My painting “Brendan” (2019, 11x14 inches, acrylic on canvas board) will be auctioned on Artsy from May 11 to 26 to benefit Bailey House. I hope that you can join me in supporting this worthy fundraiser.
Bailey House proudly presents its 34th Annual Gala & Auction, which benefits housing and other lifesaving programs for thousands of New Yorkers each year. This year’s silent auction features a robust body of work by emerging and established artists including Catherine Opie, Duane Michals, Mark Beard, and many others. Works have also been graciously donated by The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation and Herb Ritts Foundation for the event's LIVE auction.
Bailey House will hold its Gala & Awards Reception on May 25th at THE POOL in NYC. For more info visit bit.ly/baileyhouse2022.
Founded in 1983 by a coalition of compassionate community leaders responding to the AIDS crisis, Bailey House was the first community-based organization in the country to address poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, mental health, substance use, and chronic illness to improve health outcomes for marginalized, low-income New Yorkers living with HIV.
Bidding is open exclusively on Artsy and will close on May 26th at 12:00 PM EDT.
All 2D works in the auction have been framed courtesy of Bailey House Gala & Auction's Presenting Sponsor, Chelsea Frames.
My painting Derek will be on view at the Bailey House Gala & Auction on Thursday, March 5, 2020, in Chelsea Piers. Please drop by if you can and support a worthy cause!
My watercolor postcard "Male Torso 15" will be a part of this year's Visual Aids benefit starting tonight through Sunday at the Bortolami Gallery in Tribeca, NYC. I hope you can drop by and support this worthy cause!
Male Torso 15 (2017) Watercolor on paper, 4x6 inches 22nd Annual Postcards From the Edge Bortolami Gallery 39 Walker Street, Tribeca, NYC Jan. 3-5, 2020
Postcards From the Edge offers a rare opportunity to acquire original, postcard-sized artwork from internationally renowned and emerging artists for only $85 each. Offered on a first-come, first-served basis, over 1500 works are exhibited anonymously, and the identity of the artist is revealed only after the work is purchased. With the playing field leveled, all participants can take home a piece by a famous artist, or one who's just making their debut in the art world. Nonetheless, collectors walk away with something beautiful, a piece of art they love!
PREVIEW PARTY:
Friday, January 3rd, 5-8pm
VIP Preview begins at 5pm - $100 admission includes two raffle tickets
(payable at the door or online)
Artist Preview 6-8pm - Participating Artists - FREE*
(no need to RSVP - artists' name held at the door)
(Preview ONLY - NO POSTCARD SALES)
BENEFIT SALE:
Saturday, January 4th, 10am-6pm
Sunday, January 5th, 12noon-4pm
Benefit Sale is first-come, first served. $5 suggested admission. Works are signed on the back and displayed anonymously. Artist's name revealed only after purchase. Cash, check or credit card (MC VISA AMEX) accepted.
It's been a year since I returned to the Art Students League with Dan Gheno. I've been doing smaller head studies (as opposed to larger paintings at the National Academy and 92nd Street Y) and it's been fun trying out new compositions, colors, and expressions.
My medium is still acrylic on small canvas panels or gesso boards. I like the immediacy of acrylic as well as its ease of layering and vivid tones. I love oil as well, but its drying time is too slow for me (for my current methods anyway).
Class resumes on Saturday, September 7. I'm looking forward to some solo projects (yet to be determined) during my break.
I'm now at the Art Students League in Dan Gheno's Saturday morning class. It's great to be back to where I started 18 years ago (I signed up after seeing the film Pollock with Ed Harris). Here are some recent paintings, all head studies in acrylic.
I'm pleased to announce an exhibit in Seneca Falls, NY, featuring reinterpretations of Norman Rockwell's Four Freedoms by Louis Ebarb, Tina So, Chifung Wong, Lorraine Brooks, and me.
Here's a Q&A submitted in preparation for an upcoming article by Anita Chan in The Still Point Arts Quarterly:
Why did you accept Mr. Ebarb's invitation to join this project which is purely noncommercial
in nature?
I wanted to interpret the Four Freedoms from a different point of view from Norman Rockwell, i.e. non-male, non-white, non-narrative, and based on historical figures. Was this the first time you have used art as a means of expressing a personal belief or some abstract concepts?
No, I recently did a text-based portrait of a Latino-American, inspired by Barbara Kruger and Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. The experience was empowering and exhilirating, and I wanted to experience that again with Four Freedoms but using a different technique.
What was the biggest artistic challenge for you?
