Freedom and the Arts

"Am I really free to create what I want to create, or is something holding me back?"  This is a question most artists will have to deal with.  I believe that self-censorship is the enemy of an artist.  It strangles creativity and innovation, and snuffs out passion, which is crucial for an artist.  Things that hold me back include, my own lack of confidence in my artistic vision for an artwork, my questioning of whether or not I have the technical skills to pull it off, the fear of doing something completely different from the other artists around me, and the lack of support for doing your own thing by not conforming to your fellow artists.  We are free to create, internal or external censorship need not dictate to us or limit our freedom.  I will continue to push the envelope in regards to my artistic journey and I encourage you to do the same.  Enjoy!

Design 1 Continued

Alice Cook

At my local college, another Design 1 project was an extension of the previous project (see August 28th post).  Taking two elements from the previous project and incorporating them into the new project.  This project required me to paint my self-portrait as it faded into the background.  I could only use primary colors with just white and black paint.  So as you see (see picture), my self-portrait is blended into the background with the circles and branches on top of my face.  The painting is done in acrylic and is 9" X 9" done on bristol board.  For me, in Design 1, when we incorporated color in the second half of the semester, was when I got excited.  There is something special about color on how it can affect us.  Enjoy!

Passion and the Arts

Passion is a good thing, especially in the arts.  Without passion one cannot sustain an artistic career over the years.  I do not want my artwork to be boring or lacking passion, passion about art is what gets me up in the morning.  According to Eric Maisel, "you will not be able to muster passion all the time...you may go for days just forcing yourself to show up at your creative work.  That forcing and that showing up are honorable and necessary."  I totally agree with this.  There has been many times that I just show up in my studio and put forth effort to get some artwork done.  Sometimes I only do fifteen minutes of art, but as I say, "a little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing."  So keep showing up and it will pay off.  Enjoy!

Design 1

Alice Cook

Last semester I took a Design 1 credit class at my local community college.  The first part of the class was done in black and white, using a black technical pen and pencil.  The project seen here (see picture) was drawn in pencil and then inked with the technical pen.  I had to find three pictures from a magazine, approximately 2" X 2" and expand on the image by drawing additional images.  I enjoyed finding the right image, though it was a design class, I chose images that had a more organic feel to them with curvilinear lines.  The image was done on white illustration board and is 9" X 9".  Enjoy!

Art Fair Fun

Robert Porazinski

This past weekend I was at a local art fair.  The weather was hot, but so was the art.  Over 250 artists were there, along with music and food.  What really struck me was the abundance of abstract and non-objective artwork.  Landscapes and people were morphed and distorted, other paintings were color and line without any subject matter.  There were some representational painting, but it was limited.  The art of Robert Porazinski was one that stood out in my mind.  His abstract artwork mixed geometric forms with organic forms and gave representational art a twist (see picture).  Enjoy!

Making Your Creative Mark

At my local library I picked up a copy of the book, Making Your Creative Mark, by Eric Maisel.  I have never read any of his other books on creativity, but this one seemed to hit a chord with me.  The first chapter is about the artist's mind, Maisel says, "notice what you are thinking, dispute those thoughts that bad-mouth you or send you careening in the wrong direction, and replace them with thoughts that better serve you."  I have often had negative thoughts about my artwork or about myself as an artist, whether or not I am good enough or will ever succeed as an artist.  But Maisel is right, these thoughts do not serve me, they just depress me and limit my creative endeavors, so mind your mind.  Enjoy!

Shout Out to Mark Ryden

Mark Ryden

I encountered Mark Ryden's artwork in the contemporary art magazine Hi-Fructose, which was the first time that I picked up this magazine at my local bookstore.  The artworks were drawings done by Ryden using pencil with watercolor washes.  Ryden is known as a painter, but his drawings are also masterful.  I was so inspired by his drawings that I picked up a colored pencil set at the art supply store in order to engage in colorful drawings.  Though Ryden doesn't use colored pencil, his drawings have a colored pencil feel to them.  I am truly a multi-media artist.  Enjoy!

