The Big Move (TBM)

So I have this thing I call “The Big Move” (TBM). I’ve been working TBM in my studio for many years. TBM is a gutsy, risk taking, balls-out action that normally happens at the end of one of my studio sessions when I am stuck, frustrated (and/or drunk.) TBM always feels good, but it is a hit-and-run kind of scene (my last move) and I never know how good the actual results are until I come back the next day for a sober survey.

Because I am only an amateur and a "Sunday Painter" at best, it often takes me months or (gasp) even years to actually finish a painting. I've been focusing on this particular painting since this past summer. The thing that has really tripped me up in putting this one to bed is this one dude’s hair! Tonight I walked into the studio, laid out some paint, and worked TBM.

Images posted here are in reverse order. The first image posted is where I ended up tonight after TBM. I’ll let you know tomorrow whether or not it’s finished. I will post an image of the entire painting soon.

PS. Get used to my blurry iPhone pics.

a poem to get us started

A while ago, this little jewel arrived in the inbox of my personal art website (robbondgren.com) *It honestly hurt my feelings at first.

Date: Monday, May 25th, 2009 at 3:52am
From:

i don't know why?

you?

see, why is it that dilettantes
always seem to just
get BFA and MFA's from
MEDIOCRE schools...???

because their art is so
common and trite?

this has been proven with you.
A dilettante and a talent of
mediocrity.

what goes up can never come
down.......

so, why can't you seem never to
be more than such?

your cream can't rise to the top?

a pity!

*until I saw the time stamp- 3:52am. I guess someone had nothing better to do than write me in the wee hours of the morning. I am now thankful that s/he took the time to write me this note. If the mystery poet is reading this, you'll never know how much your poem has meant to me.

I don't really have a great reason to create a blog- but who the hell does? I spend way too much time on Facebook, so I thought that maybe this would be more productive. Please send me all of your hateful poems, images of your art and design, things you love or dislike, and other ideas and I will do my best to entertain and annoy you whenever I can.

XO Rob