Habitundo by Luisa Alvarez, I want to share something stunningly beautiful with you that I spent many hours exploring on Thirsday! First I'm going to share some personal history that will help put in context why I got so excited, but the wait will be worth it and you'll learn some things you probably didn't know about me! Promise!
I really miss being involved on large public art works and also smaller efforts shared with the community. I’m especially fond of doing joint projects with other artists.
Mostly, due to relocating and lack of funds, I didn't pursue my fine arts education further when I moved to the Bay Area. I was horrified when took my portfolio into CCAC (California College of Arts and Crafts, now just California College of the Arts)! They enthusiastically laid out an exciting course plan then adamantly informed me that they discouraged their students from working while attending C.C.A.
The intention was for students to focus solely on their studies,; idealistic and unrealistic in such an expensive place to live . In order to meet this ideal one would have to have fantastic scholarships, take out large student loans, have a supportive spouse or rich parents. I was eligible for some student aid and scholarships but I had been so floored by the cost of living shock compared to Fresno that I decided to put further education on hold for a while. Sadly, it stayed on hold.
I really miss being involved on large public art works and also smaller efforts shared with the community. I’m especially fond of doing joint projects with other artists.
Mostly, due to relocating and lack of funds, I didn't pursue my fine arts education further when I moved to the Bay Area. I was horrified when took my portfolio into CCAC (California College of Arts and Crafts, now just California College of the Arts)! They enthusiastically laid out an exciting course plan then adamantly informed me that they discouraged their students from working while attending C.C.A.
The intention was for students to focus solely on their studies,; idealistic and unrealistic in such an expensive place to live . In order to meet this ideal one would have to have fantastic scholarships, take out large student loans, have a supportive spouse or rich parents. I was eligible for some student aid and scholarships but I had been so floored by the cost of living shock compared to Fresno that I decided to put further education on hold for a while. Sadly, it stayed on hold.
I always managed to keep some connection to art. My first jobs in the region included working as an art consultant in a noted gallery, which allowed me to meet artists like, Leonard Baskin and Mihail Chemiakin as well as work for some intimidating but fascinating people. I also restored art and antiques for a well respected dealer and worked in the retail store of a company that sold art and hand-made jewelry that replicated antique and museum pieces. The owner, Shashi Singapuri, also instrumental in making Laurel Burch designs accessible was hands down one of the most wonderful people I've ever worked for!
I've continued to produce all kinds of art over the years and though I would occasionally sell some, I eschewed showing my work at galleries for the most part. Because of the stall in education and my inactivity, my resume was not as impressive as it was. I was also really turned off by having to sell myself and the required amount of pomp and pretension that comes part and parcel with being a working artist.
I've continued to produce all kinds of art over the years and though I would occasionally sell some, I eschewed showing my work at galleries for the most part. Because of the stall in education and my inactivity, my resume was not as impressive as it was. I was also really turned off by having to sell myself and the required amount of pomp and pretension that comes part and parcel with being a working artist.
When I lost my home and subsequently, the contents that were in storage, I lost all of my art supplies and lot of my personal work forever. This included music equipment and recordings, a lot of writing (including a laptop which had a complete novel on it), many photos and all my negatives and storage discs and one of my favorite pieces of found object sculpture.
A sculpture by Fresno artist, Diana Googooian I also lost pieces by some very talented artists in the Central Valley, many of them highly collectible and valuable, including a gorgeous pot by ceramic artist Diana Googooian that as very different from most of her work. It was one of the things I would have grabbed and run with if my house had caught fire. It had made it through 18 years, 4 moves and 2 long relationships without a scratch.
