My art is in Kelsey Michaels Fine Art in Laguna Beach!
I first delivered one of my underwater series paintings to a small juried gallery exhibit in Laguna Beach 9 months ago and fell in love with the town. You can’t swing a vegan burger without hitting a gallery in that town, or at least some cool original art. This became my goal: I want representation here, where gallery shopping is a destination point and art is a reason for going there in the first place.
It took some work, but now five of my underwater pieces are happily on a “test drive” in a cool contemporary art gallery, Kelsey Michaels Fine Art, right on Pacific Coast Highway.
Michael Mullen starting up one of his TrioSoli loops. Artist Dan Riley’s work is his backdrop.
I don’t often write about musicians, even though I know and cherish many of them and love their music. But, this past Sunday, I experienced musical magic in a coffeehouse.
The extremely talented Michael Mullen, formerly “the Mad Fiddler” of Tempest fame, has become a master of “looping”, a technique where tracks can be laid down or sampled by a musician, replayed, and played against.
Mullen steps it up a big notch. Nothing is pre-recorded. Each track is laid down in situ, right there in front of the audience, then layered upon each other to create an exciting multi-performance ensemble.
In his “TriaSoli” performances, Michael constructs a duet, then a quartet, and then a small chamber group before us with each song. He begins with one beautifully rendered track, masterfully bringing the next instrument to life, and moves on to the next. From viola to cello to bass to violin, the anticipation builds until finally, he fills the room with a full-on chamber group that gives you goosebumps.
We got goosebumps on Sunday. And it wasn’t just that he performed Bach, Beethoven and Haydn solo. It wasn’t just that he has clearly mastered his instrument and the crazy amount of effects boxes in a semi-circle at his feet. It wasn’t that he was deconstructing symphonic works at all – rather, he gave us the gift of getting to experience each part in its own beautiful way, and the experience of what each instrument added to the whole – and then the whole itself.
That isn’t all, either, but I’m not sure how to describe it. That’s how art that affects you renders you mute – words can’t possibly engulf it all. So, I ask you, if you get a chance to see Michael Mullen perform in live looping mode, go. Listen. Watch. And let me know what you think.
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Michael Mullen donated his performances at Panama Bay Coffeehouse, 2115 First Street, Livermore, to help kickstart the new “Sunday Afternoon Matinee”, devoted to performers with original and traditional music, produced by Duane Gordon. The series has since shown the works of over 22 regional musicians, many of whom performed their own original music – including Steve Kritzer’s music students ranging from 8 to 16. You can find more information about upcoming shows at valleysingout.com, scheduled in bursts throughout the year.
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Update: Michael performs at the Bothwell Arts Center on October 22, 2016, 7:30 pm. You need to see this.
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She was a working found–object artist when I met her, a veteran of the craft. She found potential in twigs, inspiration in a red candy wrapper tossed to the sidewalk.
This adorable, 76 year-old sprite of a woman was an inspiration. She made sculptures from driftwood and seaweed, the dancers my favorite. She did mobiles, baskets, so many artful things.
Then Virginia sort of disappeared.
I got busy, but would think of her often, when I would see interesting seed shells or twigs that looked like dancers’ legs. And, when I grabbed a few minutes to email her, the emails bounced back.
I saw her again many years later at an art reception. A friend had brought her because she no longer drove at night. To connect with her again was wonderful.
She was doing no art. She was afraid of making a mess in the beautiful retirement apartment she was renting – her husband and soulmate had passed on and the house was just too much to take care of.
A few days later I was hosting a Jackson Pollack painting party at the Bothwell and I knew she would love it, so invited her to come try her hand at action painting. Duane, my partner, made sure she got there and back.
She had a blast throwing paint around, and came up to me at the end of the night. In true Virginia form, she said, “can I come back tomorrow and pick up the dried paint?” with that found-object-sparkle in her eye.
She came, right on time, and bent at the waist, over and over again, delighted with peeling off her “found objects”.
She took those blots and specks home and played.
And so it began.
My friend Virginia turned 86 this year.
When I’m done with a long painting session, I’ve got splatters and splats and drips and dots (there are lots of dots) from my pour paintings all over my tarps. Virginia peels them off and makes “found art” collages and cool stuff without making much of a mess.
She gets so awesomely excited by the colors and the metallic encased in the drips and drabs and the possibilities in these ”found objects”, it does my heart good.
Delivered the art today to Art San Diego (in cool Balboa Park). Walking through there, I felt incredibly proud to be exhibiting amongst all the amazing art. This is a stellar show.
I know I’m a good artist. I know I can express in a unique way. And I know I’m not the best, but sometimes I reach the best I can be. That’s a good thing.
But some of this art, today ... well, let’s just leave it at a big wow. A couple of pieces left me feeling humbled before exposed humanity, and all I had time for was to walk by them. I’m gonna love exploring all this cool work over the next several days.
I should suggest this more often: Get out and get in front of some art that gets you in the gut, gives you goosebumps, gives you that thrill in the chest like a deep bass beat – but better, more deeply – a thrill that hums inside. Art reminds us of things we’ve forgotten, tells us things we could never get in any other way. It makes us soooo much more human than we often remember to take time for in our everyday lives.
You don’t have to buy it if you can’t afford it. You can just remember it, and the experience of it.
I’ll never forget a Nathan Oliveira piece I saw at John Beggruen’s Gallery in SF well over a decade ago. One of his red-figure silhouettes. I couldn’t talk afterwards, it hit me so hard.
I don’t have to own it to remember it and how it affected me. I’m not even sure I could handle that affect everyday. Not even sure I’d like the experience of starting to ignore it … could that happen? Point is moot, could not have afforded it. But I will always remember how it affected me.
