The Drill

In olden times, prior to all of the digital latitude that we now enjoy parked in front of computer screens clicking and dragging, we had a great deal of fun, that is, with pencils, ink, markers, pastels and straight edges, on, get this, colored paper. This type of commercial, industrial oriented art, had a fun and satisfaction all its own. We stood before drawing boards, sometimes in smoky rooms, held the media in our hands, and created, all without the benefit of the "undo" command.

The above sketch rendering, as it was referred to, was a regular in my portfolio, in the days when a portfolio was a narrow black leather bag with handles that you protected and hauled around like the family treasure. If you backed up your work, you shot slides (what's a scanner?). On seeing this drawing, an industrial designer who I greatly admired once remarked that he liked it very much. He said it appeared that "you got in there, you did your thing, and you got out." I took that as a compliment.

Form and Fit, Part 2

Here is another shining example of three dimensional product design, par excellence. I can guarantee you, if you are designing flatware, it is going to present a lot of challenges. Can you imagine what is involved in designing a high performance automobile?! But, it is oh so worth it. This new Porsche Boxster looks amazing whether it is sitting in the grass, or moving at 170 mph. What a feat. Yes, this is impressive design.

By the way, through the miracle of Photoshop, and digital manipulation, the casual observer would never suspect that there were three other cars parked in the background, right adjacent to the silver wonder above.

Form and Fit

Having worked in industrial design for the last two decades, and having worked prior to that in product engineering, can one help but appreciate the triumph that is excellent car design?! As a designer, I ought to be enthusiastic when I see good product design, knowing full well the difficult challenges of bringing a three dimensional object into the world via mass production. It's a bear. Few products can turn a head, or capture the imagination like good car design.

The form. The fit. The finish. The color. It's a wow, at any speed.

Hope

Welcome, Spring. Renew our hearts with hope.

Tracks, Rails and Otherwise

Train tracks. They always catch my eye. Well, why wouldn't they? They get you from here to there, and back again.

It's not just the visual allure. Having grown up in a railroad town, the sounds of the trains as they roll down the tracks, and the sound of the whistle are enough to stop me cold. It sounds like a lullaby to my soul. It is the aura of romance and nostalgia. The faintest sound can reach for miles. I hear the railroad moving through Hartford as I write this, and it soothes me.


With sepia simulation, an image taken today can speak something of yesterday. All this, and at the site of some boyhood memories, that is, at historic Philipse Manor station, in Sleepy Hollow, New York, on the shores of the magnificent Hudson River. Is this a place of some magic? Yes, I think so, and so did Washington Irving!

Rachmeal By Night

Read Joanna Wolff's unexpurgated interview of Rachmeal by clicking here.

Intermission

Here is a representative sample, taken from my old design school sketchbook, that demonstrates the quick sketch rendering style that I love so much. It really doesn't take much to indicate "human figure" to the casual observer.

Waiting for the Sun

Here is a painting taken from the stack of works, most of which have been stored shortly after drying. It is not quite the kind of work that I might cover with gesso and repaint, but it is not quite something that I would hang on the wall either. Yet, there is something here that speaks to me.

Somehow this work reminds me of design school, where I might have quickly sketched figures into an environment to indicate scale and mood. It has always amazed me how the human figure can be represented in a seemingly infinite number of ways, limited only by the hand and the imagination of one that seeks to render it.

Image Du Jour

On the beloved Magna Doodle.

While There Is Still Time

The Sol LeWitt retrospective at Mass MoCA will only be on display for another twenty four years. Don't miss your chance to see this wonderful exhibition!

Instrument of Change

I read an article that Pete Seeger, performer and activist, had put his banjo head for sale at Ebay to raise money to donate to the relief efforts in Haiti. At some pont he reconsidered, removed the item from auction and decided to raise money for Haiti in some other way. Alternatively, he decided to donate the banjo head to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum instead. Well, at least the banjo head of note will be able to be viewed and pondered by the many instead of the one individual who sought to win the auction.

I recalled seeing Pete Seeger at Avon Old Farms School where, in spring, 2008, Pete Seeger was honored with the first ever Distinguished Alumnus Award. One of my sons attends Avon Old Farms School where Pete Seeger himself graduated back in 1936. Pete Seeger seemed quite fit at 89 years old at the time. He spoke and gave a rousing performance, even singing a new song that he had composed. Pete Seeger is shown above meeting with old friends.

