Abstract Language.

Shifts in Emphasis

2012-02-02T19:31:00.000-08:00

Lately in the studio, I have been working out various thoughts dealing with the subtleties within abstract space. I'm going through phases of transition, questioning and evaluating recent experiences that have been influential. It is very easy as an artist to feel like you are following an already traveled path. These moments force me to return to thoughts where successes were made and branch off in the opposite direction. What was busy become simple; what was saturated becomes neutral.

Recently, I took a few days to make some reductive collages that present subtle surface shifts and perceptual interactions within each space. Within these moments of self-analysis, I can't help but allow my palette to reflect they sensations...the first image presents the initial collages followed by a series of somber works. As I work on new large canvases, these smaller collages create a playful, responsive moment in my routine.

The monochromatic works presented in a tight row in my studio.

Detail the above collages. I enjoy the same color on color interactions.

The initial saturated collages (11"x13" each)

Abstract.Kansas City at Nerman MoCA

2011-12-12T19:46:00.000-08:00

My painting "Tuck and Roll" (back wall, oil and acrylic on canvas, 60"x53") is included in the exhibition Abstract.Kansas City at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art in Overland Park, KS.

Cut and Paste

2011-11-21T19:16:00.001-08:00

Constructed Histories I - Striated, mixed media collage, 10"x14"

Constructed Histories II - Blush, mixed media collage, 11"x15"

Constructed Histories III - Compressed, mixed media collage, 10"x14"

Constructed Histories IV - Red Field, mixed media collage, 10"x15"

Initially, this series was created in response to my collaboration with photographer Ah-ram Park. We worked together on a series of photographs titled “Re-purpose” that depicted bundles of discarded billboards. These collages are reactions to those photos and are created through an additive layering process, similar to how signs are installed. I constructed paper spaces through cutting, pasting and tearing that created new passages of compressed structures. I am intrigued by the imagery that peaks out from each bundle and how these elements are suggestive of their unexposed interiors. Within these searches, I remain interested with how the hierarchy of language is influenced by the layering and concealing of abstract imagery.

Works in Progress

2011-10-29T23:25:00.000-07:00

These are some new "Covered" paintings in progress in my studio. I am excited about their immediacy, and will evaluate where I want to take them tomorrow morning. As these paintings continue to develop, I am becoming more drawn to the unplanned spaces that are created. I continue thinking about "subtle shifts" in form and want to explore this idea in these works.

detail, acrylic on canvas (so far), 16"x20" each

Color Studies at KCAI

2011-10-12T17:13:00.000-07:00

Today my students completed a color study project in my Foundations course at the Kansas City Art Institute. Each student brought in a found image and separated its colors into percentages each one occupied on the picture plane. These amounts dictated how wide their stripes were in the 14" square format. The selected images had to have a minimum of seven colors...it was a lesson in color mixing and color quantity relationships. After their first piece was completed they made a different arrangement using the complementary colors from the first piece. Once all the works were completed, we chose a collaborative arrangement that considered the impact of color, relationships, orientation of the patterns, and space.

Here the students are discussing the overall layout. This conversation was lively and opinionated...all good things.

The final arrangement was installed in the classroom and has a nice resemblance to quilts and tapestries. There are many great moments of color interaction.

Color Study, acrylic on bristol board, 7'x7'. The chair gives you an idea of its overall scale.

Re-purpose Collaboration

2011-10-09T19:05:00.000-07:00

Re-purpose #2, 2011, digital c-prints, 12.4"x27"

I recently began a collaborative series of photographs with good friend Ah-ram "Tom" Park. For the past few months I have driven by these bundles of used billboards and want to integrate them into my work somehow. The Missouri Bank Artboards provided the perfect opportunity.....The following proposal was submitted on Friday, so now we wait...

"Caleb Taylor and Ah-ram Park have collaborated on aseries of photographs titled “Re-purpose” that investigate the rejuvenation ofdiscarded billboards. Depictingcompacted bundles of used advertisements, our photographs intervene in therecycling process and revive these discarded campaigns into newbillboards.

