Thursday, December 2, 2010

Introducing my online shop at Etsy

Etsy is an online marketplace for buying and selling all things handmade. 
Although, I joined Etsy over a year ago, I haven't really spread the word. I have been getting to know the venue and streamlining my workload so that I could best attend my shop and keep the collection displayed there up to date. I now have a variety of work posted, old and new, and in a range of styles.

Click here to see my shop. If you are unfamiliar with Etsy, take some time to browse, there is an endless selection of dedicated craftsmen selling their goods here at great prices.

In my shop I have a few older pieces, some of which have never been displayed, like this set of spine portraits:

My current work is more abstract and symbolic in nature. In my shop you can also see what happens when I apply my hand to realistic rendering, such as the old market Place of Muro drawing shown here. This and others similar in nature are for sale as prints and customs orders.


Some of my pieces are featured in various Treasuries on Etsy such as this one, and this one, and this one. Treasuries are thematic collections created by other sellers. They call it an 'ever-changing, member-curated shopping gallery' - better said!

Thanks, as always, for looking.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Voyeur Heaven

Hey, what's this? No, not a soccer game - but a major find in Barcelona. Let's look a little closer... 

This find is unlike many I've seen, it exposes a view into entire rooms, many still furnished.
I haven't seen it in person yet. The location is at Calle de Sardenya and Calle de Ali Bei. I can't wait to go check it out myself. (I would like a hardhat for Christmas.)


There is so much to take in. I have already starting toying with the compositions in the studio.

A big thanks to Evan for noticing, and then going back with a camera!

Monday, November 1, 2010

New Plaster Reliefs: Scenes from the Lost Village 1,2,3



Scenes from the Lost Village 1,2,3 October 2010

each tablet is 7.5 X 10.5 in. (20 X 27 cm)
ink, acrylic, and varnish on plaster


These plaster reliefs depict both a frontal view of a decrepit building and the areal view of an architectural dig simultaneously.


I am continually scheming to work in plaster more, so I finally brought out the box of castings I made last year to bring the tablets to fruition. The composition is created by pressing cast-off construction materials into terra cotta clay, then I make a plaster cast. The cast is then painted, carved, and sanded ad nauseum...

Friday, October 22, 2010

The Way Home: Current Exhibition


Here is the window display inviting passers-by to check out a diverse sampling of my most recent mixed media works and 2 sequences of daily paintings at Mari-Lin Cafecreacions, a new bar/café/creative space appointed with retro furnishings.
On the restaurant level are several recent pieces seen in the Artefacto show just last month.
Downstairs is a charming gallery space with low ceilings perfectly suited to house the 8 X 8 inch daily painting series Continuum created in summer 2009, and Half-Time Home, winter 2010.



We opened the show on Tuesday October 19. It will be up into the first week of November.




Arrival, Wedding Gift Commission


This is a recently completed piece called Arrival. It was created as a wedding gift for a pilot and his new bride. He proposed on the steps of the Old City Hall in Salem, Massachusetts. I was provided an historic map of the city, a link to their wedding registry for color and design ideas, and a look at the wedding invitations. Then I was set free. I love this kind of commission.

Thank you to Wendy for the opportunity. And best wishes to the new couple!

Friday, September 17, 2010

I decided to say goodbye...without looking back / Vaig decidir dir adèu...sens mirar enrera


Vaig decidir dir adèu...sens mirar enrera / I decided to say goodbye...without looking back

2010 (160x40cm / 63x15.5in.)

left

right

This piece has been in evolution since early winter. It also contains embedded within the layers, the moving story I mentioned in a recent post.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

What a find! UPDATED 29/09/10



UPDATE 29/09/10: Upon sorting these papers, I found that the notebook, the weekly church bulletins, baptism forms and some other receipts date back to 1899 and sequentially up 1922! Guess I'll be scanning those and keeping the originals.

On my walk this morning I came across a broken-up piece of furniture next to a dumpster. Apparently one drawer still had some things tucked away. I gathered these wonderfully-aged church prayer and song books and a few more personal effects. The most special item: a handwritten notebook of a priest's sermons. Who needs the art supply store when you have another man's treasure? Can't wait to find a home for them in my next collages.

...I'm contemplating scanning some of these, something feels strange about cutting and gluing the originals.

