Comments for Art Jerk

Comment on Slap n’ Tickle Show by UFR Presents: Stranger Will Book Tour: “Anatomy of a Live Book Reading” by Caleb J Ross – Used Furniture Review

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:01:41 +0000

[...] at every live reading, and I did one of my only unused short/funny pieces the night before at the Slap n’ Tickle reading. If this had been a more intimate event—in a library or bookstore—I may have been able to get [...]

Comment on Slap n’ Tickle Show by Stranger Will Book Tour: “Anatomy of a Live Book Reading” by Caleb J Ross – Used Furniture Review

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:57:13 +0000

Comment on Stranger Will, cover by committee by Stranger Will tour stop #9: Artjerk | Caleb J Ross The World's First Author Blog | calebjross

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 18:45:32 +0000

[...] here to read the guest post. Also, don’t forget that if you comment on all guest blog posts, you will get free [...]

Comment on Matreyek’s Multi-sensory Visions by Rebecca Roberts

Rebecca Roberts — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 03:05:27 +0000

Wow, the visuals in this video are absolutely fantastic! I especially love the anatomical images. I was hypnotized from beginning to end. The conclusion left me contemplating how the dream world plays into our daily lives and what we consider to be reality, through individual perception. I probably need to watch the video a few more times to grasp it’s full impact. Although the music isn’t something I would normally be drawn to, it definitely complements the video with it’s surrealistic sound.

Comment on Alphonse Mucha by Rebecca Roberts

Rebecca Roberts — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 02:38:56 +0000

Beautiful. It reminds me of a stained glass window or a classic tattoo design. What media is it? I am a big fan of bold lines like this, and always had a hard time in drawing class when I was told to blend the lines out of my drawings. 2D should be allowed to look like it is 2D, right? I also enjoy that the colors are somewhat monochromatic, this quality gives the piece a simplicity contrasted with its intricate patterns.

Comment on Sybille Peretti: A Subconscious Connection by Caleb J Ross

Caleb J Ross — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 03:30:16 +0000

I’m with AJ. Those look so much like 2d paintings, it’s crazy. And even though they are grotesque and strange, they have an inherent beauty that’s just got to be hard to capture. I could see these on a nutcase’s wall as easily as a grandmother’s.

Comment on Assemblage and Artifacts/Edward Kienholz by ajhenriksen

ajhenriksen — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 03:54:39 +0000

I have to appreciate art that makes me react physically no matter how disturbing it is.

Comment on Sybille Peretti: A Subconscious Connection by ajhenriksen

ajhenriksen — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 03:04:39 +0000

Beautiful. Very organic looking I can’t believe its glass.

Comment on Eye | STEVE WILSON by Rebecca Roberts

Rebecca Roberts — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 22:12:11 +0000

What struck me about these paintings is the absence of a light source, despite the fact the colors are so bright. Whenever I cannot find a light source my imagination takes over and finds a place for this setting to be, such as underwater, underground, or inside the body. If a painting can transport a viewer into their own imagination, I would consider this a highly successful painting.

Comment on Jake | BRUTON STROUBE by Rebecca Roberts

Rebecca Roberts — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 21:59:28 +0000

These photographs certainly are disturbing, yet intriguing at the same time. Upon looking at the first image I became instantly uncomfortable and wondered what was wrong with this man. The image of the girl is a bit more obviously upside down, but still makes the viewer keenly aware of the effects of gravity. These photos remind me that the concept of a work can be just as important as aesthetics and execution.

Comment on Eye | STEVE WILSON by Caleb J Ross

Caleb J Ross — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 01:09:27 +0000

Better than ‘on’ your man-cave couch.

Comment on Eye | STEVE WILSON by Doug Wilson

Doug Wilson — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 02:11:12 +0000

These were both a part of his series on things “too close”, which makes it awkward to tell people that I have his “Pubic Hair” above my man-cave couch.

Comment on American by birth, Mexican socialist by choice by Caleb J Ross

Caleb J Ross — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 21:08:20 +0000

Something about rough-textured pencil drawings reminds me of high school. And in turn, reminds me of possibility and potential.

And John, congrats on figuring out the Image Gallery thing. It took me forever to work that thing.

Comment on Nature Adapts by John Kuhn

John Kuhn — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 18:42:58 +0000

I always like finding tree roots that break up concrete and asphalt. I see that a lot around the lower South Hill here in Spo-town. Take that, industrialization!

Comment on Nature Adapts by Caleb J Ross

Caleb J Ross — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 20:17:05 +0000

I love it. Nature, you hipster son of a bitch!

