Alberto's blog

A Geometer's Secret

2011-11-20T01:57:00.004-05:00

11/11/11
Alberto J. Almarza
AA11

First Levitated Objects

2011-11-20T01:43:00.006-05:00

Early Torisian historic depiction of vessel used in the innitial levitation and suspension experiments of the Engineering Era.
Courtesy of the Mystery Libraries of Torisia
Nov, 2011

AA11

Artificial Planetoids

2011-11-20T00:52:00.002-05:00

From the Mystery Libraries of Torisia, these innitial studies on levitated artificial celestial bodies and the engineering of controlled atmospheres, planetoids, planets, orbits and other living systems.

Fractal genesis of a tree

First planetoids: experiments in levitation and geomorphic grids

Cartography of Torisian planetoid development

"Sphere Limit 1"
Iterations of alignment on the 12 point sphere surface

Platonic Solids and other geometric forms

2011-11-20T00:18:00.002-05:00

Studies of platonic solids done in compass and straightedge using graphite, tea and wax on paper.

"World Within a World"
Dodecahedron inside subdivided Dodecahedron

"Ripples 1"
Concentric circle-packing on the Icosahedron

"Ripples 2"
Concentric circle-packing on two imposed Icosahedra

"Ripples 3"
Concentric circle-packing on Stellated Dodecahedron

"Pyramyds"
Sub divided Stellated Cuboctahedron

Alberto J. Almarza

AA11

Geodesic sphere study

2011-11-19T23:32:00.002-05:00

"Wrapping my Senses Around a Geodesic Sphere"
Incorrect stereoscopic image of shadow overlaping a pencil-drawn geodesic sphere, homage to Buckminster Fuller's Synergetics

AA11

Diorama

2011-11-19T20:38:00.005-05:00

I havent posted in so loooong! But just so you cant say I've been slacking, I've brought some art with me to show you.
Here is a diorama room I created in october as a special commission for a friend...

It took many hours of work and lots of fun. The creation of rich contained worlds has been a passion and pursuit of mine for many years now.
Here is a "behind the scenes" image of the photoshoot which took place inside my "Moss Bed Valley", an indoors moss bed in my home studio.

I like to build a world in detail. I enjoy it so much. I am fascinated by the layers of depth that can emerge from a world or space or environment once you look at it at close range and pick appart its possibilities. And so in this project I added many layers of details, so that there would be mini artworks contained within the artwork; worlds within worlds.

For example, I made this abstract mixed media painting to hang in the back wall:

here's a detail:

And in the library I added cool things, like this replica of his kid's drawing...

...and this portrait done in pencil from a wedding picture.

But one of the funnest details to add, was this hidden miniature book...

I call this book "Illustrated Imaginary History of Energy and Matter"

Thanks a lot for visiting my little world, hope you enjoyed!

AA11

Magic Troll at Trolly Dolly House

2011-07-28T14:22:00.010-04:00

A little Troll Dollhouse I made for my little sis, Rosita.
It's a bit like something I wish I had when I was a kid, complete with removable accesories!

As of my Other Artwork,
much progress,
nothing to show.

AA11

Art Out of the Box Southside

2011-06-23T16:20:00.006-04:00

My AOB residency is now over.
I want to take this opportunity to thank Sam McDonough for her amazing vision and hard work to make this project happen; and for making a part of her artwork that of supporting other artists.
I also want to thank Michael McFadden for his support and awesomeness.

Keep an eye on: www.artboxpittsburgh.com for the 3 upcoming residencies with amazing local artists creating artwork in a neighborhood near you!

On site, I constructed and installed a total of 13 Mini Sites in the corner of 12th and Carson.
Here is a selection of stereo images of the main sites (I like using stereo pictures because they come a little bit closer to capturing the three-dimensionality of the actual pieces.)

"Paper Boat Site 1"

"Paper Boat Site 2"

"Clothes Line"

"How to Fold a Paper Boat"

"Three Chairs"

"Picnic"

"Chess Game"

"Park"

"Park" detail

"Salad Bowl"

"The Cave"

"Pond 1"

To get an idea of the context where these live, and to see the public's interactions and reactions, check out this last of the photo videos:

Mini Sites 3 from Alberto J. Almarza on Vimeo.

I had a truly wonderful experience working in (and out of) the box; and plan to continue hiding more miniatures in the streets of Pittsburgh.
I also have a renewed interest in furthering the dialog with the public, building community and conversation around art and its great power to...
put a smile in someone's face.

AA11

Art Out of the Box

2011-06-16T21:00:00.005-04:00

Check out what I've been up to!

Art Out of the Box residency in the Southside, creating miniature semi-permanent site-specific installations hidden in the vicinity of 12th and Carson....

The goal of the AOB project, is both for the public to be exposed to the PROCESS of creating art, and for artists to engage in dialog with the public. This has been my focus for the past couple of days, and I still have 3 more to go!

http://www.artboxpittsburgh.com/

Come visit me in the Southside!

AA11

Paper Boat Dreams

2011-05-17T15:31:00.009-04:00

To entice you:
The scale of some of the featured objects in the videos that I'm about to show you:

(if you dislike contemplating little tiny things, might as well quit now.)

I made two videos this weekend that I am pretty happy with. In a way, they are preliminary sketches on something I am building upon, but they also work in their own way.
In my last blog, I was talking about entryways into a dimension that is very much parallel (and same) to our own, yet hidden. I also said that I enter such places through my work.
It is my hope with these videos to share an example -of sorts- of how this might work. It has to do with zooming into things up close, things or events that are simple, that go unnoticed and are usually taken for granted. These things and events are everywhere (they are everything), and because of this is that we ignore them. In the worlds that I make, rules of reason and behavior are "different" (hence Other Space), hoping to highlight the fragility of our judgment when perceiving reality.

Paper Boat Dream 1 from Alberto J. Almarza on Vimeo.

Paper Boat Dream 2 from Alberto J. Almarza on Vimeo.

The videos and related work are also a revision of my usual exploration of worlds, and worlds within worlds. For my Art Out of the Box residency, I am planning to do something similar, making mini scenes and secretly encasing them within crevices of the South Side.
(This should be really fun, stayed tuned on that project, which has already completed one residency...)
Thanks for haging out and watching the vids!
See you next time.

AA11

New Visionary Chamber videos

2011-04-30T01:06:00.008-04:00

I recently created 2 new videos (more like image collages) of 2 older artworks called "Visionary Chambers". They are miniature assemblage box dioramas, 14 of them so far. These boxes are immersive. They are created for individual viewing, so they are elusive to photograph. I am reluctant to talk much about their concept, as this changes for each piece and it is usually quite elaborate. In general, I conceive of them as contained "realms" similar to that which I have found in dreams and visions. Part of the goal of these works was to give such elusive dimensions (half-imaginary-half-hypereal) a concrete form, without loosing some of their intangible qualities.

Visionary Chamber 5: Wizard's Table

Visionary Chamber 6: Blue Chair

I admit this one is a bit creepy, but it was inspired by a true event: a rather unsettling yet very powerful experience related to my real-life exploration with the aforementioned realms. In a description from an older (2009) video of this box I wrote: "It is inspired in a series of mind-experiments were I launched from my blue living room chair, out of my body, into Other Space. There was a scary gate-keeper there which is depicted in this video. He and his whole family offered me a tea party and by then I had forgotten who I was. I almost stayed there forever, but fortunately I remembered my earthly existence just in time, and returned".

I now refer often to Other Space, which can only be described or depicted in metaphorical ways. I believe many others have described and depicted similar places, popular examples of which are Wonderland, Neverland, Narnia and many others. The mistake is to think that these are solely imaginary places, not realizing the metaphorical and liminal essence of the reality that these stories insinuate. There is something about the existence of a parallel world (right below our noses) that is a reocurring theme of many stories throughout the world. I believe, by means of personal experience, that such stories tell of a journey that any individual can undergo, but only once they have found an entryway. Falling in through a rabbithole or an old closet, entering through a crack on the wall or the crevice of a tree, crossing a mushroom ring, waterfall of mirror; these are some of the preferred methods ;)
But there are many more ways in which the persistent and seeking soul will find such delicious portals. For me, it is through my work.
Sweet Dreams!

AA11

Realm of HUMAZUMA

2011-04-17T22:29:00.006-04:00

Some images from a work in progress called "Realm of Humazuma".

On a recent statement about this work I wrote:

"The body of work I am currently focusing on is another collection (or a conjunction) of objects, scenes and dioramas along the lines of previous bodies such as “POK Mummy Sites” and the “Visionary Chambers”. Like these works, “Realm of Humazuma” is an experiment in physicality, meta-physicality and the aesthetic experience. The work is being created mostly on paper, using paper, clays, pigments, ink, salt, sand, balsa wood and other materials. Much thought has gone into visualizing the work’s progression into a more immersive presentation. For now, humazuma is only a world in progress".

"Humazuma is a deity originally described by my six year-old son. Its realm is that of impermanence, natural cycles, ritualistic objects and arrangements; all interwoven through desolate island/desert/landscape/shrine scenes. Humazuma is, in a general sense, the God of flowing water, clay, erosion, vessels, markings and patterns, and certain specific man-made interventions, such as “alignments of things”. In its domain are objects such as sidewalk cracks, flower pots, clotheslines, holes, shadows, and dimensional portals. There is a fundamental simplicity in the surface appearance of the Realm of Humazuma, which allows me -and the viewer- for an easy entry, plenty of open interpretation, mystery and discovery. It is perhaps through the eyes of my son that I have recovered a desire to not take even the simplest of things for granted, to not put words on things as much, and just absorb them fully and openly as they arrive. This might be the most important consideration if one is interested in dwelling with the aesthetic experience whatsoever, is to not over-rationalize it".

Thanks for hanging out!

