bunyan numb pathos

"For me, art is everything. When I make art I get lost in another world."

—Mosi Clayton, Age 10

Today, with no pressing plans (for a change!), I will go off and do some art peeping at the DeCordova.  They always have a knock out summer show introducing new or emerging New England artists.  I so miss doing the docent thing there but once I started disappearing to Florida I wasn't available for the tours.  I really liked the format-  the docents would be given the artist's bios in advance and then be required to interview them about the work, or their theories, or whatever-  just get information that will transfer to the audience and make the work more understandable for them.  Then we would all get together and share that information as we walked around looking at the art.  So, for each show we had in-depth background about the artists and the work to share.  I guess I was kind of selfish about this-  I really wanted the info myself and in the process wanted to talk and talk and talk about it.  Plus the docent job dovetailed nicely with teaching.  I really miss it.  

Which brings me to doing the same thing here-  checking out artists that might not be very well known, and sharing the information I gather.  Life doesn't change, circumstances do!

Israeli artist Chaim Machlev is a Berlin-based tattoo artist, otherwise known as Dots to Lines. Working primarily with black ink (“I believe that black is the nicest color for tattoos; it is closer to our source than any other color,” he said in a recent interview), Machlev’s designs are complex line-based works that weave across skin with fluid, stunning precision. Incorporating mandalas, insects, and other images into his geometric tattoos, Machlev’s work go beyond simple designs into minimal, extraordinarily detailed works of permanent art. Mary Beth, take note.

Today's 'rule' from James Victore:

Translate this to our medium:  No one crew what your QUILT looks like if your CONTENT is not worth 'reading'

Take your time and see how many references you can find in each image!  Don't neglect backgrounds or looking for the artists themselves!  Amaziing.  Cuban-American artist Cesar Santos thoughtfully blends disparate styles and elements in a series he calls “Syncretism.” Santos’ amalgamations present representations from Renaissance, Modern, Classic, and Contemporary work, all blended together to create a pastiche of imagery. While combining genres, forms, and time periods is not a necessarily unique approach, it is Santos’ execution that is most impressive. Skilled technically in multiple painting styles, Santos is able to render images that appear uncannily similar to their references. Recontextualizing these images demonstrates the evolution of painting techniques while maintaining the universality and persistence of particular themes.

Our squirrel has a hole in his head and seems a bit concerned.