Sky on the Road

Color in Two Perspectives- Painting & Photography

OCTOBER 12TH, 2012

5-9PM

410 S MICHIGAN AVE. #609

CHICAGO IL 60605

773.561.0825

1st Thursdays Open Studios Event- NYC

Maya Malioutina (www.mayamalioutina.com) has invited me 

to be part of their 

1st Thursdays Open Studios event. 

If you are in NYC and wants to stop by 

and see our work...

Our work is very different in conception and experience. 

A nice combination though!

Cello Series- copyright 2010

I like the shape of the cello.

Its curves, the delicacy of the finished touches, and its sound! so clear ... profound and simple...

I began working on the Cello Series in 2010. I felt inspired by the many cellos lined up on the show room of violin maker's shop William Harris Lee on the 5th floor of the Fine Arts Building, where my studio is located. At night, when the building is quiet, I like to see the cellos, one after the other in rows as an army awaiting to be called to a musical field. 

Using the image of a reclined cello, this series explores the dualities of life: warm.cold; positive.negative; soft.rough; sun.moon; life.death, etc. The series is composed of four drawings and four mixed media pieces.

I began the series by working from a photograph. At first it was simply graphite drawings

But as I kept working on them, I began reflecting on the precision and softness portrait by the instrument and its music. I thought on the impact of its music upon its audience's internal world. At the concert we see polite and appropriate behavior from the audience but more than once I have wondered "what really is going on in the internal world of this audience?..." "what their ears will hear?..." "will the music really make a difference in their inner world?..."

I asked myself: how could I represent the duality of human existence ... I began then exploring with other materials and techniques: I printed the drawing onto a translucent piece of paper which in turn was fixed onto a wooden frame. On that surface, oil pastels were applied and worked with melted wax; in some instances the naked eye can't make the image below and the contrast between the soft and delicacy of the cello and its music is buried by a conglomerate of wax particles interrupting, perhaps, a pleasant view of the image. Viewers asks me about the titles... about the colors chosen... I worked intuitively; rational explanations are out of the creative equation ...

Translucent Bow (sold)
-private collection of lyric singer Oswaldo Iraheta)

Punishment of the Cello

Hanging Note

Bringer of Strings

Accidental Genius | Milwaukee Art Museum

Accidental Genius | Milwaukee Art Museum

The Wroctaw School of Printmaking, Poland

The Chicago Cultural Center is presenting a group show from The Wroctaw School of Printmaking (Poland). The exhibit opened Friday 13 and it will be in view until March 25th, 2012.
It is one of the most exquisite and compelling printmaking show I have seen in a long, long time!
The creative force demonstrated by the flow of their imagination and competence is breath taking.
A must see exhibit!!    http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/event_landing/events/dca_tourism/Wroclaw_School_of_Printmaking.html

The Artistic Circle. Mandala Contest

The Artistic Circle (the-artistic-circle.com) made a call to artists from around the world to participate in a contest interpreting the mandala symbol. 

A promotional video captures the essence of all the Mandala paintings entered into the competition. You can view it here:

http://the-artistic-circle.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c8f1227ad04bf7556215bd210&id=bcddbe4112&e=0f108856e5

All the Mandalas are beautiful and you can vote for up to 5 times for the same artist or for five different artists. So ... if after viewing the video you feel inclined to vote for 

the mandala paintings, including mine, here is the link to the vote page:

http://the-artistic-circle.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c8f1227ad04bf7556215bd210&id=c2706ba17a&e=0f108856e5 

Thanks!

These imagse will leave Lady Gaga speechless!

Les Tribus De L'Omo - The painted people of the Surma and Mursi tribes in Southern Ethiopia - Photos by Hans Silvester.
"These images can teach all the artists what the real and natural art is .This is an example of how nature taught a man to live in the midst of colours and pigments of natures kind"

http://youtu.be/U3jAmaImbBI

3rd Annual NIght at the Fine Arts Building

When: Friday 9th, 2011

Time: 5:00pm until 10:00pm..
Where: The Fine Arts Building, 410 S Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60605

We are celebrating our 3rd annual Night at the Fine Arts Building!

The event is taking place December 9th, 2011 from 5pm-10pm.

The 3rd Annual "Night at the Fine Arts Building" will be held on Friday, December 9th. Come enjoy the festivities at the Nation's oldest artist colony. All of our artist studios will be open and there will be dance, music recitals, theatre, and workshops. Enjoys a glass of wine and walk the 10 floors of the famed Fine Arts Building, where Frank Lloyd Wright, Ezra Pound, and L. Frank Baum (amongst many other notables) called home.

Come check out some great art, music, theatre and more! My studio (#609) will be open. Stop by to say
Hi!

Feature Article @ Manhattan Arts International

Manhattan Arts International is featuring my work. If curious and having some time for the article reading... here is the link:


http://www.manhattanarts.com/index.html

The Fine Art of Friends

Usually by this time of the year I tend to get into a self reflective mood. I like to reflect on the few communities I am part of --The School of the Art Institute, ICSW, CCC, and my most dearest of all: FAB- a hub of creative people under the roof of the Fine Arts Building. I have carried my art and clinical practice there for almost 15 years!, always  in the same studio:  #609. I feel fortunate and highly grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a rich, dynamic, creative place.

