Lucas v. City of Long Beach

This is the newest addition to my Law Paintings series. While "citing" a famous painting of the past and its application in today's society, the painting also serves as a personal expression based on my experiences.

This is not to say, however, that the painting should be interpreted. I am not attempting to illustrate a specific point by creating a pictorial metaphor. Although certain words and phrases from this Court opinion are both presented and omitted, the painting (and others in the series) is not a connect-the-dots game intended to lead the viewer to reach a specific answer.

Rather, while certain words, phrases, and images are purposefully presented, certainty is eliminated. Unlike the Court opinion itself, there is no literal, rational narrative. But there is ambiguity and an open range of views.

Stonebreaker, 8" x 6", oil, acrylic, and vintage paper on panel.

Thank you for following the paintings, creations, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, Doodle of the Day, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :) To see older blog posts click HERE.

The Bergamot Station Experience (Santa Monica, CA)

The practice of an artist requires that he study what others are creating in order to compare his own work and art theory to others. It allows the artist to understand current trends in the art world while also getting a sense of the regional art market.

This is not to say that the stuff currently displayed in galleries is good art or what needs to be followed, since galleries are in it for the business, and the driving force behind capitalism is not directly related to quality product. And those who can afford to collect art - those driving the market - are not always people with good taste in art. Nevertheless, just like any industry, it is important to study the work of others in the field, as it is the essence of how society develops and advances, the stepping stones and building blocks to new ideas, precedents, and ambitions.

I recently visited Bergamot Station in Santa Monica at the "30 open doors" shows, where the community of art galleries participated in art openings showcasing the work of dozens of artists. Certainly with the crowds of people and walls teeming with art, there was a lot to sift through, some worth seeing and some worth ignoring. I documented some of the work that made an impression on me.

Work that caught my attention conceptually was that of Milton Becerra, a Venezuelan born artist, at the Latin American Masters Gallery. I interpreted his work as addressing physics, matter and the universe, a network and connection of space and time. In his installations, he uses gravity, strings and stones, creating geometric planes within a space (the strings) connected to centralized matter (the stone). The work prompted me to question energy and physics, and I pondered this relation to ongoing contemporary scientific studies with the Hadron Collider, studies that will theoretically "take physics into a realm of energy and time where the current reigning theories simply do not apply."

Here is a picture of a portion of Becerra's work:


As I continued into another gallery, I stumbled upon a painting by Dan Quintana, a local artist living in Redondo Beach. While probably all of the work in this particular gallery would be written off as "low brow", Quintana's painting intrigued me by its craftsmanship - I admired his crafting a group of flawless images with vivid colors. So many times artists attempt to take a similar route and so easily fail. Although not a very intellectually thought-provoking work of art (which in the long run will prove its demise in artistic standing), like a centerfold, Quintana's piece stood out:


With respect to other paintings, Richard Heller Gallery exhibited some work by Spanish artist, Paco Pomet. His monochromatic wet into wet techniques, along with thick layers while still showing blank white canvas in certain areas, created dialogue among the viewers. Here are some examples of his work:


I enjoyed Pomet's work for the sake of "how" he painted it (shades, composition, texture, shape, line, etc.). But my biggest criticism is that some paintings seemed too obviously concerned with subject matter or wanting to reference pop culture. This caused them to feel as if they lacked confidence in the "how", thus attempting to compensate in the subject matter by including references to familiar characters. For example, a unique monochromatic representation of a rural laborer was ruined by the inclusion of Yogi Bear peeking from behind a tree in the background, as if Yogi had been included as an afterthought. This implied that the subject matter was more important than the "how", when it should have been the other way around.

Two New Paintings Of The Past

These two new small paintings reference big paintings of the past by Fuseli (1871) and Rubens (1602), in a continuation of my law painting series:

Left: The Nightmare, 8" x 6", oil, acrylic, and vintage paper on panel, 2011.

Right: The Rubens Deposition, 8" x 6", oil, acrylic, and vintage paper on panel, 2011.

My "law paintings" incorporate the text from California Court rulings. As internet research has displaced traditional book research, the books themselves have become obsolete, even though the rulings remain good law. I have thus torn out the pages from the vintage books and incorporated interesting writings into the paintings by sealing in the pages and painting over top them.

