Anthony Lister at Lyons Wier Gallery, NYC Australian born artist Anthony Lister is showing at the Lyons Wier Gallery in New York City from March 19 through to April 19.

A lot of my favorite artists are painters that never really give up using the pencil (line). Painterly paintings are good but so are paintings that look like drawings. I guess I like painterly drawings or linear paintings. I like painterly paintings and linear drawings too ;-)


Anthony Lister - Terms of Engagement, 2010
Mixed media on canvas, 39.5 x 39.5 inches


Anthony Lister - BET, 2010
mixed media on paper, 6.5 x 9.5 inches


Anthony Lister Super Girl 1, 2010
Mixed media on canvas, 14 x 11 inches

From the Lyons Wier Gallery blog here..
"Known in the Low Brow movement for his intriguing, playful hybrid of street art, expressionism, and cubism all manifested in non-traditional media such as spray paint; Lister’s new body of work shows the tongue-in-cheek frivolity of his earlier pieces developing (or decaying) into a more mature and disturbing direction. The deformities and un-done aesthetic resolve of Lister’s work provides viewers with a concretization of contemporary societies’ psyche – or, as the artist himself states, “making the obvious more, well, obvious”."

OPENING: Fri. March 19th, 2010 6-9pm
DATES: March 19th - April 19th, 2010
See more Anthony Lister works from the exhibition here or see the artist's website here.  ¶ 7:09 PM 9 comments

  Art News Blog Plans I'm really good at making lists. I'm a list person. Without lists I watch too much tv, surf the web, or read too much.

I create lists that are too ambitious as I rarely ever complete the jobs on them. Which in some ways shows the masochist in me as I know I'm setting myself up to fail, but in other ways it gets me off my fanny (I have always wanted to use the word "fanny" in a sentence as it makes me laugh. In Australia the fanny is different to what a fanny is in the US).

Here's my To Do List for Art News Blog this year. I figured if I published the list it would make me more likely to do it.

• Create or pay for a new blog design. Art News Blog has a pretty ordinary design and it hasn't changed much in more than 5 years. I might even get a designer to create a new logo. I might even add a little color to the design.
• Move the blog to another blogging platform. Blogger is making some hosting changes so I figured now might be a good time to jump ship. Not because I don't like Blogger but because I just want change.
• Post at least 5 times each week.
• Allow more guest posts by other bloggers and artists.
• Monetize the blog. I currently make about $0,000.00 on the blog so it shouldn't be too difficult to increase that amount. I'm thinking, offer advertising spaces to artists, which might be a challenge as artists are TIGHT, like duck's ass tight when it comes to spending money on marketing themselves. So I might look at approaching some art supply companies, galleries, art publications or just go the affiliate route.
• Post reviews on more products. Encourage companies to send products to me (I love receiving gifts in the post) and mention them. It could be win/win/win if done right. I get a surprise in the mail, the company gets exposure, and you learn about a wonderful new product! Competitions could be an option too, where I just tell the company to send the products to a reader of the blog.
• Respond to emails and comments!! Argh, sorry if I haven't replied to you! Don't take it personally, I suck. I do read everything, I just haven't been replying to much lately.
• Keep up to date with what is happening and write about it! Pretty straight forward this one, I just have to look at my domain name to remind me; artnewsblog.com.
• Do more artist profiles. If I find an interesting artist online, I should do a post on them.

Anyone know of reasonably affordable blog designer that can make me a spiffy new blog and tranfer Art News Blog from Blogger to.. umm.. Wordpress or that other blogging platform that I can't think of right now? Perhaps I should see a logo designer first.

  ¶ 6:04 PM 19 comments

  5000 Nude Australians on the Sydney Opera House Spencer Tunick has encouraged 5000 Australians to get naked and pose on the steps of the Sydney Opera House.


That's not my white bum on the bottom left of the image as I chose not to scare the locals. I'm not much of a morning person either.

From the Sydney Morning Herald.. "The official name of Tunick's installation was The Base. Yet after waiting two hours for the sun to come up, it became apparent that Blue Poles might be an appropriate title as a brisk wind hit the Opera House steps."

