The Importance of Proofreading

Short video HERE

Thanks for the forward Valori!

Border Collie Repose

What's not to love?

Edward Cella presents.....

Summer Pop

June 7, 2007 - July 29, 2007

New works on paper by Robert Heckes

Edward Cella Art+Architecture announces Summer Pop, an exhibition of new mixed media collage by Robert Heckes. Pursuing both art historical and pop culture references, Robert Heckes builds on the traditions of hand painted pop by transforming consumer objects in his painting/drawing/collage hybrids. Persuing the iconography of summer, Heckes draws inspiration from continuously updated and phenomenal sources like photosharing and social networking websites advertising and, the more current phenomena to investigate appearance and sexuality.


Bathers
Thomas Zika

Edward Cella Art+Architecture announces the debut West coast solo exhibition of photography by German artist Thomas Zika. Entitled, Bathers, the project investigates our preconceived notions of leisure and relaxation, making it a timely summer offering. In creating his watery images of swimmers and beach-goers, Zika engages in critical discourse on the consumption of leisure by re-examining the timeless image of the bather. Selecting and appropriating imagery from promotional brochures for tourist resorts and vacation destinations, Zika manipulates these idyllic, if banal, panoramas to suggest our role as willing participants in this game of seduction.

To create his large-format Lambda prints, Zika selects, crops and re-photographs the travel advertisements using a macro lens. Eliminating the horizon line, Zika creates texturally rich enlargements where areas of indistinct watery space are punctuated by hyper-pixilated bands of detail that emphasize the print matrix of the source materials. While visually captivating and lush, the artful framing and swaying field of focus emphasize our distance from the represented scene. Zika’s refashioning of commercial imagery serves as a methodological springboard for his exploration of the source materials and our preconceptions of photographic reality. Ultimately, Zika’s photographs not only challenge our overwhelming impulse to consume leisure activities but the voyeuristic nature of the depiction of the bather throughout the history of art as well.

Dog Days

Summer lounging in the studio leaves opportunity to actually capture this fast moving animal at rest... at least for a few moments. Border Collies know that you're watching and the scratching on the wood makes my dogs aware that I am not facing the right way to paint.

I do believe that my dogs work harder than I do.

Eric Maisel and Alyson Stanfield

A highly recommended, FREE recording from Alyson Stanfield.

Find it here on Alyson's Blog:

Free recording to help you avoid art career overwhelm

If you missed the call last week, you can still get the recording for a limited time. And it’s amazing! I interview creativity coach Eric Maisel to find out how to avoid art career overwhelm. In the 30-minute recording, Eric points to 6 specific situations in which artists feel overwhelmed:

1. Not knowing which thing to do.
2. Having too many small things to do.
3. Not enough successes or payoffs.
4. Finding your work boring or meaningless
5. Not knowing how to present yourself.
6. Not liking your own work.

He then shows how to use the incantations from his book, Ten Zen Seconds, to overcome overwhelm

Santa Barbara Dowtown Organization: First Thursday

Santa Barbara Downtown Organization
is hosting another First Thursday
June 7th, from 5-8pm

Don't miss DUG UYESAKA
at the Book Den
13 East Anapamu Street

The Lovely Sylvia White

I had the great good fortune of having Sylvia White visit my studio yesterday afternoon. After several years of being inspired by her newsletters coupled with crippling post exhibition blues that were making it difficult to get back to the easel, I decided it was time to hire Sylvia to guide me making the next move with my career.

She was gracious and lovely, in addition to telling the hard truths without sugar coating - a character trait I admire, particularly in business. She had reviewed all my online material and came prepared with a consultation kit. She advised me on the holes that existed in my resume and made suggestions about how to fill them. She left me with homework and the feeling that I'm moving in the right direction.

Marketing your work is a matter of casting out your line continuously, keep knocking on doors, keep asking for your work to be seen, and most importantly, know what it is that you want. What is your end goal?

I heard in a lecture, long ago, the line "how do you know which direction to set sail if you don't know which port your are aiming for?" A few minor changes in your steering can multiply the shift in your trajectory exponentially in the long haul, so best to know what it is you are attempting in order to make the right adjustments. Small changes can have enormous impact, which means baby steps.... always baby steps. Growing slowly keeps the fear from ruling your decisions.

Thank you Sylvia for the confidence and the encouragement. Thank you also for the suggestions and even the homework. You are a treasure and an invaluable asset.

If anyone is wondering if I would recommend Sylvia's services? I would say it is one of the best places to invest your time and money.