AA11

Ouroboros Basket

2011-03-22T23:59:00.007-04:00

This is a Mandala I recently made to promote my upcoming class "The Art of Mandala" going on this summer of 2011 at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. It depicts the Ouroboros serpent, a cross-cultural symbol that has always fascinated me, and currently plays a synchronous role in certain aspects of my work. Mandalas are an amazing thing, always unpredictable and profound, simple and complex! If you are interested in the subject, I highly recommend Carl Jung's "Mandala Symbolism", and of course, taking the class! Thanks for stopping by! AA11

Humazuma Island

2011-03-22T23:35:00.003-04:00

This is a T-shirt design I created for Sam McDonough's "Art Out of the Box" project, involving 5 different artists in 5 different neighborhoods creating art on site while engaging people in conversation. It's a sweet project happening this summer of 2011. For more info visit the official website.

The drawing is called "Humazuma Island" and it was "distiled" from this set of drawings from my sketchbook:

Humazuma is a Deity created by my 6YO son, and it is the primary God of these particular realms. I showed these drawings to my 6th grade students, and they spent a while navigating this world with their fingertips, talking about it in detail. I was fascinated. If a child can truly enjoy something I have made (other than dessert), then I am happy. There is simply no better art critic than the honest-minded and temporarily-pure children!

Peace,

AA11

Face Coins!

2011-03-22T21:19:00.008-04:00

This is an exciting and informal work I've done a couple of years now, during New Year's eve at my good friend's cabin in the woods; and I plan to continue doing this for as long as possible. It is a ritual of sorts, yielding these interesting objects we call Face Coins. On the first day at The Cabone, outside of Everett, PA, we find the suited clay from the surrounding forest grounds. It is key that the clay is found there, and not bought at a store or brought from somewhere else. This is what gives the Face Coins a proper body. Then, for a couple of hours, the clay is tediously processed and prepared to ensure it has a basic minimum plasticity and is able to withstand the rest of the process, including an intense firing. Once the clay is prepared, we have one hand-sized ball of workable clay to play with. Each person takes a pinch or two and begins to make their own Face Coins. This is what gives the Face Coins a soul. This part of the process is open ended, allthough most of the coins (not all) have a general "faceness" to them. Then, the coins are immediately but slowly dried in the fire and thrown in to cook (a process which many potters would argue against, but I've had no problems with it). The fire is taken to an extreme temperature and allowed to die over night. The next day, a fun ceremonial "unearthing" of the coins from the ashes is performed, and everybody contemplates the results. And that is when the funnest part begins: Each person takes a coin or two of their selection, and proceeds to hide it in the surrounding premises! Already after two sessions, the site is rich in these mysterious archaeological artifacts and everybody just LOVES to find an occasional Face Coin here and there. They give good luck! Every coin is different and special. Some coins have firing imperfections, or natural growth or erosion; or a particular feature that makes them "collectors items", such as the one depicted above, which was affected by ceremonial Copal that was tossed into the fire. Other collectibles include (but are not limited to) "Joel's bearded Face Coin", "the first coin" "the half-face"(which was accidentally stepped on and was the first to enter the 2011 fire), and "the penis". But everybody knows what to do if you find a Face Coin (unless you really really like it), which is to hide it right back in the very land that saw its birth. They end up under rocks, in tree holes and crevices, and who knows where else?! "I found one!!" AA11

Visionary Chamber 14: "Rose"

2011-03-22T19:56:00.004-04:00

In light of the fact that I haven't blogposted in so long, I decided to catch up by posting a number of latest artworks/projects I've created, all at once.

So first, I'd like to share a piece called "Rose", the fourteenth in a series of miniature assemblages I call: "Visionary Chambers" (footnote: the goal with this name was not to sound pretentious, but rather to make a distiction to the original name "Vision Chambers", as "visionary" should invoke something more than just an optical effect, perhaps implying a certain archetypical or liminal nature.)

The box is about the size of a rubics cube, with a magnifying glass attached to the front to enable the viewing of the particularly tiny assemblage that lives within. For a sense of scale, it should be noted that the fairy depicted is shorter in height than my pinky fingernail.

The piece was created as a present to a 12 YO family friend who, during a white elephant celebration, won my "gift certificate for a personalized commisioned artwork". She is a very exceptional little lady, very mature and witty, and I was very exited to work with her on deciding what artwork I'd make for her. She now happens to be one of my students!

So we started talking, and as she was already familiar with the work that I do, she didn't hesitate to ask for a chamber (I couldn't credit many of my other clients to such smart descicion, as the chambers are among my most praised -and pricy- pieces!). She also told me about things she was interested in, themes, colors, etc.

The piece is called "Rose" after her, and she was very happy to receive the final commisioned artwork... a year after!

But the wait, it seems, was sure worth it.

AA11

La Caza del Hombre Onirico

2010-11-11T20:43:00.004-05:00

Finally I've been able to get this video ready to share. It is the making of a mural I painted at my aunt Tuga's house in Chile, called "La Caza del Hombre Onirico" (Hunt of the Oniric Man). The video shows the process of its creation, and while this took about 2 weeks, here you can see it done in three minutes. Movie magic!
The music is a piece called "Pleiades" by amazing composer Iannis Xenakis. Special thanks to my wife Sarah for her help, to my aunt Emi for her advice, my aunt Tuga for letting us camp at her house and make this mural happen, and to Luis Alberto Latorre for putting together the video sequence. Also special thanks to the Museo Precolombino de Chile for their wonderful 2009 exhibit: "Fishermen of the Fog", which in part inspired the piece.

Finalmente pude arreglar este video para compartir. Muestra la creacion de un mural que pinte en la casa de mi tia Tuga en Chile, llamado "La Caza del Hombre Onirico". El video muestra el proceso de creacion que tomo alrededor de dos semanas y aqui puede verse en tres minutos. La magia del cine!
La musica es una pieza llamada "Pleiades" del increible compositor Iannis Xenakis. Agradecimientos especiales a mi mujer Sarah por su ayuda, a mi tia Emi por su consejo, a mi tia Tuga por dejarnos acampar en su casa y realizar este mural, y a Luis Alberto Latorre por la edicion y produccion del video. Agradecimientos tambien al Museo Precolombino de Chile, por su hermosa exposicion el 2009: "Los Pescadores de la Niebla", que sirvio en parte de inspiracion para esta obra.

AA1o

Sketchbook drawings: Diluvian Dreams

2010-11-09T20:22:00.011-05:00

Not that I draw as well as I'd like, but still, would like to share these most recent drawings from my sketchbook.
I'm not exactly sure what to say about them. It usually takes me a while before I can begin to understand and talk about my own drawings -at least this type of drawing, very spontaneous and fast, yet present.

These ones had a somewhat ominous feeling about them, like a sort of diluvian dream of simbolic importance. I do think they are very significant, at least in regards to my own life work. I keep coming back to certain aspects of them which seem strangely familiar: as if a hidden part of me was making them to communicate some crucial message to my conscious self, which is itself asleep in the daily trance of the mundane.

Maybe the message is: Wake up! get up! do it! build! invent! harmonize! transcend! it's time!!! Do your thing! Awaken your daydream!!

And so I wish I could just allow my Lifeforce to take it from here, so I can fully realize whatever it is that my soul is trying to get me to do.

Peace.

AA1o

Brugmansia Suaveolens

2010-11-08T21:03:00.004-05:00

My Brugmansia tree is in full bloom Today!

Indoors Moss Bed Valley

2010-11-07T15:02:00.012-05:00

About three days ago, some guys came to my house to fix the gutters. There was a huge moss bed growing on our roof that I had been wanting to use for a sort of indoors moss-greenhouse I wanted to build. But before I could do anything, the guys had taken all the moss off, and thrown it to the ground!

So I collected all the moss, and quickly built a setup in my studio on the third floor: a canvas bed with a plastic bag to create a moist environment for the moss.

Here, come to my studio, I'll show you...

So this is the moss bed tent, made of a canvas and a plastic bag with alligator clips tied to hooks attached to the ceiling. And here is the inside...

I present to you, Moss Bed Valley!

It is a very comfy place to lay down to think, or rest under a tree..

Or to go for a walk, when I need a break from my work.

So next time you stop by my studio, make sure to visit Moss Bed Valley, and maybe while you are visiting the Coreopsis tree will be in bloom, showing off its wonderful purple flowers.

Peace!

AA1o

Naia Sophia Almarza

2010-09-21T23:31:00.009-04:00

Naia Sophia was born into my arms, underwater, yesterday Monday September 20th, 2010, at 5:07 am.

Naia Sophia nacio en mis brazos, bajo el agua, ayer Lunes 20 de Septiembre, 2010, a las 5:07 de la madrugada.

Naia is a Greek (and possibly Persian) name meaning "Water Nymph" and "flowing". Sophia is the Goddess of Wisdom.

Naia is un nombre griego (y posiblemente Persa) que significa "Ninfa de agua" y "fluir". Sophia es la Diosa de la Sabiduria.

We welcome you, peaceful being, to this world.

Bienvenida eres, ser de paz, a este mundo.

AA1o

Nature is the Source

2010-09-14T21:22:00.012-04:00

Haven't posted in a while, haven't really created many physical artworks lately: been busy expecting a baby (any day now!) and setting up my new studio (it's going to be nice, I can't wait to start using it!)

So I figured in the meantime I would share a few moments I managed to capture, featuring one of my most favorite subjects of all time: Nature!

Nature is the Source. Period.

But beside the Macrometaphor of that statement (which would be more like "Nature Is"), is the simpler fact that nature is the source of my inspiration. Nature at large, yes, with humans and everything included, sure, but also nature upclose. Mini nature, unseen nature, underside nature, backyard nature, just-stepped-on-you-so-what nature.

It is not the surface beauty of nature alone that attracts me, but everything about it: its diversity, its birth-growth-and-death, its mechanisms and workings, its scale and scope, and mostly, its simultaneous grantedness and mystery at once.

Yeees. It is here. Look at it. Wowify yourself. Remember yourself in it.
Or else...
Get creeped out by it and perish! Hahahahah

Ok.
I recommend you view the slideshow in full screen. It is short.

