Mike's Art Universe...Always Expanding

2012-01-08T07:17:00.011-05:00

"This project is supported in part by a grant from the Chelsea Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency."

"Chelsea as Muse"
by Michael St.Germain

The works in this post were funded by a grant from the Chelsea (MA) Cultural Council. In the first half of 2011, I took photographs in and around Chelsea.

Recently, I painted on them with india ink.

In the near future, I will scan, enlarge and present these works as posters at Chelsea venues.

2011-11-20T20:14:00.007-05:00

Spray Paint Drawings...
by Michael St.Germain
h=9" w=12" (each)
Krylon on cotton paper
(click on images to enlarge)

2011-09-22T16:15:00.003-04:00

Michael St.Germain and Richard Dorff at Atlantic Works Gallery through September 24.

Colors do not exist without white but what is white without color?

In this show, Richard Dorff and Michael St.Germain explore this question with a focused selection of approaches and materials.

Rice flour is used to make paste for a sixteen-foot "toilet papier-mache" diptych which is draped in subtle bas relief shadows. Casting plaster is used to create intentional and process generated objects which explore shading and ambient color in the context of a generic "white" gallery.

A linear installation of "white" paint sample cards is activated and revealed by applied black gesso marks. A suspended box of natural white birch containing daylight-mimicking light tubes reveals the inherent elusive and subtle nature of white.

Works are displayed at a variety of heights and most of the gallery wall space is intentionally left vacant so that indirect lighting may lead the viewer's attention to the volume of the space which is integral to the activation of works on display.

white light/ white room

process is a process is a process

inner white

add to white

dieux (p)raw c'est

white out

Richard Dorff and Michael St.Germain @ Atlantic Works Gallery (http://atlanticworks.org/) through September 24, 2011. Gallery is open Fridays and Saturdays 2pm-6pm and by appointment. Please call 617-283-7113.

Atlantic Works Gallery (we have the best views!)
80 Border Street (3rd floor)
East Boston, MA 02128

2010-10-09T16:04:00.008-04:00

"Drawing in a can..."

by Michael St.Germain

Here are a few spray paint drawings from August...

h=9", w=12"

Krylon/Rustoleum

cotton paper

2010-08-10T22:56:00.003-04:00

"Additive Knowledge/ Cumulative Presence"
by Michael St.Germain

A couple more shots from my May show...

Photo credits: John Kennard (http://www.lawportraits.com/)

2010-07-23T20:47:00.018-04:00

"Additive Knowledge/ Cumulative Presence"
by Michael St.Germain

Here are a few of my drawings and objects installed at Gallery @ Spencer Lofts (Chelsea, MA) in May.

Photo credits: John Kennard (http://www.lawportraits.com/)

2010-05-21T22:25:00.012-04:00

Etc...
by Michael St.Germain

Here are a few improvisational sketches I did while at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The oil sketch is by Goya.

2010-04-24T21:13:00.007-04:00

Museum Sketches
by Michael St.Germain

Here are a few improvisational sketches I did while at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. The oil painting is "Nocturne in Blue and Silver..." by James Abbott McNeill Whistler.

2010-03-08T09:28:00.008-05:00

Museum Sketches
by Michael St.Germain

Here are a few improvisational sketches I did while at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The top oil sketch is by Goya, the bottom painting is by Pieter Claesz.

2010-02-25T10:45:00.005-05:00

Recent Drawings
by Michael St.Germain

Pigmented marker on paper, 6"x8" each.

2009-11-21T20:24:00.022-05:00

"Corpus Callosum"
by Michael St.Germain

My exhibition of "Corpus Callosum" at Atlantic Works Gallery in East Boston (http://www.atlanticworks.org/) is drawing to a close.

Indeed, pre-hanging preparations for this exhibition were time and labor intensive.

The 500 slide sheets, which hold 20 drawings each, were pre-mounted on paper panels with 1,000 homemade hinges and 2,000 pieces of tape.

When all was said and done, the turnout to the opening reception, gallery hours and Third Thursday event was moderate, but the overall experience was positive in several ways.

First of all, I got to see the work installed in its entirety. This might sound funny, but the work is so big that I never saw it on the wall at one time and in one place prior to this exhibition.

Check out this video clip to get an idea of the size of the piece.

Secondly, I got a lot of encouraging feedback from artist peers and insight from some sensitive viewers who took more than 30 minutes crawling through the work.

It's true that a work of this scale and visual density demands a lot from the viewer. Visual connections and relationships emerge slowly and unexpectedly.

This video clip is an up close view of the work.

One perceptive viewer pointed out that the pencil didn't appear to leave the paper during the execution of many of the drawings.

Others, through asking questions about the work, inadvertently brought me back to a period in my life when I was consistently up and drawing well before the sunrise...

2009-11-13T06:11:00.009-05:00

Opening Reception for "Corpus Callosum"

On Thursday, November 5, Atlantic Works Gallery hosted an opening reception for "Corpus Callosum," a 10,000 drawing wall piece by Michael St.Germain.

Family, friends, and others came by

to check out 10,000 matchbook-sized drawings.

The drawings were presented in 500 (20-pocket) slide storage pages.

These pages, in turn, were affixed to 84 panels. The work literally filled the whole gallery.

Some people chose to sit and get up close and personal with the work.

Others took it in the drawings sequentially.

As always, guests gathered to talk,

share a drink

and have a few laughs.

Special Thanks to our gallery installer George Kougeas for a very long, precise and elegant installation.

Special Thanks also to BeeBee Horowitz at the Toy Box at the Tisbury Marketplace in Vineyard Haven (Martha's Vineyard) for kindly offering a very generous discount on letters for signage.

Come join us on November 19 for a Third Thursday reception. It's from 6-9 pm. We're at 80 Border Street (third floor) in East Boston, Ma.

2009-09-22T17:14:00.009-04:00

Corpus Callosum (sheet 100: drawing numbers 1,981 through 2,000)
by Michael St.Germain

In 1996, I completed Corpus Callosum.

The 10,000 drawings of Corpus Callosum are presented in 500 (20 cell) plastic slide storage pages affixed to the gallery wall.

In anticipation of exhibiting this work in its entirety in November, I have been documenting select individual pages of drawings.

Here are enlargements of drawings 1,981 through 2,000. Each side of the black square represents 2''.

2009-09-03T14:10:00.004-04:00

Corpus Callosum
by Michael St.Germain

Back in 1996, I completed a 10,00 drawing project called Corpus Callosum. The drawings of Corpus are presented in slide pages which are affixed to the wall.

Recently, in anticipation of showing this work in its entirety at Atlantic Works Gallery in November, I began to document the individual drawings.

As you scroll down, you will see enlargements of drawings 1 through 20. Each side of the black square represents 2''.

2009-06-04T08:11:00.012-04:00

Deconstructing Darkness
by Michael St.Germain

Here are a few photos of my portion of the Responding to Darkness installation after the gallery windows have been uncovered and the cardboard shingles removed from the house.

Interestingly, it was only in the process of taking the work apart that I first got to see the paper mache objects situated within the unclad skeleton of the house.

I have to (gulp) admit that I feel the work has a stronger visual and emotional presence in this state than it had when it was in the actual show...

2009-05-17T22:41:00.000-04:00

More rocks with faces...
by Michael St.Germain

2009-05-10T11:52:00.025-04:00

Installation for Responding to Darkness...
by Michael St.Germain

This is the work I made for Responding to Darkness at Atlantic Works Gallery in East Boston, MA .

The frame of the house measures 8.5 feet high, 6 feet wide and 6 feet deep and was generously constructed by Atlantic Works Gallery preparator George Kougeas.

