A Good Little Preview

Admittedly, this is a teaser. A close friend recently acquired a new Randall Good drawing. It is not yet framed so I won't reveal the whole work yet. He has also graciously allowed this exquisite angel to live with me for a few days. The angel and I plan to get to know each other and then I will write the full review. Please don't respond with comments quite yet. I wouldn't want to be accused of being influenced in the review. But, I guarantee it will be a positive one.

More Good Stuff

Once again I’ve found a beautiful piece of Randall Good’s work that deserves mention here on the blog. Of course, I would love to review each and every piece of work that he creates, but that would be a little time consuming. This piece is a drawing I acquired for a friend’s birthday present. He admired it at the last gallery walk we attended at Blue Moon Art Gallery in Hot Springs. I generally need very little excuse or persuasion to buy Randall’s work. I love it all.

This piece was untitled but I’m sure it could be called, “Christ Victorious”, or “Christ Triumphant”. Another interpretation might be a highly stylized ascension. The work is a graphite and white chalk drawing on a gray tinted paper support. Once again, Randall left a beautiful white deckled edge lending to the suggestion of an old parchment. The sense of Michelangelo’s or Da Vinci’s Renaissance works is prevalent again. This work was floated over gray mattes to compliment the tone of the support. The fully framed dimensions are 14X21 inches.

This work is a striking composition and succeeds on a number of artistic levels. As a balanced composition it appeals because of the contrasting elements of the organic and dynamically posed body countered by the static and geometric form of the cross. The drapery is energetic and wind-swept while serving a primarily decorative and ornamental purpose. The dominance of the cross in the upper left quadrant is countered nicely by an abundance of twisting fabric held in Christ’s hand and in the lower right corner. Randall’s sense of line and movement gives the viewer’s eye a number of paths to follow through the work. The lovely S-shaped serpintinato of the body projects upward, the diagonal of the cross moves left to right, the billowing curvature of the drapery encircles and frames the figure. It all works together to create a vigorous amount of activity in what could be a very static and stationary posed figure. One is reminded of Michelangelo’s David when looking at the bent knee and counterbalanced angled hip.

In analyzing the work one must question its purpose and meaning. At its essence, is this a spiritual work or a decorative one? Is this a religious work celebrating Christ or is it an ornamental work using the imagery of the Christ figure as decoration? Could it perhaps be both? Most religious works display the Christ figure for the purpose of narrating the His message and ministry. The crucifixion describes the story of the Passion. The resurrection shows His victory over death. The ascension demonstrates His separation from earth and habitation of heaven as a divine being. But, this work causes us to question which event is being portrayed. What is the story or message here? Is it simply a tribute to Christ as a physical being?

In this work, Christ is not nailed to the Cross. He embraces it as a symbol. Without it the viewer would be hard pressed to identify the figure as Christ. Perhaps this is an interpretation of the Resurrection. The billowing drapery might be the linens used to wrap His body. In the powerful force of reanimation He is liberated from them and they become more symbols of His victory and defiance over death. However, the drapery does little to cover the nudity of the figure and serves an accessory to stylize the work. The figure stands on a swath of the billowing fabric as if He is being elevated by wind alone giving Him a light and ethereal presence.

When looking at the image it gives the feeling of celebration and joy. This figure, without the cross, could easily be the triumphal top of a modern-day athletic trophy. The pose is not unlike the victorious Athena Nike with the uplifted arms ascending into the air. All that is missing is the wings.I like that this piece provokes questions in the mind of the viewer. I like that Randall didn’t do all of the mental work and storytelling for us. He intelligently creates an image that allows the viewer to bring their own interpretation and overlay it on the beautiful template he provides, thus creating an individual meaning for everyone who sees it.

Fallen Icarus by Randall Good

He's finally at home. I've just returned from the framer with my latest Randall Good drawing from Blue Moon Art Gallery in Hot Springs, Arkansas. This piece is a beautiful large drawing (roughly 22X27) of the mythological figure of Icarus as he lays wrecked on the earth after falling from the sky with his damaged wings. The work actually frames out to about 37" in height. I couldn't be more pleased with the final result. He will now take the place of honor over the head board of my bed. The small Icarus watercolors will go out to flanking positions on either side of this larger work.

