TIME FOR ART '23
If you’ve been following my Instagram for a while you’ve probably seen me post about Time for Art.
Time for Art is a 'celebration of volunteers’, an art auction and night of recognition put on annually by the United Way of Eastern Central Iowa. What’s unique about the event is that rather than pledging dollars to a particular charity, people bid hours of volunteer time to causes of their choice in exchange for one-of-a-kind works donated by local artists. The highest bidder on each piece has the entire year to complete the volunteer hours, then the art is theirs. It’s a wonderful concept and it’s something I’ve made a point to be a part of ever since I learned of it back in 2017.
This year’s event is Thursday April 13th at The Olympic down in the NewBo district. Register here (you can still get tickets at the door)
My donations in year’s past have fallen into two categories: large prints of rare views of CR (usually taken while trespassing) and mixed media collaborations with CR artists.
This year I will continue each of those tradtions (play the hits) but I’m also mixing it up as well.
Entry #1 - 'Forest for the Trees'
The panoramic image below is made up of 4 photos stitched together, taken on a foggy morning on the golf course behind my apartment. It’s also the starting point for my most unique TFA entry yet.
The original image - well, images. It’s four photos stitched together.
From there I took the image and began to alter it digitally. I used Lightroom (which I’m a monster in) and Photoshop (where I can barely find the mouse half the time) to create something entirely different. I started with the stark black-and-white edit, but made an effort to keep the dreamy, foggy, surreal feel.
I then cut the image in half and mirrored it, creating a symmetrical image. But rather than leaving it that way, I began to chip away at some of the mirrored portions, leaving the original layer showing from underneath. The result - a trippy, rorshache-esque image that initially reads to the brain as symmetrical, but the longer you look at it the more you start to wonder what the hell you’re looking at - questioning if you’re actually seeing ‘the forest for the trees’ as they say.
I printed a test run on a 3 foot wide posterboard, sat it next to the computer screen and re-edited it based on how the print looked in real life.
12”x36” test print on poster board - too dark in the trees, way too light on the right. Also edited out a car that made it in there somehow - good eye EP!
Once I made those adjustments, I ordered a 15”x45” canvas wrap from one of the finest printers in America, Bay Photo out of San Francisco, CA. I had it shipped straight to United Way so I won’t get to see it until the night of the auction. After that, I’ll likely never see it again. Kinda bittersweet to be honest.
Ultimately I was hoping to do two things - create something beautiful and unique that someone would want on their wall at home, and break out of my mold a little bit. Shake things up. If it flops it flops but at least I didn’t stay stagnant.
Entry # 2 - ' Home is Where the Heart is '
My second piece is another collaboration in an ongoing series with my friend Thomas Clark - aka Oink - an incredible artist based in CR. In years past he has drawn, painted, stenciled and put his stamp on prints and canvases of mine, creating 1 of 1 mixed medium pieces, usually highlighting scenes from CR and eastern Iowa.
Taken on my last visit over New Year’s Weekend. Loved how the river looked like broken glass, and the blue hour clouds were perfect. Shout out to EP for waiting around while I got it right.
This year I sent him this photo on a 40x20 canvas wrap, hoping he would follow up on one of our 'I <3 CR' pieces from 2018. But the best part of collaboration is not knowing what that other artist will come up with, and of course, I was dumb excited to see that this is what he sent back to me.
The rainbow heart stamps IN EMOJI KEYBOARD ORDER. So fire man.
Entries #3 and #4
We also donated some sequels to pieces in prior series.
The CR Stamp is #3 in an ongoing series // The tigerhawk is also a sequel to a 2018 collab.
I think these are both wonderful but I do expect the hearts to draw the most attention and bids.
Entry #5 - 'Just Around the Corner'
One of my favorite Iowa shots ever. The clouds covering a portion of the fields just does something for me.
I’m gonna be honest I don’t know where the hell I took this picture lol. It was a day-dreamy summer afternoon in 2021 and I was getting lost on purpose. This shot is my only record of how lovely that day was.
I couldn’t re-create if I wanted to and I will never print it again for anyone else. Makes it a 1/1 in my book.
I was told on Instagram that it gave someone 'Grant Wood vibes' which is, in my opinion, the highest compliment you can give an artist from Iowa. I’ve wanted to be that guy since I was like five.
This phone shot from DSteph.
Quick thank you to DSteph, Anna, Thomas, and my dad for helping to coordinate, run errands, etc as I attempt to make all this happen from South Carolina. I appreciate you guys so much.