Texture, texture everywhere
"Materiality" opening, sent, a strange day, new work and more...
“Materiality” opening reception
Last Friday, we had the opening reception for the group show, “Materiality”, at the Bridgette Mayer Gallery and had a great turnout. Of course, I didn’t get many photos, but that’s ok, because the conversations about the work and general chats were more than enough. Maybe one day, I’ll be able to hire a full-time assistant to follow me around taking photos, videos, editing and posting online. Not really a dream of mine, though, I have too many other things for someone to do, lol! A lot of people were intrigued by the new fabric pieces I have on display. At 6pm we started an artist talk that provided a great opportunity to talk about this new work and give everyone some background about what they were looking at. As always, I was a little surprised at the interesting connections that were made between the newer rag works and my more conventional paintings. I was told that the folds and creases in a couple of the works partially resembled the triangular forms I’ve been using in my canvas and panel paintings for the past few years. I could see it, particularly with how gallery lighting cast shadows on the works.
Something I hadn’t expected were the couple of sales that happened right away. Completely unexpected, but I’m grateful. It’s one thing to have your gallery stand behind new, experimental work by placing it in a show, but another kind of validation when people want to live with some of that same work. You never know what’s going to resonate with people.
The works were installed very thoughtfully, also. There’s seven artists in the show, which meant that there was a lot of wall space to play with, thankfully. I’ve seen a lot of group shows where there’s too many artists and too much work installed. Like many of my other paintings, these really need space between them because of the abundance of textures and colors. Overall, I think we have a good show and I’m glad to have had the chance to stop in earlier this week to take in the show without many people around. I took some installation shots, also (see below).
The “sent” series
More things springing up in the studio, including these three paintings. I’m calling this series “sent” (small ‘s’ on purpose), as in a message or something said that’s on it’s way out into the world. It’s that moment of truth that can’t be taken back. The message will have good, bad or neutral news, but in this moment, it’s dispersing into the ether. There’s three now, but I’m sure to add to these soon.
A second Sunday
It’s crazy how our minds can trick us. I was in bed for all of Monday morning and didn’t get up until it was nearly 1pm(!) Which was very unusual and only happened because I suddenly realized in a fit of panic exactly what day it was. In my mind, I was ten toes down with the belief that it was Sunday. Which means my mind was set on not doing much of anything but staying indoors, avoiding the winds outside, sinking into the couch and napping through whatever was on tv.
I’d woken up slightly during the morning and thought something must be off when Julia went downstairs and didn’t come back after a couple of hours, since we tend to sleep in late on most Saturdays and Sundays. So, let’s see, did I have my phone on the nightstand next to the bed? Yes. Did I think to even look at it earlier in the morning? Not a chance. I had one of those cartoonish brain-exploding, eye-widening, heart racing moments when I realized that it was indeed Monday. I needed to get some things done at home, so I opted out of coming to the studio and opted in to taking care of my laundry and other things. I called it my “second Sunday” and made it a productive one on the home front. I’m still amazed at how convinced I was that Monday was Sunday. Wishful thinking at it’s most intoxicating, haha!
This and that…
I finally got around to experimenting with an idea that’s been bouncing around in my head for a while. I’ve had this thing about interrupting the surface of drawings on clear acetate with eyelets and rope and finally dove in this past Tuesday. There’s two sheets of acrylic drawings joined in various places by brass colored eyelets with yellow rope creating another kind of drawing element on top of the other images. This has potential as an integral part of a new wall installation in conversation with other paintings, drawings or objects.
Sort of sad days…
On Wednesday, I went to pour the last bit of yellow paint from a gallon bucket and had a most unfortunate surprise of a solid, chunky yellow disk at the bottom (sad face). I wasn’t entirely surprised, considering that the lid lip was caked with dried paint and didn’t fit the container tightly enough. This was another reminder to stir and/or shake the remaining cans of leftover mural paint I have so I have a chance at continuing to use some of the other colors. The upside is that now I have this great disk of paint that I can use for other purposes.
Isaac Tin Wei Lin opening reception at Fleisher/Ollman
Last night, I took off a little early to catch the opening reception of Philly-based artist, Isaac Tin Wei Lin at Fleisher Ollman Gallery. I’d missed the solo show he had at Temple Contemporary earlier this year (or late last year, I can’t remember) and was determined not to miss this one. Was not disappointed. Lin’s new work continues with his colorful, abstract calligraphic mark-making and in some of this new work, he explores elements of figuration. That’s actually always been there, but it feels different now. His work is suffused with saturated, matte colors due to the acrylic gouache he uses. He also has a knack for using fairly saturated complementary colors in ways that sometimes shouldn’t work, but they do. I’m guessing here, but I think part of it is due in how he modulates that saturation with the right tone. I think there’s some use of zinc white at play here. Zinc White is a mixing white that will lighten a color without taking down the saturation or chroma of a color like Titanium White will.
There’s more to think about with this show, but overall, Lin’s Intertwined Infinities a show of mostly smaller (11” x 14”) to mid-sized paintings and drawings and one tufted rug piece that kept me locked into the many visual conversations happening through the two rooms. I may have to return before the show ends on January 17th to get another look.
Isaac Tin Wei Lin, “Intertwined Infinities” at Fleisher Ollman Gallery, 915 Spring Garden St, Suite 215
Phila, PA 19123
Hours: Tue–Fri: 11–6, Sat: 12–5
Until next time, let’s share some of our light with someone else.
-Tim
Congratulations on the sales!