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Archive for the ‘Favorite Things’ Category

Benton’s “America Today”

Posted in Favorite Things, Influences, tagged , , , on June 14, 2013| 2 Comments »

Thomas_Hart-Benton-America_Today_ 2I had not heard until just this morning that one of my favorite pieces of public art had been removed from the walls of a NYC lobby and donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  I am talking about Thomas Hart Benton‘s incredible 10 panel mural America Today which hung for nearly 30 years in the lobby of the AXA Equitable Building on 6th Avenue– the Avenue of the Americas, officially– in midtown NYC.

It’s a magnificent sweeping representation of the American epic, painted in 1930-31 for the boardroom of NY’s New School, just as the nation was entering the Great Depression. The color is deep and bold and Benton’s rhythmic linework and forms run through the various scenes of the nation at work and at play, binding it all into a piece of art that has the impact of a symphony at full crescendo. Just a great piece of work that reaches out and grabs you.

Thomas_Hart-Benton-America_Today_OilAt least that’s how it came across to Cheri and I many years ago, long before I had dreams of  painting for myself,  as we were wandering around Midtown one evening.  We found ourselves strolling up 6th Ave. in the evening darkness and through the windows of one of the large office buildings we suddenly both caught a glimpse of  bold colors that appeared to be some sort of mural running around three sides of the groundfloor lobby.  We scooted through the doors and stood in absolute awe.  It was long after the office workers had left the building so it was dead still except for a quiet conversation between the security detail at the front desk.  We stayed there for quite some time, amazed that this magnus opus was here for all to take in and see.

Thomas_Hart-Benton-America_Today_City_Activities_with_Subway It seemed appropriate.  Over the years we always made a point when we were in NYC to make a  stop and gawk with mouths open at Benton’s beautiful work.  It was always magical.

I am a bit torn about its removal to the Met although I know it is for the best, from a preservation standpoint,  and that probably more people will actually really appreciate it there.  But the idea of having it out in a public space where anyone can stumble from the street and take in its wonder really appealed to me and spoke to the democratic spirit of the work.  But it will be well cared for and hopefully always on view for those who wish to see Benton’s vision.

Below is a view of the mural installed in the Met.  This is not in HD  so its not a fantastic view but it gives you the idea of how well the work hangs together.

Thomas_Hart-Benton-America_Today_Thomas-Hart-Benton-City-Activities-with-Dancehall-from-America-Today

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Dynamic Tension!

Posted in Biographical, Favorite Things, Influences, tagged , , on June 13, 2013| 1 Comment »

Charles Atlas AdI don’t know why this caught my eye this morning.  If you are of a certain age you will immediately recognize this ad that ran regularly in magazines for decades, touting the benefits of following the fitness regimen of Charles Atlas.  It was one of the longest running ad campaigns of all time and made the term 97-pound weakling  a regular part of our language.

I am instantly taken back in time by this ad, one that I read dozens– maybe hundreds of times– over the years, each time feeling Mac’s pain and anger at being pushed around and reveling in his revenge over the Bully of the Beach as a result of his simply following the way of “Dynamic Tension,” Atlas’ method of using opposing forces to create strength.

Never ordered the course, never acquired the sculpted body of Atlas or mastered Dynamic Tension, although that term has always stuck with me.  There is something in it that rings true and speaks to the polarity that I often describe when talking about my work, that energy created by contrasting forces.  For instance, the area of contrast between light and dark  is often the strongest part in a picture .

Perhaps there is something to this idea of tension and the creation of energy. Charles Atlas was trying to tell me that all those many years ago but I didn’t realize it could apply to things other than biceps, pecs or abs.  Funny how seeing something like this innocuous ad brings back memories and associations…

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Images of Artists

Posted in Favorite Things, Influences, Photography, tagged , , , , , on June 11, 2013| 2 Comments »

Artist Charles Felu Photo by J. MaesThis is sort a continuation of yesterday’s post where I was going back through images of my older work  in the aftermath of a show, something I often find necessary in order to find some balance and assurance that I am still connected to my true self .  I think the idea of connection is probably the important part here as sometimes I often feel a bit disconnected after a show, which I know sounds counter-intuitive. You would think the feeling of connection would be at its highest degree.

