Saturday, December 27, 2008

Bill Evans Painting as publlic radio Jazz station logo

It's now official, I am honored to announce my painting "Submerged (Bill Evans)" was chosen by jazz89 KUVO Public Radio Denver as the stations design throughout 2009!
Which means the image will be used as the station's logo on everything representing it, including station T-Shirts, Letterhead, business cards, website, newsletter, wine bottles, advertising ads, and all produced KUVO related marketing materials throughout 2009!
KUVO is a 22 year old public radio station which is affiliated with NPR, has won many awards, among them the 2005 and 2006 Major Market Jazz Station of the Year! It is supported by donations, and the image of the painting will be distributed as part of the 'Thank You" gift the station gives to donors, either in the form of t-shirts, wine bottles or any other publication!
Although I live nowhere near the Denver, Colorado area, I've been enjoying listening to the station via the live web streaming on the station's website, I highly recommend listening to it if you like and enjoy Jazz and blues! Thank you, KUVO, for choosing my painting and for bringing this excellent music to the airwaves!


Thursday, December 11, 2008

Happy 100th Birthday Elliot Carter

Being quite removed from the music world in the past years, I ran into a Charlie Rose interview with wonderful classical composer Elliot Carter last night, on the occasion of his 100th birthday and a celebration concert in his honor tonight at Carnegie Hall. Elliot carter is considered America's leading composer, he has contributed enormously to the world of music both as a musician and as an advocate of music education. As he mentions in a BBC interview: "...It was my generation actually that started the idea of having music taught - composition taught, not only in conservatories but also in universities in the United States . We started out maybe with 30 or 40 composers at most in America . Now we have 20,000 - all as a result of my unfortunate efforts."



Watching the interview was a pleasure not only because of Carter's enlightening presence and radiance of youth, joy and wisdom at his advanced age, it was also very enlightening to me as an artist and former musician. His words helped me define many of the things that I intuitively sensed but wasn't able to pinpoint. In a way, it helped me connect the dots and come to realize why I feel the way I do about my art. Being a former musician, I sometimes feel I am 'painting music' or 'playing a painting' or 'composing art'... for me, the experience of creating art is very similar to creating the art of music. It is a non verbal language which expresses our human condition in a way that can transform and transcend, in a way that can be interpreted with words but not expressed by them. Music and art, for me, use the mind as a tool, not the other way around. Music that is great is not created by the brain, but the composer is using the brain to transfer sound into notes, or into the instrument. The same is true, in my opinion, in regards to great art, the visual experience comes from a vision of the soul, not from an intellectual thought or mind manipulations.
I am trying to explain this experience with words now, and it is not easy to do. To make it easy the best analogy would be of course love. One can certainly use the brain to induce the feeling, but not to create it. We have to find it within ourselves in order to feel it.

You can watch the Charlie Rose interview with Elliot Carter, Daniel Barenboim and James Levine, and here is another interview with Elliot Carter, wishing him a hundred more creative and inspiring years!


Friday, November 21, 2008

Cityscape #3

City in Bloom
50X44 Inches (127X11cm)
Acrylic on canvas
The photo of this building was used as the theme of two mixed media paintings I've done this year, but this time I decided to paint it. The building was since finished, and now it's covered with glass walls, but to me it was more interesting while built than it is now.
I feel I will return to this building again in the future, it seems to haunt me. The way it stands alone, surrounded by blue sky. Although it's not very tall, it really stands out, even though it's located in Manhattan. It is in an area of older , smaller structures, in the west side of the city, overlooking the Hudson river. I took the original photos while riding in a car on the West Side Highway. Here are the previous mixed media, in which I used a print of the photograph:


Cityscape #1
60X46 Inches (152X117cm) mixed media on canvas

Cityscape #2
47X47 Inches (120X120cm) mixed media on canvas


On a different note, I've been tagged this week, by Sylvie Van Hulle, a wonderful artist I've met on Flickr, but since I'm new to blogging, I didn't understand what tagging means! I figured it was some kind of code, but now I know, and I will participate in the game, it will take me a few days to prepare the lists though.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Update

Here's an update of several new pieces from the past weeks:
This piece took me to unexpected places, here's the final version:
Emergence
50X42 Inches acrylic on canvas

A former version, which I liked but wasn't sure of:

The photos were taken at different lighting conditions so the hue looks a little different, but other than the hue, the only main difference is in the top part.
Another piece I enjoyed making:
Road #2
58X50 Inches acrylic on canvas
It is one of those paintings where in the process I feel an expansion, working in large scale, a sort of freedom, and space. It is not the first piece I titled 'road' and I suspect it isn't the last.

Finally, a new project of making art objects out of recycled materials. This object looks like a box but it has no function as such, it is not a practical object but is meant only to be displayed for visual pleasure/inspiration/introspection and such purposes which art fulfills...
The size is about 14X8X7.5 Inches (35.5X20X19 Cm). It is made out of leftover packaging Styrofoam, left over canvas, fabric remnants, magazine cut-outs, acrylic gel and paint.