In certain areas I put a layer of glaze over the text to add color, or I scrape away paint to reveal certain words. For example, the words "People v.", "Supreme", "Homicide", and many others can be found strategically placed:


Thank you for following the paintings, creations, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, Doodle of the Day, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :) To see older blog posts click HERE.

Painting for the City of Santa Clarita

This is the completed painting for the City of Santa Clarita. The City asked me to create a work of art incorporating "found" objects from its Santa Clara River, objects I gathered during its annual River Rally this past September.

It is: Under The Bridge, 24" x 48", acrylic, oil, and found objects on panel, 2011. The painting, to me, radiates mostly positive and optimistic feelings, but at the same time carries a deeper network of emotions - a castaway teddy bear with his rucksack, an empty bottle of vodka, and fluttering butterflies over chaotic movement of paint - hard times under the bridge and old souls - yet piecing together simple things we find a melody, harmony, and rhythm to life.

The work will be exhibited throughout the month of January, 2012, at the Big Stories Gallery at Westfield Valencia Town Center, 24201 West Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita, California 91350. The opening reception is on January 11th at 7:00 p.m.

Thank you for following the paintings, creations, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, Doodle of the Day, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :) To see older blog posts click HERE.

Doodle of the Day - R.I.P. Dimebag Darrell

On today's date, 7 years ago, legendary guitarist Dimebag Darrell was shot and killed on stage during a concert. Best known for his role in the band Pantera, his aggressive riffs, electrifying solos, stunning originality, unpredictability, and overall badassness, made his music famous around the world and earned him an awesome name.

Gibson.com named Dimebag one of the top ten metal guitarists of all time, but Dimebag could play anything and everything, from jazz to classical. I wonder where he should rank on a list of all guitarists.

A good article about Dimebag Darrell's huge influence in music can be found HERE.

Thank you for following the Doodle of the Day and the paintings, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :) To see older blog posts and other doodles, click HERE.

Critiquing the Work of Chuck Close

Dare I criticize the paintings of Chuck Close? He is probably one of the most famous American painters alive today. But in my lifelong quest to reach artistic greatness, I must study the work of established artists, and in doing so, sometimes I feel the need to write an independent review of their art, in an effort to better understand it.

The above painting is an example of Close's recent work currently exhibited at Blum & Poe Gallery in Culver City, one of the most reputable galleries in Los Angeles.

Now in his 70s, Chuck Close earned his MFA from Yale University, was awarded the National Medal of Arts from President Clinton in 2000, and has his work in the permanent collections of museums worldwide, including the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

In 1988, he suffered a spinal artery collapse, suffering a seizure which left him paralyzed from the neck down. Over time and through rehabilitation, he regained movement in his arms, but not his fingers. He developed the ability to continue painting with a brush strapped to his wrist, but he has been confined to a wheelchair ever since.

His ability to overcome "the event" is certainly an accomplishment in itself, but his ability to continue creating art demonstrates his enormous passion for it and exemplifies the necessity of art in human life. A good PBS interview with him can be found HERE.

As the life story of Chuck Close will likely remain in art history books of American artists for centuries to come, and while purchasing his work may prove to be a solid investment, his 2011 work currently on display at Blum & Poe deserves an independent review:

The following is an image of his painting entitled Lucas, created in 1987, on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. I am particularly intrigued by this painting, not because of its title!, but because it was one of the first of its style, a monumental scale portrait using a Seurat-like pointillist technique, and marking Close’s departure from hyper-realistic painting. It was created in a style similar to the above self portrait, but because it stands over 12 feet tall, this is what it looks like from far away:


To create these portraits, Close takes photographs of his subject, then draws a grid over the photo. Next, he formulaically reproduces the contents of each tiny square on a magnified scale, by applying dots, dashes or short strokes of pigment. Viewed close-up, the painting looks like a series of abstract markings within separate squares, but from a distance, the markings form the illusionistic portrait.

A similar effect was demonstrated in the work of Georges Seurat in the 1880s, when the term pointillism was coined, represented in this detail from La Parade:


These ideas are related to the pixel element in digital imaging. Pixels are combined to create images the we see on computer screens, and derived from this process are creations of digital images like the following, which I call “digital pointillism”:


With the recent advent of new media, digital imaging has flooded our lives, including thousands of variations of images created from “digital pointillism”.

