The Art of a Carbon-Based Lifeform

New Stuff!

2012-01-02T17:52:00.001-05:00

Since I began contributing to Mad Art Lab, I've been neglecting this blog. I do all of my writing over there and so I've decided to use this blog as a repository for artwork. When I finish new artwork, I'll put it up here.
With that, here are a couple of portraits I finished recently. They are both 12 x 9 inches, pencil on bristol board. I was playing around with only rendering the areas in which the circles (or rectangles) overlapped.

Mad Art Lab

2011-03-03T07:51:00.000-05:00

I'm really excited to announce that I've been invited to contribute to Skepchick's new sister site, Mad Art Lab.

I'll be blogging and putting up artwork there about weekly and hopefully collaborating with the other fantastic artists there.

So stop by and subscribe to this new venture. It's going to be great!

Me

2011-02-27T11:09:00.000-05:00

This is the first self-portrait I've drawn in years. I'm happy with how it turned out.

Self-portrait, 2011

12 x 9 inches

graphite on paper

New Portfolio Site

2011-02-09T10:27:00.000-05:00

Hello all.

I have finally taken the plunge and moved my artwork to its own website.

The site is www.bgeorgestudio.com. You can pop that into your browser or just click the big 'Portfolio' button I have added to the top of the sidebar ------->.

There are a few new artworks up for your viewing pleasure and I am constantly working
on new projects, so keep your eyes peeled for new and (hopefully) interesting stuff.

I welcome any comments and constructive criticism, especially on the design and usability of the new site, as well as the artwork itself. Feel free to leave a comment below.

Thanks!

Pareidolia, Illusions & Art

2011-01-17T15:17:00.000-05:00

Pareidolia, "...is a psychological phenomenon involving a vague and random stimulus (often an image or sound) being perceived as significant. Common examples include seeing images of animals or faces in clouds, the man in the moon, and hearing hidden messages on records played in reverse."

What do you see when you look at this image? (and don't peek at the title!)

Marcel Duchamp

Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2), 1912

Oil on canvas, 57 7/8 x 35 1/8 inches

Philadelphia Museum of Art

This is a very famous painting by Marcel Duchamp. It caused a scandal when he first tried to exhibit it.
If it were untitled, what would you make of it? Can you see the figure? What are the clues that there is in fact a figure walking down stairs?

What about these?

Hand study, 2010

Graphite on paper, 12 x 9 inches

These three images are all of versions of the same image. They are all representations of my hand. From top to bottom they are: completely abstracted; partially abstracted but somewhat distinct; realistic.

At what point does the image become distinct as a hand? At what point does the brain stop filling in the gaps and the deliberate execution of the image take over? Could you see that it was a hand by the second image?

One of the most interesting parts of this, to me, is that in actuality, none of these are hands. Not even the realistic drawing. They are all interpretations or manipulations. The bottom, realistic image is a drawing done from a photograph. The original digital photograph (which is also just an interpretation) was put through an editing program to enhance the image, which was then printed out. The final drawing is 'removed' from my actual hand at least 4 times.

This well-known painting always comes to mind when I think of the representation of actual objects in art:

Rene´ Magritte

The Treachery of Images, 1928-29

Oil on canvas, 25 x 37 inches

Los Angeles County Museum of Art

The text in the painting states “This is not a Pipe”. Magritte said of his painting, “The famous pipe. How people reproached me for it! And yet, could you stuff my pipe? No, it's just a representation, is it not? So if I had written on my picture 'This is a pipe', I'd have been lying!” And it’s true. It is not a pipe. It is a painting of a pipe. Magritte smeared some paint onto a canvas in the shape of a pipe and, using color and tone, made the pipe appear as if it was ‘turning’ in space. He made it to appear as if it has ‘form’. But this is all a trick. It’s the most basic trick in representational art. But is it pareidolia? Well, it’s not random. The image was composed deliberately. So it isn't pareidolia. One of the things a representational artwork does have in common with pareidolia is that it can fool your brain. For instance, look at the image below:

Ralph Goings

Ralph’s Diner, 1982

Oil on canvas, 44 x 66 inches

That is not a photograph. That is a painting. Presumably, a human being (named Ralph Goings) painted that.
Talk about fooling the eye! The detail, lighting and execution are so perfect that I can’t find any give-aways. This painting is an example of Photorealism. Your brain (and mine) is fooled.

For a different perspective, this is a self-portrait by artist Chuck Close.

Chuck Close

Self-portrait, 1997

Oil on canvas, 102 x 84 inches

Museum of Modern Art, New York

Now look at a close up of the right eye.

Close is one of my favorite artists. Earlier in his career he painted photorealistic portraits on a very large scale. Then, after a spinal arterial collapse, he became paralyzed from the neck down. After a time he was able to regain some use in his arms and hands, but now paints with a brush strapped to his hand. With the help of assistants, he now creates paintings like the one above, which have less precision than his earlier works, but still have the same effect. In the close-up of the eye, we can see the grids that he uses (and has always used) as guides. The little squares that make up the portrait are nothing but blobs and shapes of color that have the proper tone, which in turn force our brains to see the illusion of a three dimensional object when we see the painting from afar.

I think that the deliberate execution of all of the above-referenced artwork precludes any of them from qualifying as pareidolia-inducing, strictly speaking. I would argue that they are certainly illusions, in that they all trick our brains into seeing 3-D objects on a flat surface.

