I may or may not have mentioned this already, but check out Idiotic Idioms, my weekly cartoon! I've emailed the Times Union and am hoping to hear back from them that they are interested in linking to it from their website. Keep your fingers crossed!
The reception on Friday at the Sherburne Memorial Library was wonderful. There was a decent turnout, and I had a chance to catch up with some family friends in Vermont. Thank you to the library staff for hosting this show, and to everybody who made it out that snowy night! The art will be hanging until January, at which point it's looking like it may shift to the Post Office in Killington - stay tuned for details!
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
Reception!
Tonight (Friday, December 14th) is the art reception at the Sherburne Memorial Library at 2998 River Road in Killington, Vermont. The opening will be from 5-7pm. Hope to see you there!
Friday, December 7, 2007
Buy handmade this holiday season!
Well, you all know about my shop at http://aephemera.etsy.com. Artwork is a thoughtful and personal gift, and buying handmade this season is a wonderful way to support people, rather than corporations, and it's always nice to be able to talk to the person who created something! Don't forget to take the pledge to buy handmade!
So this year I'm plugging handmade small businesses, crafters, and artists especially in my local area - meet some friends of mine. I can personally vouch for the superior quality and care in each of their products, and I see each of them at least once a week! Check out:
- Janet Nolin of ButterflyGrace Creations, my neighbor and friend who makes beautiful handmade journals and address books - she can also do custom books. She also sells handmade cards and photography here.
- Crooked Spoke Press (or Dan and "Fang" as I know them!), my boyfriend's neighbors who create hilarious tongue-in-cheek greeting cards (yes, and Christmas cards!) in their garage on an 100-year-old letterpress.
- SensibiliTeas, a loose tea shop run by a friend of mine, Donnalynn Milford, in the same building as my studio. I've given tea as a gift on so many occasions, and I'm hooked on it myself! She's got biodynamic, fair trade, and single estate teas too, and knows where each tea is made and how.
- The Candy Thief, my studiomate Casey's "Handmade Fancies For Funky and Fearless Females" - funky and feathery felt headbands, totes, handbags, pins, and neck coverings.
- Laura Neadle's cute animal shopping bag holders, great gifts for animal lovers. Laura's my teacher and also has a studio in the same building as I do. She also is an artist and has artwork for sale.
- Zack Zoll is another studiomate of mine and has photography and prints of his artwork available.
- Judy Olson Photography, a friend of mine who makes awesome hand-assembled calendars of her photographs and also does digital manipulations.
Happy Holiday Shopping!
So this year I'm plugging handmade small businesses, crafters, and artists especially in my local area - meet some friends of mine. I can personally vouch for the superior quality and care in each of their products, and I see each of them at least once a week! Check out:
- Janet Nolin of ButterflyGrace Creations, my neighbor and friend who makes beautiful handmade journals and address books - she can also do custom books. She also sells handmade cards and photography here.
- Crooked Spoke Press (or Dan and "Fang" as I know them!), my boyfriend's neighbors who create hilarious tongue-in-cheek greeting cards (yes, and Christmas cards!) in their garage on an 100-year-old letterpress.
- SensibiliTeas, a loose tea shop run by a friend of mine, Donnalynn Milford, in the same building as my studio. I've given tea as a gift on so many occasions, and I'm hooked on it myself! She's got biodynamic, fair trade, and single estate teas too, and knows where each tea is made and how.
- The Candy Thief, my studiomate Casey's "Handmade Fancies For Funky and Fearless Females" - funky and feathery felt headbands, totes, handbags, pins, and neck coverings.
- Laura Neadle's cute animal shopping bag holders, great gifts for animal lovers. Laura's my teacher and also has a studio in the same building as I do. She also is an artist and has artwork for sale.
- Zack Zoll is another studiomate of mine and has photography and prints of his artwork available.
- Judy Olson Photography, a friend of mine who makes awesome hand-assembled calendars of her photographs and also does digital manipulations.
Happy Holiday Shopping!
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Images of Lady Jane Grey
Lady Jane, the inspiration for the Rolling Stones song of the same name, reigned as Queen of England for nine days, and nobody knows for sure what she looked like. Jane was well educated, lauded as one of the most educated women of her time. She turned to her books as an escape from her mother, Frances Brandon, who was abusive and who beat her daughter daily for being too "meek and gentle" in an attempt to harden her. In 1546, she was sent to live as the ward of the more nurturing Catherine Parr, the wife of King Henry VIII. After King Henry VIII died, Catherine remarried Sir Thomas Seymour, and then died herself during the birth of her only child.
Jane went back to the custody of Brandon, who forced her to marry Lord Guilford Dudley against her will. With the help of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, the throne was willed to Jane by Edward VI and she was named Queen in 1553. She refused to name Dudley King, but offered to make him Duke of Clarence instead. Within only nine days, the people of England voiced their support for Mary Tudor to take the throne, and she did, charging Dudley and Jane with treason. The sentence was death, and she was beheaded in 1554 at the young age of seventeen.
