London based artist Jaeran Won has begun to create quite a buzz with her simple yet profound paintingsof everyday life. She has participated in several group shows and hasalready had one solo exhibition in NYC. She was written up by CITY A.M.newspaper in London and also by VOLUME magazine. She was also picked by the London Underground (the subway system in London) to exhibit herwork in the “Underground” of London. Along with group shows in the pastat Project Gallery LA and Ad Hoc Art, she will contribute one piece to the upcoming Dark Pop 2.0 exhibition at Last Rites Gallery in NYC.

Jaeran Won talks about her work…

“I usually paint the female figure in different situations. While attending university, the subjects of my paintings were prostitutes living in a male dominated world, who possessed certain powers to change men’s lives. These paintings, for me, explored the similarities between the life of a prostitute and that of an average housewife. I tried to decipher the need men have for constant sexual release to the point of being willing to pay for it. Depriving certain men of these things seems to sometimes lead them to madness. Through it all, I continually attempt to express my discontent with a male dominated society.

In the second phase of my work, I describe the emptiness of human lives by painting dolls without thoughts controlled by a master. Men controlled female prostitutes in the previous phase, now the Master controls the dolls. There is always a concern about control and domination and sympathy for the subdued. A simple human figure was created. This character could be anyone or anything and lived in a virtual environment (e.g. the internet) where she could be bought,controlled and disposed of. The ‘Playing Doll’ series describe a kind of ‘online shop’ where human bodies, as well as human thought, can be purchased as easily as buying a pack of gum. Then the buyer can go and play, making different combinations of human-organs, human-thoughts and so on.

Currently my work is in a third phase, which describes the daily life of the character. This daily life is monotonous, ordinary and empty. The character itself has only eyes on her face and legs of different sizes, which can never add up.   She is unable to think because she’s not allowed to do so by the master (which is me). I chose not to paint a beautiful character but a rather ugly and strange one, someone you would ignore or reject. If she were to say something nobody would take her seriously because of her imperfections.

My art is often biographical and is based on my feelings of powerlessness and emptiness in respect to everyday life.”

-Jaeran Won

View more work by Jaeran Won HERE

Louise Chen

Giant Robot NY has an excellentgroup show entitled “Playful Extremities”, which will open on Saturday,January 16th.  Some great artists (Louise Chen, Hellen Jo, SaraAntoinette Martin, Tran Nguyen, and Sylvia Park) will have new work ondisplay and you should really try to check it out!

Below is all the info on the show and some preview images.  Enjoy!

Playful Extremities

January 16, 2010 – February 3, 2010

Reception: Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.Giant Robot Gallery

437 East 9th Street Between 1st Ave. & Ave. A, in the East Village

New York, New York 10009

(212) 674-GRNY (4769) | grny.net

Giant Robot is proud to host Playful Extremities, a group show featuring new works by Louise Chen, Hellen Jo, Sara Antoinette Martin, Tran Nguyen, and Sylvia Park.

Although Louise Chen is freshly graduated from UC Santa Cruz’s art program, her work isuncommonly diverse and realized. She transfers the clean, effortlesslines of her etchings and woodcuts to her drawing, seamlessly insertingthem into otherworldly landscapes rendered with equal craft andtremendous atmosphere.

Hellen Jo was born in Starkville, MS in 1983 and livedin Florida and New Mexico, but is firmly entrenched in NorthernCalifornia, where she plays in indie bands and makes indie comics. Herstyle is loose but attentive–as evidenced in her full-color issues ofJin & Jam, which combine the raw humor and honesty of undergroundcomix with the precision of alternative manga.

Brooklyn-based Sara Antoinette Martin takes familiar subjects of cryptozoology, symbols of Freemasonry, andtattoo flash art and presents them in highly graphic and surreal forms.The bold arrangement of commonly-known-but-mysterious imagery forcesviewers to revisit their preconceptions about truth, legend, andaesthetics.

The surreal art of Tran Nguyen has afaded, antique look, but the subjects are timeless.The Savannah,GA-based artist depicts young, beautiful subjects in darksettings–surrounded by melancholy and/or ectoplasm, if not actuallyemitting them from their pores. The effect is strangely hypnotic andhauntingly beautiful.

Sylvia Park is a New York City-based artist whodepicts an imperfect real world with perfect lines. Using onlycontours, she is able to create out hyper real scenes with depth andfeeling. Her precision line work is highly effective for editorialpurposes publications, but wavers just enough to convey subtle emotionand urge closer viewing in a gallery setting.

