Category: Ecce Homo

The Convoluted Way

 

Detail of The Anchorite’s Cross

In my ongoing examination of sacred work, an extension of my own feet-in the-ground-butt-in-the-pew spiritual experimentations , during the past Holy Week I spent my studio time with the Way of the Cross. I have resisted attending  Catholic Mass for decades, I’ve attended Episcopal services off and on for years, and while I have felt welcome, I personally felt ill at ease, a nagging longing that something was missing-no matter how High the service. So I did experiment, I attended Good Friday services at a pretty little church in Eagle Rock, and it was sweet to see the devout earnestly visiting each Station, uttering by rote their own passionate pleas. But the service itself, a public forum , where congregants, in the manner of our Protesting brothers and sisters were proclaiming their own gospels. It was too much for me to bear, and shamefacedly, halfway through, I slithered out of my pew and back to my studio. I haven’t given up yet, but in many ways my studio is my temple. The following drawing is my own fervent desire to Walk the Way of the Cross; on my own path.

The Way of the Cross
2019
Sanguine and white charcoal highlights on toned paper
18 by 24 inches

In this synoptic composition, from left to right, I have depicted our Lord as the Ecce Homo, the terrible mocking rabble, Pontius Pilate, the Holy Fool Lazarus, the Fishermen’s boat, the Blessed Mother as the Dolorosa, the Baptist, the Crucified Lamb and Veronica with her Veil.

Relating to this theme is a recently recieved image of The Anchorite’s Cross , part of my Embodied: St. Anthony & the Desert of Tears installation.

The Anchorite’s Cross
2019
Mixed media: acrylic painted canvas, recycled fiber, beads, bells, embroidery floss, poly-fil, vintage furniture and metal work, vintage fabric.
Cross 60 by 32 by 10 inches approximately; total installation variable upon site.

The Stations of the Cross are rarely out of sight, for decades this Victorian Station, Station V, with Simon willingly or begrudgingly helping the staggering Lord, has hung over every drawing desk since meeting David 26 years ago. This is how it looks today.

Wilshire Blvd. studio
2019

In addition to Christian themes, I have tackled classical themes such as my well explored affair with Herakles, like Christ, I find him irresistible.

The Labors of Herakles
2019
Sanguine with white charcoal highlights, on toned paper
Diptych, total 24 by 36 inches

Orpheus another tragic hero that inspires me.

Orpheus’ Descent
2018
Sanguine and colored pencil on toned paper
18 by 24 inches

And of descending into the Underworld, Christ’s own Harrowing of Hell.

The Harrowing of Hell
2018
Sanguine, white chalk highlights on toned paper
24 by 18 inches

I’m actually supposed to be drawing instead of posting so I must complete this post but the view from my new studio is distracting me delightfully.

My new studio with a view (10th floor), Wilshire Bld., LA

Back to the drawing board.

 

 

Skipped Mass;Painted Instead

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I love Maundy Thursday, the washing of the feet, the adoration and entombment of the Eucharist-the Slavic church I used to attend had the most incredible 19th c. “hill” crafted of  spit, glue and devotion. The all night vigil that follows is always deeply moving to me.

I had intended to participate this year after nearly a 25 year absence . After all there is this new welcoming pope and I had found this adorable church very close to our house ( Cathedral Chapel of Saint Vibiana).

But then I began to paint and it went well, so I stayed put, feeling this was my place.

I hope He understands.

This is the progress thus far on Descent from the Cross II, acrylic on canvas, started this week.

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Wishing all a moment of peace and reflection on this Good Friday.

Pax vobiscum,

Lg

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That Most Terrible Tree

Given that it is Holy Week and Good Friday is fast approaching, I have been at work on a Deposition of Christ. My friend and fellow LA artist J have been in a bit of a duel, each tackling this well known subject. I’m eager to see what he comes up with, this is my offering, a watercolor on paper,clicking upon the image enlarges it for detailed viewing.

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 Descent from the Cross, I

2015

watercolor on paper

11 by 14 “

My intention was to capture the unimaginable grief of those who had born witness. J and I had stumbled upon an early Renaissance gold-ground image in which the attending angels were painted black. That really stuck with me, how unimaginable the loss, that even angels who have seen it all could not control their grief. 

I started another Descent yesterday morning, this is the scribbling in…

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 I am back in class ( English Comp 1-c) and as usual overwhelmed, hence my cobwebbed  studio.

If I do not post before, Happy Passover and/or Joyous Easter!

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Life, Death and if not Resurrection, Redemption.

In my work I turn repeatedly to issues of mortality, sacrifice, redemption and self knowledge (gnosis). 

It probably isn’t much of a surprise that Good Friday is my favorite day of the Church calendar ; I have strayed (or She has) from the traditions of my youth, but the Passion reading never fails to  move me deeply. My belief in a god, or not, is wavering but the narrative of this day, of this man during his final hours has influenced my work profoundly. Whether he was divine or not, an issue that caused great discord between the Church Fathers and the “heretical ” gnostics is of little concern to me. In fact, appealing to my humanist inclinations, it is the mortal man, willingly offering up such a terrible gift that astounds me. I have countless images of the Ecce Homo, the Crucifixion, the Deposition,  religious postcards, 19th c. chromolithographs, icons, statuary, every museum visit I head straight to the medieval wing, I never tire of the depictions of this suffering wretch. My heart bleeds for him each time ,the pathos so intense. His mother, she too breaks my heart, to have such a selfless ally is incomprehensible . These archetypes will continue to fuel my work, as they are now befriended by their “pagan” siblings, the Maize God most notably.

