Carl Mehrbach's Art Blog
  • About
  • Making Art

The Brain as a Muscle

3/27/2022

 
Picture
"Silence, Exile, and Cunning" (2022 No.1, state 13), oil on canvas, 48x57 inches, {"I will not serve that in which I no longer believe whether it call itself my home, my fatherland, or my church: and I will try to express myself in some mode of life or art as freely as I can and as wholly as I can, using for my defense the only arms I allow myself to use, silence, exile, and cunning." - James Joyce (1882-1941), "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" (1916)}
Many years ago, my first mentor in drawing and painting, Seymour Leichman, said to me, "The Brain is a muscle. Work on your drawing, work on your painting, your work will make your brain stronger, more able to do the most difficult tasks you ask of it." It is happening. My brain has become more able to sustain the difficult work of making complete works of art. This is particularly obvious in my last two paintings, "Silence, Exile, and Cunning” and "Four Definitions”.

Taking Myself to Heart

3/24/2022

 
Picture
"Silence, Exile, and Cunning" (2022 No.1, state 12), oil on canvas, 48x57 inches, {"I will not serve that in which I no longer believe whether it call itself my home, my fatherland, or my church: and I will try to express myself in some mode of life or art as freely as I can and as wholly as I can, using for my defense the only arms I allow myself to use, silence, exile, and cunning." - James Joyce (1882-1941), "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" (1916)}
This is better than Cherry Pie. I am taking myself to heart; this means I am accepting, I am embracing my whims, my frailty, my inconsistencies, my worries, my propensities, my failures, and my successes, This is not easy for me. I am a colossally confusing entity. I want, I need, I chase, I emote. Taken as a package, I am not easy to manage. It is not easy to get along with myself. I am often uncomfortable; I failure often, which is difficult to accept. My successes must be recognized. I am learning to recognize my successes as important documents, notes to myself. These notes enumerate things important to embrace, to make mine. My acceptance of successes will lead me past my failures. I am on a journey to better, more righteous fields.
​
Yesterday I took "Silence, Exile, and Cunning” a big step toward acceptance of me. I hung in there through many small failures on my journey to make it more mine, to make it succeed for me.

Wonder & Glory or Something Else?

11/11/2021

 
Picture
Drawing 11·10·2021, pencil on paper, 16x20 inches
Whether I am right or I am wrong, I believe in this feeling of Wonder & Glory. I feel discovery. I am amazed. This drawing, my work, it feels right and good. I do fear self-delusion; in any case, I am enjoying this momentary feeling of success. Seldom do I feel entitled to self-respect. Seldom do I feel I owe myself celebratory elation. I have taken a step in the right direction. That's the way I feel.

The Structure of Contempt

10/10/2021

 
Picture
Drawing 10·08·2021 No.2, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches
Picture
Drawing 10·09·2021, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches
When does seeing become believing? For me, not soon, perhaps never, perhaps now. I have contempt for my own work. When concluded it never fully satisfies. I doubt success, so I do more. In doing I appreciate my own ability to see and feel my way to sense and sensibility. In the conclusion I find no happiness. I like these drawings, I doubt these drawings. Therefore I return to make more.

Referential Representation

8/30/2021

 
Picture
Drawing 08·28·2021, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches
Picture
Drawing 08·29·2021, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches
I am coining a new phrase, Referential Representation. My art-making is most satisfying to myself when my images refer emotionally, and intellectually, to my innermost ideas and feelings. I recognize I feel most successful when I represent my deepest psyche with my images. This full acceptance occurs when my images exhibit references to known forms in my real visual world. These forms are the basic connection we all share, they are our visual reality; as such, they are our visual references to all we know and feel. I believe all abstract art is referential to nature. Nature is in every existing visual form, forms seen in the cosmos, forms seen in our normal-sized everyday living, forms revealed by electron microscopes. forms created by the imaginations of artists, people living today, and those who in the past. I am a compendium of all I have seen.

The drawings I show you today are successful because they are Referential Representation. This is what I feel and this is what believe.

