Matthew R. Johnson

Torero

2010-12-01T10:26:00.001-08:00

Finally, something to look forward to on Sunday evenings.

2010-07-23T15:18:00.000-07:00

95°

2010-07-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

Not really sure what I'm going to do with these. I have a bad habit of completing lots of small pieces, leaving me with the dilemma of figuring out how to make them work together as a larger whole. Individually they are decent renditions, but the next step is combining them in some fashion so that they achieve a different meaning, pushing them to the next level so that they become more than just literal copies.

Boy, is it hot outside.

Speedman

2010-05-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

Sit, Winnie, Sit. Good dog. Woof.

2010-05-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Say hello to my little friend

2010-04-18T16:53:00.000-07:00

Winnie. All the way from Chattanooga.

Kick Ass art

2010-04-16T08:27:00.000-07:00

I saw Kick Ass last night, which was pretty good. It was a very cool movie, and very original in terms of the mashup of genres. I wanted to love it, but walked out merely liking it alot. I told my friend Jeffrey that it was the type of movie that I could watch on tv whenever it comes on, kind of like Mean Girls, very entertaining and satisfying, brainless and clever at the same time. One of the neatest things in the movie was seeing some pretty famous works of art decorating the crime lord's lair, including one of Damien Hirst's dot paintings, a painting by Ed Ruscha (which I can't find an image of), and a sculpture self portrait by Marc Quinn, which is made of his own blood and housed in a refrigerated glass cube.

Gael

2010-04-15T12:34:00.001-07:00

Ewan

2010-04-01T13:03:00.001-07:00

Still here

2010-03-23T12:36:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am still alive, but not doing a very good job of taking care of this blog, the poor, wilted flower. I had to run into a friend I hadn't seen in a while (hi Jo!) to remind me that someone might actually be reading. Anyway, here is something I just finished, a little portrait of Michael Fassbender, possibly better known as Lt. Archie Hicox, from Inglourious Basterds.

Day 1

2010-01-01T19:39:00.000-08:00

So I did end up going out a little last night, but I ended the evening early, ringing in the new year with Mr. Patrick Bateman.

Went to the movies today, saw A Single Man, which was outstanding. Such a visually stunning movie, I sat there almost in shock at how beautiful it was. Aesthetics aside, it was a moving film as well, and Colin Firth's and Julianne Moore's performances were masterful.

As a habit I save all my movie tickets, so as I was putting away today's I decided to look back at what I had seen last year. My favorites list:

1. Moon

2. Soul Power

3. The September Issue

4. Rudo y Cursi

5. Taking Woodstock

6. Inglourious Basterds

7. Stranded: I've Come From a Plane That Crashed on the Mountains

8. Let The Right One In

2010

2009-12-31T08:34:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year. Here's a new painting I finished last month, and it will probably be my last completed one of the year. Even though I did a fair amount of work this year, I didn't finish as many pieces as I had hoped. Another resolution to be challenged with in the new year.

The upper and lower sections of the painting are from a photo I took of a parking garage at night. Juxtaposed with the portrait in the middle they remind me of blinds, so I think I'm calling this one "Spy." I've been interested in light and structure alot recently, particularly artificial light on concrete at night. Been really inspired by Ed Ruscha, Michaël Borremans and Ryan McGinley lately. Ordered a copy of Moonmilk last night.

Be safe everyone. I think on this cold and wet New Year's Eve I've happily resigned to staying in my warm, cozy apartment for an evening of homemade pizza, wine/champagne, movies and watercolor.

Neglect

2009-12-29T11:27:00.001-08:00

So I've definitely been neglecting this blog for far too long. I hereby resolve to pay more attention to it in the new year and to post mostly original imagery. Ever since I got my new camera (a Canon SD780) I've been carrying it nearly everywhere I go. Here are some random images from the past few weeks.

The Lions, Capitol Heights, Montgomery, AL

Self-portrait, post haircut

Self-portrait at work, with the beard that never made it in progress

Snowflake obsidian skull I picked up at the rock and gem show I went to a few weeks ago, kinda blurry, but oh well

Atlanta sky

Posing above a light table for reference photos for next watercolor (I think I'm smizing in this one)

My Christmas Cactus, given to me by my mom, which just yesterday started growing blooms

Another random plant from the mom collection

And my Jade plant

Safari

2009-12-07T16:22:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I went to the Wild Animal Safari in Pine Mountain, Georgia. It was quite the experience, driving through fields and fields of animals that approach your car without fear, sticking their heads pretty much in your windows if you let them.

