EchoesLocation

Faris McReynolds (born 1977, Dallas, Texas) is a Los Angeles-based artist and musician. His paintings have been shown in Tokyo, Los Angeles, New York City, Berlin, Padua, and Antwerp, including numerous solo exhibitions. His work has been featured in Details, Art Papers, Flash Art Magazine, Tema Celeste, and ArtWeek.

McReynolds grew up in Richardson, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, the son of an Indian mother and American father. He spent his childhood between Texas and Bombay, and even appeared in a Bollywood movie entitled Shahadat at the age of eight (he is the nephew of Bollywood actors Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab). He received his BFA from Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles in 2000, though he started publicly showing his paintings at the age of twenty-one.

In terms of style, McReynolds' current painted work appears heavily influenced by French impressionism and post-impressionism, the 1980s work of Richard Prince and Sherrie Levine, Andy Warhol's paintings of disasters, and Francis Bacon. He paints both from and directly on top of digital media he creates or appropriates. His brushwork ranges from an expressionist palette-knife impasto to delicate watercolor. Most of his paintings are completed in a single sitting in order to capture the immediate action, and he prefers to focus on the inherent comedy and tragedy of staged imagery rather than on documenting real events.

Brendan Lott
There's a lot of good work to see on Brendan Lott's site. The work is interesting, a little risky bit again, like Eric Yahnker, the tongue in cheek aspect of the work makes it less intense. The quality of the work is also very telling. The paintings are impressive but don't forget to spend some time with the sculpture, video and collage work.

Charmaine Olivia
Charmaine Olivia's work, staying in the realms of figurative work, is also inspiring. Quite a few are done on what looks like found materials. Her subject are predominantly female so the smooth features on the rough textures extend the compositions. Take some time on her site and see what you can find.

jeremy

Eric Yahnker
Eric Yahnker's work is really great. I'm not quite sure how to explain it. It seems like a joke that he's telling that goes slightly over 9 out of 10 people's heads. The pieces are mainly done in graphite or colored pencil. There is some mixed media involved and some conceptual pieces. There's definitely some NSFW stuff here but the tongue in cheek elements make the pieces easier to digest. If you were to cruise around the site, which will take some time due to the functionality of the site. That's neither here nor there. The look matches the work...quirky. I haven't delved very deep into the site but I will and I recommend you do the same. The is some quality stuff to see there.

Today is Halloween. I'm not so much of the type to dress up. It just doesn't really interest me. On top of that I've injured myself severely. In my efforts to get in shape and become a normal 30 year old that can walk my dog around the block without sweating I ruptured or tore my achilles tendon. It's put me off and on in a apathetic mood. Overall, I'm in a positive mood but yeah...Halloween is not tops on my list of concerns tonight. Moving on...


Madeleine Gagne
I went to Dove Vive for dinner with my Roommates and Mickie. The food was delicious but I was automatically drawn to the art on the walls. Madeleine Gagne's work reminds me of Elizabeth Peyton in the subjects. Hip people, presumably friends of the artist, in everyday situations. They are graphite based but the drips and gestural use of watered down paint send the paintings home. There's a little bit of David Hockney in the pieces as well. Check out her work.


Derek Albeck
I've posted about Derek Albeck before. Within the last few months I believe but he has a nice interview on Fecal Face currently and a lot of new work on his site. Give both a look.

jeremy

I'm currently watching a documentary on Alice Neel. It's pretty great. Not only was she a great artist that encapsulated emotion and feeling in her portraits but her life was wholly interested. Numerous suitors, depression, children and cancer. This is just the tip of the iceberg. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in not only art but dreams of notoriety and the human condition.


Yes, Please Mix
I haven't posted a mix here for a while. This is an enjoyable mix for people that let the fall or weather get you down. Hopefully, it'll left some spirits. It sure does mine.

jeremy

The Woods
My roommate Danielle & I went and checked out a show last night at The Woods, a new venue in portland. I have to say, this place is awesome. It's located in the heart of Sellwood, occupying an old Funeral Home. The vibe is not creepy in the least. The walls are stark white with vintage photographs hung about them. One nook of a room plays the role of a gallery. The works displayed were nice, but that's another story. The built out a nice bar area and a separate room appeared to be a lounge of sorts. The actual venue room had tables and mix & matched furniture including an incredibly plush and comfy couch. The place just felt good. We went to see Y La Bamba & Church play who both were impressive but YLB as they so often do stole the show. The band is tighter everytime I see them and pull out some new trick that just makes me love them more. Church was enjoyable as well but we skipped out early as we both were super tired. Well, if you have the opportunity I highly recommend this venue. It's a little off the beaten path for me but it's well worth it.

jeremy

ps. My super rad Peter Blake book was just delivered!!!

