Tired of the area where I live…

Small town closed-minded people are getting to me.
Was personally called by a gallery asking me to submit a new piece for a show they are having. There were few requirements – a portrait neck up made from recycled materials and a size (that I can’t quite remember).
So when a small town gallery calls you asking you to participate, you would hope they have some idea of what your art might be like, yes? No. So Brent from the Soap Lake Art Museum comes to my house last night to pick up the piece. He doesn’t say anything about the content then and there, instead we chat a bit about art. He takes the piece and leaves.

This morning, he calls me and goes on about how personally offended he is by the subject matter and that there will be kids there, etc. What a fuckin’ douche. He could have said something last night for starters. And thanks for wasting my time – I could have been painting instead of cutting up pieces of scrap leather.

22x35 Portrait in Leather.

I suppose I at least tried something new. Damn, leather is a pain in the ass to work with. And even with the pieces cut – which was a nighmare, they kept expanding and contracting with the morning cool n damp and the afternoon dry heat. Unlikely that I will work with leather again.

Anyone want a cool leather portrait? Cheap. $150 plus shipping.
Yours!

Oops!  Left out some fun information.  We couldn’t decide on a price last night so he said “It doesn’t matter because nothing is selling anyway”!  Maybe because you are too afraid of showing anything that might stir up some conversation!

Also, I had forgotten to ad a wire for hanging – which he pointed out.  So I installed eye screws and a wire while he was standing there chatting about art some more.  Really?!

Final thought:  I apologize to small towns.  I’m sure there are some out there with open minded people.

Sorry, one more “final thought”.  I used DAZ Studio 4 to pose the initial image which I turned into the final leather piece.  DAZ Studio is an amazing tool when you need a model and there is no one around.

Here is the initial DS4 image with some postwork.

Artist’s Statement

I am in the process of updating my website www.scotthagel.com with the idea of contacting galleries and hopefully getting a show or gallery representation.  Either outcome would be great.  Many galleries now simply accept an email with a link to your site (instead of the old-fashioned box of slides).  However, they do want to be able to find very specific information including an artist’s statement.  It is that artist’s statement that I am struggling with.

I haven’t written a new artist’s statement since my time at WSU – several years ago.  So I dug out my old notes and the written feedback that I’d gotten from faculty.  To my surprise I still had all of it.

The notes I’d written for myself were quite a read.  A fun little time capsule from the past.  It was interesting to re-visit my thoughts from that period.  The feedback from faculty was interesting as well, although for a very different reason.  Much (not all) of the faculty at that time had some very specific ideas about my artwork and what I should be doing and saying in my artist’s statement.

Some of the faculty decided my work was pornography.  Most of the faculty believed my work had no redeeming value.  Yet at the same time, the very same faculty members expected me to really push what they felt was the pornographic nature of my work.  They wanted to see some very graphic imagery.  Odd.

As for the artist’s statement, they wanted the truth behind my motivations and what I’d hoped to achieve with my art.  Yet they brushed aside the truth as BS and expected me to tie my work to various artistic movements as though I was inspired by said movements or working within a movement.  In their eyes, this would give my work legitimacy.  So apparently, my truth wasn’t THE truth.

I can understand why so many people think artists are pretentious and that artist’s statements are crap.

Where does that leave me and my artist’s statement?  Not really sure.  I will try to be honest and precise.  No pretentious bullshit.  After that I’ll cross my fingers and hope for the best.

 

The painting bug is gnawing at me.

I have a lot yet to do in the studio to prepare for hosting workshops. However, the urge to paint is getting strong. I will be heading for the great outdoors this week. Anyone want to join me?
Gotta make a list of the materials and tools I’ll need. That includes a hat, sunscreen, etc.
Will update soon with more information.

Update:  Wednesday, Noon.  I’ve been busting my ass the last few days from the time I get up in the morning until I go to bed late at night.  Painting this week may have been a bit optimistic.  I still have a ton of work in/on the studio to prepare it for students.  I’m so tired tired at the moment, I can’t focus on what needs to be done next.  Too many things yet to do.  I need an intern

 

Practically giving it away!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110703790883&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

Your chance to own a small original oil painting!

A little bit absent…

Have been doing a variety of things – none of which have included new blog posts. Weed pulling has been one of the main activities. Our little east side desert is becoming a tropical rain forest. I swear, this stuff grows about 3 inches per day with all the rain we’re getting.

Need to begin hunting for galleries. Hopefully I can find one or two somewhere in the US that will be interested in my work. First step, create a list of all the galleries in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho – that way I can keep track of which I have contacted and such. Wish me luck!

Six

A new oil painting “Six” 4′ x 2′. Done!

Ok, charging batteries, the sun is out…

Will get a new photo taken for this painting today!  The painting looks great, the current photo looks like crap.

Hmmm.  “Today” came and went.  Too much to do, too little time!

UV Mapping

My nemesis, UV Mapping, is beginning to crumble! Mwah ha ha.

The stool here is entirely made from scratch. The object was built in Sketchup with some basic texturing and then run through Ultimate Unwrap 3D to get the faux wood grain textures to line up properly. Not too bad – now on to bigger and better things!

Workshops

I have some good news! After running the idea past my wife, consulting with my homeowner’s insurance, and calling the city, I may be able to open up my personal studio for workshops. I’m thinking of running a few different evening classes beginning this summer. Likely a drawing class, a class which takes a work from drawing to a finished acrylic painting, and an oil painting class – water soluble oils.

I’ve got a lot of work to do before then to prepare!

On the 3D art front, I’ve been busy with Sketchup creating some basic objects. Having a little trouble with what is becoming my nemesis, UV mapping. Hate it. It is my least favorite aspect of 3D modelling. It is not too difficult to understand. However, the tools I have found for UV mapping make little to no sense. Ease of use was not a priority!

I will update again soon with some new work.

No income for me.

I’ve just been notified that summer classes at the community college where I work have been canceled. No job. No income. I’m 42 and have few prospects. I’m an artist and art instructor. What few other things I have done job-wise are so far in my past that I’m really not sure what else I would do. To make matters worse, the school is cutting most non-lecture classes next fall. Studio classes simply do not hold enough students. There goes that income as well.

I really don’t get it though. Both of my classes this spring are not only full, the wait list for one has 4 people on it and the other class has 10!

The funny thing is my student loans are on deferment. I was making too little this year to make my payments! Ha ha! They’ll be getting even less from me next year. I will have nothing to give.

I guess I’d better enjoy being an artist while I can. I may have to give it up entirely by this summer. The sad thing though, if I cannot be an artist then what is the point. A student of mine did a piece showing a person breathing music. She said music to her was like oxygen. She would die without it. I feel the same about art – having a little trouble breathing…

Ummm…

Not really sure what happened to this tree.
Apparently I got a little carried away with adding limbs & such. Couldn’t resist rendering though. Looks awful fuzzy & weird but kinda cool at the same time.