Magee's Drawings

Selling out is hard to do...

2009-02-08T16:57:00.000-08:00

Ok, so for those of you who missed the great moral quandary leading up to 'Art and Soul', I was torn over the question of weather making an Obama-themed piece would be a crass, commercial exploitation of a rather significant moment in American history. I finally decided to go for it- principles be damned! A decisive, if despicable, plan of action... if I had had the chops to pull it off.

Which I didn't. Crashed and burned.

This image is amazingly frustrating- for instance, using the wood grain as a flesh tone comes so close to working.... while still *thoroughly* failing to work at all. Bah.

Well, here it is, the infamous Obama piece, standing as a testament to the fact that selling out really is hard to do, just not for the reasons that you'd expect.

Art and Soul

2009-02-08T16:24:00.000-08:00

A good friend of mine who works for the Indianapolis Arts Council recently recruited me to do some face painting at their 'Art and Soul' event... which was a blast! The event's director was gracious enough to allow me to try to sell a few little paintings. Due to their high-gloss sheen, they didn't photograph very well- but, for what it's worth, here's what I was able to come up with:

Sign Redux

2009-01-18T15:02:00.000-08:00

Recently, one of the store's customers asked about purchasing one of the signs I'd made. Since we were discontinuing that particular line, and I was running low on beer money, I quickly assented. As we discussed the details of the transaction, it became apparent that he'd really rather have the image without any lettering. There were other aspects of the image that neither of us were entirely satisfied with, so I offered to start from scratch. The deadline was rather open-ended... until suddenly it wasn't. Ultimately, this piece ended up being a 24-hour speed painting, during our busiest work-week of the year. It should have been a train wreck, but, while there are still many aspects of this picture that rankle, I think that it comes much closer to being what this image ought to be.

The client was very happy with the finished image. It turns out that he and his girlfriend have been having some pretty serious talks about marriage, and she's recently been coming to terms with the idea of taking responsibility for protecting and defending the new life that they hope to someday bring into the world. To him, this image is a visual representation of the supreme confidence that he has in her, and in the strength and tenacity she will bring to bear to protect their children against whatever may come. So... Rob, and future-Mrs.-Rob, here's wishing you the best in the years to come!

2008: Tying the Loose Ends

2009-01-04T16:16:00.001-08:00

Some of you have been asking how ORANJE resolved this past summer, and if I can still be found showing in the Harrison Center for the Arts.

(A few of you have simply wondered when I might draw a new picture or two- I humbly offer you the 'Signs' post submitted earlier today!)

Regarding ORANJE... several participants lost power in their booths for several hours during the event, and were left sitting in the dark. This was especially frustrating since the building had been closed for the three days prior to the event, ostensibly to stress-test the electrical system. The event's organizers were extremely apologetic, and refunded the booth fees to the affected artists, a gesture which was very much appreciated. I'm not sure if I'll try to participate in the event again next year, but that decision owes more to lingering back pain incurred during this year's booth set-up than to any dissatisfaction with the event itself.

In November I finally vacated my space in the Harrison Center, an action that I had been weighing for some time. During my last First Friday, weighed by the memories of the previous year, my resolve to leave almost wavered. Fortunately a certain member of HCA staff was on hand to renege on previous agreements, to humiliate a good friend of mine, and to accuse me of acting to the detriment to the Harrison's community of artists. Suddenly, leaving didn't seem so difficult. Although my thirteen months in the space were fraught with frustration, I am grateful to have made the aqcuaintance of so many wonderful people. So... Lydia, Liz, Maurice, Jay, Beth, Quincey, Kip, Pam, Toni, Tyler, Emma, and everyone else, if you ever stumble upon this blog, know that I'd gladly go through that whole experience again, just to have the opportunity of having met you. The Harrison undoubtedly houses the highest caliber of artists in Indy, and although it will be a long time before I set foot in that building again, I would encourage anyone who hasn't already visited the HCA to catch a First Friday show as soon as possible!

Well, I think that that's it- the loose ends of 2008 have all been neatly tied up. If I'm forgetting anything, give me a heads up. And have a great 2009!

Signs

2009-01-04T14:59:00.000-08:00

I haven't finished many pieces lately, but making signs for work has been an enjoyable diversion. Here's a few of the ones you might see around the store, of varying degrees of completion and quality:

ORANJE 2008 Postmortem

2008-09-22T14:05:00.000-07:00

Well, ORANJE has come and gone. It was an interesting, if somewhat frustrating, experience. Once the event's organizers let me know how they intend to make restitution for a rather notable grievance, I'll be able to decide whether the event was more interesting, or more frustrating.