In the above image, see the banjo head while still in action, soon to be displayed in Cleveland, Ohio. If I am not mistaken, the blue jean jacket that Pete Seeger wore that day was awarded to him by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

I decided to leave Pete Seeger alone, however, he seemed so receptive to visitors saying hello, that I introduced myself and reminded him that we had met some thirty or so years prior at Croton Point Park at one, if not the first, of the Clearwater Festivals. At the festival, he was quite friendly to me. It meant a lot to a shy teenager! Pete said "oh" quite knowingly at this recollection and gladly posed for yet another photo. That is Pete and me shown above. He then launched into quite a long discussion with me about how there are extraordinary people everywhere across the country, doing great things in obscurity. I didn't presume to say much. I just listened and payed close attention to the words of this great, great man.

Blogmark

This is the 100th entry to the blog "Hope and Fury." It has been an enlightening journey and I am so glad that you have visited this site from time to time.

You are a reader. What better way to show my gratitude for your readership than to offer you a bookmark to mark this milestone. Especially for this occasion, I have created a small series of custom made bookmarks, rendered in pastel on black Mi-Tientes Canson paper. To set the pastels, I have sprayed each bookmark with a light coating of dry media fixative. The fixative tends to mute the colors, which is unfortunate, however, I deemed it necessary in order to prevent smudging of the bookmarks and possible staining of your selected reading material. The back of each bookmark is signed in pencil. I hope that you will use the bookmark and enjoy.

I have a limited selection of these bookmarks. This is an unadvertised giveaway! While they last, if you would like me to send you the bookmark, simply send me an email to rachmeal@yahoo.com Please enter the word "Bookmark" in the subject field of your email. Be sure to include your full snail-mail address. On a first come, first served basis, I will then mail the bookmark to you, or, if I see you on my regular rounds, I will hand deliver it to you. Each bookmark is a one of a kind unique creation. I doubt that you have seen any bookmark quite like these before!

I look forward to future explorations of art and design, posted right here in "Hope and Fury."

Add Color, Add Light, Part 2

How about another image of flowers, on a snowy day? This one was taken in the Conservatory at Volunteer Park in Seattle, Washington.

Yes, I think it is a good idea!

Souls

We were rearranging some paintings in the house the other day and the above work, which I did over two years ago, looked pretty good hanging on the wall. It has been in storage since the paint dried. I was surprised at just how good it looked, because this is one of those works which is disturbing and pleasing, all at the same time. Well, sometimes that is a good thing. Still, you don't always want to see those works on the wall every day. With all the competition for wall space, with some thirty or forty paintings displayed at one time, the painting didn't make the cut.

I will try again sometime soon to find just the right place for it. It is one of those works which is a bit different for me, and, I like that.

Add Color, Add Light

Add color, add light, add art, add flowers, add visual splendor, add joy, add life.

Homage, Part 3

When I was back in design school, I had the privilege of studying, for four years, with the enormously gifted, Lubomir Tomaszewski. Even now, some twenty years later, I can't recall seeing another artist, sculptor or painter, with as unique and compelling a sense of form and beauty as Tomaszewski. The manner in which he renders the human, or animal form, whether in metal, stone, ceramics, or as he sometimes does, painting in large format with a blow torch, defies words. Whether a small figure that you could hold in your hand, or, a massive sculpture sketched with boulders that look like they are levitated, he has a way with materials that is all his own, and, it is wonderful.

As a professor, he said that his job was to make geniuses of us all. I thought it impossible, but now I understand what he set about to do.

Wounded several times while fighting in the Polish resistance during World War II, Tomaszewski is a man of iron. Yes, as Picasso rightly said, "Art is war." Tomaszewski fought back by creating images that show how life should be.

Abstract Notion

Picasso is quoted as saying "There is no Abstract Art. You must always start with something. Afterward you can remove all traces of reality." I won't argue with that!

Accentuate The ...

As the lyrics go,

"You got to ac-cent-tchu-ate the positive
E-lim-i-nate the negative",

or, is it the other way around? With the interplay of positive and negative space, known to the Japanese as "notan", you never know. Therein, lies the fun!

Port to Port

This blog, "Hope and Fury", launched in January, 2009, now celebrates one year in the blogosphere. For me, it has been a fascinating, creative journey, one of wonder and of fun.

Know that I sincerely appreciate your readership. All the best to you in 2010 for joy, fun, and every good thing. I hope that you will continue to check in for new observations on art and design.

Misunderstood and Enduring

Even given all the writings, the letters, and decades of speculation, we can never know the troubled genius that was Vincent Van Gogh. For example, it is widely held that he cut off his own ear. Along with some dissenting opinions, I think that is highly unlikely. Certainly a more plausible scenario is that he may have engaged in a drunken, perhaps, absinthe driven, altercation with, say, Gauguin, and the ear was unfortunately grazed off. To protect his friend, and the only other artist in the art colony he sought to create, Van Gogh must have taken the blame for the mishap. I shudder to think of the avalanche of humiliation he endured.

