GO

I'll be taking part in The Brooklyn Museum's  GO, along with 1860 other Brooklyn artists.  It looks like it will be kinda cool.  Basically, it's two days of borough-wide open studios.  Huge. 

Here's my GO page. 

They're looking for volunteers and voters, so go to the site and look around if you think you might be interested.  I'm not always crazy about opening my studio to the public as it's kind of disruptive and never life changing in a good (or bad) way, but this seemed like something special since it's so damn big, and I thought I'd kick myself somewhere down the line if I didn't give it a try.  So if you do decide to pitch in, I look forward to seeing you in September. 

Here's another Go Go picture to go along with the theme:

Go Go (2003), pastel, 14x15in.

studio odds n ends

Some random, photos, clippings, quotes on my studio door. The watercolor is my son's.

A weird plaster caryatid I trashpicked about 8 yrs ago.

high up on my studio wall, a drawing of my father, and some paintings by my son. From time to time he comes to the studio and I set him up to make some paintings. He likes to use one of my printmaking ink rollers, and he goes to town with it.

A flattened Mister Softee cup, pinned to my wall like a prize butterfly. One magical summer in Toledo, our first on the South Side after living in the Old West End, there was a Mister Softee truck in the neighborhood, serving soft serve ambrosia right out of a truck! It never came back after that, and when I moved to NYC in 1991, I was overjoyed to see this chimeric totem from my childhood was alive and well in the big city.

Blurry self portrait.

Small drawings and paintings kept in the corner during the open studio.

Pics from the Open Studio Weekend

Some shots of the studio, which cleans up pretty well, as works were installed for the Atlantic Avenue ArtWalk opens studios. It's a cozy space, with nice light, and private. You can see more photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/packyjewell/Openstudio#

The weekend went as well as these things can. Nothing too annoying or humiliating happened [you tell with what high hopes I approach these things]; on the contrary, plenty of positive feedback, visitors were mostly strangers, and a pretty decent amount of traffic. Thanks to everyone who stopped by, friend or stranger.

Another nice thing was catching up a little with some of my neighbors, whom I'm really bad about chatting with when I'm over there working. They are all very talented, hardworking people, and it's a real pleasure to share the floor with them. There's a jewelry designer, a couple fashion designers who make hats and swimsuits, among other things, and another painter who also does some illustration and teaches at SVA. More on them soon, and I'll give some links to their work. Met some new neighbors too, who seem really nice.

There was only one visitor I would've liked to throw out on his ass. Near the end of the day Sunday, a cute little young couple came in, didn't say much at all to me, but I heard him say something about feeling like he was in a swimming pool [the blue], and she laughed. Now, I'm the first to admit being a little overly sensitive, but my goodness it's rude to be welcomed into a strangers studio and make a crappy joke about the work. So I stewed a little over how I wished I'd asked him what he said and then kicked him out. Okay, I'm over it. Overwhelmingly, people were nice, and I really don't mind how many people made some harmless remark about my 'Blue Period.' I don't mind, but I notice. Sensitive, sure. Not proud of it.

So, a good weekend. Now, I have to put everything back and get back to work. Which will be a relief. Thanks again, to all who came by. Maybe I'll make it a regular thing.

Open studio this weekend

The door's open, Saturday and Sunday, 1-6pm, as part of the sixth annual Atlantic Avenue ArtWalk. See previous post for more info.

open studio as part of atlantic avenue artwalk

I will be having an open studio for this year's Atlantic Avenue ArtWalk. More info to come, as they get their maps and website together. The basics: June 6 and 7. My studio will be open from 1-6pm both days. 320 Dean Street, betw third and fourth aves.

I've never been part of ArtWalk, but this year my landlord approached me about it, which makes these things a lot easier, when you have landlord approval. I have mixed feelings about open studios. Whenever I took part in Dumbofest when I had a studio down there, they always ended up feeling like more trouble than they are worth. But another good thing about taking part in this year's ArtWalk is that it's a nice follow up to the show at LIU. So stay tuned, sportsrockers, for more info as the date approaches.

I remember an open studio I held in dumbo once. This greasy little dude came in, looked at the walls, said grimly, "You know Gerhard Richter's work?" I said, "Yeah, since I've recently started using photographs as sources, I've been looking at his work, as well as Malcolm Morley, Eric Fischl, some other painters like that." He scowled at me, one hand on his chin, grunted, and walked out.

THAT is one reason I have mixed feelings about open studios. Selfish little twerp.