Foundling is a new drawing that I completed for the inaugural online group exhibition by WOWXWOW called Lightning Bolts and Little Sparks. In honour of the show the site has posted a new interview with me. I hope you’ll take the time to check out this incredible show featuring the works of a truly diverse group of artists.
Foundling, 2017, ink, 27″ x 19″
Foundling Detail 1
Foundling Detail 2
Foundling Detail 3
THE SHADOWOOD COLLECTIVE proudly presents their 7th show… DO WE MAKE YOU UNEASY? After 6 years of hibernating the collective crawls out of the shadows and presents a stunning collection of dark imagery. With original works from Clive Barker and Anita Kunz at the helm of the exhibition, not to mention a fantastic assortment of whimsical miniatures created by an incredible group of award winning artists, you simply don’t want to miss opening night! Special deals on much of the artwork will be exclusively available to everyone who purchases a ticket. We are especially happy to announce that “SEDATIVE” (Mark Thibideau) will be performing darkly ambient noises, beats and grooves to emphasize the themes within the show. In the lower gallery, we will be showcasing a collection of video installations, short films and music videos that involved several members of the Shadowood Collective (see the trailer for clues to what those may be, and yes the directors will be in attendance). For those who would like to imbibe within the shadows… this event will indeed be licensed. It’s worth noting that anyone who buys a VIP ticket will also get a very limited nickel enamel “Shadowood Collective” pin (see the design below, each one with a unique number etched on the back). A VIP ticket holder also gets an exclusive SHADOWOOD COLLECTIVE poster signed by the artist. Order your advanced VIP ticket now before they are gone… there are only 100 available.
You can also purchase the tickets directly at The ARTS Project directly at their box office here ~ 203 Dundas Street, London, Ontario 519.642.2767
Artists Included:
Clive Barker, Anita Kunz, Alex Garant, My Pet Skeleton, Sarah Legault, Sara Deck, Richard A. Kirk, Jeremy Hobbs, Ryan Price, Paige Reynolds, Gary Pullin, Justin Erickson, FN Vegas, Anthony Veilleux, James Zirco Fisher, Josh Deck, Chris Austin, Nidia Martinez, Sean Chappell
The show will run from Feb 7th – 19th.
Here is my piece for the In the Depths show to be held at Copro Gallery in August. The show is curated by Cris Velasco and features works themed around the writing of H. P. Lovecraft.
I always associate the works of Lovecraft with the doldrums of summer. I was barely a teenager when I discovered Lovecraft, thanks to a rich vein – that reeked of the last owner’s cigarette smoke – in a nearby used bookshop. It was a discursion from Tolkien, Verne and Peake, my other favorites at the time.
It is pointless to pretend that his lush writing did not have an influence on my developing artistic aesthetic. All those strange cities and damp gardens, and of course the monsters, had a way of sticking in the mind and resurfacing at unexpected moments.
Maybe one day someone will hire me to illustrate a Lovecraftian edition, until then, I’ll leave you with the Nameless Larvae of the Other Gods. If you are interested in purchasing this piece from the show, please contact Copro Gallery.
Nameless Larvae of the Other Gods, 2016, ink on paper, 14″ x 10″
Poster reveal for the next group show I will be involved in this summer at Copro Gallery. I am really pleased to be showing next to so many great artists. It’s a truly remarkable lineup brought together by Cris Velasco.
Richard.
Richard A. Kirk, Dawn Botanist, Tears of the Poppy, ink on paper, 14 x 10 inches, 18.5 x 21.65 inches framed.
In my last post, I mentioned a silverpoint show coming up in February. I will be exhibiting my pieces, Flowers of Wisdom and Ptah. The gallery press release is below my images.
The Luster of the Line: Drawings in Metalpoint
February 26 – March 25, 2016
Opeing Reception: Friday February 26, 6-9pm
The Clement Art Gallery
201 Broadway
Troy, NY 12180
http://www.clementart.com
518.272.6811
Curator: Jon Gernon
In the late Gothic/early Renaissance era, silverpoint emerged as a fine line drawing technique. Not blunting as easily as lead or tin, and rendering precise detail, silverpoint was especially favored in Florentine and Flemish workshops. Silverpoint drawings of this era include model books and preparatory sheets for paintings. Artists who worked in silverpoint include Jan van Eyck, Leonardo da Vinci, Albrecht Dürer and Raphael.
Silverpoint drawings have been described as elegant, delicate, and precise. They display the “hand of the artist” more than perhaps any other medium, and are more completely archival than any other; drawings from the late Medieval period through the Renaissance have survived to the present without damage due to the inertness and permanence of the materials.
A silverpoint drawing is made by dragging a silver rod or wire across a surface, often prepared with gesso or primer. Silverpoint is one of several types of metalpoint used by scribes, craftsmen and artists since ancient times. The softness of these metals made them effective drawing instruments.
The initial marks of silverpoint appear grey as other metalpoints, but silverpoint lines, when exposed to air, tarnish to a warm brown tone. The oxidation becomes perceptible over a period of several months. The speed of oxidation varies according to the level of pollution in the air. Historically, silverpoint styli ranged widely in composition from pure silver to heavily alloyed with copper.
This exhibition will show a variety of ideas and applications of this historical medium. Each of the artists in this show bring traditional and modern images together exploiting the beauty of the surface and the delicacy of lines.
Exhibting artists:
Jeannine Cook, Jon Gernon, Barbara Henning-Loomis, Eileen Kennedy, Richard Kirk,
Elaine Langerman, Tom Mazzullo, Banjie Getsinger-Nicholas, Kandy Phillips, Diane Savino
Detail of The Dawn Botanist, Tears of the Poppy
I am involved in 2 shows coming up very soon. The first is called Permanence, a group show at Haven Gallery, themed around works primarily executed in ink. The Dawn Botanist, which I delivered to the framer last week, will be my contribution. It looks like it will be an amazing show. The second show is a silverpoint show, and I’ll share details when the gallery has announced, which should be quite soon. Beyond January, I have 3 more shows planned at this time.
I spent some time today going through my print inventory and reconciling it with my webstore. Some of the older prints are down to single digits, and when they are gone they are gone. I will be moving on to new images for future print offerings. Amnesiac’s Library (see previous post) is currently with my print-maker. In addition to prints I have added 3 original drawings at sale prices.
Finally, if you get get a chance, please check out The Weird Fiction Review site. Over the next few weeks they are serializing my short novel The Lost Machine. Chapter 1 was posted last Wednesday, along with an interview. The usual apologies to FB friends that have already heard this news.
Detail from Bellman . 2009 . Ink on Paper
One of the joys of the year coming to a close is thinking about what will come in the next year. This is a time when I make a lot of lists; possible names of new drawings, ideas for images, books I want to read and things to research. Right now I am thinking of a series of drawings that could be a book, or an exhibition or both. Time will tell. It’s going to be called Oneiric Natural History.
As you can see, it was a rainy morning and the light levels were low. Never the less, I thought I’d share this photograph of “Panspermia,” framed and ready for its journey to the Alexi Era Gallery in Mascoutah, IL.
Inquiries should be made to the gallery.
The framing was done by Rivertown Galleries in Byron, Ontario. Anna and Brian have come through for me countless times over the years and always do a fantastic job.