To date, there is only one authenticated artistic rendering of Queen Jane. Several portraits have been thought to be her, but evidence has shown that none of them were painted from life.
Battista Spinola, a Genoeses merchant, has left a contemporary report of Jane's appearance:
'This Jana Groia...is very short and thin, but prettily shaped and graceful. She has small features and a well made nose, the mouth flexible and the lips red. The eyebrows are arched and darker than her hair, which is nearly red. Her eyes are sparkling...her colour good but freckled...In all, a charming...person...very small and short."
Experts at the England National Museum recently deduced that a portrait formerly thought to be Queen Jane was actually a portrait of Catherine Parr. Analysis of the jewels worn in the portrait below yielded this conclusion.
The "Streatham Portrait of Lady Jayne" underwent much scrutiny as well. Faint writing on the portrait reads "Lady Jayne" and was painted at the same time as the painting. Dr Libby Sheldon of the University College of London examined it using several techniques including spectroscopy and Raman laser microscopy, concluding that the painting is authentically Tudor-period in origin. However, dendrochronological analysis of the boards on which the portrait was painted yielded conclusive evidence that it was painted at least forty years after her death. So although it is possible that this is a copy of another painting that was painted while she was alive, there is no substantiation that this is what she really looked like.
In March 2007, Dr. David Starkey of Yale University discovered a brooch that was identified as portraying Queen Jane as the sitter in the portrait. By studying the jewelry worn by the portrait's subject, Starkey and experts conclude that "It is the first confirmed image of her painted in her lifetime."
References:
http://englishhistory.net/tudor/relative/janegrey.html
http://www.britannia.com/history/ladyjane/portrait.html
http://www.show.me.uk/site/news/STO969.html
http://www.somegreymatter.com/streathamportrait.htm
http://www.geocities.com/jane_the_quene/portraits.html
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article1469701.ece
Jane went back to the custody of Brandon, who forced her to marry Lord Guilford Dudley against her will. With the help of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, the throne was willed to Jane by Edward VI and she was named Queen in 1553. She refused to name Dudley King, but offered to make him Duke of Clarence instead. Within only nine days, the people of England voiced their support for Mary Tudor to take the throne, and she did, charging Dudley and Jane with treason. The sentence was death, and she was beheaded in 1554 at the young age of seventeen.
To date, there is only one authenticated artistic rendering of Queen Jane. Several portraits have been thought to be her, but evidence has shown that none of them were painted from life.
Battista Spinola, a Genoeses merchant, has left a contemporary report of Jane's appearance:
'This Jana Groia...is very short and thin, but prettily shaped and graceful. She has small features and a well made nose, the mouth flexible and the lips red. The eyebrows are arched and darker than her hair, which is nearly red. Her eyes are sparkling...her colour good but freckled...In all, a charming...person...very small and short."
Experts at the England National Museum recently deduced that a portrait formerly thought to be Queen Jane was actually a portrait of Catherine Parr. Analysis of the jewels worn in the portrait below yielded this conclusion.
The "Streatham Portrait of Lady Jayne" underwent much scrutiny as well. Faint writing on the portrait reads "Lady Jayne" and was painted at the same time as the painting. Dr Libby Sheldon of the University College of London examined it using several techniques including spectroscopy and Raman laser microscopy, concluding that the painting is authentically Tudor-period in origin. However, dendrochronological analysis of the boards on which the portrait was painted yielded conclusive evidence that it was painted at least forty years after her death. So although it is possible that this is a copy of another painting that was painted while she was alive, there is no substantiation that this is what she really looked like.
In March 2007, Dr. David Starkey of Yale University discovered a brooch that was identified as portraying Queen Jane as the sitter in the portrait. By studying the jewelry worn by the portrait's subject, Starkey and experts conclude that "It is the first confirmed image of her painted in her lifetime."
References:
http://englishhistory.net/tudor/relative/janegrey.html
http://www.britannia.com/history/ladyjane/portrait.html
http://www.show.me.uk/site/news/STO969.html
http://www.somegreymatter.com/streathamportrait.htm
http://www.geocities.com/jane_the_quene/portraits.html
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article1469701.ece
Monday, November 19, 2007
The story of the Pawn Girl
I went through a phase of drawing "woman monsters" - hideous caricatures of women whose only purpose was to destroy men. At the time I felt that this was how men saw women - as oppressive, destructive monsters, and that was how I felt myself. Inspired by a character in Pink Floyd's movie "The Wall" (1982) that morphs back and forth between skinny high-heeled flame-haired woman and hideous scorpion who stings the man, reduced to a puddle...
All of the above are scenes from Pink Floyd's "The Wall" (1982)
... I painted my own versions of the "woman monster", mimicking the gaping, consuming features that intimidated Pink in the movie, portraying the woman as oppressive and controlling, using her feminity against men.
Kate E. Austin, "Monster Women" One, Two, and Three, Watercolor, 2004.
