Fodder for the streets

Due Date

2010-11-28T21:27:00.001-08:00

After Goya, 2001

32 x 43 1/4 inches

Cut paper on birch panel.

Sweet Dreams, 2001

30 x 40 inches

Cut paper on birch panel.

Due Date

Warrington Museum

Museum St

Warrington, Cheshire WA1 1JB, United Kingdom

December 4, 2010 - February 19, 2011

Black Rat Projects

through cargo garden

arch 461, 83 rivington street

London EC2A 3AY

March 2011

For my first solo show in the UK, Due Date, I am exploring my preconceived notions of parenthood and the opportunities for growth that come through that process. I am presenting a series of narratives that flirt the line between fact and fiction; they are moments of autobiography that have been extrapolated to become allegories. As an artist in the process of trying to become a parent and living in one of the most parent-centric sections of NYC, I am keenly aware of the mania that strikes at the heart of parents young and old. In these paintings I am addressing fears (loss of individuation as well as of the proverbial unknown), the strengthening of bonds in times of crisis, the issues of trying to become a parent later in life and the wisdom gained through the process of parenting.

The work is divided into two groups: a set of images on panels, and a set of images on paper. In the more fully realized works on panel, all the actions are taking place in staged environments. The elements surrounding the figures are merely cardboard props, strictly for the purpose of giving the action of the figures a point of reference. The action of the figures is the reality of the image, everything else is just window dressing. The paint drips and splashes act as abstract gestures clearing things away yet never managing to obscure the events occurring on the stage. In the works on paper, the events being described are contained in a sea of white. By the very nature of the presentation the gestures and relationships are isolated and distilled.

The current body of work builds upon a process of art making that I have been refining for several years. I refer to the work as paper paintings rather than as collage. I see each piece of paper as a brushstroke rather than as a juxtaposed idea. Each brushstroke is selected for it's color, value and texture, rather than it's imagery.

All imagery for the show available at http://www.elbow-toe.com

ELBOW-TOE on Tumblr

2010-11-26T22:26:00.000-08:00

I'm on tumblr now. Let me be your dog.

Represent NYC, Represent

2010-11-24T20:13:00.000-08:00

I am extremely pleased to announce that I am being represented in New York by Andrew Edlin Gallery.

Shred @ Perry Rubenstein

2010-06-27T08:21:00.000-07:00

Bears, 2010
35 x 48 inches.
Cut paper on birch panel.

All rights reserved.

PERRY RUBENSTEIN GALLERY
527 WEST 23 STREET
ANNOUNCES

SHRED
Curated by Carlo McCormick

July 1st - August 27th, 2010
Opening reception: Thursday July 1st, 2010 6-8pm

Perry Rubenstein Gallery is pleased to announce SHRED, curated by Carlo McCormick, senior editor of Paper magazine, opening on Thursday, July 1st from 6:00-8:00pm and on view through Friday, August 27th, 2010. A small catalogue brochure with an essay by McCormick will accompany the exhibition.

SHRED will feature collage-based works from a diverse group of artists, some who have pioneered collage as fine art and others who are expanding upon the subversive flavor inherent to the medium. Featured are works in myriad media—from simple collages of newsprint on paper to lively video animations made from cutout paper silhouettes.

The exhibition will include historic works by Robert Rauschenberg (1925-2008); Bruce Conner (1933-2008); a prominent member of the Beat community recognized for his innovative assemblages; California-native, Jess (1923 – 2004) whose oeuvre includes collages based on alchemy, religion and comic strips; Dash Snow (1981-2009) whose work on paper appears deceptively simple; Gee Vaucher whose surrealist tendencies are tied to punk; and Jack Walls whose self-portraits incorporate photographic imagery taken by his long-time partner Robert Mapplethorpe.

Provocative new works were specifically produced for the exhibition. The collective Faile will show a ripped painting featuring brand new iconography. Shepard Fairey, Leo Fitzpatrick, Mark Flood, Erik Foss, Swoon, Judith Supine will all debut their latest works. Finely cut paper collage by Brian Douglas (Elbow-Toe) resembles intricate painting and Shelter Serra will present three-dimensional work: cast roses in white silicone. Video works by Martha Colburn, Tessa Hughes-Freeland and Bec Stupac will be featured, with Stupac premiering a new piece.

PRG is thrilled to welcome Carlo McCormick as guest curator for this extraordinary summer exhibition. McCormick is a prominent New York City-based author, curator, critic and champion of the downtown art scene. He has authored numerous books, monographs and catalogues on contemporary art and culture, including The Downtown Book: The New York Art Scene 1974-1984 published by Princeton University Press which he coauthored. He has lectured and taught extensively at universities and colleges around the United States. His writing has appeared in Aperture, Art in America, Art News, Artforum, Camera Austria, High Times, Spin, Tokion, Vice and countless other magazines. He has curated exhibitions for the Bronx Museum of Art, New York University, the Queens Museum of Art and the Woodstock Center for Photography.

Perry Rubenstein Gallery
527 West 23rd Street
New York, NY 10011
T 212.627.8000
F 212.627.6336
E info@perryrubenstein.com
www.perryrubenstein.com
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 AM to 6:00pm
Summer Hours from July 2nd to September 3rd: Monday – Friday, 10:00am to 5:00pm

41st Parallel - From The Eternal City That Never Sleeps

2010-04-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday April 28th from 7-10pm, Wooster Collective and Drago will present a hot and heavy round table discussion and Q&A session to explore the current happenings in today’s art movement with nine of the top names from the streets of New York: Chris Stain, Elbow-Toe, Ivory Serra, Logan Hicks, Pax Paloscia, Swoon, WK Interact, as well as Drago Publisher Paulo von Vacano and Wooster Collective’s Marc and Sara Schiller at their super chic venue Meet at the Apartment in SoHo.

Ivory Serra (The Serra Effect), Logan Hicks (Arrivals and Departures), Pax Paloscia (Let the Kids Play), and WK Interact (2.5 New York Street Life) all published books for Drago’s
36 Chamber Series box collection. Chris Stain, Elbow-Toe, Swoon, and WK Interact contributed their work to The Thousands: Painting Outside, Breaking In, a book and exhibition curated by RJ Rushmore and published by Drago.

All books from the artists present and a selection of other Drago publications like Ed Templeton’s Golden Age of Neglect, Nick Walker’s, A Sequence of Events, Aaron Rose’s Young Sleek and Full of Hell, and Estevan Oriol’s LA Woman will be on sale and available at special 25% discount exclusively for this awesome evening.
The contemporary art publishing house known as Drago acts as a rhizome into the international mindset that is fueled by the ideas and values of the current generation.

As a cultural symposium, Drago creates and presents forums for exchange through various pathways by remixing pop culture and undiscovered trends; those pathways include, not only the publication of art books, but hosting events, sponsoring art projects and collaborations, curating exhibitions, executing press and communication strategies, trend scouting, and promotion via the Drago blog (www.dragolab.com). It is from these creative platforms that Drago contributes to the growth and expansion of the alternative re-evolution that began on the street and over the Internet. Drago represents the mainstream of minorities, where under is over and over is under.