Our interest in capturing the physical beauty andexamining the conceptual layers of these bundles has been the impetus for thiscollaboration. We are intriguedwith how these compressed signs become archeological time capsules that hint atmarketing trends and imagery that was popular during their initial campaigns. They relay purely abstract associationsand also communicate how human processing has moved these billboards through acycle of design, promotion, function, and reuse. We see our involvement in this history as both aninterruption and acceleration of this sequence. "

Re-purpose #7, Striations, 2011, digital c-print, 12.4"x27"

Artboards Proposal

2011-10-08T06:22:00.000-07:00

My proposed layout for the MO Bank Artboards. With good fortune, this idea may happen in the Crossroads.

Yesterday, I submitted a proposal to the Missouri Bank Artboards project that works with AiA of Kansas City and Charlotte Street Foundation. I proposed a series of recent collages that respond to weathered, deteriorating billboards. In my proposal, I created a small mock-up of my idea and think it turned out pretty well. The collages I submitted are small (approx. 10"x14" each) and start to include layers of cut rubber, felt, and paper. I have titled this series of work "Constructed Histories" to reference the cycle that these boards go through during their transformation. The layering of new signs over the old became a strong thought during my cutting and pasting process.

KU Medical Center Commission pt. II

2011-08-21T08:50:00.000-07:00

The new White Paintings for KU Medical Center have been installed and are view to the public. If you are interested, they can be viewed on the fourth floor of the new addition at 39th and Rainbow Boulevard in Kansas City. Other great works by Kent Michael Smith and Willem Volkersz were recently acquired for their collection.

Recently installed, recently built

2011-08-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

I recently helped install a Nick Cave Soundsuit in a private residence in Kansas City. Getting to handle this work was a privilege and gave me a moment to admire their materials, surface, and structure. As their name implies, the suits truly come to life through motion, swaying with each movement and putting off sounds created by the various materials. My buddy/co-worker Rhys and I dressed the suits onto mannequins then snapped some pics.

In this image you can see the surface is completely covered with hand-sewn buttons that clink and clank as the suit moves. The head/face is carefully constructed of thousands of steal wires....Cave's other suits are often made from human hair, steel flowers, and sequins.

Back in the shop, we spent the last week building a large crate for the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City. This crate will house their Waterlilies painting by Claude Monet. Its total size was 103"hx185"lx24"w, and had to be pushing a half-ton in weight. All Nelson crates are painted yellow to distinguish their crates from others in museum storage rooms. I enjoy documenting the large roller marks and the transition of the crates from start to finish. Kyle Combs, crate painter and mustache grower, is laying down the first coat of Safety Yellow.

And here it is all done up...enjoy the crate Monet.

KU Medical Center Commission

2011-08-08T05:38:00.000-07:00

This is a studio shot of three paintings I recently completed for KU Medical Center. This commission presented the opportunity to revisit a series of white paintings that I had presented at my MFA show in 2008. Each of these paintings are 60"x53", oil and acrylic on canvas, and will be permanently installed on the fourth floor alongside Gesture Knot (Out of Reach). Better individual and installation shots are on the way.

Juried Show at Brenda Taylor Gallery

2011-08-07T07:01:00.000-07:00

White Window IX (A quick motion; a deliberate gesture), 2010, acrylic, gouache, pencil and collage on paper, 22"x30".

I am excited to be one of ten artists included in the summer juried exhibition at Brenda Taylor Gallery in New York. The gallery is located at 505 West 28th Street in Chelsea and the show runs from August 12th-26th.

