Vladimir Kush!

MATRIX OF LOVE - by V. Kush

We’re done talking about The Scream (for a while).  Switching gears, I cannot even begin to convey my excitement about featuring my very favorite artist in the entire universe, Vladimir Kush! 

What is the earliest picture you remember painting/ drawing?
 
My career as an artist began when I was a child of 3 or 4.  My father
was a scientist, but everyone on his side of my family used to draw
all the time.  I remember how in the long winter evenings I used to
sit on my father's lap finishing his drawings:  boy running on skis,
an old man walking by with the cane ...
 
 
If you had to describe yourself as one color, what color would it be?  Why?
 
Just like the sunset color, only green...
 
 
Name two of your favorite artists and why are they your favorites?
 
Just a few artists’ names of the past that I admire:
 
~ Hieronymus Bosch for his fantastic imagery and Breigel for his
refined drawings and etchings.
 
~ El Greco - for his alien looking streamline people who seem to come
from another world.
 
~ Caspar David Freidrich for showing a place of a human being amidst
the grandeur of Nature.
 
~ Ingres for its refined design and exquisite line lacking in
impressionist paintings.
 
~ Russian art of the 1920-1930 for its innovative ideas.
 
~ Dali, Magritte, DeChirico and finally our contemporary genius artist
Claude Verlinde, who I consider a source of inspiration.
 
As far as an admiration goes, I admire scientists and writers more
than the artists. If the writer creates a new world, the scientist
explores it, most of the artists in the modern times are no more than
craftsmen.
 
 
What's the most interesting thing that happened to you over the summer?
 
I finished my new painting, MATRIX OF LOVE.
 
 
What's your favorite work/ thing you created over the summer?
 
MATRIX OF LOVE

To see more of Kush’s work go to:  http://vladimirkush.com.

You can also visit one of his galleries in Maui; Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas; Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas or Laguna Beach.

Drafting His Own Path: Matt Roe, Contemporary Artist

Today’s featured artist, Matthew Roe, started on a path of architectural engineering, but veered off and found his own path in contemporary art.  To see more of his work, visit www.mattroe.com.

Matt Roe's verson of "The Scream"

What is your artist statement?

Life is an ever-expanding evolution that has twist and turns with some up and some downs. My artwork is a direct reflection of the life process that never stays the same and is always evolving into new - styles, mediums, and techniques".

Influences?

My favorite influences are Dr. Seuss for the comical and world events that relate to our lives as we grow, Dali for the darker surrealistic side of things and Van Gogh for his colors and movement of color.

What is your favorite thing you've purchased in the last 30 days and why?

 A new surround sound receiver.... for as much as like art I need music and movies in my life also. Creative stimulus comes from all directions and ya need to harness it whenever and however you can.


"The Wolf" - by M. Roe

What do you think about "The Scream" auctioning @ $120 million on May 2nd?

Well I would like say it would be a lot better if Munch was alive and could enjoy the 120 million but nowadays artists are no different than a commodity in the stock exchange. They are bought and sold to and by the elite for bragging rights and not for the value in the work itself or the appeal that they might bring someone.

One hundred years from now, what do you want people to think/ remember about you?

 

 I hope someone pays 120 million for a painting of mine and my family can reap the benefits of the struggle that it is to be an artist. We always glorify the fact that one painting has sold for this and that but there are hundreds of thousands or even millions of artists that are truly gifted and talented that are never recognized. In reality all I would like to do is be a part of the puzzle of creativity and either influence someone by my work or words that I speak for that's what being a part of this creative process is all about.

Brazilian Born Maria Parenteau: Featured Artist

M. Parenteau's version of "The Scream"

Today The Wrighter is featuring Brazilian born artist, Maria Parenteau.  One her website she writes:

 

O meu trabalho e o fruto de quem eu sou.....nao importa se eu goste ou nao eu sou uma artista.

O que ?

uma artista?

o que voce quer dizer com isso?

eu quero dizer que eu sou uma artista.

simplesmente uma artista

e simples assim.

