Opening My Eyes

“Seeing comes before words. The child looks and recognizes before it can speak.”

John Berger, Ways of Seeing, Penguin Books (New York, 1972).

Nice outing on Saturday to see the Tom Wesselmann display “Beyond Pop Art” at the Denver Art Museum. It was my second gander at it, this one with my friend Deanna and the former one with my friend Diana. Although their names are almost the same, their interests and insights are extremely different. The contrast reminded me of John Berger’s book Ways of Seeing , a book I read many years ago when learning how to see objects and their surroundings in drawing. Berger asserted, “Today we see the art of the past as nobody saw it before. We actually perceive it in a different way” (p. 16). That is even true in the time between my two trips to the museum. The context in which I viewed it changed.

Two weeks ago while seeing the show with Dianne, I found my attention going to the large picture of what was there to be seen. Dianne had received her art education by living in Paris with artists and eventually working in a gallery there hanging art shows. While her education was not formal, it was intense, and she has a remarkable eye and memory. The immersion method prepared her to make design and historic connections with other artists—especially impressionists and pop artists. She opened my eyes to perspectives I’d surely have missed had I viewed the show alone. Having been a clothing model, she also was very interested in Wesselmann’s treatment of the female form. We talked a lot about all these ideas and insights.

Yesterday with Deanna, I took quite a different look at the retrospective, one related to her interests. Her technical questions informed by studio training pushed me to look at how the artist attached his canvasses to his frames, how he approached gluing on his collage (for instance, did he first paint and then glue? she asked), and the relationship between his drawn and constructed studies with the eventual finished artworks. Reviewing the display from these differing points of view opened my eyes and left me with a flood of new images and ideas, and a deeper appreciation at what the artist had accomplished.

But don’t take my word for it. Get to the display before it closes September 14. See it for yourself.

Today I thank John Berger, Dianne, and Deanna for my continuing perception of the world of art and the world as art and art subject. Thanks, thanks, thanks. Thanks to DAM, too.

Denver, 2014

Kiddos

Artist Trading Cards, the latest ones, inspired by
circles and triangles and that turned into birds!
Phillip Hoyle

I noticed the boy peeking in the door off the patio between the gallery and a restaurant. His family was next door eating, but he just couldn’t keep still. He stepped into the gallery to see if there were toys he’d want to shop for, but saw only artwork. He left and apparently didn’t encourage his parents to take him to our displays.

I was keeping shop at Colorado Mountain Art Gallery in Georgetown, Colorado, the co-op gallery where I show some of my paintings and once a month keep shop. I wondered if the boy would bring his parents. He didn’t, but others did! They, children with an interest in art, make the time I spend there seem even more interesting than the occasional sale of paintings, jewelry, or other artworks. That day last week, three other kids did bring in the adults they were accompanying. 

The first was a ten-year-old girl who brought her grandmother. Her eye swept the first gallery, a display of single pieces of artwork from almost all the artists who show there. She seemed interested and her eye fell on a wooden game with marbles made by one of the artists who makes interesting furniture from old skis, snowboards, snow shoes, and other mountain cabin items. She wondered how to play it and when I demonstrated talked her grandmother to play it with her. Grandma won! 

Then she saw the jewelry and wanted to try on some. Both of the pieces she most liked, due to their cost, seemed more like Christmas presents than souvenirs from a summer trip. Her grandmother must have agreed since there was no move to purchase either item. Still the girl liked the artwork and showed me a couple of pieces she especially appreciated. Grandpa came in when they were ready to leave and seemed happy they hadn't done any Christmas shopping.

The second child was a very young boy who was looking wide-eyed at photographs and paintings. I said, “My name is Phillip; what’s yours.” He hesitated and then told me his name. I said I was pleased he was looking at the art and asked if he did artwork himself. He nodded yes and then added, “I’m four,” holding up his fingers to show me. I smiled at his mother and encouraged the family to take their time. Then I asked him what kinds of art he most enjoyed making. His mom said he seemed to like everything he tried. I encouraged him to keep up the good work!