Besides scanning my old work, another thing I do to find connection is to go through other images as well, either of other artist’s work  or the artists themselves and their environments.  In their work I am  looking for a voice or expression in their work that is similar to my own, as though finding this common ground will somehow bind me to the greater continuum of  artists.  The same holds true for seeing artists in their studios or at work.  The common experience of creating provides a connection that makes me feel less out of the loop.

In doing so, I often come across interesting images that provoke thought and,occasionally, new directions.  For example, one image that caught my eye is the one above of Belgian painter Charles Felu, who was born without arms and painted with his feet, working in the last half of the 19th century.  Seeing this connects me to that need to express oneself, that driving  force  that has kept me pushing ahead for most of my life.  So many people have overcome  great obstacles to have their voices heard that it makes me grateful that my own obstacles are relatively small and easily overcome.

Artist Georges Braques in Paris studio 1948Sometimes, there is inspiration for new work in these photos.  For instance, when I saw this photo of Georges Braques, the Cubist innovator whose quote– There is only one valuable thing in art: the thing you cannot explain— was a rallying cry in my first efforts as a painter, I was taken not so much by the man or his studio but by the smaller framed piece to the left of his feet and the shield-like piece on the wall to his right.  Just a glimpse at both had my wheels instantly turning, the shapes and flow of these pieces translating into my own vocabulary. Instant inspiration.

Artist in Japan by T. Enami ca 1915-1928Another was this colorized image of a Japanese artist at work in the early part of the last century.  There is a great serenity in the space,  in his pose and even in the elegant manner in which his work tools and materials are arranged.  The beautiful cooper pot of water feels like a meditative pool here instead of merely a place to clean your brush.   It has an immediate calming effect on me, something that is often needed in the days after a show as I struggle to regain my footing.

Even as I am writing this, I am feeling the effects of these images, beginning to feel a connection once again.  I feel a bit of inspiration and calm, both greatly needed for me to create.  This is already turning into a good morning.

Got to go…

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Show Notes 2013

Posted in Favorite Things, tagged , , , , , on June 9, 2013| 7 Comments »

Principle Gallery 2013 pre-showMy annual show, this year titled Observers,  opened Friday evening at the Principle Gallery in lovely and historic Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.  For those of you who don’t know much about Alexandria, it’s just a few miles from DC, resting along the opposite bank of the Potomac River.  From our hotel room we could look up the river and see the dome of the Capitol Building, always an inspiring sight.

Well, I should say, we could see it when it wasn’t raining.

The tropical storm that swept up the east coast brought a couple of days of solid rain to the area, slicking the roads and causing a few accidents which had traffic snarled on the always crowded beltways around the Capitol.  When I went out from my hotel on Friday morning to take a long stroll and was greeted with a steady downpour, I knew immediately from experience that this could  cut down on the show’s attendance.  My experience has been recent as  my prior two shows had terrific rains on the days of the show which had, in each case, kept the attendance down a bit.

But despite the rain of the day, people did turn out Friday evening.  It was busy and I spoke with numbers of folks and missed speaking with others who made it there but didn’t get a chance to talk with me for a bit.  I always feel bad about not getting to speak with everyone who wants to comment or ask a question, especially when they come out on a wet night.  Hopefully,  just seeing the work together in the gallery is enough.

Kai and the "Mechanical Soil"

Kai and the “Mechanical Soil”

It was great catching up with some old friends that I have met through my time there at the gallery.  Some of my favorite moments are seeing kids who I have had the pleasure of seeing grow up in these yearly glimpses, some from their earliest childhood.  Here on the right is one of these young ones, Kai, who I have known since he was a wee one. Kai coined the phrase Mechanical Soil when he told me that his favorite piece was this Archaeology painting.

