Chasing Rainbows

Chasing Rainbows - Solo Exhibit at Bunnycutlet Gallery, Brooklyn, NY May 3 - May 27th

There's only so much I'm able to post before the Chasing Rainbows exhibit opens - which is in just a couple weeks! Some of this you may have already seen, but just in case...  Also I've copied the Bunnycutlet Gallery Press Release  below for you to have a look (it's just lovely, thanks to Liz of BunnyCutlet for composing it).  Be sure to follow the gallery's tumblr page! http://bunnycutlet.tumblr.com/

 

	Kelly Denato Chasing Rainbows Solo Exhibit Opening reception - May 3rd, 7-10pm May 3rd, 2013 through May 27th, 2013 BROOKLYN, NY (RELEASE April 16th, 2013) — Bunnycutlet Gallery is pleased to present Chasing Rainbows, a series of new works by Brooklyn-based artist Kelly Denato, in what will be her first solo exhibition at Bunnycutlet. The title of the show, Chasing Rainbows, came to the artist’s mind while sketching her flirtatious yet doom-laden subjects for her solo exhibit. To Denato, the pursuit of a thing that dissipates upon discovery is heart-crushing disappointment in waiting; yet she feels that such futile and cyclical endeavors define the human condition. Her paintings, which are marked by darkness as well as gleeful exuberance, are emotional expressions of an elusive pursuit for meaning and the simultaneity of ill-fated happiness. Denato’s painting technique is characterized by tiny brushwork meticulously layered on a textured background. Her colors are glistening and candy-like, often lifting her characters out of darkness as if they have been carved by lacerating strokes. Her genius is her ability to richly layer paint while still employing economy in her use of line, maintaining an empathetic sense of gesture. Her characters are often floating and tangled, drawn with a masterfully delicate illustrator's hand and an eye for the whimsically sardonic. Denato’s process speaks to the surreal and fluctuating world that her subjects inhabit. In the artist's words "Everything starts with drawing. I will draw as often as possible in a ‘stream of consciousness.’ As patterns, imagery, and symbols begin to emerge, a theme presents itself. Like a Rorschach test of my own doodles, I interpret meaning from those symbols. Then I develop from there, symbols feeding into meaning and meaning into symbols in an infinite loop."
	Music/DJ Nithya Rajendran

May Solo Show WIP - Nebulous

It's begun! I've started a painting based on one of the sketches I posted a few weeks back.  It's a 26 X 30"Acrylic on wood panel.  I don't normally work this large but there's so much going on in this drawing I thought I'd give it some wiggle room.  Now these WIP shots are showing some REALLY early stages of the painting but hopefully you still get the idea. More to come ♥

Here's a shot on the painting on it's flattened out easel on my work table.  Thought it'd be a good way to give a sense of scale and also to show what a messy workerbee I am :)

This is just a close up of the image so far.  Forgive the awkward perspective (it's like Star Wars scrolling type angle :P)

This is the original sketch from here

So as you can see - it's got a loooooooooooong way to go but I'm excited to be sinking my teeth in to these pieces and to finally really get rolling on this May show! 

Bunny Cutlet Solo Show - May 3rd, 2013

Bunny Cutlet Solo Show - May 3rd, 2013
(Still working on a title)  

Took a break from the hands series to work with some of my other brainstorm sketches for the show.  I've been playing with the idea of "oozing geometry" -  an extrusion, play-dough factory of your insides, both your physical and emotional guts.  I still haven't committed to these visuals or colors to encompass the final works for the show but I find the more you draw and experiment, the more likely inspiration is to strike. The image below is an 8 x 10in mixed media on cream colored paper. I have drawings to accompany this image also - I'll post a few later tonight.

Bunny Cutlet Solo Show - May 3rd, 2013

Bunny Cutlet Solo Show - May 3rd, 2013

(Once I have a theme name these blog titles will be easier to follow...)  

I've been working with some of the sketches from my previous post in an acrylic wash on blush colored paper. I've been looking to find a middle ground between painting and drawing so I can explore more ideas and create more pieces in the duration of my usual rushed show scheduling.  I decided to start with my "helpless hands" series...

