Everything Old Is New Again

This week I was invited to participate in the Facebook "Artist Challenge" - basically a chain letter that centers around sharing artwork. I don't usually take part in things like that, but since it filled my FB feed with lovely art from so many of my talented friends, I figured it was a worthwhile exception. And honestly, it was really fun to dig through the years and rediscover old favorites.

Here are a few of my favorite figure studies from undergrad. It's strange looking back at these now. It seems the floor has been interesting to me for longer than I realized.

Nancy     2010     oil on canvas     30" x 24"

Monica's Boots     2010     oil on canvas     30" x 24"

 Christina and Blue     2010     oil on canvas     24" x 30"

Exhibition News

Discard     2014     oil on canvas     30" x 30"

I'm very excited to announce that my painting "Discard" (above) will be included in the "Losing Love" exhibition at CORE New Art Space in Denver! The show runs from February 12 – March 1, 2015. If you're in the area, the reception is Friday February 13th from 6–9pm. For more information check out the gallery's website: http://www.corenewartspace.com

"Discard" is still one of my favorite paintings from my thesis work. It is part of a series of three - the last three I made before the show. I had this image in my head of looking across a vast expanse of floor that seemed to go on forever, with something just out of reach. The masking tape on the floor was the most fun to paint. 

In other news, I cleaned and organized my studio this week. There is something so cathartic about throwing away so much accumulated detritus. With my space clear, my brain feels clear and ready to work. I am in the process of making new pieces for a solo show in March... if I want them to be dry for the reception, I have a little less than a month... nose to the grindstone, now. I can't wait to show you these paintings. Soon! In the meantime, have a wonderful week. xo

Cold Thoughts on Abstraction

Brrr! It has been a cold, snowy week in Chicago. I genuinely love winter, but even I'm ready for the temperature to be above zero. This kind of winter light though... it has always been my favorite kind of light.

I've been musing about the line between abstraction and representation this week. I find myself often caught between the inevitable seduction of painterly abstraction and my own deep-rooted passion for representation. Some preliminary thoughts:

1. Everything is abstract.

- in so much that everything can be broken down into the most basic formal elements, abstracted to simplicity

2. Abstraction and representation are stylistic concerns.

- at a certain point, how one paints is ultimately less meaningful than what one chooses to paint (however, it is no less important)

3. Everything is representational.

- in so much that every painting depicts something, whether it is a gestural mark or a rendered portrait

4. Language is problematic.

15"x15" oil on canvas 2015

Succarines and Studio Shots

Here's to starting the new year right, with good studio days and family time. :)

The kitchen and the studio have always been connected in my brain. Both are creative spaces, full of experimentation and the inevitable occasional failure ("Hmm. I wonder how much I lost?"). The kitchen is a place of great inspiration for me... being Italian probably has something to do with that. The act of making a painting is a lot like cooking; it is a slow process, full of trial and error, sometimes even with recipes handed down through generations. Ironically, I'm not usually one for recipes in the kitchen, but I have started making notes on how I mixed certain colors... and that has proved tremendously helpful, especially for working back into abandoned paintings.

one such abandoned painting, in its unfinished state last summer:

and a detail shot, in progress once again... Sometimes I'm glad when I don't scrap old pieces.

But, back to the kitchen. This week mom and I made succarines (italian anise cookies) from an old family recipe. I'm not usually one to post pictures of food, but I think this is a worthy exception. Yep, they taste as good as they look - not too sweet, but not too heavy on the anise either. Since I can't share them with you in person, here, have a photo. Go ahead, lick the screen. :)