"Recovering from a state of self-forgetfullness, I have found myself counting the stamens of a flower" Tufu

Go look!

AA1o

Miniature clay firing: Altoids box reduction

2010-07-29T01:11:00.030-04:00

This is a project I plan to continue indefinitely; just an easy and time-space-energy-effective process to make some miniature clay objects that I like to make and rarely do because of time-space-energy limitations.
The process is simple.
During camping, I made very small clay whistles and figures that I could fit into an altoids box...

I used a rock as a surface, and my usual tools for whistle making, which include a chopstick, an exacto knife, a palete knife, a needle and a forming tool. You will notice the clay is white prior to firing.

I used sawdust to cushion the whistles as I put them in the altoids box, but also because sawdust will combust within the chamber creating a reduction atmosphere: as the burning hot atmosphere within the box is deprived of oxygen to burn, it will burn the chemical oxygen within the clay, turning it black.

It's like packing a mini kiln, which is something that, of course, attracts me very much. At night, I pack the box full of sawdust completely, and fire it. The most important thing is to increase the temperature slowly in the beginning. Strangely for clay, I fire these almost imediately after they're made, though sometimes they don't survive the temperature shock. I also make sure to reach plenty of temperature once the initial risk of busting is over, otherwise the clay will not bake to a vitrious state. Sometimes I cover the coals where the pieces are buried with metal sheets in order to dramatically increase the temperature. (I have used crushed soda cans; in scarse conditions they work great!)
All this is an alteration of a resurrected Native American technique that I learned very indirectly (via library) from Tewa potter Maria Martinez. I still have many years to practice before my pieces could look remotely as black and soft as hers.

Normally I would not make a fire just to cook some miniature pieces, so I throw the boxes into any other fire I come accross, camping, cooking or at a friend's gathering, etc. In this case though, I am also firing a large vessel, a "mama olla", which I might share in a future post. Unearthing the fired clay is so fun! We make a family event of it every time.

And last, is the reward of opening each small box, each containing miniature music-making treasures: pinch-size bits of meticulous work and devotion. some have survived the process, some have not.

Thanks for stopping by!

AA1o

Canoe Adventures!

2010-07-28T17:40:00.004-04:00

My family vacation, canoing at the Bald Eagle River. Life is not all work!

...or is it?...

AA1o

Tuner of Butterflies

2010-05-25T22:56:00.012-04:00

I want to share some images of this drawing I just finished called "Tuner of Butterflies", much in the lines of "The Insect Maker."

Part ot the inspiration was found in Brothers Quay's "The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes."

I have always admired the brother's incredible craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail, and yet I have wished their matters were a bit less dark. I figured, on the other side of life's turmoil-generator, there exists an equally laborious creator of peace. and so: as an earthquake happens in the lab of an automaton-making alchemist, a butterfly is hatched in Tokyo...

AA1o

Selk' nam

2010-04-27T22:15:00.023-04:00

This work is a depiction of a Selk' nam Xo' on, or shaman, acting as the physical vessel for the spirit of a Waiyuwenh, a Selk' nam deity.
Esta obra es una representacion de un Xo'on o shaman Selk' nam, actuando como el cuerpo fisico de un Waiyuwenh, o espiritu.

The Selk' nam, also known as the Ona, lived in the Patagonian region of southern Chile and Argentina. After living relatively peacefully for thousands of years, the entire Selk' nam population was brutally enslaved, massacred, and eventually extinguished completely as an ethnic group by 1972. This work is intended as a physical mark, made in the memory of this rich and mostly unknown culture.
Los Selk' nam, tambien llamados Ona, vivieron en la region Patagonica del sur de Chile y Argentina. Tras vivir relativamente en paz por miles de anos, la poblacion entera de Selk' nam fue brutalmente esclavizada, masacrada y finalmente extinguida completamente como grupo etnico alrededor de 1972. Esta obra tiene como objetivo crear una marca fisica, en honor y memoria de esta rica y mayormente desconocida cultura.

Their existence will forever be remembered.
Su existencia sera por siempre recordada.

AA1o

Island Vessel Vivarium I

2010-04-18T19:49:00.041-04:00

This is the Island Vessel 1.

Photo Courtesy of Mihnea Vasilescu

But before it turned into the vessel it is now, it begun as a simple idea. A vessel inside a vessel. A terrarium inside an aquarium.

The idea soon turned into sketches...

And the sketches became clearer and clearer in my head (as did the potential for the vessel itself to become real, and as did my obssesion with this possibility...)

Then, I was ready. The idea was clear as glass to me, and the thought of making it a reality became a persistent fixation in my head: "I haaave to maaake iiit!!"
But having no experience in blowing glass, I had to turn to the life-saving helping-hand of the true experts...

I took the idea with me, to the Pittsburgh Glass Center. I shared my idea with a fine gentleman named Everett Hirche -a local artist and technician at the Center- and asked him if making the vesssel was possible, and if it was of interest to him. He was definitely up for the challenge and excited to help me out, and soon him and a team at the Glass Center were discussing and preparing for the making of the Island Vessel.

On Friday, March 5th of 2010, during Unblurred on Penn Av, a small team comprised of Everett Hirche, Jason Forck, Steve Stens and Chris Hofman, brought The Island Vessel into this physical world!
To see how things went down the night of the making of the Island Vessel, check this video out (music by my band Shambolish!):

THAAAANK YOOOOUUUU AWESOME DUUUDES!!

Once the vessel was a full-blown, double-chambered glass piece, I begun building the little worlds inside of it. First I made the terrarium. To do this, I use special tools, some of which I have to make myself. The terrarium contains plants and mosses which I have come to feel comfortable working with, such as 2 species of star moss, violets and a couple of other specimens whose names I don't know. Also in there is a tiny spider and a centipede.
Then, I constructed the aquarium, which contains Java moss, Banana plant, gilled snails and a couple of other snails, barnacles and plants whose names I don't know. There are Ghost shrimp too, and six Zebra Danios.
I showed this piece (unfortunately only for one day) during the GAGI (Geek Arts / Green Innovators Festival) on April 2nd, 2010, along with other of my artworks.

The Island Vessel I (which I also call "my new TV"!) worked just as planned. The magnification produced by the thick concave glass and the water is simply striking. The overal effect is hard to describe or show in the images. It has a beautiful roundedness and definition. As a passionate nature lover, there is nothing more gratifying than observing this active and thriving little ecosystem as if seen through a magnifying lense. I can literally sit to watch this world in a jar for hours!
Also, my ideas as far as the moisture being transferred from one chamber to the other seem to be working great. In the images I do not have the lid on because the terrarium is still too moist to enclose, but Everett did make a special lid that has a sort of drip snout, which conducts drops of condensed water from the aquarium into the terrarium.
Overall, this vessel fascinates me, not because I put it together, but because it is a contained pocket of life; a balanced, living and ever-changing little microworld.

For a slightly closer sense of the qualities of this contained universe, check out this clip of shrimp citizens of Island Vessel:

And I am happy to say that I am not the only one to take great pleasure from the result of all this work. Otherwise, without the chance to create a bit of a sense of wonder in others, my work would be pointless.

Photo Courtesy of Mihnea Vasilescu

Thank you for your interest, which is one of the things that keep my work alive.

AA1o

Stereo Drawing update

2010-04-03T15:35:00.019-04:00

So, here is the final version of my stereoscopic drawing entitled "Outer Technology Reveals Inner Technologies". It works! Of course here you only get to see the stereo pair as it looks in 2 dimensions, but through the lenses the 3D effect is quite effective. To experience this piece in the right way, you can stop by The Irma Freeman Center for Imagination, for a show running until May 7th, themed: "Antiquated and Future (or Imaginary) Technology". Learn more about the IF Center and this show here.

As you may notice, the two sets are not exactly the same, and so some interesting interference is created, especially in the colors of the vessel and in the background symbols. I took some liberties as far as creating very differing patterns on the background, so that when seen in stereo, the peripheral elements are not always in 3D. The result is somewhat similar to a certain optical illusion or effect, where the central object is in focus, but the periphery appears to be in motion, until you look at it directly. I am pretty pleased with this effect: it reminds me of a quantum chamber where the particles are multiple and fluctuating, but as one peeks in, only one particle is seen in the center.

Anyhow, here are some images of how the piece was set at the IF. Just for the fun I made one into a wiggle set.

(I love how the canister of chemical next to my piece says FOTOFLAT!)

Finally, here is the statement as it was presented in the show. In there, I finally get to address the actual significance and concept behind the drawing itself, in addition to the descriptions of the optical mechanism (to see more of the initial process, ideation and sketchbook pages go to my previous post "stereo art").

“Outer Technology Reveals Inner Technologies”
Stereoscopic drawing: pen, berry ink, tea, water media on paper.
March 28, 2010

Among a few of its kind, this stereoscopic drawing done by hand highlights an optical technology that is both ancient and new, both internal and external, which is stereoscopic vision. This drawing is also a depiction of a concept which is both ancient and new as well (representing the inner technology) which is the alchemical notion of the Axis/Anima Mundi.

The reason for using a stereoscopic technology (other than the fact that 3d imaging is awesome) is that its mechanics reference the process that our own brain engages in when interpreting visual images. When looking at the (external) world, our two eyes create two separate flat images of reality; slightly different perspectives of the same object. It is our (internal) brain that compiles these two images into one three-dimensional sense. While this phenomenon is as old as our physiology and perception, we normally take for granted the amazing collaboration between external and internal technologies to create –real or otherwise- sensory experiences. It is only more recently that strong interest in this specific optical technology has re-emerged. Today we enjoy movies in 3D that appear to get closer and closer to the likeness of reality. Pretty soon we might come to confirm that what is real is always and only bound to our perception.

