Thursday, February 13, 2014

Sustainance

Last year my good friends in SE Portland put on an art show.  It was about "food" but otherwise open ended.  Now, this was a group which I was a part of for three plus years, probably over four years, and which I continue to visit every time I come to town, so I had to do something big and fun.

The final product was an image of two disturbing lovers, and it seemed to be some kind of alright to me.  It was a 3 foot by 4 foot acrylic painting, and I painted it flat on my big picnic table in my back yard, which was in the desert.  The heat was in the 100s that week, which was AWESOME for laying down layers quickly.

I also got crazy sunburned.  Ick.  Well, it happens all the time for me I guess.

I sent it in the mail in a tube, rolled up with the top brace bar and a bottom weight bar, as well as the ropes to hang it, and popped some grommets in it to make it all come together.  Couldn't figure out any other way to ship it for display, but it's a format I'm definitely going to use again one day.

This is a really great group so if you are ever down there in SE I encourage you to check it out.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Craft-Night-South-East/189282047780291

http://fosterpowellpdx.com/2012/04/09/meet-your-neighbors-zack-kosta/

- J.




Saturday, February 1, 2014

Mitch's Girls

Here is a commissioned piece which was a blast to put together.

Originally Mitch and I discussed doing this as two smaller pieces back during the 30 Characters challenge for this year...  ultimately the project was pushed back due to his scheduling demands.  So, now the piece became a two character piece and became much, much larger.

The original art for this piece is about 17 x 15, which is a pretty big scale.  The women pictured are his girlfriend and her best friend, so it was important to me to get the facial features correct.  The request was to display their friendship and to make them into superheroes.

When I asked him to some input on their "likes" it was given to me that Lauren loves cats, and Anne loves Abraham Lincoln.  I didn't feel comfortable making a Catwoman design or a genderswapped Honest Abe since I only met the girls once, so I worked that into their picture.  The bubbly shapes on Lauren's costume have everything to do with this RAD 1920's jewel and chain necklace which she wore in one of the reference pictures, and I went kinda "standard James" thinking for Anne's attire.

Fun stuff! 

- J.