Corcoran Mondays

So, my interview with the MICA folks only went so-so. They just don't seem to "get it" there. I was told as much, actually. They said that they "didn't know what to make of my theater work", and couldn't visualize where my work would go. That in combination with the fact that when the "mentors" look at the candidates, they would choose people who they think that they could work with (read "This guy is too much of a pain in the ass because he doesn't fit our expectations, or fit into our mold of what an artist should become, and taking him on would be too much work for me") What I took away from this meeting was that if I wanted to be accepted into their program, I would need to: Drop the theater work, become less "design" oriented, and provide more emotion in my work...I am really starting to think that the benefits of the structure of this program are not worth sacrificing my identity, process and treasure (60k is no laughing matter!)

But exposition on why grad school sucks is not why I am writing this blog, and its not how to keep my three subscribers reading every week (hi Scott, Sara and Greg!) perhaps I should shoot myself and just get it over with.... :)

On the positive front, I started my Continuing Education classes at the Corcoran on Monday. The first class is "14 Paintings in 14 weeks"...which is an ironic title, since we did not paint on the first week...perhaps I will have to paint two paintings in one week in order to catch up!

The second class of the day is "Academic Portrait Painting", in which we at least drew. Below is the product of the first day of class. Academic Portrait Painting, First Session. Charcoal on Canvas.

This model sat down and immediately cast her eyes at my easel. She then seemed to find it hard to keep her eyes open...so that is why she looks kinda sleepy while kinda confrontational...I tried to take a cameraphone picture of her at the end of class (to compare my drawing to) but she insisted that I would have to pay her for 2 hours of modeling if I take a picture. I told her that "If I'm paying for two hours, I'm going to put her in a pose that I want". The next step is to spray fixative, and then paint on top of the charcoal. I'll send along more shots as the painting progresses...

And Finally, Please come out to Dr. Dremo's in Arlington for the Counter Cultural Festival on Saturday. I'll be one of the vendors, and be soakin' up the scene all night! More info go to: www.dcconspiracy.com

Portfolio Assemby Complete!

I have just completed one of those tasks that is never really complete. I updated my portfolio. It takes forever, is never as cool as you would like and starts your subconscious on a "gut check" about your career. But its so good to have it done. I will soon be able to offer you an in depth glimpse into said portfolio, online. That's because I have been feeding discs, with portfolio images to Bennu Enterprises, to update www.artbyjared.com

Other goings on this week involved a Hexagon meeting about the "kick" number, and what its scenery (as well as content) will entail. I also made some designs for the "frills" of circus wagons, which are coming along beautifully.

Trixie and I have been going back and forth about making a new sardine can to replace her current one which looks less and less like a sardine can. So I did this quick redesign:
You are all sworn to secrecy about the inner workings of this piece of scenery. (its not really like a magic cabinet, so you can see the inner mechanisms...which are really just there to make it easy for her to transport)

I also have been making stabs at getting a good proposal for a valance for the Palace of Wonders. Here's a design that didn't quite make the cut......Which is kinda frustrating, because I don't think that they understand my process...I don't start by making "great art", I try to provoke a reaction, so that a dialog gets started...its just a sketch...

This was also the weekend of Mark and Amy's disco party. They really know how to throw a shin-dig. I also got to use the Elvis suit one last time (this month!) because it happened to be thematic! (although Elvis was not really "Disco"...I like to think I added a bit of rockabilly to the evening with my presence)

On Sunday KT and I caught Sleeping Arrangements at Theater J. It wasn't really my cup of tea, but I did come away with one good sentiment from the play:

Most problems in life can be improved by a stay in an expensive hotel room.

The other remarkable thing about the production was that the set designer got her MFA from Wayne State University...GO TARTARS!

This week also started my next stint at Rep Stage painting the set for some Pinter play. They are woefully behind on construction at this point, and it is going to be a stressful build, but I am up for the challenge!

I also have been trying to "make friends" on Myspace, so if you are reading this...won't you please be my friend? You can contact me on MySpace here:

http://www.myspace.com/artbyjared

Well, I guess you should wish me luck at my portfolio review on Friday. I hope that all of this work on the portfolio makes a good impression!

What do you mean my content sucks?

You have to know that I have been busy lately. And yes, I did promise to write more. But I have not been on the "introspective" bent lately...its been more like "retrospective". You see, I am making another grab for the grad school apple this year, which means I need to get my portfolio together. But in these Post-post-post-modern times that we live in, that means a lot more than it used to. I have to get my work together on my computer, in order to make prints at Ritz, to put into a bound "portfolio" book. But I also need to take those same images, and send them off to be made into slides. I also need to contact my web guru to get my website updated. And finally, I need to post some of that (with witty commentary) on my blog. Which is were we are right now. (At this point I would like to point out that merely assembling the images on one computer is a challenge enough...let alone making the critical decisions about the quality of one over the other as a proper representation of a piece of art...or maximizing on the data in a poor photo....but I digress)

So, without delay, I am posting some things I never got around to doing as they happened:

Pirates of Penzance, Act I
TAP 2006

Pirates of Penzance, Act II
TAP 2006
I knew you wouldn't be happy with just the Treo Camera phone shots...

And in an effort to get ahead of the game, I have a small photo of the model for this year's Hexagon production, Strike while the irony is hot:

Yes, that's a false proscenium in front of the actual one...the model is 1/4"=1' so its easy to lose perspective on how large this thing will be, but its going to be a very large undertaking when it finally gets into the theater. To give you another sense of scale, the "circus carts" in the middle, are about 10 feet high...

Blogger 2 upgrade

Hey there, I just have time enough to point out that the changes in color and format are due to the upgrade to Blogger 2.0...whatever that means...I just hope I can figure out how to get ".blogspot" off of the URL. They say it can be done. Wouldn't you rather be going to "Betweenthetines@artbyjared.com" anyway?

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Welcome 2007!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Welcome 2007!

Looking back at 2006's posts, I noticed that the amount of commentary started to slip as the year waned...Well, I am going to carry over old habits for one more post, just for old times sake. I make a "New Years Resolution" to write more about the goings on in this painter/designer's world... I'll start right after I show you some pictures of the Lobsterboy New Year's Eve at the Warehouse!

The 2006 set in its final two hours!It was the only thing funny I could think of for the number "6"

The fire act "Miss Joulie" showing offLobs burnin' through his 2006 datebook of jokesKitty Victorian doing a traditional fan dance... (If you look really hard, you can see Tinsel's butt)

That's how you get gigs in this town...butter up the headliner!The hardest working monkey in showbiz...This show is so badass...its got MONKEY BALLS!HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2007 (the "7" and the "!" opened up at the end, but in the confusion, few pictures were taken...)

Lobs doing his duty as a patriot. Smoking indoors for the last time in DC...

Watch this space for designs and reportage for the Lobsterboy April Fools show at the Birchmere!
(Thanks again go out to our friends at furcafe.blogspot.com for the photos)