pizza slice

pizza slice, 8×10in, acrylic

i was surprised at some of the questions the slice (up at the risd/works show) provoked.

“where’s it from?”

“is it supposed to be some sort of commentary?” (i guess the question meant, taking everyday items and putting them in a seemingly classical/formal setting.)

Fellini pizzeria (everyone says fellini’s) was the source. in the olden days they were a quick fix after class AND (if you needed a sugar rush to fuel up for an allnighter) served a killer banana shake in their funky lounge.

providence has a TON of great pizza options to pick from (and, chances are, you’ve got a favorite place to grab a slice depending on what you grew up on or what style you like…but that’s another conversation)

in this case, i just popped in after stocking up on supplies at utrecht. no commentary – just late lunch.

a long time ago…

Star Wars was released 30 years ago this weekend! (as if you hadn’t heard enough…)

Chewie, above, was a digital painting i did ’bout 10 years ago, just before the re-release of the first movie and the rebirth of Star Wars mania.

20 years prior, back from that fateful summer vacation, it was all Star Wars. i drew, & taught other first graders how to draw Darth Vader. Also received my very first commision, a copy of this image from the ‘78 calendar. wish i still had the drawing – i’d like to think it was for a whole quarter, but it could’ve just as easily been for a nickel & a Wonder Bread TIE fighter sticker.

Through the films, i would later get hooked on Joseph Campbell come to appreciate filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, both Lucas mentors.

Chewie was part of a line (below, from the Star Wars Insider) of tees that won rave reviews from all parts of the Star Wars community (including, according to the folks at Lucas Licensing, the Man himself.)

i never had the desire to be a tech whiz at ILM, or even a fantasy/sci-fi artist…but creating the line was a blast. in a way, like coming full circle, back to drawing banthas in grade school – or giving back to something that had provided so much creative fuel growing up.

and if someone told me that one day THE Mighty Chewbacca would see one of my drawings? yeah, right.

**thanks to ‘Prof’ Herbert for the Peter Mayhew con photo!

white bread

white bread, 8×10in, acrylic

when I started this, i already felt like there was a real danger of getting bogged down easily – printed graphics, folds, reflections – and tried to keep it as fluid as possible. the larger format certainly helped it breathe – as did the bigger brushes. it’s not that i’m not happy with the result- it just seems to need a little more grounding to set off the ‘airiness’ (big art term.)

if there’s something to be learned – and that’s the hope with these – it’s that i should’ve considered varying the speed of the marks in response to the form a bit more.

needless to say, it’s something i talked about last week when sitting in as a guest critic at a RISD soph painting crit. duh.

donut trio

donut trio, 8×8in, acrylic

Got an email asking for a bigger picture of the donut trio (seen on the gallery wall in the previous post.) I always try to keep the paint fresh and loose – some days it feels dry, some days it feels juicy and wet. The hope is that you increase the odds of the latter by putting time in behind the easel.

Spent the afternoon yesterday touring galleries in Chelsea* and stumbled upon a kindred spirit of sorts (my feeling, not his) in painter Stephen Wright.

His gorgeous figurative work caught my eye with a warmth that the 20th century giants Philip Pearlstein & Lucian Freud (the influnces in composition & material handling are obvious) have always lacked (yeah, ya could argue they’re after ‘truth’ or ‘honesty’ but that’s another discussion…)

Looked him up when I got home and came across these arm chairs – loose, expressive paintwork that makes the mundane seem magical. And that’s the hope with the food studies, in spite of vast differences in scale.

*many thanks to classmate & artist Rodney Githens for playing host

risd/works show

The risd/works show opened Thursday with fantastic response. I’ve been told to bring in more paintings – It’s “cash & carry optional” due to the influx of out-of-town visitors (J&W, RISD and Brown commencements) and there are already some blank spots on the walls.

New this time around are the simple matte black frames and larger studies (including the garlic press, below)

garlic press, 8×8in, acrylic

I couldn’t be happier with the display – from the big bread image out front to the (kinda tough to tell from the photos) gallery itself, which was repainted with a soft tan (dare i say cappuccino) band to accent the little works.

show info:

may 17 – june 21
risd/works
10 Westminster st (downcity Providence)
Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm
Sunday, 11am-5pm

Daily Studies: beer & a dog

‘Gansett study, 8×8in, acrylic

Beer and art – why not? Manet had his Bass Ale 125 years ago.

This is my second shot at Rhody’s favorite local beah. I’m loving the extra room the 8×8in panel affords – for slightly larger subjects, this seems to be the ideal size. (Keen observers might note that these first two 8×8in posts both involve red and alcohol, but that’s merely coincidence…oops.)

hot dog, 4×6in, acrylic

Hewtin’s Hot Dog Cart is en route from home to studio and, if I time it right, will be a stop for lunch. On a gorgeous day like today one of these guys – in this case, a spicy dog with chili and onions – is almost mandatory.

’bout 30 of these food-themed studies – including the pair above – are the focus of a solo show at risd/works, risd’s Downcity Providence gallery & store. Kickoff’s this Thursday (May 17) from 9-5 as part of Gallery Night. Hope to see you there!

bloody mary

bloody mary, 8×8in, acrylic

Sometimes the idea – or desire – to try a certain subject just sits on the back burner waiting for the right time to ignite.

In this case, with May breakfasts (or, our version) and Mother’s Day brunches on the calendar and a few large-ish studies under my belt….well, when the opportunity came along to contribute some art for a fundraiser (in this case, an AIDS care calendar) the bloody mary and all the fixins seemed a logical choice.

The olives were a late addition – I’m a ‘celery’ type but my better half is adamant that it’s olives – so the cool celery green vs warm olive green was an added bonus.

Daily Study: purple artichoke

purple artichoke, 4×6in, acrylic

picked this one up because of the soft green (not quite chartreuese) to purple (not quite magenta) transitions .

compared to the almost-electric green of the previous artichoke, the velvety quality seemed to call for an underlit setting.

dunno exactly what a purple artichoke is – or, rather, what makes it different. maybe like basil and thai basil..?

Daily studies:Green Day

Spring’s finally here. Rich greens are everywhere – from the yard to the market. I’ve been working doubletime in studio with another show just weeks away, and took a break from the red studies with a rash of green works.

baby artichoke, 4×6in, acrylic

asparagus 8×10in study in progress at the studio easel…

Didn’t want to admit it but…it’s also mayday, and as an art nerd, even with the greenery it’s tough not to think of Andrew Wyeth’s Snow Hill.