  ¶ 6:13 PM 2 comments

  French Artist Bernard Lorjou I like discovering interesting artists that I have never heard of before. French artist Bernard Lorjou (1908-1986) is one of them. I still don't know much about him but I like his work.


Bernard Lorjou - Bull and Bullfighter (The Friends)


Bernard Lorjou - The Jazz Pianist


Bernard Lorjou - Circus Horse on Hind Legs


Bernard Lorjou - King David

More of his work can be seen at Lorjou.com (it's a little challenging to navigate but worth the effort) or at the official Bernard Lorjou website.  ¶ 8:07 PM 6 comments

  Procrastination "Procrastination refers to the deferment of actions or tasks to a later time. Psychologists often cite such behavior as a mechanism for coping with the anxiety associated with starting and/or completing any task or decision. There are three criteria for a behavior to be classified as procrastination: it must be counterproductive, needless, and delaying.

Procrastination may result in stress, a sense of guilt and crisis, severe loss of personal productivity, as well as disapproval by others for not meeting responsibilities or commitments. These feelings combined may promote further procrastination. While it is regarded as normal for people to procrastinate to some degree, it becomes a problem when it impedes normal functioning. Chronic procrastination may be a sign of an underlying psychological disorder."


So, I have a label I can hide behind now. It's not me to blame for the lack of posts, it's the "psychological disorder" of "chronic procrastination" which I suffer from to blame. I knew all along that it wasn't my fault and wikipedia has proven me right. ;-)

Sorry if I haven't replied to your emails or comments lately, I really have been pretty vacant. I'm back on the horse now and holding tightly to the feisty little filly.

I wonder what has been happening in the world of art...  ¶ 3:20 AM 9 comments

  Happy Holidays Happy holidays!
Don't eat or drink too much.

Relax
Dion



The santa painting was stolen here.  ¶ 4:27 PM 15 comments

  Art Con Changes Tune - Hanks Thomas Scam The good thing about those pathetic art scammers has been that their story never changes. They're moving from place A to place B, they need some of your wonderful art to hang in their new home, and for some strange reason the stupid woman is always pregnant (God help the world if these people do actually breed).

Well, the idiots are evolving now and are starting to change their stories up a bit. Now they're "art dealers" and "art exhibitors" looking to buy your work. Here's an example by the scammer Hanks Thomas..

Hi Andrea,My name is hanks.I'm an art dealer/exhibitor based in bradford in the united kingdom.I deal in original artworks and also showcase them in exhibitions all over the world.I got to see your works via the search engine while looking for artworks of great impression and i'm willing to buy from you the artwork stated as the subject of this email.Kindly let me know if it's available for sale.If yes,quote the price and let me know the method(s) of payment that is acceptable to you.I'm looking forward to reading from you.Have a wonderful day... Regards,Hanks

Lesson for today: Don't accept checks/cheques online when selling artwork. Use Paypal.com or Escrow.com.

Thanks Andrea for sharing. There's more of the email exchange with Hanks Thomas posted on a previous Art Scam post.  ¶ 3:16 PM 11 comments

  Masterpieces from Paris in Canberra Probably the best exhibition I have seen in Australia (coming from a fan of Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cezanne). Masterpieces from Paris has 9 Paul Gauguins, 7 Van Goghs and 8 Cezannes. So it's more than one or two good paintings thrown in with a bunch of weaker paintings like the usual "blockbuster" exhibition. The Van Goghs alone are worth making the effort to see the exhibition.

It has been called the "most valuable collection of art ever to be exhibited in Australia."

The works come from the Musee d'Orsay in Paris and will be on display at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra until April.


Vincent van Gogh - Starry Night Over the Rhone
I was surprised by how fresh this painting looks. For some reason I expected it to be smaller and duller than it really is. This painting was worth the 5 hour drive.


Vincent van Gogh - Bedroom at Arles
I thought this painting would be bigger. The Musée d'Orsay version of Vincent's bedroom is a little smaller than the first two versions that he did. Still a great painting.