Langdon Graves
I haven't looked through everything but what I see so far I rather like. I'll give it more of a shot when I have some down time at work tomorrow.

In other news...Top Model AND Project Runway are now back on. I'll give you guys my opinions on some of the contestants, again, when I have some down time. So far so good on both fronts. Before I hit the sack let me just say I'm on the Nicole Team.

Kelly Rundle
I was de-installing my art show at Launch Pad, I saw Kelly Rundle working incredibly hard on installing her show. I snagged a business card and a show card and just got around to checking her work out...pretty rad stuff in the style of Claes Oldenburg. The opening should be an experience so I'd think about checking it out.

jeremy

David O'Kane
Just because I am usually more in line with painting I'm linking David O'Kane's...painting section. It should be noted and obviously seen that he does much more than just that. Spend some time looking at his oft times strangely disturbing imagery and take note of his usage of directional light and how that impacts and creates a drama in the piece. Well done top to bottom.


Brett Amory
Give Brett Amory's website a glance and read this interview...I've only half done both but you would be fooling yourself if you thought I wasn't gonna finish and spend significant time there.

jeremy

Ashley Macomber
Lots of content to behold on Ashley Macomber's page. I've been interested in her work since...I don't know when. I know her animal paintings caught my attention a number of times. The use of ribbon and textures are incredible. She seemed to have moved into more portraiture these days which I will not argue with. Her technique and color choices transfer beautifully into the figure and the dark nature of her work is still there.

Going to see Samantha Crain at Mississippi Studios tonight. This'll be both my first time seeing her and this venue. I think it was recently redesigned which means nothing to me...I digress. I'm excited to see her. It's always a pleasure to see what the other Ramseur artists are up to beyond The Avett Brothers & The Everybodyfields. They are really the only two (along with Avett side projects) that I am familiar with. Either way, the show should be good. She's got an amazing voice. Check it out here at her Myspace and try to disagree.

I've been following Dusdin's photostream for sometime. I'm always impressed with the look of the images. I've always leaned towards portrait photography and he does it well. I don't feel like digging deep, just go check them out and see for yourself.

I've been working diligently on a new series entitled "S%@$s and Giggles". It started off as a loose series based around images of friends and just people doing silly shit and/or giggling. Just a fun no deep meaning series of pieces. Some of the pieces have taken a turn but I think they still maintain the look and lighthearted aspect that I initially planned on. I'll post som in progress stuff soon I think.

jeremy

Kelli Vance
Came upon an ad for her in Modern Painters Magazine...I think that's which one it was. The image on her homepage was the one featured. I'm glad to see the sinister female theme is carried throughout the paintings. This is some really great stuff.

jeremy

These links will probably both incite sideways mean mugs from bosses and co-employees but they are worth your time...maybe not worth your job though.


John Peres Bruno
My studio mate Will has two brothers and both of them have art degrees. I think this is really cool because both of my siblings are far from being "like me". We obviously get along and connect on certain levels but It's interesting to me to have three siblings from the same family that all gravitated to this black hole of an occupation. I'm not bitter at all. Anyways. Will's brother John does some very loose figurative paintings. They feel very other worldly and have the pallet of a George Condo and some of the application. The gestural markings that make up the paintings incite thoughts of Philip Guston. In the painting "Mod Boy Meets The Monster" you can see his grasp of figure painting with smooth planes and precise modeling. Then you go a painting over to Kiera and he literally breaks down the figure into color fields. I want to see this stuff in person.

Justine Lai
This work could easily be casted off as kitsch for kitsch's sake. The statement sort of shatters that...

