ARTSWIVEL

EXHACHANGE

2008-06-23T20:47:00.003-06:00

Patrick (wishing he had Rapper's Delight playing right now) has an idea:

Jonathan, why don't we each do the fourth swivel (if that is the number) entitled Exchanging Swivel and upon completion mail it to each other? We could see first hand what this work looks like without all the digital filters and imperfections.

Thoughts?

Finally a post

2008-06-23T20:30:00.005-06:00

Patrick says:

Lately this blog has been a neglected project of mine. The good news is that it doesn't care. Unlike my daughter, job, kitty, wife, and friends, it could care less.

Nonetheless I am ready to post again. I may post several times tonight. Or just this once.

Anyways, I have been busy printmaking again. I have a huge one person show in October and have been busy making work for it. I am too lazy right now to shoot and post it but will in a few days if not later tonight. Originally I was "hired" to make urban landscape black and white prints. But the lady who booked me, Judy Kanne, saw my paintings and wants them too. So it will be a nice juxtaposition of my two primary bodies of work. Prints of the outside world drawin from inside my house and paintings of my inside life drawn outside my body. Hence the title: Inside/Outside. More info and photos to come.

Finally, my band has reformed. Yes, yes, Kurt is back from Austin and Gamblin' Christmas rises from the ashes. Check out our progress at www.gamblinchristmas.com. You can go to cafe press through our merch link and order yourself a GC trucker hat. Love it.
All in all glad to see that this blog is still up and running. I will post more work soon.

Cheers!

ps

Check out Tom Russells album Raw Visions.

Hot House II

2008-05-23T13:10:00.005-06:00

Hi there...this be Jonathan Marquis...and this image is a painting called Hot House 2, by the artist Somer Hahm. She recently graduated and received her MFA in painting from whatever university is in Fairbanks Alaska. This piece was part of her MFA Thesis and it just arrived in the mail today and is now part of my collection...holy shit having a stoked attack...hold on....ok i am better. Well i am real excited to have this painting hanging in my place. And if there is anyone else out there who wants to send me paintings please do. You can send them to 2045 Mullan Rd. Missoula, MT 59808. Thank You and have a great day!

Blue

2008-05-12T12:09:00.005-06:00

SO...I, Jonathan, have a car and her name is Blue. Blue is 1971 Volkswagen Squareback. I have recently purchased her. She is great to drive, and makes for a fun project. Apparently, V dubs are easier cars to work on, and part of my reasoning behind this purchase is to learn how vehicles work, and have the opportunity to fix her up. I just had a thought, I may just make artswivel the place where Blue's journey is documented. So here it is Blue Post #1

Drawing Collab

2008-05-09T11:11:00.003-06:00

Here are two drawings I, Jonathan, Made with a friend of mine Josh Quick. He is a local designer and comic artist. We like to get together and have a few beers and make fun drawings. These two drawings are also part of a submission I made to a book that Slumgullion put together.

Here is the Late Night Picture

2008-04-30T22:02:00.003-06:00

Patrick says:

After a long walk to the hardware store, several beers, and a cigarette, I give you this:

Artswivel #4

More to come top of the mornin' style.

cheers!

And life has crapped its love on me

2008-04-30T11:36:00.003-06:00

So one may ask what life crap is or smells like, well i am sure it is and smells like may things. In my case it is in the form of moving a studio and a house. Right about after the time I proposed the next artswivel subject, I discovered had to tear down my studio, move it, tear down the house, & move it. The studio itself is moved but in complete disarray. The house I am currently moving. So some of you probably are already rolling your eyes, thinking geese "Nice Excuse." I suppose i could have just stepped up, stayed up late and painted...well i didn't....so my post is behind schedule. In fact I haven't even started painting yet...so i am unsure when the post will be posted...in the future. I am not sorry to anyone...except for Patrick...and thats only because he made an awesome painting of my hero...Bob Ross.

ABOUT TO POST

2008-04-30T05:44:00.005-06:00

Patrick says: yes yes it has been too long.

My will was sapped from putting my last painting show together and so just last night I began to paint again.

So look forward to my next painting to post real soon. As in tonight. No matter how bad it might look - it's going up.

In the meantime - meet Don Ross:

add the bird...

add the bird...

Artist's Statement (for Wug's show)

2008-04-03T21:22:00.004-06:00

Patrick sez:

Tomorrow I have a fancy-dan first Friday opening. I am showing 8 paintings. If you are in town, you should come out. Wug Laku's studio and Garage. Check out http://www.indy.com/posts/6204 for more details.

These paintings are more or less in line with what I have been up to lately.

I paint from life, memory, the memory of dreams, and imagination.