Commonality?

8/20/2021

 
Picture
"Honorable Terms" (2021 No.7, state 11), oil on canvas, 52x59⅞ inches, {"The roots of reason are imbedded in feelings — feelings that have formed and accumulated and developed over a lifetime of personality-shaping. These feelings are not a source of weakness but a resource of strength. They are not there for occasional using but are inescapable. To know what we think, we must know how we feel. It is feeling that shapes belief and forms opinion. It is feeling that directs the strategy of argument. It is our feelings, then, with which we must come to honorable terms." - James E. Miller, Jr., "Word, Self, Reality: The Rhetoric of Imagination" (1972)}
Picture
Drawing 08·19·2021, pencil on paper, 16x20 inches
The quest is getting more simple. My understanding is less hindered by confusion of the goal I seek. I just want to be common. I want to be common in my ability to engage other human beings. I am looking at a lot of Art that I find intriguing. I am looking at Art that speaks easily to me. I am examining Art for common threads that are its successful means of communication. The work I show today is the result of this quest for commonality.

Apparently a Monumental Search

7/28/2021

 
Picture
"Honorable Terms" (2021 No.7, state 7), oil on canvas, 52x57⅞ inches, {"The roots of reason are imbedded in feelings — feelings that have formed and accumulated and developed over a lifetime of personality-shaping. These feelings are not a source of weakness but a resource of strength. They are not there for occasional using but are inescapable. To know what we think, we must know how we feel. It is feeling that shapes belief and forms opinion. It is feeling that directs the strategy of argument. It is our feelings, then, with which we must come to honorable terms." - James E. Miller, Jr., "Word, Self, Reality: The Rhetoric of Imagination" (1972)}
I didn't know! Who knew? Not me! I am in search for personal monuments. One of my greatest influencers is Henry Moore. I adore his work. I have always been intrigued by Moore great, monolithic, monumental sculptures. Henri Matisse said an artist should look at one's earliest works as he searches for self; in doing so the artist discovers his natural affinities and purpose. I believe the most important education for the artist is reflection upon one's earliest impactful, intensely emotional responses to visual discoveries.

​Yesterday's work on the painting, "Honorable Terms", altered this painting from a mess of form and light to a monument to form and light. "Honorable Terms" now reflects personal centering. Yesterday's work was mindful discovery linked to personal, emotional responsiveness. "Honorable Terms" is now a monumental, intellectual success.

Picture
Henry Moore, "Atom Piece", Bronze Sculpture, 1964

Knowing & Doing

7/26/2021

 
Picture
"Honorable Terms" (2021 No.7, state 6), oil on canvas, 52x57⅞ inches, {"The roots of reason are imbedded in feelings — feelings that have formed and accumulated and developed over a lifetime of personality-shaping. These feelings are not a source of weakness but a resource of strength. They are not there for occasional using but are inescapable. To know what we think, we must know how we feel. It is feeling that shapes belief and forms opinion. It is feeling that directs the strategy of argument. It is our feelings, then, with which we must come to honorable terms." - James E. Miller, Jr., "Word, Self, Reality: The Rhetoric of Imagination" (1972)}
I am in a special place right now. I know and I do. That is how I feel. Quickly I recognize right and wrong. That is how I perceive it. It is, like Picasso said. Making-art is similar to being is a room with a draft on your neck from an open window. You recognize it, you close the window. You continue. You move on.

​The painting, "Honorable Terms", is more correct today than yesterday. Compare today's state to the one published yesterday. You will see my successful effort toward centering.

