Starting to wind down

So I've only got three weeks left. This has been a truly amazing experience. I still have some photos and shows I would like to post but still really busy at the gallery so I will get to that soon (hopefully tomorrow or the next day). I'm almost done assisting Joe with all his work as well and that has meant more to me than anything just hangin out with him in his studio and havig dinner and shootin the shit has been more valuble than anything. We're going to star ttalking real soon about Miami Bazil and what I am going to be doing for them and getting down there and I just can't wait. I'm starting to slow down a little with my work and will probably end up with anywhere between 16-20 pieces that I will be bringing back with me and over 100 cutouts from the wall installations that I wil use probably on pieces over the break or next semester. If any of you are reading this and have the time to participate in this program I encourage you to do so b/c it will be one of the most unforgettable things you will have the opportunity to do. Hope all is well whereever you may be and until next time........

New cut outs!!!!

Hey guys here's three new pieces I've just completed. I've actually had some time lately to work on my own work. Enjoy!!!! The first two are really small the pink one is 10"x7" and the orange and prurple one is 12" square. The last one is kinda big about 4.5' x 2'.

WHAT A LONG FREAKIN DAY!!!!!!

So I went to my internship today and worked for six hours. I finshed photo documenting the flat files as well as assisting with some sales and routine gallery tasks. Well as I am a painting assistant to Joe, the owner of the gallery and professional artist himself, I worked another 6.5 hours in his studio painting letters and mixing colors and things of that nature. It's really nice how much he's allowing me to do with his own work. But man o' man was it a long day. Now I'm in my studio getting ready to work on my work. I've started some really small delicate cut out pieces that are all constructed from card stock and I really like the way they are going. I'm just trying to get as much done as possible in the studio b/c I have a studio visit with Joe on the 31st of Oct. Well back to work hope all is well wherever you may be. Until next time................

Another Splendid Gallery Day

So first off it's been awhile since I've written any reviews for the shows that I've seen but I've been working so much at the gallery and for Joe in his studio that I've barely had enough time to sleep let alone spend an entire day in the heart of Chelsea. However, yesterday I was fortunate to have a day to myself and saw some great shows. Theres alot of them so I may break this blog up into a few since I've not done one in a little while.

If any of you have ever seen a Ryan McGinness piece then you know how he tries to bridege the precarious gap between fine art and graphic design, low and high art, installation and painting. In fact his work not only bridges this gap it embraces the best of all these genres and blends them into a cohesive world of his own making. Walking into the space one notices how McGinness's pieces are not only on panel and other supports but they also bleed off onto the wall making the entire space an environment in which to inhabit. His quirky hyrogliphic language is inscribed on every surface making the viewer itch with the desire to desypher his cryptic code. McGinness uses vynel cut outs, graphiti like stencils, and a number of technological processes to create his work taking full advantage of these tools. At times his work can be overwhelming in color and repition as well as the monotony of his imagery but none-the-less McGinness's proliphic work makes for wonderful eye candy.







Since Halloween is close approaching, and since it's one of my favorite holidays I must tell you of a quite humorous exhibition I witnessed at Moti Hasson Gallery. The Artist is Jillian McDonald and the name of her show was Waking The Dead This was not only a great exhibition but it was absolutely hillarious. As in most horror movies their is often a female victim who becomes the fixation of the ominous monster, zombie, or what have you who innevitably screams that blood curtling scream we love to hear in any horror movie. In most cases this scream is a declaration of terror and fright but in JIllain's video pieces this scream becomes the voice of reckoning. Jillian interjects herself into numerous well known horror movies such as ZOMBIE 2(ZOMBIE), FRIDAY THE 13TH, and THE SHINING, to name a few, and uses her scream to repel and at times destroy the foul thing that has vowed to destroy her. Along with her video she also has lenticular photographs of herslf and others that require the participation of the viewer to transform their images into horrific zombies. I must say even the youtube esgue presentation of her video The Screaming only added to the flavor of these memorable horror movies. This was an extremely fun show I just wish she was there performing in the gallery.





Thats it for now. Hopefully tomorrow I will post about a beautiful video installation called SCUM and Mayumi Sarai, a wonderful sculptor/installation artist.

I'm so tired!!!!!!

So I only got maybe one day off this past week b/c we just took down Jim Turock's show and hung Dawn Clements show. I volunteered to help just to get a better understanding of what goes into hanging a show. It was quite labor intensive and busy b/c the daily maintinance and buisness of the gallery was still going on. So the opening was last night and thye had me running around the full length of Manhattan to pick up and drop of pieces that had been sold or were on loan for other shows, this took almost three hours by subway b/c my first stop was on Canal St while the other stop was on the farthest east side of 86th St. After that I helped clean up the gallery and then we recieved what seemed to be a 500lb shipment from LA. It was a gigantic crate of sculptures from one of their artists whom had just had a show out there; needless to say it took four grown men to muscle this crate into the gallery. By this time it was time to close up shop and prepare for the opening. I got picked to do bartending and I worked for tips. Made a sizable amount of money for those BUSY three hours. At around 10pm Joe started to gather his friends to occompany him to his appartment upstairs for an after party and I stayed downstairs to clean and lock up. After that I was invited upstairs to the party where I got to meet Jane Fine, John O'conner, and Darina Karpov. It was quite a night. I was at the gallery from 10:00am until 11:00pm and I was exhausted and was back there today at noon. It's been great though, several of the artists have even expressed interest in coming to my open studio which is an amazing thing in itself. Tomorrow I start assisting Joe in his studio which should be alot of fun; I'm a littl;e nervous but I'm sure I will settle into it just fine. I appologize for no reviews of shows or articles I've just been so super busy with the gallery this week that I haven't been able to find the time. I will do it soon though. Maybe tomorrow I will review Dawn Clement's show and have excerpts from here interview in the Brooklyn Rail. Until then............

Another New Piece

Check it out another cut out piece completed. Each one of these pieces takes about 15 to 20 exacto blades a helluva lot of sanding and close to three days of work to complete. Well worth the time spent. Also I just finished helping Pierogi hang Dawn Clement's show. She is a large format artist who mainly works in pen and ink and watercolor. Here pieces, often times take up 20ft or more the largest one in the gallery at the moment covers the expanse of almost two walls. Dawn is a wonderful artist to work with. I've visited her studio twice in preperation for this exhibition and she has been nothing short of delightful. If you haven't seen her work find her website or check out her page on perogi's website.

What a week

Hello all,

So I've been really busy this week with the gallery and my own work. The gallery is switching out shows this week and to get the full experience of my internship I voluntered to help out with taking the show down preping the space and helping install the next show. I'm really excited that their letting me help out and it's great experience. I'm also getting ready to assist an artist with his work to help him get ready for several shows coming up. This is going to be a tremendous opportunity and I can't wait to start. All in all I'm exhausted and going on very little sleep but I don;t think I would trade it for anything. The opportuntiy to do the things that I have been a part of don't come along to often so I am trying to take advantage of every possible moment. Hope all is well where ever you may be and until next time.........

Charles