Parts to a Whole

2011-03-21T19:24:00.000-07:00

Parts to a Whole, collage on bristol board, 9" x 10" each, 60" x 144" overall. all photos by Thomas Park

I recently had a solo show titled 'Parts to a Whole" at the University of St. Mary's Goppert Gallery in Leavenworth, Kansas. About a year ago, I made a collection of minimal collages that were boxed up in my studio, waiting for their chance. Finally, this show presented the opportunity to show this series with several new collages and twelve black Tangles. All ninety collages were constructed from the remnants of my paper box. As my paper stash grows, these works are a great way to activate forms that are used as stencils for my drawings. Being able to make quick, formal constructions about color and shape relationships was extremely enjoyable. For "Parts to a Whole" version 2.0, I would like to triple its size.

Untitled, 2011, mixed media collage on paper, 22' x 30"

Parts to a Whole, 2010, detail, mixed media collage on bristol board, 60" x 144" overall. The red and blue (painter's tape) collage in the middle is one of my favorites. I could see some of these forms working very well at a monumental scale.

Black Tangles VI - XII, 2011, layered cut paper, 15" x 17" each

Field of Reeds

2011-02-15T17:59:00.000-08:00

Images of the opening reception can be viewed here. Enjoy.

A Glimpse Inward

2011-02-08T19:18:00.000-08:00

A Glimpse Inward, curated by Caleb Taylor

La Esquina, 1000 West 25th Street, Kansas City, MO

January 7 - February 19, 2011

featuring Rollin Beamish, Lori Hiris, John Douglas Powers, Caleb Taylor and Chris Turbuck

John Douglas Powers, Field of Reeds and Blue Sky Blue, 2008, kinetic sculpture and projection

This exhibition brings together my work and the work of four artists that I admire and who address related concerns. A Glimpse Inward presents contrasting perspectives on the exhibition title through autobiographical comic books, kinetic sculptures, videos, and paintings. My interest in the contrast or tension between internal and external natures and the idea of concealment is one both shared and rejected by this group. The works I have chosen maintain an underlying interest in what is revealed through looking and ask the audience to see into screens, beyond concealing forms, and into the psyche of each artist. Structures are revealed to include inner voices, microscopic imagery and social narratives.

If a glimpse is a momentary satisfaction of our visual senses, then Rollin Beamish and I have taken these sensations to an extreme, placing emphasis on the editing of cultural imagery and visual language. As my work investigates abstraction through concealment, Beamish's Presnt (Trace of Dissent) depicts instances where media and social tampering are occurring. The viewer is forced to unveil the meticulously painted layers to expose narratives that exist in a non-space of growth and decay. We both depict an accumulation of language that is simultaneously visceral and ordered.

The works of Chris Turbuck, Lori Hiris, and John Douglas Powers place interior structures on the outside to grasp solidarity in the past. They hold a greater interest in the revealing of information than I do, while sharing an anecdotal interest with Beamish. Hiris and Turbuck are their own narrators, telling personal stories that reveal a vulnerability and truth behind seemingly banal events. Turbuck shares dialogues from his graphic novel Fruitless about failed job interviews, relationships, and the struggles of building a career. His introspective drawings move between humorous and tragic as we sympathize with each experience. In Atlantis Unbound and Proteus, Hiris illustrates and captures an elaborate timeline of the genetic research of Francis Galton through petri dish-like lenses. Like Turbuck, her process of drawing extends the concept of "artwork as stage." Their use of sequential layouts crosses over into Powers' use of repetitive, kinetic elements. His sculptures are the actors, working in real-time to recall the past. Field of Reeds exudes calmness as its gears rotate and squeal out a soundtrack that resonates like a fond memory.

Curating an exhibition that explores similar and contrasting viewpoints has introduced me to new ways of evaluating my own practice and methodologies. My interest in bringing this group together was to extend a dialogue between individuals aggressively pursuing related ideas. This exhibition is a result of their perspectives that I believe stretches far beyond a glimpse.

Field of Reeds by John Douglas Powers greeted the crowd at the front door. See this beautiful sculpture do its thing here. In his lecture, Powers discussed how glad he was to show this work in the midwest because of its resemblance to waving fields of wheat.

