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| Above is a picture of some of my paintings from the 2000 gallery show SFSU CIA @ ATA. |
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| Above is a picture of some of my paintings from the 2000 gallery show SFSU CIA @ ATA. |
Concept
I originally conceived these works as a tongue and cheek postmodern attack on the under valuing of photography and over valuing of paint on canvas in the arts. I saw it as a way to cheat my way into the art world without actually painting. Unfortunately my work has since lost its cynical edge as my damnably unquenchable optimistic nature wins out. Alas, I am forced to recognize that they really are works of 'art,' I am no longer 'cheating,' and I am in fact a real 'artist.'
Deceptively conceptual, they are essentially organically digital renderings of original photographs. I have cultivated a photographer's eye and enhanced it with the use of noise from a photocopy machine and embellished it with acrylic paint to produce works that are both paintings and photography, while existing as not quite either. My intent is to have archival works that look good above your sofa as wallpaper, but if you are interested, there is a deeper meaning to each work that can be appreciated if you care to ask me about it.
Method
I print out a black and white copy of a photograph I took (or a photo of me by someone else in the case of self portraits) and blow the work up on an oversized photo copy machine. I stretch a canvas and glue the paper to it with acrylic medium. I then apply colored acrylic paint over the image.
Evolution (reverse chronological order)
September 2004 - I procure a booth and show my work at th Upper Grant Avenue Fall Art Fair in North Beach (San Francisco). Mostly positive comments and the the Vice President Visual, Performing & Literary Arts Dan Macchiarini tells me that my work is exactly the kind of conceptual work he would like to see more of at his fair.
September 2005 - Another solo show at Muddy's where I sell 1 piece.
August 2005 - In a show with Lawrence Ferlinghetti (among others). My Eye Mac is shown as well.
March 2005 - I get a permanent space at Golden Boy Pizza in North Beach. I rotate the work monthly.
April 2004 - Move out of apartmnet that has space to paint. Cramped, but I can sometimes use the space on the roof to paint.
December/January 2003/04 - I have a solo show at Muddy's cafe and so sell 2 pieces.
October 2003 - I join 6 other artists for San Francisco's Open Studios and sell 1 piece.
October 2002 - I open up my house and show my work for San Francisco Open Studios.
February 2002 - I move into a house with space enough to paint.
July 2001 - I loose the space at Muddy Waters and the series goes on hold until I can find space.
March 2001 - My mother hangs the paintings at her work, an elementary school. My toughest audience yet.
February 2001 - The paintings are on display at a café in my hometown of Encinitas. I am now considered an 'artist' by my immediate family.
January 2001 - I am generously allowed to use the basement of Muddy Water's cafe as a studio to produce paintings. I begin applying the works to stretched canvas instead of loose canvas.
April 2000 - I am included in a show at Muddy's cafe, where I used to work. The woman responsible for choosing the art that goes on the wall tells me that she does not like my work. I sell three pieces.
March 2000 - A show I curate at ATA (Artist's Television Access) features the works of the CIA (Conceptual and Information Arts) department at SFSU (San Francisco State University). A lot of acronyms, but my work is on the wall of a 'gallery' that I do not own and is in the context of other artists.
Spring of 2000 - I begin to use canvas in order to be more "painterly."
Spring of 1999 - In a post modernism class taught by Whitney Chadwick at SFSU, I read an article called "Last Exit: Painting" which presents painting as the last real art. I decided to apply paint to the surface of the oversized photo copies.
Fall of 1998 - I show these works in a one-man show at a gallery I was running. I sell one for $20, less than the price of creating it.
Spring of 1998 - At my job at Kinko's, I take some of my scanned photographs and blow them up very large because I have the means.