Destruction & Construction

7/16/2021

 
Picture
"Gonna Speak to the Crowd" (2021 No.5, state 9), oil on canvas, 62¾x57⅜ inches, {"I'm gonna spare the defeated — I'm gonna speak to the crowd. I'm gonna spare the defeated, boys, I'm going to speak to the crowd. I am goin' to teach peace to the conquered. I'm gonna tame the proud." - Bob Dylan, "Lonesome Day Blues" (2001)}
This art-making is a dirty, messy, destructive/constructive process. The painting, "Gonna Speak to the Crowd", is moving between destruction and construction. It ain't over yet. The process has been dramatic, dynamic, revelatory. More will come. I will continue to solve the mystery that is me. I am foolish, yet I do recognize truth when I see it. I am doing enormous work by seeking truth through the process of destroying falsehoods. Simultaneously I am feeling foolish and intelligent. Why did I create complexity that was obviously falderal? I watched myself bending this thing toward NOT speaking to the crowd. How did I allow myself to stray far away from truth telling? I can look back because I post every state of a painting on this blog; I see I lazily followed a path of squiggle and squabble. Did I believe if I did enough mark-making I would find my way? I did delude myself. I can't solve my personal mystery by being indolent about the facts. I must be strong, I must pull upon my heart strings till they yell, "Yes, this is the proper way toward truthful self-expression.

Not Convincing Enough

4/22/2021

 
Picture
Drawing 04·21·2021 No.1, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches
Picture
Drawing 04·21·2021 No.2, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches
I am unable to convince myself these drawings are good. They are steps, true steps, but not good enough for cheer or bravado. They are just vanilla envelopes containing honest efforts in the right direction. I am happy for what they are. I feel angst because they fail to fully satisfy. I want more. I want deeper. I want more profoundly me.
<<Previous
    To read my profile go to MEHRBACH.com.

    At MEHRBACH.com you may view many of my paintings and drawings, past and present, and see details about my life and work.

