Artist Isaac Bidwell of Palermo, NY -- Drawings, Paintings, Printmaking, Hot Ladies, Frankenstein, and Bob Ross

Here's another artist I encountered while working at the CNY Artists Gallery in Shoppingtown Mall, Dewitt, and who's work made me want more from my own efforts. Isaac Bidwell, a Palemo NY based artist with a background in both graphic design and -- interestingly -- business administration. Isaac is a graduate of SUNY Oswego who's natural born talents have pushed him to the front of the hungry mob of younger CNY artists looking to change the world. He's also a pretty cool dude & one of the hardest working artists out there. Caught him studying my own paintings at my CNY Artists Gallery show in June and recognized someone who takes his role as an artist seriously.

I had the good fortune to be in the VersuS event in May with Isaac & last month covered a magnificent show he had at Syracuse's Szozda Gallery with painter Cayetano Valenzuela. Isaac's reach has extended far beyond the CNY region with success in Chicago, Los Angeles, and parts of Solvay. I am continually spellbound by his combination of seemingly eroticized imagery with morbid elements of death, decay, quiet studied menace, and the presence of a femme fatale.

Seeing Isaac's work has influenced me to return to the human form for inspiration, specifically the female form, to push for a more polished sheen of execution, and allow a bit of risque humor into the imagery. I plan to start working from a live model in September out of a wish to arrive at more physical forms with a specific identity -- One of the most charming aspects of his work is recognizing his favorite model in some, a skill which at best I can only hope to simulate someday. Either you got it or you don't.

Here's a look at some of Isaac's work cribbed from his FB postings, some in early unfinished states but the real action is over at his website, be sure to give it a look. This guy is happening all over the place, hoping to do a studio visit with a six pack to talk drawing soon.

http://www.isaacbidwell.com/

I've sold two of this one during my shifts at the Shoppingtown gallery. Isaac's work sells!

Once more, Isaac's website can be found at

http://www.isaacbidwell.com

Isaac also maintains a blog here

http://www.digitaldrawer.blogspot.com

and can be followed on Twitter here

http://twitter.com/isaacbidwell

"Summer Medley" at Szozda Gallery, Artists Reception Friday August 10 from 5-8pm

Szozda Gallery in downtown Syracuse's "Summer Medley" exhibition opens this week with a reception on Friday August 10 from 5-8pm. Features work by Syracuse are artists Ray Trudell, Linda Esterley, Phil Parsons, Fred Wellner, Laura J. Wellner, and Emily Elizabeth. Show up & be counted! and here is a link to an album of pix from Szozda Gallery's Facebook page with some examples of the work on display. "Like" them up to stay on top of what's new down there, one of the most important destinations for fine arts in the Syracuse area.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.472690746081986.108086.177944902223240&type=1

Syracuse University Basketball Fans = Bath Salt Zombies

Bath Salt Zombie Syracuse University sports fans on the rampage for more beer + TV so they can watch more SU sports and drink more beer. They trashed Topp's, ate yummy Grocery Store Gal then strung up the managers for running out of real bottled Syracuse water & damaged ice. Unmanned aerial drones circle overhead monitoring the crowds necking outside of Chick-A-Fil in protest of their policy of Captain Picard being better than Captain Kirk, while doped Chinese swimmers win the weightlifting competition, which NBC carries live.

(Acrylic on wood, 5 1/2 x 15 1/2 inches, unfinished.)

Remember ...

I should also take a minute to clarify something as many have very strong opinions about the subject -- My own personal sentiment about the Chick-A-Fil (deliberately misspelled, by the way) hype is that if you actually give a crap about it either way you are being USED by those who work to divide us against each other as a distraction to those subjects which actually matter. It's just the social f&#ckover of the week -- or last week -- with both sides looking simultaneously & equally just as noble or ridiculous in a twisted form of societal checkmate. 

Pages On Facebook By Artists In My Posse -- Get Started On Yours Now!

Here's a rundown of the public Facebook pages by some of the gang I've been interacting with as of late. Most of us pursue other web presence options as well but it's a great way to get used to using the web as a platform on which anyone anywhere in the world can see your artwork 24hrs a day. I putzed around on starting one for almost a year and it paid off immediately.

Look 'em over, see if any of the ideas have an appeal and get busy on it! Yes, YOU!

Art By Nyland, my own FB page, with extensive pix of artworks dating back to the mid 1980s. 

Go "Like" it!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Art-By-Nyland/268675893217517

Ty Marshal

https://www.facebook.com/TyMarshalArt

Tony Thompson

https://www.facebook.com/TonyThompsonArt

Maria Rizzo

https://www.facebook.com/mariarizzoart

Jamar Giles aka Brother Maars

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brother-Maars/242231695843402

Eugenia Mancini Horan

https://www.facebook.com/EugeniaManciniHoran

Amelia Beamish and The Mischievous Mr. Mannequin

https://www.facebook.com/mistermannequin

A brand new page by my gaming scene friend Jennifer Perry for her jewelry venture, 

Mystic Blu Jewelry

https://www.facebook.com/MysticBluJewelry

Utica NY based musician & media artist Tone Muticelli, aka Tone Spliff

https://www.facebook.com/ToneSpliff

And Freak Creative of Utica NY, run by Erick Florez who designed artist Tony Thompson a marvelous website & is one of the main driving forces behind the Utica Skate Plaza crew I've been fortunate to work with.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Freak-Creative/183173291789850

Let's get yours up here too! It's all about who you know, and you know me.

Utica Skate Plaza's 2nd Annual Jam 4 Change, August 18 2012, Lincoln Park Utica NY

My next big event, hoping to contribute some artwork, do some blogging with pix and videos & make the scene. Here's the website, I believe in what these people are trying to accomplish. Sign up, get on board, then show up and be counted!

http://uticaskateplaza.org/jam-4-change/

Artist Tony Thompson From Utica, NY: New Website, Facebook Page, Bath Salts Zombies & Much Much More

Utica based artist Tony Thompson as I first encountered him working on his big mask painting down at the VersuS space in Syracuse, NY. One of THE names/faces to watch for in the new wave of CNY artists looking to break loose & change the world. 

To learn more about his work visit Tony's new website here:

http://tonythompsonart.com/

And his Facebook art page can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/TonyThompsonArt

Nate West Portrait Of Artist Steve Nyland! August 5 2012

HOT!!!! done as a thank-you for the blog post on Nate from yesterday, cannot wait to see how it develops.