From their home base in Rome, Italy, Drago found a parallel group in New York who maintain the same groin-yearning ardor for art, culture, and the urban experience. Due to the two groups’ equally energetic and eternal lust for participation in and promotion of the arts, Drago sought to collaborate with Wooster Collective and bring some of the great names off the street and in for some page turning, but more for the drinking and debating.

Marc and Sara Schiller founded the Wooster Collective in 2001. Their mission is to discover and document authentic art experiences via salons, publishing, gallery shows, and their website (www.woostercollective.com). Their site is dedicated
to showcasing and celebrating ephemeral art placed on streets in cities around the world.

Benefit for Free Arts NYC

2010-04-12T09:57:00.000-07:00

"Street Art New York" Silent Auction Benefit for Free Arts NYC

For more information please contact:
Email: info@StreetArtNewYork.com; Web: www.StreetArtNewYork.com

"Street Art New York" Silent Auction Benefit for Free Arts NYC
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Event Time: 7-11 pm

Auction Time: Promptly 7 pm to 9:30 pm EST
Absentee bidders please register with Bernadette DeAngelis at bernadette@freeartsnyc.org or call 212.974.9092.

Location: Factory Fresh Gallery
1053 Flushing Avenue
Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York 11237
between Morgan and Knickerbocker, off the L train Morgan Stop

SILENT AUCTION BENEFIT BY STREET ARTISTS FOR "FREE ARTS NYC" AND A PARTY TO MARK THE RELEASE OF NEW BOOK
“STREET ART NEW YORK”.

To celebrate the release of the new book "Street Art New York" and to benefit the programs of Free Arts NYC, original artworks by a stellar array of today's Street Artists from New York and beyond will be featured in a silent auction to take place on April 24, 2010, from 7 pm to 9:30 pm at Factory Fresh Gallery in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

The Benefit and the Artists

The Benefit, to be held at one of New York's epicenters for the thriving new Street Art scene, Factory Fresh Gallery, will feature an incredibly strong selection of today's Street Artists joining together for one night as a community to benefit NYC kids from disadvantaged backgrounds as the numbers of poor and low-income children in New York continues to rise. Representing a renaissance in modern urban art at the dawn of a new decade, this will very likely be the largest collection of 2010's street artists in one location.

The list of participating artists thus far includes* Abe Lincoln Jr., Anera, Avoid Pi, Bishop 203, Billi Kid, BortusK Leer, Broken Crow, C Damage, C215, Cake, Celso, Chris RWK , Chris Stain, Creepy, DAIN, Damon Ginandes, Dan Witz, Dark Clouds, Dennis McNett, Elbow Toe, Ellis G, Gaia, FKDL, General Howe, GoreB, Hargo, Hellbent, Imminent Disaster, Jim Avignon, Jef Aerosol, JMR, Joe Iurato, Jon Burgerman, Keely, Know Hope, Logan Hicks, Mark Carvalho, Matt Siren, Mint and Serf, Miss Bugs, NohJColey, Peru Ana Ana Peru, PMP, Poster Boy, Rene Gagnon, ROA, Pufferella, Royce Bannon, Skewville, Specter, Stikman, Swoon, The Dude Company, Tristan Eaton,Veng RWK

*as of March 30, 2010. Please check back for additional confirmations

Arresting

2010-04-11T21:03:00.000-07:00

Marina Abramović and Ulay, Rest Energy

The tension in this piece is absolutely amazing. Even if it is dated there is a primal quality that seems completely fresh. It would be interesting to accomplish this kind of energy with a medium that is not an actual document of a process.

A Still Life Is A Good Life

2010-04-11T12:49:00.000-07:00

The work of Robert Wilson has been an inspiration for years. I was hoping to find some videos of some of his theatre productions to post. I did find some examples, but these Voom Portraits really are quite fascinating. I would definitely suggest going full screen.

If It Were Possible To Paint Spring, This Would Be It

2010-04-07T21:16:00.000-07:00

So here is another artist that I have always found to be quite compelling, and who has been influencing my work as of late. The artist is Richard Diebenkorn. He was the most important of the Bay Area Figurative Painters. The collage work I am doing does not lend itself to the complete fluidity of this type of painting, but it serves as a great reminder of what to aim for. Diebenkorn was absolutely stunning at composition and color. You could follow some of his roots to artists such as Edward Hopper and Cezanne as well as Bonnard.

In the Heat of the Night

2010-03-30T21:12:00.000-07:00

I was looking online for some interviews to read, and I somehow ended up over at the Marlborough Gallery's website. I haven't looked at her work in a while, but I really got jazzed on Paula Rego again. Not only is she a consummate draughtsman but her images are just plain weird. I like weird.

Since I won't really be posting any work for my upcoming show anytime soon, perhaps I will post artists that are influencing my thinking.

Where's ELBOW-TOE?

2010-03-22T06:52:00.000-07:00

The past few months have been quite busy. I have been forced to change studios, but that is all settled now. I have also been steadily working towards a solo show in London for November of 2010.

Expect to see a more steady stream of posts in the future.

A Cry for Help

2009-12-31T07:37:00.000-08:00

‘A Cry For Help' @ Thinkspace
A benefit show for the endangered species of the world presented by Born Free USA & the Animal Protection Institute

Opening Reception: Friday, Jan. 8th 7-11PM
On View: Jan. 8th, 2009 – Feb. 5th, 2010
20% of all proceeds will be donated to Born Free USA

This special exhibit will feature an installation from Bumblebee as well as a group show featuring the works of over 100 artists (full list is below).

(Los Angeles, CA) Thinkspace is proud to present "A Cry For Help," a benefit exhibition with the goal of raising awareness about the plight of animals in our modern world. Featuring more than 100 artists who represent every branch of the new contemporary scene, this show has been curated with an eye to representing the unique and innovative attributes of a select group of seasoned veterans and fresh-eyed newcomers from five continents. In keeping with the benefit's mission, each artist will explore different facets of our complicated relationship with the creatures with whom we share this planet.

Though we live in the city, animals exist all around us – they sleep in our beds, creep past our windows at night and visit us in our dreams. Symbolizing all that is free, unspoiled and elemental in the world, they also comfort us with guileless affection, amuse us with their playful abandon, and represent us metaphorically in a million works of art and literature. In every niche of the new contemporary scene, artists have employed animals to envisage concepts ranging from the wonder of childhood to the death of nature, while exploiting an ever-widening array of aesthetics, from surreal naturalism to street fables, apocalyptic visions to modern mythology, uncanny allegories to sylvan dreamscapes.

In celebration of the magnificent creatures with whom we share the planet, Thinkspace will donate 20% of the sale price of each piece of art to Born Free USA and the Animal Protection Institute, which operate jointly as a non-profit organization that advocates worldwide for the ethical treatment and protection of animals, and also maintains a large sanctuary for rescued primates. Throughout the month, the gallery will host pet adoptions, slide shows, lectures and more. The world can indeed be changed through random individual acts of kindness, so please don't miss this opportunity to kick off the New Year with a good deed, as well as a great piece of art.