Let's talk about the work now. Why are mythological themes still relevant in the 21st century? I feel the mythological themes are needed today just as much or possibly more than in previous centuries. During the ages of the Renaissance and later the Reformation, artists and philosophers grasped for these themes because the institutions of thought and spirituality had become so shallow and empty. Education during their times was parceled out exclusively by the church. However, the church had become nothing more than a political institution clinging to traditions and rituals that did not address the deeper needs of their followers. The figures of myth were much more visceral. They appealed more to the intellect. The themes were more universal and not culturally specific. They were what Jung would refer to as "archetypes" residing in the collective consciousness of us all. Can we agree that we are a society that has become just as intellectually complacent as that preceding the Renaissance and Reformation? Our cultural diet is fed to us through the mass media and television, our education is a government formulated collection of books and subjects, and the dominant religion (Christian Evangelicals) has become corrupt with greed for political power (Republicans). Yes, I'd say that we can benefit from the objective lessons the ancient myths have to teach us. They show us to accept our fallibility and humanity.

In this drawing Icarus has arrogantly flown too high and too close the the sun, the Solar Apollo. His man-made wings of wax and feathers has melted in the heat and he has fallen to his ruin on the rocks below. Let's examine the obvious lesson here that the ancient Greeks tried to follow. We are to respect the boundaries of our human limitations. Be careful that our "reach does not exceed our grasp." Was Icarus destroyed because he had the audacity to believe he could fly? No. His father, Daedalus, also built a pair of wings and flew without incident to safety and landed unharmed. It was Icarus, with his youthful arrogance, pride, and vanity that drove him to want to go higher. He wanted to show-off to his father, he wanted to exceed what his father had done. He ventured into territory where he was unwelcome and out of his league. Let's not forget that the Greek sun was a chariot driven across the heavens by the Solar Apollo. Apollo was the most beautiful and radiant being in the Greek pantheon. He was also the most vain and proud male in the universe (like most beautiful young men are). Icarus trespassed into Apollo's territory and the god took his revenge. Another lesson here is, do not presume to think we are equal to the gods. We are not omnipotent. If we believe that we have power over nature and the elements, its merely an illusion.

At first glance some may see only the violence and despair of Icarus failure and death. I see more than that in the pose of the figure and the composition of the overall piece. Notice that the figure, the dead body of Icarus, is low in the picture plane giving it less importance, almost an afterthought. The wing however, is dead center vertically and horizontally in the space. This represents that the focus is not on the man, but on his creation, his flight. The optimistic view of the Icarus story is not that he died, its that HE FLEW! Seen in this context Icarus takes on an almost Christ-like character. The Greeks also believed that mankind was the greatest creation of the gods and that's why they elevated their admiration of the human form to an almost worshipful reverence. The emphasis placed on the great wing in this drawing reminds us of man's resourcefulness and inventiveness. Only mankind has the ability to do this. The wing represents the greatness of man's achievements. Its the sum of these achievements that make us greater than we are as weak mortal beings. The wing centered in the picture plane reminds us of this.

I see in this drawing of Icarus death one last victory. The figure's pose is not static. The upward thrusting arm reaches back defiantly at the sun. The hand in the foreground is clenched claw like. And while Solar Apollo may have defeated Icarus, he did not win completely. Apollo did not go untouched. The tip of Icarus' wing stabs into the disc of the sun ever so slightly. Even in death Icarus challenges the god, piercing the perfection of the sun. The artist shows this so effectively by interrupting the one purely geometric shape in this piece with the rough and organic construction of the man's wing.

I hope you enjoy this drawing as much as I do. If anyone would like to view it personally, drop me an email and I'll invite you over. I have four of Good's works now so I've thought about charging admission to the bedroom. Just kidding, I'll probably give you a glass of wine and bore you with a long lecture on why these drawings and watercolors are so special to me. Just please don't be so tacky as to ask me how much they cost. To me they're priceless.

Randall Good on NPR

On Monday I took one of my regular pilgrimages to Blue Moon Art Gallery in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I consulted with my favorite art gurus Pat and Dishongh Scavo. They've updated me on the latest news about my favorite artist, Randall Good. While I was there I acquired my fourth piece of work by Randall. Its a large and dramatic drawing of "The Fallen Icarus". As some of my frequent readers know I've collected a couple of drawings and a couple of small watercolor studies of Good's mythology subjects. Three of the works are in the Icarus series.

