Happy New Year 2010

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“Her Majesty the Ballerina” (by Figuier), is from a satirical Catalan almanac from 1907. (My friend Valerie from Barcelona sent me this artwork and explained it to me). The caption says: "The flower of the stage is anointed with mistletoe, Young and old who approach her fall prisoner at her feet". Valerie says this was a wicked old way to catch birds: 'The word "viscosity" derives from the Latin word "viscum" for mistletoe. A viscous glue was made from mistletoe berries and used for lime-twigs to catch birds.'

A Krampus for Dark Pop 2, NYC

"A Curious Shelter" by Amy Crehore 2009, 5"x7" (8 1/2" x 10 1/2" framed)
oil on linen
I did this little painting called "A Curious Shelter" for the Dark Pop 2.0 art show to be held in January at Last Rites Gallery, NYC. My monster looks somewhat like a version of Krampus to me. He comes to the girl's rescue, but who knows if he's good or bad. She's a bit vulnerable to say the least. Perhaps, instead of snow, I painted rain because that's what we have here in Oregon. It sort of reminds me of Edward Gorey a little bit. We all had to do a piece of "dark art" for the show and this is mine.
Please contact andrew@lastritesgallery.com for purchase.
Participating Artists Include:
AIKO (Aiko Nakagawa), Esao Andrews, John Cebollero, Joshua Clay, Molly Crabapple, Amy Crehore, Yoko d’Holbachie, Leslie Ditto, Mickey Edtinger, Mark Elliott, Eric Fortune, GAIA, Stella Im Hultberg, Sarah Joncas, Aya Kakeda, Ben Kehoe, Dan-ah Kim, Daniel Hyun Lim (Fawn Fruits), Danni Shinya Luo, David MacDowell, Mike Maxwell, Simone Maynard, Dennis McNett, Tara McPherson, Michael Page, Nathan Lee Pickett, Leslie Reppeteaux, Mijn Schatje, Tin, Dan Witz, Jaeran Won and more.
Opening Reception: Saturday, January 9th from 7-11pm
Last Rites Galley – 511 W. 33rd St. – 3rd Fl. – New York, NY – 10001 – 212.529.0666
www.lastritesgallery.com
Arrested Motion has some more images from the upcoming show.
The Art of Amy Crehore

Spoon-in-Mouth Slide Guitar Player

Spoon Guitar via letsgogetborn (Thanks to Charles Gallant twitter)

Christmas Photos of the Past

The train set under the tree is a great tradition. How many of you had one? My friend Valerie in Barcelona sent me a terrific link to some old Christmas images -Papa Ted's Place: LINK. That's where I found these photos. The top photo was the Keen family tree in 1920 (image originally from www.shorpy.com). Click on these pictures to see all of the tiny details! The bottom photo is not politically correct, but it's fascinating. I remember going to NYC when I was young to visit my grandmother and seeing all of the fabulous Christmas displays. Of course, these photos are way before my time!

Merry Christmas everyone!

The Art of Amy Crehore

Family Tradition

Family Tradition
Originally uploaded by BigalDavies

Big Al's Christmas nut
on flickr.

Progress in Painting (Amy Crehore)

Detail of larger composition for a new painting by Amy Crehore

Happy Christmas Eve! I'll be spending this day - and the weeks to come - holed up in my studio working on my series of new paintings. I have recently experienced some breakthroughs with my art -more freedom in my application of paint, more texture. If you have been following me on twitter , you'll know that I mentioned that I like to apply oil paint thickly. I am using a combination of brush strokes to get an impression of nature, not unlike the French in the mid to late 1800s. However, mine is an intuitive approach (not plein-air) which draws upon my memories and feelings of hiking around the hills where I live and other experiences.

My new paintings also have figures interacting with each other (and with nature). While I am still making preliminary sketches and composing my imaginary figures first (detail of one shown above), the settings they inhabit are being constructed as I paint them. Sometimes the process feels as though I am writing a novel without words, in my own made-up language. I am having fun inventing new people and taking them in a new narrative direction. More freedom of style, yet it is all basically rooted in what came before (in my art). Colors, music, mood, interaction of figures.

I can't wait to show you, but the only way for me to really be creative and make significant progress is to shut myself off from the world and get lost in the activity. To paint for myself first. Now is the time to do this. I give thanks to all of the wonderful supporters of my art in 2009. May 2010 be filled with new art to share with you. I'll still be blogging everyday about things that I find interesting, and periodically sharing my progress with you.

The Art of Amy Crehore

94 Year Old Carmen Herrera's Art World Success

Todd Heisler/The New York Times

After six decades of painting, Ms. Carmen Herrera sold her first artwork five years ago, at age 89. She had exhibited her art over the years, but had never sold any of it. Since that first sale in 2004, collectors have pursued Ms. Herrera. Her paintings have now entered the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Hirshhorn Museum and the Tate Modern. She just accepted a lifetime achievement award from the director of the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. Read the rest of the article about this spunky 94 year old painter (written by Deborah Sontag):

The New York Times

The Art of Amy Crehore