Summer shenanigans, but art is the only drug...
The ArtShow closing reception, new Interpretations and trivia/art giveaway time!
Hello Summer!
Ok, obviously, the above scene is decidedly not Philadelphia, but if I could be there in the water right now, I would! We’ve already had a series of 100 F degree days and even thought the temps have stabilized, there’s a ton of humidity bearing down on us, right now. No matter what, I’m not going to complain because I’m happy to experience it all. Now, let’s get into this month’s news…
The ArtShow Closing reception coming soon!
The time has definitely flown by! We’re just over a week away from the closing reception of “The ArtShow” at the Hicks Art Center in Newtown, PA. On Thursday, July 17th, there will be an artist panel discussion starting at 5pm. The reception continues until 8pm.
“The ArtShow” was curated by Craig Stover and features works from 37 artists from his ArtShow podcast (you can watch mine here). I might be a tiny bit biased, but It’s a very well curated and thought-out show that creates a myriad of dialogues between works. It’s been great having the opportunity to have my painting, No Way Out (2022), in this show amongst great work by so many other artists, so my many thanks to Craig for including my work!
More information about The ArtShow
New interview/profile video by Zave Smith
I first met and collaborated with photographer Zave Smith around 2018 or so. He’d contacted me and invited me to be a subject for his series on creative people in and around Philadelphia. I agreed and we shot a few images in my then South Philly apartment studio. I lost track of Zave when the pandemic hit, but he reached out again recently to see if I was up for being a part of his Creative Souls project. This one centers on video profiles of visual artists and other creatives and once again, I signed up, because, why not when there’s nothing to lose and everything to gain?
Zave came to the studio and like before, we had a great time working together. He’s professional, humorous and really easy to work with. He asked me a series of questions and we had a bit of a easy going conversational exchange during filming. You only hear my answers or parts of them due to editing, but I liked how this turned out and I’d be interested to know what you think, as well. Feel free to leave a comment below…
New!
Interpretations
Interpretations is the most recent series of works on paper exploring another iteration of my glyph imagery. Here, set in a context all on their own against highly saturated backgrounds, contrasting colors and layers, the glyphs seem to be part of a repeated narrative that’s just outside of our understanding. The background colors really set the tone for what I think I was after with these, which is partly a nod to Pop, and the influence of digital color from using computers so much over a lifetime. I’m excited to dive deeper into this work.
After I made the Interpretations pieces, they reminded me of the color combinations I made for Super! and Ultra!, seen directly above and made in 2023. These two resulted from my love of the highly saturated comics and the nearly unbearable hyperbolic language used for selling consumer products where “2X Ultra Mega Rolls!” actually exists on packaging for toilet paper. What does that even mean? Nothing, really, but the language of advertising and marketing is made to appeal to our most base, basic selves. Superlatives, no matter how ridiculous they can seem in context, can sell some of us on almost anything.
Hmmmm, let’s see…
But seriously, you and your friends and family should buy one of my Super Exciting, Ultra Colorful Paintings for your home or office! They’re guaranteed to make your every waking moment More Momentous and you’ll be even More Popular than ever!
Go here and start your new life as the envy of all of your friends!
(I’m kidding…kind of, but not really, lol!)
In all seriousness, buy art from a living artist and help us continue making the things and defining the culture we all need, whether we realize it or not. Also, payment plans are a thing that help all of us, artist and patron, alike. Ask about them when considering an art purchase.
[Rewind]: Cosia Moos Mural (2021)
In late 2021, I was commissioned to make a mural for an amazing architectural firm based here in Philly called Coscia Moos. CM was renovating a space for their new office. The space they were remaking was a long, rectangular area formed by neoclassical architecture. Lots of marble everywhere, which is appropriate considering this redesigned space is part of a building with a long history as a financial institution that goes back to at least the early 20th century.
The space they wanted a mural for surrounded a huge doorway and rose to almost 27 feet from the floor and required me working on a lift for the first time in my life. That lift made painting this piece so much easier than it could have been with scaffolding, I’m sure. This began with a simple colored pencil sketch that I built out the mural from. I really appreciated the trust they had in me to execute this from what was basically a thumbnail sketch.