The depiction itself is of a personal combination meta-symbol which is very significant to me. It is the Axis Mundi, or “world spine”, which in this case I have fused to the Anima Mundi, or “soul of the world.” These are ideas that fascinate me, and that I have studied a bit. The world axis is a “tube” of sorts which connects realms to one another. Traditionally, the Axis Mundi connects the middle world to the heavens and to the underworld. It is a symbol that can take a large number of forms, and its use is rather universal. The Anima Mundi is the “soul of the world”, also known as God or Spirit, and it is the living force that animates matter, or the life source. Here I interpret the two as one, materialized as a vessel. The vessel is revealed as a type of vision; cloudy, undefined - yet clearly present- and fluctuating between being a solid object and a dream.

Like other of my works, this piece is an object that is broad in scope and multilayered. It is a material offering that references an inner realm or state, which can only be referred to metaphorically, and can only be received on an individual basis. The title of this piece is a direct reference to my most consistent (and at this point repetitive) definition of art, which is: Art is the conscious or spontaneous technology of manipulating physical matter, creating objects that reference non-physical ideas and emotions, that are in turn more closely connected to our transcendental self. An external technology such as art can reveal internal technologies such as knowledge, devotion and passion.

I was going to write more about the Axis/Anima Mundi concept here, but that would require a whole lot more writting that I don't feel like delivering right now. Instead you may be interested in checking out the Wikipedia definition of Axis Mundi. There is enough exciting stuff there to get a whole cosmic revolution started! I also need to catch up with my next post, about the first Island Vessel vivarium. Both this piece and the vivarium were shown during the GAGI (Geek Arts and Green Innovators festival), starting yesterday April 2, 2010.
Don't miss experiencing "Outer Technology Reveals Inner Technologies" while its up!
Thanks for hanging out...

AA1o

Stereo Art

2010-02-21T17:13:00.010-05:00

It was inevitable that I would get into 3d imaging and stereoscopy. I have long been interested in vision, perception and optical and visual technologies of all kinds.

For a while, I have been asking the question of how to create a rendition of something that is true to its original form. For example, I may draw in order to capture a dream that I have had, but the quality of the rendition is usually very poor compared to the likeness of the dream itself.
So the technical challenge arises: How to create objects that remain more true to the full physical attributes of their original source? How to create an artwork of a flower that has the smell, vibrancy, depth, softness and life of the flower that inspired its creation? This is a lovely challenge that I can't say I have even begun grasping, but even if it is impossible, it drives me!

Also, say I create something like this, how could I share it with you at a distance?

So the idea is that, I think stereoscopic images can sometimes do a pretty decent job at conveying some of the attributes of physical things.
I decided to take stereoscopic pictures of some of my works, and then I made small cardboard stereoscopes so that one could view them. I was really happy with these, I made 15 of them and thought they were gonna sell out! I still have all 15...
BUT.... since I can't really show you those because you have to look through some lenses, I converted them to what is called Piku-Piku, or Wiggle sets.
Check them out:

This is "Hippocolupterus Sapiens"

And this one is the "POK Goddess"

"The Insect Maker"

And the "Cosmic Trickster Mask"

So these are cool, but they are not what I meant by stereo art. These are just stereoscopic pictures of some of my works. The real challenge I am working with right now is to create a stereoscopic image that is not a photo pair but a pair of drawings that are hand made.
Did you know that Dali actually made a real pair of stereoscopic paintings?!

...that insane genius...

So now I am working on a wet media drawing that is stereoscopic. It's been crazy difficult but it is finally taking shape. I will keep the experiment to myself until it is completed, but I will share a couple of process pages from my sketchbook, to give an idea.

The pair has now been transfered to a piece of watercolor paper and I will render it using tea and Ibiscus flower, and possibly oil pastel and watercolor. I have to color each of the two slightly different drawings in the exact same way...
Wish me luck!
And when I'm done, I'll also tell you what the actual image is about.
Thanks for stopping by!

AA1o

Honor the Inner Oddball

2010-02-03T22:04:00.004-05:00

Here is something I'd like to share. It is a 8 minute talk that I gave at the TEDx Leadership Pittsburgh Conference, held on November 14th and 15th of 2009, on the topic of "children and the future".
It sure was difficult to say as much as I wanted to in 8 minutes, but this is what came of this attempt, in the most honest, humble and conscious way that I could summon. Hope you enjoy.

AA1o

Terrarium Creatures

2010-01-28T22:29:00.015-05:00

Did you know that there are mini-beasts that inhabit and roam the vast landscapes of my small terrariums?

Yesterday, a big rout of earth-snails hatched..

They are about the size of grains of sand.

...but there are larger and stranger creatures that rule these lands...

Check out a clip I made of some of
my terrarium creatures.

And if you like that video, here is an earlier one featuring a mysterious microworld with amazing plants that respond to water.
Both of these somewhat experimental videos have "music" that I made in 2006. I am planning to make a third video with my sea-snail footage.

Special thanks to my wife Sarah for gifting me a macro lens!

...and thanks to you for stopping by.

AA1o

Life Fixture

2010-01-25T22:47:00.011-05:00

This is something I just finished. It will be shown at FE gallery, for a show called H2O @ FE, opening Friday January 29 from 7 to 9pm.

"Life Fixture" is a terrarium inside a test tube inside an aquarium inside a light bulb in a light fixture.

If you have had any previous encounter with my work, you probably know that I am inspired and fascinated by nature. Also, you might know that I obsess over creating and observing miniature worlds, and worlds within worlds. The magnification of these worlds through viewing windows, lenses and domes, is possibly a reflection of my interest in looking at things up close, and absorbing the meticulous details of life. As a child I would spend time outside with a magnifying lens, looking at crevices and growths in my small yard, picturing vast landscapes and scenarios.

Lately I have been touched by the concept of contained ecosystems. It is only recently that I have begun adding living "elements" to my work. I am intrigued by the delicate balance and conditions that allow a small community of beings to live. I am also fascinated by the idea of capturing that harmonized system in a tiny jar. Maybe it is from the chaos in my life, that this need for contained harmony arises...

In this piece I was experimenting with some of these multiple interests. From the basic exploration and excitement in how a concave vessel of water can magnify the likeness of its contents, to the more complex atmospheric interactions needed to allow for life to be sustained, this project felt to me like a wonderful starting point, as well as continuation of my path. Working with inexpensive, found materials was another welcomed recurrence.

One of the neat things about this piece is that there is a level of interaction between the terrarium and the aquarium. In this setup, the slow evaporating water of the aquarium acts as a nurturing source of moisture for the terrarium. This is a first experiment on a theme I am exploring; something in the lines of an "island concept" of sorts (luckily whatever I am doing continues to escape my full grasp...)

Though very tiny, the life in this ecosystem is comprised of 3 terrarium plants, one big water-plant and 3 sea snails that eat it. The plant feeds on the abundant light that seeps through the glass, and the snails keep it well trimmed. Occasionally, I add some tap water which renews the mineral nutrients of the little world.

And now for the grand -or preferably minuscule- finale... if only you saw how cute these sea snails are!!!!

AA1o

Jelly Visions from Other Space!

2010-01-17T18:08:00.019-05:00

Photograph courtesy of Professor Benjamin Matthews

"This is the work desk of Dr Demetrius Otis (1671- 171_), devoted researcher and breakthrough discoverer of the Jellyvision. While the term Jellyvision is commonly known to identify a particularly abnormal modern state of awareness, Jellyvision is also the common name of the animal itself which is responsible for causing this state. We are referring to an extremely rare Jelly fish of the genus Plamatia Photoforica, of unknown native origin. The original specimens were found by Dr. Otis himself in the outer wetlands of the 4th version of Minnesota. Small cylindrical eggs were trapped inside river-drifted igneous strata, in a state of Anhydrobiosis, or suspended life. He managed to hatch the eggs and breathe what Otis' collaborator Petxis Ukbar recalls as 11 generations of Jellyvision. During this time, Dr. Otis experimented with a specific attribute of the animal which somehow enabled it to interact with human subjects. Worn as a contact lens, the Jelly Vision would hack the neo-cortex of the subject's brain, by means of a simple set of electrical and photovoltaic impulses sent through the eye. The animal was somehow capable of altering the subject's vision inducing hallucination, hipnagogic trance, and what was described by many of the subjects as a "non-physical sense" or "out of body sight". Otis himself experimented with the strange qualities of the Jelly state, discovering only too late that the exchange would eventually prove of unrepairable consequences. Dr. Demetrius Otis left his desk unexpectedly the night of his 11th experiment with Jellyvision, never to be seen again. His legacy is nothing more than the surface residue of an unknown pursuit; some scattered notes and documents, and a couple of unfinished, undecipherable, living experiments."

But really, this installation work is a two-person collaboration that I am involved in with artist Ben Matthews, for an exhibit called "Exchange". It was organized by the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh and will open Friday February 5th of 2010 at 530pm, at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Gallery on 937 Liberty Av. So technically yes, you are getting an illicit sneak peek...

This desk is an installation that is the result of a prolonged dialog that Ben and I have been engaged in for the past couple of months. Just as the concept of the exhibit consisted of an exchange between an emerging and an established artist, so we exchanged ideas and personal visions, until pretty quickly a collective concept emerged.

Ben was working on a drawing (a main feature of the installation, the poster seen in the above images) about this idea of the Jellyvision. He described how it was a jelly fish that could be worn as a contact lens and alter the wearer's vision. It was a fascinating idea, and very conducive for all the things we had been talking about to take shape. We decided to use the Jellyvision as the central point to elaborate our utopian reality from.

So Ben had created this amazing document to start from, and my imagination was soaring with potential directions and ideas. At the time I was very intently working on terrariums and I also had started becoming interested in aquariums. As I begun to get some clarity, I realized I could integrate many of my interests into a cohesive materialization for this installation. We had talked about this explorer and time-traveler of parallel realms, who we could depict through displaying his artifacts, tools and discoveries. We agreed on a desk that would capture a moment in this explorer's search; a physical time-capsule of his studies and impossible pondering and discoveries.

