Colin Michael Shaw

"Dueling Minds" Feb. 24th

2012-01-25T19:39:00.000-06:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 1/25/12 Shaw Art Studio/Concrete Ocean Contemporary Gallery, St. Louis, MO

Bryan Pease, owner of Concrete Ocean Contemporary Gallery, approached Colin Shaw and Dale Wilke about creating a show combining their very different styles. To better unify the two artists, Shaw’s emotionally charged, narrative works were abandoned in favor of the non-objective vernacular Wilke employs in his palette-focused, mood pieces. Additionally, Wilke’s preferred larger format was downsized to compliment Shaw’s typically smaller working scale.

The challenge of how to merge the two artist’s distinct approaches into a show that would not jolt the eye turned into a conversation on perception and the individual. From there it evolved into the exploration of multiple realities created in the individual experience, unique from one another, yet coexisting in real time with or without depending on one another.

The artists decided upon the unique approach of assembling a list of titles before any work began, assigning each title to a predetermined size. Each artist then created his own rendering of that title separately, free of any influence of the other’s work. Upon completion, the resulting pieces shown side by side. A unique experience will be achieved both as a group and singularly on several levels, from each artist’s initial reaction to the given title , in addition to each artist’s first experience with the other’s corresponding pieces. The show attendees will then complete the process with their perception of the collaborative presentation.

Opening Reception:
Friday, Feb. 24th 2012 7:00PM - 11:00 PM
Concrete Ocean Art Gallery
2257 S. Jefferson Avenue, at Shenandoah
Saint Louis, MO 63104
concreteoceanart.com
(314) 448-1796
(314) 497-0199

Late Afternoon, January

2012-01-11T17:55:00.001-06:00

"Late Afternoon, January"

digital photograph

C.M. Shaw, 2012

Another beautiful Tuesday afternoon in January. Though it has yet to show, the months have already turned, and real winter is a breath away. I've stayed very busy and will thankfully be so through the entire season- I think winter is beautiful in its own way, but am usually over that in short order. Since last June I've been working on twenty-two canvases for a show in late February- the work will be like nothing you have ever seen from me before. It has been challenging for myself, and will challenge the viewer. More on that later...

The Wild, Wild Sea, 1993

2012-01-09T17:07:00.002-06:00

"The Wild, Wild Sea"

mixed media collage, acrylic on canvas

40 x 52"

While at home for Christmas, I snapped some candid pictures of some of my earlier paintings around the house, including "The Wild, Wild Sea" pictured above, created in 1993 at East Central College under the tutelage of Chuck SHOEmaker. Since I wrote about SHOE in my last post, I thought I'd share a canvas I created in those years back at the old school :) The painting courses at East Central back then were tailored to the individual, and SHOE pushed me to "go big", push to the limit of my ability, and pursue my inner vision. It was a romantic time in my life when the possiblities seemed endless!

I still incorporate this method of canvas collage in my painting today. Looking back at the work, this wasn't too shabby for a second semester painting student- if it wasn't good it was certainly ambitious. The strip lattice frame I built around the hand stretched canvas even has little "pictograms" up both sides (see below). I made things with care even back then, and am proud at how well it's held up- it looks the same as the day it was made :)

In Remembrance

2012-01-04T16:23:00.000-06:00

These are some recently uncovered photos I took of Charles SHOEmaker, father of my creativity, working with his students at East Central College, c.1993. BIG Thanks to Marjorie George for helping me scan the negatives during a very busy past December ... many good memories we share of this old painter, our teacher, our friend. I think about him almost every time I paint. If I close my eyes, I can still see him looking over the rim of his eyeglasses, thinking of how to answer the wild boy who was always talking to him, asking him questions. To this day I think to myself, "what would SHOE say about this?" Among the many things I learned from this man about art and life, he taught me sensitivity to what was going on around me and in my work.

"BIG THINGS FIRST" was our initial lesson in drawing and painting, for without a fundamental understanding of what you are working with there can be no success. SHOE taught me how to make a finished piece presentable to show and be seen by the public- something that sounds simple, but is surprisingly overlooked in the curriculum of a lot of fine art programs. SHOE also made us go to the library every week and check out an art related book or two, and report back to him with the material for discussion, encouraging us get out there and teach ourselves about art. The overall environment he established in the art department was one of hard work and self discovery. We all worked together, went out to see art and films, talked about art, and critiqued each other's projects. It was an exciting time!

And here's SHOE pictured below with Larry Pogue, head of the East Central Art Department, sculpture and printmaking instructor. This was a familiar sight, and comforting to see again. SHOE once said that Pogue wasn't always the biggest fan of his administrative duties, but he was good at them. Together these two artists built that department from the ground up, many successful artists graduating under their tutelage. I am most grateful for all they gave me.

Having passed away in 2000 (but not before seeing his beloved St. Louis Rams win a Superbowl!), I often lament there being almost nothing about the prolific artist committed to the internet for others to enjoy. I did however stumble across the Powder Valley Trading Company, which sells some of SHOE's whimsical silkscreened prints from the 70's. Classmates Marjorie and husband Steve have one of SHOE's smaller, later watercolors, many of which were often quite sizable and incorporated elaborate weaving of painted paper. The 1960 Washington University graduate was nationally and regionally known in his time, and has work in corporate and museum collections, but very little of it is on display on the internet. If you are an old friend or student of Chuck's, please feel free to e-mail me with anything you've found, or photos of his art in your collection. It is often said about folks after they pass on that "everyone should have known them", and in SHOE's case, it really was true.

...And Some More January Photos

2012-01-03T08:52:00.000-06:00

"Crowd of Trees, January"
digital photograph

C.M. Shaw, 2012

"Ridge of Trees, January"
digital photograph

C.M. Shaw, 2012

Again, some more January photos taken on New Year's Day. I found the first day of 2012 to be beautiful and medatative. I spent it alone and quietly happy. These photos are from the woody neighborhood I've lived for the past decade- it may not be an extraordinary landscape, but there is beauty there if you look. I find the dormant trees interesting, the lush summer dress they wore only a few months ago stripped bare from the branches, revealing their earthy root to the landscape.

More January 1st Photos...

2012-01-02T09:04:00.001-06:00

"Underbrush, January (Green)"
digital photograph

C.M. Shaw, 2012

"Underbrush, January (Blue)"
digital photograph

C.M. Shaw, 2012

More photos I took from New Year's Day, the setting sun peeking through the underbrush. Winter is on it's way, but the last couple days have been relatively warm. There's something mysterious about the now exposed underbrush among the dormant trees, unrecognizeable from the lush green it wore just a few months ago.

January 1st...

2012-01-01T21:52:00.000-06:00

"Sunset, January 1st"
digital photograph

C.M. Shaw, 2012

Musical Paintings

2011-12-28T10:58:00.000-06:00

"Love of Guitar" 2011

acrylic on masonite, 11 x 14"

"L'accordéon Vert" 2011

acrylic on masonite, 11 x 14"

"Duet" 2011

acrylic on masonite, 11 x 14"

In December I took a break from the abstracts I'm working on to make a few paintings as Christmas gifts for some musician friends, including "Love of Guitar" pictured at the top of this post for my talented brother, whom I play in a couple bands with. It's easy to lose the plot while working for several months on a large group of paintings, and so it was nice to relax & make something just for fun :)

Quilting Hen

2011-12-27T14:07:00.000-06:00

Quilting Hen, 2011

acrylic on canvas, 8 x 10"

Posting yesterday about the hen painting I made my mother as a Christmas gift reminded me I hadn't shown you the canvas made for her birthday this past August. Among the many talents this woman possesses are her skills as a seamstress- she can make clothes, knits a serious afghan, and is a tireless quilter. To recognize her high achievement in the craft, I painted the canvas above to add to her collection of anthropomorphous fowl adorning her kitchen. I enjoy making these whimsical little artworks, and love seeing the look on her face when she opens them :)

No Partridge in This Pear Tree

2011-12-26T21:06:00.001-06:00

"No Partridge in This Pear Tree", 2011
acrylic on masonite, 11 x 14"

I've been making rooster/chicken paintings for my mother's kitchen for some years now, and did another for her this Christmas, "No Partridge in This Pear Tree". She's a fun gal, and we shared a chuckle over it during the recent family holiday :D

My Work at PHD Gallery!

2011-12-18T15:16:00.010-06:00

I'm really excited to announce I am now showing at PHD Gallery along the historic Antique Row at 2300 Cherokee St. in sunny South St. Louis :) The handsome & accomplished gentleman peeking out the door pictured above is world renowned artist Philip Hitchcock, proprietor of PHD Gallery since 2007. Part of the white-hot arts district forming on the city's south side, and boasting three adjoining storefronts in a GREEN building (in both design and color), PHD features 12 foot ceilings, clean white walls, north facing windows, and a combined exhibition space of nearly 2000 square feet. Reflecting the passion and artistic vision of artist Philip Hitchcock, PHD is an alternative art space that advances challenging works by ground-breaking local, regional, and national artists.

Among the five works of mine Mr. Hitchcock has taken into the gallery is the canvas pictured below, "Prince of Fire". Give him a call or stop by his beautiful gallery and get a closer look:

PHD Gallery 2300 Cherokee Street, Saint Louis, MO 63118 (314) 664-6644 "Prince of Fire" $185.00 acrylic, mixed media collage on canvas 30 x 40"

More Later!

All The King's Horses

2011-12-06T12:47:00.002-06:00

"All The King's Horses" $185.00

acrylic, mixed media collage on canvas
30 x 40"

Contact PHD Gallery, St. Louis, MO (314)664-6644

Another big painting from my showing at Urban Eats in summer 2010. Like "Ship of Fools", collaged scraps of canvas are utilized as narrative panels, illustrated in glue to dry, forming a raised line. It's very textured, many layers of metallic & black acrylic wash making it look like an ancient slab of carved bronze. A couple folks threatened to buy it, but no love yet. The armored Roman/Greek soldier theme is again present- don't ask me to explain this, because I have no idea! Concerning this particular canvas, I do remember hearing a Robert Plant tune, "All The King's Horses", the lyrics committing:

"All the King's horses, all the King's men
I'll weave a circle round the sun
Throw down my arms and give my all
I'll be your soldier of love..."

I liked that a lot, the notion of removing one's "armor", and laying bare the heart that lies beneath. A brave thing to say, and harder yet to do. Personally, my timing is poor, and the romantic inside me often falls short of other's expectations, and often my own. But I feel a great deal of love in my life on many levels, so.... often times, we "get what we get" and should be grateful for that.

See more of my available works at my WORKS AVAILABLE page at ShawArt.com :)

email me if you are interested!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T12:30:00.001-06:00

I ran across this hand turkey I made SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO! It's hard to believe it's been that long since my days teaching preschool while I attended the University. We all made these in Mr. Colin's class to hang on our cubbie slots- my name had been trimmed off mine at some point before it was tucked away in a sketchbook, so I pasted a new one on here for illustrative purposes. I never did fully pursue my education degree, moving to St. Louis instead to pursue my musical & artistic ambitions. Nevertheless, I am thankful for the time I spent with the little people- they taught me a great deal about life. I can still see their little faces in my mind, and hope that wherever they are, they have something to be thankful for and are with their families on the forthcoming holiday. Happy Thanksgiving-

Black Like Sunday No.1

2011-11-20T11:29:00.003-06:00

"Black Like Sunday No.1" $45.00
charcoal and acrylic on paper, 14 x 20"

I made a cut cardboard version of this as well that sold in '09, but like "Cry No. 2 & 3" , I have a fondness for the graphic quality of these charcoal/acrylic drawings on paper- they are more immediately powerful due to their stark nature. Yesterday was tough, and today feels pretty heavy. We've all been there, and maybe the sun will shine again tomorrow-

See more of my available works at my WORKS AVAILABLE page at Shawart.com :)

email me if you are interested!

Cry No.2 & 3

2011-11-18T19:46:00.001-06:00

"Cry No.3" $40.00
14 x 20"
acrylic, charcoal on paper

"Cry No.2" $40.00
14 x 20"
acrylic, charcoal on paper

Sometimes there are no words to describe a feeling- that's when being an artist comes in handy. I've had the discussion more that twice with fellow artists on the subject, and it's my opinion that most all of us share a sort of hypersensitivity- not only to emotion, but also color, memory, experience, culture, and a variety of other internal & external forces. These people seem to possess an awareness & ability to "see" and/or understand things that others either don't process the same way or recognize alone. I see it in musicians, actors, writers, & poets as well, and often find these people are often talented in one or more of these areas. Is their "talent" a sign of the same type of fluid intelligence and/or higher level of abstract thought that a groundbreaking scientist or technological whiz has?