Translation:

Bird Fruit - by M. Parenteau

My work is the fruit of who I am. Does not matter if I like it or not, I am an artist.

What?

An artist?

What do you mean by that?

I mean an artist, just an artist.

It is simple like that.

 What is your artist statement?

My life is to create art to inspire and encourage people; I am always looking for ways to portrait tenderness. My images bring the calmness and poetry to everyday life. It is like a breeze of fresh air. It is visual poetry. I want to paint the dimensions of life in a fantastic way. I am using images of birds to represent people and life situations.

Pink - by M. Parenteau

 Which is your favorite work of yours and why?

My favorite work is my master piece: The Winter Sparrows and The Japanese Ladies. It is mysterious and made itself, I did not created, I was only the conduit.

The Winter Sparrows and the Japanese Ladies

It is consider my masterpiece. It is an amazing piece of art that made itself. It took me more than two months to finish, and more than a year to consider it done.

My friend Bob Littler gave me the white wood canvas and I hung it on the wall in front of my work bench; I planned to look at it every day until I find the image that was hiding behind the emptiness. I knew for sure it was birds, I just did not know what kind they were, and if they would come in flocks or just a lonely one.

The Winter Sparrows and The Japanese Ladies - M. Parenteau

Everyday I looked at it intensively searching for shapes and forms trying to get a grip on my imagination. One day for nothing, I got a brown charcoal and started to put uneven oval shapes here and there, and then I got the black charcoal and pinched the wood on the top of those shapes. It was so simple, so unworried, and quite quick. I let it rest for some time and when I was sure that all the birds had come, I applied acrylic painting on the top of the charcoal

Two months later, the great photographer David Spencer named it “The Chickadees”, after some time he came back to my studio to tell me that they were actually sparrows and changed the name for “The Sparrows.” A year later a nice lady that came to the open studios at the Plain St art show in Rockland, Massachusetts approached me to say that she loved my Japanese ladies. I was intrigued and asked her to show me where she saw them. She pointed me the little birds; explained to me that the Japanese women that she was seeing, were dressing with their kimonos, going up to the temple. It was a bizarre experience seeing the two faces of this painting for the first time, and then I officially announced that a masterpiece had been born, and I named it The Winter Sparrows and the Japanese Ladies…

What is your favorite thing you've purchased in the last 30 days and why?

Urn - by M. Parenteau

I bought two books, and buying books give me a high, “Marketing Fine Art Photography” by Alan Briot and ”The Bondage Breaker: Overcoming Negative Thoughts, Irrational Feelings and Habitual Sins” by Neil T. Anderson

 

What do you think about "The Scream" auctioning @ $120 million on May 2nd?

I think it is just ridiculous…This art market is dictated by a group of selected people that tell the world that art is what they say art is and it is what they buy. “Non illegitimi te carborundum” the rough translation is, ‘Don’t let the bastards get you down’…

 

Stop looking at the past…  Buy art for the same amount from those amazing artists who are spread all over the earth.  They are alive and well.

Yellow - by M. Parenteau

One hundred years from now, what do you want people to think/ remember about you?

That I was a devoted Christian, with strong faith, that my heart was filled with hope and love, and that I am (at that time) enjoying the “Father’s House” and will be there having fun forever.

 

To see more of Parenteau’s work go to: http://www.artwedeliver.com

Featured Artist Mike Whaley

M. Whaley

Today’s artist, Mike Whaley, is also a poet and writer, born in Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom in 1974.

I have written two short poetry books called Evocation of Feeling and Po-faced poetry. I started writing poetry as a bit of a hobby many years ago and was told that my work was good and I should publish, This I did with Evocation of Feeling I followed this with my book Po-Faced poetry a month later.

I have four wonderful children that have been my inspiration and will continue forever to do so. I am constantly working and trying new and wonderful things, although my art work and poetry may not be to all tastes it is sure to set tongues wagging as I am sure it is doing right now somewhere in the world. And to those that read my poetry and peruse my artwork may your god go with you.

