Moving on to an actual website

I finally got myself together and just decided to create an actual website.  I'm assuming it will be up and partially running within 48 hours, so my content will be transferred there.  So here goes,

www.dlamarstudio.com

"Realm 4 (Recovery)"

"Realm 4 (Recovery)"

D.LAMAR 2011

24"x48"

This piece was probably the most obscure piece to me as far as really bringing together thoughts and feelings. It happened at the right time though, thus forcing it be become most reflective of my feelings about KARMA and the natural cycle of life, spirit, and situations.  This place in my life has show to be a bit more of a roller coaster than usual, but I caught this painting on the upswing, the time when I felt like everything that was moving away was bound to come back together.  I was reading an article on Cy Twombly (R.I.P.) and found a statement that I have been concerning myself with through my paintings, and its been recurring.  I found in Twombly's paintings, Basquiats paintings, and forcibly...my paintings, there is a discussion about the existential nature of the human condition.  This meaning that situations, feelings, emotions, and outcomes will continue to exist, and there is simply no way around them.  Things happen for a reason, and life cycles itself time and time again.   From Twombly, to Basquiat, and regretfully, I forgot to mention Hyunmee Lee, I am continuing my education on this recurring theme.  

The day brings something new

A few hours ago, I was just chilling and hanging out with good friends/artists Cameron Malphrus and Kris Letlow.  It was cool just to sit and converse with them on life, art, art in Albany, and more.  One thing led to another and me and Cam are now working on some collaboration projects.  No real direction, just seeing how things go and what can be done.  And in his words, "I think of things that are random, but they fit".

Isolation

As of recent, quite a few things have taken place from my car's harmonic balancer going out, to a guy at the bar that I work with calling me an Uncle Tom (needless to say I called him an ignorant motherfucker right back which almost led to fighting), to really just being in my apartment by myself.  My roommate is in New York and I'm in the process of moving in with my girlfriend and I'm also job hunting...AGAIN!  My job is really not paying enough for me to live comfortably but I still like being a server.  The food service industry is trying at times, but its flexible and pays well outside of where I work at.  Going back a week, my vacation in South Carolina was great.  It was much needed and I enjoyed being out and a part of nature with my family.  Even the late nights trying to learn how to play Bid Wiz from my grandma (who never really put together a consistent set of rules) was fun.  It gave me company, and people to just sit down and talk to.  I've started working out consistently again, so I do feel good about my mornings and feel proactive about my days, so now all I'm really doing is waiting.  The only problem with waiting...a lot of the times I wait by my self.

From this I can say I'm learning.  I'm learning some sort of patience, and figuring things out about my personality, my art, and seeing things in life and doing them by myself.  I was always one to need a second opinion, but now, the isolation forces decisions.

I've also been considering where I want to take my graduate studies.  I'm 80(something)% on Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta, so really its just time to buckle down even more and continue to get my portfolio together.  I've started working on a series of 13" x 13" panels paintings goings strictly abstract.  Using litho crayons, charcoal, paint, gel mediums, I have been just experimenting with gesture and space.  How many I will do I'm not sure, but that will come in time.  So far I only have 2.

Urban Sketchers: Ai Weiwei at the Lisson Gallery, London

Urban Sketchers: Ai Weiwei at the Lisson Gallery, London: "The leading Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei has been held by the Chinese authorities without charge for more than two months now. He w..."

A Good Read on Basquiat...(I had to scan it in)

Needed Space..working in square canvas/ panel

I've read so much recently...just really getting into the grit of my undergraduate college career as an artist and have really been moved by the concept that the process of art making is as simple as addition and subtraction.  Its mark making and the rendering of my subconscious and worldly issues, experiences, and thoughts on panel.  Its the window into my life, my soul.  I've decided that here on out I will work in square format.  It removed the automatic decision of my audience that my work should be horizontal or vertical.  I am really working at allowing the viewer to feel as though he or she can reach into or walk into the window of my mind.  I've been moved by the work of Hyunmee Lee and Jean-Michele Basquiat, hence the square format and mark making aspect and the freedom to make marks in an almost childish way and resort to works and phrases also.  I feel as though I am really growing as an artist, and as a result of the meditative experience, I am growing as an individual.  My REALM series has really been growing, or should I say, evolving and becoming stronger in my effort to put myself in my work. 