This character had many incarnations, as a snake, a spider, a vampire...
Kate E. Austin, "Victim", Collage and acrylic paint, 2004.
This one shows the woman with blood on her face and fangs, and is titled "Victim" - I felt as if I was crying wolf when I complained about the relationship I was in, because I felt just as guilty of the controlling and manipulative tendencies, but was also hurt by his.
Kate E. Austin, "Spider and Fly", Colored pencil and watercolor on matboard, 2004.
This one was also inspired by the Rolling Stones song of the same name, in which the singer cheats on his girl, saying "hi, like a spider to a fly" to a woman at a bar. This one I liked so much that I made it into a mixed-media sculpture as well.
Kate E. Austin, "Lola", Mixed Media, 2006.
Over time, this character/self-caricature has evolved. I left that relationship and moved out of town. The character kept her thin shape, pale face, and flame-hair, but set out on her own. In a piece titled "Being without you is like being with you - It's lonely" she left the figure, locked up in his own cage. She grew her hair long and looked on with blank eyes and no face, desexualized, simplified, and mute.
Kate E. Austin, "It's Lonely", Colored pencil and marker, 2004.
Sometimes without even eyes, reduced to a white body, thin and purified, with her flaming hair. Her face was quiet, but not her hair...
Kate E. Austin, "Pawn", Mixed Media, 2005.
Finally she opened her mouth! After a brief fit of screaming...
Kate E. Austin, "Siren", Watercolor and pen, 2005
...This "pawn" girl, a symbol of simplicity, helplessness, being lost and yet independent and singular, loosened up. She started to bend and to become more playful. She began to enjoy her long locks, and to speak with the words behind her...
Kate E. Austin, "Pawn", watercolor on gesso, 2007.
Finally, she makes it to the end of the board and is "queened," as in chess, publicly, on a sidewalk in Glens Falls.
Kate E. Austin, "The Pawn is Queened", Chalk, 2007.
In recent incarnations, she's reclaimed her human form, flipped her hair back, and resurfaced, taking a gasp of air after being underwater for so long.
Kate E. Austin, "Dive", Acrylic and watercolor on yupo, 2007.
All of the above are scenes from Pink Floyd's "The Wall" (1982)
... I painted my own versions of the "woman monster", mimicking the gaping, consuming features that intimidated Pink in the movie, portraying the woman as oppressive and controlling, using her feminity against men.
Kate E. Austin, "Monster Women" One, Two, and Three, Watercolor, 2004.
This character had many incarnations, as a snake, a spider, a vampire...
Kate E. Austin, "Victim", Collage and acrylic paint, 2004.
This one shows the woman with blood on her face and fangs, and is titled "Victim" - I felt as if I was crying wolf when I complained about the relationship I was in, because I felt just as guilty of the controlling and manipulative tendencies, but was also hurt by his.
Kate E. Austin, "Spider and Fly", Colored pencil and watercolor on matboard, 2004.
This one was also inspired by the Rolling Stones song of the same name, in which the singer cheats on his girl, saying "hi, like a spider to a fly" to a woman at a bar. This one I liked so much that I made it into a mixed-media sculpture as well.
Kate E. Austin, "Lola", Mixed Media, 2006.
Over time, this character/self-caricature has evolved. I left that relationship and moved out of town. The character kept her thin shape, pale face, and flame-hair, but set out on her own. In a piece titled "Being without you is like being with you - It's lonely" she left the figure, locked up in his own cage. She grew her hair long and looked on with blank eyes and no face, desexualized, simplified, and mute.
Kate E. Austin, "It's Lonely", Colored pencil and marker, 2004.
Sometimes without even eyes, reduced to a white body, thin and purified, with her flaming hair. Her face was quiet, but not her hair...
Kate E. Austin, "Pawn", Mixed Media, 2005.
Finally she opened her mouth! After a brief fit of screaming...
Kate E. Austin, "Siren", Watercolor and pen, 2005
...This "pawn" girl, a symbol of simplicity, helplessness, being lost and yet independent and singular, loosened up. She started to bend and to become more playful. She began to enjoy her long locks, and to speak with the words behind her...
Kate E. Austin, "Pawn", watercolor on gesso, 2007.
Finally, she makes it to the end of the board and is "queened," as in chess, publicly, on a sidewalk in Glens Falls.
Kate E. Austin, "The Pawn is Queened", Chalk, 2007.
In recent incarnations, she's reclaimed her human form, flipped her hair back, and resurfaced, taking a gasp of air after being underwater for so long.
Kate E. Austin, "Dive", Acrylic and watercolor on yupo, 2007.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Famous Kate on TV-8
Tune in to "4 Seasons" on Glens Falls TV-8 on the following dates to see an interview with a very nervous and awkward Kate E. Austin in her studio at The Shirt Factory!
