Lawndale Show

detail...
Shawn Smith "Vicious Venue" - Enigmatic room transformation with pixelated Vultures devouring old technology. Check out more of his work at shawnsmithart.com
I didn't get this artist's name.

Monica Vidal and her installation "Blow Up Heart"

At Lawndale Art Center

November 20, 2009 - January 9, 2010

She's made of wood

mixed media - moleskine sketch book - 2009

Trenton Doyle Hancock Studio visit

week in the happening...

little sketch Sunday morning...

Amarone della Valpolicella
Is there any very poisonous lethal spider in Texas that I should be aware of? I can swear I have an infestation in my apartment and my aracnophobia is starting to kick in.

Tilda Swinton commenting about her new movie, the italian melodrama which she made us swear we wouldn't publish its name...so Tilda, I'm keeping my promise. MFAH auditorium, 11/14/09

Why can't all restaurants provide a blank table cloth and few crayons.... and complimentary house wine?

Action Figure

A. Mackey has an amazing art collection, lots of drawings and awesome stuff. Among all the goodness to my surprise delight, an extensive Marcel Dzama collection, including the toy series on the kids room (!!!!!)

blue pencil, paper - 10 x 10 inches - 2009 - AFR

blue pencil, paper - 8.5 x 11 inches - 2008 - AFR

Dario Robleto: Some Longings Survive Death

Words Tremble with the Thoughts They Express

Feathers made from stretched audio tape of the last recordings of now extinct birds and of not extinct languages, glass inkwell, homemade ink (lamp black, ground fulgurites, cuttlefish sepia, homemade paper, volcanic ash from Mt. St. Helens, ink dyed willow, brass, typeset

Love Has Value Because It's Not Eternal , 2008

Hand blown glass beakers, stretched audio tape of field recordings of the sound of glaciers melting (2005-06) intertwined with audio tape of various lovers recording their partner's heartbeats as they reflected on each other, ground passion flower, amber, eternal flower, resurrection plant, silk, satin, leather, ribbon, brass, iron, cork, pine, typeset

A Homeopathic Treatment For Human Longing , 2008

Glass vials, vintage glass electrode wands, 19th c. bloodletting cupping glass, various handmade homeopathic remedies (sound of glaciers melting, voice of oldest to ever live, last heartbeats of loved one, million year old blossom, million year old raindrop, deceased lovers heartbeats, extinct, animal sounds, extinct languages), various custom ordered remedies made by professional homeopath (black amber, willow, tears, mammoth hair, glacial runoff, voice of oldest widow, black swan bone dust, Silvia Plath's voice), velvet, silk, leather ribbon, brass, iron, cork, pine, typeset

Dario Robleto: Some Longings Survive Death

at Inman Gallery, 3917 Main St.

October 31 thru December 31, 2009

Saturdays 2 - 5 pm

Untitled

DoodleBuddy

I've been addicted to DoodleBuddy application for Iphone for a couple of weeks now. It's just too much fun. It remains me a lot of MarioPaint with Nintendo NES back in the day of early digital paintings with my friend Paulo, Im sure next they will have some animation and sound effects functions to it... can't wait!

Thanks to all the folks that have visited my blog in 2009! It really blows my mind that from since October 2008 to October 2009 I've had 3,376 hits...so cool! So keep coming back to check my blog out and welcome to the new visitors!

Matthew Day Jackson: The Immeasurable Distance

So bummed that I missed out the opening for the new exhibition at the Camh but I finally got a chance to check it out and it's simply mesmerizing...

Matthew Day Jackson:
The Immeasurable Distance
Opening reception: Friday, October 16, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m
On view: October 17, 2009 – January 17, 2010

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston

Halloween!

