Wednesday, June 17, 2009

My Idol


I just finished a six week course at Steve Dubov's studio on bronze casting. Excellent class and I learned that the process is a HUGE amount of work (endless grinding). I made these crazy idol friends. I think I need to give them names so they will stop staring at me!

Friday, June 12, 2009

Beauty, or how I found beauty in the ugly cracks


On Beauty,
I want to ask a question, what is your idea of beauty? It is something I have been pondering recently. I was in a sentimental mood last night and was watching The English Patient because I always marvel at how well crafted the film is. Writing, visuals, acting—all in one cohesive package. I thought it was beautiful and in my mind I link art with beauty. I was speaking with a sculptor friend and we were debating the age old question, what is art? He said that art is intention. At first I was unsure, but now I think it is true. You cannot have art without intention. Taking this one step further, can there be beauty without intention? The intention to find beauty in life. When I asked myself the question what is beauty to me, strangely, the first image that came to mind was watching my hand change shape as I ran it under the green water while in a small boat at a lake. Strange, I didn't think of beautiful women or amazing paintings or wondrous architecture but an event that happened long time ago. Other things come to mind; Snippets of memory watching a film with a high school girlfriend, or eating an amazing risotto on a sunny Italian patio, or drawing intricate patterns in blue chalk on cracked gray sidewalks. Beauty can be an event too. It can be action. There is beauty in love making, but there is also beauty in other actions. A powerful image that comes to my mind is pouring cold water over my head after spending sweaty energy in a hard played soccer game. Beauty makes you feel good as does some actions. Last night it stormed with fabulous lightning storms and driving rain and hail. I loved it. It was like mother nature (or whatever you bow down to) was saying, "hey, look at me! I am beautiful. And tonight my mood is dangerous and I am tragically beautiful." Glorious indeed.  Beauty, sometimes I have to work for it.
Be Well
L

Monday, June 8, 2009

New Jann Alexander Photos


Hey All,
Here is a succulent taste of some new work by Jann Alexander. Enjoy.

The Floating World

Cool stuff by Pae White


Thursday, June 4, 2009

Wish I was in Venice


Check out this article about Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/arts/design/04icel.html?_r=1&ref=design

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Anselm Kiefer




I really like this guy, Anselm Kiefer's work, as do many others because he is super famous. I'm not sure about the bit with the stacked concrete cubes though. Humm... again, what is art?

Monday, June 1, 2009

Amateur or Professional?



Hello Everyone
I am teaching my first class of the summer tonight and I thought that I would re-post this bit that I wrote at the beginning of last semester as I think it is still relevant. Enjoy!

As some of you may know I teach a couple of illustration and design classes at ACC. Today I had my favorite class, illustration, and only a few of the students showed up. Seems things have become hard and it is easier to stay home than come to class and face the work. I read a book once called "the war of art", where the author (can't remember his name) said that the difference between a professional and an amateur is that the professional shows up no matter what. Professionals are at their work even if they feel crappy, uninspired and uncreative. The
amateur thinks about working but never actually does anything. When making art it is important to designate a time to work every day and stick to it. Even if it's just standing in front of your easel (or computer) and making random marks. Something will happen. If you think the thoughts of how hard the work is or if it wouldn't be nicer to go watch TV, or even worse you go watch TV, then you have robbed yourself of the chance for the universe to help with your work. Beware of distractions! TV, video games, drinking, the list goes on and it will divert you from the creative path. So back to my class. The ones that are here today are working hard. The ones that are not here are not working hard on their projects. Period. Amateur or professional?

ps I added a cool photo of an Emigre cover by uber illustrator Henrik Drescher because we all need something fab to look at!


Curious Room Site Redesign in Progress

Hi All,
A quick note that the Curiousroom.com site is currently undergoing a complete site redesign. Even though the current site is visually eye catching it needs some updating in terms of back end streamlining and ease of database use. We will be merging this blog into the new homepage and making the site more interactive and aiming to drive more traffic to the site using the latest web optimization techniques. Not sure when it will be done (soon I hope) but keep an eye out.
Cheers