While there is some question among experts concerning the validity of "emotional intelligence" in relation to IQ, it made sense to me when pointed out by a friend that some really intelligent people we knew are sometimes socially inept. I've never taken an IQ test- I'm not a fan of tests in general, and am fearful of being labeled a dunce. The outcome wouldn't change anything anyway, and who likes being told they're average or below, even if they really know it?

The graphic quality of these really turned out looking like poster art, which I love. My brother gave me a coffee table book of Picasso's poster work a few years ago that I never get tired of. I made a cut cardboard version of this as well, the whereabouts of which I am unsure. These two were drawn in charcoal and sealed in acrylic medium during the painting process.

See more of my available works at my WORKS AVAILABLE page at Shawart.com :)

email me if you are interested!

Handle With Care

2011-11-17T18:19:00.002-06:00

"Handle With Care" 2010 $85.00
acrylic, mixed media collage on canvas
16 x 20"

You just never know what someone's been going through- their private anguish, frustration and/or long hours at work, a hair-raising rush hour drive, or a broken heart/broken dreams/a broken life. Handle them with care.

This heavily textured, mixed media canvas is gallery wrapped & painted around it's edges -no framing necessary, ready to hang :)

See more of my available works at my WORKS AVAILABLE page at Shawart.com :)

email me if you are interested!

January No.3 & 5

2011-11-16T11:20:00.001-06:00

January No.5, 2009 $20.00

charcoal, acrylic on paper

8 x 10"

January No.3, 2009 $20.00

charcoal, acrylic on paper

8 x 10"

I made these two at the same time I made January No.1 & 2, of course, and won't hesitate to say that No.5 was my favorite of all :) Henri Matisse has had a huge impact on my art, and while the influence of his color is not apparent here, my love for his simplicity of design certainly is. For as the great master Picasso said, “Au fond il n’y a que Matisse” (All things considered, there is only Matisse).

See more of my available works at my WORKS AVAILABLE page at Shawart.com :)

email me if you are interested!

January No.1 & No.2

2011-11-15T13:04:00.000-06:00

January No.1, 2009 $20.00

charcoal, acrylic on paper

8 x 10"

January No.2, 2009 $20.00

charcoal, acrylic on paper

8 x 10"

I have two boxes FULL of art on paper. I thought of these two the other day while working on my new abstracts, several of which feature circles but none of my birds. One even has two intersecting circles. I always come back around to that shape- I find it pleasing, no beginning no end. These are much prettier in person, all the texture of the paper's tooth and subtlety of the brushstrokes more visible- they'd make a nice pair on a small wall together, and are a "readymade" size for easy, inexpensive framing :)

See more of my available works at my WORKS AVAILABLE page at Shawart.com :)
email me if you are interested!

November Twilight 2

2011-11-14T11:13:00.000-06:00

"November Twilight 2"
digital photograph

C.M. Shaw, 2011

November Twilight

2011-11-13T13:27:00.000-06:00

"November Twilight"
digital photograph

C.M. Shaw, 2011

Soldier

2011-11-12T20:00:00.001-06:00

"Soldier" 2010 $50.00
carved PVC board, acrylic, varnish
8.75 x 15.625"

I produced three of these carvings on “signpainter’s board", for a show last year. This substrate is essentially a thick PVC board that can be cut and shaped with carpentry tools or even with a small hand tool- in my case a bamboo pick I fashioned by hand for sculpture class at the university many years ago. I painted this in many washes of a deep iridescent red acrylic which has a somewhat metallic luster to it, then varnished it heavily with a glossy coat.

I don't have some illuminating story behind this fellow, other than I'd been using him in a few paintings at the time... I think he and some others may have come out of "All the King's Horses", another canvas I did for the same show of paintings at Urban Arts Collective in South St. Louis. Is he some symbol of male virility or unfulfilled desire, maybe? Painting can be a lonesome endeavor.

While I haven't been working with the figure at all on my new paintings this year, I don't feel as though I'm done with it. I had a great time with male figures I did last year, and would like to continue that some day. They don't sell as well as my females! A couple of my girlfriends really gushed over this guy, one particularly pleased with his phallus which she deemed "pretty". The other went on about how uniquely beautiful the male figure is. This show of appreciation for the male form pleased me, but has not historically been a great seller from my inventory and I wonder why that is. I just liked the left breastplate of his armor shaped like a heart :)

See more of my available works at my WORKS AVAILABLE page at Shawart.com :)

email me if you are interested!

Ship of Fools

2011-11-03T17:54:00.002-05:00

"Ship of Fools" 2010 $95.00
acrylic, mixed media collage 18 x 24"

Contact PHD Gallery, St. Louis, MO (314)664-6644

The ship of fools is an allegory of the 15th and 16th centuries, depicting a vessel populated by human inhabitants who are deranged, frivolous, or oblivious, passengers aboard a ship without a captain, ignorant of their own direction or destination. The Ship of Fools, a book of 112 satires criticizing the state of the Church's Christian nobility, was published in 1494 by German theologian Sebastian Brant. Inspired by a popular motif in medieval art and literature, particularly in religious satire due to a pun on the Latin word "navis" which means a boat and also the nave of a church, the Reformation movement quickly latched onto the book & Brant's like ideals, making it a huge hit. Notable of this publication were the commissioned engravings by Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. (source: Wikipedia)

I wasn't being critical of the church in making this, though I'm always thinking about art history. This one is a more personal interpretation of the allegorical tale using my accumulated vocabulary of little pictographs. I produced this canvas last summer for a showing at Urban Arts Collective in in South St. Louis along with several others done in the same style. The collaged scraps of canvas are utilized as narrative panels, illustrated in glue which dries to form a raised line. Many layers of primer & acrylic wash give the canvas a worn look I find pleasing. I've been working in this method since college, all the time refining the technique & experimenting with different colors & collage textures. They are a lot of work and easier done several at a time due to the time required for the excessive layering to dry.

See more of my available works at my WORKS AVAILABLE page at Shawart.com :)

email me if you are interested!

Lost My Mind

2011-11-02T23:06:00.002-05:00

I can no longer criticize Twitter for being pointless. I just sold "Lost My Mind" because someone discovered my chronically neglected ColinShawArt Twitter page. The poor man had to hunt me down because I never look at it- I need to pay more attention :D I made this 11 x 14" acrylic on masonite along with a matching piece, "Loving Cup", in 2006. I was working on masonite and plywood for quite awhile- like plywood, masonite can be cut to any size, but fits better in the rabbet of an open back frame, weighs less, and sands smoothly for priming.

Below is the original rough from my sketchbook done in oil pastel and watered down acrylic. Removing the heart was a good move- it looks so much more disturbing, silent, and cold. I like the texture of the sketch though- the blood looks great! It kinda looks like a child drew it, and that's nice.

Thanks Mathius!

See more of my available works at my WORKS AVAILABLE page at Shawart.com :)

email me if you are interested!

Loving Cup

2011-10-31T09:47:00.001-05:00

Often I find myself revisiting an idea or theme in my work, such is the case concerning "Loving Cup", which I painted in 2006 and again in 2010. Sometimes I just want another crack at it, or maybe my subconscious is trying to tell me something- who knows? I just liked the whole idea of the cup's contents pouring down the figure's throat/esophagus directly into his heart. I also liked the whole idea of simply "taking a cupful" of whatever needed to fill yourself - it's nothing new or original, but I said it my own way. A "loving cup" is actually a shared drinking container traditionally used at weddings and banquets, common to several European cultures. The cup may also be shared by a number of persons for ceremonial drinking, symbolizing friendship and unity, and are often given as trophies to winners of games or other competitions.*

"Loving Cup", 2010

11 x 14" acrylic, mixed media on canvas

$40.00

The first version (2006, below) is much more visceral than the 2010 "Loving Cup". Perhaps I went a little too far, but I thought the blood around the mouth, running down the arm was a good idea. In hindsight it might have been too ugly and scary, like the mess our nation's military was bogged down in with the Middle East. 2006 was marked by heightened sectarian violence and continuous anti-coalition attacks. The pictures & reports coming back from that were gruesome- it was heartbreaking and you just couldn't get away from it. All those soldiers coming back, what they have been through, and how they will fit back into the world after is on my mind now as much as it was then, the news of our complete withdrawl from Iraq having recently been announced.

"Loving Cup", 2006

acrylic on masonite

$65.00, framed in black metal

Below is the original rough from my sketchbook done in oil pastel and watered down acrylic- a method I love to play around with. While it's certainly crude looking, I think it has some real charm :)

See more of my available works at my WORKS AVAILABLE page at Shawart.com :)

email me if you are interested!

Diver

2011-10-28T09:37:00.001-05:00

"Diver" 2010

11 x 14". mixed media collage on canvas

$40.00

I wasn't consciously trying to say anything when I created this canvas, though it says a lot to me now, looking back. That summer I was showing for three months in a row at the Urban Arts Collective in South St. Louis, making new paintings to add for each of the 3 receptions thrown to promote my residency. In retrospect, that was a little too much for me personally, but it was a good learning experience and I sold a few of the paintings I'd made at another show later that autumn. This little canvas was somewhat lost in the crowd, but I feel it has something of it's own to offer. It's copper metallic & violet color scheme is really vivid in person. The figure diving downward could mean many different things depending on the viewer. What do you see?

See more of my available works at my WORKS AVAILABLE page at Shawart.com :)

email me if you are interested!

In the Studio

2011-10-26T15:37:00.002-05:00

I've been enjoying working on my new abstracts, having finished another last week, and started this 36 x 48" canvas. I don't know what qualifies as a successful abstract painting, and I often wonder as I look at some abstract art if it's a case of "The Emperor's New Clothes". That said, it's not as easy to make abstract art look cohesive or interesting! I don't let that bother me too much in my new endeavor- I'm just enjoying the freedom it's allowed me- there is no emotion, no allegory or narrative, only color & shape. None of the several I've made in the last few months look very similar either, as I try new things on each pass. The canvas pictured above has several gauzy layers of metallic & iridescent paint on it, and is somewhat difficult to capture in a photograph, changing in appearance as you walk past it. Sorry about the terrible picture I took at midnight last night after band rehearsal- maybe when it's finished I'll take another shot for you.

A couple years ago in conversation with the John Cournoyer, having lost the plot of my career and unsure what to do next, I expressed a need to change my art. The great teacher replied immediately, "Do you want to change or grow, Colin?" That simple statement was great advice, and I'm trying to remember that through all this. I think about that every time I've painted since, John- wherever you are- Thank you.

Bye Bye Love

2011-10-20T16:06:00.004-05:00

When Leslie's father told me she had come back to St. Louis a few years ago, I called the number he gave me and our rapport from younger days was instantly renewed, as though the many years inbetween were but a few weeks. It wasn't long before my drumset was in her attic and we were working out the songs which would soon become the Stars In the Attic EP, for which I enlisted the help of all the best at my disposal: Keith Prives for package design, my bass player David to record and engineer, my own brother Myles to produce, play keys, bass, and guitars behind my drumming, and of course Leslie's piano and lilting, sonorous voice. Probably one of my finer musical moments, Leslie, Myles, and David brought out the best in me on Stars- some of my most creative percussion ideas ever committed to tape. I played in a whole new way, like a different musician entirely.

Leslie also became a part of our longtime rock band Polaris, adding backing and lead vocals at the height of our career, coming home to our home county fair to open for the Spin Doctors. Fitting in with the guys seemed easy for Les, in spite of the locker room humor, cramped hotel rooms, "short" jokes, and sport drinking the job entailed. Not an easy feat. She became an official bandmate. Through all the shows and recording, she always arrived with her incredible talent and both dukes up, and we became very close with our girl. Especially me. She can read me like a book, and there is nothing I couldn't tell her, nothing I could hide from her. She corrects me when I'm wrong and comes to my defense when mistreated or misunderstood. She treats me like a prince, supports all I do, and a piece of my heart belongs to her.

As time passed Les began to focus on her own solo career, traveling around the country on the Green Light Tour to promote environmental awareness, all the way to Seoul Korea for a month long run of shows, eventually teaming up with Myles to perform as a duo around St. Louis. Most recently Les travelled with her husband Alexis all the way to Cambodia as ambassador for her Daughters of Cambodia project, always answering the call of her heart and championing a worthy cause and working to make right what is wrong in the world around her and abroad. Watching her evolve into such an incredibly powerful woman has only made me love her more- I am humbled by her strength of resolve, intuition, and shimmering inner light. Leslie is in every sense the finest example of humanity I know.