Caleb Taylor, Bend and a Stretch III, 2010, oil and acrylic on canvas, 60" x 53"

Continuing clockwise around the space, you can get a sense of the overall installation including paintings by Rollin Beamish (below, Complications of Corporeality, 2008, oil on muslin, 20" x 20"), collages by Caleb Taylor, and a peek at the pages of Fruitless by Chris Turbuck.

John Douglas Powers, Sky Blue Sky, 2008, wood, steel, plastic, video component, 5" x 3.5" x 2". A Glimpse Inward included both the smallest and largest pieces Powers has made. Sky Blue Sky had a great conceptual place in the exhibition by asking viewers to peer into the tiny screen to watch the rolling clouds.

Chris Turbuck, 88 pages of Fruitless, 2008-2011, ink on board, 11" x 14" each (84" x 188" overall)

Chris Turbuck, Fruitless (detail, chewing fingernails), ink on board, 11" x 14"

Rollin Beamish, Present (Dissent of Time), triptych, oil on muslin and board, 120" x 40"

Rollin Beamish, Present (Trace of Dissent), right panel, oil on muslin, 40" x 40"

Rollin Beamish, Present (Trace of Dissent), detail of left panel

Caleb Taylor, Skin Grapht I, mixed media collage on paper, 22" x 30"

Caleb Taylor, Skin Grapht II, 2010, mixed media collage on paper, 22" x 30". This series of collages are recent and address an accumulation of language. I want the surfaces of these collages to hold a balance of rigidity and flexibility with each element relying on the next to physically and visually hold its structure.

Installation view of A Glimpse Inward, La Esquina, Kansas City, MO

Installation view of Caleb Taylor's collages and Lori Hiris' videos Atlantis Unbound and Proteus.

Lori Hiris, Proteus, 2009, video stills, dimensions varied. Lori's video played on a small screen with a soundtrack that had a nice balance to the sounds of Field of Reeds. Hiris' videos are constructed with a draw/erase process, collage, and the physical manipulation of objects (including gummy worms).

Installation view of Skin Grapht IV and III, mixed media collage, 22" x 30"

Caleb Taylor, Skin Grapht IV (Out the Window, 2010, mixed media collage, 22" x 30"

Caleb Taylor, Skin Grapht III, 2010, mixed media collage, 22" x 30"

I Saw, I Liked

2010-11-28T08:57:00.000-08:00

Good Vegan Progression #1, 2005, mixed media on felt, 118" x 123".

Collection of Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO.

Good Vegan Progression #1, detail.

Being a collage freak, I am crazy about these pieces. So inventive and monumentally beautiful.

Al Held at the Chazen Museum of Art. I was on a job in Madison and was able to quicky tour

the museum. I was pleasantly surprised to find this painting, Untitled, approximately 60"x60", acrylic on canvas.

Al Held has a masterful way of handling space. Forms cut into the paint and constantly

vibrate between the foreground and background. Whenever I encounter a Held painting,I am

always in awe of his precision and compositions. Truly amazing.

Al Held. detail. The linear rectangle on the left, although it appears to be in the foreground,

was apparently the first element he painted, and cuts through the surface.

Gesture Knot (Out of Reach)

2010-09-24T05:12:00.000-07:00

The centerpiece of my Charlotte Street Exhibition at Grand Arts was a large cut-aluminum piece titled Gesture Knot (Out of Reach). Extending the forms/shapes used within my collages/drawings, Gesture Knot began as a hand-held, paper cutout of a scribbled line that was enlarged using a water-jet cutter and the assistance of A. Zahner Co. Once the two shapes were cut, Spencer Schubert of E.S. Schubert Sculpture Studios helped with the hanging system and surface treatment for the piece. My greatest appreciation and recommendation goes out to Spencer.

Out of Reach as raw aluminum; ready for primer and paint.

The front and back surfaces were sprayed with a bubble-gum pink direct-to

metal primer to prepare the work for interior and exterior installation. The

back of each part was then sprayed hot pink to contrast the white and create a glow

that haloed off the wall.

