Kate Korroch

Back to Asia I Go!

2011-04-22T09:58:00.004-05:00

Hello Blog Readers,

I hope that this message find you all very well. I have a new project that I am working on that I think you will enjoy being a part of.

1. I recently launched my first Kickstarter-"AnyBody Out There?" This summer I'm participating in a residency at Red Gate Gallery in Beijing, China and I'm going back to South Korea for research. Kickstarter is an online program that helps people raise money for creative projects. Each donation level has an award--for example for "AnyBody Out There?" you can get a limited edition artist book or various original paintings. To get any donation you must hit your goal but you can exceed your goal.

I hope you enjoy the video! My husband did an amazing job with it.

2. To go along with my research in China and South Korea, I have created a project about bodies. I have been collecting data and will eventually create art based on my findings. This summer I will have a card which asks people in their native language to describe their bodies. For now I am testing the idea through email, blogs like my sister's new blog, etc. If you would like to contribute send me this information:

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Please briefly describe your body:

Would you like to be named or anonymous?

Optional:

Age-

Gender-

Nationality-

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Thank you for your unending support!

Kate

September Sketches

2009-10-11T05:59:00.006-05:00

When we returned from our trip to America I brought back my favorite kind of sketch book. When it comes to drawing I am not a Moleskin fanatic. My best quick sketches come from square sketch books - they can be rectangular or square. Last month I set a goal to do at least two quick sketches every week. I have actually stuck to it. My sketch book has tagged along on every weekend adventure and it has gotten some attention.

I am doing this for many reasons. First of all, when I lived in Cortona I was graded on the sketch book I kept. The result of that exercise was countless memories from my time there. Despite the fact that I express myself visually, I am oblivious to the visual world. Unless I sit down and spend time with it it is lost on me. The other main reason I am doing this is to regain my drawing skills. I used to be good at drawing at I've lost that. Painting is an easy way to ignore drawing. Drawing is a fundamental. Without that structure any piece of art, realistic or abstract, is weak.

To hold myself accountable I will be sharing a few of these sketches on my blog. I hope you enjoy them!

Sept 28, 2009, Samcheok-si, South Korea

As you can see, this image is of two sketch merged together. Chad and I climbed the big hill in Samcheok one night to have a picnic. As he snapped pictures I drew the ship yard on the East Sea/Sea of Japan. I did a couple of quick sketches of the shipyard then settled into the one on the left. For better context I did the other sketch - I wanted to remember the contrast of the shipyard and the rolling coast. If you let your eyes wander to the left you can get a little bit of the vast feeling from the ocean.

While I was drawing there was a Korean man with me in the pagoda. He sat for a long time then got up and did a bunch of exercises for a good ten minutes. As he was preparing to go he came up to me and told me that he liked my camera case. My camera case is an old gift card bag from Anthropologie. He was pretty sweet, didn't speak a word of English. We said good-bye and then Chad arrived for the picnic.

September 5, 2009, Samcheok-si. South Korea, Beach

This is the view south up the coast towards Donghae. We go to Donghae for sandwich sized wheat bread. More than once we have seen huge ships going in and out of that port - once we even saw a submarine! This particular day was one of relaxing in the sand. We were surrounded by Koreans playing in the water. There was a group of Koreans there from a tour bus. They were very enamored with us and one even asked for a picture together. A a little while after he came back because he wasn't happy with the first picture. I held out my hand and said, "Mon won!" which means "Ten dollars!" Luckily, he laughed.

The next two sketches are from a bit further down the beach in the little cove you can see in the sketch above.

September 29, 2009, Samcheok-si, South Korea, Beach

I drew this on the day of our last cookout on the beach. Every other weekend or so we all go to the beach to grill. In this little grilling cove we are surrounded by rocks, the ocean, a bit of sand, barbed wire, and a military lookout point complete with a gun rest. These lookouts are scattered every kilometer or so along the coast.

September 29, 2009, Samcheok-si, South Korea, Beach

I didn't finish this sketch but I like it. Gareth and Chad were waiting for the grill to heat up while I sketched. As I started this drawing everyone else arrived. I love drawing figures. I have a long way to go to get back into shape but I still enjoy it.

Well, that is all you get to see from September. I have started using some graphite in October so next month will be very exciting!

Congratulations Edward!

2009-09-28T05:18:00.002-05:00

Ed, you are the winner! Congratulations! Ed is a friend of mine from Indiana University, he just relocated to Chicago. What a great way to shake hands with the community! Just show up and your two tickets will be at the door under my name. I'll let my contact know that you are the winner! Have a blast!

Ramsey and Marilyn, thank you so much for signing up. I hope you still try to make it out to the show. Let me know if you do, friends of artists get $5 off. If not you can still check the artwork out here.

FREE TICKET RAFFLE - Inspired Art Chicago

2009-09-20T19:00:00.001-05:00

As promised, here is a way for you to go to Inspired Art Chicago for FREE!

I am raffling 2 tickets for the event. I can't go - it's a long flight from Korea - so, I want to send someone. Take pictures!

Please make a comment bellow before the end of the day on Sunday, September 27th, 2009, EST. Please make sure to include your name and last initial in the comment. On Monday I will use random.org - an idea I got from Anne Leuk Feldhaus's blog - to randomly select the winner! If you re-post this blog post I will enter your name twice.

I will announce the winner on Monday, September 28th.

DETAILS:

1. Make a comment on this blog post with your first name and last initial.
2. Enter before Sunday, September 27th, 2009, EST
3. If you re-post this offer let me know and your name will be entered twice.
4. Thursday, October 1st - South Halsted Gallery (1825 S Halsted) - 6-9PM

Pass it on!

Thanks!

Inspired Art Chicago - Cover Art & Tickets

2009-09-19T22:03:00.003-05:00

The tickets are available for Inspired Art Chicago! Click here to buy your tickets for the event on Thursday, October 1, 2009!

Do you recognize the featured artwork? To read about that piece click here.

Check out my friend Maria Doering's piece that she is donating - "Colette".

You can view some of the other 40 artist's work on the Inspired Art Chicago website - http://inspiredartchicago.wordpress.com/the-art/

Check back here tomorrow for a way you can attend the event for free!

Happy Sunday!

Where's Waldo?

2009-08-29T20:02:00.005-05:00

Image from The Canvas Project at the Atlanta Airport, Art House Co-op

If you feel like being patient that me, the pictures from The Canvas Project in the Atlanta Airport are up! You can view them in the Art House Co-op's Flickr Account here . I was actually in the Atlanta Airport while this was up but I was buried deep within the international departure gates. If we had had more time it would have been fun to go and see.

If you happen to be in Atlanta you can go see!

If you'd like to search for one of my canvases but you can't remember them you can go back to my post about them.

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On another note, my friend from UGA's Art School in Cortona, Italy, Maria Doering is participating in Inspired Art Chicago! She is incredibly talented, I can't wait to see what she comes up with. Check out her website, blog and etsy sites!