I heard she & husband Alexis will be moving back to Ithica, NY (on goddamn Facebook, nonetheless! Gah!), where he is from, and that made me cry, LOL! I regret that St. Louis is losing one of it's best singer/songwriters, and that my dear friend will eventually leave. But as Myles said, I knew damned well that would eventually happen- it's her modus operandi. There is no holding back someone like that- she needs to grow beyond this town, it's just not big enough to hold someone with that kind of imagination. If you really love someone, you have to let them go. Leslie will be just fine with Alexis and his family, she will continue to thrive and enjoy the new experiences she needs, and in all truth she doesn't need me as much as I probably need her. That said, I am most grateful for all she has given me- grateful she came back into my life, changing my landscape, influencing my art and musicianship, opening my mind to possibilities of deeper living, and making me a better man. That kind of friendship is rare, People.

I was determined not to make this mushy, but who cares :D I've been writing this damned post for a month- time to push it out, I've got shit to do! Besides, expressing my feelings or whatever probably isn't one of my more developed skills. So, we'll always miss you, & I'll always love you, Teacup*

New canvases for the show

2011-10-05T12:50:00.001-05:00

My show partner Dale delivered the 15 new canvases for our February 2012 show at Concrete Ocean yesterday morning- there was a 50% off Art Alternatives artist canvases sale where he works, so we threw down & bought them all at once. It was about $200.00, an average of about $13.00 or so a canvas- not bad! They are gallery wrapped so we won't have to worry about framing, and of decent construction- every bit as sturdy as what I'd been working on the last two years. For one room in the show, Dale & I will show canvases of the same size, bearing the same title, predetermined while working seperately in the months to come. Dueling Minds, Dale has dubbed the show- he & gallery owner Bryan Pease roughed out the sizes & arrangement of this strategy awhile back, and now the real work has begun.

Letting someone else take the reigns, submitting some control of the whole process of how the work will be done is new to me, and it took a little faith in my friend, but Dale has been of great reassurance and I think it will be good for me. Also new to my vernacular will be my working entirely abstract as opposed to my usual figurative expressionism- Dale is an abstract painter, and to provide unity, I've decided to work alongside him as such. While I've toyed with abstraction in art, I'm a novice at this, but want to try something new and need to grow. I've made a few abstracts on canvas this summer for the adjoining room that will round out the show, and it's been freeing, if not successful, though the few friends that have come around recently have responded positively. We'll have to see if the public reacts the same way, if I can make a sale. I already jumped into this stack of canvases, well into the medium-sized 24 x 36" pictured above to the right in the last 24 hours, and have lost myself in it- that's a good sign.

Juggling work in the coming holiday season, along with my two bands & the fitness routine will be a trick- I'm not known for balance in my life. It has to be to the maximum in all things I do. This mindset, determination, personality disorder or whatever you want to call it comes in handy when learning four hours of music for shows with two separate bands, concentrating on painting for several months at a stretch, or losing 30 lbs as I did recently, but doesn't always transfer well to a harmonized, everyday lifestyle. They call it attention deficit disorder nowadays, and give chidren drugs to squelch it- when I was a kid they just called it creative.

Your life is worth everything- Make the most of it!
More Later!

Ginger Bay 10th Annual "Spatacular" & Friends of Kids with Cancer!

2011-08-31T21:43:00.002-05:00

I am honored to have been asked by my pal Roze to donate art for silent auction in Ginger Bay's 10th Annual Spatacular! All proceeds benefit Friends of Kids with Cancer :) Friends of Kids with Cancer is devoted to enriching the daily lives of children undergoing treatment for cancer and blood related diseases. "Our mission is to be an advocate for these special kids and provide them and their families with the recreational, educational, and emotional support needed throughout the long hours of chemotherapy illness and isolation."

Saturday, September 17 · 5:00pm - 8:00pm

Ginger Bay Salon & Spa - Kirkwood

437 S. Kirkwood Rd.

Kirkwood, Missouri 63122

Call 314-966-0655 to purchase your tickets today!

I have donated an 11 x 14" canvas:
"Mother" 2010
acrylic, mixed media collage

2011-08-24T11:44:00.002-05:00

"Winter", 2010

24 x 30"

acrylic, mixed media collage on canvas

Any time I sell a painting, it's like a gift- I enjoy the activity, and that's enough. Selling one with such deeply personal meaning, however, is a vindication... My late, great painting teacher Charles SHOEmaker told me years ago "Paint what you know, Colin", and so I began to paint my interior on the exterior of anything put in my hands. It is sometimes painful & embarrassing, and often fails. Occassionally it's beautiful though, and someone can feel me through it- in those times our common humanity is shared on a deeper level, and I've done my job. Thanks Angie-

Yes, I 'm still here...

2011-08-05T20:38:00.002-05:00

...And still painting. I just haven't been showing any of it off. Someone asked the other day, and had been so focused on what I was doing that I thought nothing of it. I have so little conversation with anyone about art lately that it's become a largely internal experience. I've been working very slowly on five or six paintings for the last three months that are quite different for me, and am unsure when or if I will show them outside my forthcoming show with Dale Wilke at Concrete Ocean in 2012. Maybe after the show, who knows. In the meantime, entertain yourself with some of my 2010 works. I sold a couple more paintings the other day, so that was cool- nice to know people are still buying original art.

I've kept really busy with one of my bands, The Good Medicine Revival Show, while the other has been taking some much needed rest & recuperation. When your band has been together 25 years, it's okay, maybe even advisable to take a few months off, and so my brother and I have taken advantage of the time to polish up the Good Medicine act. It's a fun little acoustic group, that reimagines 60's & 70's music with Myles & Dan on guitars & bass, myself on drums/hand percussion, & Mary on flute/accordion/violin/keys. We all sing and do quite a few numbers with all four on vocals. We've been a big hit when we play, and have another show coming up at the end of August in Webster, MO, right next to the University. I'm unsure if the poster Dan made above was very, ummm... politically correct, but it's damned funny :D No, we don't pop pills, and Myles & I don't even drink anymore.

While on the subject of singing, all the situps & running have really made a difference there, my diaphram strengthened by all the conditioning. A few months ago I had switched from power-walking to running and added 100 sit ups to my usual workout. It's been 100+ degrees here in the Midwest for the last 3 weeks, but I have not stopped, hence my peeling down to 167 lbs- about what I weighed in college. When I began 11 months ago, I was pushing 200 lbs & not so healthy. A change in diet, regular & vigorous exercise, & abstaining from alcohol has really changed my life- my performance in all things has improved 200%. I have more energy & feel sharper, I sleep better & less, and I'm better at work & playing music.

Be good to yourself & take care of those around you. Enjoy yourself- so many folks rushing around, never stopping to enjoy or appreciate anything or anyone. Be happy- so many walking around in the world mad at the government, their neighbor, the guy ahead of them on the freeway- what a waste of energy. Try turning that into something positve instead.

(Pictured at top: My friend Roseann's son Brayden straightens one of my paintings on the wall at home.)

Untitled 2

2011-06-09T18:36:00.002-05:00

Untitled, 2011

acrylic/mixed media on canvas, 11 x 14"

I don't know why I can't just give this a title... The idea came from a couple friends who were given a Favag master clock from a television station by the in-laws. The thing made an impression on me with it's modern, stainless steel simplicity and slender, vertical nature. It's really mid-century cool.

Again, it's difficult to photograph these paintings with metallic paint... never does them justice. Here's another shot that shows the painted sides a little better...

Untitled

2011-06-08T15:36:00.003-05:00

Untitled, 2011

acrylic/mixed media on canvas, 11 x 14"

It's difficult to photograph these paintings with metallic paint... never does them justice. Here's another shot that shows the painted sides a little better...

Making a mess in the studio... starting to look like a painter lives here again :) I hope you are having a nice summer- I'll be working a lot on a new group of paintings for a show early next year, keeping up with my physical fitness regimen/jogging, and hopefully enjoying a little time by the pool...

Self Portrait Eating Apple

2011-06-04T12:52:00.007-05:00

"Self Portrait Eating Apple" Feb. 2011

Sunday Nostalgia

2011-04-19T15:46:00.002-05:00

I walked up to the Art Museum this past Sunday after spending a beautiful afternoon at the Earth Day festivities with some friends at Forest Park. No one else wanted to go, so I went alone which is fine by me and how I usually prefer to do it. I like to take my own time occasionally lingering in favorite galleries, and being the student of art that I am, company tends to cloud my thoughts. I'm also a loner of sorts.

Max Beckmann's room is always reviewed when I visit. I never get tired of these, huge, dark paintings- they have haunted me for years, and they enchant me in an indescribable way. The meaning of their mysterious narratives elude me, so I must always return to my work at understanding them, hour & hours over the decades I've come to study them. The Beckmann in Paris show I attended in 1999 really captured me, juxtaposing the artist's work next to that of his contemporaries during his years there. I will never get over that show, his paintings, or his room in the Museum.

Coming out of the Museum and back down the hill I had the most intoxicating whiff of nostalgia, the years of visiting all rushing back to me- when I first came as a St. Louis resident and young painter with big dreams 14 years ago, taking my then 5 yr old niece there to draw, visiting with my college painting class in the early 90's, holding hands with my high school sweetheart wandering through the galleries, visiting as a child with my mother... I hadn't felt that way in awhile. Maybe it was the warm, sunny afternoon, or freshly mowed grass, or both combined with some favorite old paintings. Whatever it was I was bowled over by it, like my life flashing before my eyes or something. I wish I could bottle that...

Ghost

2011-04-16T22:09:00.004-05:00

"Self Portrait No.9"
digital photograph, February 2011

Here in The Afterlife

Your name’s never said

Such as mine in your world

Stones left unturned

And the days grow warmer

Where routine is practiced

In a world with no sense of time or place

Just one foot in front of the other, as always before

Cool nights of absolute wonder

Warmed with cups of spiced tea

Before angels gather ‘round

To watch me dreaming

Birds still sing at dawn

And blue eyes alight with the sun

For here I live anew

Not the dread ghost you forgot

CM Shaw 2011

Prophet

2011-04-13T23:43:00.006-05:00

Awkward introductions and casual fumbling

Relieve the tension and excuse the shaking girl

Who sat where you belong,

Lovingly weaving the basket I can put my feelings in later.

But I can’t see your simple spring cotton, ordinary beauty, sensible shoes…

Only your North City lights,

“Little lavender colored mints,

Teacups hung on hooks,

And pirate’s flying saucer”-

Because the multicolored jewels that spill from your lips

Make me “feel like I have tears in my eyes”.

So I close them, acquiesce,

To concentrate on your careful telling,

Of “scribbled notes in dove-blood ink on yellowed vellum”,

Delivered by the harried prophet from outside the cafe,

To you, then me-

Secret whispered from the edge of my memory,

Told softly as Grandmother’s hands, neatly folding linen napkins,

And a with kid’s smile, behind intelligent eyeglasses

Now I know what he said, but won’t repeat,

In a language I can’t speak,

But now understand.

CM Shaw 2011

I took a few lines from St. Louis poet Stefene Russell for this, hence the quotation marks. I did this because the poem is about going to watch her read poetry recently- having a hard time describing the experience, I just started pulling line of hers to use. Listening to Stefene read poetry is akin to opening a box of keepsakes from someones life- her careful enunciation and clear, but soft voice I find very pleasing even when I'm unsure what she's talking about, what the objects in the keepsake box mean all the time. I read this recently at Duff's for the April Chance Operations reading, and was surprised to get a cheer from the back of the room when I tried to explain this! In the few times we've spoken, Stefene has always been really nice to me, too- her and her husband Thom came to my art show at Concrete Ocean last year on a night of a lot of other bigger, more important openings in the area. I was really honored by that. Sorry about the weird sketch of Stefene- I (laughs) can't really explain that :D

For Charlie...

2011-04-11T20:28:00.003-05:00

I received a voicemail saying my old boss Charlie Gardner passed away last week. What does that have to do with my art career, you ask? Quite a bit, actually...

When i came to St. Louis 14 years ago (almost to the day), I had no job and so my brother Myles took me into work on the landscaping crew at Fairfield Condominiums and Charlie gave me a job on the spot. It was hard work w/the most motley crew you'd ever seen, but Charlie was great with us- he worked us like mules, and we loved it! I think i was making something like $7.50 an hour. We were lean & mean, and so was Charlie, who worked right along with us. A couple times a week he'd take us out for beer at the Ice & Fuel, where you could get a pint for a buck during happy hour. When he left the bar he'd say "You sonsa bitches get yer asses home! Got work to do tomorrow!" When I got a job actually in the arts just a few months after Charlie hired me, he was genuinely happy for me, and we still saw each other at the bar every week for many years after. He thought Myles & I were a couple rock stars, and encouraged our being working musicians. In fact, the last time I saw Charlie was a couple years ago- at the Ice & Fuel, watching Myles and I playing music!

