17th Ave Studiomargo

Since my move into the 17th Ave Studios in Santa Cruz the robots are in full force. I'm set up and organized in the 11x12ft studio space that over looks train tracks.

Here is the entrance of my studio. Continued with a few shots of the space with my books and supplies.

 

 

Here is the first painting created in the studio.

Here is a shot for scale. "Let's Fly Away" is the title of this piece. This year I have been working on my relationships with friends and my family. I feel so grateful for the people in my life. "Let's Fly Away" is about relationships, partnerships that we form as humans. I was once isolated and surrounded only by the creatures I created. I am now surrounded by love of my family and friends. These 'robots' were created out of pain and longing for important relationships with people and now they are taking me on journeys that are pouring with love and pure bliss. I know I will always have these creatures with me, but it is so amazing to know that I also have love and support from my network.

I am in process of labeling and wrapping my work and storing it, here is one of my ink drawings on clayboard from Bonny Doon, titled, well, I think you might be able to gather what the title is, or make one up that is pretty close to the real thing.

Stirring It Up

It has been quite a busy last few weeks. I have officially moved into a collective art studio in Santa Cruz. I have a new cozy studio space inside the 17th Ave Studios, sharing a warehouse with about 30 other artists. I am setting up my studio and starting to get cozy and more importantly meeting more artists. Painting is what I do, however painting alone, day after day, month after month, is really quite lonely. So the next few weeks I will be organizing, making an art storage rack and settling into the space, which happens to be right next to train tracks which adds a special ambiance to the studio. If my work starts to resemble abstract trains, you know why. Chooo-choooo!

So, there is your sneak peak of that and we are moving on to the work that I have be creating.

I have mainly thought of myself as large scale painter. In 2008 I started utilizing a medium that would allow me to speak in a way I never dreamed of, I found a new language. In 2009 I create my largest painting which is 12x6ft and it would show at the National Steinbeck Center for the Steinbeck Festival. In 2010 I spent just about everyday learning the skill set of trompe l'oeil. I had not painted realistic work since high school. For some reason I had an urge to paint realistic that year and trompe l'oeil was a good skill set for me to learn. Nearing the end of my trompe l'oeil journey I started to become depressed in the studio. When I woke up I knew exactly what I was going to be painting and how I was painting it. The mystery and magic that I cherish so much in my studio work and practice was no where to be found. I respect trompe l'oeil painters all over the world. However, for me, there is nothing more magical and mysterious that of a large abstraction, you just don't know what's going to happen. Once you have been fooled by the trompe l'oeil trickery once, you will not be fooled again. You know it is a trick. It looses its magic. However if you see an abstract painting once, or  funny creatures like the robots, humans will usually find something engaging or an emotional connection. The traffic box I created for Santa Cruz allows people to giggle time and time again. Every time you go by that public art piece you can not help but to feel something. Feeling something, that is what I would like you to get out of my work (is that to vague?). Ideally I would like for you to feel, for lack of a bigger word, happy. This series I am working on below is created with thoughts of actions, people and emotions that make me feel like I am on cloud 9. I am capturing a passionate moment full of thankfulness, appreciation, admiration, imagination several feelings that just make my eyes tear with joy. That is what is going on in this developing series. I want to create something that is drastically different from any of my other work and create a space for you to feel a smile, to feel wonderful in. With all of the 'things' that are going on in the world today and in the USA, I want to be able to create a place of love. I want you all to feel my love.

This is a series in progress but I would like for you to see what is going on in the studio.

Most of these paintings have changed since the photographs. I am excited about where this work will led me.

 Stay warm, and happy fall!

Studio Visit :: Rogelio Manzo

I first met Rogelio Manzo in January 2011, at a painting in the Skinner-Howard Contemporary Art Gallery in Sacramento, CA. We introduced ourselves, shook hands, and I asked him if he is an artist. He said, yes, and pointed to the large painting you see below. The blog entry from that showing here.

I saw Rogelio again in February to check out two new pieces.

Photo courtesy of Rogelio Manzo

From the first moment I saw Rogelio's work my jaw dropped and I could not help but to fall in love with the beautifully scary work. I have not seen work like Rogelio's in person. I have seen work that is scary, but there is something magical, there is a beautiful energy that I can feel when I engage myself into one of Rogelio's paintings. He has a unique process in creating his work. I was able to score some intimate studio time with Manzo himself while he works. Below are images from the visit.

Above, a small scale work in progress.

