adam graves painting by gardega--stolen

Whomever stole my Adam Graves painting that was gifted to Ronald Mcdonald house (to raise money for kids with cancer) Should return it to them..I do not care because I gave painting away  but you have ruined your karma and that is your issue, not mine. I hope for your own karmic sake you return it to RM house...god bless..Karma is as real as the sunshine.


alex

Shaolin Kung FU

I recently signed up for Shaolin Kung fu as I am finally serious about getting in shape. Its easy as an artist to let ole body go--I spent too many years living on oil paints, pizza, wine and red bull. After a certain age you have to get serious about your health or you are a gambling fool. As an "ADULT" you must take care of  your body as you only get one of these bag of bones that is supposed to see you through to your "drooling years" I dont make resolutions for new years as I take resolutions pretty serious, if you cant make them a few months ahead of jan first and stick to them, then why bother? I have cut alcohol out of my diet--save an occasional wine...and I am very commited to my kung fu training... the next step is to kick redbull which is part of my 5am breakfast and I have trouble functioning  without it...Regardless, my kung fu teacher is a brilliant and famous Shaolin monk and here is a bit about him...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shi_Yan_Ming

Palm One NYC

I stopped in the Palm One Steakhouse last night with a friend..As I had my first day of Shaolin Kung Fu yesterday and I was so sore I could barely stand at the bar and this morning I am too sore to almost paint or draw. The Palm is a great place and I highly recommend Palm one in NYC. As an artist you are always alone in a room so the time I spent bartending at Palm means a lot to me because it was the first time I have had "coworkers"... most of them are still there working as no one really ever quits the Palm as it is a great place to work. If you look on back wall you can see some of the caricatures on the wall that is part of what makes The Palm so famous..(I even drew a few of them)..some were good and some I would like to re-do. I dont get out much anymore, my life has become a routine of work and work and work and then sleep...One must remember  "get out" on occasion or you will start talking to your walls...I recommend the strip steak or the lobster and the cream spinach...

David in Glass

I will be carving a large etching of Michelangelo's David in glass in January. I am working with a gallery owner (to be revealed later) to carve some serious Iconic pieces in glass this year. I would never even attempt this if my glass skills were rusty but my recent year long project of etching Saints has me confident enough to tackle a few serious  pieces. If you are going to etch David in glass you dont just blow up a photo and etch (this is a hack approach) if you are serious about art you study the pose, the muscles, the face and the whole thing for about a month on paper first. After this piece I will be carving three others to be announced later. Go big or go home.

a lazy artist is a dead artist..

Figure drawing

My hand is very rusty

Sketch for etched glass window

Here is a sketch for my next window etching..I am awaiting approval that should come today. Three separate panels roughly 35 by 92 inches each...

a.

Etched Glass Window by Gardega--St. Joseph

I am documenting entire process of etching a 64 foot sq.  Saint window..from sketch to completion...

Here is my first rough doodle/ sketch...The window will consist of three large glass panels. I used to be afraid of large projects..Now they are nothing of me. I have broken that eggshell of fear a long time ago. Once you do some large scale installations, it liberates your own personal work from fear of large scale work. By large scale I dont mean modernist slop, I mean serious large well drawn and designed pieces. Anyone can pour paint over a large canvas, executing figures etc in space on a large scale is a challenge for any artist and a great learning process as well.


alexander