Kinetic Playground Group Show

Tonight is a one-night group show at Kinetic Playground, presented by All Eyes on Art. It's going to be an awesome time, so if you're in the Chicago area, make sure to stop by! The bar is open and there will be art demonstrations, not to mention the fabulous art of 20 Chicago area artists. The evening will start out pretty quiet, but later into the night there will be a DJ and much dancing.

The show will be going from 7PM- 4AM, so stop in at any time tonight. Insomnia? Stop on by! Locked yourself out of your apartment at 1AM? We'll take you in!

1113 W. Lawrence Ave
Chicago, IL 60640

Special thanks to Juan Valdivia, who organized the show. It's his birthday week so make sure to sing him the birthday song when you see him at the show.

In other news, I'm currently in a phase where I have a bunch paintings going at once, but none of them are finished enough to post. I almost never work this way, so it's exciting/awful, depending on when you ask me. But here is a camera phone picture to hold you over until further notice.



Come to my show. Do it.

Happy November!

Amos Showtime

Earlier this year I was asked to participate in the Amos Showtime project. Amos is a German musician/generally fascinating human being who is releasing a record this August. He and his team contacted 400+ international artists, sent them blank record sleeves, and asked them to design unique artwork inspired by the album. I submitted the following, being inspired largely by Amos' awesome hair:

Rest assured, that is how "Appartment" is meant to be spelled. I checked at least 12 times.

The artwork will be shown in galleries throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland combined with the Amos concert tour in September. The work will be available to view and purchase- with Amos' record inside, of course- in an online gallery as well. I will update the blog with specific details as I get more information on dates. You can check out the Showtime blog at www.amos-showtime.com to see other submissions or go to Amos' facebook page to hear some of his rockin' jams. I recommend watching Amos' City Kill video if you enjoy gratuitous violence and standing on hoods of moving cars. I know I do.

In other news, I have officially moved to Chicago. So far I have no internet and no kitchen table, but other than getting shoved for walking too slow in the "L" station a few times, it's been going well. Hooray!

New Painting, Old News

A new Painting!

Overpass
14" x 18"
Acrylic and Sharpie




In older but equally excellent news, a few months ago I received a copy of Semi-Permanent 2010 edition. I have yet to see something from Design is Kinky that I don't absolutely love.



Just a small sampling of the over 200 images in the book.

Much to my delight, my 5th of July painting was featured in the book as well.


The Semi-Permanent book can be purchased from the Design is Kinky website. I don't know why I even just linked that, since it is clearly already bookmarked on your computer. Right? Riiiight?

In other news, I will be moving to Chicago in August, so I'm scrambling to get ready for the big move. However, it would be wrong of me not to acknowledge that I have neglected you, blog readers, and I promise to update you in the near future, even if it means I need to postpone my search for an affordable apartment that allows dogs and has parking space. DO YOU EXIST, FUTURE APARTMENT?

If you get bored in the meantime, I suggest you waste a few hours here. Enjoy!

Breaking up with Jill #3

My latest painting
Breaking up with Jill #3
Acrylic and graphite
20" x 37"

Names have been changed to protect the innocent. That is, until this painting reaches a gallery or publication. Because there's no protecting the victim on an official gallery label.

The piece is inspired in large part by the lifestyle and panache of my long-time friend, Andy Link. Slightly less importantly, the project also gave me an excuse to paint my favorite couch of all time, affectionately known by all as "The Rust Couch". He who sleeps on it is assured a night of vivid, magical dreams.

New Work: Age 24, Behind

Here, finally, are some paintings I finished in December.

This is a commission I did for my dear friend James. I was asked to paint a portrait of his father. Though there were many excellent sources to choose from, I was inspired by mid-twenties Mr. Ewart's general style and taste in sweaters. I painted father and son together, at similar ages.

Age 24, Father and Son
14" x 24"
Acrylic and graphite on wood

I've also finished a painting that I started back in March of 2009. I began this painting during my stay at the Vermont Studio Center. Unfortunately, 10 days into the residency, I contracted a case of mono, and spent the remainder of my stay in Vermont sleeping and unsuccessfully attempting to swallow. (This may or may not have been related to the jogs taken in 20-degree weather for the first few days at the residency).

Upon recovery, I stashed the painting in my basement, to be worked on as soon I stopped inadvertently associating illness with working on the beast. I finally overcame my unfortunate classical conditioning, and here is the result:

Behind
33" x 66"
Acrylic and graphite on paper

I will update my website in the next few days with larger images.

More updates to come soon- I've decided that the drawings I finished in December are going to become paintings I finish in January.