And,one of my most treasured pieces, a print by one of my favorite artists and mentors, Howard Statham is gone. Howard was a very interesting fellow. His art was often clever and satirical. One of his most delightful (and well known) pieces was based on Munch’s Scream. It featured Miss Piggy and was titled, The Squeal.
| Lost as well, irreplaceable signed books, exhibition catalogs and prints (Leonard Baskin, LeRoy Neiman, Mihail Chemiakin, Igor Medvedev and Pierre Marie Brisson) from my time at what was then, Bowles/Sorrokko Galleries. Some of these artistic icons are now deceased. Chances are, the person who bought my unit had no idea how valuable these items are. Leonard Baskin was an amazing artist and a brilliant curmudgeon! While I am delighted that I can find many examples of his works on the web, but this also makes me chuckle. He was a bibliophile and not a fan of computers. LeRoy Neiman was an interesting character and a much better artist than snobs give him credit for. He was famous for his expressionist style, brightly colored paintings and prints of sports figures and celebrities. They were immensely popular. Lesser known are some of his more delicate drawings of Paris. The memorial video on the right spans a wide variety of his work. I sold some of these serigraphs. This work to the right is by French artist, Pierre Marie Brisson. If you missed it earlier, you can click HERE you will be treated to a typical gorgeous promotional video by the gallery I used to work for. Our videographer was brilliant and gallery director Jean Audiger, whose early morning cherry attitude complete with whistling and singing in French used to drive all us night people insane, shows why hiring an art historian gives a gallery credibility. Mihail Chemiakin is one of the most bizarre, brilliant artists today. His skills are staggering. In a demonstration at USF I watched him create a huge pastel abstract line drawing (similar to the style below) of a metaphysical head. He did not lift his hand once. It was a continuous line! On the right is a piece from one of my favorite series, "Le Ventre de Paris"  The video on the right is an excerpt from a documentary film showing the artist at work. Watch him turn a leaf into a carnival character! Igor Medvedev is another Russian born artist. His paintings of the vanishing world of the Greek Islands made him wealthy. Ironically, he refused to teach me to swear in Russian because I was "a lady." |  Leonard Baskin's Holocaust memorial in Ann Arbor, Michigan    Igor's pictures, though representational are abstract compositions. |
There are a number of favorite artists (I use the term, "artist" broadly to cover, visual, musical artists and writers) whose blogs I want to check regularly. Neil Gaiman's is one of them. He always seems to have something fascinating, beautiful, moving or hilarious on his Tumblr blog but I miss a lot of them. I manage to follow his talented wife Amanda Palmer because I am subscribed to her blog and get email updates. Another of my favorite authors, Jonathan Carroll, has an amazing blog that frequently features quotes and work from other interesting people and writers. Even though it is the first bookmark on my browser, I don’t check it very often. Luckily I have its equivalent in my Facebook feed! But most of the time I miss Neil Gaiman’s posts until my friend Molly happens to send me the link to a particularly humorous or striking one.
Actually, I think one of the things I love about all three of these artists is that they don’t just highlight their own work. All of them constantly introduce me to new artists it’s unlikely I will discover on my own! This is true of Molly as well. She is perpetually discovering, sharing and inspiring!
I’m fascinated by urban exploration, derelict buildings and the art that often pops up in these places Sometimes in their ruin, buildings become art by accident. Gaiman’s post highlights six stupendous pieces of public art, all very different, that have been produced using abandoned houses.
| In several cases, particularly Ice House Detroit, the intention was to highlight neighborhood need and benefit the residents of Detroit as well. As part of their deal with the city they paid all the back taxes on a single mother’s home so she could remain and continue to do her own generous work within her community. They also fed a lot of local folks!   |   "Out of 85,000 grants during its 25 year history, fewer than two dozen (20) have even been questioned." When people complain about N.E.A. grants claiming that it "funds pornography" or is a waste of taxpayer money and with their limited world view declare, “That's not art!” they fail to grasp how much wider the scope of an art installation is than it’s two or three dimensions. |
One of the things I am most enthusiastic about these pieces highlighted in Gaiman’s post; not only do they involve and benefit the communities in which they have been placed in, but in many cases people from around the world contributed to their completion either financially or creatively! They all are catalysts for discussion and awareness to important concerns local and further away. Also, they all involve reuse, recycling and reclamation. They are beautiful, amusing, fantastically creative, inspiring, detailed and there are so many aspects of each of them that just make me feel good!
As usual, when something intrigues me, I am compelled to run pell mell down the rabbit hole of links and find out as much as possible. The trip in this case was well worth it. I’ll share some of it with you here and encourage you to explore some of the artist pages as well! (I've done the research for you. There are many links in this post) Now, if I could just get into a routine of checking Gaiman’s blog even once a week! Perhaps I can get someone to send me a reminder? (hint hint)
Recently, I’ve been writing again. I’ve also started to gather art supplies. (Hooray for Freecycle.) I’ve done a little bit of work, mostly painting. I need to move soon and I am not really set up to do anything major here.