Giant Robot was born as a Los Angeles-based magazine about Asian,Asian-American, and new hybrid culture in 1994, but has evolved into afull-service pop culture provider with shops and galleries in LosAngeles, San Francisco, and New York City, as well as an onlineequivalent.

A reception featuring many of the artists will be held from 6:30 to10:00 on Saturday, January 16.

For more information about the artists,GRNY, or Giant Robot magazine, please contact:

Eric Nakamura Giant Robot Owner/Publisher

eric@giantrobot.com (310) 479-7311

Tran Nguyen

Louise Chen

Sara Antoinette Martin

Sara Antoinette Martin

AMF Gallery proudly presents a solo exhibition of new works by Lisa Von Enxing.

Lisa Von Enxing has been fascinated by animals since the early days of her life. She loves to create scenes portraying human-animal interactions of compassion, devotion and refuge as well as scenes of their sorrows that tragically many species currently find themselves in.  Enxing believes it is crucial that collectively we all strive and extend a light of wisdom, in order to bridge this inherent destructive gap that exists between us and the living world.  She asks, what are we without the animal, plant, oceanic and micro worlds?  Enxing creates and feels best in the rain, wind and snow.  India and Japan feel like shadows that follow her everywhere she goes and happily, she finds influencing her artwork.  She is obsessed with 14-19th century Indian Miniatures and ancient Japanese culture.  Currently, Enxing lives and paints in Brooklyn.

This exhibition will run from now until the end of January 2010.

artwork by Picasso Dular

SacredGallery (affiliated with Sacred Tattoo) will be having its first annual"Un-Holiday Party" Saturday, December 19th, 2009 @ 9PM. This will be aone day event for NYC tattoo artists to exhibit their finest work.Artwork from well known talent within the tattoo scene, live djs,giveaway door prizes, and beverages will be featured. The party will beopen to anyone who is looking to come out and have a good time. 18 toenter, 21 to drink.

Artist Roster thus far:

Jon Clue

Vincent Castiglia

Paul Booth

Stefano

Little Dragon

Toxyc

Adam Hays

Mike Bellamy

Vinny Romanelli

Picasso Dular

Matthew Adams

Lalo Yunda

Shey

More to follow.....

Thisis a soft launch party for the Sacred Gallery, we encourage everyone tocome out and enjoy the evening. If you would like to look at thegallery space, you may check it out here: http://www.sacredgallerynyc.com

 Sacred Gallery - 424 Broadway 2nd Floor - (between Canal & Howard) - NYC - 212-226-4286

The magnificent collage works of the artist Vahge are now available here at AMF!  CLICK HERE to see all available works and to read a bio about this talented artist.

AMF just got a face lift and we hope you like what you see!  New layout and design, new ability to become a member on the front page and new artwork and interviews on the way very soon.  Feel free to let us know what you think.  Thank you and enjoy!

-Andrew Michael Ford

(above image found on www.illbuzz.com)

Zak Smith is a young, hard-working star of the fine art world, porn actor andpublished author.  It's goes without saying that this is one busy guy. A good friend and talented young artist by the name of Marissa Olneyrecently introduced me to Zak and I found himto be a very funny and genuine person.  So much so, in fact, that Iwanted to learn more about this talented and intriguing individual. Therefore, I asked Marissa if she would be interested in sitting downwith me and Zak for a few questions about hisartwork, porn career, published writings and anything else that mightcome up in such a conversation.  And, with the recent publication ofhis new book, "We Did Porn",I figured it was a good time to find out what else he has been up toand what the future holds for this very unique individual.

A&M:In an interview in one of your previous books, "Pictures of Girls", yousaid art making is 1000 choices per minute.  From reading "We Did Porn"it seems as though porn making is the direct antithesis (look here, cumthere, stop, start, go, etc).  What are your feelings on this dichotomy?

Z: Having sex is always better than making art--or anything else--buthaving sex however you want is usually better than having sex witheight bored people staring at you and a stubbly guy with a steadycamtelling you how that was great but can we get another insert shot?

I feel like maybe this is not something Juxtapoz readers will be surprised to hear.

A&M:You seem to be quite the modern renaissance man in your way; artist,pornstar and now published author.  Has writing always been part ofyour artistic practice?

Z: I've always written things down, I just don't like putting the writing anywhere near the art.