Can’t wait til tomorrow night, when the VIP reception hits and there’s amazing art to be encountered in the halls … and I come home exhausted from either talking or engaging with the art. So thankful.
“Dreams of the Reef at Dawn” Copyright 2015 by Linda Ryan
This was accepted into “Talent Plus”, an exhibition at Laguna Beach gallery Las Laguna Art Gallery . Yes!!!
Per the gallery that organized the artist exhibition: The word talent originally was meant to represent a unit of mass. It was used in ancient times in Greece, the Roman Empire, and the Middle East to weigh precious metals like gold and silver. The word is often tied to the Bible parable, Matthew 25:14-30, that explains that one should not hide a God given endowment, and that even one talent is a large sum.
The word talent is now used to describe ones natural and abilities, aptitudes, and inclinations to do something extremely well.
For this exhibition; local, national, and international artists submitted work for this open theme show. The results are inspiring and remarkable.
The event will be part of Laguna Beach ArtWalk on Thursday November 5th from 6:30 pm to 10pm for the Artist Reception (I won’t be able to be there – I’ll be at Art San Diego Contemporary’s VIP night!!! but I do plan on going to the gallery late on Saturday.) The exhibition runs from November 5th to November 30.
UPDATE: I am now completely sold on ArtResin, a non-yellowing, museum-grade acrylic resin with excellent UV stabilizers. It’s expensive, so it’s not going to be for everyone, but if you are intending to exhibit or sell your pours in galleries, it might be worth it. It’s nontoxic, also. Great info and demo videos are on the website, but I suggest looking up any questions on their FAQ page, here.
Hi there! I thought I’d give you some information about how to care for your poured art made with .Liquitex Pouring Medium.
After it’s dry on the surface, it can stay open or slightly sticky and vulnerable to damage for a while. And, underneath, it can take a while for all of the moisture to evaporate – you can usually see a degree of milkiness while it’s drying. Sandwiched layers can take weeks to dry (think of milk trying to dry between a sealed plastic envelope), so be patient, especially in high humidity.
While drying, make sure to keep dust off it, especially if it’s exposed to heat. Exposure to heat opens acrylic molecules and it can tend to grab the dust and become one with it. This can happen with paper, or whatever pourous object is touching it. This medium is particularly susceptible to this problem.
Give it several weeks to fully cure before you varnish it. I like Golden’s or Krylon’s gloss UV archival spray varnish – less chance of bubbling than brushing it on and hardens the surface a bit. Make sure to follow the directions and keep the nozzle clean to avoid spattering, which can ruin your finish. UV protectant is a good idea, especially if you use a lot of interference paint, which can go “fugitive” on you with sun exposure.
I still suggest using care when handling it or storing it, if it isn’t going to be hung on your wall right away. The medium never really goes as hard as a resin, and you want to protect it from dings and dents.
My first real art encounter was in fourth grade. As usual, I’d either been too talkative or too helpful with others’ schoolwork and was sent to the library as punishment. Punishment! With my glasses on the end of my nose, pouring through a treasure of books I’d never be able to own, I was in heaven.
Sometimes there were piles of donations that hadn’t been gone through and catalogued yet. Someone must have donated my find – a big art history book on the Impressionists, filled with large photos of the great works.
Woman with a parasol, especially, but the entire book of paintings astounded me, for many reasons.
First, because it was as if they were painting nearsighted, the way I saw things without my glasses. They seemed alive, those paintings. Not like a photograph – Like they could move or dance or you could step into them and be in a magical world. And, they weren’t even trying to paint within any lines! It was messy! It was imperfect and they were proud of it.
And, for the first time, I understood that art could make you feel something. Wonder, joy, a connection with a long-dead artist, a sense that a person actually painted that woman, that umbrella! and that because it left you with such a good feeling, you sort of “knew” him and knew you would have liked each other.
The book was gone after that day. Perhaps someone decided it should be in the high school library instead, such a nice book, that gangly girl with the cat-eyes and messy braids is going to crumple the pages, the way she’s holding it so tightly…
Because I had to appease that inner urge to take drawing as far as I could, I found myself on the trajectory of hyper-realism and did that for many years. It started with my mother supplying me with beautiful new pencils and drawing tablets whenever I needed them. Even when we were broke.
It wasn’t until later that life showed me the lessons I learned in 4th grade were what I needed to follow: Paint what you see how you want to express it. Forget following the lines. Be messy. Make it alive.
I’m not an impressionist, by any means. But that book laid the foundation, and I am thankful to that unknown donor to this day.
I’d love to hear from you about your own art experiences!
First Luminous Pour Painting-focused Workshop 2015, 12×18, by Frank Castillo
The workshop, held August 31st at the Bothwell Arts Center, turned out great and taught me as well! I’m giving my first students great introductory prices so that I can get their feedback and improve as a teacher, also, before I go out and do this on a broader scale. Want to join us? For a limited time, you can get my workshop materials for free, learn how to make luminous pours, and be one of my “pour painting test kitchen recruits” – click here.
Students practiced on plexi and then created these pieces themselves! Woot woot!
First Luminous Pour Painting Workshop, 2015 – Beverly CastilloFirst Luminous Pour Painting Workshop 2015 by Peggy Schimmelman 12×18First Luminous Pour Painting Workshop, 2015 by Marge HagginFirst Luminous Pour Painting Workshop, 2015 by Jeanne BarteltFirst Luminous Pour Painting Workshop, 2015 – June FerrerriFirst Luminous Pour Painting Workshop, 2015 – Vicki Aboumrad
First Luminous Pour Painting Workshop, 2015 – Tammy Averill
First Luminous Pour Painting Workshop, 2015 – Nancy Carver
First Luminous Pour Painting Workshop, 2015 – Carol EicherFirst Luminous Pour Painting Workshop, 2015 – Norma Webb
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