2/28/2010 Blog 12:

I got so confused with the dates, I woke up sure that today is March 1st, and that spring is finally here. Of course, I'm wrong in both regards. Either way, a new exciting art show is opeing in Burnsville, and will run from the 11th of March trough May 1st. I posted more information under the events section. I will show 'Winter Blues' along with art work from other local artists. The opening reception should be excellent, hope you can make it!

2/27/2010 Blog 11:

It's early in the morning, I'm having coffee and chocolates; the day is off to a great start.  I just uploaded my newest drawing from the atelier to the ‘in pencil’ page.   It’s the first portrait I made there and I am happy with it.  I wonder if ‘portraits’ are the direction I’m going to take in the future.  It’s certainly an area I enjoy a lot.  Yesterday I bought the Artist’s magazine, because of this article: Portraiture Today, 4 bold approaches.  I am getting ready to read it and maybe if it’s good I’ll write some impressions here.
On a separate note, 2/29 was my grandfather’s birthdays on my mom’s side.  He was born in a leap year, and his birthday only came around every four years. 

 

1/02/2010 Blog 10:

I've been working on a new website. Actually I've done at least 2 other redesigned versions of this website, but I’m not pleased with either one of them. So for the time being I am going to keep updating this website. Maybe this year, I’ll have the new site up and running. This reminds me, it’s 2010. I hope it’s a good year for me, my family this country, the economy, art, etc. Really, we could use a peaceful year, with fewer attacks, less pollution, less killings; less stress when flying…I am hopeful. December was a busy but very productive month for me. I have taken a week off work and I have finished 4 paintings…Winter Blues is now on this website. Also, I’m having an art show in February at the Eden Prairie City Hall. See the events page for more information.

10/22/09 Blog 9:

I started going to the Atelier in Northeast Minneapolis. I'm learning more about this school of Fine Art, it is training artists in the 'classical' style. They are acredited by the Art Renewal Center , which promotes the values of classical art (pre-19th century modern art). I found a few interesting articles on their website. I don't agree with their views, but I do appreciate their dedication to teaching the classical techniques. I'm pretty happy with my drawings there, I have added some of them here . The Atelier teaches full time and part-time students. It's amazing the full time norm is from 9 am to 4 pm every work day, drawing/painting the entire time. That makes me smile, I can only imagine how skilled you'd be after 4 years of this kind of training.

09/27/09 Blog 8:

I enjoyed meeting a lot of people at the Eden Praire Art Crawl. Overall, it was a very good experience. Thank you all who came to visit. If you couldn't make it, you can click here to see photos from the event. Also, I just added a feedback form to my site, inspired by all the feedback I have received today. I would love to capture some of your comments so if you have time dont' hesitate to use it : Click here to get to the feedback form! (please note that this is a new feature so it might not be perfect...but I will work to improve it).

08/27/09 Blog 7:

I finished another painting! It's been taking me a long time to finish this one. I am also trying something different in the way I take pictures of my paintings, outside, natural light and in some sort of context. I think I'll experiment with picture taking a lot in my future projects...I need a better camera. Anyway, here it is.

Also, Eden Prairie is hosting the first ever Art Crawl. My paintings will be on display at the EP Art Center Sept. 26th and 27th. Check them out if you have time. More details on the events page.

 

06/21/09 Blog 6:

"The Lark" is now on exhibit at Burnsville Performing Arts Center, in a show called Cultural Perspectives. For more information click here.

I am also reading a book that has captivated me so much. I’m on page 866 of 1168, and I can’t stop reading it while I dread getting to the end. Who would’ve thought that a book of over 1000 pages can seem short? I wanted to write a few lines about it, so I prolong the ending. I read it too fast. The book is about the men of ability, the power of the mind, the moral codes one should find within himself and follow. It is a hymn to hard work, to men of vision who are true to themselves and to their purpose. One character is a composer who gives up his career on the night of his triumph. Because he doesn’t want to see Atlas Shrug. Ayn Rand.