Nursery

2009-12-04T06:29:00.000-08:00

Graffiti painted on a daycare center next to my work on West Peachtree Street.

Junkin'

2009-11-14T13:24:00.000-08:00

Had no plans today besides a few errands, so I decided to go shopping at Highland Row Antiques. I enjoy rummaging through old things, and they have a really good selection of cool stuff as well as a good surplus of the wacky. I loved this old panel painting of a boxer, and I would have snapped it up if it was a good price, but the sucker was $850! Instead I purchased this awesome "Aero-Survey" map of Atlanta from 1974. It's huge and I presently have no place for it, but it'll be great once I'm able to put it up. I have an old transit map of New York and this will be a great complement to it.

An extended Halloween mood

2009-11-13T07:25:00.000-08:00

So for some strange reason I indulged in alot of horror movies this Halloween season, but I'm not quite satisfied. It's kind of weird because I'm usually kind of a wuss when it comes to scary movies, and I still can't stomach some of the extreme gore (I've been challenging myself to watch the Hostel movies since they are free on OnDemand, but yikes, I don't think I'm ready). Next on my agenda, I think this evening, will be The House of the Devil, I'm really digging the retro aesthetic (it was shot on 16mm film to intentionally achieve a 70s/80s feel) and these posters pretty much rock. Here's a little piece from New York magazine.

Pride-O-Ween

2009-11-03T20:01:00.001-08:00

Stephen Wiltshire

2009-10-31T08:52:00.000-07:00

This is really amazing. Stephen Wiltshire is creating an 18-foot drawing of the entire New York City skyline to scale, from memory, after only a 20 minute helicopter ride through the city. Stephen, an autistic artist from London, is drawn to cities as a subject matter and has executed drawings of cities around the world.

Julia Lohmann

2009-10-30T11:02:00.000-07:00

T Magazine has an interesting article on Julia Lohmann, an artist who works within the world of design, creating products that question our relationships with animals. When I visited the Museum of Modern Art a few weeks ago I took the above photo of the work she is best known for, her Cowbench, a piece of furniture constructed to resemble the beast from which it came.

Happy Halloween!!!!

2009-10-25T16:22:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin carving party on a beautiful fall afternoon. Mine is on the right. I watched The Hills Have Eyes this weekend, hence the mutant vibe. Scary!

Ghost (Natasha Poly: Multiple Exposure) 2009

2009-10-23T08:30:00.001-07:00

Some wonderfully spooky imagery in this video by Marco Brambilla, featuring Natasha Poly.

Greg Lauren

2009-10-21T05:53:00.000-07:00

These beautifully tailored paper sculptures by Greg Lauren are pretty amazing. Mr. Lauren is the nephew of Ralph Lauren and the husband of Elizabeth Berkley. Via GQ.com.

Tom Sachs, Barbara Kruger, Lever House

2009-10-15T16:33:00.001-07:00

Easy Rider

2009-10-12T11:58:00.000-07:00

Can't believe I hadn't seen Easy Rider until this weekend. Pretty awesome movie. Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda, Jack Nicholson – it even features a very young Toni Basil in a small role.

The New Museum

2009-10-06T17:51:00.001-07:00

Time, Time, Time, see what's become of me…

2009-09-30T05:31:00.000-07:00

A Time to Get just did a post on Swatches and shared a few links: here and here. These are the two that I proudly owned as a youngster, I think I had pretty good taste as a littleun, quite understated they are. I no longer wear a watch as I prefer to carry as little on me as possible, but I really wouldn't mind owning these again.

Loren/Bardot/Avedon

2009-09-28T20:02:00.000-07:00

Sophia Loren (born September 20, 1934) by Richard Avedon.

Brigette Bardot (born September 28, 1934) by Richard Avedon.

Numéro

2009-09-28T18:14:00.000-07:00

I've been discovering alot of really great imagery coming from Numéro magazine. I don't know if this editorial (featuring Jessica Stam shot by Mariano Vivanco) is an intentional homage to Richard Avedon, but that's the vibe I'm getting.

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

2009-09-20T09:32:00.000-07:00

The Carrie Nations: Marcia McBroom (as Petronella "Pet" Danforth), Dolly Reed (as Kelly MacNamara), Cynthia Myers (as Casey Anderson), from Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, another utterly bizarre film directed by Russ Meyer and, strangely enough, co-written by Russ Meyer and Roger Ebert.

