Art Basel Miami

I'm happy to announce that 3 new pieces from my American Comfort Food series have been taken down to Art Basel Miami by Washington area gallery Art Whino (Dec. 2-Dec. 6). If you happen to be in the neighborhood please stop by to check them out and for those of you who can't make it (like me) here they are!

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For more information about the location of the show and special events Art Whino is holding in conjunction with the show, please go here.

Brian Jungen at the NMAI

Over the weekend I passed through the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian and caught an exhibition of Brian Jungen 's scupltures. Jungen' s work is constructed with recycled materials.

Whale Skeleton (constructed with plastic patio chairs)

If you are down at the mall and have the chance, stop by to check it out!

Brave (constructed with old baseball gloves)

New Illustration

The following commentary illustration was done for Education Week and accompanied an article that explored what steps need to be taken to reform the education system. Above all, the article declares that reformers need to have be visionaries as they courageously step forward to reach meet their ultimate goal.

rough sketch

final blue-line drawing

final illustration (colored in photoshop)

American Comfort Food #2

Here is the second in my new series: American Comfort Food. Stay tuned for the rest in the coming weeks!

"American Comfort Food: Hope" (mixed media on paper)

Transformer Auction

Transformer Gallery's Annual Auction is this Saturday (11/7/09), and I'll have one new piece (see in past post) available. If you haven't gotten tickets yet, there is still time!

Halloween!

Another Halloweeen has come in gone on Lamont St. (and it looks like it will be our last as residents). If you've never been to the Lamontster Bash, it's unbelievable! Hundreds of kids running up and down the street trick or treating, screaming and laughing at the great decorations. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get out to any of the great parties going on, but we got dressed up (luckily I had an easy one to put together) and walked around anyway. I'm already thinking of costume idea for next year!

The family's first Halloween. (From left: Don Luchador, El Chapulin, and La Calavera)

American Comfort Food #1

I wanted to share the first in a ten part mixed media series I'm working on called American Comfort Food. This piece is titled "Bailout" will be on display at Transformer Gallery's 6th Annual Silent Auction to be held at the Mexican Cultural Institute on November 7th. Tickets just went on sale yesterday. Stayed tuned for the next in the American Comfort Food series!

American Comfort Food: Bailout (mixed media on paper)

Life Essentials Group Show

I will have one painting in this group show:

Life Essentials Benefit Show featuring the works of over 100 artists and Eighteen Street's Lounge newest band from Germany: Ancient Astronauts

When: Both Sept. 24th and Sept. 26th before heading on to Art Basel in Miami in Dec.
Thursday, September 24th, from 6pm – 12pm (Invite Only Preview)
Saturday, September 26th, from 6pm – 12pm
$25 - Non Profit Donation Entry Fee The upstairs Art Exhibit is Free and open to the public
(To buy tickets and more show info go to: http://www.artwhino.com/life)

Event Location for both nights:
The Portals Theater
1236 Maryland Ave
Washington, DC 20024

Art Whino and The International Lifeline Fund (“ILF”) present Life Essentials, a four-city tour that brings together the best Visual and Musical Artists in support of ILF’s ground-breaking humanitarian and environmental projects in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The exhibit will feature the works of over 100 artists from across the country and around the globe. The tour will kick off in Washington, D.C. with a two-night event on Thursday and Saturday, September 24 and 26. Following the D.C. launch, the show will hit the road with stops at Art Basel in South Beach on December 5-6, New York City in March, and San Francisco in June.

Thursday, September 24, 2009, will be an invitation-only event featuring live musical performances, a presentation by ILF, and an exclusive sneak preview of the artwork in advance of the official opening of the “Life Essentials” show on Saturday. Guests will be given the opportunity to purchase the artwork and otherwise to support ILF’s vital mission through participation in a silent auction and individual donations. Many celebrities, politicians, ambassadors, and other DC power players are expected to attend. Savory hor’dourves and sweet desserts will be served along with libations.

Saturday, September 26, 2009, will be the official “Life Essentials” art show opening kicking off the four city tour at the Portals Theater in Washington, DC, Art Whino opens this incredible art show and reception party featuring a night of lush entertainment by Ancient Astronauts, ESL music’s newest signed talent from Germany, who will headline the evening with a special performance, setting the mood for this spectacular evening.

Arts on Foot... again

Arts on Foot (primary event) :
Saturday, Sept. 12th 11am - 5pm

Metro: Gallery Pl-Chinatown

Arts on Foot is back and after 2 successful years there so far, I reapplied for selection this year and was accepted! I'll be located at booth #80 on F St. in front of the National Portrait Gallery, at the corner of F and 7th St., on Saturday only. Come early because I will be selling a limited number of drawing studies (for past paintings) and inexpensive prints.

Marking its 17th anniversary, The Washington Examiner’s ARTS ON FOOT sponsored by Wines of Argentina is one of Washington, DC’s most unique celebrations, and is considered by many to be the city’s premier outdoor festival. Spanning four city blocks, the event kicks off the Fall arts season and showcases the best that Downtown DC has to offer.

You can find more info about Arts on Foot here.