Plein Air Abstract

Alice Cook, watercolor

On Monday I talked about a recent visit to a state park where I did some hiking and plein air watercolor painting.  Here is an abstract landscape (see picture) I also did that day along the trail.  At the end of the trail we came upon a small beach that seemed like a perfect place to paint.  In the sand were these sand ridges, almost looking like miniature mountains.  I decided to abstract them and vary the colors.  I enjoyed choosing the colors and arranging them to give the impression of miniature mountains from the small sand ridges.  Enjoy!

Shout Out to Esad Ribic and Thor

Esad Ribic

My first introduction to Esad Ribic was when I picked up the new series of the comic book, Thor: God of Thunder.  The cover art is what drew me in and the fact that Thor is my favorite superhero.  I have been reading Thor comics since I was a teenager, then after a long break (many years), I started reading comics again not just for the story, but also for the artwork.  Comic book artwork is real art and it takes not only a good artist, but a good storyteller to draw the pictures that communicate clearly and effectively.  Here is a picture by Ribic of the three Thors, the young, middle-aged and old Thor.  Enjoy!

Seurat and Jim Ferguson

When I was at a comic convention recently, I was in Artist Alley looking for artwork that was different from the usual superhero artwork.  Then I came across Jim Ferguson's table.  Behind him was a large sign with artwork from various movies, it caught my eye.  Looking at the artwork on the table I realized that he was taking shots from famous movies and painting them with ink.  The artwork was original and dynamic.  He was really able to capture the scene that I remembered so well.  The picture here is from the famous movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off.  This scene is from the Art Institute of Chicago, where Bueller's friend is looking at Seurat's painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grand Jatte, a painting done in pointillism by Seurat.  Enjoy! 

Jim Ferguson

Figure Drawing

I have decided I need to work on my figure drawing, for they say, "if you can draw the figure you can draw anything."  I found on my bookshelf this book I bought awhile back, but never worked through.  The book, Human Anatomy Made Amazingly Easy, by Christopher Hart, takes a practical approach to figure drawing.  Instead of covering all 520 muscles in the human body, it instructs on the muscles that one actually sees.  It covers the head, face, skeletal structure, major muscles, foreshortening, diminution and practical poses.  So I will be drawing every page of the book and posting my progress (see future posts).  I know I will be enjoying it, so I hope you enjoy it also.  Enjoy!

Plein Air Watercolor

Alice Cook, watercolor

Recently I was at a nearby state park enjoying nature.  Planning on spending the day on the trails, I had a backpack full of water, food and, of course, art supplies.  I brought my Van Gogh traveling watercolor half-pan paints with attached palette, thumb hole and small paint brush.  Also I had my container to hold water and a 4" X 6" watercolor pad.  We walked for an hour then found a nice place in the shade to paint this picture (see picture).  Then, after about an hour, we packed up and went further along in the trail and found another place to do some plein air painting.  Enjoy!

My Artist Statement

For the past several years I have been working in various media, developing a certain level of competence in each one.  From printmaking to watercolor, oil to ink, I have tried to explore each medium.  Currently my work has come to the point that combining media is necessary for my communication through the artwork.  I experience freedom in my artwork with being able to use and combine any medium I choose.  It has given me endless ideas and allows my imagination to soar.

             When constructing an artwork around a particular subject matter, I use the media that would best communicate the intended feelings or ideas.  With my recent work, the artwork takes on personal subject matter that I can relate to and hopefully the viewers can relate to also.  The many facets of art keep me very curious, and this adventure doesn’t seem to have an end, for that I am thankful. 

Accidental Food Art

Alice Cook, Accidental Food Art

When I was a child I would often "play" with my food that was left on the plate and I would call it "food art."  I made faces, sail boats, abstract designs and etc.  I was expressing my creativity through the medium of food.  When I was older I found a book called, Food Art, and realized that I was not alone in making art from food.  It has been many years since I made food art, but yesterday I accidentally made a face out of my food.  I did not arrange it myself, but staring at the plate I saw a face and hence photographed it (see photo).  Enjoy!

