Raw Artists Showcase Seattle - July 2011 - Illuminare

My Seattle debut was nothing less than awesome and lots of fun! Unfortunately I had enough time to produce only 4 pieces (and in 12 days that was a record,) but very well received and praised, which was a great happiness. I had a great time not only enjoying the lively atmosphere but performing my first live painting presentation. Painting in public is fun, but feels a bit weird; the sensation is of feeling your creativity a bit restrained with so many people looking at you. Didn't do bad though and look forward for the next experience, which won't be long. Thanks to the Raw Artists organizers for being so sweet, attentive and dedicated to such a high level event, so pleasing for both artists and audience. I just loved to be there!!

Some pics of the event:

Moi and my first made in Seattle kids.

Working hard.

As soon as I have access to a decent scanner I will officially publish the new pieces, representatives of my new direction. :)

peeks for the Illuminare show...

From graphic and "illustrative" to loose and more pictorial, my work has suffered such a dramatic change in the past few months. Truth is that this has been an announced and very desired change, which I have been working hard to get to. Since works like Study for Woman's Head, Waterlily and others i have been pursuing a more hybrid mix of abstracts and figurativism, almost like if both things were one. Abstract painting is very linked to the spiritual in a more energetic, idealized sense, and my goal to mix the human figure to this spiritual dimension is reaching a more "tangible" point in this new phase. I think I am also achieving a more defined identity and my work is gaining a bit more of a character. :)

Illuminare

WHEN: Thursday, July 7, 2011 @ 8:00PM

WHERE: iMusic | 332 5th Avenue | Seattle, WA 98109

DETAILS: 21+ event. Cocktail attire. Tickets are $10 via presale.
(When buying your ticket, please select my name from the dropdown menu on the right and let me know! My supporters will receive thank you gifts and a surprise gift will be drawn  -- possibly an original painting.)

ARTISTS
Patricia Ariel - yay! (Art)
Hauting Art (Art)
Melissa Damien (Photography)
Ryan Doran (Art)
Oleaje Flamenco (Music)
EP Holcomb (Art)
Sister Kate (Performing Art)
Kree (Music)
Thomas Krueger (Photography)
Jenny Littleton (Hair + Makeup)

Xavier Lopez (Art)
Bella Luna (Art)
Susan Sage (Art)
Vinnie Spean (Art)
Brandon Vosika (Art)

Notebooks in Philippines! (or: Famous and still poor)

So, according to some of my contacts in the beautiful Philippines, I am in all the main bookstores around there. The funny thing is that I didn't know. The story: a company approached me last year inquiring about licensing. After a few days of negotiation, that included a flat fee for use of five images + royalties over items sold, they paid the fee, got the images and never contacted me again. The contract is still here in my hard drive, unsigned. The products are all over the Philippines and God knows where else. I wanted at least  few samples, I love notebooks... :(

I have to admit they did a nice job. I love the details in gold. Images by Ma.Nimfa Ursabia 

This one have some cool details too. Seems to be embossed or something. Image by Armilie Mae

Colors in us

I should be packing and mailing my art materials to the Northwest right now since I have now little over than 2 weeks from my move, but the muses govern my life and they act through mysterious ways. Experimentations with abstract underpaintings are not a new thing in my journey but it seems that i am feeling more and more drawn to it, specially since my interest in the ties science + spirituality + art was ignited some time ago. I am fascinated by the concept of color being nothing less than light in different frequencies, and light being the constitution of matter (a cool, nerdy article here.) It is very symbolic to me the representation oh human bodies and faces coming out of colors. Do we have colors in us? Music? The thought of it thrills my heart and make the muses have multiple orgasms. Serious intentions about a series of figurative works mixed with expressionistic abstracts, without a concern with deep conceptualization besides the interaction matter/color/light. New, exciting paths to explore.

Still untitled. Acrylics and pencils on gessoed masonite.


The abstract underpainting. Pale in my past experiments, getting stronger and more assertive now.


Working on these experiments unleashed something, and have made me feel a lot freer. I think I might have been blocked for several months without a conscience I was really facing a block. Going to write more about this experience and this devil, the artist's block, in one of my next posts.