This week I will be pushing forward and starting several new paintings. I have finally let my mind wander and settle on subject matter. Always a hard thing for me for there is alot I like to do. I will post the process here. This will include rough sketches, sketches and stages of the work. I have stocked up on supplies and my favorite paints, "Old Holland Oils".
On a music note, I am considering joining a modern jazz/fusion band as a bassist. Very excited about this as well...
Monday, March 22, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Lost in Madrid
For the Magic Event in Madrid,I had to get up early and get to the event site in order to set up my table with my art and prints which were resting in the black suitcases. From my previous days of wandering the downtown streets, I felt pretty sure I knew how to get around, but to be sure I asked the hotel receptionist where Casa de Campo might be. In broken english, (cause my high school Spanish education is lost somewhere deep deep back in some dark corner of my brain), he said pretty much just go out turn right and walk a good ways maybe 20 minutes. This seemed right cause I also had the "lucky" tourist map you pick up at the airport that had all the cool buildings and things of importance marked on it. This map led me safely to all the places I wanted to see. Well, on this map it looked like the hotel clerk was right, I was to just walk out, turn right and go down the street aways. The map showed the river to the right of the road and the event site, according to the map, was not across this river. This I noted.
With my bags (with wheels) in tow, I left the hotel and headed right down the sidewalk in the cool gray misty morning. Keeping the river to my right I set off. The luggage (50lbs a piece) rolled behind me with click tacking wheels. The streets and sidewalks at this hour were fairly empty, so it was nice and peaceful as I made my way further down the road. About 45 minutes later I still found no road that I was to vear on to that the site was on. I began to wonder. I kept walking not sure If I should go back or keep going, maybe it was just up ahead a little more.
No... it wasn't. Now I began to worry cause its 9am. and the event starts at 10 am.
As I stood there on the damp sidewalk perplexed as to what to do.... an elderly man came walking down the sidewalk. "Pardon!!" I blurted... the elderly man in the brown rain coat and hat stopped and looked up at me. " Donde es Casa de Campo" I muttered. He looked at me for a second and fired off some Spanish while looking around perplexed as I was. We both stood there for a second, until he pointed at me and the sidewalk with his hand held up palm facing me. I took this as to wait, so I did. He then made his way across the 5 lane road to the other side where another man was walking. They began to talk and their hands and arms were moving and pointing. They were pointing back the way I came. After a few minutes the elderly man made his way back across the street to me and through osmosis I gathered that I needed to go back to where I started and go right and cross the river and head that way.
I stood there a moment probably looking like a sad silly tourist. It was then that the elderly man
reached out his arms and gave me a big hug and patted me on the back and headed off as I said "Mucho Gracias!!!"
I made my way back to the hotel with haste, it was now 9:30. I crossed the river and headed up the street. after about 15 minuted I came across a sign that said Casa de Campo, and my heart was elated! Walking faster I make it to the ..... compound. I thought this was a building, but no it was a big area with a park lots of restaurants, buildings conference halls, some kind of stadium thing and other various business buildings. How was I to find the correct building? I began my aimless wandering praying for a sign or clue. 20 minutes pass no clue. I saw a lady walking her dog and asked "Donde es Casa de Campo", she looked at me and motioned her arms all around.
"Hmmmm..." I tried to tell her I was looking for a Magic the Gathering card tournament.. she waved and walked on. At this time I began to wonder how was I to find this place. I had no cell phone or way to contact any event staff, so I continued wandering. It was then I spied a young man with a backpack (this is a good sign when looking for gamers).. I clik clak up to him and say
"Pardon!!!" he turns and looks at me and says "Mark Poole!!!!!". At this moment my heart beats with happiness for I know I have arrived to the event. He leads me up the road a bit more and there it was... my destination!
Later I learned if I would have got on the subway right outside my hotel it would have taken me there in under 5 minutes.
With my bags (with wheels) in tow, I left the hotel and headed right down the sidewalk in the cool gray misty morning. Keeping the river to my right I set off. The luggage (50lbs a piece) rolled behind me with click tacking wheels. The streets and sidewalks at this hour were fairly empty, so it was nice and peaceful as I made my way further down the road. About 45 minutes later I still found no road that I was to vear on to that the site was on. I began to wonder. I kept walking not sure If I should go back or keep going, maybe it was just up ahead a little more.
No... it wasn't. Now I began to worry cause its 9am. and the event starts at 10 am.
As I stood there on the damp sidewalk perplexed as to what to do.... an elderly man came walking down the sidewalk. "Pardon!!" I blurted... the elderly man in the brown rain coat and hat stopped and looked up at me. " Donde es Casa de Campo" I muttered. He looked at me for a second and fired off some Spanish while looking around perplexed as I was. We both stood there for a second, until he pointed at me and the sidewalk with his hand held up palm facing me. I took this as to wait, so I did. He then made his way across the 5 lane road to the other side where another man was walking. They began to talk and their hands and arms were moving and pointing. They were pointing back the way I came. After a few minutes the elderly man made his way back across the street to me and through osmosis I gathered that I needed to go back to where I started and go right and cross the river and head that way.
I stood there a moment probably looking like a sad silly tourist. It was then that the elderly man
reached out his arms and gave me a big hug and patted me on the back and headed off as I said "Mucho Gracias!!!"