I think it's kind of cheating.  There are a lot of people in the artaudience who don't actually like art, but have some sort of class- orstatus- or based feeling like they SHOULD like art.  So, in order tocater to these jackasses, people who sell art usually prepackage itwith writing which tells them why they should like the art and whatthey should see in it.

You can't pick up a book about LeonardoDa Vinci without a chunk of it being devoted to some academic ramblingon about what the art means or where it came from, and you can't have ashow in a gallery without writing up some press release alleging thatyou "deconstruct normalizing assumptions about the interpenetration ofgender roles" or whatever.  It's like saying, "Here's my art, but, ifyou don't like it, well, here's a bunch of reasons you really should." Can you imagine, say, a chef doing that?  You don't like thosesausages?  But the oven was hand-fired in the desert by Hopi Indiansand the pig won the Iowa State Swine Show three years running!

Which is all to say, I want people to feel like they can just look at the artand look at the writing and decide whether they like both or either orneither, rather than having one provide "context" for the other.

A&M: How did you get into the paint slingin' business?  When, where, how and why did this torrid love affair start?

Z: Everybody makes art when they're a little kid--then at some point they stop.  I just didn't stop.

A&M: Who influenced you as a young artist?

Z: Unicron, mostly--that scene in Transformers the Movie where he shows up and eats that planet full of robots. 

A&M:After already having achieved a successful career in the fine artworld, what lead to the decision to become a porn actor?  Was itconnected in any way to the fact that your girlfriend is Mandy Morbid,a well known porn star?

Z: No, I was in porn before Mandy.  I became a porn actor becausesomebody gave me the opportunity to, basically.  Call me crazy, butwhen someone walks up to my front door and says "Hey, I got all thispussy here, do you want it?"  I'm generally gonna say "Yes". 

A&M: Speaking of Mandy Morbid, you two have been together for awhile now and you seem to make quite a good team.  What impact have youseen her having on your life as an artist?

Z: She isinifinitely inspiring and the work that I've done since I met her isinfused with a quality...a kind of spirit...that I never managed toachieve in anything before.  Actually, no.  I just figured she'd likeit if I said that.  Actually, not even--she's not that stupid. 

A&M:I have heard that you have an amazing comic book collection, fromunderground to mainstream.  What do comic books as an art form mean toyou and how, if at all, have they influenced your work as an artist.

Z: My collection's pretty small, actually--I just buy ones withgood art.  I think, basically, a lot of the best art that's been madesince mid-century has been made by comic book artists.  Thecontemporary art world ignores them because if they admitted that, say,Jack Kirby was a Real Artist,then that would mean that somebody like Roy Lichtenstein was justcopying a fellow Real Artist rather than Cleverly AppropriatingElements of Pop Culture for Alternative (and Higher) Purposes.  Andthey can't admit that because then a lot of rich collectors would havethese Roy Lichtenstein paintings that're just really big Jack Kirbypanels that are suddenly worthless.  So comic book artists are a bunchof guys (and a few girls) making art on tight deadlines and gettingignored and underpaid in order to keep the fiction that they're justAnonymous Agents of Pop culture alive. 

A&M: What artists working today do you love, respect or at least appreciate on some level?

Z:Nicholas DiGenova, Sean McCarthy, Phil Frost, Shawn Cheng, NickWaplington, Tim Hawkinson, Alexandros Vasmoulakis, Gordon Terry,Anthony Lister, Jacob Hashimoto, Ian Miller...you realize we could behere all day, right?

A&M:Have you ever painted or written something and thought, "This might beone of the most important things I will ever create."?  Or do you findwhatever you are working on currently to hold the most value for you?

Z: I am usually trying to make the new thing work, whatever that is. Then it's finished and I forget about it and do the next thing.  Thenmaybe I look at it a year later and go--Hey, look at that, that's notso bad... 

A&M:I've noticed on your online sketchbook some of your drawings havebecome more surreal and accompanied by quotes from the Bible.  Is therea story behind this new stuff that you'd care to share with us?

Z: No, but I will say this: religion is dumb. 

A&M:You must be very excited about the recent publication of your new book,"We Did Porn".  How has the response been thus far?  What do you havecoming up for us next as far as art shows, films, books or anythingelse you would care to reveal about your future creative endeavors?

Z:All the reviews have been good, though most of them--especially theones in art and literary magazines--start with "I expected this book tobe terrible, but...".  So if you think you might like the book, readit, and if you don't think you'll like it, then you should definitely read it.  As far as next?  Well, I've got a lot of paintings to do.  There's some stuff coming up, but nothing I can talk about. 