05/16/09 Blog 5:

Check out a couple of my paintings at the Burnsville Performing Arts Center. The show is called Art Fete 2009 and runs from April 9th through June 6th. More information and photos here.

 

08/22/08 Blog 4:

It's been a while since I finished Peter Asleep and I don't have any new paintings since. I am determined however to start working again, so look for new art work shortly. I'm also arranging a few shows, and the details will be posted on this site.

While I took a break from painting, I traveled a lot, and sketched. I should have good, fresh material to go off of. Wish me luck!

 

11/02/07 Blog 3:

My new painting is now officially on line! I also picked a title: "Peter Asleep." It's been difficult to bring this character to life, Peter, but once I saw him, I knew he had to be. The subject is entirely my character's guiding. He is a peaceful little boy asleep, holding his toy, a lamb. The lamb symbolizes innocence, belief, strong faith, and it’s helping the boy have a restful night. It is such an innocent vision, that it still touches me deeply. I hope I painted a snapshot of our inner child, our true good essence, the innocent one, that sometime escapes us as adults. Sweet dreams Peter!

Also, starting tomorrow, I'm displaying my art work at Pizza Luce, Uptown. Stop by to visit! More about it in the events section of this site.

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10/12/06 Blog 2:

Forgetting your personal history

Forgetting your personal history is a concept described in ‘The Zahir’, by Paulo Coelho. I’ve recently re-read his book, and the idea is, through letting go of your past, you’re free to embrace the future. Of course, forgetting about the past is not an easy thing to do. You need to practice it, to tell your story, over and over again until it becomes just a story and you’re no longer emotionally attached to it. You will then find your independence, your freedom to search new paths, to became adventurous again, to think outside of the box and beyound what you have been taught.

Now I found this concept applies to modern art as well. In parallel I’ve been reading an introductory book to ‘Aesthetics’. Around the turn of the century the western European and American painters have had to perform the same kind of exercise. In order to move on to invent let’s say Abstract Expressionist paintings (Pollack, Rothko), they were ‘freeing themselves of the impediments of memory, association, nostalgia, legend, myth, that have been the devices of western European painting.’

In my opinion what a huge step that has been for art! We are now free to embrace representation in a multitude of ways. We have learned to appreciate African Art, Asian Art, and any other artistic manifestations that lie outside of our western European sphere of comfort. Artists have freed themselves of their personal history at the turn of the century, and have given us the chance to start fresh.

 

10/06/07 Blog 1:

Contemplating works or art -An act of initiation

Viewing a work of fine art, in a gallery or a museum, offers much reword to those who spend the time to look beyond appearances. The art work should be attentively regarded, just like reading a good book: one can read the text and capture the more obvious message, but if you read it carefully, you will discover the sub-meaning, the secondary, hidden treasures that make it worth the extra effort of a careful viewing or reading.

To further develop this thought I only have to remind you of all the surrealists, like Dali or Magritte, of a number of classics like Michelangelo, and of post modernists like Pollack and Modrian. The symbols they use, or the hidden message they convey, will transport the viewer from the immediate reality to an infinitely more beautiful space. This precise stimulation of our intellect and imagination is the key to true contemplation.

In the right moment, viewing an art work becomes a sacred initiation beyond our profane world. It is the ritual by which we grasp the true meaning of an art work, its essence. Our inner being then can relate to it beyond appearances and it provides us a portal to transcend to universality.

These truly universal artists (like the ones I mentioned above), found the key to unlock our soul’s and mind’s chambers. It is up to the viewers to let themselves be guided into a rich, thought and emotion provoking experience.

07/17/07

I would like to invite you on a journey. One that uses your imagination, your good will and most of all your good heart. Let’s begin in a parc, on a quiet evening, in late fall. The colors are nuances of purple and blue, of violet and yellow ochre, of gold leaves falling. On one alley a couple searches in the distance for a flock of migratory birds that cut through the sky just as the darkness begins to fall. They are in love. She loves him, and holds his arm tight. He’s thinking: what a Moment... Will it last a lifetime? And there is silence and purple and gold and the sunset.

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