With this piece and the thirteen drawings included in the exhibition, my work advances into a deeper investigation of language pulled from the history of abstraction (gesture, form, space). Conceptually, the Knots exist as drawings in space and communicate within the context of "gestural" abstraction. Through the multiple phases of cutting, a quick motion is deliberately slowed and addresses the absence of the artistic hand associated with minimal painting.

Spencer applies the initial coat of white on the face. Each edge was masked

to keep a bright pink 3/16" edge exposed around the entire piece.

Spraying the face of the second piece.

At each step in this fabrication, it was important to maintain a collage-like quality to the pieces that embodied the energy of the original cut-outs. See the pieces in a studio setting as abstract objects of sculpture stirred my thoughts about their potential for future works.

Following the final coat, the front piece drying in the studio. I really enjoy

the presence this form holds. See the final piece in the previous post.

Review of the Charlotte Street Fellows Exhibition

2010-09-23T20:41:00.000-07:00

Following the installation of Gesture Knot (Out of Reach), 2010, latex on

cut aluminum, 89"x79"x2". Right after this shot, I took a deep breath.

I have shied away from posting recently to keep my activities under wrap until the opening of the Charlotte Street Fellows Exhibition at Grand Arts (my drawing is on the homepage). The exhibition opened on September 3rd, to huge crowds, perfect weather, and great KC energy. Local friends and family came out, great friends from Iowa rolled in; it couldn't have been better. But best of all, my parents were super proud. My mother probably cried a bit. Glad I brought someone to tears.

The 3rd was the night of many openings across the city, and our exhibition at Grand Arts did not disappoint. Ari Fish, Sonia Ruffin and I had been cranking to turn out our most ambitious work for the opening and it was met with great reviews and supportive feedback. The generosity of the Charlotte Street Foundation and the staff at Grand Arts have been incredibly supportive during the preparation for this exhibition. It's such a nice feeling to produce a new body of work....it gets the juices flowing and builds drive for the next time I head to the studio.

The exhibition was reviewed by Alice Thorson of the Kansas City Star with half-page photos and some good critical meat. Check it out. I dig the photo, but I've received a load of shit for it. I debuted my first (of many, hopefully) Gesture Knots, along with a series of new works on paper. Installations shots of the exhibition are on the way, along with a new website, new work, a new truck (theft #2), my new duds at the opening, new acquaintances, new opinions, new directions, new everything. The next post will have images of the making of Gesture Knot (Out of Reach)...

Flatfiles at H&R Block Artspace

2010-06-20T18:49:00.000-07:00

The Flatfiles Exhibition at H&R Block Artspace brought out a huge crowd to casually share the summer evening and shuffle through the portfolios of Kansas City artists, both emerging and established. The Flatfiles exhibition is an biannual show where artists are invited to submit a portfolio of works on paper or videos. My sister was in town that evening, so we introduced her to the art scene and all of its characters (many pictured below). We enjoyed the exhibition and caught up with friends before devouring Lulu's tai food and ice cream. During the duration of Flatfiles, gallery attendants and the curator will rotate works from the drawers. Over the next few months, I intend to stop by the Artspace to sport white gloves and spend time touring some portfolios.

Works in the exhibition are hung salon-style and create interesting, unexpected groupings.

My drawing White Window VII (center) made an appearance at the opening.

White Window VII, 2010, acrylic, gouache, pencil on paper, 22"x30"

Derrick Breidenthal's hands and ear (lower left corner) came to the opening. Those hands paint

nice atmospheric paintings that were included in the flatfiles.

In the Studio...

2010-06-14T19:20:00.000-07:00

Custer Covered Black, 2010, acrylic, gouache, pencil, collage on paper, 15"x17"

Works in progress (oil and acrylic on canvas, 53"x60") in my studio. At any given moment,

I am working on about ten canvases and twenty drawings at once. This allows me to

implement new ideas quickly and playfully while remaining productive.

