two hundred ninety-four

It is time to let slumber befall the current artwork darlings and get on with the next project. In order for that to happen we must summon the souls of the recently created and let ‘em shine in a bit of the light. Spectral Wings is my latest painting series to see the light of day. These deep layered pockets of life were created throughout the challenging span of 2020-2021. Many were suffering from many things. The suffering did not escape me either – ahem, the painful growth. Whatever. Positive vibes. Spin on. And so like the good little artist that I am, I laced up my paint brushes and got to work channeling all the negative into vibrant, colorful perseverance. 

 

thumbnails in the studio sketchbook

For those too short on time for all the tiny wefts and weaves of this story, several of these artworks see the light of day in a Winston-Salem group show Sept. – Oct. 2023. Go see the show and come get yer free reception snacks on Tuesday, September 26th from 5p-7p. And here is the link to all the artwork via my website. If yer not full of yawn and ready to chew on a bit more on this yarn, here is the Spectral Wings artist statement: 

 

We are wearing sleeved emotions in layers of life wrapped in worn fabric and colorful yarns — keeping us in stitches. In the moment before the moment we fly, our soul is seen breathing light into our wings. This is life cycle and the threaded patched points. 

 

And so this body of work, true to its intention got layered up and then covered up. I’m draggin’ my tale a bit because there’s more to the story.  There is always more to the story.

 

In the fall of 2021 we learned that our landlord planned to not renew our lease. Legal and shitty for we were also struggling with the declining health of Eva’s mother as she battled cancer over in New Zealand amid their pandemic scare. Layers of life I tell you. The year of 2021 we got engaged, said good-bye to Eva’s mother, and had to not only find a place to live, but also move (the last three tasks within the last three months of the year & our lease). The trifecta was clamoring for a trump -- so, I had a studio sale. Several pieces from Spectral Wings including Mother Of found a new home to lovely patrons. Fitting. The patrons said I may hold on to these pieces through the end of my upcoming solo show. That’s number one and two of 12 Spectral Wings paintings and we haven’t even had a show yet.*

 

Mother Of

 Spectral Wings was created in part to fill a request for a solo show that never happened. It took about a year to paint this series – I remember hustling in the cold to get the frames made in the end of 2021 prior to moving. In early 2022 the solo show was cancelled two weeks prior to install. This is due to the venue Camino’s renovation project. Ah, but then they offered me another solo exhibit! Ah – but by then I earned representation by Visual Index, a Winston-Salem Gallery. Ah! -- and they won’t let me show in another space. Ah – but I then brokered the deal of having the Visual Index artists (including me) show in Camino for a three-month exhibit in 2023 (an event that will continue annually). So. Much. Good. From the labor and patching. And not giving up. 

 

Selections from Spectral Wings finally got to see the light of day in 2023. One painting got to breathe a bit of spring air during a lovely outdoor art fest on the SECCA campus in April (see blog entry two hundred ninety-two). Several made their way into private collections courtesy of Visual Index. It is my understanding Jalen Dalton, a North Carolina NFL player, or at least a person with the same name on the sales invoice, is the owner of one the paintings.

 

 

on a/perture's big screen

And then several Spectral Wings garnered favor as part of the a/perture Cinema’s 2023 Picture Card Series.  They got illuminated and blown up on the big screen in May this year.  Here’s a link to that video short.  It is these paintings that finally make their way into the gallery exhibition context for a fall 2023 show at the Milton Rhodes Gallery in downtown WS.  I’m excited to see these labor of love pieces shining on the white wall hanging with other talented NC artists, all glowing-like for the first time since they were framed in 2021.  They certainly took their time getting there.

Many scrapes and cuts and bruises and the color gets deeper as the layers of patches pile up.  Life imitates art and Spectral Wings is an exceptional no-exception to this rule.  Sometimes it just takes a bit more time, (two years?) to peel back the layers and get some light on the story facets.

 

 

 

 

 *As of this writing we’re at six homes for 12 of the paintings. More to come for sure. The funny thing about that is the last body of work, Looking Up was exhibited five times in North Carolina and not a one found a home. But that’s another mouthful to hear.