I'd let you pat me on the back but my hand is in the way.

SMAC (Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center) in Auburn, NY will be featuring some of my little creations in their gallery. Here is the link to their website:

http://www.schweinfurthartcenter.org/exhibits/2009/CollageAssemblage2009.html

If you are in the area (and more importantly, if you are actually reading this) stop on by. I don't bite so if you wanna say hello I am all for that. Artist reception is August 30th.

Now I go to do a little happy dance.

News Flash

After trying to pretend that it wasn't a problem, I have finally started to update my website. Its coming along well, especially if I consider that it used to look like and how it had no function. Lets just hope this new motivation lasts well into the middle of October.

Anyway, check out the website if you like...

www.ronagelman.com

Not Just an After Thought

Here are a few sample images from the thesis project: Since these were made I decided on a black background. But the general idea is the same.

Bumping Elbows

Its really hard to hob nob with big time artists or attend the "right" art shows when they happen to take place during the times I work.

I've made peace with that and I wish others in the art community would make peace with that too.

I'll just have to find different ways to get people's attention. I'm not worried!


Now, off to ignore my circadian rhythm.

Linearity

"Success is not something we reach at a linear point."

The western world (or someone/ something) has drilled it into our heads that success is measured in a linear manner. Point A will lead you to point B which will finally lead you somewhere down the road to the Gold Mine of LINEAR SUCCESS.

You apply to a college of choice, get an education, you find the perfect internship which leads into a promising young career, followed possibly by yet another degree or two, then you are on your merry way to a "career" with the perfect salary, prestige and perhaps even fame.

WHATEVER!

So the other day when I saved a goose from oncoming traffic (true story) or the time I volunteered to teach photography to kids, neither of those things were successes? Did they make no difference because I gained no monetary rewards from the deed? Or is it because I couldn't put it on my ever evolving resume/CV?

What is a career? What is success?

My passion in life is observing, recording and cataloging the human experience through a long time under appreciated discipline known as ART. My passion will probably not lead me to the holy grail of career success, but I assure you (and myself) that I will not feel like I have not been successful. With every click of the shutter button and every stroke of a paint brush, I will be successful just for having created something out of nothing (well not really out of nothing but you get the point).

So bring it on LINEAR SUCCESS! I refuse to let you drag me down into feelings of inadequacy.

Beginning of the End; The Thesis Debacle

In my mind I am ready to be done with this whole thing. This thesis thing. It makes me physically ill to still talk/write/think about it and yet there are miles and miles to go before I can rest.

In my mind everything is already laid out. Everything is edited, color corrected, marked and printed and ready to go.

So how come nothing is done yet?

I am mentally exhausted by the whole project and I won't lie when I say that I procrastinated way longer than I should have.

The main problem is that my attention span is not good for such a serious project. Its too much focused thinking for someone that enjoys working on multiple projects all the time.

I have about 20 other ideas just lingering up in the ol' attic and they are all in some hurry to get out.

BREATH!

One step at a time I suppose.

My goal is last Friday in September although first Friday of October doesn't sound that bad either.

Well, back to the grid I suppose. 5 days and I want to be done with shooting. Sleep be damned.

Crossing my fingers!

Trapped on Glass

From last semester's Historic Processes Class with Jenn Libby at the Visual Studies Workshop.

Great instructor, great class.

Enjoy!

Overdue and Under Done

Summer is proving to be busier that I had anticipated or really desired it to be. July was pretty much a bust. Had to run down to NYC to see relatives from abroad and then the following week I was once again volunteering out at PEEC as a photo instructor.

The PEEC experience was weird again. Its really hard to get kids (who's brains are on summer break) to get rolling on any sort of project. The first 2-3 days are spent convincing them that you actually do know what you are doing and you are not just playing some trick on them (or trying to make them do 'HOMEWORK'). By the time day 4 or 5 rolls around they finally like you and beg you not to leave, just as you are ready to pack up your gear and head home.

The director at PEEC has asked me to come back next year to teach either for the entire summer or to come in and teach the older kids, seeing as how A) I am cool & B) most of the kids I've taught the last 2 years will be aged out of the younger group by next year. I said I will consider it. Although really I hope to be employed full time by then. (Someone has to start paying off her college debt.)