Russ Meyer & The Girls

2009-09-20T09:15:00.001-07:00

Russ Meyer and Edy Williams at their wedding in 1970.

Lori Williams (Billie), Haji (Rosie), and Tura Satana (Varla).

Friday night viewing

2009-09-19T00:00:00.001-07:00

Trainspotting, 1996

Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! 1965

Bizarro

2009-09-16T19:08:00.000-07:00

So I was killing a little time before Top Chef, watching MTV for the first time in a long while. Does anyone else find it weird seeing CGI versions of The Beatles?

1971

2009-09-15T11:54:00.000-07:00

So I feel like I've been a little bit lazy with this blog lately. October is looking to be a really good month, so hopefully I'll be posting some new stuff soon. Above is a painting I just finished last night, I'm calling it Nineteen Seventy-One, and it's based on a snapshot I took of my television during a broadcast of an interview of Ingmar Bergman on the Dick Cavett show. Now I'm not exactly a fan of either of these gentlemen, but for some reason I shot a photo and found the colors to be very cool. The colors combined with the fashions of the clothing and set design, and the elongation and distortion from my television made for a very charming image, one that elicits a nostalgia for a time when these color combinations seemed normal, or when it was commonplace for a Swedish auteur to appear on a mainstream talk show. It's funny, can you feel nostalgia for a time before you were born?

In other news, I have four new pieces up on my website, www.mrj-art.com.

The Day Before

2009-09-10T12:42:00.000-07:00

You might be able to guess by now that I love a documentary format, as they say truth is always stranger than fiction. I'm really enjoying the Sundance series The Day Before, which chronicles the days preceding the fashion shows of major designers like Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi, Proenza Schouler and Sonia Rykiel. So much high drama, it's really entertaining, much like The Rachel Zoe Project, a program which demonstrates how lives hang in the balance if Anne Hathaway doesn't have proper dress options for the Oscars.

Richard Phillips

2009-09-04T10:58:00.001-07:00

Spectrum, 1998

Transfixed, 1998

I remember seeing Richard Phillips's artwork on a CD cover of Dirty Vegas years ago in college, but embarrassingly enough I didn't identify the artist until years later when the above painting, Spectrum, was hanging in Lily and Serena van der Woodsen's loft on Gossip Girl.

Mathew Cerletty

2009-09-02T16:48:00.001-07:00

Trying to Live Beside the Point, pastel, colored pencil on paper, 33 x 55 inches, 2003

Last Chance Dance, pastel, colored pencil on paper, 28 x 40 inches, 2003

Birthday Boy, oil on panel, 18 x 18 inches, 2003

Older work by Mathew Cerletty. He's since turned to doing alot of text-based paintings which are interesting as well, but I'm a sucker for some nice realism and figurative stuff.

Point and Shoot

2009-09-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

I need a new digital camera, around $250, does anyone out there have any recommendations? I've had pretty good luck with Canons, but I'm open to any brand.

OK, two things.

2009-08-30T19:50:00.000-07:00

1) Peggy Olsen is pretty much my hero.

2) I really want this blazer.

Watching

2009-08-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

Why do I insist on torturing myself like this on a Saturday evening? Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus. Deborah Gibson. Lorenzo Lamas. Brought to you by eHarmony.com. Enough said.

Soul Power

2009-08-28T05:35:00.000-07:00

Caught Soul Power last night at the Tara. Awesome film documenting Zaire '74, the three day music festival that was to accompany a boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire (now Congo). George Foreman ultimately postponed the fight due to an eye injury, but the festival went on anyway. A cultural exchange for the ages, African-American musical acts like B.B. King, Sister Sledge, The Spinners, Bill Withers (who gave me goosebumps with his performance of "Hope She'll Be Happier"), and of course, the Godfather of Soul James Brown mixed with African performers including Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Manu Dibango, TPOK Jazz, and Tabu Ley Rochereau. Also on the bill was Afro-Cuban singer Celia Cruz with the Fania All-Stars. Amazing to witness what was essentially music returning home, and despite the language barrier, being welcomed with more than open arms.

Let's Get Lost

2009-08-27T11:08:00.000-07:00

As long as I'm talking about documentaries featuring heroin-addicted jazz musicians, I should bring up Let's Get Lost, the Bruce Weber-directed documentary about Chet Baker. It's a very dreamy, stream of consciousness, California-tinged telling of the trumpeter's life, which was a wild, sad ride.