A&M: Oh...one last thing...what's in your CD player right now?

Samael"Ceremony of Opposites", The Sword "Gods Of The Earth", Neurosis "SoulsAt Zero", Screeching Weasel "Anthem For A New Tomorrow" and anaudiobook of "Brief Interviews With Hideous Men" by David FosterWallace.  On shuffle.

After graduating from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, artist Dan-ahKim has quietly been carving out quite a solid little career forherself in the realms of design, film, television, illustration and ofcourse fine art.  Her delicate, almost whimsical line work juxtaposesperfectly against the sobering and earnest truths constantly beingrevealed in each of the images creates.  She has already shown in ahandful of incredible galleries in New York, California and Chicago,which include all of the Giant Robot galleries, Thinkspace, Project Gallery (now LeBasse Projects), DvA Gallery, Scion Space in LA and many others.  Having just opened her new solo exhibition at Metropolis Gallery,Ms. Kim was gracious enough to answer a few questions about where she'sbeen, what she's doing now and where she might be headed in the not sodistant future, before collapsing from all her recent hard work leadingup to the opening!

AMF: Before we talk aboutthe content in your work, I would like to discuss technique.  I haveseen you move pretty seamlessly between screen printing, paper cutting,sewing, drawing and of course painting.  Is there one that you prefer? Do you see your future work moving towards one of these mediums, orwill it be an even more intense mix of them all?

KIM:It began as just a way to experiment before settling on a specific wayof working, but I found that using all of the different mediums was agood way to keep myself interested in a piece and working through itsproblems.  I love the texture the mixed media gives, butas for a favorite, there’s nothing quite like the visceral satisfactionof putting paint color to a surface.  Most likely thoughthe future will be a more intense mix, I’d like to always tryexperimenting with new mediums so the work keeps evolving.

AMF:What is it about the use of these mediums that works so well for you,as opposed to, for example, simply putting oil on canvas?

KIM:If my attention starts to wane after drawing or painting details forhours, cutting paper and sewing refreshes things and lets me interactwith the piece differently.  Touching the piece with gluedpaper or poking holes into it with needles keeps me from feeling likeits too precious and makes me learn to work with mistakes. 

AMF:I see issues of individual freedom popping up a lot in your work.  Isthis correct, and if so, what drives you to speak about this topic sooften in your work?  What other issues and/or ideas are importantelements in your work?

KIM:It’s true, I’ve always dreamed about traveling the world, uninhibitedby responsibilities, money, time, or any sort of reality! Besides thatpersonal motivation though, I just think it is generally important thatpeople pursue their visions free of circumstance or what others maythink.  Another idea I use often is the elusiveness ofwhat could be called magic, some unseen force that people haveforgotten about but exists in nature, the greater universe, andrelationships.  Then there are the characters that pursue it, and the bravery and battles involved in doing so.  Havinga Tae Kwon Do master as a father and growing up in martial arts studiosaround a lot of fighting and a variety of weapons has infiltrated mywork a bit literally. 

AMF:You have told me before that your heritage is Korean. What role, ifany, does that fact play in your artmaking?  Were you born in Korea,and if so, what impact did moving to the United States have on you asan artist?

KIM:I was born in Seoul, moved to Mexico at age two, to the States at five,then continued moving towns every year or two until junior high.  It’sfun to think what might have become of my family if we’d stayed ineither Korea or Mexico, but having moved around so often definitelychanged us.  Creatively, not having a chance to make long lasting friendships probably made me find new ones in books and drawings. 

AMF:Many people have seen your videos along with your illustration, designand personal work. How do you see these things playing off each otherin your life as an artist?  Do you think a line still exists betweenwhat has, in the past, been called commercial and fine art?

KIM: It keeps me sane to work in film and make art during the year.  Working on film sets, collaborating with other people is so different from the lonelier experience of art making.  SometimesI consider giving one up to focus wholly on the other, but they alsofeed each other since there is so much to learn from both.  Whenmaking my own videos, I think of it as just another medium, and try toapproach it the same way I would with an art piece, narratively andaesthetically.  There has been so much crossover between commercial and fine art, labels don’t seem to matter much anymore.  Art has become much more accessible and people seem to appreciate good work no matter what it was meant for, which is great. 

AMF:Who are some of the artists working today that you admire?  Also, ifyou could collaborate with one artist who would it be and why?