My First Collage

Alice Cook, collage, Time Transformation
 

Hi everyone.  As promised I am posting my first collage (see picture).  After reading the book, The Collage Workbook, I dived right in.  I found some mat board to use as the support, got out my Modge Podge for glue and went to my computer for copyright free images.  I did pick up some different colored papers from the art store to add to the collage, otherwise I worked with what I had in my studio.  The watch face in the collage is just a copy of a watch I had.  I also used some tracing paper to take away the sharpness of some of the background.  It was fun and since then I have done other collage work.  From what I am seeing in the art world right now, collage is hot.  Enjoy!

Collage Workbook

A few months ago I picked up from my local library a book by Randel Plowman called The Collage Workbook.  I have always been interested in collage artwork, but didn't know how to get started.  This book taught me how to get started and was an inspiration.  From what materials you need to use, to where to find collage pictures that are in the public domain and free of copyright.  So with a quick stop at the art supply store and the use of my computer and printer I did my first collage (see tomorrow's post for my first collage).  I would recommend the book for anyone that is a true beginner and doesn't know how to start.  Enjoy!

Storyboard Notebook

Alice Cook, Thumbnail sketches
 

I have been working on my own graphic novel, doing both the artwork and writing the story.  Right now I am in the thumbnail stage of the artwork.  A few weeks ago I picked up at my local art supply store the Moleskine Storyboard Notebook for around twelve dollars.  The notebook is small, 3 1/2" X 5 1/2", and has 80 pages with 2 or 4 frames per page on heavy paper.  For me it is working out perfectly, it is easily portable and I am able to workout my thumbnail sketches anywhere and at anytime.  Though I have to admit that I will need a few of these notebooks for it will be filled quickly as each frame is a panel in my graphic novel.  Here are some rough thumbnail sketches in the notebook.  Enjoy!

Van Gogh and Doctor Who

Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night with Tardis added in.

Recently I was at a comic convention and was looking at all the different artwork people were selling.  I happen across this picture of Van Gogh's Starry Night with the Tardis from Doctor Who in it (see photo).  The Tardis is the phone booth that takes Doctor Who and his companions through time and space.  Van Gogh's popularity has even touched the sci-fiction world.  Would Vincent Van Gogh approve of such manipulation of his Starry Night? I really don't know, but I think the artist that put the Tardis in the painting must have had respect for the creativity of Van Gogh and how Van Gogh's artwork can be other worldly.  Enjoy!

Doctor Who and Imagination

For me imagination is key in my creative process.  One thing that feeds my imagination is fantasy and adventure.  Lately I have found myself watching Doctor Who on the public TV channel.  The show is very imaginative and entertaining.  Recently I was at a comic book convention and enjoyed all the Doctor Who merchandise, artwork and books.  Doctor Who is an adventure out of reality into where the impossible seems possible. Making artwork is also an adventure where imagination leaves the possible and searches for the impossible to make it possible.  Enjoy!

New to Pastels

Alice Cook, 12" X 16"
 

A few days ago I was sitting in my studio feeling pretty tired, but I wanted to do some art.  As I stared blankly ahead, in the corner of my eye I saw the new pastels that I bought a few months ago.  I have had no training in pastel and have not read much about it, but when I bought it a few months ago I had the desire to try them.  So a few days ago, I did a landscape of an impression of a wheat field.  I used Prismacolor's NuPastels.  They were long and thin and easily broke, but I did enjoy the intensity of color.  Here is the landscape I completed, it was fun and I learned some things about pastels as I was doing it.  Enjoy!

Facial Expressions

Hi everyone.  I have been working lately on drawing facial expressions for a graphic novel that I am working on.  I believe that the face is what we are naturally drawn to and it is important to draw the different emotions well.  The book I have been using for reference is Facial Expressions, by Mark Simon.  The book contains actual photographs of people making different facial expressions.  I prefer the photographs rather than artist sketches of the emotions.  This way I am free to express them as I see them rather than copying the artist.  In the future I will post some of my sketches from the photographs.

