"Tarnished" Promo and "Charmed"

Excitement! My "Tarnished" series is finally complete.

All 15+ pieces will be on display and for sale through La Luz De Jesus Gallery. The opening is June 4th (this Friday) from 8pm-11pm. I'll be there all night so come stop by and say hello if you live in the LA area. If you live far away you can see the show online HERE.

If you are on facebook and would like a reminder, I've created and "Event" HERE.


Thank you all so much for your support, it is greatly appreciated!


Finally, here is a little piece for the C.A.V.E. Gallery's Anniversary show which also opens June 4th:

"Charmed"
Ink and graphite on cradled stonehenge
5"x5"x2"deep
*SOLD* (Thanks Walt!)
For sale @ C.A.V.E. Gallery

Final business cards.

What would I do without you guys? I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help and advise. Here are the "finals." (Don't worry, I took off the white rounded-corner layer in the print versions... they will be cut with rounded corners.)

Back: (Added in blogspot address and distressed it to match the vintage type.)



Hunt: (Changed location of logo and distressed background in places for a vintage-look and so it would read better. Also broke border so it didn't run over top girl's face.)



Specters: (Changed location of logo, broke border in places so the animals weren't obscured.)



I'll put these in to print in a couple of hours but if you have any last minute suggestions let me know! Like if I misspelled my name or something, ha ha.

If anyone would like a copy of these when they get printed just email me your address! (jawcooper@gmail.com)

Revised business cards?

Here are the two revised cards based on your amazing and super-fast feedback. (I love you all!)

I tried changing the color of the font/logo to black, red, grey... etc. Nothing worked better than white (which didn't work very well itself) so I though maybe I'd just take that info off the front since all of it except the blog address is listed on the back already... and there is a link to my blog on my website. Is that a bad idea? Should I try harder to find a type solution and keep that info on the front? Well, here is first series of revisions, I welcome ANY feedback you can give me! Let me know what you think of these relavive to the first set and to each other.

Hunt:


Specters:


Back:


I wish I could fit "jawcooper.blogspot.com" on the back but then I fear it might be a bit crowded and disorganized.

Business card advise?

This is the back for all of them:


Here are the possible fronts: Which do you like? Advise?

Fin.

Buddy the Budding-Off Beast is finally done!



He's 7.5 feet long by 6 feet wide by 3 inches thick (in the body.) I'll post full photos when the show opens.

Puncture and Buddy/Bearnard

Here are teasers of "Puncture." The needles are painted metallic silver.



Here are some shots of the "bear" rug's extra heads in progress. One is a fox and one is a badger, yesterday I made the patterns for them and grafted them to the body of the bear. I got some amazing vinyl to construct the carnivorous flowers/plants that are going to be growing out of him. I can't decide whether to call him "Buddy: the budding-off beast" or "Bearnard." He's not really a bear though... he will have long ears, 3 additional heads and like 12+ eyes, so maybe "Buddy?"



The patterns are made on heavyweight plastic bags, like the ones you get at art stores for carrying home large pieces of paper. They are really time-consuming to make... lots of pinning, marking, measuring, and refining, but its necessary for a perfect fit.

I have 2 days to finish him, though I'll have the weekend to make any last-minute adjustments. I really wanted to make an additional sculpture to go in a glass dome I bought but I probably won't have time. Maybe if I don't sleep till Monday...

Orbit, Hunt, and Puncture.

I've been busy busy busy finishing up the last three framed pieces for my upcoming "Tarnished" show at La Luz de Jesus Gallery. I finished these drawings today and am a good way through the gouache painting of "Puncture."

Here are some teasers and such:

"Orbit" and "Hunt"


"Hunt"


"Orbit"


"Puncture" sketch

Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright

I have a painting in the Roq La Rue Gallery show "Tiger Tiger Burning Bright" which opens tonight! If you live in the Seattle area go check out it out from 6-9pm. If you live elsewhere, see the show's online preview HERE.

Here is my contribution:

"Copycat"
Gouache on somerset mounted on wood
13"x16" (framed)
Retail price: 500$





Gallery/show info:
Roq La Rue
2312 2nd Ave.
Seattle, WA 98121
(Between Bell and Blanchard in the Belltown neighborhood)

A group show based around the theme of tigers, inspired by the dynamic poem " The Tiger" by visionary artist and painter William Blake. Additionally, 2010 is the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese calendar, and the animal is a very visible example of the environmental problem of habitat loss and rampant poaching, with the reported last wild Indochinese tiger being killed and eaten in December 2009. We've asked a group of artists to create works inspired by this majestic, tragic, and beautiful creature, whether on a symbolic, metaphysical, or archetypal level or as a touchstone for deep contemporary issues.

In addition to original works, Roq La Rue will also be offering prints by Audrey Kawasaki and Robert Burden available exclusively to walk ins the night of the opening. ALL proceeds from the sale of these prints will be donated to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and the Wildlife Conservation Society earmarked for tiger conservation efforts. Prints will be cash only please (NO credit cards) and the info will be posted on the news section of our website. If you can not make the show you may request to be on a waiting list for any prints that may be available after the opening.

Artists: Audrey Kawasaki, Robert Hardgrave, Travis Louie, Lisa Petrucci, Isabel Samaras, Robert Burden, Jason D'Aquino, Nouar, Jim Blanchard, Angelique Houtcamp, Bob Dob, Anthony Ausgang, Ann-Marie Manker, Yumiko Kayukawa, Jaw Cooper, and more...



