works

had an art night.

went to the RISD museum and saw The Brilliant Line, following the early modern engraver.  magical, the excessive control of craft. they were a feast for the eyes and mind. looking with the magnifying glass made it even more obviously outrageous what they were able to create, and in reverse.

we also saw a Paul Morrison, my first time seeing his work in person though i have been a huge fan thru looking at books. i actually have quite a few of books of his work.  it even more precise and beautiful than i had imagined. it was like seeing the engravings but blown up. same sort of line, touch and depth.

this is a perfect example of how i began tracing. as art students & like most of us today, we are told to look at books, magazines & the web to see what is being made, what is out there.  this is how you learn to look, learn to see. but seeing it in person verses a book is an entirely different perspective. only seeing morrison’s work in book size warps one’s perspective. books have flat controlled order and color.  enough, his work is perfect.

then we went to see the film beautiful losers about the “outsider” young artists barry mcgee, chris johanson, jo jackson, margaret killgallen, and others. of course, i would be any one of them for their pure dedication to art but i am happy with my life. sure, it made me want to go out and get more hip but as i said before i am easily awed…

i guess i am back to my big question, what is it about books and magazines? and i should add movies?

Tagged: barry mcgee, beautiful losers, books, brilliant line, chris johanson, outsider art, paul morrison, risd museum