My friend Sherry Sheehan, once purchased a drawing of mine… one based on my painting ‘Gaia Rising’. The drawing she chose is one of a series of charcoal, carbon and bistre ink drawings I did, using the art materials (including paper)I made from the carcass of a magnificent valley oak tree. Recently, she sent me her poetic response to the drawing. I thought it would be wonderful to post it here, along with the drawing. The original painting is on my website http//www.jodymattison.com

Sherry Sheehan’s link is http://sites.google.com/site/sherrysheehanpoems/

ARCHETYPE
after Jody Mattison’s Nude ‘03

Flat under glass,
arms stretched
way back,
firm, sculpted torso
just below
two perfect breasts
sketched in charcoal,
she’s posed and here

to show the way
I like to sleep,
a bullet shot
into the black
past ghosts, past fear,
aimed into sky,
all muscles slack,
nowhere to steer.

This nude and I
were swathed
in dreams,
but I arise
while she still rides
her boat, flecked oak,
black framed and hung
by bathroom mirror.

No longer young,
not yet awake,
nor quite in gear,
I splash my face
that’s all too near
this archetype.
I look a fright.
Youth has no peer.

Well, it is done… I have a website completely designed by me, managed by me,and updated by me. hoorah! Personal control over my face on the world… couldn’t have done it without iweb. (oops, just showed my mac undies)

It can be so hard as an artist to do it all… time to do the work that makes our lives bearable, time to make the money to afford to do the work. Then there is all the rest; a website, a blog, a marketing plan… updating the website, the blog, the marketing plan…

And ‘managing’ the artwork…  photographing it, uploading it, keeping track of it (i.e. who is showing this piece? when do I get it back? who bought it? did I remember to varnish it?). Matting, framing, archiving, repairing/restoring (yeah, work gets damaged sometimes, not always by me).

Not to mention maintaining the studio! Storage of finished paintings, storage of unfinished paintings, storage storage storage. Works on paper, where to put them? I got a great deal on rolled linen, but geez, it is a BIG roll. And where did I put that box of framing hardware…. oh, there it is, underneath the figure drawings…

well, truth is obvious… organization is not my best attribute. The bigger studio I have, the more I spread out. I laugh at the ‘House Beautiful’ spreads in artist magazines, that showcase artist studios…. pristine wood floors? Neat shelves? No stacks of anything, anywhere? Come on, people!

All I ever want is one more horizontal surface… all that promising space for me to lay out another work in progress. Friends call me up, ” I have a table, do you want it?” Even as I’m saying no, it comes out yes.

Why is that?

I have new classes starting next week, I’m very excited about them. Check out the Classes page on jodymattison.com to see…

later gator

It is the middle of the week, but who am i kidding? As a painter I work every day… (I hear those violins)

Pulled some wonderful monotypes on Monday, from my figure group at Civic Arts. I’ve been experimenting with different media: watersoluble crayons, inktense and watercolor pencils, and now water-miscible oils… but most of the drawings have been more exciting on the mylar plate I’m using than on the final print. (In fact, I’ll be doing more drawings on mylar now that I’ve discovered it as a substrate).

The prints I pulled on Monday, however, were painted with watermiscible oils. I could use regular oil paint, or printmaking ink, but the water oils are working well on the mylar, and are very easy to clean up. Since I have some and never use them otherwise…

Anyway, the prints came out very well, with a painterly look and the combination of crisp edges and soft brushstrokes that is so seductive in a monotype. I am excited about going back on Friday to continue my work!

I will post images this weekend, and keep posting new works, and works in progress, as I get more organized with this. Today I must do lovely paperwork, and then build painting racks in my basement….

later gator

Well, the neophyte is blogging… welcome to my site!

I am running off to demonstrate my old master’s painting techniques at Arts Benicia… it is our annual Open Studios weekend. I teach a class there, but do most of my teaching currently at Walnut Creek Civic Arts. Among other things I’m hoping to develop a web class through this blog… oughta be an interesting ride, since I can barely edit my own website (should be a link to it ’somewheres’ on this page, try jodymattison.com)…

Otherwise, I’ll be chronicling (is that a word?) the progress of my new studio behind my house, posting art for sale and critique, and trying not to take all this very seriously…

cheers,

Jody