a new painting!

Title: Happy Hunting Ground. 30 X 43, gouache on paper, 2016.

My Duck Themed Painting.

I was recently invited to show my work in a show called Ducks (at Minotaur Projects in LA).  Here's a youtube link to the promo, it's pretty fun...Howard the Duck makes an appearance.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQvg7QeTkqw

I had a good time making this piece. 

"Duck Spittle"  11 X 15, gouache on paper.  2015.

my newest work!

"Between the Mammoth's Tusks." 22 X 22, gouache on paper.

"Crepuscular." 10 X 21, gouache on paper.

"Down Low and in the Garden (dedicated to my friends Ann and Christian)" 22 X 22, gouache on paper

Thank you, 27th Annual McNesse Works on Paper.

I sad to say goodbye to this piece recently but I'm happy to see it go to a good home in Louisiana.  Thank you to the 27th Annual McNeese Works on Paper Exhibition for giving me an opportunity to show and sell my work at the Abercrombie Gallery.

Yes. I am begging for money.

UPDATE!: Both pieces have sold! My two friends (Teresa and Kim, you are amazing) have effectively paid for FIVE months of studio space. I feel so warm and fuzzy.

I'm trying to raise money to pay for my NEW ART STUDIO!!!!  Basically, I'd love to sell you a painting.  If you've ever wanted to own one of my paintings, this is the deal of the century.  I'm asking for $250 bucks a piece.  This price includes shipping and A PAINTING THAT IS ALREADY FRAMED (are my caplocks annoying yet?)

Both images are 22 X 30 gouache paintings in a 24 X 32 birch frame from Westfall framing (a fabulous framing establishment).  They were from my MFA thesis show, Flux Biota.  Message me if you're interested fluxbiota @ gmail.com.  Once again, all proceeds will go to studio rent.  Please share this with your friends. 

A little write up about my show at Dakota State University.

http://www.dsu.edu/news/2014/Jane-Ryder-0207.aspx

Soooo, here's a little write up about my solo show, Iowa Dirt. I will be hitting the road and landing in Madison, South Dakota on the 19th...my closing reception is from 4-7 at the First Bank and Trust gallery (Dakota State University). This is my first solo show in awhile. I'm pretty pumped. It was a lot of work and I'm excited to see all the pieces hanging on gallery walls.

A Recently Completed Painting.

Effigy Mound. 30 X 17, gouache on paper, 2014.

I like to keep things scary by working up to the ABSOLUTE final moment possible.  Why oh why do I work better under pressure?  Such a curse, such a damn curse. 

This is the final piece for my show, Iowa Dirt (thanks for photographing it, Teresa!).  I finished, photographed, matted, framed, and packaged it yesterday.  I will be shipping it to South Dakota in a couple hours and I couldn't be happier.  Yay!  Complete, I feel so giddy.

A Painting so Fresh it Hasn't Been Titled.

Too New to be Titled (next week?), 17 X 29, gouache on paper, 2013.

Oh, man.  Sorry for being such a terrible blogger, guys.  I feel like this show in South Dakota has taken over my life.  The good news?  Over the last two years:

1.  I have officially completed a body of work. 
2.  I have titled this body of work, Iowa Dirt. 
3.  I truly understand the concepts behind each gouache painting and have written a statement about my processes. 
4.  I have officially spent way too much goddamn money on framing and have a new life goal: learn how to frame.
5.  I have a closing reception date for my first solo show in well over two years.
6.  The gallery is covering half of my shipping costs.
7.  I've been published a couple times, I've gotten into a few juried exhibitions, and have participated in a handful of print exchanges/art swaps.
8.  I have worked with a friend to completely redo my website...Bruce, you are a golden god and I'm so thankful for all of your help.
9.  I have made some money selling art/t-shirts...not enough to come close to covering costs but I'm getting there (and I've saved all my receipts in case big brother is watching)

When I allow myself to breathe and focus on the big picture I can tell that I've accomplished a lot.  I basically just completed real life graduate school, only now I'm mature and existing outside of an academic bubble.  Sometimes I can get so emotionally buried in stress and I forget to step back and see how well I'm actually doing. 

I'm still making art.  I live in the middle of nowhere and I'm still connected with all of you.  So, thank you to anyone who is reading this.  I'm starting to balance all this grown up shit with who I am and that's pretty empowering. 

Geometry in Nature.

I recently juried into a pretty awesome show.

