Jona8than Green Art and Other Things

Shit son! Been a while. Log while. A lot has happened. Wouldn't even know when to start.

I leave for Banff soon. A week to this day. That's a starting point. My time is divided into a matter of days here. Like all the hours are accounted for. Hardly enough time really. There was at one time, a few weeks ago. That never goes as planned though. Was never great at keeping in touch, dissuaded by even the most trivial of matters. I have been busy as people who I have encountered the past few months would attest to.

And now I am going to Banff, Alberta. For a Visual Arts Work Study position at the Banff Centre for the Arts. Basically across the continent. Ocean for the mountains. It never really hit me till today. The shortness of time, and the distance that will be traveled. Like shit. Least I will have one of my best friends there when I get there. For a week and a few. Show me around. Take the edge off it. Then alone.

Working, making art, becoming a better artist. That are the tasks at hand for me. And to do it with style. Not worth doing without.
That is the goal and purpose of the work study. What I have to dedicate myself to. Seek out oportunities. Just do everything. And I want this. I want this so bad. This is what my life needs. New energy, new ideas, a change, a shift in everything. Just there is always, a feeling of nostalgia as in the meaning "the pain a sick person feels because he wishes to return to his native home, and fears never to see it again". There is this feeling of loss. Like I am losing something by going away. Something I may never get back to.

I'm gone for six months. Back in November. At the least. Could be extended...will probably be extended till March, so twelve months. I suppose I would return for Christmas if I can. Always a pricey and tricky proposition with the way air flights are round the holidays.
That's the other part that gets me. The openess of it in a way. Kinda planned ahead for a year - in a sense- just not sure what that year will contain. Apply for residencies after it, gallery shows, masters, etc?

This is a disjointed piece of writing. My horoscope is interesting at the moment.

So I have done this before and while I may not always achieve everything I have put on these lists, it does allow me to focus a little more. Goals and projects change over time as do values and so forth, nothing is set in stone. That's why I type them on the internet, allowing me to edit them at will!!

1) My first goal is to continue making more prints at St. Michael's. I would like to accumulate a good body of work from there. Would like to make the goal of six editions. It's easy to make six prints, it's the editioning that gets tricky.

2) Drawing. I would like to draw more, just sole drawing, least once a week achieve a good drawing or small series.

3) Read a little theory once a week, then kick it to the back of the brain.

4) Get my comic book with Paul Muller photocopied and out there.

5) Assemble my portfolio, get good documentation of it.

6) Bookwork started.

seven) Do something with my Chuck Norris Journal

8)Save up money for traveling and such

9)?

10) ?

11)

It's going to be a busy week coming up. The 24 Hour art marathon activities start Tuesday for me, and volunteers, and then our big launch is Wednesday with Annie Sprinkle at the Rockhouse, artist's talks and cocktails Thursday, getting everything ready for the marathon Friday, and then the marathon Saturday. That's a good 24 hours straight gig, with almost a hundred artists and probably 300 people coming through, over 20 bands and performers, numerous workshops, along with a bar and feeding people. I do pretty good in those situations, I just work and keep my head on a swivel. The 24 hours up awake, I haven't been able to do that in a long time. Have to see about that. Redbull? Yis!

Also having to move this week, so will have to pack up tomorrow night and getting stuff ready for that. i will be working all week and night, so Adam and the parents will have to help with that. Real bum thing to be happening, but that's it. Having problems with the guy I am sub-leasing from, but will straighten that out the week too.

As for art, well, I guess it isn't going to happen this week at all. I have been on a really good schedule lately, and hate that it will be interrupted; mostly because it is difficult getting back on it. I have a lot planned, there are many ideas floating round that I would like to get down soon. what also worries me about my art making is after the marathon, I have to start looking for new employment. That will be another interruption in that I will have to find a new job, and I really don't think there is much available. Actually, there is very little available.
The print shop scholarship is an excellent opportunity and I want to make the most out of it. Yet I feel I may have to move away to make some money, least better money. I know one to make art has to do jobs to survive, to be creative enough to make money, to just do it. I have enough phrases and words of wisdom in my head, enough to write a platonic dialogue of my own about it. Doesn't mean I think I can work at a fast food joint. Maybe something will come up, but just very nervous about the fall and the upcoming weeks.

Always act fool fool, looking slightly uncool cool.

Been a quick week, lots of goings on at Eastern Edge Gallery, getting ready for the 24 hour art marathon. Like it when we're busy. Got a really good team there. I do wonder if I'm getting enough vitamins however, because i am so tired after work. Probably been eating healthier than I have ever. Maybe the heat?

Still working on my editioning of my etching, up to nine or ten, need two more I think. Then I have to print my litho. Get that over with. I have some new ideas to get on to. Wish I had some assistants sometimes, gotten a lot of ideas lately just not enough time to get them all done. Got to remember I got the rest of my life, been told that the weekend. Got to keep it in mind.

There has been a visiting artist from Ireland this month at St. Michael's, Gemma Anderson, and she did a workshop this weekend. It was on line etching and doing multpile colours on a plate. She also showed us how to smoke a plate using a flame on a hard ground. Great old fashion pintmaking technique, not used very much anymore. I was the assistant during the workshop, which was good. Got to participate in etching a plate as well; a small 4" x6" zinc plate. I proofed it today, decided it needed a little more work.
There was a little reception afterwards for work of Gemmas and her partner Sam Douglas had in the St. Michaels gallery. Was fun, met some new people, little drink, was good. The old Jonathan was back briefly, schmoozing.haha.

The plans for this week is to finish the edition of my etching. There is also the matter of the lithograph, which should take 3 or 4 hours. I have three other etchings that I should print as well. Trying to overestimate myself here, there is always my perchance for laziness or being tired. Hopefully a litho stone will be grained as well.

Despite all this work, it has been a confusing time. Lots of thoughts on what to do for the future, what goals do I have, what should be my new dreams be, do I have any new dreams? I have ideas for new bodies of work, but thats about it. No new job options or plans for September. I looked at school again, even looked at getting a trade lik welding or carpentry. Thought I could apply it to art in the future and I could. However it is really just a comfort thing- go back to school-safe there and in the familar learning environment- not dealing with the real world yet. As I said above, i'm just acting a fool. Don't even know if I should stay in St. Johns or not, I feel I shouldn't, but why? I wouldn't be able to answer you. Can I live in the moment? Just enjoyin the floating about. Why do I have to set a course so early?

I jut want to be a baller...