What's this? We have footage of an artist at work? Gasp!

Ladies and gentleman, it is my pleasure to present to you a lovely little video of Eric LoPresti working in his Brooklyn studio and preparing for his Spring show at Like the Spice which opens on April 8th. Eric was nice enough to share the video with me so that I might, in turn, share it with all of you! Now, for me personally it's hard not to think about process and technique when it comes to the production of art (surprise!), but that is most likely because it is my business to know all about respective processes and techniques; however, I do know that for many the enjoyment of a piece is mostly inspired by the end result, the finished product. This of course is all fine, more than fine really, if you like something you should like it, love it even, just for what it is. I promise not to call on any of you and put you on the spot asking you what your favorite piece of art is and then follow up with the dreaded query, 'why'? Whether process and technique are your bread and butter (I myself have the Scientific Method tattooed on my inner arm, *ahem*), or you are more focused on the end result and enjoying the polished product post production, I am certain that the following video of Eric LoPresti preparing a canvas by working on the underpainting for a new piece, along with it's explanation will be interesting to you (and don't tell me you don't have time, the video is only 1:30)...Enjoy!

Just to give you a bit of a background on Eric's work, his subject matter is made up of three important elements: color gradient, landscaps, and sharp black lines inscribed across the top of a piece. His work portrays desolate portions of the American landscape, with references to the aftermath of past conflicts such as the Cold War. A clear example of all three elements can be found in "Hatchet," (2010,

Oil and India ink on linen), which is posted below.


In the video, Eric lays down the color gradient first, then the landscape is painted on top, almost floated on the surface, and then lastly the black lines are added. This way of working is almost a backwards way to do grisaille (pronounced griz-ai), the traditional practice of using a monochromatic or burnt umber toned outline as the under-layer and then glazing color over it. A grisaille may be executed for its own sake, but is most often used as underpainting for an oil painting.

Eric's reason for laying down color first is to use the color gradients as an optical effect, "like seeing through a rainbow or the chromatic distortion of a camera lens." For him, color sets the tone of each piece. And, since he takes color quite seriously, Eric rarely uses his oil paint straight out of the tube, instead pre-mixing his colors on a paper palette (seen laid out at left in the video). With the paint mixed he then brushes the gradient onto the canvas in broad, light, loose strokes. His left hand holds a digital sketch outlining roughly where we would like the colors to go, in many thin layers of paint.



See, now wasn't that cool? Even I learned a few things (example: those blue gloves protect Eric's hands from turpentine and other chemicals used to thin out oil paints, and are NOT a fashion statement). Keep your eyes out for more news on Eric's show and more studio peaks to come!

How our Collectors' Tour saved us from the All-Car-Rent-a-Car Blues

Dear All Car Rent a Car,

If you didn't want to go out with us, all you had to do was say so. Why did you have to ignore our phone calls, then answer only to lead us on? It hurt us when you acted like you didn't remember that you'd promised us a 15-seater passenger van. Like all your vows meant nothing to you. You seduced us with your siren song of a one-time payment of 159.99. What changed? We just can't give you what you want anymore. Don't you know that you can't put a deposit down on love?

And still we tried to love you. We took your van. Were you trying to tell us something when you almost gave it away to a church group minutes before we arrived? There are better ways to break up with someone than tricking them into returning a van all the way out in Brighton Beach with no money in our pocket and way to get home. We've had it, All Car Rent a Car. We took the un-airconditioned death box on wheels that you gave us and turned it into a motorized love-machine.

We like big butts and we cannot lie...

Our little gang of collectors and artists started off at 92Y Tribeca with a discussion by Dean Goelz and Colette Robbins. Here is Colette talking about "Spirited Away" while her audience follows.

After 92Y, we piled into the death-trap and bumped and sputtered our way across the bridge to DUMBO, where we paid Eric LoPresti a visit in his studio.