Anita O'Day, Jezebel of Jazz

2009-08-27T10:38:00.000-07:00

Last year I caught Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer in the theater. If you ever get a chance, watch it. She was one of the few white women who held rank with some of the greats like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. Like Holiday, she battled heroin for many years, but she managed to survive and even released an album pretty late in life, appropriately named Indestructable! in 2006 at the age of 87. Her stage name O'day is derived from the pig Latin word for money or "dough," which is pretty gangster for a jazz singer.

Ella

2009-08-26T06:28:00.000-07:00

I'm always intrigued with the idea of subject matter that's been filtered through several different mediums, like taking photos of televisions, which is what I did here with this airing of an in-studio performance by Ella Fitzgerald from 1963, taped in Sweden. The second and third photo are from a 1957 concert in Belgium. I had to edit down about seventy photos and came up with these six as the best of them. Combined, I think they make a nice little sequence of images.

16th, between Spring and West Peachtree

2009-08-25T18:45:00.000-07:00

Blackbird, Fly

2009-08-25T12:17:00.001-07:00

Finally got some film developed that I shot with my Blackbird, Fly camera. Not a whole lot of good ones, but given my luck with photography, the expectations were somewhat low. With some practice I might eventually be able to get some pretty interesting results. I love the grain of actual film.

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

2009-08-21T12:33:00.001-07:00

HA! Such a good movie, so much fun, classic Quentin Tarantino, everything you could want from one of his films. I love that he can tackle different genres and still retain his signature style. Eli Roth is sick!

COVERED: GQ

2009-08-18T15:23:00.000-07:00

The GQ covers portfolio.

London Fog

2009-08-16T21:30:00.000-07:00

Here's my latest, a self-portrait wearing my grandfather's trench coat, London Fog. And yes I did see the premiere this evening, amusing coincidence I think.

ART: Ricky Swallow

2009-08-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

Younger than Yesterday, english limewood, 2006, 20 x 20 x 20 cm. Photo by Fredrik Nilsen.

Killing Time (detail), jelutong, maple bracing, 2003-4, 108 x 184 x 118 cm. Photo by Karl Schwerdtfeger.

Everything is Nothing, jelutong, epoxy putty, 2003, 21 x 32 x 14 cm. Photo by Fredrik Nilsen.

I wonder how long each of these pieces takes. I can't even begin to imagine doing something so intricate and detailed in such a difficult medium. Sculptures by Ricky Swallow.

John Hughes, 1950-2009

2009-08-07T17:42:00.001-07:00

"You are so profoundly sad."

2009-08-07T15:51:00.001-07:00

Getting caught up on my Mad Men for season 3. Photos by Frank Ockenfels, courtesy of AMC.

ART: Barkley L. Hendricks

2009-08-06T12:01:00.000-07:00

Afro-Parisian Brothers, 1978

Arriving Soon, 1973

Sisters (Susan and Toni), 1977

George Jules Taylor, 1972

Sir Charles, Alias Willie Harris, 1972

Isn't it interesting when you spot something that you know has had a direct influence on you even though you probably hadn't seen it before? Like you wouldn't be doing what you do unless they had done it first? That's how I feel about the work of Barkley L. Hendricks, who I just discovered this past year. It's impossible not to see the correlation between his life-size paintings and the street style photos that are so abundant today – he's been Facehunting and Sartorializing since way back in the day, giving representation in a classical manner to those who might otherwise have gone unseen in the art world.

ART: William Christenberry

2009-08-05T06:23:00.000-07:00

Red Building in Forest, 1983

Green Warehouse, Newbern, Alabama, 1978

Kudzu Devouring Building, near Greensboro, Alabama, 2004

Gourd Tree, near Fayette, Alabama, 1988

Church, Sprott, Alabama, 1981

I was born in Elba, Alabama, a tiny town a couple of hours away from Montgomery, where I actually grew up. I spent a number of summers in Elba and quite a few holidays as well, visiting my grandparents and a few other relatives. It's pretty rural, and on the drives down I was always fascinated by the landscape and the hints of life that I could detect out of the car window – dilapidated barns, ancient houses of greying wood and the amorphous shapes of trees covered in kudzu. All of which are subjects depicted in the photographs by William Christenberry, and I must say these images resonate with me very much.

Bummer.

2009-08-04T19:03:00.001-07:00

Yay. My camera has decided to start moonlighting as a part-time abstract art maker.

