Skewered - Sketch

Skewered - Sketch, Improv Video

I knew I needed to paint last weekend and I was not in the mood. Initially I attempted to make some new You Name It's but I wasn't getting inspired by them. Finally I decided to do what I love about making art - something spontaneous. Last spring the improv videos got my creative juices flowing and the same thing definitely happened over the weekend. I did not come out with a final piece but I brought some old imagery that I really care about back to life.

Here is the video bellow. You can also view it on viddler and youtube.

The music in the video is by Paleo - Woman Like Me - 20060508.

I think the reason why I love creating the improv videos is the accountability. That little blinking green light every 5 seconds doesn't let me wander over to my email or stop to think about another project I should be working on. It forces me to think on my feet and react quickly. I never love the images I get out of these paintings but the versatility of the materials comes out and the imagery seems to mature (if not on paper at least in my mind).

If you are a regular follower of this blog the image above may be familiar. Last winter I made a very quick sketch called Scrambled Egg Head and this reminds me of it which is very appropriate reference after I realized why this painting was coming out of me.

What am I talking about in this painting? What little frustrations oozed out of me? Living in South Korea has been one of the biggest challenges of my life and not for the reasons I expected. I knew I would get homesick, I knew I'd get sick of the food, I knew I wouldn't love teaching. These are all things that I expected to bother me - none of them do compared to what is shown in this sketch. South Korea is one of the last Confucius cultures that means that women are second class citizens. I think that my reaction to this has been more severe than some because I a here with my fiance - they always go to him first. One of the main things that has kept me going in this country is knowing that I am living not as an English teacher but a diplomat of Western values and social progress. By the way, did you know that they don't have gay people in Korea?!

All of that being said, yes, this sketch is definitely a rosy picture of something not so rosy but Korea has many other amazing points. I am very proud to be living in a county that has come so far in such a short time. Think about the 1950's. It has also made me appreciate even more my background and opportunities.

Back to the art.


The figure in this remind me of my favorite print I ever made - one of the very first prints, of course. It was a quick line drawing of a nude torso slightly twisted. I printed them on old text from Tom Sawyer written in Italian.

Mannequins have been in my artwork since I was about 16. Something about the fashion and aesthetic coupled with the critique on the female body and the world's perception of how a women should look has always fascinated me.


Some how I got stuck on this oil and water reaction as an affect last year when I first started making improv paintings. Similar flowers can be seen in Zoollpaper and Solo Duet.

Well, that will be it for a little while. We are going to Seoroksan this weekend to see the Cherry Blossoms. Happy April!