Charlie had been working like that his whole life, and drinking beer/smoking cigarettes every night after. When he had a stroke a few years back, I don't think he ever really quit. And Myles said Charlie verbalized his chosen fate more than twice since he'd known him, that he'd die in the saddle, so... we were a little blue.

Ironically, I was on a walk that morning I got the call, and had thought of Charlie and my days on the ground crew when I came to St. Louis, how much had happened since... I had been taking some snapshots of springtime arriving in my neighborhood, as well...

These are for you, Charlie- RIP, Friend

Needle and Thread

2011-03-30T12:02:00.002-05:00

I’ve so many new responsibilities,
And the boss has new expectations,
And I’ll make more money, get so far ahead,
Ahead of that slow car ahead to catch the exit ramp,
And save myself a minute that I won’t enjoy later.
And I need more to do later,
Because I’m so Talented, Multi-Faceted, and Industrious,
So I never get to enjoy my friends, my life.
So much to do that none of it is done well at all,
Neither projects nor relationships…
Not even breakfast,
And I never had time to fall in love...
But there is no hurry with a needle and thread.
There is only slow and methodical,
Meditation and quiet concentration,
And poke a finger with the needle- stop.
Bite my lip. Breathe. Realign. Proceed cautiously.
There is only time... all the time in the world.

CM Shaw 2011

Owl and Lover Moon

2011-03-29T13:35:00.006-05:00

Owl writes a poem every night for his Lover Moon, and sings a little lullaby...

Every night in his longing for her, Owl writes the same poem, over and over, again and again for Lover Moon and then has some tea!

So lovesick that he forgets every morning playing with Finch and Robin, Owl writes the same verse every night! Can you imagine someone so precious?! Ha! So adorable, so forgetful...

It's a little sad, but a little sweet when Owl sheds a tear at the end of his whispery song, because soon he will forget, weeping while he grinds coriander and chamomile,

And all made well and small tears dissolved in a snoozy cup of hot tea,

before he snuggles in his soft bed…

and dreams about his Lover Moon.

CM Shaw 2011
(for Daddy)

Self Portrait No.8

2011-03-28T16:07:00.004-05:00

"Self Portrait No.8"
digital photograph, February 2011

I was surprised when a girlfriend told me these were borderline narcissistic... no one ever said that about my self portraits before I lost weight- at least, not to my face. And I only lost 25 lbs. or so- it's not like I look that different or anything. What she said stung a little and stopped me in my tracks. And that was wrong- not what she said, but letting it stop me. As stated in an earlier post I'm more insecure than anyone, but I had just thought of these as an ongoing art project before she said something.

A pal and I were having a discussion a few months ago on the subject of "putting yourself out there", artistically. We concluded that if you are going to do that, be prepared for whatever comes back, because you no longer own it. Admittedly, I have at times faltered when given negative feedback, and that's not good. It took me a little while to remember that... so instead of choosing rejection, I thought I should just move forward.

It's very difficult to turn the camera on yourself- you see all the things about yourself that you don't like, inside and out. Most people wouldn't have the nerve. The one thing I've grown to accept and love about myself is that I'm a risk taker- I've let it get me into trouble in the past, but sometimes it produces fruit: such as when when i make art, play music, or write poetry. I just snapped this after a morning exercise session, and was wearing my (laughs) Chris Reeve Superman dog tag! And that says a lot about me... on the back is inscribed "Go Forward". Go Forward each day with strength, determination, and compassion, was Chris' motto. I wear it because a.) I'm a dork, and b.) I have two working legs, two working arms, and nothing should be able to stop me from living my life to the fullest or challenging myself to be all that I can. Nothing should stop you either- don't ever let anyone tell you different. Get out there and be yourself.

In other news, I'm penciled in for a return to Concrete Ocean Art Gallery in 2012, so I'll be working on some new paintings this summer.

New Work, three panels...

2011-02-27T12:33:00.002-06:00

three panels/untitled, February 2011

acrylic, polyurethane on found board

each 7 x 30"

Interested? See my info page at http://www.shawart.com/

Art Dash for City Academy, Saturday, February 26, 2011

2011-02-19T22:26:00.002-06:00

I am honored to have been asked to participate in the third annual Art Dash fundraiser Saturday, February 26, 2011 at the Soulard Preservation Hall this year. I was given a personal tour of the new facilities this past autumn, and was impressed with their dedication to providing a quality education to children who might not otherwise have received as such. Three of my paintings will be auctioned along with other the other artist's work for this very worthy cause- the children of our great City of St. Louis.

What is Art Dash?
Art Dash is a unique way for couples to own a new piece of art while having fun obtaining it. The evening begins with all guests being assigned to a group. When their group is called they have to “dash” to the piece they want and claim it as their own. The event will feature over 125 pieces of art, donated by local artists. Along with the “dash” there will also be a live auction featuring work by notable professionals. The cost is $250 per couple or $150 per person. All proceeds from Art Dash benefit City Academy’s unique scholarship program, which offers generous tuition assistance to 100% of the school’s families.

Preview Night
I will personally attend Preview Night on Friday, February 25 for artists and guests. Cost for the preview party is $25 per person, which includes drinks and appetizers. Acclaimed jazz vocalist Erin Bode will be the featured performer at the preview party!

Self Portrait No.7

2011-02-18T15:32:00.004-06:00

"Self Portrait No.7"
digital photograph, February 2011

As spring seems to have come early this year, I've really been enjoying the morning walks again. Behind my apartment building it's like Wild America, every bird native to Missouri chirping away, the underbrush rustling with life anew... I love spring. Born in early May, I'd bet I was kicking away in my momma's tummy in March of '72...

Self Portrait No.6

2011-02-17T14:53:00.005-06:00

"Self Portrait No.6"
digital photograph, January 2011

Can you feel it? The spring thaw has begun here in St. Louis- right after a rather frigid bout of sleet and snow that shut down schools, business, & major highways, it suddenly turned quite temperate last weekend. I have been enjoying the morning walks again, and ideas for paintings have started coming to mind. In attempt to stave off the seasonal blues, I've tried to stay active all winter in spite of the cold, walking whenever the streets were clear and lifting weights inside. This photo was shot on a mildly cold & rainy morning- better than most in January. It was warm enough to do the morning walk, after which I stepped out to smell the coolth of the wet soil, and to hear the birds chirping their prayers to Mother Earth for an early spring... I stopped to pray with them...

Self Portrait No.5

2011-02-03T22:34:00.005-06:00

"Self Portrait No.5"
digital photograph, January 2011

When making any kind of big change in your life, accept first that not everyone will follow- be prepared to do it alone. The whole thing might just be lost on everyone else around- you might find yourself unaccompanied, even by those you were once close to. A friend once described me as fearless, and observed that I seemed to live my life without regret- that is likely why we aren't really very good friends now, but she was mostly right. And for that I'm sorry.

Self Portrait No.4

2011-01-30T12:02:00.007-06:00

"Self Portrait No.4"

digital photograph, January 2011

I've had a difficult time getting interested in painting lately- all kinds of ideas but zero motivation. I'm trying not to worry about this as it seems to happen to me every January. I have a couple little paintings in the works currently, but they aren't what I'm seeing in my head, and so I have been playing around with some self portraits with the camera. This is an interesting time to do this as I have been getting back into shape and working on an all-around "self-betterment program" of sorts. Looking at your own bodies can be an uncomfortable thing for all of us "plain folk": the tendency to find all our physical imperfections is unavoidable in a world full of advertisements telling us what we need to improve. I have particularly acute body image issues- I don't even like a doctor looking at me (laughs)! I don't like my nose, round face, the constellation of moles decorating my tummy, my short arms... I wish I were (laughs) taller. Even closing in on forty years of age, I struggle with acne. This is hardly surprising in a society where television and magazines are filled with airbrushed images of a kind of physical imperfection we will never attain. But the simple, beautiful miracle of our bodies in the diversity of all our different shapes, sizes, and colors is overlooked.

I'd encourage you to look at these self portraits on a different level though, more than skin-deep. Watching my body change has only been a small part of this interesting time in my life, the larger portion of growth and development happening inside myself. I've been looking inside for something... for the "real me"... he's in there somewhere. There is a lot going on inside of us: our incredible minds, our complex emotion, our ability to learn and change, our talent and motivation, our dreams and aspirations. We all possess those things that make our bodies really little more than a vessel in which to operate those divine functions. Getting to know those parts of our inner-self can be work- work worth putting effort toward.

Self Portrait No.3

2011-01-25T21:38:00.003-06:00

"Self Portrait No.3"
digital photograph, January 2011

Self Portrait No.2

2011-01-24T21:38:00.003-06:00

"Self Portrait No.2"
digital photograph, January 2011

Self Portrait No.1

2011-01-23T15:56:00.002-06:00

"Self Portrait No.1"
digital photograph, January 2011

Hello there...

2011-01-10T17:00:00.006-06:00

"Winter" 2010
acrylic, mixed media collage on canvas
24 x 30"

Hello there... how have you been?
I've been out for awhile, on hiatus... I'd meant to post something by New Years Eve but never got around to it, so here I am.

2010 was quite a year for me, a lot happened. I sold over thirty paintings, more than any other year in my career, and had six shows. Most of this happened within March and August of 2010, and I felt mentally & physically burnt out by the end of summer. So I stopped everything, including painting, and set out to get physically back in shape. I began a workout regimen that has helped me shed well over 20 pounds in the last four months- this was something I really needed to do, and has helped realign my sense of well being.

As part of this "self-betterment program", I also cut all alcohol out of my diet. Yes, ALL alcohol. I haven't drank as much as one beer in nearly four months. I felt like I was drinking way too much, and having lost some friends to alcohol as well as watching close friends struggle with their alcoholism over the past year frightened me. In St. Louis' local art scene drinking is heartily embraced, and playing in a bar band can be even worse at times. I wasn’t feeling that great, needed to lose some weight, and wanted to clear my mind. I started feeling better quickly- I slept better/less, had more energy, and felt an all around better sense of well being. My body began to respond to my lifestyle change immediately as well, as I began to lose weight and gain muscle... and I feel better than I have in years.

I wish I had some big news or plans to share with you as far as 2011 is concerned, but I don't. I haven't been that interested in painting lately, and haven't attended an art show in months. I'm unsure if some wiring in my brain has changed or if I just wanted to get away from it all, but I decided that I wouldn't worry about it too much... I'm trying to just enjoy being... being alive. And that's good enough for right now.

"Winter", pictured above, was one of my favorite I made in 2010. I was pleased with how it turned out, and I think it said a lot about me. I've said before that I don't want to be famous, I don't want to be on T.V., I don't care if my art languishes in obscurity for the rest of my life and thereafter... as long as I can make a painting like this, one that satisfies me as much as it did. I hope you can find that one thing that brings you a sense of completion, acheivement, or fullness... that's what life is really about people.

Saturday, October 16th- Cuba Lakes Show with Matt Isbell

2010-10-07T09:05:00.004-05:00

SHAWART STUDIO, ST. LOUIS, MO
October 5th, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Cuba Lakes welcomes Cuba High Alumni artists Matt Isbell and Colin Michael Shaw on Saturday, October 16th. In conjunction with the Cuba Fest weekend activities, an artist’s reception, free and open to the public will be held from 7pm – 10pm. Cuba Lakes Clubhouse is located at 241 Highway O in Cuba, MO. A special acoustic musical performance by Myles Shaw will entertain the crowd throughout the course of the evening.

The two artists began drawing together after meeting in fifth grade at Cuba R2 schools, often times spending entire weekends at one another’s childhood homes sharing their creative ideas, play, and drawing time. Keeping in touch over the years, Isbell built his career in graphic arts and illustration while Shaw developed his techniques in modern fine art painting. “Though Matt and I grew in very different directions stylistically, we could both easily see a real connection in our current work- the surrealist, fantasy elements prevalent in what we are both doing is undeniable,” says Shaw “An otherworldly influence present in our art is what ties it together- two very distinct, yet both highly imaginative approaches.”

Isbell’s work can be seen and fine art prints purchased at misbell.imagekind.com and misbell.deviantart.com. The day to day of Shaw’s work can be followed at his online artist’s journal: http://shawart.blogspot.com/

End of My Residency at Urban Arts Collective...

