Painting After Art is Dead

Thanks for showing up here, and for your attention and consideration.

Responsibility: A state of having a duty to deal with something, or of being accountable***

I’ve been thinking about the word/concept “responsibility” since I decided to start publishing a monthly journal in addition to essays like this one. My first release was published on 4/4 and is here and another will come out shortly after the turn of this month, likely the morning of 5/2. It’s mostly about my local Art scene.

I had pretty much made the decision to embark on said project when I wrote the piece Development early last month, in which I reflected that going forward my practice, which now includes said journal, was going to be directed towards “owning the value of my relationship to all of you, and letting go of activities that don’t grow my connections or influence.” I was signaling responsibility, but not only for being aware enough of what I wanted and needed to start setting goals and working towards boundaries.

When I state that I’m intending to actively own my relationship to this community and (worded slightly differently) focus on activities where I am shown respect and reciprocity, that’s the “boundary” I referred to. It felt hard to write. My therapist helped me feel OK asking for it though; I said at the time it made me feel self-important, blowing the horn of my own worth to all of you. I did not in fact know why I was taking the picture below when I did, and I think this silly cherub is tooting his own horn, too, with his nose.

The other nexus to responsibility in the “why” for the newsletter is the goal- to take myself more seriously as a journalist, by formatting my written creative output so that it is journalism. I can’t expect anyone to consider this part of my practice such unless I do.

I’ve got a complicated history with “responsibility,” having grown up in a pretty doctrinaire household. Because I am a cis, het, white male that was raised to be a leader in a Christian nationalist culture, I also got a lot of opportunity to both be responsible and a fair number of second chances when I failed, with a healthy number of “L”s which kept me focused and motivated. All that to say I was afforded opportunities to try on responsibility that, context aside, helped me get very comfortable with executing it and having it as a requirement.

My own, early experiences with responsibility were not always positive. The definition of the word responsibility does also include “the ability to act independently,” as in, some authority has vested control over outcomes to a subordinate. In many instances, “you’re responsible” was a cudgel used with a heaping dose of fear of failure- failure here means, of course, disappointing authority. In addition, the noun can refer to a person having actual control over- “responsibility” for- someone. I don’t care for this very western-centric lens for responsibility that is clearly about capitalist power dynamics.

I also grew up in a church which was more liberal than my home environment, oddly enough, and regularly participated in Scouting. These two institutions are where, at least during my developmental years, I learned to be “good,” and I mean that with all the contradictions… from wanting approval from authority to forming a deontological orientation in terms of my values and behaviors, which I still carry with me today. I’m still surprised from time to time that my deep conviction regarding the way we do things- specifically that “the means” matters as much as the ends and reflect our values- came from these two institutions in which I can longer participate because of their deviation from those very values. “Yes,” I find I am also generally averse to groups, particularly large ones, with black and white values that demand allegiance and spoken purity tests.

I still intend to take responsibility for (and write about) “good” outcomes though, I just fill the “good” bucket with different things now. I’m also grateful to be in a place now where I can see the arc of how my core personality was shaped. It is in that spirit of self awareness that I share the background on my orientation to, AKA biases about, the idea of responsibility.

What did I mean by the “not only (for being aware…)” in the second paragraph? While I am reorienting my plans and goals to deliver a more fulfilling Art practice to me, I also keenly feel the responsibility to move and act in a way that builds community and capacity, especially in this Art community. If you find that a little… disconcerting, knowing my bias to the concept of responsibility, join the club. I like to imagine I’m not alone in though, if nothing else because hope is a thing still, people. Whether your motivation looks like the “Boy Scout” responsibility-as-obligation that drives me, or- hopefully- some more rationally grounded boundary that includes a recognition that any garden must be tended, well, I’ll say this is an area of my life where I trend toward a more teleological orientation to goals, so…

I usually land on a theme for one of these essays when the universe shows me the concept in action more than twice. In this case, my prior blog was the initial stirring of thought given my (dual) realization about responsibility. The catalyst for some specificity came after reading Cara Ober over at BMore Arts writing about a positive development for her organization. Beyond being very well executed, BMore Arts is an important project for that community, which I have financially supported in the past, and it would thrilling to have a similar periodical in the Triangle.