Until then, here are some pics of pieces I made for the show. I'm going to try to get some new drawings done before the Fountain Square Art Fair on the 27th- if they pan out, I'll have some pics up ASAP!

ORANJE 2008

2008-07-11T09:44:00.000-07:00

So I think I've heard of a word for when you submit work to a juried event, and then they don't reject it. What was it... reccepted? Accjected? Dang, I'm going to have to look this one up! Until then, suffice it to say that I'm going to be a part of the ORANJE 2008 show on September 20th! Very exciting.

Okay gotta run- I need to figure out what on earth I'm going to make for this thing....

Oranje Submissions

2008-06-30T14:24:00.000-07:00

These are some new pics I made to help round out my submission to Oranje. Hopefully I"ll know how well they went over by this time next week!

the reject bin

2008-06-24T20:09:00.000-07:00

Well, these are those pictures I was talking about. I was all set to get up on my soapbox at this juncture, and decry the et cetera, and et cetera of whatever... but today was an instructive day. After the Harrison passed on these, I loaned them to a good friend, who knew someone that was putting on a show, and was willing to take anything to fill up wall space. Today she gave them back, apologized, said her friend wasn't running the show anymore, said they didn't want to use the pieces.

I remember exactly four paintings from the book of world masterpieces I poured over when I was six years old. I don't remember a single one of the still lifes, or landscapes, and I only remember Picasso's La Guernica because of the nightmares it gave me. The three remaining pieces are all figure and allegory- Cranach's Venus with Cupid Stealing Honey, Botticelli's Primavera, Ingres' La Grande Odalisque. They were captivating- to me they were the very pinnacle of what this thing called 'art' must be about. It's stupid to even attempt to describe it, but each of these paintings shone with a beauty which would not have existed save for the use of the figure. A beauty that passes beyond lust, transcending base passions, eschewing animal sexuality, ushering the viewer into an almost spiritual mode of contemplation.

If any one of those pieces had been submitted to my friend's show, or to the Harrison, would they have been rejected? The answer is a resounding 'NO.' The failure is not on the part of these organizations, the failure is mine, and in the pictures I made. I'm not Cranach, Botticelli, Ingres. I didn't catch a glimmer of that overwhelming, disarming, enlightening beauty. Honestly, who knows if I'll ever be able to. Going to try- just need to work at it that much harder, put more time into it. Not finished trying. Wait and see.

But tonight I'm verytired, and going home. And then I'm going to see how much 211 my belly can hold. And then I'm going to sleep for such a very, very long time.

Goodnight everyone, you're all so absolutely amazing.

New Kids Show

2008-06-14T20:58:00.001-07:00

Here's a few things I made for the New Kids show at the Harrison Center for the Arts that opened this Saturday during IMAF. Now, these are not the only pieces I submitted to the show, but some of my works were deemed 'too racy'. Be sure to tune in next week, with your nerves fully steeled to withstand the awesome waves of shock and titillation that emanate from these legendary Banned Images! (I just don't have the energy to even talk about it right now....)

(Okay, bad photo on this last one... imagine semi-transparent black acrylic paint and white gesso suspended between multiple layers of casting resin to create a sense of depth. Now imagine six of these pieces, each one unique, that could be arranged in many variations to create different feelings of energy and flow... I think that there's potential for coolness there.)

The SOLD Project Show

2008-06-14T20:45:00.000-07:00

These pieces were all made for the SOLD Project's show that took place at the Independant Music + Art Festival at the Harrison Center this Saturday. To learn more about SOLD, check out their website, http://thesoldproject.com/ .

Hoodie

2008-05-04T14:01:00.001-07:00

Graphite, Prismacolor, Gesso, Gold Gesso on Wood.

Narcis

2008-05-04T13:58:00.001-07:00

Graphite, Prismacolor, Gesso, Gold Gesso on Wood.

Sketch on Gold Gesso

2008-05-04T13:54:00.000-07:00

Graphite, Powdered Charcoal, Powedered NuPastel, White Gesso over Gold Gesso, on Birch.

Allotropy Submissions

2008-03-30T20:06:00.000-07:00

I really wanted to have some cool stuff to submit to Allotropy this year. So I sat down and rolled up my sleeves, determined to come up with a really great idea....

(cue sound of crickets chirping)

Finally, out of bare desperation, I started some figure studies, with the intention of layering up casting resin and paint for an interesting effect.