When George finished framing, I shingled the structure with cardboard panels, dropped in a simple socket with a light bulb and populated the interior with paper mache objects.

Important Note: This exhibition is presented in the dark. Gallery lights are turned off and all gallery windows are boarded up with sheet rock from the inside.

From this point on, all photos in this posting were taken with a flash. All interior shots of the house were illuminated by a 60 watt bulb (which is a part of the work) and a camera flash.

The house's solitary opening is at chest level, measures about 2 feet square and faces the corner of the gallery. Again, the gallery is dark.

This opening gives visual access to the interior which is illuminated by a 60 watt light bulb. The photo above was taken by Paul Weiner.

Inside the house are six of the paper mache objects I made during the past eight months. The tallest object is 7.5 feet high.

Here are a couple of details of the interior taken from outside of the house.

Here is a short video of the interior...

Link to Atlantic Works Gallery: www.atlanticworks.org

Link to the Responding to Darkness show blog: www.respondingtodarkness.blogspot.com

2009-05-05T05:53:00.003-04:00

Responding to Darkness...
by Michael St.Germain

I am in a three-person show opening on Friday, May 8 at Atlantic Works Gallery in East Boston, MA. The Friday 7pm-10pm reception is free and open to the public.

To see how the idea for Responding to Darkness came to be, click on the link.

http://www.respondingtodarkness.blogspot.com

Note: The image above is the postcard for the show.

2009-04-15T22:08:00.011-04:00

More rocks from my collection...
by Michael St.Germain

2009-04-11T14:53:00.015-04:00

Rocks...
by Michael St.Germain

For the past four years, I have been searching for stones which look like human, animal or abstract head forms.

This casual and arguably absurd undertaking involves a bit of heavy lifting, a bit of reading internet tide tables and a bit of luck.

Success depends on cultivating and maintaining a detached (yet receptive) awareness in the presence of thousands of football-sized stones. The good rocks are right in front of your eyes, you just have to see them... and lug them home.

2009-03-29T20:50:00.005-04:00

Object

by Michael St.Germain

Here is a recent paper mache work: h=68", w=27", d=21".

2009-03-14T08:56:00.006-04:00

Object
by Michael St.Germain

Here is a recent work consisting of a paper mache base and a 6 foot piece of lumber.

(height= 108", width= 30", depth= 34")

Lower photo is a detail of paper mache base.

2009-03-04T14:16:00.003-05:00

Old School

by Michael St.Germain

Here are a couple of works which I recently found sandwiched between the pages of an old drawing pad. I'm always kicking myself for not keeping images of my earlier "representational" works before I give them away, so I decided to scan these in before it's too late...

These single session paintings were made "on site" (at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and at the Muddy River in Boston) while I was a student at Massachusetts College of Art back in 1993.

The works are painted in gouache (opaque watercolor) on 3 x 5 inch recipe cards. This scale provided a means of working discreetly and portably.

2009-01-18T16:49:00.025-05:00

a couple of new works...
by Michael St.Germain

Here are a couple of paper mache works from December and January. The floor piece is 82 inches high, 17 inches wide and 34.5 inches deep. The wall piece is 21 inches high, 18 inches wide and 7.5 inches deep.

Note: Left click on image to enlarge and see detail.

2009-01-03T17:44:00.003-05:00

Untitled Object

by Michael St.Germain

Here is a paper mache work from December. It is made of chicken wire, newspaper, white office paper, flour and water. Height is 25.5 inches, width is 10.5 inches and depth is 24 inches.

2008-11-01T19:30:00.014-04:00

RIPPLED WATER...
by Michael St.Germain

Here is a recent work painted directly on a car/truck inner tube.

2008-09-30T09:40:00.009-04:00

Wall Paintings
by Michael St.Germain

Here are a couple of works which I painted directly on my studio wall. The first was completed in August, the second in September.

My primary motivation in painting the text of my poems on the wall is to evoke through the use of language, color and scale, a fleeting visual impression within the viewer.

To this end, my poems are pared down to an almost elemental essence so that it is likely, in my estimation, that the viewer can flesh out the skeletons of my words with personal experiences.

As I have a limited amount of wall space, I paint on top of old poems. A byproduct of this process is that I am gradually creating (relative to the thickness of the wall) an informal "archaeology".

As the wall with poems incrementally extends into the studio space, a stratification occurs. Old poems vanish from sight, but still very much exist.

Notes:

Each wall painting is approximately 7 feet high (width proportional).

There is a little distortion in the photos due to the proximity of the camera to the wall when the photos were taken. The edges of the painting, door and floor are "straight" in real life.

That's me in the top photo wearing my "Biennial Project" t -shirt. For more information on the "Biennial Project", check out: http://www.biennialproject.com/

2008-09-13T16:10:00.014-04:00

Jeff Feld's Forgetting
by Michael St.Germain

Here is a wood, plaster and vinyl object by New York City artist Jeff Feld (http://www.jefffeld.net).

As this work is (essentially) a cylinder, it can be rolled. The ability of the viewer to roll this work in thought or in deed is of the utmost importance in understanding it.

If you roll this cylinder and bring it to rest with "forgetting" out of sight, you will most certainly remember that the word no longer visible is "forgetting".

At least you will in the short term.

If you roll this cylinder continually, you will witness a cyclical appearance, disappearance and reappearance of the word "forgetting".

Which of the above two actions will ensure a longer lasting memory of the word for the viewer?

The second will.

Rolling the object gives the viewer more time in front of the text as well as a greater number of exposures to it. The cyclical appearance, disappearance and reappearance of the word casually conditions the viewer to, ironically, remember it.

Perhaps this work is a metaphor for "forgetting"...

Things that are forgotten are "far away" and "out of sight". Things that are remembered are "close by" and "in clear view".

Things that are in the act of being forgotten are "rolling away" and things that are in the act of being remembered are "coming into sight".

How long will you remember this work? Will the incorporation of the word "forgetting" into this work of art subliminally remind you not to forget it?

All of the above can be ascertained from looking at a photo of the work. Here are a few of the artist's thoughts (taken out of context)...

"...art is expansive over time and I have had many thoughts about that work since its creation...
What you don't get from the photo is that the work also has "forgetting" written in the same place on the other side, so as one rotates the work a type of forgetting and remembering occurs..."

"...the origin of the form is a water tank truck, the type used after 9/11 here (NYC) at Ground Zero. These trucks were constantly dumping water in the city in an attempt to wash away the dust, to make it go away."

"This "tank" got me thinking about memory and how the ability to forget is essential to human function, yet everything we experience is contained somewhere, stored somewhere..."

"...there is something pathological about a circular motion and the idea that we continue to return or behave in ways that perhaps are not good fits. We forget only to return..."

Note: forgetting (2004), plaster, wood, vinyl, 41"x96"x36"

2008-09-01T09:13:00.011-04:00

Life Jackets...
by Michael St.Germain

Here are a couple of works from my vacation in Hartland, Maine.

I painted my poems directly onto life jackets. The challenge was to avoid slips of the brush or splatters, as it is not possible to cleanly erase and conceal mistakes while working with acrylic paint on nylon...

2008-07-13T23:20:00.004-04:00

Autoportrait
by Michael St.Germain

Here are a couple of snapshots of a work I painted directly on the wall at Atlantic Works Gallery in East Boston for a show titled "Unsuitable Content" (on view through July 25).

http://www.atlanticworks.org

(Note: open-ended multiple, oil and acrylic on wall, dimensions variable)

2008-06-24T23:14:00.018-04:00

Proposal for the Sprague Energy Corporation's "Tank Farm" Art Competition
by Michael St.Germain

I submitted the four images above to an art competition in Portland, Maine. The winner will have his/her designs applied to sixteen oil storage tanks. Instead of creating drawings for the competition, I wrote poems about the sea.

