley Gora. I have yet to hear what kind of interest there has been in the works and what if any feedback there has been.

Meanwhile the Lance image is done and Im working on something new. I have a few options and cant quite decide which way to go right now... Also helping my son with a biology school project.

Its a warm day here, but they forecast some silly white falling stuff tonight.

updated version

The background was bothering me, or the lack of background. I went back in and added something more and now it feels better. I think this is the final version. One has to stop somewhere.