The third child that day was an eleven-year-old boy who entered the gallery with confidence and darting eyes as if he were trying to take in everything there all at once. When I asked him about his art, he said he liked to draw. His mom told me he draws constantly and really likes to make cartoon characters. He agreed and told me of his favorites. His mom added that he also did other artwork in an art class he attends in addition to school. I told him he reminded me of my son and one of my grandsons, both of whom are artists.

Other people enriched my day, but my tiny investment with these three children made the day seem most important. I love that in the gallery I get to foster young artists with my attention and conversation. It feels like an extension of all the work I did in arts programming for youngsters. Their interest inspires me and urges my continuing adventures in an art world full of designs, products, procedures, experiments, and artists, young and old.

Denver, 2014

Time to Print

I’ve had a lino-block in my studio for some months, one I made an image for and carved, but all my experiments didn’t work out right. I couldn’t print from it to my satisfaction. Mid-week I decided to do something about it and got out my knives, gouges, other equipment, printing inks, brayers, and medium-size baren. I was going to rework the block and get busy. I wanted to use if for a card to send one of my grandsons for his birthday.

I really liked the design, one inspired by a Ute petroglyph out in western Colorado along the Gunnison River. I’ve seen drawings of the original and photographs but have never encountered it on the cliff wall where it shares space with a couple of other impressive carvings. I looked at it, tried it one more time with a different ink, but still decided it need more strength, the kind that comes from contrast. The original is a work that one anthropologist described as new-style given that the chipping that creates it simply removes the outer layer of weathered rock to create the design. In contrast to what he called old-style, the artist did not make deep gouges into the surface but seemed contented with the color contrast. So I figured it might work better if I were to remove the lino right around the figure itself and finish it with a border. Parts of the figure would interrupt the border. 

I set to work, selecting a medium large gouge and taking care not to let my fingers get in the way of the sharp instrument should it slip. Oh it did slip a few times, but mostly I was safe and am pleased I didn’t end up with bandages like sometimes I’ve done this work. I brushed off the waste into the trash and wiped the block with a damp cloth. Then I gathered a few pieces of paper to make some proofs and see what I had got. I like what I did and used the rest of the ink to print another block I made years ago. What ink was left on the surface where I rolled it out I drew into and lifted another print from that, an abstract I may mess more for a mixed media piece. I try not to waste any product.

And along the way I found I wanted to hang a few small prints at the Colorado Mountain Art Gallery in Georgetown. Guess I’ll have to work quickly since I work up in the hills this Tuesday. 

Denver, 2014

Going to the Fair

Denverites for the fourth consecutive year can go to the County Fair. I went a day early riding on the 0 and 48 busses to the National Stock Show Complex to set up an interactive Artist Trading Cards booth, a place where folk of all ages can sit for a spell and make their own miniature art pieces. The booth was located in the Fine Arts section along with its Blue Ribbon Art Show, an annual feature of the Fair, and about twenty booths of artists and art cooperatives. And the ATC booth sits next to a candy vendor and close to a stage where movies are shown, a spelling bee is held, and contests like texting for speed is held. Hard to beat that for a place to be inspired.

And the fair has many marks of the rural county fairs common to American tradition. Folk bring homemade crafts, cooking and canning, produce from their gardens, small animals and much more for judging. Ribbons are awarded the best, and I wonder if there are gardeners, cooks, and bakers who have won blue ribbons all four years. 

On Thursday I also helped hang the ATC submissions in the art show. It looked good. Hope you got to see it.

Anyway I went back to the fair the next day with friends to experience it in a different way, to look at booths, to spin wheels hoping for a prize, to study arts and crafts, to watch dogs run their courses. The feelings were good. I felt quite happy to be there with a long-time friend, her artist sister, her sister’s son, and their mother and grandmother. 

I was planning to make ATC cards with my friends but we ran out of time probably due to extra stops to watch the flea circus, listen to singers, watch a video, talk with artists, and otherwise enjoy the event! Plan to go there next summer!

Fun, fun at the fair!