 

What is your artist statement?

My goal is to show passion and conviction within my work. To provoke the mind of people and ask the reader or viewer to fully understand why the piece has been produced. I like to produce images and poetry that will hopefully change the perception and understanding of the world around us.

Which is your favourite work and why?

M. Whaley

 

I was very fortunate within my youth to live very close to the National Museum of Wales, it was a short walk from my home. There is an extensive gallery and I spent many hours there standing in front of art pondering how the art moved me.

My favourite piece of art called Spring Vista by Vernon Ward. The depth and colour of the art always bemused me and every time I look at the piece I still find myself looking at the painting in different ways. I am lucky enough to own this painting now.

As I have become older the meaning of the art has evolved. When I was a child I used to think it was a secret garden somewhere I always wished I could stand in the same place that the painting was originally made.


What is your favourite thing you've purchased in the last 30 days and why? 

M. Whaley



A family tent.  I recently took my partner and my four children away on a camping holiday. It was lovely to get away from technology and get back to nature and not have to fly and go through passport control.

Although we did experience the heaviest rainfall I have ever known we stayed and did not get too wet. But that is the great British weather for you. And it really is not fun trying to pack everything into a car in that sort of weather included dismantling and packing away a tent in high winds.  It was like flying a very large kite. I also had to drive home soaking wet which was not a happy experience.  But we had great fun and will do it again, but this time I will pray for a sunnier climate.


What do you think about "The Scream" auctioning @ $120 million on May 2nd?

Funnily enough when I was in high school I remember having to study a poetry book, (sorry cannot remember what it was called), one section of the book was regarding scary poems and the scream was the picture that featured at the start of the chapter. I loved the image at that time thinking it was pretty scary indeed and one poem has always stuck in my mind because of this. I can still recite it to this day and I think that is why I write poetry and produce art.

But the actual painting selling for that astounds me, yes it is a good piece but do I believe it was in fact worth 120 million, I am not sure. Now that the painting has been bought for that price it will now only increase in value. I sometimes wish that today’s artists were given the same kudos as past artists. Personally I am glad that the art is still available for public viewing and not hidden away in a vault colleting nothing but age and dust.



M. Whaley


One hundred years from now, what do you want people to think/ remember about you?

That my art and my poetry did something, created a peace and promoted a changed world. That my art and words will be passed throughout generations as a tool to teach peace and harmony for all mankind. And that one day my art is viewed by my children’s children as something there grandfather did and he was pretty cool.

More Nuler for Michael

This nuler poem from my book titled, “50” is another one of my favorites from the collection.  I hope you love it as much as I do…

“50” is available on Amazon.com, and if by some strange reason you’re not interested in “50,” check out “A Crime And A SimplificationOf Something Sublime,” also available on Amazon.

Enjoy.

Looking Down At My Feet Trying Not To Cry – Tah – Cause You Will Never Die – Tah – No You Will Never Die And Saying I’ll Be Fine, I’m Just Telling A Lie – Tah – But You Will Never Die – No You Will Never Die – Ha – And The Blessings That You’ve Given Can Now Multiply – Tah – No One Can Count Them All – Even If They Try – Cause You Will Never Die – No – No You Will Never Die – Ha - You Will Never Die – Tah – No You Will Never Die.

You hear him

in your head too.

The Artist Featured Today: Betty Tuininga

"Mt. Rainier" Mixed media on canvas, 61cm x 91.4cm. 2008 - BJ Tuininga

Today's artist is New Yorker, Betty Tuininga who has a signature technique of mixing oil and cold wax to build a rich texture of canvas.  

What is your artist statement?

 My objectives are based on a simple principle, "I have had enough heartache in my life, so consequently, I want my work to bring joy into the lives of the people who see my paintings." “While I occasionally make political statements in my work, I am not usually about complex theories. I am simply about sharing the emotional ‘joie de vive.’” If I have accomplished this goal then it brings pleasure to my life as well.

 Which is your favorite work of yours and why?