Ober addresses, among several other, related topics, the hard reality that “..successful organizations are able to monetize their support from love and respect into actual dollars without undermining their mission.” I hope that beyond the obvious relevance of this orientation to responsibility (note: “mission”) you’ll no doubt recognize given the prior paragraphs why I felt a strong personal resonance with this sentiment. Don’t worry, this doesn’t end with a pledge drive for this blog or a GoFundMe for my new journal project. Today at least.

Ober brings the real talk at many points in the article, which is long and worth the read, if you have the appetite for a call to responsibility. Consider this:

“I have seen so many magazines and newspapers that people absolutely ADORE and depend upon being unable to pay their bills or accruing debt. After the entity is gone, constituents mourn and say how terrible it is, what a loss… and perhaps if, given a chance, these people would have supported keeping the organization alive? Regardless, too little, too late is a familiar story.”

This one landed, too:

“I have seen too many cultural organizations founded by individuals willing to do whatever it takes to keep it afloat and then, hitting a brick wall when it comes to leadership change. Typically this is because the founder is willing to work without pay, or for very little pay, and their sacrifice is built into the DNA of the organization. When it comes time to attract a new director with the skills necessary to move the organization forward, there is no a person willing to work so hard for so little.”

I have personally watched a parallel if not identical chain of events to the type generally described in the second quote above happen to another organization of which I was previously a part- maybe you have as well? The net here I think is that no project can survive if its foundation is a sense of responsibility that is not reasonable or shared. While the quote above and my reflection on it may seem directed at directors, I’m assigning this to all of us. And not without context.

The “kicker” for me in choosing this theme was that, shortly after reading Ober’s piece, I learned about a couple of local Art projects that might be coming to a close soon- not definitively but in by-the-fingernails mode. With the hard look in the mirror from Ober fresh in my mind, news that we all might find ourselves in a position where we have less*** was the clear nudge that I should reflect out loud on what responsibility means to me.

I regularly use the phrase “a rising tide should lift all boats.” Turns out I’m incorrectly quoting a phrase that is incorrectly attributed to JFK, and is, also, the kernel of another, future essay. And I said what I said. Y’all may have heard me phrase it “to have space you must make space” if we’ve hung out irl (or if you read this piece). Given that I started off by pointing out I wanted (to have) space, to be consistent with my values, I will move and act in this space with that intention (to make space) in my mind. If you’re finding yourself wondering if there is a contradiction inherent in pointing out Ober’s thoughts about neglecting to value our work as artists and launching a free journal, well, there are always contradictions around these parts, as regular readers know. Maybe not charging for this blog is a mistake; maybe I should be self-assured enough to demand and not express a want. Maybe some or even most of you people reading these thoughts, even if they are free, will move differently in how we treat our community and each other.

Maybe both are true…

*** Also and***
the various definitions of “responsibility” often include the concept of blame. While I cringe at that word, because of the background I shared above, I think it is fair and well, responsible, to consider that part of taking responsibility is accountability for bad outcomes. This is perhaps one of the hardest contexts within which to apply honesty. Part of that challenge is (probably obviously) seeing through your own biases; the other part of the challenge is that the party demanding accountability will always have their own biases, too. Or, perhaps, untrue, dishonest, or even ill intentions. It’s also, always, a possibility that multiple things can be true simultaneously.

denoting the first, original, or typical form of something.

A lot of artists will show or otherwise talk about work in progress. I’ve been in that camp often myself. In that spirit, I’m posting this (?) journal as an exercise in fleshing out what a journal-istic element of my practice could be, beyond practicing long form on my blog. As I said in my last post, I’m shaping a vessel for things I’ve technically already been doing, just organized and approached with more intention. *This* one, at least, is a “sketch” (hopefully the first of many).

