5QFriday: Clare Torina

This week's interview is with one of the artists who is exhibiting at Marshall Arts tonight, Clare Torina.  Clare is studying painting at the University of Memphis and spent last summer studying at Yale.  She and her husband Steve also recently installed a show in Belgium.  You can find more about Clare and her work at http://www.claretorina.com/

Question 1: How did you guys come up with the idea to do a couple's show?
Clare: Steve and I have been hanging out with Tim Kinard and Elizabeth Owen for a while now and started planning this exhibit over a year ago. We are hoping the show will allow people to think more about the relationships within the arts... to look for connections that may or may not be there. I think artist couples teeter on a line between competition and comradery, which makes for an interesting transference of ideas and influence. A review for a Pollock/Krasner exhibition suggested that "artists as couples" were psychologically volatile and make the Oedipus complex seem like child's play. So it seems Steve and I have a lot to work with. 

Question 2: What Memphis restaurant would you tell someone to take their date to this weekend after they see your show? 
Clare: Do Sushi. It's so cozy. The bartenders play good music. Wayne Edge's work is all over the place. The BLT roll (+ cream cheese) is crack! And Steve will roll it for you on Fridays and Saturdays. 

Question 3: What's the first thing you do when you walk into your studio? What's the last thing you do when you leave?
Clare: I can't make decisions when I'm not looking at what I'm working on. So when I first get in, I stare for a while and make a few notes. Sometimes I'll remember to put music on. I also stare for a while before I leave. It's safe to say there's a good hour of staring and working things out mentally for every 4 hours of painting. 

Question 4. Did you meet any unforgettable artists when you were in Belgium? Do you have any plans for shows outside of Memphis in 2009?
Clare: While Steve and I were installing at Forum+, a Gunter Brus exhibit was being put up at the Groeningemuseum. He was one of four artists, including Otto Muehl, that founded Viennese Actionism in the 60s. Till-Holger Borchert curated both shows, so we spent a good deal of time with Brus when he came in for the opening. I'm almost thankful for the language barrier because I was completely star struck. We were floored by his show and I think it had a big impact on the paintings I made when we got back to Memphis. He has used himself and/or his wife in nearly every performance and photograph. To see them doing normal things in the fairytale land of Bruges was odd. I think I would have felt more comfortable if they were nude and bleeding at the dinner table. 
For 2009, I don't have anything scheduled outside of Memphis. I've submitted to two residency programs and a slew of galleries in New Orleans, Nashville, Atlanta... Hopefully, I'll be busy.


Question 5: Do you have plans for the inauguration next week?
Clare: I'll be in class all day. Surely they'll turn on the television.


Thanks for answering these questions Clare:)


Photo courtesy Sunny Montgomery

etsyish blog

Check out this sweet designerish blog from Cape Town.  There's a great paper cutting demo that would gobsmack some of UofM's Foundations students.  I'm also intrigued by the concept of security poetry.  Too bad her shop on etsy is empty.

Wonder Monday: Tinkerbell

I wonder if the people who did the animation design for Disney's new Tinkerbell movie were really influenced by Bierstadt (like they say in the bonus features) and not Kincaid/Geddes?

Note: I am sadly not facebook friends with this artist. C'est la vie.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: January 8, 2009 Contact Person: John Weeden, 901.454.0474


UrbanArt’s ‘Work in Progress’ presents Niki Johnson’s
'Saving Face' — an exploration of social networks and modern collectible friendship

UrbanArt is expanding its practice to include ‘Work in Progress’ — a series of month-long artist residencies providing a forum to develop innovative art making techniques that may be translated into public art projects. The program gives selected local artists the opportunity to use the storefront gallery space of UrbanArt on 2549 Broad Avenue as a demonstration studio for one month with a hosted closing reception.

The first artist in the series is Niki Johnson, a recent graduate of University of Memphis BFA Studio Arts program. On January 5th 2009, Johnson began 'Saving Face,' an installation inspired by the 19th century invention of the wallet-sized portrait. The highly personalized calling cards led to the invention of trading cards and changed the way that individuals disperse their visual imprints. Facebook continues the practice of modern-day calling cards as well as emphasizing "collectible" friendships via the Internet.

'Saving Face' tests the depth of involvement of Johnson’s Facebook contacts by asking them to step of out of the popularity counter of networking sites to invest in a physical connection of friends via parcel post.

During the closing reception from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, January 30th, Johnson will display a multi-media installation revealing the results of her social experiment.

Local artists interested in submitting proposals to be considered for the ‘Works in Progress’ residency should contact UrbanArt for proposal guidelines and project parameters at: info@urbanartcommission.org.

The mission of the UrbanArt Commission (501c3) is to create a dynamic, vibrant, nurturing community through art and design. The UAC is funded in part by the City of Memphis, ArtsMemphis, and the Tennessee Arts Commission.

5QFriday: Danita Barrentine

Danita is the first person I've interviewed that I've never really met. She is studying painting at Memphis College of Art after serving in the Air Force. After I saw this really interesting image on Dwayne's blog for her show at the P&H, I googled her. After a couple of e-mails, I was really excited to get to know her through her answers to these questions. I can't wait to see her work!

So here are the five questions:
1. What’s the best part about having a show at the P&H? Describe what you’re putting in the show.