2010-09-24T00:15:00.007-05:00

"Sister Moon" 2010
carved PVC board, acrylic, varnish
6.75 x 14.25"

My three month residency at Urban Arts Collective is coming to an end- this weekend will likely be your chance to see it, along with the work of Tony Renner, Jane Linders, Craig Downs, and Kevin Belford. Tony will in fact be hosting his last showing at the Collective this Sunday, September 26th from 11am to 2pm- get down to see Tony’s work while you still can! Thanks to everyone who came to all the openings and share a bite to eat with us at the café- we do this because it’s what we love to do, and we appreciate your support :)

Along with the fourteen canvases I made for my run at The Collective, I also produced three carvings for the new grouping on “signpainter’s board, which is essentially a thick PVC board that can be cut and shaped with carpentry tools or even with a small handtool- in my case a small bamboo pick. I was gifted these three chucks of board years ago by my beloved painting teacher Charles SHOEmaker. SHOE said, “Here Colin, take these and see what you can do with them- it’s kinda fun to play with.” I promptly put them in my closet for seventeen years and forgot about it. While digging through stuff looking for inspiration for new work at the Collective I uncovered them and started scraping out designs- they became “Soldier”, “Soldier with Child” (pictured below), and “Sister Moon”(pictured above). I’d like to make more, but found that SHOE was giving me some scrap of REALLY expensive material, so I dunno what will come of that. He always treated me like a son, and the older I get the more I appreciate it… I wish he was still here so I could tell him, but at least I FINALLY did something with the damned boards! :D

"Soldier" 2010
carved PVC board, acrylic, varnish
8.75 x 15.625"

"Soldier with Child" 2010
carved PVC board, acrylic, varnish
10 x 16"

New Paintings: Sunday, Sept. 19th

2010-09-11T11:58:00.003-05:00

New Old Stuff on my Etsy Store

2010-08-27T22:54:00.004-05:00

"The One I Love", 2001
silver paint pen, colored pencil, watercolor on paper
approx. 10.5 x 7.5"
From the artist's private archive of drawings/paintings

Hiya. Been super busy making new paintings for my final event/show during my tenure at Urban Arts Collective- it has been fun, and a real challenge making a whole new group of paintings to keep up as the summer has progressed. I'm working on five new paintings right now, in fact!

In other news, I've started putting some of my never-shown-before paintings from my private archive up on the ShawArt Etsy Store. These are paintings I created over the last several years, and promptly hid in a box after completion. Some of the images were sold as prints all across Missouri and The United States during various travels and in retail establishments... it's fun to think of ALL THOSE PRINTS floating around out there somewhere, and maybe YOU have one- who knows?

Don't be afraid to peek!
Thank You!

Sneak Peek...

2010-08-11T14:49:00.005-05:00

"Winter" 2010
24 x 30"
acrylic, mixed media on canvas

Here's a sneak peek at one of my new paintings that will be showing this Sunday, Aug. 15th at the Urban Arts Collective in sunny South Saint Louis. Come by and say hello from 11:00am to 2:00pm- I look forward to seeing you :)

New Paintings @ Urban Arts, Sunday August 15th

2010-08-04T22:45:00.005-05:00

Urban Arts Collective welcomes artist Colin Michael Shaw on Sunday August 15th. A visit with the artist, free and open to the public, will be held from 11am – 2pm. Urban Arts Collective is adjacent to Urban Eats Café at 3301 Meramec, St. Louis, MO 63118. This showing of the painter’s newest works created in the last few months will be the second of three during his residency throughout the entire summer at the Collective which hosts four to five artists at a time for three months tenure. “I will continue the new work all summer and present as completed on the second and third showings of Sunday, August 15th and Sunday, September 19th, both from 11am to 2pm.”, says Shaw. “This is a great opportunity to work in a progressive St. Louis neighborhood not far from where my father was raised, which fascinates me.”

Urban Eats Café is a casual neighborhood eatery serving healthy and fresh-made menu items. In cooperation with the Arts Collective, surrounding local businesses, the Dutchtown Downtown Business Assoc. and youth outreach of the Dutchtown South Neighborhood Community Corps, Urban Eats thriving among the urban revitalization of this South St. Louis community. For more information visit urbaneatscafe.com or the artist’s blog http://shawart.blogspot.com/

Play Time

2010-07-14T15:32:00.007-05:00

Untitled, 2010
mixed media collage on canvas
11 x 14"

I made a couple abstract collage pieces last week while I was taking a break from painting for my summer shows at Urban Arts Collective. I used magazine paper, acrylic paint and clear glue, which I later varnished heavily with clear gloss. They wont be going to my space at Urban Eats because they were just for fun/experimental and they don't fit the theme of the other work I'm doing all summer, but they are kinda far out :D

See the paintings from my show last Sunday at http://www.facebook.com/pages/SHAWARTCOM/118553604822321 or just pop by The Collective this Sunday, July 18th at 11:00 -2:00pm and see them in person- Tony Renner and I will be there with our work for his official opening.

Untitled, 2010
mixed media collage on canvas
11 x 14"

Thank You

2010-07-12T13:05:00.004-05:00

Had a great time at the show on Sunday- the premises were at full capacity. Nice looking group of people- I was impressed. That made for a Sun FunDay :)
Here's a picture Hilary Hitchcock snapped of Tony Renner and I in front of one of his many great photos at Urban Arts Collective. I love it :)
Thank you Tony & Hilary for curating the July-Sept. lineup at Urban Arts, Thank you Caya Aufiero for having us there, thank you to all my family, friends, and art lovers for supporting me- I really appreciate it :)
You can see the show anytime during business hours at Urban Eats/Urban Arts Collective- see http://www.urbaneatscafe.com/ for more info

Sneak Peek

2010-07-01T01:29:00.005-05:00

another Sneak Peek at one of the nine new paintings to be shown at the upcoming July 11th opening of my new 2010 work at Urban Arts Collective in South St. Louis...
"Ship of Fools" 2010
acrylic, mixed media collage 18 x 24"

SHAWART.COM

Sunday July 11th at Urban Arts Collective, 11am to 2pm

2010-06-25T23:58:00.009-05:00

Urban Arts Collective welcomes artist Colin Michael Shaw on Sunday July 11th. An artist’s reception, free and open to the public, will be held from 11am – 2pm. Urban Arts Collective is adjacent to Urban Eats Café at 3301 Meramec, St. Louis, MO 63118. This showing of the painter’s newest works created in the last two months will be the first of three during the his residency throughout the entire summer at the Collective, which hosts four to five artists at a time for a three month tenure. “I will continue the new work all summer and present as completed on the second and third showings of Sunday, August 15th and Sunday, September 19th, both from 11am to 2pm.”, says Shaw. “This is a great opportunity to work in a progressive St. Louis neighborhood not far from where my father was raised, which fascinates me.”

Urban Eats Café is a casual neighborhood eatery serving healthy and fresh-made menu items. In cooperation with the Arts Collective, surrounding local businesses, the Dutchtown Downtown Business Assoc. and youth outreach of the Dutchtown South Neighborhood Community Corps, Urban Eats thriving among the urban revitalization of this South St. Louis community. For more information visit urbaneatscafe.com or the artist’s blog www.shawart.blogspot.com

Shaw with "All the King's Horses, All the King's Men", 30 x 40", acrylic, mixed media on canvas

CM Shaw at Urban Arts Collective- All Summer Long

2010-05-29T12:00:00.006-05:00

This is a preview poster of my 3 month stint at Urban Arts Collective from July through September. I will make new paintings for each of my three "events", Sunday July 11th being the 1st. It will be a marathon summer full of painting- I hope to see you at one or more of my 3 introductions of the new work as it unfolds.... I am painting furiously. It's going to be a very productive summer...

You might have already noticed that we have moved SHAWART.COM to Facebook- I did this for a few reasons: it will be easier for me to put new work and events up myself, Facebook is extremely popular right now, there is no charge to host my work on this platform, and I wanted to peel away some of the less important work from the past and focus on the more recent paintings. I've made a lot of work over the years... sorting it out is sometimes more work than making it. TAKE A PEEK at my SHAWART.COM Facebook page- click the LIKE BUTTON and be a friend, OR suggest to a friend who likes art- I really appreciate it! Big props to Michael Dickens for the years of hard work making shawart.com happen- you are the best!

The general internet public will still have access to all my picture galleries on the "new site", and I have already put up an album of work that is still available for purchase- feel free to inquire, my contact info is on the site. I pretty much sold a painting for every day in the month this past April, so if you are waiting you might want to reconsider. That being said, I want to extend a BIG thank you to all my patrons past and present- when you take one home it enables me to keep making new work. I'd also like to thank Brett Steen at Avante Art, Bryan Pease at Concrete Ocean, Brad Voss at Cuba Lakes, and Pedro Abbate at Foundation Grounds for hosting my events of the last two years- when most all the galleries in St. Louis wouldn't give me the time of day, you instead saw opportunity and decided to believe in me. We moved a lot of canvases, and I could not have done it without you.

Kevin

2010-05-14T00:02:00.005-05:00

"Kevin" (Kevin McLane Memorial Portrait)
8 x 10", acrylic on masonite (framed)

Sent your memorial portrait to it's new home yesterday, Brother- but nothin' will ever take you away from me. Can you believe it took me so long to let go of this little painting of you... what, 3 1/2 yrs? I made two angels to take you to Heaven with your guitar in your arms and put the best gold leaf frame on it... I sent you off the best way I knew how. The money is going to the Santo Foundation in your memory. Thanks for always supporting, taking care of me, and loving me like your little brother. I will always miss you-

Teardrop

2010-04-28T01:41:00.008-05:00

"Teardrop"
24 X 30"
acrylic on canvas

“House” needed a partner for my Cuba Lakes showing in April, so I cranked out “Teardrop” in pretty short order quite recently. One of the few paintings I didn’t sell- Oh well ya know I liked it, so make yourself happy. Secretly, I'm glad to bring it back home.... The umbrella has been popping up in my work for many years, now a common symbol in the simple pictograph vocabulary that fills my work. The umbrella is “shelter” or “protection” in the language of my painting.

Fixed Heart

2010-04-22T01:47:00.006-05:00

"Fixed Heart" 2003
aluminum, electrical cable, staples, acrylic and slver paint on cut 3/4" plywood approx. 11 x 14"

Was sorting out my Facebook page for SHAWART.COM tonight when I stumbled across this one from 2003, "Fixed Heart". A gal bought it at one of my shows in Springfield, MO at Randy Bacon back then. She had a daughter born with a heart defect, and it meant so much to her she wrote me the most sincere letter of appreciation... it would have melted your heart. Folks say the nicest things to me occasionally- some very heartfelt reflections on what i painted. It honors me deeply, and I probably don't deserve any of it, but I felt glad it meant so much to someone.
CM Shaw
4/22/10

Uninterrupted Prosperity

2010-04-20T23:52:00.007-05:00

Leslie entertains the crowd...

Kevin and Matt discuss my two newest works...

"Teardrop", 24 x 30" acrylic on canvas

SOLD!

The show at April 16th show at Cuba Lakes could not have been better- I sold thirteen out of the nineteen works I brought… I believe that is a record for me. My hometown of Cuba, Missouri really opened their arms as always, and that’s why I’m proud to be their son. Owner Brad Voss was on task, and the members of the club jumped in to help out with the almost unexpected throng of attendance for the dinner welcoming the touring Spyder riders, Myles Shaw and Leslie Santi’s concert, and my art show. It was standing room only. Just incredible…

My humble thanks to Brad Voss for going outside the box and rising to the occasion, everyone at The Cuba Free Press for always pumping my gigs here in St. Louis or at home, the Spyder riders for coming out for dinner and generous patronage, all my hometown folks and friends for picking up some work and backing me up every time, my lovely parents Patrick and Ramona, my brother Myles for his great performance and always being at my side, and of course my pal Leslie Santi for her beautiful music, the spark to make the whole thing happen, and always believing in me more than myself. Words cannot describe how much I need you to do what I do- you make me a better man. You made me the man I am today.

photos by Chris Case, Cuba Free Press

Show at Cuba Lakes Clubhouse, Friday April 16th

2010-04-12T15:04:00.002-05:00

SHAWART STUDIO, ST. LOUIS, MO
MARCH 30TH, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Cuba Lakes welcomes St. Louis artist Colin Michael Shaw on Friday April 16th. An artist’s reception, free and open to the public, will be held from 8pm – 11pm. Cuba Lakes Clubhouse is located at 241 Highway O in Cuba, MO. A special acoustic musical performance by Leslie Sanazaro Santi and Myles Shaw will entertain the crowd throughout the course of the evening. The Shaw brothers and Mrs. Santi are all Cuba High School alumni.

Says Shaw: “This will not be the same as my recent showing at Concrete Ocean Gallery in St. Louis- Cuba will get their own special show with entirely different work. It will feature never before shown mixed media collages on canvas I made last summer, two new paintings made just this year, and a few other surprises. It will be a very colorful, modern grouping that I’m really excited about. Whereas the Concrete Ocean show in St. Louis was darker in nature, the Cuba show will be more innocent, more simply spoken… spirituality and love, life’s seasons- these themes run though this group of works. The recent show in St. Louis was a huge success with a lot of local buzz and press, and a lot of sales. Still, I’ve been looking forward to taking it home to Cuba, and have worked hard assembling a special show just for them. And hey, I’ve got two world-class singer/songwriters backing me up… I cannot lose!”

