Soapstone Gallery-Niagara Bar Location

Happened to be in East Village on April 29th when I got a text from Stacey about an art opening at the Niagara Bar-just a block away!  She introduced me to a couple people and Kathy, the first person I met actually went to Smith College, and she even knew my studio space-mate Wilson Kemp!  She volunteers for the organization, No Longer Empty which puts up art exhibits in temporarily empty storefronts and venues all around the city.

Then met Sarah Giarratana, who's intricate ink on watercolor drawings inspired me to no end.  And when we talked about our drawings, she totally knew where I was coming from!  She told me about a sketch-a-thon she does with some other artists-just what I need!  She introduced me to Michel McManus who curated the show with Soapstone Gallery.  He also liked my drawings, even though my tiny phone hardly does them justice.  He wanted me to e-mail them in, and when I get back from my residency in July that'll be one of the first things I do.

610 Dean Studio Party

I went to this a week ago and saw some interesting stuff.  Scott introduced me to his fellow Pratt alumns at their studio party in Brooklyn.
 

David Pierce

Traffic makes Traffic #2

Ink on Rice Paper Stretched on Canvas

30" x 48"

Saw the work of David Pierce and fell in love with his older meticulously drawn work.  From far away, they held such weight and were rich in texture.  From up close you would get lost in his tiny circles.  Very different from my work, but very inspiring.

 Gary Cullen

19 steps and repercussions

oil, cold wax enamel & pigment based marker on canvas

48"x52"

He and this artist, Gary Cullen,  created DJ Mayonnaise Hands, and they do some really awesome interviews.   Did I mention they're crazy?

Also met an incredible photo-realistic artist named Albert Shelton who is currently working in the studio of Jeff Koons.  I heard that one of his jobs is to carefully mix the right values of paint.  I think doing something that precise for hours would make me crazy.

Leo Kesting Gallery Opening

  Busted, 8" x 10", mixed media on canvas

Following up on Hans' invitation, I went to the Leo Kesting Gallery for the opening reception of Stand Yer Ground, a show full of vintage collages that juxtapose images of an idyllic 1950s-type of society  with the reality of sex, guns, and drugs.  I thought the tongue-in-cheek social commentary was well-articulated, and was impressed with the technical aspects of the collages.  I loved how the layers fit together to create a unique world.

 Jack Davletshin

 I met the artist Jack Davletshin that Hans told me about, and got to hear about his ballpoint world.  When he talked about the long process and made the familiar comment "And yes, it's ALL done in ballpoint pen" I knew we were on the same wavelength.  So great to meet someone who gets it!  Hopefully soon I'll head over to their artist collective and see both his and Hans' work.


Also met someone who was handing out ginkgo leafs.  My bronze ginkgo leaf pin made his day.  I gave him my card and--just like that--had someone else to go gallery hopping with.

Affordable Art Fair

Before I came here, I was told by someone to show work at the Affordable Art Fair.  While it would've boosted my artistic career if I could've been in it, I found out that it was only for galleries and the artists they represent.  So I did the next best thing and volunteered.  Volunteering at the AAF was incredibly rewarding.  I was able to meet so many interesting people and see the art for free.  I met the ice cream truck vendor who created a life-size cardboard ice cream truck and sold painted cardboard ice cream cones, the curator of the recent graduate's booth, and one of the artists he featured.  I also met a Hampshire College grad from the 1980s who is himself a represented painter.  What are the chances of that?!  He reminded me that Hampshire College is a grad school equivalent, which reaffirmed my belief that I'm doing the right thing by starting my career right here right now.

The artists I met invited me out for drinks at the Back Room afterward to celebrate, and suddenly I had the chance to meet a group of other artists also making a living in the city.  One of them even recognized me from my time working at the Brooklyn pizzeria.  Not the best way to be known when I'm trying to start my career as an artist, but I'll take it.  Showed them all my work, they loved it, and then saw theirs.  I saw Scott's work, and was inspired by his use of contrast in his B&W photos.  Hans, the one who curated the grad's booth, creates large abstract paintings and is part of an artist collective.  He told me about an artist in the collective who also creates large ballpoint pen drawings!  I was fascinated and met the artist, Jack, at a later reception.

I'd say the Affordable Art Fair ended up being a great opportunity after all.

