in the studio - city musings

"and you think you know me"

7" x 7"

digital photo prints on vellum, marker, mixed media collage on paper

*

I am fascinated by the buildings in a city and the patterns that they create as you walk. Looking up, there are layers of architectural styles and layers of shapes all pointed at different angles that totally shift as you move through them. And then I imagine what it must look like from above - all the structures set on their own map of intersecting streets, grid lines; the ways in and out of the city. 

 And within this ever changing structural collage are the human beings adding their own ephemera ..... trying to find their way.

*

I wanted to experiment with a collage built in layers using my photographs. After some experimentation I found a vellum that gave me the right amount of transparency and was also a good quality to print on. Putting some restrictions on myself I wanted to use only photos I had taken in NYC over the past year and have all the images be black and white. Once I found the underlying map it gave me a unifying motif as well as a direction for color. I think I will use this transparency/layering idea more.

within the familiar - graffiti

graffiti "participation" wall

Lippitt Park, Providence, RI

*

A graffiti wall had been set up for the music festival. Cans of spray paint, markers and paint were supplied to whomever felt the urge to express themselves. Over the course of the day children, teens and adults all took stances on either side of the wall. Layers upon layers of individual moments each one hiding the last - constantly changing.

I took this picture around 4:00 - the sun filtering through the canopy of trees softening the edges. The layers suddenly had depth and the balance of colors sang out to me.

It stood still for just that moment.

in the studio - facing a new season

untitled

12" x16"

inkjet photo transfer, pencil, and marker on paper

*

I have been experimenting with photo transfers on both paper and board lately - trying many different techniques; mod podge, gel medium, Purell, and none of them have been 100% successful - never being able to replicate the effect with each new piece of the collage. Maybe that is the "art"of it? That it is always 'just a little different'? 

I printed pale colored maps for the areas of light and I love the translucent quality that it gives to the skin. Ultimately, I need to be more careful with the map color choices for the medium tone and shadow areas ..... just learning on the job.

But I do think it is worth continuing the experiment - just have to find the right combination of subject, image to transfer.

Continue looking, continue exploring, continue learning.

*

It is now officially September - and from years of teaching - I guess it seems like the beginning of the year and the time to start fresh. I found an open figure drawing class at AS220 in Providence - meets every Tuesday evening....tomorrow. Planning to attend at least twice a month to get my eye/hand back in the groove and maybe possibly meet some artists/interesting people. 

Feels like the first day of school.

*