I have been thinking a lot lately about the aesthetic possibilities of presenting poetry in non-traditional ways and formats.

Preparing a proposal for this competition was appealing because it offered the hypothetical possibility of presenting poetry simultaneously to viewers on land, sea and in the air. Pretty neat!

"From land, sea and air, the Sprague tank farm is a prominent feature on the Portland Harbor. It is seen by nearly everyone who passes through Portland on travels, and is a familiar sight for those who live here. Viewers see the tank farm from many vantage points and from various speeds..."

2008-05-12T13:32:00.004-04:00

Drawing into sculpture...

Recently, I have been wondering how I can translate my ink altered photographs into sculpture. At this point in time, I do not have an ideal material candidate to use for "working in the round".
That being said, I think that very large black cardboard cutouts could suggest the illusion of form from far away.

2008-03-24T09:14:00.006-04:00

Refined Statement - Ink Painted Photographs

All works currently presented as 4' x 6' digital vinyl banners.

My work incorporates elements of, and challenges the notion that there are clearly defined boundaries between, painting, drawing, photography and digital art.

My working method is as direct as it is idiosyncratic. I take photographs, mail them away to be developed (into 5x7 inch triple prints) and paint on them with ink. I then dramatically enlarge and present these works in a commercial advertising medium.

The simplicity of the tools and materials I employ to realize these works (plastic camera, child's paintbrush, and film mailer) suggests an informality directly at odds with the monumentality and darkness of the completed works.

The marks I make, literally in the palm of my hand, are intimate and represent memories of objects I have observed.

Interestingly, these "memories" in the context of an informal snapshot become something altogether different. A strange synergy occurs which suggests to the viewer a "new reality" directly sprung from, but very much unrelated to, the elements out of which it is composed.

Scaling up…

To realize a mural-sized scale in my work, I select a completed 5x7 inch ink painted photograph, convert it into a digital file and have it commercially fabricated as a digital vinyl banner.

The dramatic augmentation of scale from inches to feet literally pushes the work's boundaries outside of the field of vision when viewed up close, thus facilitating the experience of "getting lost in" or "falling into" the work.

At this scale, the nuanced and previously hidden personality of the ink skin reveals itself in all of its cracked, pockmarked and shaded glory. Ironically, in this revelatory process the ink skin has itself become a photograph.

2008-03-13T14:40:00.002-04:00

Shifts...

I've been allowing a little more humor, darkness and fluidity to enter my work. I have also decided that, given an appropriate exhibition opportunity (read: large wall space), I will present my work at billboard scale.

2008-02-23T08:58:00.007-05:00

The bigger picture...

Presenting my work in a larger format allows it to be viewed from afar in its entirety and up close without perceiving it's edges. In this format, the scale of recognizeable imagery is closer to how it is perceived in real life.

Another significant change is that the passages of ink which used to sit on top of the photograph are now incorporated into the large scale digital (vinyl) print.

2008-02-14T09:22:00.004-05:00

Scaling Up

Since October, I have been thinking about and experimenting with different presentation formats for my ink on photograph works. My emphasis has been on increasing scale. The photograph above is one of my works presented as a 5x7 foot digital vinyl banner.

2008-01-05T13:57:00.000-05:00

Space 213

Here is a panoramic video (double click on "play") of Space 213, a workspace and informal gallery I am involved with. Space 213 is located at 450 Harrison Avenue in Boston's South End. This four story warehouse building is generally accepted as the epicenter of the Boston's contemporary art scene with "flagship" galleries on the street level (Bernard Toale, Allston Skirt, Samson Projects, etc.) and artist studios above.

During the "First Friday" of each month, galleries and studios open their doors to the public. The atmosphere is something between an open house and block party.

(Note: There are two of my enlarged ink and photo works in this clip.)

2007-11-24T19:54:00.000-05:00

Bridges...

Recently, I felt a very strong urge to draw bridges. More specifically, I felt an urge to draw portions of imagined bridges.

I set out to present structures that are not structural, structures which lack integrity and structures which do not necessarily bridge any meaningful distances.

Flawed as they are, these structures (by simply existing) embody an elemental urge to get over something and/or find a more direct route to a real or imagined destination.

A couple of thoughts attended the creation of these images. The first was the memory of a high school math teacher chastising a reckless student- "I never want to go over a bridge you design!" For some reason, I still find this funny after twenty five years.

The second was the memory of a photograph of the railroad spur at Auschwitz.

2007-11-10T11:54:00.000-05:00

Statement for Ink on Photos

My work consists of photographs modified by the addition of ink. The restless and intuitive movements I make while taking photographs are essentially gestural.

Conceptually, my photographs are staging areas for ink marks. I intentionally process my film via mail and in triplicate because I work rapidly and need an ample supply of material to draw on (literally). In a sense, my photographs are like the newsprint pads used in life drawing classes. They are conducive to experimentation as they they are plentiful, impersonal and non-precious.

I respond immediately while applying ink to a photograph. Sometimes I’ll lay down a predetermined mark such as a line or cross. Other times, I’ll just make a rapid gesture with a loaded brush.

A lot of my works are realized in the process of salvaging what appear to be erroneous starts. You can’t erase ink, but you can modify it. And it is in the attempt to modify that I find the occasional truffle.

When I make a mistake on a work, I usually resort to one of the following actions:
1.) I press a new photo onto the face of the work and see what happens when I peel it away.
2.) I use another photo as a spatula or squeegee to manipulate the density and surface area of the ink.
3.) I insert the work into a pile of rejects that are in varying stages of drying. Later, I peel it out and see what has occurred.

In the context of the photograph, the lines and shapes I make read as monumental figures in space. They posses a dimensionality they would likely not have on a piece of paper.

There is an unsettling aura about the images I create. Sometimes it’s intentional, just as often it’s not. I see mutated or oversized organic beings in my work. I also see situations that suggest the potential for physical harm.

With the exception of a few images I made in response to reading survivor recollections of the Holocaust, I just follow the intuitive logic of my working method.

2007-11-03T14:55:00.000-04:00

A few works from October...

michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2007-10-19T23:18:00.000-04:00

A few works from the past couple of weeks...

michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2007-10-10T18:37:00.000-04:00

Itsy, Bitsy, Etsy, Etcetera...

Here are a few more 2"x2" drawings from the summer. These drawings are also the first offerings in my new Etsy Online Store. If you are looking for a small and thoughtful gift, follow the link below.

Regards,
Mike

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5334044

2007-09-27T18:18:00.000-04:00

Informal Collaboration

These works, executed in 2004, represent my initial forays into applying paint directly onto photographs.

I started using this combination of materials at the urging of my friend, the artist Bo Petran. In fact, the photos I painted on (above) were taken by Bo. Here is a link to some of Bo's work.

http://www.atlanticworks.org/Petran_Bo.html

I am planning on exhibiting a selection of these works at Studio 213 (located at 450 Harrison Avenue in Boston) during the October 5th First Friday event (6-9 pm).

Note: Each work is acrylic on photo and measures 4"x6".

michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2007-09-11T17:01:00.000-04:00

Plaster of Paris, ME

This past week (in Maine), I started a new series of work made of plaster bandages applied to chicken wire forms. For quite some time, I had been pondering a statement that a painting teacher made to me over a decade ago. He said that, unbeknownst to me, the subject of almost all of my paintings was the square.

As a student, I painted with my fingertips in an "all over" manner. The square was an accomodating shape as its edges always looked the same no matter which way I rotated my canvas (as I worked). In a sense, the square provided me with a sense of constancy and stability.