Comment on American by birth, Mexican socialist by choice by Joel Smith

Joel Smith — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 16:16:49 +0000

This is a marvelous post, John. The interior gradation really does stand out and while I have seen as couple of his pieces included alongside other Mexican Socialist artist from the same era; I never knew that he was a white man from Utah. That is very intriguing and I will certainly be doing some more research!

Comment on Premonition in Mississippi/Joel Smith by ajhenriksen

ajhenriksen — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 00:53:49 +0000

This painting actually made me feel cold. I love it when a painting effects me physically.

Comment on Finding Beauty in the Ordinary by ajhenriksen

ajhenriksen — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 23:39:59 +0000

That explains why I find it so interesting to stare at a textured wall or water damaged ceiling. The condensation on a glass always gets me too. Ooo or the design the wood age rings make on a coffee table or door.

Comment on Sideways (A Prayer for the Saved) – Ongoing evolution/Laura Visvydas & Joel Smith by Rebecca Roberts

Rebecca Roberts — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 02:28:01 +0000

This project really has me interested in how music is created and the different steps taken to produce a complete piece. Although I absolutely love music, I know nothing about how it is written! I am excited to hear the rest of the lyrics as well. My reaction based on what you have written so far is that the vocalist is a spokesperson for the listeners, who cannot speak for themselves. If you are going with the theme of organized religion, this is pretty common where the masses are not heard individually. The piano in this section gives me a feeling of isolation and introspective contemplation that I would like to hear more of in the rest of the song. Can’t wait to hear the completed version!

Comment on The Elaborately Staged Work of Gregory Crewdson by Rebecca Roberts

Rebecca Roberts — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 02:07:15 +0000

The adage ‘if you can’t make it good make it big’ has unfortunately ingrained itself in my mind and governed my opinions of art in the past. But here I must say this biased viewpoint does not apply. As a person who pays acute attention to detail, I find this particular style to be a virtual treasure hunt. The open windows and doorways literally lead you through the photograph and nearly into the setting itself. The beauty of photography to me is capturing that moment in time and examining all aspects of it.

Comment on Finding Beauty in the Ordinary by Joel Smith

Joel Smith — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 01:39:36 +0000

These photos are very interesting indeed and the palette is very much 1970′s yet at the same time very much timeless and does not feel dated. I love when a photographer can make the average viewer stop and find a nice composition in the ordinary.
That concept always reminds me of Aldous Huxley’s immortal mescaline trip, when he stopped to stare at the marvelous wonder in folds of fabric and realized that he was seeing what many artists see all the time. -Its certainly why I’m so spacey all day. Everything is being broken down into its basic components and properly framed in my mind.

Comment on i am here And You Are Gone book cover by Joel Smith

Joel Smith — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 01:32:12 +0000

The capitalization of the title in particular I find very intriguing. The lower case “i am here” really emphasize the distance between the following “And You Are Gone”.
Also, the simplicity of the dandelions I find really striking, and I find the simple, silhouetted grasses to be both visually interesting and subdued enough to let the focal point tell its story.

Comment on The Hunter | DAN MAY by Joel Smith

Joel Smith — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 19:10:23 +0000

I love the juxtaposition of the soft, vibrant colors with the menacing subject matter. It does remind me of an illustration for a children’s book, but with much more depth. The texture here is great and I appreciate the fine, sinewy lines which make up the majority of the beast and the foliage.

Good find, Caleb!

Comment on ‘art’ VS. ‘Art’ by Joel Smith

Joel Smith — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 19:05:17 +0000

Great post, Shawn. This is a topic that has been pondered and argued at great lengths.
I am constantly reminded of the differences between “art” and “craft”. For me art is only Art when some deal of experimentation is going on throughout the process. Once the techniques and subject matter become comfortable for the creator, the art then turns to craft.
Using this definition, all artists would ideally be turning out a piece or two of pure art, then would follow that to pure craft, where the technique and material is handled with ease and grace. Then the artist would pull back and explore something new. This type of cyclic growth and exploration is the only way I know to continually turn out Art.
That being said, sometimes I find a piece of Art that seems to have dropped from the womb of the Mother of Invention herself and fallen at my feet. That grocery list I made last week was beautiful. That one girl, that one time, waved with such grace as the cars passed between us and no one could have framed it better.(Dada-esque isn’t it?)
In the end, I am only certain of two things: Thomas Kinkade constantly churns out Shit which is passed off as Art: and All Is As It Should Be.