Monday, 11/19 at 8:00 PM
Tuesday, 11/20 at 5:00 PM
Thursday, 11/22 at 11:00 PM
Friday, 11/23 at 5:00 PM
It's in the second half of the show...
Monday, 11/19 at 8:00 PM
Tuesday, 11/20 at 5:00 PM
Thursday, 11/22 at 11:00 PM
Friday, 11/23 at 5:00 PM
It's in the second half of the show...
Monday, October 29, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Kate E. Austin News
INFO
First things first - Hopefully this isn't coming across as spam. You may have signed up at an art show or event for the newsletter, or perhaps I know you in person or came across your business card and added you to the list. I'll be mailing a newsletter periodically, whenever there’s news to be shared! If at any time you wish to be removed from the newsletter mailing list, reply to this e-mail or write to kate@aephemera.net with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line.
NEWS
On October first, I moved into a studio in The Shirt Factory at the corner of Lawrence and Cooper Streets in Glens Falls. I'm sharing the space with Casey The Candy Thief, Zack Zoll and Heidi Price. Come by sometime to check it out! It’s on the third floor, studio #307. We’re having an open studio on November 2nd – details below. Pictures of the studio are on the website, aephemera.net.
Also, I was voted in as Co-President of the North Country Arts Center at their annual members’ meeting. I'm very proud to be elected and hope I can do my best to kickstart the organization! We’re welcoming new faces, so please be in touch if you’re interested in membership.
ONLINE
There have been new images uploaded to the gallery, and there’s a blog that’s updated frequently at aephemera.net. Artwork for sale is being listed at the etsy store almost every day. Check these sites out to see some new stuff!
SHOWS
The show at Rock Hill Bakehouse ended at the beginning of October after a two-month run. I received many compliments and know that a wide audience was reached because of this location - special thanks to Matt Funiciello of Rock Hill for the show, to Cory Avon for the live music at the receptions, and to CE Skidmore for helping to publicize. Upcoming and current shows – all open to the public - are as follows:
Studio-Warming Party / Art Reception!
What: The Escape Artists (Kate E. Austin, The Candy Thief, Zack Zoll and Heidi Price welcome visitors to their brand-new studio in The Shirt Factory with an elegant wine reception. This is your chance to see behind the scenes!
Where: The Shirt Factory, Corner of Lawrence and Cooper Streets, Glens Falls, NY
When: Reception November 2nd 7:30 pm – Click to RSVP on MySpace!
North Country Arts Center presents UpStArt
Where: Glens Falls City Hall Gallery, 2nd floor at 42 Ridge Street, Glens Falls, NY
When: October 21st - November 3rd, 2007
Open House at The Shirt Factory
What: Annual Open House – come see the studios of all the artists in the old Troy Shirt Factory! This event is the perfect opportunity for Christmas shoppers.
Where: The Shirt Factory, Corner of Lawrence and Cooper Streets, Glens Falls, NY
When: Preview on Friday, November 23rd from 5:00 – 8:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday, November 24th and 25th from 10:00 – 5:00 pm
Killington Arts Guild show
Where: Sherburne Memorial Library, 2998 River Road, Killington, Vermont.
When: Autumn 2007
Kate E. Austin featured as part of the Third Thursday Art Walk
Where: Ridge Street Coffee Co., 1 Ridge Street, Glens Falls, NY.
When: Reception May 15th 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
CLASSES
In December, the studio will be hosting a bookmaking class taught by Janet Nolin of ButterflyGrace Creations. Space is extremely limited, so sign up soon. The class will take place December 6th at 6:00 pm in the studio on the third floor of The Shirt Factory, and the fee is $20 - this includes supplies. Reply to this e-mail to reserve your spot today!
I will also be teaching experimental painting classes beginning in January, and have a workshop on T-shirt modification in the works. Dates and details at the moment are vague, but please e-mail me if you are interested in either of these, or in a bookmaking class on a different date.
GOODBYE
I hope to see you at the Open Studio on the second! Please keep aephemera.net bookmarked on your web browser to check up on it from time to time – it’s always being updated.
Happy Halloween!
- Kate E. Austin
www.aephemera.net
First things first - Hopefully this isn't coming across as spam. You may have signed up at an art show or event for the newsletter, or perhaps I know you in person or came across your business card and added you to the list. I'll be mailing a newsletter periodically, whenever there’s news to be shared! If at any time you wish to be removed from the newsletter mailing list, reply to this e-mail or write to kate@aephemera.net with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line.
NEWS
On October first, I moved into a studio in The Shirt Factory at the corner of Lawrence and Cooper Streets in Glens Falls. I'm sharing the space with Casey The Candy Thief, Zack Zoll and Heidi Price. Come by sometime to check it out! It’s on the third floor, studio #307. We’re having an open studio on November 2nd – details below. Pictures of the studio are on the website, aephemera.net.
Also, I was voted in as Co-President of the North Country Arts Center at their annual members’ meeting. I'm very proud to be elected and hope I can do my best to kickstart the organization! We’re welcoming new faces, so please be in touch if you’re interested in membership.