Maybe the only way to induce pareidolia through art is through deliberate abstraction. The painting below by Jackson Pollock is an example from the Abstract Expressionist movement.

Here, Pollock describes his method of painting, "My painting does not come from the easel. I prefer to tack the unstretched canvas to the hard wall or the floor. I need the resistance of a hard surface. On the floor I am more at ease. I feel nearer, more part of the painting, since this way I can walk around it, work from the four sides and literally be in the painting." and "When I am in my painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing. It is only after a sort of 'get acquainted' period that I see what I have been about. I have no fear of making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through. It is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise there is pure harmony, an easy give and take, and the painting comes out well." -Jackson Pollock, My Painting, 1956

The painting could have no orientation, no right-side-up. It is decidedly not figurative, and is more or less random. When standing in front of the massive canvas, it is possible to appreciate it on multiple levels. One could react to the emotions that the colors provoke or to the seeming manic energy of the splashes and dribbles of paint. Or, one can look for the faces, the animals hiding behind bushes, and many, things that are expressly 'not there'.

Jackson Pollock

Autumn Rhythm (No. 30), 1950

Enamel on canvas, 105 x 207 inches

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Lastly, there are examples of artists using pareidolia as a mechanism for creating.

The French Surrealist Andre´ Masson made use of a process called Automatic Drawing. While in a 'trance-like state' (brought on by sleep deprivation, or drugs), Masson would make a series of lines on canvas and then use those lines to spur his imagination to create images. Later he would randomly apply glue and then sprinkle sand which would adhere to those areas, which gave him another basis to 'find' objects and themes on which to elaborate. In the image below, it is possible to see that he chose which lines and forms to use in making the images of the fish and their surroundings. It is also possible to see the lines and forms on which he chose not to elaborate; lines and forms that seem to impede or get in the way.

Andre´ Masson

Battle of Fishes, 1926
Sand, gesso, oil, pencil & charcoal on canvas
14 1/4 x 28 3/4 inches
Museum of Modern Art, New York

Many other examples of illusions in art had come to mind while writing this post. Artists like Giuseppe Arcimboldo, who is best-known for his food-based portraiture, directly exploited the propensity for our brains to see faces where there are none. Also, trompe l'oeil art (In French, literally 'to deceive the eye) endeavors to precisely live up to its name. Even my own artwork came to mind. When I posted this drawing, a friend of mine commented that "[it] looks like a demon is gazing out". My friend had seen something in the patterns of shadow in my drawing, which I did not intend. And now I cannot un-see it.
Apparently, there's a tiny demon in my hand. Whether I meant to put it there or not.

The Mighty V-Rex

2010-12-18T15:48:00.001-05:00

Late one evening, a few weeks ago, I received a text message from my stepbrother. It is one of the strangest text messages I have ever received after 10 pm on a weekday. I have attached it below. His query is in grey. My response is in green:

Following this initial question was a lengthy exchange about the reasons why an artwork of this type should exist and the details surrounding its execution, which ended with this:

Here, now, is the (kinda) true story of the what's and why's and huh's?

My stepbrother is a newly minted biologist. Apparently, newly minted biologists need letters of recommendation. I’m not sure why, but it seems to be one of those immutable physical laws of the Universe. Recently he sent me a message. One of the fine folks who were supposed to give him a letter of recommendation turned out to be less fine than he had anticipated and by his account, forgot, disappeared off of the face of the Earth or suffered some other calamity. In any case, another person WAS able to give him a letter of recommendation on the fly. This gentleman, as I have had him described to me and as I have imagined him, is a freakish hybrid of dinosaur and man; a genetic experiment of such terrible consequence that he had no choice but to become a scientist himself in order to study and prevent, if he could, the same fate from befalling others. Eventually, after years of roaming the planet in search of meaning and understanding, this Dino Sapiens became a biologist whose interest, obviously, now lies in forest ecology where, while counting tree-rings, he can nibble at leaves and vegetation for sustenance. By all accounts, an amicable symbiosis (certainly a redundant phrase, but it sounds nice).

All lesser creatures shall bow in reverence and thanks to The Mighty V-REX, your lord, savior and writer of letters of recommendation! Behold!

The Mighty V-Rex

12 x 9 inches

2010, Graphite on paper

This artwork has changed drastically between conception and execution. Therefore it has no meaning.

2010-11-26T18:28:00.002-05:00

Untitled (golden spirals)
17 1/4 inches in diameter
2010, Oil on wooden serving tray

This happens to me almost every time I make artwork. I will come up with an idea that seems cohesive and a plan on how to execute this idea visually. I will work through the sketches, all the while reinforcing the original conception. Then, at some point, something changes. The sketches don’t get the idea across the way I had intended or the composition doesn’t fit the proportions of my workspace or I forget how to draw for a few days (yes, this can happen). Then I’ll suddenly become distracted by some shiny object or the cat, my mind will blank out for a bit and then * pop * I’ll think of something else that is (hopefully) interesting to put the artwork back on track.

At this point, the question in my mind has always been, “how has this changed the meaning and the original intent of the artwork? Has it”? Of course, this only matters to me. As a viewer, you probably have no idea what I ‘meant’ to portray in the first place. You only see the end of the process. (And for this I am often thankful). On the other hand, changing course in the middle of making art can yield connections and meanings that I had never even considered in the first place. These meanings and connections have come for me sometimes years after completing an artwork. I’ll pull a drawing out of a drawer and think “Oh. That’s what this means”.