THESIS:

SO some of you (I am talking about all my imaginary friends and readers) are probably wondering how the thesis is going, seeing as how I planned on showing in September. Well things are really behind. I wish I was more on the ball but once again life got in the way. I am planing to motivate myself to get things going here and at least get some proofs going. Maybe I should put it in writing?!?!?!

OTHER ART STUFF:

I got accepted to a show in Auburn, NY to display some of my creepy little boxes (I will attempt to post some pics up one of these days). I hope they sell.

I have also been showing off some other work at some group shows around town. Even though the support from gallery staff has been encouraging, so far the public has not picked up on what it is I am trying to do. Maybe its because I don't really have a clear vision either.

I hope that once the thesis is over, I can start working on other things that have been festering in my brain. Here is to creativity and its free flow. (I loath artist blocks).

Thats all for now!



Hoping to follow this up with some sample images soon. Keep your fingers crossed!

Sugar Coma

Some new work that will surely keep me up at night... until the sugar runs out.


Enjoy

...In Addition

Not knowing your own self worth, totally and utterly stinks.

Hmmm....

Overlooked again?

Why am I not surprised?

This is starting to look like the story of my life.

Hungry Like the Wolf

Thanks to the geniuses behind the video game Rock Band (and the new expansion Rock Band 2), I once again find myself getting stuck on songs that I have no business remembering. One in particular is that all time favorite of yours and mine; Duran Duran's Hungry Like the Wolf.

So, since my mind is now plagued with this 80's music nightmare, I figured I'd leave you with some images loosely associated with the subject matter: FOOD.

I find that the shape, color and texture of food makes for interesting possibilities for unique compositions. A large part of my undergrad work involved food (and its ability to decompose). It was a very smelly endeavor but luckily I had some very awesome professors that supported the stink-fest.

Here is Irving Penn's take on FOOD

the Enchanting Work of Peter Gasser

I've always enjoyed the works of creative minds (and eyes) of image makers such as Edward Curtis, who dedicate(d) their lives to capturing the world's diverse cultures, customs and people. With that in mind I would like to share some works by Peter Gasser; a photographer that I hope to learn more about.

Focus Please

When blurry photos happen to beautiful people.

I am observing a recent trend of bad photographers trying to pass off blurry pictures as "SOFT FOCUS" photos.

There is a distinct difference between the two.

Here is an example of a blurry photo that some photographer is trying to pass of as a work of a professional.

Please beware.

It Goes

Met with my AWESOME advisor today (you know who you are). I am super pumped about this new idea for a final thesis. Hopefully I'll be sticking to my guns, although I see very little reason for why I would change my mind.

I rather not divulge much before I really take a deeper plunge into this project, but I will say that it is going to deal with archives, curation, use of digital media, rethinking of the term "tactile" and the new role of a user/viewer interface in a gallery setting... among other things. (I think that was a terrible sentence structure.)

Right now there are a lot of pragmatic issues with the project that need to be smoothed and figured out. I never thought I would be in the position to say this, BUT, it seems that technology is turning out to be very limiting in this case. I am definitely out of my league and treading on unfamiliar ground.

First there is a question of whether or not I can find the right type of technology to meet with my projecting and display needs. If I had an endless supply of money (which I do not) I would opt for the best of the best, however, at this time I need to concentrate on how to use the funds I have available to create something that is close to my vision.

Problem number two is either finding a way to program or finding a person who is experienced in the art of programing. My idea may seem simple (ish) but putting it all into a fully functional program is somewhat a problem for me.

The one part that is truly a joy in this project, is getting to appreciate the archive that I am working with. I have to constantly remind myself to keep on track as I am catching myself being mesmerized by some of these images. The issue, at this point, is not deciding on which images to include as a good representation of the archive, but which images must I exclude, as slowly I fall in love with all of them.

As the weeks roll on, I promise to be a lot less cryptic as to what my project idea is. Also, I invite anyone and everyone to comment and/or suggest any reading and/or visual references that may be relevant.

And so it goes.


(Oh man!... can my sentence and paragraph structure be any worse? My high school English teacher is crying right now and I bet she has no idea why... this is why!!!)


Image by Jill Greenberg from her "End Time" exhibition. There is definitely something about the colors in her work that I find very appealing.

How to Spell MANNEQUIN

Random Fact About Me:

I used to dress mannequins for a living. I don't mean those terrible styrofoam analogous representations of human beings that you find in a Macy's or Sears window. I am talking about stunning, almost human like mannequins, with beautifully rich glass eyes and flawless synthetic skin. The kind you see in a Bloomingdale window during the holiday season. (I assure you that the costumes I had for my mannequins do not even compare to the extravagance of Bloomy's.)