ONLINE
There have been new images uploaded to the gallery, and there’s a blog that’s updated frequently at aephemera.net. Artwork for sale is being listed at the etsy store almost every day. Check these sites out to see some new stuff!
SHOWS
The show at Rock Hill Bakehouse ended at the beginning of October after a two-month run. I received many compliments and know that a wide audience was reached because of this location - special thanks to Matt Funiciello of Rock Hill for the show, to Cory Avon for the live music at the receptions, and to CE Skidmore for helping to publicize. Upcoming and current shows – all open to the public - are as follows:
Studio-Warming Party / Art Reception!
What: The Escape Artists (Kate E. Austin, The Candy Thief, Zack Zoll and Heidi Price welcome visitors to their brand-new studio in The Shirt Factory with an elegant wine reception. This is your chance to see behind the scenes!
Where: The Shirt Factory, Corner of Lawrence and Cooper Streets, Glens Falls, NY
When: Reception November 2nd 7:30 pm – Click to RSVP on MySpace!
North Country Arts Center presents UpStArt
Where: Glens Falls City Hall Gallery, 2nd floor at 42 Ridge Street, Glens Falls, NY
When: October 21st - November 3rd, 2007
Open House at The Shirt Factory
What: Annual Open House – come see the studios of all the artists in the old Troy Shirt Factory! This event is the perfect opportunity for Christmas shoppers.
Where: The Shirt Factory, Corner of Lawrence and Cooper Streets, Glens Falls, NY
When: Preview on Friday, November 23rd from 5:00 – 8:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday, November 24th and 25th from 10:00 – 5:00 pm
Killington Arts Guild show
Where: Sherburne Memorial Library, 2998 River Road, Killington, Vermont.
When: Autumn 2007
Kate E. Austin featured as part of the Third Thursday Art Walk
Where: Ridge Street Coffee Co., 1 Ridge Street, Glens Falls, NY.
When: Reception May 15th 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
CLASSES
In December, the studio will be hosting a bookmaking class taught by Janet Nolin of ButterflyGrace Creations. Space is extremely limited, so sign up soon. The class will take place December 6th at 6:00 pm in the studio on the third floor of The Shirt Factory, and the fee is $20 - this includes supplies. Reply to this e-mail to reserve your spot today!
I will also be teaching experimental painting classes beginning in January, and have a workshop on T-shirt modification in the works. Dates and details at the moment are vague, but please e-mail me if you are interested in either of these, or in a bookmaking class on a different date.
GOODBYE
I hope to see you at the Open Studio on the second! Please keep aephemera.net bookmarked on your web browser to check up on it from time to time – it’s always being updated.
Happy Halloween!
- Kate E. Austin
www.aephemera.net
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Studio-Warming Party!
The Escape Artists (Casey the Candy Thief, Zack Zoll, Heidi Price and Kate E. Austin) cordially invite you to check out their rad new studio at The Shirt Factory! All are invited!
This is a fancy-times art reception as well, so get your little black dress and/or tux out and let's do this up all posh-like. (Or come as you are, if you're not the dressy sort.)
Friday, November 2nd
7:30 pm
The Shirt Factory, Third Floor
CORNER OF COOPER & LAWRENCE STREETS, GLENS FALLS NY
Get in touch if you need directions. RSVP on MySpace or just show up! See you there!
This is a fancy-times art reception as well, so get your little black dress and/or tux out and let's do this up all posh-like. (Or come as you are, if you're not the dressy sort.)
7:30 pm
The Shirt Factory, Third Floor
CORNER OF COOPER & LAWRENCE STREETS, GLENS FALLS NY
Get in touch if you need directions. RSVP on MySpace or just show up! See you there!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
The studio!
Well, I'm all moved in! There could be some minor rearrangings, but I'm mostly settled. Right now the walls are a little bare because I've got some pieces at the Glens Falls City Hall Gallery. Pardon the stray easel in this shot:
Monday, October 22, 2007
Co-President!
I'm now the Co-President of the North Country Arts Center! We had our annual member's meeting on Sunday and I was elected in. On Saturday we hung a show in the City Hall Gallery in Glens Falls for UpStArt Arts Forum, and I've got several pieces in the show, as well. If you're in town, pop in to City Hall to see - if you take the elevator to the second floor, there it is!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Gus Fink Interview!
Consume Till Death, copyright Gus Fink
After seeing my review in the blog, Gus Fink contacted me and informed me that I was mistaken on certain points of my review. He asked if I would interview him and write a more accurate article and I agreed. We wrote back and forth on MySpace and I asked him some tough questions, which he answered gracefully.