I’d be curious what my readers think about any part of the format, excepting regular recurrence- I’m planning for monthly and quite candidly, even the capacity needed for that cadence is daunting what with life always lifing… There’s a feedback form at the bottom of this prototype if you have some, please think WWMRD and don’t be an effn’ Troll. Or you know, if you see me out and about just grab me and let’s chat?

Contents

• what I’ve seen (IRL)
• what I’ve seen (OTI)
• what I thought about for a minute after…
• what I’ve written about
• what they’ve written about
• what I’m looking forward to

What I’ve Seen (IRL)

Going on in Durham, at the Truist Gallery (as always brought to you by Durham Art Guild) is Between The Margins, a new group exhibition. Big surprise (not), I felt drawn to this mixed media piece by Rebecca Fulmer.

Not gonna lie, I feel like fibers has been done enough over the last couple of years that we are entering a time when it goes from the cool thing to whatever the uncool, next stage of the cycle is. My own impulse towards painterly issues drew me to the piece above, and, Fulmer also surprised me with a foray into optics and light in the little nod to Robert Morris below. Yeah, I also think the purple shadow *is* the point of this work.

Also (not “if you can…”) make your way over to Craven Allen (also in Durham) to see Chieko Murasugi and Heather Gordon vigorously engage systems as strategy in Chance Encounter.

Disclaimer (and I’ll probably repeat this each “issue”)- a) I can’t/don’t see everything, and b) the fact that I may not post about an exhibit or installation doesn’t mean the work didn’t take effort by all involved. There’s also a feedback form below and, assuming some of y’all use it, I’ll continue to provide a way to critique my critiques.

What I’ve Seen (OTI)

So much of the Art we encounter is seen on our devices, be it social media, press releases or (other) newsletters or periodicals. So, it feels appropriate to carve out a specific section for things I haven’t yet seen irl. Consider it my thanks offering to the great Al Gore Rhythm?

Jenny Eggleston made this print in partnership with Multiplied Projects. I’m flagging because good intentions and creative energy aside, the latter is taking a beat to physically relocate; we should all witness to the value of the artwork above and the challenge of sustaining this type of project.

Jerstin Crosby posted Dead Flowers (2025) on IG

Richard Tinkler drawing

Alexander Endrullat’s “Intaglio” prints are, in fact, actually a smushed laptop that they inked up and ran through a press (thanks Colossal).

Yeah, I dig this Barbara Takenaga, too (Peter Schroth at Two Coats has some words about her newest)

What I thought about for a minute after…

It’s a goal of this newsletter that, each month, something will catch my eye enough to write a bit more than some quick snaps- long form, even if short in format. This month, the exhibit that my mind has returned to most often is Isys Hennigar’s (she/her) Sands of Seven Hills at Anchorlight.

I got the chance to see Isys in conversation with Hồng-An Trương in the Anchorlight space recently. I was glad to see a packed room, and also grateful for how gracious the artist and moderator were with their time and their thoughts. The work is so textually rich that the conversation sucked in a breathing number of topics. It is also notable that so many of us (apparently) show up at artist talks intending to have a speaker validate what we see in their practice. In all of these instances- where I felt any misgivings about whether the work might be trying to do too much- I also felt sincerity in the comments by Hennigar.

It’s been a minute since I got to witness the kind of respect from a mentor Truong showed to Hennigar. I know the former draws a lot of water in this town, and the import of the deference, while not “the point” in any way, for me landed as very relevant, given the way leadership is so often being modeled in this moment of history. I’ll also note that the camaraderie clearly related to shared interests or at least intentions. As a writer who (literally in the paragraphs above) gives my attention to creatives that share an interest in the media I center in my practice, I’m reminded what a unique place the Arts can be. I see communities within a larger community, where speech is valued and protected, as much as we can at least, and hopefully where the net effect of allowing ourselves to be exposed to some things outside our “go to” has the benefit of keeping our hearts and minds open.