You can read all about the day to day of Shaw’s work at his online artist’s journal: http://shawart.blogspot.com/

Closing Reception at Concrete Ocean, April 9th

2010-04-05T11:07:00.007-05:00

"Icarus Falls"
aluminum, acrylic and silverpaint on plywood, 9 x 12"
STILL AVAILABLE! $65.00

Friday, April 9th will be your last chance to see Jeff Sass and I with our work at Concrete Ocean Art Gallery! Come on down and take a look at all our hard work -have a celebratory drink with us!

Jess Sass and Colin Shaw
Closing Reception- Friday, April 9th
7pm to 10PM
Concrete Ocean Art Gallery
2257 South Jefferson
St. Louis, MO

Self Portrait, March

2010-03-26T00:17:00.011-05:00

for the last five or six yrs, i have been photographing myself. every seven or eight months i just randomly decide to snap a few photos alone. today i was running around the apt/studio making lunch and housemousing before work on a rainy day, and i stopped to memorialize the moment. i like to live in the here and now, the so often minimalized, so often neglected. i'm not a model, t.v. reality star, or a politician- i'm just a schmuck making some tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch on a Rainy March Thursday in St. Louis... embrace the plain.

Still Available...

2010-03-25T12:07:00.004-05:00

“Shroud No.1”/”Shroud No.2” 2009
These were a real breakthrough for me: completely non-objective art focused on materials and texture, a purity I have struggled to achieve since I saw the Action/Abstraction Show at the St. Louis Art Museum in Oct. 2008 has been achieved in my mind. I have an acquaintance or two-dozen that feel like abstract art is baloney, but it’s much more complicated to create, explain, argue, appreciate, and evaluate than some people have the intellect or imagination to entertain. There is a lot that of abstract work that is poorly done, and there is a great deal that is sublime and transcendent: sorting Fine Art from the Emperor’s New Clothes is a confounding, and sometimes convoluted business.

$125.00 each *READ MORE ABOUT THEM HERE*

STILL AVAILABLE at Concrete Ocean! Pick up the phone and call Bryan Pease at Concrete Ocean: (314)497-0199
2257 S. Jefferson
St. Louis, MO
“Shroud No.1”, 2009
cut cardboard & acrylic, 16 x 20"
$125.00

“Shroud No.2”, 2009
cut cardboard & acrylic, 16 x 20"
$125.00

Still Available...

2010-03-24T11:14:00.005-05:00

I sold nearly half my show at Concrete Ocean last Friday, but there are still a few left... NOW is your chance to pick one up. I get some criticism around town for pricing too low, but I figure that if they are selling, the price must be right:

"Doubly Blessed No.1" $65.00
8 x 10" acrylic on masonite, framed
STILL AVAILABLE at Concrete Ocean! Pick up the phone and call Bryan Pease at Concrete Ocean: (314)497-0199
2257 S. Jefferson
St. Louis, MO

"Doubly Blessed No.2" $65.00
8 x 10" acrylic, glitter, rhinestones on masonite, framed
STILL AVAILABLE at Concrete Ocean! Pick up the phone and call Bryan Pease at Concrete Ocean: (314)497-0199
2257 S. Jefferson
St. Louis, MO

Memorial Portrait

2010-03-22T12:48:00.006-05:00

Untitled (Bride/Memorial Portrait), 2010
acrylic on canvas, 11 x 14”

You feel terrible about this poor person having lost their life, and you feel bad for the people that have lost this person they love- then you wear that around your shoulders the whole time you’re trying to get it together. It’s real sad, but you have to be bigger than that because you have a very important job to do. People are really depending on you with a task like this and YOU CAN’T SCREW IT UP. You wonder if this person or God Almighty is watching you work from heaven above, and it’s just too much. I actually prayed, which I don’t normally do, but I was so desperate that crying out to God seemed like a good idea. Some artists can just whip it out on command, but I’m not like that at all-
Work finally began on this while planning for two art shows within a month of each other, and I’d nearly finished it when I realized I was not satisfied with it. So after three weeks of slow progress on the portrait, I sanded it off to try a second time. In the midst of starting all over again while preparing for my forthcoming shows, the flu and a bacterial infection in both my eyes were added to the tumultuous mix of difficulties. While waiting for a pestilence of locusts and The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse to arrive at any minute, I miraculously pulled a rabbit from my hat and knocked it out.

CM Shaw
March 2010

Opening Night at Concrete Ocean

2010-03-21T14:52:00.022-05:00

In spite of there being several art openings in the St. Louis this past Friday evening, my mixed media retrospective at Concrete Ocean Art Gallery with Jeff Sass was a success. At last count, I had sold seven of the twenty-one paintings- not too shabby. An intimate but enthusiastic crowd that seemed to be there for the music as much as the art warmly received my band, The Good Medicine Revival (I could hear you kids out there and you sounded great!). And to think that many of these paintings have been hidden away in boxes for years… all good things in time, I guess.

Thanks to my show partner Jeff Sass for all his hard work and beautiful art- a sweetheart. My humble thanks to all that came out to see Jeff & I- some of you all the way from my hometown of Cuba, Mo (damn!). I can’t thank my patrons enough- you allow me to keep doing this every time you take one home. Thanks to the Riverfront Times, Bill Barrett at Webster University, Stephen and Peter at Art Patrol, Stefene Russell at St. Louis Magazine, the kids at my hometown newspaper The Cuba Free Press, and everyone else who put the buzz out on the street. Thanks and love to my lovely parents Patrick and Ramona for always being there. Thanks to my band mates for tirelessly entertaining the crowd the entire evening, and putting on one hell of a show! And of course, a very special thanks to gallery owner Bryan Pease for believing in Jeff and I. I felt like it was a good night!

One of the funniest moments of the evening was having Tony Renner show up in the outfit he wore in his cut cardboard portrait I crafted last year- Hilarious! Tony is a generously humorous, deeply intelligent, and beautiful individual. I have yet to discover who bought the portrait, and Tony said he (laughs) wasn’t certain how he felt about that! Tony has been one of the most inspiring St. Louis artists I have met since my arrival in 1997. Almost completely self-taught, Tony just jumped right into art only a few short years ago, and works as hard as any local artist in realizing his vision. A suggestion he offered over drinks at Blueberry Hill on Delmar was the catalyst for my recent works on corrugated cardboard, which have been very fun and successful. As in many cities, the St. Louis art scene can be very cliquey- not all are accepted and included… but Tony was absolutely, immediately genuine...

If you missed opening night, just call Bryan or myself for a viewing appointment:

shawart.com: (314)814-0040
Concrete Ocean: (314)497-0199
2257 S. Jefferson
St. Louis, MO

Receiver

2010-03-18T00:26:00.007-05:00

"Receiver" (sketch)
marker, ballpoint pen, correction fluid on paper
8 1/2 x 11"

COLIN MICHAEL SHAW AT CONCRETE OCEAN, 2257 S. JEFFERSON, ST. LOUIS, MO 3/19/10
This show is really a retrospective of a few of the different mixed media working methods I have employed in the last seven years of painting in St. Louis. I came to St. Louis to paint in 1997 and began working immediately in my little upstairs studio on Watson Road, just off Hampton Avenue. Unable to catch the attention of any galleries in town, I would often sell work by word of mouth or by carrying a stash of prints in my car to sell wherever I happened to be. Within the first couple of years opportunities for commission had arrived, and I had won a corner to sell paintings and prints in a little store called Archetypes on the bustling Delmar Loop in University City. A few years later I would find success in a string of shows across the state in Springfield, MO- It would be some time, however, before I was given my own show in a St. Louis art gallery.
Some of these paintings have been shown across the state in Springfield, MO, some have shown in St. Louis fairly recently, and several have never been shown at all. I felt this was an interesting grouping of some of the different styles I have worked in- a chance to see where I came from, a chance to wonder where I’ll go and how I’ll mature.

"Receiver" 2003
acrylic and torn paper collage on plywood
8 x 12"

Kiss My Astronaut

2010-03-11T23:30:00.004-06:00

“The Guest” 8 x 10”
acrylic, magazine collage, varnish on masonite

“The Guest” is one of several of my magazine collages created about four years ago that will be featured in my upcoming show with Jeff Sass at Concrete Ocean Art Gallery on Friday, March 19th. This one, along with a couple dozen others have been hiding in a box, never having been publicly shown for the last four years, so I was excited to frame them for my upcoming mixed media retrospective at Concrete, which will show several of my working methods in the last several years of painting in St. Louis.

“The Guest” is one of a several humorous pieces in the show; I enjoy watching people smile and laugh when they are looking at these, and always try to enjoy some humor wherever I can find it. There’s one in every crowd- the life of the party, the one wearing a lampshade. Sometimes it’s me; sometimes it’s you. Laughter is good medicine, speaking of which, be sure to catch my acoustic band, The Good Medicine Revival Show at Concrete Ocean on opening night, March 19th- Fun!

Preparations

2010-03-04T19:12:00.005-06:00

"Shroud No.1" and "Shroud No.2" 2009
acrylic, cut cardboard, 16 x 20"

I'm very quickly assembling the lineup for my March 19th show at Concrete Ocean Art Gallery, detailed in the previous blog post. As I said before, it will be varied assortment of my mixed media work from the last six years or so, including the two pieces pictured above, which I made this past October- you can read about them in my October blog post. These "shroud paintings" are really different than some of the figurative works that will accompany them in the show, but will tie into the lineup through the common materials used in a couple of the other pieces that will be shown, including my portrait of Tony Renner, also crafted in cut cardboard.

From my press release on the forthcoming showing:
Moving to St. Louis in 1997, Shaw began showing his work wherever he could while honing his emotionally charged, mercurial approach to art- a labyrinth variety of internal symbolism and approaches to working evolved over the next thirteen years. Mixed media works from the artist’s last six years will reveal fantastical whimsy, social commentary, as well as examination concerning the mythos of the artist as subject.

Show at Concrete Ocean, March 19th

2010-02-26T19:12:00.003-06:00

The News is Good- showing in the city on March 19th at Concrete Ocean Art Gallery! Bryan Pease asked me to participate in a group show there last July, and it was a success, so I have high hopes for the March 19th show. The talented Jeff Sass will be sharing the bill with me, AND there will be a guest appearance by my acoustic group, The Good Medicine Revival Show- should really be fun! Mr. Pease throws the best shows at Concrete Ocean; I am honored to work with such a great gallery. I will be showing a retrospective of mixed media works from the last six years of painting in Saint Louis, some of which have never been shown in public, all of which will be for sale at great prices- time to clean house!

Pictured in my flyer:
“Slippery Day On the Parkway”, 2006
collage and acrylic on masonite, 8 x 10”

House

2010-02-16T10:04:00.004-06:00

"House" 2010
acrylic on canvas. 24 x 30"

Batman

2010-02-01T21:51:00.005-06:00

"Batman"
acrylic on canvas, 11 x 14"

When I was young I wanted to be a comic book artist- as a high school student, I even submitted work to the major titles. The letters I received in return gave the standard advice, “Your work looks good, Mr. Shaw! We strongly suggest you attend college for art, and take as many drawing and illustration classes as possible.” Greatly encouraged by this I did just that, if in fits and starts. Though after a semester of undergraduate art courses, I soon forgot about my unrealized childhood ambition, having my eyes opened to the wide and varied world of Art History. The mythic chronicles detailing the lives of Picasso and other modern art giants in my textbooks captured my expanding imagination and intellect now- caped crusaders were left in the awkward clutter of adolescent artistic growth.

When offered a commission to paint Batman recently, my patron flirted with apology in her request, “I realize you do your own thing with art, but I keep seeing the Colin version of this in my head, and I like what I see… know it’s cheesy, and if you don’t want to, it’s cool.” She wasn’t too far off the mark due to the fact that I never really abandoned the punchy colors, graphic styling, and narrative/storyline approach to my artwork- it’s themes matured, but the urgency and drama was never diminished. Mired in the Winter of Our Discontent, I accepted the job and banged out a small painting of The Dark Knight Detective on an odd day off- something fun to chase off the doldrums. It seems mildly ridiculous, and I won’t be winning any major awards for it, but it was *laughs* too weird for me to pass up.

