Above: “Shoulder (Grindstone Cliff, Fall 2009)” Click the image for more info.
I love the Grindstone Nature Area here in Columbia, MO. There are a series of cliffs located there, and several of them are within 5 or 10 minutes walk for me. I often go there to draw or read or think.
I’ve gotten some nice drawings out of my time there. One I did a while back can be seen here.
Good stuff.
This past week I was able to participate in the actual pouring of the bronze for my sculpture. Above, the small furnace containing the crucible for the small amount of bronze needed for my piece.
The images above show the pour in process – it really was unbelievably hot.
Love that glow!
This image shows the beginning of the breakout process…
Starting to show through…
An inspection… The process is nearly complete. After all of the casting material is removed, we’ll sandblast the bronze, then polish to achieve a final look. We’ll also have to do some welding, in order to connect parts that were cast separately. My thanks go out again to Chris Morrey, who has helped out for the entire process, and to Jim Calvin, who stepped in as an experienced hand to actually conduct the pour.
The Columbia Daily Tribune is running a feature on Neil Gavett, one of the primary models I’ve used in my work over the last couple of years. He’s a pretty cool guy, has an interesting back story, and a staggering plethora of tales to tell. Neil is also a professional art model; he’s posed for nearly 10,000 hours and has been working consistently for over a decade in the Mid-Missouri area. Below is the first painting I ever did of Neil (Fall 2007).
I’ve been honored to get to know the man. In working with him, I have tried to create images worthy of the symbiotic relationship we’ve developed, a relationship that could never happen without his deep intention and purposeful action as a man and a model.
Here’s to many more pictures, Neil!
UPDATE: Here’s a related item from the New York Times today: “In the Altogether.”
I love doing a project that deals with the color of light in my beginning painting classes. Here’s a shot of a set up from this semester:
…and a couple from previous semesters:
now, here are a number of student works:
A couple shots of the investment mold for my bronze! Our pour day got rained out, but it looks like we’ll hit it this week.
The glorious texture of the investment:
Worked on the investment mold for my bronze with Chris again a few days ago. Above is the “before” picture… and below is a pictorial of the process.
This was one of about 12 iterations of the same process. Eventually the wax will be entirely coated with the investment and a fine silica sand. In a week or so we’ll aim at the actual bronze pouring. I’ll have pictures of that as well!
VOX Feature on my work, Plato Play by Jessica Davis.
Audio slide show here.
Columbia Daily Tribune Article, “Articulation, orchestration” by Aarik Danielsen.
Photos by Calin Ilea
Yesterday evening was the reception for my show (with David Spear) at PS Gallery in downtown Columbia, MO. A while after I arrived, grabbed an adult beverage, and began to talk with guests, out of nowhere walked up George.
George, a neighbor of ours from Evanston, IL, is a man who exudes kindness and engagement. Alison and I lived just down the block from him – his mane of long gray hair was trademark on our block. Often he’d be out front playing frisbee with his young son or in his studio woodworking (he’s a master). Always generous with his time and interested in whatever I was doing, I got invited to spend time in his studio a few times. We’d hang out and talk, each conversation tinged with his joyful, gentle demeanor; we have had some great conversations over the years. He and his wife have provided a good home to one of my most cherished paintings for a few years now. See it here:
The Measure (detail), Casein on panel, 16 by 20, 2001-02
Anyway, George drove down from Evanston (just north of Chicago) early on September 10th. He told me he spent the afternoon walking around Columbia, seeing the University, visiting shops, and generally getting a very good impression of our little portion of the Midwest. He stayed through the reception, then took me out for an amazing dinner at Bangkok Gardens. We drank martinis (made to his order) and talked about all manner of things – from teaching and spirituality to art and family. It was a good time and a great gift.
Here we are in a photo taken by our waitress. A bit shaky but effective.
George emailed me this afternoon to say he’d gotten back to Evanston just fine. I’m thankful for devoted and joyful friends like him. The more I think about it, the more I realize that this gesture – taking two days and driving 800+ miles just to look at my work and share a meal with me – that’s what I’ll take away from that night and carry with me. I turned 33 on the 7th. This visit was an amazing birthday gift. Thanks, George.
I’ve got a post up over at Mid West Capacity on a recent painting show at the University of Richmond Museum…
and there’s been some coverage in the local paper of my new show at Perlow-Stevens Gallery. Cool.
In celebration of the show here’s a shot of one of the woodblocks used to make the Quintessence Series…
eikonktizo 