But about the work itself… Although the works aren’t ostentatious, they have a certain maximalist bent-they are crammed full of different cultural references, but belong to none of them specifically, as a strategy to call our attention to how cultural concepts, mores and values are given physical shape.

I saw the piece above first, and circled back to it after seeing the rest of the show. Many of the objects do not declare whether they are found or made, which is Hennigar’s intent- to obfuscate, and not just to be clever or lord their facility with materials over us, which… wow can they make stuff. The work would probably fall flat though without the fussiness the Artist is able to muster. Hennigar did note during the talk that the application and intent of high craft is often to give an object cultural significance and weight.

I struggled to believe my own eyes- the coral appeared to be finished (sealed, or painted?) to preserve it, or, was it created like so many things in the show? Was it curiosity from a beach rental, a mandala, a museum diorama? During the talk later, I thought back to this piece when Hennigar wondered out loud about the questions she asks in the work; what is made important, and how, and why. So many of us have picked up broken pieces of coral out of fascination and brought them out of the context of the natural world into the human realm of architecture. (I think) Hennigar would have us interrogate the cultural mechanics of such an action- not to invalidate our enjoyment of nature, but to ask we reason through why the removal of the natural from nature validates the object(s).

I’m only sharing one image because you should all just go see the show- there is still time. Hennigar is offering gallery hours, too, if you want to meet them and see the show (next Saturday, 4/11, from 1-5)

What I’ve written about

My most recent blog was a reflection on Development in which I teased that some thing was forthcoming- I was imagining this journal/newsletter when I wrote about a “vessel.” It’s certainly the first step, and “yes” I still intend to solicit other, professional publishers for my writing as well.

What they’ve written about

I really enjoyed re-reading Chris Dite’s take on the draw of Dune recently in light of the arrival of trailers for the third of Villeneuve’s efforts to visualize Frank Herbert’s world. Regular readers know I love a contradiction and Frank presents me with the feelings…

I’ve been enjoying Ravi Gupta’s Substack recently. I found some interesting perspective in his most recent post that is a reflection after watching Manosphere on ceding online platforms to the bro crowd. BTW I am also trying to figure out being on WordPress and Sub, and IG, in an efficient way. Open to suggestions…

Sharon Butler also recently reposted a 2010 discussion with the amazing Pat Steir (also and I didn’t know Steir worked with lighting which I found fascinating).

Please use the comments on this post to share what you’ve read!

What I’m looking forward to

Yes, I’m hoping some local venue or two will let me break something here, that sounds fun. TBD. Until then, I’ll use this last section of each newsletter to direct your attention more proactively.

First and foremost- I’m excited to be part of the Bara Bara Community Exhibition—featuring 80+ artists and 400 works supporting Diamante Arts and Cultural Center. Come experience this salon-style exhibition, and support local art!

Also looking forward to Cindy Morefield at DAG Goldenbelt

And Lynn Alker at Satellite

D&D is back

Y’all Means All is where you should be if you love beer, fuck Brogaloo

Heading to this year’s iteration of Artfields soon, yes you can expect me to report back (probably over on IG but here, too).

It’s not till May, but it’s almost time for Swamp Jam!

And Anchorlight Spring open house!

I’m also on the look out for what the next big project at Lump is!

And, that’s the general format and expected, typical content I have in mind.

BTW, the website *does* still look the same since I last wrote two weeks ago that it is now “under construction.” As someone who has worked in construction, I blame the designer of record…

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.

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

…

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.

This week I got to check off one of my 2026 goals- having a piece of writing published.

Thanks to Burnaway for being the first periodical to give a new writer some air time. You should all support them!

In the Studio with Yun Dong Nam