I made my way back to the hotel with haste, it was now 9:30. I crossed the river and headed up the street. after about 15 minuted I came across a sign that said Casa de Campo, and my heart was elated! Walking faster I make it to the ..... compound. I thought this was a building, but no it was a big area with a park lots of restaurants, buildings conference halls, some kind of stadium thing and other various business buildings. How was I to find the correct building? I began my aimless wandering praying for a sign or clue. 20 minutes pass no clue. I saw a lady walking her dog and asked "Donde es Casa de Campo", she looked at me and motioned her arms all around.
"Hmmmm..." I tried to tell her I was looking for a Magic the Gathering card tournament.. she waved and walked on. At this time I began to wonder how was I to find this place. I had no cell phone or way to contact any event staff, so I continued wandering. It was then I spied a young man with a backpack (this is a good sign when looking for gamers).. I clik clak up to him and say
"Pardon!!!" he turns and looks at me and says "Mark Poole!!!!!". At this moment my heart beats with happiness for I know I have arrived to the event. He leads me up the road a bit more and there it was... my destination!
Later I learned if I would have got on the subway right outside my hotel it would have taken me there in under 5 minutes.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Madrid Artist Guest for Magic Event
Just got back from a trip as an artist guest from Madrid, Spain. I would like to start off by saying the fans in Spain were crazy fun to be around and that the show was a blast and a huge success. It broke all previous attendance records for a Magic Grand Prix Event. Needless to say it was packed and my fingers that held the sharpie pens for autograph signings, went numb by the end of the event. I felt bad that the line for waiting was 2 to 3 hours long during the 2 days, but everyone was very nice to me and really made me feel honored and very much welcome. I would again like to thank everyone who attended and to the wonderful Magic team who ran the event.
Days before the show I got to wander the streets of downtown Madrid. One of the highlights was the Prado Museum, which houses such artist as: Bosch, Durer, Greco, Goya,Rubens, Velazquez and Tiepolo. Wonderful museum to visit, I believe I spent five plus hours transfixed by people and paint of the past.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Words from Artist George Caleb Binghan 1879
Beauty is Various
To the beautiful belongs an endless variety. It is seen not only in symmetry and elegance of form, in youth and health, but is often quite apparent in decrepit old age. It is found in the cottage of the peasant as well as in the palace of kings. It is seen in all relations, domestic and municipal, of a virtuous people, and in all that harmonizes man with his Creator. The ideal of the great artist, therfore, embraces all of the beautiful which presents itself in form and color, whether characterized by elegance and symmetry or by any quality within the wide and diversified domain of the beautiful.
Mere symmetry of form finds no place in the works of Rembrandt, Teniers, Ostade, and others of a kindred school. Their men and women fall immeasurably below that order of beauty which characterizes the sculpture of classic Greece. But they address themselves none the less to our love of the beautiful, and none the less to nourish the developement and growth of those tastes which prepare us for the enjoyment of that higher life which is to begin when our mortal existence shall end.
I was pondering the idea of what I find as beauty in the world around me as to paint it on the canvas. I am wanting to paint a series of human form that exists around me today. Human form itself has not changed much (minus the steroids and body enhancements), but what people express through choice of apparel. This has been a basic study for artists of all generations and it shows in the portraits of Rembrant, Singer, Wyeth and myriads of others who paint the people around them. I think I will start with those closest to me for I know them best. I will post my efforts as I go along.
To the beautiful belongs an endless variety. It is seen not only in symmetry and elegance of form, in youth and health, but is often quite apparent in decrepit old age. It is found in the cottage of the peasant as well as in the palace of kings. It is seen in all relations, domestic and municipal, of a virtuous people, and in all that harmonizes man with his Creator. The ideal of the great artist, therfore, embraces all of the beautiful which presents itself in form and color, whether characterized by elegance and symmetry or by any quality within the wide and diversified domain of the beautiful.
Mere symmetry of form finds no place in the works of Rembrandt, Teniers, Ostade, and others of a kindred school. Their men and women fall immeasurably below that order of beauty which characterizes the sculpture of classic Greece. But they address themselves none the less to our love of the beautiful, and none the less to nourish the developement and growth of those tastes which prepare us for the enjoyment of that higher life which is to begin when our mortal existence shall end.
I was pondering the idea of what I find as beauty in the world around me as to paint it on the canvas. I am wanting to paint a series of human form that exists around me today. Human form itself has not changed much (minus the steroids and body enhancements), but what people express through choice of apparel. This has been a basic study for artists of all generations and it shows in the portraits of Rembrant, Singer, Wyeth and myriads of others who paint the people around them. I think I will start with those closest to me for I know them best. I will post my efforts as I go along.
Monday, February 15, 2010
New Beginings
2010 will be a year of changes for me. First of all, I am committed to this blog
and my musings of art and music. Second, as an artist I am trying to leap further along the path by looking backwards at my earlier style or approach of painting, before illustration presented me with time constraints and form. I am hoping to again paint what my heart tells me to this year. This desire has been whispering to me consistantly over the past years and it's time to listen.
Mark
and my musings of art and music. Second, as an artist I am trying to leap further along the path by looking backwards at my earlier style or approach of painting, before illustration presented me with time constraints and form. I am hoping to again paint what my heart tells me to this year. This desire has been whispering to me consistantly over the past years and it's time to listen.
Mark
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