The concept grew of an "Incubator" or a vessel where the jellyvisions would hatch and grow. I wanted to use real live elements, and so the Jellyvision grew inside a small aquarium chamber, along living plants and even sea snails. This incubator became the main feature of my contribution to the installation.

This living environment gives the Jellyvision a depth, and a closer likeness to what its true life in the imaginary realm might be like.

The Jellyvision Workspace also includes other living experiments, journal pages, field photographs, antique tools and other strange objects, all of which account for small clues to the puzzle, for us to continue investigating.

For our artist statement we wrote:

We met in July of 2009, while showing work for a 2-person exhibit put together by Mendelson Gallery. We quickly connected, noticing the common themes and ideas that tied some of our work. We even talked about the potential for a future collaboration, and laughed and fantasized about the possibilities of joining our creative minds into a common project. It was near perfect timing when the opportunity came to participate in Exchange, as we knew it was our chance. Ideas started immediately flowing, and in no time a concept emerged smoothly from our joined excitement.
We found a common archetype amongst us; a character or persona who we felt could act as the medium for our common creation. We defined it as a sort of explorer or inventor who returns from his travels through an unknown territory or dimension, bringing back mysterious discoveries, objects, ideas. We decided to concoct a physical space; a laboratory or workspace, used by the man as a base to conduct the research and experimentation following his field studies. In this case, the man is working on a mysterious discovery: the Jellyvision. It is a form of jelly fish that can be worn as a contact lens, thus possessing the powerful attribute of altering the wearer's vision. While we intend to share a peek of this man’s explorations, we are aware that these yet-unknown worlds will remain as much a mystery to you as they are to him. At least until the next missing link can be recovered...

AA1o

Terrariums!

2009-12-10T15:23:00.037-05:00

I have been making small terrariums.

First, there was one.

Then two.

And then three.

Soon, there were many...

It all started by accident, one day in the woods when my son Javi uprooted a tiny patch of moss from a rock. A "car accident", he said. For some reason I felt compelled to take the moss home and take care of it. I put it inside a walnut shell so I could transport it.

When I got home, all the little moss plants had shriveled and shut close. I was amazed at how sensitive they were. I sprayed them with water once, and watched, in total awe, how one by one, each of the tiny spider plant-like shoots begun to open in real time, before my eyes. For the first time, moss appeared to me as "animalistically animated" and alive, like amoebas or octopuses or hands or eyelashes.

In that moment, I decided I was obsesively fascinated by moss. Hundreds of different species and varieties of miniature, ancient and resilient green creatures that grow in the cracks of our constructed space, slowly and silently plotting to reclaim the world in nature's name.

I begun collecting and caring for different species, trying to observe and learn about their atmospheric likes and dislikes, quiet behaviors, etc. I also did some research and begun understanding some basic considerations and conditions neccesary to support and sustain a terrarium's life.

Speaking of the terrarium's life, let's go a bit deeper into these micro worlds...

I love these worlds. I love to make them and arrange them, trim them, water them, run around inside them and get lost. And find something.

Maybe to better convey the space that I get into when working on and observing these, I can share with you a video I made, called "mysterious micro-world". Also here you can see the sensitive plants I was talking about before. Just so you know, there is no effects on this video, no changing of its speed or anything. Only the creatures, a musical piece I made in 2006 and Javi's finger.

After a little while the terrariums were cluttering my kitchen. I felt like I wanted to keep making them, but there seemed to be no room. I also had to work on an exhibit for which I had to create 25 artworks that were 5 inches or less. I put it together and decided to make terrariums for it.

After a lot of research, I begun collecting all the materials I would need. This took a long time, since I had to find and prepare the proper environment, select and collect compatible specimens, and put it all together. Then regulate the atmosphere, find the right balance of moisture/soil/container/plant, and sustain the contained balance of a new living environment. But I had some experience from the previous terrariums that had worked, so this didn't seem like too much of a risk.

After about a month or two or daily care and regulation, and definitely after some failures and learning experiences, I completed the 25 terrariums.

Each terrarium is different and special, and while I have grown a bit attached to them, I am hoping they will find happy new homes.

The exhibit is called "25 squared" and it opens tonight, December 10th, 2009, from 7 to 9 (I actually have to get going!) at FE Gallery in Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh . The exhibit runs until January 16th. (Update: It is now 10pm on the opening night, and 16 terrariums have been sold! Wow... So, if you would like a terrarium better get there now!)

Its a cool concept show were 25 artists make 25 artworks that are 5 inches or less. The exhibit looks amazing, with a total of 625 quality works.

I setup the terrariums in these beautiful shelves made by John Mentzler, from Urban Tree Forge. The shelves are gorgeous in themselves, and they really work perfect with the terrariums.

So the terrarium journey has been great so far, and I feel like it is just beginning. I have another large-scale terrarium project coming; an installation piece that I hope gets accepted. But I am going to keep it secret until I actually create and implement it.

For now, it is only an idea...

AA09

Art From Scratch (DIY Pottery)

2009-10-13T19:43:00.032-04:00

I usually talk about how process is one of the most important aspects of my art. I thought I'd share a little bit about one of the aspects of my process which involves gathering and preparing materials. For this purpose I figured one of the more interesting and involved mediums to share would be clay. I thought it would be cool to share the entire process from digging the clay to the finished piece being displayed. This might be the teacher part of me: since I know how difficult it was for me to teach myself this process, and how much I could have used some more tips, it is my responsability and pleasure to share this experience with any and all interested ears (however, if you are interested in DIY ceramics, I would say close this page and go get dirty instead!)

So, before I get to the actual point of this post, the art from scratch demo, allow me to meander within the topic, as usual.

For about 5 years now I have been collecting and using local clay for a body of work I call POK. I define POK as "mud" or "art bread". My idea for POK was to discover a personal connection to the medium of clay, from zero, as if I were a cave man. I thought "how hard could it be?" "just dig some dirt and mix it with water and fire it!" Well... I have come a long way since...

Though I do not consider myself a potter, I have gained an enormous respect for the entire legacy of potters since antiquity who discovered these techniques and refined them to a master craft. I believe this appreciation has come from the fact that I experienced, first hand, the many hardships and learning curves the first potter might have encountered. I also believe this could be an enormously enriching part of any first potter's learning curriculum.

Here is a page from my sketchbooks, of an early exploration into the POK experience. I like to keep detailed documentation of all my processes for later use in my studies and teaching.

Here is a similar documentation, although here I am exploring the extraction of colors from different vegetable matters to make ink.

I have been long fascinated by the idea of "art from scratch", or the harnessing of art materials from readily available, free sources. One of my biggest art fantasies involves being stranded in an island, empty handed, and being able to make art. Of course survival itself has always been a fascination for me as well.

But even here in the urban context there is much to say for the enormous ammount of resources available to the creative mind. Beyond accesibility, there is an almost romantic passion in me, to create something out of nothing, or to find/make value of things forgotten or taken for granted. Creating art from scratch is a challenging, demanding, sustainable, tremendously educational and profound practice. Don't take my word for it, try it.

Needless to say, I am of course not the only one to share this passion. In fact, just last week a new venue endorsing this kind of artistic exploration opened here in Pittsburgh. The Irma Freeman Center for Imagination had its grand gala opening last Friday, October 9th, 2009. It is an art space on Penn Av. offering workshops and hosting exhibits, etc. The theme for this first show was salvaged art, welcoming recycled, reclaimed, gleened, salvaged and found arts of all kinds. I was thrilled.

So, especifically for this show I decided to make two pieces. The first one is a playful catalog which I donated to the center called : "Art Media for the Urban Scavenger", with 30 or so potential "free" mediums of art. They are, from top to bottom, left to right: terracota clay, ochre clay, orange clay, sand, salt, sticks, brick, ground stones, rust, rocks, wood, cardboard, newspaper, plastic, cloth, lint, metal , glass, wrapers, stuff, charcoal, soot, coffee, tea, grass, flowers, spices, berries, dirt and imagination!

While this was meant to be a conceptual and playful statement, I was hoping it could be seen as a potential tool of inspiration for art students as well. All of these materials I have actually used (and continue to use) for the creation of "fine art".

The second piece I decided to make was the reason for this post. It is called "Emergence of the POK Man" and it was made from scratch, using clay from the Allegheny Cemetery, located just a block from the IF Center and my house, which I thought was appropriate. Later I mention the strong connection I feel to this clay, and how this history is translated, as with all art materials, to the energetic charge of the finished work.

The clay at first is raw and impure, full of stones, roots and other organic matter. My first step after gathering it (in this case I don't need to dig for it myself) is to grind it to a somewhat fine powder. I do this using a stone, and in this process I can get rid of all larger rocks, etc.

I then mix abundant water into it and start mixing it all together, shooting to get a homogenous mixture.

In this process I quickly gather many "conglomerates" of impurities, which rather than tossing I like to pack into condensed balls for later use, potentially ritualistic.

Once I have a homogenous and relatively clean mixture I pour it through a really thin mesh, since only the finest and cleanest clay will be suited for art. This was an important part of the POK lesson: even the tiniest stones, when fired to a high temperature, go kapoof!

Other impurity conglomerates, finer ones, come out of this process.

Here I have to add that somehow, taking care of cleansing the clay, one feels as though impurities are being extracted from one's own self. This is a feeling that may be familiar to anybody who takes care of things, beautifies and creates, like a gardener.

Once impurities have been removed, I leave the clay to settle for several hours, and in this process all the water rises to the top. I then pour it out, getting a thicker and more solid paste each time I repeat this.

One of the helpful tips I learned from a potter friend, Bruce Brinker, is to pour the slip onto a plaster tray, which soaks the moisture out quite fast. Once dry enough, the clay is ready to use. One other step before actually sculpting is to add other materials to the clay to give it the desired properties. In this case, and often, I add sand, which gives the clay body strength, especially in better resisting changes of temperature during firing. It is also essential to "wedge" the clay extensively, removing the air from it while at the same time mixing it further into a homogenous mass. As any potter knows, not wedging the clay can result in unwanted explosions during firing.

