The Nature of Nature.

Yep it's been a while since I've posted a new blog and I'm feeling quite ashamed, well not really but what can I say writing is not my forte.

There has been much going on around here my solo exhibit at Latino Art's Inc. has come and gone, it was worth while if you had a chance to see the exhibit thank you and please feel free to let me know what you thought. 27 new pieces including 5 - 6'X9" canvases almost a whole year of work for this exhibit and it was awesome I received some really great feedback and hopefully some the work will find a home.


Well that's about it for now I'm off to paint, I'll try and get more consistent with blog but as always - have fun out there!


Oh and for those of you who are interested I will be having an impromptu exhibit at the studio so stay tuned.

CONGRATULATION SUMMER YOU'VE MADE IT

Well now here it is the season we've all been waiting for, summer better known as "construction" in Chicago. Once again I find myself posting a long overdue blog and in my studio which at 6:50am was 97º, Yes I am very grateful for the heat of summer so I won't complain about it.

Work in the studio is going slower than planned but I do feel that the work will be ready for August and it will be a very telling exhibit in September. Now I have to start figuring out what needs to be done with everything past this Fall, I am trying to get work out there to be exhibited. Either I will start having once a month gatherings at the studio or ship the work wherever it needs to go. I would like to write a little about the evolution of my new work because it helps me to put it in place in my own thoughts. One of the things I am slowly learning from my mentor, Carlos Estrada-Vega is that thinking too much about what your working on stops you from doing it. Progressing into the work, changing it is being affirmed that this approach is affective. It's a lot easier now for me to approach the work and not be stymied by constant barrage of inner questions just get the work out and it speaks for its self.

A big part of my work has been driven by a constant desire to master the materials I work with be it water color, oil paint or fresco and it's interesting taking a look back how much this yearning has made me a kind of slave to this materialism. I look around my studio and I see a never ending source of inspiration people always wonder why I can't leave my studio, it's not that I'm obsessive. it's really that I'm like kid in a candy store and believe me I appreciate everything that the gods of the universe has provided for me so 97º or 57º waterfall or no water in the bathrooms I will always be happy to spend time in my studio where ever it is.

Alright now, that I'm done with that, check out my new and improved website and let me know what you think. http://www.DeLaTorreArts.com

SPRING TIME HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON-AGAIN

Like the godfather "just when you think your out they suck you right back in". And here we are already its May the beautiful Chicago spring weather has soured as usual but life carries on and of course every thing needs to get done.

You know lately people have been asking me "Luis how do you get all this done?" well let me give you a glimpse into my schedule here it goes.

10:45 wake up hit the snooze (on the cell phone because of course we don't have an alarm clock)
10:45-11:05 - scratch various body parts.
11:06-11:13 (depending on the weather) look at the piles of cloth all around.
11:15-11:30 (there's always a few minutes missing, who knows where they go if any one can tell me please do) I forgot what goes on during this time frame.
11:31-11:45 - Eat my world famous breakfast it used to be bagels but my gut has rebelled and now its usually cereal and a banana.
12:00-12:15-12:35 - walk to the studio it'll take about 15 minutes but in the "spring " I get caught up watching the robins .
12:37-1:03 - ahh the good stuff lunch all the scratching and robin watching has got me hungry.
1:07-1:49 - listen to certain neighbors bitch about various problems and or all their "success"
2:00-3:00 - the stuff you all been waiting ...look at the work in front of me and ponder-what have I done!
3:00-3:31 - Knapp time -don't bother me
3:37-5:00 - get my ass up and do every thing I can to procrastinate .
4:32 - relative calls shouts "are you ready to rock"
4:39- clean up and get stuff ready for more procrastination tomorrow
5:00-6:00 lift heavy weights until I feel my "tripas" sliding down.
6:03-6:17 - argue with bally's personal trainer about why I can't use the heavy bag.
6:19 - watch as bally's personal trainer cries and takes his heavy bag home.
6:21 - baffled at all the conflict.
6:37-6:39 - shower (quickly cause I had my hair just right)
8:00-9:00- novela
9:01-9:43 - check emails and debate weather or not to open up that "European lottery" cause I may have won 3 million euro's
10:03-12:47 - play "Hearts of Iron " a game of world domination.
1:05am - open the "European Lottery" email and type in my SS#.
1:07am - wait for a response .
1:23am - frustrated with no response from "european lottery" I play more "Hearts of Iron" cause I've almost conquered britain.
3:39am- check for any response from lottery.
3:41am- DP gets up to drag me to sleep (by the ear) as I throw a "barinche"
3:47- lay in bed and think about ways I can finally defeat the imperialist pigs we knows as AIG
4:03 - roll over
7:30 - wake up and do it all over again.

Well thats how it all gets done. So come by to the studio this weekend and check out the end result of all this "dismadre" see you all soon.

LOVE IN THE TIME OF "SWINE FLU"

Well here we go again the Swine flu has hit and I can see what's coming I'm not going to say it but we all know what's coming. I guess I should have never eaten that ham sandwich but I was really hungry and when your really hungry you do what you have to do to survive.