Charles W. Cushman Photograph Collection

2009-08-04T06:52:00.000-07:00

Three bums from South Ferry flophouses. At Battery Park, New York City. June 6, 1941

Tamara Titova, San Francisco, California. May 8, 1962

Rambling frame house at corner of Theatre St. and Conception St. Mobile, Alabama. December 8, 1951

Old Fortmann mansion in Gough at Eddy, after fire - S.E. corner, San Francisco, California. July 26, 1959

Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California. March 23, 1967

Aunt Neal and Anne at home. Mt. Vernon, Indiana. July 30, 1951

If you love old photography be sure to check out this site, The Charles W. Cushman Photograph Collection. "Charles Weever Cushman, amateur photographer and Indiana University alumnus, bequeathed approximately 14,500 Kodachrome color slides to his alma mater. The photographs in this collection bridge a thirty-two year span from 1938 to 1969, during which time he extensively documented the United States as well as other countries." How stylish are those "bums" in the first photo?

ART: Jason Murphy

2009-08-03T11:32:00.000-07:00

mt. tenkiller, 16" x 20", acrylic on canvas

purple mine, 8" x 10", acrylic on canvas

skaitook gorge, 12" x 12" acrylic on panel

Atlanta artist Jason Murphy.

ART: Ben Grasso

2009-08-03T11:07:00.000-07:00

Paintings by Ben Grasso. Despite the depictions of seeming destruction, these images are beautifully serene and pretty gleeful.

STILL LIFE: Volver

2009-07-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

After I saw Vicky Christina Barcelona I knew Penelope Cruz was awesome, but seeing Volver really cemented her in my mind as one of the great actresses of our time, and probably my favorite.

TYPEFACED: Title Sequences

2009-07-29T06:52:00.000-07:00

Please forgive me, I've gone a little movie crazy, but you'll just have to bear with me for a bit. This morning I found this site which has an archive of movie title sequences, so much fun, and yet so many classics that I haven't seen. Here are a few of my favorites that I have seen. (Oh and I found this link via We Love You So, a blog dedicated to the making of the upcoming Where the Wild Things Are film; it includes tons of information about the movie as well as influences that went into it's creation, so check that out as well.)

STILL LIFE: Paris Je T'aime

2009-07-28T06:36:00.000-07:00

I adored every second of this movie. A string of 18 shorts with an epic cast and an incredible group of directors (Alfonso Cuarón, Wes Craven, The Cohen Bros., Gus Van Sant, etc., etc.!), Paris Je T'aime is (and I use this adjective somewhat self-consciously) lovely. The New York Times likened it to a succession of amuse-bouche without the satisfaction of a main entreé, but I didn't mind seeing only glimpses of stories. To me it felt like the sum of them all equaled a very rich whole.

ART: Ruth Asawa

2009-07-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

Star, 1960, galvanized wire, 45.1" x 45.1"

NATURAL SELECTIONS: Basket star

2009-07-27T11:08:00.000-07:00

From the 70th plate of Ernst Haeckel's Kunstformen der Natur, 1904. Illustration of Astrophyton darwinium, a Basket star.

Roots cross-section

2009-07-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

From An idea of a phytological history propounded, together with a continuation of the anatomy of vegetables, particularly prosecuted upon roots, by Nathaniel Grew, 1673.

History of Color Thought

2009-07-26T09:31:00.000-07:00

Moses Harris's Shaded Color Wheel

Visualizing Color by Tyler Tate.

COVERED: Art in America, March-April 1966

2009-07-25T18:23:00.000-07:00

"French architect Francois Dallegret imagines that soon most human activity will occur not on earth but in space. He sees the artist of this future time as a man who is, like his predecessors over the centuries, endowed with some special innate talent. This artist of the future differs from his predecessors, however, in that he creates no material objects, such as paintings or sculptures, but rather makes environments in space which induce a variety of specific sensory reactions in the people who enter them. Their reactions can be as general as a simple feeling of excitement, as physical as a feeling they are lighter, as unbalancing as the feeling they are light years away from their real location, as nostalgically concrete as the feeling that they are surrounded by Louis XV furniture. The medium which the artist of the future uses to create his environment is electric emanations, which he learns how to organize and send from both human teachers and teaching machines. These emanations can be received by anyone who tunes in and, Dallegret says, 'in this future everyone will understand the artist's intention. His intention will be to create all sorts of natural and supernatural feelings we don't know about yet. It will kill Descartes, this things. And Braque.'"