Another was Mikey Mattice who I wrote about here a few years ago.  Mikey is certainly not a kid anymore –the Mikey has fallen away to Michael and he is out in the world now, displaying  his immense musical talents.  It was great getting to see him again and see how he has evolved from a gangly kid into a confident man with much to give.  From the first meeting, I have always sensed big things in  his future and it’s such a pleasure to see that feeling come to fruition.  Can’t wait to see what the future holds for him.

So, all in all and weather aside, it was a great night.  My appreciation and thanks go out to Michele, Clint , Jessica and everyone at the Principle Gallery for doing, as always, a bang up job and for making us feel so welcome and at home.  And many, many thanks for all of you who could make it and apologies to those who didn’t get a chance to talk with me for a while or who had our conversations cut off too quickly.  For those who couldn’t make it, hopefully I will see you soon, either at my Gallery Talk in September or at next year’s show.

At least, I think there will be one next year…

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The Power of No

Posted in Favorite Things, Influences, tagged , , , on May 31, 2013| 11 Comments »

noThere’s an interesting article on the website Medium by tech pioneer Kevin Ashton (best known for coining the phrase “the internet of things“) called Creative People Say No.  In it he talks about how productive creatives — productive is the key word here–  understand the limitations of their time here and as a result weigh every request for their time against what they might produce in that time.  It immediately struck a chord with me as I have known for many years that my time as both a living human and artist are limited and that for me to ever have a chance of capturing that elusive intangible answer that goads me forward, always just a step ahead of me and just out of sight, than I have to mete out my time judiciously.  We have X numbers of hours and doing something other than that which I recognize as my purpose  represents a real choice.

Ashton echoes my own feelings when he  writes:  Time is the raw material of creation. Wipe away the magic and myth of creating and all that remains is work: the work of becoming expert through study and practice, the work of finding solutions to problems and problems with those solutions, the work of trial and error, the work of thinking and perfecting, the work of creating. Creating consumes. It is all day, every day. It knows neither weekends nor vacations. It is not when we feel like it. It is habit, compulsion, obsession, vocation.

So, over the the last 15 years, I have wrestled over every choice that takes time away from the studio, in most cases declining invitations to all sorts of functions and putting off travelling and vacations.  Even a morning cup of coffee with friend or family requires serious debate.  For a while I thought I was agoraphobic but I know that’s not the case.  I just view my time as extremely limited and shrinking at a constant  rate.

It reminds me of a conversation I had with a painter friend a number of years ago.  He had brought up the name of a well-known artist whose work he admired who was incredibly productive.  My friend bemoaned the fact that he himself wasn’t as productive and wondered how this person could do so much.  In the conversation he told me about all the activities that his life held– traveling , classes, music sessions with friends and time with his kids.    I couldn’t bring myself to point out that he would have to start sacrificing something in order to be as productive as this other artist.  It was obvious that his X amount of hours were spent differently than the other artist, who I should point out also had a studio staff with a manager and several assistants to boost  his productivity.  My friend made the choices that he felt were right for him and who could argue that his kids didn’t deserve even more of his time?  

I think of this conversation quite often when I am faced with a choice other than spending time in the studio.  Even writing this blog entry is gnawing at me because it has exceeded the amount of time I want to spend on it this morning.  That being said, i am going to stop right here and get back to that thing that I feel that I have to do.

Read the article.  It’s a good essay.

 

 

 

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Triple Play

Posted in Favorite Things, Influences, Painting, Personal Mythology, Recent Paintings, tagged , , , , on May 22, 2013| 10 Comments »

Foundation smBack in early April I showed a painting , Geometry of the Heart, on this blog.  It was an overhead scene of a baseball diamond being crowded in by a mass of red-roofed houses, one in which I found a lot of personal meaning.  It represented the way the game embeds itself in the minds of those who love it, how it creates a connection to tradition and memories of youth.  Perhaps more than anything in my life, baseball makes me feel connected to my  country and its history.