And that is what happened with this painting. It started out with a pretty specific concept, but it morphed, it mutated. And I’m much happier with the outcome than I was with my original idea. I’m not really sure what it ‘means’ yet, if anything. But as a viewer myself, I really enjoy making my own meanings and connections. Even if it’s my own artwork I’m looking at.

P.S. This piece of functional artwork (it's painted on a tray!) will be for sale at a benefit at ABC No Rio on December 3. Just in time for your holiday shopping needs!

Details here.

Did I Mention that I'm on Twitter?

2010-09-30T12:14:00.001-04:00

No? Well, you can follow me @brianggeorge on Twitter. Just 'cause... well, I guess there's nothing better to do?

^ Doing it wrong

Here Comes Everyone

2010-09-28T10:49:00.000-04:00

Since before I started this blog, I have been searching high and low for other art/science blogs/collabs. There were some that I already knew about (Noadi, Surlyramics, Information is Beautiful). Some I discovered along the way (Obviously Cloë, Made with Molecules, and the forthcoming Mad Art Lab (redirects to Skepchick)).

But last night I hit the mother lode.

Following a tweet by @JenLucPiquant (Director of The Science & Entertainment Exchange, Jennifer Ouellette) I found myself at a previously unknown-to-me science and art blog called The Flying Trilobite. The site is run by artist and science enthusiast Glendon Mellow. The article that Jennifer Ouellette linked to was very interesting to me and I encourage anyone who is reading this right now to take some time and read it as well.

So.

I left a comment on the article because that's just the kind of guy I am. And Glendon was kind enough to reply. He added my blog to his friend feed which also appears at scienceblogging.org, which is a science blog aggregator.

How cool is that?!

I then clicked the link to the feed and my eyes almost fell out of my head. There are over 60 art/science blogs linked.

This is exactly what I was looking for.

It's really wonderful to know that there are so many folks out there who are using their passion for art and science to engage in an art-y and science-y dialogue with the public or just putting their stuff out there to see what happens.

And now I have a lot of reading, looking, gawking and jealous 'why didn't I think of that!' moments to get to.

Procrastination? Or Too Many Projects?

2010-08-30T18:34:00.000-04:00

Maybe it's both. This is what my drawing table looks like:

That's only two projects. I also have the accordion sketchbook, the painting I was working on before we moved and a list of other projects that only exist as scribbles or ideas quickly jotted down. I mean I haven't even finished my drawing from Darwin Day! Granted, I have progressed, but still...

For the first time in a long time I have a mountain of ideas, a not insignificant amount of time to work on said ideas / projects and also the desire to follow through. And yet here is how I've been spending my time:

Ugh.

Is it procrastination? Well I do have a lifetime membership to that club. Have I just laid out too many things to work on? Is it both? Probably.
I need a schedule.

Do any of you fine folks out on the interwebs have similar problems?
How do you deal with them?
Do you have a schedule that keeps you in line?
What is your secret?

A Good Cause

2010-07-22T07:54:00.000-04:00

There's been a wonderful collision between art and science. Artist and Skepchick, Amy Davis Roth has teamed up with the Bad Astronomer, Phil Plait, to make a limited edition of Amy's Surly-ramics with a Bad Astronomy theme. Fifty percent of the sales are being donated to the Amercian Cancer Society. You should go to Amy's Esty shop and pick one up before they are gone.
Kelly and I bought one and we love it!
Also, Amy likes to have people who buy her wearable artwork send in pictures. So Kelly and I set up a fun photoshoot and sent it in. And we ended up on the front page of Skepchick. Wow! Thanks Amy!
Go. Buy. Now.

While I Am Unpacking...

2010-07-06T19:54:00.000-04:00

...please enjoy this video from my friend Maori.

It's Hard to Paint

2010-06-24T22:39:00.000-04:00

Um... making art is difficult when you're in the process of moving:

Skepticism as Consumer Protection

2010-06-14T23:00:00.000-04:00

If you’ve been on an apartment hunt in New York City in the last 5 to 8-ish or so years, you’ve probably been on Craigslist. Before that we all used the Village Voice classifieds or just whined to our friends until they let us crash on their couch ‘for a month’. If you had disposable income (or no choice) you walked into a brokers office with a list of stuff you want in an apartment and they find one for you.
K. and I recently landed a new apartment in one of our favorite neighborhoods, one where we have lived before and are very happy to move back to. Anyway, as is our wont, we used Craigslist (and a broker, minus the disposable income) and found a great new place. But before we found the new place, I responded to a few other ads, one of which seemed just a tad fishy. Now I’ve rented more than a few apartments in this city in the last 10 years and ‘too good to be true’ doesn’t even begin to describe what’s happening here.

See how the ad says that the place is $750 a month and it’s clearly a luxury rental? So I’m fairly certain that I didn’t hop in a time machine and go back to 1995 to find the first Craigslist ad for a Brooklyn apartment, so immediately my Skepti-senses were tingling. It wasn’t a share either, no mention of another roommate who would be splitting the total rent. Hmmm… I used my superior Google-fu skills and found this:

Notice how the wording in the box on the right-hand side is exactly the same as the first ad. Also notice that the apartments in this ad are FOR SALE. Not for rent. For sale.
In the first advertisement there is a Gmail address. Usually people don’t release their actual email addresses, but use the Craigslist reply address, which masks your actual address. Not this guy.

