Jacob van Loon

It still happens ... I see a few pieces of art by an artist and I just immediately feel connected and want to know more about the artists and how they are producing this art, the techniques involved, the materials, the ideas behind the art. This is exactly what happened when I stumbled across the images created by Jacob van Loon. 

Jacob van Loon, Confluence, Watercolor, acrylic, and graphite on panel

Jacob van Loon, De Tonti, Watercolor and graphite on panel

It is amazing how precisely planned and executed the pictures are, while everything equally looks random and free. There are backwashes and blooms, splatter and drops of alcohol when still wet, and all this combined with highly accurately constructed design, squares, rectangles, straight lines. Together to me this is just exciting and new. 

Jacob van Loon, Mechanicsville, Watercolor and graphite on panel

Jacob van Loon, Quincy Station, 1946, Watercolor, acrylic, and graphite on paper

You can find several movies showing the painting process on his website. Here is one example:

I already started applying some of this to my most recent painting. Let's see how these "accidents" mix and match with my organic shapes and forms. 

Advent Update. Own Works.

I had a quite productive week. 5 new drawings complete. 

Here a little sample of the kaleidoscopic images that came out of them. 

Kaleidoscopic Circle, Jurgen Ziesmann, Own Image 

Kaleidoscopic Star, Jurgen Ziesmann, Own Image

If you would know. Jurgen Ziesmann, Own Image

If you would know 2. Jurgen Ziesmann, Own Image

Star spangled night. Jurgen Ziesmann, Own Image

Monday Hearts. Jurgen Ziesmann, Own Image

Monday Star, Jurgen Ziesmann, Own Image

Face Triangles, Jurgen Ziesmann, Own Image

Circle of Friends, Jurgen Ziesmann, Own Image

I am an at least two sided person. On one side I love art, creating art myself, as well as diving into art created by others. On the other side I am scientist, looking into microscopes since 35 years, discovering a world of wonder and not to rarely great beauty. Whenever I discover an artist combining these two areas of my life, I am very excited. Today I would like to introduce you to the art of Fabian Oefner.

Fabian Oefner
Photography

Fabian Oefner, Millefiori 24, Photograph of Watercolor and Ferrofluids on a Magnet

Fabian Oefner experiments with new materials, in this case Ferrofluids. Ferrofluids combine the properties of a fluid with the magnetic properties of solids. Combine that with color, and you end up with spectacular images like the one above or below. Stunning patterns that remind of stacks of biological membranes in deep black, with colored cytoplasm between them. Pictures of stunning beauty, close to my heart.

Fabian Oefner, Millefiori 23, Photograph of Watercolor and Ferrofluids on a Magnet

In a second series of experiments Fabian Oefner mixes paint with movement and lets centrifugal forces and gravity do its work, photographing the outcome with high speed cameras. Ready for amazing pictures of paints, seemingly weightless, floating through space? For much more amazing images, visit Fabian Oefner's studio page. 

Fabian Oefner, Black Hole 4

Fabian Oefner, Black Hole 9 

Female Forms - Mandalas/Kaleidoscopes 

Could not resist playing more with my painting from yesterday. Ended up with some quite nice looking mandalas or kaleidoscopic images. The flowing forms fascinate me. It is amazing to me how more or less random mirroring of the image lead to ever new and highly complex designs.

Jurgen Ziesmann - Own Picture 

Jurgen Ziesmann - Own Picture 

Jurgen Ziesmann - Own Picture 

Jurgen Ziesmann - Own Picture 

Jurgen Ziesmann - Own Picture 

Jurgen Ziesmann - Own Picture 

November update

Thanksgiving break means time for work in the studio. Here a little painting I finished this week. Some more figures from my dream country. They all look female to me. But then ... who could tell with such strange creatures?

Aus meinem Studio:

(I always love visitors ... just let me know that you are coming!)

  

Lotus by Daniel Borup

I teach anatomy - and what can I say other than - Daniel Borup knows anatomy and combines his knowledge with thousands of hours of practicing sculpture.
He describes his work like this:  "This woman is in a storm, yet she faces the storm accepting and embracing whatever difficulties come her way. She is strong in the winds of the storm. I named the sculpture Lotus because the Lotus flower is a symbol of purity, rebirth, and divinity. It is born out of muck and mud but blooms clean and pure with the coming of each day. It is a reminder that our challenges make us stronger."

Enjoy!
Challenge to all my students (past and present) - name all the bones and muscles he sculpts.

Donna Coleman and Robert Shepperd

Today I would like to introduce you to two art friends from the Lynchburg Art Club. They have an exhibition at the Club House, 1011 Rivermont Avenue, Lynchburg. 

Donna Coleman is Lynchburg local, and paints highly colorful motives. On show are several of her oil and acrylic paintings, usually painted with very confident brush strokes, in a quite expressive manner. This leads to highly textured paintings, that sometimes function nearly as reliefs.

Donna Coleman (my photo)

Donna Coleman (my photo)

Donna Coleman (my photo)

Donna Coleman (My photo)

Robert Sheperd, also a long term Lynchburg local,  paints with highly controlled, exceedingly fine strokes. His painting style, a nearly pointilistic way of mixing color, is influenced by the Hudson River Painters from 1850s and the Impressionists. I am amazed by the detail in his paintings, evidence for high level of patience.

Robert Sheperd (my photo)

Robert Sheperd (my photo)

Robert Sheperd (my photo)

Robert Sheperd (my photo)

 By the way ... I also have two of my pictures in the exhibition:

by Jürgen Ziesmann "The Princess is Approaching" Watercolor

by Jürgen Ziesmann "Absract" Pastel Chalks and Ink

Please come by - the exhibition is open for another two weeks Thursdays through Sundays, 1:30 to 4:00 pm.

Anatomical Art by Nunzio Paci

Because I teach anatomy and with that the human body, its muscles, veins, and bones are something I encounter on a very regular basis. And yes, from an anatomical viewpoint, the human body is a beautifully designed machine. 

Nuntio Paci uses oil and pencil to combine the structures of the body (in great accuracy and detail) with other natural elements, wings, feathers, branches, flowers to create surreal mixed beings, where the line between reality and imagination becomes blurred.

"If I can't walk, I will learn to fly" by Nuntio Paci

"Forest" by Nunzio Paci

Very, different ... equally fascinating for the the psychgeographies of Dusting Yellin.
Elaborate collages in blocks of glass - while viewing the inside of the human body whole new worlds can be discovered.

"Psychogeography 67" by Dustin Yellin

Of course I have my fair share of own anatomical drawings. However, comparing them with the creativity that is obvious in the above works .... is a very humbling experience.

"under our skin" by Jurgen Ziesmann (the pose is from an absolutely amazing image by Mapplethorpe)

Own work in progress this October

After several postings about fascinating art made by others, here a little update what I am up to this October. I created a few new mandalas or kaleidoscopic images on my computer. These are, as always, based on one of my drawings.


I love the details that appear out of nearly nothing...

Original computer modified drawing (pastel and gel ink) by Jurgen Ziesmann: NightSky

Original computer modified drawing (pastel and gel ink) by Jurgen Ziesmann: NightSky

  

This little beauty is the original drawing, from which the above two are derived.

Original drawing (pastel and gel pens on paper) by Jürgen Ziesmann

Finally another original watercolor. A little glimpse in my imaginary world.
All of these images will be on show in about two weeks (starting on the first Friday of Novermber)
at the gallery of the Lynchburg Art Club.

Original Watercolor: The Princess approaches by Jürgen Ziesmann