ARTISTS TAKING PART INCLUDE:

Acorn http://www.flickr.com/photos/acornsgrow/
Allison Sommers http://allisonsommers.typepad.com/
Amy Sol http://www.amysol.com
Andrea Offermann http://www.andreaoffermann.com/
Andrew Hem http://www.andrewhem.com/
Angry Woebots http://www.armyofsnipers.com/
Anthony Clarkson http://www.anthonyclarksonart.com/
Anthony Ausgang http://www.ausgangart.com/
Apak http://apakstudio.com/apak/
Ashira Siegel http://www.redridinghoodproductions.com/
Ben Strawn http://benstrawn.carbonmade.com/
Bradley Delay http://www.delayart.com/
Buff Monster http://www.buffmonster.com
Bumblebee http://www.flickr.com/photos/theuglyyou
Catherine Brooks http://thearborgeistproject.tumblr.com/
Charlie Immer http://www.charlieimmer.com/
Chet Zar http://www.chetzar.com/
Chris Murray http://www.chrisbmurray.com/
Craig "Skibs" Barker http://www.skibsart.com/
Dabs Myla http://www.dabsmyla.com
Dan May http://dan-may.com/
Dan Quintana http://www.myspace.com/artslinger
Dan-ah Kim http://www.dkim-art.com/
David MacDowell http://www.macdowellstudio.com/
Dennis Hayes IV http://www.dennishayesiv.com/
Derek Ihnat http://www.myspace.com/visual_feast
Dolan Geiman http://www.dolangeiman.com/
Edwin Ushiro http://www.mrushiro.com/
Ekundayo http://www.ekunday.com
ELBOW-TOE http://www.elbow-toe.com/
Elisabeth Timpone http://listimpone.blogspot.com/
Eric Nyquist http://www.ericnyquist.com/
Erik Siador http://www.eriksiador.com/
Faith 47 http://www.faith47.com/
Gaia http://gaiastreetart.com/
Genevivie Zacconi http://www.genevive.com/
Germs http://www.germs4u.com/
Ghostpatrol http://ghostpatrol.net/
Guy McKinley http://www.flickr.com/photos/guymckinley
Heiko Mueller http://www.heikomueller.de/
Imminent Disaster http://www.flickr.com/photos/disasterstrikes/
J. Shea (#9) http://jshea9blog.blogspot.com/
Jacub Gagnon http://www.jacubgagnon.com/
Janet Grey
Jason Limon http://www.limon-art.com/
Jason Thielke http://www.jasonthielke.com/
Jen Lobo http://jenlobo.com/
Jennybird Alcantara http://www.jennybirdart.com/
Jesse Hotchkiss http://www.jessehotchkiss.com/
Jim Darling http://www.jimdarling.com/?id=206
Joao Ruas http://souvlaki.jp-ar.org/
John Park
Johnny 'KMNDZ' Rodriguez http://www.kmndz.com/
Joseph McSween (aka 2H) http://www.myspace.com/2hatred
Joshua Mays http://soldren.com/content/
Josie Morway http://www.josiemorway.com/
Justin Gibbens http://www.justingibbens.com/
Katelyn Alain http://www.katelynalain.com/
Kathleen Lolley http://www.lolleyland.com/
Kelly McKernan http://kellymckernan.com/
Kelly Vivanco http://www.kellyvivanco.com/
Kevin Earl Taylor http://www.kevinearltaylor.com/
Kevin Titzer http://www.kevintitzer.com/
Kris Lewis http://www.krislewisart.com/
Leontine Greenberg http://leontinemay.com/
Lesley Reppeteaux http://www.reppeteaux.com/
Liz Brizzi http://www.lizbrizzi.com/
Liz McGrath http://www.elizabethmcgrath.com/
Luke Kopycinski http://koppa.carbonmade.com/
Mari Inukai http://www.mariinukai.com/
Martin Wittfooth http://www.martinwittfooth.com/
Mear One http://www.mearone.com/
Michael Pukac http://www.michaelpukac.com/
Mike Brown http://www.myspace.com/funpig
Moki http://www.mioke.de/
Molly Crabapple http://www.mollycrabapple.com/
Nathan DeYoung http://www.nathandeyoung.com/
Nimit Malavia http://www.nimitmalavia.com/
Nouar http://www.noirnouar.com/
Paul Barnes http://www.paul-barnes.com/
Peter Taylor http://www.handmadefeat.com/
Raquel Aparicio http://www.raquelissima.com/
Rebecca Hahn http://rebeccahahn.com/
Renee French http://reneefrench.blogspot.com/
Rob Sato http://www.robsato.com/index.html
Rory Kurtz http://www.rorykurtzillustration.com/
Sarah Joncas http://www.teapartylove.digitalinkz.com/
Scott Belcastro http://www.scottbelcastro.com/
Scott G. Brooks http://www.scottgbrooks.com/
Scott Radke http://www.scottradke.com/
Tadaomi Shibuya http://www.tadaomishibuya.com/
Tessar Lo http://www.tessarlo.com/
Timothy Karpinski http://timothykarpinski.com/
Tina Darling http://tinadarling.com/?id=206
Tran Nguyen http://www.trannguyen.org/
Travis Louie http://www.travislouie.com/
Van Arno http://www.vanarno.com/
Wesley Burt http://www.wesleyburt.com/
Yoskay Yamamoto http://yoskay.com/
Yosuke Ueno http://www.spaceegg77.com/

La Ronde

2009-12-15T21:00:00.000-08:00

La Ronde, 2009

Cut paper on birch panel

16 x 24 inches

I just delivered the collage La Ronde to Marc and Sara of Wooster Collective. After I showed them the piece they asked me to do a brief explanation of the work.

It's All About the Details

2009-12-11T10:18:00.001-08:00

Busy in the studio will cut paper pieces again. I am working on some large scale hand-colored drawings for the spring. Above is a detail.

Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?

2009-12-01T18:32:00.000-08:00

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
21 x 31 5/8 inches

Hand-pulled silkscreen on 250 grams Stonehenge Natural White moulde-made paper.

Edition limited to 50.

This print will be available via Black Rat Projects.

Black Rat Projects is delighted to invite you to the opening of London’s most unusual bookshop which takes place on 2nd December 2009.

The pop-up antiquarian bookshop is also rumoured to be haunted and is built inside our railway arch gallery.

The bookshop will be filled with an unusual selection of books from major and independent book publishers. A large selection of second hand books and artist made fanzines, counter cultural manuals and films will be available. Artwork by Swoon, Grayson Perry, Giles Walker, Matt Small and Lucas Price will also be on display. Reports have already been received of eerie incidents and strange happenings, with books magically flying off shelves, and lights switching themselves on and off. Halloween may have been and gone but the real ghosts and ghouls work all year round. In addition to this we will be releasing a new edition by ELBOW-TOE.

The idea of creating the bookshop came when we slept in the gallery one evening and were woken by the toilet flushing and books falling from the office bookshelves. Thinking we were being burgled, we turned the lights on only to find the gallery empty. Asking around, a local landlord mentioned that the gallery had been used to store the stock of legendary Victorian book dealer F. J. Williams who disappeared in 1903 and is rumoured to haunt various pubs and houses around the East End.

Black Dog Books promises to be one of the year’s most interesting art and book events. Working with support from publishers including the Tate, Thames and Hudson and Drago, the project promises to not only provide a unique experience, but also a great place to do a little alternative Christmas shopping.