"Realm 3 (Premature Autopsy)

D.LAMAR 2011

48" x 48"

Black Art or Black Artist

 I ran into someone today that saw my most recent painting, "Realm 2" and made the statement: "Oh wow, thats really nice, I really like Black Art"..I guess my question is, why is my work still being classified as "Black Art"? I really don't even like to use the color black in my paintings often, I like a real deep violet. I mean yeah, I'm a Black Artist by root...but I never knew my subconscious had a color.

"Realm 2"

D.LAMAR 2011

6ft x 4ft

now placed on display today at L'Jua's Bar and Grill in Albany, Ga

Been working...growing...painting

REALM 1

D.LAMAR 2011

Hopelessness of Worry

D.LAMAR 2011

Loads of Drawings and Studies as of recent

Recollections and Review

Recently I have been having a lot of dreams involving my family and friends, more so lost memories.  I had a dream the other day where I go a chance to go back in time and speak with my mother who passed away when I was 12.  All the while, I conversed and got to see her from other peoples' perspectives and also remembered asking her questions about how she raised me as a baby.  I don't remember any of the questions, but the majority of the imagery in the dream is still very vivid now.  I even saw my old neighbor, someone who was like an aunt to me, as she warned me of the dangers of crossing the street and not looking both ways.  Ironcally, my grandmother just spoke with her a few days ago.  This dream really fueled 2 pieces I just completed in sculpture and design 2 class.  At first I was a little skeptical about them because they were sort of rushed, but now that they are complete and have been seen by others, their opinions and commentaries on the pieces put me at ease.  Its funny how my mind works and how a simple opinion can make or break an attitude. 

A lot of my inspiration has been coming from the works of figurative and abstract artists like Harry Ally, Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, and Manuel Neri, but still stemming from lost memories, patterns that really interest me, and relationships lost.  I feel that by me addressing these issues head on in my paintings and sculptures, I am getting closer the peace and clarity that I know is still not going to be attained until I move on from this PLACE in my life.  By PLACE, I am giving no set location, but really just a short/brief period of my life.  There is still a lot of uncertainty and fog that lingers and I know I just have to keep moving through it to find an alternate path.  I guess its just a part of growing up.

WORK WORK AND HUSTLE

Since Sunday I have been really working on quite a few projects for people; many of which I have NO interest in tagging my name on to.  Its hitting me that this lifestyle choice of mines does include projects for people that may not be highly favored on my end, but hey, honestly...I need the money.  Things are tight around here, but ideas are still in abundance for my own projects.  I'm just really bogged down and yes it is wearing on me one day at a time....but once its all over, I can really sit down and finish the semester off. 

Right now though, I have to get these sketches done and my model (Tanisha) is not here so guess what that means.......SELF PORTRAiT NIGHT WITH GRAPHITE!!! YAY!!!!

More Lead to my next show

I'm back to working, and I have projects among projects among projects to do.  Many of the type I WILL NOT be doing any more ie: logos, designs, so on and so forth because its getting quite time consuming.

Since I have been looking for inspiration for next show, I've been looking at the Rennaissance, especially the High Rennaissance for ideas.  I want everything in gold though, a material that I feel is symbolic of legend, legacy, and fame.  I also came across the satyrical story of Michelangelo's "Last Judgement" fresco which was a very interesting read.

The Last Judgement

"The Last Judgment is a fresco by Michelangelo on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. It took four years to complete and was executed from 1537 to 1541. Michelangelo began working on it three decades after having finished the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

The work is massive and spans the entire wall behind the altar of the Sistine Chapel. It is a depiction of the second coming of Christ and the apocalypse. The souls of humans rise and descend to their fates, as judged by Christ surrounded by his saints.

