new artworks.

i am starting to prep for a show in june with alex gruttadaro at joe bean coffee on university ave.

here is the first batch of paintings that i have completed for that show.

i am enjoying working the combined found surfaces, trying to find a balance where it looks as though the works have been excavated from within a wall, found under peeling wallpaper, or put together from objects left behind from the middle of the 20th century.

these works mark a new direction for me as i veer away from straight portraiture into something more painterly and less specifically about the subject. i have been inspired specifically by the work of mid-century painters richard diebenkorn, jasper johns and robert rauschenberg, along with contemporary artists vhils and best ever.

"raised"

"cyclical"

"segregation"

"the glow"

"shroud"

"transcendence"

"golden"

"laying back"

"blue skies"

newest work :: paul simon

somehow i forgot to post this a few weeks ago when i finished it... oh maybe its because i finished it the day that i hung my show, then had the end of the school year to deal with.
so, happy summer, here's "a window in your heart" (paul simon)... my latest collaboration with my son (he did the background).

new artworks!

maybe its time to update my online portfolio.....

like we finally saw the colours of the world
sam beam (iron & wine)
pencil and spray paint on wood panel

(tonal bebop) harmony
eric dolphy
spray paint, oil and collage on canvas

a matter of time
jim james (my morning jacket)
mixed media

first to plug in
little walter
colored pencil and acrylic

soul stirrer
sam cooke
acrylic, spray paint and collage on cardboard

going to the ritual
rashied ali
pencil and acrylic on board

"4x34" :: painting with my son

this series of paintings, entitled "4x34", are all done by my 4 year old son and myself. he was inspired by watching herakut paint the mural in rochester in october, and had been talking about wanting to do some 'murals' of his own.

we used latex paint, spray paint, and paint markers on stretched canvases. it was a very organic process where he would start by picking the color of paint and rolling it on the canvas (or conversely he would choose the spray paint color and i would apply it, then he'd paint over it). he would really lead all the work, and i would be there to just redirect when necessary or have him stop and start something new when the time was right. he would draw lines - sometimes representing a 'thunder storm' or 'the ocean' - and i would add to them, making them fit together or blend more seamlessly into the composition.

his energy and natural markings were a wonderful juxtaposition with my control and knowledge of composition. it was very eye opening for me as an artist, as well as a great way to spend time together.

another new drawing

i started this last week as an idea for a drawing 1 project, but it became something that i would actually consider a finished work.

it is made using india ink washes, pitt artist pens and prismacolor colored pencils.

new painting.

on friday, i completed this painting of son house, "the beginning and end of all music"
it is acrylic, latex and spray paint on various wood blocks.
you can see it on display at RIT during february.

RIT artist/teacher art show

join us from 6-9pm on thursday, may 24 at gallery r for the opening reception for the first ever RIT MST program artist/teacher show, taking place alongside the MST program capstone student teaching show.

i will have 3 pieces in the show, alongside other local artist/teachers including bill stephens, luvon sheppard, amy bonner, andy reddout, and others.

new painting :: arthur miller

"act two", my new painting of arthur miller, author of death of a salesman and the crucible, and one-time husband of marilyn monroe.

here is the initial collage layout; including a newspaper from 1956, an envelope and letter to my grandmother from 1954, pages from "death of a salesman", and pictures of marilyn.

drawing 2 :: surrealist collage drawing

drawing 2 is currently doing a figurative surrealist collage drawing based on the work of the szekely sisters and rené magritte.

our art department goal this year deals with the intentional use of color. i am using this artwork to fulfill the goal. in class, we are talking about the value and intensity of colors and how they influence how a viewer sees a work. we are using different magazines from different eras to give a variety of values, intensities, and color ranges.

here is the example that i am working on, along with one piece each from the szekelys and magritte.

adobe illustrator - new paintings!

i have made it my mission to learn adobe illustrator this summer, along with some help from my friends rob antonucci and jillian erhardt.
its a massive, fun, and at times challenging program, but yields amazing results.
here is what i have created thus far:

new painting :: dan auerbach "everlasting light"

i'm thinking about doing some sort of alphabet series with musician portraits. if i do go ahead with it - this will be the first piece... "B for The Black Keys". this is their singer/guitarist dan auerbach.