Comment on ‘art’ VS. ‘Art’ by shawnpatterson

shawnpatterson — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:11:54 +0000

thanks caleb. you are super smart. that helps to bring more sense to what you were talking about. thanks for helping me to learn more about art. And Art. for decorating, i’ll keep watching hgtv.

Comment on ‘art’ VS. ‘Art’ by Caleb J Ross

Caleb J Ross — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:53:49 +0000

what if art was made for the general public?” but is it not? surely, we have all seen the same manufactured framed prints sold at department stores: cafe style canvases, novelty signs, the B/W photo of a small girl in which her hat remains pink……. the list goes on.

Denis Dutton in THE ART INSTINCT would say that actually, no, those manufactured framed prints, even though they are exact copies of a piece of art, are primarily decoration. Think about it, people pay millions for original paintings while spending only a few dollars on exact replica prints. Why? Because their is a deeper, even if intangible, connection to the original that cannot be duplicated with the print. There is an "energy" for lack of a smarter word, that comes from the connection between the viewer and the artist, not just the viewer and the art. With ever work of art there are two entities (at least) involved: the artist and the viewer. Prints take the artist out of the equation, leaving the viewer alone.

Comment on From Symbol to Image by Joel Smith

Joel Smith — Thu, 13 May 2010 17:43:42 +0000

Great post!
I must admit that it takes a great deal of style and grace to captivate someone with a poem on the page as well as at the podium. Poetry for me, is a bit more instant in its gratification. When done well poetry can be more honest and open than other styles of writing due to its tendency to be less filtered.
-Of course then you compare the work of Jonathan Safran Foer to the work Emily Dickinson and you can see that their is much more openness to be pulled from a well-edited novel than a few rhyming stanzas written to tune of “The Yellow Rose Of Texas”.

Comment on From Symbol to Image by Caleb J Ross

Caleb J Ross — Tue, 11 May 2010 04:25:01 +0000

I’m sad to have missed it. Though I’ve never hidden my dis-ease with poetry, I can still appreciate a good reading, and an affecting reading. Writers strive for that with live readings. Those moments at the podium are the only celebrity treatment we get.

Comment on The artist’s vice | Ramrod cigar by Rebecca Roberts

Rebecca Roberts — Tue, 11 May 2010 03:26:39 +0000

After experiencing the great “Charactered Pieces” smokeout of 2009, smoking any cigar now evokes a psychosomatic response that only allows me to recall the taste of Acid Cigars. Lucky me huh? But I must say, if it doesn’t put hair on your chest, what’s the point?

Comment on The artist’s vice | Ramrod cigar by Joel Smith

Joel Smith — Mon, 03 May 2010 06:00:11 +0000

I once purchased a few Ramrods to channel Burt Reynolds, as the package would suggest, and I was surprised at the lack of intensity, machismo and chest-hair flavor. Overall a decent smoke, but I prefer the flowery buds of an indica-sativa strain. Purely organic, and supporting terrorism. (And by terrorism, I mean a single father with a penchant for baking and disc-golf.)

Comment on Self Portrait As An Old Man/Josh Keyes by Caleb J Ross

Caleb J Ross — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 20:01:06 +0000

Great find. The technique is so precise that at first glace the piece appears to be a sculpture. I’m definitely interested in seeing more of this guy’s work.

Comment on Lady Bathory | JOSHUA HOFFINE by Kristin Fouquet

Kristin Fouquet — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 01:02:31 +0000

Absolutely wonderful! I instantly adored the attention to detail in the blood soaked grout.

Comment on cover of Charactered Pieces: stories | CALEB J ROSS by Charactered Pieces officially on sale, embarassing pictures to be had | The Official Caleb J Ross Homepage | calebjross

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 05:13:25 +0000

[...] should you be interested, check out my few words on the cover design, over at ArtJerk.net. Here’s what ArtJerk is all about: Art is not art without an audience. Our goal: to wax some [...]

Comment on cover of Charactered Pieces: stories | CALEB J ROSS by Ren & Stimpy & Charactered Pieces « Wrath of the Karpuk

Ren & Stimpy & Charactered Pieces « Wrath of the Karpuk — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:22:40 +0000

[...] I’ve posted a few more words about the cover over at ArtJerk.net. [...]

Comment on Lungs for Readers | ARTJERK.NET by Joel Smith

Joel Smith — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 19:31:45 +0000

You said it, Caleb.
“IT” is imperative for an artist to communicate and draw in his/her audience. To invite them to join the discussion.
I’ve noticed through the years that all the best showmen have engaged their audience. This is especially important for the small-time artist.
Any band touring the regional circuit will surely fail if the crowd isn’t having fun! I think that applies to all working artists. We’ve got to offer something more than a book, a CD, or a canvas. We’ve got to invite our audience to be a part of the dialogue, to be a part of us. To offer something more than commercialism.
We’re all tired of buying souless, mass-produced garbage. To make the experience more personal is an atavistic goal that more artists should strive for.

