Taking a step...BACK

For the past couple of days I have been really working hard....a little too hard.  I been really trying to push and push to get new works done and not taking the time to solve problems.  I was there this past Tuesday at the Studio Clout meetup and got some good drawing time in.  With that came the answer to my problems, and it was not I who figured it out...I need to refine my drawing skills and techniques.  I need to restudy human anatomy and learn to sketch the figure that I see...not what I think.  Today I just started a very insightful book entitled, "The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci" by Jean Paul Richter.  With this I'm planning on relearning my hand and really getting down into anatomical studies as well as other elements the Da Vinci writes about.  One of my favorite quotes from the book is, "THAT A PAINTER IS NOT ADMIRABLE UNLESS HE IS UNIVERSAL" coming from the section The Practice of Painting.  All in all I realized that I need to capitalize on the fundamentals before I mess up any more paintings.  So here are the sketches from last Tuesday and tonight!

My Flickr Photostream

New Drawings: First Night at the MeetUp

Fortunately for YOU, YOU'RE only going to see ONE of Three...but she was a good model though!

"1987" 2010

D.Lamar

WOO SAAHHH!

I did not go to the black arts festival.  Instead, I went to another opening this past Saturday.  Quite frankly, I left....not because the work was bad.  I was very impressed with that, but for the simple fact that I got my hopes up to meet the artist, not to ask him about his work, but to gain insight on what more could I do.  You never know until you ask right?  Yeah well lets just say some people aren't the most social creatures on the planet.  I get the feeling some artists really just choose not to work well with other artists.  Whatever I just won't post on that...honestly I got a little discouraged so again, I just walked out the gallery.
Well on another note, I did attend PULSE at the Bill Lowe Gallery and was highly impressed with artist Kimber Berry's works, especially the newest ones that I had not seen before.  She was a very vibrant and kind lady who was very inviting when Bill introduced me to her.  Along with all the Ciroc Red Berry that I had consumed, her works along with other artists were intoxicating and engaging.  Her "Liquid Landscape" Installation definitely left an impact, especially after she explained the ideas and concepts behind them.

I "Extra Larged" the picture just to emphasize how impressed I was...damn, why couldn't I be there to help install that show!?!
 

Wishful Optimism

I just received an email from a family friend in regards to my art and connections..like I stated on my Facebook:

"All I know is this emergence entails a WHOLE LOTTA HOPE AND OPTIMISM!!! Meanwhile, I'm in Gatlinburg, TN enjoying my stay but also gathering content! check me out when I get back home!"

New Drawings Will Be Posted soon....

To keep the ball moving, I think it is a good idea to display my sketches and drawings.  I have paintings but its good to have a foundation in the understanding of fundamentals.  Drawing starts before painting..so I will be postings drawings and works in other media.

I'm feelings like a new painting will be in progress today also...probably in black and white.

Recap on Studio Clout artist openings....

Quite frankly I drove down to Walker St. ATL looking for a crowd....a very large crowd at that.  Instead, I found a large space, minimal attendants, but a first floor at the Studio Clout Fine Art gallery that was content with very strategically placed figurative sculptures of Brent Harris.  In my personal opinion, the room was very well attended.  I was very impressed with the bronze figures, and they took a strong favor to the works of Alberto Giacometti; both having very exaggerated features, especially in the arms and legs and facial features.  He had that whole, "signs of the artist hand" thing that I really like going on....

Now, going upstairs to the gallery of Meshu Mokitimi, I had the privilege of seeing has drawings and paintings, mainly oil, charcoal, pencil, and COLOR PENCIL (something I haven't seen in a while).  Lets cut to the chase, some good, some not so favored, but experienced in his craft nonetheless.  Mokitimi is from Lesotho, Africa and is a very prominant historical figure of his native country.  He is a visual artist of course but also a political activist in South Africa.  Thats all fine and dandy, but I felt like some of his works could have shown a little more expression and it would have sealed the deal for me.  The African vibe was captured excellently, and many of the works, hell ALL of the works were handled very delicately and skillfully, but there was still some information that I per se was not getting.  All in all, it doesn't matter what I say, DENZEL and BILL CLINTON got enough information from the work to buy it..enough said!

Eventful day for artists in Castleberry Hill Art District/ Murakami in Versailles

OK OK OK..I've been hearing the hype, I've been reading the blog updates, REALLY getting the tweets, so of course you know I am going to go to the gallery openings of both artists Meshu Mokitimi and Brent Harris at Studio Clout Fine Art Gallery.  Now if I am not mistaken, these artists are both very well known in not just Atlanta, but nationally and internationally, with Mokitimi work being collected by the American Gangster himself, Denzel Washington.  So forget the hype, whats good with the show! I'll find out myself....YEZZIR!

Now, I may be a little late on this, but I forgot to post this earlier this week.  The great anime/manga inspired contemporary artist (whos works reach prices I don't think I can count to) Takashi Murakami will have a number of works displayed in the great city of VERSAILLES!!  Yes, you know that place that was built real elaborate, a lot of artsy type work, a lot of gold, this party happy family of King Louis XIV, stuff like that..anyways check it out...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/07/art-matters-murakami-in-v_n_638035.html

If you need a quick example of Murakami works and you can afford the big stuff, just go buy a copy of Kanye West Graduation album at you local CD store, or itunes.  No you can't download it; that defeats the purpose of looking at the album ART.