Exploring these projects reminded me of my love of conspiratorial and public art. I think I have a need to connect with other artists. Although, my ideas will likely never be funded, (I am not patient enough to write grant proposals and again, there’s the stalling of the career issue leaving gaps in my resume) I would be delighted to be part of something. Helping someone else bring their dreams into being has always given me great joy!
Exploring these projects reminded me of my love of conspiratorial and public art. I think I have a need to connect with other artists. Although, my ideas will likely never be funded, (I am not patient enough to write grant proposals and again, there’s the stalling of the career issue leaving gaps in my resume) I would be delighted to be part of something. Helping someone else bring their dreams into being has always given me great joy!
Here again, is the link to Gaiman’s blog post.
Gaiman includes brief descriptions about the artists, but I encourage you to explore further!
 Artist Heather Benning has a very clean and simple website which allows you to explore her work without getting bogged down. The photos of The Dollhouse, before, during and after when the house burned are really intriguing. The dollhouse one is a bit eerie. It reminds me of the pictures of some buildings after an earthquake or bomb blast when it looks like someone has taken a knife and sliced off the front ot the building so you can see life interrupted inside.This is much more serenely surreal though! |  She has another piece done with an abandoned house called, Watching Woman, which is just stupendous. You’ll find it on her site menu as, The Marysburg Project. All of her pieces feel a bit lonely as if they have captured a moment during which life has just stepped away, The houses both appear to be in isolated locations which adds to this effect.  |
Ice house Detroit, mentioned earlier in this post, is nothing short of magical! The associated site is a blog which chronicles the project from it’s Kickstarter funding, through all the installation work, interactions with the community, like the wonderful video featuring an art appreciating postal carrier below, press, completion and subsequent shows of the film and photography. It is well worth going back to the beginning of the blog, even if you don’t read every entry. It is fascinating, inspiring and will warm the cockles of your heart despite the icy imagery!
 I’ve gotten such a kick out of the crocheted and knitted art that pops up on public streets; cozies for metal bike racks and big yarn flowers sprouting off of street signs. In this case, International Fiber Collective made a huge cozy for a gas station! I encourage you to check out their Dream Rocket project which will eventually wrap a Saturn V moon rocket replica in 8,000 artworks by school children! Teachers and parents, it’s still possible to sign your school up! | This video about the gas station project is short, gives you a terrific overview and is just the right length! |
I am now absolutely smitten with artist Candy Chang!
I love the participatory aspects of her work.
The "Before I Die" project Gaiman highlights is a community bucket list. Chang covered an abandoned house with a blackboard and people were invited to complete the phrase, “Before I die I want to_______”
Many of her projects involve empty buildings!
West Oakland could use a Candy Chang!
Other installations include:
I love every one of her projects. I encourage you to take the time to browse her sight.
Below is Chang's fabulous TED talk!
Many of her projects involve empty buildings!
West Oakland could use a Candy Chang!
Other installations include:
- Writing “confessions”
- A literal "career path" with fill in the blank sentences, “When I was little I wanted to be ____. Today I want to be ____.”
- An “I wish this was a ____.” sticker for abandoned storefronts
- “Please Disturb” door hangers you can copy and use with your neighbors. Check them out! What a beautiful thought!
I love every one of her projects. I encourage you to take the time to browse her sight.
Below is Chang's fabulous TED talk!
 I also encourage you to go beyond the Inverted House, "Inversion". and explore more of these artists' work! The videos are cool! From artist Dean Ruck’s page,“Havel Ruck Projects (Dan Havel and Dean Ruck) is an artist collaborative that works in public and quasi-public environments to repurpose architectural structures and remnants of no perceived market value into works of art. By reorganizing the physical construction of unremarkable spaces and places, their interventions bring attention and recognition to under appreciated and ordinary buildings and their histories.” Houston Artists Dan Havel and Dean Ruck are Awesome Sauce in my book! I love how they incorporate neighborhood history, social commentary, recycling and community accessibility into their work! A college art instructor of mine, Ken Owens said only rarely could one use the word, "neat" to describe a work of art. (He generally thought this was a lazy descriptive term. FTW, one of my sculptures won, "Neat!" from him.) I think he'd say it's okay to describe, Inversion as, neat! | "It's either a tourist trap or a pilgramage" The artists sued Honda for copying their Inversion piece in an ad for the CRV. The imitation was pretty obvious! |
I’m so grateful that there are so many kinds of art. I've always felt that trying to limit the scope of a definition for, “What is art?” is an attempt to limit breadth of the human experience. There is such a wide range of artistic expression and I argue that pretty much all of it is valid. I have as much of an appreciation for the purely decorative as I do for the representational and the avant garde.