The thing is you see something that can sustain you even if it is temporary and your not really convinced that it's the best thing for you well... what are your options. Its not like some one was offering the steak and potato's that they wave around in your face. What I do know about Mexicano's is that we make the best of what we have and thrive doing so. In my case I am very grateful for what I do have and I know one day I will have my "steak" and maybe some potato's.

Well now I am going to continue to create my works and I hope all of you will continue to flourish.

HAPPY EARTH DAY TO YOU!

As I drive around in my 1970's Dina "olimpico" bus belching blue diesel fumes and enjoying some Pedro Infante and Tampico cumbia I think to my self ...wow what a wonderful world (then I flush the toilet right on to the street). Yes its that time again. its "earth day" the one day of the year people stop dumping garbage because its the right thing to do.

Not that I'm against building a society full of wall street big wigs or pollution spewing factories - hey I'm not even opposed to china building ten coal burning plants a day as long as we have one day a year we all can shut the lights off to save energy we'll be fine.

Okay thats done, lots of things have happened in the last month its great to be back to work at the studio and I feel good about the work I'm producing right now. I am also very grateful to the powers that be for every thing I have been able to accomplish during my time here in Chicago I know that I will continue with my work where ever I end up and thats a great feeling.

So now that I'm trying get myself in a better position and make my move and establish myself in another local I'm looking to lighten my load and raise funds for the move and so if any one out there is interested in works I have in the studio please let me know I'm sure we can work some thing out.

The Box

The life of a box must be one of the most tragic existences around. First you get filled up with what ever nonsense they feel like filling you up with - then you get stacked or as in the case with my box you get shipped off somewhere. Sure its flattering having money spent on you but then off you go to your destination after all this you get delivered(hopefully). In the case of my box the post man decided for some unknown reason takes the box back with him to the El Paso office and after almost four weeks and a repackaging that didn't look so gentle it arrives to the destination and then you get thrown away.

Other than that things are going very well in Las Cruces its aways very sunny here and I have been working on a portrait of Carlos kind of as a thanks for him having me in his house and mentoring me through some kind of difficult things .

Now I am going to work on as much as painting as possible.

No post today

There will be no post today. thank you for looking and please check out the blog tomorrow.

To be or not to be...and if not why not?

Alright I'm starting to understand why without understanding why, I know that does'nt make much sense but it is what it is. not that my work is going to go completely non-objective because lets face it people will all have a different take on it maybe that is the objective.

Last night I did some research on "figurative painters" and just opening up a google image page all you see is the same thing of course some are better than others and all probably very beautiful and I would never deny that they think there'll pushing themselves as artist. To me this formula has already been discovered and proven, not that I'm thinking about it.

Time

I am sitting in Las Cruces, NM enjoying the sun at the moment. After an uneventful flight (which I am very happy for) and a border foray that I'll explain later I met up with Carlos Estrada-Vega. We talked and went around checking out his current architectural projects Then I crashed just like I always do at about 2 am. I woke up this morning at about 5 am (my time on the telephone is all messed up), my camera that just would not work all of yesterday, I tried it this morning and just like that it works like charm.

As I'm sitting here in Cafe "Milagros" I recieved some very bad news, My friend - and really every ones friend Pirfirco Williams passed on some time yesterday, he was every thing you could ask for in a friend and he was a huge supporter of the Arts. He will be missed dearly.

And now I am sitting here in NM getting ready to start a new chapter in my life trying to figure a way out of everything I have been thought and some how have a epiphany to trust what you don't know. No problem right ? Here it goes .

Summer breeze

I have started the work for the exhibit in Milwaukee and its really pushing me at this point. I see what the work is saying and, for lack of a better word it's exciting.

As an artist when I get these revelations it gets to be an addiction I feel the need to be in the studio every minute even right now as I'm writing my mind is jumping to the canvas. Its great to have this creative energy it feels like that cool summer breeze running all over your body.

Now I need to find funding for the time that it's going to take to develop and create the work, if any one has any ideas please let me know.

Don't forget about all the activity going this weekend, exhibit at the Ogilvie/Pertl Gallery and of course the "one night stand" fund raiser for Radio Arte at the NMMA

Hey what are you doing this weekend?

All right besides all the hallmark stuff going on this weekend you know with St. V's day this weekend. Here are a couple of fun things. But before that, let's take the time to realize that we could be appreciating our significant other every day of the year and a life-time if that's where your relationship takes you.

I will have some work at an opening at the Ogilvie/Pertl gallery they have been handling some of my work here in Chicago for a while now and they're very nice people. I have also donated a piece from the "Saints and Sinners" series to the Radio Arte fund raising benefit thats happening this Friday at the National Museum of Mexican Art they are charging $20.00 admittance but its for a good cause they are a youth training initiative, so they do great things for the community.

Okay, on another note, I spoke with my good friend Patric McCoy yesterday and he let me know that everyone's friend Pirfirco is still touch and go at Northwestern hospital and now to top it off Dan Parker has suffered a stroke. I just don't know what to think about all this. I am sure that they are both in the minds of the community they helped build and will continue to have lots and lots of prayers said in there names.

