Immaculate Rendition - Day Twenty Seven!

I'd say I'm getting pretty darn close to wrapping this baby up. I need my wall back.

Esperanza Servito Fortes

This post is in tribute to my mom (90 years old) who passed away this past Monday, August 18th at San Joaquin General Hospital in French Camp, CA. She was born on February 7, 1918 and surrounded by her family and grand kids when she was taken off life support per her wishes. I'd say some of my creativity and stubbornness comes from her. She'll be missed.

Skinner at UP Sac

Immaculate Rendition

This is where I'm at with IR. I've worked out a few ideas and will add them to the painting this weekend after the Tequila Tasting party at Jack Alvarez's house on Saturday. I'm not too keen on hot weather, but Jack has a pool so I'll be in there like a beached whale.

Sunday, we're off to Oakland to catch the Birth of Cool show at the museum before it closes. So after all that and watching Coco off and on, hopefully I'll find an hour to squeeze in some painting.

21 Grand Presents Kwatro-Kantos

INQUIRER.net

SAN FRANCISCO – July 8, 2008 – Filipino Collective Kwatro-Kantos (England Hidalgo, Lian Ladia, Marcius Noceda, Carlo Ricafort, Mel Vera Cruz) will squat on the grounds of the physical space of 21 grand in Oakland and explore it as a structure of relations both as a social environment and as a field of action. By use of paintings, sculpture, installation and video, the collective will also invite guest artist John Yoyogi Fortes to integrate his work with the environment that they have created. Kwatro-Kantos will be creating a morning-after-destruction, an exploration of rectitude and composition that will puzzle bureaucrats.

Mel Vera Cruz's outraged graffiti inflected painting is a mix between the purgatories of Heronymus Bosh with the cleverness of Jean Michel Basquiat. Carlo Ricafort's work is based on appropriated images and the use of planned chance. His pale abstractions evoke irreverence and grit, which are subtle yet potent. Marcius Noceda's surrealist paintings with digitized or erased images provoke the imagination to violent and dramatic degrees. His work daunts you on man's futile search for meaning, unity and clarity. Lian Ladia's curatorial concepts are inspired by fluxus' sensibilities disparaging the conventional market-driven art world in favor of an artist-centered creative practice. England Hidalgo's painting and mixed media work portrays immaculate chiaroschuro; layering historical facts, pop icons or punk music in one visual platform.

John Yoyogi Fortes is the recipient of a number of grants, fellowships and awards from both the East and West Coast. His work continues to address a broad spectrum of personal concerns ranging from social and political issues such as human rights, the environment and globalization to identity, family and memory.

Breaking institutions yet working collaboratively, Kwatro-Kantos utilizes collective effort to break didactic thought and cuts chains loose.

21 grand is at the heart of the Oakland art murmur. It is an interdisciplinary arts space championing innovative visual and performing arts since 2000.

ATTENTION CALENDAR EDITORS: PLEASE list under Gallery/Exhibitions
Kwatro-Kantos
@ 21 Grand
August 15-Sept 13
Reception: Sept 5 (art murmur)
416 25th St. (at Broadway)
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 444-7263
Works by: England Hidalgo, Lian Ladia, Marcius Noceda, Carlo Ricafort, Mel Vera Cruz and John Yoyogi Fortes
http://www.21grand.org
http://www.kwatro-kantos.com

21 Grand Installation

Went to Oakland to deliver my paintings at 21 Grand. The show is curated by Lian Ladia who is also a member of the group Kwatro-Kantos. Everyone had alot of work and I think the installation looks really good. The reception is on Sept. 5th the evening of Art Murmur in Oakland. Carlo Ricafort and I went to get his artwork at his studio in Hunter's Point so I was able to see my old stumping ground when I was a 6-7 year old...although it was night!

Here' some shots from last night. Mel showing his Ginebra Kwatro-Kantos with the security guard.

Day Twenty Five!

Heather and Coco stopped by the studio to check on the progress. The rays coming from the dogs mouth and the black oval in the upper left are photoshop additions that I'll ad to the painting this week. Hope to be done soon. Sunday was shot with a wedding reception in the studio so we headed to the ferry building to get our weekend coffee fix.

Today I deliver my 2 paintings to 21 Grand in Oakland. The space is pretty big, but it's a multi use venue with music and performance events. Will post shots of the installation.

Day Twenty Four and a trip to Ojai!

Installation for 21 Grand is next week so I'm cranking to get this finished.



We just got back from a trip to Ojai and saw the show, Weekend Warrior, at our friend Nathan Larrameny's gallery. Great show! While at Nathan's, Heather and I met Brian Storts of Queen's Nails Annex Gallery in San Francisco. Brian is passing the gallery on to the next generation while he and his wife Rochelle, set up a new home and open Queen's Nails Ranch in Ojai.



Heather, Coco and Oliver with Nathan's Travis Somerville painting.