KIM:I love and respect Kiki Smith and Louise Bourgeois, as well as loads ofyounger artists working today like James Jean or Mel Kadel.  HayaoMiyazaki is one of my greatest heroes so if I were able to work onsomething for him I’d dissolve into molecules of happiness.

AMF: Other than other artists, what aspects of life inspire you to create?   

KIM:There are so many fascinating stories out there, in history, endlesspossibilities; the drive to create and get them out is like a strangephenomenon that shouldn’t be avoided.  I suppose that’s what I mean by magic, something everyone’s got and has a different way of liberating it.

AMF:What did it feel like the first time you exhibited your work to thepublic?  How do you see the artworld today versus when you were juststarting out?

KIM: It was weird and lovely.  Weirdand a little uncomfortable since I couldn’t believe people would wantto see something I’d made, and lovely since it felt like reassurance tokeep pursuing it. The art world seems to be much more open andcommunity based than I’d expected.  There is a hugevariety of work and style, and rather than being closed off to youngartists starting out, there’s a lot of encouragement.  

AMF:I always ask this...have you ever created something and thought, thisis one of the most important things I will ever make?  Or, is what youare working on currently always the most important thing to you?

KIM: I’ll always hope that the most important thing I will ever make is still to come in the future!

AMF: You have exhibited your work in some terrific galleries, includingsolo shows with Giant Robot NY and Thinkspace. If the past is anyindication, your new solo opening at Metropolis Gallery is sure to be asuccess. Things seem to be going pretty well for you. What else do youhave cooking in the coming year or so that you can share with us?

KIM: It’s nice of you to say things seem to be going well.  That’s a total sham, I’m regularly a mess!  Anyhow, hopefully there will be more art making, film work, and traveling.  I’ve lived in New York for seven years now, which seems pretty long..

AMF proudly presents 3 paintings by Jeremiah Ketner, which are now available for purchase!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL AVAILABLE WORKS BY JEREMIAH KETNER

ARTIST BIO

Jeremiah Ketner is a chicago based artist who tends to paint charming little creatures floating through pastel dreamscape's. His Japanese pop art influenced imagery seems to be describing the more casual and carefree side of life, while always containing very subtle darker undertones. Ketner has been busy painting and exhibiting his works all over the nation.

Please contact us with any questions or purchase inquiries.  Thank you and enjoy the work of Jeremiah Ketner along with others in our online gallery.

The artist, Esao Andrews, hard at work

Esao Andrews has been called a Gothic grotesque painter, dark eroticpainter, pop surrealist and so much more.  As much as people love topigeon-hole artists and stick them in a nicely labeled box, Andrewssomehow continues to defy categorization as his work moves from lightto dark, playful to serious, sexy to sick...sometimes all within onebody of paintings.  He has also shown his love of variety through histoy designs, incredible illustrations for music bands, comic book workand so much work.  It is this dedication to difference that sets hiswork apart from many of the New Contemporary painters who choose tocreate the same character and/or scenarios in each painting.  Andrewshas also proven himself a survivor who is seriously dedicated to hiscraft having slowly and steadily established himself over the last 10years as one of the most consistent and unique painters working today. On the brink of his upcoming solo exhibition at Thinkspace Gallery, Andrews took a break from his hectic schedule to answer a few questions about yesterday, today and tomorrow...

AMF:Since I opened with a statement of how people like to label your work Ifigure I should give the artist a chance to talk about this.  What kindof paintings are you trying to make and why?

ESAO: When I startedpainting, a lot of it was weird for weird's sake and silly as a crutchfrom criticism.  The past few years have gotten moody and still in thehopes that the viewer can look and make up their own story of what isgoing on. 

workspace

AMF:I am sure you have a lot of inspiration for your work.  Whether it be along lost friend or a famous artist you admire, who or what are yourmuses, informers and unwilling collaborators in the paintings youcreate? 

ESAO: Yes I do have a lot ofsources of inspiration and the means have changed often.  I rarely haveromantic muses anymore, but that was a major driving force throughoutgrowing up. When I'm working on something, I think if my friend Tom Herpich would be impressed. He's a tough one to impress and I admire his drawing and storytelling ability. 

 detail of painting from upcoming solo show  

AMF: You are involved in an artist collective called Meathaus that was formed while you were in school at SVA (School of Visual Arts),which continues to produce artwork and publications to this day.  Whateffect did this collective have on the artist you have become today?

ESAO:Being friends with that crowd was incredibly huge on molding my currentoutput. To be surrounded by such talent, I think I tried to make workthat they'd like as a way to fit in.  I never really thought of myselfas a painter and I'm definitely not a comic person, but that careerpath had doors open and people responded to my paintings. I kept at itand am fortunate to still be doing it.