I prefer to let the painting develop itself.

Starting with some random act of inspiration marks are made, interpreted, lost, gained, found, accidental, intentional, overdone, underdone, equipped, lost, found, etc... until the painting is "finished".

I try not to buy any art supplies.

I like to use found objects in my paintings. Lots of these paintings have maps. AAA is the way to go.

Sometimes personal "symbols" lend themselves to me. The balloon has been showing up lately - probably a latent tribute to Kurt Vonnegut (the writer) and his sardonic wit.

Hey: It's your birthday! Have a balloon!
Hey: You foreclosed on your house! Have a balloon!
Hey: You cut your head open! Have a balloon!

Such nonsense is good for the heart I suppose. Kurt smoked until he was 84.

TV's, bird feeders, seeds, wires, balloons, feeders, paper, paint, and on and on.

Nonetheless I paint about myself. For what good that could do any of you I am not sure. Like you, I find myself alive in this reality.

Perhaps having some barometers that are not contained in glass tubes are of value.
Perhaps they are a luxury.
In the meantime creation goes on.
Reason or not, I keep finding myself painting.
In basements, studios, mansions, park benches, farms, levees, islands, and wherever else you might find a living soul.

thanks for your interest

Pswivel

Heavy Weather

2008-04-02T21:17:00.002-06:00

Patrick says:

I am happy you (Jon) like my paintings.

This is no contest.

Instead this is an exercise in humanity.

A game of sorts.

I too attempt to think outside of art (formal).

I make balloons.

I sing.

I drink.

I have a daughter.

I make stuff.

I make what the signals in my 3.5# dog's breakfast (Vonnegut) tell me to make.

I do not control these signals.

I channel them.

To you.

To me.

Maybe to each other.

Hi I am a human.

Nice to meet you human, too.

I haven't quite met myself.

But now I meet you.

(enter the weatherman cheesedick):

"How cold will it get tongiht??? (spot glistens off slick hair, manicured smile shot with a par 38 to enhance depth) More after the break."

Seven hours of commercials later its raining pina coladas and the weatherman is shacked up south of Dogdale humping a prostitutes mayoral leg.

Anyways, I love the weather.

Will post something soon.

Keep typing rapidly - --------

Navigation & Weather - next topic?

2008-03-28T12:02:00.004-06:00

So finishing up with routine and repetition got me thinking. At work I spend a lot of time navigating my computer- searching for attachments, moving files around, etc. It made think of the idea of navigating abstract, nonexistent, or non 3D spaces. Perhaps navigating higher states of consciousness, or any kind of navigation of the mind or anything that is not necessarily connected to our 3d spacial environment. So i guess the topic is navigating spaces that are not in 3 dimensions.

I would also like to have the topic - Weather

So i guess there is an option to do both topics, or one of the topics, or a combination of the two. With a deadline of sometime during the second half of april.

Random Response

2008-03-28T11:16:00.003-06:00

I would just like to thank Patrick for posting 3 awesome paintings, they are my(jonathan's) favorite. Also Pswivel mentioned that the cover for the rapid memo was hard to read, and i would certainly agree, however i did realize that before, and i am unsure if i want to make it easier to read or just put supporting text that says"Rapid Memo Typing Service & The Imageographer" The cover was collaged by Debbie and I on 4 - 11x17 sheets using magazine cutouts and other goodies, they were then scanned and arranged in the computer. I like the painterly, artful collage effect of the cover, it reminds me of the evening the drawings were made. However readability is important in design, and that is something i have been thinking about a lot lately. Because of my art and painting background I am frequently interested in making my designs painterly or artful, which decrease some of the readability. This concept is probably contradictory to some design standards, however i guess i am interested in design as art and not just design as a communication tool. I realize the importance of both, and I'll have to navigate my way in the future to maintain the balance. Jonathan

Routine and Repition - Patrick's third swivel installment

2008-03-19T20:28:00.005-06:00

Here it is folks. My third installment in this Swivel series.

When I came up with this idea I was trying to write a song in my basement. I knew I was being to loud when I heard my wife upstairs creaking along towards the staircase to tell me to be quiet. It conjured an image of stairs in my head. I thought about how so many times the things I need to do don't correspond with the my so called schedule or that of those around me.

Coincidentally I was behind suggesting my idea for the next installment in this series. So fresh from putting up my guitar I wrote Jonathan and proposed this idea.

I tired and tried to paint the image of stairs I had seen at the time. Nothing happened except a muddy conglomeration of paint. Finally, overdue to post, I smeared the whole damn thing white. I scratched out two suet feeders. Empty. And "sprinkled" some black-oil sunflower seeds along the bottom. The suet feeder comes to me as a symbol much like the balloon (see previous post: Everybody Deserves Balloons). It comes as part of this experience of routine and repetition.

