A pretty rad group of local artists will be showing some very fine work at the Mesa College Art Gallery tonight. That image on the flyer, it’s a painting by Kevin Winger. You can see it live!

The last Mesa Art Show had awesome pieces in it, I especially enjoyed the sculpture. I’m very excited to have one of my recent etchings in the show as well.

Meet me at the reception tonight,  we’ll eat some free cookies together and drink all the fruit punch.

Cheers!

Reception and Art Sale:
Wednesday, December 2
4-7 pm
Art Gallery D101

SHOW RUNS:
December 2 – 16, 2009

PARKING IS FREE ON RECEPTION NIGHT, in the faculty lot on the upper level, adjacent and across from the flagpole. During regular gallery hours, use the visitors metered spaces located on the upper level on the south side of the street across from the flagpole.

If I had a time machine, I still wouldn’t skip Etching’s labor intensive demands.The process can be Zen-like… this is where the radness comes in!

This particular image has taken quite a bit of elbow grease and time, probably over 36 hrs I would guess. The good news is that I’m really learning to manipulate the Intaglio on the zinc plate.

So, I thought it would be fun to see the progress steps together in a video. It shows the begining sketch, the Soft Ground LINE print, the AQUATINT and the BURNISHING steps. The final frame is a TWO COLOR PRINT done with a dark oil based ink and a glowy green transparent ink roll.

“Change Machine” |  9″x12″

MORE about the Printmaking Process.

Naah uhh. As I sit in front of my 24″, glowing, blank, screen, it painfully sucks away whatever glimmer of inspiration I once had with hoover like speed and efficiency.

What I need is for Belinda the Good Witch to come along and sprinkle wind chime-infused fairy dust over my head while unicorns sing melodies of sweet inspiration onto my mind. But that rarely happens…

So, I’m going to try out this game called “Day in the Life” from Creatingminds.org

For this, I’ll need to do some roleplaying. My client has two major customer groups:

1. The Local: Because I’m in San Diego I’ll be heading for the Golden Hill/ South Park area coffee shops.  I’m wearing a scarf, t-shirt and tennis shoes. Not too unusual, just trying to blend in and feel “local”.

2. The Tourist: For this I’m wearing a ridiculously giant sun hat and  flip flops. I’ll fit right in on the streets of Old Town.

My impressions as a “Local”:

• The cashier looked at me funny (suspiciously) when I took a card.
• One place didn’t even have cards – menus only
• Two places had “frequent customer” cards that were held not by the customer but on the counter in a card catalog. Not really functioning as a business card, just shaped like one.
• I wondered “WHY” would a local spot need a card? Why would I call/need the address?

My Impressions as a “Tourist”:

• Cards were available. To go menus too.
• I was really in the mood to buy something… a souvenir perhaps?
• I brought cards home, I’ll probably throw them away. If they had been souvenier-like (postcard/cool art) I might keep them.
• A Menu might be nice to have while I’m in town?

Did it work? Sure, it got me thinking about what I’d like/need/want as a customer. Not exactly an exercise for design dilemmas though. I’d say it’s a great way to START or re-inspire a project…

Side note: My tourist disguise worked! A family in photo-taking, vacation-mode offered to exchanged this photo opportunity. It’s a good souvenir I might add!  I thought it was cool that the two girls wanted to pose with me on the covered wagon…

Creative Tools Source:

“How to Invent (Almost) Anything” by David Straker and Graham Rawlinson.  ”CreatingMinds.org”

I’ve been working…  on a new picture series called (for now) “Mundiville“… not sure yet? The series is a compilation of Etchings and Paintings, but of course they all start as sketches. So, because this is an art blog I’ll show the ideas from the beginning and you can watch them grow!

As of today, each idea is at a different point in it’s development. From here on out the progress posts will trickle in one by one – I assure you!

If you’re interested in the actual process let me know – I can post more technical stuff. Or rather if you’re interested in the story (what the heck I’m thinking…) I can add that as well.

You know this but… Click on a thumbnail and you’ll see it larger, read my process comments, be able to leave your own comments and advance to the next image. Super duper my friends.

For most of my California friends St. Louis might be far… but you can always check out what the people at  Cranky Yellow are doing via facebook, flickr and their www.crankyyellow.com…

I’ll be apart of the August show titled “Meth & Hot Dogs”  running 8/7/09 – 08/28/09

If you’re in, near, or wanna head over to St. Louis… go support these “Unscrupulous Characters”

Pleased because I’m glad they found “Oh My, It’s Fat Cleo!” Sideshow Banner to be a fun addition to “One of the oldest exhibits at the Fair; the Exhibition of Art.” Excited because the original Sideshows met some of their final days on exhibit in California County fairs in the late 1960′s, not much remains of the glorious freak shows that once  graced the county fair since.

find more great sideshow fun at www.sideshowworld.com

Step Right Up…
Come on Out to the FAIR!

http://www.sdfair.com/fair/

Of course you’re invited to see the Exhibition of Art which includes:

“Oh My, It’s Fat Cleo” &  “Time Stood Still No Longer”

Oh My, IT'S FAT CLEO!

Time Stood Still No Longer

AND of course, go support my family and BUY Char-broiled CORN-ON-THE-COB & Funnel Cakes! The family starts the Fair Season traveling along the West Coast County Fair circuit selling Yummy Fair Foods, sure to delight your senses!

San Diego Fair, Orange County Fair, LA County Fair, Sac State Fair, Fresno Fair, Oregon State Fair…

Oh Goody, SUMMER IS HERE!

YES, this event is FREE!

Sky High Comics 172 S. Rancho Santa Fe Rd. San Marcos, Ca. 92078

MAY 30th, 7-10pm

Music by Bushwalla

ART by LOCAL SAN DIEGO ARTISTS.

Goodies by Elizabethan Desserts

RSVP on FACEBOOK

The true highlight for me was the sculputure, I’m especially a fan of Paper Sculpture too. (see some of the photos below)

AND… You can see my monoprint as well, titled “Pink City” that was selected by my Printmaking Professor Jim Machacek for the show. THANK YOU JIM!  (Check out Jim at Bay Park PRESS)

THE SHOW  Titled “Art You Can  Sink  Your Teeth Into” runs until MAY 14 so it’s not too late to check it out. more info

Here are some photos of the show… I look proud as a peacock! Funny what a camera catches.

Join me at the reception… Reception & Art Sale 4-7 PM

Details:

April 30th Art Show at Mesa College Gallery

7250 Mesa College Drive -D104 San Diego, CA 92111-4998

…to be continued.