much later and longer than anticipated

Hi again,

This was a much later post than I promised and I feel slightly guilty for having such optimistic goals for the blog. I don't know how I am already half a semester in and enjoying fall break, it doesn't seem possible. Today Paula Wallace, John Dennison and I hung our "Grimm Again" show at the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts in Nebraska City. It's amazing how different it looks in this space, as opposed to the Hot Shops gallery, and with a few new pieces here and there. Even if you saw the original show at the Hot Shops it is worth the trip to Nebraska City. The opening is Thursday, November 5th from 4:30-6:30 and the show runs October 26th- December 12th.

School. A lot of people are asking what I'm doing in school. Well, I'm doing a lot of the same things I was doing when I wasn't in school, but at a more inspired pace. Not because of deadlines, but of exposure to artists and practices and the overall invigoration of an academic environment. We had a banner week of Jun Kuneko and Barbara Takenaga's lectures followed up by a visit from the artcritical.com critic David Cohen. They were all great, but I took the most from Takenaga.


Her work is ridiculously compulsive and I find it magical. She described her paintings as "happy death paintings" which shows her melancholic seriousness as well as her humor- she definitely has a lot of both. So I'm smitten with this abstracted world and patterns and how they can mean so much more than they seem. I have a tendency to add people because they "mean something," but I enjoy patterns and details and ground a great deal. Here are other people I've run across and keep checking back on them:


You Si. I like that everything is packed, organic and too much.

James Siena. I really should have known about him, but I didn't until my prof brought him up. He works small, usually on paper and is master of patterns with human touches.


Dasha Shishkin. She patternizes, she narrates, she's got animals, people, sex, colors, fabulous environments. How can you not love this work? I will definitely be stalking this woman's career. Meanwhile, I'm working on abstractions in small formats. Here is some recent work, one is a detail, one is unfinished, but you get the idea:


I hate reading long blog posts. I hope more people do not agree with that sentiment than do and you made it through to the end. Hopefully will chat sooner than two months from now, but no promises!

shifting into academia

Greetings,

Actually entering a graduate program is finally hitting me today. I moved into my studio on the Lincoln campus last week and have been on an integration program (that sounds kind of official, but think of made of tasks to get to know a new place) to slowly get accustomed to this new environment. I made it to the pool today and without being too deep about it, water is water everywhere and you can feel pretty much the same no matter where that particular pool is. It was a welcome calm. There is something about being on campus and the air getting cooler and all the people I don't know around that puts a little pit in my stomach. It also smells like hot dogs because I am right across from Memorial Stadium and I am worried I will never feel the same about them again. It's true, although a vegetarian I sometimes give in to the little guys. They are just so tasty at a ball game.

I'm posting a few drawings I made over the summer at the life drawing classes held at Hot Shops. Until the class I had forgotten that I really like life drawing. I love being in class and everyone concentrating and not talking and how fast three hours scoot by. I love the failures as much as the successes because it's a humbling experience trying to capture someone's body on a piece of paper. There's always so much there.

Also wanted to write to say that this blog will become more of a "blog" in the next few months (years?). Part of my desire to study further was to escape the market a bit and focus on my work as work instead of commodity. Hopefully I'll explore my process and narratives more and become more open about sharing before a painting is completely finished. I would also like to comment more on other artists' work and just the day to day thoughts about what I'm learning and doing. I hope you continue to check out the site every so often and join the conversation.

-Victoria

Interdependence Goes Unkempt

Lorrie Moore has a wonderful short novel entitled, "Who Will Run the Frog Hospital?" based on a drawing/painting done by one of the characters in the book. I think this is my interpretation of that title even though I have lost the visual image of how she described the original artwork in the book. Nonfictional frog deformities and erasure of species adds to the ominousness of the situation. This will be my last painting in awhile as I'm set up to move and have things packed away. August will be here soon enough!

24" x 26"
$650

Open House This Weekend!

Looking at that cleanly swept floor you have to know it's open house time again. Due to a running race that I got sucked into training for I will only be there Saturday, not Sunday, from 11-6. School is coming up so this will be my last one for awhile- prices have been knocked down and I'm up for bargaining- woo hoo! It's May already- celebrate with art!

Also- new slideshow to the right with all my unsold paintings there, I don't know why that has taken me so long to figure out. I hope it's helpful!

two more

The top one was done right after my sister's nursery painting- I think the influences are still there. The bottom one is the most recent, done after the "Inside This Soft World." With details and everything. Sorry, I usually don't mix up the order so much!

top: Shifting Ground, 20" x 24" Sold.

bottom: Washed Away, 12" x 18" Sold.

a few new ones

It's been awhile since I've posted! eek. I am starting school in the fall down in Lincoln, Nebraska for an MFA and am scrambling a bit figuring everything out. Still painting, but trying to stick to days where mind is not wandering (difficult). Here are a few that I finished recently, there will be more tomorrow!

top: Inside This Soft World (in reference to Mary Oliver's poem "Mindful") Sold.

bottom: that's just me playing, I don't know if this one will be for sale

They are both 12" x 18".

Discovering the Bug Motel

This was commissioned by my lovely brother-in-law for my sister in honor of their first child, Alex. I did not want it to look especially babyish, but playful and soothing to hang in the nursery. We kept a good surprise- also pictured is Laura unwrapping it just after Christmas. (Yes, it was wrapped in a trash bag.)