 Above, a framed piece ready to be shipped. 

Above, a cropped shot of one of Rogelio's newest pieces, getting ready to be shipped.

Rogelio's work is strong in both small and large scale. He has great juxtaposition of the painterly and graphic techniques. We talk about the age old question of inspiration and just what makes him tick as an artist. For Rogelio it is not just about people or portraits but it is about life and the interactions we as humans have in this world. It is about experiencing this life inside the human body and expressing those human emotions in a visual format. He tells me, you know you are alive because you are here, we are experiencing life. Rogelio reflects what he knows and understands of life through his work.

Rogelio is just painting the truth. Many people ask him this question, "Are these people dead or alive?" For Rogelio what he sees is movement. The portrait is showing the basics of the face but you need to go beyond the cosmetics of these portraits to listen to the stories they are telling you. Rogelio's work sends an emotional rush through my body. That is one of the reasons why I think his work is so strong. Rogelio's work is not work that I generally gravitate towards, however the technique and extreme beauty of the painter's decisions, my body can not ignore.

Rogelio shows me some of his early work from 2002. It is always great to see the visual time line of an artist and might I add, Rogelio can paint. Since that time Rogelio has learned new skills which is apparent in the current body of work. Keeping the attention of humans in this age of technology is challenging, however with Rogelio's combination of the transfer, it gives the work that digital quality but pairing it with a painterly touch keeps it human.

There is a lot of cruelty in the world. Rogelio used a simple analogy of humans squashing cockroaches and swatting flies. As humans we have this feeling, a right almost to squash bugs and animals that are smaller than us. Why? Is it because we are humans and we think we are superior than all other living things on this land? What is the bug doing? It is just trying to survive, just like you, and just like me.

The work of Rogelio Manzo is exactly opposite from what you might assume. For Rogelio it is about letting something go from inside of him and sharing that with you. If the viewer chooses to look inside the painting, they will find a piece of themselves in the work. In his current series, it is not about death, but about life, about human feelings.

Rogelio did state that he loves to be scared. I giggled and told him I really do not like to be scared, but I find such beauty in this work that I can not help to look and be fascinated by the story of each portrait. The reaction from some people is that of disgust, but they too can not help to love his work either. 

Here are a some of Rogelio's paintings. Photography provided by Rogelio Manzo.

Donaciano, 24x30

 Eliodoro, 24x24

Justino, 40x40

 Ralulca, 10x8

Rogelio is being represented by the following galleries around the world. He is currently working on two solo exhibitions each one on opposite sides of the USA. The first one for the Skinner Howard Gallery in Sacramento, CA in November 2011 and one for Muriel Guepin in Brooklyn, NY in January 2012. Keep your eyes out for Rogelio, he is someone to watch. If you are interested in learning more about his work, check out a gallery near you and visit his site : Manzoartworks.com and if you FB, you can see him there too (here).

Jack Fischer Gallery
49 Geary St., suite 418
San Francisco, CA 94108
415.956.1178
info@jackfischergallery.com www.jackfischergallery.com

Muriel Guepin Gallery
47 Bergen street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-858-4535
contact@MurielGuepinGallery.com
www.murielguepingallery.com

Patrajdas Contemporary Art
Chicago, IL
312-226-3444
aeh@patrajdas.com
www.patrajdas.com

Cube Gallery
Perry Road
Bristol, UK BS1 5BG
T + 44 (0)117 3771470
info@cube gallery.co.uk
www.cube-gallery.co.uk

The Christopher Hill Gallery
1235 Main St.
St. Helena, CA 94574
707.963.0272
styrianhill@yahoo.com
www.chgallery.com

Skinner-Howard Contemporary Art
723 S Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
916.446.1786
info@skinnerhowardart.com www.skinnerhowardart.com

ArtBox
217 West 10th St. suite 125.
Indianapolis, IN46202
317. 955.2450
www.artboxindy.com

Bask @ the Alternative

This Saturday I was able to check out the much talked about Bask showing at the Alternative Cafe located at 1230 Fremont Blvd. Seaside, CA. The show is curated by Andrew Jackson. Texture and color are every where you look. Take a gander for yourself. It is great to see so many of those red dots. If you are in the area, go check out the show. To purchase the work, click,  (here). The artist flew all the way from Florida to attend the show. To read up on the curating Andrew Jackson check out the story by Walter Ryce about the Shepard Fairey show, currently on display in Sand City. Dare I say, it is happening...