Ladies and Gents, meet Scott Loechner.

Here now is the fun email exchange I decided to have with Scott. Please note I am placing a big fat [sic] on this whole exchange. You'll see:

Me:

Dear Scott,

I am replying to the craigslist ad regarding the apartment for rent at
121 Kingsland Avenue.
The description provided in the ad sounds like a true luxury rental,
not to be missed. However, the price of $750 sounds a little too
good to be true.
Could you please clarify? Is this a typo?

Kind regards,

Brian George

Him:

Hi,
I am very happy to inform you that the apartment is still very much
available for rent, my intentions and plans is to give out the
apartment to a Reliable and Responsible person that would be able to
take proper care of the lovely home. It’s indeed a lovely and
comfortable home and available to move in as soon as possible May the
Peace of the Good Lord be with you for considering my home.

Fees:
Per Month: $750 (Including Utilities)
Security / Deposit: $150 (Refundable)

APARTMENT FEATURES:
- Separate, spacious bedroom
- High ceilings
- Hardwood flooring throughout
- Large living room
-walk in closet
-tons of sunlight
-quite building

I would like you to know that i am giving this home out for rent
because i just relocated to West Africa for a research program
and it will last for 5 years before rounding up the
program. So my family and i have decided that we would be moving to
our other home when we get back. i would like you to fill the below
details:
==========================================================================
RENT APPLICATION FORM
FIRST NAME:_________
MIDDLE NAME: _________________
LAST NAME: __________________
AGE: _____
PROFESSION: ________________
MARITAL STATUS____________
TIME ON YOUR JOB:______
PHONE NUMBERS
(CELL)PHONE _____
(WORK)PHONE ____
(HOME)PHONE _____
KIDS ___ (YES/NO), HOW MANY _____
PRESENT ADDRESS: ____
WHY ARE YOU LEAVING?
HOW LONG DO YOU INTEND STAYING? _______
WHEN DO YOU INTEND MOVING IN? ________
IF YOU HAVE A PET?_____-
DO YOU SMOKE? ______________
DO YOU DRINK? _________
DO YOU WORK LATE NIGHT? ____
========================================================================
I would like you to know that you are free to contact me at any time.
After I receive these details, I would get back to you soonest and
then let you know my terms.

PLEASE NOTE YOUR QUESTIONS BELOW.?

I hope to hear from you soonest.
God Bless

Scott Loechner
(Phone number deleted, because I'm not fully evil)

Me:

Dear Scott,

Thank you so much for your reply.
I am interested in renting your home.
How soon can I come and see the space for
myself?
I would be happy to fill out your application after
seeing the space.

All my best,

Brian George

Him:

Hello ,thanks alot for your quick response, i am also very happy that
you could get back to me as soon as possible, cause i am wishing to
give my lovely home as soon as possible, i would be willing to
conclude this in the next couple of days, so if you would be moving
in, then that would be as soon as possible, either tomorrow or the day
after it. all paperwork's are ready and keys.. my wife sent her
greetings to you. we would keep you in prayers. May he continue to
extend his infinite mercies towards our families.

Please, i would be giving the home to you, but please do give me an
assurance that you would taking good care of the apartment and pay the
monthly rents at the proper time.

To move in, only the security deposit of $150 would be needed, this
would also facilitate the payment of the keys and lease contract
agreement to your address, please do send me the complete address, if
its not complete, cause that's where i would be making the delivery of
the package to as soon as the Security deposit is made. And also it is
100% refundable if you wont be interested in what you see. but i can
guarantee you that you would surely love it. I wont be moving back
into the apartment so you can stay for as long as you wish to. its has
an elevator, the apartment is located at 121 Kingsland Avenue,
Brooklyn, NY 11222.

Do get back to me soonest, so that i can call you, since i cant see
you, so please do take care of the apartment as your property. the
monthly rent would be paid at every end of the month which also
includes utilities and bills. Once you have be able to get the keys
and lease contract along with full details and description of the
apartment,do move in when ever you wish to, see you new home and then
sign paperworks. the property has 2 parking space for you and laundry
available within.

Once you have the keys and lease, go down to the apartment building ,
i would be attaching a letter of authorization, so that the super
could help you move in. After which i would connect you to my
apartment realtor, so you could be paying the monthly rents to them
time to time.

i would be waiting to hear from you soonest, so i can send you the
payment information, so you can make the payment as soon as possible
and then i would send you the UPS tracking so you can know what time
you would be getting the package, cause its going to be a UPS next day
delivery.

Hope to hear from you soonest and God bless.

Scott Loechner

Me:

Dear Scott,

So I cannot see the apartment until I have paid you?
This is highly unorthodox.
Under normal circumstances, I should be able to see the apartment
first, to see if it fits my needs and only then, would a deposit be asked of
me, after-which a credit check should be performed by the appropriate
party to make sure I can pay the rent.
Can you please confirm this?

Best,
Brian

Him:

Yes, but note that have no one to show you the place and note also
that super won't show you the place, unless you have the keys and
authorization letter from me, the landlord.

Editors note: At this point I noticed on the actual realty company website that they were holding an open house for the building that weekend. Forthwith:

Me:

Scott,

You own the apartment but are also the landlord?
Does this mean you own the entire building?
I was under the impression that the building was managed by
Modern Condo Inc. Can you please clarify?
I see on the website that the building is having an open house
this Sunday. So I will just go over on Sunday and see the apartment
and speak with the super.