White Noise

2010-06-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

White Cluster III, 2010, acrylic, gouache, collage, pencil on paper, 15"x17"

Snowflake

2010-06-04T14:52:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post a few installation images from my show at Snowflake with Clint Baclawski. The exhibition was well received and our work showed well together. Getting to spend some time in St. Louis was great and I look forward to returning. St. Louis has a rich history and the city is full of cultural neighborhoods, beautiful museums, and great food. I didn't eat any toasted ravioli on this trip, but an ad in the newspaper convinced me to buy a Gooey Louie butter cake that was as delicious/fattening as it sounds. The smells from their bakery on Chippewa Street could give you a diabetic seizure. Good stuff. So I ate, drank beer (not Budweiser, sorry St. Louis), met some great people, and ate. Between bites, I took a couple pictures.

Snowflake was an intimate space on Cherokee Street that was bustling

by the time of the opening. The show was well attended and the

Santo Foundation was extremely accommodating. My works

Untitled (left) and Taffy Push/Pull (right) are in the background.

Clint's light boxes from his Hype/White series were displayed on the

floor with my works on paper in the background. The boxes depicted

crowds that congregate around advertisements and would pulsate. Each

box is plywood with automotive paint and archival inkjet backlit prints,

42"x52"x12".

Installation view; Recent Work: Caleb Taylor and Clint Baclawski at

Snowflake/Citystock.

From the 13th floor to the Bottoms

2010-06-03T19:04:00.000-07:00

Medium-sized works on canvas prior to being loaded onto the moving

truck. Thanks Charlotte Street Foundation and Urban Culture Project

for the great studio and a productive year.

...and several finished works in the new studio.

I have moved studios again and am happy to be set up and working in my new West Bottoms space. Though I miss my previous thirteenth floor studio with the great view overlooking the city, I have upgraded to a space that is triple the size with a great atmosphere and plenty of room to grow. As the Missouri summer starts to get steamy, I miss the air conditioning at the previous studio....the things we sacrifice for more space.

Yesterday I spent the day working on a series of new drawings that are incorporate more collage elements. Lately, I have been considering the conceptual role of gesture in my work and the history of abstract painting. Through precise paper-cutting, I am transforming a quick scribble into a slowed, deliberate form that extends the vocabulary associated with "gesture painting." For now, these collage elements are intimate, but I can't help but wonder how they will transform when I increase their scale and presence.

I enjoy this "point-of-view" picture that is composed of small blips of

color. Plus it is a chance to show off my new, lime-green shoes.

Dang those are spiffy.

Cut and Folded

2010-05-26T20:34:00.000-07:00

Untitled, 2010, acrylic, collage and found paper on manila folder, 9"x11"

This recent collage is from a series of small works that strictly investigates abstraction from a Modernist standpoint. I have been using collage for the past five years as a way of exploring new territories and building on my existing vocabulary of color, form, and space. These works are a departure from my usual conceptual direction, and give me a break from my norm to remain playful in my studio. It feels great to make quick, intuitive decisions that involve folded paper, delicate stencils, and built-up surfaces.

Clint Baclawski/Caleb Taylor: Recent Work

2010-05-06T04:44:00.000-07:00

White Window - Glow II, 2010, acrylic, gouache, pencil on paper, 15"x17"

Snowflake is located at 3156 Cherokee Street, St. Louis, MO 63118.

Clint Baclawski/Caleb Taylor: Recent Work opens this Saturday at Snowflake/Citystock in St. Louis. This exhibition is curated by Ashley Kopp and generously supported by the Santo Foundation. I am exhibiting eleven new drawings alongside Clint's photographic installation - together we will own this intimate venue very well. I am excited to travel to St. Louis and to check out the St. Louis art scene. Opening reception: Saturday, May 8, 2010 from 7 to 10 pm. Exhibition runs until June 6th. Stop in and check it out.