As for the irony of his work, he painted sunflowers to brighten the homes of common workers, that is, to have something cheerful and wonderful, something of natural beauty, on their walls. He wished for them the glory of color to shine as they ate their daily bread, the fruits of their own hands and toil. To this end he dedicated his days and hours. Could he have imagined that only the super wealthy could ever afford such a sight in their homes?!

As for his mastery, I recall seeing an exhibit of his work some five years ago at the Seattle Art Museum. The exhibit was exquisitely lit, that is, the most superior lighting I had ever seen in an art museum. The room seemed dark, and yet, the paintings were lit with optimal brilliance. For a Van Gogh, this has to be key, and quite a challenge with his work being sculptural in nature. I thought to myself that truly, Van Gogh was the best with color of any artist, living or dead, even better than Picasso.

I say, let's not presume so much to understand, as to appreciate Van Gogh for the wonder of color, form, and brushstroke, the wonder of the way in which he captured his world with gobs of pigment. In this way, I think we can best honor the memory of Van Gogh, the master.

Jackie With Blue Hair

The painting, "Jackie With Blue Hair" is done. There is no going back in. Will this be the final work of 2009? The exciting answer is, I don't know!

Window of Opportunity, Seized, Part 2

After bringing the painting upstairs, after it had a chance to dry, it became evident that, whatever it was, the work was in no way complete. I had a chance to glance at it from time to time, and let my conscious and subconscious mind have a chance to meditate, my sensibilities a chance to gestate, on possible next steps.

This morning I had time to revisit the work, the first day in two or three weeks. It has been very difficult to find studio time lately, what with all the priorities vying for my time and efforts. Also, creative endeavors demand that, not only do you have the opportunity to create, but that you are up for it. This morning, all forces came into alignment. Whether I am pleased with the results or not, it sure felt good to "be there then." I do feel pleased with the results so far. Not overjoyed, but I feel some satisfaction. I had the urge to sign the work, often a sign that I am (nearly) done, but, it just as often means there may be more to do. I am reluctant to sign a wet painting.

I will give it some drying time, and hang it on the wall for a good look later.

Does it really look like Jackie?! I'm not sure. Perhaps. I am reminded that, after lengthy posing sessions, Gertrude Stein remarked to Picasso that her portrait did not really look like her. He responded something to the effect of "don't worry, in fifty years it will look exactly like you."

Mastery in Truth

We ventured out on this dreary, rainy, icy, raw Sunday to view the show "Rembrandt's People" at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford today. What a blessing to see this show.

Rembrandt's mastery was everything I thought it might be, that and much more. The show, which featured only a handful of his works was so moving, so powerful, that words could never do it justice. This artist was in total control of the painting. It was all so real, with an inner truth.

This show must be seen, and seen again.

Joy of Sonia

I recently had reason to photograph a series of tapestries for work. Okay, that was a fun project! Among other artists, I photographed a tapestry by Russian/French/Jewish artist, Sonia Delaunay. I found her work to be pure joy. In truth, I can't recall being familiar with her work.

Do you need to look at a series of uplifting images, images that explore the joy of color and form? Check these out, and click here.

Miniature Results

I have been very pleased with the Nikon P5100 that has become my mainstay in picture taking. Lately though, I thought I might like to have a sub-compact sized digital camera to always have on hand. Tethering myself to the Nikon, wearing it around my neck like an albatross is a bit much. I need my freedom. Yet, so often, I wished I had a miniature digital on hand to seize the image before me.

I must have gotten a bit impulsive, because after very little searching, I came across the Leica Minox hybrid, the Minox DCC, shown above. It was infatuation at first glance. Always partial to Nikons, I have yearned to own a Leica, having used one only as part and parcel of a Reprovite copy stand. Oh how I loved to advance the film, focus and depress the remote shutter release! The snap of the controls, the sounds... pure quality and joy. The results were impressive. I thought I might own a small portion of joy in the DCC. I was wrong.

Visually, I was awestruck when I opened the packaging. The tiny camera was stuck in a wonderful wooden box like a piece of jewelry. It was striking looking with classic good looks. However, there were downsides that could not be overlooked. The camera on-board software was anemic, and lacking. There were visible controls some of which had function, some did not. Ouch. The photos were, well, disappointing. Finally, and yes, all on the first day, one of the buttons just failed to work. I am not one to return items easily, but this had to go back where it came from.