ART: Andy Gilmore

2009-07-25T08:35:00.000-07:00

Andy Gilmore's blog, flickr and drawings.

Moon

2009-07-24T16:00:00.000-07:00

I had the afternoon off today and felt like going to the movies, something I do quite often. It was a toss up between three, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, (500) Days of Summer, and Moon. I was in the mood for something a bit more challenging, so I settled on Moon, and I am very glad that I did. Very original, and for a science fiction movie, it was surprisingly emotional. But I guess all the good ones are able to tap into that, that's what makes them good. And how gorgeous is this one-sheet?

… And Number 4

2009-07-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

Number 4 dead guy. And below is a preview of one of my latest, titled Wolf's Bane. Hopefully it will be up full-size on my website soon, www.mrj-art.com.

Number 3

2009-07-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

This is the third of these little portraits that I've been doing. I've been doing them as kind of an "in between projects" project, little drawings that I could do when I'm not doing a larger piece. The plan is to do thirteen of them, probably going to call them "13 Ghosts." Not really sure how all the pieces will come together as a larger whole, so we'll see.

ART: Christian Faur

2009-07-17T06:11:00.000-07:00

Untitled 6500, 2006, hand cast encaustic crayons, 19.5" x 19.5"

The Color Purple , 2009, hand cast encaustic crayons, 21" x 21"

True Color Series Girl 1, 2008, hand cast encaustic crayons, 14" x 14"

True Color Series Girl 1 (detail 1), 2008, hand cast encaustic crayons, 14" x 14"

Amazing work by Christian Faur.

Mortage On the Future, 2006, hand cast encaustic crayons, 19.5" x 19.5"

ART: Tara Donovan

2009-07-16T06:44:00.000-07:00

Colony, 2005

Untitled (Mylar), 2008

Untitled (Styrofoam Cups), 2008

ART: Jennifer Maestre

2009-07-15T07:47:00.000-07:00

Threnody

Asteridae, 5" x 24" x 24"

Seethe, 9" x 13" x 14"

Jennifer Maestre's website

NATURAL SELECTIONS: Pfeffer's Flamboyant Cuttlefish

2009-07-14T17:26:00.000-07:00

Metasepia pfefferi. I find it pretty humorous that a mollusk is referred to as "flamboyant."

STILL LIFE: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

2009-07-13T20:47:00.000-07:00

Crayon Ponyfish. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, 2004

ART: Dustin Yellin

2009-07-13T06:47:00.000-07:00

Arboreus Study, No. 2, Resin and Ink, 8"x8"x3.875", 2009

Better Red then Dead, Resin, Acrylic and Ink, 10"x11.7"x8.75", 2008

I love that the groupings of Dustin Yellin's work are referred to as "specimens" on his website, because that is precisely why his pieces appeal to me. They remind me of the numerous collections I had as a kid – rocks, fossils, shells – and how I used to collect fish for my aquariums, press leaves in books and put bugs in jars.

Candyland II, Acrylic, Ink, Resin, 17"x15"x9", 2007

ART: Hilary Berseth

2009-07-07T06:01:00.000-07:00

Programmed Hive #8, 2008.Honeybee comb on board mounted on hive super, wood, urethane foam, wire, metal, paint, UV lacquer. 24" x 24" x 48" (61 x 61 x 121.9 cm)

Green Porno/Queen Bee

2009-07-01T14:04:00.000-07:00

The black, black widow is sittin' in the middle of the web,

it's the fly she seeks.

You may be her lover but you never will recover,

'cause she ain't had a bite for weeks.

You think you're the same, 'cause you got the same name,

but the widow has a mobile home.

Remember what I told you, she got eight arms to hold you,

and she's never gonna let you roam.

She'll tuck into bed and truck on your head,

then she'll wrap you as a midnight snack.

So if you see a spider, don't you sidle up beside her

Why'd you think the widow's wearin' black?

Just like the Queen Bee, baby
Pray that you may be left on your own,
Nothin' she'll give you, gonna outlive you,
But the queen bee's never gonna be alone.

Long before Atlantis there has been a praying mantis

and you knows why he's on his knees.

He may have religion but he's just a sittin' pigeon

if a woman even starts to tease.

He won't even quibble if she has a little nibble on his neck,

what a way to go.

And now you done and torn it! You been messin' with a hornet,

she's a blue-blooded wasp, you know.

