My Mural: Large Toad

Open Studios is an endurance test for the student/artist, and possibly for the attendees as well.  After all, 60 studios, each one deserving of critical attention, full of artists who grow more weary as the three-day marathon continues.

Will I be discovered?  Will anyone?  Will anyone come?  Will they like my work?  Or take my business card?  Or just poke their head in my door, roll their eyes and back out quickly.

My Mural: Snake Breath

My art isn’t for everyone.  No one’s is.  I mean, there are even critics who dismiss the whole Renaissance.  (It’s not my favorite period either, to be honest.)

These days the art world is supposed to be open to all comers.  It’s okay to paint and draw, to sculpt, to make videos or performance pieces, to include the audience in the action or just make them watch.

My Mural: Snake Hat

This morning I was back in my studio, working on my mural (so close to the end, now), when I decided that it was a good time to take photos of some of the work still displayed in the Open Studios aftermath.  The most colorful work photographs best, and I am still a crow, drawn to the bright and shiny.  I couldn’t include everybody here, but these are a few of my favorite Second-Year artists.

Nadia Haji Omar
www.nadiahajiomar.com

Rachel K. Jantzi

Yeonji Kim
www.yeokim.com

George Isaac Davis

Donna Cleary in her studio.
www.donnacleary.net

Julie Bahn
www.juliebahn.com

My classmates are amazing.  I wish I could show work from all of them.  But you know how you can see it?  Come to the second year shows at the SVA Gallery in January and in March.  And don’t miss our thesis show in April.  You’ll be amazed.

After migrating this site to a new host because the old one (I won’t name names) couldn’t keep up with WordPress updates, I have one important thing to say: when they tell you that the process will take 24-48 hours, DON’T BELIEVE THEM!  24 – 48 days is more like it!

But happily we are back now and encourage you, if you are not already a subscriber, to please subscribe and enjoy not only today’s usual fare of art plus angst, but future angst as well.

During the period when the blog was out of commission, I saw some great shows, including Rented Island at the Whitney, the Mike Kelley retrospective at MoMA’s P.S.1, and the Magritte show at MoMa.  Plus, through the group critique process I’ve seen a lot of amazing work from my fellow students in my own program, and by T.A.ing for Richard Mehl in the Advertising Department of the undergraduate school, I’ve been bowled over by what freshmen, driven and sleepless but never giving up, can accomplish.

I used to think that looking at too much of other people’s art would unduly influence my own.  I don’t think so anymore.  My giant paper scroll and I are doing fine together (term review in five days and I am NOT panicked.  Repeat: NOT panicked).  I’m pretty sure that the series of self-portraits with snakes and/or toads (not both – that would be gross) is my own idea.

If you’re interested in seeing my art, or that which is being produced by my classmates, please come visit us during our open studios next week, or plan to attend the second-year MFA exhibition that opens January 18th at the SVA gallery on West 26th (reception on January 23rd from 6-8 p.m.)

One of the best ways that artists can make a community is to show their work together and see how ideas are shared or opposed.  And one of the best ways art lovers like you and me can join that community is to see art and talk about it.

Who have you seen recently?