Asher Mains Art

Sorry I’m so late in putting this up – this is from the night of the opening:

I’ve been trying to conceptualize the next step in my dripping motif. Establishing the elusive elegance of mortality in the drips is one thing. The visual tension between what is there and what is fleeting. I’m considering taking the motif further with the idea, “where have you dripped?”. Unlike dust, humans have (or have the potential to have) an impact on their environment, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Even as our flesh slowly flees the earth, we leave residue, we leave evidence, we leave drips.

In thinking of composition and subject matter I think this will become an integral theme in my work. Would love to hear your thoughts.

Now with some time to think about the direction I’m headed with my work, I thought I’d put up my reading list for books that are on my reading palette.

The Forger’s Spell: A true story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the Greatest Art Hoax of the 20th Century. by Edward Dolnick

This book was recommended by Susan Mains and is a combination of art history, criticism and technical guide all wrapped up in an engaging true story. This book is sitting on the coffee table in my studio waiting to be read.

Concerning the Spiritual in Art. By Wassily Kandinsky.

A staple for any artist to understand some of the conceptual grounding for the use of form and color, particularly in painting. Kandinsky also touches on the position of the artist as an avant garde. A lot of the work is pretty esoteric but interesting in the artistic conversation.

What Painting Is. By James Elkins

I carry this book around with me and read when I get moments. Elkins likens painting to alchemy as a basic premise. As a painter we work with chemicals and elements such as earth (pigments) and water (or oil) to create something on canvas that is ‘gold’. As an art form painting is very tactile and messy and like alchemists, painters spend their time combining different chemicals at different ratios in search of a perfect balance.

In Pursuit of Elegance. By Matthew E. May

Symmetry, Subtraction, Seduction, Sustainability. These are the elements of elegance. This book is usually found in the science section but it is applicable in business, art, and just plain old good ideas. There are many elements I’ve taken away from reading this book that I am applying in my art and how I think about my work.

I have a couple other books on my wishlist but these are the ones that I’m juggling right now. Let me know if you are reading any of the same!

I am sitting in the Barbados airport waiting to fly back to Dallas via Miami. The quick reflection is that the time in Barbados has been a success. The show was hung in time (complete with building the stretchers and stretching the paintings the day before). A lot of people came by for the opening and we got some good media attention. You can read Ian Bourne’s review here: http://bajanreporter.com/?p=8082

Taking a break in between stretching canvases

Giving the opening remarks

All in all, it was good to have launched my first solo exhibition and to look forward to more on the horizon. There are different directions to go in after this exhibitions and so you’ll find me in my studio painting (when I’m not stretching canvases).

One of the enjoyable parts of the evening was having the opportunity to play with Bajan saxophonist, Andre Woodvine. We improvised several Jazz standards and played around with some Calypso and Reggae themes as well. A good time was had by all.

Playing with Andre Woodvine

Thanks to Don and Catherine Cheeatow for pulling it together, Chris Hoad for hosting it at the Mews, my parents and wife Steph for the work they did and my studio assistant in Dallas, Wendy Gamon for prepping everything for travel.

In other news I submitted my application for the MFA at SMU this afternoon and so those wheels are in motion. I will be sure to let you all know the results.

Drumming for Susan Mains' opening

“Transitions”

The work in this exhibition is a rare glimpse into the transition of process, concept and form in my work. Looking for new ways of communicating complex messages has led me to an exploration of various forms and styles. This explorative and transitionary period has led me to a study of elegance. Using the concepts of subtraction, seduction, symmetry and sustainability has led me to a style that is provocative and engaging. Currently, I am using this technique to expound upon the impermanent and transient nature of self. There is a great amount of tension between the body as a beautiful, physically present, product of history and the body as a fleeting and temporary existence. While working with this theme of impermanence the tragedy in Haiti struck adding sobering poignancy to the motif. We have to be able to see with eyes focused on our beautiful physical reality as well as the elusive elegance of our mortality.