Shout Out to David Mack

I'm giving a shout out to comic book artist and writer David Mack.  David Mack's art and writing is what got me back into reading comic books.  When I was a teenager I was big into comics, but then as time passed I got away from comics.  But one day around six years ago, I walked into a comic book store just to look.  When I saw the cover to David Mack's Kabuki series I was hooked.  Opening it I saw that the great artwork continued on to the inside of the comic.  From then on I became a David Mack fan and an overall comic book fan.  Comic book art can be great and can be elevated to a fine art, this is what David Mack does.  This is a cover from one of his Kabuki series.  Enjoy!

The Artist Statement

What is an artist statement and why do I need one?  According to Gigi Rosenberg in her book, The Artist's Guide to Grant Writing, you need an artist statement for your portfolio, your website, graduate school applications, gallery shows, press packets and grant applications.  But she states that the most important reason is that "it's what you, the artist, express and understand about why you do what you do."  So I will be undertaking this endeavor over the next few days and posting it on this blog.  What is an artist statement?  Rosenberg states that the statement reveals your philosophy, your themes, your processes and all the other details your audience needs to know while experiencing your artwork.  It can be as short as a few sentences or as long as one page.  I will be exploring the web looking for examples of artist statements, then composing my own.  Below is a sample artist statement I found on the web.  Enjoy!

Jonathan H. Dough - Artist Statement
My artwork takes a critical view of social, political and cultural issues. In my work, I deconstruct the American dream, fairy tales, nursery rhymes, and lullabies that are part of our childhood and adult culture. Having engaged subjects as diverse as the civil rights movement, southern rock music and modernist architecture, my work reproduces familiar visual signs, arranging them into new conceptually layered pieces.
Often times these themes are combined into installations that feature mundane domestic objects painted blue, juxtaposed with whimsical objects, and often embellished with stenciled text. The color blue establishes a dream-like surreal quality, suggests notions of calmness and safety, and formally unifies the disparate objects in each installation. The texts provide clues to content and interpretation.
While I use a variety of materials and processes in each project my methodology is consistent. Although there may not always be material similarities between the different projects they are linked by recurring formal concerns and through the subject matter. The subject matter of each body of work determines the materials and the forms of the work.
Each project often consists of multiple works, often in a range of different media, grouped around specific themes and meanings. During research and production new areas of interest arise and lead to the next body of work.

Shout out to Pablo Picasso

I want to give a shout out to the artist Pablo Picasso.  Though he died in 1973, his influence can still be felt today.  Picasso has had a big influence on me through his artwork.  Not only did he paint, but he also did sculpture, ceramics, drawings and printmaking.  By the time of his death he had created over 20,000 artworks. Picasso once said,

"In art intentions are not sufficient and, as we say in Spanish:  love must be proved by facts and not by reasons.  What one does is what counts and not what one had the intention of doing."

Below is a painting by Picasso, called Les Demoiselles D' Avignon.  Picasso painted this picture after a visit to a museum displaying African art.  Enjoy!

Artist Talk

A couple day ago I went to an Artist Talk at the Elmhurst Art Museum.  Jessica Labatte was the artist giving the talk, she also had artwork displayed in one of the galleries.  Jessica is a photographer with a twist.  Her current work is not photos of landscapes or people, but she photographs carefully arranged found objects and materials (often found at dollar stores or from the garbage).  The way she arranges the objects allows for a play with reality and illusion. Her photograph below is actually broken mirrors reflecting the surroundings.  If interested, you can Google her and see alot more images.  That's all for today, blessings.

Welcome to day 2 of my new blog on all things art.  Last night I went to the Elmhurst Artist's Guild summer member show's reception, in which I have a painting in the show (see below).  There was a good variety of styles in the show, from abstract to representational to non-representational.  Portraits, still life, landscapes were the most abundant subject matter.  Some figurative with collage was present, including my own.  Awards were given out, mine didn't make the cut, but it did not bother me.  Art is very subjective and the judge only expresses his subjective likes onto the award winners.  Below is my painting titled Outside of Time # 1.  The medium is acrylic paint and collage on 24" X 24" stretched canvas.



Getting started

Hello world of cyberspace, this is Alice Cook the artist.  I am looking forward to talking about things all art related, from art reviews to paint brushes.  My ups and downs as I pursue a life in the art world.  So come and join me in this adventure in the world of art.