The best part about having a show at the P and H is the sense of community. The venue is small and personable allowing for a relaxed atmosphere to share and talk about current work and the ideas contained within.

The work will comprise of two major stages that have taken place since this past summer. During my first semester of graduate school, the work evolved into a type of abstract expressionism; through a transition in media from paint to ink; the beginnings of the current work began. Small automatic drawings that looked like abstract calligraphy led to an interest in language, as these drawings seemed to communicate a language in their forms.

Therefore, the use of language and text as a visual art form became my current investigation. The current works are representative of large-scale scrolls with a grid of stamped letters.

2. Any New Years resolutions?

For 2009, I am resolving to not take myself so seriously.

3. Do you keep a sketchbook? What are the components of a really useful sketchbook?

Keeping a sketchbook is vital to my thinking process as an artist. This is where I note processes, materials, and examples of other work. The recording of ideas and thoughts are the most essential elements I keep in my sketchbook. Often I find myself writing on napkins or scratch pieces of paper when those random thoughts come to mind that have the possibility to manifest into some work later.

4. In one of your artist statements you write something really interesting: “Understanding the barriers I face in my studio practice evolves into my personal life and allows me to appreciate the physical barriers I faced in the military, in life itself and vice versa.” Would you mind sharing more about your military experience and the ways you’ve overcome barriers?

The barriers that we face in life are usually things we can learn from. After discovering, that my recruiter had misled me on certain information was somewhat devastating. My world seemed to flip upside down. With this hardship, I learned that when you walk through difficult times, you grow.  Even with good times, growth is possible. For myself, I learned to have a backbone, to stand up for myself, to fight back when necessary. I learned that I was capable of not only taking care of myself but leading others, and most of all that how we deal with barriers makes us who we are. This is what I mean by understanding the barriers I face in the studio and in life. I know that in the studio, barriers will lead to more investigation allowing the work to continue. Life is so mysterious to me, but it is a wonderful experience. That experience would not be the same without barriers and hard times along with the good times.

5. What are the differences and similarities between flying and painting?

You asked me to compare flying to painting, although my job in the Air Force was a bomb loader on fighter jets, flying is one of my greatest loves in life. Therefore, I will compare commercial flight to painting.

Flying for me is that rare chance to see a different perspective of the world. The feeling of taking off is like placing a mark on the surface, the higher you go the more marks you make. Once altitude is reached; I step back and observe what is before me. This is where I contemplate the work. The decent is the ending of the painting, when you get those last bursts of decisions and ideas, execute and land. The exhilaration I get from flying is the same as painting or creating something visual. However, I feel that the description above would be quite different if I ever had the chance to fly in a F-16.

Facebook Ad: Art Education Project in South Africa

This project is really interesting to me. Artworks for Youth provides free after school visual art instruction, mentoring, and academic support to under-served students in South Africa.

I found them through a facebook ad. Or if you're into marketing, you might say they found me.

As subtle as . . .

No one would ever know about the gold glitter glaze over the elephant skin if they didn't see this in person.

Advice for Fancy Nancies from Copyblogger

I just read a Copyblogger post by Sonia Simone that really struck home with me, and when you read it (if you know me) you'll get why. I have a whopping case of the Fancy Nancies. I can't even write a facebook status-update without whipping out thesaurus.com to find a few flourishes.

You just have to look at the title of my last installation to see what I mean: "Deltiological Lexicology." I love words like those--I like to pull them apart and think of their origins and of the people who may have a need to use words like that every day.

Sonia warns that using big words the wrong way can obfuscate the meaning of a blog post, but follows up by saying

If Fancy Nancy was just pretentious, there wouldn’t be so many bestselling books about her.

But Fancy Nancy is, above all, audacious. She’s gloriously herself. She’s a pint-sized Auntie Mame who follows her own star, which is why we love her.

If you’re a Fancy Nancy because you’re insecure and trying to look smart, give it up.

But if being fancy is your truest, deepest nature, you might take all of this with a grain of fleur de sel. Your first “rule,” above all others, is to write from your heart and dare to be exactly who you are. It’s always the way to find your best audience. You’ll just have to find the people who adore frosting . . . and yes, they’re out there.

When I was a kid, my Dad and I would hang out together and he would do a little activity in Reader's Digest with me called "It Pays to Increase Your Word-Power." I loved learning new words with him and I am still fascinated and inspired when I come across an unfamiliar ten-dollar word like sartorial or bailiwick. I also love adding gold or glitter to my watercolors. And I like my cupcakes with frosting and extra sprinkles.

But enough about me . . .

Wonder Monday: Returning from the Expedition

This Monday I'm wondering about contemporary expedition artists. I was reading about Paul Porter, a professor in the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics at the University of Minnesota. From January 10th until May 9th 2009 He will travel by bicycle through ten African countries starting in Cairo, Egypt and ending in Cape Town, South Africa. He's keeping a blog about his travels and I look forward to following him on his journey.

I wonder what it would be like to go on an expedition like this as a painter?

Kenneth Haltman wrote a book about an expedition painter Titian Ramsey Peale called Looking Close and Seeing Far: Samuel Seymour, Titian Ramsay Peale, and the Art of the Long Expedition, 1818-1823. Who are some other good expedition painters? Audobon? Hiroshige and Hokusai made prints that were meant to be souvenirs but I think it would be hard to make a woodcut on a bike.