How long have you lived in this apartment?

Best,

Brian

He never replied after that last one.

So what does it take to hone your skeptical apartment hunting skills? Well, it’s really all in the research. Know the neighborhood that you’re moving into. How much does a typical one bedroom go for? Is it new construction, renovated, or ‘freshly painted’ and how much do those go for respectively? Does it seem too good to be true? Do they want money up front, before you even get to see the space? These are all things that one needs to keep in mind when looking for a place to live, especially when using the Internets as a primary resource. It can be well worth it, especially for the wonderful amount for 'For Rent By Owner' listings (read: no fees), but we need to turn our baloney detectors on high alert when doing so.

In the end, K. and I found a great place and we can't wait to move back to one of our favorite Brooklyn neighborhoods. We miss our bodega guys and we know they'll be happy to have us back in the 'hood again.

FINALLY!

2010-06-07T15:47:00.004-04:00

Hello friends and neighbors. I have finally put up some artwork in the "My Artwork" tab at the top-right of the sidebar. Some of the artwork there was in my first post, but for some reason, that first post was not viewable to everyone. Still not sure why. But now it should work for all!
And if you want to zoom in, just do some clickity-click on the images and you can zip right up close.

Have a look.

If you like something, they are *ahem* for sale.

I am also happy to do commissions.

Process: Part One

2010-05-17T11:10:00.022-04:00

I thought it might be fun to document myself making a new artwork from start to finish. It's something I've never done before. I have a bunch of projects in the works, everything from the Accordion Sketchbook to illustrations for a friend's novel. In fact, for the first time in a long time, I need to make a list of projects to remember them all. It's all part of my master plan to not be lazy.

The following is just the first part in the process of the painting. It's called an under-painting. Think of it as an elaborate, painted sketch. I should mention that I don't work this way all of the time. Each artwork takes me on a different path and this one called for a full on painting.

1. The first step was the idea. I can't really document that without an fMRI, so you'll just have to take my word for it. So the 'first' step is the initial sketch. Sometimes it takes me a while to figure out how I want things to look; composition, lights and darks, sizing of the elements, etc. But in this case I already had a fairly clear image in mind.

2. Next comes all the prep work. I stretched some canvas right onto the wall and primed it with several coats of gesso (basically an acrylic paint that provides a smooth painting surface) and sanded between coats. Also, I took some reference photos, which you can see taped to the wall. Sometimes I will work from life, but since I was using my own hands as the reference, I'm working from photographs.

3. Here are the supplies. The paint color is raw umber. The reason I use this color is because its drying time is quick relative to other colors of oil paint. But in order to slow the drying time just a bit, I've added a drop of linseed oil and a drop of clove oil. These will help keep the paint pliant for longer, but not so long that I'll have to wait weeks to apply another layer (like some other colors). Also, I coated the canvas with a really thin layer of linseed oil. More on that in a minute. Funny aside: I bought that tube of paint in 1998 or so. At the time it cost about $15, as you can see from the price tag. I just looked to see what it would cost today and saw one retailer had it for about $24.

4. Here we are with the canvas coated with an even (ish) layer of the raw umber. Now the reason for the coat of linseed oil on the canvas becomes clear. The oil makes it easier to spread the paint around to get an even halftone and it will be really important in the next few steps.

5. & 6. So here I'm starting in on the image. But I'm not applying paint, I'm taking it away, in this case with a cotton rag. This is called reductive painting. Since the canvas already has a halftone ground, I can remove paint for all the light areas and apply more paint for all the dark areas. This is why coating the canvas with linseed oil is so important. It makes the paint move across the surface easily and makes it possible to remove paint.

7. Here's where the drawing comes in. I used the
sharp end of a bamboo stick to scratch the drawing into the paint. It's the same reductive method as above. The nice thing about doing it this way is that if I make a mistake, all I have to do to correct it is paint the mistake out.

8. As I was painting, I decided to make a change to the original idea. That's another nice thing about this method. The paint is going to stay wet for a while and can be moved around easily. I wanted to make an indication of everything being encompassed in an expanding circle. So I painted in some dark areas around the edges to indicate the circle.

9. & 10. Now that the linework is done, I can go in and wipe away all of the lights and highlights on the hands. I started out very general, just roughing in the light areas and then getting more and more specific so that the form begins to 'turn' in space. This is how one creates the illusion of three dimensions on a two dimensional surface.

There you have it! A very basic under-painting. The next step will be to go in with a fine brush and add in some more detail. After all of this dries, I'll come back to it and start the 'real' painting and add color. When I get to that point, I'll put up another post with new pictures.

I don't usually title my artwork, but in this case I was thinking of some funny titles. Maybe it will be a long, silly, Salvador Dalí-like title; maybe 'While Having a Dream, the Large Hadron Collider Somehow Confused Theology with Physical Cosmology'. We'll see, we'll see.

Oh, and if Richard Saunders is reading this right now, guess what I was listening to while painting?

Early Influences: Francis Bacon

2010-05-03T22:38:00.006-04:00

Head 1
1948, Oil on hardboard

Way back in the mid-nineties, when I was in high school, I was working on some sketches in my art class. The sketches were of a weird little creature being clutched by a fist, while in the background there were other little creatures hanging on hooks. Did I mention that I was a strange kid? Anyway my teacher, Mr. Bates, took a look at what I was working on and told me that I needed to get a book on the artist Francis Bacon.

