Finding My Way...

The year is drawing to a close, and like many people do during this time of year, I've begun to think about what I hope to accomplish in 2012.

One thing that I've been working on, but which could still use more work, is being more focused. I need to spend more time to create more of the kind of art I really like--which means I need to figure out a satisfying way to incorporate the human figure into the next spider paintings.

This means I need to spend less time wasting time. The studio needs to be more organized, and I need to try to keep it that way!

Another thing I've recently realized is that I've been collecting wood-working tools for a while, but haven't really explored wood in my art--not nearly enough. Yes, I've built several of my own panels, and have done several recent paintings on these panels, but I haven't done much else.

I really want to dovetail the corner joints on the next panels, which means I need to [learn how to] sharpen my chisels--and build a stand for my dovetail jig.

I'm also planning to have at least one hand-carved frame around one of my painting next year, too!

Lots to do (as always!)

Happy Holidays!

Beneath, Between, and Behind...

As usual, things haven't gone quite the way I'd hoped--or planned.

I accepted a couple commissions last month--I needed the money, and didn't think the two paintings would take as long to complete, as they have. Because, like so many of my projects, they've taken longer than I expected, I'm not much further along with my own work than I was at the time of my previous blog entry.

--sigh--

But, I have started another mid-sized painting (approximately 24 x 30 inches), and another small (4 x 4 inch) painting--and White Widow is close to being finished.

I plan to finish the first commissioned piece this weekend, and the second one is due before Christmas. That leaves the last week of December, and most of January, for my stuff. I'm definitely going to finish the pieces I've started (including another re-work of Bone Spider--a sculpture I've exhibited, but which I've never really liked.

So, I'll be left with the same dilemma I think I've written about before; do I work on another "major" painting (like The Presentation of Spiders) which I may not get finished in time for the February opening of my solo show, or spend my time on a painting or two which may not be as involved (nor as interesting), but that I know I could complete in time?

And, just yesterday, I was asked to be in another show--thankfully, a group show this time--in...

...wait for it...

...April!

Caution: Live Spiders...

Arriving at work this morning, I noticed that someone had left a fountain drink cup on the framing table. I picked it up, intending to toss it into the trash, when I saw the writing on the lid: "SPIDER FOR KEITH".

Here we go again, I thought, as I set the cup--gingerly--back on the table.

When I first began painting spiders during my juniour year at KCAI, I would often arrive at my studio to find that one of my fellow students had left a box, or cup, or some other type of container (each with a live spider inside) for me.

One box had a memorable label: "Spiders for you. There were two, but the little one ate the big one last night. Sorry." (The "s" at the end of "Spiders" had been crossed out...)

My studio space was situated against the outside wall of the room divided into the various studios for each of my classmates. There was a "main door" into the room, as well as a "side entrance" which went right through my studio.

After the spiders started arriving, I put up a sign that read, "Caution: Live Spiders" on the door to my studio. I thought of the sign as a bit of a joke, but the foot traffic through my studio into the main studio area was greatly reduced.

Spiders that don't spin webs usually sit in corners, under leaves, etc., folded in on themselves, rarely moving. They aren't much fun to draw, because the poses aren't interesting; in these positions, they don't really look like spiders. So, I usually let those spiders loose the morning after they were delivered.

I did keep one rather large black spider alive for nearly a week. I actually bought a bag of small crickets at a pet store for it to eat, but it still didn't survive it's captivity.

After that, I tried to spread the word that I didn't have the time (or the talent?) to keep live spiders in my studio; I could find plenty "in the wild" to photograph as references.

I left the sign up, though, and folks continued going the long-way round, through the main door, instead of through my "spider-infested" studio...

Ethics 101

I received a phone call the other day from a gentleman who is looking for someone to make a painting from a photograph. I told him I was interested, and we discussed the project briefly, working out a size for the piece (36x60 inches), and a price.

He phoned me yesterday, again and we agreed to meet today so he could give me the canvas, and a downpayment. Over the course of this second conversation, though, I realized that the project was quite a bit different than what I assumed after our first conversation.