I painted my old subject in acrylic on a piece of canvas (as I would any “real painting”) after some internet research on Batman’s costume variations, and had a great time re-imagining his outfit. Wanting to pay homage to the character’s “Golden Age” as well as modern reinterpretations, I used some elements of the more recent body armor outfit construction mixed with the shorter ears and gloves/longer shorts prevalent in the winged vigilante’s earlier incarnations. Here in my little portrait our hero carefully takes aim with a “Bat-a-rang”, bleeding from the leg/hip in fiery chaos, his trained inner calm ignores mortal instinct. I always enjoyed the grim nature of Batman, the romance of his character’s solitude, and the very human/vulnerable quality- he could be injured or killed, making him somewhat believable. Somewhere beneath his cowl, under his furrowed brow and angry heart is a hurt and abandoned little boy who wanted justice in the world, even if he had to dress up like a monster and violently wrench it out of the world with his own hands. His incredible popularity over the span of many decades speaks voluminously of both the heart of mankind and the mystery of popular culture- people have great capacity to be selfless and brave in the face of danger, simultaneously our society is also obsessed with violence and sometimes let our inner demons get the best of us, arguably more now than ever.

Batman on the worktable *laughs* breaks for a bass solo! Thanks DJ for the photoshop job, very funny!

Framed drawing of mine from school days that a friend shared with me when I told her about the Batman painting- forgot about this one!

To Give Is To Receive

2009-12-28T22:37:00.009-06:00

Another Christmas has come and gone- the older I get, the faster the holiday season seems to come and go. I personally created some of my gifts for loved ones again this year- the time and concentration spent on these little projects are a personal meditation on the recipient for me, our relationship, love, and shared memories play over and over in my mind during the long, late hours during the weeks I work on my gifts. A lot of folks whip out their credit card at North Face, Macy’s, or Ikea to give at this time of year, but I wanted to give a little something that doesn’t come with a gift receipt- a small part of myself. I am very grateful for my loving family- while I’m a nobody in the World of Art, they think I am (laughs) Pablo Picasso! Having them all together for a picture with their new paintings was the best gift a man could ever receive. I love you always- Charly, Mum, Myles, & El.

"Untitled" (four: pink, bronze, silver, and cobalt)2009
acrylic, mixed media on canvas
11 x 14"

Artist's Statement. Dec. 2009

2009-12-06T14:18:00.004-06:00

"Secret Marriage" 2009
acrylic, chacoal, glue, magazine scraps on canvas
16 x 20"

Artist's Statement
For well over a decade my painting has been the real work of my life. My paintings are about color and design, materials and methods, exploration and experimentation. Many of these paintings are about the deep and unseen parts of the individual; they are about the hearts of men. A very personal language of sorts has begun to evolve inside this work- pictograph forms that return throughout, themes recur as well. If the simple vocabulary of my work can deepen the viewer's sensitivity to the subjects of my paintings, perhaps it will ultimately bridge the emotional gap of our detached society. Much can be learned from small beginnings, in which our most basic, initial understanding of one another can form our greatest appreciation for each other. I am most convinced of this when on occasion someone narrates the story of one of my paintings to me upon viewing- they are really telling me their own story. Soon we are exchanging ideas, learning about each other, and so it begins… what was my painting has now become a small part of us together.

CM Shaw, December 2009

Rubbermaid Pliers

2009-12-05T00:51:00.010-06:00

"Rubbermaid Pliers", 18 x 24", oil pastel/acrylic/ink pen on paper

Here's the "hand tool" drawing I had to complete for my portfolio review at an esteemed university I had been looking into. Sadly, this school isn’t going to be a good fit for my academic or career goals for a variety of reasons I won’t go into. More discouraging is the resigned fact that I may never get the opportunity to study under a much admired painter teaching there that could very probably helped propel my painting to a whole new level. Such is life. While I am disappointed, I did receive some kind and sincere counsel from my advisors, brushed up the resume/professional references, & made what I felt was a nicely organized portfolio. I also had a great time drawing this hand tool…

The nice gentleman that was utterly confused when viewing my ANCIENT college transcripts at the portfolio review perked up when he saw my drawing- this made me feel a little proud. I enjoyed the project and was pleased with the result. “Was Jim Dine a big influence on you?” he asked. While genuinely admiring Mr. Dine’s work, I had ironically/comically neglected to think of him while drawing the pliers. In reality, I had not thought of Jim Dine in awhile. His robes, and his Jerusalem plant captured my younger undergraduate imagination better than his hand tool work so many years ago for whatever reason...
More conceptual ideas came to mind regarding the required hand tool drawing for my portfolio review, but while learning to draw these pliers I began to really appreciate what spurred my consumerist impulse in the first place. I've always liked these little Rubbermaid pliers- the blue rubber handles w/the red "Rubbermaid" stamp at the end turned me on; while small and deceptively common, I found the visual impact of them charming. What can I say- NICE DESIGN! I'm weird like that- I have a Converse shoebox I can't throw away 'cause it's too well designed (the grommets punched in the box that echo the hallmark feature of the package’s goods are great)! I knew I was done with the pliers drawing when I started throwing red paint at it this past Wednesday night, which gave it a somewhat gruesome new dimension... aren't ya glad I'm not your dentist? My seven year old niece Charly might giggle at that- poor baby was still trying to shake off a stubborn baby tooth at Thanksgiving! So Cute! Love!

The hand tool in question...

My 2nd preparatory sketch for the finished hand tool drawing...

Superiorly designed Converse packaging I cannot bring myself to part with- Excellence, I Say! Wore the shoes twice...

Charly-Boots...

Fox and Hare

2009-11-25T12:11:00.006-06:00

"Fox and Hare" 2009
acrylic, chacoal, glue, magazine scraps on canvas
30 x 40"

(detail)

Summer Grass

2009-11-24T12:37:00.004-06:00

"Summer Grass" 2009
acrylic, glue, magazine scraps on canvas
16 x 20"

Secret Marriage

2009-11-23T22:05:00.003-06:00

"Secret Marriage" 2009
acrylic, chacoal, glue, magazine scraps on canvas
16 x 20"

Sunyatta

2009-11-18T22:54:00.004-06:00

"Untitled (Sunyatta)" November, 2009
acrylic, crayon on 8-ply matboard, 8 x 10"

I saw The Helium Tapes at Off Broadway last Saturday night- they were great! The band was tight, and lead singer Sunyatta Marshall very powerfully. Sunyatta booked my rock band at Lemmon’s Basement Bar back in 2003, and when I saw her at the 2009 Poetry Scores Invitational last Friday, she reminded me about the show- I had never seen them, and was really glad I went. So many people showed up that I had to park a block away- Raging Throng, I say! The new Helium Tapes album "Ghost Wave" is really good- pick one up at their show at Blueberry Hill this Saturday, Nov. 21st!
I had painted Sunyatta back in August, but I decided to bang another out after seeing the band.

Our Stories

2009-11-18T19:52:00.006-06:00

I was very excited to have Alexis Santi, Editor of Our Stories Literary Journal, ask if I would be interested in having my artwork on the covers of their “Best of Our Stories” editions a few weeks ago. I was interested, and not only for the fame and prestige of the assignment- I liked what Mr. Santi’s journal stood for. Our Stories gives personalized feedback for every submission they receive, including general impressions, strengths and weaknesses of your writing, and suggestions on how to fix your story. Are you a budding or closet writer wondering if you have what it takes? Well this could be just what you are looking for- they also offer emerging writer contests and one-on-one mentorships- much more constructive than sending your submissions off to oblivion without ever knowing why it wasn’t acknowledged.

Mr. Santi purchased a couple paintings from me at my Etsy store recently, “Leave” and “Stay”, the latter of which he used an image of for one of the covers. One of two untitled images of mine from 2007 was used for the second volume of Best of Our Stories; the pair evoke prehistoric cave painting, hunters lay in death or perhaps afterlife, next to their spears. Our prehistory, ancient memory, the struggle of humanity … Our Stories… perhaps this is the thread that spoke to Mr. Santi.
Thank you Mr. Santi for my very first book cover!

"Prisoner" sketch, 1995

2009-11-11T01:01:00.003-06:00

I was fascinated by my little “Prisoner” sketch tucked in a sketchbook from 1995- it’s exceedingly substandard in it’s execution, but the idea was great! The bisection of the incarcerated figure in place of a prison bar pattern across the foreground carried a lot of psychological heft- everyone has felt divided from time to time. Many years later I did an alternative version featuring a much more developed reworking of the idea- while bizarre, the drawing is technically superior to my initially hasty scrawl in marker over a decade prior, but I completely forgot the admirable simplicity of the original design, loading the re-imagined concept with very outwardly heavy emotion. The new drawing was honest, though the tears and blood were guilty of a blaring awkwardness that I’m certain polarized the work- “can’t you just paint some Pretty Pictures, Colin?” I’m a big fan of pretty art, and work hard at making some for the sheer joy of play, still the human condition catches my imagination from time to time, and I know that turns some folks off. While viewers are often escaping from the fray of their inner nature, I am instead closely inspecting it to free myself, sometimes painfully overexposing myself. I am often embarrassed when I look back on my catalogue, “Wow, did I really do that… for all to see?” -like the naked baby photo, I cringe slightly. I’m not sorry though -I make art for myself.

Early on in my development as an artist, confrontation of my identity was both eagerly tackled and fearlessly pursued like a challenge to fisticuffs- purposely provocative, a dare both to the viewer and myself. I would like to paint the prettiest daffodils that ever graced your living room and very well might, but occasionally fail to resist picking a fight instead. Too much skill/no concept in art makes me yawn; too much concept/not enough skill leaves me suspicious. I read once that Picasso argued art should be both inclusive to the enlightened and dangerous: “Art is never chaste. It ought to be forbidden to ignorant innocents, never allowed into contact with those not sufficiently prepared. Yes, art is dangerous. Where it is chaste, it is not art.” I like that, though Picasso was ultimately able to reach both the individual and most populist spark among mankind. And I want to break down the exclusivity of Art World in my work, hopefully while confounding and surprising us, too.

Shorty and Doc

2009-11-01T12:25:00.005-06:00

"Shorty and Doc"
photocopy and acrylic on cut cardboard, 8 x 10"

Cranked out another little cut cardboard piece this week- a pal of mine was wanting me to paint her girls ever since she bought a painting at my Etsy store, my first Etsy sale in fact. The pics of Shorty and Doc that J. has on our common social networking site are hilarious and cute, and the image I swiped off her page for this little number was so darling that I had to make it the one. Girl Power! I whipped it out over a beer one night, and while it’s not the first time I used a photocopy in one of my mixed media collages, it IS the first time I used a photocopy in combination with my cut cardboard technique, so that was fun.

Shroud

2009-10-31T00:11:00.011-05:00

“Shroud No.2”, Oct. 2009
acrylic and cut corrugated cardboard, 16 x 20”

Shroud”, Oct. 2009
acrylic and cut corrugated cardboard, 16 x 20”

My boss looked at me quizzically as I inspected the shredded cardboard packing material from a box of new inventory, “What… what is it?” she asked. “I think I want to paint on this.” I replied. It stretched out when I pulled at either side of the section I’d plucked from the box, and I was playing with it! I’m certain she thought I was nuts as I tugged at the material, examining it’s qualities, imagining it’s possibilities.

The shredded cardboard lay in a pile on my work table for some time, as I continued to scrutinize it- then in a hurry one night I started cutting and arranging it atop a piece of cardboard being carved simultaneously, the patterns carved so that the shredded cardboard to be hot glued above revealing some of what was below. That layered, partially covered nature in my assemblage gave me the title “Shroud”, the word by definition: a cloth or sheet in which a corpse is wrapped for burial. I have seen some death this year, certainly- the older I get, the more I see it seems. Just today my pal Rudy called from New Mexico with news that his brother Bob had passed, my grandmother passed last winter, and my pal Kevin died three years ago, yesterday, as well. People die and we miss them because humans are fragile, divine, and special.

While the finished pieces are black and somewhat menacing, I hadn’t thought of this much while I played with my newfound material, I played like a child who just discovered something unusual and fun! I know they will be largely unappreciated and likely unsaleable, but for me they are a real breakthrough: completely non-objective art focused on materials and texture, a purity I have struggled to achieve since I saw the Action/Abstraction Show at the St. Louis Art Museum a year ago has been achieved in my mind. I have an acquaintance or two-dozen that feel like abstract art is baloney, but it’s much more complicated to create, explain, argue, appreciate, and evaluate than most people have the intellect or imagination to entertain. There is a lot that of abstract work that is poorly done, and there is a great deal that is sublime and transcendent: sorting Fine Art from the Emperor’s New Clothes is a confounding, and sometimes convoluted business. Some have the Magic Touch, and others just don’t, although as my brother says, “There is no accounting for taste".

The shredded inspiration in question...

Snikety Snik, Sucka! I’ll CUT YA!

