The Fight. The Struggle. The Love.
It’s been about 3 years since I last posted on my blog. Going to pick it up again. Why? A few things. (read to find out)
It’s been about 3 years since I last posted on my blog. Going to pick it up again. Why? A few things.
I love writing. I have always written. My last solo show was based on specific poems that I wrote between 1995-2022. I also finished my first novel 1.5 years ago and have been pitching to literary agents.
It is a great way to process. I read a ton. I journal, take notes, and also mentor artists around the globe. Writing here will wonderfully combine sharing my thoughts about all the above.
I have an exhibition coming up, opening on May 25th here in Waco, Texas, at our local museum. (Art Center Waco). I don’t think I can put down in words, like Elton John, how excited I am. But having a show in your town adds a ton of pressure to perform on additional levels. The exhibition is a 2 person show with one of my besties, Vy Ngo, a fabulous artist out of Austin, TX. This will be our second exhibition together, but on an entirely new level!
I actually cleaned the studio last week:)
I wrapped up a solo exhibition at the end of January at Vaughn Gallery (Austin) and took a little soul care break after 5-6 months of intense studio time creating work for the show. Getting started again was really difficult. I always want to live in moments of growth or evolution in my work. As the incredible book Art and Fear states, “The function of the overwhelming majority of your work is simply to teach yourself how to make the small fraction of work that soars.” And “Leave a loose thread, unresolved issues, to explore in the next work.”
I follow those two rules with a reckless abandon. This also makes the process at time full of chaos and loss. But like Friedrich Nietzsche says, “One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.” And so I live in the chaos while I create. Here are a few things I wrote on my Instagram posts the last few weeks that show me in those moments of struggle.
A lot of experimenting and evolution trying to take place.
March 22
So many thoughts, ideas, mess ups, start overs, good moments covered by bad moments then covered by another moment….this is the way:)
March 29th
Some days….you want to throw in the towel. This week I have scrapped 8 pieces. Meaning, I have painted over them multiple (at least 4/5) times. I know I will find where I am going. That’s what time is for. I mean, I just painted 32 paintings this week, but only 8 newly started pieces exist. So, you want to be an artist? This is the way.
March 30th
Progress. Man, what a hard week. Fought through, didn’t give up. Pushed, yelled, cried, got dominated by vision and knocked out by techniques and experiments. By the end of today and a lot of hours I feel pretty good about where things are going. Time to take a few days off for soul care with a close friend! But next week the monster comes back! Haha!Progress. Man, what a hard week. Fought through, didn’t give up. Pushed, yelled, cried, got dominated by vision and knocked out by techniques and experiments. By the end of today and a lot of hours I feel pretty good about where things are going. Time to take a few days off for soul care with a close friend! But next week the monster comes back! Haha!
April 5th
The most spiritual place I know. For me, painting is prayer. Alone. Silent. Intimate.
If you are just discovering my work, you can follow me on Instagram at @tynathanclark
Art Studio Video: Painting with Acrylics and an Ink Brayer.
A video of me working on a few studies on paper.
I recently shot a little video footage while working on a few studies on paper. In this video I am painting with acrylics on paper, using an ink brayer. I have been using an ink brayer for the last few months as I am trying to find a good feel for a new body of work. I think I am closing in on technique and medium. You will also see me using graphite pencils to create geometric shapes at the end of the video as well. I will be filming a lot of my process and work this year in the studio. Feel free to ask any questions and request specific things that you would like to see! Enjoy.
WEBSITE UPDATE
I just updated the website with new work from the LOVE show in Dallas..i will be showing at HOPE an event for Naomi's Village orphanage April 3rd in Dallas with Zach Saucedo, Sean Ellis, Bob Johnson, Justin Hoff Strickland and many others to be named.... visit this link for pits of the new stuff www.samo4prez.com
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