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Archive for June, 2015

Time Flows

Posted in Music, Painting, Video, tagged , , , on June 15, 2015| 4 Comments »

GC Myers Time Flows 2007Just a while ago I had been thinking about this painting, about 18″ by 26″ on paper, from back in 2007.  It’s called Time Flows and it’s a bit of an anomaly for me, with all the stonework and waterfall.  A one time only thing that pops back into my thoughts now and again.

But it is its texture rather than the subject that always sticks out for me– thickly layered and very rough with deep pits that go all the way to the paper below.  It was coarser in many ways than my normal surface but it worked perfectly for this particular piece.  The pits captured pigment in an interesting way, more interesting than if I had tried to paint it with a brush.

It came back to mind this morning in the aftermath of last night’s flooding that took place just a few miles north of the studio.  Small streams and falls turned into raging cascades, washing out and covering many roads.  Thankfully, no injuries.

Seeing the videos of the local water in motion made me think of it connected to a song from Jimi Hendrix titled May This Be Love.  I always  think of the song  as being titled Waterfalls.  Like the painting, it is definitely more placid than the swollen streams from last night.

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The Shining

Posted in Music, Photography, Video, tagged , , , , , on June 14, 2015| 1 Comment »

Lost World Photo by Mikko LagerstedtThe other day I came across this luminous photo from Finnish photographer Mikko Lagerstedt.  Titled Lost World, it shows a sailing ship partially sunk in shallow water beneath a densely star-filled sky.  All of the elements of the image– the color, the composition, the reflection on the water and the glow of the sky– give this photo a mysterious and intriguing vibe.  Just a great photo.

Mikko Lagerstedt is a self-taught photographer who specializes in what he terms atmospheric photography with an emphasis on simplistic landscapes and  night scenes.  They have a brilliance in them that plays well off the sparseness of the landscape and the immensity of his skies.  For more images and info, go to his site by clicking here.

I thought I would find a piece of music to go along with it for this week’s Sunday music and one of the first things I stumbled across had the feel that I was looking for.  It’s The Shining by Badly Drawn Boy from back in 2000.  It’s a song that pops up on my playlist every so often and always pulls me in with its opening moments that feature a mix of cello and french horn.

Enjoy.  Hope your Sunday goes swimmingly.  Not exactly sure what that means but I’m sticking with it.

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Next Up: Home+Land

Posted in Biographical, Painting, Recent Paintings, Work In Progress, tagged , , , , on June 13, 2015| 2 Comments »

GC Myers WIP in Studio 2015 JuneThere wasn’t much of a break after getting back from last Friday’s opening of my show, Native Voice, at the Principle Gallery, which hangs there until July 6th.  No, there was another deadline waiting for me when I returned to the studio: the July 17 opening of  my annual show at the West End Gallery, this year titled Home+Land.  The last week has seen me fall right back into the groove that was formed in prepping for the Principle Gallery show.

This is not an unusual pattern.  This is the 13th year that my West End show has began right on the heels of my Principle Gallery show and  in that time I have developed a way of coping with the tight schedule: heavy drinking.  Not really but there are days sometimes that feel like that might not be such a bad idea, especially those ones where the creative thread seems to disappear briefly and a bit of panic rises in me.  And believe me, that does happen from time to time.

Yesterday, for example.  I had finished a new painting ( the one at the top) and was still in that piece in my mind and not ready to move on quite yet.  I checked out my calendar to see where I was in relation to the opening and it just seemed, in that moment when my mind was still not yet moving on to the next task, that there was so much to do and so little time in which to complete it. A horrible ball of tension built within me and I found myself paralyzed with panic for a while.  My mind just stalled with that calendar imposed on it.  I paced around the studio for quite a while, trying to gain footing and move past this.

I knew that I could and that I would.  The experience of having been through this so many times before calms those nerves and lets me keep my eyes on what is in front of me rather than fretting about what is ahead.  And that is the secret to overcoming the pressure of a deadline such as this– staying focused in the moment.  Clearing the mind of worries about things that may or may not occur in the future and immersing yourself in the task at hand.  And luckily for me the task that I normally face is one, by its very nature, that normally calms my anxieties.

So I moved immediately to the paint and within minutes of the first brushstroke the anxiety seemed to ease.  The mind cleared.  The calendar seemed trivial and distant. All I saw was the scene that began to take shape in front of me and all of my thoughts were simple reactions to what I was doing on the canvas.

All was well again.

That being said, there is still much to do for the upcoming show and I am sure there will more incidents like yesterday in the next month.  But I am prepared and the show thus far looks and feels very good to me, which in itself is a calming agent.  I just thought I would give you an inside look at one of the parts of the process that sometimes gets swept under the rug– you don’t see it but it’s often there underneath the surface.

 

 

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Quote of the Week/Van Gogh

Posted in Motivation, Quote, tagged , , , , , , , on June 11, 2015| 2 Comments »

Vincent Van GoghWhy does one not hold on to what one has, like the doctors or engineers; once a thing is discovered or invented they retain the knowledge; in these wretched fine arts all is forgotten, and nothing is kept.