Fink related that he was never going for a gimmick, but that he wanted to praise his deceased grandfather for being his childhood role model. He also made art under his own name, Josh Fields, but creating as Gus Fink helped him to deal with his grandfather's death. Besides Gus Fink, he has used other aliases to paint as well, including Alice Koon, his female character. He booked a show as Alice Koon, engaged in a collaborative project under the guise of Irving Berman, worked with a friend as Ed Beans, and his latest work has sold on eBay under the name Enwood Berger. Gus Fink has been living off his work since 2001, and has pushed his friends to do the same, with great success - his friend Jesse Reno brought in over $50,000 last year, Fink says.
I have always been overwhelmed at the fellow's productivity, and being able to live off one's art would account for some of that. When I questioned the time frame involved in each piece, Fink relayed that it could take anywhere from ten minutes to three hours to complete a work. He says that it's draining and often it's difficult to work for more than 4 straight hours, but that he multitasks as he works, and that he goes through phases alternating large pieces and small ones. He uses the cheapest materials he can find, including cardboard and found objects, as can be seen in his eBay store.
I was mistaken before by insinuating that Gus Fink had formal art training. He corrected me and said that his only related training is in computers, PhotoShop and Flash - meanwhile, most of his art is handmade, and he only uses the computer to scan the finished images into the computer. He lists his influences as Todd MacFarlane, Sam Keith, Jim Henson, George Lucas, and all the "cool horror movies of the 80's". He says that he always pictured himself as becoming more of a Walt Disney sort of figure, rather than a painter/artist. Gus is married with two daughters now, and even his wife calls him Gus Fink. He is looking into changing his name in the future and has cashed many a money order or check under the name.
I recalled that in the eBay listings several years ago, the character of Gus Fink lamented his dead wife and claimed her death to be his reason for his artwork. In reality, Gus' grandmother is still living, and when I asked him what she thought of the claim, he replied that she had a good sense of humor and was glad to see his grandfather's memory with so much recognition and success. I also asked Gus about the reaction of his customers when he was outed on the internet as Josh Fields, and he said that most of them were already aware due to his outrageous bio, and many thought it was genius. He said that maybe two out of 600 collectors were upset and he offered their money back. Fink said that most of the people who were offended were jealous artists who weren't selling their art well. He was actually surprised to see my review, since there hasn't been any negative publicity since 2003 or so. I attribute this to Fink's excellent vigilance and desire for good press, and his impressive track record and damage control proves him nothing short of a brilliant businessman. Speaking of which, he's had quite a few accomplishments, including comic books, magazines, and his latest series of toys, which are linked to from his website, GusFink.com.
Fink concluded our interview with some advice to artists just starting out: "Give it your all, don't give up and you'll find your own way. It's better to find your own way on anything in life then to get too much advice from others. I learned that and its good for others to know it too."
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
My art will be in a movie!
The motion picture that's being made here in the Glens Falls area filmed a scene at Rock Hill Bakehouse Cafe directly in front of one of my pieces! I heard about it and wrote to the director of the film, Colin Bannon, and he said he loves my art and will credit me and aephemera.net in the movie. Keep an eye out for "Love Conquers Paul," touring independent film festivals and showing at the Glens Falls Centennial Celebration next year!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Art News - Studio!
Well, we're moving into the studio! It needs a good sweep and some paint and extra light fixtures, but we should be up and running soon. We've decided to call our group "The Escape Artists" - I'll update once we have a better idea of what our hours will be, but if you feel like walking by to see if we're in, here's where the studio is:
Click for Google Maps.
It's at the corner of Cooper and Lawrence Streets in Glens Falls, on the third floor. The number is 307 - it's closer to Lawrence Street, in that right-hand leg of the "L" seen above. If you go in via the Lawrence Street entrance (by the Tom Myott Gallery) and take the elevator up to the third floor, you'll walk out of the elevator, take a left, and then take a right down a corridor, and ours is the one that says 309 on the wall and 307 on the door. Soon, I'll be putting up signs all around the building so you can find me when you walk in! Stay tuned...
Click for Google Maps.
It's at the corner of Cooper and Lawrence Streets in Glens Falls, on the third floor. The number is 307 - it's closer to Lawrence Street, in that right-hand leg of the "L" seen above. If you go in via the Lawrence Street entrance (by the Tom Myott Gallery) and take the elevator up to the third floor, you'll walk out of the elevator, take a left, and then take a right down a corridor, and ours is the one that says 309 on the wall and 307 on the door. Soon, I'll be putting up signs all around the building so you can find me when you walk in! Stay tuned...
Art News - Studio
Well, we're moving into the studio! It needs a good sweep and some paint and extra light fixtures, but we should be up and running soon. We've decided to call our group "The Escape Artists" - I'll update once we have a better idea of what our hours will be, but if you feel like walking by to see if we're in, here's where the studio is:
Click for Google Maps.
It's at the corner of Cooper and Lawrence Streets in Glens Falls, on the third floor. The number is 307 - it's closer to Lawrence Street, in that right-hand leg of the "L" seen above. If you go in via the Lawrence Street entrance (by the Tom Myott Gallery) and take the elevator up to the third floor, you'll walk out of the elevator, take a left, and then take a right down a corridor, and ours is the one that says 309 on the wall and 307 on the door. Soon, I'll be putting up signs all around the building so you can find me when you walk in! Stay tuned...