Right after school I went to the bookstore and found a book about Bacon. It was a good overview, had lots of color plates and I just fell in love with the guy. His artwork was dark, disturbed and amazingly executed. The subject matter, crucifixions, popes, contorted figures, bizarre rooms, grotesque portraits, fascinated me. Even though I’ve always been a happy guy, this type of imagery has appealed to me ever since.

Self-Portrait
1971; Oil on canvas, 14 x 12 inches
Musee National d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris

Throughout the years I had a few chances to see his artwork in person, but it was only ever one or two paintings. That was until last Spring when the Metropolitan Museum of Art held an enormous retrospective.

From their press release:

The first major exhibition in New York in twenty years devoted to one of the most important painters of the twentieth-century, Francis Bacon: A Centenary Retrospective features 130 works (65 paintings and 65 archival items) that span the entirety of the artist’s full and celebrated career.

Study After Velazquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X
1953; Oil on canvas, 60 1/4 x 46 1/2 inches
Des Moines Art Center, Iowa

K. and I spent hours in that exhibition. It was the first time I had seen so much of his artwork outside of books. I loved getting up close to the surface of the paintings to see the texture, the thick layers, smudges and fingerprints. I get goosebumps just thinking about it.

If I can be half the painter he was, I’ll be a happier guy.
(Incidentally, the creepy drawing I did back in high school turned out pretty well)

Periodic Art

2010-04-28T21:43:00.003-04:00

I found this little gem when I was trolling around the intertoobs. It's from a few years ago, but it's new to me. As with everything I see that is awesome, I wish I had thought of it first.
Nowadays, if you poke around there's a Periodic Table of everything.

Like so.

But this is the best one I've seen.
Enjoy!

Art by Committee

2010-04-24T15:51:00.007-04:00

Check this thing out.

It’s an accordion sketchbook. The first time I saw one of these things was at work. The two we have there are by the artist Xanti Schawinsky. When you unfold them, they’re over 30 feet long (the one I bought is 10 feet long when unfolded). I’ve wanted to find and use one of these suckers for a few years now. The other weekend I found one at New York Central Art Supply and immediately bought it.
So I’ve been staring at this thing for a few weeks now thinking about what I should do with it. And today I think I’ve decided what I’m going to do.
After being inspired by Crispian Jago’s Skeptic Trumps, I’m going to make a hand-drawn and lettered book of scientists through the ages. I’ll begin in ancient times and work my way forward through to the modern era. The question is, who should I include? I’m actually pretty compelled to throw in more than a few underdogs and lesser-known folks. After learning about Ada Lovelace and Rosalind Franklin, I’ve become interested in people who, to a large extent, history has left behind. It also ties in nicely with the artist I mentioned above. Schawinsky is not a very well known artist, but it’s not due to a lack of talent. He was immensely productive; a student and then later a teacher at The Bauhaus, he has been left out of most of the history books.
So here is my idea: I would like readers to share their thoughts on who I should draw in the book. It doesn’t have to be a little-known scientist, I’m sure Einstein will make the cut, but I would like to highlight some underdogs.
Leave some names for me in the comments and I’ll choose from them and a few of my own. As I complete work on each portrait and bio, I’ll post them here.

NECSS 2010

2010-04-18T18:08:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, K. and I ventured out to NECSS, The Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism. We got up early, puttered into town and got in line. This was our second year attending and were expecting a full day of having our brains turned to wonderful science-mush. We were not disappointed.

While waiting on line to get in, we struck up a conversation with the gentleman in front of us and chatted and traded stories as we slowly advanced toward the entrance. And as we spoke we realized that we are all regular commenters on Skepchick. We were talking to Halincoh himself! We found seats and the three of us hung out for the rest of the conference. We got advice on quitting smoking, choosing a doctor and he bought us lunch. Thanks for that Halincoh!

The M.C. for the day was magician Jamy Ian Swiss. He provided introductions and thought-provoking, illustrative illusions and sleight-of-hand throughout the day.

JREF President and host of the For Good Reason podcast, D.J. Grothe, gave the keynote address. I hesitate to go into too much detail about his speech as I have a lot of thoughts on it, which might be better as a separate post. However I will say that I was very happy with what he had to say. It was thought provoking and he touched on many of the ideas about Skepticism and skeptical activism that have been on my mind lately.

Next up was a live taping of The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe. I always look forward to their live shows. Steve came out first and then introduced everyone; Bob, Rebecca, Jay and Evan. Wait. Rebecca? We were all under the impression that Rebecca had been stranded in England by an Icelandic volcano. Pretty much the best excuse of all time. But a woman came out onto the stage that looked not unlike Rebecca. Of course it wasn’t Rebecca but Liz from the Boston Skeptics in disguise. Steve referred to her as Faux-becca. James Randi also joined the Rogues for the duration of the show. Science-or-Fiction was a total ball-buster, with Liz the only one who got the answer right. I got it wrong too, as did the majority of the audience.

