first semester of MFA in retrospect

Hi everyone.

So I haven't posted for a little while on account of being so busy with my first semester of pursuing my MFA in Fine Art at Queens College.

Today was the final crit, and I thought it was appropriate that I use this time to reflect on it.

So over the course of this semester I've learned a lot. I've taken the chance in this program to develop, work, create, and pick up as much as I can from all of the tools I have available now. It's already proving to be the most valuable art experience I've had so far, and I can't wait to see whats ahead.

The content of my work has taken a little bit of an interesting turn or two, that I look forward to further investigating. I've taken an indefinite break from the corporate office peon imagery and moved on to a slightly more generalized subject matter, using what I know from how I feel about being an artist as a jumping off point- for example using Artist in Bandages as a reference to Van Gough's self portrait with the bandaged ear, and Swiss Army Knife as a metaphor for the utilitarian aspect of making work. Most recently, I've begun a work in progress that stands as vacation from the figure (unless absolutely necessary) in a painting titled Meat, which depicts a slab of mystery meat stuck with forks and knives, one carving through the slab. Look for a posting of it both on my website and the blog soon. For more of the work I've been working on the past few months visit my facebook page.


Thank you everyone for your support- it means the world to me.

Good luck to all of this semesters MFA graduates- do us proud.

Best

Aaron Schraeter

PS- I thought I would a shout out to my first two patrons of paintings. Thank you for bringing me into your homes.

New events coming up

Hey everybody-

As I've told some of you already, I have a couple of shows coming up this month that I'm really excited about.

Next week: Saturday, October 9th- I Made an Art in Redhook Brooklyn
For more info on that upcoming show, visit www.imadeanart.com


Friday October 22nd: Art Show Free Beer, Rant, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
The name pretty much says it all. 21+ with ID, 7p-2a.

I hope to see you guys there. Thanks for the support everyone.

Ciao.

Vote!

You guys can rate my portfolio over at http://aaronschraeter.3rdward.com/

You can vote once a day. Thanks everyone for the support!

artHASH Interview

Hi Guys

Just wanted to let you guys know that you can read my interview at arthash.blogspot.com

Thanks everyone for the support.

Aaron

the last 25 or so paintings in retrospect...

...and where to go from here...

To get out of my little bubble I decided to take a trip to Philadelphia- probably the closest far place I can get to that has at decent pulse for art (and plus I know some people out there, which is helpful). I made the following discoveries, observations, and connections:

1- Newton was right; What comes up must come down- Taking a new body of work that I'm feeling proud of, lumping it together, and placing it under a microscope for dissection is really unpleasant. Sure, it's necessary (no learning and no growing=imminent death), but I for the first time actually made the connection that this is probably normal for both logical and emotional reasons, and that I'm not just bipolar. I guess that's technically a good thing.

2- Two steps forward, one step back is a group of dance steps I may need to get used to- I may not like it, but just because "I want it, and I want it yesterday" doesn't mean I'll get it. I'm an impatient bastard, but in the grand scheme of things it's not an issue I have the luxury of allowing precedence. The fact is that I've got some time to let everything congeal and am not really in any rush realistically. In this specific case, its a balance issue. In my last body of work, all of my concern was placed on how I was painting, and not enough though was put into what I was painting. I now feel that I found the right direction on the highway and just missed my exit. While it doesn't feel good necessarily, at least I know exactly where I'm going.

3- Isn't it funny how history repeats itself? Once again, for different reasons that I also don't completely understand, the word "illustration" was thrown around again. This time though the word "cartoony" came up a little too. Everyone who has ever mentioned my "cartooniness" as a negative point seems to be a big advocate of the validity in (my idol) Philip Guston's work. The part I find interesting is that when he came around to his figurative work post abstraction, that was universally the biggest complaint (and ultimately led to much of his rejection). I'm not putting myself on his level, but I have to admit that this puts me in a strange position. All the push and pull involved internally is serving for quite a bit of confusion... but like my girlfriend says "looks like you found something to search for".