Since this space was so neutral and staid, my pitch was to make a mural that brought something of the outside/nature in, was somewhat fantastical and energy-filled. Since this building is situated in an area with lots of older buildings, many of which house or housed financial institutions in center city Philly on Broad Street, just south of City Hall, there’s not a lot of nature around. This mural was my way of injecting some natural energy to contrast with both the old and contemporary architecture in there.
Before starting, I made sure to be as thorough as possible about keeping the surrounding areas clear of paint by adding plastic to the lower parts of the wall, while also adding tape around all of the edges. The construction painters laid down a base coat of light blue that I worked on top of, cutting down my painting time a little. It was also great working in the middle of a construction zone because everyone else there probably started around 6, maybe a little later, but were gone by 2:30 or 3pm. I generally started around 10am and kept working until 7 or 8pm. Having a long period with no one else around meant that I could move back and forth with the lift as much as I needed without disturbing anyone else.
What I estimated was going to take almost two weeks wound up being four 10-hour days of work. In other circumstances, this might have taken a little longer, but probably not by much. This was only my second mural ever, so I also didn’t have a great sense of how long it was going to take me to do.
I had a lot of fun making this, even if my adventures on top of a single arm lift were scary at first. The trick is learning how to plant yourself and move very slowly when you’re up there.
Coscia Moos have been involved in a lot of great projects around Philadelphia and beyond, check them out here.
I almost forgot that I have this edited time-lapse of me working. The camera was going for hours, so this is very condensed version of the total time, but you get the idea. The mural is also featured pretty prominently in the “About” page on Coscia Moos’s website.
By the way, if you or someone you know enjoys my work and are looking for something unique of mine to bring into your home or work space, I’m available to create interior murals for home or office. If interested, contact Bridgette Mayer Art Advisors and we can work with you to create a unique piece for you directly on your walls!
Leave your name, email, phone number and message here to get started
If you have any questions for me, I can be reached anytime at tim@timmcfarlane.com
Trivia and art giveaway time!
Ok, faithful subscribers, this is your chance to shine! Since the above post is a look back at an older work of mine, I thought I’d do something special and give my readers a chance to have a piece of free art that’s also from “back in the day”. So, here’s the deal: I have a bunch of unique postcard art that I made back in the ‘90s that I’ve kept all of these years but want to release some of them to good homes. So, what better way than to get them into some of your hands for continuing to read and support my creative life!
How this works:
The first five readers who correctly answer the trivia question in the comments win a postcard, it’s that easy. Once I identify the winners, I’ll contact them and make an announcement in the August newsletter.
Trivia time, let’s do this!
The building where my mural above is located was a prominent feature in what early 1980s comedy about class that was filmed in Philadelphia?
That’s it, that’s the question! I left clues in the “rewind” section above, but I think a good amount of you will figure it out fairly easily. First five correct answers get a card. Remember to leave your answers in the comment section and good luck!!
I hope your summer is going well, even as we navigate some tough new realities. I stand with empathy, caring and actual freedom for all and not the few. Let’s take care of each other and spread as much positive energy however we can and wherever we can, but fight back when needed. Deep breaths. Naps. Good food and friends. No good deed is too small. All of this matters, and YOU matter. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Thanks for being here
-Tim
It was Trading Places. The Watch Case Factory building served as the headquarters for the commodities brokerage firm.
I liked hearing you talk about working and pushing through in continuing to create new forms that contain memories of past thoughts and actions. I thought that comparison to building up tags over time really reflected on the whole process of civilization and human history. We are all carrying on our daily lives with the shadows of what has come before us as the foundation for our thoughts. I’ve been in New York this week and looking deeply at art that I love - Jack Whitten’s tesserae works, Egyptian mummy casings, African textiles, 16th century armour, Philip Guston, Greek vase paintings, Alberto Burri holes and mendings, Lee Bontecou’s work. These things all go together and have commonalities and differences that make a whole. It’s all absorbed and then recreated in another form with our own personal twist added.