Here's some new abstract paintings available on eBay or from my website, Liam Jones Fine Art:

I am doing everything I can to paint full time. I'm a one-man show, so there's a lot to do. I'm so passionate about my work, and I think that comes through.

Liam

New Original Modern Art Painting --"I Really think So"

This is a fun one, finished today, and available via my website, eBay or in person. The price is $275. What a steal! I had a friend say it looks like a Betta fish. I just about called it that, but stuck with my theme of conversation titles. Hope you like it! Click on the painting to be taken to my eBay store.

Liam's Choice Artists: Cecily Brown: Gifted, Rude Painter

Hard, Fast and Beautiful,
Oil on Canvas, 254 x 279cm2000
Cecily Brown

I've discovered a new favourite artist. I don't always have my eyes faced outward to see who's hot in the art world, but I suppose I should, especially if it's someone brilliant like Cecily Brown.

I've got to comment that I don't dig the pornographic content. Not that I have anything against women, or sexuality, but I do have something against porn. I'm a Christian, after all. I prefer a PG rating. This stuff is offensive in it's content. But it's Brown's delivery that is so compelling. Her skill is undeniable, and the viewing of her work is so engaging, it's hard to look away even though I'm staring at something lude. Something unredeemably and unrepentantly sinful.

Ah, that word "sinful". I can feel my inner mocker snickering.

Hold on while I jump up on my soapbox: It's a good thing to be sinful nowadays. Smoking pot, swearing, and in this case, explicit sex-- it's all a good thing. To most people. For instance, outside of my Christian circle, most guys love porn. Most girls, too. Porn stars are seen as completely liberated, and heralded as heroes, and even role models. There's no shortage of porn in art school. Art school is almost like a next phase of sex ed. Of course, all of this is wrong. It's the sign of the times, I guess. Maybe you disagree with me? Write a comment about it below. But I digress. I now jump down off my soapbox.

My favourite painting of Brown's that I've seen is "Hard, Fast and Beautiful" pictured above. I know, I know, call me a hypocrite, but hear me out: I love the work of Francis Bacon. I love modernist paintings, Manet, Van Gogh... I love photos blurred by movement. Cubism. I love sketchy work; work that don't tell the whole picture. Brown's work has something of all of these. It's like Brown is an amazing lyricist who swears during every otherwise great line. She's reached into a box of Lucky Charms and pulled out all the marshmallows. Mmmmn. Maaaarshmallows.

I love "Hard, Fast and Beautiful" for it's simpler composition. It somehow becomes bolder and showcases Brown's handling of the medium and how her mind works, which in my opinion, is borderline genius. Brown seems to have an infinite capacity for conveying much with very little. Most of Brown's works are very busy and full. I'm a minimalist at heart, so frenetic design is a bit of a turnoff normally, but not here. That being said, of course my favourite paintings by Brown remain the ones that say more with less instead of those saying more that's said with less, but there's more of it anyway.

This painting above is titled "New Louboutin Pumps." It's a great example of why I love Brown's work so much. I mean, look at this thing! It's loaded. It seems to reference Monet, or other Impressionaist painters and Francis Bacon. In addition to porn and voyeurism. I read that her dad was a great art critic, someone named David Sylvester, and she used to cruise galleries as a kid with Francis Bacon. I don't know. Don't trust everything you read online!

I find myself wondering how quickly does she finish one of these massive eye-epilipsy-causing, brain warping celebrations of hedonism? If I was a fly on the wall of her studio, what would I learn about painting? Does she think her way through so many moments of multiple angles, movement and distortion? Or does it just happen naturally? I hear she works on up to 20 canvases at one time. My kinda girl.

Washroom Interview

I was messing around with my artist's statement trying make it interesting. What I came up with was a script. It's completely imaginary. Okay, sorta. Imaginary.

It's a bit, uh, unprofessional for an artist statement, but I love it. It's me through and through. Though it may not measure up for my official artist's statement, it's perfect for my blog. Welcome to my inner world!

Warning! The following contains rude and odd subject matter. Reader discretion is advised.

Liam stands in the men’s room peeing. He is interviewing himself, dreaming of being a rich and famous artist.

Interviewer: What kind of painting do you do, Liam?

Liam: I do the kind of painting I like.

Interviewer: Okay then Mr. cryptic, what kind of painting do you like, then?

Liam: Allow me to answer your thoughtful question now, while I make sure I don’t step in any of this nastiness on the floor.

Interviewer: You’re making the nastiness worse.

Liam: (singing happily) Splish splash, I was taking a slash…

I like paintings that are full of improvisation. I like when a painting is taken to the place where it “works” and no further so it’s alive, rough and it has those unplanned-for happy accidents. If it’s not designed well, it’s just messy. But if those moments of happenstance are harnessed with design, there’s something divine that happens.

Interviewer: (snarky) Well, that sounds VERY ARTFUL.

Liam: You getting’ lippy with me?

Interviewer: Lippy? Who you callin’ lippy? I’m a professional.

Liam: You’re a figment of my imagination.

Interviewer: A professional figment of your imagination.

So Liam, what is your art about?

Liam: That question almost redeems your lippiness.

Interviewer: (Stepping out of the way) Hey, watch where you aim that thing.

Liam: (Laughs evilly) Shake it like a Polaroid picture…

In the broad strokes, my work is abstract. I do decorative, Christian and musical themes, and I’m modernist. I don’t like labels generally, but modernist is a term that definitely applies.

Interviewer: What does “modernist” mean?

Liam: It means modern: like ipods and Blackberries.

Interviewer: No it doesn’t.

Liam: No, it doesn’t. Sorry, didn’t mean to talk down to you.

Interviewer: I hate being talked down to.

Liam: You’re a very sensitive figment of my imagination.

Interviewer: I’m sensitive, and you’re going pee. Who knows who’s going to read this thing?

Liam: Modernist. Ah yes. Well, modernist means I make paintings that are intriguing in their own right, not because of what they illustrate. They’re happy being paintings and nothing more. Call them paintings without insecurity issues.

Interviewer: People love confidence.

Liam: Don’t they, though? (Looking around) There’s no toilet paper.

Interviewer: Oh crap.

Liam: Good idea. (Grin)