Vincent van Gogh - Portrait of the Artist
The man himself.


Paul Gauguin - Tahitian Women
I probably should like Gauguin more than I do. He did some really good paintings but I don't think he comes close to Van Gogh or Cezanne. Having said that, I really liked seeing his paintings in the flesh.

I would show some more works but the NGA website was down. In short, Masterpieces from Paris is a must see if you're an Australian. They're easily the best paintings in the country at the moment.  ¶ 5:37 PM 8 comments

  Painting Music - Top 10 Albums Since discovering the iPod I now rarely listen to whole albums while I paint as I just create play lists to suit my mood. But some albums just play well all the way through so I still use them in the studio.

Here's Ten albums that have kept me company during the completion of a painting or two..

1. Leonard Cohen - Songs of Love and Hate
   Anything by Leonard is good to paint to though.
2. Antony and the Johnsons - Antony and the Johnsons
   This self titled album is a beauty. Antony Hegarty sings like an angel. All his stuff is good.
3. The Cinematic Orchestra - Ma Fleur
   Lovely album.. how could you not love this?
4. Angus and Julia Stone - A Book Like This
   Australian brother and sister duo.
5. Eddie Vedder - Music for the Motion Picture Into the Wild
   For some reason, this album always makes me want to give away all my possessions and travel. Perhaps it's because I saw the movie.
6. Joan Valent - Insula Poetica
   Beautifully haunting music.. yum.
7. Moby - Go: The Very Best of Moby
   I sometimes need a lift in the studio.
8. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - The Boatman's Call
   This album has a habit of taking me back to darker times, so I'm careful how I use it.
9. Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions - Bavarian Fruit Bread
   Her Mazzy Star albums are nice too.
10. PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love
    I no longer have a working version of this CD but that's because it used to live in my studio.

I really do like a lot of different types of music though. What are your TOP albums that you couldn't live without in the studio? I need some new tunes on my itunes.

  ¶ 7:02 AM 26 comments

  Leith O'Malley Interview Here's some quotes by fellow Australian artist Leith O'Malley, from an interview here at Art and Art Ed.

"Remember there are not better artists, just better publicists!"
Leith O'Malley

"When I am creating art... I have a real sense of excitement and even enlightenment. Just me and the work. It’s still there when a painting is completed but never as strong as the point where you are still trying to fit all the pieces together be it compositional, aesthetically or the colour and tone decisions along the way."
Leith O'Malley

"Dismiss nothing unless you are informed enough about it to have an opinion. It is a lot like music.. in that there are so many different genres, ways to enjoy, interpretations and possibilities to create yourself. Don’t have your blinkers on and be open to understanding and enjoying all forms of art as in music."
Leith O'Malley  ¶ 5:41 AM 2 comments

  Art Calendar Magazine Self-Portrait Contest The Art Calendar magazine is accepting entries for their self portrait magazine cover competition. I'm not sure if artists outside of the United States can enter, but I entered it anyway. Entries are submitted online and it's free to enter, so it was pretty easy.

Here's my self portrait entry..


Here's their blurb..
"Entrants will have the chance to win one of three great prizes. Our first place winner will receive a $500 gift certificate to Blick Art Materials and have their artwork featured on the cover of the March issue of the magazine! They will also be interviewed by one of the Art Calendar editors for a one-page profile, where we’ll feature a picture of the winner and their winning work. Our second place winner will receive a $150 gift certificate to Blick Art Materials and our third place winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to Blick Art Materials. Both our second and third place finalists will have a half-page profile with an image of their work and a short biography about them inside the magazine."

Find out more about the art competition on the Art Calendar website.  ¶ 3:50 AM 4 comments

  Ten Excuses for not Posting Lately People are really good at making excuses and I'm no exception. I try not to accept my excuses though as they're usually pathetic, just like all of your excuses for not getting off your butt and doing what you really should be doing now.

Here's my pathetic excuses for not posting lately..