The Last Judgment was an object of a heavy dispute between Cardinal Carafa and Michelangelo: the artist was accused of immorality and intolerable obscenity, having depicted naked figures, with genitals in evidence, inside the most important church of Christianity, so a censorship campaign (known as the "Fig-Leaf Campaign") was organized by Carafa and Monsignor Sernini (Mantua's ambassador) to remove the frescoes. When the Pope's own Master of Ceremonies, Biagio da Cesena, said "it was mostly disgraceful that in so sacred a place there should have been depicted all those nude figures, exposing themselves so shamefully," and that it was no work for a papal chapel but rather "for the public baths and taverns," Michelangelo worked Cesena's face into the scene as Minos, judge of the underworld (far bottom-right corner of the painting) with Donkey ears (i.e. indicating foolishness), while his nudity is covered by a coiled snake. It is said that when Cesena complained to the Pope, the pontiff joked that his jurisdiction did not extend to hell, so the portrait would have to remain.[1]

The genitalia in the fresco were covered 24 years later (when the Council of Trent condemned nudity in religious art) by the artist Daniele da Volterra, whom history remembers by the derogatory nickname "Il Braghettone" ("the breeches-painter"). In the painting, Michelangelo does a self portrait depicting himself as St. Bartholomew after he had been flayed (skinned alive). This is reflective of the feelings of contempt Michelangelo had for being commissioned to paint "The Last Judgement".[2] The figure of St. Bartholomew depicts the satirist and erotic writer Pietro Aretino who had tried to extort a valuable drawing from Michelangelo."

I was also intrigued by the Palace of Versailles (especiually since Murakami's work was featured there). 

P.L.E.A.S.U.R.E. RECAP

Its been 2 days after the show now and I am still HIGHLY EXCITED about the SUCCESS of my first SOLO show.  The setting and place was great, the turnout was great, and I had the support of my family, friends, and even made new contacts; very influential contacts at that!  I had PHI MU ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC come and play improv jazz throughout the night and the bar was open.  The lighting was a little off, but still did not take away from a great showcase.  Everyone enjoyed my work and I sold THE NI-NI SERIES!!!! The sculpture looked great and BELLADONNA had representation as well.  Although the night before I hadn't slept and was super nervous about the show, everything worked out for the best.  Arthur/Sylvia Berry came out, Arthur being a great artist and Sylvia being his wife and both known collectors of fine work.  Dr. Everette J. Freeman (President of Albany State University) made an appearance as well and MANY other great members of the Albany Arts Council and surrounding communities.  Overall, I was shocked that it went so well and look forward to doing bigger and better shows in the NEAR future.

I also sold the "Ni-Ni Series".  All 4 paintings were sold as a set to my cousin Alisha who insisted that she buy them full price.  I have to make some calls back now, send out the thank you cards, and

ONLY A COUPLE DAYS Away!!!

Only a couple days left and its been heavily anticipated!!! Durrell Smith's SOLO ART SHOW is on its WAY to the CHILL BAR AND LOUNGE this FRIDAY, MARCH 11 from 6-9PM!!! Also, BellaDonnaHB Products will be featured!!! Free Food and Jazz Band Ready to play!! THIS FRIDAY, MARCH 11th at the CHILL BAR AND LOUNGE!!!



A VERY INTERESTING READ

ART RENEWAL CENTER

"It was the artist's goal to show humanity as beautifully real and ideal as possible, encouraging all to strive for such ideals. The message is that while mankind may not be perfect, life can still be good"

And here is the .OFFICIAL. Flyer for the show

P.L.E.A.S.U.R.E. Solo Art Show has the official .GREENLIGHT.

My SOLO Show is a GO!!  I talked to the owner of the CHILL BAR AND LOUNGE just 2 nights ago.  He said he really likes my ideas and what I am trying to do with the show.

As of February 3rd, the exhibition will be held on 

MARCH 11th from 6-9PM

featuring

Little Diana .Roll 2.

Here are some of the shots from Christmas break all the way back down to Albany.  They were right, it took a long time to fill that 35mm roll up in that tiny little camera.  Again, these were only some of the shots and since yesterday I've started a new roll. 

With the lomo updates, I also have a meeting with the owner of the lounge for my ART SHOW tonight at 9pm.  I'm really looking forward to it and I really want to set myself at a higher standard for my work and my shows.  Working at the Lowe Gallery this past summer really set my ambitions higher than before.  Until the show is finalized, I wont post the flyer just yet.

First shots from my .Diana F Mini.

"The Blocks"

"Mother Daughter"

".Nana."

".Glasses."

Not the best but every time I look at these I find something interesting about them or something I have not seen previously.  Still much to learn, but I love the toy camera.  These were from Christmas back at home, I just never got around to scanning them in.

.Riley. and around the house

Here is my introduction to the photographic world.  By world I mean a place I've walked through but never really bothered to tour.