Comment on Lady Bathory | JOSHUA HOFFINE by Joel Smith

Joel Smith — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 19:14:20 +0000

Nice post! I am so glad that Hoffine’s blog had such a detailed decription of what went into capturing these photos.
I appreciate that he has continuously used children as the protagonists in his horror/fairy-tale scenes. Identifying with a child seems to grant the viewer a license to imagine, helping surreal props blend in and out of the setting more seamlessy.

Comment on Joel Smith/ “It Is Acceptable To Sit Here …X” by Caleb J Ross

Caleb J Ross — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:25:45 +0000

Nice post. The best line: The bench seemed to be implying that sitting elsewhere in this “free country” is not allowed.

Perhaps this is a call to mark up spaces all over. As long as the markings remain somewhat intelligent, I’d say.

Comment on Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis | SCOTT ALLEN by Joel J Smith

Joel J Smith — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:59:18 +0000

This is a great caricature for the reasons you mention above. However, I am not usually too fond of marker-art. I feel that usually the textures are not utilized properly to carry the feel of the whole piece. In this particaular case though, the marker was used in an evolved manner.

I appreciate the sketchiness, specifically the light outline/gesture sketches underneath all of the color as well as the heavy, black outlines.

As a sidenote; I am reasonably sure that this work was rendered using Prismacolor markers (not a long-shot -they’re popular) due to the sizes of fine and chisel tips, as well as the particular palette used.

Thanks for adding the video, Caleb!

-JS

Comment on inward-scream-outward-lust | JEFF FILIPSKI by Art Jerk » Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis | SCOTT ALLEN

Art Jerk » Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis | SCOTT ALLEN — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 21:54:09 +0000

[...] A friend sent me a link to Scott Allen’s portfolio recently, noting my probable appreciation for this piece, “Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis.” My love for Tom Waits is no secret. So perhaps this post grants unfair weight to content. But, to be fair, I have previously posted about my affinity for marker textures. [...]

Comment on cover of The Luzhin Defense | PAUL SAHRE, JOHN GALL by Shawn Patterson

Shawn Patterson — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:28:37 +0000

it looks as though the specimen case has been placed into the hands of an intentionally minded boggle champion. the disorganization is so natural it leads me to think that the content is even more creative. maybe i’m biased.
i think this works great as a book cover. and just as well as stand alone art. here i am biased. but i do love text art. i think a venture into the literal world can be just as esthetically exciting. whether it happens within a book, a poem, on the cover, or is a stand alone piece of art based around, or including text.
also, it’s like the “when i was your age” predecessor to magnetic poetry, and that’s just cool.
i think it’s inspired me to create something, but now i can’t because i’d just be ripping off this idea.

Comment on Once Prosperous | TRAVIS ECKERT by Richard

Richard — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:41:41 +0000

Reminds me of a Lennon lyric, which I’ll edit here to suite my own purposes:

“…hell below us. Above us only sky.”

The contrast is great, you could almost be on a launching pad at the end of the universe. Great work Travis, and thanks for the post Caleb.

Peace,
Richard

Comment on “It Exploded” and “Ten Gauge” / William S. Burroughs by Caleb J Ross

Caleb J Ross — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:16:43 +0000

Great write-up. I really need to read more (and see more) Burroughs. Having this understanding of him as a visual artist might just push me to do that.

Comment on hangboy | MIKE MOREY by Caleb J Ross

Caleb J Ross — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:58:27 +0000

Reassurance is a good term. Comfortable almost. The figure has such a passive tone to his face.

Comment on Premonition in Mississippi/Joel Smith by Caleb J Ross

Caleb J Ross — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:56:55 +0000

Yes, yes. The negative space is essentially the positive space. Amazing that with so few brush strokes, we get the sense of snow, nature, and branches.

Comment on hangboy | MIKE MOREY by Shawn Patterson

Shawn Patterson — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:57:20 +0000

i think the image displaces itself enough to allow the viewer enjoyment. against the background of blue wide halting strokes, the character becomes cool and crisp, even. i like that the sexual imagery is not typically hot: angry; with burning passion; etc. it seems to say, “It is what it is. It is okay.” and then it goes beyond that to tease us in. but like a good tease, stops us before we get there. and then we find ourselves in our own reassured fantasy.