BOOKS.  Artist’s books, two drawn over last few days. The first, was drawn entirely on one day, November 17th, 2009.  the second, was done earlier over two days and has been bound to a paperback with rives bfk grey.  I’ll bind the Nov 17th book tomorrow probably.  Want them bound, but to keep a real d.i.y kinda punk feel to it, nothing too fancy.  The drawings inside both these books are raw and rough so ya gotta think of a binding that fits.  Folios made of india ink and micron pen drawings on crane’s archival thesis paper.

the images posted below and ones in the .pdf are emboldened for view on the computer screen, in real life and better quality scans they’re lighter and the bleed through on back pages isn’t so strong.

sample of first book, “untitled (Nov 17th, 2009)”   random assortment of drawings/doodles.  Viewable PDF of it here, NOV1709.

sample of second book, “Gud Fuk/Bad Fuk”

this one is gonna have lottsa nudes and naughty bits, so if that ain’t your thing skip it.  Viewable PDF of it here, fuk buk

- phil jasen

drawings executed simultaneously.  while looking at an object, reflection, or just while imagining, moved left and right hands simultaneously on separate pieces of paper to produce two like but different images.  if my right hand wasn’t making a mark at the time, my left wasn’t making the mark either.

right hand drawings tighter but also more iconic and stylized at times, while the left is less controlled and larger.

the cartoon like preceding drawings are quick doodles [right hand] which show the process by which the pair of simultaneous drawings originated.  their style and approach and degree of indifference to “high quality” are in effort to encourage these images be looked at with a level of fun and humor, not a search for deep meaning.

drawings on handmade 100% cotton rag paper.

here is a drawing.  in reference to ensor and rivers. it says “mon portrait en 2055.”

here are projects i am working on. . .

1.  the 410 drawings of people poolside.

2. simultaneous drawings.  making marks with left and right hand both pressed against paper simultaneously to draw separate but alike imagery.  for example, one was semi blind contour, i taped piece of paper to left of my reflection and piece of paper to the right, then stared ahead while drawing observationally with a hand on each paper.  they’re interesting, could draw better with either left or right individually, but to force yourself to make the marks together with both arms is really interesting.  five pairs made.

3. intimate excretions vol ii. smaller series and paper size for continuation of earlier idea.  small size forces viewer to come in close and personal to see what image is, then are probably turned off or laugh it off.  no escaping and omitting comittment to the series as you can’t get a feel for them from some feet back and move on to other work.  also smaller series, only four this time.  in drawing 400+ images, they work together as one when hung in sets of 40, but viewer circulates between images and doesnt really invest too much time in any one, not any one was really drawn too sensitively or with much time commitments, this time for an “intimate” series that should be altered.

4. woodcut.  got some wood, but keep being dissatisfied with the loose drawings i put on it before carving, need to get something going to just start carving and commit.

5. master drawing.  delicate really small drawing on 22×30 rives bfk grey.  carefully centered and with clean border, reference to cleanliness of master prints and absurdity of all that paper border for visual impact. a joke image to counter the notion of drawing as final product, printmaking presentation, cleanliness, quality of paper, presentation, etc.

6. large drawing.  22×30″ drawing [mixed media?] on rives bfk grey.  cant just make everything on 8.5×11, gotta stay in touch with artistic scale and prominence of image and mark on quality paper.

“Working Artists and the Greater Economy (W.A.G.E.) was formed in Brooklyn, NY in 2008. We’re a group of artists, performers and independent curators who believe that we should be paid for our labor by U.S. art institutions.” -WAGE

quick, short, initial thoughts having watched so far half the video and still watching/listening.

+ they sure do look like some new york artists.

+ public speaking is awkward, but there seem to be too many flubs to really get into this.

+ does get me thinking more about the art market.

+ need or benefits of living in artists’ hub, with all them big city costs but hopes of big payouts and exposure.

+ the responsibility of artists with monetary or time privilege to supporting a local and developing artistic market.

+ even if it is important to you, does that truly merit a paycheck.

lot more info on this group and where i found the video. . .

http://blog.art21.org/2009/04/27/wage-against-the-machine/