The Hunter

This is a piece that Mindy and I created for my brother as a Christmas gift. It is based off of a piece of 1920’s illustration of a German hunter that I wanted to use for a Cougar Hunter shirt for him. Our family has had an ongoing joke about my brother’s prowess at the bars and I wanted to commemorate it in some form. Spending less time in the printshop then I used to, I felt that this would be easier than printing a line of shirts for him, but those may get printed someday.


{I know “couger” is misspelled. I didn’t feel like changing it for you}

Having recently visited the Masters of Impressionism exhibit at the De Young Museum I wanted to have the piece be fairly colorful and impressionistic yet masculine. I think we pulled it off pretty well. I painted the background and penciled in the figure, Mindy painted in the main tones. I then exaggerated the shadows and highlights and outlined it all in paint pen. Mindy put on the final touches and added some bleeding tissue paper collage to give it some texture.

Alley Art – This Weekend

The time is upon us. This weekend the greatest collection of bowling pin art ever assembled in Tuolumne City will be displayed from Friday the 21st through Sunday the 23rd at the Black Oak Casino Bowling Alley. My jaw drops further with each pin that is submitted. There is a mass of untapped artistry and creativity that is going to be released upon this county like the latest oil spill; staining everything in it’s path with awesomeness. Many of these creatives have never shown their work publicly so you have no idea what to expect. Do yourself a favor and stop by, grab a white russian and take a gander.

The Return of the Returning Show!

Good news everybody! I have recently been called upon by the Central Sierra Arts Council to resurrect the exhibit of young local artists, known as the Returning Show! The collection will be hung at the newly remodeled Stage 3 Theatre in downtown Sonora, CA. Many of the artist from the previous show will be displaying new works along with some new talent not yet seen in by the art community. The show is slated to run from September 18th–October 18th so don’t miss it. The reception will most likely be on Friday, Sept 18th with more art and an after party at the Frog & Fiddle (located right across the street). Negotiations with Fantasy Metal Island are in the works for the musical entertainment. I will post any new information for this event as I get it.

Here is a glimpse at some pieces I am working on that will make their appearance at the show:

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{more linoleum icons for monoprints}

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{Tucker v UTL : mixed media : collaborative piece in progress}

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{I… I think I just saw something in the bushes…}

Artist Survey #16: Travis Logan

I met Travis some time after his brother Derrick and I became good friends which would have been sometime late in my elementary school career. He is older than us and was keen to a whole world of things we had yet to discover. He has greatly influenced Derrick’s life and as result mine too. I was introduced to heavy metal, psychotic cartoons and violent comics because of the Logan boys and I haven’t been the same since. Look for some of his work to return to Tuolumne County in the near future.

SELFPORT

{Digital Collage : Self Portrait}
CONSTRUC
{Ceramic : Constructing Deconstruction}
GAMBLEWI
{Mixed : Gambling with Everything}
TIBETSWE
{Digital Art : Tibet Sweat}
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{New triptych in progress : Acrylic on Canvas}

Name: Travis Logan

Location: Las Vegas, NV.

Medium(s): Oil, water, and acrylic Paint; Ceramic, plaster, steel and fiberglass sculptures; Graphite, charcoal, and ink drawing; Photography, digital and S.L.R, digital image creation, film-making and cartooning.

What do you consider yourself (artist/designer/other)? I am an artist but I still have trouble labeling myself as one. I know I’m an artist but feel that there are negative connotations as well as certain stigmas connected to being an artist.

Where can we see your work (place/publications/url)? Travislogan.net when my web page is up. Right now I’m working on updating it and have taken it down.

When did you start gaining interest in artistic forms of expression? When I was very young, maybe 4 years old.

Who/What inspired your interest? On the surface, I originally wanted to draw and make things that I thought looked cool and that others might like as well. I can’t name one individual inspiration because the list would probably be several pages long. Deep down I’ve always had the desire to create and turn ordinary items into art. Whether that is a painting with hidden images and meaning or sculpting something unnatural but visually intriguing.