So, when viewing Chuck Close’s recent work at Blum & Poe, although the paintings initially resonate a professional quality and visual intrigue, after spending enough time with them, I am ultimately dissatisfied by their predictability. I am disappointed at Close’s unwillingness to venture into unexplored territory.

With a name like Chuck Close, he has earned the right to go anywhere and do anything in art. But he has stuck to the same formula he developed about 30 years ago, creating slight variations of the same idea, churning out paintings using the same ingredients to represent persons' faces. The easy defense is to point to his physical condition and conclude it is amazing enough that he can paint at all! But I'll bet Close is not looking for sympathy when it comes to artistic creation; he can handle unadulterated criticism.

An analogy can be made to the invention of the camera: Prior to its invention, western artists became famous by painting in a realistic style. When the camera and film were invented in the 1880s, many people jumped to the conclusion that painting had become obsolete. But the true artists met the challenge and proved that painting need not be photo-like, thus resulting in impressionism and post-impressionism (e.g., Monet, Seurat, and Van Gogh), paving the way to subsequent movements of the 20th century.

In the contemporary world of Chuck Close, the ease and availability of digital imaging has disturbed and challenged the originality of his painting style. To Close's defense, a painting is not an image - it is an object, and Close's paintings are painted by hand and imperfect, as a painting should be - grander in scale, dwarfing most digital images. Nevertheless, Close has done little to respond to the challenge, to discover new terrain, appearing happy to follow an accepted formula and be pinned as the guy who does those big gridded portraits.

Doodle of the Day - Up Close and Personal

Want to get up close and personal with the Grand Canyon? This is the tour for you!

Thank you for following the Doodle of the Day and the paintings, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :) To see older blog posts and other doodles, click HERE.

Doodle of the Day - A Reason to Occupy Wall Street

The "Kleercut" campaign headed by Greenpeace to stop the destruction of Canada's ancient forest was a success...to be determined. But it was certainly a step in the right direction and motivation for people to mobilize and stay active to end inequities and corporate greed. After all, a corporation has legal standing the same as a person, but a corporation operates only to maximize its profits - if this comes at the expense of the environment and community, then so be it.

Thank you for following the Doodle of the Day and the paintings, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :) To see older blog posts and other doodles, click HERE.

Green Roast Exhibit and Other Updates

Thank you to all who made it out on Saturday to Green Roast in Redondo Beach for the solo exhibition of many of my paintings. Your support is so very much appreciated :) If you were unable to attend, the art will remain up for the rest of November; please stop in if you're in the area.

Also, I hope the raffle and giveaway of the three mini-paintings was enjoyable! (And no, it wasn't rigged, lol.) Congrats to Elise, Mike, and Melissa.


Please keep in mind that in January my work commissioned by the City of Santa Clarita will be exhibited at the Big Stories Gallery at Westfield Valencia Town Center, 24201 West Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita, California 91350. More details on this to come...

Also, in February, my solo exhibition of nature-inspired abstract paintings will be exhibited at the El Dorado Nature Museum in Long Beach, California. More details on this to come as well...

And if you're planning to be around Torrance on November 20th, join me at 6:30 p.m. at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center for a silent art auction, featuring one of my small 6"x8" paintings, to benefit the 24 Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing access to various forms of art to people in need of healing. The theme at this event is "child like heart" and there will be live music by singer/songwriter, John Torres!

Thank you for following the paintings, creations, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, Doodle of the Day, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :) To see older blog posts click HERE.

Little Paintings

Cat Spirit, 5" x 5", oil on panel, 2011.

Sometimes I create little paintings, sometimes as a study for a larger piece, but sometimes simply because that is how best to portray the subject.

It seems that, for whatever reason, there is a trend in many galleries to predominantly exhibit HUGE paintings. But that reasoning doesn't apply to the creator, for sometimes it is more effective for a picture to be small - it adds mystery and intimacy, causing the viewer to inch up close to it, instead of being bombarded by it anytime they're in the same room.

That is to say, a small painting created on a larger scale can lose its effect and intrigue, while the small painting, as it is, can say what it wants to say, and more.

