Thursday, May 24 2012| 7:00-10:00 PM
“Charged Up” Opening Reception
Mars Gallery
1139 W. Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607
The Times-Picayune goes behind the canvas with James at his studio as he shares the alternatives of Allen Toussaint that he has depicted for the 2009 Jazz & Heritage Festival poster. Different angles, avenues and ideas have led James to paint multiple generations of Toussaint in various shades of “New Orleans.” James’ final adaptation was chosen for this year’s festival.
Today was more of the same.Or the same but only more of it. I worked on another study of Hillary. She is so fun to look at. Sexy. I’m trying to find a fun way to express her geometry,her unfolding elegance. I flail.
Today was a day of design. I worked on adding two bedrooms to my loft-like home. We have three children in the house and the boys who have always slept in the same room now need to have separate diggs. I used to work in the front room of my home. Now my studio is down the street. I’m converting the space into bedrooms. I’ve decided on a plan to bisect the triangular space and create two uniquely shaped bedrooms. I’m going to cover the walls in a patchwork of found materials. We will build a lintel over the door that lights up and a “cave passage” into the home. Check out the before shots here today. Check back in about a week for the after shots. This will be fun.
jm
Wow. I survived the Krewe de Vieux parade and ball. The theme-Inaugural Balls. The men were women and the women men. I will need psychotherapy. Just kidding, I took to it like a fish to well, maybe, corn oil. We marched for about two hours and saw thousands of people. We had the ball at the Colton School. We spent the next day recovering. After all here comes the Voodoo Ballerina and MOM’s Ball. We prepped for the Ballerina today. I’ll post photos of the site prep. It’s a big ball with maybe 700 or so artsy types that celebrate costuming and celebration. Celebrating celebrating. I celebrate them if only because they so brazenly celebrate celebration. I love to costume. It’s work and play at the same time. The act of dressing is a communion with your unconsciousness. It’s a mind dance with yourself. It’s an act that is declarative, creative, egoic…Or maybe you decide to hide. You’re something, or rather there is something and that’s you, or constructed from you. But you can act out. Your hidden and transformed. Do you like to dance. Come on out. Let’s dance.
jm
Busy day. I started a new assistant today. He will help me with everything. He will help with files and create order where there is odeur. He cleaned the windows and helped me start a costume for the Krewe de Vieux Parade this weekend. I will march with a head of President Obama, declaring his slogan “Yes We Came”. I ,like all the men in the krewe will be in drag. I will where a ball gown for a woman of 350 lbs. We’re going to stuff it to fit me…Oh well,that’s Mardi Gras. Otherwise I made some sketches and worked on my portrait project. I’m making a slew of quick head sketches from imagination. They will cover the wall of a rock club. I figure I need about 33. Some are small. I’m making them on recycled plastic sign material. Oil on plastic-it’s got a contemporary ring to it. I use one or two colors-so far. I think I’ll do others in several colors. I’ll keep you posted.
jm
Hi I’m back. It’s easy to excuse oneself from duty. What I’ve noticed writing this blog is that there is an opportunity to critique the gravity of my undertakings. Just writing about my work makes me aware of how small my concerns can be. That I write of my exploits makes me want to make them more important. My attitudes become more visible. It’s a challenge to unconsciousness. Who wants to say that they wish to loaf all day or watch TV? So I’m called to look bigger. I get a chance to call out my smallness and stand for a bigger problem. Aliveness lives next to risk. I feel lazy to risk. I’m going back to sleep…what’s on the tube.
Tubeopoulos
Today I did the Frigo. We’re having a party and this old leaflet and menu covered box is looking beat. Where’s my purple – I worked in acrylic with sponges. I used some paper towel to pull color off. Voila, un frigo which rocks. – I’m painting the bottom grill in orange for contrast. What do you think- maybe solid avocado would have been better.
jm
Wow! Busy weekend New Years and parties for days. I spent Saturday in a daze. But low from the depths of exhaustion I found the energy to finish a painting. Had only a couple of details and the sky to do but i did it. Now I can watch more TV. It was bad that when my wife asked someone to pass the vegetables, I thought she was talking about me.
jm
I worked the portrait today. I added the bottom of the figure. I added the legs. It’s a big piece and I need to stand on a support to reach the upper parts of the painting. Because it’s this big…I set myself up to work on a section and I stay there till finished. Well I finally got to rough in the legs and the piece came alive for me. I could really see the action. I could see the sweep of the painting. There’s a real sense of depth and action. I’m pleased with the progress. I will have to enlarge the final piece. I’d like a bit more surround-more supporting material. I will repaint several parts and refine the rest. I’m starting to see possibilities in this work. I can imagine telling stories, revelatory stories. I’d like to submit to this process in the service of transcendent incite. I’ll be a medium, for the medium. Oil will be my medium.
jm
