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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Used to tell those chicks to shut up, now he's shushing them

Posted by Jona8than | Labels: , , | Posted On Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 3:19 a.m.

Went through the hallways today, this morning, so quiet. Checking the studios for the start of the new residency, already finding it hard to remember who was in these studios just a few days ago. Trying to remember the residency before that is even harder. It's funny when you're in the Banff groove.

New residency came in today, here for just two weeks. The day went smooth. Stay after work at the Centre; took a nap first before working on some work. Chatted with my bro-bot, he hopefully has found a room for September. Going to CONA in Corner Brook. Corner Brook. My old stomping grounds. Would like to visit him when he's there. Not sure if any chance on that at the moment, a big thought tho. Got some of the best friends in that area. Maybe try for a print residency at the school. Come through and show them how I ball.

I have to come back with something to ball with...I left for the wild west, a young inkslinger trying to find a fortune or something. The West isn't that wild, thats the problem, everyone gets a bit of softness here to them. Impressive kunstlers come through but even they aren't as sharp as they want to be. I think I'm trying to remind myself of what I have to do through writing. It's all about playing games isn't it? Make believe.

I measured a wall in the Other Gallery today. The Other Gallery is shaped like an "L". One end is dark, well dark with the lights off, no outside light reaching it. The wall at that end is 10 ft across. I think a print fitting that space across would be a good step in to up-ing my scale. Of course to up it farther I would like to do it with lithography. Lithography and maybe some relief.

I would like to do a 180 small drawings for everyday that the Polaris party was on the ice floe. Almost as if though there was an artist stranded there as well. G.E. Tyson mentions in his journal that he wished there was an artist or poet there to capture the scenes he has witnessed. I don't have the quotation on hand. Might be something there in the quantity of images. Worked for Ed Pien [and we all know I love that mofo's work].

There is a semblance of a plan. I want to watch Yokimbo soon. There is also a bizarre western movie called "El Topo" that I want to watch. Maybe with Christina tis week when she gets here.
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On a Swarm

Posted by Jona8than | Labels: | Posted On Monday, August 17, 2009 at 2:39 a.m.

The problem could be that everything is permitted. That is the postmodern condition. A condition that is closer to me is that everything is accessible. Everything is permitted to me and accessible to me. I can do almost everything, well, cept oil painting due to ventilation problems in my current studio. There is acrylic.

This should not be a problem, but it is the same of that as a blank canvas. That huge white square staring you back in the face.

Here I am complaining about having everything.


Issues that I have to currently address is that of scale, and overt symbolism. One is a of course a more physical and material choice, but it does affect the idea and vice versa. Large scale drawing, prints do command attention. And will change how people view my smaller works.

The overt symbolism, well, that is another kettle of fish all together. I can't even accurately define the problem with it, never mind the solution to it just yet.

Started reading Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian for the second time. The book latches on to it with a ferociousness. I wonder what does that in that book, specifically. The nameless main character that you coexist with the whole way? Going to read some more

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