Thank you for following the paintings, creations, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, Doodle of the Day, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :) To see older blog posts click HERE.

Latest Abstract Painting

Abstract 10-11, 36" x 33", oil on canvas, 2011.

My latest abstract painting was perhaps influenced by the colors of October even though that was not the intention from the beginning. I started by just putting down fields of color and shapes, unattached to anything in particular. The painting and color scheme eventually took form, as seen in the final product here.

Happy Halloween!

Thank you for following the paintings, creations, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, Doodle of the Day, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :) To see older blog posts click HERE.

Visiting the Art Institute of Chicago

After visiting the Philadelphia Museum of Art last week and the statue of Rocky Balboa, I stopped in Illinois on my way back to Los Angeles and visited the Art Institute of Chicago. The Art Institute remains my favorite museum in the country with its mind-boggling collection of unbelievable artwork from all around the world.

Although it would be nice if the institute could add some more paintings by older Europeans such as Velazquez, Rembrandt, Vermeer, and da Vinci, certainly the small number of pieces by these artists is understandable considering the relatively low number of remaining works in the world, along with their high demand everywhere. Nevertheless, the stimulation from every room in the museum is both inspirational and exhausting.

When I first visited the museum years ago, I was struck, like a lightning bolt, seeing the above Picasso painting in person. Having only previously seen it in art books, I had never really thought it special until we met face to face. And then I examined it for two straight hours.

Certainly the reproduction on this little blog of some of the works I found to be most profound during my most recent visit does not do the paintings justice, but the following are images of some of them anyway...

A painting by Toulouse-Lautrec with sketchy lines and dripping paint depicting a moment in time, as though he passionately needed to get his vision onto the canvas before the moment passed:


Another painting by Toulouse-Lautrec, a scene of interesting characters (which includes himself in the background) in a harmonious balance of color:


A painting by Degas (being viewed by my friend), capturing a woman performing the insignificant, dull act of trying on hats, yet a work of art which stands out across the room:


The museum also had an entire room filled with works by Gerhard Richter, probably the best painter alive today. The guard scolded me for getting too close to one of his paintings in an attempt to investigate the texture and dissect the process of creation. The following painting by Richter is bigger than life-size, and the way he was able to create a beautiful portrait, with completely blurred lines and blended paint, brilliant light and dark contrast, and rather uniform texture, is perplexing and intriguing:


And a painting by Mondrian, very different from his flat grids and squares paintings for which he is most well-known:


The visit to the museum was an all day affair, yet it felt as though I had only scratched the surface of what was to be discovered there. After a few hours, my mind was overwhelmed and my body was exhausted. There reached the point where I could no longer analyze the process of creation, nor comprehend what I was looking at. Quite an experience.

Thank you for following the studies and creations, the paintings, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, Doodle of the Day, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :) To see older blog posts click HERE.

Visiting Rembrandt at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

In the past week I visited both the Art Institute of Chicago and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Each is world renowned for its gigantic collection of some of the greatest works of art ever created. Although I did not have enough time to give the Philadelphia museum an investigation in its entirety, I was lucky enough to visit when the museum was featuring the works of Rembrandt with Jesus as his subject.


The show was smaller than a typical exhibition at a major museum, since many of the works included his drawings and works by his students, instead of the iconic paintings by the master himself. However, in the art displayed that was painted by Rembrandt, the show was a powerful declaration of faith — not just the faith in Jesus portrayed by Rembrandt, but our faith in the authority of Rembrandt’s painting hand. Rembrandt redefined the grand religious narrative scene as a subtle but powerful human moment.

The tablecloth alone in the following painting, The Supper at Emmaus (on loan from the Louvre), struck me as though Jesus himself touched the painting with his hand:

Even the life story of Rembrandt seems somewhat biblical. He accumulated wealth from his art, and in his later years he lost everything and declared bankruptcy. When Rembrandt died in Amsterdam in 1669, he was buried in an unmarked grave and disappeared as if his body never existed. But throughout his lifetime he provided the world with hundreds of revered paintings, drawings, etchings, and prints, artwork that continues to be revered today, like gifts from the Heavens. While the body of Rembrandt was just another person, buried and forgotten, the portal of Rembrandt led to sanctity.