Open Walls Series, reworked


Here are some pieces from a group called Open Walls, currently on display at Artefacto gallery in Palma de Mallorca until October 4th.


Virtually all of the written text in this body of work was provided by anonymous contributor. He shared a 2-part story of a move from a small village in Mallorca to Barcelona, and then, his return to the island 7 years later, a changed man. The story is poignant and has provided inspiration for many recent works, not to mention that transcribing the words has helped my Catalan comprehension!



The pieces above have advanced since earlier posts, you can see the in-progress images here, and here.




Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Inauguration at Artefacto

Last Saturday evening, the 4th of September, I celebrated the opening of my current exhibit at Artefacto Gallery in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. We will host a second reception on September 16th, as it falls on a special night for the arts here in Palma, La Nit D'Art. Every year many galleries open on the same evening so that enthusiasts can meander through the city, mingle and see the exhibits spread throughout the diverse galleries in Palma. I'm very pleased to be part of it...even though I won't be able to actually sneak out and see the other shows myself!

Here are a few images of the inauguration.


Artefacto director, Inmaculada Vara Guttierrez, gave me an introduction before opening the lovely teak doors to reveal the show.




The on-lookers include Mallorcan painter Toni-Mari Escarrer, second from the right.



Miranda Giles, painter, has recently arrived to Mallorca. Expect to see her exhibiting soon as well.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

at ArteFacto: Exhibit in Palma de Mallorca Spain


I will be hanging an exhibition this week at a new gallery space here in Palma. Feel free to come by if you're in the neighborhood!
The show will consist of mixed media paintings that explore the theme of destroying and buildings homes, many pieces include the moving stories contributed by friends and anonymous contacts. Thanks to you all.
The show will feature some new pieces...which I'll post those here when the show is up and running.
Look out as well for images of the opening night.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Can you guess what inspires me?


This is like the "Where's Waldo of paintings...



I am preparing for an exhibition and up to my old tricks again. Namely, reworking paintings I claimed to be finished long ago. El Castillo is almost done (again); I took it out to photograph as I often do to gain some objectivity during the process. But, look how great it looks on my terrace! The likeness is uncanny.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Open Walls, Peeling paper


Open Walls, V
8.5 X 10.5 inches (21 X 27 cm)
Mixed media collage on wood




Open Walls, VI
8.5 X 10.5 inches (21 X 27 cm)
Mixed media collage on wood

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have been experimenting with more fragile layers of paper on top of my heavily layered walls. In works such as these, the original written story has become deeply buried in the background; papered-over, if you will.









Sunday, August 1, 2010

Views of my studio


Here are some views of my unusually tidy studio where I work my magic. It's in the center of Palma de Mallorca, in a building built in 1918. I've probably said this before, but working in this space is very romantic: the floors, the carved wood, the high ceilings, the cacophony of competing musicians on the pedestrian street below...


I found a giant lizard living under these IKEA shelves that I muscled around from a near-by office to the painting space (I foolishly only removed half the contents!). I didn't get a photo of Mr. Lagarto, though...not sure where he is right now, I hope he doesn't surprise me in the night!


I spent most of today changing the distribution of the furniture in the apartment. Doing so required some re-organizing of the studio. It was a good excuse to dust and vacuum and take pictures before I make a glorious disaster of things again.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Inspirational walls in the Gràcia district, Barcelona


These two photographs were taken on Calle Verdi in the Gràcia district, Barcelona, this past weekend. Yummy, huh? I have seen this construction site a few times over the last month or so, and now I realize why I couldn't get it out of my visual memory: Above, it's the delicate falling paper (not to mention the wrinkle pattern left behind by the adhesive);


and here, it's the red-topped steel posts, adding rhythm and color to the composition.

Look for these inspirations in new work to come!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Paredes Abiertas III / Open Walls III



Paredes Abiertas III / Open Walls III

mixed media and collage on wood
21.5 X 27 cm (21.5 X 8.5in.) 2010

Pátina



Pátina

mixed media and collage on wood
60 X 80 cm (23.5 X 31.75 in.) 2010

Open Walls Series




Paredes Abiertas I, II / Open Walls I, II

mixed media and collage on wood
30 X 30 cm (10.75 X 10.75 in.) 2010