My last trip to Blue Moon was in March. Randall just happened to be at the gallery. He had just been interviewed by a local NPR station about his work and the exhibit at Blue Moon Art Gallery. Dishongh and Pat told me on Monday that the radio station had just recently given them a copy of the interview and it is now posted on the Gallery's website. I am including a link here for those of you that would like to hear Randall himself speaking about his work. I'm sure you will hear how knowledgeable he is about art history. He's a very articulate speaker but also a very accessible artist. I'm sure you will enjoy the interview.

There is more exciting news about Randall and his work. His work is currently showing in New York and getting quite a bit of positive notice. Also, several of Randall's major works in oil have recently been acquired by an admiring collector. I'm very happy for Randall and Blue Moon for their success. But, its sad for those of us that love to see his work at the gallery won't be able to see those paintings any longer. The up side is that Randall is always working on new drawings and paintings and the gallery will soon have more beautiful things of his to show us. I'm particulary interested in a new breathtaking series of angel subjects he has started.

I will have the new "Fallen Icarus" drawing framed some time this summer. Its a large piece and I want some special things done for its presentation. I'll be sure to post a whole article of it when its ready. I will also be attending the next Gallery Walk event in Hot Springs on Friday, June 6th and visiting Blue Moon Art Gallery then. I hope many of you will make plans to attend also. I hope to see you there. For more details about the event be sure and contact Pat or Dishongh at Blue Moon via the email links on their website. If you see me be sure and say hi. I will be the guy standing in the Randall Good shrine at the back of the gallery staring hypnotically at the inspiring imagery. Just shake me out of my trance and shake my hand.

Be sure and check out Randall's NPR interview. I'm sure you will enjoy it. Leave a comment here if you feel inclined to share or drop me an email.

Randall Good Exhibit - The Way of the Cross

Blue Moon Art Gallery in Hot Springs, Arkansas will be hosting an exhibit of Randall Good's much anticipated Hope Commission of the Fourteen Stations of the Cross. Wow, I can hardly wait.

The brochure came in the mail yesterday and it really made my day. I apologize for the quality of the image in this illustration. I regret the U.S. Postal Service didn't give this parcel the tender loving care it deserved. I was so excited that I took it to dinner with me and showed my friends. Once again I was teased about my love for this work yet not being Catholic. But, if I could attend the church where this work is being installed, I might just have to convert so I could be regularly surrounded by such sublime works.

The exhibit will be held in Hot Springs, Arkansas from March 1-18. I encourage everyone to make time to visit the gallery during this time. I assure you that Pat and Dishongh will make you feel just like family. I've never met an "art snob" at Blue Moon, but I've enjoyed the company of many "art lovers" there. If you come to appreciate beautiful artwork and the skill it takes to create it, you'll be welcome at Blue Moon. I'm already working out the plans for a "road trip" with my friends. I hope we can sync our calendars on a time to go.

For more information about the gallery click on the link embedded in this article or on the side bar link of the blog. You can find directions and contact information there.

Memorial Day Weekend

Gulpha Gorge

Yes, I went on vacation (a small one) again. I went to one of my favorite places in the world, Hot Springs, Arkansas. Its one of the greatest vacation spots ever. I know it like the back of my hand, and, its close to home. What more could you ask for?

You're looking at pictures of the creek that runs through Gulpha Gorge camp ground. No, I didn't camp out. For me, camping is a miserable experience. I've never been camping when I enjoyed it. My definition of "roughing it" means staying in a hotel room with no mini-bar and no room service. I stayed at a Best Western on this trip. So, I was definitely "roughing it".

I do enjoy nature and I love the scenery around the Ouachitas so I couldn't resist a little hiking excursion. I lugged the camera along but these were the only two pictures I took at Gulpha Gorge. I had a friend with me so I was all about being a tour guide. I pointed out the amphitheatre where Jim Ed Brown hosted a "Nashville On the Road" episode when I was a kid. I commented how Jerry Clower was a real jerk to little kids. And, I was disappointed that Wendy Holcomb was older than me and didn't have pigtails when I met her.

We also toured Bath House Row. I have pictures of that I'll share someday. We went to the Mountain Tower and practiced overcoming our fear of heights (I was the brave one). That was a memorable experience. We looked out on the scenic vista of verdant forests and while we were "oohing and ahhing" a nauseous toddler threw-up nearby. It was a lovely and serene moment until just then. It really killed the mood.

We stopped by the Grotto on Central Avenue across from the art galleries. We tried to be adventurous by sampling the experience of the "oxygen bar". Hmmm, how shall I describe it? Imagine sniffing cheap air freshener while hyperventilating and then being charged $16 bucks for the effort. Its not something I would recommend. The most enjoyable part of the that deal was the friendly and attentive college-age hottie that hooked up the air supply. He was real easy on the eyes, if ya know what I mean.