I have a fondness for art that makes me think, even provokes me to consider something I hadn't given much thought to previously. I think that true art inspires some sort of reaction or emotion. This can be pleasing or serene and sometimes there is something about the work that can make people angry or uncomfortable.
I have a fondness for art that makes me think, even provokes me to consider something I hadn't given much thought to previously. I think that true art inspires some sort of reaction or emotion. This can be pleasing or serene and sometimes there is something about the work that can make people angry or uncomfortable.
It's all art to me!
Click on the thumbnails below for intersting info about the artists. Caution: The Gaudi link may leave you breathless!
 Street or Urban Art  The Classical sculpture of Michelangelo  Van Gogh's impressionist swirls  Picasso working on his famous Guernica |  The Low Brow art of Robert Williams  The Graphic Arts exemplified by Talouse Lautrec  The large public pop art sculptures of Claes Oldenburg |  The dark side of Francisco Goya  The remarkable controlled "splattering" of Jackson Pollock!  The undulating Art Nouveau / Modernisme architecture of Antonio Gaudi |  Whistler's portraits  The contemplative and surreal Frida Kahlo  Deborah Butterfield's breathtaking horses |
As an Aphrodite devotee, I ascribe to the idea of seeing beauty all around me.
However, my ideas about beauty are quite expansive. The atypical, the deviant and the damaged is often strikingly beautiful. There is beauty to be found in that which disturbs, in decay and in the simple and ordinary. Something that was hideous at first glance can become beautiful when one takes the time to look deeper.
I have struggled with my view that almost anything can be art when I observe the range of graffiti in my neighborhood! Much of the tagging, I feel, is thoughtless vandalism but then I see more substantial pieces that are so striking that I am glad when I see that no one has painted over them. Some purported works of art are so poorly executed or so purely pretentious that they irk me.
I have struggled with my view that almost anything can be art when I observe the range of graffiti in my neighborhood! Much of the tagging, I feel, is thoughtless vandalism but then I see more substantial pieces that are so striking that I am glad when I see that no one has painted over them. Some purported works of art are so poorly executed or so purely pretentious that they irk me.
 In my mind, this is simply a tag, though perhaps one of the more stylish ones. It irks me that the owners of this building have provided space for street artists, but this loser tags the part of the wall they've asked people not to paint! |  I think this is an abstract explosion of amazing street art sans the garbage on the street. Piles of garbage on my neighborhood streets and tags on nearly every vertical surface. |
But then, I stop to consider that these things got a reaction from me. Indeed, I got emotional. They pushed my buttons in some way. Should I allow for the possibility that they are simply somewhere in the outer orbits of my art definition?
There are many (I lost count at 40!) links sprinkled throughout this post. I've been careful to make sure they all open in separate windows and to save you from going down a similar rabbit hole to the one Molly sent me down for about 8 hours yesterday. (Thanks Molly!) I forgot to eat!
This is why I don't blog as often as I'd like to and why they are so lengthy sometimes. It can be an all day adventure! I hope you enjoyed this one! In some ways it's as personal as my previous post, but not nearly as introspective and hopefully, more enjoyable; painless even!
I would love to know:
This is why I don't blog as often as I'd like to and why they are so lengthy sometimes. It can be an all day adventure! I hope you enjoyed this one! In some ways it's as personal as my previous post, but not nearly as introspective and hopefully, more enjoyable; painless even!
I would love to know:
- What you thought about these artists and their installations?
- Do you have a personal definition of art?
- What artists/kinds of art do you gravitate toward and why?
- Do you think art has to be beautiful?
- Anything you might have to say about art or this blog
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