Darla Jackson

Lay here with me... 2014

I'll bury you with all the others... 2017

Old hurt 2017

Ride or die (Am I doing it right?) 2017

More from Darla Jackson here. To purchase work from Darla Jackson, visit the Paradigm Gallery here.

Bo Bartlett

Bo Bartlett, David Lynch's long lost well adjusted brother

For the last few weeks Bo Bartlett has been kicking my ass. From his bio - "Bo Bartlett is an American realist with a modernist vision. His paintings are well within the tradition of American realism as defined by artists such as Thomas Eakins and Andrew Wyeth. Like these artists, Bartlett looks at America’s heart—its land and its people—and describes the beauty he finds in everyday life".

Parents, 1984, Oil on Linen, 88 x 112 in

 Bartlett reminds me of someone I know. The feeling is so strong I'm tempted to ring my mother and ask if he is a cousin. I'm haunted by his familiar look so deeply that my mind is desperately seeking parallels. It rests at Lynch. Not the dark surrealist meat punctuated painting or his mid-west face but his worlds. If Lynch is ants crawling then Bo is the starkly clear sky, the blood of heroes and tears of loved ones. But these are not completed tragedies. His oils are a few well crafted sentences of a fresh new novel, destined to be dragged from address to address and never sold, a favorite, a psalm. Quiet lessons meant to be read by just you. Here is hope, in fine honesty, and humble. 

"MADRE DEL NENE" 1989 - 1990, oil on linen, 70 x 94 in

 Bartlett's painting are often modeled for by his nearest and dearest. Knowing this alone forms interesting ideas but these are surface only. Strangely though, once you start dissecting these scenes, this, American history, religion and classical culture fall in and out of focus so fast the sum becomes almost insurmountable.

Leviathan, 2000, oil on linen, 89 x 138 in

The video below was recorded July 10th 2016 at the Norman Rockwell Museum. Despite the sound quality and occasional camera shudder, if you dig Bartlett, I highly recommend it. For we will not pass this way again. 

More from Bo Bartlett here.

VHS Massacre

VHS Massacre: Cult Films and the Decline of Physical Media

If, like me, you thought digital downloads or torrents were the steel used to slash and stab at the heart of soulless industry and fat (head or bellied) actors, teen pop-stars and commercial content in the hope of leaving it savaged and bleeding in the marbled foyer so your own brand of underground such and such triumphantly seized the thingamajig, this one's for you. If you are one of the elite VHS collectors sitting on your loot of hidden gems and straight-to-tape horrors, you may laugh now. You were right! P.S. got anything weird I can borrow?

My money's on you watching this on YouTube :-p

Send More Guns x packaged

"Send More Guns x" resin art toy
296mm x 207mm x 68mm
Edition of 5

The "Send More Guns x" Packaged figures are ready to go. These are $105AUD for NZ and Australia and $115AUD for international including postage. Signed and numbered, edition of 5 only. Hit me up on FB, Instagram or here to claim. 

Tonight

Send More Guns x figure

"Send more guns x"
Resin
134mm x 58mm x 83mm

I've been interested in the slow but seemingly steady shift of political centers for a while now. Send More Guns x is an exploration of this. It seems caring is becoming monetized and our nurturing militarized. I'm not sure I know how I feel about any of this and that's the very reason I'm concerned, or at least interested. One apparent upside of this current atmosphere is that art seems very healthy. I think everyone expects it to thrive during adversity. I'm glad it has and I'm enjoying every minute of it. 

"Send More Guns x" is available as an ongoing run from today and a short run of the first 5, numbered and signed examples in blister pack on card will be available soon. If you contact me with a receipt for a donation of $10AUD equivalent made to a charity of your choice, made same day you order a "Send More Guns x" figurine (as long as it's not a gun lobby, gay conversion bullshit or anti immigration) I will give you that $10 off your sculpture. Please contact me by e-mail, Instagram or FB if you'd like one.  -b

Iris van Herpen Aeriform Couture collection

Maybe I use the term revolution too frequently...Willian Powell

If you're after a little mind food I highly recommend this documentary. William Powell is the writer of the infamous Anarchist Cookbook. A highly dubious and unreliable how-to manual aimed at modern "political revolutionaries". That was 1970, 47 years later Charlie Siskel sits down with Powell to explore its legacy. The reviews for this are terrible, one of the reasons I decided to watch it and I wasn't disappointed. If you like being handed an explanation, resolution or being told what to think, please move along. If you like not knowing who you are or what you feel, this ones for you.

The Getty

The Trinity with the Virgin, Saints John the Evangelist, Stephen and Lawrence and a Donor, 1479, The Peter Hemmel von Andlau Workshop (German, about 1420/1425 - after 1501)

Mars and Venus Attributed to Hans Mont 

(Flemish, born about 1545 - after 1585)

Head of St. John the Baptist
Jean-Baptiste Chatigny (French, 1834 - 1886)

and on and on and on

Boy with Frog, Charles Ray, 2009

If you are in LA with quite a few hours to kill, I recommend a visit to The Getty Center. Their collection of 15th century devotionals is quite something but their sculpture collections is not to be missed. General details below a more from the Getty here.

At N Sepulveda Blvd and Getty Center Drive

Tuesday–Thursday and Sunday 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Friday and Saturday 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.

Closed Mondays

Parking lot opens 9:30 a.m.