In these works, I continue with my "predilection" for the square in a slightly irregular and distorted way. Conceptually, these works are both objects and paintings. They have mass and volume and are defined by light and shadow. But each work also suggests a planar composition arrived at through the placement of plaster bandages.

Note: For the top image (in inches), h=17.5, w=15.5, and d= 3.5. For the middle image, h=12.5, w=12 and d= 5.5. For the bottom image, h=13, w=13, d=8.25.

michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2007-08-20T09:20:00.000-04:00

Ink on Snapshots (b-sides)...

When I overpaint (literally) a snapshot , I attempt to "salvage" it by manipulating the ink before it sets. Oftentimes, the work is lost under a veil of black, but there are times when a "throwaway" is transformed into a "keeper".

These "keepers" often exhibit passages of delaminated and smeared ink as well as spatial ambiguities. Collectively, I view these works as a sort of a visual hypothesis. They suggest points of departure (and maybe arrivals) for future explorations.

michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2007-08-11T14:29:00.000-04:00

A Few Summer Drawings...

Each 2" x 2" drawing was made with a large splinter ( from a broken popsicle stick) dipped in ink.

michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2007-08-02T16:57:00.000-04:00

Ink on Photos

Here are a few images from NYC. At the top is the MOMA (facing sculpture garden), the middle is from the roof of the Met and the bottom is inside the Asian Wing of the Met...

2007-02-22T21:15:00.000-05:00

Session 2/21

2007-02-19T16:38:00.000-05:00

Monday 22 February

2007-02-18T14:46:00.000-05:00

2/17 session
Note: I use a digital camera to take quick snapshots of my drawings and then fix the uneven lighting in Photoshop. As a result of this process, there is a fair amount of distortion in the images you see relative to brightness and contrast. Images nonetheless suggest approximately what the originals look like.

2007-02-16T20:27:00.000-05:00

Feb 16

2007-02-14T22:36:00.000-05:00

February 13 session

2007-02-12T22:44:00.000-05:00

Sunday 11 and Monday 12 February

2007-02-10T13:22:00.000-05:00

I have rendered the head so many times that it feels as if my hand is starting to move by its motor preferences while drawing. As such, I feel as if a visceral connection has been established and that it is my task to follow where my hand leads. As drawings literally flow out of my fingertips, I am spending an increasing amount of time separating the wheat from the chaff...

michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2007-01-28T20:44:00.000-05:00

Drawing Session-Weekend Ending 1/28/07

michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2007-01-26T20:42:00.000-05:00

Selections from the week ending January 26, 2007.

michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2007-01-22T19:43:00.000-05:00

Saturday Drawing Session- January 20, 2007

michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-12-30T13:39:00.001-05:00

Couple of New Heads...

Happy New Year Everyone... Here are a couple of drawings from December...

Attention All Artists...

The Saatchi Gallery in London has dedicated a portion of their website to hosting images from artists worldwide. Thousands of people visit the site every day, there is no fee and all artists are welcome to post their work. Click on this link to my personal page and then click on "Register Here and Display Your Work". Cheerio...

http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/yourgallery/artist/details.php?id=21707

2006-11-21T14:33:00.001-05:00

Note to a friend about Susan Rothenberg's paintings on view at Sperone Westwater Gallery (NYC) through 12/16...

Made it to the Susan Rothenberg show at the end of the day, very tired from hours of walking...

This show reaffirmed my impression that Susan Rothenberg is at times a very powerful and inventive expressionist painter. Unfortunately, she can be very inconsistent, oftentimes within a single work... At Sperone Westwater, her works collectively appeared somewhat tired or tiring? I couldn't understand this because I thought that she had a great painting scenario on her farm in NM...

The best part of all of these works, indeed, is how she paints her animals (with the exception of the snakes). Her clunky strokes are fresh, vibrant, idiosyncratic and empathetic. I may be reaching a bit, but it seems that she loves her animals very much. Unfortunately, she doesn't seem to be that interested in the rest of her canvas which proportionately is much larger...

Her backgrounds of (blasted in?) brushstrokes seem to overwhelm the best parts of her works in somewhat of a blase and numbing type of way. Only on a second walk-by did I even pause to focus my attention on her animal figures. Her works on paper were a lot lighter as they did not have heavy backgrounds weighing them down. A friend pointed out that she'd be better off if she worked primarily on paper...

Lastly, I think that Rothenberg's inclusion of the human figure usually detracts from a work ( at least in this show). Her simplification and distortion of the human form is (in my opinion) not very interesting and even distracting...

I do however see value and perhaps potential in her occasional use of floating body parts. They seem detached, but not gruesome...they also seem to act as nice little foils to her moderately oppressive backgrounds...

That's my two cents...

Michael St.Germain

Here is a link to more images in the show:

http://www.speronewestwater.com/cgi-bin/iowa/exhibits/related.html?record=248&info=works

2006-10-25T14:47:00.000-04:00

Heads, continued...

Note: Each head is drawn on a piece of card stock measuring 8.5" x 11".

michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-10-17T17:00:00.000-04:00

Floating Heads...
Marker drawings by Michael St.Germain
michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-10-14T11:46:00.000-04:00

Kasia Bytnerowicz's Threadbare
by Michael St.Germain

In this intelligent and poetic work, the artist has effectively established connections and relationships between the subject of the painting, a delicately rendered shirt draped over a line, and the materials out of which it (the painting) is made...

The artist has intentionally "loosened up" the weave of the linen on which the image is painted by removing some of its threads and by arranging others into an undulating pattern. Even though Kasia has stated that she undertook these changes to exaggerate the texture of the fabric, it appears that her modifications have also had the effect of presenting the linen support as if it is in a threadbare state...

The unique nature of this linen support literally makes the painting transparent. The wooden stretcher bars "frame" the work from behind and echo the geometric composition of the shirt. The shirt, sensitively rendered in white paint, cannot conceal the wall behind. It is simply too threadbare: especially in its unpainted shadow areas ...

The raw earthiness of the unpainted linen canvas economically represents the shadow areas within the shirt and the atmosphere around the shirt. This simultaneous structural (it holds the paint) and illusive use of the support is reminiscent of the working methods employed by the old masters in making drapery studies.

Note: Kasia has a website www.kasiabytnerowicz.com and can be reached via email kbytnerowicz@rcn.com

2006-10-08T20:52:00.000-04:00

Each drawing is a combination of a self-portrait and an uninhibited improvisation on the form of my head...

michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-10-04T18:28:00.000-04:00

Marker Drawings by Michael St.Germain

Last night, I tried to approach the head as if it were a repository of shapes and lines which I love to draw...

Questions, etc. michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-09-29T17:01:00.000-04:00

Anna Salmeron's A Day of Orange

This is a photographic assemblage by Anna Salmeron consisting of digital prints affixed to mat board. The board is scored between the 1st and 2nd and 3rd and 4th columns so that it stands on the table much like a portable altar. This presentation is a fitting tribute to Anna's apparent affection for the color orange in its rich variety of everyday manifestations.

A Day of Orange is an orchestration of 16 "trophies" from an artist's self-imposed day long photographic scavenger hunt. Visually, it is composed much in the way that an abstract painting is. Shapes and colors are arranged so that there is an overall sense of visual drama and "balance." The work operates much like an organism in which individual cells can be seen...

The simultaneous presentation of a variety of subjects suggests a narrative work. Evidently, A Day of Orange documents the visual and compositional appetites of an artist under self-imposed parameters (orange in every photo) at specific (yet undefined) times and locations. There is a seductive openness to the variety of images which may urge many a viewer to construct his or her own story...

After the conceptualization of this work, its completion was swift and straightforward. Digital photos were taken and printed by the artist on her home computer. A selection of same-sized prints was then fit into the compositional skeleton of the Modernist grid. The final arrangement was glued...

