And then the silence...

But only here on my blog... because I was busy as...

Painting live and in my studio (at home), in various shows and events and charities... so let me update you with some pictures so you can catch-up while I catch my breath... 


Let's start with Dali and this time the artists were invited to create a portrait of Dali. As Dali was often portrayed in the absurdest surroundings or poses, I always liked this portrait done by Irving Penn from 1947 where Salvador Dali is sitting on a rock.. waiting to strike an absurd pose perhaps and the picture is taken.

Symbolique Sans
48" x 48"
Mixed media on wood

detail of Symbolique Sans

detail of Symbolique Sans

detail of Symbolique Sans

But to honor his passion for symbolism I added the drawers with little secrets  like the elephants, an egg and an ant. One drawer I kept empty.... a small drawer where his heart would be... now empty but once filled.

The Son of Modern Man
18" x 24"
acrylics on Linen

And it didn't stop there as the surrealists were concerned.... I painted my version of the "Son of Man" by Magritte and re-named it " The Son of Modern man". I replaced the apple for a modern apple but by flipping the phone to show the viewer what this Son was looking at.. I realized I had to paint whatever it was up-side-down.


And I painted my version of A Velasquez: the portrait of The Infanta Margarita Teresa of Spain, who I presented with a small problem of loading her phone with no outlet in sight... in 1653 a very common problem I presume. 

Margarita Teresa is not in charge
30" x 40"
Acrylics on canvas

 I also was invited to re-do a room at Macy's in Doral and that was pretty amazing to do... and it was a great opportunity to show my dogs and a cat paintings again. So I went full in including a few hand embellished pillows...

Yup... so far Live is good here in Miami and more to come.. like 2 shows just this week, a commission to finish and who knows what else comes my way.... until next time!

Busy, busy, busy...

I haven't been blogging since the end of March and for a reason. I have been really busy!

First a wonderful commission. This was one that I enjoyed truly as I was given complete freedom in my interpretation of an grown-up woman as one of my little girls... and the new owner (the actual woman) loves her.

"Little Maria" (2015)
24" x 30"
Acrylics on Canvas

Then I had to prepare things that all had to come together in the beginning of May, such as:

3 plates for "Touching Miami with Love", a local charity for which I have been painting and donated plates in the last 3 years.  

Happy and proud to tell you that they were sold almost immediately upon opening the event. Not that it matters how fast it sold, but it is nice to be able to brag a little. Even better, the lady who bought them told me that she missed the last years plate because somebody else bought it right before she got there. So this year she was very early.

On the first of May I was Live Painting  with 10 other artists to celebrate the first anniversary of a local magazine "Talking of the Wall". All the pieces went into a silent auction and the proceeds were split 50/50 with the artists (which makes it even better to paint live, believe me).

"Going Home?!" (aka Graby Gabby) 2015
36" x 36"
Acrylics on Canvas

In 3 hours I set up and painted the piece and the lady who won the silent auction was so happy that she kept buying me Tequila shots... I love customers like that!


In my studio I finished a piece that I had on the easel for a while. Sometimes you need to put a piece aside before you can finish it to make sure that you are doing the "right" thing.

"Little Amelia and her First Airplane" 2015
20" x 24"
Acrylics on boxed wood

 And then there is a chair for the "Take a Seat" event of the IFDA (International Furnishings and Design Association) of which the proceeds go to Kid Sanctuary Campus.

"Into the Deep" 2015
reconstruction of chair with 2 wooden panels
Acrylics on wood

So what can I tell you... other than I have been busy...

WALL BRAWL March 2015

I was invited to participate at the Wall Brawl Miami to support the Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida. For those of you who do not know what a Wall Brawl is: a contest between artists to create a piece of art within a very limited time frame of a few hours.
 
I had never done a Wall Brawl before and I was a little worried: 3 hours to paint a piece of 24" x 48"... I never done that.. well since my days at the Art Academy (little time to do homework so it was mandatory to be extremely fast). So needless to say I was nervous about it, not only because of the time frame but also because I was going to be painting next to (street) artists whose work I truly like.

photo credit: Alessandro Abate

So there I was... nervous, thrilled and did I say nervous at the same time. I set my things up and started painting like a mad woman...
And the 3 hours passed by like it was nothing and 3 hours of pure joy for me.. Not only had I fun painting the piece, I had some pretty nice encounters with the audience and it was a pleasure to see the other artists work develop during the event. 

