Charlotte Artery, Show 2 of 6

My public participation in the arts is resuming Friday at 6 PM. I've been away far too long, but I'm back and I'm here to stay. No more hermitism, no more Unabomber lifestyle (without the bombs). I feel very good about what I'll be showing, and am very invigorated artistically. I also feel very positive about the artists with whom I'll be showing- top flight artists, one and all. Regarding my work, if you dig my Pixelations, you'll dig what I have submitted for the show. So you gotta come out.

Check it out:
Dates: Nov. 13 and Nov. 20
Times: 6-9 PM

BP.09

Visit to NCMOA

I saw some good work this week at the NC Museum of Art. Three good Andrew Wyeths- the tempera work is much more appealing in person; the articial or stilted nature of the medium works better and apparently Wyeth appreciated it for that very reason. A superb Motherwell, "Two Figures". A very good Kiefer. A solid Franz Kline. The most notable new piece was by Hung Liu, "Dr. Norman Bethune". I'd seen her work in magazines but not in person. It lived up to the hype, no doubt. If I can find an image I'll post it.

Amtrak Posters being Framed

I just dropped off two Amtrak posters to be framed, and I'm excited. They are Acela Express posters, rendered by Michael Schwab. They are badass pieces of art. Anybody who knows my affinity for Russian propaganda posters will see why I like these posters so much if they look. The link to the Amtrak store page with posters is below. Check 'em out.

http://store.amtrak.com/ProductDetail.aspx?did=5551&pid=45604

Asheville River Arts District

My old lady and I were just up in Asheville for a weekend, and heeding advice from Dan Allegrucci, checked out the River Arts District. It's an old industrial area, sort of Asheville's version of a rust belt, and is thus imbued with a nice sense of character; while it is economically sad to see industrial buildings laying dormant, it is somewhat fulfilling to see nature pulling its territory back into the fold due to the inevitable nature of economic cycles. The cycle of life trumps man's attempt to control the economic cycle it seems. It is now populated by artists and the sort, using the buildings as studios, gallery spaces and offices. There is also a large amount of high quality graffiti. If you are in the area, check it out. It's not far from downtown, off of Patton down Clingman.

www.riverartsdistrict.com

Giorgio Morandi at Phillips Collection

My family and I recently checked out the Morandi exhibition at the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC. After long wondering how I'd react to a show of Morandis's work- would it be repetitive or would I truly feel it- I finally got the answer: I felt it in a deeply serious manner. It was fantastic, very spiritual, as a great art show should be. It's hard to explain how a show consisting almost entirely of still lifes rendered in a loose, almost juicy fashion, could succeed so wildly. Nonetheless, it did, at least for me. Others have not reacted as I did, so I can only speak for myself. I will admit that I have been let down by other great artists' work in person, but Morandi's work far exceeded what I expected. I can only say that it is always a pleasure when exhibitions strike me so successfully.

If you are in DC and have the opportunity and inclination, this is a must-see.
It runs through May 24, 2009.
http://www.phillipscollection.org/exhibitions/morandi/index.aspx

Philip Guston@ National Gallery of Art

An important show will be at the National Gallery while the family and I are in DC this month. A Philip Guston exhibition will be on display at the National Gallery. I can't say I'm a huge fan at the moment, but I do look forward to seeing his work and experiencing it in person. That's the litmus test after all, personal observation, not merely book observation.

http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/gustoninfo.shtm