Balancing Creativity vs Business

Green, © by Jerry Hardesty, Acrylic & Cement,

10x10 on panel

Okay, I have "creativity" covered.  I spend time each day in the studio...  painting.  When I'm not painting, I'm thinking about it...  thinking about the next canvas, or in my studio that would be several canvases at once.  Thinking about experimenting with a different technique, material, or different tool to create texture... my latest material being cement (see image "Green"), and my favorite tool a trowel used by tilers.

For me, I find the business side of art to be difficult and challenging.  Ironic, isn't it...  I spent over 25 years in the business world of corporate America.  Now, I'm going back to Business 101 (never actually previously had that course), but you're already ahead of me.  I've read several books, among them Alyson B. Stanfield's I'd rather be in the studio.  Guess what?  I would.  Oh wait, I haven't left...  my computer is in my studio.  But I'm not painting, I'm blogging.  Oh well.  I've created a business plan and both short and long-term goals (at my age, they cannot be too long-term... just kidding).  Weekly, I create a task list which I transfer to my calendar so I can see on any given date what I need to do that day.  I've got spreadsheets!  Spreadsheets, gee, now that is definitely the business side of making art!  The bottom line, I am getting more organized.  I'm juggling my priorities and tipping the scales to create balance. 

"Resonance" at House Gallery

"Wrapped," Mixed Media - Cement, Wire Mesh, Twine, Acrylic, Canvas Strip, 10x10 on Panel

I have created a series of 10x10's for my show "Resonance" to run from April 3 through April 28 at House Gallery, Salt Lake City, Utah.  I adopted the use of cement from an artist on Facebook.  I thought long and hard as to how the use of cement could complement my other works for the show.  "Wrapped" is just a teaser - come see the rest of the show.  These 10x10's are my smallest pieces.  The largest is 36x48.

Lest I forget, the Artist Reception is from 6 to 9 pm, on Friday, April 20.  See you there!

Performance Painting, "Tango"

Painting live with an audience can be quite challenging.  My focus on February 17, 2012 was to finish a painting that would satisfy not only me but also the audience.  I accomplished both these goals.  When I painted "Chameleon" for South Towne Orators (see previous post), I did not finish as I had too much interaction with the audience.  At DF Dance Studio in Salt Lake City during Gallery Stroll, I had one hour in which to complete my painting; therefore, I asked the audience to hold questions and comments until the end.  I could have talked more as I painted but I was "in the zone" and focused on a finished painting.

I first drew spontaneous marks on my 36x48 canvas with charcoal, and explained that as I added paint these would bleed and that they could be covered with paint.  My purpose was to energize the canvas and to have something to look at other than a white-painted canvas.  I then applied acrylic cobalt blue paint with my gloved hands.  I used all the blues I had in addition to the cobalt: cerulean, light blue, ultramarine, phthalo, also dioxazine purple, red and white.  Blue is my favorite color followed by yellow.  I did not want to use yellow as combined with blue would create green which would dominate the painting.  I also used a tempera blue.  I use water and various tools to create textures and interest.  

After taking comments and questions, as a finale I squeezed sweeping lines of white and blue from their tubes (one fan called this     my signature)...    I titled the painting "Tango," afterall we wer at DF       Dance Studio...  Watch for the video.

Chameleon

At a weekly Toast- masters meeting, I painted a live, action per- formance painting and gave a pre- sentation along with it.  Because there was so much audience interaction, I was unable to finish.  I started with a white canvas, 36x36 on which I drew some haphazard lines with charcoal.  I concluded with the painting you see here.

I felt the painting was unfinished and I was unsatisfied with it.  I therefore brought it to my home studio and proceeded to lighten it.  If you look closely you may be able to see the charcoal lines beneath the paint.  I tried to preserve some of the elements of the painting.  See the blue on the left and the yellow shape on the right.

I further lightened the painting by scraping and wiping and using several techniques.  Note the blue on the left and the yellow shape on the right.  Finally, as you'll see in the next image, I had to give them up.

I had scraped back quite a bit of paint which was a dark brown due to all the pigments mixed together.  I then used this brown to highlight some of the charcoal lines underneath the paint.  I then painted within the confines of these lines.

Tada!  The finished painting became a chameleon as it went through several changes.  Note that I used scraping, dripping, and texturing to create....


Chameleon, Oil, 36x36.

Watch for the video to follow sometime next week.

www.JerryHardestyFineArt.com

Take 5

Take 5, Oil, 36x36.




I have been asked to paint live...  a performance, action piece.  At first, I was somewhat reluctant as I've previously never done this.  I then thought I needed to see others paint live.  I watched an LA artist friend, Vera Aruntyunyan and became enthralled.  I then went on to Youtube and watched other performance painters.

I began to practice in the studio without an audience.  I next wanted a small audience and drafted a group of some artist friends.  There were five of them.  I took approximately an hour to create the painting posted here and named it "Take 5" in their honor.

I painted with my hands (using latex gloves for protection).  As I talked about what I was doing, we shared back and forth.  Occasionally, I asked the group for suggestions... color choices primarily.  Their involvement added to the excitement.

Now, I am still getting prepared for the big performance on March 3.  I would like to do one for a non-artist group.  In the meantime, I do feel more prepared than before and I will continue to practice with or without an audience.  I need to videotape a performance; however, don't have a video camera.

"Language of Abstraction"

Art at the Main Gallery in Salt Lake City is sponsoring my show, "Language of Abstraction," through June 11, 2011. An artist reception was held Friday evening, May 20. It seemed like a party to me. There was a steady flow of viewers from 6 to 9 p.m. The evening flew... and I wasn't ready to close. My wonderful wife, baked some goodies and provided veggies and fruits for attendees. My good friend Keith Callister sang and accompanied himself on guitar. Many other friends also lent their support and encouragement. Most patrons, however, were gallery strollers. Whichever category that fits you, thank you for coming.

If you were among those not attending the reception, you may still view the show through June 11.

My painting "Crescendo to Rage" (pictured above) garnered the most attention. A number of viewers asked about it's creation and the story behind this painting. The painting is covering a failed painting. The original work included sand and gold leaf. I allowed some of the gold leaf to show through and the sand help create a wonderful texture.

Now the rest of the story, as the saying goes. In 2008, my sister (my only sibling) died of lung cancer. She was only 67, way too young. I was very upset and miss her terribly. Last September my Mother died from Alzheimer's. I could not accept the fact that my sister died before Mom... not that I wanted Mom to die, I didn't. Her disease prevented her from having any quality of life however. I was pretty angry. Furthermore, at Mom's funeral the preacher called her by another person's name - not once, not once, but twice. This further fueled my rage. I therefore, came home and took out my rage on this canvas, hence "Crescendo to Rage."

I painted "Circles" for Salt City Artists' League. The League's mission is to bring the arts together and to develop and provide more venues for artists. The League has sponsored an arts festival during the first three week-ends in August at Library Square in downtown Salt Lake City. Plywood sheets painted white, size 48x48, were provided. The League provided some latex paints.

I painted the substrate an acrylic green and began spray painting circles.

I continued to add more circles

Once I had enough circles, I then added lines.

More lines.

Artist with the finished painting.

Finished at last.