You Name It III - NAMED by Vanesa A. - Inspired Art Chicago

2009-08-27T01:00:00.005-05:00

I selected my piece for Inspired Art Chicago! My original plan was foiled by my parents' intimidating storage space where many of my paintings have been residing. I think the alternate worked out even better! You Name It III finally has a name - Sometimes Feelings. The poem Sometimes Feelings was written by Vanesa A. who is 10 years old, Corkey School, Chicago. Please read this amazing poem below. I can't believe how eloquent it is.

Sometimes Feelings

Isn’t it strange when people tell you things that aren’t true?
You feel so sad and disappointed.
So your thoughts go around and around.
Your head moves like an airplane flying around in circles
and tastes like chocolate with spices of meanness and sourness.
Smells like a world with meanness.

But when you’re with a real friend you feel sure.
It’s strange when you’re happy and suddenly
you feel so depressed and nervous that your thoughts just disappear
and don’t remember what you were going to say.
They move like a magic book flipping over and over the pages.
So it tastes like candy you don’t remember what it was called.
But sometimes you just say I don’t know what I was thinking of.

So your thoughts just disappear like a magic cape that is invisible
that you can’t see.

Vanesa A., age 10
Corkey School, Chicago

Isn't it fantastic? The words and images go together beautifully. That's why I love art. In my original blog post about You Name It III, I think that details 1 and 3 really are really highlighted in the poem. I love how the two creations are now hand in hand.

Detail 1, You Name It III

Detail 3, You Name It III

If you would like to view some of the other artwork that has been selected visit the Inspired Art Website - http://inspiredartchicago.wordpress.com/.

It's not too late to participate. The website is easy to follow. Or you can refer to my previous post about the project.

Thanks for reading and send those kids a high-five!

Inspired Art - Chicago

2009-07-24T19:26:00.004-05:00

My friend, Brian, contacted me a few weeks ago about this amazing project he is putting together for the youth of Chicago. The basic concept of the project is to bring together the students and artists. The students all wrote poems (an amazing range of subject matter, at the very least you should read the poems - http://inspiredartchicago.wordpress.com/the-poetry/) and then artists have the opportunity to browse the poems and then select one to pair with a current piece of work or to create a piece based on the poem.

I can't get over how amazing this program is. It benefits everyone. America SCORES (the organization hosting this) get publicity and donations and most importantly, these kids get to feel really good about their writing in a very special circumstance. The artists get publicity, (a 20% cut if they so choose), a tax deduction for the donation AND they get to do something with these awesome kids!

If you are interested visit their blog - http://inspiredartchicago.wordpress.com/.

The For Artists section highlights what you can do to participate. The general time line is as follows:

July 1^st: Participant recruitment opens; SCORES begins accepting applications and pieces.

September 1^st: Submission Deadline for Cover Art Contest

September 10^th: Final deadline for interested artists to register and select a poem.

September 20^th: Final Deadline for submission of pieces to the Inspired Art Project.

October 1st: America SCORES Chicago’s first annual Inspired Art Show and Auction.

If you do not choose to participate please at least spread the word. This is an amazing cause and a lot more than just a charity auction, it's giving these kids a way to creatively express themselves and get rewarded for it.

I'll let you know which poem and piece I choose. After reading some of the poems I have a You Name It piece or two that I think will work well.

At the very least re-blog this on your blog or copy this information and send an email! Thanks!

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On another note - WE ARE FLYING HOME TODAY!!!!!! We leave our apartment in 30 minutes! Wow, I'm so excited!

Happy Weekend!

Kate

The Canvas Project - Finished!

2009-06-21T00:47:00.005-05:00

4 of the 5 Canvases

I finally finished my 5 canvases for the Art House Co-op Canvas Project. You may remember that I received thees canvases in April. They are due June 30th. I am a true procrastinator. To create some kind of theme and inspiration I decided to associate a body part with each word I was assigned. This project took em back to my favorite form of printing making - body prints.

Bellow are the 5 canvases in no particular order. Let me know what you think of the associations. Which body part would you have picked to represent these words?

Trusting –adj. inclined to trust; confiding; trustful: a trusting child.

Thelemic - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelemic_mysticism - I reduced this word to "spiritual" for the sake of avoiding a headache

Prosper - To be successful; to succeed; to be fortunate or prosperous; to thrive; to make gain.

Nelipot - Someone who is walking without shoes

Deceit - an act or device intended to deceive; trick; stratagem.

Some of my interpretations were slightly jaded but I like them and I think that they are very appropriate in many circumstances.

Bellow are some process pictures. Sharing process photos is one of my favorite parts of having a blog.

Partially done canvases and a loaded brush not sitting in water! Bad, Kate!

Process picture for nelipot. Acrylic and glue.

Process picture for trusting. Acrylic and glue.

Some of my tests. I tried mixing different media - ink, acrylic, flour, glue, tempera, water, etc. When I am stuck in a world with out string gel I am stuck trying to create alternative. Man, I miss that stuff. We saw some while we were in Japan but it was way to expensive, not to mention the liquids issue in the airport.

Part of deceit. I almost save this paper but I would just throw it away later.

If you would like more information on the Art House Co-op and the Canvas project visit http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/canvasproject.

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A little note: I have actually been drawing a little bit more lately. Chad and I have decided to design and print our wedding stationary. We are in the midst of finalizing our STD's (save the dates;). We are hoping to print them via gocco. Originally I was thinking silk screen but I think gocco is the way to go!

I hope you are well! Happy summer!

New Blog - Zoo Parts

2009-04-26T04:28:00.002-05:00

You may not have noticed that for some reason living in Korea has left me completely unmotivated to paint. I think I just run out of creative fuel after using it up on teaching and living in such a different culture. I still want to put something out into the art field so I have started a new blog - www.zooparts.blogspot.com. The name is slightly based on You Name It No. 1., my favorite piece from 2008.

Zoo Parts will focus more on art theory and criticism - hopefully I will also tackle some of the bigger ideas in regard to contemporary art & artists that have been wandering around in my head.

I will still be posting here. Hopefully I will get working again soon but as I am wading through this strange stunt in artistic growth I will leave you with my more academic analysis of other artists' work.

If you are interested in a slightly less "Kate-centric" blog I think you will really enjoy this one. Thank for all of your constant support!

Kate

Most recent post on Zoo Parts - New Age Mondrian - Klas Ernflo's "Color Pad"

Canvas Project - Ready, GO!

2009-04-12T02:46:00.005-05:00

My canvases for the Canvas Project

About a month ago I signed up to participate in the Canvas Project Volume 2 which is hosted by Art House Coop, an incredibly inspiring art entity. From my crude scanning of their website I have learned that they have a gallery in Georgia where they have exhibits and host art residencies. They also create projects like the one in which I am participating. The projects are basically a way to bring art to everyone and a way to enable any artist, the curious doodler to DaVinci, to exhibit and be published.

