New Blog for Oversaved project

https://oversaved.blogspot.com/2017/12/entry-1-oversaved-idea-first-sketch.html

Sticky Lagoon series

These babies have substances that stick to them. I read about bubble dough over the internet and had to try it. For some reason series reminds me of an Esther Williams movie.

The show statement

"The stickiness of these mixed media paintings represents the seemingly irremovable anxiety we sometimes encounter in our lives. In the horror movie “The Stuff” people are zombified by a gooey substance. Life can make us feel that way, like we are no longer in control. The figures in these paintings are located in tranquil lagoons. The lagoons allude to the idea that even if our problems are insurmountable, we still can use mindfulness to picture ourselves in paradise."

ASU West Fletcher Library show

Hung up my art in the ASU West library today. Will be there till December.

The exhibit is called "Pleurants"
Pleurants were mourning figures that decorated tombs in the Middle Ages. I was drawn to them by seeing their sad eyes and frowning lips. In these paintings, the various-sized pleurant figures are cut out and standing next to each other, with tiny sculptures of toothpaste behind them. Toothpaste used to be in metal tubes, but is now packaged in plastic. Religion often changes in a similar manner as to how everyday objects change. The figures are mourning that adjustment.

More Pleurants

The figures are supposed to stand next to each other

Pleurant series

My new series are these pleurant figures. I saw a photo of them. They're these beautiful mourning figures. I plan to cut around them. Also like how they're loose.They're going to be a lot about twenty or more of them lined up against a wall.

Before Time Paintings

Before Time 10

“I grew up as a Mormon. Throughout the years I have yearned for a strong testimony. My mom had a blind faith in the religion. She wouldn’t flinch an eyelash at historical opposition or a different viewpoint. As a person who overanalyzes things, I haven’t yet had a firm belief. As a kid I overheard a peer say they had a memory of the preexistence. There was a part of me that wished I had that kind of belief-affirming experience. Throughout the years I would wonder “How would a pre-life heaven look?” I have a twin sister and often I would imagine me and her in a preexistence playing tricks on each other.

I think the idea of a premortal life is mystical in part because the doctrine says very little except that it existed, it was with God, that all people that ever lived and ever will live were there as literal spirit brothers and sisters. As to exactly what a heaven-before-life looks like, we're left to our imaginations to fill in the gaps.

When I started this series I wanted to paint a thousand people in every painting. In my mind the preexistence was packed, every spirit, every soul all in one place. I thought I was going to paint a scene full of stereotypical glorious angels. As I painted, however my tricksterish view of the prelife inevitably manifested itself. The backgrounds consistently changed to a vibrant red.

Part of why my faith has been unsteady throughout the years is because of my manic depressive disorder and OCD. I have never had the ubiquitous Mormon demeanor of a warm glow and a smile. I never could picture a universe of complacent people especially when my day to day existence could sometimes be so bleak. Years ago I started painting darker art to mirror my mental illness. Ironically, allowing myself to express all aspects of my life and personality, even the darker ones, has made me a much happier person.

Roman art is classical and timeless. There is something timeless about marble, the rich soft blues, the blacks and golds. If anything typifies a heavenly atmosphere it seems that the Romans were close. I keep the outfits in the pictures simple, often just a loin cloth mainly to show the character's bodies.  I am drawn to Roman architecture mainly of the oculus. Looking upwards towards a skylight is warm and inviting. I repeat an organic circle shape at the top and bottom of many of my pictures.

I call this series Before Time. I hope this series makes its viewers wonder, “What was life like before time existed?”

Before Time 11

"Before Time" show at Burton Barr Central Library, Phoenix AZ

Me by my paintings

Me and family 

Arizona Artist a Day 2017 at Bullion Plaza Cultural Center and Museum, Miami Arizona

I curated this show. It was at Bullion Plaza Cultural Center and Museum in Miami, Arizona. The show was during Miami Loco Arts Festival. The art was fantastic and the ride and place were beautiful. The show was based on the artists from my blog "Arizona artist a Day" arizonaartistaday.blogspot.com  In the blog I feature a different Arizona artist a day. I feel that Arizona is full of a lot of artists and a lot of them are not being fully represented.

The place

My sister Beth and me looking pensive and staring at the artwork

My own artwork

From left Kurt Joachim von Behrmann, Ruth Alexander and Scott Greise

Miami Loco Arts Festival

I will be showing art with many other artists from my blog Arizona Artist a Day at The Bullion Plaza Cultural Center and Museum in the new Fitzpatrick Building Art Space.

Friday open 11AM-3PM

Saturday 11AM-9AM with poetry event

Sunday Closing Reception 2:30-3:30 with closing remarks at 3:30

Before Time 9, 36X36, Acrylic on canvas

Look me in the Eye Exhibit in April at Foothills Holland Community Center

Before Time 8, 36X36

Before Time 8, 36X36, about the preexistence Someone in an old church of mine said they remember the preexistence. I wish I had that experience. But this is how I would envision it. I tried to angelic figures, but think the figures would be more tricksterish.

Before Time 7, 36X36, Acrylic on canvas

The 7th in my Before Time series

Before Timei 6, 36X36, Acrylic on canvas