Studio Wallpaper

2010-04-06T20:26:00.000-07:00

Today in the studio, I continued working on a series of minimal collages for an upcoming show. Pulled from the growing piles of scrap paper that continue to collect in my studio, I am interested in the idea of complex wallpaper made from minimal compositions. It's an opportunity to work with minimal language and investigate the space and color relationships occurring between the forms. Once the installation is complete, I will post new pictures.

Untitled, 2010, collage on bristol board, 11"x9" each

Art Mover...NO Shaking!

2010-04-01T20:03:00.000-07:00

The art handling company I work for had the privilege of traveling to Omaha, Nebraska (somewhere in middle America) to help crate works from the very impressive Phillip Schrager Collection of Contemporary Art. We arrived with pre-fabricated crates and the responsibility of packing fifteen works in two days. I was completely floored with the quality, quantity, and ambition of this private collection. Working as an art handler has its perks...not only did I get to spend time around this work, but I got a peek into the back room. I will be returning to Omaha periodically to see what works they will fill the empty spaces. These images are just a taste...

This Peter Halley (acrylic, Roll-a-Tex on canvas) in the

background was monumentally transformative. All the

work in the collection maintained the common thread of

using materials aggressively. Mary Heillman chairs in foreground.

Jonathan Lasker, oil on canvas. Look at that paint.

Barry McGee, oil and acrylic on panel

Barry McGee, detail, acrylic and oil on canvas. Gotta love

his geometric patterns.

Chris Ofili, Dead Monkey acrylic, glitter, beads, elephant dung on panel.

This piece satisfied all the decorative, embellishing tendencies

that I sway away from in my own work. Getting to hold and wrap

the dung balls was too cool.

Posing with this Thomas Struth photograph. The depicted

crowd is peering at the slightly off-camera David by

Michelangelo.

A behind-the-scenes view of the art handling operation.

The Elizabeth Murray in the background was the

biggest task. The crate was built outside due to its size.

The Elizabeth Murray crated and secured by co-worker

Dan Elliott. Dan is demonstrating a very important

skill for art handlers; standing and holding. Keep it up Dan.

Mike Otto, owner of Artworks of KC, prepares the Murray

for the truck.

And off it all went in the Mayflower.

Starting 2010 with Cumulus Part I and II

2010-02-23T19:28:00.001-08:00

The start to this blog has been slow, but my 2010 New Year's resolution is to become a more active blogger. I am making new drawings and paintings weekly, and will try to keep everyone posted on studio developments. But first, some collaborations...

A Conversation that Never Ends!, cut paper,

155"x78" - this work was included in Cumulus Part I

at Paragraph Gallery from January 15th-February 11th.

Sculptor Juniper (TJ) Tangpuz and I have been working on several collaborations since December that have been included in Cumulus I and II at Paragraph Gallery. TJ and I created two cut stencil pieces influenced by our love for comics and obsessive paper- cutting. "A Conversation that Never Ends!" uses the complex language of comic word bubbles to depict an open-ended dialogue.

A Conversation that Never Ends!, detail, cut paper, 155"x78"

The Cumulus exhibitions showcase the work of 2009 Urban Culture Project Studio Residents, who submitted proposals for collaborative projects. Supported by Charlotte Street Foundation, the openings were packed and the exhibition demonstrated Kansas City's strong shift to interactive, performance and community-based works. "Cumulus Part II" is currently on display until March 11th.

Our response to "Never-ending" was a multi-layered piece that involved a deeper investigation of speech balloon forms. In "A Discussion in B Minor," many forms begin to hover on the edge of representation and create coded images for the viewer to decipher.

A Discussion in B Minor, cut paper, 40"x53"

A Discussion in B Minor, detail, layered cut paper, 40"x53"

New Blog, New Studio, New Work

2009-07-22T20:42:00.001-07:00

Welcome to my blog; the place where I will share my studio progress, openings, and include you in conversations. Enjoy the posts.

my new Urban Culture Project studio

works in progress