2013 Mural Project: Providing Balance

"Providing Balance" 8"x 8"
Copyright KKMarino 2013
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Here is a small painting that I recently finished for the show. I am excited about this color combination. I prefer unusual color schemes. My grandmother was a quilter and she had a keen sense of color. Her combinations always worked, but were at times most unexpected. I learned from her to take a chance, try new ideas with color.

Two days until I move the work to the gallery. 

2013 Mural Project: A Torrent of Visual "What-ifs"

Untitled, detail.
copyright KKMarino 2013
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"Drawing is the artist's most direct and spontaneous expression, a species of writing: 

it reveals, better than does painting, 

his true personality."

Edgar Degas-

I am doing preliminary work for the mural and should be ready to make the drawing on canvas this weekend. 

A big step. 

I always feel hesitant to make the first mark. Of course pencil is easily erased, but for me the first marks on a canvas are important and set the tone for the entire piece. 

I do not work out the entire painting before hand and then transfer the image to canvas. That would be nice, but its not my way. My process involves "intuitive drawing."

Most of my preliminary work is mental. I work through images for weeks or months in my mind--thinking and comparing, imagining and discarding ideas and marks, reworking and formulating. 

A torrent of visual "what-ifs". 

I tend to write more than draw as I get close to starting a piece- my line drawings are kin to writing. Letters and words give us the image instantly, my lines demand more. 

When I do start the drawing on canvas it is a flurry of action: 

a watch-out, get-out-of-my-way type event.

One motion. 

Then I see the image for the first time, all the pieces and parts that I have been imaging are now made real.

If Degas is correct in his assertion that the drawing reveals the artist's most direct expression, his true personality, then what does my drawing say about me?

2013 Mural Project: Clarity at Last

I decided to paint, and paint and paint and paint
copyright KKMarino, 2013
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I am very excited about this mural project as it has been on my mental radar for over two years. As an artist I find that one of my biggest challenges is patience. (possibly in life too).

My conceptual process involves "waiting" which I am very bad at. I'm not patience, whether in the grocery line, an appointment , in traffic or when I am problem solving. Especially when it comes to my work.

I want all the ideas now, totally resolved or even yesterday would be better.

This mural has been a blank canvas, just fragments of ideas, thoughts, lines and desires. Now is the time that I need the image. So I am impatience.

Since I am not new to the business of  being an artist I have learned that I need to get out of my own way on the creative process.

And so I did.

I decided to paint, and paint and paint and paint and to let the pressure of the mural image go. Give it up and just do the work, day after day after day.

And sure enough this morning 4:00 a.m. there it was. I woke up and the concept was there, the image was emerging and even the title!

Now the real fun begins!

2013 Mural Project: And so it begins...

On-Site Mural Painting Project
September 18- September 30, 2013
Artist on-site Daily (Sept 18-27)  9:00-3:00 pm
indi go gallery
9 E. University Ave. Champaign, Illinois 61820

September 2, 2013.

I have 17 days of preparation left for my On-Site Mural Project and Solo Exhibit at indi-go gallery in Champaign, Illinois.

For two years I have been contemplating this project. It is one of those "Go Big or Go Home" adventures for me.

In the past few years I have enjoyed interaction with viewers of my work during exhibits. In many ways the work is not truly complete for me until it is seen.

Otherwise it is just me and the art-which is a bit self-involved.

So here's the plan:

10 Days: Sept. 18-27th I will be painting a 3' X 12' mural on-site at the gallery.

Solo Exhibit will be up
Music playing
Art making will be happening
A mini-residency of sorts for me
A goal will be accomplished

On Friday, September 27, 2013 at 6:00 pm there will be an opening for the Mural and the Solo Exhibit. Exhibit will come down on October 1, 2013.

Now blogging again.
Blogging art projects for me is like creating an online work plan + performance art via in the internet. I enjoy the discipline of the day to day documentation of a work. It keeps me on task and since I am not a performer by nature it allows me to be one. Sort of.

So I begin...I have been painting furiously completing work for the accompanying Solo Exhibit. I have a terrific collector who is encouraging and nudging me along the way. We had a studio visit this week and his enthusiasm was greatly appreciated.

Seen above is the promotion photo that will be used for the project. Much work to do to get all the pieces together.

So I end this entry with my plan for the day:

“The best preparation for good work tomorrow is to do good work today.”Elbert Hubbard, American Writer
And So it begins...