Autumn learning

Well September has ben an interesting month if for learning and getting re-aquainted with that old core of learning from my early days I touched in my last ranty post. Still in O-town and ma have a few things line up for October, otherwise I have my own progress to attend to.  Here are some scans of sketches and such, finished stuff to follow soon.

O town life

Hmm it's funny how things work out come together or outright just drop kick your plans hopes and such to hell. In this case it's not been drop kicked but working out better than I expected. I actually have a studio space again, that's nice to have and be able to do some large scale work. I got some long term projects finally started properly and just going to let it flow as it is rather than worry too much about perfection. I'll see what the rest of this year brings, my next update will be around next year or so I bet.

A few scans...finally

Summer's almost over and man has this been a busy one. Lot's of work and searching, a fair bit of drawing and sketching along with the drama that life tends to bring along in guises we usually don't expect at time but make perfect sense later on.  I am going to make a serious choice soon and it stems on a big break coming my way, as of right now things are kind of set. The work I've managed to et this summer has payed of thankfully with me being able to get a scanner and a couple of long overdue items that will bolster I much neglected area of mine I imagine. So enough of my rambling, here's some nicely scanned work.

Springs here and summers a comin

Well I've been in Chicago for about 5 months roughly now and I'm acclimating. It's going a bit slower than I hoped and I've had my share of disappointments already in the whole job hunting area. That's life at some points, things tend to happen at there own pace. I'm still on the hunt though honestly I am a bit sore after the last place informed me that they had some one else in mind, it seemed like it would have been a cool gig. Otherwise I've been doodling painting, and writing as usual. Heres some of the stuff I've done recently, a finished piece, something in progress and some pages from my soon to be done sketch book.

on the easel 5

on the easel 5, a photo by Morty79 on Flickr.

On the easel 4

On the easel 4, a photo by Morty79 on Flickr.

On the easel 4

Easel 3

Easel 3, a photo by Morty79 on Flickr.

Easel 3

Second easel pass

Second easel pass, a photo by Morty79 on Flickr.

Second easel pass

On the easel

On the easel, a photo by Morty79 on Flickr.

On the easel

Portrait of a baby

Some ok pics of a recent commission I've been working on, it's just about done now minus some small details and touching up. It was different working on a portrait of a child since the feature are soft especially for how I draw most of the times, I left ink entirely out of this one. Some areas of it work nicely,  also learned a few new ways to do things. I may have more lined up the future since folks who come through my house see my art usually start asking for something to be done. Who would have thought constantly doing art since last summer to know would have an effect like on folks, so far I have done three commissions over the last couple of months.

Art of Jamaica

The Art of Jamaica: as Freespirited as the Music

Like its music, Jamaican art carries influences from a range of cultures and places. Like its music, it is often vibrant and dynamic, telling the story of the island's people both in a historical or political sense, and a gentler, more human one. Jamaican art often depicts the the natural landscape of the island, as well as the human one. Jamaica is many things, from a place of slavery to a destination for Caribbean cruises. Like the art of any country, Jamaican art doesn't have any one school or style. In the twentieth century, Jamaican artists have worked within many of the more mainstream schools of that time, such as realism or cubism. Jamaican art continues to absorb influences both from within itself and the outside world, and to reflect the island's cultural history and present.

Early Jamaican Art

In its earliest form, Jamaican art was the art of the indigenous people of the area, the Taino. Their culture was largely lost after colonisation across the West Indian islands in which they lived. Their art was rich in symbolism, and reflected the social and religious beliefs of the people. Their art was mainly the the form of cave paintings and in carvings of both people and animals, and represented aspects of their lives and their gods. The Jamaican National Gallery holds some Taino woodcarvings.

The Colonial Era

Jamaican art from the sixteenth century onwards reflected the changing nature of the island. With European colonisation, the islands became home to British, French, Spanish, African and Asian people. While the Europeans vied for power, the African and Asian people were slaves and indentured labourers. It was the Europeans who created the only sale-able art from Jamaica. Even if and when they had the time to create art (and undoubtedly many would have done, as all people do), the slave owners discouraged their slaves from doing anything other than working. Art, amongst slaves, was seen as laziness.

Europeans did create some art during the colonial era, often creating paintings to send back to Europe. Much of it reflects a particular vision of Jamaica and of the colonial world in general, designed to be palatable to Europeans who knew little of life in the West Indies. Their art work was European, rather than Jamaican. Even after the end of slavery, there was little in the way of truly Jamaican art emerging. Visiting European artists would come to the island and would sometimes take on local apprentices, but they were still essentially teaching European-style art.

The Twentieth Century

It was in the twentieth century that a really Jamaican art emerged. Local artists began to work with painting and sculpture to depict their island and their lives, and there was a new energy and confidence about art on the island. As the desire for autonomy and a lessening of colonial ties grew amongst the island's people, so did their art, which was increasingly local. They often drew on African influences, but worked to create new styles.

Edna Manley, a mixed-race sculptor who had grown up in Britain, arrived in Jamaica in 1922. She is often seen as the founder of modern Jamaican art. She had attended London's St Martins College, and had a good understanding of both European artistic schools and the history of the Jamaican people. She saw Jamaican art at that time as staid, and in her words 'anaemic', focussing on European styles rather than being part of a new Jamaican identity. Her best known work is Negro Aroused, which she sculpted in 1935 against a background of increasing unrest and racial consciousness among Jamaicans. It became a symbol of that consciousness and anti-colonialsism.

Edna Manley also worked to encourage local artists, helping to run volunteer art classes in Kingston which helped many local artists become established. Then, in the 1950s and 60s more and more Jamaican artists looked abroad and incorporated influences from the west. Jamaican art began to fragment into those using more traditional forms and those seeking to take on new forms, but it also matured. Both schools retained a strong interest in Jamaican history and culture, and in African iconography. Contemporary Jamaican art can be seen all over the island, in its 30 commercial galleries and in the National Gallery of Jamaica in Kingston.

This article was written by Anna Pullman who contacted me about publishing an article on my blog, it's cool to share some of the history of my island and it's art.

On the easel two

On the easel two, a photo by Morty79 on Flickr.

On the easel two

On the drawing board final

On the drawing board final, a photo by Morty79 on Flickr.

On the drawing board final,  a commission for a friend of mine. It was nice to work on this though I wish I had used sepia ink (aint got none) or drew it in burnt sienna instead of the initial black ink but it worked in it's favor after all it seems. I learned as I went ahead with this one. I can see where I could have pushed things further in this but funny enough this was based on an little sketch I did rather than a photo or sitting.

On the drawing board 8

On the drawing board 8, a photo by Morty79 on Flickr.

On the drawing board 8

On the drawing board 7

On the drawing board 6, a photo by Morty79 on Flickr.

On the drawing board 6

On the drawing board 6

On the drawing board 6, a photo by Morty79 on Flickr.

On the drawing board 6

On the drawing board 5

On the drawing board 5, a photo by Morty79 on Flickr.

On the drawing board 5

On the drawing board 3

On the drawing board 3, a photo by Morty79 on Flickr.

On the drawing board 3

On the drawing board 2

On the drawing board 2, a photo by Morty79 on Flickr.

On the drawing board 2