Geometry in Nature October 10–November 30
Opening Reception: October 10, 6-8 PM

Since its conception, geometry helps us understand and explain the natural world. When shapes, numbers and patterns repeat themselves, intricate and beautiful forms result. Juror Liz Miller selected works in this group exhibition that highlight the relationship between geometric principles and the natural world.

http://www.threeriversparks.org/parks/silverwood-park/silverwood-gallery-cafe.aspx

Here's a link to the juror's (Liz Miller, so good!) website http://www.lizmiller.com/work/installation/histrionic-malfeasance/

New Painting.

The Peace Tree. 24 X 16, gouache on paper, 2013.

A Painting in Progress.

a detail of the painting. mmmmm, crayfish.

19 X 19, gouache on paper. 

I'm trying something new and I'm NERVOUS. My paintings utilize a large amount of white space...this one will not. I'm trying to create flattened depth. Whoa. It'll work out. I'll pull out some of my hair and keep on keeping on.

New Painting, 2013.

"untitled at the moment", 13 X 24, gouache on paper, 2013.

The Wonderful Work of Stacey Rozich.

"The Stakeout" Stacey Rozich, 2012.  I OWN THIS!

I'm a huge fan of Beautiful/Decay.  I heard about Amir Fallah's publication in 2009 and have been an avid follower of their blog and magazine ever since.  Along with giving their followers incredible interviews, beautiful images, and a cutting edge publication they really make you feel like you are a part of their "family."  The artists, bloggers, and staff of Beautiful/Decay are incredibly accessible.

I check their blog daily (http://beautifuldecay.com/category/painting/) and occasionally develop "art crushes."  To those that aren't familiar with the term "art crush", lemme explain...it's not complicated.  You see a piece of art and become twitterpaited, ridiculously infatuated, enamored, with the work.  This happened to me a few weeks ago when Beautiful/Decay featured Stacey Rozich's work on their blog.

http://beautifuldecay.com/2012/11/28/stacey-rozichs-macabre-folk-tale-paintings/

Rozich's work was so aggressive, humorous, and complicated.  The paintings spoke to so many levels of storytelling...each piece reads like an epic myth.  Rozich's cast of characters are incredibly powerful but remain flawed, Greek Gods in Pacific Northwest Animal Masks.  As a human that is into animal symbolism and narrative, I had to own one of these pieces.  

So, I emailed her.  Simple as that.  Within an hour, Stacey emailed me back with a list of paintings that were available for purchase.  One piece titled, "The Stakeout," spoke to me.  A beastly creature sitting on a box of potato chips, bottle of wine in tote, shotgun on the lap, just waiting for something...the best way to describe the piece?  Extremely Badass.  So, I bought it.  Rozich and I came up with a payment plan (which was greatly appreciated) and a month later it's hanging on my wall.

I see great things happening in Stacey's world.  She is a talented illustrator, designer, painter, storyteller, and can even make a fabulously strange music video (which I completely recommend checking out http://seattlecentralcreativeacademy.com/stacey-rozich-fleet-foxes-music-video/ ).  Her work is awe inspiring, brilliant, and I look forward to owning another one of her pieces...one of these days.

A New Painting.

"Snake Nest Earth Mass (tentative title)" 15 X 13, gouache on paper, 2012.

my desk with image references. 

I've been hard at it, folks.  The hard work has paid off and I just completed my 8th piece for the 2012 season.  Phew.  I think I may even have enough time to squeeze in one more painting before the end of the Mayan calendar.

The photo isn't totally true to color but I wanted you guys to get the idea of what the new piece looks like.  When I take it to "my guy" for a photo shoot I'll post the new one. 

This Friday I will be traveling to Omaha to meet with Joel Damon of the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art.  Joel invited me and a few other artists to have an exhibit at the Bemis Underground.  It's scheduled for February, 2013.  I'm completely honored and humbled by the invitation...once again, hard work pays off in the end. 

A New Photo of an Older Painting.

Woot Woot.  Not to be repetitive...but I love professional photographers.  

A New Photo of a Painting from a Few Months Ago.

 

A new photo of a previously photographed painting.  I LOVE MY PHOTOGRAPHER!!!

A New Photo of a Past Painting.

Hey, guys.  I posted this painting awhile ago but the new photograph looks so NICE that I thought I'd post it twice.  I'm so happy with my photographer, Alan Adams (In Oskaloosa, Iowa), I could dance.

New Painting.

"Marysville." approx. 22 X 18, gouache on paper, 2012.

New Painting.

"untitled (as of today), approx 15 X 20, gouache on paper, 2012.

As promised, here is one of the pieces I've recently completed.  I haven't decided if it needs further cropping but I'm leaning towards yes. 

A Finished Painting.

"Snake Nest (tentative title)." 12 X 12, gouache on paper, 2012.