Because I might be new to you
A new year and a [re]introduction...
Last week marked my return to the usual studio schedule and so far, so good. I’ve jumped into making sketches and mock-ups for an upcoming indoor mural project in a prominent Philadelphia institution. First, I have to get past the art committee, so I’m trying to make sure I’ll be giving it my best shot. When it’s approved and I can start painting, I’ll reveal the project with more detail once everything is in place.
As this is the beginning of an new year and I’ve picked up a number of new subscribers to Art & Life Stirred Vigorously since last fall (thank you very much!), I thought it might be a good time to [re]introduce myself. I’ll try to keep it as brief as possible, so here we go:
I’m a working artist (painter) born, raised and still living in Philadelphia, PA. Only child, so I’m pretty sure that was part of the catalyst for me eventually becoming an artist. Even with having friends, I spent a lot of time alone creating all sorts of ways to entertain myself. My first distinct memory of making something I considered “my own” was a crude cardboard figure I cut out of one of my mom’s shoe boxes. She was not happy about the shoebox nor impressed with my genius at the time.
I was trained in traditional painting methods, painting figures, still life and landscapes. My slowly evolving turn to abstraction (or more precisely, non-objective painting) in the ‘90s came about from a curiosity that went beyond depicting what was directly observed. Through numerous encounters with lots of different types of art as a teenager, being influenced by science fiction, comic books, graphic design, different kinds of music, contemporary art and having a very robust imagination, reflecting the sensations of observing and moving through the world became more interesting to me.
Artistic influences: Caravaggio, Michelangelo, Jean Siméon Chardin, Monet, Cezanne, Franz Kline, Joan Mitchell, Richard Diebenkorn, Sam Gilliam, Alma Thomas, Jasper Johns, Richard Serra, Brice Marden, Susan Rothenberg, Martin Puryear, Sean Scully, Jack Whitten, Gerhard Richter and more. Contemporary artists I admire: Julie Mehretu, Mark Bradford, Henry Taylor, Christopher Wool, graphic designer David Carson and so on. Music, architecture, dance and photography figure into my creative library, as well.
Some recent exhibition views of what my work looks like now Although my work lives in abstraction, it is very much grounded in the world and my lived experiences moving through it. That said, my work isn’t a representation of specific places, people nor things. It stems more from my own sensations around experiencing man made and natural environments. In a lot of my work, there’s a sense of “in betweenness” and of “living in the question” that permeates throughout.
My interests and practice includes: painting, works on paper, photography, murals, wall-based drawing installations and digital art experimentation.
Cat-dad, pescatarian, fast walker, both shoes on then tied, sweet tooth, sci-fi, comics, Marvel and some DC. All over the place with music I listen to but most of what you’ll hear in the studio will be house, experimental electronic music and podcasts. Empathetic and no patience for intolerance. I’m pretty straight forward, so most of what you see of me online is what you get in person.
On Substack, I have two publications. The one you’re reading now, Art & Life Stirred Vigorously, is my studio blog where I share some art, some life and random bits about what’s going on around me in and out of the studio. I post this one randomly once or twice a month, depending on what I have to say and how busy I am. I may post/email this publication more often this year. We’ll see. Art & Life… is free to everyone, but if you have the means and would like to support my writing efforts here, feel free to upgrade to a paid subscription at any time.
My studio newsletter is a more straight-forward monthly publication with announcements of current and upcoming exhibitions and projects I’m involved in and new works from the studio.
For a more comprehensive look at my work, please visit my website: TimMcFarlane.com. I currently have gallery representation in Philadelphia with the Bridgette Mayer Gallery, but I’m also available for other opportunities/collaborations outside of Philly with similar galleries or institutions.
Mark your calendars!
I’m honored to have a painting included in ‘INNERVISIONS’, a new group exhibition opening on February 6th at the Clark Atlanta University Art Museum. The show, co-curated by Clarke Brown and Jamele Wright, Sr., will be on view from February 6-May 2, 2025. Opening reception takes place on Thursday, February 6th, starting at 4:30pm. More information to follow soon.
New in the studio
I have three newly completed paintings in the studio and this is one of them. No titles, yet, but I’m interested in how this one seems to look good installed either vertically or horizontally. Not all of my paintings can go from one to the other without losing something. This one holds its own in either direction. I like that.
Sounds new to me!
When I’m in the studio, I’m usually listening to music mixes on Soundcloud, selections from my cd collection, (played through my old desktop or iPod) or on YouTube. On YT, the music I usually listen to are live performances, I was watching an art-related video on YT last week, and the discover bar on the right had some music-related vids and one or two of them were from The Lot Radio. I recognized the name of Giles Peterson on the screen and thought it might be cool to check out.
And cool it is! TLR broadcasts dj sets from a repurposed shipping container in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and have an amazing rotation of djs coming through, including well-knowns like Giles, Four Tet and Jamie XX and others that are new to me, like Sluice with Laenz and Lovie. The range of music spans ambient, r ‘n b, dub techno and more. I like keeping the Lot’s YouTube page open because it’s interesting checking out the differences between each dj, their style of playing music and the interactions around them in the space when others are there with them or they’re by themselves.
Anyway, give a listen/look below:
The Lot Radio (website)
The Lot Radio stream on YouTube
Current Reading
Haruki Murakami “The City and It’s Uncertain Walls”
So far, I’m enjoying this book, the latest from Haruki Murakami. The last book I read of his was “Killing Commendatore”, an art-centric story about an artist watching over another dead artist’s home. That book has a reality bending twist to it, just like “The City…”
It was given to me as a Christmas present and I began reading it almost immediately. I’m nowhere near being finished, but I like the slippery nature of how “reality” is being handled. The protagonist is a love-lorn man who met who he thought was the love of his life at seventeen and she suddenly disappears one day, never to be heard from again. So far, the story moves between two worlds: that of the seventeen and sixteen year old love interests, respectively and another world that’s set in a town of high walls, unicorns and strange people.
Like I said, I’m just about a quarter of the way through, but I’m fully on board with discovering what else lies ahead for the nameless romantic.
Exit
One of the better shots I’ve gotten of Sage lately, just chilling on the bed taking in the sun on a recent cold January day. She’s my little nap partner whenever I’m home for a snooze. All I have to do is lay on my back and she’s there in an instant, curling up around my armpit and shoulder.
I’m extremely luck to have a home, my girlfriend and fur companions with me, unlike so many of those in and around Los Angeles, many of whom have lost absolutely everything to the wildfires. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the devastation. I don’t know who among my readers are/were in the affected areas, but here’s a very partial list of organizations to get information from. My thoughts are with you.
Mutual Aid L.A. Network spreadsheet
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority
A very impressive history. Good luck and good vibes into the future.
I liked seeing younger you with your cat.