I then begin to sculpt the form using structural support when needed.

As the clay further dries, more details can be added, always perfecting and refining the form.

Once the piece is completed, I have learned it to be very important to allow it to dry slow, especially with non-industrial clay. To do this I make a cave of a plastic bag to maintain a moist environment. Chances are the piece will crack if dried too fast.

As the piece dries I like to polish it using a spoon to make the surface smooth.

Once the piece is completely dry it can be fired. In order not to betray my "primitive" process I most often fire my pieces in a bon fire. I do a firing technique inspired by Native Americans, as I learned it from a documentary about potter Maria Martinez. It involves a reduction atmosphere to turn the clay black, which is optional. As a parenthesis, here is a sketch piece I made in a bon fire a couple of weekends ago, just for fun. The reduction atmosphere was done inside an altoids box...

In this case though, due to weather and time constraints I temporarily fired "Emergence of the POK Man" in my kitchen oven. I will do a propoer firing soon. Firing could be an entire, long and detailed extra post (maybe I'll get into it some other time!). Keep in mind that I am sharing a very basic an general description of this process, and each of these steps has lots of important details I am not including simply for practical reasons.
So finally, here is the piece as it is being shown at the Irma Freeman Center for Imagination.

Notice that I choose to display it among the raw clay and the impurity clusters. I recomend visiting the exhibit and seeing the piece in person, along with the huge and fun collection of recycled artworks being shown.

To end, I have added the statement I wrote for "Emergence of the POK Man":

"The Pok Man is made of clay from the Allegheny Cemetery, located 1 block away from my house. Collecting clay here seems appropriate because it is nearby and it is free. I enjoy walking among the wild, silent trees, in such ominous and grounding place. New holes are made there every day, and I don't need to personally uncover the red and orange clay: it is already there, like an opened wound of the earth. This clay is powerful to me. There is a profound richness in the history of this soil where, for centuries, bodies return to the earth where they came from, turning to primordial dust as nature continues to cycle. As in Neruda's "Alturas de Machu Pichu": "When the hand of clay-color turned to clay and when the eyelids shut..."
The POK Man is a symbolic aftermath of the death cycle, honoring the re-emergence of life. From the earth grows a figure which is the voice of Spirit re-emerging from Matter. It represents the cycle of the inert acquiring Anima or "life force". In this case, the POK Man is surrounded by the raw dirt that gave birth to him, and by conglomerates of stone and detritus which are the impurities removed and left behind in this process of rebirth. As the cycles continue to renew, so the new life filters and cleanses itself, becoming ever anew, always emerging, eternal."

October 13, 2009 AA09

Emergence

2009-10-10T00:42:00.020-04:00

Here is a site-specific installation work I made for a transitional/conceptual exhibit at Moxie Dada gallery. The show opened Today Friday October 9, 2009. There will be a closing reception on November 8, 2009. This occasion closes not only the exhibit but the actual gallery, which is transitioning from an emerging gallery to.. an opened new beginning full of potential and possibilities? The theme hence revolved around the notion of death and resurrection, a kind of metamorphosis from one state to the next. I was contacted and invited to participate in this very special occasion which definitely appealed to me. The idea of an art gallery being conscious of itself, and creating a form of ritual to celebrate its own death, burial and rebirth was fascinating.

I started working with the concept and very quickly a visual form of this idea came to mind. I wanted to portray a metamorphosis, or emergence. I thought very literally of a cocoon or womb out of which life emerges. Here are some initial concept studies...

I wanted the new life to be vibrant, and so I imagined it as bright blue footprints coming out of a cocoon. To imply a new beginning, this vibrant blue life form would erupt from its old shell, leaving it behind like a shed skin, heading out the exit door.

I then decided that the shell wound not be a coccon but rather a seedpod, so to speak. Instead of bean-shaped I decided to make it spherical. Also, while originally I was going to use my own footprints, it became much more conducive to use my son's. This is the piece as it is now installed.

Today was also the Gala opening of the Irma Freeman Center for Imagination, on Penn Av. I was invited to participate in this as well, maybe since the focus of this first exhibit was in part the work of Irma Freeman herself, and in part the work of artists who work with salvaged, reclaimed and recycled materials. Interestingly enough I made a piece that is also related to emergence, and in fact I called it "Emergence of the POK Man" since it is made out of clay I collected from the Allegheny Cemetery, and depicts a gesturing shaman who has "emerged from the clay". It simbolizes a process by which inert and lifeless matter re-aquires life force, as energy cycles through stages of life and death.

While I will describe this piece in detail in my next post called "Art from scratch", I wanted to mention it here because I think it is interesting that the theme of emergence has come about recursively. Much like in the recent Goddess-themed pieces I made, this was not an intentional or particularly consciouss descicion, but the theme happenned to become predominant at the same time, in two separate works, in accordance to "random" (but really synchronous) external inputs. Looking back at it, it seems all the more interesting to me that the theme of "emergence" came imediately after the birthing-Goddess headspace I got myself into. This is as if first I was dealing with a motherly womb-like thought that grew and has now bloomed into a new life. It almost makes me wonder wether there might be a true form of rebirth happenning in me, in some metaphorical way; in one or another layer of my life. This is an exciting and intimidating thought. What exactly could be emerging in me/from me at this time?

I like to at least entertain the idea, and maybe, the idea itself will then nurture the seeds of a new emergence. Or maybe, this is nothing more than just another step.

Some Goddess is Around...

2009-09-22T19:36:00.014-04:00

There has been some Goddess themes running throughout my life, and much of my POK and Mummies artwork references the Metasymbol of Goddess or Empowered Female. At this time, some Goddess artworks came out of me, almost without me intending it.

The Goddess theme happens to reocurr in my studies since, in part, it represents Nature (or Mother Earth) which is one of the most (if not the single most) powerful drivers of my work. I also happen to LOOOOVE women, though by now I have opted for "just" one, hahahah!
She happens to be the Goddess in person.
I was amused years ago when learning that in the history of humanity, Goddess worship is far more extensive chronologically and geographically than God worship (or Sun religions), which came about fairly recently (if we compare in historical time). It is fascinating to learn about how this transition came about, and also the many cultural implications and differences between God/Goddess worshiping cultures.

More interesting, are the archetypal attributes of each, and how their roles and tendencies play out every day in the symbolic/mythic drama of Life.

It is extremely important for me to clarify now that I am no Goddess worshiper. In fact, in what I have learned so far, it could be dangerous to be a Goddess worshiper. But far more dangerous at this time in deed, would be to be a God worshiper! (this is where I offend people and they freak out if they are not opening their minds! But fortunately, very few, and very open-minded folks read this blog, hahahaha). Also consider that the greatest crimes against life and humanity have been -and are being- done in the name of one God or another.

The truth of the matter is that, only the integral balance of the male and female attributes can bring about prosperity for humankind (and consequently earth). This, in fact, was one of the great secrets of the alchemists, called the "alchemical marriage". The very simple idea is that neither element is complete wihout the other, and their attributes need to fuse in order to moderate/activate each other. All of this, to some, is no news, but keep in mind that I write in this blog to bridge a gap rather than to simply reinforce what to some of us is ancient knowledge.
At this time, we suffer from an imbalance that has long been brewing, and is now culminating. It is, obviously, a male-heavy imbalance. this is not a literal statement ("too many guys around") but it is rather a metaphorical one (too much "phallicking around"). The overused MAN energy has brought about war, and more importantly, the very ominous possibility of extinction in the face of over-exploitation of the earth. Take a moment to think about the many symbolic connotations of this exploitation or dismissal of the female attribute in every layer of life...

At this time, feminists would hurray this, but I am no feminist either. I do not believe that women should change to find a role in the world or in society, that is closer to the role of man. I think instead, that society should change to accomodate for the Goddess archetype. For example, instead of having more female business-office women, I think we need less offices and businesses! More love, more art, more freedom, more poetry, more peace, more greenery. Less poking and proving, less empiric gaze, less machinery, less banks and phallic skyscrapers packed with debt, paperwork and policies!

Yikes, I got excited there... shishh...

Anyhow, while I am not a Goddess worshiper, I might as well be one at this time of imbalance, where really, we either talk to the Mother and caress her, or bury ourselves further, in our own over-productive, over-consuming waste. Ultimately, both roles are extremely important, and the need to unite and balance them is key. Did you ever read the book about women from Venus and men from Mars? I didn't, but if it was any good, it probably talked about this, hahahaha.

I did not want to go into this too much, so I really should stop blabbing and get to the point: the
work. So, without planning to at all, I completed two artworks relating to the Goddess this month.

My great friend, who happens to have the business name of "Mother Moonbeam" and who also happens to be one of the most amazing phisical embodiments of the Goddess archetype in all her power, will be giving birth any day now!

I was given a cast that was made of her belly, to paint on. The idea was to paint something significant to the theme of birth and motherhood for her to have a powerful memory of this unique time of her life. I chose to use symbols in a very deliberate way, as always. Here is an image of the belly cast painting as it is done (except for one cleansing step that we will do at a special birthing ceremony). I also made use of my understanding of Sacred Geometry.

