6 posts tagged “painting”
I painted this a while ago, but it seems rather a propos, now that the housing market has crashed...
Anyway, this is what happens when I play with my wife's acrylic paints. She's a much better painter.
I can't believe it. We got press for our show. Two articles. TWO!
The first one appeared in Monday Magazine, which is a freebie weekly paper here in Victoria. It was their parenting issue, and they wanted to talk to parents who are artists. Perfect timing, really, since our show was just opening the day after the issue came out. You can read it online here. Here is the print version (you might have to click through to the largest version of this image to be able to read it):
The second one came out yesterday in the Times Colonist, Victoria's main newspaper, and is written by local art critic and renowned artist Robert Amos. Here's what he said about Kristen's work:
Kristen's paintings glow with a pastel pointillism, focusing on what is close at hand — her grandmother's teacups, a handful of buttons and her children. A mommy's-eye view lets us get within nuzzling distance of the kiddies' downy cheeks and glistening eyes. The small paintings of them were likely undertaken at the kitchen table after somebody's bedtime.
Pretty darn perceptive. And here's what he said about my work:
Speaking of bedtime, Marc does some of his drawing by flashlight, sitting on the bedroom floor while the little ones settle down to sleep. Johns has a distinctive graphic knack, assembling a galaxy of tiny drawings into floating compositions on small canvases. Simple renderings of bricks, shoes, underpants and ghetto blasters are held apart by bits of tubing and arrows, and in some cases are suspended from one another by threads.
Words play an equal part, naming things in an obscure way. Johns's signature work is carefully balanced, but unresolved. He also presents slight watercolours, centring on a repeated person with a head the shape of a television picture tube. Seen in frontal view, with his stylized eyes set wide apart, this fellow enacts existential scenes subtitled with deadpan quotes à la Edward Gorey.
Wow. It's quite surreal to have someone else write about your work. I was quite nervous, to be honest, about what he'd write, but he really 'got it', for lack of better words. And the Edward Gorey reference amused me. Here's the article in print (the online version is locked, for subscribers only):
(paint pen on acrylic on board, 9x12 inches.)
I think this piece sums up alot about me. (This is done with paint pen on acrylic, on board. It's 9 by 12 inches.)
Well, we had our opening reception for our show at Studio 16 1/2 on Saturday, and it went really well. It was sooo much work putting it all together, but we were really happy with how everything turned out. The owners of the gallery are really fantastic and great to work with too (Give them a hearty hello if you stop by!). Lots of people came by, sold quite a few pieces, sold some prints too, and met some really cool people. I thought it was quite interesting that a number of people I met had read this blog. When I post stuff here, I always imagine folks from far away are reading this, since most comments come from far flung places. I shouldn't be too surprised, I guess. It's fun to meet your blog visitors face to face, and get their comments and impressions in person.
I thought I'd share some pics (the gallery is in Fan Tan Alley, which is why there is a photo of an alley in this bunch. It's a pretty cool location, with lots of interesting shops along the alleyway)...
By the way, Kristen's got a brand spankin' new Flickr account, so you can see most of her paintings there. Check them out!
I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to my wife, Kristen. Kristen, this is everybody.
Kristen and I are having an art show together in March, which we are madly preparing for, at Studio 16 1/2 in Fan Tan Alley, here in Victoria BC. Here's the invite I designed:
The opening reception is Saturday March 10th, from 1 to 4. Stop by and say hello!
So there's something you didn't know about me - my wife is an artist too. (so does that count as one of five things you didn't know about me, for which I've been tagged?) She uses acrylic paints on canvas, and the best way to describe her technique is 'dabbing' (that's her term for it). The results are wonderful, although I am a teeny bit biased!
Here are some of her recent paintings:
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