Man, I wish I had thought of that first!

Art House Coop Links:

main website: http://www.arthousecoop.com/
canvas project vol. 2: http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/canvasproject
blog: http://arthousecoop.blogspot.com/
twitter: http://twitter.com/arthouse

The project involves 5 small canvases and 5 randomly selected words from a user generated collection. Each canvas must be about one of the 5 words. When the project is finished they select at least one canvas from each artist's complete collection to be displayed in a final exhibit in the Atlanta International Airport. There will also be a book published of the show. Each artist that sends back all five canvases will be published and exhibited for only $18. Let me tell you, that is WAY less than buying all of the supplies yourself.

It is basically a worldwide community art project.

To participate by adding words (free) or by painting 5 canvases click HERE!

So, here are my words. I didn't know the meaning of one so that was fun!

I haven't done any sketches yet, it has bee a busy week (school dinners and Korean classes).

This is what was in the package I received at school.

Here are my little canvases. They are each 3 x 3 inches.

Let me know if you have any gut reactions to the words. I haven't thought of anything yet but I will start sketching soon. If the small canvases go well I may create bigger versions. We'll see.

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One another note, I am thinking about broadening the posts on my blog to a more general art site and not just my work. I really enjoy spreading information and I am not really painting very much. I basically just have to decide if I want to start a whole new blog or shoot off of this one. A large part of me wants ot start a new blog that is slightly more anonymous and not connected to my art. Let me know if you have an opinion! Thanks!

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ALSO, Chad started a new website - Brevity 5. He posts a different image/subject everyday and then writes only 5 words about the topic. I have really been enjoying it - great thing to add to your morning coffee.

Skewered - Sketch

2009-04-02T04:45:00.005-05:00

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!

www.katekorroch.com

2009-04-02T04:32:00.003-05:00

Just a head up that I finally gave my website a minor face lift. Using Weebly I was able to create a website without getting too much technical help. The big hole is the gallery section. I haven't found a gallery that I like. More to come but I feel good about having something fresh up.

Visit - www.katekorroch.com

Francine's Sister

2009-03-31T07:13:00.003-05:00

Francine's Sister, 60 x 72 cm., mixed media on board

As promised, more fruit. May I present Francine the Asia Pear's companion, Francine's sister. I wanted to pump out some more fruit pieces in the hope that etsy will serve me as well as it did last spring. Bellow are a few nice close ups were you can see the text contour lines. I actually dyed all of the paper in tea and coffee on our stove.

Unlike most fruit paintings, this one too me quite a while to finish. After I put down the text layer I completed the majority of the painting in a few hours. Something wasn't quite right but I added a few subtle details with pastels that really made the contours stand out.

I am still not completely settled on the back ground. In the spirit of Francine the Asian Pear I left it the natural wood color but in all honesty I may change it. We'll see.

Here is a little glance into the process. I did a quick sketch with a sharpie and then began to lay down the text contour lines. I used a mixture of flour and water. As I typed that I realized that might be why I had to make an emergency trip to the grocery the other day for flour. . . . oops.

I think this book is the Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. It was a wonderful book but I finished it and it was the only book available.

Francine's Niece, 24 x 33 cm., mixed media on canvas

Finally, I made a baby one. Both are now listed on etsy for purchase!

Stay tuned for a new improv video in the next few days! I finished one over the weekend and I am just finishing up the video editing now!

Happy April!

You Name It VII

2009-03-14T21:28:00.003-05:00

You Name It VII, 14 x 21 cm., mixed media on cardboard

Here is a quick collage sketch I did the other day. I miss doing fast little collages, I gathered a lot of imagery from them when I did them in Chicago last year. Finding interesting old books is a challenge in Korea.

The color scheme and emptiness of this sketch remind me of You Name It III. Maybe I will combine the two compositions at some point.

Despite the fact that this doesn't count towards my 16 paintings I have been working and sketching is just as important as coming up with a final product. As vital as sketching is, I tend to be an expert at overlooking it.

Well, enjoy my doodle,

K

Kiwi I

2009-03-05T17:05:00.004-06:00

Kiwi Fruit (or Torpedo Fruit Bowl), 60 x 85 cm., mixed media on board

I have made a goal to have 16 paintings done by the end of May - 8 fruit paintings and 8 creative paintings. Despite the fact that I am not feeling incredibly artistically inspired I feel like I need to take the spare time I have and create something. Living in Korea is incredibly distracting (visually the creative juices just aren't at their usual flow) but I want to take advantage of the situation as an artist. I have had two exhibits in Italy, why not add Korea to my international list. If do well here I may be able to get some residencies in China of Japan next year which will be a great way to travel when we are done in Korea!

So, this was a fruit attempt thought I must say it was almost thrown into the "creative" category.

So, this piece went through a lot of unintended layers. I did a few quick sketches before I went to the actual surface. The sketches were done in ink on butcher paper. On the second sketch I did some work with pastels and them painted over the pastels with a mixture of water and flour (mostly to adhere the color). Once I was comfortable with the layout I took a loaded brush (ink) and quickly sketched out the painting. My plan was to use brown paper and collage the shapes of the kiwi in. Sometimes I draw much better with tearing paper than with a pencil or inked brush. Instead I just went right for the pastels. Before I knew it the "painting" was a drawing on board. The final touches were some shadows I drew in with watered down ink and a very small amount of acrylic paint that I used to paint the bottom of the bowl. At the very end I took a small brush and applied some flour/water to some spots on the kiwi. I then beat the lines out to give them a more unified feel (while still being able to see the lines). I need to find some varnish.

The bowl has a funky wood grain that is like pond ripples. I took the pattern up one notch on the exaggeration scale which I ended up really liking.

I think that this image is a nice view of the different techniques used. You can see the ink, pastel, acrylic and the effect of the flour and water.

I haven't quite finished. The bowl is almost to subtle for me. I have thought about making it red. Opinions? I also need to finish the edges, then it will be ready to sell. As soon as I have a few paintings done I'll be re-posting on etsy and I will start looking for galleries.

Happy March!

Marz & Me

2009-02-25T19:20:00.002-06:00

Hello,

My sister, Molly, recently graduated high school. As she waits to enter college in the fall she has created a curriculum for herself to learn about different art fields. I am guiding her in learning about art history. While I am desperately trying to find supplies in Korea this is what I have been doing to keep my mind exercised. If you would like to see what Molly and I are doing visit Marz & Me!

Thanks,

Kate

Tea Bag Sketches I

2009-02-12T05:27:00.003-06:00

I have no new work to share online. I have been working but I am in the process of resharpening my drawing skills (I hate drawing, I hold pencils like paint brushes). My dear friend Casey gave me a few ideas and one of them was to draw myself. So I have been sketching my face. I decided that by the time I die I want to be able to draw my own face without a mirror. That could be tricky because as much as I don't want to admit it, I may get some wrinkles on the way. Oh, well more of a challenge.

