creative energy

On this past Friday, Saturday and Sunday, my good friend, a fellow collage artist... a brother in our journey... Anthony Morgan and I spent days in my studio creating various sketches and artworks (I also culled and cleaned areas in my studio). It was an exhilarating environment and I appreciate our time together warmly. Her are a few products of our efforts (one of which which will be featured in the upcoming exhibit at The Tech Garden in Syracuse, NY):

more ekphrasis?

This poem is what I would, perhaps loosely, describe as an ekphrastic poem. It was "inspired" by the element that I used as a substrate for this collage. I tried to use the words and phrases from the substrate to create an "acceptable" piece of poetry. Not the best poem, but a novelty poem none the less. I will be reading this poem as one of three at the upcoming Southern Humanities conference in Louisville, KY:

Advice from a certain type of writer

The First Lesson is done.

At 8

it is over…

leave; turn the page

The Second Lesson is,

“don’t plagiarize”.

Don’t use the phrase “A lurid fire failed”

Don’t use the phrase “A dull jailer sulks”.

The Third Lesson is,

“Be truthful, not fitful”.

You will touch hearts,

your tales remembered

The Fourth Lesson? …“explore”

Take wild walks in forests dark

…with folk and fowl and spooks and ghosts

Create wild work

The Fifth Lesson is nostalgic.

Understand that old junk links lives

The velvet and flannel

The big barn, and novels

What is the Sixth Lesson?

Exile the clock!

use everything you now have;

There are no limits …excel

South Side Sally revisited

The couple who bought this piece of mine a couple years ago have created a great treatment for it on the wall of the room. The substrate is the south side area of New York City. I am flattered! (the original post was 12/30/11)

Spontaneous pariedolia

Only have time for a "quickie" today as I head out to see a friend at Rutgers University. I just had to post this gem from my time in the studio last night. Perhaps a good way to begin the new year ;-)

"Long Train Home" (7.5" x 7.5")

Well... here is the last piece from 2016. I really don't think the photos do justice to this piece. It is framed in a 15.5" x 15.5" metallic frame which really complements the composition well. I wash;t as active as I had wanted to be during the second half of 2016, but I've had a nice run over the last couple weeks, which I think will continue over into 2017. For some reason, I feel re-energized about my creative work and am looking forward to see what emerges from my efforts. Let's say good-bye to 2016 and hope for the best for 2017. Happy New Year one and all!

Another cropping lesson

After all, I am a teacher at heart. Here are three versions of a collage which vary slightly only in terms of where they are cropped. Notice especially the placement of the light sconces and the girls are. In my mind, the lights MUST be included; AND the girls left arm must be part of the composition as well (that is, for the most "pleasing" composition). Perhaps you would choose another  of the three options.

Het!

Here's the finished piece, matted and framed...