Drawings, New and Old, on the Gallery Wall

I'm settling into using the Las Manos Gallery as my studio space and I have managed to make a few pieces in the last week. There has been a surprising amount of traffic through the gallery, many of my friends and even a few walk-ins - distractions abound. But it is working on many levels, and I'm encouraged by the experience thus far. Pictured is one wall in the gallery this morning, with some new work, some old work and two pieces reconfigured.

  Left to right:
1. An old grid drawing cut apart and quickly reassembled. Looks like a figure from a petroglyph, maybe an ancient alien.

2. An old cardboard 'tapestry' piece. Recycled card board, India Ink washes, staples. There is a 'face' constructed within the piece, it is not immediately apparent in person but shows up well in photographs.

3. New India Ink Piece. Untrimmed top and bottom but roughly 22 x 58 inches.
4. Large India Ink Drawing. 45 x 70 inches when trimmed top and bottom.
5. Painted 12 x 12 inch panels. Acrylic paint pens. There are 7 panels pictured here and they can and have been arrange in many different configurations. Design your own contemporary painting!

6. New Cardboard and India Ink Drawing, 40 x 60 inches. I'm very attracted to the color of the cardboard. And it like the ubiquitous and mundane position in our culture.

February and March Developments

I have negotiated with Michelle, the owner of Las Manos Gallery, to occupy and use the gallery as my studio for the next couple of months. This is a win-win situation for us each as she is very busy with an upcoming show at Longview Gallery in Washington DC (http://www.longviewgallerydc.com/artists.php?id=146) and I am in need of more space in which to make drawings. I began what I am characterizing as a 'winter drawing project' last Tuesday but spent most of the week dealing with the weather and working out a few physical problems in the gallery. I hung a few things on one wall and made it my own in a small way. I hope to still have a variety of Las Manos artists on the other wall and insist that Michelle keep some of her work in the gallery at all times.

View of West Wall of Gallery/Studio Space

Making that first piece in the new space was a bit of hump I had to get myself over.  The challenge of having materials in two places will be worked out over time, but my strategy is to begin with a modest and straightforward project. So drawing on mat board with acrylic paint pens seems like a good place to start. Pictured is my first drawing in the new space.

Untitled - Acrylic Paint Pen on Archival Mat Board - 32 x 40 inches

I hope to do an event in the space once I get things going here, and plan to post more often and regularly.