Jon Tarleton.com

Schism

2012-02-03T14:18:00.001-05:00

A little return to the wonderful world of graphs. I see myself bouncing between graph-oriented imagery and looser figurative imagery for awhile. We will see where this goes...somewhere good, I trust.

3 Is the Word

2012-02-03T08:18:00.001-05:00

It is well past time that a bit of figuration worked it's way back into my art. I like this. The goal is to combine figurative or objective imagery with a bit of side-imagery or mark-making to produce a cohesive whole that provokes thought; connections must be made and contemplated by the viewer. That is something I used to push for in my art and it is something I plan on pursuing further now.

1.21.12

2012-01-21T18:13:00.000-05:00

1.12.12

2012-01-12T23:47:00.001-05:00

1.9.12

2012-01-10T13:40:00.003-05:00

This is another fairly heavily worked, fluid acrylic on linen paper piece. I seem to be naturally continuing down the path of pseudo-graph making, a sort of faked quantitative art. I need to hash out why I am doing this, how my influences and experiences have gotten me to this point...but right now I will simply add that I dig this direction and foresee delving further into this type of work. I will be getting a couple of canvases back this month, 3'x4' works, that I will develop a bit more than I had originally planned. The immediate focus of my efforts will be to produce works in different scales, up to 4'x5' paintings on canvas.

1.3.12

2012-01-03T14:19:00.001-05:00

Twirl

2011-12-09T16:28:00.001-05:00

This is a little study I'm using to prep as I finalize a couple larger pieces. It's always good to work things out on a small scale before I devote big time and money to a project.

Rebound

2011-12-05T12:49:00.000-05:00

Carnivale

2011-11-18T11:58:00.000-05:00

Split Decision

2011-11-16T10:21:00.003-05:00

This one doesn't have the "flow" I am generally looking for, the indication of some sort of unfolding process as you read it left to right, but I kinda like it. It's something for me to ponder.

Ashes to Ashes

2011-11-14T23:25:00.002-05:00

Ways and Means

2011-11-04T23:32:00.002-04:00

Currently on display at the 50Fifty show at The Wilkes Gallery/

Bloom

2011-10-17T22:01:00.003-04:00

Currently on display at the 50Fifty show at The Wilkes Gallery. This is my first of many forays with this aesthetic into the world of larger scales.

Dots.11.16

2011-08-08T21:50:00.003-04:00

This is what I've been working towards, I think. And I'm out of tiny paper. So now that I think I've found my footing, it's time to keep stepping forward in a larger manner, maybe even on canvas with some oils. Believe it when you see it, but I got that feeling and it's feeling pretty good.

Dots.11.15

2011-08-08T12:35:00.004-04:00

My first bit of delving into the world of financial/ economics based graph-drawings. This one is a little playful as I'm just trying to find my feet, so I'm not super worried about it, but it is the beginning of something new and hopefully exciting. A new journey has begun.
Also, the balance is a tad off in this piece (though maybe that is fitting). As I go forward I will make sure such issues aren't evident.

Dots.11.14

2011-08-03T20:25:00.002-04:00

This isn't one of my favorites. I had fun making it- rubbing the pastels and graphite, then erasing the areas between- but I can't say I dig the result so much. It seems a bit too dingy to me instead of properly grungy. Oh, well. Onward and upward.

Dots.11.13

2011-08-01T20:32:00.002-04:00

Dots.11.12

2011-07-13T09:40:00.002-04:00

This one may be a bit too grungy for general public tastes. That said, I like it- it appeals in the context of the early '90's Seattle Grunge era that helped mold me. I'll probably bounce off this and get a little brighter, but I don't really know until pencil is put to paper. Also, expect some larger scale pieces soon. This shit is too brilliant to confine it too such a small scale :).

Dots.11.11

2011-07-09T12:57:00.002-04:00

Dots.11.10

2011-07-08T12:34:00.003-04:00

Dots.11.9

2011-07-06T22:07:00.002-04:00

Dots.11.8

2011-07-03T12:11:00.003-04:00

Dots.11.6

2011-06-19T21:31:00.001-04:00

I broke out my sanford Design Ebony pencils today, working with them alongside my pastel pencils while watching Rory McIlroy dominate the US Open. I like how it worked out, partly because the two don't mix (insert oil and water analogy here), so a smooth sort of grunge developed without me having to try too hard to pull out an effect artificially. Also, the graphite isn't as dusty as black pastels, so the grunge didn't get out of control; no erasing was required.

The piece actually began as a purely black/white thing, but I couldn't resist throwing in some color for a bit of pop. Even so, a few truly monochromatic graphite drawings may be forthcoming as I rediscovered just how much I like these pencils, the blackest and smoothest pencils I've ever known. Maybe it's time to step back into a bit of that chromatic of simplicity and purity; get back to the drawing basics, as it were.

Dots.11.5

2011-06-18T19:30:00.001-04:00

Dots.11.4

2011-06-17T16:34:00.001-04:00

I'm definitely finding my footing here. I will address the specific influences and concepts that are beginning to pull me along in a near-future post, but just know that I am beginning to get my groove back.

Dots.11.3

2011-06-16T22:58:00.001-04:00

2011-06-16T22:47:00.000-04:00

Never force a square peg into a round hole. Never make art that doesn't pull you along with it; it defeats its own purpose.

Gimmickry vs. Art, thinking out loud

2011-02-11T19:39:00.000-05:00

How do I differentiate b/t gimmickry and art?

I feel that I make "art" when I am pushing beyond my comfort zone, not settling on a product of my "formula". I've found that I regularly feel like I have finished a piece, then am struck by its emptiness because it is too dry from lack of risk taking, then push it to a point where I am convinced I have blown it, and THEN pull it back together. If I stop at the empty, dry, formulaic stage, then it feels like a gimmick. If I push through the fear, then it feels like art.

Re. others' work, I need to think about it. Maybe it comes down to fear- if I perceive concessions have been made due to fear then it may be a product of gimmickry. If I perceive an artist as having not been governed by fear, it is more likely to have the vital feel of art.

...more to come...this is something I need to ponder...