Doodle of the Day - Adventures in Online Dating

Online dating appears to be the new hot thing for many people. But beware: it doesn't mean you will meet the next hot thing!



Thank you for following the Doodle of the Day and the paintings, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :) To see older blog posts and other doodles, click HERE.

Audio Book Cover Art

I was recently commissioned to create the cover art for the audio book The Forever Garden, and this is an image of the final product (oil on wood panel, 18" x 18"). The author is John Janda, also the author of the novel American Spirit. The Forever Garden is a fantastic story for all ages. Stay tuned for its publication!

Thank you for following the paintings, the Doodle of the Day and the sculpture, drawings, works in progress, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :)
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Doodle of the Day - The Expert Witness

Yesterday, I had jury duty. I sat in the jury assembly room all day with others at a courthouse in Los Angeles. Some people were clearly irritated about sitting there all day - twiddling their thumbs or playing Angry Birds on their phones. But I didn't mind it at all - what a great time to sit around and draw doodles. And of course I had to doodle about the legal system...


Thank you for following the Doodle of the Day and the paintings, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :) To see older blog posts and other doodles, click HERE.

Doodle of the Day - In Trouble With The Authorities

Every so often you hear about criminals who make stupid mistakes. This time, these bank robbers made the mistake of targeting The Piggy Bank!

I hope this doodle doesn't get me in trouble with the authorities or my police officer friends :)

Thank you for following the Doodle of the Day and the paintings, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :) To see older blog posts and other doodles, click HERE.

Oil Pastel Still Life

Edgar Degas said, "The secret is to follow the advice the masters give you in their works while doing something different from them." Before a true artist may successfully do something different from the masters, he must first understand their advice.

I don't think that every artist must first learn to paint like all of the old masters, nor is it my intent to do so. But it is the naive and pretentious man who disregards the importance of drawing, line, and composition, mastered by those of the past, in the man's quest for artistic greatness. The practice of art is a lifelong study, and even Degas himself, on his deathbed, lamented, "Damn, and just when I was starting to get it!"

In continuing my lifelong study, even though most of my current larger works may be categorized as abstract, I hone skills by investigating the paths of the masters, like Degas, by examining people and objects and translating what I see to paper using oil pastels. Avoiding the laborious photo-realistic style, I am more interested in creating a representational picture in an efficient, economical, and natural way, as mastered by Degas and Spanish artist, Diego Velazquez. This approach allows for the inclusion of my own stroke and subjective feelings, and it places the emphasis on color, texture, line and composition, rather than subject matter.

Thank you for following the paintings, the Doodle of the Day and the sculpture, drawings, works in progress, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :)
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DOODLE OF THE DAY - YOUR HOLINESS?

Sometimes when I can't sleep I stay up scribbling in a sketchbook. The scribbles usually turn out to be nothing impressive, but sometimes they lead to bigger and better ideas. And the scribbles sometimes include scratching out notes, such as what my next painting should be, or an analysis of the progress of a current painting, or even an idea for a simple doodle. In this case, it was toilet humor...

Thank you for following the Doodle of the Day and the paintings, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :) To see older blog posts and other doodles, click HERE.

Doodle of the Day - Pigeon Tales

Today's doodle was inspired when I was sitting outside eating lunch and felt some little feet wander over my toes. The patio was populated with pigeons, and another customer next to me was disgusted by them, muttering insults.

Thank you for following the Doodle of the Day and the paintings, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :) To see older blog posts and other doodles, click HERE.

Oil Pastel Experiment - In the Moment

This picture is the result of an experiment, applying oil pastels to my latest abstract style. Although I've used oil pastels to paint representational pieces (click here for an example), I've not used pastels in this style. Oil pastels are unique in that they combine principles of oil paint with chalk, and while the final product can be colorful, it is more of a matte surface and not as bright as paint. It was a fresh experience because my latest abstracts have been limited to graphite, charcoal, oil paint, or mixed media, and none have incorporated pastels. It was time to explore new territory.

The approach to creating this was unplanned, meaning, there were no preliminary sketches or pencil lines to begin the piece. Rather, the oil pastels were applied to a blank piece of paper with free emotion. Clearing my mind of preconceived paths or “left brain” representations, I let the application of color and line dictate the flow of the painting’s development. It was a type of “living in the moment” art. Although perhaps a person could refer to some of the work by Wassily Kandinsky from the early 20th century, I made no conscious effort to recreate his style. This painting is more of an abstract self portrait of individual brainwaves and feelings present at the time of creation.