So much like the empty suet feeders are due to be filled, it is time for the next idea to be realized.

Jonathan, I look forward to your idea for the fourth post.

Everyone Deserves Balloons - New paintings from Patrick

2008-03-19T06:39:00.006-06:00

This is one of two paintings incorporating the random balloon. It is called "Angel of Foreclosure" and I painted it late in 2007 while lots of people were starting to lose their homes to shit deals and sub-prime loans while the fat cats that designed the whole scheme began receiving protection from congress to keep their fast ill-gained wealth. Whatever.

I use symbols and icons in my paintings as they become apparent and necessary to get my thought out. Sometimes they present themselves. I didn't understand why the balloon in this painting was there when I finished the painting. It just had to be. So I finished the painting and then moved on.

Then it appeared again, in this painting, which I finished last night. It is called "Like a Hole in the Head"

This painting is about my friend having way too much to drink at my house and hurting himself trying to pedal his way back home. Fortunately, he wasn't too hurt. He came back over with a gaping hole in his head stunned. I patched him up and called his wife - I'm sure that hurt worse. Nonetheless he is fine.

When I painted this the story came out followed by the damn recurring balloon. After thinking about the painting I got it. I've been reading too much Vonnegut. It is coming out in these paintings. Everyone that suffers a calamity should be given a balloon.

You lose your home! Have a balloon!

You fucked yourself up real bad! Have a balloon!

What could be next? Imagine the possibilities...

Only time will tell.

Until then, Have a balloon!

Cover for the Rapid Memo book

2008-03-18T22:00:00.004-06:00

Here is a potential cover for the Rapid memo book that Debby, Ann, And Jonathan are making

More Images from The Rapid Memo Typing Service & The Imageographer

2008-03-18T21:45:00.003-06:00

The Rapid Memo Typing Service & The Imageographer

2008-03-18T20:20:00.008-06:00

This is a project I did with two others whose names are Debby Florence and Ann Stevenson. They are both writers and they performed the typing in the images above and I performed the drawings. This event took place at the DIY bazaar at the crystal theatre , which is in the 515 restaurant, a few months ago.

So debby Florence was the originator of the rapid memo typing service , which essentially typed memos on demand for people at a past DIY Bazaar. Debby, whom also founded Slumgullion- definitely check it out, and I were talking a lot about spontaneous art making and some how I managed to become involved in the next Rapid Memo event as the Imageographer, spoken like photographer but with image instead of phot. My contribution was to draw spontaneously as they dictated what they were typing.

So a DIY bazaar is a place were people, mostly local artists, come to sell their goodies, or perfrom their goodies- In our case we performed and sold our goodies. There is a general artistic sense with this event, so you are more likey to find projects like ours rather then wicker baskets. There was also acoustic live music on the stage the whole time.

So our table went like this. A willing customer would approach, we would then ask for a subject and a topic/idea/action etc. Then we would begin our spontaneous creation. Debby and Ann typed something on a piece of paper, and as they typed they dictated and then i drew based on their dictation. Once finished we would tear out the typing and paste it onto the back of the drawing. In the images above the drawing is first and the corresponding words are below. Then we would scan both the typing and the drawing into the computer, then fold it in half and sold it to the customer for $5 as a card. Each instance lasted probably 5-10 minutes. We ended up having to create a waiting list because we couldn't keep up. We ended up doing about 25 total.

We are also working on a book of all the cards we made, which should be available soon.

Routine & Repitition

2008-03-17T17:31:00.013-06:00

Routine & Repitition

Well i am certainly not lacking in either one of these categories. Nothing like the 8-5 to submerse you into repetition and routine, however it seems i am continually attempting to keep things a little bit fresh through this project and other activities. These other activities include additional art endeavors, such as my involvement with the Open Field Artists, my normal painting and drawing, reading good books, being an outdoor enthusiast, watching movies, playing video games, being with friends, and i am sure much more. However all these things i just mentioned, also just become part of the routine of being Jonathan and keeping the balance between work and play. So although i say i use these tools to free myself from repetition, routine and the mundane, they also turn into a routine to combat and balance all the other routines...so all in all it is all connected.

With these thoughts in mind I am posting two images...one is more of an experiment the other is a kind of outcome of one of my routines.

The first image is an exercise in Repetition & Awareness. I repeatedly made the same marks over and over, which is something i never do. I thought this repetitive structure would allow me to focus my attention to my surroundings and the creative energy flowing through me, while also doing something "repetitive" as the topics implies. This drawing really brought me to the ground level of mark making, because that was all I was doing- making the same marks over and over with no fancy idea or conceptual premise. I felt i was able to hone in on the simple act of marking, which would then allow me to pay more attention to the actual flow of creative/ spontaneous energy.