The pieces were in a silent auction and people could bid on it all through the night and also vote for their favorite piece.
The bidding closed the moment the artists had to put down their spray cans/brushes... and all the pieces sold!!!

Photo credit: Mitchell Zachs

Including this little girl... and then The Hitman (my partner in all my crimes) came running to me and told me that they were calling my name... I won the Wall Brawl!!!

photo credit: Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida

 
My first Wall Brawl and I won my first trophy ever... and we all sold our pieces, making a sweet amount for the Ronald McDonald House charities!! 

The making of: "Together - an interpretation of a peaceful moment"

It started with the reference painting - my muse piece if you want - : "Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper. This painting always seem to have reflected a loneliness, the sort you see so often after closing hours, the last coffee before going home. There is almost an embracing silence where the only one using words is the server.

In my rendition of this painting I wanted to capture silence as well, however a different sort of silence: a conversation between children interrupted by the viewer, they stop talking and look at us. We are outside of the diner and outside of their conversation, invading their moment together. 

Where Hopper's painting depicts a perfectly empty street, I wanted to insert a sense of danger and in the left side of the painting I included debris of a building collapsed which contrasts both the rest of the street as well as the clean bright interior of the diner. The children inside the diner, dressed up like super heroes, seem to be safe (for now) from whatever was/is happening outside.

"Together - an interpretation of a peaceful moment" was painted in Paynes Grey, Neutral Grey, Titanium White, and Permanent Red.

ART BASEL has begun....

Yesterday it actually started... the first events.. the first parties.. the first openings and expositions, and it will continue full blown for a week.

And I.. am showing in three shows:
A Little Brooklyn Water Tower at Elemental

Photo credit: Carol Gregoire

At Spectrum (one of the Satellite Shows in Miami - Midtown) with Life is Art :
2 collaboration pieces and my very own "Girl with the Robot Dog".

Now that last piece also made it into the Around Town Magazine under their Must See Art for Art Basel and this is what the curator Sebastian Laboureau has to say about it:

I am so happy with this, you have no idea.. little by little my hard work pays off.

At Spectrum I will also paint life on Thursday December 4... I have an idea what I will do.. but still a giant collaboration piece with 5 other artists.. it will be a challenge and fun!


Finally I am also showing 2 pieces at Midpoint in the show "North of Modern" curated by Joshua Kingston.
Here is one of them: My take on one of Goya's masterpieces but now with her own control

Dona Isabel and her Control

Yes, this year Art Basel started really well...

For all my fellow artists: street, cross-overs, outsiders, gallery-artists, etc. Have a great Baselton!!

Little Super Heroes

I have been working hard and I am pretty pleased with the result. 

First good news: I did 3 collaborations (each piece with another artist) and 2 have been chosen to be shown at Spectrum with "Art is Life" during Art Basel.... do I will not show you these yet.. come to Miami in December. Also the Girl with the Robot Dog was selected, so imagine the enormous smile on my face when I heard this.

After finishing the above collaboration, I did a collaboration with a local artist called Registered Artist for his solo show "With a little help of my friends". All the pieces in the show are - yes you guessed it - collaborations between him and another artist. We made a piece titled "Little Big Batman".

Little Big Batman
20" x 20"
Mixed Media

Then I was invited to participate in a pop-up show (yes, the one you set-up, show and break-down in one day) in Downtown Miami and liking my little batman as much as I did, I decided to make two more super heroes.

Little Captain America
14" x 18"
Acrylics on Boxed Birch Wood

Little Super Girl
18" x 14"
Acrylics on Boxed Birch Wood

Finally I also painted a little piece for that same pop-up which was sold within hours after hanging... and let me tell you it is a great feeling to see someone look at your work and falling in love with it.

The Little Girl with the Curly Hair
9" x 12"
Acrylics on 300 Lbs Cold Pressed Water Color Paper

And I a back in the studio.. working on new pieces... perhaps more super heroes... soon you will know.

The Art of Getting Money

"Be one of the first 100 artists to connect with Basel Art Collectors during opening night!"

That was the first thing I saw in a little announcement on Facebook this week for Art Basel and it tickled my curiosity, so I read on...

It only takes a moment to make an impact,that can change your life. Be one of the first 100 to have an exclusive opportunity to reach VIP Collectors during the opening night of Art Basel Week. Each premium promotional package will be given to hand selected collectors and galleries with all artist information and a sample of their work.   Let us help you stand out from the rest of crowd with our elegant and eye catching designs. We will make sure your information gets into the right hands.

Not too shabby, lets read on...