Putting this feeling on canvas was long overdue and I was so pleased with how both the finished painting as well as the feeling I experienced as I painted that I felt that I would do a small group for the my upcoming Principle Gallery show in June.  The result was trio of three small paintings, all on paper, that show three ball fields.  The first is shown here on the left and is approximately 6″ by 12″ and  titled Foundation.  I see the diamond serving as a base or foundation for the buildings beyond the outfield fence which seem to be sprouting from it.  Maybe the thought here is that the diamond serves as a classroom for the life lessons needed to survive  in the world beyond the fence.  I’ve written before how baseball is a game that is very humbling, that the best hitters in the game fail 7 out of 10 times at bat and that the greatest pitchers ever have had many losses.  It rewards individual effort but only in a limited way in that winning is based on a total team effort, dependent on each member of the team performing their job with their best effort.

Diamond smThe next is titled simply Diamond, and is 6″ by 8″.  This is the most reminiscent of  Geometry of the Heat and has a simplicity that brings to mind the innocence of the first days of playing the game, that first foray onto a real field.  For me, it brings back memories of the Little League field in Waverly, NY and the thrill of being on that diamond.  It was a beautiful park with bleachers along both foul lines, a well manicured infield and a wooden outfield fence emblazoned with local merchants ads.  To hear your name announced on the PA was a big thrill, a rite of passage from throwing the ball safely in your own yard to performing before strangers.  Daunting, yes, but it all seemed familiar because the game was the same, the diamond the same.

Night Game smThe third piece in this group is called Night Game and is 7″ by 9″.  The thing I get fro  this piece is that feeling when the daylight is fading and kids are still playing the game, not wanting to stop even as the ball becomes more and more difficult to see, until finally they must stop.   The empty field is still ringing with possibility and potential plays.  It seems as though there are always ghosts on ballfields,  phantoms from the past throwing the ball and running the bases.  This piece brings to mind a memory from my Little League days when I was put into pitch one game.  I had lousy mechanics and was never meant to pitch but I was game.  One of the first batters I faced hit a rocket that easily cleared the left center field fence. The whoops of the other team seemed to fade into the background as I watched the ball sail in the sky.

The ump came out to give me  a new ball as the other kid victoriously rounded the bases and the cheers from the other bench became loud again in my ears.  I smiled and said, “Wow, he really crushed that one, huh?”

“He sure did.”  He gave me the ball and I went back to it for a short while until I was mercifully pulled.  You give it a try and learn what you are and what you’re not.  Lessons learned.

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Debb VanDelinder and the Art of the Scan

Posted in Favorite Things, Influences, tagged , on May 19, 2013| 2 Comments »

Debb VanDelinder- El Dia de los Muertos 2010I wrote this past week about speaking to some local high school art classes taught by Debb VanDelinder.   I wondered if her students recognized that while she was an educator at both the high school and college level,  she was also an extremely talented and noted artist.  Whether  they understand their good fortune in being able to spend time with such a talent, gaining the benefit of her active intelligence and knowledge, is another question.  I thought this would be a good opportunity to  show a bit of her work and say a few words about it.

Debb works in the field of Scanography which is photography performed on a flatbed scanner.  The images are basically still lifes that are arranged facing down on the bed of the scanner.  The ultra-high resolution and shallow depth of field give  the objects in her images an otherworldly quality, especially in the large formats in which they shown.  Most of her prints are 24″ by 24″ or larger and are printed on aluminum.