This project had several challenges, all of which diverged from my customary art practice:
working with a new medium (acrylic on plexiglass)
working from photographs (I normally use live models)
working in a series (rather than stand-alone paintings)
working with a restricted palette (i.e. black and white portraits against a solid color background)
working on a small scale (12x12 inches)
Do you think the project will bring anything new to your art works, e.g. in terms of subject, medium, and style?
I was able to practice using photographs as references for portraits, and also learned about plexiglass as support. The project made me aware of my ability to make a political statement through simple images.
Do you have any experience that makes the Four Freedoms concept particularly relevant to you personally, for example, have you encountered anything or anyone that makes you believe that these Four Freedoms are important?
The Trump administration actively suppresses all four freedoms among those who do not conform to its populist agenda. The Four Freedoms concept is relevant to everyone around the world today.
Tell us something about the thinking behind your 4 art works, e.g. how you chose your subjects, medium, and style. Why you think they could effectively express your idea about the 4 Freedoms.
My idea was to celebrate four women who embody the four freedoms: Oprah Winfrey, philanthropist and entrepreneur (Freedom from Want), Mahalia Jackson, gospel singer (Freedom of Worship), Angela Davis, radical feminist (Freedom of Speech), and Rosa Parks, civil rights activist (Freedom from Fear).
My composition was inspired by the graphic art of the 1960s, particularly record album covers - I've always admired the immediacy and simplicity of of this style. I used plexiglass supports because of its deep, rich colors and reflective surfaces, which would bring the viewer's image into the visual experience.
In my design, I also wanted to acknowledge contemporary African-American painters who use photo based portraiture and saturated colors to communicate larger social, cultural, and political ideas, particularly Kehinde Wiley, Amy Sherald, Njideka Akunyili, Barclay Hendrix, and Mickalene Thomas.
What do you hope to achieve with your art works in this project?
I hope to evolve into a more photo-based style that reflects current trends in the artworld. I also hope to communicate that Norman Rockwell's Four Freedoms belong to everyone, not just the white middle-class.
What do you hope this project would achieve?
I hope that this project will encourage viewers to take affirmative steps to protect their freedoms in the current political climate.
It was a nice change from painting. The focus on line and sometimes shadow, within 20 minutes at the most, was liberating and also challenging. I haven't drawn the human form in a while and it was a delight to rediscover its complexities and incomparable beauty.
I recently completed four paintings (all acrylic on canvas, 24 x 36 inches) at the National Academy of Design.
These paintings featured profiles and a bit more of the models' torsos, which is a departure from the large scale headshots that have been the focus of my work over the past few years.
These paintings are also more realistic, less glitchy, and in the case of the last two, I also tried to use a brighter palette and abstraction in the background.
Sadly, the National Academy has closed its doors until it finds a new location. But I will continue my studies at the 92nd Street Y next month. I look forward to a new chapter in my art practice.
This is a combined online art show of two different themes: Disturbance and Courage.
We feel that almost every artist comprehends and feels on a different level than most people the concept of Disturbance. It’s a feeling or thought that creates a dissonance in spirit. But isn’t that what creativity evolves out of? Disturbance can be discontent, a different perspective, a conveying of hard truth, horrible unrest, or a reporting of injustice. In this open art call we asked to see what disturbs the artist. These are times of real courage, of strength, of protest, and resilience. We asked the artist to take those thoughts and emotions and express through their art the concept of Courage in this call for entries.
I hope that you'll have a chance to view the inspiring works in the video.
Once a year Artfixed handpicks its favorite artists across categories. These artists stand out for their work or contribution to the arts. These are primarily artists who embrace traditional mediums and conventional tools- gouache, colored pencils, acrylics, watercolor, charcoal or ink. Although they might not limit themselves to only these tools.
Thanks John for the kind words! I hope you'll all get a chance to explore John's wonderful site.
I was a bit shocked to get this email yesterday. I guess it's time to move on, but I hope that the National Academy will find a new home soon.
