Pushing oneself forward or a swift boot to the keister

John Terwilliger, "Radiation", mixed media on hardboard, 14"x11", 2008

Recently I used the above picture to end a post in a forum discussion on internet trolls and rude posting.  The discussion was about critiques and the actual worth of any particular persons comments.  The individual the discussion was revolving around responded to my post by saying I should "push" myself and explore radiation instead of just using such an obvious symbol.  My response was to post four more radiation drawings from a series of Art Trading Cards I did.

John Terwilliger, "A Setting Hazard", colored pencil, 3.5"x2.5", 2009-06-16

For the individual responding this is a "safe" piece and the subject does not push boundaries.  This piece is from a series I was doing on standard safety/hazard symbols.  but the series is really about the material used in making the picture.  The picture above uses an industrial polymer, acrylic paint, as well as the charcoal and eraser debris from my studio floor adhered with spray adhesive.

The series also has experiments with sawdust, dirt, and other textured or colored stuff which could be attached.

John Terwilliger, "Handicap Accessible", mixed media on hardboard, 14"x11", 2009

I used a lot of sawdust in the series because it absorbs fluid pigment.  In "Handicap Accessible" the entire painting is textured with a sawdust and gesso mixture.  Gesso is a primer/base used by artists.  I have used it with sawdust on sculptural elements in the past mixed with sawdust as a filler to give it body and as an adhesive; here it is about the texture.

So when I receive unsolicited critique/advice on a picture should I concern myself?  I usually don't, especially when it seems very off base.  I stopped asking for critique of my work almost as soon as I left college.  I followed my own path while in college and found most critique unhelpful as most students didn't see where I was going.  I learned to listen intently to a few select individuals and my friends.

In college I found out while doing a research grant that the only people who respond to your work are ones with strong feelings towards it.  By respond I do not mean simply saying they like something.  People who really like something will talk about it, discuss what they like.

But more interesting are people who hate the work so much they feel they must rip you a new one.  What in the picture set them off?  This is of course assuming you actually have some talent/skill in your chosen medium.  In my research I used an anonymous questionnaire about the artwork I was presenting in a public space outside the large hall used for beginning psychology, a class of over 1000 students.  Most of the questionnaire responses fell into the I love it gushes or the I hate it I hate you category with a smattering in between.

So I say give me advice, tell me what you think.  I will be cordial.  But don't expect radical changes in my artwork or subject matter based on any one comment good or bad.  But feel free to try and make me explain myself.  Any conversation is better than silence.

Color Wheel

For this drawing of a color wheel I used cast off husks from cicada nymphs they left hanging to tree trunks.

“Color Wheel”, Color Pencil on paper, 14” x 17”, 2009-09-01

End of the Serenade

Here is another drawing in my new series of Insects. This cicada had been run over in the middle of the street and I peeled it up from the pavement. It is drawn in charcoal with gray pastel and just a hint of green.

“End of the Serenade”, Charcoal pastel on paper, 15” x 22”, 2009-09-04

What is brown and sounds like a bell?

Dung. Or a Dung beetle to be precise. I found a dung beetle in my basement, it had crawled out of the ash pit under the fireplace. I have never used the fireplace but the grackles drop all sorts of crap down the chimney including themselves. Beetle Heaven.

This drawing has over twenty hours of work into it, I find color pencil can be very tedious to use but has a look that can be worth it. For me the color study was about texture and the nature of the grid work applied to the background and the beetle.

“Dung Beetle”, Color Pencil on paper, 14” x 17”, 2009-08-18

Bat, After the Fall

“Bat, After the Fall”, Charcoal pastel on paper, 14” x 17”, 2009-07-11

I found a dead bat in my studio a while ago and I set it on a plate and left it to molder. The wings and legs came off the carcas when I last moved it so I did this drawing. It is still on it's plate in my studio.

Aquatic Hobby Horse

I jammed out another in my hobby horse series, this one based on a sea horse shaped hobby horse. The hobby horse itself is a solid royal blue and sits in a play area with other animal themed hobby horses. This one is located in Waite Park in Minneapolis.

“Aquatic Hobby Horse”, Pastel on paper, 22” x 30”, 2009-06-21



The original drawing as well as fine art prints are available for sale at:
http://www.yessy.com/braindead/drawings.html?i=19343

Spring Art Party

Last weekend was the Spring Art Party located in Weber park Minneapolis MN. The day was perfect and a lot of people came out to the park. I only had time to do one drawing while there and I did a 6x9 greyhound.