"I approach the spectacle of sex and politics with a certain playfulness. It would be easy to let the images slide into territory that's strictly pornographic—the lurid and hardcore, the predictably "controversial." One could also imagine a series preoccupied with wearing its "Fuck the Man" symbolism on its sleeve. But I wish to move beyond these things and make something playful and tender and maybe a little ambiguous, but exuberantly so. This, I feel, is the most humanizing act I can do."

jeremy

Chloe Early
I noticed Chloe Early in this month's edition of Juxtapoz. I didn't read the article but I was struck by the images. They are very loose but have tight elements that play off of each other creating a tension that amps up the pieces. I won't say much more aside from the fact that I love her work. Very nice.

Derek Albeck
I really like this stuff. Interesting graphite and colored pencil drawings. It's portraiture but he uses the portraits to create something else entirely. It's far from the first time I've seen this type of thing but it's so masterfully done you lose yourself in it and the humor adds a looseness to the tight technical drawings. Good work Derek Albeck. Cruise the site and find your own inspiration in his varied works.

jeremy

Here is a shot of my work area in Black Rainbow Studios. I bought a little drafting table from a nice couple in Wilsonville about a month and a half ago. The studio has proved very fruitful for my productivity, so long as I get in there. I posted 4 new commission pieces on my website upon returning to Portland. They can be viewed here. Two paintings per family and both really exciting to work on. I look forward to more commissions this year and getting a new series going. Enough about me.


Hope Gangloff
I can't view the website here at work but I located this page from Richard Heller's and I think I love the work. My good friend and artist/art teacher Leslie shot me an email with a link to her portfolio site thinking that I would dig the work. I certainly do and hope to find more of her work and info about her in the future. Thanks Leslie.

LOOK!More Here!

jeremy

Morgan Blair
Really inspirational illustrations, drawings and photography to be seen at Morgan Blair's portfolio page. I'm always a fiend for the sketch style of illustrations because I tend to overwork things and strive to let loose a little bit. Either way, her work is really nice and diverse. Check it out.

I've been a fan of Common since he was Common "Sense" and he released "Take It Easy". His punchlines and lyrics were fun and the beats were nice. He morphed over his career a few times but ultimately became a "conscious" rapper save a few missteps, who stood up for positivity and poignancy in hip hop. I appreciated that. I'm not gonna dive to deep into what his music means to me because it's not that serious, but I will say, this new cd "Universal Mind Control is 80 percent garbage and 20 percent throwaway. It's a little frustrating after he released two solid albums and seemed to have found a comfort zone with Kanye West behind the boards. I know comfort isn't always the way but quality should be your goal everytime out even if you are trying something new. He has Pharrell Williams producing on a percentage of the album and the two singles I've heard are just clunky, lazy, uneven messes. I hate to be the critic but sometimes I don't understand artists and the music they put out...harsh I know, anyways. At least it's not "Electric Circus" and the song Gladiator is pretty epic.

Sharon Shapiro
Friend & artist Sharon Shapiro has updated her site after some time. There is a complete overhaul and some new work has been added in both the painting and works on paper. The paintings in the Works on Paper section are remarkable in the minimal usage of paint to achieve likenesses. Some of the same qualities from the paintings are apparent but the sketchy loose quality of them and the looks in the children's eyes juxtaposed with the wild hair and appearance makes for some of my favorite type of paintings. Explore the site a bit it is well done and I look forward to the blog.


William Eggleston
The William Eggleston Portfolio site is an extensive look at his projects, exhibition history and life in general. I've spent 5 minutes browsing and could stare at that site for much longer. So thorough and such a talent. What made me look for more on him is this cool interview he did with Harmony Korine. Read it here.

jeremy

Mark Searcy - This Dot Com Taken
Mark Searcy, former owner or co-owner of Art Prostitute or something and current Portland Mercury art director has a website with some of his personal work, mostly web design and photography. Totally worth checking out some of the stuff he's been into. The MacGyver Camera pictures are particularly desirable.

jeremy

(Click the image for larger image)
Having an art show tonight at Hopworks on SE Powell. Across from the McDonalds. The work consists of one brand new piece (pictured) some of the stripper series and some of the catalog ladies. Also in the hidden room there are two paintings from 2006's Deer Show. Any Portlanders reading this should think about coming and if not check my site and drop me a line. Thanks.

Claire Brasil
Rad looking collage-esque pieces that are actually Gouache and graphite on paper. Nice images by Libby Pratt in the links. I wish there was more to see. Either way worth a look.

Not much else? What should I be looking for on the internet today instead of working. All I got on my plate is reading Tracey Emin's wikipedia page...

jeremy