Some new work in progress 2012/13

I have been investigating the idea of an in between, liminal space. The space at which you are neither here nor there, a state of change, a place of transformation. 

These paintings are from actual experiences at sweat lodges in the desert under full moons, Solitary hiking trips, remembered scenes from those trips, moments spent in solitude.

 A visiting artist came to my studio and asked rather pointedly, "Path huh? path to what? Change? Changing from what to what?" I said "I don't know, I ..I'm not sure,..." After weeks of thinking about this moment I realized that I was glad he asked that question, It made me realize it wasn't about what we are changing into, it's about the process. This work and what I am interested in lately is about     the path, the current moment, not where it's taking you, but the journey it's self. We never really reach the end of the path, you are only ever in the present which suggests the next moment and the next, you just keep on that path, we keep moving forward, always in a state of metamorphoses..

This piece is of a Fire walker, someone who walks on hot coals. This is just the type of moment or experience that brings some people to that state of bliss or elation, a sense of invincibility. These moments allow us to feel or sense something beyond ourselves, a feeling of connection or spirituality. 

I am beginning my second semester of my first year of grad school at U of A, very exciting. I wonder where and how far it will take me in a matter of months, change happens fast, it's like a pressure cooker for art. I love a challenge, so here goes!

2013, I'm ready.

New work, new challenges, new environment 2012

Finally I have some new work that feels like it may be heading in a positive direction. I also finally have a little 

time to write a new blog post, thankfully. 

I'll just dive right in to these and do a little explaining later. I have been taking a figure drawing class to sharpen up my skills which was going pretty well, but lately I had a sense of restlessness while in that class. As a grad student I have the option to spend time in my studio instead of in class, so I took that option. these studies are what I produced. I had just seen an opening of Bailey Doogans figurative work, see her site @ http://www.baileydoogan.com/. Her Large black and white work were breathtaking. I took what I saw and did my own versions, and instead of only a figure I took photographs with slow shutter speeds and created blurrs, ghostly images, I felt very Francesca Woodman about it. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesca_Woodman)

Slight detail here

Each one became more abstract.

almost Picasso-esque, which is funny, I dislike cubism aesthetically, the one below is a detail of the face. 

To make these pieces I got loose charcoal and mixed it with gesso, I then drew onto the dried mixture (on paper) with compressed charcoal, and sanded into it with sandpaper, and added highlights with white Conte. I intend on making many more, both as experimentation and exercise, maybe it will lead to something great! But either way I have a final project for figure drawing!

Lots of funerals in my life this year, two paintings from some very sad moments in my life recently. The top is a study from a funeral I went to last month, my Dad was speaking but was so broken up he couldn't finish a sentence, he had to sit down and just cry, then my mother went up there, comforted him, and read his statement for him, it was the saddest, most amazing, touching thing I have seen transpire in my immediate family probably ever before. 

 Here is my grandfather Elmer looking over photos from my grandmother Dellas funeral, contemplating a life spent together, such a beautiful one. He was so broken hearted, I can't explain the sense of loss I felt from him, literally like a piece of HIM died with her.  These are only studies, not finished paintings.These studies are  looking at how light and dark co-exist and depend on each other for definition. All of them are derived from recent experiences I have had on my new journey.  Some are from my head, purely remembering experiences and putting an impression down with paint, while others are more literal studies, looking to photos I have taken.

painting on canvas, probably not finished, 4 x4 ft.

study: moonlight, sweat, night, stone people

"There is a crack in everything, that's where the light gets in" -Leonard Cohen

Study, oil on paper.

I went hiking, watched the sun set, and as it went down it silhouetted everything around.

That's all for now, I have to go write an artists statement.

Gregory Lindquist mural at Tucson Museum of Art, Nov 2012- March 2013

I recently had the opportunity to help a talented and established artist, Gregory Lindquist, paint this mural for "Broken Desert" at the Tucson Museum of Art. He flew out from Brooklyn the week of Hurricane sandy, left the Chaos behind, to show his work, visit his Mom, Make new friends and show his paintings of landscape. http://www.greglindquist.com/

Gregs process for this mural is projecting parts of the image he reconstructed from a photo in photoshop one layer at a time to create the disjointed landscape. This image is of a distorted, slightly digitized picture of a copper strip mine, called the Lavender Mine south of Tuscon here in Bisbee Arizona.

You can see my name here, I helped Saturday and Sunday, totally worth it and fun. Greg is a very intelligent and informed artist. Having the opportunity to work with him was a pleasure and he is great to talk to about contemporary art.

