Ballpoint ink experiments

Some ballpoint ink experiments. I have been modifying various techniques with ballpoint ink for the last 16 years; these have been some of the more successful ones done a few weeks back.

Finally finished my book!!!

Finally finished my book!!! It shows my ink drawings for the last 2 years and is avaliable online at Lulu. My friend Fred Dalkey kindly provided the wonderfully poetic introduction. Enjoy...
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/joe-rucker-ink-paintings/7556277

Recent work

Same pose - two mediums

Latest work

Tombow, Chinese ink and ballpoint.

Landscape project progress

Finally got some time to paint some landscapes for my house. I will have to give them some time before I decide if they need more work or not. Here they are in the studio on the wall. First two are 3'x4' and the third is 3'x3'. I didn't measure the fourth but it is around 18"x20". All are acrylic and the first two are on panel and the last two are canvas. Considering that I rarely create landscapes I think I did ok with these.

Current ink work

Here is some more Tombow and one contour-based piece done in ballpoint. I think the crisp lines are a good exercise for me and since I said I might post it, I have.

Current landscape project

Since I moved in my house I have very little on the walls. New house plus old paintings plus white paint equals new canvas. I painted out (with white) all but a couple paintings from the last 12 years. New times means new work, so my new project is to create some landscapes for the house. Here are some studio (garage) and sketchbook shots. This has been a slow going project and I think the final works will take a few more months. We'll see.

Ongoing thoughts about my process

The work should be created as a cloud forms, going naturally from nothing to form and out to nothing again. In and out, as one breaths. It should emerge and dissolve itself in its display so as to satisfy a full experience in the way food satisfies the hungry. This experience should consume the work in order to understand the message that can only be expressed and experienced by creating and viewing the work. No comment should be required and the work should touch the spirit of living in a way that words cannot. Only then has it grown of the world naturally, comfortably. The balance of effort with and submission to the medium is this experience and its subsequent created record. If too much effort is applied or if the medium dominates the work it will crash without grace. This is like trying to fall off a cliff unintentionally and unknowingly despite walking right next to it and being deathly aware of the drop. If the fall is natural and surprising, the work is formed in a beautiful crash of intent and fate. If it is hurried then it is just suicide which has a very ugly and awkward fall full of regret and/or attachment. But that is the trick, walking along the edge of disaster without worrying about it. When the work is bold it nears the edge. When it is loose it moves across the precipice freely. Reflection throws one off immediately due to carelessness. Only by engaging the flow of creating the work will it carry you to the bottom with grace.

Recent shows

Saw some shows recently that are worth noting:

Really nice figure work by Ursula O’Farrell at the b. sakata garo located on 20th st. between I & J streets. Her deconstructed-figure paintings are vibrant and bold applied with a generous amount of oil. Certainly worth checking out and I think the space is well suited for the work too.

Gallery site: www.bsakatagaro.com
Painters site: www.ursulafineart.com

Fairly cerebral work by Steven Kaltenbach at the Verge. While I am not a fan of some of the stuff such as the time capsules, I can easily say that his work is top notch for conceptual tastes. I did however absolutely love the black circle piece which thoroughly surprised me once I figured it out.

Gallery site: http://www.vergegallery.com/
Artists site: http://www.stephenkaltenbach.com/

A must see for abstract landscape, work by Tom leaver at JayJay. The work is created by hand and diluted paint that pulls off the surface. Ambient and introspective with a gift for the direct he has a truly fascinating method and solid work that displays great essence without evidence of overworked application.

Gallery site: www.jayjayart.com

Buddhist sculpture and paintings at the Crocker. Great history and an excellent example of many varied forms of Buddhist artwork. There was a large crowd when I went preventing me from reading all the literature but I think the work speak volumes on their own. However, I couldn’t help wanting to clean off the old sculptures and if they were not surrounded by glass I just might dust one off with some canned air. Of course it would probably cause the stone Buddha to fall to pieces and the museum just couldn’t ever allow that. I think that was Buddha’s point though. Either way, it’s free on Sundays and has a family friendly setting.

Museum site: http://www.crockerartmuseum.org/

Current paintings & drawings

Here are some current works. The colorful work is Tombow on various water color papers both hot and cold press in different weights and black ink shown here is Chinese brush on cold press watercolor paper that is around 140 lb weight. Iv'e been looking at Xu Wei and Sesshu Toyo as well as a dozen other Chinese masters. Fred suggested I look at both Giacometti and Cézannes watercolors; I think that has helped my work grow. I've also returned to doing a some contour work and will post it too if I have more time.