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Doodle of the Day - Don't Call Me A Bum

Happy Friday! Hope you enjoy today's daily doodle. It was inspired by my weird family and friends. If you're a fan of the Doodle of the Day, please feel free to suggest ideas for future doodles! Ideas are always appreciated :)

To see older blog posts and other doodles, click HERE. Thank you for following the Doodle of the Day and the paintings, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :)

Doodle of the Day - New Car Alerts

Every time I turn on my car there seems to be another bell and light to alert me of something: "DING! Fasten Your Seat Belt" or "DING! Washer fluid needs refill." As long as the car is nagging me, why not include: "DING! Do your laundry" or "DING! Call your mother!"

But after being cut-off in the fast lane today by a dude going 45 with his right blinker on, I stumbled upon the idea that a more important alert could be added to the list of alerts and serve a valuable purpose in the cars of many, especially in Los Angeles where EVERYONE drives:

To see older blog posts and other doodles, click HERE. Thank you for following the Doodle of the Day and the paintings, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :)

Oil Pastel Study, And Other Art Updates

Thanks to those of you who made it out to the 59th Annual State Bar Art Competition at the Long Beach Convention Center, where I won First Prize in painting :) Again, your support is most appreciated!

In other updates, the City of Santa Clarita has commissioned me to create a work of art dedicated to its Santa Clara River Rally, and the efforts of the community in cleaning it up. I will keep you posted on how the work develops!

I have also been commissioned to create the cover art for a new book coming out by author John Janda. John is an incredible writer, and I have worked with him in the past, in his novel American Spirit. Stay tuned for updates on this development :)

Currently, I continue to work on several other new pieces, and the above image shows my recent study in oil pastels, a medium mastered by the great Edgar Degas. It is further practice in color and layering. Although this piece is a "still life", it is not the subject matter that most concerns me - it is the process of viewing an object and translating that visual into an illusion of color on a flat plane composition. This process is the same whether the subject matter is a still life, landscape, portrait, abstract, etc.

What interests me is how the work is created, while the subject matter is secondary. This is, for example, why Degas is one of the greatest artists in art history - it is not his choice of subject matter of horses, dancers, or performers that gives his art a place in every art history book. And this is why a still-life, like those famously created by Paul Cezanne, can be just as interesting as an action painting or any other type of art.

Doodle of the Day - The Dog Whisperer

I recently moved into a new place, and I think EVERYONE on my block has a yappy dog! It's as if nobody has seen the show the Dog Whisperer before. I’m thinking of calling up Cesar Millan myself to let him know that the entire street needs help – teach those dogs to whisper. He could go door to door like he’s selling Bible studies, preaching his spiritual connection with the canine world, saving the dogs from their yappy anxiety, and even better, saving my eardrums and sanity! Come on people, get some of that pack leader mentality.

To see older blog posts and other doodles, click HERE. Thank you for following the Doodle of the Day and the paintings, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :)

59th Annual Bench and Bar Art Exhibit

The 2011 California State Bar Annual Meeting is taking place this week, today through Saturday (Sept. 15-17), at the Long Beach Convention Center (near the Aquarium). If you are in the area and have some time, please stop by, as some of my paintings are being exhibited at the 59th Annual Bench and Bar Art Exhibit, in Exhibit Hall B.

The paintings exhibited, like the one pictured here, are from my "obsolete law book" series.

It is free to attend :)

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Doodle of the Day - Your Widget Order Is Complete

Just another daily doodle...

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Abstract Painting - Final Stage

"He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands, his head and his heart is an artist."
- Saint Francis of Assisi

Abstract 0911, 34" x 48", oil on panel, 2011.

Following up on the previous post on this subject, this is the abstract painting in its final stage. Finishing touches still remain. And even though I refer to it as the final stage, the stage is unique because it may take some time just sitting there against the wall in my studio. It may be that, as I've removed my focus from it, the painting will live with me for days or weeks and let me know whether it is done or needs some more work. Sometimes a painting will reveal its needs in a week which may lead to an overhaul; other times a week is enough time to understand that there is nothing else I can do to add to it. There is never a specific formula, and each artwork is different in this regard.