So, tea bags. These sketches are from December 15, 2008. I was sitting at my desk at school and digesting the fact that the teachers were drinking mushroom tea. It smelled horrible. The taste is just earthy. This whole tea thing sent my mind on a tea bag craze.

The first picture above is an idea to design tea bags that describe characteristics that I think are Korean. I then started thinking about North Korea and the differences and similarities, how little time has gone since they became separate. The sketch bellow is what I came up with for that. You can guess which is which.

Other words for South Korea: homogeneous, backwards, naive, beautiful, untouched, unaffected, tradition, whole, value, calm, secret, ritual

I kind of stopped with this project because the last idea is what interests me the most (SK vs. NK) and i feel that I am in no position to make art about the situation. I can't make judgments because I just don't know. What happened here is deeply seeded and silent. I have occasionally tried to ask questions but most people have family who are in North Korea, it is a sensitive subject.

So, this is where the tea bag from the last post got it origin. Maybe I will continue with this idea but in a less blatant way. I loved the cropped photos of the improv tea bag, maybe I'll use those methods to communicate these ideas.

Well, time to stare at myself with a pencil in hand.

One more thing, two good friends of mine have just started new blogs. Zane Davis, a photographer in Chicago is now writing Plane of Focus. Another good friend, Marty Sorge , a wino/foodie, just started a catch-all blog with a food and wine twist, Blue Bottle. Zane and Marty are both very close friends and incredibly talented in their respective fields.

Tea Bag I - Mixed Media Study

2009-02-03T00:04:00.004-06:00

I have set a goal for the new year to paint and post more. The last few months all of my creative energy was suddenly consumed by communication and digesting a new culture. Now, after living here almost 6 months I am ready to treat Korea as though it is my home and not let it keep me from doing the things I do at home.

Last weekend I tried to do some drawings from a leg of our trip in Malaysia, Penang has beautiful buildings. On a side note, Penang, was incredible, you can learn more about our trip there when we post about it on Spicy Fishy. If you don't get a chance to check it out on our website, in a nut shell Penang is the melting pot of Asia. It was full of different religions and cultures that live in harmony. Wow. Refreshing. I got the same architectural inspiration I had wandering the streets of Cortona. Anyways, just like myself, I got very frustrated by trying to keep my movement limited to a piece of sketch paper. I promptly decided that an improv painting was in order so I could at least feel creative.

Tea is a very Asian thing (so is instant coffee). I have done some sketches about tea and different kinds of tea bags. I grabbed my sketch as visual reference and went to town.

Music, Kings of Convenience, "Live Long" from Riot on an Empty Street

I enjoy blogging for three main reasons. One, I like to see my progress, its a nice feeling. Two, I think sharing art is more important than making it. Three, it is good to see artwork you create from another prospective. If I am frustrated with a piece I usually look at it with a mirror or upside down or through my digital camera. This third reason helped me feel better about the study I am sharing with you today.

I do not care for the piece as a whole. It looks transparent and incomplete. I really like the cropped in images, maybe I will go somewhere with that in the future.

Chunky Drips! I love them!

I no longer have the humus-looking acrylic medium so I used coffee grounds mixed with tempera!

A final note, this study reminds me of a "Tweaked" Tea Bag.

Alright, I am off to the gym with my fiance! WHOA, yes, we got engaged about two weeks ago! Again, I direct you to SpicyFishy!

Quick Update

2008-08-30T02:59:00.003-05:00

Hello Everyone! I just wanted to call your attention to the blog Chad and I will be working on now that we are in Korea. www.spicyfishy.com. The posting process is coming slowly but as soon as we have internet we will be able to post regularly. As soon as I start painting again this blog will be moving again too.

Thank you so much for all of your support!

Kate

Perugia Oil Portrait Sketches

2008-06-20T12:16:00.008-05:00

Collection of Portriat Sketches at Women Exposed in Bloomington, IN February 2007

Today I have released the rest of the collection of oil portrait sketches I did in Perugia two years ago--they are now either sold or posted to be sold!

This collection of work is one that is very dear to my heart. In the Spring of 2006 I arrived in Perugia after my first (and only) printmaking high. I thought that I had found a new medium that would carry me to new depth in my art. Printmaking did expand my work immensely but experiences with it also beat into my head that I am not a printmaker. After this stir in my artistic psyche I was baffled to find not one press in the facilities in Perugia. Instead I was placed in a beautiful room with the two other artist in my independent study class. We were never there at the same time so it felt like I had a studio all to myself. My inspiration was lacking.

Bettylou (Pineapple), 10 x 11, oil on paper

My teacher, William Pettit, was phenomenal in figuring out where I needed to be pushed. After some frustrated still lives I finally did a quick set of sketches for a larger portrait--keep working the basics. It was like doing sit-ups and push-up every day when I really just needed to go and take along run. Bill saw the sketches and really liked them. He suggested I just start having people come in a sit for me as I do quick sketches of them. The project was amazing. I not only had a wonderful time doing it, I also had a collection of people who willingly modeled for me.

To view the oil portrait sketches that are still for sale visit my etsy site.

Pineapple and Bettylou, aprox. 3x5', Perugia, Italy

After months of these portraits I got a little bit teird of painting people so I turned to something else--pineapples. Pineapples are so colorful and full of texture that they were the perfect new subject for my portrait project! These paintings are also available for sale but are not posted on etsy.

Thanks for reading and please contact me with any questions!

A Room - Installation Idea

2008-06-02T18:19:00.005-05:00

A Room, In Progress Sketch, Spring 2008

This photo is from my sketch book. One of my long terms goal in regard to my art is promoting education and open minds when it comes to the human form. This installation sketch is of a room with many different mannequins representing a variety of bodies. The mannequins will be created with a creative assortment of materials which will help further convey the message and stereotype of each form. Each individual sculpture will be roughly life size to create a more intimate interaction with the piece.

Now, this has been done to certain degrees before (like with real bodies). I wanted to stick in some image references but the names are escaping me at the moment.
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Since the opening I have been running around quite a bit! Chad is moving from Saint Paul to Aspen, CO (we are leaving for that leg of his move on Thursday). I am also in the midst of designing some art classes to teach this summer at Flourish. I have to have all of that done before we leave for CO, so no new art for a couple of weeks. I will get back to my easel soon.

Happy June!

You Name It VI, Flowers

2008-05-16T18:39:00.006-05:00

You Name It VI, 2'x2', mixed media on board

The underlying theme of last weekend seemed to be flowers. On Friday Chad arrived with some sweet pink roses, the next afternoon we chose bundles of flowers to create Mother's Day bouquets and that evening we arrived at the gallery to some beautiful flowers my parents sent. They are on their last legs so I decided to give them eternal life on wood.