Denver, 2014

Family Artists

I’ve noted from time to time that one or another of my grandchildren is an artist. This past week visits from several of them reminded me that all of my grandchildren are artists. The first crew came with Myrna, my ex-wife, four of my daughter Desma’s six young artists. I will just give you a taste! Matthew distinguished himself in water colors in middle school and has continued drawing and painting in a number of media. Genaro is an actor, not just that kind parents enjoy in all their children, but one on stage. Again this summer he played in dramas in which he also sings and dances. He likes to dress in fashionable ways and does so very successfully on a very small budget! The two youngest, Ana and Maria, participate in drama and quite often send me samples of their artwork from school, art camp, and down time at home. I keep adding their pieces to my now rather extensive children’s art collection! My daughter’s two other children, Ricky and Lorissa, are also artists. Both are musicians with beautiful voices. Lorissa designs and sews costumes with her mother. She also has acted in dramas for several years in which she also sings and dances, and she continues to draw and to write with skill.

On Sunday, my son Michael stopped by with four youngsters, a son and daughter and two friends. Kalo, who is a composition student at KCMU’s conservatory, plays in a jazz band, experiments with improvised classical music, and on the upright bass accompanies his two sisters in many of their folk music performances, started out as a toddler by beating drums with amazing alacrity, rhythm, and sure meter. He also is quite a painter, movie maker, and writer. Ulzii, his sister, is a fine singer, violinist, banjo player, entertainer, song writer, a fine ballerina, an able actress, and recently a visual artist doing quite adventuresome paintings. I’ve had many pictures from her over the years, but now she seems to be working at it. Perhaps she waited for her older sister, Rosa, to leave home for college to take up the paints! Rosa not only studies biology but also plays cello and guitar, paints, sings, composes songs, writes both prose and poetry, acts, and dances ballet. The eldest child of this family, Evan, is a singer, composer, jazz pianist, and actor.

There was music around the house this past weekend plus listening to and discussing music. Topics included dance—Abby, one of the friends in Michael’s entourage, studies dance at university and provided the occasion for lively conversational perspectives. These young people’s lives are rich with art and artists. That seems perfect to me. If I sound like a proud grandpa, I assure you I am. And there are two more grandkids, a son and daughter of my informally adopted son Francis. Both of these young adults sing and play musical instruments. Some day before too long I’ll bring you up to date on great grandchildren! I’m sure my parents and grandparents would be proud as well.

December, 2014

Pop Art

M4C means Meet for Coffee
ATC by Phillip Hoyle

The next ATC trade I plan to attend has as its theme “Pop Art.” To me it seems as if most of the artist trading cards I have seen are in some way Pop Art. No matter what the topic, card makers are attracted to popular culture for at least some of their imagery. Of course there are exceptions: scenic paintings, drawings, and more. But the predominant tendency seems towards pop imagery. 

In the mid-1950s and throughout the 60s Pop Art was striving to make important statements concerning all fine art. To many artists the old traditions seem to have lost their allure or challenge. Already several earlier movements had concentrated on or at least integrated collage and assemblage into works. Following such departures from tradition, some Pop Art used images, wording, ideas and techniques common to commercial advertising. Other artists were drawn toward popular entertainment and the cult of celebrity that had made its way into world culture. Pop Art celebrated such images and people using a variety of media and often incorporating cutouts of various kinds. Their mixed media art made new statements. Of course now, some fifty plus years later, artists have to stretch themselves to make any new statements. Perhaps fulfilling such a goal is impossible, but still we try!

831 means I Love You
ATC by Phillip Hoyle

My encounter with texting suggested the approach I have tried to use with my current batch of ATCs, some of which are included in this blog. I’ve taken images from 1950s and 60s LIFE magazines (mostly advertising), messed with them, and added acronyms and abbreviations from texting and other social media to interpret or misinterpret them. The culture has changed. So in these pieces I am using popular images current in my youth and adding to them wording from the current language of my grandkids. Enjoy them if you can! 