Then life happened, and I ran out of time. So this is what I'll be submitting tomorrow. My fingers are crossed, but my breath's not bated.

(And if you think these are bad, you should read my bio/artist statement... i loathe bio/artist statements)

and the Evening / and the Morning

2008-01-25T18:56:00.000-08:00

Drafting Film, Gesso, Acrylic, Polyurethane.

Sketch

2008-01-25T18:17:00.001-08:00

Drafting film, Microperm, Acrylic, Gesso on Masonite.

Dream and Dreaming Drift Away

2008-01-25T18:14:00.000-08:00

Microperm, Acrylic, ClearCoat on Maple

All the Good that We Might Ever Have

2008-01-25T17:54:00.000-08:00

Drafting Film, Microperm, Powdered Charcoal, Acrylic, Gesso, ClearCoat, on Maple.

Sketches

2007-12-10T12:42:00.000-08:00

Still haven't found my camera since the big September move-out... so here's a few sketches that I was able to fit into a scanner. Hopefully I can save up enough in the next few months to get a camera, and put up some of the larger recent pieces!

Mascot?

2007-09-11T09:28:00.000-07:00

Microperm, Acrylic, Clear Glaze on Maple.

On Open Studio Night several people asked if I had a card... which I don't. I'm working on designing one now, and was thinking that something along these lines would make a cool little mascot. Opinions anyone?

Nametags

2007-09-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

Mixed Media.

One of the big perks of working at an art supply store is getting to play with all the supplies to make your nametag!

Sketch- Man and Boat

2007-09-11T09:19:00.000-07:00

Acrylic, Compressed Charcoal, Crystal Clear Glaze on Wood.

Sketch- Mother and Child

2007-09-11T09:14:00.000-07:00

Microperm, Acrylic, Crystal Clear Glaze on Wood.

Line, Chroma, Value, Distortion.

2007-09-02T18:05:00.000-07:00

Microperm, Acrylic Paint, Gesso, Distended Tracing Paper, Clear Glaze on Maple.

Goodnight.

2007-09-02T18:01:00.000-07:00

Microperm, Acrylic Paint, Powdered Charcoal, Clear Glaze on Maple.

Text:
i love you. but Jesus loves you best. so i bid you goodnight. goodnight. goodnight. (from an early American folk song)

People

2007-09-02T17:58:00.000-07:00

Microperm, Acrylic Paint, Powdered Charcaol, Pages from a Calculus Book, Clear Glaze on Maple.

Sketch- Solitude

2007-09-02T17:56:00.001-07:00

Sharpie, Microperm, Acrylic Paint, Powdered Charcoal, Compressed Charcoal, Clear Acrylic Gesso, Clear Glaze on Maple.

Sketch- Laughing

2007-09-02T17:53:00.000-07:00

Sharpie, Microperm, Acrylic Paint, Powdered Charcoal, Compressed Charcoal, Clear Acrylic Gesso, Clear Glaze on Maple.

Scars of Imagination

2007-09-02T17:47:00.000-07:00

Metallic Acrylic Paint, Microperm, Gesso, Phone Book Pages, Powdered Charcoal, Compressed Charcoal, Clear Acrylic Gesso, Graphite Pencil on Maple.

Text:
doesn't matter (repeated)

Comfort

2007-09-02T17:42:00.000-07:00

Metallic Acrylic Paint, Microperm, Gesso, Tracing Paper on Wood.

Text:
don't cry over spilt mountains. or make molehills of fish. there's plenty of milk in the sea.

Tearing

2007-09-02T17:37:00.000-07:00

Metallic Acrylic Paint, Microperm, Powdered Charcoal, Gesso, Tracing Paper on Wood.

Text:
i will tear me to shreds, and rearrange the pieces. try to make them into something that might catch your eye. and make you smile.

Saint

2007-09-02T17:34:00.000-07:00

Metallic Acrylic Paint, Powdered Charcoal, Gesso, Clear Glaze on Maple.

Sketch- Figure

2007-09-02T17:29:00.000-07:00

Sharpie, Microperm, Acrylic Paint, Compressed Charcoal, Powdered Charcoal, Clear Acrylic Gesso, Clear Glaze on Maple.

Sketch- SP

2007-09-02T17:18:00.000-07:00

Sharpie, Microperm, Acrylic Paint, Compressed Charcoal, Powdered Charcoal, Clear Acrylic Gesso, Clear Glaze on Maple.