No matter what I feel now, I realize that the only thing I can hope for is the will and the fuel to get back up, and start again. After all, a quitter makes for a terrible artist.

Yup.. theres more...

So, yes, I have a few more paintings done. I've even got 2 new drawings for the first time in a year or so. So here they go.


Compression, 24"x30", mixed media on canvas, 2010

Running on Empty, 24"x30", mixed media on canvas, 2010

Jerk, 18"x24", mixed media on canvas, 2010



And now the drawings....

Welcome to the Big Boy Table, 9"x10", color pencil on strathmore 64lb paper, 2010


Welcome to the Big Boy Table, 10"x9", color pencil on strathmore 64lb paper, 2010

New work, finally

So I finally got off my ass and took some pictures of new work (got 5 new babies). I will eventually, by the way, be re-shooting almost my entire 2010 body of work, though that will be strictly for my website: www.seagullscrapbook.com. In the mean time, here are the newbies.


Kick, 20x16, mixed media on canvas, 2010

Hostile, 18"x24", mixed media on canvas, 2010

Countdown to Closing, 30x24, mixed media on canvas, 2010

This or That, 48x36, mixed media on canvas, 2010

Ascension, 18x24, mixed media on canvas, 2010

All Nation

Hello all. Welcome to another segment of the scrapbook.

I have a few more paintings on the way for your viewing pleasure, but today I'm sharing music of my brother's band, All Nation. I just did the cover art for their 4-song LP The Road to Dutchington. Hope you guys enjoy the music and the art. You can find it at the following link:

http://soundcloud.com/allnation/sets/the-road-to-dutchington

News, updates, whatever

As I've posted on facebook, my featurette on Artbistro is now up (under the pseudonym "Seagullscraper", which was intendid to be "Seagullscrapper"). You can find it at the following address:
http://artbistro.monster.com/featured_portfolios/articles/10659-seagullscraper

It is also located in a rotating ad on the front page.

In other news, after getting a chance to hit up the affordable art fair and a great Picasso retrospective, I have another two paintings to show you guys...

Push, mixed media on canvas, 24"x18", 2010

Self-portrait, mixed media on canvas, 24"x48", 2010

The first of may

So, as some of you may already know from my status updates on facebook, the show at Columbia U came with a few curve balls. Having said that, the artwork from the show will not be on view until May 8th, as previously stated. Despite this, I at least have some new work to share with you guys. Enjoy.

Triptych, mixed media on paper, 1.5"x3" (3x), 2010

The Prisoner, mixed media on canvas, 30"x40", 2010

Face in the Sand, mixed media on canvas, 16"x22", 2010

Atlas, mixed media on canvas, 36"x36", 2010

New Painting

I've got some more paintings in the works, but I thought I would share another one of the recent additions.

This is titled Field II, part of my exploration of Easter Island-like "monuments".

Artbistro.com

Hello again-

I thought I would let you guys know that I have been selected to be one of the featured artists on Artbistro.com's April 2010 artists. They've chosen "Noah's Arc" to represent my portfolio. Here's the link to check it out:

http://artbistro.monster.com/albums/140031-april-2010-artbistro-gallery

Thanks for checking me out.

New addition

Brealine, 24"x36", acrylic, conte' crayon, oil pastel, charcoal on canvas, 2010

Hopefully I'll be able to re-shoot this before putting a final version on my website, but I thought I would give you guys a peak at this anyway. Also, a couple of people asked me if this had anything to do with the KKK. The cone hats are dunce caps.

Evolving the new process.....

....is a product of necessary. As one might expect, I've hit a bit of a roadblock after my first volley of paintings using my revised style. HOWEVER, I was lucky enough to have a good art day to push me through. What resulted was a new found practice for me- if I can't seem to get a canvas painting done, do some small ones on paper. So far, its been good to me.