—Vincent Van Gogh

Letter to his brother Theo 1888

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When I read this quote from Van Gogh, I flashed back to a conversation I had several years back with an artist friend who was urging me to begin filming my painting process.  He said that a deer could jump in front of my car going home from the gallery that night and nobody would ever know how my  paintings came about.  He  thought would be a loss.

That made me think but I still didn’t follow his advice and protected my process, except for small glimpses here and there, for years like an alchemist greedily withholding their found knowledge.  It was one of several reasons for my lack of enthusiasm for teaching.

But time normally changes all things.  I began to realize that it was a fool’s mission in keeping my process to myself.  The  process was tool for expression– it was not the expression.

An artist often has individual expression that transcends subject, material and technique.  For example, an artist painting exactly like me– same trees and process– would produce work that would be different than my own.  It would have a different soul, if it had one at all.  If this artist’s purpose was mere copying, it would not.  I can say this because I’ve seen this before.

So, after a bit, I came to understand that showing or teaching my process would not diminish my work in any way.  In fact, I began painting the way that I do because I initially wanted to see paintings that I wasn’t seeing anywhere else.  Wouldn’t it be great to spur that same thing in others?

To that end, as I announced earlier, I am teaching my first two day workshop,  September 17 & 18,  at the Arts Center of Yates County in Penn Yan, NY.  It’s a lovely town sitting at the end of scenic Keuka Lake, one of the Finger Lakes, famed for their beautiful vistas and multitude of wineries.

I am pretty excited about this and am starting to put together just how I want to teach this.  I don’t want to spend any more energy  hiding my process and I plan to fill each of the  two days with as much info as I can get across while still making it entertaining and educational.  So if you want to spend a couple of late summer days in a beautiful setting learning a form of expression that might spur other good things for you, contact the Arts Center of Yates County.

Hope to see you there.

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America’s Treasure Chest

Posted in Favorite Things, Influences, tagged , , , on June 10, 2015| 2 Comments »

Thomas_Hart_Benton_-_Achelous_and_Hercules_-_SmithsonianOne of the great things about going down to the DC area is being able to take advantage of the great museums that are part of the Smithsonian Institution.  The nineteen museums that make up what has been called America’s Attic ( I prefer America’s Treasure Chest) see more than 30 million visitors come through their doors each year, all admitted free of charge, to see an incredible collection of  art and artifacts.

Sargent_John_Singer_Spanish_Dancer El JaleoThis year, in the afternoon before the opening of  my show, we made our way to the American Art Museum which is downtown, several blocks off the Capital Mall.  It’s a wonderful collection of American art that runs the gamut from the grandness of Hudson River landscapes to the rawer but no less powerful beauty of folk art.  There are examples to suit every taste and all are exceptional.

I was there primarily to see the great mural, about 5′ by 22′ in size,  shown at the top, Achelous and Hercules from Thomas Hart Benton.  Because of the museum’s location away from the Mall, the crowds are sparser and it was a thrill to be able to stand alone in front of this  grand painting without to have to constantly look around other people.  Just an inspiring piece to see.

There is so much more to take in that our short time there barely scratched the surface.  If you get the chance to get to the DC area, definitely take the time to visit this museum and the others that make up the Smithsonian.  However you feel about the role of government, I think you will be proud of the collection that has been assembled in the name of the American people.

Eastman_Johnson_-_The_Girl_I_Left_Behind_Me_-_Smithsonian Agnes Tait- Skating in Central ParkAlbert_Bierstadt_-_Among_the_Sierra_Nevada,_California_-_Google_Art_Project

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2000 Posts

Posted in Motivation, tagged , , , , on June 8, 2015| 8 Comments »

GC Myers 2015 Therapists Program smIn the aftermath of Friday’s show at the Principle Gallery, I was planning on taking it easy today and not posting anything today.  But in the hoopla of getting ready for the show I completely overlooked the fact that last week I published my 2000th blogpost here on RedTreeTimes.

It’s not really that big a deal. I mean, anyone with a computer, an internet connection and a few extra minutes can write a blog and put something out everyday.  That doesn’t mean it will be  all that interesting or will say anything earth-shattering.  I think a pretty high percentage of my posts are evidence of that.

It’s just a testimony to endurance (or obsession), to staying with it for now going on eight years, getting up each morning and forcing myself to try to say or show something even slightly of interest to those of you who stumble across this blog.  It’s not always easy and there are days when I would rather do just about anything else, especially when I think of the so many forgettable posts that have appeared here over the years.

But once in a while, I’ll go back in the archives and come across an older blog and, after reading it, think to myself, “Hey, that’s pretty good.  Where did that come from?”   It’s the same feeling that I sometimes get with my painting.  And I think it’s that moment of surprise in seeing something that seems beyond me that makes it all worthwhile, that makes me want to continue to struggle every morning in front of this damn computer screen.

Thanks for those of you out there who have read it through the years.  Glad to have you aboard.

That said, I wanted to also point out the photo at the top.  It’s the program cover for this year’s conference for the American Academy of Psychotherapists, taking place in St. Louis later this year.  Arlington-based therapist Dean Chelpon was in charge of this year’s program and, having followed my work for several years, asked if they could  use one of my paintings for the cover.