Update: Below is the bellycast finished and activated. Mother Moonbeam is in labor right now! (Sat, Sept 26, 12:36am)

First in the center, there is a seed, or sun that represents the origin of life, and the baby (it's a boy!). Around it is the earth layer which represents the community and context in which this seed is conceived and grown. This layer is made with clay that was extracted from Mother Moonbeam's urban community farm called "Healcrest Community Farm". As you may notice, every layer of a power object such as this is tightly connected to the subject (and to a synchronous Universe), which makes the object "activated" and the prayers and intentions set into it are then succesfully delivered to the physical plane. From the seed stems a three-armed spiral or Triskelion, which I chose as a multilayered symbol. Every three months the orbit of the sun traces a spiral. So in one layer, this is a sun symbol. But three spirals make a period of nine months, conveying the process of pregnancy, thus integrating male and female attributes into one. From the seed grows a tree, representing of many things including growth, prosperity and life force; and roots, which anchor this life-force to the Earth. A powerful moon hovers to simbolize the Goddess (which my friend is quite fond of...) and from it comes a drop of "Moon Milk" simbolizing abundance, rain, fertility and of course, the ever-nurturing mother's milk. It is a work that hopes to embody and materialize the eternal cycle and power of Motherhood, in its most Goddessly sense...

The second artwork I want to share, also very related to all these attributes, came as a response to a call for artists of the Visionary Arts Festival for a show called G-Spot, a response show to the meeting of the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh. The work had to be "sexy".

So again, I thought this was a great opportunity for the Goddess to appear, since: who else is better suited to respond to the Phallic nature of the G-20 summit? and plus, who could be more sexy than the Goddess herself?

Since this time the Goddess atribute was not quite the motherly side but the sexy side, the tone is much different, and I will post it on a clickable link just because sometimes younger peeps see my blog (and their parents might be frightened by the power of certain female features, here "enhanced" hahahah). So here she is: GODDESS and another image of her.

This large drawing is 35 by 55 inches and done using Walnut ink on paper. In this image the ink is still wet...

If you happen to be reading this in time, you could see the actual piece being shown at FE Gallery in Lawrenceville, along with other visionarilly-raunchy artworks, for the opening of "G-spot" on Thursday September 24 at 7pm.

There, we might meet, and talk more about the many things I do not dare say publicly ;)

Look for the skinny guy with long messy dreads and utter to him the secret password:
"I walk in spirals towards the rising Sun" to which I will respond "Do not forget the Moon gives light when the sun does not" to which you will respond with any remark or comment whatsoever, which should fruitfully spark a wonderful conversation, maybe even a heated one.

Sept 22, 2009

AA09

Javi's Flowers

2009-09-14T19:44:00.016-04:00

Here is a different/similar layer of my work and life.
Today, my son Javi and I went on a walk to the Allegheny Cemetery, which is one block from our house so we always go there for adventures.
We played some futbol for a little while, and then went exploring.
Javi found/collected a bunch of small blue flowers. He said he was collecting them for a "Flower artwork"...
I wasn't going to argue with that...

Along with the blue flowers, he collected just one yellow flower.

I thought I should take a picture of this.

I have long been fascinated by the way in which common things show themselves, when looked at upclose and with attention. At some point I started shooting images through a magnifying lense (for lack of a zoom lense), to share these micro sights with others.

Anyway, Javi put the flowers inside a plastic set of binoculars he had brought with him, to take them home.

Later, on our walk back home, we found this giant mushroom...

Later, when we got home, Javi had the idea, all in his own, to keep the flowers inside the binoculars, to make "one of those art things that you look into."

I don't know where he gets these ideas!

AA09

Middle Layer

2009-09-06T15:23:00.026-04:00

"Middle Layer: Have You Recognized?" (Currently in the private collection of Steve Zelicoff) Box Assemblage, 8" x 10" opened. Alberto J. Almarza August 26, 2009

This is a work I created on August 26, 2009. It is very much related to the previous piece "Metabiotic Cosmos: I May Speak of This Secret Without Using Words" in a number of ways. First is the technical idea of placing the second and third dimensions of art media side to side, referencing each other. In this piece, made in an opened 8 by 10 box, the drawings on the left side are an abstracted and very in depth "explanation" or "equation" (except non-rational) referencing the more familiar scene in the right side.

Part of the concept is, much like in the previous piece, to demonstrate a contrast between "that which is real" and "that which is a representation". However, a question -or a challenge- is raised here that is much more important. It involves the possibility that the reality of a tree may be different than originally and consensually conceived, because of taking its representation for granted. In other words, while a tree is very familiar and easily dismissed as "tree", something in this piece hopes to suggest that we have severely underestimated and failed to recognize aspects of the reality of a tree. And of course this goes to cover any aspect of our surrounding; a tree being only a very easy example or icon to use. And really, it is all about taking the time to see the layers of things.

This is the second strong connection to the "Metabiotic..." piece. As in much of my work, this tree is both the object and the metaphor for a far more complex model of existence. This tree (like every tree) is positioned as a live being of the middle layer, a life layer that filters, processes and creates energy and information between two ends of an infinitely wide spectrum. The tree is what I call a "tube" which, much like a human, is a bridge or a channel of mediation between the material and the inmaterial. It is a physical vessel that has been given anima, or life force (if you think I'm crazy just study more in depth, maybe begin scratching the surface, ask: what is Anima Mundi?, or ask: What is a Tulpa?)

Inevitably, a huge problem arises here, related to the difficulty of delivering this particular message into the material plane using ANY of the conventional forms of communication. I have almost come to believe that one cannot achieve this, and that, unless the viewer has already been exposed, they may not be able to understand/accept the entirety of this notion. Hence I have subtitled the piece: "Have You Recognized?", knowing that those who do, would say: "yes" and those who don't would say "what?".

So,

HAVE YOU RECOGNIZED?

This work relates to a very simple yet hard to share notion, relating to an infinite LOVE and appreciation for LIFE. Without trying to be exclusive I recognize that this has been a challenge for my "post-iniciatory" artwork. While some folks see the work and seem to understand or agree or appreciate, (or may not say it but simply exchange a gaze of cosmic agreement) others require/demand a long-winded, rational explanation and many times end up still in clouded skepticism, sometimes even reacting with anger. Personally, I am very fond of science, truth and reality. This said, I have experienced an aspect of this reality which is impossible to measure, explain, convey, share or demonstrate. I am also aware that, before experiencing it, I would have never, EVER, believed even in the possibility of its existence. It is a realm of wholeness and connectivity amongst all things, that exists beyond the illusory veil of "reality".

While this connection belongs to all of us, we have forgotten. We are asleep in a dream of patterns, convictions, definitions, systems and norms. And so I ask, what is a "tree"?

There are things that can only exist to those who experience them and those who don't will forever deny the possiblity of their existence. However, the key is that EVERYONE can experience such things. And it is disbelief itself that knocks the emergence of such truths out of the common truth. If you are a skeptic, you will sustain a perception that confirms your beliefs. If you are a believer, you will sustain a perception that confirms your beliefs. For it is the mind that dictates perception and experience. Could quantum physics (or someone!) finally "confirm" the idea that "believing is seeing" and not the other way around? If so, then by embracing this notion more of us could begin to see past the material veil of objects -such as my works- and infinite others, which have been talking about this "thing" since ancient times; this OLD and taken-for-granted Sacred existence thing, among us and through us since the beginning and most endless of times. This thing... oooh My job is maybe just to instigate a second-long pause. An open-minded breath, traced with an eternal question mark, and infinite possibility. As there is no final boundaries or truly answered questions, the doors open. So here I am, unable to speak with words, trying to share what I can't, and conscious that this is my life mission.

AA09

METABIOTIC COSMOS "I May Speak of This Secret Without Using Words"

2009-08-17T18:06:00.012-04:00

With the little time that I have to do this enjoyable blogging, I still wanted to take a second to share a bit about the process of creating this piece called "METABIOTIC COSMOS: I May Speak of This Secret Without Using Words".

I happily sold this piece just last weekend, during the Pittsburgh Visionary Arts Festival, which turned out to be a wonderful experience for me, the artists and the public, and I will surely try my hardest to make it happen again in 2011.

Unfortunately, only when I sold this piece I realized I had much documentation regarding the process of its creation, and yet I failed to make an image of the final object! I am working on contacting the buyer so that I can get this image, but in the meantime you will have to imagine what the final object looks like, based on the process for it. This works great for me anyway, since much of my work is focused on the process of its creation rather than the final product, which I call "residue".

Still, here is a picture of the latest stage of the piece that I remembered to document, when it was still very far from finished.

As you can see, it is a flat surface which I have drawn on, and it also has physical objects in it. I have always been fascinated by the contradictions and connections between dimensions. In this case, the object attached to the right is a "window"; a viewer, much in the style of my Vision Chambers. Similar to these, this viewer is intended as a type of portal; a viewing frame that transports the viewer, dimensionally, to a different place. The piece toys with the idea of an interplay between what is seen in the window and what is seen in the surface. The drawings in the surface are a raw simbolic repreentation of what is depicted inside the viewer. This idea is inspired by much of the world of Art, where an idea so powerful as an artist's vision, can only be represented through matter in representational, limited ways (hence my term "residue" to occasionally describe art objects)

As I am talking strictly about technical things right now, you may wonder what this piece is really all about, to which my only answer can be: "I may speak of this secret without using words". However, if you stick around through this conversation you may get a sense of something.

So, this is a surface image of the viewer before it was attached to the piece...

And this is is an image of the proportional size (to my hand) of the contents of the viewer...

And next is an image of a part of what you may see when looking through the viewer (and here you are going to have to understand that: 1) this is impossible to photograph due to focal lenght, size of chamber aperture, light, depth of field, etc... and 2) everyone has a different visual experience when looking into any of these types of chambers.)

Ok, enough technical stuff, we can get to some of the more in depth layers of this work, though I cannot guarantee that I will actually talk about anything too concrete, since there are plenty of places to rationalize, solidify and explain things, everywhere in this world. Instead, there is a movement toward the mystery of all things, the sacredness of things, that needs be respected and not tagged with labels.

