New work -- 7January, 2009

Just a brief uploading of paintings.

I feel really great about this especially new work. I feel like I'm painting a lot more than I used to, if that translates well enough. I feel like I'm cutting the binding threads on a lot of the conventions in my work that typically lent to itself. I like my work lending to itself, to a certain point. I feel like it allows for a certain kind of evolution within the work, but I don't like when it stagnates, basically. That makes me feel like I'm being lazy with it, and painting is my least favorite thing to feel lazy with.

I'm experimenting with a Pthalo blue, too, I should add. I've basically stuck to various kinds of cobalts and ceruleans. So, the change is refreshing. Mixing the blues is awesome, and mixing Pthalo with white is pretty electrifying. We'll see how I feel about it, ultimately.

I also have some irridescents that I'm playing with, but I don't have any of that up to any confident speed. On that note, I should also say that found some incredible leafing pigment. It's almost invariably toxic, and potentially full of lead. I'm extremely hesitant to use any of it, and I think it needs an oil medium, anyways.

Here's the work! I still have to work out my thoughts on the figures, but I really like them. I use this stupid, white outline, and then fill in the blanks with this kind of sloppy rendering. I'm more interested in applying something so complicated on the horizons I've kept empty for a while. It's pretty liberating...

New work -- 4 January, 2009

2009, already? Yipes!

With that realized, though, I've started trying some new things with some of the old things with my work.

After my recent, small show, I started getting the feeling that I'm gearing up to, in some form, work "larger" - whatever that means for my work. I might take it to larger surfaces, larger schemes and complexities, more generalized or specific themes, etc. or just a huge combination of everything. I'm starting to break from my norms of application. Now, I really want to start exploring with my concepts - maybe start exploring with NO concepts.

All of that really ties in with what I want to do with my work, ultimately, for the time being, which is a difficult enough thing to deliberate, on it's own. What's my motivation? - etc.

Also, for anyone who missed the announcement in December-- ANDREWMARATHAS.COM

Which reminds me! I'm also refining my statement. I truthfully loathe the one that I've put up as a placeholder, but, at the same time, I'm still, as I said, trying to work through why I do the work that I do. What are my motivations, now? I know what they used to be, but it's important for me, as most of you know pretty well, to constantly scrutinize the "why"s.

In any case, let me know what you think about this newer stuff. I should mention that I've decided to use this blog as a messy depot for all kinds of images of my work - the finished scans, the "I made this", handheld pieces, etc. etc. I think it gives a more full impression of the whole thing.

I should also advise to click the images for a larger version, as some of the extreme verticals are nearly impossible to accommodate in blog format. The files themselves are big.


Take care,

Andrew