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Kathleen Migliore-Newton

Apr 3rd, 2011 Leave a comment

The subjects should be seen in the larger context of dislocation and cultural hybridization. Living in New York City, I am a witness to the arrival of immigrants, and the human panorama of people of diverse cultures going about their daily lives. I have tried to dream their lives.

The collision and the intermingling of these millions of foreign-born people representing so many races and creeds, make New York a permanent exhibit of the phenomenon of one world. The citizens of New York are tolerant not only from disposition, but from necessity. Here is New York, E.B. White.

Kathleen Migliore-Newton
362 Adelphi Street
Brooklyn, NY 11238
Tel: (mobile) 1-917-804-2145
Paintings:
http://urbanpaintings.com

Winter, 40x56", oil paint on linen, 2003

Union Square, 28x39", oil paint on linen, 2010

The Light, 16x20", oil paint on linen, 2011

Summer, 41x40", oil paint on canvas, 2009

Stranger, 56x40", oil paint on linen, 2008

Martha Hayden

Jan 5th, 2011 Leave a comment

01. Self Portrait, 2005, oil on linen, 54 x 70

02. Book I, 2009, oil on linen, 50 x 42

03. An Allegory of Grief, 2010, oil on linen, 42 x 40

04. The Allegory of Painting, 2006, oil on linen, 54 x 70

05. Still Life, 2010, oil on linen, 20 x 22

Artist Statement
My painting is both realistic and abstract, it is on that elusive edge between there and not there.  On first look everything is in place, then all dissolves.  I want realism and abstraction to take turns.  I want a painting sometimes very evocative of time and place, sometimes overwhelming in abstract, structural logic.   My painting is concerned with spaces.  It is analytic in terms of distance and volume, expressive, rhythmical, and fluid in terms of color.  It is ordered volume, surprising color.  I want a big interior space that draws the viewer in with logic of its own.  I try to create excitement while ordering chaos.   My painting is also about surface, about color and marks, about thick and thin paint, about using the tools of the craft.   In themselves, my subjects are not important.  I am concerned with painting as a formal problem.  I try to show depth on a flat surface without destroying that surface.  I am concerned with the relationship between realism and rendering.  I ask questions.  Is there such a thing as perspective, or is there another kind of relationship between near and far?  These are traditional concerns, but I want nothing static.  Every mark, every color, every direction, changes everything done before.  I try to make my shapes and color say something in themselves.   I look for a surprise, a drama, a different way of seeing.  Each painting is a new work.  I look for the relatedness of everything, trying not to see anything for itself alone, but as a part of the whole.   I try to relate my work to history, to make paintings that are unusual, to push boundaries.  In this context, my subjects take on meanings other than the accustomed ones.  They are more than still life and landscape; they are comments on thinking and seeing.

Website
http://www.marthahayden.com/

Cynthia Sparrenberger

Jul 18th, 2010 1 Comment


Empty House

Muse

Psychic Carnivale I

Psychic Carnivale II

Sanctuary
Artist Statement
These mixed media “drawing/paintings” find their roots in the exploration of unconscious images.

That” inner landscape” of the  human soul where the boundaries of reality seemingly merge with the uncontrollable “netherworld” of dreams, visions, and nightmares.

Executed in pen and ink, as well as pulverized graphite, oil paints, oil sticks, pastels, charcoal and collage on both canvas and paper, the intention is to leave space for the viewer  to individually engage, seeing or not seeing in relation to their own imagined perceptions of the images before them.

Website
http://sparrenbergerstudio.com/

JoAnne McFarland

Jul 6th, 2010 2 Comments

August Morning

What Light Will Do

The Yellow Steps

Stunned By What She Saw

Filibuster Baby

Artist Statement
My motto is be humble and stay busy, so I’m always working on either my poetry or art. I go to my studio every day. Going every day means I’m always a little bit ready. And I do something creative every day. I think of myself as a maker, stopping and starting within a constant stream of activity.

When I’m working on a painting, I never look at what’s come before, so that I can start each piece fresh. This allows me to sometimes make great mental leaps, to change my thinking in surprising ways.

My work serves as a kind of journal, a reminder of how I was thinking at a particular stage of my life. For that reason, I seldom change pieces once I decide that they are done. Through my series of brownstone and doll paintings I explore what light does to color, and our often hidden emotional landscapes.

Website
http://www.joannemcfarland.com/

Rebecca Litt

Jun 27th, 2010 Leave a comment
Maybe This Will Stop The Tide,   18” x 20”,   oil on linen,  2010
Relative Safety, 18” x 20”,   oil on linen,  2010
They Stood Their Ground, 42″ x 60″,   oil on canvas,  2010
Warehouse Waiting Game, 48″ x 60″, oil on canvas,  2010
No Swimming, 42″ x 48″, oil on canvas, 2010

Artist’s Statement
The people in my paintings are unsettled.  They perch on rooftops, power lines, and fire escapes, inhabiting dreamlike, imaginary cities. Expectations cloud their vision, and, like people in a magical realist novel, they unquestioningly accept the absurd as normal.