Of course, the high point of the trip was the visit to the galleries. The first day there we visited Gallery Central. Good work there, but a little stuffy and sterile. We visited a new gallery featuring Allison Parsons. Allison focuses mainly on watercolors and acrylics with Hot Springs landscapes and architecture as the subject. I like her work very much. Its vibrant, brilliant, and she treats the subject with a lot of love and affection. Allison is a sweet lady and took time to visit with us about her work even though we weren't buying that day.

On Monday (Memorial Day) I was finally able to make my pilgrimage to my personal artistic shrine, Blue Moon Art Gallery. I almost ran back to the Randall Good section and stared holes into every piece on the walls. Pat and Dishongh each gave me a big hug and made me feel like family. That's why I love that place. The folks at Blue Moon not only love art, they love art-lovers. There was an artist about to bring in her work yet they still took time to visit with me. I'm the proud collector of three beautiful Randall Good drawings, but I assure you I'm not one of their biggest spending clients. But still, they treated me as if I were the most important person in the room. I was touched.

I have my eye on another drawing. It complements the Icarus/Daedalus pair of watercolors I have. Its a much larger work and I want it badly. Its a drawing of the "fallen Icarus" (or is it Daedalus weeping over his fallen son?). Its the most unique composition. I won't describe it here. We'll wait until I've acquired it. Pat tells me there has been some interest in it. But, she kindly said she would give me a call if anyone gets serious about it. I've got first dibs on it, in other words. I just love that lady.

Then, I stepped over and quietly lusted after the Debilynn Fendley drawings. What is it about drawings that get to me? There are two of her pieces that I'm in love with. However, the subject is the most beautiful, titillating male nude. I'd have a lot of explaining to do to any visitors if I acquired those. But, I'm madly in love with the pieces and almost willing to take the risk.

Simply put, Memorial Day was memorable.

Daedalus by Randall Good

This is Daedalus mourning the death of his son, Icarus (see previous post). This is the second watercolor I acquired from Randall Good's mythology series. I feel very fortunate to have it because it complements the Icarus work so well. Anyone who knows this myth should be struck by the tragedy of this story. To understand the anguish here, one must understand what has just occurred. Daedalus has managed to reach ground safely, however his son has not. I think Randall has expressed this tragedy/victory most effectively in the compositional elements of this piece. While the figure's body language very clearly reflects the sorrow this father feels, the upstretched wing expresses his victory in making a successful escape. I'm glad Randall used this element. The upstretched wing would have been a familiar symbol to the Greeks. It meant victory, as seen in the Athena Nike (or Athena of Samothrace). A life-size Athena Nike stood in the palm of the colossal Zeus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. We see it today on the tops of athletic trophies, as well as a stylized wing striping the side of Nike sneakers. This is also a watercolor study for a much larger work. In that piece, Randall juxtaposes an intense solar disk being bisected by the point of the upstretched wing. The counterpoint of the organic figure combined with the precise geometry of the sun's circle adds a poignant dimension to that work. Please visit the Blue Moon Art Gallery to see it. Their link is posted in my sidebar.

Icarus by Randall Good

I love beautiful artwork. I wish I could create it. But, try as I might I'm nowhere near the level of the serious professionals out there. So, since I can't paint it, I occasionally buy it. This is a piece from my very modest collection of work by the incredible artist, Randall Good, represented by Blue Moon Art Gallery in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The folks at Blue Moon are wonderful. More about them later.

This is Icarus. We all know his story. If you don't, please go back to seventh grade because you really should freshen up on your knowledge of mythology. It's part of our cultural heritage, don't ya know? This painting shows Icarus with his wings made of wax ascending to the sky just before he flies too close to the sun and then plummets to his sad fate.

This painting is a watercolor study for a much larger and more sophisticated oil that is absolutely luminous. Oh, that I could win a lottery, it would be mine. This work is one of two watercolors I acquired. The other watercolor is Daedalus, father of Icarus. I'll share it later. This work truly speaks to me. I love the upward thrust of Icarus' head as he defiantly stretches for the unattainable goal of the sun. In Randall's notes on the finished oil he talks about the warning to Icarus to not fly too high or too low. That is such a wonderful summation of the Apollonian philosophy of the ancient Greeks, "All things in moderation." What a great lesson for us even in the 21st century.