And just as you do it, she'll inject you with a fluid

that you ain't even got but none.

You're the meat on the plate, not even first rate,

she's gonna feed you to her seventh son.

Just like the Queen Bee, baby

Pray that you may be left on your own,

Nothin' she'll give you, gonna outlive you,

But the queen bee's never gonna be alone.

Photos: Isabella Rossellini in Green Porno on Sundance Channel

Lyrics: "Queen Bee," written by Rupert Holmes, performed by Barbra Streisand, 1976

ART: Gerhard Richter

2009-06-29T20:43:00.000-07:00

Behind me: Sieben Stehende Scheiben (Seven Standing Panes), 2002, glass and steel, 2007; In front of me: 11-Scheiben (Eleven Panes), 2003, hard-coated tempered glass (Antelio silver) standing on wooden beams, 2005. High Museum

Aerosol Art

2009-06-26T18:57:00.000-07:00

On the corner of 16th and State Street.

COVERED: OMNI magazine, July 1981

2009-06-26T06:32:00.000-07:00

OMNI magazine was always around the house when I was little, and I remember pouring through them – not exactly understanding everything – but mesmerized by the art, which was always a strange mix of science fiction and eroticism. Afterall it was published by Kathy Keeton, the wife of Penthouse publisher, Bob Guccione. I had almost forgotten completely about the publication until I saw a link to this photostream. I'm not really sure if a magazine like this would be given a chance to get off the ground these days, which is too bad.

Michael: 1958-2009

2009-06-25T16:21:00.000-07:00

What a day it's been. Hopefully he finds a little peace.

Farrah: 1947-2009

2009-06-25T11:27:00.000-07:00

I just read that Farrah Fawcett passed away, which is really sad. As the height of her fame was a little before my time, she was never really on my radar. I was more than surprised to learn a few years ago that she was an accomplished artist who studied classical sculpture at the University of Texas at Austin. In 2000, she worked with Keith Edmier, a sculptor and admirer of hers. He initially proposed to do a sculpture of her; this soon evolved into a two-year partnership, with her creating a life-size bronze of him as well, in addition to numerous other pieces, allowing her to explore the roles of muse, collaborator and creator.

Detail of Keith Edmier and Farrah Fawcett, 2000, marble

STILL LIFE: Constantine

2009-06-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

Tilda Swinton as the Angel Gabriel. Constantine, 2005

ART: Kate MccGwire

2009-06-24T07:03:00.001-07:00

After yesterday's post of the Golden Eagle on the cover of Auburn Magazine, I can't help but be reminded of Kate MccGwire.

Vex, 2008, Pigeon feathers, polystyrene, felt, glue, museum cabinet, 183 x 110 x 61 cm

Here is an explanation of this piece from the artist's site: "The twisted form of a serpent-like creature lies enclosed in an airless glass cabinet, a diverting object for museum display. Instead of the usual taxidermist's presentation of a perfectly preserved specimen complete with beady-eyed head, this animal appears to be headless, as if it's been gagged."

"This feathered hybrid defies the naturalist's attempts at categorisation; half bird, half snake, it lies somewhere between a creature of myth, an extinct beast and a corporeal representation of the angst-ridden contortions of the human subconscious. This unavoidably human reference is reinforced by the animal's sinuous, bodily curves, which suggest both movement and life. Is this creature dead, as the vitrine implies, or suspended, like some eternally hibernating beast, between two states?"

Color Me Impressed, Orange and Blue

2009-06-23T15:58:00.000-07:00

It seems that my old alma mater, Auburn University, has upped their game when it comes to their alumni publication, and I am seriously loving it. I only hope that I haven't been struck from the list to receive it due to my numerous brush offs of the alumni association when they try to hit me up for cash. The last caller could not have been more than nineteen and she repeatedly called me "Mr. Matthew." Here is the cover, which calls to mind that Vogue cover I posted a while back, and a feature about the college's Southeastern Raptor Center, which has rehabilitated up to 500 birds of prey of 21 different species annually and houses Nova, a six year old Golden Eagle who is the current mascot and seventh bird to be named "War Eagle."