This year I've carved my first pumpkin ever! Tara's Studio

I was this piece at The Modern in Fort Worth, TX

RON MUECK
Untitled (Seated Woman), 1999
Mixed media
25 1/4 X 17 X 16 1/2 inches

Letter to Future Self

pen & ink - 2007 - 8.5 x 11 inches - AFR

35

Today my parents celebrate their 35th anniversary. What a great accomplishment of work in the making. You know that there is happiness when a couple is not afraid to dress alike. You guys are a constant inspiration! Love, AR

Mary of Magdala

Dawn Black,
Mary of Magdala

Gouache

Retablo I got at the Day of the dead!

Here's my contribution:

Big Deal, 2009 - 8.5 x 11 inches - graphite on retablo

Santa Fe, NM 2009

Don't mean to brag but that's the place I stayed in!

Amazing clouds!
My failed trial to steal this woman soul went in vain. She shielded herself last minute.
The Georgia O'Keefe Museum was a bit underwhelming

Sculptures at the Rainbowman Store

Hatch Green Chile, Niman Bacon, Sharp White Cheddar, Chive-Kaiser Roll and Onion Ring

Best Buffalo Burger ever at Restaurant Martin!!!!

La Posada Harlequins (Detail). Oil on linen , 40 x 70 inches by John Farnsworth...

Surrender. Oil on Canvas, 36x48 inches by Jill Parkey

Yes, there was a lot of drinking involved in this trip...

pen, ink and digital - 2006

Tilda!!

Shrines

A Shrine Im building with found objects and gifts... I will take a better picture later.

Packaging

Milton Glaser

MILTON GLASER DRAWS & LECTURES from C. Coy on Vimeo.

"Only through drawing I see things accurately..."

Fall 2009

Hello Fall in Houston! With the gray, cold and raining weather it comes this introspective mood and the simple pleasure of stay in and making some drawings, watching movies and eating a lot. I know the chill weather won't last long in H-town...it never does!

some silly sketching this weekend...
Found this on Taft in front of a new clothing store. Kinda looked like an installation. Of course, I've had a couple glasses of wine at Boheme...
This amazingly huge mushroom Flower found in front of the Menil....
I really like this sculpture at The Menil Collection, just failed to get the name of the artist...
I dropped off my piece at the Lawndale Art Center for their Dia de los Muertos celebrations.

Retablo Exhibition October 19-November 7, 2009

Zombieland, some fun laughable moment and a unexpected cameo. Woody Harrison is back!!! Cool slow motion intro (very Spike Jonze)

002's Cover contest 2010

week in the happening...

The Iphone camera has still a long way to go before it can take a decent picture without flash. That' s all I could register of the Kings of Leon concert past Tuesday. They were great, I guess too good for their own sake, don't get me wrong, it's like listening to one of their albums. I just like when bands surprise me live, you know, I was expecting it to be louder, rawer, more visceral. They also seemed a little tired, maybe because they had just arrived from ACL? hummm i wonder...nonetheless it was a fun concert.

Some sketchings I've been doing this week. Trying to get back on track and draw more...

Spanish Teacher, HCC Class, circa 2004

..."I've been poor a long time," Elliott says. "But I feel rich."

Moby

Moby is a nice fella. You just feel like you know the dude for ages (you probably do but that's not the point.) He's ultra humble and him and his band are very competent and delivered a hell of a concert past Saturday at the Warehouse Live here in Houston. He's more a front man in a rock band than a DJ behind the turntable nowadays and he's friends with some amazing female singer that kick some ass live.

Rio 2016 Olympic Games

This is freaking impressive...the beauty of this city is stunning!

Chocolate

I have to drive 30 minutes in Houston to find these Brazilian's Nestle Chocolate products... totally worth it! Here's the Nescau (Chocolate milk), Bono (Chocolate cookies) and Suflair (Chocolate bar). The packaging has changed quite a bit through the years but what matters, the taste, still the same.

And here's a picture of me, circa 1984, with my favorite goggles.

Some vinyl sticker project I've been working on....

Moby

I haven't checked most of his stuff since Play....

Here's a video that came out this year for his new album Wait For Me. The drawings were made by David Lynch by the way.