This piece is just a quick sketch. I made a video just for fun. I like that this painting is mostly gray and white and not so much colorful.

The Subject

I wanted some kind of an alliteration for the title of this piece. Ideas?

Below is the video, I have never posted a video directly to the blog post. We'll see how this goes.

Explore the Wild Opening!

2008-05-13T19:03:00.017-05:00

This is the sign outside of Flourish Studios.

The opening was a huge success! I am thrilled that everything went so well. We had a huge turnout and I even sold a painting! In this post you can just browse through the pictures I have posted. Sadly, I took no pictures and I have not gotten my hands on all of the pictures that were taken. Enjoy the blips you can see, I might add more later.

Also, thank you for reading this blog. If I didn't feel somewhat accountable to keeping my readers entertained I would not have produced the work which I exhibited in the show.

Me with Zoollpaper, Solo Duet and From the Zoo

This is Andrew Heber. His encaustics are behind us! Andrew and I met while studying at an art school with UGA in Cortona, Italy.

Here is my Tulip, Casey. She had to leave the opening early and run off to the Cornservatory because she is a woman of many talents.

My absolutely wonderful Grandparents came to the opening from Michigan. They were so fun to have there (Grama took almost all of the pictures in this post) and the next day I got to see Grama on Mother's Day!

For those of you who don't know, this is my super-deeee-doooper Chad. Needless to say, I couldn't have done all of this without his endless support.

Chad chatting with Anne Leuck Feldhaus and her husband, Rich Feldhaus.

Some of the work by Casey Searles and Andrew Heber. Casey's work is to the left of the column, Andrew's to the right.

My two paintngs flanking Casey's cupcake. Francine the Asian Pear, on the right, sold on the night of the opening! Thank you Tim and Annie!

Some of my You Name It paintings looking into the main gallery space.

Casey did a post about the opening too! Check it out on her blog! You should also check out her post previous to the one about the opening. In that post Casey has some pictures up of some of the pieces she had in Explore the Wild. Alright, its back to the easel for me.

Francine the Asian Pear

2008-05-08T22:07:00.005-05:00

Francine the Asian Pear, mixed media on board, 28x23"

I pumped out a few paintings last Monday before I hung the show. Recently I sold a piece of fruit on etsy so I figured more fruit might not hurt. I enjoy doing it and the more classic still life is a little more likely to sell.

Here are some process photos. It is fun to see the collage process. The reason I enjoy using text in collage is not for reference to literature but to use the line of the text as a contour for the shape of the piece--it gives an extra dimension to the paintings of everyday objects.

Some of the collage pieces I died in tea They are not strategically placed but I like the patchy look, its the Asian Pear look.

Don't forget about EXPLORE THE WILD on Saturday!!! More info is in the last blog entry! I am so excited!

Thanks!

Tweaked

2008-05-06T18:25:00.008-05:00

For Tweaked, mixed media on canvas, 2x3'

I did this painting for the play of Tweaked, by Paul Shoulberg, directed by my good friend Ross Matsuda. The play is being performed at the Viaduct Theatre in Chicago. The performances began on 2 May and will continue through the month. For more information on when you can go and see it visit Big Brother Productions.

When Ross asked me to do this piece I knew one thing about the play--its about meth addicts. That was enough to spark my interest. The piece is meant to be the one thing of value the addicts cannot get rid of. The painting was to be an abstract, misunderstood but genius, unaccessible but iconic.

Layer 1, For Tweaked

I sent Ross a few artists I would keep in mind while composing the piece--Rothko, Rauschenberg, Miro, and Korroch. Rothko for patches of gradiated color. Rauschenberg for chunky collage. Miro for bold outlines. Korroch for some me in it. If you do not know these artists they are definitley worth getting to know. Click on the links.

Another Layer

Here you can see I used some pumice to add texture. I also incorporated layers of collage and I threw in some oil pastel (the lines). I also used this interesting gold polish like paint Anne had laying around.

More oil pastel. Geometric shapes I manage to force into being organic. I am not one for hard edged painting.

Patches of color. I used string gel, the material I use to make people think my paintings have oil paint in them. I mixed up a tone of that yellow with string gel and used my palette knife to get harder, thicker edges.

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REMINDER:

Explore The Wild: Newly Discovered Artists

THIS SATURDAY, 6-9 PM
Flourish Studios, 3020 N Lincoln

AMAZING ART and FREE WINE TASTING!

Solo Duet

2008-04-24T16:06:00.010-05:00

Solo Duet, aprox. 5 x 3 ft., mixed media

This is another improv piece. With this gallery opening looming I needed to do something without a plan. It felt good to do and thats what I needed. I plan to cut it down to be a diptych (which I did to my first improv painting). Visit viddler or youtube to see the process of this painting!

(I recommend viddler quality wise but it takes a bit longer to upload so go to youtube if its not up yet!)

Accidents are the best part of being an artist. I learned this when i worked as a ceramics studio assistant. Now whenever something I didn't plan happens I know the piece will be special. In this case I took an oil pastel and drew something, didn't like it and used water based materials on top of it. This created a vein like effect underneath the skin of the figure.

Another happy accident is the figure highlighted in this painting. I sketched her from a Lucian Freud painting while I was collecting visual data of different kinds of body-types. In my monoprint class I ended up trying to make a print from my drawing. It failed but I liked the plate I used. This particular process is a xerox transfer process, so the photo copy of the chosen image is the plate.

Underneath this woman is a quick sketch of a framed portrait of a man in a top hat. I didn't like where that was going (I have tried to insert him before, he is a perfect voyeur for my subjects, yet he never seems works out).

I have this piece hanging next to the area where I am painting in my apartment (look below). Mary Cassatt was a huge influence on my life growing up. My parents did a wonderful job of throwing me into the art world when I was very young. My family has a special love for Cassatt, not only because of her beautiful artwork, but also because she pioneered the path that my mother and I are now (and have been) walking.

I had to share how physically overwhelmed my living space is with ART. I will be hanging most of it a week from tomorrow at Flourish Studios. Wish me luck!

Zoollpaper (Working Title)

2008-04-13T20:22:00.009-05:00

Zoollpaper, aprox. 5 x 5', mixed media

I have another process video! This time I decided to post on viddler and youtube. The viddler is much better quality. Click here to see the process video.

So you might recognise the image. This is a painting done from You Name it No. 1. This image is one of my favorite I have done this year so I decided to make it very big. When i began working on this piece I had a completely different image in mind. I did not plan it very well so i ended up gessoing over the painting I was working on and doing this painting. You will witness the under-painting in the video.

This flower is a collaged wall paper I composed for the first painting. It was perfect because all of the roses left a wonderful texture underneath the gesso. The white gesso enabled you to see the different planes of paper. I got the rose wallpaper idea when Marty and I visited the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago.