Black Dog Books is a fully functional bookshop complete with customer assistant, working antique till and books available to buy. The book shop has been designed by Will Randall and Giles Walker and can accommodate up to 10 people at a time. Invites to the launch will be sent out in the next few days.

Black Dog Books

2009-12-01T06:42:00.000-08:00

Black Rat Press: The pop-up antiquarian bookshop is also rumoured to be haunted and is built inside our railway arch gallery. The bookshop will be filled with an unusual selection of books from major and independent book publishers. A large selection of second hand books and artist made fanzines, counter cultural manuals and films will be available. Artwork by Swoon, Grayson Perry, Giles Walker, Matt Small and Lucas Price will also be on display. Reports have already been received of eerie incidents and strange happenings, with books magically flying off shelves, and lights switching themselves on and off. Halloween may have been and gone but the real ghosts and ghouls work all year round. In addition to this we will be releasing a new edition by Brian Douglas (ELBOW-TOE).

The bookstore opens 12.02.09 at 6:30 pm.

Lost in thought

2009-10-25T18:32:00.000-07:00

I experienced a most unique moment today. I was sitting on my back porch having lunch. The sky was intensely clear and rich in it's blue hue. It was cold and warm at the same time, the sun, extra bright from the depth of color in the sky. I began to think about being older in my house. And then I started thinking about the fact that I could see myself living someday downstairs. Then suddenly I was the me downstairs as an old man, and I was looking back at myself at this day at this time and thinking how it was an extremely memorable day in my life. That things are were really pretty good, that I had made the right choices, as best as I could blindly not knowing any repercussions. Time and space felt extremely fluid. I was experiencing my present moment with all the nostalgia I hold for the memorable times of my childhood.

One Last Reminder

2009-10-16T14:50:00.001-07:00

Just a reminder I am participating in A.G.A.S.T (Annual Gowanus Artist Studio Tour) this Saturday and Sunday, October 17 & 18 from 1 - 6 pm.

At this event, you will have the unique opportunity to get small (Recession Sized) versions of ELBOW-TOE pieces at extremely friendly (Recession Priced) prices. I will be selling 10 different prints from my latest street work as well as some oldies but goodies. These works are single color silk screens reduced to sizes ranging from 5x8 inches up to 12x10 inches and will be sold for approximately $30 a piece + shipping and handling if I need to mail them. They will be limited to editions of 30.
There will be a 10% discount if you buy the entire folio.

I will be setting up an ETSY store to make the ease of purchasing them more convenient for you. Once that is established I will have links from a shop section on my website.

Also if you are interested in acquiring these images in their actual size, hand colored and mounted on my traditional wood sculpture format please contact Mike Snelle at Black Rat Press. His email is mike@blackratpress.com .

My studio is located at 94 9th Street 4th floor studio 23, Brooklyn NY 11215.

Due to bad planning on the part of the MTA Smith/ 9th Street station is closed on the F and G trains. They will be offering a free shuttle from Jay St Borough hall to Smith Street. The quicker method for getting here if you are taking a train is to take the N train to 4th Ave/9th street in Park slope and walk down 2 blocks to the studio along 9th street. The R train is the usual local on that line but this weekend the N train is running local.

Grand Opening. Grand Closing.

2009-10-11T09:38:00.001-07:00

Techtonic Perspective Shifts.

The fall air has really kicked in. For the first time this morning I could see my breath. I am at the point of switching gears for a while, a lot of work to do collaging for a solo show in London next year. It has been a very interesting summer into fall.

Given the Boot

2009-10-11T09:30:00.000-07:00

There Was an Old Woman
Who Lived in a Shoe,
But She Got an Adjustable Rate Mortgage
and Couldn't Make Her Payments

Recession Sized Prints and ELBOW-TOE at A.G.A.S.T

2009-10-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder I am participating in A.G.A.S.T (Annual Gowanus Artist Studio Tour).

At this event, you will have the unique opportunity to get small (Recession Sized) versions of ELBOW-TOE pieces at extremely friendly (Recession Priced) prices. I will be selling 10 different prints from my latest street work as well as some oldies but goodies. These works are single color silk screens reduced to sizes ranging from 5x8 inches up to 12x10 inches and will be sold for approximately $30 a piece + shipping and handling if I need to mail them. They will be limited to editions of 30.
There will be a 10% discount if you buy the entire folio.

I will be setting up an ETSY store to make the ease of purchasing them more convenient for you. Once that is established I will have links from a shop section on my website.

Also if you are interested in acquiring these images in their actual size, hand colored and mounted on my traditional wood sculpture format please contact Mike Snelle at Black Rat Press. His email is mike@blackratpress.com .

The Rise and Fall of Icarus. An Interview with MTV

2009-10-05T09:32:00.001-07:00

MTV Brasil has finally posted an interview I did with them earlier this year. I feel like I am in the middle of a fashion sandwich.

And Now for Something a Little Different

2009-10-03T07:44:00.000-07:00

I am about to jump back in full force to collaging. Here is a recent piece and an older piece, both recently pasted.

A little back story on the older piece(the one of the woman amongst the ruins.

In my show with Armsrock last year, at one point we were going to draw upon the writings of Eduardo Galeano. This was the first image that I made for that show. Both of our images turned away from that initial inception, and I have been weighing whether to sell the image for the better part of a year now. I decided the other day, as I worked on another drawing that it would be nice to set her free. I will put up the passage that this is based on a little later.

From the Streets to the Studio//ELBOW-TOE and A.G.A.S.T.

2009-09-29T20:21:00.000-07:00

On Saturday and Sunday October 17 - 18 2009 from 1-6 pm, Brian Adam Douglas (A K A ELBOW-TOE) will be participating in the Annual Gowanus Artist Studio Tour.

Brian Adam Douglas/ ELBOW-TOE is a Brooklyn based artist that has been a predominant force in the New York street art scene creating introspective urban art for several years. His artwork for the streets is grounded in myth, symbolism and poetry and is primarily executed in woodcut, stencil or large-scale charcoal drawings. His current body of work can be divided into two main camps. His figurative work is an exploration of gesture as a means for communication. With these works he is particularly interested in the effects of environmental forces outside his control to create a timeless quality to the work thereby allowing it to feel as if it has been memory and is part of the collective unconscious. His most recent body of work has been focusing on the mythology of children's literature as a catalyst. By using well known stories that allow for instant recognition, he is able to layer upon his own message that creates a subversive re-contextualization.

His gallery work focuses on portraiture and abstracted narrative and is primarily executed in collage. These intricate collages at first glance might be mistaken for paintings given that they have a fluidity rarely seen in collages. Whilst his work has a very unique style it draws on a rich history of figurative painting and has qualities reminiscent of Freud, Bacon and Soutine.

Brian / ELBOW-TOE was the focus of a documentary on the global phenomenon of streetart by the BBC world service in November of 2008. The documentary can be downloaded at http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/documentaries/2008/11/081103_street_art_one.shtml

For other interviews of note please check out http://www.myloveforyou.typepad.com/my_love_for_you/2008/06/qa-w-elbowtoe.html and http://arrestedmotion.com/2009/07/interview-elbow-toe-hits-up-streets-of-london/

To coincide with the Annual Gowanus Artist Studio Tour, Brian is creating silkscreens of his most recent street art, that can be purchased either at his studio or online via http://www.elbow-toe.com. Check his website periodically as a shop section will be added to the website prior to the open studio tour.