Revamped Auburn Magazine Takes Flight

Rasterbation

2009-06-23T15:21:00.000-07:00

My friend and favorite curmudgeon Chris moved into The Mattress Factory Lofts earlier this year. Having ample wall space and little to hang, I pointed him in the direction of The Rasterbator, an online application that allows you to upload any photo, and in seconds it gives you a pdf of the photo blown up with a halftone filter applied, tiled to print onto any size paper. I think it's a pretty nifty and economical way to decorate. Here are the (first) results, an old photo of the Brooklyn Bridge. I think if we got out my straight edge and xacto knife we could do something pretty nice.

TYPEFACED: Sterling Cooper

2009-06-15T14:00:00.000-07:00

Hurry up already, Jesus.

Dead Men

2009-06-14T19:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a sample of a piece that I'm working on, based on found photography that I got from various antique stores. Hopefully when I'm done there will be twelve in all, and so far I've been able to do one a week. I'm thinking of doing a print once I complete them all, I'll just have to see how I feel about them when it's finished.

La Fiesta Brava

2009-06-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

This weekend I went to Scott Antique Market for the first time. I haven't been to an antique market in quite a while, probably since Lakewood shut down, but I had a pretty good time. Didn't find much this time around, but I will most likely go again next month. Wandering around among objects that have past lives is one of my favorite things to do, and it usually serves as a great way of finding inspiration. My one purchase was a great book on bullfighting, "La Fiesta Brava." The photography is awesome and will probably serve as the basis for one of my next projects.

Pugs

2009-06-11T19:12:00.000-07:00

Linda Evangelista, Vogue Italia, June 2008, photo Steven Meisel

Valentino: The Last Emperor

2009-06-08T06:25:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I saw Valentino: The Last Emperor at the Tara. I enjoyed seeing the process that goes into creating his garments (not a sewing machine in sight) and the history behind the designer, but for me his herd of pugs stole the show.

TYPEFACED: Viktor & Rolf

2009-06-05T22:58:00.000-07:00

Naomi Campbell in Viktor & Rolf, V Magazine 54, photo Mario Sorrenti

STILL LIFE: Synecdoche, New York

2009-06-05T16:50:00.000-07:00

Synecdoche, New York, 2008

Loving this interior (that's Philip Seymour Hoffman vacuuming). I won't even begin to try and explain this film, I've only seen it once, wasn't sure if I enjoyed it. I can say I appreciated it, although I'm aware that's not exactly a glowing review.

Oh, and "it's not a tumor." My previously mentioned mouth surgery was actually a biopsy. If you look at the blog entry with my x-ray, there is a round opaque spot on the bottom left hand side of my jaw, the viewer's right. My dentist thought it was suspicious, so he sent me to an oral surgeon. I got the results of the pathology report back from Emory yesterday and they were all clear. So good news just in time for the weekend.

STILL LIFE: I ♥ Huckabees

2009-06-04T07:13:00.000-07:00

Vivian Jaffe, Existential Detective. I ♥ Huckabees, 2004

The Incredible Shrinking Woman

2009-06-03T20:54:00.000-07:00

Haven't felt like posting lately. I am so over my mouth.

I just found this art from the movie The Incredible Shrinking Woman. I haven't seen that movie since I was a kid, but I remember loving it. Reading up on it recently I found it interesting that it is noted for its anti-consumerism message, as it was a mixture of household products that caused the main character, Pat Kramer, to shrink. Wikipedia also says that "some consider it an early acknowledgement of multiple chemical sensitivity disorder." Anyway, Lily Tomlin is such an amazing nutjob, I love it. A few of my favorites are 9 to 5, Flirting With Disaster and I ♥ Huckabees.

TYPEFACED: SNL Players

2009-05-29T16:12:00.001-07:00

This is a new little department that features type found in interesting or unorthodox places. I believe I found this image on FFFFOUND!

Aftermath

2009-05-29T15:56:00.000-07:00

My mouth is not a pretty thing at this moment. I hope I have enough drugs to last. I am probably going to have to eat scrambled eggs for dinner but what I'm really craving is some Chick-fil-a.

Oral Anxiety

2009-05-28T06:41:00.001-07:00

So I have a date with an oral surgeon tomorrow, and this lovely image is an X-ray of my pearly whites. I have undergone so much dental trauma in my life it should be a breeze, but I'm still a little nervous. In the past I have knocked my two front teeth out twice resulting in two crowns and one root canal, been outfitted with all types of mechanisms ranging from headgear to braces to retainers and had several fillings. At least I'm not getting a cleaning, my current hygienist is a sadist.

Thursday

2009-05-28T06:33:00.000-07:00

Not sure of the provenance of this photo, but the colors are fantastic.