One of Those Weeks

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19607_10150561253524956_1804358799561093639_nHave you ever had one of those weeks? You might know what I am talking about here. There are weeks when a lot of things decide to happen together. Last week was one of those weeks for me when so many great things happened together that I am still trying to recount them all. I am so thankful for each one of this blessings. Among all those blessings, I had the opportunity to teach three nights, three different subjects: basic computer skills, painting, and sculpting. Of course, on each one many other teaching opportunities came along.  My wife says that no matter what I am doing I find the chance to teach something. I can’t stop myself from teaching something, because I learn through teaching.

11073071_10150564957424956_9088131320696504778_nBeing an educator is a challenge but it is also an amazing blessing. It doesn’t matter what the subject is. In ancient Greece the concept of subjects was technically the concept of branches of practice but it came from the three of knowledge and had to be connected to its trunk and rooted in practical life. Subjects were not isolated concepts. Specializations, so to speak, had a purpose in service. Switching subjects was a continuum. Math and music could be having a discussion together, and philosophy could assist the conversation inviting science to share its point of view while a poet put to rhythmic speech the historical account of the piece of art being created with the brush or under the chisel.

I see knowledge as one unlimited supply of interconnected events, points of views, interpretations, results from experience and experimentation, explanations of our surroundings, assumptions of what we don’t know based on the things we do know, and abstract descriptions of an idea. As I explained to one of the participants: “Everything we see, hear, and say is an abstraction of an idea”. Letters are the abstraction of the idea of a sound that we translate into a symbol, but that sound itself is an abstraction of the idea of that particular sound. Objects are abstractions of ideas producing symbols we get attached to. The object perish, and the symbol changes its value based on time and context, but the idea remains. Sadly, humans attach themselves to so many perishable abstractions instead of taking hold of the idea. Even more so, we often forget to rely on the source of life who put the idea into visual and palpable realization with just speaking.

11150225_10150566159194956_8952423942549070099_nOn that thought, I begin my week still in awe and spiritually refreshed after witnessing how 43 individuals made a profession of faith last night through baptism at City Church. It is such a fulfilling experience to hear each story towards transformation. It is also great to share this experience in community with a bunch of strangers that become family in Christ. This week we just began can be one of those weeks too if only we focus on being thankful, on keeping the faith with patience to see the fulfillment of the promise of God.

April is almost coming to an end but there are still things to do and classes to teach. I continue the computer class at The Literacy Center of Milford, and if you are missing on all the fun of the painting and sculpting parties, we are going to be sculpting at The Grove in New Haven, Friday, April 24. The events for the month of May are listed also so you can RSVP with time. You can also request private sculpting and painting parties, as well as art lessons.

Three Way Interpretation

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11126231_10150557249669956_2207303122166726283_nNot too long ago I wrote about a pencil drawing that inspired a few more sketches and a few other ideas. It ended up being a three way interpretation of the same image. I played around with four or five more sketches and then decided to paint. After an amazing private painting night with the ladies of the Orange CT Chamber of Commerce 11147867_10150564658444956_5834943068492316670_nI thought I could use the leftover paint on a few canvases I had available here at home. It was a lot of fun to paint again. Before arriving to the image that started it all I used another sketch for the first painting, then another for a second. The third painting was using that first sketch. I called the three paintings together “Spring Fairies”.

The first 11128803_10150564658469956_8933270425009002914_oone has the extra long hair. It was a lot of fun adding all that extra paint around the figure. I tried to keep the figure as monochromatic as I could. Based on this result I decided to paint the other two on longer canvases I wanted to recycle. That’s something you maybe didn’t know. When people talk about the mysteries of Leonardo’s multilayered paintings I just laugh. Sometimes, not to say many times, I paint over paintings I don’t like that much, and over again. 11070544_10150564658484956_8377671706688468462_oI can’t wait until someone decides to x-ray one of them. Nevertheless, I covered the previous paintings and continued the fairies. The third one was inspired on the pencil sketch. There is a sequence of the process in Instagram and Facebook. I didn’t stop there. I tried a sculpture with the same sketch. After all, I am a sculptor primarily.

11136631_10150563648774956_2926769332023686813_nIt is interesting how one image can get multiple interpretations. I can still try a full round sculpture. Someone might think about trying a more modern art version of it. Maybe we can create a cubist version or something more abstract. The possibilities are endless. That is the beauty of art and the human mind.

Guest Post

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The artist and his artFirst, I want to apologize for my sporadic absence in this blog. I’ve been busy and honestly, I had no inspiration to write. Last week I completed 3 paintings and this week 1 sculpture (after destroying a nearly finished one). I’ve been also working on the sculpting and painting parties, and also started teaching a basic computer skills class for the Literacy Center of Milford. Soon I’ll be announcing a group art show in New Haven. Before that show, I’ll be speaking at The Grove in New Haven May 21st, and where we are holding our Sculpting Night, Friday, April 24 (get the information and RSVP here). Speaking of which, better than writing a blog about oneself or what is going on is to read when someone writes about it. I want to share this guest post article with you: Sculpt Your Brain. Enjoy it! Let me know what you think about it.

No Title Yet

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Sunday night I drew a sketch on a canvas. Monday morning I began a painting. Tuesday afternoon it was done. Each part of the process was great. One thing I can’t stretch enough is to maintain awareness of what’s going on in the process of creation and execution, and what goes on inside the mind. That awareness can transform the way an art piece is approached. It can also change the way an art moment is perceived. Such awareness brings also a greater connection with the work and the surroundings.

So, I did. From the time I began drawing I tried to study each moment. I reviewed my technique and provided closed attention to how I wanted to proceed to painting it. At that moment I had a good idea of what I wanted to do. To my surprise, the brush strokes began flowing better than I thought possible while I painted the background. The colors came together nicely. Once the colorful background was complete, I began working with the figure.

549318_10150558024964956_1284033348735649579_nI tried to understand each shadow and each brush stroke leading to the shades I wanted to achieve. I was looking for an almost monochromatic figure and at the end it was accomplished. I wanted to pay close attention to the face and the detail of the eyes and I am very satisfied with the results. I really enjoyed working on this painting. I can’t stop staring at it, specially at the details. There is no title yet for this painting but I am considering working on a new painting following these steps. That is another upside of the awareness I mentioned before: by keeping track of the steps and technique it is possible to reproduce them in a new project. Now that the painting is ready for sale, I am ready to begin a new one.

New Painting in Progress

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549318_10150558024964956_1284033348735649579_nI thought that it would take me longer to decide when to begin a new project. After drawing a large sketch on a canvas I decided to begin a painting. Since it is Monday and this is my studio day, it is only logical to step away for the computer. Friday was a long day in front of it taking care of business. Art business is so much more than just painting or sculpting, specially when I take care myself of the changes to the website, the design of posters, cards, and other graphic design for marketing, not to mention writing for the blog. No, I don’t have an agent or a PR service to promote what I do. I’ve been blessed with awesome supporters who by word of mouth let their friends know about the parties, the art, and other events. Also, social media plays a very important role in the process. I am very thankful for all the followers.

I am considering several ways to approach the new painting in progress. I could use the same style and technique I used in my published painting which is very similar to the ink drawing you have probably seen through Facebook and Instagram. You can also see the paintings here in the website. I could approach the painting with not so strong lines and make the acrylic paint look like watercolors and keep the pencil lines showing, or just lines on a solid background as some of the torso paintings. Perhaps I could use the technique I used in my most recent painting. I guess that being a sculptor and not a painter allows for some experimentation. I’ll be posting updates on social media as I go. Make sure to follow and let me know what you think.