"Green and Red Greyhound", color pencil, 6"x9", 2009-06-08



The original drawing and fine art prints of it can be purchased online at:
http://www.yessy.com/braindead/drawings.html?i=18174

A Bad Heart

In this drawing I use the biohazard symbol in the center of the chest region of the figure.
“A Bad Heart”, Pastel and charcoal on paper, 22” x 30”, 2009-04-04

Sniffing

A green and yellow dog is shown sniffing around a blue background.

"Sniffing", color pencil, 6"x9", 2009-04-26

Doggy Reverberations

Here is another drawing of a dog in which I focus on lines in and outside of the dogs silhouette. I chose a lavender base for the interior with green on the outside and yellow tying the whole together.

"Doggy Reverberations", color pencil, 6"x9", 2009-04-25



This original drawing as well as fine art prints can be purchased at:
http://www.yessy.com/braindead/drawings.html?i=2749

Blue Belly dog

Another little dog drawn while I waited. This last batch was all drawn at six by nine inches because this size scales exactly to four by six for postcards. I will be matting the originals to eleven by fourteen for display and sale at art festivals.

"Blue Belly", color pencil, 6"x9", 2009-04-25



This original drawing as well as fine art prints can be purchased online at:

http://www.yessy.com/braindead/drawings.html?i=607

Intense

Last weekend was spent at the Saint Paul Art crawl. I had a space in the hallway of the Rossmor building which is a nice converted wharehouse full of artists lofts/condos. Interesting to see gentrification in action as many of the units are owned by non-artists and demand and prices go up.

Foot traffic through the building was slow where I was set up, possibly because there were no open artist studios on the floor I was on, possibly because the building is so big the space becomes to diffuse. End result is sales were very slow for me so I worked on some little drawings. Here is the first one I did.

"Intense", color pencil, 6"x9", 2009-04-25

Woodcut print "Five in the Sky"

This is the first of a new series of woodcut prints which are going to be 5x5 printed on 6x6 paper. They will all be treetop pictures.

"Five in the Sky", 5"Tx5"W Wood Cut Print, Four color, 2009 Edition of 10



Originals from this edition can be purchased on at:
http://www.yessy.com/braindead/Prints.html?i=3246

"A Bad Heart" a new drawing

This drawing started out as an idea about a shadow figure with a biohazard symbol in the chest area. As I was working I decided to add the text in a scumbled blue lettering with just a tinting of green inside the figure.

“A Bad Heart”, Pastel and charcoal on paper, 22” x 30”, 2009-04-04



The original and prints are available at:
http://www.yessy.com/braindead/drawings.html?i=8310

Skinned naked Under the Lights

The figure in this drawing is red with dark blue undertones and a hint of a spine contorted in an impossible manner. The background is a swirling spiky mass of ochre and brown.

"Skinned naked Under the Lights", Pastel and Charcoal on Paper, 22"x30", 1991, John Terwilliger

Newly photographed old work

I finally started rephotographing old work which has hung in my studio or been stored in a flat file since 1989. They were originally all documented on slides which did not scan very well so I have not been posting these. I also never showed any but one from this series of shadow drawings outside my studio.

"Consideration of a Dream", Pastel and Charcoal on Paper, 22"x30", 1989, John Terwilliger



Purchase the original or fine art prints on line at:
http://www.yessy.com/braindead/drawings.html?i=27637

Fire Dance

"Fire Dance", colored pencil, 3.5"x2.5", 2009-01-04
This is another ACEO (art card editions originals) I have made this year. I have been doing quite a number of these as they sell well and I get my name in front of active collectors. This one is based on a photo of a guy limbo dancing around a fire at a beach party.

Heart Art Trading Cards

I did a bunch of drawings of hearts running up to Valentines day. Here are three of them. Prints are avaiable at http://www.yessy.com/braindead/hearts.html

"Moving in Heart", colored pencil, 3.5"x2.5", 2009-01-08



"Blue dot Heart", colored pencil, 3.5"x2.5", 2009-01-08



"Checkered Heart", colored pencil, 3.5"x2.5", 2009-01-08

That-A-Way

"That-a-Way", colored pencil, 3.5"x2.5", 2008-12-27

Plaid Dancer

"Plaid Dancer", colored pencil, 3.5"x2.5", 2008-12-18