 The painting was of Mt. Rainier. Would everyone think it was the best? I don't know... it was for me personally.

The painting was created one afternoon after learning that my best friend's cancer had aggressively returned. I painted my heart out...hardly thinking about what I was doing. The result was a deeply spiritual, ethereal painting of that Sacred Mountain. The painting never saw an exhibition, it was sold right away. My friend saw and sensed the same feelings when I sent her the picture of the painting...Her response was "I've seen this painting before." It was then that I told her that I had painted it the day that she left my house...

 What is your favorite thing you've purchased in the last 30 days and why?

My Kindle Touch. I have run out of room to store the volume of books that I would like to own, my Kindle makes that venture more feasible. It weighs oh so much less than a book. But, art books and cookbooks must still be the real deal!

 What do you think about "The Scream" auctioning @ $120 million on May 2nd?

 I am not surprised at the price of the sale. Iconic art such as "The Scream" has begun to escalate as more and more museum art escapes the walls of the institutions and becomes available for purchase. Our recent recession, the death of early 20th century collectors both open up the market for exciting collections and individual artworks. Collectors are apt to pay the price for art when they no longer trust the usual lines for their investments.

One hundred years from now, what do you want people to think/ remember about you?

 I would like to think that I would be remembered for my eclectic artwork which is impassioned, from the heart, unique. I also hope that my technique of oils mixed with cold wax has a longevity which will span time, creating an interest in its effects and the technique itself.

Richard Nott's "Unearthed" @ Millennium

R. Nott

On August 24^th, Millennium Gallery will open its Richard Nott exhibit titled “Unearthed.”  This exhibit runs until September 18^th. 

According to Millennium press information, Nott has been working on works from “Unearthed” for 20 years and works produced reflects a compulsion to create and destroy.

From Millennium:

Nott’s description of much of the process makes it clear that his role is as conduit, there is no clear objective or strategy; the matter is affected by its own particular and peculiar circumstances. He sometimes nurtures, and sometimes attacks, the surface (an under surface) with limited material - paint, white spirit to bitumen - reactions occur – by meditative, application or vigorous burning and chiseling.



Richard Nott’s paintings are built: they are made out of paint and resin and bitumen and various other substances fused together, gouged, scratched, compressed and even burnt. They are the result of a protracted physical process.



R. Nott

Looking at the work available from this collection online, I have to be honest, after reading about how it took 20 years to create this series, I was a tad disappointed.  I suppose the knowledge that it took 20 years to create something is supposed to place intrinsic value on the work.  I suppose in my head I had Nott slaving over his most “ambitious work to date” constantly for the last two decades.  What I’m theorizing is that “Unearthed” project was an experiment tinkered with in between other prominent projects.  This is a theory, and I could be totally off base here.

On a positive note, “Unearthed” is conceptually interesting and I can appreciate the outcome of the work just as I can the swirly rainbow I find in a puddle in a pothole from water and motor oil.  Abstractly, it is fascinating and on a large scale, I imagine it is quite striking.  I believe though, that the biggest selling point of this collection, the sizzle off the steak, is the process of creating the work rather than the work itself.

At any rate, if you’re in England, you can go to Millennium and see it for yourself.  Let me know if you disagree.







The Experienced Artist: Helga Tacke

"Romney Hood" by Helga Tacke

Today’s featured artist, Helga Tacke, seems to be contagiously optimistic in both her work and words.  I feel fortunate to have such a high energy artist on The Wrighter.

What is your artist statement?

 I, Helga Tacke, have felt the urge to create since my earliest memory. Nothing gives me more pleasure than making a thought materialize to 2D or 3D.  I was lucky enough to work in so many different fields of art from grand scale sets and costumes at Sea World, to sculpting coins at Sunshine Minting, to portraits at Disney, to writing and illustrating children's book's.  With all that experience comes a certain comfort in having the confidence in creating more exciting projects, and always trying to step outside my comfort zone, which is where I believe true creativity begins.