Debb VanDelinder- I Will Break Free 2011I think I am drawn to her work by her use of color, texture and symbolism,  elements that figure greatly in my own work.  I Will Break Free, shown here on the right, is a great example of this.  The deep reds of the pear’s flesh juxtapose brilliantly with the cold charcoal grayness of the barbed wire that entraps it.  The hard edge of the wire contrasts against the soft flesh, scarred from prior pokes from the barbs.  It is a simple image but the use of these contrasting elements changes all perception and it is instantly symbolic of the struggles between all opposing forces.  Light and dark.  Hard and soft. Warm and cool. Good and evil. Freedom and bondage.  Sure, it’s just a pear wrapped with some old barbed wire but Debb gives it layers of meaning with her treatment that take it from mundane to monumental.

Debb VanDelinder- Georgia's Lament 2010Her work is often concerned with the elemental– plants and bugs, stones and bones– which gives it a resonance with which  we all can instantly connect.  The use of a small animal skull, bleached white and coldly absent, set against the richness of flowers which seem so  vibrant  that they almost seem as though they are brimming with blood reminds of us our own mortality.  But it is not morbid.  It just makes us aware of our commonality, our shared experience.

Elemental.

I could go on.  Her work does that for me, sets off torrents while it appears so simple and calm at the surface.  It’s just plain good stuff.  Go to her site at www.debbvandelinder.com to see more of her work and read more about her.  Like I said, those kids just don’t know how lucky they are…

Debb VanDelinder- The Fourth Power of Two 2012

 

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The Bambino

Posted in Favorite Things, Photography, tagged , , on May 4, 2013| 4 Comments »

Babe Ruth Syracuse NY Aug 1922I came across this photo yesterday.  It’s one of my all time favorites.  It’s a shot taken in Syracuse in August of 1922 that features Babe Ruth surrounded by a throng of kids.  He stands in the middle of the crowd,  glowing like a sun that is creating a gravity from which no kid can escape.    I think this photo perfectly captures the incredible charisma that Ruth displayed for the American public.

I believe this was taken at Burnet Park where the Babe appeared at a game between two teams in the newly formed Babe Ruth League.  One of the teams was from the  House of Providence orphanage in Syracuse and many of the kids in this photo are no doubt orphans.  They surely felt a keen kinship with Ruth who had been sent to St. Mary’s orphanage in Baltimore  by his parents when he was an out of control child.  He was one of their own.

It was easy to love the Babe when I was a kid.  I read everything I could on him, knew his stories and stats inside out and remember my Grandmother telling me about seeing the Babe play when she and my Grandfather were on their honeymoon in 1921.   I also remember standing in front of his locker at Cooperstown the first time I was there as a child, looking on at his bat and uniform as though I were a true believer  gazing at some ancient religious artifact.  His big hands had actually gripped the thick handle of the bat.  That amazed me because he was more a mythic character than real man at that point– Paul Bunyan dressed in pinstripes.

He really was a character out of myth.  Everything about him was big–  his physical stature, his appetites and excesses, his generosities and his successes and failings.  He won and lost on a grand scale.  In many ways, he was a pure symbol of our country at that time.  Big, brash, loud and naive.  Famous and wealthy but still of the people.  He was a Horatio Alger rags-to-riches hero come to life.  He was America at the time.

I could just go on and on about the Bambino but I think this photo just about sums its up.  His big round head dominates the scene and the kids reflect back to him the unabashed affection that he emitted towards them.  I always think of this photo as a the head of a sunflower with Babe being the very center and the kids being the golden florets that surround it.  The faces of those kids are wonderful as well, like a compilation of Americana pulled from  Norman Rockwell paintings.   I would imagine almost all are long dead since this photo was taken 91 years back but I wonder what became of many of these kids, what sort of lives they led.  How they made it through the coming Depression and World War and where they ended up.  But I can probably imagine that most of them remembered the day that they stood with Babe Ruth until the day they died.

