Creating as I go...

A work in progress by Amy Crehore (11/29/11)
CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

This is how my painting looks today. I have no idea when it will be finished or how many changes it will go through before I'm done. I'm having fun with it. No pressure. Experimentation. 

(Here's my initial drawing, step 1, step 2, step 3) 

The Art of Amy Crehore

Tinted Siblings

J. O. Dvořák, Praha - Tinted Siblings, a photo by josefnovak33 on Flickr.

I'm in love with beautiful cabinet cards of children...
(Thanks, josefnovak33)

Mr. Peanut Speaks

After 95 years of silence, they have given Mr. Peanut a voice. It's the voice of Robert Downy, Jr. Here's an article about it with a photo of the new animated Mr. Peanut.

I don't really care if Mr. Peanut can talk, I just wish he still looked the same as the old vintage sign that I have at home (shown above). What a beautiful silk-screened face he has. I'm not sure how old my sign is, but I'm partial to this particular "look". Of course, I realize that Mr. Peanut has gone through many changes over the years. If you google him, you can find them. 

 According to wikipedia, Planters Peanuts was founded in 1906. In 1916, a contest was held to design a logo for the company. A 14 year old school boy won the contest by drawing a peanut man. Later, a graphic artist added spats, top hat, monocle and cane. 

The Art of Amy Crehore

NEW! Boing Boing Monkey T-shirt Designed by Amy Crehore

I'm so excited about this brand new Boing Boing t-shirt that I designed. It is available now in the Boing Boing Shop in Ash Grey, White and Natural. Mens and Womens sizes S, M, L, XL, and 2XL. 
  LINK TO BUY


Originally, I painted this particular monkey (wearing a plaid jacket & tiny derby, smoking a pipe) on a vintage banjo-uke and called it the "Squirm". It was part of my solo art show, "Dreamgirls and Ukes", which took place in Los Angeles in 2009. The monkey was perched on a lump of grass, floating in a cloudy sky. I also drew him in ink (sitting on a cloud) for the very first Cloudy Collection print set.
For this brand new Boing Boing Monkey t-shirt design, I created a special typeface and hand-lettered the words "Boing Boing". You may have seen my "monkey love" paintings featured on Boing Boing in the past. I want to thank everyone at Boing Boing for making this t-shirt happen! 
The Art of Amy Crehore

Progress and Process in Painting (Amy Crehore)

 Blocking in some shapes.

Adding color to background.

Here, you can see my progress with the new painting. This is just the beginning. Some interesting things are happening as I go along. It's fun to document the steps. I have no idea how this will end up. I am "creating" as I go and enjoying the process. Each painting is really an experiment. I do not have a specific chronological order of doing things. The design elements are leading me around the painting. Around and around I go. Adding layers of paint. I'm loving the contrasting colors shown here. But, it will change a thousand times before I am done. I based this composition on a drawing that I made in pencil first. (See my previous posts here and here.)

The Art of Amy Crehore

The beginning of a new painting....

I'm using a red undercoat for this new painting. The beginning is always fun. 

The Art of Amy Crehore

(See my previous post for pencil drawing of this image)

What am I working on? Drawings, Paintings

 Amy Crehore Studio Nov 17, 2011

Drawing of Figures on Rocks by Amy Crehore 2011

Here are some quick photos (taken with my ipod touch) of my studio with my large cove  painting on my easel (which I am still working on) and a new drawing that will soon become a painting. You may wonder what happened to my custom-built Tickler Uke #3. It has some really unique features that I'm so excited about it, but I simply can't jump the gun by showing it just yet. The luthier is a perfectionist. Good things come to those who wait! 

The Art of Amy Crehore

Article/interview w/artist Amy Crehore, INKED magazine (Feb 2009)

 CLICK image to ENLARGE (to read)

In case anyone missed it when it came out, INKED magazine did this wonderful feature on my art with an interview for their Feb 2009 issue. It's nice to look back on good things.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Neo Rauch at David Zwirner

 Die Warte, oil on canvas by Neo Rauch 2011

Fundgrube, oil on canvas by Neo Rauch 2011 

The artist Neo Rauch is currently showing at David Zwirner in NYC (533 West 19th St.) Nov. 4th thru Dec. 17th, 2011. The show is called "Heilstatten". 

LINK to more images. 

Shown above are two paintings that demonstrate his amazing ability to meld narrative, surreal images into utterly fascinating, nostalgic works with a command of colors and highly unusual compositions. My eyes immediately travel to the the familiar-looking bright yellow forsythia bushes in Fundgrube (like those in my own backyard) and the green tornado of a figure in Die Warte (my favorite color is green, especially that green). But, there are plenty of things going on in his canvases to keep you transfixed and unsettled for hours, trying to figure out what the hell is going on. Neo Rauch's skewed perspectives are wonderful things.

