Second Art Card

Let me know what you think. I am trying to sell prints of this one, and I am trying to sell the original of the first one.





Also, just so you know I did not cutoff the legs of the characters in that bookmark I showed you:

2 dollar car wash

this is a great project - I was just thinking as I worked on this one that I hope you don't get upset with whatever I do to the original image... anyway, what do you think?

Any day now.......................................

Slowly but surely, I will get this picture done!

ACEO...First Art Card

Hey Kelly,
Let me know what you think. This is my first Art Card that I am offering on Etsy. It is 2.5" X 3.5". I am selling the original and then I might sell prints (both really cheap).

ACEO=Art Card, Eitions and Originals

Review: Ellen Granter

I went to the Copley Society art gallery on Newbury St. in Boston yesterday, and I saw Ellen Granter's "On A Wire" and "Painted Turtles" show. The "On A Wire" group of images depicted various birds on solid backgrounds (and the "Painted Turtles" depicted turtles on various solid backgrounds). The backgrounds were highly texturized and used very rich colors.

Her art is great, and it deals a lot with the interplay between a somewhat abstracted background and a detailed foreground (which I am experimenting with). She has a great painterly quality in the way that she renders her paintings. She also does a great job using different color combination: I particularly loved her pieces that used gold paint. The "On A Wire" show was stronger than the "Painted Turtles" show, but I highly recommend seeing both.

The only pieces that I did not think were done well were the images of birds that seemed incomplete. She did a series of paintings in the "On A Wire" where the birds are really subdued in color (some even go do a skin tone color) and detail (no eyes and no feathers), which is disappointing, especially when they are showcased with the stronger images.

Let me know what you think.

Memory series sketches

here are just a few sketches for some more paintings in the memory series - I found it interesting that I could sketch out ideas in black ink and visualize it a lot more in my head... it will be great to start working on these.

Inspiration of the day - Olivia Jeffries

Wanting, Needing...

check out this gorgeous work by Olivia Jeffries - I first saw her work on trunkt today and she also has an etsy shop: restlessthings.etsy.com -

Cheesy?

I might start making bookmarks for my etsy shop...let me know what you think of this one. One side would be info about me and the other would be a little watercolor painting like this one.

Also, do you trade art cards?

Memory series

so, I haven't been totally slacking off - here is my series thus far - all are 24 x 36 (inches) except the second one down which is 18 x 24 (inches) - the first in the series is actually the last in this row, then sequentially move up.

Speaking of Collaborations:

The Etsy forums are the place to be. For the past two days I have been getting a steady stream of great advice...and my "hearts" have quadrupled. Go to the forums and check out some of my threads (you can find my threads by going to search forums option and typing in ctdarke).

Someone suggested posting work on indiepublic . Have you seen this site before? It looks pretty good.

Oh, FYI, I found (through the forums) some great information about sending newsletters, which I will send you later today.

I have a renewed energy.

Abstract Expressionism

did you read the New York Times this morning?
"Muriel Kallis Steinberg Newman promised it the 63 works of modern art in her collection." Her collection is gorgeous! The idea of being able to collect these works and live with them in your own home is amazing and inspiring.
read the article - view the slide-show

Watch Out!

Today I broke up a couple larger paintings to make a bunch of 6" X 6" paintings. I am sending you all of these (and more) as base images for our collaborations. Just as an FYI, I painted the majority of these while listening to the soundtrack to Pulp Fiction (one for each song).

Twin Artists

Today I came across some images by identical twin artists from Brazil who create great graffiti art (they go by Os Gemeos). They create very colorful and comical images in very dark and depressing areas. You can also view their work at http://www.lost.art.br/osgemeos_02_91.htm

Let me know what you think.

Inspiration - Davide Grazioli - Organic

Davide Grazioli - Organic

I'm really drawn to the minimalist colors and simplicity of the piece.....................

