But You Can't Be Both

The trailer for Terrence Malick's upcoming film, The Tree of Life.




"We trace the evolution of an eleven-year-old boy in the Midwest, Jack, one of three brothers. At first all seems marvelous to the child. He sees as his mother does with the eyes of his soul. She represents the way of love and mercy, where the father tries to teach his son the world’s way of putting oneself first. Each parent contends for his allegiance, and Jack must reconcile their claims. The picture darkens as he has his first glimpses of sickness, suffering and death. The world, once a thing of glory, becomes a labyrinth."

It's interesting to see a different take on the themes and ideas that have recently informed my own work. I'm not necessarily a huge Malick fan (loved The Thin Red Line, yawned my way through The New World) but he is a visually amazing director. That upside down shot of the boys' dancing shadows is hypnotic.

The film also strongly reminds me of Mitch Albom's novel, For One More Day.

Awe

Just another stunning painting from the masterpiece factory that is James Jean.


As deep of a slump as I feel like I'm in, seeing work like this makes me want to reach for a brush.

The Pebble And The Magnet

Below is a piece that was (fairly) recently entered into a regional drawing prize. Working both on paper and in black and white was such a refreshing change of pace after all this painting. It reminds me that I originally entered art school with the intent of focusing on graphic illustration.

Beggars In The House Of Justice, 59.4 x 84.1 cm
Ink on Rives BFK
Illustrated October 2010

I recently completed my final semester with mixed feelings about the way the experience ended. In many ways, it was an abrupt regression after a a year and a half of progressive improvement, and I'm sufficiently discouraged by my final product that I don't want to post any images of those paintings.

Having made the immediate leap from art school to a full-time office job, I find myself increasingly distanced from my art-making practice. I am haunted by the words of a visiting artist whose primary advice was not to get bogged down in a "real job".

Imperfect Worlds

Cranking out some paintings for the end of year exhibition -- barely another week to go till deadline. Apologies for the delayed posting. As a consolation prize, here is an amazing vision of the future courtesy of video artist Keiichi Matsuda.



Interestingly, this video was part of Matsuda's final project for a Master of Architecture degree as part of a broader commentary on the increasing convergence between the built environment and media space and the increasing role of architecture in the consumer environment.

Goodbye ...

Today's project, as inspired by yesterday's sketch. An ink drawing that went under the knife in Photoshop. Something that I may or may not use in future after I clean it up some.


Edit: a more refined version, below.

Two-Legged Dog

I'm stacking projects in a busier-than-usual busy time of year but it's kind of nice to be hustling and bustling. This is a two minute pen and marker sketch (and a much needed breather) that lies opposite a busy page of planning and note-taking.


I resisted the urge to draw in a Moleskin for a long time, both in deference to their price and (oft) pretentiousness of their owners. But this one was given to me and the paper is quite nice so goodbye, integrity!

Bridesmaid

An accompanying piece for the show completed in a single marathon session stretching from 7AM-3AM. I think I would be happier with it if the first one hadn't turned out so well. It's not that I hate this one or anything; I just have a very average reaction to the final results.

Requiem, 60 x 60 cm
Acrylic on particleboard
Painted September 2010

At first I wanted to do something very strongly separate and even got so far as to introduce a vastly different background motif (somewhere between the 3rd and 4th stages seen below). But I just didn't like how it turned out and ended up painting over it.






If I wasn't pressing to meet a deadline, I would have liked to add a bit more tonal variation and subtle colour shifts. But at the end of that 20 hour shift I don't think I had either the motor skills or ocular focus to do so. Probably shouldn't have picked such a one-tone figure to paint either. Ah well. Bear it in mind for next time.