Part of my routines in life as a Montanan is spending time outside in the mountains. When making this drawing i was up in the mountains outside of Missoula on a beautiful, late winter day. Although i didn't learn too much from this single instance of this experiment, it did allow me to be very present with the mountain, the surroundings, creativity, and the act of mark making.

In the future i would like to continue this idea, as a practice of awareness & spontaneity. I would also like to play around with different designs that i am patterning. For example, instead of the three lines and then a turn, doing four lines and then a turn, or maybe playing with circles or other shapes. Let the saga continue...

The second image comes from my work routine. Not only do I make paintings and art, I am a graphic designer. I spend much of my day behind a desk working on a computer. This routine of waking up, drinking coffee, preparing for work, going to work and being in front of a computer M-F is one of my more pronounced routines. I do design at my place of employment, as well as, freelance design. The image i am presenting here is from my freelancing. Juggling graphics at work from 8-5 then having to do freelance after work, and then trying to make art in addition, is a very difficult routine to maintain; Although I am pretty good at making time to relax, it always feels like it is at the expense of something I could be working on. This routine is challenging but a part of my path so it must be done.

This specific image comes from a recent job for The Badlander, which is a bar/ music venue. I recently applied for a graphic design position they had posted. Being the fact that I know one of the owners and frequent the place quite a bit a figured i would just see what they had to say, so i applied. I was under the impression that it was going to be a casual, good ole' boy process, however to my surprise they put posters around town advertising, ads in papers etc. and ended up with like 25+ applicants (for Missoula that's a lot). So I went in there straight talkin' and straight shootin' and I, fortunately, ended up as one of their final cut of designers. There are two others plus myself in the final cut, and the badlander folks had each one of us design a poster to help them in their final decision. This is my poster.

CHAT - 03/11/08 - Deciding a new approach

2008-03-12T08:15:00.003-06:00

Here is the chat Patrick and I had discussing our revised approach to artswivel

8:07 PM Patrick: you there?

8:09 PM how do you feel about opening up the blog to all of our art, whenever it happens as it happens?

8:10 PM It doesn't even have to be limited to ourselves. We could post things we find interesting.

I feel that this might increase our traffic. Give viewers a reason to keep looking.

I could post once a day for at least a month with my last three months of work.

8:11 PM I like our original idea and we can keep that going as well. It would be an installment feature of the blog.

I want to talk about art and hear what others have to say.

8:12 PM This is my proposal to revamp our site to make that happen.

I'm open to thoughts. I'll be next door in my studio and will check back in five or ten to see if you're on.

----------
From: Patrick Flaherty
Date: Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 8:52 PM
To: jbmarquis@gmail.com

8:15 PM me: hey there

i like what you are syaing

8:18 PM about putting all of our endeavors online

8:19 PM i could write alot....however i question my full ability to be able to engage on a daily basis...even once a week would be suffficient i think

8:20 PM if you post once a week then that is 2 new posts perweek

i say lets try it, lets make it more open and see what evolves

8:21 PM it is quite pretentious to think that our creativve lives stop when we are not making art, or not working on a single idea/projecct

8:22 PM and dialog has been one of our topiccs, and this would ccreate more dialog

8:23 PM yyou can arrange topics by ccategory, and that is how we could seperate the different aspects

can you think of any reasons not to do this?

8:24 PM artswivel- the extension of two peoples creative lives 2000 miles away

apart

8:25 PM Patrick: jonathan, im creating when i shit on the pot

i think this will be wonderful

8:26 PM two posts a week - one from each but not limited to that

once we have a bunch of material up we can start grouping into categories

me: yes def not limited

shitting is th ebest place to create/destroy

8:27 PM Patrick: if you want, you could create a category for our current project - artswivel proto - and open the other as free swivel

brb

8:30 PM ok lets go from here

8:31 PM me: how do we want to set up the topics

do we want it to be one or the other or should there be multipleheadings

Patrick: project one, free swivel, and anything else you can think of

me: ok

8:32 PM like pics of us shitting

Patrick: dont forget our 3rd installment is due Sunday

me: being the most creatoive

Patrick: shit pictures are good, we could charge

me: sunday is the day huh

Patrick: palm sunday at that

8:33 PM is there anyway to put these chats on the blog?

me: yes

gmail tracks them all

plus knows everything about you

Patrick: can you put them up under a topic "chats"

me: yeah...jst copy and paste

Patrick: i know nothing about myself - so I am glad gmail does

me: ahahaha

8:34 PM Patrick: i gave my cat a bath tonight and he is pissed

me: thank gmail for helping us realize who we are

Patrick: gswivel

me: i can imagine

Patrick: looks like we let the cat out of the bath -owwwwwww

8:35 PM have you checked out google nalytics?

analytics

me: not recently

have u/

8:36 PM Patrick: some pretty cool figures, yes 40+ hits, tracks state to state

me: cool ill have to check it ou

Patrick: google "google analyics" and use our username and password to sign in

analytics

me: what are u working on that u are wanting to post?