Today's Art Lesson: The Power of Primary Colors (Illustrated in Polo Shirts)
A couple of glasses of wine and a few nibbles of cheese later, we were back in the van and heading to Jenny Morgan and Peter Rostovsky's studios in Greenpoint!Then on to Rachel Beach who fed us dumplings and a heaping serving of new work. Check these babies out:


And here's Rachel herself, trying not to let on that she knows she's way more brilliant than any of us could ever hope to be.

And on and on! To Diana Puntar's. Here's one of Diana's sculptures. We were very excited to get to know her!


Finally, back to Like the Spice, where we had heroes deliciouso from Curiouso! David Mramor and Allison edge were sweet enough to come give us a little talk about their work, and who should reappear but Jenny and Colette! Our stalwart little crew of collectors had a well-earned snack and glass of wine, and stayed at LTS just long enough to catch the AMAZING double rainbow that appeared in the sky (no joke). Quite the party. And you know who WASN'T invited?

That's right, YOU, All Car Rent a Car. We wrote this letter to let you know that WE DON'T NEED YOU ANY MORE. In fact, we're seeing someone else. His name is Danny, over at AAMCAR rentals. We don't know what he looks like, but his phone voice is deep and sweet, and he's got a 17-seater waiting just for us and our next Collectors' Tour.
BECAUSE WE'RE WORTH IT.

Best wishes,

Like the Spice

We've Only Just Begun: A Studio Visit With David Mramor

On a very snowy night David and I met at his studio for what turned out to be a splendid way to spend a blistery winters eve.

We started out with David's Bio: born and raised in Cleveland Ohio, David took to painting at a very young age going on to earn his BFA from Ohio University, studying under many great painters including Guy Goodwin . Upon entering grad school at SVA David began to experiment with installation, video and drawing, soon realizing that his true love was reveled in the excitement gained when he created paintings. He came upon a new method of collaging paint starting with the flat fast process of acrylic, adding oil directly out of the tube, bombing with spray paint, scratching with marker, and intuitively piling on gesso.





After graduating from SVA in 2008 with his MFA Mr. Mramor began to explore the negative space in his older pieces by using his emotional visual voice on top of photographic images from the natural landscape. Specifically using images of Yellowstone National Park, he used these images to make his negative space more purposeful and points out the illusion of memory created by the use of photography, "representing energy and expressionism".











David seeks to create an interruption, questioning the reality and truth of the paint versus the supposed reality of the photograph. What is "real" what is "illusion". David's colors are taken from the body, nature, and found artificial colors. David uses paint in a sculptural abstract and ambiguous way, lust and overindulgence restrained within the canvas.

Come and see two of David's paintings this Friday February 6th, 7-9 in our New Artist Auction, here at Like the Spice Gallery. 224 Roebling Street. Brooklyn, NY 11211
718.388.5388. or call or email to set up an appointment to see any of David's pieces.

And then there were three...

Join us in welcoming our third new artist this month! Colette Robbins will be showing her work alongside Reuben Negron and Noa Charuvi at our New Artists Silent Auction We journeyed up to Harlem today to visit her studio, and it was WAY worth the trip.


Colette's paintings are acrylic on wood panel. Her work explores contradictions in sculpture vs. photography vs. paintings. In her words: "My paintings and drawings deal with remnants of the figure. Whether it's a rolled up bundle of severed legs or strange helmet-like fossils that may or may not have once been alive, my images speak about what survives."


"Within the paintings/drawings there are highly detailed manmade objects placed in natural or neutral scenes. These scenes look like they should be inhabited by the living but are not. Instead they are occupied by objects that reference the form or utility of a human. The works have many areas that are rich with intricate patterns and atmospheric textures that form type.s of known variables for the viewer to enter into. Once the viewer acknowledges the known components of the works they are faced with the question of why these elements exist within the space of the painting. The viewer soon sees that the scenes are the consequence of unknown events. Therefore they function like a story being told in reverse."


"Like the way cultural tragedies make us look backwards at the trail of clues the present hands us, my work implies a, perhaps, tragic history. The viewer is left to wonder who has abandoned this here and what should be done with it. The responsibility is to whoever stumbles across these uncanny scenes as the task falls on those which remain."



Hear Colette discuss one of her works!