Art, Brewing, Photography, Audio, Short Stories and The Kitchen Sink from D.B. Williams.
This is work from the last week. It’s composed of tar, layers of oil paint, acrylic and clear coat polyurethane. It’s 4 feet long by 13 inches tall. Clouds a bridge and numerous layers until I found what I liked.
Artist: Julie Steiner
Website: http://www.etsy.com/shop/OutsideTheBoxArt
Commentary:
Julie’s story is below. The way that she paints strikes me as I work in a similar manner. The difference between the two of us being that my works tend more towards destruction rather than construction, whereas here’s verge more on construction. It’s a minor point but worth noting.
Per Clarissa “I create my paintings by combining chaotic gestures with structured lines…A style that also imitates the way I live my life. I work on my paintings a little bit at a time…mostly because I am juggling many tasks that are not art related, but also because it gives me time to let the painting take shape and grow slowly, letting the personality unfold as I watch from afar. I let the painting make decisions for itself, and correct the ones that don’t work. After a painting is complete, I stand back and reflect on the process of creation, and the steps it took to get things just so. Most of the time I am just flying by the seat of my pants, but when the day is done, all the chaos finds a peaceful resting place, and I am pleased”
Clarissa’s faces are moving, haunting, and vibrant. They would fill a room with warmth. While these are great selling pieces as the general public can approach them, I’m particular fond of her tar paper painting series. I like the black, the heavy oil stick look and the randomness of artistic abstraction which has yet to devolve into a mottled mess of brown. In a series together as seen in the images below, the works are striking. They are reminiscent of primitive paintings yet at the same time extend into contemporary European modern art. I can see them originating from the artistic studios of an underground cold war era eastern bloc painter. The works have power, fury and are contemplative.
Artist: John Lee
Website: http://www.jonleestudio.com/
Commentary: John’s works are modern abstractions in that an idea is presented, deconstructed and than reconstructed throughout the piece. Numerous colors harmonious in the works. Shapes, specifically string formations pull the pieces together. Black and White focal points of easily recognizable images are superimposed on the fore and background between layers of cacophony. John’s works engage the viewer to sit and stare for awhile.
Grain Bill:
IPA DogFishHead 90 Minute Clone with Oak Chips
1 oz Summit Hops
.5 oz Simcoea
.5 oz Warrior Hops
5 oz Amarillo Hops
1 oz U.K. Progress
1 oz Cascade
Dry hop with .5 ounces of Cascade
1.5 Coriander
Notes: This beer aged for three months. It took a month in primary and at least another month in secondary. I added champagne yeast a week into secondary to dry the beer out a bit more. At first the coriander was overwhelming on the palate. The experience was akin to eating a spicy Indian dish. With time, the flavors have mingled, the beer has clarified. There is a nice hop dryness with a hot peppery finish. I’ve found that I like this brew much more with a bit of lime added, which tends to smooth out the harsher flavors. I wouldn’t brew this again, using the malt extract and the coriander. The recipe has great potential, however still needs some tweaking. In the future I would use a yeast with a bit more ester creation, and I would avoid the orange peel and coriander entirely. I would also choose to use an all grain recipe composed solely of a pilsner malt.
Artist Dolf James
Website: http://3rdboxdesign.com/black_box.html
Commentary: There is something to be said for an artist who can take mundane industrial objects, hardware, wood, scraps of this and that and create assembled works which claim the space that they occupy as their own. Dolf sees the potential that a dab of color and texture can provide to a work of art. He isn’t afraid to play with his medium. Flexible wires, attach orbs and rectangular shapes together. These forms are adhered to the wall, however they transcend from the wall by jutting out towards the viewer as if the wall is not their home. The space between the viewer and the work is their home. Twisted wire is juxtaposed elegantly against the austere rectangular frames drawing the viewers eyes across the works, unifying diverse colors, textures and shapes. The works are classy, engaging and approachable.
Grain Bill:
Belgian Golden (Malty ESB) Wheat Ale – Saison Yeast
Tasting Notes: The nose on the fermentation was reminiscent of cut grass, sourdough bread, and bubblegum. This subsided over time. The brew was aged three months, with the first month being at a higher temperature to ferment out as much as possible using the Saison yeast. The flavors have since changed substantially, becoming well balanced and complex. The brew is thick golden in color and true to its Belgian farmhouse roots, slightly cloudy, however lacking acidity. A nose of honey is present although minimal. The mouth feel is heavy, but not syrupy. Medium carbonation helps to lighten the perception of viscosity. The hops are present more in aroma than in bittering profile. The flavor is complex and moderate in that the flavors are not overpowering. Herbal, spice, grapefruit, banana, clove, pinneable can all be perceived. This is a good cooler weather – fall time or springtime brew. It’s a bit too heavy for the dog days of summer. It would pair well with a complex cheese or cold appetizer plate. If I were to make it again, I’d probably shy away from the dextrin malt and/or the English Marris Otter Malt in favor of a lighter lower protein grain. This beer, while good, would be better with a touch higher attenuation and alcohol warmth to accommodate all of the spectacular spice and ester flavors.
Artist: Pablo Picasso
Commentary: Pablo’s own historical record plays out as one of a man who is seen as an active artist. He moves throughout his works in furtive encompassing gestures. The female subjects remain, docile and submissive. His art is composed of a jumble of artistic imagery inclusive of art history, ethnology, popular culture, philosophy and contemporary art. These images played against each other are what make Picasso’s work so enduring. While cubism and may be Picasso’s most lasting artistic image, his works evokes similarities to others working at the same time such as Matisse and Cezanne. Picasso’s works portray life in a separate reality. A vivid life full of emotion, action, intrigue, beauty, but all the still a life of disjointed and juxtaposed realities.
Artist: Ryan Rowozski
Website: http://www.ryanmrozowski.com/
Commentary: Ryan’s world is one of muted warm colors. Indistinguishable human forms interact in surreal landscapes, taking part in imaginative and evocative actions. His works are worth the mental enigma that they pose. They are warm, inviting, and appealing to the viewer. The color palette and themes are reminiscent of the early 1920’s era. Painted on canvas the works absorb into the linen rather than bounce from it. These pieces would hang exceptionally well in a gallery, or as a figure piece in a nested room.
