Well, I figured I would include something from the beginning, middle and end (present) of my inspirational endeavors. To start, my parents...I know, lame right? Well, I think they're just fine. They always wondered where my interest in the arts came from. Looking at them now it's easy to see where it all came from. My mom and my dad are so freaking crafty. They don't believe what they make is art, but regardless their little projects and tinkerings are pretty imaginative. My mom is like the Martha Stewart of the post-hippie, modern yoga doing, chain smoking women. Using the flea market as a resource she shapes countless garden objects and interior decorations out of everything and anything weird or old. My dad on the other hand would have a field day in the sculpture studio. He fabricated a new floor for his jeep out of sheet metal, using cardboard stencils as mocks. If it's broke, he fixes it, or makes it into something else. They might not see it, but all in all my parents inspire me with their crazy, crafty, zany ideas. Never an idle moment, always working with their hands.
Now that that's out of the way, I'll take you to the middle. A. Conway Hubbard. Son of the Father of Scientology. Pretty much a recluse, he emerged from hiding in 2009 with a show titled "Blood & Ink." Painstakingly done, photorealistic drypoint of female nudes hung from the walls, the ink a dull rust color. As it turns out, Hubbard had created his own ink using his own blood. Although I'd like to find the recipe for that, the Internet search has failed me. I enjoy the ingenuity of using blood, specifically one's own, in the context of art making. The juxtaposition of photorealism and inks made with blood, makes A. Conway Hubbard a-ok in my book. There is something appealing about using an undesirable medium to create such painstaking images. Although his website is currently under construction you can check out "Blood & Ink" exhibition below.
http://brask-art-blog.blogspot.com/2009/08/blood-ink-september-exhibition-hosted.html
http://issuu.com/povevolving/docs/a_conway_hubbard
Last but not least....Lil' Corn! Lil' Corn is my cat. I acquired him at the beginning of the summer and promptly became a cat lady. I show people pictures of him at the bar and talk about him way too often. I'll spare you the monologue of how great he is, and all the cute things he does. I will say this: He's orange, cute, psycho, and pretty great entertainment. He's also given me plenty of new ideas for future works. Since I am rapidly becoming a cat lady, I might as well bring it into my art. I'm thinking portraits of squished up cat faces. Like when you squeeze their head? It looks pretty amusing. What'd you think?
Nice Katie,
ReplyDeletewell- there is no need to apologize or be critical for yourself. You have me for that.. :))
Good! Thank you for the links to Hubbard. It was good to look through, and I agree this 'two-fold of ink and blood, figure and abstraction is fascinating.
Everything makes us who we are, right here... right now... without your past and present there is no future. Take advantage of what you had seen, and what you have experienced\ from home and... make it your own. Make art!
Can't wait for your proposal!
Hey Katie,fresh blood is like 90 percent water,the rest plasma,which gives it its color and texture, once the water is evaporated it dries to iron oxide,which is very comparable to a pigment used in an oil paint,i dont remember which one. So one could dry their own blood and then use what is left in an oil or some kind of binder. It would take alot of blood to do that however. When i used blood i went fresh,but even with the preservative in the lab tube it started to rot withhin a few weeks, it is troubling to be in a studio smelling your own rotting blood,but i was able to do all three(2.5ftx6.5ft,2ftx2ft,33in.x40in.) of my paintings with 10cc, which is not much at all.hope this helps if you find yourself interested in that again.
ReplyDeletemy bad ten 10cc containers,so 100 cc
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info! I believe I have found a nursing major who would safely remove a pint of my blood for my own personal use. I have great interest in experimenting with my own blood in the art making process, however I am hung up on extracting it safely. Once I do acquire some I will likely experiment with it in different ways; using some in its liquid state, drying some and just plain seeing what happens. I appreciate your input as I know you have experience with the medium.
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