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Development

Regular readers have probably noticed that I didn’t publish any blogs this week about other artists. That’s because, there has been a development; well, there has been development.

A big part of having a practice, for me, is developing- the process of growth, advancement, and transitioning from a simpler to a more complex state. Sometimes, that means admitting that something that was serving you may not be any more. Perhaps that is the time and energy it takes to generate a blog every single day, especially if the energy that draws you to the activity of writing is best served by directing your time elsewhere.

I’ve considered myself an emerging artist for the last several years. Yes we’re going to look right past the fact that I’m 51 and what the word “emerging” usually means in the Visual Arts, at least for now. I need my relationship to this community to change, so I am taking action. The biggest part of that is owning the value of my relationship to all of you, and letting go of activities that don’t grow my connections or influence.

BTW, to any artists from outside the Triangle about whom I’ve blogged, and who started following the same as a result, I do value the (hand full of) times that has happened. And, it has certainly not been for every one of the 2,000+ blogs I’ve done.

I’ve received so much support and encouragement from so many of you here locally, in person and “in the comments section,” for the content I’ve created over the last several years out of my experiences being out and about on the scene. Many of you have told me you enjoy seeing my Instagram posts about, both, the local scene here in the Triangle and some of the artists from around the world (and the canon) I have learned about by blogging. YOUR feedback is the reason I realized I need and want to do more professional writing.

And I do love being out and about, seeing what you’ve all made, reflecting on it and helping to build our community by announcing its existence. Being an artist, to me, is about participating in community, and, I still very much believe that, to have space, you have make space, period. So, I have a pre-announcement to make, which is that, soon, I will launch a new vessel for these activities. Same passion, same focus (eyes on us, here- and likely on abstraction, mostly, of course) with higher expectations and intentionality around the activity/vessel growing my credibility and practice, too.

This site- sterlingbowen dot com- is now in “development” status as well. I will be reorganizing it over the coming months, as I find time. My blog will remain here and continue to be an important part of my practice, even if not daily and, going forward, exclusively my own prose. This will also always be the place to find my portfolio of visual art objects and installations. And an archive of my prior, daily artist-centric blogging practice will live here in some form indefinitely. I am pinning this post to the top of my home page, to center this development in my thinking, and my visitors’.

THANK YOU to every single reader who has followed me so far, and I’d always love to hear from any of you.

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It’s also interesting to note the importance of the word “development” in my life on a couple of other levels. I am, literally, a developer in my 9-5 role with Duke Energy (LinkedIn profile). For those that aren’t sure what that means, I own a pipeline of electric generation projects in various stages of permitting, contracting and approvals that, lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise, will one day be utility-scale solar power plants. It’s enjoyable work, for me, which also takes – and creates- energy. And “yes” I try to be honest about what working for this particular company means.

Also, one of the definitions of development is “the process of starting to experience or suffer from an ailment or feeling.” These developments in my life do come from a place of experiencing, while maybe not suffering, definitely the need to heal. My reprioritization is, in addition to the reasons above, about making more time available in my life for non-work and non-Art activities, specifically with my life partner. Many of you have met this wonderful person and I suspect most of you came away with the impression that we have a great relationship. Odd as it may sound, given that, we have found ourselves in a space where we want more time with each other. I’m therefore very happy to report that you will all see a little less of me, and my spouse with me more often when I am out and about. I’m grateful to start- and hopefully, to share- our journey to reclaim romantic love.

Dan Rice

estate is represented by Philip Douglas Fine Art. A regular at Cedar Tavern inNYC and an instructor at Black Mountain College, Rice’s painting style had much in common with his fellow abstract expressionists—large scale, bold brushwork, and of course abstract. He balked at having that label applied to him. He declared: “Painting, or any other art form, is not about self-expression. This idea, which has spread somehow, is simply not true. And Abstract Expressionism itself is often thought of as some wild expression of the self, of emotion. This, again, is completely untrue. The last thing a painter thinks of is himself. Painting is truly a means of expressing the ineffable.” 

More (source of above)

#danrice

Hayley Quentin

like Cat is a Hopper Prize finalist. They create (not all abstract) introspective, resonant works informed by science-fiction, mysticism, wisdom traditions, and a human’s experience.

I picked up a strong Symbolist vibe from these, her voice reminds me of Emil and Agnes and Clarence.

More (and more artists on this blog whose work has strong symbolism)

#hayleyquentin

Catalina Arocena

has work up at Oneoneone atm. Including two images below because the artist is showing new work on rice paper, and work from the early 2000s on raw silk. In the latter case, it was hard for me not to think about the state of abstract painting in the that timeframe, and how the pro-intellect, antiromantic sentiment in Art and view of painting as completely dead and invalid likely made these poetic stain works that were quoting non-Western philosophy stand out and not in a positive way (the artist related during their talk, how they found the practice unsatisfying at the time, although I am reading into context with my observation).

Viewers who feel that they see a strong east Asian influence in these would not be wrong- at the artist’s talk, they discussed the relationship of transparent materials to the non-solidity of being ( in terms of both literal energy, and the relationship of reality to the mind), as well as the interplay and visual interdependence of layers in the work as a metaphor for the philosophical concept of interconnectedness of life. Yes, I see a few echoes of Ross as well.

More

#catalinaarocena

Ronny Quevedo

was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador and lives and works in New York, NY. Quevedo’s practice spans installation, drawings, and prints, incorporating and subverting aspects of abstraction, painting, collage, cartography, and sports imagery. Deeply engaged with notions of identity, Quevedo reenvisions pre- and post-colonial iconographies. They show with Alexander Gray.

#ronnyquevedo

Stanley Whitney

On the final day of Black History Month, I want to give snaps to my favorite living painter, who happens to be a person of color, Stanley Whitney. At the highest level, I actually don’t have anything to add to what’s been written about him, other than I have wanted to lick every one of his paintings I’ve ever seen in person. #sorrynotsorry

I have Stanley to thank for my introduction to John Yau, who did a great write up on Stanley and two other painters* in the context of a two-location exhibit with Lisson Gallery in NYC in 2018, around the time my practice reignited.

Stanley popped to the top of mind for me not so much because of the importance of February for all of us to educate ourselves, but because, like Jack, Helen put his show at ICA Boston last year on her top shows list. (link is to Spotify)

*btw, that Yau article also makes note of Harriet and Melissa; speaking of fantastic painters who are also female, Stanley’s spouse Marina is an effing savant with color as well.

Update- this video with Stanley includes my favorite quotable bit of wisdom from him regarding following a painting out the window (just watch- link will take you to YouTube).

#stanleywhitney