    Archives

    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010


    Categories

    All
    Ability
    Abstract
    Abstracted Reality
    Abstract Figurine
    Abstraction
    Abstract Mythology
    Abstract Representation
    Academic
    Acceptance
    Accomplishment
    Accuracy
    Achievement
    Action
    Activity
    Adventure
    Aesthetics
    Affirmation
    Alien
    Allegory
    All-over
    All Over Composition
    All-Over Composition
    Alphabet
    Alternative Solution
    Ambivalence
    Anamorphosis
    Anatomy
    Angst
    Anima
    Animation
    ANNOUNCEMENT
    Answers
    Anticipation
    Anxiety
    Apolitical
    Appetite
    Approach
    Archetypal
    Art
    Art History
    Artifice
    Artistic
    Art Making
    Art-making
    Atmosphere
    Atmospheric Color
    Attention
    Attitude
    Attractive
    Authenticity
    Background
    Bad
    Balance
    Beauty
    Becoming
    Beginnings
    Bewilderment
    Bias
    Big-sensations
    Biomorphism
    Black
    Blindness
    Boggle
    Border
    Boring
    Brainstorming
    Breakthrough
    Buddhahood
    Business-of-art
    Callresponce
    Career
    Catalogue Raisonné
    Caution
    Centered Composition
    Centering
    Centerness
    Cerebral
    Challenge
    Chance
    Change
    Chaos
    Character
    Circular Composition
    Clarity
    Classical Composition
    Classicism
    Claustrophobic
    Clogged
    Coherency
    Color
    Color Balance
    Color Theory
    Comfort
    Commonality
    Communication
    Competition
    Completion
    Complexity
    Composition
    Compositional Density
    Compound
    Comprehension
    Concentrate
    Conclusion
    Concrete
    Confidence
    Conflict
    Confusion
    Congestion
    Consciousness
    Consequences
    Conservative
    Contemplation
    Contemporary
    Content
    Continuance
    Continuum
    Contraposition
    Contrast
    Control
    Conviction
    Coronae
    Correctness
    Counterpoint
    Creativity
    Criticism
    Culture
    Curiosity
    Cycle
    Cycles In Creativity
    Dance
    Dark
    Darkness
    Deception
    Decision Making
    Decorative
    Default
    Déjà Vu
    Deliberate
    Delusion
    Depression
    Depth
    Design
    Despair
    Destination
    Destruction
    Detail
    Development
    Diagonal
    Diary
    Dichotomy
    Different
    Difficult
    Digital Alteration
    Dignity
    Discipline
    Discomfort
    Discontent
    Discovery
    Dishonesty
    Disparage
    Disparate
    Disruption
    Dissatisfaction
    Distraction
    Documentation
    Dogma
    Doublethink
    Doubt
    Drama
    Drawing
    Drawings
    Dream
    Dreaming
    Dull
    Dynamic
    Dynamism
    Education
    Effort
    Ego
    Elation
    Elegant
    Elements Of Art
    Emotions
    Emotive
    Empathy
    End
    Endings
    Endless
    Endurance
    Energy
    Engagement
    Enjoyment
    Enlightenment
    Epoch
    Equivoque
    Era
    Essential
    Evaluation
    Evolution
    Excellence
    Exhaustion
    Exhibition
    Expectation
    Experiential
    Experimentation
    Exploration
    Expression
    Expressionist
    Extracted Reality
    Facade
    Failure
    False
    Fantasy
    Fascination
    Fear
    Feel
    Feeling
    Fiction
    Figurative
    Figurative Mythology
    Figure
    Figures
    Finality
    Finding
    Finesse
    Flat
    Flat Composition
    Flat On Flat
    Fluidity
    Focal Point
    Focus
    Foreground
    Foreshortening
    Form
    Formal Qualities
    Format
    Forms
    Foundation
    Fragility
    Frame
    Freedom
    Friendship
    Frightening
    Frontal Composition
    Frustration
    Fulfillment
    Fun
    Future
    Game
    Geometrics
    Gesture
    Glory
    Goal
    Goldilocks Syndrome
    Good
    Grab
    Grammar
    Grapple
    Gratification
    Grit
    Ground
    Growth
    Habit
    Hallelujah!
    Happiness
    Happy
    Harbinger
    Hard
    Heaven
    Here And Now
    History
    Honesty
    Hope
    Horizon
    Horizontal Composition
    Hue
    Humor
    Hurt
    Id
    Ideas
    Ignorance
    Illustration
    Imagery
    Imagination
    Immediacy
    Immediacy Of Purpose
    Immortality
    Impact
    Impetus
    Important
    Impossibility
    Impromptu
    Improvisation
    Impulse
    Incomplete
    Individuality
    Inevitability
    Influence
    Influencer
    Information
    Inherent
    Inquiry
    Insecurity
    Insight
    Inspiration
    Instinct
    Integrity
    Intellect
    Intelligibilty
    Intension
    Interest
    Internalization
    Internal Life
    Intimacy
    Introspection
    Intuition
    Intuitive
    Invention
    Investigation
    In Your Face
    In-your-face
    Iterative
    Journey
    Joy
    Judgement
    Juxtaposition
    Kinetics
    Knowing
    Knowledge
    Labor
    Landscape
