Blog Archives - TERRANCE GRAVEN

TERRANCE GRAVEN

AIR research

1/30/2013

Today I updated a spreadsheet I recently created to keep track of artist-in-residency programs. I researched a couple of AIR's that I may be interested in.

• Yaddo in Saratoga Springs, NY
http://yaddo.org/

• Mercouri-Estate/Create an Accident in Western Peloponnese, Greece
http://createanaccident.com/residency/

It is really time-consuming, but will continue to enter information as I come across it. Right now I am using The Insider Resources from Sculpture Magazine. After completing all my old magazine issues, I will then tackle the NYFA.org website and old issues of Arts Monthly.

Creative Capital 10-year Anniversary Party

1/29/2013

Last night, I attended Creative Capital's 10-year anniversary celebration. I met Meg Miles–Director of Development–who was very personable. We talked about the art community here in San Francisco and its potential to be a leading city in the arts. I admired her optimism, but did admit my skepticism based on my personal experience living in the city for 22 years. We finished our conversation and she asked for me to follow up about getting some other printed materials.

Also ran into Fauxnique, Stephanie Syjuco, and Anita Chang–all local artists. Stephanie was encouraging as usual and I admitted my admiration for her work and tenacity.

Magazine Drop Off

1/26/2013

I just dropped off the W magazine to Sarah and had a quick chat. I'm excited to see what she is going to create for this next round.

You're W, I'm W, Repeat: 14

1/21/2013

I decided to paint this guy today.

Art Collective

1/20/2013

Today I met with a few friends to discuss creating an art collective. Here are some notes:

Jed

Develop accountability, momentum, a crew
Projects often become too important–paralysis, preciousness.
4-8 projects per year (props, getting things done)

Wickie

Vow of quantity
Vow of schock
Together action–Assisting each other in creative work
Getting creative work done
Collaboration
Structure for giving creative input
Trying different roles, directing, drawing
Anarchistic group, Dharma groups
Grants, deadlines
Fluxus

Loretta

A love for pretending and acting
Externalization of the group, costumes, flag, logo, coffee cups, t-shirts, temporary tattoos, blood

Terrance

Goal: get out of isolation, accountability, foster spontaneity
Want to develop schedule, rules, manifesto, and goals for group to give structure.
Get out of the mind-set “this will be a masterpiece”

Decisions:

Meet once a month – check in, plus helping on each other’s projects

To do:

Everyone - read 3 group manifestos and share at next meeting
Everyone - create one simple creative project
Loretta - check about websites/blog/wiki with Deborah
Terrance - bring goals, timelines, schedule

Future things to do at meetings?:

Collages
Sketching

Random thoughts

No more X of the world
We are committed to subverting
Intercourse is rape, marriage is slavery...also, we are hoping to make 8 films this year.
Society for cutting up men

Art Opening: Punch Card

1/19/2013

Attended Catherine Clark Gallery for an art opening. Met up with a couple of friends and got to see a few artist friends who were showing–Stephanie Syjuco, Laurel Roth, Timothy Cummings, and Andy Diaz Hope.

GROUP EXHIBITION:PUNCH CARD
January 19, 2013 – February 23, 2013

Artist Collective

1/16/2013

Yesterday, I scheduled a meeting with two artist friends–Loretta and Jed–to talk about forming an artist collective. I started researching how to start one on-line and I'm going to suggest to them that we look at other artist collective groups as a model.

An artist collective is a group of artists who work together to achieve a common goal. The common goal is what defines the collective. It can be anything from sharing studio space the cost of materials, to working collectively to inspire socio-political awareness in the community through exhibits and gallery openings. In an artist collective of any type, equally sharing ownership, status, expenses and risks is expected.

Instructions

Network with other artists before starting an artist collective. Informal socializing and brainstorming ideas with friends and colleagues is one way many artists start collectives. If you have an idea of what kind of artist collective you want to start, talk with friends, relatives, teachers and others who you trust and ask them if they or anyone they know are interested.
Advertise the idea of starting an artist collective at your studio, at your friend's studio space, at local art schools, at other galleries, at coffee shops and at art stores. If you have a website, post an advertisement there as well.
Talk with other people who have started artist collectives. Ask for tips about how to get started. Ask what community resources are available to you.
Visit local artist non-profit organizations. Non-profits generally have extensive contact lists and know how to get the word out. Run your idea by them and see if they can help or if they know of any resources you have not yet discovered.
Join local arts groups or visit online resources that list collectives and guilds such as Artchain.com at Artists-guild.com.