Moby at the Warehouse Live

Saturday, October 3 at 8:30pm

Houston, TX

I want...

platform bed & headboard by LAX series

platform bed & wall mounted headboard with aluminum sliding door

Stoned

Family Stone

O'Neil left his message in hebrew to the world on the concrete pavement... very prophetic!

Nothing like enjoying the nice weather in Houston, sitting outside having a conversation over coffee at t'afia and disturbing some stones at the patio...

Jugendverderber II

Collage and Digital Media, 2009 - AFR

A collage of old drawings...playing around with some colors palettes and composition for a project coming soon. If you download the bigger version, it serves as screen saver too. - AFR

Anybody care to join in?

Art & Copy

Looks interested, i hope it is as good as Helvetica.

...and it gets more complicated.

As bad as it sounds, I couldn't resist but to purchase this hand drawn Japanese clipart book...and I'm loving every single page of it. 1000 eps files scraps in a cd!!! My lazy ass and I feel extremely guilty right now!

Free Style Scraps 06 by BNN

King of Beasts

10"x10" - pen - 2009 - AFR

Awkward Family Photos.com

Sometimes you just need a little push. Thanks, dad.

This site just feeds my goofy sense of humor like a feast. Just can't stop laughing...

Gravidade Zero

Proudly announcing my uncle Darlan Rosa's Installation at the Brookfield Place in Toronto, Canada. Exhibition from 09/03/2009 through end of September 2009. Photos by Bia Schmidt/Divulgação

Gallery Hopping

Angela Fraleigh "the story she told from that time on", 2007 oil on panel, 72 x 96 inches

Her work is so sexy

Darren Waterston, Conglomerate No. 5, 2008
watercolor and guoache on rag paper, 15" x 11"

These are some of private works collected and some are for sale. I really liked the arrangement of the paintings.

Collected Works at Inman Gallery

a group exhibition celebrating the gallery's 20th season.

KOL

3 great first albums and a very boy-band-ish 4th. I'm really curious to check them out live. Please play "California Waiting" that's all I ask... 

Kings of Leon with special guest White Lies

Toyota Center - Houston, TX

Tuesday, October 6, 2009 

7:00 PM

Some studies and sketches...

My Maudlin Career

Can't stop listening to this album, a bit on the sad side but everybody's have their days...

Big Head

Wayne White's opening at Rice Gallery for the show "BIG LECTRIC FAN TO KEEP ME COOL WHILE I SLEEP"

NyTimes paper + Catalina's latte + Pistachio/Chocolate Cookie = Good way to start the day!

Fever Ray Video collection

One of my favorite albums of 2009 by far is the anonymous Fever Ray (Karin Dreijer Andersson, the girl half of The Knife). The music evokes primal drums and flute in a druid gathering in the middle of the forest juxtaposed with intricate electronic beats and to top it off, Karin haunting voice. The promotional videos don't disappoint either. Each one of them is a unique narrative of beautiful images, cryptic symbols of sheer weirdness that would make Matthew Barney go home and cry. From art cover, remixes and to costume everything is thought out to be part of a whole concept . Enjoy...it's a raining and gray day out and I can't imagine listening to anything else.

If I had a Heart

If I Had A Heart from Fever Ray on Vimeo.

Triangle Walks

Triangle Walks from Fever Ray on Vimeo.

When I Grow Up

When I Grow Up from Fever Ray on Vimeo.

He draws...

Not quite a urban guerilla, but don't be surprise if you see the shy little girl sticker around the town, got plenty of adhesive paper left.

Movie Recommendation: The September Issue

Saw this movie last night, if you get past the Devil-wears-Prada-ish crap, this is a very insightful and funny documentary about the creative process that involves putting together Vogue's biggest issue of the year... Grace Coddington (art director) just steals this movie from Anna Wintour! Every graphic designer has been on her shoes once (no pun intended). 

The movie is out September 25th.

everybody's sorry, but...