I mention this not to detract from the aesthetic value of the work, but to point out the urgency and direct method employed by the artist to reach her goal. A Day of Orange has all of the best qualities of a powerful sketch. It is decisive, quickly realized and economical in its enumeration of an idea. It suggests the potential creation of a large scale work but is extremely potent on its own terms...

Reviewed by Michael St.Germain

Note: Anna Salmeron is a photographer and active member of the Atlantic Works Collaborative Art Gallery in East Boston, MA. She can be reached by email at: annasalmeron@comcast.net

2006-08-12T12:14:00.000-04:00

Standardization and Variation Within a Series...

A series offers the opportunity to explore a concept in depth. Each work in a series offers a potential solution to a problem which once arrived at both rules out one possibility and suggests another...

My recent works on paper constitute a series. An almost daily practice of drawing has lead to both discovery and, in some cases, repetition. Repetition, over the course of many drawings, has yielded incremental changes in mood, scale and complexity (to name a few) which are indeed very significant...

At some point in this series (I can't remember exactly when), I standardized the parameters common to individual works. Currently, each consists of a single marker drawing that is cut out and taped to a piece of memory book paper measuring either 8.5"x11" or 12"x 12".

My earlier practices of collaging together "failed" drawings and utilizing a variety of background sizes have been jettisoned. I have come to visually prefer "seamless" drawings and have also learned how to make a drawing that can fit into a defined space. This is somewhat more challenging than making a drawing and testing out candidates for an appropriately sized background...

To some viewers , many of these works may look the same. This is an accurate assessment in regards to choice of materials, technique and, to a lesser degree, subject matter. Nonetheless, such an assessment does not address the significant visual variety evident in the series as a whole...

Note: The images included with this posting are of recent work. To access earlier works, just scroll down to earlier postings.

2006-08-05T13:14:00.000-04:00

Though somewhat autobiographical, these drawings are first and foremost studies of invented figures. Some of the characters appear to be as flat as decals; others appear to be three-dimensional. All are aggregates of simple shapes outlined in black...

2006-07-22T14:40:00.000-04:00

A few thoughts on the creation of a work...

My initial thought or urge was to draw an asymmetric human-like figure out of blocks and simple geometric shapes. I chose a narrow and elongated torso to represent the ribcage and pelvis as one unit...

At this juncture, I drew rigid and precarious legs crossed over in the act of walking and DIY-style arms which look as if they were made out of scraps of wood shoddily nailed together...

For the head, I wanted something that was ambiguously expressive. To this end, I chose a mask like form with concealed features...

My underlying concern was to visually depict an imagined state of awkward balance and the tensions which emanate from such a state.

Depth in this drawing/collage is suggested by overlapping shapes and a "version" of perspective in which receeding lines run parallel or even open up as they make their way towards nonexistent vanishing points...

This work is included in the Boston Drawing Project at the Bernard Toale Gallery in Boston, MA.

http://www.bernardtoalegallery.com/

Questions, etcetera. michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-07-16T12:06:00.000-04:00

A Couple of New Paper Works...

Questions, comments, etc. michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-07-05T09:36:00.000-04:00

A Recent Sculpture by Michael St.Germain

I completed this plaster bandage and chicken wire sculpture while on vacation at Loon Lake in Freedom, NH. This work is an orchestration of cylindrical forms presented as an animated character. Like most of my recent work, I envision this potentially as a monumental work.

As this work was created during the FIFA World Cup 2006, a friend named it Thierry Henry.

Questions, etc. contact me: michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-03-27T15:29:00.000-05:00

"Old School" Drawings
by Michael St.Germain

I was playing around with the idea of volume and imaginary characters from Old Master Dutch paintings...

For more info, contact me: michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-03-20T12:28:00.001-05:00

Figure Conceptualizations
by Michael St.Germain

All images are marker on cardstock (cut out and) taped to colored paper. Basically, I have been drawing volumetric forms which I present as figures by adding limbs and faces, etc. The forms are quite free in their interpretation of and deviation from academic perspective. First and foremost, my intention is to create forms that are sensible in the context of the picture as a whole.

For more info, contact me: michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-03-09T10:51:00.000-05:00

Kooky Heads (Volume Two)
by Michael St.Germain

Here are more Kooky Heads. I have been working at a manic pace with this drawing/collage technique and am extremely focused...

For more information, contact me: michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-03-04T22:15:00.000-05:00

Kooky Heads...Made During Weekend of February 25th and 26th
by Michael St.Germain

I am really enjoying cutting out marker drawings on recipe card stock and taping them to colored paper. This gives me the luxury of trying out different colors and sizes for the backgrounds...For more information, contact me: michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-03-01T18:10:00.000-05:00

February Studies (Part 2)
by Michael St.Germain

These studies consist of marker on white card stock which is cut out and adhered to pre-colored paper. These studies are "realistic" in the sense that I made the drawings while observing ceramic dog figures I made (top photo). I will probably enlarge these works into paintings...

For more information, contact me: michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-02-26T13:25:00.000-05:00

Easy does it! Caring for your artwork...

by Michael St.Germain

What follows are some informal tips on how to care for original artwork. During my twenty years as an artist, I have heard of and seen much unintentional harm done to original works of art. I suspect that there is a perception among the general population that works of art are very strong and durable. Perhaps this stems from museum visits where objects thousands of years old are encountered in exceptional condition...

One sweltering day this past summer, a couple of artist friends came by to visit. One of them hovered near the partially opened trunk of their car. He seemed slightly nervous and reluctant to close the trunk. When I asked what he was up to, he replied that he was cooling off a large encaustic (wax and pigment) painting which he had recently finished. After I chided him for being so precious, he informed me that he had read of a person who had thrown their painting in a car trunk on a similar type of day for several hours only to find a pool of liquid wax and pigment on the floor...

Years ago, I gave my landlord several paintings. She was a very cultured person, having spent a life among musicians and artists. One day she was cleaning and had leaned one of my paintings against a bookcase. I went over to the painting and discovered that the whole of the painting was resting on a the corner of a book which was denting the canvas...

A few basic ideas and principles...

No need to be worried about your artworks falling apart. Just use a little common sense.

1. Never display your artwork in direct sunlight.

Quite simply, it will fade (especially watercolors). Pigments vary in their constitution. Some are extremely lightfast, others are fugitive. The problem is, when you buy an artwork, you are most likely not going to be able to know what's in the painting.

2. If you move a painting and have to put it down or lean it against a wall (etc.), always make sure that it is resting so that nothing touches the back side of the canvas.

To put it another way, always rest the canvas so that the wooden stretcher bars are the only part of the painting touching anything else. Injuries such as dents, holes and cracked paint are the results of careless leaning.

Tip: Install a backing board. A backing board is basically a piece of cardboard (acid- free is best) which is fastened to the four stretcher bars on the back of the painting. It protects the painting from the rear and even lessens the flapping of the canvas to a degree. It is important that you place a few holes in the board to let it breathe. Otherwise, the dead air might grow mold. The holes shouldn't be too big because if the canvas falls, they will serve only to focus the air pressure on the exposed canvas. I use two holes about the size of a third of a postage stamp and place them at opposite sides of the artwork near the stretcher bar.

3. Don't display artwork next to heat vents, woodburning stoves or in any places where extreme temperature conditions or fluctuations exist.

Paintings respond to changes in temperature and humidity on a microscopic level. When it is warm and humid, they absorb moisture, when it is cold and dry they give up moisture. As they do this, the canvas, paint and stretchers expand or contract at different rates.