There was a neat thing going on in the early stages of this piece, while I was still just imagining, dreaming and visualizing it. After many sketches and thoughts about it, I finally approached the surface of the piece. Working with the ideas that I was working with, I felt a strong atmosphere of connections and power. Many little special things happened while I was at work, and they all seemed to synchronically confirm that something good, and very fascinating was happenning. To share one of these, I filmed a consistent event that occurred as I was designing the piece, and that was consistent with the intentions I had prepared while ideating/ritualizing the surface:

"Magic Energy Embedded Onto Artwork"

I need to add that there appeared to be no trace of static electricity on this surface, since I kept running my hand throught it trying to feel it/neutralize its effect, to no avail. The same thing kept on happenning no matter what I did, for a long time. I called it "magic" energy because the types of energies that cause this kind of physical phenomena usually follow entropy and therefore exhaust their power soon after being tapped, especially if they are affecting other objects (unless there is a kind of "unlimited source" for the energy!) In this case, the energy did not seem to wade.

Ironically, as I intended to not speak of the secret behind this piece, I contradicted myself in the very early stages of its creation. In my sketchbook, I created a text called "attempt for a written description regarding the concept behind the Metabiotic Cosmos"! I just couldn't help myself to try to define what I was creating, even as I knew this was impractical. In many of my statements of art I have declared that art is the ultimate anti-art, because as we attempt to materialize Spirit, we "de-Spiritize". This is why I stand strong next to the idea that art is most sacred and powerful to the artists that enact it, more so than to the observers who experience the residual products (by the way, give it a try!)

I will share these conceptual pages of my sketchbook, which show the original thoughts behind the creation of this work, as well as the contradictory descriptive text page. If you are persistent enough to attempt reading my handwriting, and if you can hear the message of these words with uncluttered ears and an opened Self, you may just get a glimpse of what I have not been talking about. Ultimately, there is nothing I could say or do, even if I tried, to share this secret, since this is a kind of spiritual contract that I experienced in my own body and soul, and that each of us may choose to sign and commit to individually. That is, as far as I have learned, the only way in which one may enter.

Spontaneous "Thought-Forms" Series

2009-07-01T02:12:00.035-04:00

Created June, 2009. Exhibit opening at Mendelson Gallery July 3rd.

I created this series of drawings during two weeks in the month of June, 2009. I approached the blank surface with no pre-conceived idea other than the intention to create spontaneous abstract forms referencing the orders in nature. The series ended up as a total of 16 drawings that I named after their completion, based on the general essence I perceived when observing them. First, there is a series of 8 5" x 5" drawings I called the "Diatomic Thought-Forms". These appear to represent seed, nucleous, cellular, generative or primordial abstractions of the natural metaphoric cosmos. Second, there is a series of 5 8" x 10" drawings I called "Biomimetic Thought-Forms" which may represent the "middle realm", animal, insect, plant and human layer of the Bios (and apparently some of their "atmospheric" interactions and processes). Finally there is a series of 3 11" x 14" drawings I called the "Metabiotic Thought-Forms". Metabiotic is a term I have used reocurrently in my work, and it literally means "beyond life". The idea involves a form of higher sphere or dimension encompassing all others, that hints toward a connective principle, or what I have called before: "the programming language of nature". These appear to be basically some sort of Godheads, Deities or what I call "Intelligences".

Though I perceived these general themes and patterns (that I recognize from my general body of work,) the Thought Forms took on their own personality and I am reluctant to say that these meanings are ultimately what the series represents. The above descriptions are a rather intuitive and quick reading; what came to me as I proceeded to look at and name the pieces.
The series was drawn very loosely, using India Ink, Tea, and a blue tone derived from a mix of scraps from different antique writing-ink bottles. The spontaneous Thought Forms will be shown at the Mendelson Gallery in Pittsburgh from July 3rd until August 4th.

AA09

New Current In My Drawing Practice

2009-04-21T01:20:00.010-04:00

Lately I have been interested in creating organic abstract drawings that are geometrically "justified", or precise. This is at least a technical consideration of my recent 2D works. I have often felt that good abstract art may not be merely an individual's expression of form and emotion, but rather a window into a concrete, probably profound reality that is just not as common, accessible, or easily describable. It is hard to say, though, that one idea necessarily cancels the other. Most likely, spontaneous and intuitive expressions do in fact provide a window into concrete aspects of reality. One of my favorite abstract artist is the painter Roberto Matta, and even thought he relied on automatism to create many of his works, he very much represents what I believe is powerful, "rooted" abstraction.

In this sense, I am interested in abstraction that finds its means in expanded or visionary reality, as may be experienced through inner travel, shamanism, mysticism and even through the lens of progressive, "post-post-modern" science. Subjects and notions such as those of invisible energy, sacred geometry, Life-force, Anima and biomorphism are strongly calling my attention at this time. Though I am just starting with this particular type of technical experimentation, I am very excited about it.

Also, I recently learned about the Voynich Manuscript, an old book written in a language/code which is still undeciphered and packed with enigmatic illustrations of unknown plants, charts and strange bath-organ-like contraptions. Somehow this mysterious object has quickly managed to spark an enormous amount of inspiration in me. And I am definitely not the only one. To site one example: artist, architect and designer Luigi Serafini spent 3 years of his life writing his Codex Seraphinianus, a work that resembles the V.M.S. or at the very least seems inspired by it.

So, with this long-winded introduction, I will now share a drawing I did today (sorry for the bad picture of it) called "Voynichus Conifralia", inspired by the Voynich Manuscript and the patterns of spiral phyllotaxis as elegantly displayed by coniferous plants. I hope this to be the first sloppy step in a drawing evolution I am seeking to experience.

"Voynichus Conifralia"

The POK Cave

2009-04-03T21:02:00.006-04:00

In 2008, I got one of ten shipping containers to create an installation inside of, as part of the Three Rivers Arts Festival. It was my first attempt at large scale, immersive installation. I had been wanting to do something like this for a long time, since I had been creating many mummy sites, shrines and objects, and I wanted for them to have a contextual world to live in, if only for a moment. The idea behind this installation was to create a space that played with the viewer's perception of reality, offering a fantastical realm rendered to full physicallity. The POK Cave became the meeting point for three of my conceptual bodies of work: Mummy Sites, Visionary Chambers and Ritual Tables. I would like to describe all three of these practices individually, but for now I'll just share the cave in general. It took one week to construct, but several months to ideate and prepare. The Cave included a desert-like scenario covered with two types of soil and sand, dried plants, made artifacts, a mummy site and a Goddess shrine, 8 visionary-chamber peep holes into other realms, and a ritualistic table/sorcerer's portal, which also included my Animal Suit and a Meta-map. The map shows a winged serpent, symbol of the meeting point between Heaven and Earth; also a sequence of Sacred Geometry elements and a fractal snowflake which is a form of diminishing tessellation. The Animal Suit is made of knotted chord dyed with vine berries, and is used as a vessel for astral travel. The table has a series of ceremonial tools and a micro model of the site. The 8 Visionary Chambers are holes "dug" into the main mound wall that contain arrangements and are viewed into through a magnifying lense. Hundreds of people walked through this archaeological dreamscape, acompanied by the proper lighting and a sound environment to enhance the ominous feel of the space. I was pretty happy with it and it was a bummer that after three weeks I had to take it all down! It was a good experience though. Here is a slide show of the process, and some details and documentation. I also made a video of it, non of which really do justice to the experience of the space itself, but oh well, maybe I'll do it again some day...

So, in the slide show you can see the empty container first. It was 40 feet by 8 feet by 8 feet. I had a lot of materials, most of which I gathered, since the budget was minimal. I had lots of chicken wire, newspaper, elmer's glue, flour and dug-out local clay. These became the main components of this concoction. I started with a chicken wire structure, forming the "geography" of the site. Then, I covered it with paper mache and finally with clay. Then, the fun part begun, when I started adding detail and making it look realistic. I really had to spend the entire day and a big chuck of the night on all seven days of the construction to be able to finish it. Good thing I got lots of help from my wife and friends, and lots of support. Also, most of the detail creations you see had been made before the installation, so I just had fun setting them up. It was also a challenge to figure out how to make the space and works people-proof. The geography did suffer some damage throughout the weeks of exhibit, but non of the actual artwok was damaged or stolen, which made me proud and happy of Pittsburgh's status in terms of art appreciation. Throughout the exhibit, I received the whole spectrum of responses, all the way from "this is the coolest thing I have seen", to "what is this all about, gypsies?", passing thru all levels of amazement and confusion. A couple of people stopped at the entrance and refused to continue(?). Other people came back several times, or stayed inside for extended periods of time. Overall, it was just what I had wanted. A window....

My work in general...

2009-03-22T22:05:00.009-04:00

So as a good way to start I thought I should present a very general idea of my work, rather than specific categories. I work in a vast spectrum of mediums, techniques and materials, never letting my work fall for too long in a particular technical category. I have worked with mixed-media drawing and painting extensively, and recently I have added the third dimention by focusing on assemblage, installation and experimental ceramics. I find that each concept I am working with determines the medium I will use. I try to make a point to use the medium that I feel best describes the elements of my message.

Now I will share a slide show of general works...

My first post ever

2009-03-21T11:48:00.008-04:00

WOW, I have officially entered the world of blogging.
I'll just be experimenting here...
bleep...bleep....bleep
bleep.... bleeeeeep!

yes. it works.

Now, I'm gonna link to flickr for no reason. YEY, I made a link! I haven't made a flicker account yet though, but I think I should.

OK, now, I will upload a photo. I can do all this thanks to David Pohl's blog workshop!

This is "The insect Maker", a piece I did in 2008, as part of a series of 12 Visionary Chambers. These are boxes that you view into through a magnifying lense (this is really the roughest description I could possibly give you, I know..). Here is also a video on Vimeo of the Insect Maker. I intend to really organize this blog so as to properly share a lot of my works and be able to present the work cohesively to you; there is so much of it!

But for now I will focus on my class blogs and current projects

I am now creating blogs for the classes I am teaching at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts: "Sacred Geometry" and "From Mud to Music". I feel fortunate that I have had the chance to teach these classes, since they are inspired by some of my personal and most passionate studies and explorations. I am very thankful to PCA for openly supporting and allowing for these rare and exiting classes to take place. Check the blogs out!