For more information on the open studio tour please visit http://www.gowanusartists.com/ where you can download a pdf map for the entire 2 day event.

The studio is located at 94 9th street, 4th floor #23. For easiest access, take the F/G train to Smith/9th Street.

Thanks so much and hope to see you there!

Pirate Truck

2009-09-13T10:48:00.001-07:00

Was out doing my thing this morning and came across this wonderful Katsu.

Watch Your Step

2009-09-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

Some new street art. 2 color stencil on sidewalk. Keep your eyes peeled, they are scattered around.

Starting to gear up for my next series of collages so the street art will be a little fewer and far between, in terms of new pieces.

Divine Hammer

2009-09-01T06:33:00.001-07:00

Some new street work. Just a couple of breeders.

The subject and composition is derived from Rembrandt's Monk in the Cornfields.

We Are All Just Players

2009-08-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

Some new street work. When I showed this to my wife she immediately thought the structure that the image is on looked like a coffin. The works have gotten smaller this year, due to time constraints and my budget; in return I am aiming to lift the level of quality and subject matter up ten fold.

When He Made It To the West Coast He Found a Home

2009-08-14T06:14:00.000-07:00

This just blows me away. The wonderful family that acquired Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? from my show Mostly Memory at Thinkspace has built a small HOUSE to contain the piece. I am floored.

The Turn Around in the Return

2009-08-12T08:48:00.000-07:00

The Turn Around in the Return 2009

18 x 28 inches.
Cut paper on birch panel.

ELBOW-TOE's Bunions

2009-08-11T22:07:00.001-07:00

These guys are the greatest. It's been a real pleasure working with them.

Beach Blanket Bingo, A Summer Mixer

2009-07-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin - Squirrel NUT-KIN 2009

Hand-colored linocut mounted on reclaimed lumber on a birch support.
22.25 x 25.5 inches

The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin - Old Brown 2009

Hand-colored linocut mounted on reclaimed lumber on a birch support.
24.5 x 39.5 inches

These works will be included in Beach Blanket Bingo, A Summer Mixer at Jonathan LeVine Gallery.

Artists include: Ana Bagayan, Glenn Barr, Ray Caesar, Dave Cooper, Xiaoqing Ding, Meredith Dittmar, David Ellis, Ron English, Natalia Fabia, Korin Faught, AJ Fosik, Andrew Foster, Rick Froberg, Matt Haber, Logan Hicks, Seonna Hong, Alex Hornest (Onesto), Rich Jabocs, Anthony Lister, Jack Long, Cleon Paterson, Scott Radke, Erik Mark Sandberg, SKINNER, ELBOW-TOE, TURF ONE, Nicola Verlato, Adam Wallacavge, Martin Wittfooth, Dan Witz

ELBOW-TOE.COM Is Live

2009-07-10T23:54:00.000-07:00

Elbow-toe.com launched this evening. I would encourage you to check out the site and please pass it on to your friends.

Thanks so much!

Catch Up

2009-07-06T06:14:00.000-07:00

I am back from London, it was an amazing experience, I was fortunate to meet many wonderful people. The show looked amazing, it was a truly spectacular combination of aesthetics.

I woke this morning to see that an interview that I gave with Arrested Motion is up.

Off to clean studio and get back at it.

Ways of Seeing at BRP

2009-06-18T09:25:00.000-07:00

Swoon

Matt Small

Brian Adam Douglas

Ways Of Seeing – An exhibition featuring Swoon, Brian Adam Douglas and Matt Small. Thursday 2nd July – 23rd July 2009

Black Rat Press is delighted to invite you to our next exhibition ‘Ways of Seeing’. The show features works by Swoon, Matt Small and Brian Adam Douglas and explores the different approaches of these three contemporaries to figurative mark making.

Brian Adam Douglas is a Brooklyn based artist who for the past five years has been pasting up his distinctive woodcuts in cities all over the world under the name Elbow-Toe. His work is often grounded in myth, symbolism and poetry and his distinctive style has gained him an avid following of enthusiasts both within street art and the wider art world. Douglas is one of a group of classically trained New York based artists who have chosen the street as the primary place to exhibit their work, finding the immediacy of doing so more liberating than the confines of the traditional gallery system. For ‘Ways of Seeing’ Douglas has created a series of collages portraits. These intricate collages at first glance might be mistaken for paintings given that they have a fluidity rarely seen in collages. Whilst his work has a very definitely unique style it draws on a rich history of figurative painting and has qualities reminiscent of Freud and Bacon.

Swoon is a Brooklyn based artist whose life sized woodcuts can be found on walls in various states of beautiful decay in cities around the world. The scope, variety and ambition of Swoons projects in hugely impressive. Recent projects have involved ‘Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea’, her second solo show with Deitch Projects in New York and her ongoing work with the Braddock Active Arts Project. The Swimming Cities project included seven boats designed and built by Swoon and her crew from discarded materials found in New York dumpsters and then sailed down the Hudson river for 3 weeks stopping along the way to give performances at various locations. The Braddock project is an experiment in inclusive living in the town of Braddock where through creativity and community projects a group of artists led by Swoon hope to revitalize a town struggling with the issues left by the failure of local industry. Swoons gallery installations in which she creates imaginary cityscapes from discarded materials which are inhabited by her life sized figurative wood block prints have gained critical acclaim. Her work is in the permanent collections of a number of public institutions including MOMA, the Brooklyn Museum and the Tate.

Matt Small is an artist whose painting is best understood as an extension of his beliefs and world view. Matt is a passionate believer in social inclusion and that, given the opportunities to be heard and respected, all individuals have something of value to contribute to society. The subject matter of Matts portraits tends to be the marginalized and voiceless in society, those who are socially excluded and often viewed as statistics or pawns in a wider political game as opposed to individuals with the latent potential to contribute and enrich society if only given the opportunity to be heard. By painting portraits of individuals on the outskirts of society, often young black men, Matt encourages us to spend time with people who we may chose to overlook in our daily lives and in doing so forces us to challenge our prejudices and recognize our shared humanity Not content with dealing with such issues only on a conceptual level through his painting, Matt is actively involved in working with the socially excluded. His most recent project ‘Hope in Life’ involved running a series of workshops where mentally ill, homeless and educationally excluded young people came together on a weekly basis alongside established artists to express themselves through painting and music. The project was a huge success culminating in an exhibition at Black Rat Press. The money raised at the show will help make ‘Hope in Life’ an annual project. Matt Small graduated from the Royal College of Art and his unique style of portraiture has gained him a huge following and widespread critical acclaim. He was runner up in the BP portrait award and his work is in numerous collections worldwide including the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Ways of Seeing opens on the evening of July 2nd and invites will be sent out via email to those on the mailing list.

Oedipus copy

2009-06-11T20:34:00.001-07:00

elbowtoe
Originally uploaded by jesse_moy

I came across this on flickr this evening.

This is not a urinal.

2009-06-03T05:36:00.000-07:00

Text and photocopy pasted on wall by street artist ELBOW-TOE.