May 4, 2017 Dear National Academy Faculty and Students, It was great to see many of you at this afternoon’s special meeting in the Assembly Hall. For those who were unable to attend, we wanted to share an important update regarding the school’s upcoming hiatus in preparation for the relocation of the National Academy. As you know, in order to re-envision the Academy’s future and create a strong, sustainable financial base, including the first-ever permanent endowment in our 192-year-old history, the museum and school facilities were put on the market over a year ago. The Museum temporarily closed to the public on June 1, 2016, to prepare for the pending sale and relocation. Since then, we have worked diligently to be able to continue classes at the school, but must now prepare to move out of the buildings this coming fall. We had hoped that a real estate deal would allow us to remain in the properties for at least 18 months after closing, but this has proven to not be possible, and the National Academy Board of Governors elected yesterday to temporarily suspend classes beginning August 6 in order to allow us time to prepare for the transition to our future home. We are sharing this news as soon as possible to give you, the students, faculty, and administration as much time as possible to resituate in advance of the fall term. If you are a full-time and/or F1 visa student, we would like to help you transfer to another program and continue your studies uninterrupted. School Administrative Director, Mary Fisher, can provide you with information on how to apply to another local art school. The Art Students League, the New York Studio School, and the MFA Studio Art Program at Montclair State University in particular are all eager to welcome you into their programs. As to future plans, the staff, Board, and our members, the National Academicians, continue to search for opportunities to reactivate the school during the hiatus, as well as identify the Academy’s next location while we assess and re-imagine the educational and museum offerings in this new home. These strategies are part of the Academy’s long-term plan as we enter our third century. We will fully resume activities once a new location has been identified, and very much look forward to sharing news with you as soon as we are able. We are all so appreciative of the talented and dedicated school staff, faculty, and students, and thank you for your understanding and support as we plan our institution’s bright new future. Sincerely yours, Tim Walch, Board Co-Chair, National Academy Walter Chatham, Board Co-Chair, National Academy Bruce Fowle, President, National Academy
UPDATE:
Here's a comment from Tom Griffin, Director of Admissions at the Digital Film Academy:
Hello Francisco,
aside from the schools listed above, our school has
also been of interest especially for international students at the
National Academy Museum & School. We hope the National Academy will
find a new location quickly and seamlessly. In the meantime, any
students interested to take their studies in a more digital media /
filmmaking direction are very welcome to reach out to us to arrange a
visit.
Tom Griffin, B.B.S.
Director of Admissions Digital Film Academy
630 Ninth Avenue
New York NY 10036
Tel: 2123334013
www.DigitalFilmAcademy.edu
My postcard-sized watercolor "Head Study in Blue" will be a part of the Twitter Art Exhibit 2017 supporting Molly Olly’s Wishes in Stratford upon Avon, UK, April 2-19, 2017.
From the charity's site:
Molly Olly’s Wishes supports children with terminal or life threatening illnesses and their families to help with their emotional wellbeing. We grant individual wishes and donate therapeutic toys and books to both children directly and to hospitals throughout the UK. We are professional and personal and never forget that those we help are going through extremely challenging times. We always strive to be empathetic and compassionate.
The opening reception is tonight, April 1, 2017. From Eventbrite:
TWITTER ART EXHIBIT (TAE) is being held in the UK for the first time! Next year it will be somewhere else in the world supporting another worthwhile charity. The Opening Night of TAE17 in Startford upon Avon is a great opportunity to buy some amazing art from our TAE17 artists from all around the world and, at the same time, to support the charity Molly Olly's Wishes who help support children with terminal and seroius illness and their families. This year TAE has had it's biggest uptake since the event started 6 years ago with 1300 artists registered from 62 countries! Artist David Sandum will be attending the event from Norway and will be giving a presentation about how and why TAE was set up and about the charities it has helped over the years and what the future holds for TAE. You are invited to the OPENING NIGHT on the 1 April 2017 in Stratford upon Avon and we hope that you will invite others you know who could enjoy the event. Please come along to purchase the cards and help us raise funds for Molly Olly's Wishes. (Cost of cards - £30 each of 4 for £100). ALL the proceeds from the sale of the cards goes direct to the charity. If you are attending the sale, it would be most helpful if you could bring CASH if you are planning to buy any artworks, to help speed up the process! There will be an AUCTION of a wonderful original etching doanted by Norman Ackroyd RA and a sketch by Sir Ian McKellan and Gok Wan on the night. FREE entry. Light refreshments available. Disabables access and facilities.
Date and Time: Sat 1 April 2017 18:00 – 21:00 BST Location: The ArtsHouse 14 Rother Street Stratford upon Avon CV37 6LU United Kingdom
If you're in the UK, I hope that you'll be able to attend TAE17, support a wonderful charity, and take in the work of Twitter artists from around the world.
UPDATE:
I'm happy to report that my fellow Twitter artist Cathy Thomas purchased Head Study in Blue.
Cathy lives in Chester, UK and specializes in portraiture. I hope you'll click on her Twitter page and explore her amazing work.
