What's on your book shelf?

Whenever I am visiting a house or studio I usually find myself at some point in front of the guest's bookshelf having book envy.  This week one of my friends, who has been an avid book collector for the past 30 years, just realized how much some of her art books are worth!! Another friend and I shared some of our favorite books with each other.
I have books all over my house and studio and some on loan but here are a few shots of my neat piles in my office.

I did this early on in my blog as a list but this time how about a photo or two of your book shelves?  
email 2 jpegs  low res with your name and url to art @lisapressman.net
Thanks

Nancy Natale

Nancy Natale, artist and blogger, sent this post to me almost ready to go so I want to send her a huge thanks. What a treat to be able to see her wonderful new work and get a glimpse some of her influences.




Natale - Bandito, 2010, 24”x24”, encaustic with mixed media on panel



I feel that I have finally come into my own with my work. It’s been a long time getting there, but I’ve stuck with it by working, looking, reading and experimenting. I think I have only touched the tip of the iceberg and there is lots more still under water. My website is here at  Nancy Natale and my blog "Art in the Studio"





Natale - Three Reds, 2010, each 10”x8”, encaustic with mixed media on panel


Here are some of my influences and the influence has been from the integrity of the vision in addition to the work itself.

First of all, Joanne Mattera For providing the information and inspiration about encaustic with her book and her beautiful lush work, and also for being a model for me with her wisdom, experience and energy as an artist and a woman.Here is her blog and her book.
  
Joanne Mattera, Gemmo, 2011, 32”x32”, encaustic on panel



Joanne Mattera, Silk Road 146, 2010, 12”x12”, encaustic on panel

Other inspirations – not necessarily in order, but what they all have in common is an emphasis on the physical construction of their work and a dark sensibility.

 

Leonardo Drew for his use of accretion, for finding beauty in the old, beat-up and cast off and for his devotion to materiality



 
Lee Bontecou  for her dark sensibility, inventive use of materials and for being true to her own vision


  
El Anatsui for his use of accretion to make something so beautiful from nothing




 

Philip Guston
for daring to change his work so drastically and for painting so honestly. Also for the physicality of his paint.




 

Brenda Goodman
ditto(Guston) and with extra credit for having to struggle as an artist who is a woman and a woman who is a lesbian


 

Richard Diebenkorn for his line, color, space and love of paint


 
Joan Mitchell  for her color, marks and dark spirit


 
Ted Larsen for his complex simplicity of design and love of old painted surfaces



 

Lance Letscher for showing me the way

Quick pics from a day in NYC, Part 2

Color Study 69, 2009
Color Study for Painting 590
oil and alkyd on illustration board
15 1/8 x 6 3/4 inches (38.4 x 17.2 cm)">

David Reed
Color Study 69, 2009
Color Study for Painting 590
oil and alkyd on illustration board
15 1/8 x 6 3/4 inches (38.4 x 17.2 cm)

Color Study 41, 2009
Color Study for Painting 524-2
oil and alkyd on illustration board
15 3/4 x 8 5/8 inches (40 x 21.9 cm)">

David Reed
Color Study 41, 2009
Color Study for Painting 524-2
oil and alkyd on illustration board
15 3/4 x 8 5/8 inches (40 x 21.9 cm)

ColorStudy 68, 2009
Color Study for Painting 571-2
oiland alkyd on illustration board
16 5/8x 9 3/4 inches (42.2 x 24.8 cm)">

David Reed
ColorStudy 68, 2009
Color Study for Painting 571-2
oiland alkyd on illustration board
16 5/8x 9 3/4 inches (42.2 x 24.8 cm)

A few more from NYC


AT ADAA

Judy Pfaff at Pavel Zoubok Gallery

Untitled (St. Sebastian), 1978

Mixed media construction

23 x 20 x 11 inches Courtesy Pavel Zoubok Gallery, NY

Kathy Butterly at Tibor De Nagy






The shadows and bowls caught my eye but I didn't get the information. (if you know please email me)





David Reed at Peter Blum


WorkingDrawing for Painting 576, 2007
mixedmedia on paper
twosheets, each 17 x 22 in. (43.2 x 55.9 cm)

AT PULSE

Beka Goedde at Cristina Ray


Weight of Color III
2010

mixed media on paper

11.75 x 8.7



In Chelsea

Fran Shalom at the Abstraction show, Nancy Margolis Gallery





Joan Mitchell at Lennon Weinberg Gallery


Untitled (La Fontaine), 1957,
78 1/2 x 64 1/2",
oil on canvas

Still Dancing, 2010, oil on panel, 12"x12"

Quick pics from a day in NYC

Rachel Whiteread
Grey, pink, yellow, grey, 2010
Resin
6 1/4 x 42 1/8 x 4 1/2 inches
(16 x 107 x 11.5 cm

I went to NYC yesterday to several of the art fairs and down to Chelsea. It was very quiet at the ADAA so it was easy to see the work: Joseph Cornell, Hannalore Baron, Philip Guston and more. Pulse was in a surprising small venue but had a bit more of a "pulse" going on.