Creative Collaborations

I have been doing some research regarding our "collaboration" essay. I have come across a few books that study creative collaborations, which I will flip through and then let you know if they are worth the read. Here are the five collaborators / collaborative movements that I am going to research (I already have a few books on most of these):

1. The Pre-Raphaelites
2. Die Neue Sachlichkeit (The New Objectivity)
3. Georgia O'Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz
4. Christo and Jeanne-Claude
5. Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh


Here's an image from one of the Pre-Raphaelites:

Inspiration - Selvedge Magazine

Selvedge: interior decorating magazine, contemporary textile art

Selvedge is one of my favorite textile magazines - always full of excellent articles and incredible photos -
check out their website right now to see:
"Click here to view Bijou, the video artwork featured in Wake up call, Selvedge issue 19. Dreaming dresses is the collective name for the work of recent graduate Kirstie Macleod, a London-based artist who explores our expectations of clothing. In Macleod’s work garments frequently misbehave. They conspire against the wearer in performances that exaggerate our daily struggles with dressing." (quoted from the selvedge.org website)

Inspiration of the Day: Ye Hongxing

Ye Hongxing is a young contemporary Chinese artist. I like the juxtopositioning of the detailed, decrotive flowers over the somewhat blurred faces. I would have to see this work in person though, because the faces almost look like they were photos that were given an effect by Photoshop. I am not saying that I don't appreciate digital images, but I think that it would be a strong piece if the underlying image is a textured oiled painting rather than a flat digital image. Let me know what you think.

Takashi Murakami

Speaking of "child-like," have you seen the art of Takashi Murakami? He is another popular contemporary Japanese artist. I guess it is not really done in a child-like manner, but instead it looks like very graphic images painted for pre-teens and then distorted. The work follows the "cuteness" aesthetic I wrote about earlier. The artist states that he is following a theory he created called "Superflat."

He explores ideas of commercialism (his images are on everything from mouse pads t0 Louis Vuitton bags), low art, anime, and sexualized imagery that I find very interesting. I saw some of his work a few years ago in Chicago.

Inspiration of the Day--Jimmy Lee Sudduth

Water Wheel


Jimmy Lee Sudduth was an African-American folk artist who died a week ago at the age of 97. I find his story and his work very inspirational. His work is simple and child-like and evokes images of a simpler time. His pieces also have a terrific textural quality. He was a self-taught artist who used whatever he could get his hands on to paint. He worked with his hands, and he used mud mixed with honey, molasses, and other items to paint on plywood.

Having such a desire to create, even when traditional tools are out of reach, is very inspirational.

The Progression and another gift

Here is a drawing I sent to the newest member of the Darke clan, and another "moment in time" of my nest drawing.





Did you notice the superior climbing technique?

DUAG - Detroit Upcoming Artists Guild

This new guild has been set up by a friend of mine, Robin Schoof, and she describes the goal as:
"The goal is to create a community of people who can gather monthly, chat, exchange ideas, find exhibition partners, eat yummy food, and make friends with similar interests. The name of the guild is the DUAG (Detroit Upcoming Artists Guild) and there are about 22 members thus far. I have created a forums page for everyone to begin chatting and getting to know one another- it's been great watching this take shape."

it's great to see someone taking initiative to get more involvement in the art community - I know there are a ton of other art organizations in the area, but the more the better I think. check out the forums...

http://www.kittyqstudios.com/forums/index.php

Butterfly 2 and Nest 2

With "Butterfly 2," I am trying to add a textured background to give the piece a more substantive atmosphere (less graphic). I posted the progression of the Nest painting just because I have put it to the side for awhile. I think I have decided to finish the pen & ink elements and then I am going to go in with colored circles--What do you think?

Contemporary Dutch Artist

Today I have been looking at, studying certain artists who presumably try to conjure up nightmarish imagery. I looked at some of Francis Bacon's work:

I also found a dutch artist named Otto Egberts whose art has the same bold, grotesque imagery of Bacon's work.


http://www.into-drawing.com/egberts_nl.htm

http://www.ottoegberts.nl/tekeningen.htm#

These artists are able to tell stories of disturbing horror.

Have you ever tried to create a piece to illustrate a nightmare? Do you remember my painting "Fear"? Maybe we should each try to paint something in this style, because it is so removed from both of our aesthetic...what do you think?

Art Marketing Articles from Alyson B. Stanfield

Art Marketing Articles from Alyson B. Stanfield

I think I've mentioned this newsletter to you before, but here it is again. Alyson Stanfield sends out the Art Marketing Newsletter every Monday and always features an artists work - this week she is featuring one of my 4 x 4 paintings. follow the link above to check out the newsletter for this week.........

Inspiration of the Day: Richard Pousette-Dart

Richard Pousette-Dart (1916-1992), one of the youngest Abstract Expressionists. I think his work is very inspiring. His pieces have a textural quality that I find very captivating. Let me know what you think.