I'm looking outside the studio window and I can't believe the river is still frozen. That goes to show you how bitter cold this winter in Chicago has been, unbelievable. Have fun every one enjoy the weather and lets keep sending Pirfirco and Dan that positive energy.

President Obama to the rescue

Well here we go again politics as usual and all can think of is that saying you know "SNAFU" . It was great hearing the President making some sense last night and I'm really glad that he took the argument straight to the people.

And its back to work in the studio I'm trying to get creative with the financial situation cause I can't really cry about it so I'm doing what I know, finishing the projects I have going and trying to get new work out there. It's like the old Mexican saying "canta no Llora" it's the best we can do.

I am also looking forward to my residency with Carlos Estrada-Vega which is coming up fast. Until then I hope every one in Sunnyvale, New York and Tempe are all having a great time and if you have any questions feel free to contact me.

Not your grannies Grammy's

I first of all have to say that my thoughts (and prayers) have been going out to every ones good friend Pirfirco, since last Thursday when a message was sent out to all about his condition.

And of course this brings me to think about...well to put it simply life and whatever comes next. I could go on forever on this but all I'll say time is the most precious commodity we all have and I hope we all can find the best use of it respectively. Thats all.

Now here's whats happening at the studio last Friday I had a visit by some one who's opinion I highly respect and over all it went really well I was very satisfied that he was honest with me not that it was all flattering but I respect the honesty. I'm not sure why sometimes it takes some on else to make you realize what you all ready know but if thats what it takes thats what it takes.

Three things that made me really happy this weekend

1. Knowing that DP will be taking that workshop .

2. Hearing that Octavio Solis's "Lydia" has been received as the brilliant work it is at Yale repertory.

3. Celebrating C. Keenan 50th Birthday ( lots of fun!)

4. Seeing E.T. (he's like a brother) happy with his girlfriend.

5. Getting all my errands done and hanging with my brothers.

Yeah I know that's five but I'm an artist and the math thing, well not so relevant on this blog.

anyways have a happy Monday every one! Oh and despite the title I have nothing to say about the "Grammy's"

Back to blogging...I guess it helps.

Well here we go I'm back in the studio working on my mural for the elementary school and listening to Amy Goodman and let me ask where is all the good news? I thought we're supposed to be in an era of "change" you know cooperation, all I'm hearing is the same thing. Its not that the people we elected aren't trying but it seems the other side is just is throwing every thing in the way. I mean really lets look at we're some of those guys get there money and what they do with it.

Thats it for that now back to what going on in the studio. I am starting a new series for my solo exhibit in Milwaukee and its off to a good start lots of material to work on but most of it is going to be concerning current events and how they came about.

So now its back to painting and getting a haircut and all the rest of the stuff that goes on around here. and hope for change better yet lets make change!

CONGRATULATION PRESIDENT OBAMA AND GOODBYE TO THE SHRUB!

The day has come - Change has come and you can smell and feel it in the air its.... change its here so lets understand that it means that we all will have a part in this "change" lets take this opportunity to move forward.

I hope the best for all of us...as I watch a woman on TV hold up a sign that reads "the future is watching" good luck to everyone!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT OR THOUGHT FOR FOOD?

Well besides eating very well on our recent adventure to Mexico (I swear every ten feet there is a vendor selling something thats incredibly delicious) as we went to eat at VIPS. So of the course the dilemma is how much can you pass by with out finally breaking down at the elote stand. I actually did very well I only ate a few these street delicacies along with the usual meals.

And of course the food for thought with all the incredible sights and history of Mexico it always puts me in a mediative mood and I seem to absorb an enormous amount of energy when I see so many different cultures wrapped into one big ball of ... well if your not familiar with the culture its seems like its chaos almost in a state of panic sealed with a smile. All the vendors- where are the buyers? But the vendors all have the same demeanor as if to say even if you don't buy from me I still win because look around you I get to live here and you well you'll go back to where ever your from and all your going to have is the memory of visiting this place.

Yeah thats the the way it is, here I am again back in the cold, gray emptiness that is our great city. And all that meditation all the images of raices, templos and the chaos well that will live
on in mind and of course in the work I will produce.

A sign from the gods!

Wow ! I hope every had a great 2008 and I wish all a very productive 2009. Now with that said let me tell you our trip to Mexico this year was very eventful the kids are growing to be very beautiful upstanding citizens and the climb up the tepoztlan was very challenging and meditative.

That was the great part and here is the incredible part at the very point of me thinking that it was about time that we just moved to Mexico and away from the absurdity we call the "american" way of life there was an announcement from the captain of the plane saying there was smoke in the cabin of the plane and that we are turning back to make an emergency landing and that of course all will be fine. I don't know about every one else but when you are in an airplane and you see smoke all around you then you feel the sharp left hand turn my mind did not go to "every thing will be fine"a lot of other things went through my mind at that point of which I will elaborate at a later time.

So that was the situation and now I am sitting at my computer giving you all grief about American Airline Flight 1110 from Mexico city to Dallas and thats the end of that now I will go about creating all the possibilities that I thought about when I heard that announcement. Much more to come about our great trip but know its off to the studio.