FYI

I will be contributing again this year to Lawndale Art Center 22nd Annual Dias de Los Muertos.

On the other good note I will be involved on a new project ArtStorm is putting together, a limited edition book, featuring 30 artists. Stay tuned... Summer 2010.

Being Cartoon-ized

I've had my caricature made this weekend (what a little vodka soda can't do...) I wished Ive had memorized the artist's name for proper credit, he is quite a character himself. It took him less than 5 minutes to draw the whole thing... specially liked the cop he drew on the side. Thanks for the suggestion Terence that was fun!

Mad Men

I got the Mad Men bug - I devoured the first season!

Ólafur Arnalds - Ljósið

BIG LECTRIC FAN TO KEEP ME COOL WHILE I SLEEP

Wayne White

BIG LECTRIC FAN TO KEEP ME COOL WHILE I SLEEP

10 September - 18 October 2009

@ Rice University Art Gallery
6100 Main Street
Houston, Texas 77005
(713) 348-6069

Children don't grow up

Pure goose bumps, i could cry just watching this...perfect marriage between video and music, can't wait to see this movie! Mr Jonze is awesome.

Video: Ernesto Yerena - “Con O Sin”

Ernesto Yerena - Con O Sin from Hecho Con Ganas on Vimeo.

The Green

The Green™ cyber web | Adela Andea - August 21 - September 26, 2009 @ Lawndale Art Center

Walton Ford: Pancha Tantra

A Self-Portrait. Filmed at Walton Ford's Studio in The Berkshires. December 2007

These are great short videos Taschen put on their website, specially liked this one about Walton Ford.

Im pretty sure that's Roy Scheider decapitated head flying. It was fun drawing Morrissey's hair do...

Wendy's Studio

Its always a pleasure to visit my friend's Wendy Wagner studio, its so neat and organize almost like a surgery room and at the same time organic and magical, like you would expect a artist's studio to be...

YPB Happy Hour and Kick-off!!

Sucessful Living from Diesel

I saw these bed sheets at the Diesel store in San Fran and I really dug the textile printing...

much needed NEW great music...

Dawn Black

babu's fantasy, gouache, ink, & watercolor on paper, 15" x 22 1/2" (2009)

tomorrow's bride to order, gouache, ink, & watercolor, 22 1/2" x 30" (2009)

I ran across Dawn Black's art at Lawndale's website. She's part of this year's Studio Program Residents. Her paintings are absolutely stunning... the narrative and the characters! I cant wait to see what this year's artists will come up with and specially her stuff. You can check more of her work at http://www.dawnblack.com/

A Finer Pen

silly sketching...

"Olhar é a luz que sai do olho."

São Paulo sidewalks...

That might be common sense in Brazil but some people dont know that that weird polygonal shape on São Paulo's side walks is a representation of the State's shape. I wished I knew the designer's name that come up with it...such a unique shape and its genius how it fits together in a pattern.

Memória

drawings on memory card index paper,...drinking coffee on a over-sized black mug, looking out the window to passing cars, two dogs laying down next to me and most likely listening to the White Stripes...time to work on a new series and new memories. It takes two to tango...

Dog Mother Studios. Cool word play.

San Francisco, CA 2009

It was 4 very fast-paced days in San Francisco, CA. It was my first time there and my missions were to give my marathoner friend Cyn all the moral support needed and to get to know as much of the city as possible. The weather was amazing, the city is very charming and I had a great time! The trip was a success and I cant wait to revisit it for more exploration.

San Francisco Botanical Garden

Chinatown dolls on display on the window...

Those steeped streets are insane! This woman was strolling her baby cart naturally down the street and all I could see was a tragedy to happen, fortunately no baby went down the hill this time.

26.2 miles

Building Installation at Howard Street.

Nice installation @ 1AM. Thanks for the tips Roman, you are very hospitable!

First Amendment, Inc.

1000 Howard Street

So nice to just hang out and soak up some sun at the Yerba Buena Gardens -

75 degrees + sun + ice latte + park = perfect day!