After lunch, George Hrab performed some music and a very funny sketch involving Sylvia Browne and her exasperated personal assistant, played by actress Caroline Gayle. (Yes, George played Sylvia)

The Science-Based Medicine panel came next. Unfortunately Dr. Val Jones was unable to attend so Dr. Steven Novella filled in as a panelist along-side doctors David Gorski and Kimball Atwood with Dr. John Snyder acting as moderator.
The topic of discussion was the infiltration of so-called ‘alternative medicine’ into major hospital systems and medical schools. Halincoh was intensely focused on this panel as he shares the profession of the panelists.

This panel split my brain in half. On the one hand it made me angry and somewhat sad that unscientific medical modalities, that are highly implausible, unproven or even harmful, can infiltrate the institutions that we all count on to keep us healthy. On the other hand, Dr. Novella’s story about battling this same infiltration at his own school, pretty much single-handedly, was inspiring. It really reinforces the idea that if just one person stands up to do the right thing, that people will listen. It may not always work, but the effort is worth it, in my opinion.

The next panel featured Julia Galef (journalist and Rationally Speaking podcast co-host) as moderator and panelists Steve Mirsky (from Scientific American), George Hrab, D.J. Grothe and James Randi. I really enjoyed this panel. I thought Julia’s questions were well tailored to the group and the panelists really ran with the premises, letting it flow almost like a conversation rather than a moderated panel. Also, everyone was really funny. I wish I had been able to record the panel, as I’d love to hear the discussion again. But I believe there will be a DVD of the event. So I wait.

The final event of the evening was a Q & A with James Randi. I’ve heard him on podcasts and have seen him in videos, but this event was the first time I have seen Randi in person. It ran for about an hour and Randi was funny, sincere and very quick witted with every question. There was also a woman on stage performing sign language for someone in the front row. It was fantastic to see how the signer was able to mimic Randi’s enthusiasm and humor with her facial expressions and gestures as she signed. Randi also coyly dropped a hint about a possible merger between CFI and JREF. Hmmm...

I’d love to see future NECSS events expand into a multi-day event like The Amazing Meeting in Las Vegas. The format is full of potential for more socialization opportunities, more panels, workshops and maybe even some downtime where New York Skeptics can take out-of-towners around the city and show them the sights.

All Hail The Apple of Indifference

2010-04-12T20:24:00.005-04:00

A few weeks ago on Skepchick, Rebecca Watson conducted The Great Apple Experiment.
You should float on over there and check it out. It was really funny and really well done.

In all of the apple-y excitement, I was inspired to make the drawing shown below.

It is a portrait of the Control Apple of Indifference.

Best. Apple Name. Ever.

17 x 14 inches
graphite on paper

Music of the Spheres (sort of)

2010-04-05T19:12:00.003-04:00

I found this via Information is Beautiful.
It's a neat piece of sound and graphic art, blended
with some sexy astrophysics (is there any other kind?)

I played with it for a while...
I just had to wait for Pluto to come around!

The artist is named Luke Twyman. And the rest of his
artwork is worth seeing as well.

Take a look.

I could have done that!

2010-03-31T20:09:00.010-04:00

Have you ever heard some say that phrase, “Hrrumph. I could have done that” with regard to someone's creative endeavors? I’ve heard it and I’m sure in weaker moments I’ve said it myself.

To paraphrase legendary Minutemen bassist, Mike Watt “Yeah, maybe you could have done that. But you didn’t.”

I prefer to flip this kind of thinking on its head. Rather than think, “I could have done that”, I like to go with “Why didn’t I think of that?”

The Minutemen have a song called “History Lesson - Part II” where singer and guitarist D Boon sings, “Our band could be your life…” This is to say, “we did this and so can you.”

To me, this is inspirational.

Do you have an idea? Well, get out there and take action! Do something about it!

Untitled Study, 2009
Ballpoint pen on paper
10 x 6 inches

Beware the Ides of March!

2010-03-15T19:53:00.004-04:00

I am happy to announce that the artist collective, Subject to Change (of which I am a co-founder) has been invited to participate in the 2010 Ides of March bi-annual at ABC No Rio on New York's Lower East Side. The Ides of March is a building-wide exhibition in which over 50 artists have been invited to participate. The exhibition will include installation, video, performance, good ol' 2-D visual art and other oddities.

If you happen to be in the neighborhood this Friday the 19th, you should stop by and see the opening of the exhibition. Click the flyer below for a complete list of artists and all pertinent details and so forth.

OPENING: Friday March 19 at 7:00pm
VIEWING HOURS: Sun 1:00-6:00pm  / Tues, Wed, Thurs 5:00-9:00pm
CLOSING: Friday April 9 at 7:00pm
156 Rivington Street, New York NY 10002

Death From the Skies! The Exhibition!

2010-02-25T23:25:00.017-05:00

When my brother and I were just wee lads, our folks bought a telescope. On clear nights we would go out into the yard and gaze through the telescope and out into the universe. We had a simple star chart and would search the skies looking for planets and constellations, zooming in on the moon. I would pour over my copy of National Geographic’s Our Universe and my imagination ran wild.

When I started to like reading again after college, I picked up lots of popular science

books, mostly physics stuff. Light reading. Recently, with my discovery of the Bad Astronomy blog, I learned all about the wonderful world of Phil Plait. And in Phil Plait’s world, everything is like a beautiful photograph from the Hubble space telescope of a gorgeous, distant supernova… that is about to kill everything on Earth with a gamma ray burst. That’s just how Phil rolls. And that’s why I enjoy his writing so much.

