I would like to take a minute to write about the work I made while at Cooper Union. Here is the main painting on which I focused. Frankly, I'm not sure if I'm happy with it. I grew as a painter, however, during its inception. After taking almost a week to settle and then losing this past week to packing up and the group show at the end, we really only had two full weeks of painting time. Which, if you're in the middle of nowhere, like I was in July '05 at VSC, is more than enough time. However, since you're living in truly the most active city in the world, two weeks of painting time is like telling a accountant he's got 5 hours to finish all his clients' taxes...and his own.
At first, I sort of felt like the time frame was a good challenge. I knew I was up to it, but I wasn't sure if I could find good work to make. I had trouble finding an inspiring subject matter, finding something I "desperately" wanted to paint. I've been lucky in the last few years to always have paintings about which I'd be very excited. It would be like having a new toy to play with in the morning the day after you've purchased it. You wake up, forgetting this new wonderful thing you had treated yourself to, and when you remember, you spring up from your bed anxiously awaiting to touch and smell this new wonderful thing. I've been spoiled about the consistency of this feeling, waking up virtually everyday with this "new toy" feeling.
However, due to the unsettling start I had here, I had trouble opening my eyes to the light of New York. Its warmth surrounded me and was in front of my face all the time, but I simply could not see it. The chill of fatigue was too strong. Upon settling into my new room, I wound up sleeping in far too many mornings in a row than I planned. My body must have needed it. After waking up at noon for four mornings in a row, the fatigue's cold arms left my body and I was ready to work. The two weeks I spent in the studio were full, challenging & exhausting. My eyes opened and I was ready to see.