It's not "his" photograph! It's a photograph he took, of a painting by a local artist hanging in a nearby gallery. The artist apparently quoted a much higher price than the man was interested in paying, to paint her image onto such a large canvas.

When I see him today, I'm going to turn the project down, and I'm going to tell him why. Just as I don't want another artist copying one of my paintings, simply so that someone can have (something that looks like) one of my paintings at a lower price than I am asking, I do not want my name associated with such a practice, either.

Sure, he will probably be able to easily find an artist who is willing to copy another artist's work. And if that artist can live with the knowledge that they've ripped off a fellow artist, that's their business.

I couldn't live with myself. I want people to respect my work, and that means I must respect others' work, as well.

Although I could really use the extra money right now, my reputation and self-esteem is worth far more!

Progress...

Worked on White Widow over the weekend, and had hoped to work on it last night, but the evening had its own way. (Watched Life as a House, visited a neighbor, and picked up the step-daughter from work...) I had hoped to have the spider (except for the abdomen) painted before leaving for Detroit (we're flying up Thursday morning, seeing the Tony Levin Band Friday night--yes!--and spending Yom Kippur with Liora's family Saturday and Sunday), but that was not to be.

I'm still hoping to have this painting done (yes, I'm probably dreaming!) by Hallowe'en.

Stay tuned.

Confronting Beauty...!

I've spent the better part of three (non-consecutive) days, recently (including today) working on White Widow. It's coming along nicely (if I can be forgiven for saying so, myself) and I've been thinking quite a bit about what this painting means.

I've never intended the spider paintings to be scary (any more than actual spiders intend to be frightening...hmmm), and Liora has remarked several times that this painting looks more and more "beautiful", the longer I work on it. So, I'm beginning to seriously consider what it might mean, to depict spiders as "beautiful".

Further, White Widow represents only one approach to painting "beautiful spiders". I have another, different idea in mind, which I plan to explore in still other, future paintings.

And, those paintings might lead to still other ideas (and I certainly hope they do!) other ways to explore "beauty", and what it--and it's opposite--mean, and can mean.

I spent many hours during the second semester of my juniour year at KCAI (Spring 2006) discussing "meaning" in art with my instructor, Marcus Cain. Specifically, we talked about what my art meant (at the time), and Marcus gave me a great deal to think about with regards to what my work might come to mean.

It was with Marcus' encouragement (and guidance) that I first began "exploring" spiders, in both sculpture and in painting. I felt then that I was only beginning to understand, in the smallest way, what my work might possibly be able to "mean".

I am starting to feel, now, that I'm finally "back" to where I was at the end of my juniour year at KCAI (Spring, 2006).

And ready to move forward...

Quality and Quantity...

I spoke to an artist earlier this week, and he said that he's working on combining screenprinting with his acrylic paintings, in order to create (hybrid) prints based on his paintings, which he will offer for sale at prices far lower than what he charges for his original paintings.

His said, "I think I can sell a hundred prints for $60.00, much more easily than I could sell one painting for $6,000.00."

He may be right--

--but, I've had really nice (photo) prints made from my paintings in the past, and while I have sold many of the prints, I doubt that I've made much of a profit. (Of course, today's digital technology might reduce the initial investment if I were now to start having prints made from my current work...)

Still, my focus remains (and I believe, needs to remain) on creating the absolute best paintings I can. While I've been fairly happy with my "work-ethic" over the past year or so, I am trying to focus even more on being in the studio as much as possible--along with staying focused (working) while I'm in the studio. (There are always distractions: magazines and art books to thumb through, reference photos to organize--and reorganize, etc. Resist, resist...!)

While I haven't (yet) sold a single painting for six grand, I have sold a couple paintings for more than three grand, each. I haven't sold close to a hundred prints of a single image. (Of the dozen or so images that I had printed, I think I'm in the thirties on one or two of them, and below twenty on the rest.)

Rather than making and marketing prints at this time, I feel that I need to find an audience (and, hopefully, a market) for my new paintings. When (I can be optimistic, here!) that happens, I'll know whether there's also a demand for reproductions.

But, I think (at least for me, as regards my work) any demand for prints will have to be based on how well the actual paintings "connect" with an audience.

I would love to hear your thoughts...