I never realized how much I paint elephants--an unintentional theme. I love mixed media. I feel so much better when my painting table is covered with oil sticks, oil pastels, my graphite stick, sting gel and glue. As a very tactile artist, being able to touch all of these textures is important to my process. In this piece I used all of the media I listed above.

I love this little square with the bird. I loved it in You Name It No. 1 and I still love it. This part of the painting is so hidden yet so potent. The bid is the only piece of collage from the original collage source, I created the rest of it in this painting. Also, I love being able to see the layers the artist went through to get to the final product. Part of my sketch is prominently displayed here.

The oil sticks made this painting. With my chunks of skin/stone I used tons of different flesh tones. As I was placing these patches of color on the surface of the paining i ws worried, it was a haphazard endeavour. True to my love for oil paint, this brown, gooey stick smudged exactly how I needed it to, unifying the multitude of flesh tone.

While I was painting this piece I had the privlege to help my friend Jason create his first painting (which is amazing, you can see that later). It was wonderful to have another person around while I was painting and it was great hearing both conceptual and visual input as I was painting.

Some points to ponder while viewing this piece" Where the arrow is pointing. Where the bird if flying? From where if the bird flying. Stone/brick or skin? Escaped? Trapped? What is a pet? Sides of society. Grass vs. stone = ? Skin tone. Ethnicity.

That is just an abstract of our discussion. I would love to get your input. My favorite thing about painting these pieces with lots going on beyond the pretty picture is to here what everyone sees. Please tell me what you see! Your comments will spark more wonderful ideas!

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My first opening in Chicago will be at Flourish Studios Saturday May, 10, 2008 from 6-9. There will be wine and wonderful art by Casey Searles, Andrew Heber and Kate Korroch (thats me!). Mark your calendar and look forward to lots of wonderful artwork!

You Name It V

2008-04-07T17:01:00.005-05:00

Before I launch into my art I would like to share that my Momma has started a blog. Katiedidstudio.blogspot.com. Go check it out! You can see what she is working on and some of things things that are artistically inspirational to Katiedid.

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You Name It V, 24x24, acrylic on board

This piece was inspired by my idea to start working big again. As you saw in the last piece, this piece borrows imagery from my other work from this year. The most obviously repeated images are from You Name It I. I like the water color look, I ended up using lost of washed on the acrylic paint.

The sign is a funny little part. I didn't intend the double meaning, it just happened because of my aesthetic choices. Actually, the sign was thrown in at the last minute. Just the figure with the background was not enough.

This picture shows the washes of paint and it also gives you a nice view of the wood. One of the biggest things I have learned from working in various media is to work with the material, don't fight it. I guess this mindset goes back to when masons were carving in the middle ages. A lesson we all have to learn for ourselves. Respond to the material, don't fight it.

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Point of news:

I donated Whole Earth Woman to a silent auction at LillStreet for Art Reach. It was fun to have something donated but I was a little disappointed because they misspelled my last name, did not put out my cards that I sent and called it Untitled instead of Whole Earth Woman (written on the back of the piece). Despite that, I am thrilled that I got to donate art to raise money to bring art to the community. The event was fantastic--great art, good food, wonderful people. They did a wonderful job.

One last thing, I am in the middle of another painting that I am making a process video of! Wooot, look forward to it!

Thanks.

First Video!

2008-03-30T20:33:00.007-05:00

I mentioned this large sketch a few weeks ago. I have been a tad under the weather so it was temporarily paused. Feeling better, pause button is off.

I created this painting while my laptop took pictures every 7 seconds. You can view the VIDEO on youtube! Yay!!! http://www.youtube.com/user/katekorroch.

A few points on the painting:

*It is truly mixed media. I used oils sticks (creamy), oil pastel, chalk pastel, acrylic, string gel, and charcoal.
*It is done on roofing paper
*I referenced many collages I have posted on this blog.
*I created no sketches before doing the painting, I just jumped in and painted!
*I had a lot of fun!

This little girls if from You Name It II. Obviously many themes are repeated. One theme you can see here is the onlooking little girl. I also used the wall paper reference here and the jail stripes/wall paper idea on the right side of the painting. Sort of going from innocent to not so innocent.

I need to get some old wallpaper or start drawing and painting my own. My monotype printing class might be the place for that!

This elephant is from You Name It IV. Because I was drawing quickly this elephant kind of because a man. I did not mean for that to happen but I kind of like it. Anthropomorphism, I might get into some of that. We'll see.

The elephant got every different medium I used. This is a nice view of that.

This is from You Name It I. Another thing I would like to work on more is different bodies, more androgynous, pushing it more. Hopefully I can take a figure drawing class sometime soon. Granted, the models are not usually as Rubenesque as I would like. Or just real. I like real.

Let me know what you think of the video! More to come!
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Some news, I sent a very quickly conceived proposal to a gallery/store for a show that I would like to put together and the accepted it! Basically I love the space (Anne is showing there now) but I do not have enough to fill it. Fortunately I know many wonderful artists in Chicago, so i am putting a show together for a few people. This is still in the very early stages but its going to make April pretty busy!

I have lots of ideas. Need to write them down and get them going. More on all of that in another post.

Thanks!

Scrambled Egghead and other sketches

2008-03-26T20:20:00.005-05:00

I have not made a ton of new art lately so in this post I would like to share some of my favorite images from my sketch/journal that I had going before I started painting again. I forced myself to draw my feelings and what I was thinking about as I was writing about them. Each page had to have a visual element. If I was in a long, scribbling rant I had to pause and draw what I was feeling. This journal lived my discovery that heartache and loneliness actually hurts, thesis stress is much more fun than bill/rent stress, and its really challenging to make money doing what makes you happy. Drawing from my mind is very difficult for me so this was a great exercise. This journal is a visual mark of my transition into adulthood--a transition that I am realizing never ends.

I am embracing it now. No more wallowing, I promise.

Scrambled Egghead

I came up with this image as I was trying desperately to describe to my dear friend Marty how I was feeling. The words that came out were scrambled egghead. The scrambled feeling was not as fluid as raw eggs so they were scrambled hard-boiled eggs. My mind going everywhere but in a stiff, not fun way.

Fingers Unfurling

The next image is from a poem I wrote a long time ago. Blue balloons have been an important visual symbol for me sense my childhood. Oh, how gracefully they float away from clenched fists.

Vita Cane

Lastly this image shows different stop on my L-train of life. The one I chose in this image is a scary maze! The other choices are what you actually see from the L (above) and cobble stone (bellow). The cobblestone represents my time in Italy, the most peaceful, healthy, and creative time in my life (so far). I plan to get more of that time be it in Italy, another new place or in my back yard. This sketch actually got a name, “Vita Cane” which is “Dog Street” (a reference to the main street in Williamsburg said in Italian).

Well, there you have a quick peak of my journaling mind.