it is small, allowing me to play with the scale of the stencil openings and marks made by pencils and paintbrushes.

new painting :: john coltrane "blue meditations"

i completed this piece to be hung with my students at our current show at the owl house.
i have been looking at a great deal of collage artists lately. as always, i am continuing to look for ways to create an art work that is part painting and part artifact... almost like it has been pulled out of the ground... once being part of a wall or some larger structure.

the owl house

an old friend of mine, brian van etten, is the head chef for a new restaurant opened by two other friends, jeff ching and andrea parros. its called THE OWL HOUSE. (you can check out their website or find them on facebook)

they opened with full hours and service yesterday, and you should all check it out. they are at 75 marshall street, 14607... the site of the old rochester fave THE ATOMIC EGGPLANT.

they serve a rotating menu of 'new american cuisine' (same main menu daily, but with different dinner and dessert menu each night), along with over 30 craft beers, artisan wines, and unique cocktails. they also cater to the dietary needs of vegan and gluten-free folks, with a large assortment of dishes for each.

the food is delicious (my personal favorite is 'the cherub' sandwich) and the ambiance is stellar. so, if you're looking for a great place to dine, you should check them out! see a review from city newspaper here.

my friend rob antonucci's great new artwork is hanging on the walls currently, with an opening reception on august 17th from 7-10pm. also, i was lucky enough to be asked to design their menu (and will be hanging my artwork there in the fall as well). here is the main menu, as of august 4th, 2010 (there are also special menus for vegan, gluten-free, dinner, dessert, and kids):

new painting :: thelonious monk.

new painting.

i finished this painting of the empire state building today. it is the second in my new personal landmark series.
it is 3 layers of cardboard painted with spray paint, acrylic, and art markers.

shared spaces art show at naz

nazareth college is hosting wonderful new art show opening tonight, january 15th, from 6-8pm in their new arts center gallery entitled 'shared spaces'. the show celebrates graduating high school students and their teachers/mentors.

sami chudyk and i are representing thomas high school, with casey cardillo and her teacher bill stephens representing schroeder high school. i feel honored to have been asked to be a part of this event, and to show next to such a talented young artist.

you can find out more about the show (including gallery hours) here.

sami chudyk "past tense"
colored pencil on canson paper
completed january 2010
((to see more of sami's work, check out her portfolio blog.))


todd stahl "new beginnings"
cardboard, spray paint, and ink
completed november 2009

city newspaper review.

thanks to the rochester CITY NEWSPAPER for a great review of my show at the little. reading it made my day.
if you want to check it out, heres the link: http://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/entertainment/art/2009/09/ART-REVIEW-Sound-Meditations/

thanks again to everyone who came out to the opening... it was a great time.

art show!

first off - its been too long since i have posted. busy summer, to say the least.

one reason its been so busy is that i have a solo art show at the little theater cafe and gallery.

it will be paintings, drawings, digital, and mixed-media works all based on jazz music and musicians. its a culmination of a few years worth of work...

opening reception on august 23rd, from 5-7pm.
the show will be up until sept. 19.

i hope you can join us for the opening!

new artwork

not sure if this is finished yet or not... but i did it yesterday.
came from a blind contour drawing i did of t.s. monk... digitally altered with paint and textures.

new artwork :: digital painting

as many of you know, i have a student teacher, jackie sullivan.

she is quite an digital illustrator - but not in the traditional sense. she has been working with the ap students on a digital painting, and i was inspired and did one of my own.

the technique is as follows: start with an ink wash painting (b/w). scan it. paint the colors using photoshop and a wacom drawing tablet. add textures (in my case, pieces of my circle paintings and spray paint splatters). tweak.

jackie's knowledge of photoshop tricks and techniques was inspiring and excited the students as well as me.

the subject of this painting is the ornette coleman quartet (l-r): don cherry, charlie haden, coleman, and ed blackwell.

the title is "the shape of jazz to come". signed and numbered archival digital prints (on rives bfk) are available for sale. contact me for prices.