My paintings Crystal, Esteban, and John 5 will be featured in The Road Gallery's Arternative Facts show from March 16 to June 30, 2017:
Questions
about what constitutes truth and fact are more pressing today than
ever. In a post-reality world of fake news, spread pandemically by
social media, accuracy and honesty are rare commodities. Getting to
absolute truth has never been easy. Perception and reality are
uncomfortable bedfellows. They don’t play nicely together. However, we
are living in unprecedented times of unscrupulous misinformation,
epitomized by those immortal words, alternative facts.
Ever since the Trump administration has taken office, we've been
increasingly concerned about censorship, rights and freedoms. We’ve also
been thinking about art’s place in the political arena and the impact
art can and should have in society. At The Road Gallery we strongly
believe in the power of art and artistic expression to provoke reaction,
ask important questions, create dialogue and inform the debate. With
this in mind, we our proud to present our Artnernative Facts show. We invited artists to submit work that:
- Portrays an alternative view of current realities.
- Portrays alternative perspectives on the current political landscape.
- Rethinks, reimagines and challenges commonly held beliefs and assumptions.
We were astounded by the responses from around the world. What
quickly became clear is that artists want their voices to be heard and
have a lot to say. There were some deeply personal responses, some
deeply political responses and some deeply socially motivated responses.
After carefully reviewing all the submissions, we have curated over 60
pieces from 19 artists. Most of the works are accompanied by information
about the artist and an arternative fact - their insights about the piece. We encourage you to read these as they add a great deal of richness to the images.
10% of all sales (and 100% on some pieces) will be
split across the following non-profit organizations: ACLU, Planned
Parenthood and The International Rescue Committee.
I hope you'll get a chance to explore the featured artists' responses to the current political climate as well as The Road Gallery's awesome website.
In response to the current political climate, I've been experimenting with text-based art inspired by Barbara Kruger and Shirin Neshat.
The model Esteban is Mexican-American. I painted a 30 x 40 acrylic portrait of him (above), then digitally added a Spanish translation of an excerpt from Martin Luther King:
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
Tengo un sueño que un dÃa esta nación se pondrá en pie y realizará el verdadero significado de su credo: “Sostenemos que estas verdades son evidentes por sà mismas: que todos los hombres han sido creados iguales”.
The concept of art as a form of protest is completely new to me - unnerving but also empowering. I hope that other artists will be inspired to explore it.
My postcard sized watercolor, Male Torso 12 (4" x 6"), will be on view at the Postcards from the Edge exhibit from January 13-15, 2017 in Chelsea. The exhibit will benefit Visual Aids, an organization that supports HIV+ artists.
From the site:
Postcards From the Edge offers a rare opportunity to acquire original, postcard-sized artwork from internationally renowned and emerging artists for only $85 each. Offered on a first-come, first-served basis, over 1500 works are exhibited anonymously, and the identity of the artist is revealed only after the work is purchased. With the playing field leveled, all participants can take home a piece by a famous artist, or one who's just making their debut in the art world. Nonetheless, collectors walk away with something beautiful, a piece of art they love!
I hope that you can attend the preview this Friday, January 13, 2017, 6:00 to 8:00 pm , at Metro Pictures, 519 West 24th Street, NYC. The show will also be on view this Saturday and Sunday, January 14-15, 2017.
Postcards from the Edge 2017
Hosted by Metro Pictures
519 West 24th Street
New York, NY, 10011
Preview Party: January 13, 2017 6-8pm
Benefit Sale: January 14-15, 2017
Louis was born in Brooklyn, studied at Pratt Institute, and paints scenes of daily life in Brooklyn in a realist style inspired by the Ashcan School.
Louis has exhibited at the Surmrit Gallery, Jersey City NJ, Fraga Gallery, New Orleans, LA, the Belanthi Gallery, Brooklyn NY, the Temple Gallery, Vails Gate, NY; the Brooklyn Waterfront Artist Coalition's Pier Shows I, II and III and the State University of New York's Victory Arts Gallery, Saint Francis College, Brooklyn, NY, The New York Mercantile Exchange, New York Law School and many other venues.
Here are a few of his oil paintings on display at the Heights Cafe.I do hope you can see this wonderful show if you are in the neighborhood.
I recently completed a portrait, John 5, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40 inches.
I've painted John a few times before: 1, 2, 3, 4. This painting turned out to be fairly realistic with a limited palette, though I did explore glitch and pixelation during my process.
Here are some progress shots over four 3-hour sessions:
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