8:37 PM what gave u the idea to change what we post?

Patrick: i have a big printmaking show in october and some small painting shows lined up, plus i have benn paper macheing cassette tape

i just want to give people more to look at - in our age thee is no such thing as patience

8:38 PM me: paper macheing cassette tapes..i like...i now a guy here who spray paints atraccs and reccords

Patrick: brb

me: yeah once we get a lot of hits we should do the google adveertising

8:39 PM more content = more hits

8:41 PM Patrick: there are so many blogs - we might as well try

im not counting on retirement

me: not at al

but it couldbe cool to be internet pimps

8:42 PM Patrick: duh

tomorrow i can mess around with putting our chats up under a topic

me: i will put hti one up tonight

after we finish

Patrick: how many hours is it from indy to missoula by car?

8:43 PM awesome

me: 30 hrs

Patrick: we have some photos up at work right now that a guy took from the air of superfund sites around your area - looks cool

even thought they aren't

8:44 PM me: the berkeley pit in butte mt probably

biggest inthe country

the first biggest was also in montana but it has since been cleaned up a lil

8:45 PM Patrick: we could use a slogan for our blog

me: making the pit now the boggest

iot is all connected to copper mining

Patrick: superswivel

i etch copper plates

i contributed to that fuckhole

8:46 PM (metaphorically speaking)

me: yeah because they no longer mine it there i dont htink

Patrick: slogan: more art less superfund

thats the problem

me: superswivelfund

Patrick: it all flooded and went to shit

fund this america! its ART

8:47 PM me: more art less superfund...that is good

Patrick: fund my super swivel

more art less superfund - that's the winner? (for now)

me: more art less america

8:48 PM Patrick: how about "freeswivel"

me: freeeeeeeeeeeswivel

Patrick: no slogan for now

me: what is the sloganb for again

Patrick: artswivel. a blog about art

me: lets do more art less superfund

Patrick: to let people know what they are looking at (and what they are supposed to rise up and fight for)

8:49 PM me: i like that one...u live int he middle of coal mine world and i live in copper world

Patrick: i dont see any coal here

artswivel. a blog about art

8:50 PM or

more art less superfund

neither

8:52 PM me: wi think we are going to haveto make some posts before we can think of a slogan

get an idea of what will become

8:53 PM Patrick: riht o

right

shall we be off then?

me: a blog painting

8:54 PM yea let us let it go...happy posting

Patrick: c

keep it centered at 59, hope all is well, best until next time

me: yes best to you

for all of time

8:55 PM Patrick: done

ttyl

me: over and out

ttyl

2008-03-12T08:09:00.003-06:00

Patrick and I chatted online last night and decided to create a new and improved version of artswivel. Instead of just documenting our collaborative painting process we have decided to also include art and ideas that we make independently. We feel thatthis will provide our viewers a more interactive and engaging experience. We want to view this new version as a creative extension of our everyday lives providing deeper insight into these two artists 2000 miles apart.

Piece #3 - Routine and Repitition - the Path of a Swivel

2008-02-18T14:50:00.003-07:00

We have each completed two paintings in this project. In thinking about the subject for the next piece I found myself wondering about my schedule. How busy would I be? What else needs to be done. When will I have the time to write, paint, and correspond? This is an in-escapable reality as an artist.

This blog has become part of my routine. That is good considering that it adds creativity to my list of things to do. Among the other things of work, family, friends, darts, making beer, gardening, exercise, croquet, cooking, playing music, teaching, on and on and on there also must be some time to make art.

Remaining active is an essential component of the artswivel. Wait forever to paint a masterpiece and nothing will happen. Paint ten paintings and maybe one will be good. Slow and steady wins the race and the artswivel must follow the same mantra.

So let's each make a painting about routine. Painting itself is part of this projects routine so it makes sense to me to focus on it as a subject. I really have no idea what to paint. I know I don't want to paint a calendar of my life's events. So who knows where mine will end up?
Deadline: Posted by mid march with an accompanying description.

