Next Artisans' meeting, Jim Motto, Feb 10

Jim Motto began his career as a photographer. He became a wood-worker 12 years ago. Now much of his work is custom cabinetry: bookcases, kitchens, entertainment centers, vanities, tables, desks, and credenzas. Jim Motto also carves wooden vessels that feature exquisite ebony black finishes as well as wooden boxes and candle holders. Motto states “I made my first box years ago from a small piece of cocobola that caught my eye at the local hardwoods dealer. Now, many boxes later, I am still intrigued with their blend of whimsy and mystery.” Jim’s craftsmanship and artistry are evident in all his work. He will speak about his wood-working at the next Artisans’ section meeting, Thursday, Feb. 13, 7pm. All are welcome to attend this free event. Join members of the Artisans’ section as they conduct their monthly business meeting after Jim’s presentation. Visit Jim Motto’s website to see more of custom furniture, cabinetry and carved vessels.

Creative Artisans’ meeting, 7-9pm, Thurs, Feb 10, 2011
Members’ Gallery, 2nd floor
St. Louis Artists’ Guild, Two Oak Knoll Park, Clayton, MO 63105

Contact mike@michaelandersonstudio.com for more information.

Photo courtesy of Jim Motto
Contact mike@michaelandersonstudio.com for more information

Cubism, Construction and the Love of Art

In the 80s I fell in love with Cubism, especially with cubist sculptures of musical instruments. It seemed a perfect marriage of my interests, skill set and the kinds of things I wanted to learn about. I used this infatuation as a springboard to expression and a hands on method of studying via the actual experience of construction. I made a large number of instruments over the years most of which were sold or traded to other artists. I have a couple left around the house along with one of my few forays into forgery.

Salvaged and scrapped building materials became the 3D assemblages that I made as a means of meditation on cubist sculpture. It was a really absorbing and positive experience.

The piece on the left (immediately above) is Picasso's Mandolin and Clarinet, from 1912. One day in my studio, looking at a pile of scrap I 'saw' the Mandolin and Clarinet in a pile and allowed myself this indulgence.

In February there is a new show opening at MOMA called Picasso Guitars. Finding out about this is the inspiration for this post. In 1989, thanks to the generosity of some friends and some hard work I was able to spend a weekend at the Pioneering Cubism exhibit at MOMA. I also saw the big Jenny Holzer exhibit at the Guggenheim...but that is for another day.

Today is Worldwide Sketchcrawl #30

Artists from Austin to Oslo and 130 other cities are on location sketching today! You can view sketches from across the globe and upload your own sketch book pages to the Sketchcrawl forum here. Urbansketchers.com posted a great ink and wash sketch from Singapore by Don Low here.

Keep sketching!

Creative Artisans' Section Members Demo at Blick

St. Louis Artists' Guild Artists' Demo Day at Blick

Saturday, January 22nd, 2011
1pm to 7pm

Members of the St. Louis Artists' Guild will be doing free artist demos at Blick Art Materials on Saturday, January 22nd, 2011 from 1pm to 7pm. Come by to learn new techniques and see these St. Louis Artists' Guild's artists in action:

Kathleen Barnes: Art Journalling
Debbie Dirckx-Norris: Collaborative Painting
Michael Anderson: Ink line drawings
Amy Firestone Rosen: Potato prints
Boris Khechoyan: Woodcarving

Blick Art Materials,
6300 Delmar Blvd
St. Louis, MO 63160
website

Snow Day Suggestion: Virtual Paint Out

The Virtual Paintout gathers artists together in one area of the world, virtually, once a month to paint or draw a scene within a predetermined area using scenes generated by Google Street View. The city that artists are sketching and painting in January is Boston. Previous cities that have been listed as sites for paint outs include Florence, Paris and San Fransisco.

Participation is open to all levels of artistic ability. Artists can submit up to three paintings per month and a new location with an interactive Google Map is posted the first day of the month. Google's Maps Team allows artist usage of images from Google Street View as reference for creating paintings and drawings, and artists can sell these works.

"NOW LET'S HAVE SOME FUN!" - The Virtual Paint Out

Image: The Virtual Paint Out, Anne C Campbell" Boston Boats - Interstate 93 - Boston, Mass., USA "Gouache on Watercolour Paper - 9.25" x 8.5" (Approx.)

Web Urbanist, Plywood & MDF Architecture

Birch plywood and medium density fiber board are building materials usually covered up during construction by more finished goods. Many artists and sign painters use these materials as substrates for their finished works. Web Urbanist profiles projects that exploit the inherent design possibilities of these basic building products.

Birch plywood was used to completely transform an abandoned bank building into Banq Restaurant in Boston. "The design is like an enormous wave undulating from one side of the room to the other, dripping down in columns to the floor. The resulting wood ‘canopy’ hides unsightly elements like mechanical equipment, vents and plumbing." In another project a seemingly fluid free-form bookcase is both functional storage and sculptural art piece in a Washington, D.C. apartment. "MDF is an ideal material for digitally fabricated furniture, which is designed and cut using computer programs." - Web Urbanist

See the entire post here.

Banq Restaurant(images via: freshome)

MDF bookcase(images via: design milk)

Finalists for RFT Web Awards -- Revealed!

Best Arts Blog

Saint Louis Art Map - http://www.saintlouisartmap.org

2 Buildings 1 Blog - http://www.2buildings1blog.org

St. Louis Artists' Guild Blogs - http://www.stlouisartistsguild.org/new/blogs-various

Look/Listen - http://www.stlmag.com/Blogs/Look-Listen

It's great to be in such good company. Thanks, RFT!

See the complete list of finalists here.

Graphic: riverfronttimes.com

iPad sketches

Artists at last night's Artisans' section meeting collaborated on finger painting/sketching on an iPad with Autodesk Sketchbook Pro. Everyone agreed that Abraham knocked one out the park with his shading technique. Check out his drawings here.

Drawing Apps at next Creative Artisans' meeting, Jan 13

Artists are flocking to smart phone and digital tablet technology. At the next Artisans' section meeting, Thursday, Jan 13th, 7pm at the St. Louis Artists Guild, we will plug in an iPad to a digital projector and take a look at two popular drawing apps: Brushes and Autodesk Sketchbook Pro. British painter David Hockney used Brushes to create all the images in his current exhibition in Paris. “I love to draw,” says Hockney and he uses his iPad as a drawing tablet to capture sunrises, flower arrangements and interior vignettes in his expressive, painterly style. Hockney also likes the feature that replays his finished paintings from beginning to end, brush stroke for stroke. Artist Susan Murtaugh’s digitally-painted images are used as promotional pieces on the Sketchbook Pro catalog page on the iPhone/iPad App Store. Many of her paintings feature distinctive brush strokes and textures. Drawings created in Sketchbook Pro can be exported as layered Photoshop files.

All are invited to attend this no cost event as well as join Artisans' section members as they conduct their regular business meeting after the presentation. Agenda items will include member nominations for the new Exhibits Planning Committee, formation of a nominating committee for 2011-2013 slate of officers and more info about the upcoming Creative Artisans’ members' exhibition in September 2011.

Creative Artisans' section meetings are now listed on the St. Louis Drawing and Painting Meetup calendar. Artists can RSVP for this event and other great meetups here.

Creative Artisans' section meeting,
Thurs, Jan 13, 7-9pm
St. Louis Artists' Guild, Second Floor Members Gallery,
Two Oak Knoll Park, Clayton, MO 63105

For more info email Mike Anderson, mike@michaelandersonstudio.com

Illustration: Brushes and Sketchbook Pro Color wheels, Michael Anderson Studio