A handmade bamboo tool I fashioned back in ceramics class at the University works GREAT for detailing my cut cardboard paintings... those tools are the most valuable, crafted for a particular task. This "little friend" came in handy later on in my art making!

Laying out “Shroud No.2” prior to hot gluing...

Painting “Shroud”, stapled down to my workboard:

Poetry Scores Invitational 2009- "600 Glittering and Genteel Towns"

2009-10-19T19:48:00.006-05:00

"600 Glittering and Genteel Towns" 2009
8 x 16" each, mixed media on canvas

I will be participating in the 2009 Poetry Scores Art Invitational on Friday, Nov. 13 at The Luminary Arts Center, 4900 Reber Place at South Kingshighway- right across from Tower Grove Park. Poetry Scores is a local arts organization that translates poetry into other media, their main medium is the poetry score- a long poem set to music as one scores a film. At the CD release party for the finished score, an art auction will take place, contributing artists having made work that both responds to the poem and is titled after a verbatim quote from the poem. This year’s Invitational is devoted to the poem “The Sydney Highrise Variations” by the Australian poet Les Murray.

I was honored to be asked to be invited by Chris King, editorial director of the award-winning St. Louis American, Confluence City blogger, and hard-working Poetry Scores board member. While I am no poet, I regularly lift bits of song lyrics/titles as inspiration for my work, so I am notably qualified. After studying Les Murray’s poem closely for a couple months in preparation for my finished artwork, I settled on my vision for the line "600 Glittering and Genteel Towns", Murray's lament for Sydney's ambition to rival urban America's own seemingly neverending upward vigor in pursuit of modernity- an aspiration that ignored the regional individuality already present in the townships and burbs inland.

I was inspired by several birdseye views plucked from the internet of the sprawl North and East of the city, including the Parramatta River valley leading to Harbour Bridge. Views of these valleys and riverways were the groundwork for my initial drawings on the canvases, leading to the shaped, finished mixed media pieces. Yes, that IS glitter shimmering over my paintings- "600 Glittering and Genteel Towns", get it? Sorry I couldn't resist; I might end up the Andy Warhol of this little invitational, but at least I didn't piss on them or use diamond dust, so...
The bidding will start at $50.00 per canvas, and if you find another painting you like by another participant in this incredible roster of St. Louis artists you like better, by all means grab it- you might not get another chance to get work by these folks for such a low price point.

Distractions

2009-09-28T20:04:00.018-05:00

It is my usual discipline to leave this journal focused on my adventures in art-making, but a busy year of uninterrupted work left me feeling really burnt out. I had been painting day and night, sessions on several canvases tucked between my job for over the last month in pursuit to keep the flame alight, when I finally needed to step away for a spell. I needed to do anything else. I was reminded of a challenge I had turned down for far too long- fixing up that clunker of a snare drum I’d avoided for many years, neglected in a forgotten corner of my apartment.

My pal Dan sold me this drum along with a matching Slingerland 14” floor tom, a small 60’s Ludwig drumkit with mismatched toms & bass drum, an assortment of old hardware, and some beautiful Zildjian cymbals. I had cleaned up/replaced the heads on the floor tom & Ludwig kit in the past year or so, which I use for my acoustic band, The Good Medicine Revival Show, but had long been intimidated by the disrepair of this snare that gathered dust & paperwork near the computer at home. The snare strainer system was so cranky that I sincerely believed it to be broken, but upon closer inspection a couple weeks ago coupled with some internet research on the subject it merely needed some tender loving care. When finally realizing what I had on my hands, the thought came: “the time has come to polish off this diamond in the ruff”.

A few clues as to where this drum surfaced in my study on the subject, including the seemingly dysfunctional strainer/throw-off mechanics. The strainer is a 3-point Radio King, various designs of which having been manufactured all the way back to 1928. The strainer assembly dismantled revealed further evidence this is circa ’60-‘61 Slingerland: according to Dr. C.J. Wenk, the upper arm of the throw-off is no longer screwed on/removable, but permanently riveted. When I purchased the drum 7 or 8 yrs ago, shoestrings had been used to attach an old set of Pearl snare wires to the strainer, so I knew that wasn’t stock, but I had no idea then about the unique snare wires system designed for the hardware. Most of the snare drums I had dealt with had utilized cord to hold the snare wire set to the strainer save some of the marching snares I used in school and my Ludwig Coliseum snare, which used a Classic P87 (pain-in-the-ass). Unique to this design is the use of metal tabs riveted to the snare wires, which clamp right into butt end and to the throw off side. I had Drum Headquarters in Maplewood attached the new Puresound snare wires, after my cleaning and reassembly of the drum and it’s strainer hardware. I couldn’t see how this could system work effectively when I first discovered it, but it does work quite well.

My other clues concerning the times of this drum were:
*a solid maple shell with solid maple reinforcing rings, prevalent from 1955-1964.

*Used from April ’61 until Sept. ’62, a black Niles, Illinois black badge with raised gold script without a serial number was another clue to the vintage of this drum, serial numbers not having been employed on Slingerland drums until October 1962.

*a darker shade of Black Diamond Pearl finish/wrap with “more of a black on black character”, according to the fruits of Dr. C. J. Wenk’s research featured on vintagedrumguide.com, where I found a great deal of info on Slingerland history.

With the appropriate snare wires, Danny’s Slingerland has unusually sensitive snare tensioning- simply incredible... it’s whisper is heavy with breath using brushes, and a throaty thump with snappy high-end dynamic commands attention when using a stick. As a musician of many years, I believe instruments have a soul of sorts- they want to be played and cared for. Music is the most abstract form of art, the most developed voices of which having been employed by us humans- our tools used in wielding this art are the machines of the Gods, crafted by mankind. A week of work on the drum had uncovered an unrealized and divine little possession- I played the refurbished drum at an impromptu jam session this past Friday and I couldn’t be happier!

Tearing it down:

...the cranky strainer in question, disassembled:

...and the buttend plate assembly:

...the internal muffler was in great working order:

...okay, all cleaned up and reassembled:

...back from Drum Headquarters with the appropriate snare wires attached:

Mission Accomplished!

Thank you, Mike for the WD-40 and the silicone grease! Thank you Drum Headquarters for installing the snare wires for me!

More progress...

2009-09-21T12:20:00.004-05:00

More progress on "Fox and Hare"... a lot of brushwork over the last two rainy days on this one and "Secret Marriage":

Playing Wth Crayons...

2009-09-18T12:36:00.005-05:00

This is another drawing from my private sketchbooks, circa 1995, a simple hilly landscape in crayon, rendered almost entirely abstract due to its exaggerated simplicity. I was drawing with Crayolas daily during this period due to my preschool teaching post while attending the university for Art Education. I never did finish my teaching degree, running off to the city to be a Famous Artist instead, but that’s another story. I’d argue I learned more about drawing from my daily drawing time with my preschoolers than I did in the many hours spent in figure drawing class in the years prior. Watching my little students draw/drawing with them really unlocked my playful nature- children are the ultimate experimentalists, unconcerned with the formalities of undergraduate art disciplines. Children draw as an activity; the artifact left behind is merely that. Many afternoons spent in the parks around town on our weekly outings likely influenced my landscape here, perhaps an example of blending crayons to create spatial effects with color … or maybe I was only playing with my crayons like the other kids.

Another crayon drawing from the same sketchbook, very surreal... pretty far out, I must say...

Works in Progress

2009-09-15T17:15:00.018-05:00

Above: beginnings of a 30 x 40" canvas

The reason you haven’t seen much new work here on my blog lately is due to the fact that I’ve been working on five new paintings simultaneously, with more to come as soon as I get these under control. Additionally, between my day job, band rehearsals/performances, and social obligations, squeezing in time to craft these multi-layered mixed media pieces can be tricky. This very process-oriented method takes time- building up collage materials, gesso, glue, washes of paint, and more acrylic to create the finished product. While there is some general planning involved in working this way, I like to allow them time to develop- making a few at a time allows time for layers to dry, for future direction to formulate on one while I work on the others. I’m not really in a hurry...

So here’s a little tour of my progress:
Here, 2 smaller canvases on the easel next to a larger one on the table- after collaged canvas & gesso applied. Beyond the easel, "July" and "August" hang on the wall in a more finished state...

Below: "Fox and Hare" taking shape on the table next to the smaller, less finished "Secret Marriage"

Below: "Secret Marriage" dries on the easel after more collage work.

..."Fox and Hare" dries on the easel after more collage work...

Below: detail of "Fox and Hare".

Below: "Summer Grass" gets a base coat of green after collage work/glue drawing.

..."Summer Grass" much further along after more collage and painting

Below: "Summer Grass" in different lighting to better illustrate it's layered surface texture.

Let Me Drown

2009-09-09T17:57:00.005-05:00

“Let Me Drown” is another dark little sketch I found in the same book I drew “Hole in My Life” back in 1995 (see previous blog entry). In fact I found several little marker drawings like this, all very moody! *laughs* … “deep thinker, that young man”. Like “Hole in My Life”, it contains some seemingly veiled imagery that I cannot recall the reason for drawing. I suspect they mean nothing actually, as I am prone to working from sets of words I like together or bits of poetry or song that catch my ear- then simply making up imagery to go with the title I’ve chosen. In this case, the result was a very surreal enigma my memory cannot unlock.

Above:
"Let Me Drown", 1995
marker on paper, from the artist's private sketchbook

Just a sketch...

2009-09-08T18:16:00.004-05:00

Sketchbooks are fascinating things- a glimpse into roughed-out ideas, some which bore fruit in the form of finished art, some that amounted to nothing more than scrawl, momentary muse. I began keeping a sketchbook back in 1991 when I attended art school at East Central College, and keep one going to this day. There are months when I hardly touch it, and other periods it overflows with a sudden unexplained streak of inspiration. I have several from over the years, some of which contain very personal diaristic notation detailing a young artist awkwardly “testing his powers”. Now and again over the years when someone would peruse one of these books, they would comment on how interesting they are- some freely telling me they liked them more than my finished art. There has been a small resurgence of interest in my old sketches, so I will share one or two here with you on occasion in no particular order, some with a note on the drawing’s significance, some without. I hope you will enjoy and that it might provide some sort of insight into the creative process.

Above:
"Hole in My Life", 1995
marker on paper, from the artist's private sketchbook

2009 Poetry Scores Art Invitational

2009-08-24T17:19:00.005-05:00

I will be participating in the 2009 Poetry Scores Art Invitational on Friday, Nov. 13 at The Luminary Arts Center, 4900 Reber Place at South Kingshighway- right across from Tower Grove Park. Poetry Scores is a local arts organization that translates poetry into other media, their main medium is the poetry score- a long poem set to music as one scores a film. At the CD release party for the finished score, an art auction will take place, contributing artists having made work that both responds to the poem and is titled after a verbatim quote from the poem. This year’s Invitational is devoted to the poem “The Sydney Highrise Variations” by the Australian poet Les Murray.

I was honored to be asked to be invited by Chris King, editorial director of the award-winning St. Louis American, Confluence City blogger, and hard-working Poetry Scores board member. While I am no poet, I regularly lift bits of song lyrics/titles as inspiration for my work, so I am notably qualified. I will be studying Les Murray’s poem closely for the next couple weeks in preparation for my finished artwork- stay tuned!

(Pictured above: untitled crayon/watercolor from one of my private sketchbook)

SuperBeeroes

2009-08-17T17:33:00.007-05:00

New to my Etsy store, “SuperBeeroes”, acrylic on masonite, 8 x 10”

The characters in this painting are actually REAL people- I befriended Ryan & Cara back around 2003-2004 when showing at Randy Bacon Gallery in Springfield, MO. When I met Ryan, then a young photographer, he had a pin on the lapel of his blue jean jacket that said “Suds Sucker”, and that about said it all. Instant friends. And Cara was a doll, lighthearted & fun, as well as a talented little seamstress. One night they took me to The Outland after a show and we drank about 5 pitchers of beer while dancing to whatever band was playing- suds sucker, indeed! Those were good times- I enjoyed going out of town for the shows at Randy Bacon’s- his gallery was lighting up the local scene down around the square in downtown Springfield, and it was fun to be there in the nucleus where all the excitement was, where something special was happening right before my eyes. When Ryan, Cara, and I were asked to do a show at Randy Bacon later, I immortalized my fun new friends in a painting specifically for that show. It’s been some years since I’ve been down to Springfield, I wonder how they are, what they are doing...

the REAL Cara and Ryan

Sunyatta

2009-08-07T00:59:00.005-05:00

"Untitled (Sunyatta)" August, 2009
acrylic on 8-ply matboard, 8 x 10"

St. Louis' own Sunyatta Marshall lead singer of The Helium Tapes