I’ve been trying to start the new year off right in the studio with a set of goals not resolutions. Resolutions seem destined to fail. I think I heard something on NPR that said only about 6 percent of resolutions are actually met. My friend Troy mentioned at a New Year’s Eve party last week that the only resolution he’s ever kept was one a few years ago to never make them again. With that elaborate build up I will say I’m making efforts in the studio to have 4 shows this year and will attempt to get professional representation at a gallery. Additionally I’d like to finish the Pilot set of paintings and to attend my residency at the Vermont Studio Center in May. These are agenda items for me this year more than even goals and I’m relaxed about whether I’ll meet these goals which takes some pressure off me.
I’ve started a small series of I think maybe 6 paintings I’m calling “Maybe Baby”. It’s a continuation of my goal to do smaller works and smaller series that are more standard in size. I worry that I’m starting to bend to I guess market pressures to make more manageable work. It’s something I should be doing anyway but I managed somehow until now to largely make works that were sized in whatever way I felt appropriate. Now issues like storage costs salability are all major considerations. I guess we call that artistic maturation. Here’s a pick of me working on “Maybe Baybe 1” and the finished piece:
Some of the backlog in my studio will be exhibited this month in a major show – at least for me – at the Bethlehem House Contemporary Gallery. I will be in their Winter Show which will be up for three months. I’m very excited for this exhibition because it will be the first major show I’ve been in for a while. It will feature 9 of my pieces. Here’s a couple of the works I’ll be showing:
I’ve been listening to a lot of hip-hop lately especially anything that’s melodic. I really like this hip hop group I discovered on my JDilla station on Pandora called Little Brother. Here’s two versions one instrumental and one with the rap added of their track “Loving It”
Okay that’s it for now. Until next time….
Anthony Smith Jr. 