Marty, who I mentioned above has a fantastic wine and food blog that he has started posting on more frequently. Click Marty.

Also, another close friend of mine, Casey, just started posting some of her images she has been working on! Click Casey.

Business Card

2008-03-20T21:34:00.005-05:00

Sorry about the wonky format.

Just a fun peak at my business card! Very simple, I don't have a ton of information for them yet. I just thought you would enjoy seeing it.

I have already given one to a stranger. I met this guy on the bus that was an artist. He does graffiti art. He asked me about my art but I had to get off the bus so I just handed him a card. Wooot!

Mer-quins, Body Prints, and Burlap Babes, OH MY!

2008-03-18T19:20:00.010-05:00

Big Sketch, 3 x 3 1/2 ft., acrylic, burlap and collage on mdf

Okay, this is not a finished piece by any means. Every few Saturdays (ideally) my friends Julie, Andrew and I get together to share our creative endeavors. Andrew is a friend I met while studying with UGA in Cortona, Italy and Julie is one of my closest friends from IU and coincidentally my RA from freshman year. Long story short, Andrew paints and creates fun new things out of old things (stationary, earrings, etc.), Julie writes. Click their names to see some of their creativity that has made it to the web! It has been a quite a privilege to see the wonderful things they are working on and get their feed back on my work.

Speaking of their feedback, back to my point. I shared this piece with them on one of our first days together. I knew the piece wasn't congealing at all but I really enjoyed each part I had done. Andrew suggested that my large piece of mdf is just a large sketch pad. Amazing. So, in my mind, this piece contains many potential paintings and ideas that I would like to share with you.

This is not being presented in order of layers which is burlap, body prints, collage/painting.

Mer-quin

The mermaid reference can be seen a bit better when viewing this section in the whole piece. I love the billowy bottom half of the figure. I had a wonderful time integrating the collage pieces which are from a screen print I did a little over one year ago. You can view that print, Edna, on my etsy page. The two pieces melded together in regards to subject and color scheme way before I knew it. Man, are we creatures of habit.

The screen print was one of the first times I started dealing with subject matter and figure instead of just figure. It is really the first piece where I started dealing with the female figure, mannequins and kitschy wall paper schemes. These three elements are overall what I have been dealing with the last few months .

As you look at the painting you can see that I used the test pieces from Edna for the wallpaper in the background.

May I also mention that two pieces of literature Kate Chopin's novel The Awakening, Edna is the main character in this book. I have also been influenced by Charlotte Perkins Gliman' short story The Yellow Wallpaper. Thank you high-school English.

Body Print

Over the last few months I have been experimenting with body prints on and off. It is risky because you have to completely rely on your own body strength and simultaneously hope the paint will work the right way quickly. Its really fun to do. This photo is altered so you can see the melon colored print. This print has been my favorite full body print I have done. The mermaid's bottom half was also a body print but I covered most of it with paint.

Burlap Babe

This part is a quick drawing I did with strips of burlap from old coffee bags I got in MI this summer. I really like the way it came out aesthetically. On another level this burlap made the body prints pretty uncomfortable. Which i think is good. There is intended irony here and the discomfort i experienced justified it and brought it to another level.

I'll stop beating the horse and let you think a little and make it something for yourself.

Burlap Babe's waist

Action and texture. Yes please.

Burlap Babe's hemline (or something like it)

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Let me know if you have any questions about these sketches. I am really enjoying them and questions make me think.

A small piece of news, I did do a video of an improve painting. I have not finished the painting due to a silly cold that i can't quite kick. As soon as that is gone I'll finish the painting and share with you the first of many videos of my painting process!

Whole Earth Woman

2008-03-13T21:27:00.008-05:00

Whole Earth Woman, 24 x 24 in., acrylic on board

I did this painting one day when my painting class was canceled. Usually I try to work on a lot of collage and alternative uses of media during class. This particular day I had already been painting quite a bit so after some unsuccessful collage brain storming I leafed through my last resort collage mecca--The Whole Earth Catalogue.

This amazing antique store find is kind of like an old Sear's catalouge for hippies. It has weird remedies, odd how-to's, books about tribal education. Just think 50's quirk gone hippie crunch. This image is from a profile of a woman in my catalouge. I do not remember the context, I clipped it before I paid attention to its surroundings.

Detail 1

The style of painting is very similar to the portrait sketch series I did while living in Perugia. You can view a handful of those on my etsy site. These paintings are all quick sketches meant more as color and shape studies than creating a perfect resemblance of the subject. The others were done in oils instead of acrylic so it too a little bit of adjustment. I did end up going at a drying area (the lips) with my palette knife to rub out a mess before it dried. Acrylic just dries SO fast.

Detail 2

I like the drips. I like the translucent washes. I like the blue/purple. I like the woman and I think I can do more with her. I get hooked on subjects. My poor friend Bettylou has the most interestin face and she sat as my model for hours in Perugia. I talk about that more in a description of a portrait sketch of her on etsy.

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Some News:

*Chad and I made my business card!
*I have a potential space to hang but I need big paintings so I might be filling my TINY apartment with very large canvases.
*Chad found a program that takes still shots every (name increment of time). He suggested I have my computer film me making a painting and then post it on youtube. It took me a minute to digest the idea but now I am really excited. I'll post it once it happens.

Now that I am posting all that I have to stick to it!

THANK YOU to everyone who signed up for my blog. As of Monday I had 19 but now I have 20! I am so appreciative of all the support!!!!!

You Name It IV

2008-03-07T13:51:00.008-06:00

You Name It IV, 16 x 7 1/2 in., acrylic and mixed media on board

This piece I created a few months ago. My plan was to keep adding into it but I kind of like where I stopped working. It was partially inspired by You Name It I, I was on a collage kick and this was part of the result. I am still on the collage kick. I started with just the the boy and girl pieces. Those collage pieces are from a stereo type embracing coloring book I found at an antique store. I tried to integrate the pieces enough so that the paper to board edges were not to in your face.

Detail 1

I used a lot of sting gel for the red layer of paint just to keep the translucent effect going. A nice way to integrate the collage stuff.

Detail 2

Detail 3

I added the to bring the two sides together. The elephants untie the boy and girl across the board. Visually. Subject matter?

Detail 4

The Brevarian boy's dog and the elephant's hind side.

Okay, so my intention in this was to mock the coloring book. Stick the two stereotypes together. I ended up visually unifying them with elephants in a compromising position. Red, in the middle of the elephant's chest in the middle of the painting right between the the boy and girl.

What do you think?

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THANK YOU to everyone who has signed up. I have almost reached my 20 person goal! Keep spreading the word! I think I need 7 more. Your interaction with this blog will keep me excited! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

You Name It III

2008-03-03T17:28:00.009-06:00

You Name It III, acrylic and mixed media on board, 21x13 1/2 in.

