You ain't got to know my name, check the blood, sweat & tears For years, ya'all know I bang

Posted by Jona8than | Labels: , | Posted On Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 2:37 a.m.

Some days all I need is Wu Tang.

It was a productive day in terms of thinking about my art. I slept in late, popped into the studios and started doing some drawing. Nothing serious, but prep for some other work. Some days I wished I did photo for the instant gratification feel [I know not totally instant] but with imaginary landscapes it's a little hard to photograph. I miss etching a bit, it always seemed so intuitive and quick for me. I guess I just need to make lithography like that for me. A lot of printing does that for one.

The Leyton Gallery is having a Christmas show in November and they asked me if I wanted to submit some work to it. I definitely am doing so, it's not a "Christmas" theme show but I am trying to incorporate George E. Tyson's Christmas journal entry in to the work; even if it just the inclusion of the text into the piece. It isn't very cheery really, describing the darkness and coldness and the barrenness of their Christmas dinner.

The Wanderer residency had their artist presentations yesterday and a lot of great artwork was shown. I really like this group and the artwork being proposed. I like all the residencies so far, but maybe this one has a more definite connection to my art interests. I keep turning to video, especially after seeing Oliver Lutz's pieces in his artist talk. I have always had this performative aspect to me, and should really embrace it.

Watched The Shipping News movie last night. Been feeling a little homesick, missing that landscape. Spend a lot of time looking at nautical items on etsy and other websites.
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Black yo, I been hustlin' since skeets was bustin' guns And scufflin', and jumpin' guys over some coats

Posted by Jona8than | | Posted On Thursday, September 17, 2009 at 1:09 a.m.

"Work like a slave; command like a king; create like a god."
- C. Brancusi

I must do nothing else but that above. I have become very soft and unfocused here I feel, little rounder on the edges. You don't stay hungry here, you work with art all day and work with others. It's a great job - lot of inspiration - yet seems like this inspiration will only be used when I leave. Which doesn't help me as much right now. Because I have to throw big. Ride a pale horse and be an art hero.

I have the ideas, I just have to put the effort in to it. It seems I felt more pushed when working a shitty job and going after work to the printshop to work on my pieces.

The thought of pursuing my Master's was put forward today. It comes and goes, but I do wonder if it is something I should pursue at the moment. Next fall? Go do my masters, get it out of the way. I wonder if there is either 1 year masters of fine arts program out there. That would suit my mood right now.

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Only Built for Cuban Linx

Posted by Jona8than | Labels: , , , | Posted On Monday, September 14, 2009 at 1:53 a.m.

A new residency starts tomorrow morning, thus the past week has been a week busy with preparations for the new group of artists. I look forward to this residency, The Wanderer, as it deal with the romantic notion of the figure in the landscape and the contemporary issues with that. It is something that relates to my own art practice or can inform it a bit more.

I've started working on the new body of work. Spent most of Friday and today in the litho studio, getting things ready for printing. Was going to print today but my foot has been acting up; I believe I have an ingrown toenail. Hurts during the day, even more after wearing shoes all day. Will probably need surgery again for it, so probably will be doing that this week. Sigh... what a pain in the hole... er... foot.

The lithographic print I am working on first is going to be a three part print - by parts I mean on different sheets. So three full sheets of paper meaning it should be about 8ft tall give or take a few inches. At the moment I'm thinking it will only be about 2ft wide. I could use six sheets of paper, and have the image 2 sheets wide. Perhaps for another piece, will see how this one goes. I think it will be a good experiment for me regarding size and printing.
I haven't decided on how to join the sheets together or if this will be an issue with this work. That will be addressed once the printing is done.

From what I heard the Pick Me Up Art Collective show went well this weekend, a good crowd showed up and a good time was had by all. I wish I could of been there. I was told I was asked about. That's always good, to be brought up. I guess I'll see some people during Christmas.
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MC Conditioner - you can never say this boy's an amateur

Posted by Jona8than | Labels: , , | Posted On Friday, September 11, 2009 at 2:29 a.m.

I have finished all my researching for my new project... well, maybe finished is the wrong phrase. I have stopped researching for my new body of work at the moment, and will just start making stuff. Especially in the lithography room. If I don't use that room, I lose it in a way. It has just taken so long to get everything kind of situated for to start working at something. So glad I got an extension here in a way because if I hadn't, I'd just have two months to make everything.

That is kinda where I am to at the moment, just embarking on this new work. It feels exciting and I have a lot of support from my mentors at the Banff Centre.

It''s going to be a lot of print based work but also some ceramics and sculpture pieces. I got some porcelain today to work with - for free- so always hits the spot.

I am in an exhibition this weekend with the art collective Pick Me Up Art. Not that I think my art is particularly picking anyone up. Not my objective really. Not that I am sure of my objective, but I know what it isn't. Anyway... there is this great exhibition this weekend with some of fellow classmates and art school peeps. If you're in St. John's, check it out.

Besides that the only thing on my radar is getting ready for the winter, getting some winter clothes and gear. In particular some boots. I have been experimenting with different looks this summer; Banff kinda has this casual affect on people - so a lot of jeans and tee shirts. I think that while good for the summer, it wasn't me. I can feel in this fall my usual veering to suits and other such wear. In particular, Alexander McQueen's fall clothes. Just fell in love with it. Those sharp lines and attitude - real masculinity.

That's my thoughts for today


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Polaris Destroyed Print Residency Proposal

Posted by Jona8than | Labels: , | Posted On Tuesday, September 8, 2009 at 3:56 a.m.

“Polaris Destroyed” is a series of prints that will be started during the residency. Consisting of 6 etchings, from small to medium size, and one very large etching of a full plate size or greater. The works are based on the 1871 Polaris Expedition towards the North Pole and the events that befell them.

The intaglio prints will be printed on paper- chine colle - in low edition of seven each. Their creation will consist of many traditional intaglio techniques from drypoint, etching, aquatint and some mezzotint. They will be printed in a limited colour palette, of somber tones. The large print will consist of at least a full plate that will be etched with the plate cut in half. At the moment I am leaning towards zinc due to the low edition.

“Polaris Destroyed” is based on the 1871 Polaris Expedition under the command of the explorer Charles Hall. It is the second part of a body of work of mine which starts with “Polaris Lost”. This second part will be focused on the ship's events after the death of Charles Hall and the lost of crew on a ice floe; specifically on the ship being trapped in ice and the eventual running aground of the ship.

This work will be exploring the notion of the tragedy in Romanticism. It will use image making techniques of the romantic school of art, in particular the Hudson River School and the artist William Bradford. I wish to contrast the ideas of Romanticism against the facts of the narrative and contemporary issues.

Print is to me is not just an way of distributing ideas and mark making, but an approach to art making itself. To paraphrase William Kentridge – substituting printmaking for drawing. "So [printmaking] is a testing of ideas: a slow-motion version of thought...The uncertain and imprecise way of constructing a [print] is sometimes a model of how to construct meaning. What ends in clarity does not begin that way." Print allows me to be intuitive but with a resistance, a resistance from the materials or processes at times, that then affect the piece. The narratives that intrigue me are hardly ever the ones that go straight on course, but rather where problems persist.

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