For more of my art please go to my website: helgatacke.com

"Concert" by H. Tacke

Which is your favorite work of yours and why?

"Life is a Shark Tank" by H. Tacke

My favorite painting so far, is the "Concert!"  There are so many reasons why it is still my favorite: Of all my paintings, this one took me an extraordinary amount of time.  I lived and breathed it for weeks.  The colors, the feel of action, the happiness it brought me as I reflected on my own times at concerts, which I feel I captured in this piece.

I have also attached two others "Life is a Shark Tank" and "My Hero." Most of the time, the latest painting I am working on is my favorite.  New ones to be released very soon.

"My Hero" by H. Tacke

I have nine children's books that I have illustrated, four of which I, myself have written and illustrated, which I am unbelievably proud of. They are not yet in circulation, but five of them will be published this coming year.

I can get a little political too. I have recently made this poster of "Romney Hood," which I believe sums up my thoughts on the matter.

What is your favorite thing you've purchased in the last 30 days and why?

I bought a bunch of canvas's a couple of weeks ago, and cannot wait to make those stretched white pieces of fabric into my new babies.

 

What do you think about "The Scream" auctioning @ $120 million on May 2nd?



As far as "The Scream," I believe that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, whether it be art, music, entertainment, that is the beauty in of itself.

Every artist dreams that they would create something so magnificent to bring so much pleasure to someone that they would be willing to pay millions to see it every day. I say go Edvard.

 

One hundred years from now, what do you want people to think/ remember about you?

A hundred years from now, I wish to be remembered as a woman who had much love, compassion, strength, and eternal optimism which showed through to everyone who knew me and everything I touched.

The Wrighter Reviews: The Bourne Legacy

CONFESSION:  I am a HUGE Bourne fan, which I have yet to understand since I am the antithesis of a action film lover.  I once walked out of a James Bond film because I was bored.  No lie.  Even in the Bourne series in the height of a car chase scene, I have to avert m eyes from the screen because the close up of so much action bothers me.

I don’t believe in the necessity to see a movie the week it’s released, I don’t care how the studio calculates sales.  It’s just not that serious to me.  Saturday is the day I decided to splurge and go see “Bourne Legacy.”  I was really excited about it because the others were so… I don’t know… inspiring – I guess.

In “Bourne Legacy” Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) is a member of Operation Outcome, one of the Department of Defense's black ops programs, which provides its agents with green pills that enhance physical abilities and blue pills that enhance mental abilities. He is given the moniker of "Number Five" and is deployed to Alaska for a training assignment, where he meets another Outcome operative, Number Three (Oscar Isaac).

If I had to sum it up in one word I’d say the film is about medication.

Oh sure, this project is different than Bourne’s “Treadstone,” but I have to be honest, it feels rather contrived at times.

Renner does a great job of differentiating his character from the Bourne character.  Renner’s character is lighter than Matt Damon’s intense lost dude.  The problem that I have with this new character is that his name is said so little and Jason Bourne has been said so often that Aaron Cross wilts in Jason Bourne’s shadow.

Dr. Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz), who assists Cross in his quest to “viral off” his medication seems to be a little too oblivious for my liking.  Maybe it’s built into the script so that we can like her better, but it doesn’t work for me.  For example, there is a point where she asks Cross why he wants to stay enhanced (on the medication).  She is one of the researchers!  She should know why!

And let me just say this, it is more than a little disappointing to watch Jason kick butt from India to America and then have the “Legacy” come behind him and need medication to do it.

SPOILER ALERT

Cross is not even as smart as Bourne.  So to have a slightly inferior character follow the “Supremacy” is quite frustrating.

There are some kick butt moments like (as you saw in the trailer) when Cross slides down a building and beats up two policeman within the width of what appears to be a foot of another building.  But then the action is blown when Dr. Shearing kicks one of the “enhanced” chasers off his motorcycle.  HE’S ENHANCED SHOULDN’T HE HAVE SEEN HER FOOT COMING A MILE AWAY? 

Jason!  Where are you brother?  The “Legacy” is just not cutting it.