This piece I started about two months ago. I loved the beginning but I went about it with no plan and now I am stumped. I have added a bit of color to the collage and ink markings I made the first day. If nothing strikes me soon I will just continue to add washes to the piece. Leaving it ambiguous will be great for everyone making the piece something unique to their own imagination.

The board, by the way, was found in Sam's Wine and Spirits by Marty from the back of a wine case. If you look closely you can see the map of the region etched into the wood. Thanks Marty!

Detail 1

All of the collage elements in this piece are form a book called Patrick's Dinosaurs by Carol Carrick. I am a tad guilty of not only being influenced by the images but also the story that goes along with them. That being said, Detail 1 shows the little boy, Patrick. I like the idea of him being dumped into whatever is going on in the painting.

Detail 2

This detail shows how I integrated the collage pieces into the board. I adhered them to the board and then continued the lines from some of the images onto the board with ink. I used varied lines for to make the hard edges less apparent.

Detail 3

Let me know what you thought of this piece. Tell me what your first instinct was regarding the subject matter. I love to hear what people see and your ideas might help me finish this piece!

Please sign up for my blog updates by clicking the link at the bottom of the page. My goal is to have 20 people signed up by next Monday. Help me do that! Thanks!

Fetal Breasts

2008-03-02T22:44:00.004-06:00

Fetal Breasts, mixed media on canvas paper, 12x16inches

This piece is from my first day of my intuitive painting class. The assignment was to explore with materials and make a piece about a dream or about your day. I rarely have dreams so I had no choice but to visually describe my mildly traumatic day. My day consisted of me feel sick, then having to go to Planned Parenthood (where I had already had a unsettling experience BUT just a disclaimer, despite Fetal Breasts, I support Planned Parenthood and I think it is a wonderful organization. So, with Planned Parenthood issues on my mind (abortion, pregnancy, reproductive anatomy, rape, etc.) I went to get peanut butter at Jewel. Trader Joe's does not have my favorite peanut butter. At Jewel I watched a mother and child screaming at each other, then hitting, beating, running, more screaming--it was terrible. Then, I went home, ate some peanut butter and went to my first class.

Detail 1

So at first this was a fetal image sagging over a pile of ragged spikes. Piles. Like the mom and kid fighting on the floor. I realized that my interpretation of a fetus is kind of wrong anatomically so it kind of became breasts. I used pumice (like humus for painting) to add some shape and rugged texture to the fetus/breasts. The the cord, not sure which cord, kind of becomes a neck.

Detail 2

I mocked the black and gray fetal image with pink wall paper like stripes. Counteracting. Irony. Kitsch. The striped of wallpaper are also like jail bars. Again, who is trapped? Mom? Kid? Both trapped together? Trapped away from each other?

There is a lot to this piece. It was one of those days I could have spent the whole day journaling. I just dumped my journaling onto paper via shaped and color and texture instead of text.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Also, thanks again to everyone who has signed up. Please let me know if you have not been getting email updates. Thanks.

You Name It II

2008-02-29T17:41:00.008-06:00

You Name It II, acrylic on board, 7 1/2 x 16 in.

I had something very specific on my mind when I created this piece but the nature of this game is that you have to make it for you. I am not quite done with it, a few more light layers would be nice to push the ground part a little more. Need some depth.

In my intuitive painting class some of my classmates told me what this was to them. Totally not what it is to me. So, tell me what you think. After the pictures I will explain some of my thinking. Before you read what I wrote, write your own story about it.

Detail of Little Girl 1.

Detail of Little Girl 2.

Detail of Woman.

Detail 2 of Woman. I love when collage wraps around the edge.

Little Girl 1 is looking at Little Girl 2 seeing what will happen if the takes the only present path. The easy route. She ends up brown, on the bottom, covered in my gloppy paint. There are color references that you can't make out in the photos. This was spurred by watching my sister go through her college search. I saw Little Girl 1 and thought of her as a toddler.

Well, there is the quick version of my interpretation.

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3 Oranges

2008-02-25T17:49:00.001-06:00

3 Oranges, 8 1/2 x 24 1/2 in., Acrylic on Board, 2008

This is a quick still life I did a few weeks ago. I think I had extra paint and had only been working on collages-a still life was needed. I need to keep in touch with my technical skills. A fun thing about this piece is the board it is on. Marty, Zach and I went to IKEA a few weeks ago and I found amazing board in the junk section. I bought about 20 surfaces for under $5.00.

My favorite part of this painting the inclusion of the natural wood look. Instead of gessoing right over the wood I decided to use it as my background color. An exercise in allowing the materials to guide me.

3 Oranges on my wonderful easel.

You Name It I

2008-02-20T16:59:00.000-06:00

You Name It I, 8x8 in., canvas and mixed media

With this piece I am announcing a sub-project to go along with some of my more kitschy collage pieces I have started working on. Each piece has specific meanings to be because I composed them. Some are very directed and others are more ambiguous. Point being, each piece will have a different meaning to each viewer. I want the audience to name the pieces. For the final title, I will either randomly draw from a collection of titles or I will choose my favorite. I would love ideas to be posted on the blog! I would also like to plan a preview party for the first time these pieces are exhibited. This is a plan just beginning to form so bare with me as I test it out. The idea spurred from Anne mentioning another artist doing title parties, so I cannot take credit for the original idea. If I can find her I will link her. So, be my guest, try a title!

This collage I put together during one of the first night at my LillStreet class. I concocted it from a book about a little boy going to the zoo and seeing dinosaurs. I am pulling in my work with the female figure, some of that work I will post soon. At first the raw canvas behind the collage really bothered me but I think adding anything might take away from the simplicity of the composition.

Some of my favorite highlights from this piece: 1) The figure is composed of a stone sidewalk. 2) The bird in the upper right corner. 3)The headless but not figure.

Name it!

Pear

2008-02-20T11:04:00.001-06:00

Pear, 28x32 in., acrylic and mixed media, 2008

This painting is composed with acrylic paint and collage. I used the lines of the text from the collage to build the pear figure. Acrylic paint to a new adjustment for me right now and I have been using a lot of string gel which is a thick, puffy paint like substance that gives the acrylic paint for body and transparency. It is a great stepping stone.

Process pictures are a fantastic way to keep track of how my work is evolving and to learn from my process. More often than not I like the painting most somewhere in the process part opposed to the final product. I like the rawness of the process, its more honest. In the end I did not do a great job of embracing the under-painting/collaging. I think that is part of my adjustment back to acrylic. I am used to being able to beat down the oil paint, it is much more flexible. Acrylic kind of sticks and stays. Each piece is a learning process.

Here are a couple of close up shots so that you can appreciate the details. The close up on the left gives you a view of the collage
pages. You can see the text lines embracing the contour of the pear. Sometimes collage is the only piece in a painting that saves it technically, in regards to form.

To the right shot gives a detail of the stem. I used a purple floral print for the collage part. The string gel is pretty this in this part giving it some texture.