Before getting to those new ones....Dunce, 22x36", acrylic, conte' crayon on canvas

AND, the new additions (please note, the ones on paper are fairly small)....Ubu, acrylic, conte' crayon, oil pastel on paper
March, Acrylic on paperField (study), acrylic, charcoal, conte' crayon, oil pastel on paperField, 48x24", acrylic, conte' crayon, oil pastel, charcoal on canvasHouse, acrylic, conte' crayon, oil pastel on paperTv Radio, acrylic, conte' crayon, oil pastel on paper


until next time... hopefully really soon

One more

This one is titled Dung Beatle (48"x36").

As you can see, I have been pursuing my efforts to explore the the visceral qualities in my work- which I can happily say feels good, and far more natural than my previous approach. In this particular piece, I really wanted the impasto to come through, aiming to use it to my advantage in creating atmosphere.

I hope you are all looking forward to my next work.

Until next time...

4 paintings, 1 revision

So like I said in the previous post, I've been working on a different approach to my paintings in which I would allow my drawing technique to come through more.

"Shaken Not Stirred" is a painting I've struggled with many MANY times. Having said that, in spirit of experimentation, I thought it was appropriate to warm up on this one. I broke my previous inhibitions of adding line to my paintings but simply just going over this one with charcoal in my normal drawing style.
The paintings that following paintings are the result of my allowing myself to let loose a bit more, rather than worry too much about making sure everyone else will like my work.

"The Grand Pecking Order, III", Acrylic, Charcoal, and Oil Pastel on Canvas, 24"x48"


"Pink Elephant", Mixed Media on Canvas Board, 24"x18"


"The Conference Room", Acrylic, Charcoal, and Oil Pastel on Canvas, 24"x22"


"The Factory", Acrylic, Charcoal, and Oil Pastel on Canvas, 48"x36"

The new happenings

So, as I've posted on facebook- I'm beginning a new body of work, with a little bit of a different flavor. After some reassessing and reevaluation from myself and my peers, I've finally decided I'm ready to merge my drawing and painting styles.

I got on my first painting last night, a member of the Grand Pecking Order series. The first and main thing worth noting is that this process is hard. It's about unlearning everything that I worked so hard to do, and doing what I can to paint with honesty rather than fear of change or "not doing well".

When I have a couple down, I'll post them up here for viewing. Until then....

New Painting

Hello everyone

So, Sam's Farm and Cash Only are on hold for now. Need to work those ones out a little further before I go ahead and start declaring things finished pieces and all. I'm also currently working on a piece titled Standing on a Bridge to Nowhere. Until then, here's my latest:

Noah's Ark Sailing White Seas (36"x24") Much like Preachings of the Baron, this painting is very much focused on my religious confusions, and the questions I ask myself every time someone asks me what I believe in.

I've recently decided recently to hold off more on formal explanations of my work. I'm more interested in what they say to others, rather than what I have to say about them. Should be interesting to see how they line up. Having said that, I hope to post something new soon.

Update on paintings and such

Hello All-

For those of you who were worried about my work production- have no fear, my studio practice is alive and well. I've got one new painting ready for posting, and one retouched since I last posted it. And, just so I can get you guys quivering with anticipation, I've got 3 more paintings in the works: "Noah's Ark on White Waves", "Sam's Farm" and "Cash Only".

That said, I thought I would post the completed stuff, and maybe explain a little bit...


Babble (24x48") This painting was inspired by debates I had with an ultra conservative guy I knew in college, strangely because we finally agreed on something after many nights of debate- you simply can't trust everything you hear (or anything you hear) from the media. It's the representation of the obsession with, and almost divine placement of the media and it's roll in modern society.

And now for the Touch-up:

Preachings of the Baron The meaning of the painting can be seen in a previous post, should it peak your interest. Since last posted, I added details to the figures in the background. Hair, shirt patterns, facial hair, and even things like a tie and newspaper. Featured in the background of the work are a priest clutching an umbrella and a bible, a business man in a suit with his newspaper and brief case, and people milling about their day.