FORWARD MARCH!

This reposted essay by Jonathan Fields, is probably one of the most solid inspirational essays I’ve posted in a very long time.  And I think that’s saying a lot considering how many of these I repost here on The Wrighter.

I like to pride myself on creating change the moment I see that it needs to be made.  I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions, or create some random future deadline to correct some recognized undesirable behavior of mine.  I hop on things right away.  It’s how I’ve been my entire life.

 This essay is titled, “There is No Sidways in Life” and after reading it I realized that the immediate changes that I make are not in all categories in my life.  What I thought was “coasting” is actually sinking, digressing.  That’s the last thing I want to do.

 I hope you get as much out of this one as I did.  Enjoy.

There Is No Sideways in Life

By Jonathan Fields

I've been asked the question a lot since my book, Career Renegade, came out.

How do you handle fear?

"Well,” comes my answer, "that depends. Fear of what?"

"Of failure, of course."

"Wrong fear," I add. "You wanna be afraid, really afraid, take a look at what your life will look like not if you try and fail...but if you keep on keeping on for decades. That's the real nightmare scenario for most people."

What?

Simple fact, there is no sideways, no coasting...no neutral.

Not in relationships, not in business, not in spiritual growth, not in life. There's only up or down, though the rate of acceleration and the magnitude of the progress in either direction often leads us to to some very warped perceptions. When we're rising quickly, life is grand...though very likely unsustainable. When we're plummeting rapidly, life blows and, similarly, with even a modicum of intervention, this path is rarely sustainable either.

In each of these scenarios, though, the speed and magnitude of the change in the way we experience life is so great and, often, so outwardly apparent, that we - or those around us - are moved to act to either support or redirect our trajectory. Action in the context of such powerful movement is a near mandate.

But, what of those periods where we're sliding ever-so-slowly up or down?

In those periods, we're often governed largely not by action, but by inertia. The desire to not rock our own boats. "Hey," we say, "life's not so bad. So what if I'm not making what I'd like to make, I'm getting by. So, what if my marriage isn't great, it's not THAT bad. Who cares if I'm a little fatter, sicker and in just a bit more pain. It's not such a big deal."

Problem is, "I'm getting by. It's not THAT bad and it's not such a big deal," may be workable answers now. But, the only reason they're workable is because you're assuming that you'll stay largely at these same levels over time. That if you don't do anything substantial to change, 10, 20 or 30 years from now, your business, income, health, relationships will just keep going pretty much sideways, coasting...and you're okay with that.

Except there is no coasting. There is no neutral. No sideways.

It's a myth, an illusion. There's only up or down.

Which means, if you're teetering on the edge of happiness, health, liquidity and contentment now, then 10, 20 or 30 years from now, if you really paint a vivid picture of your "do nothing to change" scenario, your life will likely be somewhere between really unpleasant and really dead.
Because unaddressed over time,

·         Nagging pain becomes chronic, acute and debilitating

·         Unrewarding work becomes soulless, life-sucking agony

·         Passable health becomes obesity, disease and, for many, early death

·         Unattentive relationships become estranged, angry, bitter, dysfunctional and nonexistent

Your currently "passable" life becomes increasingly painful as you enter the long, slow slide toward death. Because you failed to accept the knowledge that there is no sideways, there is only up or down. Even if the pace is slow, barely detectable. There's no such thing as sideways.

Which leaves you with a realization and circles back to my original question.

How do you handle fear?

Don't just ask the fear of failure question, add two others...

·         What if I succeed?

·         What if I do nothing?

Then, paint lush, vivid, highly sensory pictures of each. Play out your failure scenario, along with it's recovery. Play out your success scenario. Then, play out your do nothing scenario, 10, 20 and 30 years from now. For far too many, that becomes the real nightmare, the outcome most important to abort. Then tap into your fear of manifesting that outcome as a core driver to break your state of inertia and go after the vivid success scenario.

And, the next time you feel like inertia, sideways, coasting...neutral is enough. Think again.