California Academy of Sciences Natural History Museum

Beautiful retrospective exhibition. I saw one of my favorite photo ever!
Ronald Fischer, beekeeper, Davis, California, May 9, 1981

RICHARD AVEDON Photographs 1946-2004 | July 11 - November 29, 2009 at the SfMoma

Off the wall art installation at the Ted Baker's store - I wished i knew the artist's name, its very Bansky-esque to me. And the doorman looked like a butler ... nice touch! 80 Grant Ave | San Francisco, CA 94108-5802

Also liked the Paul Smith windown display...

Fancy bar at fancy hotel...cool backlit shelves...over-priced vodka soda...

I love these mushrooms at Ferry Building Marketplace.

Weird sculpture at Yerba Buena Gardens...it looks like Ronald Reagan to me.

ahhh i can't stand this nice weather...

My Influences from Dan Meth on Vimeo.

I saw this video made by Dan Meth called my influence posted by Drawn.ca. We share a lot of the same cartoon and imagery growing up. I made me feel so nostalgic....

$TIMULUS

Friday 07/17 was the art opening at Diverseworks $TIMULUS. Some great work by El Franco Lee II, Mequitta Ahuja, Dawolu Jabari Anderson and others. The show goes thru 8/15. My cell phone pictures are crappy so go there to check the work in person.

widernatürliche unzucht

(unnatural indecency)
Collage & digital picture - AFR - 2009

Induce Remorse

Collage & digital picture - AFR - 2009

Food Inc

Ok... I watched Food Inc. last night, even tough its a okay documentary, it doesnt come as a surprise, Americans eat bad food. It feels a little like organic food propaganda. It has its cliches like the childless mother, oppressed small farmer, live stcock being abused and big evil cooperated guys in suits, but I guess anything is valid when it comes to trying to increase the quality in America's kitchen. Even tough by now the message feels a little stale. The title graphics were cool, a little HBO-ish but nice. I wonder who made them....anyways if you havent seen Fast-food Nation a couple of year's ago, go check out Food Inc, otherwise I would say don,t bother. If you listen to KPFT, shop at Whole Foods or being to a farmer's market this stuff should be all old news.

BAYTOWN - preview

on my table...

the Spirit Redbox case (it sucks, what happeed to Frank Miller anyways!!!), very un-environmental friendly Ozarka bottle of water, because it always seems to be 102 ℉ and most of the time it is, an empty emergen-c package, this amazing Brazilian Coffee Amaya Roasting Co. purchased at Catalina's, Eels new music on the lappie, The Invincible Iron Man (don't ask), Kidrobot's 123k "eat Cheese" doll, this month's L'Uomo Vogue - arts issue, Iphone manuals (remains me of the tamagotchi things back in the 90's), skull mug from Z Gallery (thx Rog), my hand made leather wrist band with 5 tiny wooden skulls (very gay), Sakura's Pigma Micron 005 ink pen, my moleskine sketch book and a bunch of bills...

Here it is world, another drawing that I have absolute no idea what it means. At this point i don't care, its pretty relaxing just to play with colors and element without caring about content...I must have drawn and scanned it about 3 years ago, the rest is pure Photoshop-ed.

Lawndale's Big Show 2009

I gotta say, this year's Big Show was fun. Lots of figurative and portrait paintings. The AC was working ok for most part and the music wasn't too loud (Phoenix, Metric and etc...very trendy Mr. DJ). People stuck around at the backward having drinks (considering 94℉ outside).

On View
The Big Show 2009 - July 10 - August 8, 2009

2009 Big Show Juror: Laura Fried
Assistant Curator: Contemporary Art Museum, St. Louis
This year Lawndale received 994 submissions by 409
artists. Guest Juror Laura Fried, Assistant Curator for the Contemporary Art Museum, St. Louis, selected 95 works
by 65 artists for this year’s exhibition.

Thanks for Vika for letting me use your pictures!!