Usually, paintings will adapt to gradual changes with no problems. However, rapid and drastic changes in humidity/temperature force the artwork to expand and contract with too much frequency. Potentially, this will create little cracks which may continue to expand during the life of the work.

An ideal environment for artwork display is approximately 70 degrees Faranheit and 55 precent relative humidity. Since you probably don't live in a museum, just try to maintain an environment (temperature and humidity) that doesn't drastically change over short periods of time.

Be careful of extreme temperature and humidity. A friend of mine painted a picture on a prestretched and preprimed canvas (oftentimes, as in this case, such stretrcher bars are thin and are of low quality) in a studio where the temperature was about 95 degrees Farenheit with a relative humidity of 85%. The canvas warped to the extent that, when hung on the wall, portions of it projected five inches into the room.

4. Don't touch it!

Always handle a painting by its edges (never carry it like a pizza from the underside!) and to the extent that it is possible, never touch the face of the painting. You want to avoid stressing the relatively fragile paint plane and, believe it or not, oils from fingerprints can adversely affect paint.

5. No cleaners (either household chemicals or vacuum!).

Household cleaners can literally dissolve a paint or varnish skin and, it goes without saying, a vacuum may suck off the paint from its support. Museum conservators will clean only if absolutely necessary and when they do, they opt for the least potentially damaging methods first. They actually use human saliva on a q-tip type of swab for some cleaning applications. Leave the cleaning of valuable work to the pros.

Let's be practical. I paint in acrylic. Acrylic attracts dust but is a relatively tough paint skin. Personally, if I need to clean, I will lightly dust with an extremely soft watercolor brush (3/4 inches wide) or will lightly blow. I wouldn't recommend doing this to any old or potentially valuable paintings...

6. Going mobile.

During their lifetime, paintings have to be moved to different locations. Use a little common sense and save a lot of grief. Don't use the painting as a trampoline with objects stacked on top of it and don't turn your painting into a bigtop by resting it on top of sharp or pointed objects.

A simple and practical method of transport (for flat, non-relief paintings) is to sandwhich the painting between two pieces of cardboard slightly larger than the dimensions of the painting. Before you place the top piece on, drape a flat, extremely soft piece of cotton fabric totally over the surface of the painting (don't drape any seams over the face of the canvas). If possible avoid stacking paintings on top of each other. I sometimes transport my sandwhiched paintings, not too tight and not too loose, arranged in a vertical orientation in a box (like books in a bookcase).
Note: If you have fabric draped over the surface of the painting, make sure it doesn't slide off (and form a potentially damaging lump) when the painting is in a vertical orientation.

7. On a Roll!

Sometimes, it is necessary to remove a very large canvas from the stretcher in order to transport it. In such a situation, seek the assistance of someone who knows what they are doing. However, the principle is relatively simple. Roll the canvas facing out around as large a diameter cardboard tube you can obtain. I think museums use something like a Sonotube- a large cardboard tube they sell at Home Depot used to pour cement columns. As soon as it is practically possible, remove and restretch the canvas.

Note: This article is intended to give you a conceptual framework for being cautious in the handling and display of artwork. No need to get overly concerned with the well-being of your artwork. Just enjoy it and use a little common sense in caring for it.

For more info, contact me: michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-02-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hold the Phone!

Michael St.Germain's drawings to be exhibited at local dump!

These are doodles I made while on the telephone. Admittedly, they are destined for the rubbish, but I find them sort of entertaining...

For more info: michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-02-20T09:40:00.000-05:00

Artist Portfolio Exhibition in Germany

I recently participated in an exhibition of artist's portfolios in Germany:

"real or fictional portfolios and c.v.'s are requested for the "Rundgang", a large group show that will be seen by "approximately 10,000 visitors", including important international curators, art critics and collectors, at the Staedelschule in Frankfurt, Germany. Submitted portfolios will be clearly displayed and duly accredited. Portfolio and c.v. forms are flexible and submitters may suggest particular presentation methods. The exhibition will take place from February 10-12, 2006."

An interesting concept for a show about art where no real art is exhibited! Here's a link to the website documenting the exhibition.

http://www.tuffshit.iputthedotinthe.com/portfolioexhibition/

2006-02-17T06:54:00.000-05:00

Little Dog Paintings (volume 2) by Michael St.Germain

These acrylic on paper paintings measure approximately 2"x2" each. Some of these works are in the flat files at Bernard Toale Gallery in Boston. For more information, contact me: michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-02-13T18:58:00.000-05:00

February Studies by Michael St.Germain

These are small-scale studies (approximately 5 " high each) of magic marker on recipe card stock mounted on pre-colored craft paper. Overall, these studies are pretty much disposable as objects. However, because they look like paint, they enable me to represent my ideas with great speed. I will most likely scale these studies up and make them into paintings. For more info, contact me:
michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-02-11T13:52:00.000-05:00

Art Fieldtrip- Dubuffet at Perigny- sur- Yerres (part 2)

by Michael St.Germain

After exiting the Closerie Falbala, we followed our guide and two fellow visitors (what a luxury!) into a nearby building where the costumes and props from Dubuffet's 1973 theater spectacle Coucou Bazar are permanently exhibited.

We viewed the one-hundred and eighteen (!) larger-than-life cellular abstractions of people, animals and objects from a mezzanine. The frontally lighted costumes glowed beneath us with the poignant stillness and dramatic luminosity of objects frozen in the glare of automobile headlights....

The props were referred to as "practicables" by Dubuffet because they could be animated by means of rope and wheels or by crouching behind and lifting. All are aggregates of interlocking red, blue and white shapes outlined in black (the white shapes being frequently traversed by exaggerated parallel red, black or blue hatch lines).

The apparent conceptual underpinning of the Coucou Bazar spectacle was to bring movement to (so as to animate and make alive) a potentially infinite painted reality made out of interlocking shapes. These shapes, which function metaphorically as cells or building blocks, were deployed on hundreds of canvases, sculptures, costumes and environmental structures over the twelve year period Dubuffet devoted to working in this style...

Dubuffet employed a team of assistants to build the props and costumes for Coucou Bazar and to fabricate his monumental sculptures. His role was to plan, direct and to assist/work. I suppose that this was the only way. His projects were simply too numerous and too ambitious to be realized by one individual in one lifetime.

Note: This work is in my pantheon of great art objects of all time. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to take photographs because of concerns that camera flashes would in time fade the works. The photos above have been taken from the internet and unfortunately do not effectively convey the awe-inspiring idiosyncratic presence of the actual work. The photo on the bottom is of Dubuffet and the Coucou Bazar objects in a building loaned to the artist by the government of France.

2006-02-09T10:59:00.000-05:00

Visiting Artist: Pamela Sienna

I first met Pamela while living in East Boston. Her luminous and mysterious paintings exhibit a meticulous sensitivity and a profound respect for the medium of oil paint. Check out her new website : www.pamelasienna.com.

If she could own any five works of art at this moment, they would be:
1.) Caravaggio's St. John the Baptist (Youth with Ram)
2.) a painting by Will Wilson www.willwilsonstudio.com
3.) a painting by Daniel Sprick www.danielsprick.com
4.) a painting by Robert C. Jackson www.robertcjackson.com
5.) a painting by Mikel Glass www.mikelglass.com

2006-02-06T11:59:00.000-05:00

Inside Out-
The Topography Paintings of Stefanie St.Germain

Stefanie mixes acrylic colors and spreads them out to dry on plastic sheets. When the paint is dry, she peels the layers off and stacks them so that a striated-in-profile cake of paint is created.

Stefanie cuts this cake into little pieces which loosely resemble miniature planks of wood. Some of these pieces are set aside to be used as they are. Others are doublestacked, broken open or peeled apart to reveal interior layers of distinct color. The pieces are then arranged and glued onto a plywood panel. Note: some pieces are glued on so that their profile faces the viewer...

