Friday, November 18, 2011

Open Drawing at KU on Saturday



KU's Open Drawing is this Saturday.  Bring drawing supplies.  The session is from 11:00-2:00 in room 405 of Art and Design.  It is free and open to anyone who wants to come.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Artist Talk: Alex Lukas, Printmaking/Drawing


Above Print: Alex Lucas Okay Great

Printmaker Alex Lukas is at Spooner Hall at 7:00 Thursday.
He works in a variety of media in Philadelphia.
While visiting, he will create an etching plate at KU's print studio today, and critic graduate student work on Thursday.
I met him at a gathering last night. He is amiable, and loves Lawrence.

Monday, November 14, 2011

deKooning Love Fest







This past weekend, I went to an all day symposium for the artist Willem deKooning at the MOMA in New York.  The exhibition was amazing in itself, but the lecturers and panel discussions for the symposium were interesting.    
Here are some major ideas I walked away with:
1.   de Kooning was a complicated artist and created complicated art.
2.   Because his work is complicated, it is difficult to generalize his work and attach a cliche.  Examples of other artists: Pollack, the "drip guy";  Mondrian, the "squares guy". 
3.   Because it is difficult to generalize his work, it is difficult to put him in an art historical context.
4.   He worked in a process that was always changing. 
5.   The notion that de Kooning was a misogynist has “Petered out.”
6.   Critics, historians, conservators, curators, and writers have much more to say about de Kooning than New York contemporary artists.
7.   Although he had Alzheimer’s, and the works are simplified,  de Kooning’s later works are not an indication of a decline.  
In the next few weeks, I will post more from the symposium. 

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

The Quest Begins

We're Packing a bag for New York.  Foremost on our list is to visit the MOMA, where there is a retrospective of Willem de Kooning's work that we will tackle room by room. We've prepared for this journey for years, studying de Kooning's works, and reading books about the artist and abstract expressionism (a label he detested). This may seem like a parallel universe to Cline's new book "Ready, Player One." The exception is that the egg that we are searching for will not produce riches, but a deeper understanding of de Kooning's work, and possibly the nature of art itself. (Yes, the PBR Book Club selection has had an influence on my everyday perception and reality).  http://www.readyplayerone.com/

Updates will be sent from New York.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Random Art in the Halls of Art and Design

Today, I'm posting random art hanging in the halls of Art and Design.  I  don't know who made these, but thought they were interesting.



















Thursday, November 3, 2011

Best Place to Draw: Dr. Sketchy

Dr. Sketchy is the best place around to draw.  Located in the West Bottoms in Kansas City, Dr. Sketchy has models to draw, drinks, and a DJ.  Many model/performers are from the KC burlesque scene.
The model/performer for this Sunday is Eartha Delights, a Kansas City favorite.  She is great to draw.

The time is 6:00-10:00 on Sunday, November 6. The cost is $6.00.  Bring your own drawing supplies.  The location is 1331 Union, KCMO.

Here is the link to Eartha's blog: http://earthadelights.blogspot.com/

Here are some photos from the last Dr. Sketchy in October.






Artist/Sculptore TJ Tangpuz draws with us 





Angela Davis circa 1968 makes an appearance.







Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Happy All Souls Day

Today is All Souls Day, and second day of Days of the Dead in Latin American Countries.  On this day, the living and the dead can communicate. This holiday may seem obscure to some, but many families I know from Mexico still celebrate this holiday.


A toy company named Mezco Toyz sells creepy Days of the Dead dolls,  presumably for children?  The Series 20 Living Dead Dolls each arrive in a coffin box with wood grained graphics and have a death certificate and a poem. Here are some examples of the dolls and the poems that go with them.




Santeria Variant




Date of death: January 20th, 1913


She loved celebrating Dia de los Muertos
so much she prayed it come every day.
The only ear to hear her pleas was El Diablo's
so now once a year she rises to play.




El Luchador Muerto Doll


Date of Death: February 5th, 1984

In the ring El Luchador was king
And all of his opponents dispatched
Until this rudos said adios
And was defeated in a wager match



Catrina: 


Date of death is January 20th, 1913


Elegant Catrina dressed for a night out of her grave
Sugar skull cookies are the sweets that she craves
The living have honored her with the altar they made
And she dances her way through the Dia de los Muertos Parade.















Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Karen Matheis: New Trend in Woodcuts



Lawrence currently has an art trend where final product of woodcuts and linoleum cuts are displayed on the block itself.  Although the paper impression from the block is the standard,  Nicolette Ross displayed relief blocks at the Lawrence Arts Center last year during her residency, and blocks are currently on display in the front cases at Art and Design. 

The technique is somewhere in between a relief sculpture and relief printmaking.  Lines and shapes of the block are cut using a tool. The block is inked, leaving the depressed negative space white. Having the image  displayed on the block shows process and texture that is sometimes undetectable when the image is transferred to paper.

Of course, this process is not a new innovation. Picasso also used this technique in his woodcuts.


Picasso's "Grande Tete de Femme au Chapeau Orne" ( 1962).