This change is also apparent in my painting.  The first painting and drawings I made at the beginning of the term do not compare to what I am capable of now.  I can look at almost any object, person or still life and know exactly how to go about drawing it, giving it depth and space and setting it into a place with a relative weight.  This is truly astounding.  This has also been a experiment.  In grade school I was told by my teachers that I could not draw or paint anything realistic.  As a young and impressionable child I believed them and stayed away from this art for over 40 years.  I have now proved them wrong and there is a certain kind of satisfaction in this.  It reminds me that a teacher should never treat a child in negative way.  To them all things are possible.

We have 23 days until the show and I am stressed.  Yes, I am sure all will be done, but it will be a tough road.  My darkroom work needs to be finished sooner rather than later and my digital along with it.  It is the painting that will take the time.  The paint needs 4-5 days to dry before we hang so that cuts that time down to 18 days.  Subtract the 4 days I will be in Athens next week and that leaves just two weeks of painting.  I can do it, I know I can.  I have a whole bunch of teachers to prove wrong.

The light is stunning and clear, the sunsets are magical and the cool night air rings with sounds of the sea.  Our hikes have been exhilarating and refreshing and an antidote for the stress of these past weeks.  The exercise clears my head and the light and perfumes of the wild island interior acts as aromatherapy for my aching mind.  Beautiful indeed.

We have less than 40 days until the show and even les for me since I will be off the island for a long weekend so that leaves about a month to do what I need to do and still have two or three days of free time before the show.  That is a lot of work for me.  I am focusing on quality rather than quantity but there is still a quota I need to fill.  I think ten large-format scans from the digital lab and 15 silver pieces.  This, of course, doesn’t count the paintings.  I think there will be 8 to 10 of those as well.  Those have to be finished by the week before the show so that the paint can dry fully.  I have my work cut out for me.

The weather has turned to spring/summer warmth, sun and the kind of light that begs for early morning photography.  It also seduces the less fortunate into spending time at the beach rather than in the studio.  So be it.  This is not my problem.  The phrase ‘youth is wasted on the young’ is apt here as always.  So much energy and so poorly used.  It is interesting to see how young kids blow off huge amounts of energy too soon and then have none for the rest of the day.  They are naturally out of balance.  This changes in the future as they age and learn how to manage time.  I think so anyway.

More to come…

JDCM

A good friend and I were having dinner the other night and she spoke of an element of Chaos Theory that proposes that all systems, whether biological, social or psychological, undergo a period of Chaos before their next great evolutionary leap.  Perhaps this is what I am witnessing both here on Paros, in Greece and the world as a whole.  Currently the Earth seems to be shifting on its social axis, tipping the scales to what seems like a point of no return.  Is this true or are these just the growing pains if a young species on a much older planet?  Are we suffering the same Chaos in the macro as occurs constantly in the micro?  Is the actual Design of Everything a fractal equation, repeating itself ad infinitum, identical on any scale?  This is a very logical image and one put forth by both mystics and quantum physicists throughout the years.  Is the suffering and recovery of one person a micro-mirror image of the constant shift and turbulent change we are witness to globally?  For me, I will continue on my charted course, adjusting my theoretical sails when I find it necessary to do so.  Some might say this is not thinking outside the box.  Some others might say this is the best course possible for it allows for changes to be made within the eye of the Chaotic hurricane rather than having Chaotic winds drive one’s direction.  I’ll stick with the second camp.  Time will reveal the winner, if there is such a thing.  In my heart, however, I will have the strength of integral values stronger than any trend or fad and which affords me more artistic balance.

Siga-siga: slowly-slowly.

JDCM

On other notes my portrait sessions have begun and I have photographed one student, the artist Jackie Massari and one of the instructors, the painter Jun-Pierre Shiozawa.  I hope to work with Colin Brown and his wife Stella later this week, perhaps Wednesday afternoon.  Couples are more difficult than single subjects, but I hope to work this out.  I’ll do some research on the subject so I can get some ideas first.

Other students are using the studio as well which is a good thing, and I am eager to see their work.  My painting is moving along and I am getting the hang of glazing, scumbling and the balance of colors.  We are still using a limited pallet and I understand why.  I am champing at the bit, however, to open up the brighter, more vibrant hues and work them in.  This will come with time.

Weather still fine, cool at night, etc…

JDCM

The Fayum portrait I am copying

I have discovered an excitement and love of painting.  That is the only way to describe how I feel.  Using this medium to see light as opposed to the photographic process is a joy.  Although I tend to be a ‘fast’ painter, the inevitability of having to let paint dry keeps me from getting to far ahead of myself.  We are still engaged in tonal studies, but have branched out into some color variations based on ‘hot’ and ‘cool’.  Very interesting.   We have also begun the ‘Fayum’ process as well and using the tetrachromy is a challenging form that dates back to the beginnings of the Common Era (30 ACE to the 3rd century).  Art historians believe that these colors are actually the four used by the Greeks in the 4th an 5th centuries BCE and reference the four elements.  The spiritual aspect of this intrigues me.  The Fayum portraits themselves seem to have survived purely by chance while only written descriptions exist of the height of Greek painting from the classical age.  As a student of history I am happy to be looking at this course from both an artistic and academic point of view.