Antony Gormley

Immediately after meeting Adam Fowler, I met up with Sam who was visiting for the weekend.  On Sunday we went exploring around Union Square, and ended up walking to Madison Square Park, where we happened upon Antony Gormley's installation, Event Horizon. I was already familiar with the artist's inspirational wire sculptures, so I was thrilled to see what else he had come up with.

 This exhibit featured a number of life size nude casts of the artist, popping up all over the place.  We sat next to this one for a while, but then as we got up to leave we noticed they were all around us!  Practically every rooftop around the square had a figure perched at the edge, looming.   Here's a couple pictures of the rooftop figures I took with my phone:

This experience was so effective that as we roamed around that area we kept looking up to see if yet another figure peered down in our direction.  So fun!

Adam Fowler

 

“untitled” 10 by 11 inches

Even before getting here, I was told by some friends to see the work of Adam Fowler, who's piece Untitled (74 Layers) was up at the Museum of Arts & Design through the beginning of April. 

I rushed in on the last day and was mesmerized.  This guy starts out drawing large, loose circles like I do, but then CUTS OUT each layer, carefully tracing the outline of each graphite stroke and LAYERS them, sometimes up to 74 layers!!!  I e-mailed him and he told me where I could see more of his work.  I immediately went to Margaret Thatcher Projects and took in every detail I could of the three pieces in their collection.  I learned so much from observing, but I was full of questions for the artist, so we arranged a studio meeting.

Not only did I get to talk to Adam Fowler about his work and his artistic career, but I was fortunate enough to get a critique!  It just so happened I had Rhythms of Light on hand, and when I showed Adam he was really impressed.  We had discussed the best options for me at this point in my career, and while he initially thought I should take a break from being serious about my career and live my life, once he saw my work he said I should keep on doing what I am to get my art out there, right now! 

How's that for a first month in NYC?!

Causey Contemporary, Like The Spice, The Front Room, Art 101

My second Friday in Brooklyn, I went on a gallery opening adventure with Malin.  We hit up Causey Contemporary, Like the Spice, Parker's Box, The Front Room, and Art 101.

At Causey Contemporary, I fell in love with this photo/photogram by Chuck Kelton:

The reception was really upscale for our walking clothes, and I opted out of meeting the artist.  But I absorbed a lot from the show anyway.

Next was Like the Spice, which was featuring the show "The Homeless Boys Social Club"  by Greg Haberny:

It was an installation in the gallery and basement of the work the artist had completed in his residency there.  Really edgy, political art.  I didn't have the chance to meet the artist that night, but actually met him at the Affordable Art Fair, where Like the Spice happened to be showing.  More on that later.

Then we went to the Front Room where I fell in love with the acrylic paintings of Gregory Curry.

I was so captivated by his ability to capture light through color and create his own worlds!  We spoke and he thanked me and Malin for coming, since we were the only people at the show who wandered in off the street and weren't family or friends.

He wanted me to e-mail him images of my work, and in our correspondence he gave me suggestions on introducing color to my drawings.  I can't wait to try putting down color washes and drawing over them, or starting on colored paper and adding different colors of ballpoint pen.  And now I have someone to critique them!


Then Malin had to leave, and I went on to Art 101:

I've never seen an art opening this FULL!  I had a hard time seeing the art because the rooms were so packed.  Met the artist who made this painting, and she seemed really great.  Then met the curator of the show, Jay Pluck, who seemed to think he had met me before.  He was adamant about me signing the guestbook, so maybe I'll be hearing from him again.

Loved all the opportunities and random conversations of the evening!

Secret Project Robot

First opening in New York City!!!
I went to Secret Project Robot for the show Hoarding Skin.  The artists in Seripop were really cool! 

The wall read "We're in it for the Shits and Giggles"
They screen printed every sheet of paper used to make up every inch of the walls, cloors, and columns.  Insane.

The opening felt like an opening in Austin, and the crowd had a familiar look.  But because it was my first week there, I didn't know anyone, and because I went alone, it was hard to talk to people without appearing creepy.  Luckily though I was hit on by a drunk elderly gentleman, and when Arden's tactic of ignoring him until he went away didn't work the second time around I was "saved" by a cool group of young people and got to talk to them for a while.  What an ice-breaker!  They were awesome too, and had actually just been to austin for SXSW!  After that, I also managed to meet someone I recognized from Hampshire who was starting up a gallery in the area.

All in all a fun introduction to the Brooklyn art scene.