I took a few photos of some of what resonated for me .


Rachel Whiteread

Yellow, Pink and Blue, 2008
Dental plaster, resin, wood and metal (three units, one shelf)
9 1/2 x 15 3/4 x 7 7/8 inches
(24 x 40 x 20 cm)

SANDWICH, 2008
Plaster, pigment, resin, bronze, wood and metal (five units, one shelf)
8 7/8 x 15 3/4 x 7 7/8 inches
(22.5 x 40 x 20 cm)

Joseph Cornell

Hannalore Baron





Tara Donovan at Pace Gallery


Drawings: (Pins)


Close up




gatorboard, paint, and nickel-plated steel pins
96" x 96" x 2-1/2" (243.8 cm x 243.8 cm x 6.4 cm)


Pat Steir at Cheim Reid

Stay tuned for some Joan Mitchell and others.

Lucy Mink's Art Influences

I first saw Lucy Mink's charming paintings on FB. The color, the patterns, the quiet narratives caught my eye.

Her Statement:

I am consumed by combinations of color and form as a visual, abstract diary of my life, where time does not belong to me, but to others.

I am frequently organizing their things while they dance. I am in a situation.

Under Here 19 x 20 1/2 oil on linen on panel


Home 8 x 8 in oil on linen on panel

TheSoundOnTheGround 24 by 22 1/2 in oil on linen in panel




I Need A Place To Put Some Things that We Weren't Allowed To Talk About
19 x 20 1/2 oil on linen on panel


Lucy's art influences:

Elisabth Cummings

Marden Hartley

Alice Neel

Balthus

Soutine

Philip Guston

Lucian Freud

Matisse

Giorgio Morandi

Cindy Sherman

my kids

What I hear and think about and look at:

David Bowie..... often

The Rolling Stones- 'Get off of my Cloud'

Looking at books with unusual trees with my 4 year old

How a 6 year old sees the world.

What to make for dinner that my kids will eat.

Everything while out walking.

AGoodTypicalSolution 8 x 8 oil on linen on canvas

Since January

The Weight 54 x 48 oil on canvas 2011

This is a painting that stayed in the studio while my show was up last month. I just finished it.....I think.

Time is flying. When I look out my office window thankfully I don't see any snow. I am ready for the twinkle of my spring bulbs and spending time on my front porch.

Since January, I have taken a bit of time out of the studio. I began taking a 10 week beginning drawing class. I wanted to be a student again and revisit basic drawing. It has been both humbling and reassuring. Still lifes with apples, books, reflective surfaces, perspective, the figure etc. I am focusing on seeing. As you can see I am a bit out of practice.

Last weekend, I did an encaustic painting demo for R&F Handmade Paints at the CAA conference. It was two days of great fun, painting and talking to other artists. I found myself several times totally engrossed with the painting, forgetting that I was supposed to be doing the chat thing. This was my first time at the CAA but definitely not my last. I am waiting to receive my borrowed CDs to listen to several of the symposiums, a few desk copies of art books and also to try some of my sample art supplies. The book area itself was enough to make me hyperventilate but I was controlled and didn't spend any money.

Thanks to Berni from Pan Pastels for the photo.


Talking about hyperventilating: a funny moment in a NYC hotel. After a long day I walked into a very nice small room at a boutique hotel. Very hip, very clean, big TV.............but NO WINDOW! I sat on the bed for a few moments my heart pounding, the truth creeping in. I just couldn't do it- claustrophobia at its worst. Thankfully they had a room with a window. I guess I am an inexperienced traveler not knowing that you have to ask for a non smoking, non pet, quiet room, and one with a window.

My calender is starting to be sprinkled with classes and workshops. In March I begin a new adventure with Arts Unbound which is a non-profit organization dedicated to the artistic achievement of youth, adults and senior citizens with disabilities. I will be an instructor for a master class for emerging artists with mobility challenges who are ready to take their work to a professional level. It is a ten week program with classes, internships and an exhibition. I am looking forward to working for this organization and the artists.

The end of April brings me to R&F as a visiting artist. In this three day workshop we will be exploring pigment sticks along with mixed media. It is always great to be up in Kingston at their studio and factory. Whether you use their products or not, the tour is informative and the gallery exhibitions are always interesting.

On a personal note, my husband has been building guitars, my older son's band, Caution Children's record came out and my younger son has to decide which college he will attend for art.


Yesterday was Brancusi's 135th birthday!




Here is an older blog post with some photos from his studio that I took in Paris.

Good Advice @

16 x 16 encaustic L Pressman

This week there have been two blog posts with good advice.

Joanne Mattera's Art Blog:

Marketing Mondays: Advice to Your Young Self

and an interview with John Seed at Artist Career Training:

John Seed, Art-Explainer and Story Teller


I find myself always learning new lessons and having to learn the old lessons again.
I am going to make a list from both of these posts and my own "lessons", print them up and hang them in the studio.