Where do you first remember being exposed to art? I would say preschool. The first project I remember was tracing my hand on a plate that would be made into a dish. Of course this was something Cavemen did well before I had this idea but none the less, that got the gears turning and they haven’t stopped since.

What is your day job? Artist

Why do you create? I just have to! No matter where I am, good or bad, if I can at least draw it has a calming effect on me and gets me into a peaceful state of mind.

Is there any recurring theme in your work? I like to create images inside of larger images or objects. The idea is: nothing is what it seams! The material I use and the imagery may be different and constantly changing style but there is always a “surrealistic” dreamlike theme to my work.

What do you want from your work? A feeling of completion, satisfaction, accomplishment and pride is probably what I look for most with a finished peace.

What do you want viewers to take from your work? I would like viewers to be entertained. I want the viewer to get caught up in the image or object and truly take some time looking at it and possibly become transfixed; not just glance and say, “oh that’s nice, this would go well in the bathroom next to the shells and candles.”

How often do you work on personal projects? Everything I do is personal, some pieces are more heart felt than others but they are always personally meaningful; However I work on art projects not related to galleries or work daily. Unfortunately I have to many ideas and not enough time.

How often do you work on commissions or commercial work? In the past I have not worked on anything besides the ideas that came to mind with the exception of school projects. Recently, I have been working on paintings and some clothing designs for a couple of individuals who have commissioned me for my services. I would say fifty percent of my time is spent on projects for others.

Does your art support you financially? For the most part no, I could survive on what I make but I would have to sleep in my car and eat bugs for lunch (haha).

Do you feel preoccupied with your art, do you think about it often during the day and night and do you anticipate your next session? Yes but not in a negative way. Art is just part of life. I analyze the shapes, colors, images, and composition of every thing around me. I often wake up in the middle of the night or can’t sleep because I have to get ideas out or create something. I often feel like I have too many projects going at once and more ideas surfacing all the time. Life is too short for everything I want to create!

What do you do in your spare time besides your art? I enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, backpacking and rock climbing. I used to love to go to the movies and still do occasionally; however I can’t stop my self from criticizing and picking apart all the flaws in the plot, editing, and cinematography. Blockbuster films have far too large of  budgets to be pumping out such crap, but I digress.

Which musicians are you currently interested in? NIN, Pearl Jam, Black Crows, Mudvayne, Beastie Boys, Tool, Bob Dylan, Waylon Jennings, Frank Sinatra, Digital Underground, E-40 and Credence Clearwater. I am really interested in the Beastie Boys most of all.

Are there any events you are looking forward to attending? I don’t have anything planned but I would like to go see Dov Davidoff, the comedian, soon.

How long do you generally take on a piece? It can take me any where from a few weeks to a few years to complete a piece. If I really don’t like the way something is coming out I will put it up for a while and wait for inspiration. If it ends up I’m not feeling right about it after a while it becomes recycled in to another project.

Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of a significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of your art? Yes, I guess you could say that I didn’t see eye to eye with the last company I worked for. I was framing and matting art at the time. In short, they wanted to make a profit any way they could and I didn’t think the corners being cut (No pun intended) were ethical.

Do you work on multiple projects at once? Yes, I have to work on a few at a time. I bounce around from piece to piece, partly to keep myself thinking but mostly because I have a short attention span.

Artist Survey #14: Lindsey Lutts

I met Lindsey during preparations for the Returning Show. The punk rock attitude captured in many of her photos contrasted nicely with the clean photography of other artists (check out her web page for more examples). She grew up here in Sonora and has since moved to the Bay Area. Despite the distance she is always willing to make the drive up to the foothills to help with our struggling youth art scene. Look for her work at the next foothill art event.

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(Ocean Necklace by Lindsey – Silver hand made chain mail all soldered
with turquoise and hydrologic press silver charms etched in acid.)

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Name: Lindsey

Location: San Francisco

Medium(s): Photographer, Metal Artist/ Jewelry, Ceramics, Knitting, Graphic Designer

What do you consider yourself (artist/designer/other)? Starving Artist maybe because I am still trying to figure out how to do it for a living. It’s hard to consider myself an artist when everyone thinks they are an artist. Anyone with a finger can push a button on a camera. It takes a lot to stand out in the world today and to not blend in with the masses.