I will keep you updated on what happens with this one...

Doodle of the Day - You Are What You Eat

Happy Friday! This doodle was inspired when I witnessed a simple encounter on my fence yesterday afternoon, a bird chattering at a goofy looking squirrel. For an instant, I understood the language of bird, and this is what he proclaimed...


Perhaps the saying is true, that you are what you eat. Click on the image for a larger view. To see older blog posts and other doodles, click HERE. Thank you for following the Doodle of the Day and the paintings, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :)

Doodle of the Day - The Van Gogh Lizard

If Vincent Van Gogh had been a lizard...

To see older blog posts and other doodles, click HERE. Thank you for following the Doodle of the Day and the paintings, sculpture, drawings, works in progress, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark :)

Abstract Painting - More Progress in the Studio

This photo shows the middle stage of a painting on wood panel I am currently working on in my studio. It is a continuation of my first blog post on this painting.

After completing several layers of glazing over the underpainting, the palette was expanded, and thicker opaque layers of paint were added by blending, scraping, and scratching, while allowing certain areas of the previous layers to show through. It is planned that additional thicker layers will be added, but that can only be done once the latest layers dry to a certain point. The number of additional layers remains uncertain, but they will continue to be added until the painting "declares" that it is complete and nothing more can add to it.

For those who saw the blog post showing the beginning stages, you will notice that the painting is now at a horizontal rather than the vertical it was at before. This happens from time to time during the creative process and is part of the intrigue with abstract painting. The "top" of the painting may not be established until just before the work is completed. And again, the mission is to create a work of art that can stand alone in the end, holding the attention of the viewer by a striking presence and by ambiguities and prompting questions.

You can click on the image for an expanded view. To see all blog posts and other doodles, click HERE. Thank you for following the works in progress, and the paintings, sculpture, drawing, doodles, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark.

Doodle of the Day - R.I.P. Cy Twombly

Cy Twombly was an internationally famous fine artist with contemporary works of art which were mere scribbles and chicken scratches made with pencils and crayons. His "paintings" often caused people to respond with "Are you kidding?" or "You call THAT art?"

Twombly was prolific in his lifetime as an artist, and sadly, he recently passed away at 83 years old. This link shows some of the scribbles on canvases that made him hugely successful. It is remarkable that his works of art were not dismissed as children's paintings. Or maybe they were children's paintings and Twombly proved that success in the art world has nothing to do with artistic talent.

You can click on the image for a larger view, and thank you for following the Doodle of the Day and the paintings, drawings, sculpture, daily progress, and art of Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark.

Doodle of the Day - The Gift of Charlie Brown

On Labor Day, I figure it's best to sit back, relax, and be inspired by all the great art and artists of the past. Today, I pay my respects to the great Charles Schulz, the cartoonist who gifted the world with Charlie Brown and the comic strip Peanuts. It is truly a creation of something special when one man can touch the hearts of millions of people around the world, for decades to come, with the introduction of a little character doodle!

Listen to his description, and watch Charlie Brown come to life :)

Doodle of the Day - The Rat Race

Does anyone else find it weird that we go to places like the gym to burn calories? I'm not saying I'm better than it - I do go to the gym and try to stay in shape. But there we are, running in place or lifting dumb objects, burning energy. Energy! Shouldn't that energy be harnessed for something productive? Couldn't those calories be combined for the creation of something more meaningful in the community? Instead, we emit exhaust into the air to get the closest parking spot to the entrance so we can get on a machine and work our tails off simply to break a sweat because, alas, maybe we all ate a cheese platter for lunch that afternoon.

There was a day when we lived in nature and sculpted our bodies by building stuff and eating to live. It is a bit strange the way society has developed. On the one hand, people in the world work and fight for food to have enough energy to survive; on the other hand, people work out to burn energy for free, creating nothin' for no one. All that energy wasted.

But like most people, I go to the gym to maintain a healthy body and lifestyle. It just seems that, in this "energy crisis", our calories shouldn't be lost in the ether. And I certainly hope that society doesn't develop into a situation where we go to the gym simply so we can flex our muscles like "the Situation" from Jersey Shore! That would be weak.