They chose this painting titled  Witness Stand and I think it makes an effective cover, especially with that tagline under it, Where Therapists Fear to Tread.  Thank you, Dean, for thinking of my work.  I am honored to have it featured on your program.

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Back in the Saddle Again –Actually, the Studio

Posted in Favorite Things, Music, tagged , , , , , , , on June 7, 2015| 5 Comments »

GC Myers- Twixt Home and the Horizon smSunday morning and I’m back in the studio after a couple days down in the Alexandria/DC area.  And even though it was a very enjoyable time and a great opening for the Native Voice show, it is, as always, truly wonderful to be back in the studio this morning.  Back to my center.

I thought the work for this show looked very good on the walls of the Principle Gallery.  There’s more warmth in the wall color than the photos that have been posted show and the work seemed to really stand out against it.  This show consisted mainly of works on canvas because I wanted those solid blocks of color to dominate and push out into the space rather than have matting around the image soften the impact and put distance between the viewer and the painting.  I think this was the right decision based on the very enthusiastic response to the work.

2015 PG Show GC Myers-The Next Generation

The Next Generation

Of course, the best part of the evening is seeing friends, old and new, and catching up a bit.  The theme this year seemed to be the next generation, with a number of new additions to families making their first visits to an opening.  I love hearing how small children respond to the colors and forms in the paintings. Plus I like the idea that these paintings will in some small way be a part of the environment that influences their lives in the years to come.  Hopefully, they will prove to be positive influences.

Thank you to everyone who came out on Friday evening.  Some traveled some distance and for that I cannot be more appreciative.  It is that sort of enthusiasm that inspires me and makes my job so much easier.

And of course, very warm thanks to Michele, Clint, Jessica and Pamela at the Principle Gallery for  both your tremendous professionalism and your friendship.  Both equally mean the world to Cheri and me.

So, as I settle back into my treasured routine on a Sunday morning, it is once again that time when I play a little music here on the blog.  Today I am in the mood for something mellow and nothing is better at that than the voice of the great and ever elegant Nat King Cole.  Here is his beautiful version of Hoagy Carmichael‘s classic Stardust.

Thanks once more and have a good Sunday…

 

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Show Opening Tonight

Posted in Uncategorized on June 5, 2015| Leave a Comment »

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Voice in the Gallery

Posted in Recent Paintings, tagged , , , , on June 4, 2015| Leave a Comment »

2015 Principle Gallery June GC Myers3The work has been hung and all that remains is to head down to the DC area a little later for tomorrow’s opening for my show Native Voice at the Principle Gallery in Alexandria, VA.  My friends at the gallery sent me a few shots of the show in the minutes after they finished the hanging yesterday and I am pleased at the way the work presents itself.

With the salon-style hanging, with the paintings presented densely packed and filling the wall , there is a real concentration of color and the work comes off the wall in a manner that might befit stained glass windows.  And that is a comparison that I don’t mind at all.  You can see it well in the photo above with Jessica hard at work at her desk in front of the paintings.

Native Voice is my 16th show  at the Principle Gallery‘s Alexandria location and it opens tomorrow, Friday. June 5.  The reception runs from 6:30  until 9 PM and is open to the public.  It’s a casual affair so please stop in and say hello.  I look forward to seeing you there.

2015 Principle Gallery June GC Myers

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Native Voice

Posted in Painting, Recent Paintings, tagged , , , , on June 3, 2015| 3 Comments »

GC Myers- Native Voice smThis is the painting, a 24″ by 48″ canvas, that spawned the title of my show, Native Voice, that opens this Friday at the Principle Gallery in Alexandria.

I’ve been struggling to describe what I mean by the term native voice.  I think we all have a native voice, a quality that reflects the true self that comes out of us naturally, unguarded and without thought.  It is in the way we speak with family and friends, in the rhythm and manner of our words.  It is in our local accent and vernacular.

It reflects the people and places and events that shaped us, all blending together in one unique package that bears our unique fingerprint and signature.  We might be able to mask these things temporarily but our native voice is always near the surface, ready to emerge.

Applying this to painting, I see this native voice as being the way an artist naturally fashions a painting, in how they perceive the world and describe it to others through their work.  It is that state of being when pretense is put aside, conscious thought diminished, and the process becomes intuitive and reactive, each reaction coming naturally.  I would describe it in the way a child might paint when left to their own devices– pure and expressive.

I think this show bears this title well.  I know that it feels natural and true to myself.  I tried to not focus on concepts or themes as I painted, just let the work fall out as it would.  As a result, when I delivered the show this past Saturday, I had a hard time describing much of it to the folks at the gallery.  How do you describe something that is just a part of you, something that just is?

Now I doubt that this comes anywhere close to expressing what I see in that term Native Voice.  But like talking to friends or family, if you are attuned to what I do with my work  you’ll probably understand my native voice.  If not, you’ll most likely think I’m that strange guy walking down the street muttering to himself.

And that’s okay, too.

 

 

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