John in grisaille

I recently finished an acrylic painting of a new model, John, done in grisaille (gray monochrome).

I've been thinking about cubism in the context of contemporary portraiture. I tried to express rhythm, shifting planes, and flickering light by breaking down the figure into discrete abstract passages, perhaps informed by digital glitches and pixelation.

My references included:

Pablo Picasso, Portrait of Ambroise Vollard (1910)

Gerhard Richter, Matrosen Sailors (1966)

Andy Denzler, Untitled Screen Test (2007)

Rob Sheridan, The Social Network (Soundtrack Art) (2010)

We will have the same model for the next three weeks. I may explore the same theme in color.

The loop closes

The ultimate glitch video. I can't stop watching it.


How to destroy angels_ "The loop closes" (2013) from How To Destroy Angels on Vimeo.

Creative Mischief

I received some good news this morning: my painting "Melissa" will be included in the upcoming Creative Mischief open house exhibit at the National Academy next month. I hope to see you all at the opening reception on May 15!

From the website:

CREATIVE MISCHIEF: A Pop-Up Exhibition
National Academy Museum
1083 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10128
On view May 15 – May 18, 2014
Opening reception May 15, 6 – 8 PM

Two floors of Fifth Avenue’s historic Huntington Mansion, home of the National Academy Museum, are transformed by the international + national + neighborhood artists who study at the National Academy School. Join us to see 

• Large-scale site-specific installations 
• Abstract paintings and dynamic figurative works 
• Prints, photographs and cyanotypes 
• Video and animation 

Call 212-996-1908 to learn more.

Update: Here's a video of the installation:

Spring Art Fair at Alex Adam Gallery

The Alex Adam Gallery in Harlem is holding its first annual Spring Art Fair featuring some big names from the Art Students League.

The exhibit is divided into five genres: portraits (Eleanor Adam and Robin Smith), landscapes (Dan Gheno), prints (Mary Beth McKenzie), sculpture (Jonathan Shahn and Beñat Iglesias), and abstraction (Fumiko Toda).

The art works reflect the prevailing style of ASL which is firmly grounded in American realism with some expressionist touches. It's a refreshing change from the current offerings of other New York City galleries which seem to emphasize conceptualism and gimmickry over aesthetics and craftmanship.

The show runs through April 26, 2014. Definitely worth a visit.

Press release