    Language
    Law
    Learning
    Lessons
    Lethargy
    Lies
    Life
    Light
    Line
    Little Sensations
    Living
    Local Color
    Logic
    Loneliness
    Longevity
    Lucidity
    Luck
    Madness
    Making Art
    Making-art
    Malaprop
    Management
    Mandate
    Mantra
    Manufacturing
    Marks
    Masters
    Mastery
    Mathematics
    Maturity
    Meaning
    Mediation
    Meditation
    Mental Health
    Mentor
    Messaging
    Metaphor
    Metaphysics
    Methodology
    Milestone
    Mimic
    Mindfulness
    Misconstrued
    Misdirection
    Modus Operandi
    Monumentality
    Moral
    Morality
    Mortality
    Motion
    Motives
    Movement
    Mundane
    Music
    Mystery
    Mythology
    Naiveté
    Narrative
    Nature
    Negative/positive Balance
    Negative Space
    Nervousness
    New
    Nexus
    Nobility
    Non Objective
    Non-objective
    Non Representation
    Non-representation
    Non-verbal
    Novelty
    Now
    Nuance
    Nucleus
    Objective
    Obvious
    Omphalos
    Openness
    Opinion
    Opposites
    Optimism
    Order
    Organization
    Orientation
    Pace
    Painfulness
    Painting
    Paradox
    Passion
    Past
    Path
    Patience
    Pattern
    Pause
    Peace
    Pellucidity
    Pencil On Paper
    Perception
    Perfection
    Perfectionism
    Performance
    Persona
    Personality
    Perspective
    Phantasmagoria
    Philosophy
    Photograph
    Physical Health
    Physical Labor
    Physics
    Planning
    Plasticity
    Play
    Playfulness
    Poetry
    Pointillés
    Political
    Positive Space
    Possibility
    Power
    Practicality
    Practice
    Precision
    Preparation
    Primary Impulse
    Primeval
    Principles Of Art
    Priorities
    Problem Solving
    Process
    Processing
    Profound
    Profundity
    Progress
    Prototypical
    Psyche
    Psychology
    Pun
    Purity
    Purpose
    Pursuit
    Quality
    Quandary
    Quantity
    Quest
    Questions
    Quotes
    Radical
    Reaction
    Realism
    Reality
    Real World
    Rebel
    Rebellion
    Recognition
    Reconsideration
    Rectangle
    Reduction
    Referential
    Referential Representation
    Refinement
    Rejection
    Relationship
    Relentless
    Relevancy
    Reluctance
    Renewal
    Repainted
    Repetition
    Representation
    Representational Mythology
    Representative
    Reproduction
    Research
    Resolution
    Resonance
    Responsibility
    Reveal
    Reverb
    Revision
    Revolution
    Revolutionary
    Rhyme
    Rhythm
    Right
    Risk
    Roadblock
    Rules
    Sanity
    Satisfaction
    Savor
    Scale
    Science
    Scintillation
    Sculpture
    Search
    Security
    Seeing
    Self Awareness
    Self-awareness
    Self-criticism
    Self Discovery
    Self Expression
    Self-expression
    Self Fulfillment
    Self Identity
    Self-identity
    Self Knowledge
    Self-knowledge
    Self Realization
    Self-realization
    Self Revelation
    Self-revelation
    Self Satisfaction
    Self-worth
    Sensitivity
    Sensuousness
    Seriousness
    Shadow
    Shape
    Shock
    Significance
    Silliness
    Simplicity
    Simplification
    Simplify
    Sincerity
    Sketch
    Skill
    Smudge
    Social Media
    Soft
    Solutions
    Sophistication
    Soul
    Space
    Specular Highlights
    Spirit
    Spiritual
    Spontaneous
    Spotlight
    Staccato
    Static Composition
    Steal
    Steps
    Stiltedness
    Story Telling
    Straightforward
    Straight Forward
    Strain
    Strategy
    Strength
    Stress
    Stripping Away
    Structure
    Struggle
    Study
    Subconscious
    Substantial
    Subtlety
    Success
    Suffering
    Super-ego
    Surface
    Surprise
    Symbolism
    Symmetrical Composition
    Symmetry
    Tactility
    Talent
    Teacher
    Technique
    Testing
    Texture
    Themes
    Third Dimension
    Third-dimension
    Three Dimensional
    Three Dimensional Composition
    Three-dimensional Composition
    Three Dimensions
    Time
    Time Management
    Titling
    Tone
    Tool
    Touch
    Transition
    Trapezoid
    Trials
    Triangle
    Tribulations
    True
    Trust
    Truth
    Two Dimensional
    Two Dimensional Composition
    Two-dimensional Composition
    Ugly
    Understanding
    Universal
    Unknown
    Update
    Urgency
    Validity
    Value
    Value Contrast
    Variety
    Verbal
    Vertical Composition
    Vibrato
    Viewer Involvement
    Viewing Distances
    Virtue
    Volume
    Vulnerable
    Walk-around Reality
    Wisdom
    Witticism
    Wonder
    Words
    Work
    Worry
    Wrangle
    Wrong
    Wrongness
    Wunderkind
    Zen
    Zigzag

    RSS Feed

All images Copyright ©2022 Carl Mehrbach
  • About
  • Making Art