This object inspired a painting using the same theme which developed organically in the creation of the box, I wanted to see how it will look in two dimensions.
Someplace, somewhere
30X24 Inches, mixed media on canvas

Monday, November 10, 2008

Celebrate!

I have been planning to do it for a while, and finally am taking the first step. Writing my thoughts about art and the art world, and as far as I can elaborate about my creative process, which is sometimes difficult for me to describe in words.

I hope a dialog or a discussion will develop, comments are very welcome!

Since I haven't been updating the blog for a while, I will start with posting recent works. First, a series which was a commission I received from someone who wanted a painting similar to a recent abstract, but in a smaller size and shape. The original painting was a 68X52 inches, and the commission was for a 36X36 Inches (3 feet by 3 feet, or 91 cm square). The challenge was mainly in creating a similar composition which originally was rectangular, into a square shape, and in addition, working small. I really love working large, especially when painting abstract. I love it when my whole body is participating in the process of creating, and painting becomes an extension of my body, the energies flowing through my hands as in a Tai-Chi or Chi Gong practice. I had to try a few versions, and this took some practice. I made 3 paintings, and after I thought I was done, decided to make one more last one. Eventually, the buyer chose that last one, which I knew she would. The original painting can be seen in an older post, but here it is again:

Two Of Us


Here are the four versions. I am quite happy with them, although I do plan to continue working on one, and perhaps take it on to a different direction altogether.

Here is the last (fourth) painting, the one that was chosen:


This one is the first version:


I like this one, but I find it very different in spirit than the original, larger painting. I tried to follow the colors and composition, but the energy came out ery different, very dynamic, somewhat forceful, while the original was more calm and playful, I think...

Here is the second version, the one I think I will change:


I happen to like it, but from feedback I received on my flickr account, this appears to be the least effective composition.

Finally, my third trial, which also looks different than the original in spirit, but I believe has it's own charm:


In the next days I will update the blog with more new works, thanks for visiting!

Iris

P.S.
More editing of the blog, as well as additional links, are to follow in the days ahead! please keep posted!

Monday, August 11, 2008



On The Spot


Size: 48X48 Inches mixed media on canvas
Click image for a larger view


Untitled


Size: 48X30 Inches mixed media on canvas
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Wednesday, August 6, 2008



People

Size: 24X24 Inches mixed media on canvas
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People Collage


Size: 18X18 Inches mixed media on canvas
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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Equals Infinity


Size: 72X48 Inches mixed media on canvas
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Away, in a way

Size: 24X24 Inches acrylic on canvas
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Friday, July 11, 2008

Us #2

Size: 58X50 Inches acrylic on canvas
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Us

Size: 68X52 Inches acrylic on canvas
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Saturday, June 7, 2008

6.7.2008

Untitled

Size: 72X48Inches acrylic on canvas
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Base Chakra



Size: 60X54 Inches acrylic on canvas
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Wall Portrait Study

Size: 24X30 Inches acrylic on canvas
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Space


Size: 24X30 Inches mixed media on canvas
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Colors #4


Size: 24X24 Inches acrylic on canvas
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Air Dancing with a Double Bass


Size: 24X30 Inches acrylic on canvas
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Colors #5

Size: 12X12 Inches Mixed Media on canvas
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Masks
Size: 24X30 Inches acrylic on canvas
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Colors #3

Size: 58X50 Inches acrylic on canvas
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Untitled

Size: 47"X47" acrylic on canvas
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Slope



Size: 52X50 Inches acrylic on canvas
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Sunday, March 23, 2008

3.23.08

Cityscape #2


Size: 47"X47" Mixed Media on canvas
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Her


Size: 28"X22" Acrylic on canvas
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Wednesday, March 19, 2008


Cityscape



Size: 60"X46" Mixed Media on canvas


Zen


Size: 72"X48" Acrylic on canvas


Figure #1

Size: 22"X28" Acrylic on canvas

Tuesday, March 11, 2008


This Time


Photobucket

Size: 90"X52" Acrylic on canvas

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Figure Study #1


Figure study 1

Size: 22"X28" Mixed Media on canvas

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Purple Rainbow


Size: 22"X28" Mixed Media on canvas

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Friday, February 8, 2008

The World

Photobucket

Size: 90"X48" Acrylic on canvas

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Saturday, January 26, 2008

New work January 26 2008




Tree in the City


Photobucket

Size: 48"X52" Acrylic on canvas

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Jam Session


Photobucket

Size: 46"X30" Acrylic on canvas

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Blue Abstract


Photobucket

Size: 72"X48" Acrylic on canvas

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Thursday, January 17, 2008

New Work, December 2007 - January 2008


As We Are


Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Size: 24"X20" Mixed Media on canvas

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Life Of...


Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Size: 24"X20" Mixed Media on canvas

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Memories of Time


Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Size: 20"X24" Mixed Media on canvas

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When I Am


Photobucket

Size: 12"X12" Mixed Media on Wood Panel

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In Our World


Photobucket

Size: 12"X12" Mixed Media on Wood Panel

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Abstract Storm


Photobucket

Size: 46"X46" Acrylic on Canvas

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