The result of this working method is that portions of the edges, interior and exterior of the paint cake are presented simultaneously on the picture's surface.

There are many layers to these works, so to speak. In a very literal sense, these works are “deconstructive”. Their creation is contingent upon breaking apart the whole and recombining the results to create a new entity. In another sense, these works operate within the Modernist tradition by presenting a purely abstract subject matter that is intimately connected to the paint out of which each work is made.

It can be argued that each Topography Painting, by virtue of presenting a picture plane that is composed of interior and exterior views, expands the working concept of what Cubism is.

These works measure a mere 6"x6" each. Yet, as a result of their bas-relief presence and uniqueness of conception, they maintain a presence on the gallery wall which often eclipses that of larger paintings.

2006-02-02T17:09:00.000-05:00

Little Dog Paintings (volume 1) by Michael St.Germain

These acrylic on paper paintings measure approximately 2"x2" each. Some of these works are in the flat files at Bernard Toale Gallery in Boston. For more information, contact me: michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-02-01T07:40:00.000-05:00

From the Drawing Archives of Michael St.Germain

A few examples of pen and ink drawings in a style I've returned to again and again throughout the years. These are component-based drawings built out of squares, circles and rectangles. I call these drawings neurotic glyphs or "neuroglyphs."

For more information, contact me: michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-01-31T21:29:00.000-05:00

Art Fieldtrip- Dubuffet at Perigny-sur-Yerres (part 1)

A stroll on the Closerie Falbala...

Over Martin Luther King Day Weekend in 2004, I had the good fortune of visiting Dubuffet's Closerie Falbala ,an environmental sculpture located just outside of Paris in a Metro-accesible suburb called Perigny-sur-Yerres.

When you step onto the undulating expanse of the Closerie Falbala, you encounter sculpture on a scale that seems related to geologic process. The irregular topography of the sculpture's surface requires that you cautiously navigate with motions usually reserved for a walking a jetty or crossing a brook. Underfoot, the shapes you traverse seem as if they were borrowed from an elevation contour map...

All of the surfaces on this sculpture are populated by interlocking shapes variegated in terms of scale and outline. These shapes function as cells (?) in that they have a unique and collective (synergistic) identity. To me, this is an implication of an intuitive system of growth and surface expansion which could go on forever...just add more shapes. Even the irregular outline of the Closerie Falbala's perimeter walls seem potentially receptive to the addition of more shapes...

There is a contemplative or metaphysical aura about the Closerie Falbala. This organic three- dimensional jigsaw puzzle-like structure seems to be the result of an applied conception of generating a reality out of intuitive and loosely related units...

Note: This sculptural environment is extremely visually and physically engaging. These sensations are intimately connected to the graphic skin potential and organic dimensional flexibility inherent in the medium of laminated plastics. Fiberglass gives the artist has the luxury of concealing geometric structural elements usually required to build on a large-scale.

2006-01-31T21:27:00.000-05:00

Poetry Eggs by Michael St.Germain

This is an ongoing series I started about 5 years ago. The cement base was cast in a plastic slide storage box. I wore a loop while penciling in the letters. Ten of these eggs were exhibited at Monique Goldstrom Gallery (NYC) in 2002. Monique passed away in 2004.

For more information, contact me : michael_stgermain@yahoo.com.

2006-01-26T11:26:00.000-05:00

Visiting Artist: John Crowley

I went to art school with John. John currently works in the Fort Point area of Boston. If he could own any five works of art, they would be:

1.Der Hirte by George Baselitz,
2.Flying Shit by Gilbert and George,
3.The Red Sea by Anselm Kiefer,
4.Loughton Candidate by Matthew Barney and
5.Departure by Max Beckman.

Visit John's website http://www.artbyjohn.net/ to see examples of the breadth of John's vision.

2006-01-24T22:07:00.000-05:00

A few winter drawings by Michael St.Germain.
Each drawing is marker on paper and measures 11"x 14."
For more info: michael_stgermain@yahoo.com

2006-01-19T23:17:00.000-05:00

Mike reviews Vincent Van Gogh: the Drawings
(at the Met 12 October- 31 December 2005)

This is an impressive show of quantity (100+ works) and quality. Vincent is initially presented as an artist developing and refining his representational abilities while depicting landscapes and the poor who inhabit them. Occasionally, Vincent falters. In Worn Out of 1882 (top image), Vincent depicts a man in a pose suggestive of weariness, despair and/or exhaustion. A lack of convincing physical gravity between the man and the chair and the chair and the ground dilutes the expressive potential of this image.

On the other hand, Carpenter's Yard and Laundry of the same year (bottom image) is a masterful drawing in which a fully engaged Vincent adeptly depicts a complex scene consisting of multiple light (dark interiors, brilliant atmosphere, cast shadows) and spatial situations. His sensitivity to foreground details and placement of the group of buildings in the context of an infinite space is somewhat reminiscent of 18th century Dutch drawings by Jacob von Ruisdael.

In 1887, Vincent dramatically modifies his approach to drawing by including techniques he has observed in Japanese wood block prints and in the work of the Impressionists. Vincent starts to conceive and render complex forms as aggregates of simple shapes. He utilizes a streamlined vocabulary of lines, dots and ovals to depict details.

In The Garden; a Corner of a Garden in the Place Lamartine of 1888 (third image from top),Vincent has rendered the landscape as an abstract orchestration of lines and dots. There is a specificity of observation that results in the illusion of depth, but this depth is flattened, to an extent, by the lack of light and dark contrast in the ink (value). There is also a tendency of the lines and dots to read as surface elements. These two qualities make this drawing,in my estimation, relevant to modern painting practices.

From here until the end , Vincent increasingly animates his drawings by including more freely interpretive gestural contours. A heightened and somewhat wobbly representation of reality is presented with a forceful graphic clarity. Vincent has arrived at himself and none of these works can be mistaken to have been produced by another.

In the Corridor of the Asylum of 1889 (second image from top), Vincent conceptualizes the drawing (which is pretty much a painting) as interlocking simple shapes which together convincingly define a deep space. A luminous and exaggerated color scheme of simple complements (red/green, yellow/purple) detaches this rendering from the realm of every day observable phenomena, but it infuses the work with a dramatic and slightly agitated poetic sensibilty.

My general impressions of Vincent ,in light of this show, are that he worked as hard as the peasants he sympathized with in his drawings and that his ultimate triumph was that he developed a way of depiction which could effectively convey his indelible personality. Vincent made the occasional uninspired drawing, but he also created works which seem in many ways contemporary. Modern painting has expanded upon the following concepts evident in drawings from this exhibition: abstract pattern as drawing, drawing as decoration, drawing as aggregation of components and duality of spatial presence. In many ways, Vincent was ahead of his time.

2006-01-18T17:16:00.000-05:00

Visiting Artist: Jeff Feld (note: click on image to enlarge)

I met Jeff at an opening in Chelsea (NYC). He is 42 years old, lives and works in Brooklyn and is an accomplished "emerging" artist you should keep your eyes on.

Five art or design objects which Jeff would like to own (in no particular order): the Bourgie Lamp from Kartell (in black), a Volkswagon Squareback, a small Van Gogh drawing, Jasper John's "Falsestart," and Jeff Koon's Chrome Bunny or a vintage John Deere tractor.

Here is a link where you can see more of Jeff's work:
http://registry.whitecolumns.org/view_artist.php?artist=350

2006-01-17T11:55:00.000-05:00

Michael St.Germain's dogs in California...