1. There's not enough hours in the day
2. I have been overdosing on art
3. I need a break (those close to me would find this excuse funny)
4. My head has been in the clouds
5. The blog doesn't make any money anyway (well duh, put ads on it!)
6. When I paint everyday I become sensitive to everything and everyone
7. Sometimes I have nothing to say and all the news bores me
8. I don't feel like it
9. Just because
10. C.

Here's a recent painting of Melbourne (click for larger image)..

  ¶ 4:14 PM 7 comments

  Questions and Answers I was asked a few questions by a student journalist at City University London recently..

1) First of all can you tell me a little bit about your work? What themes do you explore in your art and why? What do you strive to achieve through it?

I basically just paint what I want, how I want. I have no social or moral message to give. I stopped selling paintings 18 months or more ago, with no intention to start selling again until I can no longer fit in my house, which has brought about a change in how I see painting. I'm now thinking more about conceptual art and looking at ideas more than thinking about who would buy a work.

2) Recently the Tate Modern was forced to remove Richard Prince’s piece 'Spiritual America’ from its Pop Life: Art in a Material World exhibition due to a public protest. What is your opinion on the matter? Do you think the piece was justly removed?

I don't know. We live in a sick world, so we have to draw the line somewhere with images of young people. Having said that, I wish we lived in a world that could see the images as innocent and beautiful. So, as much as I hate censorship, I'm not really sure how I feel about cases like this. The Australian photographer Bill Henson has dealt with similar issues.

3) Do you think art institutions should have the freedom to display boundary-pushing art that may offend certain members of the public? Why?

I think it's their job to push the boundaries. People that are easily offended shouldn't visit galleries. They should stay home in their safe, comfortable home and drink tea quietly. Art is either going to look good hanging on your wall or is trying to tell you something. Both forms are equally valid for me.

4) What do you think pushes an artist to create pieces that can cause possible public backlash? Is this a reaction to modern reality or just a means of getting publicity?

It's both. Most artists by nature are outsiders and like poking sticks at insiders, it amuses them to no end. You could also say it is a sign of the times we live in where you are nothing unless you are the biggest, loudest or most annoying. Many shock artists probably just needed more hugs growing up. Damien Hirst has made a career out of it. His career has been so filled with "shock" that when he paints a relatively normal looking exhibition (like his current one) it is looked at as shocking.

5) What do you think is the social role of art?

I believe there are two kinds of art: an art that should hang well on the wall and an art that has something to say. The latter should use any means possible to speak its message.

6) What do you think are the major changes in the public's attitude towards art? Do you think our modern society is quick at judging and finding offence in everything?

I don't know. I don't think art is really that important to the general public. Nobody really takes much notice of art unless an artist is doing something outrageous. Being an artist or being involved in the art industry tricks you into thinking that art is everything and everyone must appreciate it as it's so important to you, but the average guy on the street couldn't care less about art.

Artists like the fact that society is quick to judge and easily offended. Many rely on these facts and play to them.

7) Do you think that by challenging conventional views art can truly make a change in the public‘s perception?

No, I don't think art has the fire power to affect change in any meaningful way. It will always touch the minority that actually takes notice of art, but art won't change society unless you include movies, the internet, and music. Things like painting, sculpture, installations, prints, and video art will never change much of society.

8) It seems that contemporary art is increasingly aimed to disturb and art which is made purely for aesthetic pleasure seems idealistic and secondary (beauty is often considered kitsch). What do you think caused this? Why qualities like disruptiveness and the shock value became marks of success?

It's the media age. It takes something loud, colourful and shocking to get our attention. A Giorgio Morandi still life would bore most people to death these days. Most people have forgotten how to sit still for any length of time. Silent stillness forces you to look at yourself and that scares most people.

9) In the Satanic Verses, Salman Rushdie wrote "What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist". Do you think freedom of expression truly exists in our modern society?

Of course it doesn't exist. We're silly little immature beings that wouldn't know what freedom of expression was if it punched us in the face. It's nothing that a few hundred thousand years of evolution won't fix though. Let's just hope the earth will put up with us long enough to see us grow up..  ¶ 7:04 AM 21 comments