Here's to the routine of the artswivel. Round and round without ever really moving.

until the next post,

Patrick

Art & Film

2008-02-17T11:56:00.003-07:00

So currently in Missoula you will find the Big Sky Documentary film festival. This is an annual film festival exhibiting, as the title suggests, documentaries. This festival is gaining more and more recognition each year, and exhibits some fantastic films. This is my first year attending, and the only film i have seen so far was called "Bomb it" which is about street art and graffiti across the world. This film was good and entertaining. It first described the history of "bombing" and then followed to interview contemporary writers from multiple countries. The ones i was most interested in are ones that dont write their names, like the "os gemeos" they more or less just paint images- which i find to be more original in the realm of graf. I am in not so interested in the tagging of your name...it seems overdone outdated and lacking ingenuity. I am interested in street installation and image making. Writing your name seems way too self centered, and only interested in you putting your name on something instead of making something for the people to see and hopefully get something out of it. One thing i like about os gemeos is there connection to the the early 20th century Muralists of mexico and s. america, which was never brought up in this film. Putting images on the wall is nothing new, but apparently writing your name on the wall is, although the film does show some examples from the distant past of name writing, but it obviously is emphasizing the current trends in graffiti and street art--mainly rattle canned, wheat pasted, or stenciled.

one of the most interested bits of dialog the film brought up was the people they interviewed that were against graffiti. One of the major issues was what right do these artists, or vandals as some would say, have to go around and paint on property that is not theirs. I agree there is certainly an issue there, like how would you feel if someone came and spray painted your house? Ultimately most artists said that they only paint on public property, as KRS One said, "if taxes paid for it, bomb it" Which i certainly agree with. One of the major complaints by the graf artists was, who gives the right to all these rich business man to go around buy up our public space and put up an ugly building, and who gives the right to the corporate world to put up horrendous images of men in underwear, naked women, or other crap so they can convince people to buy their crap. To me this seems more of a crime on humans then a few poor kids painting their name. It is bogus that in this world it is ok to put up corporate crap but it is completely looked down upon to put some beautiful piece of art on a public wall.

We are an image based society now, we must stand up and take our visual realm back into our own hands, forget the desires of the corporate, make them earn our patronage through honest displays- like making good products, and not convincing us through media that their crap is good, when in reality is harmful, poorly made, or ethically intolerable.

STAND UP SWIVEL

Space Time Swivel - "What are you doing in this optimal prime moment in the history of the universe?"

2008-02-08T16:05:00.001-07:00

Here is my second painting post for the topic space time swivel. Number one it is a diptych, mainly because i was struggling with finishing them independently, but when combined i liked it. Number two, I am not sure if either one is finished or if it is finished as a diptych, however i figured that the whole point of this blog thing was to present the readers with an intimate look at how the art is made- so showing work that is incomplete or in process or confused or lost or whatever is a great way to provide a closer look at the process.

So i have been hearing and learning and interested in the Mayan Calender and all the great myth behind it. Like 2012 is the end of the Mayan calender, and what could happen. Apparently the earth is going through a process of time acceleration, which sounds very fascinating, because what does it mean that time is accelerating. It is not hard to imagine, with how fast-paced the world is right now, and how nobody seems to have any time. The mayan calender is claimed by this website, http://www.paulapeterson.com/New_Revelations_Mayan_Calendar.html, to be a calender that sort of tracks the evolution of consciousness, and dec 21 2012 is one of those supposed moments of the evolution of consciousness.

So in this diptych i have used the image of the mayan calender, with a fancy watch with lots of diamonds & bling, with planetary shapes, with the image of Venus from the Birth of Venus by Botticelli, as well as our great modern day hero, Optimus Prime. For me Venus symbolizes creation or birth- which the myth of her birth is very interesting, apparently zues's gizzem landed in the ocean and wallah out comes the most beautiful god riding a seashell to shore. Optimus prime also symbolizes creation (creativity, artmaking, being), because of his ability to transform into things, so transformation is also a topic here. So with the ideas of evolving consciousness, transformation, time acceleration, creation this piece may pose you with the question "What are you doing in this optimal prime moment in the history of the universe?" - I think that will be title of this diptych. I personally am still trying to answer that question myself, (perhaps my answer is that i am creating) so dont expect this painting to provide you with any answers, i am not Jesus I dont save, you must save yourself!

See Below

2008-01-31T19:50:00.000-07:00

Below is my second submission for this project.

I finished painting on it for the most part two weeks ago and added some spirals the other night.

I've gotten so wrapped up in other endeavors that I almost forgot to keep true to my post. But nonetheless, in a fit of productivity and direction I stayed up too late and managed to resolve this piece.

