On Summit

Have you been on pins and needles wondering how the paintings for my show in November are coming along? Well wonder no more. I'm making progress. Here's a few shots from the studio to prove it. The ones taped to the wall are coming along nicely. The larger on in the foreground is stalled. Here's a pair I was working on. I like the one on the right. The one the left needs some work. The left hand panels here are portraits. I'm literally teaching myself how to paint. The other two are of a late Nineteenth Century park scene. (Yeah, I'm stealing a page from Manet's playbook. That's how art works).

This year I'll celebrate a milestone birthday.  As I measure my life thus far, I've had a chance to reflect on the man I've become. To a certain degree we can define our lives by the possessions we keep (vintage scooters, original artwork, fine antiques, high-end electronics, etc). Looking back, I realize the converse is also true. In many respects we can tell as much about someone by the things they haven't owned, as by the things they have. In that spirit, I offer a short but telling list of items I've never owned.   Sandals (Flip-flops, yes. Sandals, no). A Bowling Ball A Fanny Pack A Chrysler Product (This actually surprised me. I've owned dozens of cars, but never a Chrysler) A Recliner A Sonic Youth Record (Again, surprising) Castanets Cargo Pants (including Cargo Shorts) (In the interest of full disclosure, I once owned something that my mom referred to as "camping pants". These were shorts with a variety of clasps, poc...

So it's come to this; a curmudgeonly blog post about the state of the profession (complete with finger wagging, tsk-tsking, and even a little SMH thrown in for good measure). "Shake your fist at 'em Pops. These kids don't know from librarianship". That's how you do it, right? Oh, the irony. I've spent 15 years in the profession deriding Will Manley and his hectoring ways. Now I've apparently become him. Point being, I'm acutely aware of all the contextual layers of this post. I know the implications and risks of saying, "Hey, that's not cool". I've been around long enough to know how easy it is to dismiss the contrarian stance; to push back against even the slightest hint of correction (Trust me, I've done it plenty of times myself). More to the point, I've been around long enough to know how easy it will be to dismiss what I'm about to write. Please don't. It's important. It's important to us individua...

I've got a show at The Ohio State University Faculty Club scheduled in November. I went and scoped out the space a few weeks ago and determined that (depending on placement) I'm going to need between 25 and 30 paintings. What's more, my friends at Hackman Frames are going to need time to get everything framed. That means it's time to pick up the pace!   So, I took a few days off work this week with the idea of having a stay at home vacation and getting some work knocked out; a paintcation if you will. One thing I'm trying that's new (at least to me), is working on multiple paintings at once. I'm actually enjoying this approach. I find that I'm a little less inhibited and a little more willing to take chances. These pics give an idea of what that looks like in practice. I'll post some updates as I finish work, but for now, wish me luck! I haven't left myself a lot of time but I think I can do it. I might ...

If you've been paying attention to our nation's art scribes you already know that the hacked paintings of George W. Bush have sparked a flurry of critical interpretation. That W. has taken up painting isn't surprising; that's been known for quite some time. What is surprising - at least in regards to the two most talked about paintings - is the reflective, personal and oddly contemplative nature of the Bush muse. These aren't the rustic landscapes of your typical retired head of state (see Winston Churchill and Dwight Eisenhower). No, these are something very different. Intimate is maybe the right word, though I think embarrassingly intimate gets us a closer the heart of the matter. In these paintings we are privy to a naked George W. Bush; the former President of the United States with both flesh and artistic talent laid bare. It's safe to assume most of us never expected to witness either, let alone both. p ain ting - George W. Bus h Interestingly many ...

This weekend, Wayne LaPierre and the NRA began the process of framing the gun violence debate to their political  advantage. This PR broadside was delivered after what Mr. LaPierre suggested was a respectful period of silence. Now, as a result of Friday's press conference and Sunday's interview with Dave Gregory we find ourselves engaged in a national conversation about the feasibility of putting armed guards in schools, creating a national list of the mentally ill, and looking more closely at the societal effects of media violence. What we are apparently not supposed to talk about (at least according to the NRA) is anything that might fall under the umbrella of gun control or legislation. (As I mentioned in another online conversation, it's interesting to see how many rights and amendments people are willing to throw under the bus simply to ensure the 2nd Amendment can be interpreted as broadly as possible). While much of the NRA's stance is debatable, what struck m...

Last Sunday was sunny, cloudless and 60 degrees. It was, at least in central Ohio, the first of a number of warm days that would add up to a very pleasant "Indian Summer". I'd had a busy week and decided I needed a walk to clear my head and mentally regroup. As I was out, I snapped a few pictures.  This is the view from under the Dodridge Street Bridge. Perhaps to most people this is "just a bridge"; a modest span traversing an unremarkable waterway. To the residents of SoHu, South Clintonville, Old North Columbus and the University District it's much, much more. Closed since July of 2011 the scheduled re-opening on October 31st is cause for much rejoicing! Just north of the Dodridge Bridge is OSU's Olentangy River Wetland Research Park . This park provides a lovely oasis of calm amongst the clatter of the University District. This is the view of the Wetland Research Park's "billabong"; an oxbow th...