Gamma Ray Bursts is performed by Es Muss Sein Quartet

So when his book, Death From the Skies! came out, I was really excited. My wife and I read the book and really enjoyed it. And this sentence really struck her: “The Earth sits in a cosmic shooting gallery, and the Universe has us dead in its crosshairs.” Since the book is filled with scenarios about the destruction of our world and the Universe, she thought it would make a great topic for an art exhibition. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand she was right. That Spring we met Phil Plait at a lecture at the Hayden Planetarium and we told him of our idea. He was very nice and very supportive during the development of our exhibition, which was last October.

So finally, I’m putting up installation pictures (and one MP3) of all the artwork from the show. Much thanks to all the artists who participated and to ABC No Rio for hosting.
And don't forget to check out each artist's link below the slide show.

Enjoy!

[Note: If the pictures in the slideshow are falling off of the left side of the box, just refresh. There appears to be something wrong with Picasa]

Links to artist websites
HC Noel - Asteriod Impact
Jacob Hashimoto - Solar Flares & CME's
William Stamos - Supernova
Es Muss Sein Quartet - Gamma Ray Bursts
Mike Estabrook - Black Hole
B-Cat & C-Town - Alien Attack!
Kevin Pyle - The Death of the Sun
Kelly Savage - Galaxies Collide
Brian George - The End of Everything

Origin Story

2010-02-19T22:01:00.007-05:00

One of the most fundamental purposes of art (if art can be said to have a purpose) is communication.

First, some background.

Cut to the distant past (somewhere in the 1990’s):

I have been trying to figure out my place in the "art world" for a while now.  
When I was in high school, I believed that any art that was not Realism was garbage. When I got to college, I was going to learn the techniques of the Masters™. Salvador Dali and his hyperrealist manner were what I idolized. This is what I wanted. I was going to train to become an illustrator. Millions would see my amazing art! I was going to single-handedly SAVE ART!!!

And as with all things that teenagers believe, it was bullshit and I was horribly, horribly wrong.

I did go to art school and in addition to learning classical realism, I also learned about, well, all of the other things that make art so wonderful; the beauty of abstraction, the pure vibrancy of color-field paintings and I think there was something about sculpture as well.

I learned to appreciate the conversation and translation that occurs between concept and execution. “Why is this particular idea best executed through photography and not a drawing? Oh, that’s why! I get it now!”

And I did achieve my goal to become as technically proficient as possible. Even though I figured out that it was not the-be-all-end-all of artistic expression, it was still something I wanted to learn. The problem was that I sacrificed all content in my art to the whims of my technical ability. If I couldn't accurately represent an idea I had, I didn't bother. “Hey wouldn’t it be a great idea to draw a hand dressed up as a sailor for this assignment? Oh wait, I can’t draw hands. Never mind.” *Draws another picture of the back of someone’s head*

Over time, with much practice, my work finally became technically good. But since I had for so long limited the content of my art to what I felt I could reasonably represent, my art lacked any interesting content. And if you are keeping score, that makes for some boring art.

Cut to the distant future (2008):

One afternoon my wife sent me a text message telling me about a radio show on WNYC that she thought I’d really like. That show was Radiolab. It’s a show about science that is very creatively produced. The hosts of the show are genuinely curious about all the topics that they cover and they have great experts on to explain those topics in detail.

I was at work at the time, so I went over to one of the computers and downloaded the most recent episode and I immediately fell in love. I devoured all of the episodes available for download. But I wanted more. I wanted more science! I went into iTunes and looked at the Science and Medicine podcasts that were available. I downloaded a few random shows and went back to work. That was the day I found The Skeptics Guide to the Universe. It was episode #147 with special guest Martin Rundkvist.

They made fun of Postmodernism.

*Love*

I had really liked science as a kid. I did well in all of my science classes throughout school and I even took a molecular biology class in college that I really enjoyed. It wasn’t until I began listening to all of these new found science podcasts that my love for the subject had been rekindled. And the more I listened to these shows, the more I became acquainted with the communities that surround these podcasts. The good folks who make up these communities are the science promoters, the skeptics, doctors, teachers, scientists and the uncounted amateurs and enthusiasts. The focus of their collective attention is the promotion of science and rational thought.

This, I have decided, is what I want to do and where I want to be.

I had struggled for years to find the balance in my artwork; what do I want to say and do I have the capability to say it?

Now I can answer ‘Yes’ to both of these questions.

And that is why I started this blog. I want to use my art to aid in the promotion of science and critical thinking. It’s a small thing I know, but it’s something that I can do.

Darwin Day Awesomeness

2010-02-13T10:02:00.004-05:00

So yesterday was Darwin Day, which celebrates the birth of the British naturalist, Charles Darwin.
Old Chuck D would have been 201 years young.
In honor of that date, the good folks over at Skepchick had a fantastic exhibition of artwork on the theme of "Darwin's Beard" and I was thrilled to be invited to participate.
All of the artwork was really good and I'm not just saying that. Go see for yourself!
And make sure you play with D.C. Turner's Flash-based artwork. I never knew that Chuck Norris could fit inside of a beard, but then there's a lot that Chuck Norris can do, apparently.

Go Science!

Prolouge

2010-02-11T22:47:00.007-05:00

So!

It's the blog you've been waiting for, an art and science blog!

Wait, wait, WAIT! Come back!

Fine, I will seduce you with some art first, and then drop the science

on you at some future point.

Here, have some of these drawings from my "Hands" series: