The Controversial One

I've had such a hard time posting this painting on websites. I never once thought of it as indecent until Behance, my main online portfolio site, didn't let me advertise the piece to nonmembers. Just now I tried to upload it to Picassa Web Albums, and the site said the upload was denied. How hilarious!

I guess we could say this is my controversial painting, haha. Yes, I am showing a female nude very explicitly, but this piece has a message. You will notice that the figure's breast do not droop. They are perfect, just like a breast augmentation. Her body is the perfect combination of thin and fit, not too much or too little. Everything is perfect about her, except one thing. Her hair is falling out to her mortification. As a hairdresser, hair loss signifies exceptional stress. A body will shed its hair, when it has no other outlet to express its distress. Society has pushed this stress upon women by demanding we look and behave a certain way. We cannot be too much or too little. We cannot show our strength for what it is, because we are not supposed to be that strong or proud. This woman in the image is showing her raw strength, naked with the spotlight on her, but her hair is falling out from the pressure.
I had the vision for this painting at a different point in my life, but I think its feeling still pertains to my present and many other women's present life. I've had men make fun of this painting and one who vocally says its disturbing. On the other hand, I've had women tell me they love it. One said she is drawn to it in a way she doesn't understand. We women know. I have an inkling that the men know as well. They just can't face the reality of the subjugation. After all, if women keep getting boob jobs and stay pretty, who is it benefiting the most?

Oklahoma the Beautiful



This is a piece I gave away in a charity auction show for my old employer. This is the only painting of mine I don't physically have in my possession, and I gotta say looking at the image makes me miss it. At least I gave it away for a good cause. The cause was for women's education in third-world countries. The only piece I don't have, and I didn't sell it. I think it sold for $350, or something like that. Not bad I guess. I still miss it, and I hope it's in good hands.

Not only have I been obsessed with Oklahoma sunflowers, but I've been fascinated by the landscape in general. I painted "Oklahoma" in 2011. I wanted to capture its barrenness against the great vast sky. The old farmhouse is from the corner of Piedmont Rd. and Northwest Expressway. A couple of years ago, a large modern looking barn was built next to it. I think it may be an event center or tourist attraction of some sort, but I'm thankful I painted the lone farmhouse and windmill before it was built. I'm very drawn to the image for some reason. Perhaps its because the building sits perfectly atop the small hill, and the roundness of the sky perfectly encapsulates it. Maybe for an unknown, psychic reason. Whatever the case, the old barn house has my heart.

Evidently a lot of people like it other than me. This image has gotten the most likes on my portfolio online, and other artists have pointed out to me in praise. I'm happy for it, but I was also a bit surprised. I think the style is too rigid, in my opinion. I love the sky and building, but the foreground is quite still. It does capture an energy, though. The still barren land amidst the stormy sky.

 I used to say I'd paint another of these to regain the one I gave away. That was four years ago. No better time than now to get things done. The part of me that thinks about what I'm going to do is gone. I try to only act in the present moment.



Media Ethics Conference 2015

As I may not have fully disclosed, the reason for this blog's creation is not purely for the love of art. I'm a senior journalism student, who has been forced to blog by a class entitled, "Blogging for Journalists." Then, I purposely chose to blog about my art for my own gain, bahahaha. I guess I gotta get some gain first for this to even be worthwhile!
 Anyways, journalism is also a passion of mine, and I was privileged enough to attend the University of Central Oklahoma's fifth annual media ethics conference. The segment I went to was entitled, "From Newsbreakers to Newsmakers." It was the story of Mary and Sharon Bishop-Baldwin's triumphant challenge to the Oklahoma constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.
I cannot emphasize the bravery of these two women enough, because Oklahoma is such a conservative state and, unfortunately, most citizens sit quietly in discontent; they are not willing to make a voice for change. Mary and Sharon candidly told their decade long struggle about making their voices heard in opposition to the ban on gay marriage. Not only did the couple have their voices heard, but their efforts ultimately made same-sex marriage legal in one of the most conservative American states before the Supreme Court made it legal everywhere. It was an amazing accomplishment.
I have two things come to mind about this incredible story. One is why didn't I hear more about the legalization when it happened? I know it was in the media. The women showed us the front page story of it in The Tulsa World. They could not vouch for the Oklahoman. One of the most disconcerting aspects of being a future journalist stationed in Oklahoma for now is the severe bias I see in the media. Not only are citizens, who think differently, afraid to speak up, but the news also acts afraid. What's troubling to me, is that the entire purpose of the news is to speak up about what is going on. If we have a long-line of pocketed old-boys dictating what information is disseminated to citizens, how can progress ever be fully realized? Part of me wants to stay in Oklahoma to fight this, and part of me thinks its a bigger fight than I can win, but isn't that the problem? The people with a mind to stand up to the bigotry and injustice that is hurting Oklahoma's lower-class, who are in the majority, are not taking up the fight. These women took up the fight, and they deserve every applause they've gotten for it.
The second thing that came to mind was how Mary and Sharon decided to go against the so-called ethics of their profession and become involved in the news. Reporters aren't supposed to be involved in the news. The thing is: how can we be human and not ever be involved in the news? Mary and Sharon did a great job not reporting or contributing to their story while it was happening, but why should challenging an injustice ever be an issue in the first place? I don't think it should, and I think journalism should rethink some of their ethical guidelines to become more realistic. Maybe the reason why we see so many lines crossed is not because we have so many unethical journalists, but because journalistic vision needs to be rethought.


 

Very Nearly Done!

So, this is where three hours of work got me yesterday. 

I'm really liking posting my progress on this painting, because it really emphasizes what I need to work on. This post is entitled Very Nearly Done, because I'd like the sunflowers in the foreground to pop out a little bit more. The paint is soaking wet, and I can't define the front flowers like this. I must have at least five layers on this baby, plus super thick globs. So, I don't expect this to be fully dry for at least three-weeks. 

Oh, the joys of working with oil. I love it: along with its vibrancy, smoothness, and class, but the higher volume of work I'd like to put out is making me think about using acrylic. So much duller looking, but I have heard of a technique where oil paint is glazed or highlighted over the top of an acrylic work. This would address the drying problems of oil, and ensure a rich outcome. Something tells me the so-called technique may be too good to be true, though. I'll have to look into it.

For our purposes here, we can say this painting is done. The work I need to finish is minimal, and Mr. Clark will be happy I move on to more postings without waiting for this to dry. I can't decide, if I want more shadows in the clouds. I may add more. In a way I like the flatness of the clouds, because it contrasts the flowers. Maybe just a little bit of shadow! I'm really trying to move away from severe realism, but I want to say I can add a bit more to the clouds.

I'll keep you posted!

Progress

As I near completion of the sunflower landscape, I reworked the sky and I like it much better, I've been thinking about soliciting local galleries. I'm fairly happy with an online portfolio I have at https://www.behance.net/c-a-macis. The reason I started the sunflowers was to add to it for a more complete look. It's almost done.
I have no excuse not to send my work out to galleries. I'm proud of what I do and I love painting, but the thought of actually trying to show my work scares the bezejus out of me. It's hard to explain why. I used to think it was the strong emotional bond I have to my paintings, and showing them is almost like showing my soul. This is partially true. I'm exposing a vulnerability when I show just close friends my work. The world is an even greater vulnerability I'm exposing, but I want more people to see my work. I love showing people what I can do. So, even though it's scary to say, "hey, here's my work. I'd like to show it.", I need to suck it up. I learned a long time ago that you never get any better by staying within a comfort zone.

                                           

Getting There!

Work in progress! Work in progress!

Now, if I can just get this school schedule of mine under control, I could paint some sunflowers! Seriously though, I've been obsessed with the wild Oklahoma sunflowers for quite some time. I think I've stared at them on the side of roads so intensely that I have a permanent blueprint of how they look in my brain. I've been working from several different pictures, as many as ten, to create a sunflower scene. Don't worry, I photographed all the pictures. No copyright infringement here. Just an original work.

Now I MUST finish this to show you how much better it will look!