AMF: Speaking ofthings effecting you, you are originally from Arizona but have spentwell over a decade living in Brooklyn, NY.  How important has your pastlife in Arizona and your current life in Brooklyn been to your growthand development as an artist?  Feel free to talk about your family backhome and the friends you have made since arriving in the Big Apple.

ESAO:I've moved around a couple times in Manhattan and Jersey City, but havebeen in Williamsburg Brooklyn, in the same little apartment for 10 ofthose years.  My entire career has been made in that apartment.  I'mwriting to you from my new apartment in Greenpoint which I moved into 2days ago.  Its only about 30 minutes from my old place, but itsdifferent enough and am curious how its going to change my work.  WhenI was in Arizona, I was just a high school kid, and my motivation andinterest in everything art related continued until my 3rd year at SVAwhen illustration, cartooning became dominant.  Art making was onlyabout pushing my creative limits and impressing friends or girls.  Nowits only sometimes I feel that way since it also doubles as a job.Can't complain about that though, only irritated that I haven'taccomplished more experimental work.  My parents have never seen mypaintings.

 detail of painting from upcoming solo show

AMF: Getting back to the work itself...I mentioned in my openingstatement that you do not paint the same characters and/or situationover and over in your paintings.  You seem to like to create a uniqueset of imagery for every painting you create, like each painting isit's own visual short story or novel.  Why is this so important to youand do you see this trend continuing in your future work?

ESAO:The story telling aspect has been the main focus and approach to all ofmy image making.  I still like the idea that the viewer is important infilling in the gaps.  I want to take that idea and put it towardssculptures and other nonpainted work.  But also I realized recentlythat its ok to start doing variations of the same idea. The reality isthat people like certain images and its not really fair if I only makeone painting of the Hangover (for example), when many people enjoy thatone.

"Hangover"

AMF:Even though I don't think it's in any way fair to label you as a Gothicor dark painter, there does seem to be times when gloom and doom (alongwith humor of course) seem to play a strong role in your works.  Whatis it about this type of subject matter that excites you and causes youto continuing exploring it after all these years?

ESAO:Along with humor, I think that Gothic and Victorian fashion can also bea crutch, its easy to have a sense of eeriness or tragic romance andlonging. With the gloom and doom vibe in general, I'm not really surewhy I keep coming back to it.  

detail of painting from upcoming solo show

AMF:You seem to enjoy taking creatures we might recognize and changing themjust enough so we are not sure what animal we are looking at.  You dothis twisting or morphing of people sometimes as well.  I have alwaysbeen curious what this imagery, that seems to falls just outside of ourreality, symbolizes for you?

ESAO: Sometimes I use reference whenI'm working, but most of the time its out of my head.  I don't likehaving my paintings look as if they were referenced from a photo, itgets in the way of the open-ended narrative.  Its good to have ananimal be nonspecific.  For instance, I love my dog more than anything,but I don't have Boston Terriers in any of my work, because it'd be apainting of a Boston Terrier and not a "dog".  They are very specificlooking.  Movies like From Beyond and the Basket Case series were hitswhen I was a kid and I watched Alien Nation all the time. If you watchany of them, you'll see the influence.

photo of Soybean, Esao's Boston Terrier, by Tom Prior

AMF:I always ask this.  Have you created a painting yet that you feel isone of the most important paintings you will ever make...or means moreto you than the rest?  Or is your current work always the mostimportant thing?

ESAO: I definitely get excited whileworking on certain pieces and there's a couple that I miss,particularly the Bluegrass painting from 2003, but I feel like I'mgetting better as I keep working and for the most part embarrassedabout my older work.

"Bluegrass"

AMF: With a steady line up of group shows, a successful 2 person show at Jonathan LeVine Gallery last year, a very anticipated west coast solo show at Thinkspaceabout to hit in less than a week and your first solo at Jonathan LeVineGallery slated for next year, things are looking pretty good.  Whatelse do you have up your sleeve, be it paintings, comics or anythingelse you would like to divulge about your future plans?

ESAO:I've been thinking of bringing some humor back.  I also have a ton ofprojects rusting under my sleeve and none of them are paintings.  I'mhoping that this coming year I'll have the means to make and show atleast some of those off.  Looking at my current work, it seem like allold work now. Time to collect them in a book.

detail of painting from upcoming solo show