Three of my metal dogs are in a travelling show called Trashformations East which will be on view at Copia http://www.copia.org/pages/home.asp in Napa, California from January 20-May 8, 2006.

If you're in wine country, drop on by. This show is a lot of fun- it includes the work of 112 artists who create art out of garbage, found and recycled materials. This show was curated by Lloyd Herman, Founding Director, Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

For more information, contact me: michael_stgermain@yahoo.com .

Note: All dogs are made of scrap roof copper . Approximate dimensions (height x width x depth ): top dog (6.75"x 8"x 10.25"), middle dog ( 7.25"x 6"x 9.75"), bottom dog (4.25"x 4.25"x 8")

2006-01-16T22:09:00.000-05:00

How to make a camera obscura and a camera lucida...

In Secret Knowledge, David Hockney makes a plausible, passionate and impressive, but non-conclusive argument that artists used mechanical aids throughout history to assist them in their "masterful" paintings. Whether or not his conclusions are correct, these aids do work and can be employed by representational artists to advantage.

Here is a link to an article which tells you how to make a camera obscura out of an appliance box. http://www.exploratorium.edu/ifi/activities/pinholeinquiry/refrigerator.html

Here is a link to an article which tells you how to make a camera lucida out of a piece of plexiglass, a metal rod, a clamp and some wood. http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1981_September_October/A_Device_to_Help_You_Draw

Words to the wise...If tracing was all there was to art, we'd all be "Old Masters."

2006-01-16T11:00:00.000-05:00

Painted Snapshots by Michael St.Germain

Here is an ongoing series I started about 2 or so years ago . Basically, I take photos with a twelve dollar(ish) camera, process them by mail and paint on them. My intention is to alter the mood of the photo by introducing abstract figures. These works have been exhibited in Provincetown at the Schoolhouse Gallery http://www.theschoolhousegalleries.com/frames/fr_currentex.html and currently are in the flat files at Pierogi 2000 in Brooklyn http://www.pierogi2000.com . For more information, contact me: michael_stgermain@yahoo.com.

2006-01-14T13:26:00.000-05:00

One man's junk is another man's treasure.
Mike reviews Robert Rauschenberg: Combines (at the Met through April 2nd)

Rauschenberg combines three-dimensional collage and painting to suggest open-ended narratives in this comprehensive survey of 67 Combines at the Met.

Rauschenberg appropriates bits of junk from the cadaver of the modern city to use as raw materials for these works. Dented, rusted, faded and sooty objects emanate a poetic aura which often surpasses that of the painted passages in these works.

It can be argued that Rauschenberg has used paint primarily as connective tissue to relate three-dimensional objects to each other and to the surface on which they are applied. If you were to remove all of the scavenged objects from these works, you'd be left with passages of paint that are light-handed, sketchy, and somewhat tenuous. Perhaps all of this is a wry commentary on the obsession of the preceeding generation of artists, known as the Abstract Expressionists, with a profound and pure abstraction.

There is a poetic sensibility underlying all of these works. The detritus which is adeptly orchestrated into two and three dimensions, functions as a metaphor for the beauty inherent in decay, the futility of resistance to the erosive powers of time and a non-specific nostalgia.

Rauschenberg's titles impart each work with a unique identity. Gems such as Talisman, Gift for Apollo and Octave set parameters for interpretation and effectively impart each work with a specific personality which otherwise might be lost when many of these works are seen simultaneously. Ultimately, the title suggests the solution to the works which may be viewed as somewhat of a puzzle. It is the viewer's task to find meaning in the parts which relate to the whole.

The image above is titled Reservoir (1961, dimensions: 85.5 "x 62.5"x 15.5"). I included it because there is something unsettling about seeing any object, other than people, move in a museum. The active hands on the clock seem to call attention to all of the decay and obsolescence exhibited in this show...yikes...

2006-01-11T14:49:00.000-05:00

Oh! de toilet...
This past Saturday I had a great laugh when I heard that Duchamp's urinal was attacked by a 79 year old French performance artist. I think that Duchamp would have approved. Here's the Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/07/arts/design/07duch.html?hp

2006-01-11T10:32:00.000-05:00

So you want to collect art...

Occasionally, I come across people who have the desire and means to start collecting art but are at a loss on how to start. What prompted me to write this is that I took a leaflet from a gallery in Chelsea (NYC) advertising a three part mini- course on how to get your feet wet. You can be on your way for a mere $250...

What amazes me is that, in regards to art, many people really have a limited or non-existent idea of what they like. They may be fine when in the presence of work that they can identify or have read something about, but in the face of something unseen, trouble sets in.

The best thing an aspiring collector can do is to appreciate art is to try to make some art. DIY or adult education, you'll start to appreciate what quality in other works is.

Get out and see art in museums, open studios and galleries. Pay attention to what works get your attention (what do you love and hate and why?). I play a game with my friends whenever we are at a museum or gallery. If you could take a work home, what would it be and why? You get the idea.

Incubate. When you go to museum, wander aimlessly between different time periods and also revisit galleries that interest you. Walk through a show and at the end of your visit, breeze through it again. Always check in on your favorites whenever you return to a museum. Some will engage you for years, others will fall to the wayside after a short amount of time.

Beware of wall text and audio-tours. These are helpful, but can become an experience themselves. After years of museum and gallery hopping, I resort to wall text only if I am at a loss to comprehend what's in front of me or if I need some historical info.

Pit works against each other and decide which is better...

Know your intentions. Investment, enjoyment, or both? I can't offer any tips on how to invest in art, but collect what you love and you'll love what you collect.

Bargains exist out there. I could put together a collection for $100 on ebay which I would be glad to show off in my home. Open studio events are a potential source of good prices ( especially if you buy more than one work from an artist). Flat files in galleries offer works on paper, photographs and digital prints by up and coming artists who usually are extremely dedicated to their work.

2006-01-11T00:15:00.000-05:00

Micro-review-Ed Rucha's Course of Empire at the Whitney Museum of American Art (NYC through January 29)

I am glad that I went with two friends to this show (one a photographer, one a painter) because my first urge was to do a drive by viewing (i.e. get it over quickly). My two friends and I were initially put off by these paintings which seemed extremely cold, ironic, deadpan and somewhat dessicated in their arid and attenuated handling of paint.

Gradually, we were pulled in. My friend Anna was first to hit pay dirt when she observed that all these generic buildings are encountered all too frequently in life and that they are somewhat metaphorical of the dehumanization of the modern industrial world.
I have a bad habit of not reading wall text and must confess that I missed the premise of the show- that five buildings rendered in the past by the artist in black and white were revisited recently and rendered in color with all the changes that transpired in between. This does not really effect my response to the works because I am not interested in the changes that occured in the subject matter. I am interested in the paintings.

The significant problem I have with Ruscha is his seemingly passionless and almost anonymous dispatch of paint. This being said, to his credit he is a stickler for detail and is surgically precise in his rendering. Additionally, there seems to be a happy marraige between his painting style and his choice of hard- edged, post-industrial subject matter. Ruscha is clever in his choice of words, or I should say clever in selecting buildings that are painted with certain words. They seem to operate on several levels, one of which is humor.

These paintings are ultimately rewarding if you give them time to steep.

2006-01-10T17:18:00.000-05:00

Rules for Success in the Contemporary Art World by Earl Bronsteen

Earl Bronsteen is a contemporary artist I stumbled into on the internet. He wrote an online book about how to be an art star. This is one of the funniest things I've seen in the past year! Visit his website www.earlbronsteen.com and read his free online book.

2006-01-10T12:16:00.000-05:00

Autumn Sketches at Admiral's Hill by Michael St.Germain

Here are several sketches I completed in Autumn 2005. Each is 6" wide and 4" high (marker on paper).