Discoveries in Art and Media

The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors is an exhibition of the life work of Alex and Allyson Grey. This art gallery is a transdenominational church that was given a home in Chelsea, Manhattan in 2004, where it grew in popularity for some years. In 2009, the artistic partners were inspired to build a permanent chapel in the Wappinger area of the Hudson River Valley, on a 10,000 acre swath of land, where they now live permanently.  In 2013, they began fundraising to build Entheon, a 3-story, 12,000 foot gallery space, whose name means "a place to discover the creator within".   The current art gallery is housed in a sprawling guest house, and holds the individual and collaborative paintings and sculptures of Alex and Allyson, as well as many other artists in residence there. It became a spiritual mecca and public space which hosts ceremonial celebrations during the Full Moon and Seasonal Equinoxes of the year (an average of 18 public gatherings yearly), which feature music perform...

Concept I was inspired to start a self-portrait that has a strong linear component and a unique shape running through it.  The purpose of superimposing shapes over organic forms is to show movement of energy around a person, thoughts we share.  I wanted to depict this energy as rings of foreign languages, which is why I began to paint a ring of Egyptian hieroglyphs in the center. Initially, the drawing underneath my face was of my skull. I drew the underlying features in pencil and then fine-point marker.  I then painted over that in watercolor, and next solidified certain areas with acrylic paint.  One challenge was that the entire intended composition, including rings of text, is too detailed to finish in a short period of time, so for the purpose of this portrait, I only painted my face.  

Hinduism , its teachings and philosophies, is distinctive for its absence of a central figure. No founder, prophet, or origin story are tied to the growth of Hinduism, yet they have designed a path for redemption, a belief that through reincarnation we reach a higher varna, and become closer to liberation.  While some sources say that Hindu temples are small and sparse, you can see the ornate architectural fabrication of artistic movements such as Islam and European Renaissance in the Hindu Shore Temples, which were resurfaced from the Bay and Bengal.   At the Southern tip of the Ganges, in Mamallapuram, monuments to Hindu history carved in stone shows in great detail the deities and figures that the Hindu people admire. The most impressive monument, shared by both this film & Living With Art , would be the Kandariya Mahadeva, which honors Lord Shiva. This structure has 3 tiered temples, and one of the most ornate exteriors ever carved in stone.  The engravi...

Superficial Muscle Anatomy, Head Fiber, acrylic paint, form-fitted I was inspired by the Hindu concept of varna, and the temporal nature of human life. Behind the face of each caste, regardless of their social status, is the same anatomy. Another cultural influence was that of Indonesia, whose masks predate the Hindu and Buddhist culture. The mask below, with origins unknown to me, is designed in the tradition of the Indonesian people, and combines what I believe to be inner and outer features: what looks like a small brain is at center on the forehead, and flesh toned ribbons, or just ornate foliage, adorns the head.  I adopted a similar color scheme in my rendering. I also sought to emulate a mask similar to the traditional  Día de los Muertos. Día de los Muertos is celebrated internationally, but was designated as a day to commemorate lost family members by the Mexican people, first.  The principle features of this mask are deep black...

I chose to study the video The Drawings of Michelangelo  and Leonardo da Vinci: the Mind of the Renaissance.       The early and high Renaissance, and its embedded history in Italy, have always fascinated artists, scholars, and ordinary citizens alike. Each of these artists developed their craft and independent sensibility in an internationally recognized nation of city-states, which had a unique profile. The two artists coindidentially both worked in Florence at the same time. Also,             I was astonished to learn that Michelangeo's original drawings are accessible to handle and touch by students at the British Museum. Michelangelo was technically inclined to cross-hatch in great detail, and in my opinion, his penmanship far surpassed his abilities with paint.    Their artistic style diverged in the various methods and techniques used to render figure, hue, and overall composition.  While da Vinc...

      NEA Arts' publication The Art of Failure  is a creative look into the history of techniques and internal perceptions of artists and innovators whose success came with challenge. The artist who attempts to benefit their community through their effort shines through in each of these individuals featured. I found the insights exceptionally helpful, as they communicate to the human being inside each of us, prone to failure, ambitious for success.       Both authors Toni Morrison and Carlos Murillo speak of longevity, and the importance of maintaining self: the body and mind. They similarly work in literary and theatrical mediums: novels and scripts.  Both speak of the writing process as arduous, requiring energy, probably keeping them up late at night (or early in the morning) to accomplish work.      Similarly, dancer Sarah Kaufman speaks of dance criticism in the same way that Geoff Nuttall alludes to the grey area...