Denver, 2014

BTWITIAILWU
means
By the way I think I am in love with you
ATC by Phillip Hoyle

GAGFI
means
Gives a gay first impression
ATC by Phillip Hoyle

Interior Decorating

I've looked at petroglyphs for many years. At one point in
my painting I was imagining living near them. Perhaps I had
these thoughts because I had begun framing and hanging
my paintings of the wonderful and sometimes mysterious
designs. I've been places with hundreds of these designs are
amassed and imagine Ute families spreading their mats on the floors
of wikiups right next to several such pieces of art.
"Hunting Shaman" Mixed media painting by Phillip Hoyle

Last week I went to a friend’s condo to help her ready it for sale. She had already got rid of quite a bit of her furniture and didn’t know to arrange what she had left in order to make the place presentable and appealing to potential buyers. We dust mopped, rearranged furniture, moved it again and again seeking for that combination of placement, lighting, color, and so forth that would seem balanced and inviting. We moved paintings from here to there and even used marker to cover up dings in one frame. I refolded the sheets in her closet and suggested if she were to leave clothes in the closet, she should hang them in a particular way, emphasizing color, etc. I wanted her to put a rug at the side of her bed. On and on, we pushed, considered, moved, removed, and finally were satisfied. My friend Jan was happy and thanked me over and over. She introduced me to her daughter as a friend who knew a lot about art. That was okay (I do know a little about art), but what about interior decorating? Where did all this “know-how” and “opinion” come from? I had to think about that.

My influences were a teenage interest in such things paired with my watching HGTV shows over the past few years since I can no longer stand to watch the news. My old interest has seemed to regenerate although I mostly use what I learn for art projects rather than the arrangement of furniture! And thinking about this I recall a story I wrote about my long-time relationship with interior design! Here is an excerpt: something about its origins. Enjoy.

The House

We moved up to Clay Center, Kansas, on my fifteenth birthday, two counties away from my hometown Junction City. I was born in that Army town with population of around 20,000, adjoining Fort Riley, an Army post with a similar population, that sat next to another small city, Manhattan, with 20,000 population, home of a state university with about the same number of students. Although we weren’t leaving a metropolitan center, compared with the county seat town where we were headed, with its 5,000 population and one stop light, I felt like I was giving up civilization and moving to the center of nowhere.

At least we were moving into an interesting house. We’d looked at several, each with strong points that appealed to me. Finally Dad and Mom purchased a roomy place with four bedrooms and a bath upstairs; parlor, family, dining, and utility rooms, entry hall with an exposed staircase that my sisters fantasized walking down in formals or wedding gowns, plus a kitchen on the main level; full, though rough, basement below and unfinished attic above; and an unattached garage, all sitting on three lots on the corner of Crawford and US 24, just one block east of Highway 15. It was a beautiful old place, built sixty years before for a local banker and his family. As the only boy, I got my own room but also a power mower so I could tend the huge yard. Around the same time as our move I dropped my long-standing subscription to The American Indian Hobbyist and began reading House Beautiful.

Decorating became my theme. Mom was into the house project ordering drapes for the front rooms, buying an extra couch and slipper chairs for the parlor, shopping for a proper dining room set, bringing home fabrics, pillows, and endless ideas for making this house our home. I, too, started thinking about furniture, fabric, and fancy dishes. So immediately after the move, my next older sister Holly and I began haunting Mrs. Stedman’s antique store. We read House Beautiful and discussed our likes and dislikes. Then we shopped to see what we could find to realize our ideas. For months we saved our change and bought a Victorian marble-top coffee table as a gift for Mom. At the end of that first year my sister went off to college in another town. I still pored over the magazine to find ideas for my room.

One day I noticed an ad for an art print company in New York City and sent off a letter requesting their catalogue. In a couple of weeks I received the illustrated listing and found myself entranced by a print of a painting depicting the torso of a young man wearing no shirt and the top button of his Levi’s open. I wanted that print but couldn’t imagine how anyone would hang such a picture in their house or room. But there it was in a nationally-advertised magazine in full color like an invitation into another world.

I ordered several prints although not the one I most wanted. In figuring out what to do with them, I realized I needed frames and returned to the antique store we now called the junk shop. For years I had hung prints on my bedroom walls with straight pins. Now I needed to frame them, a need that has persisted throughout my adult life. I enjoyed my years in that beautiful old house with its fancy woodwork, neat window treatments, and the pictures I’d framed.