List of selected Artist collectives

Greeting Card

1/16/2013

I've always found the idea of mass-produced greeting cards distasteful. So many years ago, I started collecting recycled blank greeting cards and making my own. My sister's birthday is next week, so created this card that I drew/painted from a picture of her cat named Sasha. I think it turned out like a ghost cat!

You're W, I'm W, Repeat: Red Spine 2

1/11/2013

I soaked the magazine spine again today. I am really happy with how it turned out.

Last night, I ordered a Manhattan-like drink and even though I hate maraschino cherries, I tried to eat it anyway. I quickly spit it out, placed it on my sketched napkin and destroyed it by violently smashing it with my fingers.

Earlier today, I emptied my pockets from last night and found the napkin with doodles, plus one from Sarah. I taped them in the back cover of the magazine.

You're W, I'm W, Repeat: Red Spine

1/10/2013

Last night and today, I started experimenting by dipping the magazine spine in red watercolor paint. I am going to continue this and see where it takes me. In the next couple of days, I may dip the spine in more paint and some shellac. I find this more refreshing than the constricted white paintings I have been completing. I am excited by pleasant mistakes, unpredictable results, and letting go of control.

Art opening for Dorothea Tanning

1/10/2013

Tonight I attended an art opening at one of my favorite San Francisco galleries, Wendi Norris Gallery. I was underwhelmed with the paintings, but found the fetishistic Traffic Sign sculpture humorous. I ran into an art colleague, Josh Hagler, and very briefly talked to him about NYC and strategies for showing outside of the Bay Area. I admitted I was clueless and asked if he had any recommendations. Our conversation was cut short because of his friends.

Dorothea Tanning
Traffic Sign
fabric, synthetic fur, wool, metal, and cardboard
66 1/4 x 13 7/8 x 13 7/8 inches (128 x 36 x 36 cm), 1970

Art Opening at Creativity Explored

1/10/2013

I was really excited to attend the art opening at my favorite gallery Creativity Explored. I talked to a couple of the artists who were charming, slightly awkward, and completely sincere. I saw a couple of sculptures by Andrew Bixler and Peter Cordova that I really liked.

Afterwards, I headed to a bar in the Mission where my friend Andy was DJ-ing. I was really hungry, so I headed across the street and ended up eating veggie sushi on the curbside in the Safeway parking lot. There was broken glass at my feet and the wind spilled my soy sauce twice. It was a wonderful city experience.

Fabulous Man by Vincent Jackson
© 2011 Creativity Explored.
Oil pastel on paper, 28.5" x 24."

VINCENT JACKSON: BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL

January 10 - February 27, 2013

Venue
Creativity Explored

Location
3245 Sixteenth Street (at Guerrero) 
San Francisco, CA 94103

You're W, I'm W, Repeat: 13.2

1/8/2013

This one took me several days to complete. Hands, face, leg, AND skin showing through lace openings. Whew!

Quick E-mail Exchange

1/7/2013

I received this e-mail from my artist friend Honey McMoney:

The New Age has given me eccentric art man hair. Perhaps you too? I think I realized I talk to people more when my hair is crazy. Beard + crazy but styled hair = artist. As at least one of the archetypes. I keep getting up to go look at it instead of finishing this email!

I just sent you some pics. Is my work making any sense to you these days?

And then I was just having this idea about how an image is a lure. What are you attracting? What is the lure's relationship to the macro and the micro? How does the lured react to the lure from the "first sight" distance, on its approach, and right up to the lure. At what point is the lured caught? It all starts to sound kinda sexy...

Must be the New Age.

I want to call the indeterminate set of paintings I'm working on now "Eggs & Cream".

My response:

Oh yes, my hair is definitely crazy...just like my brain.

Your work seems to be in an "orgy of experience and experimentation" I think your move to NY was good for you. Perhaps it broke the comfort zone and is making you reexamine your work. Ride the wave!

Oh yes, I love to use aesthetics and allure to my advantage. I think it counterbalances the abjection and taboo in my art.

More Craft Projects

1/4/2013

My nephews got Nerf crossbows for Xmas, but the poorly-designed clips for the arrows were ruining them. My sister Katrina and I decided to design and make quivers, which involved many visits to several different stores. They were made from tonic water bottles, camo duct tape, a dog leash, and D-rings.

You're W, I'm W, Repeat: 13

1/2/2013

The latest, which took me two days because I kept getting interrupted.

Craft Project

1/2/2013

During the break, my sister Catherina, my step-mom Linda, and I designed and made these holders for Nerf bullets for the kids' guns. It has two Velcro pockets, one for bullets and the other for an extra cartridge. I also made headbands with the extra fabric.