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Conceptually Driven

A blog about conceptual art, and its drive in my life as an artist.

Why I paint spirals

In: Conceptual Art, Conceptual Art Examples, Conceptual Art Theory, Inspiration

Why I paint spirals

Spirals are one of my favorite ways to compose pictures. Here is how I explain what it is about them I love so much.

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away; I took Geometry. Like most of the other ninth graders in my class, I found it to be a refreshing diversion from arithmetic and equations (otherwise known as “Math”), and in getting to know and draw shapes, I was introduced to the spiral, properly. We had these nifty graphing calculators, black and brown screens and spirals would animate right out of the axes once the correct equation was entered - though by this time, bringing equations back to the shapes was a brilliant way to rekindle my fading interest in math. And then, there was the geometric theorem (I can’t find a reference) that stated that “all spirals are similar,”  as depending on the dimensions on the axes on which they are mapped, they can be made to look exactly like one another, even if arising from very different equations. So if the shape is a spiral, no matter how it looks, it’s just like every other spiral. cool.

It wasn’t long after this that I began to draw spirals. I could manage to draw a straight line, but drawing a spiral became effortless. The trick I found was that …

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Exhibit: Infomatic Aesthetic at Flying Star Cafe

In: Conceptual Art, Conceptual Art Examples, Conceptual Art Theory, Exhibitions

Exhibit: Infomatic Aesthetic at Flying Star Cafe

Five very recent abstract paintings in Latex are now hanging at the Flying Star in Downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. The artwork selected for this show fits the "Infomatic Aesthetic" my latex paintings often follow.

I’m pleased to have just returned from installing five paintings in the Downtown Albuquerque Flying Star Cafe. Not only is the location frequented by thousands of people in a month but its decor is retro-modern, complete with bright colors and high ceilings. I’ve never hung my artwork anywhere like it, but I have to say it looks fan-tabulous. The show will be up for three months, so the exposure it will bring to my aesthetic will be invaluable.

The work at Flying Star includes Diptych, Sometimes We Know Differently (we don’t forget), Untitled, and two new paintings without images on this website: Scare and Blue Day. Blue Day is a diptych of the same dimensions of Sometimes We Know Differently and Scare is a progression of the thick application technique also used in Chase. All of this work is done on Latex on Canvas and involves Pixels. I’m noticing growth in the popularity of my “infomatic aesthetic” artwork - the work in this show was picked out directly from their listings on this website, and the new ones were brought along despite having no images and were included for fitting in well with the others.



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Self as Informant

In: Artists, Conceptual Art, Conceptual Art Theory, Studio

Self as Informant

Drawing a blank. Once you graduate from self-relecting art, what’s next? Jim Lutes and the Whitney Biennial helped me find the answer.

I am underinformed. Underexposed. Underperforming. Under a rock. No, seriously! There is so little to make art about that I just don’t. its not I don’t want to - but what about? How? If I can do anything, why do anything? But this is unacceptable. I’m a capable professional in other aspects and I can’t even coach my own painting? Ok. ok. Maybe if I start reading..

My first move is to pick up the exhibition catalog from Eye Infection, featuring artists Robert Crumb, Jim Nutt, Peter Saul, H.C. Westerman, and Mike Kelley; five men without permission or collaboration successfully deconstructing perception same as the “rules” of conceptual and fine art. Or at least now that’s what they are known for, without the whole rogue aspect: they are all monumentally celebrated now for breaking a tradition that was redefined as such along the same lineage. Its a surprise to myself that I haven’t looked at this book in years despite schlepping it around and admiring its spine whenever I enter my studio. Its also a surprise, but not entirely, that I had never read the text, only gazed at the …

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