I remember the night: I was tired but certain that I needed to work on this painting. I had started it a couple of nights before but it was in no way close to resolution. As I began to paint I made a couple of poor choices that made me feel that the night might be lost. But I kept on. An hour or two of small adjustments and lots of staring went on. As soon as I drew in the portraits I knew I had resolved the painting.

But then came the sense of loss after resolving.
A satisfaction of undefinable calm set-off with having said goodbye to a dear friend never to talk again. Left only to look at photographs and read old letters from now on.

I tired to revisit. I tried to tell myself that there was more to be done. I didn't want to let go. So one night after drinking with a friend and throwing darts I came home and stared and stared at the painting only to decide to paint five inconspicuous spirals towards the top and call it done.

Well, it is time to paint another one. Due in twenty days or so. It's my turn to pick the theme. I'll come up with something soon. This project is only beginning.

Goodnight,
Patrick

Patrick - Time, Space, Swivel (painting #2)

2008-01-31T19:45:00.001-07:00

SPACETIMESWIVEL

2008-01-09T16:33:00.000-07:00

Patrick - I am wondering what your opinion is on this. Should are subjects all have the word swivel in it? does this make it more focused in some way, give us a structure or boundary? So the first one was a self portrait, hence, selfswivel. What if the next one is about time, therefore, timeswivel. Or is using swivel in everything irrelevant or stupid? So for the next subject i propose "spacetimeswivel" with a deadline of jan 31.

I chose time because our postings had a number of references to time. i chose space because the first subject was about self, so now we add space and time to the equation of self, and we get to address our experience within artswivel. I read this today "Stop experiencing and you die"

I think i have discovered a potential definition for artswivel. it would refer to what you were saying about swivel reflecting your process and my experience of art making. So artswivel would be the active space in which our individual experience and process of art making occurs and swivels. So back to spacetimeswivel...our experience within artswivel.

Sound Good?
Enjoy
J

Swivel is a form of creation discovered i have.

Brief Thought

2008-01-08T20:13:00.000-07:00

Dear Jonathan,

As strange as it once felt I am enjoying more and more the idea of only corresponding over the internet during the course of this project. What if this went on for years?

You talked of time, time, time

everything is in real time on the internet
just like outside
or in the kitchen making dinner
you still have to wait for someone to respond

servers fail or freeze
viruses eat not only humans but computers as well
virtual cancers with virtual cures!

but can you be real on the internet?
can something exist?
is it art?
are we so scared of the obvious that we shouldn't just make ourselves digital somehow?

we have

millions and billions of dollars galore from the comfort of our office chairs spent buying, arguing, loving, listening, learning, misinforming...
so much it is too good to be true
but some of it is true
most is trash

but it is undoubtedly real

best,

Patrick

Bon Voyage

2008-01-07T18:14:00.001-07:00

Our voyage has begun Jonathan.

There's something about this word swivel that I am finding to pertain more and more to my own art. In my first painting I eventually decided to use two of my imaginary subjects paired with a self portrait and a picture of my house. Furthermore, it turned out that I separated them right down the middle. The entire painting is unified by an abstract field.

For this painting I progressed without much of an idea except that it was to be a self portrait. As this painting resolved it became a story about how I make art. By drawing both from life and imagination I add my own lens to the world. A prehistoric photoshop program. Mixed media painting.

Before this project I would have said that I migrate the abstract and real. But having now been employed to think about the word swivel I've come to think of it as another possible explanation. When making art, I am swiveling round a circle with one point abstract and one point real, deciding as needed to select for the painting as the spiral continues, coming to whatever end needed to be served by each independent work.

So who knows what other fun things I'll learn. Speaking of which, what are the next:
subject and deadline.

your call Jonathan,

Patrick

Swivel 1 - Marquis

2008-01-06T16:18:00.002-07:00

"SelfSwivel"

ABOUT THE PROJECT

2008-01-06T12:04:00.000-07:00

What do you think the project is about? Well for Patrick and I it began as way to collaborate 2000 miles apart. We wanted to avoid the costs of mailing pieces back and forth...as if we were living in the 80's, shcya right.... internet is here baby and we are exploiting its free opportunities. So the idea of using the internet became more and more attractive, for financial reasons, as well it universality, its ease of use and its function as a new medium for artists. We are interested in how paintings can be created, discussed, destroyed, etc using the internet/ blogosphere. Since leaving Muncie Patrick and i have not spoken in real time, all of our communication has been over the internet. How does this effect dialog between two people? especially in the realm off artistic collaboration? Our plan is too make paintings, post them discuss them, and make new paintings. Sounds like fun huh? You are also encouraged to participate and tell us your opinions of our work and project. This is why we are using the internet... for you.