Where can we see your work (place/publications/url)? Photolindsey.com but it is very out of date. Myspace.com/photolindsey has weekly updates of musician/band photos.

When did you start gaining interest in artistic forms of expression? Ever since I can remember.

Who/What inspired your interest? Almost anything can inspire me, a color or combination of colors, a smell that reminds me of a time, a feeling, the way light falls upon something, and pretty much every kind of art.

Where do you first remember being exposed to art? My family has always encouraged me be artistic from the time I could hold a paint brush. We made ceramics, paintings, and various crafts all the time. When I was 12 I took an underwater photo with one of those plastic disposable cameras that came out pretty cool. I think it still might be my favorite photo I have taken. Right away it stood out so my Grandma took it to get enlarged at a photo shop. Someone there saw it and bought a large copy for his law office wall. When my Grandma called me from the print shop and asked me if she could sell it and than brought me a check, I realized that this was what I was going to do for the rest of my life.

What is your day job? Accountant (yeah boring I know). I have worked in many types of photography jobs in the past but sold out for the higher paying job. I am not sure if I would recommend it but I have learned a ton that will help me when I decide to start my own business.

Why do you create? It is the only thing I do that makes me completely one hundred percent happy. It is my escape from the world but it is also my interpretation of the world and how it affects me.

Is there any recurring theme in your work? I go through different phases and if I figure out what they are at the time I am shooting them instead of after, I go with it and try to stick with it. It is usually just one word like decay, serenity, or sound…

What do you want from your work? I don’t think I want it to give me anything but I will give to it. Does that make sense at all? Haha

What do you want viewers to take from your work? To see me. Also if my work provokes a feeling inside someone no matter what the feeling is, it is successful.

How often do you work on personal projects? Always. I consider it all personal.

How often do you work on commissions or commercial work? I work for a small magazine photographing bands and submit to many other magazines monthly. Some of my photos will be in AMP Magazine’s next issue. I recently set up a studio in my house so I am starting to shoot a lot more band portraits, families, kids, and pin ups.

Does your art support you financially? No, that is my ultimate goal though.

Do you feel preoccupied with your art, do you think about it often during the day and night and do you anticipate your next session? Yes, like right now I am at work and really need to be at home working on some Riverboat Gamblers photos for a magazine. If I wait too long, other photos will be used.

What do you do in your spare time besides your art? It is really hard for me to go anywhere without a camera. I am trying to think of an instance when I do not have one with me. I think I am always working and looking for things that inspire me. It could be something as simple as a color or texture or something amazing that is just about to happen around the corner and I am ready for it. If I did not have my camera I would miss it. I have this strange kind of fear that I am going to miss something and in turn am constantly shooting. I do other things in my spare time but they always end up becoming about the photos that I can get while doing it.

Which musicians are you currently interested in? Gaslight Anthem, American Steel, Get Dead, Dead to Me, Samiam, The Clash, Drag the River, Devil Makes 3, Johnny Cash…

Are there any events you are looking forward to attending? Punk Rock Bowling in Las Vegas next week. Hundreds of bands and record labels form bowling teams and come from all over for a crazy week in Vegas. There are tournaments and shows going on the whole time. The teams all make their own uniforms and come to bowl and drink 24 hours a day. This is one of my favorite things to photograph every year.

Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of a significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of your art? I don’t think so but I know a lot of people who have. I have only lost parts of myself and my time by not doing more art.

Do you work on multiple projects at once? Always. Imagine trying to take just one photo, or trying to choose just one after a shoot.

Do you have trouble parting with your finished work? Sometimes. I make handmade jewelry and that is much harder to part with than a photograph. A photograph can be duplicated in its raw form but Jewelry can not. I once spent over 200 hours on one piece and don’t see myself selling it anytime soon.

Artist Survey #13: BZ Smith

I was introduced to BZ at a post-Thanksgiving celebration in 2007. We found we had many things in common, including the dream of seeing Sonora as an artisticly centered community with heavy youth involvement. Ever since she has been introducing me to local artists, designers, board members, organizations, entrepreneurs and festivals. Until recently she was a member of the Central Sierra Arts Council with which I try to volunteer as much as possible. She is an advocate for youth arts and nurturing the future of our community as well as preserving it’s rich history. I really can’t say enough great things about BZ, her open heart or her sharp mind.