Mr. Lindquists final piece, with a painting as a final touch. It was a great show. Its up till March 3rd on the U of A campus at the Tucson Museum of Art.

Newest painting and status update June 2012

This is my last painting, "Family Restraints", {painted a few months ago due to the loss of an art studio}....I have been making drawings though. I'm planning and thinking and scheeming about what my new paintings will be when school at U of A Tucson (where I have received a fellowship) begins the day before my birthday August 22nd. I would love to post the new ideas but I feel like I should keep the drawings to my self and stew on them and let them grow, posting them would somehow solidify them in my mind, and I like the fluidity and the opportunity for fluidity at the moment. 

      I have made some big moves in my life lately, I moved from my beloved home in San Francisco, leaving my friends that are nearly as close as family behind. I also sold most of my paintings at dirt cheap prices to good friends during a fund raiser for myself to get me here to Arizona. Being from Arizona, there is a sense of returning home but after 12 years in San Francisco It was a difficult move to make. I'm coming home to many challenges, strained family relations, hence the above painting, an ailing grandmother who may pass away within days of my arrival, money, apartment, etc etc..But I am up for the challenges, I am determined to turn everything into lemonade, and roll with the punches as far as challenges I cannot control. I look forward to U of A, healing relationships, discovering the little art scenes out here and hiking in the beautiful desert landscapes, and making myself an even better stronger, kinder and even more driven person, I accept  the obstacles ahead and await their resolution. All the positive feeling sent to my Grandmother Gerty would be appreciated. Love and positivity to all. 

-Leanne C. Miller da Fancie Mammal

I am making and selling jewelry and holiday cards at the staff craft fair at the SFMOMA Dec 15th, here are some pics of merch. Come by and see me, although I may be in Arizona due to a family tragedy. Hopefully someone will sell my merch for me that day...I have invested A LOT of time and money...
    These are not all there are, but a few that will be available. A few necklaces, mostly earrings, not all are feathered BTW. I also have homemade holiday cards, hand watercolored, very cute. 12-2 pm Dec. 15th, SFMOMA in the Schwab room, to the right of the atrium.
thanks,
Leanne fanciemammal

WFAL/ Subterranean Cyclery show OCT 2011

Here are a few pics from the last group show I participated in, Oct 2011 with the Well Fed Artists League at the Defunkt Subterranean Cyclery shop. We came, we conquered....We got hangovers. It was fun! Davey Dye and myself along with an old SFAI friend Chris A. Gould, (the Head of WFAL) all showed a few pieces along with a Welder, "Kate she Welds", and a few other painters and photographers. This lovely Brick walled building will soon be the new sight of the White Walls expansion interestingly enouph.

Not much else to say, we got it all hung, it stayed for a little over a week and it was fun, artist pulling together to make it happen, might as well have fun even thought the economy is bad and no one's buying. thats not the point really, we made new work and put it out there for the world to see. Way to be proactive WFAL!!! Can't wait till the next opportunity!

-Leanne, da Fanciemammal

"Roam" by Amelia Konow at Pure Beauty Salon June 2011

I am sad to announce that this Friday June 3rd will be the last First Friday show at Pure Beauty on haight street. But on the other hand, I am proud to have Amelia Konow's Photographs in "Roam".

Friday June 3rd 2011, "Roam" by Amelia Konow

6-9pm, snacks and refreshment will be served as always, and please feel free to BYOB if 2buck chuck doesnt suit your taste.

Amelia describes this show as:

In the past three years I have moved across America twice and traveled to Turkey, Holland, France and Panama. While on these trips I carried my Poloroid camera with me, to capture landscapes and abstract compositions. My surroundings were constantly changing and each place was a new experience seen with fresh eyes. The plane and car rides in between always left me drifting off and daydreaming about my adventures, often while watching the clouds. Between the towns and the various citites I traversed the only thing that stayed the same was that everything was guaranteed to change. Roam is the story of my journey - not just the places in between.

-Amelia Konow

Thank you for reading this blog, hopefully a new opportunity will present it's self to me and I will be able to keep curating somewhere. It has been a wonderful opportunity to show my friends art and help artists to have their first solo shows. But maybe it's my turn to have the art shows. Maybe I will find time to paint more, and perfect my craft. I just don't know where I am going artistically, but I know I have an apartment full of art work, and a head full of ideas. Hopefully some of them are good enough to make me stand out in some way.