A little explanation of the piece for those that are curious. There is a guy in this neighborhood that goes around with chalk marking spots not as urinals of critiquing graffiti.

It got me thinking.

This piece is basically a mashup of Duchamp's Fountain and Magritte's Ceci n'est pas une pipe, two pieces that question the relation of signs to their designata.

Processed

2009-05-31T21:55:00.001-07:00

I am busy working on a collage, and as is usually the case my mind is very active as I build layer upon layer of paper very patiently.

As I worked today a conversation I had with another artist in my building kept circulating in my head. The artist mentioned something regarding "now that you have a formula it is pretty much an issue of cranking them out."

This is certainly not the case with these works. I approach every piece as a new challenge, of refinement, expression, of understanding the individual in that moment of time. The actual process of applying the paper is rather straight forward, but every mark is made as though it is the exact mark that is meant to be there, in terms of color, value and the description of its shape. I view these works as operating as both representational works and abstractions. As there is no blending per se, the marks move in and around the forms creating a lattice work of levels, at moments in the process the open areas of color read like precise versions of a Pollock gestural work, and over time develop into forms that on the proper distance congeal to create an arm, a cheekbone, an eye.

The collage works are as much about the process as they are about the finished product. Every mark is a comment on the emotional presence of the model, descriptive as well as gestural.

Transition

2009-05-29T15:42:00.000-07:00

This blog is about things that feed my gallery and street art, and this cat has been a major player in my life.

My wife and I put him to sleep today.

Thank you Fozzy, you have made my life more full.

Rest in peace.

Indexing Reference

2009-05-20T20:46:00.001-07:00

So I apologize to you all for not keeping this blog up to date. I am burning the oil overtime.

Artwork:

I have a large series of street based prints that are in the process of being carved, and them come the multi-layer wood color layers.

I am very busy with the collages as well. Finished what I feel is the most intricate one I have ever executed, and am working on a companion piece for it currently.

Reading:

Eduardo Galeano's Memory of Fire(Genesis)

Sharon Old's One Secret Thing

Listening to:

Sigor Ros' Med sud I eyrum vid spilum endalaust

William S. Burroughs read Naked Lunch

Want to see the Francis Bacon Exhibit at the Met.

But for now, going home to have a glass of port and hit the hay.

Leftover Beef

2009-05-01T13:03:00.001-07:00

O Elbow Toe wherefore art thou
Originally uploaded by nolionsinengland

To Fall From Grace

2009-04-26T12:28:00.001-07:00

I was fortunate enough to recently be interviewed for a Brazilian show dealing with the New York art scene. As part of the interview they wanted to go with me as I installed a piece. I visited a spot that I have been thinking about for quite some time, years in fact where I used to ride my bike and rollerblade. What was particularly meaningful about this location was that it fit the needs exactly for a more developed installation of work that I created over the past year. In particular there was a security light that I have been looking for for a while to install the Icarus piece against. The install went quite well, and I was very happy with the overall composition. We went and had lunch, toasted with a beer and came back only to witness the death of the installation.

I have never had the opportunity to be witness to the demise of one of my works. I found it quite breathtaking. I can not say I was bummed, the wall was very nice and clean, and I had the feeling it would not last long. But it was just wild to see the entire life cycle compressed in such a short time. The best part is that the folks interviewing me went up to the maintainence guy and began to start questioning his actions.

The Wall Flower

2009-04-21T20:58:00.000-07:00

YOUR FRAIL NECK

APPEARS TO LACK

THE STRENGTH TO HOLD

YOUR NERVOUS,

RED RACOON EYES.

RED AND WHITE SKIN

BOBBING

WITH SO MUCH

SURFACE TENSION.

- ELBOWTOE

Mustachioed

2009-04-06T13:19:00.001-07:00

elbow toe
Originally uploaded by ADHocism

How strangely apropos. I have recently grown a mustache, and then I see this.

Ode to Redon

2009-03-29T20:46:00.001-07:00

I was on the train tonight coming back from a nice evening with family and friends and I saw this on the floor of a subway station that was being renovated. It reminded me quite a bit of work by Odilon Redon.

Palette

2009-03-29T11:48:00.001-07:00

Working hard in the studio on collages. For those curious after seeing the piece posted recently on Wooster Collective, here is a shot of the palette.

Late Nights

2009-03-26T08:20:00.001-07:00

I am.
Originally uploaded by christheobscure

Time Beaten Couple

2009-03-22T11:11:00.001-07:00

Time Beaten Couple
Originally uploaded by samideluxe

Red, White and Ochre.

2009-03-20T18:29:00.000-07:00

I will post a panorama of this later, but I was absolutely blown away by this mound of garbage. There is something so beautiful about the intersection and distribution of repeated shapes and densities of material against the walls whose repeating bricks provide a structure for it all to sit against. The photo does not really capture the scale, but it had a quality almost approaching a Richard Serra.

Within the Quiet There is a Scream

2009-03-10T17:07:00.001-07:00

Within the Quiet There is a Scream.
Originally uploaded by jschumacher

Re-membrandts

2009-03-07T10:14:00.001-08:00

Portal Poetry

2009-03-06T06:28:00.000-08:00

Micro-poetry by ELBOW-TOE that one might find in doorways.

To see more micro-poems visit the Elbow-Toe page on Facebook.

Snow Day

2009-03-02T08:46:00.001-08:00

State of Decay

2009-03-01T16:35:00.001-08:00

elbowtoe
Originally uploaded by SMKjr

To Do List

2009-03-01T09:23:00.001-08:00

Do Not Leap to Conclusions

2009-02-28T08:06:00.001-08:00

It is bill day, work day end of the month day. Finishing up the drawing for my first painting for an ongoing street project. Just about to start the next collage.

As I work, I've been thinking more about street art. I saw some new Bäst the other day. His work exemplifies what I was discussing in an earlier post. The street needs his work. His work feels so much more essential on the street than in a frame, in al the right ways. And this is quite interesting as most of his works are square format, which would lend itself to a frame. His reworking of the figure speaks loads about the abstract energy that exists in piss-odored doorways, with the peeling paint, littered with adverts. His action on the street holds a Ray Gun - like mirror up to the city and reprocesses it trowing it back to the city.

Third Eye Blind

2009-02-26T18:56:00.000-08:00

Winter is certainly dragging on. Finished the next collage, will begin posting them soon.

Crepuscular Turnings

2009-02-25T07:13:00.001-08:00

Walking home from the studio in the cold and silence of late night streets, it offers time to contemplate. I have been thinking quite a bit recently about street art as a role in my creative process. Being art of this global movement for some time now, I have seen my aesthetics of attack shift dramatically.

Seeing the [pictured] cushion tonight I realized how trans formative space can act on objects. In this case there were reports on the radio the other day that animal abandonment has spiked with the continuing recession and my first thought on seeing this shape in the middle of an empty street late at night is that it was a stray dog resting on the ground. As my vision is not the best, it took a bit of time getting closer to actually comprehend what I saw. The experience during the time of not knowing was very informative in terms of seeing how the object due to it's placement informed my thinking. It think the vast space around the object gave it such a sole focus that the cushion gained a character it might not have had leaning against a wall.