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Name: B.Z. Smith

Location: Tuolumne County

Medium(s): Mixed Media, Storytelling.

What do you consider yourself (artist/designer/other)? Performance artist & dabbler into visual arts

Where can we see your work (place/publications/url)? www.thestoryquilters.com for storytelling information.  I have an award-winning CD published with Cynthia Restivo and Bill Roberson by that name:  The Story Quilters.  It’s available at CDBaby.com and in Tuol-Co at Mountain Bookshop

When did you start gaining interest in artistic forms of expression? In the womb.

Who/What inspired your interest? I have a crazy artistic family.  It is in my genes.

Where do you first remember being exposed to art? Yep.  In the womb.

What is your day job? Art.

Why do you create? I have to create.  My heart, my mind drive me to create, to build, to get messy!

Is there any recurring theme in your work? Childhood journeys come up a lot. I’m just finishing a painting called “Childhood’s Dreams.” It’s about my forever quest to live in France, to remove myself from American culture, and live in the dream-state of Romantic Paris—a fantasy world that does not even exist!  Another recurring theme is my relationship with nature—the sea, earth elements. Within those themes, I have a signature that I’ve developed that I call “tangled.” Wires, beads, bits of pottery that make up a tangled mess—a lot like my life.

What do you want from your work? I want the joy of knowing I’ve connected with an audience to express some common feeling or shared value. This comes up a lot in storytelling.  I hope to make these same connections through my visual work.

What do you want viewers to take from your work? That same sense of connection.  And I hope to leave a question dangling in the air that lets the audience/viewers ponder their own thoughts.

How often do you work on personal projects? Constantly.

How often do you work on commissions or commercial work? My storytelling? A lot. My visual art, not at all.

Does your art support you financially? Yes. My storytelling has given me a decent supplement to other income for many years.

Do you feel preoccupied with your art, do you think about it often during the day and night and do you anticipate your next session? My art work does take up a lot of mind space!

What do you do in your spare time besides your art? Sleep.

Which musicians are you currently interested in? Well, the list is long…Today it’s Gogol Bordello. Yesterday it was Tim Minchen. It’s always Vivaldi and Mozart. Tomorrow it might be Polka Accordion. My musical tastes and experiences are very eclectic. I am all over the musical map!

Are there any events you are looking forward to attending? The Strawberry Music Festival.

How long do you generally take on a piece? Storytelling—years. Each story sits in me, evolving over a course of time. I might learn a story to tell on the very same day, but that same story in two years will be completely different with a much deeper sub-text. It has lived in me, and I in it. Paintings—I tend to do the main piece rather quickly in one day. Then I let it sit for a while. Later I may change it, augment it—or even paint over it completely.

Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of a significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of your art? Yes. I get so absorbed in my work that I lose sight of anything else. I make a huge mess, and it spreads into my partner’s space. Once my husband, the dear and departed Rick Thorpe, said, “Every time I create a new horizontal surface, you fill it up!”

Do you work on multiple projects at once? Unfortunately, yes. And this is what gets me in trouble.

Do you have trouble parting with your finished work? No. Make it. Love it. Pass it on!

Artist Survey #9: Corey West

Corey is a local artist who’s work has exploded in our county. She is a really hard worker, attending all of the festivals and craft fairs in the county. She also beautifully frames and mattes work. I go to her for all of my presentation needs. Even Jesus was prepared by her!

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Name: Corey West

Location: Sonora, CA

Medium(s): mixed : watercolor, acrylic, ink, collage and found objects

What do you consider yourself (artist/designer/other)? well- good art has good design – so shouldn’t artists be designers as well?

Where can we see your work (place/publications/url)? Ventana Gallery (Sonora), San Francisco Design Center (Hinc Showroom) www.coreywest.artspan.com

When did you start gaining interest in artistic forms of expression? I don’t remember not having interest in artistic forms of expression.

