I recently took out Henry Dryfuss' Symbol Sourcebook from Pratt's library. I first heard of this resource while reading about Basquiat and his use of Hobo and folklore symbols in his paintings. Finally I got my act together and explored this piece, which I would recommend to any visual artist of any sort. Unfortunately it was due back at the library before I really wrapped my head around it all - it's a lot - but it's definitely interesting stuff and wanted to experiment a little with it. I did 3 takes of the folklore symbol of "Man Dies." The first piece was a canvas i've been adding to randomly for many months but I think it's arrived to something at least worth its weight in materials. Not sure if the second is complete either, but I figured it's best to just throw them all into the wind equally. I plan on running through "studies" of a few random symbols ("procreation" below) but eventually use them more subtly in future works.
"Man Fights, Man Dies (take 1, blue)" - acrylic on canvas
"Man Dies (take 2, red)" - acrylic, oil, graphite on canvas
"Man Dies (take 3, on wax)" - acrylic and marker on record
I'm also working on some new portrait pieces on wax for the shows I'm involved with this spring (Art on Record show @ APW Gallery in Queens opening in May, current exhibition at Goggleworks in Reading lasting through May). Some might call it rehashing - but reprise is a little more poetic. Really I just see doing several takes of the same drawing as giving the idea longer legs, letting it run its course. Here's a fresh take on an old T Monk painting (and new Griot Apparel design, coming very soon):
"T Monk (on wax, take 1)" - acrylic on record
And since I'm screwing around doing folklore symbols and jazz paintings in the same sitting, it only makes sense something odd would be blended:
"(Jazz) Procreation" - acrylic on canvas