Anyway, you can click on the image for a larger view. Have a great Labor Day weekend, and thank you for following the Doodle of the Day and the paintings, drawings, sculpture, daily progress, and art of Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark.

Abstract Painting - Progress in the Studio

This photo shows the early stage of a painting on wood panel I am currently working on in my studio.

In abstract painting, the process is like a leap of faith in that I don't have a specific vision of what the completed painting should look like in the end. This is what makes abstract art both challenging and intriguing. Early on, I do have an idea of what the next few stages will be in the painting process. That allows the current stage to be completed with confidence. This is important because if the painting is young and the next stage is unknown, the painting becomes lost and may remain in limbo forever.

The painting here is young but the next few stages are planned. First, large shapes of color were applied, wiped, and scraped to establish the underpainting. Second and third layers of cool (as opposed to warm) color have been applied again, in thin glazes. The glazing effect creates luminous colors and a sense of distance between the paint and the panel. Still, I am not too concerned with the shapes and colors at this point, as I plan to cover up most of the surface with subsequent layers and "fatter" paint using scraping and pulled-paint techniques. It has been planned that the luminous glazes of cool color should provide various backgrounds and areas of interest behind the subsequent thicker layers, where the thicker layers break up or do not cover the surface completely.

On the table you can see I am using a very limited palette at this stage -- just five cold colors, while also utilizing the white ground of the panel. Each color is translucent and perfect for glazing. Once this stage is complete, however, I will expand the palette and use several more colors, adding warmth, contrast, and more texture. The mission is to create a work of art that can stand alone in the end, holding the attention of the viewer by a striking presence and by ambiguities and prompting questions.

These are all techniques also used for painting representational figures (realism) and an example of how, to the artist, abstract painting is the same process.

Thanks again for following the works in progress, and the paintings, sculpture, drawing, doodles, and other art by Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark.

Fish v. Purse Net (unfin-ished)

Fish v. Purse Net (unfin-ished), 8" x 6", oil and vintage paper on wood panel, 2011.

Usually in painting, I am more interested in the way paint is applied, the juxtaposition of color, contrast, subtleties, and how the art was created. This is normally more important than what the subject matter is, why it was created or the story behind the work because art should be interesting in itself and exist independently of written material or an explanation from the artist.
Nonetheless, the subject matter of this painting indeed was the driving force. This deliberately unfinished painting represents an unfinished issue.

The oceans are huge and it is easy to assume the fish numbers are infinite. But those of us on the Pacific coast are familiar with the collapse of salmon populations, and those on the Atlantic know about the collapse of the cod. Overfishing continues to destroy big fish populations at an exponential rate, and some species, such as tuna may not be able to recover once their breeding populations, are gone in just a few years, unless we, as a global society, are willing and able to join forces to implement strategies for their recovery, along with legal consequences for violations. Certainly the biggest obstacle is enforcement of these laws on the open seas. However, there are also alternative ways to maintaining sustainable fish populations.

As millions of people rely on the oceans as their principle food source, the health of the oceans' ecosystems directly affects to the health of the human race. For more information about how to contribute to sustaining fish populations, visit Greenpeace.

Thank you for following the chronology of the paintings, drawings, sculpture, and art of Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark.

Doodle of the Day - Gettin' the Week Started...

It's Monday and time to doodle again :)

The weather in 2011 has been unreal. From hurricanes in New York to massive floods in Mississippi, flocks of birds have been falling from the sky and schools of fish have been washing up on shores. Maybe the Mayans had it right about 2012! (Aside: make your sacrifice to the Heavens today by clicking the "Donate" button on this page and following the easy 1-2-3 steps.)

Yesterday in Los Angeles it felt like hell. The temperature reached 110 degrees. I also heard on the news that the West Nile Virus has reached the city. But the newsman also said that the virus is not as bad as its reputation makes us believe. I always thought West Nile Virus was a disease like cholera or dysentery that would consume you from the inside out. Not so. Apparently, it's like the common cold or flu, most people survive, and some people don't even get sick! See, there IS good news after all!

You can click on the image for a better view. Have a great week. Thanks again for viewing the daily Doodle of the Day and the paintings, drawings, sculpture, and art of Los Angeles artist Lucas Aardvark.