“War” – 47″ x 33″ Acrylic on Canvas

Duppy Conqueror, 40″ x 24″ Oil on Canvas

Dreaducation, 30″ x 40″ Acrylic on Canvas

Bi Nka Bi (We should not bite each other) 40″ x 48″ Oil on Canvas,

Identity, 22″x18″ Oil on Canvas

Ex Nihilo, 48″ x 60″ Oil on Canvas

Burden of Dust 30″ x 24″ Oil on Canvas

Vie de la Pousiere 60″ x 48″, Oil on Canvas

Portrait of Impermanence 40″ x 30″ Oil on Canvas

Dust Walker 30″ x 40″ Oil on Canvas

Boys Study 9″x12″ Oil on Canvas

Violinist 30″ x 40″ Oil on Canvas

Bassist, 40″x30″ Oil on Canvas

Saxophonist 40″ x 30″ Oil on Canvas

This article will not be interesting to everyone. I had a hard time convincing my wife that it was interesting. The traditional method for stretching canvases over a stretcher or strainer is to stretch from the center out to the corners. It’s logical, it’s traditional, it’s the way things are done.

James Bernstein is an art conservator and otherwise spends an inordinate amount of time thinking about how paint behaves on canvas and how canvas behaves on a strainer/stretcher.

This article he wrote is pretty revolutionary to me and I may start stretching my canvases this way. You can find his article here: http://www.goldenpaints.com/justpaint/jp17article1.php

Here are some of the paintings I did over the winter break. I’m loving this dripping technique I’m doing and I’m excited about the potential for experimentation.

My theme with these paintings is the idea of impermanence that I talked about in the Painting Paradoxes post. I love the tension between then beautiful, physical, presence of the figure, the assertion that the figure is a product of history and yet the impermanence and fleeting nature of flesh. This painting I’m calling Impermanence and is 40″x30″. I feel it is especially successful because of the strategic deconstruction of the body allowing the background to show through. Also the ‘frame’ that makes up the breasts and face by using lighter colors allows the rest of the body to recede a bit.

I look forward to doing more paintings in this style.

The following painting is the same model, same pose, just a portrait format instead. It is also 40″x30″

This painting developed into an Adam and Eve narrative. I’m calling it “Fruit Stained” This piece is 48″x60″

This is the final painting – The model did two poses, one from which I took the reference for the feet and then the other I took the reference for the hand. I particularly like the use of color and just the fine tuning of some of my dripping technique. Compositionally, I love the repetition of the fingers and then toes as they form an arc. To me the visual “chord” of the fingers and toes needed resolution and so I added in the physical balance of the blue orb along with the color balance of a cooler tone.

Some of these paintings will appear in the Barbados and Washington exhibitions.

The purpose of this post is to start an initial inquiry into what the demand would be for a non-instructed figure drawing/painting session in Dallas. I am anticipating the canvas stretching business to slow down a bit over the summer and so starting in the spring I may open my studio a couple days a week for people to come in and work.

Here are a couple advantages to working in an environment like this:
- Flexibility. You don’t have to commit to a semester of classes and you can come and go when you need to.
- Creativity. You have the opportunity to experiment without the academic pressures
- Convenience. We would most likely set up in the evenings so you could swing by after work.
- Cost effectiveness. It can get expensive hiring a model, so we would all share the cost of the model. Sessions may start at $15 for a 3 hour session.
- Camaraderie. You have the opportunity to engage with other artists in the original context of a non academic creative community.
- Improvement. While you don’t have to take constructive criticism, you will be among a group of people who are interested in portraying the figure and have struggled with some of the same things you are. You will undoubtedly be able to integrate some of their ideas into your work and improve.

So, if you are in the Dallas area and would be interested in coming to my studio for figure painting/drawing sessions, contact me or leave a comment. I’d love your input on how to better tailor the time to your needs. Also, if you have never taken a figure drawing or painting class, this may be a great opportunity to get your feet wet before committing to a great time commitment like a class.