 

Give us your best shot and we'll take care of the rest.
Premium Promotional package includes:
100 double sided color and uv gloss coating
Sponsored promotional tote
VIP presence during fair opening
                                                   $285.00

To reserve your place as the first 100, Artists please have ready the following information:
- 3 high resolution images of your best work ( include size,medium and title)
- artists contact information ( website, email, phone#, social media )

Sounds great! Now let me summarize this exceptional deal for you as far as I understand it:
You pay $ 285.00 together with 99 other artists = $ 28,500.00
100 sponsored (sponsored by whom... let me think.. oh yes 100 artists) promotional totes will be prepared each with 100 double sided color and uv gloss coated card with 3 photo's + info (1 per artist).

Ever carried a tote bag filled with a 100 post cards... ever took a look inside and read all the cards?

I thought so.

Let's say the person behind this offer is of good will and spends around $ 7,000.00 on the whole package, puts it all together and makes it look really eye-catching (after all he is of good will). What to do with the rest of the earnings? 

Maybe the person will pay for a stand at one of the bigger shows at during Art Basel. Yes, the 100 artists just sponsored a stand... they are mentioned of course, just take a look in the promotional tote. 

Any of the 100 sponsors who want to their work in the stand, they can always email them for the other exhibition opportunities (with a price tag) during Art Basel Week and put "Fair Opportunities" in the subject line.

I am almost sure they mean art fair and not "honest, upright, honorable, trustworthy". 

To me it seems that this whole offer has very little to do with art made by artists but everything to do with "The Art of Getting Money".... from the artists again.

 

I will normally not vent about these offers, but I know how hard it is to get into a proper stand during Art Basel if you are not represented by a gallery. Many of the hardworking serious artists will try to find other opportunities to be part of this important art week and pay big bucks just to be shown and hopefully interest a buyer, scout and / or gallery. 

Because it should be about ART.

One left the studio and a new one is finished.

The Girl with the Big Pearl Ear Ring (detail)

With mixed feelings I saw "The Girl with the Big Pearl Ear Ring" leave the studio to go to her new home. Mixed feelings because - even though I know she is at a very good place now - I will miss her on the wall in my studio.

And life goes on... and I finished my rendition of Leonardo da Vinci's "Lady with the Ermine" which I named "The Girl with the Robot Dog". 
And I started a new rendition but this time one of Goya's masterpieces, but all that lace... so beautiful... and also so much work...
 

The Girl with the Robot Dog (2014)
30" x 40"
Acrylics on Canvas

At the same time I am working on multiple collaborations with several different artists, including a street artist, a I-photographer (yes, with the I-phone), a fine artist, and a poet. These collaborations places my work outside my usual scope and it is refreshing to see how each one of us is able to make a magic combination. I m loving this!
I cannot show you anything yet, as we keep our pieces hidden until it is shown. 

Little M 24
(aka "Uhm... it is not working...")
6" x 8"
Acrylics on Birch Wood

I also made another Little M. A little Rambo this time and this one is in show at the Trespass Gallery in Clarksville, Tennessee. I also started sketching a new Little M and that is a commission for a little girl.

So, all and all, there is no such thing as a quiet summer at my studio... because the summer is to get ready for the Miami Downtown Art Days in September and Art Basel in December.

The Art Walk

Every first Friday of the month we have something called the Downtown Miami Art Walk, where almost all the artists in the downtown area have their studios open for everybody and all. For me personally that means that I need to "nice up" up my studio and turn it partially into a gallery so I can present my work in a professional way. 

Once every so many months I even fill the holes and repaint the walls, so everything looks fresh and nice again. Of course I only do this in a month when I do not have many obligations and deadlines. Then we (me and the 2 other artists) prepare the rest of the floor: besides 3 studio spaces, there are 2 gallery spaces, the bar, the hallway and the bathrooms.... and you probably guess it, no more time to work on a painting. 

We made it a rule on our floor that if we do not have an opening, we do not serve alcohol. The Art Walk for us artists means that we work. We present our art, we talk art with the visitors, and of course we hope that we will be able to sell work or at least have a potential buyer come back on another day.

Last Friday was a very nice Art Walk for me as I talked to a lot of new people who showed real interest in my work and I sold 3 pieces of art. 

And when a buyer is so happy to have bought your work that he wants to show that to the world, that makes it even better!!

2 gone and 1 commission

Just another Friday... I received a message of a brand new facebook friend who asked me if it was ok to come to my studio and see my work this Friday. 
Of course it is... I actually love that - seeing people outside the Art Walks because it is much more relaxed. 

