In my office

The end of the collages phase.

Comic Con NYC 2012 (Even More Pics)

 Bain Capital Puppet - er, Romney? No, Bain from Batman.

 Dutch artist Daniel Van Nes holding the sketch I purchased from him.

 One of my favorite moments from Comic Con NYC 2012. Trickster!

 You simply can't have a convention without a Star Trek presence.

Matt and Kimber in front of the Korean hotdog kiosk.

Comic Con NYC 2012 (More Pics)

 Matt and Kimber and quite the selection!

 Cartoon boyband?

 War weary.

 Matt and Dr. Who face off!

An up-and-coming comic artist.

Comic Con NYC 2012

 Yours truly, Matt Taylor, and Kimber Streams, October 2012.

 Wonder WoBEAR.

 "Prometheus" Engineer from the rear.

 "Fantastic 4" Johnny Storm's painted-on accoutre.

Matt drawing on-site in the Artist's Pavillion.

Still Homage

"Homage to Nanny Still," archival ink on paper, 2012.

This is the second in a series of drawings dedicated to designers best known for their work at mid-century. This composition is a spontaneous riff on Still's more recognizable motifs, shapes, and textures. Nanny Still was a Finnish designer working primarily in glass whose designs are most associated Riihimaki Glassworks. I find her designs seductive, rich of surface and color with unusual volumes and contrasting shapes.

Evans Homage

"Homage to Paul Evans," archival ink on paper, 2012.

The first in a series dedicated to the motifs of mid-century designers and artists, specifically those who moved so effortlessly between the two disciplines. American Paul Evans work was highly structured but his applications were incredibly freeform. I so admire what he achieved in his Sculpted Bronze and Argente series pieces. In a similar vein, I'm currently working on an homage Finnish glass designer Nanny Still and will followup with an homage to Japanese designer George Nakashima. Quick on this link to hear what author Todd Merrill has to say about Evans:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUK-7WX_NIs

Wrightiana in Mason City

Frank Lloyd Wright structures in Mason City, IA. Images from July 2012 taken while working as a guest juror for an area art exhibition at the MacNider Museum of Art.

Lilllies from the Fass/Deemer Farm

Beautiful hybridized lillies from the Phil Fass and Deb Deemer farm in Parkersburg, IA. The fields are vast and colorful and soul-invigorating! Photos taken 6/26/12 in high sun just before a lovely birthday lunch for Phil.

Esther Cheng Exhibition at HCA

Images from Esther Cheng: New Works in Watermedia at the Hearst Center for the Arts (HCA), Cedar Falls, IA, which runs from May 27 through August 19, 2012. Like the Developing Expressions exhibition I designed and installed this body of work in the main gallery of HCA, an exciting space that's only blocks from the UNI campus. Originally from Tiawan, Esther Cheng is a longtime resident of Cedar Falls who will be relocating to San Diego in the coming months. She will be missed by this community. Bon Voyage Esther! You make beautiful work.

Thanks to the administration at HCA for this professional development opportunity, especially Mary Huber, Luke Vaughn, Gail LeFlore, and the incomparable Abby Haigh.

Images from "Developing Expressions 2012" at the Hearst Center for the Arts, Cedar Falls, IA. I was contracted to design and install this K-12 art exhibition at the Hearst, a beautiful space with a lovely, collegial staff. I had great fun, and I'm looking forward to a future project with them featuring the watercolor paintings of Esther Cheng.

"Sweet Salvation II"

Link to TianWei Studios Vimeo page of this performance:
http://vimeo.com/38664080
Jiawei Gong performed "Sweet Salvation II" at the UNI Gallery of Art between Feb. 9 and Feb. 12, 2012, and the completed sugar painting was on view until Mar. 1, 2012 at which point students from the UNI Department of Art performance art class swept it up and poured into the Cedar River. Lovely work!

"Times, Interludes and Actions" at UNI Gallery of Art

Installation view of

Times, Interludes and Actions:

Performances in Response to the First Decade

of the New Millennium

February - March, 2012 at the UNI Gallery of Art.

Background image includes Joe Meiser's "Become the Gorilla," performed by student Jeff Bast.

Jiawei Gong's Sweet Salvation, composed of natural and refined sugar granules.

Times, Interludes and Actions is an invitational exhibition curated by UNI Dept. of Art Head Jeff Byrd and Asst. Professor of Art at Bucknell University Joe Meiser. Exhibitors include the following: Marilyn Arsem, Eun Woo Cho, A. Jacob Galle, Nestor Armando Gil, Jiawei Gong, Hillerbrand + Magsamen, Jeanne Jo, Kyoung Eun Kang, Jordan McKenzie, Takeshi Moro, Jennifer Seibert, Gary Setzer, Bradly Dever Treadaway, and Jordan Tynes.

The exhibition also features Rachel Rosenthal’s limited edition artist book Soldier of Fortune.

Pyhrrus' Battle

Pyhrrus' Battle, mixed media drawing, 2011.
Donated to "Vault" event at the Des Moines Art Center.

Anticipating Spring

Kia Rio (Scuro)

Kia Rio (Scuro)
Sorry for the pun but couldn't resist.
My new car in the drive, prior to all the snow and prior to the little fender bender in Nashville on Christmas Eve. Lovely lights and darks, eh?