Cityscapes in progress

I've been working on a couple of projects early this year. One is a series of collaborative paintings (more on that in a future post) and a series of cityscapes. I've been working from my imagination but also shooting photos, sketching and walking around downtown to get inspiration. Unfortunately, the Chicago winter weather has limited some of that walking around. I finished one cityscape and have two others that are a little more than halfway done and starting to work on composition ideas for another. For most of these, I've also started assembling the frame and stretching the canvas myself. It's labor intensive but an enjoyable process. All are oil on canvas. Downtown Lofts, oil on canvas, 28x28, 2014, $500 Downtown Lofts, oil on canvas, 28x28, 2014

feb14_cityscapesWIP Cityscapes - February 2014 (works in progress)

2014 Open Studios Dates

CAB_2014_email Save the dates for our 2014 Open Studios:

Friday, March 21, 6 - 10 pm Friday, May 16, 6 - 10 pm Friday, October 3,  6 - 10 pm Friday, November 21, 6 - 10 pm Saturday, November 22, 1 - 5 pm

Art on two floors, live music and food from a local gourmet food truck in the parking lot!

Our open studio events are FREE and open to the public.

Cornelia Arts Building 1800 W. Cornelia, Studio #201 Chicago, IL 60657

Abstract Cityscape - work in progress

While I continue working on the skyline cityscape painting, I started this new abstract cityscape. IMG_8761

It's really more from the imagination but I am using a photo reference. The photo is of some buildings reflected in a glass facade on Washington St. in Chicago. I'm aiming to exaggerate the window's and building's shapes in order to give the image a more animated quality. Lots more layers of paint to go but off to a decent start.

refelctions

Animated iPad drawing - Loop Tracks

I have been playing around with the iPad Brushes application. It's now a free open source app. Basically, you can draw/paint on the iPad and mimic various brushes, textures, etc. The app can also record your brushstrokes which is both pretty cool and creepy. But it's a great way to create a time-lapse video of the painting process. I mirrored the iPad animation onto my laptop using Airplay and then used AirServer to record it and export out as a video file. Then post to my Youtube channel. Hopefully, future functionality will have video export built in to the application.

Here's the final image:

looptracks

Cityscape - work in progress + drawings

With the holidays and some traveling I haven't been to the studio much lately. But, need to get back to this cityscape work in progress which is based on one of my favorite views of the skyline from the Brown Line CTA train. trackswip

I did make it in to the studio on New Year's Day for a little bit and worked on some drawings - oil bar and acrylic on record album cover:

tanksonrecord

Young Art Collectors + Open Studios

The Cornelia Arts Building Open Studios last weekend was fun and we had a great crowd to see the art and enjoy the live music. Some of my cityscape paintings and mixed media prints found new homes too! Thanks to all who attended. I was also interviewed by Eva Voinigescu, a Medill School of Journalism Master of Science Candidate who has been working on an article about how young people collect art. It was an interesting interview and hopefully she got some good information. One thing I try to do is to price my art so that most anyone can afford it. Typically my work ranges from $100 - $1,500 (sometimes more). Sometimes I'll have a secret sale and you can walk away with something for under $25.

Studio Interview with Eva Voinigescu, a Medill School of Journalism Master of Science Candidate

The discussion made me think more about open studios and my goals and expectations. I always enjoy talking to people about my art making process which also helps me better understand art collectors and appreciators. Not everyone comes to buy art at the open studios and when they do it tends to be on the smaller/more affordable side. So, I've come to have lower sales expectations and view open studios as just a fun event/party where I can introduce my art to new people.

But more importantly, having people in my studio helps me better understand my own art and how it affects people. By directly interacting with the public, I have learned to explain my work more clearly. I've also learned that everyone interprets images differently. It's always exciting when someone points out something new or different about one of my own pieces and helps me see it in a new way.

This Weekend - Last Open Studios of 2013

Last Open Studios of 2013:

Cornelia Arts Building
Friday, November 22, 6-10pm
Saturday, November 23, 1-5pm

1800 W. Cornelia, Studio #201
Chicago, IL

Art on two floors, live music, and a food truck! I’m showing new cityscape and abstract paintings in Studio #201. Hope to see you!

There will be a secret sale of $10 mixed media screen prints and $40 photos will be happening in my studio!


Some good art stuff happenin'

It's been a good couple of weeks of art-related stuff - here's a round-up: I finished the commission painting which is now with its owner - author, Holly McDowell. Special thanks to Holly for asking me to create this custom painting for her home!

Bridges to Chicago, oil on canvas, 36x48, 2013

I was interviewed by Mike Stephen from Outside the Loop Radio - a weekly radio program that airs on 88.7FM - WLUW in Chicago. We talked about my studio, the Cornelia Arts Building, its history and its place in the Chicago art community.  My interview segment comes in around the 5 minute mark - but listen to all of it - it's a great show!

[button url="http://www.outsidetheloopradio.com/2013/10/24/otl-episode-367-the-cornelia-arts-building-dads-parking-ticket-update-the-nw-chicago-film-society/" target="blank" background="#993300" size="5"]Listen here[/button]

I created and finished another painting right after completing the commission:

South Loop Lookouts, oil on canvas, 24x30, 2013

I was asked back to show at Degenerate Art Gallery again in November after a successful October show. It will be group show again and I'll have some abstract paintings on display. Glad to be part of this new gallery in Edgewater not far from where I live. Opening Reception is Saturday November 16, 7-10pm. More info on that to come.

Sunflower Slow Drag: Collaborative Painting, Simons & Swallow

A couple of weeks ago, I worked on a collaborative painting with fellow CAB artist, Scott Simons. We didn't discuss much about what we'd do, we just passed the painting back-and-forth until we decided it was finished. The following images show the process as the painting developed. It was passed between us about six to eight times.

Sunflower Slow Drag - Phase 1
By Scott Simons & Kevin Swallow
Mixed Media on Panel, 2013

Sunflower Slow Drag - Phase 2
By Scott Simons & Kevin Swallow
Mixed Media on Panel, 2013

Sunflower Slow Drag - Phase 3
By Scott Simons & Kevin Swallow
Mixed Media on Panel, 2013

Sunflower Slow Drag - Phase 4
By Scott Simons & Kevin Swallow
Mixed Media on Panel, 2013

Sunflower Slow Drag - Phase 5
By Scott Simons & Kevin Swallow
Mixed Media on Panel, 2013

 Sunflower Slow Drag, mixed media on panel, 24x48, 2013
By Scott Simons & Kevin Swallow

ARTIST STATEMENT:

"Sunflower Slow Drag is a collaborative mixed media painting by Scott Simons and Kevin Swallow. This piece combines Simons' abstract textures and lines with Swallow's cityscapes and abstract graffiti. Both artists are influenced by architecture and draw their inspiration from the urban environment. This is their first collaboration.

The painting references a jazz song, Sunflower Slow Drag by Scott Joplin. Like jazz, the painting was improvised. They passed the painting back-and-forth over the course of a week - reacting to each other's lines, marks, and colors. The panel was flipped and turned in various directions as they worked, until the painting unfolded into a finished composition. They will continue creating collaborative paintings and intend on having a two-man show in the future."