Just a great photo…

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Auction Ending

Posted in Favorite Things, tagged , , on May 3, 2013| Leave a Comment »

REcycled Runway FashionJust wanted to mention that the online portion of the auction to benefit the Arts Council of the Southern Finger Lakes ends today at midnight [ NOON!!].   The auction finishes tomorrow with a live auction at their REcycled Runway Fashion Show, their popular annual event that features garb of all sorts made from found materials.  Shown here on the right  is a gown from last year’s show made from discarded nylon tarps that was quite a hit.  By the way, that’s my niece, Sarah, modelling the gown.  If you would like to bid on the painting of mine or any of the other items in the auction and can’t be at the event, they do have provisions for Absentee Bidding on the site where your bid will be executed by the staff.

GC Myers- Sending OutShown here on the left is the painting that I am offering for this event is titled Sending Out .  It  is 12″ by 16″ and is  painted on linen.  I consider it one of my iconic images, with the blowing Red Tree in a heroic stance.  For me, it’s message is one that is relevant for this event, one of feeling the need to connect with the outer world and having your voice heard.  For many, art is that thing that allows this connection is the primary reason for  my support of our local arts council.

As I wrote in my earlier post about the auction, I feel that our local arts council, the Arts Council of the Southern Finger Lakes, serves a vital service in our region, which is primarily a rural area with a dwindling industrial base that has not seen an economic boom in my lifetime.  There are not a lot of opportunities for aspiring artists here and it can seem like an impossible dream at times for many artists.  But the Arts Council offers them a sliver of hope in pursuing their dream.  It educates, it informs and it seeks out opportunity for the artist.  As I wrote earlier, it has served me well in my own career and for that I will be forever grateful.

So, if you would like to help out an organization that is dedicated to helping others find their voice or simply would like to  get an original piece of art at a possible bargain price , please take a look at the online auction.  Thanks!!!

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Auction for the Arts

Posted in Current Events, Favorite Things, tagged , , , on April 17, 2013| 6 Comments »

GC Myers- Sending Out This piece is called Sending Out , a 12″ by16″  painting on linen that is currently available  in an online auction to benefit The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes, a local organization that promotes the arts in my area.  It has been a mainstay in our area for many years  and  has provided immense support for numerous young (and older!) artists through that time.  One of my first solo exhibits early on in my career took place at the gallery space at their offices in Corning.  It was a big boost for an unknown artist and gave me the confidence to push ahead.  I think it’s a vital organization for our area and I hope that in some small way I can contribute to its continued success.

This online auction ends on May 3 and is then continued and ends after a silent auction (which has absentee bidding on the auction site) at their annual REcycled Runway Fashion Show on the following evening, May 4.  This is their big event each year and consists of fashions made from unusual discarded items.  There was a  gown made from old blue nylon tarps and another  dress made from colorful  bags that once held black oil sunflower seeds in last year’s show.  The creativity is pretty remarkable and it’s always a rousing success for an organization that I want to see continued in my home area.

I normally don’t donate  a lot of work for the many art auctions for charities that take place in many localities around the country.  I know that sounds sort of rude when taken at face value so I had better explain.  It’s not that I don’t support these charities.  On the contrary, I usually donate cash instead or will auction a piece on my own, as I have done here in the past for the disasters in Haiti and Japan.  It’s just that most of these events take place in the areas where the art market is small and the retail galleries in these areas are definitely hurt by these auctions.

Maintaining a gallery in a small market is a tough business with a finite amount of collectors and to lose even a handful of potential sales from one of these auctions, let alone the dozens that usually take place throughout the year, can hurt their business and even imperil their very existence.  I have a sense of loyalty and responsibility for these galleries that give a community such a cultural flavor and offer many area artists  an opportunity to exhibit and sell their work.  I know that I am forever indebted for them giving me a life-changing opportunity when I began my career.  If I can help them stay in business then hopefully that same opportunity can be extended to another young artist whose life will be forever altered.

But this is the one auction I do donate to.  I thought that this year I would let the wider world know about it in hopes of raising a few more dollars for an organization that enables the dreams of  many artists, both established and aspiring,  in this area.  So, if you want to help the Arts  or want to possibly pick up a piece of art at a bargain price, check out the auction at BiddingForGood.com.

Thanks!

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