This afternoon I cleaned up the light studio and set up the four studio lights and scrims we use here at the Aegean Center.  This means that I can begin my portrait work this week, I hope.  I will use my 4×5 camera and produce images similar to the portraits made in the late 19th century.  The lighting will be dramatic and raking, borrowing  more from the style of Rembrandt than anything else.  My subjects will be students and locals and will be both an important part of my portfolio and my learning curve.  This vision may change, of course and I may find I like the open studio light concept better than the drama.  The composition will be head and shoulders only, 3/4 view or something like that.  We shall see…

JDCM

My painting courses have been a series of remarkable epiphanies.  It turns out that I am pretty good at it and have a decent eye for color, tonal values and composition.  I have never painted in my life and find I love working with oils. They are forgiving in may ways but not to be taken for granted.  The white spirits used to thin them can run against me so I must be stern with the pigments and move them vigorously, not the other way around.  I can bully them around and they will behave.  So far we are using tonal values of black/white in exercises and today we began to use glazes and scumbling to build up color on that same grey-toned background.   Our pallets are limited on purpose so we get used to blending slowly.  Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine Blue, Ivory Black and Mars White can be mixed to make myriad shades and colors.  One aspect I have discovered is the commonality between painting and photography.  Balance and tonal values rule the canvas as they do on the paper.

Tonight is Pub Quiz at Mikro Cafe here in Parokia.  My team, J.A.G., has won the quiz in the past two weeks.  If we win tonight that will be a hat trick.  I have joked about retiring from the quiz if that happens.  It’s just a joke.  I have no intention of retiring.  It is one of my ways to blow of steam.  That and the hike…

More to come…

JDCM

Today was the first official day and we have spent most of it in orientation and introductions.  The assorted work spaces have been visited and already people are eager to sign up for as many courses as they can handle.  I am helping out Liz Carson in the Silver Darkroom but I have also decided to take the painting classes.  As a third formal course I am going back to Creative Writing and will try my hand at some personal essay.  This is a heavy load, but I can manage the time and work required of me.  The Painting course means that I will be also attending the Figure Drawing, Basic Drawing and Free Draw sessions.  In total that is 15 hours of class time.  The Creative Writing is another 4 hours per week in workshop.  I will consult with Liz for probably another 2 hours per week.  On top of this I will be attending the Art History lecture (1 1/2 hrs), Classical Literature (1 1/2 hrs), and maybe Photo History (1 hr).  This is my official week of class time.  That’s 25 hours.  Top that off with the time I will be spending in my studio painting, working in the darkroom, writing and reading and I am looking at about 50 hours total per week working.  I am hoping to get some time in for Greek language classes so let’s just say that is another 2-3 hours total.  The Friday hikes will be a much needed breather for me and, I imagine, the others.

I am very excited about the days and weeks ahead.  Right now dark clouds are rolling in and I hear thunder nearby.  It is supposed to rain tonight and I am looking forward to this as it means more green things in the hills of this lovely place I am beginning to call home.

JDCM

I have some errands to run here in town today, the first being purchasing my ferry ticket for tomorrow morning.  I also need to stop into the Leica store and buy some chemistry for my own use on Paros.  I do not wish to use the school’s goods in my apartment.  I’ll pick up some Rodinal, stop, fix, hypo clear and wetting agent.  I might also see what they have for film but I really don’t need any of that since I have loads already on the island.  It will also be good to check in with the store owners, who I have been getting to know over the past year or so.  I’ll have coffee with some friends here in town, maybe dinner with them also, and then head back to the hotel, pack up and sleep until early tomorrow when I’ll take a taxi to Pireaus.

The weather outside is grey and cold. There might even be some flurries today.  Tomorrow it is supposed to be sunny, but I I will be on board for most of the morning and then…

Paros!

JDCM

I am excited to be back on the road.  In some ways I am going home, to quote the Maestro.  The beginning of a new life for which I have been laying the foundation for a few years.  Much to do…

JDCM

This place has lost its charm for me.  There is little joy left in Mudville when I contemplate a life led here in North America.  The Religious Right are  taking over much of the country with their backward-ass medievalism; politics is becoming more obviously about money and elitism; the growth of the police state is of great concern since ‘The People’ seem to welcome it and the mainstream media circus provides Fear of the Outside World in much the same way that Ed Sullivan introduced his variety show–a little tease, the wind up and the pitch…Kapow!  Watch out folks!  The Boogieman is back in town, in fact he has never left and is hoping to turn your quiet and peaceful (both lies!) neighborhoods into cesspools (which they have always been, btw…) of moral and religious degradation.  God, I am so tired of this place…

At least where I am going there is no doubt who the fascist/liberals/Greens/Commies are.  They are upfront about it and do not speak in double-talk designed to confuse and disorient the voters.  Protest is allowed and not cordoned off a mile away from the place of interest and , yes, sometimes it turns violent.  What can one say?  People are pissed off…

But I remain in eager need to be gone.  I’ll start packing on Friday, but I have to inventory my socks and so forth to make sure they are all good.  I’ll pick up some new ones if I need to.  I have more film to shoot and develop, but I have time for that.  There are a few odds and ends of errands I have to cross off the list, but otherwise I am good to go.

There are two art openings this spring in the area in which I will be represented.  The first is a ‘small works show’ at Noble Horizons in May and the second is a 14th Colony gig in Millerton, also in May.  I have two pieces being matted and framed as we speak and I’ll leave them with a friend to hand in.  So yes, I am happy to be a part of something here in The West, but I will keep much of it at arms length at least, if not further away.  Best not to get involved.

JDCM