I have no idea what it is about mannequins and dolls that draws me to them. Maybe its the thousands of years of human history associated with them. Perhaps is the childhood fantasy of wanting your doll to come to life, that later turns into an adult nightmare. I was/am so intrigued by them that I started making my own miniature versions with polymer. Go figure.

Anyway, here are some random images, that I googled, of mannequins and things associated with jointed dolls. Perhaps you too will get some form of inspiration from them.

Enjoy

Trapped in a Fairy Tale

To make good on my previous post (this blog needs some colorful variety) I have picked the first set of images that at one point or another (and possibly even now) have captured my attention.

The following images by various artists have brought to life the fairy tale world that I have imagined. The first time I laid eyes on these images I was captivated and spell bound by their wonderful use of composition and color.


Image by Dave Lachapelle


Image by Tim Walker


Image by Annie Leibowitz

Images that Inspire

Many artists can place themselves and their creative development based on who they admire(d) and who they aspire(d) to be like at some point in their careers. They can trace back their progress through who and what they were looking at, at a particular moment in their creative development.

As for me, I have always been more inspired by images rather than image makers. An Edward Weston pepper here, an Edward Curtis there, and a William Claxton (RIP) somewhere in between. If I enjoyed a few images by a particular image maker I would go on to delve deeper into what else the creator had to offer. Many times, however, the images that inspired me were from no name photographer or even photo enthusiasts. Magazines, drawings, sketches and even literature, have all been instrumental in my development as an image creator and an image appreciator.

So, what I am attempting to say in 250 words or less (a poor attempt, I know) is that I will attempt to feature various images in the contents of this blog. Perhaps, if you are reading this, the images will inspire you, as they have/are me. Or, (and I shudder at this thought altogether), the images that I post, will help you to understand me better.

Whenever possible, I will attempt to provide the name and a link to the artist whose images I use.

Happy Observing.

A Little Town with a lot of ART...

Ever end up in Binghamton?

While living in Upstate NY (thats the real upstate and not the catskills as some of you NY City dwellers seem to think), I would travel via Grey Hound Bus Lines. Like clockwork the buses would always stop over in Binghamton NY for a layover. I was never impressed by the great pot hole parking lot near an old brick building, that the city of Binghamton calls its bus station. I was even less impressed when the bus would take the "long way" around the "city" to get back to the road to civilization. It was then that I swore to myself that I would never end up in that little hole in the wall town. Little did I know that, not 2 months after graduating from SUNY Oswego, I would spend 6 months living in this little town. It was probably the best 6 months of my life.

Binghamton is nothing exceptional to look at. From what I recall, their great claim to fame was a bunch of old carousels and IBM. However, the people there were just wonderful. If you made the effort to be nice, the town would welcome you with its arms wide open. I always remark that if the town had a better economy, I would not at all mind living there. Binghamton is close enough to the city (NY City that is) and is far away enough to be considered the middle of nowhere. And, most important of all, if you are a SciFi fan, it is also the home to Rod Sterling (Mr. Twilight Zone himself) and his weird little museum.

I think I digress.

I was in Binghamton this past weekend, attending the art opening of my friend Mike Leonard (check out his stuff here www.michaelleonardphoto.com ) at the Brunelli Fine Arts Gallery (check them out here www.anthonybrunelli.com) and I was astonished at the crowd that showed up. At one point I felt very claustrophobic.

As I walked outside, down State St. I was flabbergasted at the number of people that made it out to the first friday events. It was incredible.

So, in a long and winded way I suppose what I am trying to say is a few things;

1. You never know where you are going to end up so never say never.
2. Binghamton is a great little town with a lot of art and even more very pleasant people.
3. I talk too much and should learn to keep things to a 250 word max. story.

So, if you are ever in the neighborhood, check out Binghamton's Art scene and stop by the fine folks at the Brunelli Art Gallery.


Now, stop wasting your time reading this and go do something useful with your life. :D

Insides on the Outside

Getting back to photographing my garbage. I guess you love what you love.

Was just reading an article about history's great creative people. The gist of the article was that creative people notice things that the average person takes for granted, researching them to the point of obsession.

Anyway, here is my mental and artistic disease...