I was painting when he and his partner walked in, they looked around and we started talking... and soon enough it became clear to me that they were collectors and owning a gallery. They contacted me because of a very dear friend of mine (and major fan of my work) who recommended me to them... So there I am wrapping my head around it - because I actually didn't see that coming at all - and in the meanwhile they start happily shopping among my pieces.

The result is: 2 pieces sold, 1 commission and possibly a contract for shows in the Middle East.

Little M 11
aka Little Charlie
6" x 8"
Acrylics on Birch Wood

Little Andy with  Bananas
9" x 12"
Acrylics and Resin Coating on Italian Poplar Wood Panel

What can I say other than... Just another Friday but a pretty AMAZING one.

Little M's leave the State

The following 4 Little M's I made for a very special show: OPEN, the openings exhibition of the Trespass Gallery in Clarksville, Tennessee.

I had to make them special for the show as the ones that I had planned for the show all sold before I could send them to the gallery. So suddenly I had this new super tight deadline. But I kicked ass and created 4 Little M's who are now at the Gallery.

Little M 7
aka Little Carmen M
6" x 8"
Acrylics on Birch Wood

Little M 8
aka The Hitman Too
6" x 8"
Acrylics on Birch Wood

Little M9
aka OOPS
6" x 8"
Acrylics on Birch Wood

Little M 10
aka Cheering the Stars
6" x 8"
Acrylics on Birch Wood

To see the Little M's and other great pieces, please contact:

Trespass Gallery

110 Franklin Street, Suite 202

Clarksville, Tennessee 37040

(305) 915-7819

Bad things that happen and Good things that happen too!

Sometimes I get that people think that artists party a lot and live the life of a 19th Century Bohemian in Paris... but many of us don't. We go to the studio every day and work. If you are lucky to be in a building with several studios - like I am - you share what you do with other artists... we have coffee together... and complain about all the bad things that happen and share all the good things as well. And then right back to your own studio and back to work!

Sounds pretty much like life in an office, doesn't it? In some ways it is but with one huge difference:
I love what I am doing... it makes me get up in the morning.. It feels great to see my creation come to life on canvas or wood. It makes me want to do more... and again and again... And every day is different!

Then there are days that nothing works... the days any artist should stay away as far he / she could from the studio. I had such a day last weekend. Did I listen to my gut feeling? Of course not. I was working on a commission and I really wanted to finish it. 

After a few hours of working I looked at it and to my horror I had overworked it... it looked awful (and that hurts me to say so). I freaked out, tried to correct it which made it look even more awful, and called my better half at home. He calmly listened to my rants and then asked "Do you want me to sand it down?" 
This commission is on a wooden panel and sometimes I ask him to sand it down if I am not satisfied with the result.... On canvas it is a little hard to sand it down but on wood.. I have him to delete my mishaps. And that is what he does and I start over again... doing what I love!

And good things happen too of course... like this morning when I opened my email and realize that somebody wrote an article and mentioned me. That makes me feel so amazing!

Here is the article: http://www.miamifashionspotlight.net/2014/01/the-real-life-of-viviana-g-mccormick.html
and the Examiner.com took it and made it part of their online publication. 

And I am back to work... getting ready for the February Art Walk or as I call it "The LOVE Edition" with some special LOVE-M's like the little fellow below:

Little M's to start the New Year with a smile...

Here are some of the latest M's which are currently for sale in my studio... 

They are all part of the series "Proprietary Innocence and to see all the pieces from that series, click on the following link

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.144431802409924.1073741831.139503036236134&type=3 

Little M 2

6"x6" 

Acrylics on Birch Wood

 

Little M 3

6"x6" 

Acrylics on Birch Wood

Little M 4

6"x6" 

Acrylics on Birch Wood

 

Little M 5

6"x8" 

Acrylics on Italian Poplar Wood

End of 2013

In my last show of the year I saw my name in lights!!!

In the last week of 2013 I started and finished the first of a mini series of MINIONS!

Yes, on the very last possible Sunday of 2013 this online Magazine writes about my very first Art Walk in Miami in 2014!

dominicanaenmiami.com - Monique Lassooij expondrá en el primer Downtown Walk de 2014


Now that is kicking ass!!!! :)

DIGITAL MIAMI for ART BASEL

I am really excited about the exposition Digital Miami, where I have two large paintings with my children and referring to works by 2 Dutch Masters.


Join us on Tuesday 3 and please RSVP:
http://siqueiros.com/digital-miami/