The Lotus of Life and Death - part 1

I was originally intending originally to paint Adam Kadmon. However the sketch for it was exhausting to create and I have decided to let the concept marinate for some time before I tackle the painting. Also, having been out of country in Cancun, I was in possession of idle time and a sketchbook. The resort in Cancun had alot of mythical sculpture from all over the world and I became inspired to produce the sketch for this - The Lotus of Life and Death.

From The Lotus of Life and Death

I like to select the area of the piece that "defines" it and just paint that area most of the way to completion... if I can get that portion to my satisfaction, it allows the me the confidence of knowing the piece will succeed ultimately, and also gives me an area to refer to for consistency. Anyway, I did that for this piece and was excited enough about the result to post it.

Aside from the esoteric concepts and psychedelic surrealism that I'm always trying to achieve, my focus on this piece will be extreme color theory, volumetric shading and working on a tight, almost liquid specularity.

-CHUK

Artlantis - 2011

Had a great time showing at Artlantis over the weekend.

Even though it was HOT.  Not like terrestrial Earth hot, we're talking molten surface of God's eye hot.

If you're not familiar, Artlantis is an Atlanta annual outdoor art and music festival run by the good people of Beep Beep Gallery.  It is host to a lot of very interesting artists who tend to work outside of the normal, boring, and culturally mundane styles and subject matter that one normally encounters at a local gallery or outdoor festival.  I particularly enjoyed the work of some of my more extreme Artlantis neighbors: Kenn Twofour, Nathan Phaneuf, Jenny Birdsong, and Stephanie Anderson.

Artlantis - 2011

I was very pleased to move 3 large pieces and a ton of prints over the course of the show.  Its interesting watching peoples' reactions to the pieces, which range from fascination to a kind of upper-middle-class cultural fear (which I also enjoy).

One woman told me, "Your art is so... DARK.  Are you angry?  Are you sad?".

Well, like all humans, I am often have emotions such as anger or sadness... I just paint them and reflect on them rather than compartmentalizing them into a box and burying them deep in my mind where I can pretend they don't exist.  To each his own.

Thanks again to everyone who came out to check out the booth and to those of you who expressed interest, talked about art, or bought a piece.  I appreciate your interest and patronage.

Also thanks to my wife Leah for her marketing suggestions and for sticking it out in the blazing infernal sun with me. ;)

-CHUK