Click for Google Maps.
It's at the corner of Cooper and Lawrence Streets in Glens Falls, on the third floor. The number is 307 - it's closer to Lawrence Street, in that right-hand leg of the "L" seen above. If you go in via the Lawrence Street entrance (by the Tom Myott Gallery) and take the elevator up to the third floor, you'll walk out of the elevator, take a left, and then take a right down a corridor, and ours is the one that says 309 on the wall and 307 on the door. Soon, I'll be putting up signs all around the building so you can find me when you walk in! Stay tuned...
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Art Review - Gus Fink
Using a "brush name" comprised of his childhood nickname "Gus" and his grandfather's last name, "Finklestein", twentysomething right-handed artist Josh Fields fabricated a biography of mentally ill middle-aged widower Gus Fink. He used this character to sell offbeat artwork drawn with his left hand at low prices on Ebay, his listings accompanied by the faux life story, selling art like hotcakes. Fink is an Ebay phenomena, having sold thousands of his works supported by the guise, and is considered one of the greatest Ebay hoaxers. His true identity was outed on the internet, and has since dropped the bio of Gus Fink, but kept the name and continues to sell. He's now internationally collected and has shown in galleries across the country, been spotted in major motion pictures, and illustrated several books. His self-branded "outsider art" appeals to horror fans, goth kids, and collectors of strange things.
Some of Fink's work covers the standard "cute horror" art themes: creepy children, cute cartoons, guts, pointed teeth, religious undertones, adorable animals like bunnies, kittens and birds, characters with wide-set low eyes and large heads, splatters, scribbles, stitches, and primitive animals and figures that look as if drawn by a child. Despite his goal to create art on his own in the vein of self-taught "folk art", without the influence of teachers or fellow artists, the style and characters of nightmarish comic book artists Jhonen Vasquez and Roman Dirge are an obvious influence over Fink's work.
However, Fink builds on that base and branches off from the usual themes to develop his style. Much of his work is "altered art", using old photographs, board games, dictionaries, even straw wrappers and multivitamins as a base - pretty much anything that strikes him as being worthy of rebirth as art. He draws his frightening figures using a mixed-media grab bag that might include acrylic paint, pencils, oil sticks, Sharpies, inks, tape, china marker, and/or pen over those base materials to create something new. The mixed media and underlying material lend a fresh spin and unique flavour to the tired cute horror fad.
When it comes to Fink's work, it is less complicated to speak on the works as a whole as opposed to choosing one or two on which to comment, because the pieces are so multitudinous. To view the volume of his pieces, one must conclude that his process is impulsive, and that he must work often, completing more than one piece in a sitting. His composition and line is crude, and his palette limited - but of course, that's the gimmick.
Fink currently has several comic books published, and is releasing a series of Boogilyheads dolls. More news and a gallery of his works can be seen at his website, http://www.gusfink.com.
3 Horrids, Gus Fink
Some of Fink's work covers the standard "cute horror" art themes: creepy children, cute cartoons, guts, pointed teeth, religious undertones, adorable animals like bunnies, kittens and birds, characters with wide-set low eyes and large heads, splatters, scribbles, stitches, and primitive animals and figures that look as if drawn by a child. Despite his goal to create art on his own in the vein of self-taught "folk art", without the influence of teachers or fellow artists, the style and characters of nightmarish comic book artists Jhonen Vasquez and Roman Dirge are an obvious influence over Fink's work.
However, Fink builds on that base and branches off from the usual themes to develop his style. Much of his work is "altered art", using old photographs, board games, dictionaries, even straw wrappers and multivitamins as a base - pretty much anything that strikes him as being worthy of rebirth as art. He draws his frightening figures using a mixed-media grab bag that might include acrylic paint, pencils, oil sticks, Sharpies, inks, tape, china marker, and/or pen over those base materials to create something new. The mixed media and underlying material lend a fresh spin and unique flavour to the tired cute horror fad.
When it comes to Fink's work, it is less complicated to speak on the works as a whole as opposed to choosing one or two on which to comment, because the pieces are so multitudinous. To view the volume of his pieces, one must conclude that his process is impulsive, and that he must work often, completing more than one piece in a sitting. His composition and line is crude, and his palette limited - but of course, that's the gimmick.
Fink currently has several comic books published, and is releasing a series of Boogilyheads dolls. More news and a gallery of his works can be seen at his website, http://www.gusfink.com.
3 Horrids, Gus Fink
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Art Review - "Crossing Borders"
To arrive at Gardenworks in Salem, New York, one must first drive through farmlands and fields, twisting country roads and sunlit groves. Raspberry fields and friendly staff welcome you to the store and gallery, an old converted barn housing local produce, homemade jams and cheeses, and kitschy home décor, arranged busily. To get to the gallery upstairs, you must first pass rows and rows of dried flowers on pegs, reminiscent of colonial life.