On 11/11/11 the Fine Art of Friends exhibit on the 2nd Floor Gallery opened up to the public  Seven artists with studios at FAB -Karen Tichy, Zoe Spirra, Alenna Marie Sandy, Kathleen Newman, Anita Miller, Rich Lo and myself- invited one friend from outside the FAB community. The exhibit was organized by Karen Tichy. I invited my long standing art colleague & friend Bert Menco. The show runs till December 5th after which the FAB members show will take place to close the year 2011 in the big finale party on December 9th. I hope you take some time to stop by to view this show, the next one, or just to say Hi!. To learn more about FAB artists go to: www.fineartsbuilding.com

Ledesma(left)- Menco(right)

Karen Tichy

  

Art of Flowers @ Garfield Park Conservatory

Since the hailstorm in June this year that destroyed the roof of the fern room in the Garfield Park Conservatory (http://www.garfield-conservatory.org/), and by responding to their pledge for financial help, I realized to have left my visits to the conservatory "for later" and seldom I have made myself go all the way South to visit it. So when I received an invitation for the invitation of their art exhibit "Blossom II. Art of Flowers", I immediately made my decision to attend it,which is a surprise to me as I do not tend to be inclined to attend shows of this kind.

What I saw was an exquisite display of craftmanship in every painting exhibited. The artist's soul seemed to be pouring out of the flowers with the choice of color like the red in "Spring" by Brazilian artist Nilton Mendonca, or by their title like in Anna Killian's "Fragility of Home". Unfortunately, the entrance to the conservatory does not make for a good exhibit space, in my opinion; some of the paintings are placed so high up that it is not possible read the tag with the painting information and it does not make justice to the paintings viewing.

Besides viewing the exhibit, you can take a walk through the plants room as a bonus and real treat!! It is worth a trip.  The show runs till December 31st, 2011. You can view the work in their online catalogue here: http://blossomartcompetition.com/Catalog2.html

When a good artist's coach is also an artist ...

Inner Strength by Renee Philliips

Her name is Renee Phillips- one of the best known artists coach in USA. She is known for her dedication to artists, for her complete trust in the creative process and the ones she takes under her wing, and for a direct "no sugar coated"-goal oriented approach. If you want to make it in the art business, and need her guidance, you must be prepared for a high speed ride!

I learned about Renee several years ago when a artist tenant at the Fine Arts Building, where I have my studio, had organized an informal meeting in her studio with Renee. Even though I could not make it, I began to follow her trajectory as a writer for the artists. No too long ago we connected via Linkedln  when I responded to a question she was reflecting on for one of her upcoming books (by a way: she liked my statement & decided to include it in her book-- thank you Renee!)

So now, when needing some advise, who do you think I would contact?... Renee Phillips, of course. We did talk few days ago and to my surprise she discloses her passion for jewelry making which I did know nothing about.

Her latest e-newsletter has a section on it. I went to her jewelry gallery and I liked what I saw. I want to share the link with you as I suspect you would probably like it too. Here goes: http://www.ReneePhillipsArt.com  and if you are interested in reading her jewelry blog... http://reneephillipsartjewelry.blogspot.com/

Have fun!

FOCUS 4 @ the Illinois State Museum- Chicago Gallery

           Rebecca Wolfram, Don Seiden, Mario Trejo, and Christopher Furman exhibits opened this past Friday 7th. Each of them engulfed my energy and vision with their rich and profound art works but the work of Seiden, Trejo, & Furman are the ones that really made an impact on my artist self.


I primarily went to see Don Seiden (www.donseiden.com), my mentor while at SAIC and one of my dear colleagues and art companion who interest in mental health took him to create the first art therapy program in town at SAIC back in the early 80s. His passion and raw emotional expression touches the core of human experience and existence.


I also enjoyed the work of Mario Trejo (www.mariotrejo.com) that I viewed for first time. He covers large surfaces with ink which then seems to be have been attacked by sharp objects to create a simply intricated but thoughtful imagery that resemblance a woven piece of frabric. Each piece felt to me an invitation to enter into a spiritual cosmos of some sort.


The work of Christopher Furman (www.christopherfurman.com) takes time to assimilate and/or understand. His work is a "thought-provoking kinetic theater" (Jim Zommer/director) which becomes alive with the viewer's participation- in fact, our participation is expected.


An exhibit worth to view. Stop by if having a chance. The show runs through January 6th 2012.

Visual Poetry/Mailart/Fluxux & "Write Now"

Visual Poetry/Mailart/Fluxus in conjunction with "Write Now" can be viewed at the Chicago Cultural Center- 2nd Fl Chicago Rooms. The opening reception was on 9/30/11. It was packed! 
The two exhibits combined show the talent of more than 100 artists. It is a little crowded for my taste but worth to stop by and take some time to view it.


I participated in Fluxus exhibit with a watercolor painting "Within a Thread of Light" as a response to the poem "Tools & Inventions" by Dan Godston. The poem touches a cord in me and resonates with the experience of seeing the decay of my mother's mind to Alzheimer's disease. 

Within a Thread of Light. Watercolor on Paper. Copyright 2011

Tools & Inventions by Daniel Godston

A lump of wool, light-airy, twisted with a weaver’s fingers
into thread, knitted into a sweater, heavy-warm.
Moisture swirls slowly in a cumulus cluster, woven
with condensation bursting into threaded
sheets. Nebular thoughts swirl slowly in a mind cloud,
threads braided by fingers striking a keyboard, F minor chord
with felt-covered hammers to strings in an upright,
an f key hammered to ribbon to 24-pound linen bond sheet,
the words within arm’s length but the world far away.

A computer, that boolean-driven trickster, a folded up
stepladder leaned against a wall by the periodicals section,
a braided hemp rope sliding through a pulley,
a blacksmith’s hammer striking a sheet of iron
folded over a thousand times into a samurai’s sword,
an abacus by a box of sugar-free gum at the checkout
counter, a calligrapher’s pen dipped into an ink
well write now while the page is blank and the mind is bursting
with ideas, the world within arm’s length but the words far away.