New Illustration

The following commentary illustration was done for Education Week and accompanied an article applauding the Obama administration's directive that policymakers determine what programs work so that programs that don't work can be cut. The article goes on by exploring the idea that before policymakers can do this, the administration needs to be innovative in determining what works about "what works."

rough sketch

final drawing

final illustration (colored in photoshop)

Notre Dame Magazine

When I was in Argentina I received an email from Notre Dame Magazine's art director asking to use one of my paintings on the cover of their summer issue dealing with the current economic crisis. I just got word that it's been published and is now available.

The Sin Show

Recently I finished my newest illustration for SpeakeasyDC's show that will premiere at this year's Capitol Fringe Festival (opening tonight).

rough sketch

final drawing

final illustration (graphite, blue pencil & colored in Photoshop)

By the way if you've never been to a SpeakeasyDC event, storytelling for adults, then go!

TETRO

I don't normally have contributors to my blog, but I thought that this post would be a good one to start with; it's written by my lovely wife).

"The other night, thanks to the generous help of my sister-n-law and a friend to babysit, we had the chance to go to cinema! What a luxury!

The film that we went to see was Tetro, Francis Ford Coppola's newest film shot in Argentina. The script is simple, it features two Argentine/Italian brothers who reconnect in Buenos Aires to explore their family's dark history. The film is definitely Coppola's best in a long time and the first script he has written himself since The Conversation. Though it's a family drama, it's chock full of suspense, humor, and " artsy" scenes (or memories) of the past. As one reviewer wrote about this new film "It's taken over 30 years for Coppola to discover what kind of films he should be making, art films."

And the acting is solid. It's star, Vincent Gallo (Buffalo 66 & The Brown Bunny) is perfect in portraying the tortured soul of his character, Tetro. 18 year old Alden Ehrenreich, makes a really convincing debut as well and Maribel Verdu (Y Tu Mama Tambien), as always, was fantastic. It was a nice surprise to see so many Argentine actors as well. They represented well, De la Serna (The Motorcycle Diaries) and Bredice (9 Queens) were very funny, Susanna Gimenez (Argentina's answer to Oprah) was herself (thankfully), but my favorite by far was Mike Amigorena (Los Pells), he's hilarious!

Now it's entirely possible that you won't like the story or actors, but we're sure that you'll agree that the film's strongest asset is the cinematography. It was great to see such beautiful shots of Argentina! We've long ago noticed that Argentine cinema (in general does a pretty bad job of shooting exterior shots and lose the opportunity to show how beautiful the country is. Our favorites shots were one of the Obelisco (Argentina's cousin to the Washington Monument) and others of glaciers in the Patagonia. It seems to us, Coppola did a good job in portraying Argentina and the Argentineans without too many stereotyping them too much.

By no means do we think that everything about this film works, but overall it's entertaining and a film we recommend seeing. "

Brushstrokes II

The other night I just happened to walk out onto our balcony, look to the right and see this...We have great view of Rock Creek Park and the National Cathedral but last night the sunset was pretty dramatic!

J Davis does Tiki for kids!

Talented and super busy DC artist and scenic designer Jared Davis does Tiki Onesies. That's right, you heard it here first!

Kids love 'em!

New Illustration

The following illustration was done for Education Week and accompanied an article exploring the idea that battling philosophies (in terms of education) need to put their differences aside and solve the never ending education crisis.

rough sketch

final drawing

final illustration (graphite, blue pencil & colored in Photoshop)

Argentina, Buenos Aires, La Boca, Benito Quinquela Martin and Cordoba

As I've already mentioned in an earlier post, my family and I recently got back from a 6 week trip to Argentina (Buenos Aires and Capilla del Monte, Cordoba) to introduce our newly born son to my wife’s family and old friends.

It was a great trip, really important for the family to meet little Luca at such a young age, but I have to say it was definitely tough to go from winter/spring here in the states back to fall/winter there. By the end we were more than ready to come back to summer!

What did we do while we were there?

we rented an apartment (for the first time) across from BA's morgue (not on purpose)

We took the subway (alot) to see art.......

In the neighborhood of La Boca. (If La Boca was turisty before, it's insane now!)

there we saw El Che and Evita...



 

and we went to the Museo de Benito Quinquela Martin (hugely popular argentine painter)

we had plenty of meat


saw more art at La MALBA.....


Botero

Cordoba

then we went to Cordoba and enjoyed the outdoors....

and of course we had more meat!

Like I've said before, if you haven't been to Argentina, go!!!

Cava Mezze Mural

By the time my show, La Vida Intensa at Hillyer Art Space, was in full swing, I got an email from an Interior designer doing work for a new Greek restaurant on Capitol Hill. Apparently she had picked up one of my postcards at my tent during last year’s Arts on Foot (another lesson in getting out there to be seen) and wanted me to paint a mural for the new place. The opportunity was too great to pass up even though we were busy packing for our trip to introduce our son to my wife’s family in Argentina, so I accepted.

It had been a while since I had painted a mural, so it was interesting to have to think again about what paint to use, how to get up there (scaffolding), and how to transfer my final drawing onto the wall. In the end everything went smoothly, I finished in one week; one day before we left for our trip and three days before the restaurant opened.

For those of you interested in checking out the mural and want to sample the really delicious food, head over to Cava Mezze on 8 st SE in Capitol Hill (just a couple of doors down from the new Matchbox).