In the gallery, the ceiling is high and the barn doors are open, allowing the sunlight to brighten the gallery. Light streams in through cracks in the big wooden slats of the walls. Laura Neadle’s work hangs on large white panels suspended from the walls and beams in the old barn. Dusty and cobwebbed antique farm tools are placed decoratively in the middle of the floor. Laura’s work pops off the panels at you – framed in gold to catch the sunlight, her colors brighter than the capabilities of paint. There is a unique texture used throughout her paintings – most notably in her work “Pillars of Stone”. This texture, combined with the bright colors and dramatic composition, sets a theme for her show, which is titled “Crossing Borders”.
She uses inks as her base, poured on yupo and inlaid with foreign texture. The texture is created by laying plastic wrap in the ink while it’s wet and then letting it dry. She then peels it off, and paints with watercolor over the interesting ink shapes. The bright oranges and warm yellows used throughout the show pop off the page, while the distinctive textures, and use of dark, heavy paint in her watercolors differentiate her landscapes from the traditional brand so common in the Adirondacks.
Her subject matter is unique, as well. These are not your typical locations for landscape paintings – they are off the beaten path, farmland most people drive by without noticing; bridges, quarries and shops documented on a lazy drive through the country. She concentrates on Rupert and Salem, where the show takes place, and the viewer’s long, languid drive out to Gardenworks sets the mood for the works. Take “Between Salem and Bedlam Corners” for instance – this piece is a landscape, but it’s no typical lake or forest scene. The texture of the foreground is that same ink-and-plastic-wrap technique, and looks like a stained-glass scene, stretching into the distance with extreme perspective. Houses are barely visible in the background – this is a familiar scene to anybody who’s gone for a drive through the country in Upstate New York, but the intensity of the dark-blue mountains and the rough texture of the dark soil makes it almost surreal.
All the houses in Neadle’s work are distant, always dwarfed by mountains or sky, and always outdone by the colors of nature. In “Red Sky at Night”, she uses the paper in a portrait fashion, rather than horizontally as most landscapes, and ¾ of the page is an intense red and blue sky, above what would be a bland watercolor of a house save for the color-storm hovering above it. “Farm Near Rupert” is practically abstract, a farmhouse in the distance, reverse-silhouetted by dark colors, with an enormous foreground of color leaping off the page in that stained-glass texture.
Neadle also had some traditional landscapes for the more conventional taste, admitting that some of it was older, and noting that her newest traditional landscapes are much freer, easier, and looser after her experimental materials and colors. The show blends with the location incredibly well, with a modern and surrealistic spin on the old standbys.
This show can be seen at http://www.lauraneadle.com under “Galleries” and “Gardenworks”.
Between Salem and Bedlam Corners, Laura Neadle
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Art Show - Lake George Lakefront Walkway Show
The First Annual Lake George Lakefront Walkway Show was well-attended, but unfortunately not by people seeking art. I'm grateful for the exposure, but I don't think I'll do this show next year unless they decide to advertise it better. I spent most of the day plein air painting (and getting a sunburn!), and created a new piece - Wishes. It's just about finished in the above picture. This piece is on a large piece of yupo, painted blue with acrylic paint, and then overlaid with watercolor drips and spatters. The swirls are places where I wiped away the watercolor to show the blue acrylic paint underneath. I touched everything up with watercolor. With pen, I wrote thoughts, wishes, prayers, and affirmations in the swirls coming out of the figure's mouth.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Art Show - Stockade Villagers Art Show
Well, it was a long day at the show September 8th in Schenectady, but I made back my entrance fee, selling four prints. Hopefully those buyers will check out the website! The weather was beautiful, if not a little hot, and only sprinkled a few times. We packed up in the rain, but made it out with no damage! My only complaint is that it would have been nice if there were vegetarian options available at the show. See you again next year, Stockade!
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Update!
The Shirt Factory Holiday Open House was a great success! I couldn't count all the foot traffic, but it was a pretty constant flow, and I did make some sales... and a woman from Warrensburg asked if I'd like to consign some prints to her shop, MarenDunn!
Etsy sales are picking up, too. Don't forget to check and see what's new at http://aephemera.etsy.com! Soon I'll be listing some holiday artwork.
I've made a new blog for the idioms series at and will be updating it every Monday. Start at the beginning to try and guess the answers...
Tonight I'm hanging a show up at the Sherburne Memorial Library in Killington, Vermont. The show will hang through January. Be sure to check back to the website to see when the reception will be. It would be lovely to see you there!
Etsy sales are picking up, too. Don't forget to check and see what's new at http://aephemera.etsy.com! Soon I'll be listing some holiday artwork.
I've made a new blog for the idioms series at
Tonight I'm hanging a show up at the Sherburne Memorial Library in Killington, Vermont. The show will hang through January. Be sure to check back to the website to see when the reception will be. It would be lovely to see you there!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
