Wow! The Artist Project art fair I've been preparing for in Toronto is now less than a month away! I hope you are planning to come. (If you still don't have tickets yet, click the header image above for a discount on regular admission tickets.)
I want to share another painting I did for the upcoming event with you:
Huckleberries, acrylic on masonite,
8"x10" (image) 13.5"x15.5" (including frame)
There is a George Carlin routine where he talks about how there is no blue food that isn't naturally occurring. (And YES, he mentions blueberries aren't actually blue. Well, yes & no: they appear blue before consumption, but once you put them in a recipe they turn a distinct purple or a lavender color.) Huckleberry Hound is blue (cyan if you want to be specific), and not actually the same color as huckleberries. I think of blue food as some sort of mythical treat said to exist, but no-one has ever seen or tasted...
You probably wouldn't have believed me, but the customized ornate frame came after I already completed the painting!
The frame directly above was the first frame I put it in. I customized it and it did suit the job, but later on I came across the other frame with the berry motif. It was PERFECT - as if it was made for that painting!
I removed it from the previous frame - after it had already been mounted and everything. I thought it would be cool to show you the difference. Can't wait to show you the painting in person!
See you next month! Stay creative,
-Jono
Here is the final painting of 'Responsibility'. (I finished it up before the end of the year, but had to wait after the holiday to get it scanned.)
'Responsibility', acrylic on wood panel, 12"x16" (framed)
The subject matter of this painting was inspired by a quote from neurologist and psychiatrist, Dr. Viktor Frankl:
"Freedom, however, is not the last word. Freedom is only part of the story and half of the truth. Freedom is but the negative aspect of the whole phenomenon whose positive aspect is responsibleness. In fact, freedom is in danger of degenerating into mere arbitrariness unless it is lived in terms of responsibleness. That is why I recommend that the Statue of Liberty on the East Coast be supplemented by a Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast."
Viktor Frankl was also the founder of logotherapy - a theory holding the belief that human nature is motivated by the search for a life purpose. -
The Peter Pan statue in the painting (which mirrors the poise of the Statue of Liberty) holds a story book (instead of a tablet) that reads 'PUER AETERNUS' - Latin for 'Eternal Boy'. This is also a term in psychology to describe an individual (mostly attributed to adult males, but not necessarily gender specific) who has remained socially immature. -
The more we age, the more responsibilities we inherit. When I think about the fictional character, Peter Pan, I see him as synonymous with irresponsibly in his efforts to protest adulthood due to his residence in a fantasy land where he never ages. This disdain would also counter Frankl's logotherapy theory as one can not learn what our purpose is if we do not give ourselves an opportunity to discover what we can become. The spiraling galleon on the right has sailed from Neverland only to go out of control with the crew's inability to navigate in a world with accountability.
The painting will be for sale next month at Toronto's 2017 The Artist Project art fair.
Happy 2017! I hope you and your friends had a wonderful holiday.
I've had a very productive year (2016) and have made what I feel are some of my best paintings to date. (All the images above are new paintings that were made this year. Since it's 2016, I thought I'd do a recap of the best 16 images.) While I do receive a lot of enjoyment in creating art, I retain equal enjoyment in seeing the response my work has on others. Making images is a way I've chosen to communicate with individuals and I'm honored that you're one of them.
I look forward to sharing more new art with you this year and hope you will join me in February for the 2017 The Artist Project in Toronto.
-Jono