Although I use the visual language of a perceptual painter, I mainly work from memories, filtering experiences and bits of autobiography into invented scenarios that would be unlikely, if not impossible, in the real world.  Maintaining an element of fiction is important to me because I am trying to describe psychological places, where characters’ inner worlds shape the physical space and architecture around them. For me, the illogical situations my characters find themselves in embody the frustration of not being able to see clearly.

I work mainly from my imagination; with the help of mirrors, studies from life, and photographs. I usually start with an improvised drawing, through which the imagery evolves organically and spontaneously. The drawings suggest a loose narrative for the paintings – not a sequential story, but a series of related vignettes about the same or similar characters.

Contact

John Woodrow Kelley

Feb 21st, 2010 Leave a comment

JWK_boxer“Greek Boxer,” Oil on Canvas, 16″ x 16″ 1999

JWK_Hippomenes
“Hippomenes,” Oil on Canvas, 40″ x 52″

JWK_birth
“The Birth of Venus,” Oil on Canvas, 64″ x 36″ 1995

Statement of Intent
The Greek myths embody everything that is timeless about the human experience. They reveal truths and acknowledge mysteries. They survive in the subconscious of Western man to the point that to learn about them is to experience a shock of recognition. They have been a successful vehicle for man’s pursuit of self knowledge for countless generations, which is the reason I have chosen to make yet another interpretation of them through my paintings. Each generation has been inspired to a unique interpretation, and I have tried to present the old myths in a new way, showing all the irony and conflict of the modern world. The figures are contemporary, but the situations are ancient. It is a way of saying,”we are new, but we are old,” “we are young, but we must die”. History continually humbles the arrogance of man. The Greek myths tell us that this is our fate as well as our redemption.

Website
 http://johnwoodrowkelley.com/

Rick Midler

Oct 3rd, 2009 5 Comments

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Little Swimmer, 20”x30”
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Run Along Home, 36”x36

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Entering Neverywhere, 48”x48”


Artist Statement
This series of oils on canvas and wood panels explores Desire. It examines how the things we lust after gain our interest and how our imaginations process them. Color, movement and light are tools Life uses to attract attention. Emotions run through the landscapes in the form of teardrops. Colorful balls are planets, meteors, and objects to be collected. Here, in the pseudo-sexual circus-world of Neverywhere, one-eyed flowers, myopic slugbunnies and painted women are both the main attractions and the audience as they passively experience the world from the safest place of all – inside their own shells.

Artist Bio
Rick Midler’s paintings have been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in galleries throughout the United States, including the Brooklyn Artists Gym,
The OmniGallery at the UBS Building, The Art Vanguard Gallery and the Premiere Wall at Crew Cuts Space.

In addition, his work is in private and corporate collections, including those of Big Foote Music, Triple Nine Entertainment and Audio Alchemy in Warwick, NY.

Among various other awards, Mr. Midler received an Emmy for a short film which appeared on HBO and honors at The London International Festival. His work as been published in Communication Arts, Creativity Magazine, The One Show Annual and The New York Times.

His artwork and creative direction helped bring the animated M&M’s characters to life. Throughout his commercial career he worked for companies such as FedEx, Pizza Hut and AT&T. Midler also worked with top names in the entertainment business, such as Spike Lee, John Turturro, Ashton Kutcher, Fran Drescher, Roseanne, Megan Mullally, Jack Palance, Stanley Tucci, Elijah Wood, Forest Whitaker and Sydney Pollack.

Rick Midler was born in Clifton, NJ in 1966. He received a B.S. in Visual Communications from University of Delaware in 1988. He currently lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn with his wife Samara and son Jude The Dude.

Website
http://www.RickMidler.net

David Kassan

Sep 6th, 2009 1 Comment

kassan_01Metronome, Oil on Wood, 50×60 inches

kassan_02Approaching Noise (in progress), Oil on Wood, 40×34 inches

kassan_03
Lucas at 3 Months, Graphite on Bristol

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Head Study, Oil on Wood, 18×14 inches

Artist Statement

As an expression of his own calculated observation and visual consumption of surrounding environment, introspective glimpses of reality imbue the art of David Jon Kassan. By immersing himself into his subject matter, Kassan is able to infuse his painting with life and realism. Kassan’s direction of realism follows the philosophies emplyed by the Ashcan School of American Realists. Kassan’s influences are varied; citing Robert Henri and John Sloan as his primary influences on philosophy and subject matter. As for style and technique he cites Antonio Lopez Garcia, Mark Rothko, Franz Kline and Clyfford Still as influences as well.