Who/What inspired your interest? It has always been there, but my dad helped me grow my interest by encouraging it.

Where do you first remember being exposed to art? It has always been around me.

What is your day job? I work in my studio full time – painting and custom framing

Why do you create? That is hard to answer. Creating art is such a part of me… it is who I am. I can’t imagine not creating…

Is there any recurring theme in your work? Not necessarily.

What do you want from your work? I want my work to inspire me to keep learning and growing.

What do you want viewers to take from your work? There is a lot, but basically if I can make people smile, give them inspiration – I am happy. My work is happy – there is so much doom and gloom out there and if I can portray a happier life then I am doing my job.

How often do you work on personal projects? As much as possible.

How often do you work on commissions or commercial work? Often, but even the commercial work and commissions I have a way of turning them into personal projects (makes it much more fun to do).

Does your art support you financially? Pays the studio bills, but that is all for now.

Do you feel preoccupied with your art, do you think about it often during the day and night and do you anticipate your next session? If I am not in the studio painting I am thinking about what I am going to work on next.

What do you do in your spare time besides your art? I don’t have spare time. I take care of my baby and run a business where I do framing, painting, make purses from repurposed fabric, jewelry…so there is no free time.

Which musicians are you currently interested in? I listen to my baby’s musical toys more than anything so the only thing stuck in my brain is the abc’s!

Are there any events you are looking forward to attending? A friend of mine is working on opening a gallery in the Oakland area and showing my work…I am very excited about that.

How long do you generally take on a piece? It varies. Anywhere from a day to a week sometimes more.

Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of a significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of your art? I have never been in a situation where it would be an issue.

Do you work on multiple projects at once? Yes.

Do you have trouble parting with your finished work? No. My work is very personal, but once it is done I move on. And besides, if I am ever going to make a living at this I have to be willing to part with it.

Artist Survey #2: Megan Tucker

I have known Megan Tucker since we were very young. Living in the same small town we went to the same elementary school and knew a lot of the same people. She recently became active in our local art scene and is someone I can always count on to help further our local underground arts movement.

(Down to the Roots)
(O! Brother)

Name: Tucker

Location: Sonora,CA

Medium(s): anything and everything-mixed media

What do you consider yourself (artist/designer/other)? Painter

Where can we see your work (place/publications/url)? A couple on MySpace  www.myspace.com/piratescavengers

When did you start gaining interest in artistic forms of expression? Straight from the womb

Who/What inspired your interest? The eternal void

Where do you first remember being exposed to art? Being taken to museums in the city when I was really young by my mother

What is your day job? I work at The Country Store in Sonora- it’s a local health food store

Why do you create? The only constant we have in our lives is change, we need to be ever-changing, evolving. If I’m not creating, I am stagnant and feel lost.

Is there any recurring theme in your work? Nature is always a part of my pieces. Feathers, crows, mountains… Essentially the result of being born in Sonora.

What do you want from your work? No essential expectations, roll with the punches…

What do you want viewers to take from your work? Just a glimpse into my head I guess- it’s a visualization of how I was feeling at a certain point in my life…

How often do you work on personal projects? Not often enough…

How often do you work on commissions or commercial work? I’m just starting to design tattoos for people- thats on more of a trade system.

Does your art support you financially? Its hit or miss, most of the time I want things other than money.

Do you feel preoccupied with your art, do you think about it often during the day and night and do you anticipate your next session? I am my art

What do you do in your spare time besides your art? I’m trying to study to be an herbalist…

Which musicians are you currently interested in? The list is never-ending….the fleet foxes, devendra banhart, led zeppelin, the beatles, the avett brothers…

Are there any events you are looking forward to attending? November 8th A craft bazaar of sorts in Oakdale, I think I will be at a booth…

How long do you generally take on a piece? I will dwell on a piece for months sometimes and sometimes get one done in 10 minutes, theres no telling.

Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of a significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of your art? I don’t think i have…. this is an intense question Zac…

Do you work on multiple projects at once? Yes, I have at least 5 half-assed projects going right now.

Do you have trouble parting with your finished work? its mostly my mother who wants to keep everything I do.