These seem a little washed out on my monitor, hope they look better for you! I may try to readjust and repost.  I'll discuss the theme and thought behind these now or later if anyone out there is interested.  Otherwise, I hope you enjoy the imagery. 

Another update coming soon!

Solo Show May 3rd

May 3rd 2013

I'm revving up for my solo exhibit with Bunny Cutlet's new gallery space.  This is Bunny Cutlet's first year with a permanent space and my first solo exhibit here in NYC.  I'm pretty sure we are both very excited about this adventure!

I'll be posting about this show over the next few months - sketches, work in progress shots, etc.  For now I've just been brainstorming for themes and thematic imagery.  I finally feel like I'm honing in on something cohesive and comprehensive and I'm gonna start sharing some of the sketches and ideas with you on here - wee!

Hellogiggles & Gallery 1988

Gallery1988 Melrose & Hellogiggles present YOUNG ADULT ! Opening Saturday, Feb 2 at Gallery 1988 Melrose located at 7020 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038 sooo if you are in the hood - Take a peek! These things are better in person I SWEARS! (I also have a piece in the iam8bit  Plush Week show opening the same night! See my previous post for details) 

I chose to work with Sweet Valley High - below is the image! That's right - to hell with sneak peeks.  This is the whole damn thing.  I hope you like it :)

Sweet Valley Ink - 8 x 10 in Acrylic on Wood Panel

If you want a little insight on it - READ THE BOOKS.  I am totally kidding.  I based this on the first 3 books where we just get to know the twins - one sweet and wholesome, the other impulsive, selfish, and naughty.  Jessica, the bad girl, is infatuated with a do-no-gooder spoiled rich boy named "Bruce".  Oh the teen drama of it all.  So what does any no-good girl do when she is desperately in love? That's right - get a TATTOO. Ribbons, roses, bows, and tiaras - oh my!

Plush Week

Plush Week is presented by iam8bit LA - In the words of the iam8bit curator :

"PLUSH WEEK is a celebration of all sorts of orphaned, one-of-a-kind creatures constructed and sewn of soft stuff. Everything is ABSOLUTELY hand-made, and no two characters are alike.  PLUSH WEEK is founded on the principles of ragtag — meaning that every stuffed piece in the gallery has its own personality, perspective and unique talents. Each creature hangs on our wall, and we invite anyone perusing to invent their own stories to attach to this oddball lot of mismatched whatsits." 

The iam8bit gallery is located at 2147 West Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90026 so if you are in LA on Saturday... go visit! (I will also have a piece at the Gallery1988 Melrose Hellogiggles show! More info on my next post)

"Crybaby" - felted fella in 8 x 10 in wooden shadow box

("Crybaby" - interior view)

(Plush Week - iam8bit flyer )

2013 Overview of Things to Come!

        The end of 2012 was a whirlwind! NYCC, lots of shows, lots of art, and tons of wonderful people.  I am optimistically looking forward to more of the same for 2013. It all starts with Hellogiggles at Gallery 1988 LA opening February 1.  I'll post WIPs of that piece as I get farther along with it.  It's due SOON O_O I am also (tentatively) considering the Plush Week show for LA on Feb 2 but I haven't committed to that just yet because of it's unfortunate timing :(
        Most importantly, April 12th 2013 will be my first solo show - yay! It will be at the brand new BunnyCutlet Gallery space in Brooklyn, NY. I'm extremely excited to produce this show and work with this gallery.  It's gonna be a BZZY next couple of months - So I won't be seeing most of you 'til the blooms start a'bloomin'.
        In the meantime I will be posting brainstorms and drawings and works in progress as much as possible to keep you in the loop. AND, since I haven't posted since before the Fall Into Frost show at My Plastic Heart back in November,  I posted flickr albums of all the work from that show and from the November 9th 2012 Too Art for TV 6 show so please go peruse and enjoy!

I hope you guys will join me for all this over these next few months
Hearts & Farts Forevah
-k

Reach for the Sky!