The search is still on for that wonderful little digital that is (nearly) always with me, feels good in your hands, and yields superb results.

Yes, and someday, I hope to own a fine Leica.

Window of Opportunity, Seized

After a tumultuous night of dreaming, I woke up this morning with the time and inspiration to work on a painting I was eager to explore. Two hours later, I was closing in on something new. Is it completed? I don't know. Will it survive? Only time will tell.

I am prone to being infatuated with images that I create, and this is no exception. Does it look like Jackie? It does to me! After it dries, I will have a closer look, upstairs, on my wall.

In the Sketch

Size the paper. Dust the pastels. Cut the friskets. Render the surface. Digitize the image. Adjust for contrast.

What is it? It is like a poem that means nothing, and, everything, all at the same time. It is the sketch.

Office Phantasm Realized

The latest work, “Office Phantasm” is signed and completed, and yes, it is a good feeling!

Picasso said something to the effect that as you begin a piece, you must be on your guard against early infatuations, that is, with images that emerge in the creative process. He counsels against saving and honoring these images, and advises that they be “destroyed”, buried deep, yielding ever richer, stronger results in the process. The work above is a case in point.

I started this work quite a while ago, perhaps going on nearly a year. As the work progressed, I hoped to keep portions of it, here and there, which I found most pleasing. However, I could not seem to flesh out the entire piece based around saving these incongruent parts, and truly, in retrospect, they seemed somewhat anemic. The frustration gave way to boldness with some ninety per cent of the painting covered over with layers of gesso, paint and collage. In the end, all that I initially sought to save and maintain was layered under, with newer, bolder and more cohesive images emerging. The work became fully realized; images, themes and all.

The creative process here was a very satisfying and rewarding adventure, with much to ponder and learn, about myself, in the completed work.

Office Phantasm

I am closing in on finishing another work, shown above. When it is dry enough to hang it on the wall, I will decide if it is in fact completed. There may be yet a few finishing touches to do, I am not quite sure. At the very least, I will probably touch up the edges with color, or a fresh coat of gesso.

The canvas frame is home made, and quite deep at 1.5”. I don’t think this painting will ever have a frame on it. With such a deep edge, I was able to move the two rear frame supports well back of the canvas surface, which is a big plus for me. I am not exactly a delicate painter. I am, in fact, a bit physical with the canvasses at times. Sometimes as I work, I tend to press through to the support bars in the rear, leaving paint impressions on the front of the canvas which I loathe. At those times I have to reach around to the rear and press the canvas forward, aggressively working the front with brushes or rags to remove any unwelcome traces of those impressions left by the wood. I am tempted to make more of my own canvas frames, because this one turned out solid as a brick, not to mention, that I can have total control of the size of the finished work.

As for the content of the painting, I think I may be working out some unresolved feelings with respect to my work-life. I may have some feelings that I don’t know where to put, but, at least I can put them on a canvas. For me, there is something reminiscent of Goya here, and that has to be a good thing.

I think it was Isadora Duncan who said that, under no circumstances is it for an artist to judge their own work. That is for others to do. What a relief! The only judgment that I need to make is whether or not to hang the work on my wall. If I want to see the painting every day, well, that says something.

Architectural Refresh, Part 3

Architectural refresh, with a touch of color, and, fun.

To Behold

Something tells me that even Van Gogh would have appreciated this image. Is it the composition, the textures, the colors, the mood, that is, for me, one of alone-ness? Is it the time of day, morning or evening?

Whatever it is, it is the footprint that man has left on the earth. The way to get from one place to another, within or without.

F8

A true friend, hard at work in mid-autumn. A few yards away, the Atlantic has power in reserve. Yet this little worker is full of focus and resolve. All life is in its debt.

Generations

Shown above is the latest oil painting, at 36" square. It felt great to add the finishing brush strokes.

The working title? "Client Biographic."

Play in Five Acts

Five or so rounds in the studio yields another work. I went for the fun, always a good move. I haven’t yet named this piece. Why rush it? It is just dry enough to hang it on the wall. Let’s see what it speaks to me in the days ahead.

The Underside of Beauty

Sometimes it is good to change your point of view. Bend your knees and search for the less obvious. The result may surprise you.

I love the image on the underside of this flower. The unique qualities of the colors and textures. The fractal-like composition. The suggestive details. The energy is bursting out in all directions.

It really is a wonderful world.

Wisp

It is time for an image refresh. It is time for something from the past, something hanging on someone's wall. It is time for something a bit surreal. Time for an image with the colors of autumn that I love so much.

It is time for "Wisp."