What do you think we can do with this project? Do u have any input or ideas? reflections, observations? This blog is just beginning, however in the near future will grow and grow, we will frequently be posting new ideas and new paintings, so save us in your bookmarks/favorites and check back often for your daily dose of swivel!

Jonathan as a swivel

2008-01-06T11:22:00.000-07:00

Well if a swivel is a circle drawn through time then i am always on time, precisely when time swivels. however does a swivel have patience? I dont know, probably doesn't need patience, because it is 360 degrees, experiencing in all directions, so how can you be on time if you are time? I dont know... how do you lose something you have found or already have and still have and always have? I dont know...Swivel!

So in the spirit of consistency... a lil about me. As the historical record stands patrick and i met at bsu. Since relocating to missoula mt life has grew and become much richer. perhaps the mountains do that, perhaps life does that, perhaps swivels do it? perhaps perhaps perhaps. 1.)Graduated with a painting and drawing degree...2.)work full time at a truck dealership and manufacturing shop-Good stuff, a lot of work and no swivels. Most things are too specific, no room for swivels.

As far as art is concerned after graduating, i have been working mostly on installations, performances, or some combination of the two. Although much of my installation includes painting i have not really just painted the rectangle or the square (2d picture plane) seriously in a little while. I mean i have always been drawing and sketching in the sketchbook and randomly drawing and painting, but i have not completed a series or group of 2d works in a bit. So getting started with this project has been great and has thrown me back into the studio with different goals and tasks. For example working in a 8.5in x 11in format rather then a 30ft x 10ft is quite the difference. So it seems like there is so little to be done in comparison, however making something interesting in such a small format is challenging. So really i have been working on about 10 pieces at once. I have been doing a lot of acrylic transfers, and i my cold ass studio means that drying time is exponentially increased. So there is always time to work on another piece/start a new one or suffer the fate of bordem in the studio.

The benefit of all this is that i have been in the studio about everyday working on things. however i am still not posting on time, mainly because as far as i am concerned as long as i am working on the next 10 posts which should get me to about october i am happy and swiveling. Plus i am trying to avoid the office on the weekends and my scanner is there, if we are lucky i will stop by there today and scan and post.

So my departure point for this theme of swivel...which is infinite... has been rooted in self awareness and how i try to experience the world and how i try to live the world...which is mush like a swivel. I am the center and my awareness swivels 360 degrees around at all times. This idea is rooted in Buddhism, however i really have no attachment to Buddhism, i find Buddhist idea/ philosophy to be universal and does not need a specific religion or belief to understand. All u need is your self and the moment(a paint brush is also nice). Although this 360 degree swivel is very subtle to perceive and experience it is there, you just have to open your eyes a lil, which might mean close them, either way. Art making has introduced me to this concept. Late night in the studio in front of your canvas, your self, you learn and experience things that in the 8-5 world are suppressed, made illigitimate, and considered unnecessary(which i find bogus). So after experiencing these feelings and then reading about how a religion who has been talking about it for 2000 plus years is pretty eye opening...like all this art making actually has truth in it and isnt just some silly past time. So my initial images for selfswivel will probably refer to this 360 degree swivel in some way and also my way back into my self and my studio.

Keep an i eye out and keep swiveling in time... that way you cant be late!

About Me - as a blog post?!

2008-01-03T18:50:00.000-07:00

Patrick:

I met Jon at Ball State University in a little town called Muncie, IN.

We were both studying art, and both crafty enough to have jobs at the art museum. Over the short time before I graduated and Jon went on to Montana, we worked collaboratively on some paintings.

Then things went dark.

Over my years of wanton sleeping in abandoned farmhouses and waiting at deserted restaurants I never really checked my email much.

Apparently, Jon had tried to email one or twice and whether or not received I did not reply.

But then he tried again.

This time his email found me working at an art center in a little town called Indianapolis, IN, actively seeking to disseminate his art in any way possible.

Then he mentioned collaboration.

Here we are again...

(Is a swivel a circle drawn through time?)

...this time online. Here is the idea as I understand it.

Jon and I are going to post new paintings every 20 days or so. Loosely based on a theme incorporating the use of the word swivel - we chose this word to represent the collaborative element. It was a word we used a lot in college.

I have no idea or expectations as to how this will work out. That is the purpose I suppose. But painting is our departure and someday a real time exhibition of this work will show just what all happened and maybe just what a swivel is.

I encourage you all to comment however you like. Your participation is an essential part of this collaboration.

welcome to Indiana - Montana/\anatnoM - anaidnI

artswivel

SELF_Swivel (painting #1)- Patrick

2007-12-31T23:27:00.002-07:00

2007-12-11T19:34:00.000-07:00