Website

http://davidkassan.com/

Luis Blackaller and Andy Cavatorta

Aug 22nd, 2009 Leave a comment

honeyishrunkredhook_a

honeyishrunkredhook_b

honeyshrunkredhook_c

“Honey I Shrunk Red Hook” at Lucky Gallery is a collaboration between Luis Blackaller and Andy Cavatorta, who aim to start a creative discussion about Red Hook, the inhabitants and folklore. The mission of this project is to bring together a diverse mix of members of the Red Hook community to use art and gallery space as communication devices. Blackaller and Cavatorta will create a cardboard model of the streets surrounding Lucky Gallery, and build a collection of photorealistic dolls representing Red Hook dwellers.

“Red Hook has an air of mystery that I can’t find anywhere else in New York,” explains Blackaller. “It feels somewhat uncharted, perhaps separated as it is from the New York comprehensive subway network. When thinking about making art for Red Hook, I immediately feel like using this art as an excuse to get closer to the people in it, and learn about the place from them hopefully helping them learn from each other in the process.”

The closing reception on Saturday, August 29, will feature a short film projected outside the gallery featuring highlights from the opening, the exhibition and interviews. The photorealistic dolls of Red Hook inhabitants will be given to their rightful owners and there will be live music from local musicians. Food and drink will be provided.

August 8th to August 30th, Lucky Gallery
Closing reception on Saturday, August 29, from 6-10 PM

Luis Blackaller is an artist from Mexico city with an interest in culture, technology and media. He graduated with honors as a Mathematician in the National Autonomous University of Mexico. He has worked as a Designer, Art Director and Motion Graphics Artist in the Mexican film industry for 10 years. He recently graduated with a Master of Science Degree at the MIT Media Lab under the mentorship of John Maeda, where he explored online creative social systems and their relationship with artistic expression and communication.

Andy Cavatorta can’t stop making things: robots, bikes, art, music, software and films. Sometimes the robots make more music, the software makes more art and the bikes shoot movies. He is currently developing musical robots and large-scale performances and installation with Ensemble Robot. Cavatorta is currently a graduate student at the MIT Media Lab.

Vanessa Watts

Aug 16th, 2009 3 Comments

watts_wedding

Wedding, acrylic on canvas, 18×18″

watts_sid

Sid, acrylic on canvas, 16×8″

watts_mccarrenpark

McCarren Park, acrylic on canvas, 18×18″

watts_dawn

Dawn, casein and acrylic on canvas, 8×10″

Artist Biography

I paint because I feel I must urgently create a record. I am cataloging the significant people and scenes in my life. I am consumed by the idea that I have a limited time to express myself, or that I will not remember things the way they are now.

The subjects of my current work are the people in my community. I live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and my friends and neighbors are glamorous, interesting and engaging. There is palpable electricity in my world and I want to capture it indelibly.

I paint on canvas using acrylics, casein, mica and gold leaf. I am fascinated with the way the Baroque painters captured extreme contrasts between light and dark using golds and blacks. I am working toward this goal with modern neon, pearl, metallic and mica colors.

I am self taught.

Website

http://www.vanessawatts.com

Rebecca Schiffman

Aug 2nd, 2009 Leave a comment

schiffman_jivaweb
“Jiva” 2007, Watercolor on paper, 9″ x 12″

schiffman_water-small-web1
“Water #1″ 2006, Watercolor on paper, 15″ x 8″

schiffman_framedfeet2web
“Framed Feet” 2006, Watercolor on paper

Bio

I graduated from Cooper Union in 2004, moved back uptown to my parents house and started a zine/blog about The Upper East Side called The UES Journal. I have worked part-time at Guild & Greyshkul Gallery on and off for the last five years.

Since 2000 I have been making chainmaille jewelry and recently launched a jewelry line called IMK.  I also now maintain a blog about pigeons called The It-Pigeon, and a blog about Vanity Plates.

In 2008 I recorded my second album To Be Good for a Day with Mike Musmanno in DUMBO, Brooklyn.  It will be available on iTunes January 28, 2009.

Music
This song is “Untitled,” from Rebecca Schiffman’s sophomore album “To Be Good for a Day.”

Website
http://www.rebeccaschiffman.com/

Suzan Choy

Jul 20th, 2009 1 Comment

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Artist Bio

I am an illustrator living and working in Brooklyn, NY. Things I think about on a daily basis include sandwiches, Tina Fey + 30 Rock, monograms, masking fluids, humidity, laundry, NYTimes Science Times, and microns.

You can contact me at suzan@obokchoy.com.

BFA from Pratt Institute.

FUN FACT// Suzan is pronounced as Suzanne and not Susan, Susanna, Suzy or Suzie Q.

Website

http://www.obokchoy.com

Upcoming Exhibit

“Reflection”
Opening July 30th – August 30th

Destination
32-36 Little West 12th Street, Ground Floor
New York, NY 10014
tel: 212.727.2031
http://www.destinationny.net

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