Now.. how to do it...

The new piece below, which I have titled "Past Tense, Future Imperfect" is a preliminary arrangement. I gathered the objects and the painting and laid them out in the way I wanted. I now want to construct them and apply the materials in a permanent way. This poses some interesting challenges as there are many different types of material; brick, plastics (some hard, some soft like the bag), metal (rusty, clean, and heavy), wood, paper, glass. Just about everything really.

I have researched various adhesives for the brick and wood and have settled on Liquid Nails Heavy Duty construction adhesive. To make matters more difficult, I want to adhere all this on a plywood panel backing, and be able to gesso and add color to certain "open" areas. This has led me to explore and learn about various collage and assembly art techniques. Very happy to do that and I am liking this piece more and more as it develops. I have designs (and found materials) to do a similar thing with the painting "Scott Fertilizer Plant"... first things first though.

Fall 2007 and Summer 2008 work

The original oil painting has been added to this found object assemblage. I started to gather objects at the painting site, adding to the collection with satellite images from the internet of the location with my marks drawn on them, indicating direction and angle of view for the painting.

This new arrangement suggests to me something of an urban archeology of abandoned, liminal spaces... border territory between the past, present and future. Often these spaces are marked by borders between human activity and demographics. This location is on a busy street where lower income families live to the west (left of the image) and commercial development is taking place along this route to the north and east. I have titled this new work "Tense Past, Future Imperfect".

"Scott Fertilizer Plant"

11/17/07 - 03/15/08 4:30-5:45 PM

This image of a recent plein-air painting is facing north, looking down what is now known as the "Swamp Rabbit Trail", a recovered rail line being converted into a recreational pedestrian pathway following the "rails to trails" program. The industrial building was a Scott brand fertilizer manufacturing and distribution plant, abandoned since the late 1990s.

The CONNECTION art show and historical exhibit

I was juried into this regional traveling exhibit, connecting the history of South Carolina and the Caribbean island nation of Barbados.

The Connection Art/History show and exhibit. Organized by the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor organization.

International Plein-Air Painters Featured Artist

I am currently the featured artist for August, 2008 at the International Plein-Air Painters website and at their blog. Please check it out (through 08/08).

Coming soon... information about shows and exhibits in late summer and fall '08 and the possible "Liberia" project...

D.