This brings me back to street art. As I have been preoccupied with studio work at present, it has given me time to step back and really assess how I want to use the discipline of street art, for I do believe it is a discipline. I have been exploring artists well outside of the realm of street art recently and their artworks in terms of their medium and attack are crystal clear in relation to why it delivers what it is aiming to express. By why I mean that I do not experience a sense of seeing the idea of their idea happening. I believe that street art is only on the street, and projects involved in street art need to exist there because they can exist no where else properly. There needs to be a relationship that is created by the intersection of the action with the environment that transforms both.

The Mind Is an Unreliable Container of the Past

2009-02-18T13:15:00.000-08:00

The Mind Is an Unreliable Container of the Past (2009)

Hand painted linocut with pastel in Japanese paper.

25 x 39 inches.

Series of 5 unique prints.

I am excited to be part of the upcoming Print Show at Black Rat Press in London which opens on February 21, 2009. You can get more information on the show here.

The Daily Draw 2.18.08

2009-02-18T08:52:00.000-08:00

Everyone I know is struggling right now. I hope some real lessons can at least be remembered from all of this.

Feeds

2009-02-17T13:19:00.001-08:00

You will notice a new set of links in the nav section where you can link up to groups or other feeds to follow my work.

Friday was the 13th

2009-02-16T21:40:00.001-08:00

Sad day for somedays
Originally uploaded by sabeth718

Wishful thinking gone awry.

Installation Work by Wade Kavanaugh and Stephen B. Nguyen

2009-02-09T16:54:00.000-08:00

473 inches at 60 frames per second

So there is this fellow in my studio building who is doing some amazing work on his own, and tonight he points me to this series of projects he has been involved in and will be starting up again in DUMBO. Profoundly moving. Check the work out here.

Where Is ELBOW-TOE?

2009-02-05T19:44:00.000-08:00

I am fortunately slammed in the studio working on a new body of work for an upcoming show in London as well as a body of work for the streets. I will post some work soon. I will have some work at Black Rat Press' print show in February. Finishing up some hand painted prints right now. Immersed in NPR.

A Fresh Start ( from the bottom up)

2009-01-20T17:58:00.001-08:00

I found it such a relief to sit and listen to the words of our new president. There was so much clarity in his speech, and as I have had time to think about it I am glad that it lacked much of the flourish that his other speeches contained. It seemed more real and true, as though his performance before was meant to inspire and gather but what he presented today was to lead and really direct the country's focus.

I read an op-ed in the New York Times today and it spoke of how Obama has reshaped the Democratic party. I am not so sure about that. One problem that the Democrats have had is that they have anomalies like Obama. To a lesser extent we had this same type of mutation with Bill Clinton, but overall, I think that there is not a dogma that our party builds itself upon. I think in this way it is harder to pin us down, and I know that part of this exists because we have many more "surface" ambitions than the Republican party. I am in fact cautiously excited to see whether there are some general traits that can be gleaned from what is hopefully a successful presidency that can be applied to our party as a whole. I am not talking in terms of strategy, but ideals that we can use to unite our ideas across many different levels of government.

Wired

2009-01-19T21:18:00.000-08:00

I came across this in Chelsea at the end of a long afternoon of gallery hopping. Not sure if the ladders were part of the installation, but I really liked them. Particularly with the snow just starting to fall. Such a great mix of values, colors and textures.

Been very busy in the studio working on multiple fronts. I am changing studios in the next week, so there will be a lot of craziness. I am posting a few more artists on Black Book Blogger.

The Writing's on the Wall

2009-01-13T18:06:00.001-08:00

Daily Draw 1.9.09

2009-01-09T12:04:00.000-08:00

Coming back from a nasty head cold.

Daily Draw 1.7.09

2009-01-07T12:28:00.000-08:00

It's a cold, wet day today with lots of steam rising from the vents in the neighborhood. Contrast that with the windswept rain and it has a quality of time moving slowly. Listened to the other BBC podcast on streetart today with the Brazilian artist Nunca. Interesting work.

The Tactful Decline of All Future Advances

2009-01-07T00:48:00.001-08:00

Just finished the collage for Black Rat Press for an art fair in London.

To see the image click here.

Up to the Hilt

2009-01-05T20:14:00.000-08:00

Busy, busy, busy.

Working on a collage for an art fair in London with Black Rat Press. Will post an image of the piece as soon as it is finished.

Also reading The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. Uplifting stuff. If you can suggest books that focus on the meatpacking industry I would be glad to get any suggestions.

Daily Draw 1.2.09

2009-01-03T07:01:00.000-08:00

It has been blisteringly cold in the city; it is an interesting challenge to address issues of warmth, be it the clothing as well as the physical interactions of pedestrians.

Mostly Memory

2008-12-22T12:15:00.000-08:00

Mostly Memory

New Work by ARMSROCK & ELBOW-TOE

December 12 - January 2, 2009

Thinkspace Gallery

4210 Santa Monica Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90029

323.913.3375

Open Thursday - Sunday

1pm - 6 pm or by appointment

Portion of the installation room for Mostly Memory. Image courtesy of Thinkspace Gallery.

Hey folks. For those of you following my blog, I am so pleased to be in a magnificent show with ARMSROCK at Thinkspace gallery in LA. If you are in LA, near LA or have ever even thought about LA, even if you haven't this is the reason to go to LA.

You can check out photos from the opening night on the Thinkspace Flickr Page as well as the Lord Jim Flickr Page.

If you are interested in acquiring any of the remaining pieces from the show you can view the show pieces here.

For all inquiries regarding the show please email contact@sourharvest.com

Double Boiler

2008-12-19T10:12:00.000-08:00

Well I'm back. Wrapping up a couple loose ends for the year and then it is on to more. I am going to start a new project called Black Book Blogger, and you can email submissons to elbowtoe@gmail.com please put "blackbook submissions" as the title.

Starting a major project for Black Rat Press this year and will keep posts of the progress on that front. Keep your eyes peeled on the street as well.

Thanks to all who have been following this blog, and have a great New Year.

Here kitty

2008-12-04T23:36:00.000-08:00

Saw this in the Orlando Sentinel.

BBC World Service Documentary

2008-11-20T07:22:00.000-08:00

As an avid listener of NPR and the BBC World Service I am beyond honored to have been chosen as a subject for a documentary on streetart in New York. A wonderful reporter spent the better part of a week hanging out with me discussing art and life. For more information on the program and how to subscribe to the podcast click here. The program goes live on the 21st.

Chalice Begonia

2008-11-17T21:55:00.001-08:00

Chalice Begonia 2008

Charcoal and acrylic paint mounted on reclaimed lumber on birch support

35 x 46 inches

Doodlers Anonymous

2008-11-16T21:27:00.000-08:00

I am completely honored to be the featured artist on this great blog called Doodlers Anonymous.

They asked me to show the drawings I have been creating on the subways. You can view the set here. And make sure to check out the rest of the artists as well.

Brooklyn Block Party

2008-11-16T21:15:00.001-08:00

Nature Study 2008

Linocut and acrylic washes on paper

19 x 26 inches

Brooklyn Block Party, a group showing from Richard Mock, Swoon, David Ellis, Mike Houston, Martin Mazorra, Dennis McNett, Judith Supine, ElbowToe, Gaia, c.damage, and Imminent Disaster comes to Ad Hoc Art on Friday, December 12th, 2008.
Brooklyn Block Party will showcase both wood and lino hand-cut original blocks (get it…Brooklyn Block Party) along with the prints pulled from each block created by these prolific artists.