Let's dance

I've been experimenting with the available technology gadgets around me. This sketching I filmed with an Iphone, holding it myself while I drew. Its shaky, a bit too long and I couldnt figure out why it is vertical instead of horizontal (maybe I should flip the device???!). It's my first shot on this so more tests are definitely necessary. Also I couldnt find the effect that speeds-up the video. So if you know how to do that in a simple way please help me out...

Tattoo You

Discarded idea for a photo shoot, I drew these birds as a come-to-life tattoo and applied it to the models' arm digitally. Gaby Nissen shot that picture, by the way.

MUSIC-THEMED ARTWORK FOR YOUR WALLS!
Impress your friends and family with amazing art at an affordable price!

Party & Sale Saturday, July 18th 7-9pm

ONE NIGHT ONLY!
Buy art Saturday, pick up on Sunday

... but it's first come, first served...

Thom Pain

Nova Arts Project presents Will Eno's Thom Pain (based on nothing), June 19-July 3, 8 p.m. at DiverseWorks. General admission $15, students/senior $10. Pay what you can 2 p.m. July 4. Call 800-595-4849 or visit www.novaartsproject.com for tickets.

Great writing and acting!

Dinosaucers

This image brought me good memories of one of my favorite toys as a kid. I wish I still had these guys!

Cheyanne Ramos, Lost Paradise @ Joan Wich Gallery

Grackle Flock, Stone Mountain, California, 2008, oil, magazine collage, Prisma color on canvas, 35 x 53 inches

That looks beautiful....Here some of the background story and information about the opening.

Joan Wich & Co. Gallery is pleased to introduce the work of Cheyanne Ramos in the exhibition, Lost Paradise, opening Friday, July 10, 2009 and presented in conjunction with ArtHouston.

Ramos, who recently earned her MFA from the University of Houston, presents here a body of paintings and collages that are, frankly, eerie. Often using actual events of a disastrous nature (Hurricane Ike's devastation of Galveston, for example) together with her own bizarre imaginings, Ramos draws from her extensive treasury of found photographs and clip-art to create worlds fallen or - even worse - worlds about to fall apart. Dramatic but certain doom looms as actual characters in these disaster works - a tornado, a hurricane, a volcano - while Ramos plays with time: whether the disaster has already struck, or is about to. In Future Prospects, old Galveston after-Ike has been refigured entirely into a city recognizable only by vaguely familiar buy disparate parts of the original buildings, yet all still lit by a disquieting orange light. In Sea of Sorbitol, two children play unsupervised on a dirty beach unaware of just how dirty that beach will be when the fuming volcano on the next atoll cranks up. In any and all cases, the world Ramos imagines has changed, or is about to, and there's not much we can do about it, pre- or post-disaster. Nature wins; we cope as we can, or don't, leaving what remains to the birds in Grackle Flock.

Of her own work, Ramos says, "They are amalgamations of real, perceived, and projected experiences built from the fragments of found and personal photographs, objects, memories, art history, and the natural environment. I fuse these unstable, divergent and often times conflicted sources into new fictions. Places appear as apparitions, distorted or idealized memories, fabrications, or projections. Together they conflate time - the present exists as the discomfort between a nostalgic past and a foreboding future." The results are inventive, haunting, and beautifully fascinating paintings.

A preview reception for the artist will be held Friday evening, July 10th from 6 - 8 pm. The gallery will be open on Saturday, July 11 from 11 am to 5 pm to celebrate ArtHouston, which with other participating galleries, will solicit contributions to benefit the reconstruction of Galveston Art Center.

Regular gallery hours are Tuesday thru Saturday 11 - 5.

Blow Up Houston

Aerosol Warefare Opening

Mural at Taft/Fairview

Artist Robert Tatum doing a great job redesigning the front of the store Oriental Rugs at Taft and Fairview. The large ornamented crests and hand painted background is turning out beautifully. I can't wait to see this mural finished. Thanks for making my way to work bit prettier!