The following is just a sampling of my online “scrapbook” devoted to Christ and the BVM.

botticelli:cristo risorto:1480:detroit copy

tumblr_n3ov9bu8bi1s0jb2mo1_1280 copy

black christ:met cath:mc

the Black Christ above is from our trip to Mexico City @ the Cathedral

master of flemalle:crucified thief:1410:frankfurt

cristo alla colonna:1680:filippo parodi

sodoma

hot pieta

Apparently I am not the only on to see the eroticism in the crucifixion; sadly I do not know whose work this is. I stumbled upon it unidentified-any info very welcome.

mary crying6 copy

mary crying8 copy

mary with veil

zoppo,marco:1470:met

masaccio

Every day is Good Friday in my studio, aside from the numerous depictions mentioned above, my studio is dominated by a large oil on tin painting depicting Christ accepting the Cross (one of the stations,  I cannot remember which one). I purchased this back east, in snooty and very protestant Bucks County. When I spotted it in a dusty barn owned by a particularly arrogant designer/antiques peddler I asked after it. He laughed in my face, such an absurd request , who would want such a monstrosity. With withering condescension  he offered it to me  for five bucks. My heart was racing with joy-to hell with his arrogance, this was a treasure!

 It has been with me for over 25 years , I love it more every day. I rely upon it for facial expressions, painting technique, coloring, companionship during adversity, it has in so many ways  been a mentor. 

IMG_4830Be well.

 

Intro to Printmaking

As I mentioned before I am taking a course in printmaking, so far we have focused on etching and its various methods.

It is as many can imagine, very exciting, frustrating and humbling.

But I am thrilled to be gaining this knowledge.  The following image is my first complete print, which consists of three distinct processes: hardline etching, soft ground texture and aqua/mezzotint.

Predictably I have chosen my beloved Quetzalcoatl sowing his seed (naughty innuendo intentional) .

Quetzalcoatl
etching
6 by 5 inches

First off, please understand I am still trying to master the most basictechniques; my stylus slips all over the zinc plate, my hand is unsteady and insecure, this clumsiness is apparent .

But at this stage I really am trying to merely understand the process and the opportunities afforded by this new medium.

The first stage of this print is hardline etching, pretty basic ; you press your stylus into a plate prepared with a base coat of hard asphaltum. Warm the wax on a giant hotplate, you roll it out, cool  it and presto, a lovely surface to doodle upon.

Unfortunately  i have yet to master line control on this slippery surface.

Patience and practice… first stage follows:

First plate- hardline etching

The second plate, adds texture and mood (or so I am told), frankly it is my least favorite stage.

I prefer creating texture by hand.

In this assignment I was instructed to press textured material into the plate which had been prepared with a softer ground of asphaltum than we had used for the hardline step.

I chose, given the print’s very small size, wisps of broken cheesecloth and snippets of  an ungodly 70’s textured wallpaper. 

second plate- textured soft ground

The third plate, which was to be our last, was aquatint, a variation on mezzotint (made famous by Goya).

This was the most challenging step, values are determined by timed soaks in an acid bath.

Having first fashioned (a time consuming) value chart , I had a sense of how to achieve the values I sought; or so I thought.

third plate- aquatint process

Unfortunately my timing  was off, I hadn’t created any blacks; a problem in that I wanted them, and more importantly the assignment demanded them.

Back to the acid bath, blocking out the areas I wished to keep with a material called Stop Out ; then with careful timing, seeking to attain my goal of a richer black foreground.

fourth plate-final

I achieved what I sought, I would make changes if I could have better predicted the outcome,  but I am pleased that I am beginning to better understand the complexities and opportunities of etching.

My appreciation for my own collection of  18th and 19th century engravings and etchings has soared beyond mere aesthetic appreciation ; what was accomplished by these past masters is technically astounding.

A technique I was eager to play with was drypoint.

 I have a few drypoint prints in my collection, I love the evocative smudgy quality of the images. Rembrandt of course made the technique famous, but others have mastered it as well.

 It turns out (thus far) to be my favorite technique.

It also proves to be the most challenging, this little (3 by 4 inches)Ecce Homo is my first incredibly naive attempt.

It is a brutally ugly image, I’m frankly embarrassed  by it; but Clive has encouraged me to revel in the process.

So here is what reveling in the process looks like.

God save me.

Ecce Homo
drypoint
4 by 3 inches

Tomorrow we start a new process, soft ground etching. It is a process my insructor believes offers artists the freedom drawing affords. In anticipation I have put together this finished drawing of Cain.  I understand the final image will not retain the precision, but I like to work out all details BEFORE facing an acid bath.  I will post the result and perhaps some of the process when  I am finished.

Expulsion of Cain
preparatory drawing on paper
6 by 5

Until next time,

take care,

LG