On top of all that, C215 will grace the project room with his solo show, Junk Store.

Both Brooklyn Block Party and Junk Store run December 12th, 208 - January 4th, 2009.

More at adhocart.org

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

2008-11-16T09:06:00.001-08:00

Linocut and acrylic washes on vellum, pasted on wall by street artist ELBOW-TOE. 6 x 10 feet. My current body of work is an allegory about memory's power to hold us back or move us forward. The central character in this parable is a 6 x 10 foot linocut of an Everyman, who has lost it all and wanders the plains with all his belongings strapped to his back. He navigates a world in crisis by learning from his past. The remainder of the characters that he encounters are individuals lost in regret. I have developed these paintings and prints during the American housing and credit crisis of the past year. In contemplating where we are and where we might be, I have found myself looking back at history, remembering the Great Depression, and considering what effects it had on the American psyche. The uncertainty that existed then is present now, and I am addressing the kind of escapism through nostalgia that can occur in the midst of calamity. Every character that the Everyman sees is gripped by this need to escape their present circumstance. They are people lost in a memory at the very point when they should be paying attention to what lies ahead. Many different artists have inspired the flavor of this world including the photography of Walker Evans, the films of the Cohen brothers, the music of Tom Waits and the theatre of Robert Wilson.

For more info on the title

Big props to Wheeler, Luke and Michelle.

2008-11-13T06:19:00.000-08:00

Lowering the big boy. Hope to print the first pull today. 6 x 10 feet, 3 months of carving later.

Interview with Jet-Set Graffiti

2008-11-03T06:32:00.000-08:00

I am totally excited and completely honored to have been interviewed by Jet-Set Graffiti. To see the video click here.

Mason Dickson (In Progress)

2008-10-29T13:28:00.001-07:00

Mason Dickson (In Progress)

My current body of work is an allegory about memory's power to hold us back or move us forward. The central character in this parable is a 6 x 10 foot linocut of an Everyman, who has lost it all and wanders the plains with all his belongings strapped to his back. He navigates a world in crisis by learning from his past. The remainder of the characters that he encounters are individuals lost in regret.

I have developed these paintings and prints during the American housing and credit crisis of the past year. In contemplating where we are and where we might be, I have found myself looking back at history, remembering the Great Depression, and considering what effects it had on the American psyche. The uncertainty that existed then is present now, and I am addressing the kind of escapism through nostalgia that can occur in the midst of calamity. Every character that the Everyman sees is gripped by this need to escape their present circumstance. They are people lost in a memory at the very point when they should be paying attention to what lies ahead.

Many different artists have inspired the flavor of this world including the photography of Walker Evans, the films of the Cohen brothers, the music of Tom Waits and the theatre of Robert Wilson.

Chalice Begonia (In Progress)

2008-10-26T21:17:00.000-07:00

Chalice Begonia (In Progress)

I am going to start posting process images for my upcoming show with Armsrock at Thinkspace Gallery in December. The show is titled Mostly Memory.

Many different artists have inspired the flavor of this world including the photography of Walker Evans, the films of the Cohen brothers, the music of Tom Waits and the theatre of Robert Wilson.

Brooklyn Door 4

2008-10-18T17:04:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn Door 4

Gouache on paper
22 1/2" x 15"

Painting by Jessica Hess.

I had seen another one of these at a show at Jeff Bailey, in Chelsea. Very cool interpretation.

Unplugged

2008-10-10T05:42:00.000-07:00

I am in the studio about 14 - 16 hours a day. And most of this time I am listening to NPR. As the economic crisis has ballooned out of control, listening to news of it has made me more an more stressed. And I think I am listening with the hopes that they will turn it around. I realized this morning that I know who I am voting for and there is nothing I can personally do to avert the economic crisis. Because of this I am taking a break from reading The New York Times, listening to NPR, or even checking my twitter feed.

Mostly Memory

2008-10-08T04:01:00.000-07:00

Mostly Memory, the work of ARMSROCK and ELBOW-TOE.

Thinkspace Gallery

4210 Santa Monica Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90029

December 12 - January 2 2009

Opening Reception December 12 7-11 pm

Coming very soon. Should be an amazing show. I will start posting some process shots soon.

Long Way Down

2008-10-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

Very busy getting work done for my show with Armsrock at Thinkspace, out in LA. I will start posting some images soon. I have been working round the clock and listening to a lot of NPR. I know that the roller-coaster that the economy is on is really starting to wear on my nerves. It is like seeing a car crash in very very slow motion. So slow that you can experience all the emotions with every extended frame.

Self Portrait

2008-09-14T09:09:00.001-07:00

Buffalo Mask created by Rachael Wheeler and Oddree Freitas.

Back in the studio working hard on show for LA, will follow with more details soon.

Easy-Boy

2008-09-10T13:54:00.000-07:00

Easy-Boy Cut paper on birch panel 26 x 35 inches

Don't Get Ahead of Yourself

2008-09-08T21:30:00.000-07:00

Don't Get Ahead of Yourself

Cut paper on Birch Panel

14 x 18 inches

There is a practicality to old men.

Hair slicked back with grease,

Rumpled shirt,

Thoughts turned inward.

For all I know

He could be

my grandfather.

- ELBOW-TOE

This Quagmire We're In

2008-09-07T21:43:00.000-07:00

Don't Let John McCain Make America a Prisoner of War

20 x 6 feet

Growl But Never Bark

2008-09-03T20:07:00.000-07:00

Growl But Never Bark

Cut Paper on Birch Panel

10 x 17 inches

The Daily Draw for September Part 2

2008-09-02T21:15:00.001-07:00

The Daily Draw for September Part 1

2008-09-02T18:32:00.001-07:00

Busy in the studio.

Did Your String Come Undone?

2008-08-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

Did Your String Come Undone?

Cut paper on birch panel

12 x 22 inches

Reversal of Fortune

2008-08-27T20:20:00.000-07:00

Reversal of Fortune

Cut paper on birch panel

24 x 32 inches

Geeked Out

2008-08-20T05:07:00.000-07:00

free powderly!
Originally uploaded by jakedobkin

Ok. So James Powderly one of the founders of GRL just got jailed in China. Not good.

On the other hand, not sure it was the wisest move as the Olympics are coming to a close soon and the Chinese government is probably less worried saving face than they had been before.

So searching GRL for news, I come across photos from them on FuckFlickr which is pretty interesting in concept and purpose. Then I am digging around and I come across White Glove Tracking. It has made me want to dabble in programming again and video work.

Bloody Busy

2008-08-17T10:42:00.001-07:00

Oedipus

Pasted paper on walls.

4 x 6.5 feet

Been very busy in the studio.

Listening to a lot of NPR.

Well back to work.

Perhaps the Voice Could Bellow Like Velvet

2008-08-15T06:57:00.001-07:00

Perhaps the Voice Could Bellow Like Velvet

Cut paper on birch panel.

18 x 26 inches.