If you are interested in purchasing "Copycat" please contact the gallery at (206) 374-8977.

Lastly, I'd like to thank Kirsten Anderson at Roq La Rue for inviting me to participate in this exciting show, it's such an honor!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Here are some shots of my little painting for the upcoming "Twilight Zone" show at Gallery 1988 LA. This painting is based off episode # 42 titled "The Eye of the Beholder." (Also titled "The Private World Of Darkness" when initially rebroadcast in the summer of 1962.)

"Beauty"
5"x5"
Acrylic ink and graphite on cradled Stonehenge
*SOLD*



(The flowers are painted in metallic gold.)

Original sketch:



And "Specters" is finally done... thankfully the tape came off perfectly leaving a super clean edge.

Nearly finished with "Specters"

So, this "Specters" painting is taking much longer than I originally expected, but I'm quite pleased with how it's coming out so I suppose it's worth it. I will almost certainly finish tonight... I just have to glaze the background darker and it'll be done. Here are all the critters painted:



These paintings/drawings I've been posting for the past couple o' months are all for my upcoming show at La Luz De Jesus Gallery in Hollywood. Here is the info/press release:

JAW Cooper “Tarnished”
June 4 - 27, 2010
Opens Friday, June 4th 8 - 11 PM

JAW Cooper’s series "Tarnished" explores the allure of imperfection: "I've created a world inhabited by the deformed, tainted, injured, and alien, where external imperfections are echos of internal struggle and beauty is undeniably in the eye of the beholder. Behind every flaw is a story waiting to be discovered." Cooper was born in England and grew up in Africa, Sweden, Ireland, various other locations throughout Europe, and California. She has always cultivated a deep curiosity for the natural world and is inspired by forms found in nature, curio cabinets, fashion photography, and nipples in general. Cooper currently lives and works as an illustrator and gallery artist in Los Angeles, California. The artist will be in attendance.

And here is the card:



Like it says, I'll be at the opening from 8-11pm so come stop by and say hello! My dear friend Jessica Dalva will also be opening her show "Tie Strings Into Knots" at the same place, same time, so it shan't be an event to be missed.

More "Specters" Progress.

I finished the croc and am maybe 75% done with the girl, but I'm getting pretty nauseated from the fumes so I'm gonna call it a day. Working and living in the same room has it's downsides... last night was rough to say the least. Hopefully tonight I'll be able to flush out the toxic oil smell before I go to bed so I don't have to lose my dinner again.



I really wanna be done with this NOW. My original goal was to have it done Friday, but I think I'll need the weekend as well. There is a very real possibility I won't have time to paint "Ruin/Salvage" after all... sadness. I still need to draw/paint "Puncture," "Orbit" and "Hunt" before the 13th... not to mention making a piece for the "Twilight Zone" show at Gallery 1988 LA that's due this coming Monday. Egads!

Finally, if you live in the LA area you should go check out the senior show at Otis College tomorrow. (Otis is near LAX.) I have many talented friends graduating this year and I'm so proud of them!

Progress on "Specters"

Great news guys, I've fallen in love again... with oil paints. I covered my acrylic painting "Specters" with a couple layers of clear gesso and have started oil painting on top and it's turning out great. I've pretty much finished the deer and I'm half way through the croc; tomorrow I plan to finish all the animals and the girl and then Friday I'll lay in the background. Sorry these photos are super crappy, my apartment is very dark at night and I can't use flash because the oil is reflective. (I swear it looks much nicer in person.)

The richness of oils is working far better in getting all the albinos to still pop despite the overall high-value/low chroma.

One more drawing teaser:

Sorry I'm balls deep in teasers... the show isn't close enough to post whole images but I still want to share what I'm working on with you.

I scanned the drawings this morning before I took them to be framed and here are some close-ups:



The end is so close and there is much to do.

2B or not 2B

Finally some tangible progress... I started and completed these 5 drawings (acrylic and graphite on paper) in two days. Off to the framers! Here are teasers:



"Ruin/Salvage" is my favorite, I really like working more roughly with the graphite. I mostly used a 2B, but some 4B for dark areas, and a B and H for lighter details.

I gotta say, nothing feels as good as getting stuff done. I hope you can tell from looking at these that drawing is my absolute favorite activity. I'm learning to love painting, but drawing is my passion.

I've also decided to finish the "Fade/ Specters" painting in oil... just waiting for the clear gesso to dry.

The wheel of progress...

Refined sketch for "Ruin/Salvage." This is going to be an 18"x24" oil painting on wood and I'm also going to do a small study of it which I might include in the show if it's presentable.

*THIS DRAWING SOLD*


Progress is slow on "Specters." All I did today was lay in some tones and light washes of color and work on the croc. I'm having problems with contrast (color and value) since they are all albino so I think I'm gonna glaze a darker color on top tonight so I have more of a range to work with.



Finally, I was taking photos of the freshly framed "Copycat" just before shipping it to the gallery, and when I got home I found that I was unintentionally lurking hard in some of the reflections. So creepy, it made me giggle...



~13 days of painting madness left. Then I devote my time back to my half-finished bear-rug. I can't wait!