UPDATE: Here's an interview w/ Neo Rauch that I just found in the Art Newspaper, if you are curious.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Two exhibits at the Frick and the Clark that I would love to see

 Sleeping Peasants 1919 by Picasso

 Pierrot and Harlequin 1920 by Picasso

Woman with Flowered Hat 1921 by Picasso 

All works shown above copyright 2011 Estate of Pablo Picasso/ ARS/ New York

Picasso's drawings from 1890-1821 are currently being shown at The Frick Collection in NYC, 1 East 70th St.(Oct 4, 2011 thru Jan 8, 2012). If you can't make it to the show, the exhibit is online HERE

There is also a catalogue that you can buy: HERE.

And, I would love to see this exhibit at the Clark Art Institute which just opened yesterday: "Two Young Artists: Rembrandt and Degas" (Nov. 13, 2011 thru Feb 5, 2012) 225 South Street, Williamstown, MA. Here's the special website for this show: LINK  There is a nice slide show sneak peek on their BLOG. 

Shown below, a couple of works by Rembrandt that inspired the young Degas.

Rembrandt self-portrait with curly hair- etching 1628

 Rembrandt self-portrait oil 1629

Degas self-portrait oil 1855

Actual film footage of Degas, plus sketches that look like the Tramp.

Here's a film of Edgar Degas walking down a Paris Street with a woman in 1914.

One of Degas' sketchbooks (dated 1880) can be found on the Morgan Library website. Shown below is a page from the sketchbook showing sketches that almost look like costume designs for Charlie Chaplin's Tramp character (which was created in 1914). Interesting. I wonder if Chaplin could have seen this book. I also wonder if Degas could have seen Chaplin's film in 1914 even though his eyesite was terrible at the time.

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE (Page from Degas' sketchbook)

Real Film Footage of Renoir, Monet, Rodin and Degas

Here is a film of Pierre-Auguste Renoir painting. He had severe rheumatoid arthritis, as you can see here, but he kept on painting. Also, films of Rodin, Monet & Degas on YouTube.

Now in Paperback: Made by Hand by Mark Frauenfelder

This book would make a great gift. Mark Frauenfelder's gem of a book, Made by Hand, is now in paperback! I blogged about it when it first came out. 

More information about the book and where to purchase it can be found here .

Mark is the founder of BOING BOING and the Editor in Chief of MAKE.

NEW! Limited Edition, Silk-Screened Print Set by Cloudy Collection

NEW: Art by Amy Crehore (3-color silk-screen print, limited edition- click image to enlarge)

Oh boy, oh boy! The newest print set by Cloudy Collection has just been released and I am in it. In this set, there are 12 different 6"x 6" 3-color screen prints by 12 unique artists. It is a very special edition with only 50 sets available. That's right, you get 12 individual fine art prints suitable for framing in each set. This print set also happens to be a "2012 Calendar of the Impending Apocalypse". Each artist picked a month and interpreted the theme. Shown above: my own version of what would happen if a giant Krampus took over the earth (month of December).

Artists in this set include: Emory Allen, Joe Alterio, Ana Benaroya, Kali Ciesemier, Amy Crehore, David Huyck, Adam Koford, Joe Lambert, Phil McAndrew, Luke Pearson, Vincent Stall, Jaime Zollars.

To view each fine art print in this unique 2012 calendar set and to buy, 

please follow this LINK 

Cloudy Collection has been producing fine art print sets for a couple of years now and I was lucky enough to be part of the very first letterpress edition that they ever produced. (Thanks, David Huyck!) 

The Art of Amy Crehore 
(follow this link for more prints by Amy Crehore)

Also, be sure to CHECK out Amy Crehore's NEW BOING BOING MONKEY T-SHIRT!

Walton Ford at Paul Kasmin, NYC (YouTube)

Amazing apes! Giant, detailed watercolor paintings. If you can't get to the Walton Ford exhibit in NYC, you can watch this: Thanks, ballenato63. The show is up thru December 23, 2011. Here is the gallery LINK

Lee Moyer's Literary Pin-Up Calendar Is Available Now

 January pin-up- Herman Melville

 December pin-up - Leo Tolstoy

October pin-up - Lewis Carroll

My friend Lee Moyer's art calendar is finally available. This project has been in the works for more than a few years and it's a great thing. 

Lee's 2012 calendar of beautiful literary pin-up girls is now exclusively available online at The Tinker's Packs (follow link to buy). 

Worldbuilders is publishing the calendar and donating the proceeds to the charity Heifer International.