.carolinecblaker.

Oil Paintings, Latex Paintings, Data Art.

Conceptually Driven - Artists

A blog about conceptual art, and its drive in my life as an artist.

  • What I learned from Alex Grey and Allyson Grey

    What I learned from Alex Grey and Allyson Grey image Occasionally in our lives there comes the chance to grasp or to pass by - to meet people who are "Great" or who have contributed to culture and thought in ways that can be measured. I had this chance a couple of weeks ago, and I jumped on it. I attended the Paradise Artist Retreat with a handful of great artists, right here in Bernalillo, NM; at the same resort where I married my husband. I couldn't believe my luck. When I found it on Facebook, just a couple of weeks before it was scheduled, it just so happened that this retreat for artists had openings available and I could spare the time (and the chunk of change) to go. With no local promotion, it was attracting talent from a very select group throughout the US and abroad - mainly in Tattoo art. It was organized by a Tattoo arts support organization and most of the "greats" on deck were well known tattoo artists - even published authors as such, though none of the literature eliminated other sorts of artists as being welcome. Addit...

  • Self as Informant

    I am underinformed. Underexposed. Underperforming. Under a rock. No, seriously! There is so little to make art about that I just don’t. its not I don’t want to - but what about? How? If I can do anything, why do anything? But this is unacceptable. I’m a capable professional in other aspects and I can’t even coach my own painting? Ok. ok. Maybe if I start reading.. My first move is to pick up the exhibition catalog from Eye Infection, featuring artists Robert Crumb, Jim Nutt, Peter Saul, H.C. Westerman, and Mike Kelley; five men without permission or collaboration successfully deconstructing perception same as the “rules” of conceptual and fine art. Or at least now that’s what they are known for, without the whole rogue aspect: they are all monumentally celebrated now for breaking a tradition that was redefined as such along the same lineage. Its a surprise to myself that I haven’t looked at this book in years despite schlepping it around and admiring its spine whenever I enter...

  • One Million Bones on the Washington Mall

    Genocide: a historical event of epic proportions. Mass ethnic cleansing - killing millions of people in the name of .. something. Its far away and its long gone, right? If this were going on now we would hear about it all over the news right? Actually, this time, the contemporary genocides, while being as lethal as the Holocaust are as secret as the Freemason rituals to the United States and other first world countries: most people do not know, and others are not talking. The facts are that genocide is happening right now. Right NOW. Its happening with our government's knowledge AND with no intervention- we are simply allowing for it to happen without objection, despite the 'never again' promise post WWII. If you feel in any way that this is completely unacceptable, somewhat remotely unacceptable, or otherwise not acceptable, there IS something you can do. Artist Naomi Natale wants you (yes, You! and your hands) to make a bone to represent one victim for display in this massive art in...

  • Hoot Hoot!

    So when do you know you have a problem? When the brick wall you hit on your latest strive to make your life better rises to meet you faster than you are running, and it has come from no one other than you, and the things you have not dealt with in your life. Today this was my fear of balloons. Dumb, I know. On my latest investigation of ways to come up with some extra cash I visited one of the only restaurants I could see myself potentially waiting tables at, for one reason or another. I was dead set to impress the manager, the staff who waited on me, and find the better side of some of its more negative aspects. What could go wrong? Oh yeah, that. My deathly fear of round floaty latex balls where kids dig their fingers, fans chop at full speed, and drunk guys stretch pull and rub in my hair. Just being around them used to cause panic attacks, now its only the aforementioned events, which unfortunately for this latest plan would be part of a course of five minutes. I barely made it...

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