twilight zone

it can't be all about work...This is a great twilight zone about man's attempt to reclaim his childhood. (It was based on rod serling's real hometown of Binghamton ny.) IT IS THREE PARTS AND WORTH IT.

CLICK HERE

latest apostle study

Here is my latest rough sketch. I cannot emphasize enough that these are my very first "roughs" and not to be too harshly judged as I am not concerned about anything at this stage except poses and grouping of figures. I am essential thinking with my pencil and I am not really editing myself at all-- I usually do not like to show the "dirty laundry stage" but I am in a generous mood and you get to see the mind of alex at work.

St. John....

Here is a rough for the person cast in the role of st. john. The real person is less "chunky" than my sketch shows---must adjust the drawing.

new study

another rough sketch for the mural, nameless he shall remain for now. Please understand these are merely "thumbnail" doodles I am making to solidify shapes and layout--they are very crude and not the final portraits.

face study.

Here is my first "rough" sketch for my actual attendees of my last supper..I will leave it up to you to figure out who they are as I am very busy! I am usually against showing rough sketches as they are exposing my dirty laundry so to speak but as long as the final looks like a masterwork I care not that I am observed as I get there. For some reason my new monitor distorts the face ever so slightly and that bothers me--I hope that is not the case with your monitor.

under painting

Here is the under painting of my Last Supper. I have drawn out my geometric lines on the piece as well (but they are probably not very visible.) I have used Ruben's method of painting which is a burnt sienna color that is applied from top right down to the left at a 45 degree angle. I have much drawing and studies to do now! I am paying special attention to the golden mean and gold ration as it applies to Da Vinci's construction of his Last Supper. My last supper will be influenced by Da Vinci's and will fortunately wind up being only a Gardega. I am too far along in my career to make a simple copy without putting a bit of myself into it. The best part about painting this piece is the discoveries one makes along the way.

last supper panel

Here is my 4' x 8' panel that I will paint my Last Supper on. Please note that I have done extensive research on the last supper and believe my geometry studies to be both original and accurate. I have seen many half-baked breakdowns of painting and none seem to provide the geometry needed to actually construct the painting itself. Conspiracy theories don't supply the blue prints to actually build the painting itself.

a short break!

Put down your pencil and grab a fork. Take a bite of these words from the genius that was Plato and later these words were copied by Da Vinci into his notes---

Plato's inscription over his academy door---Let no one enter who is lacking in geometry!

now we must get back to work!

The journey of a thousand miles

I have bitten off a lot for my next project. I am painting a 4' by 8' replica of Da Vinci's last supper but I will be replacing the disciples with news anchors. Please note this is not meant to be ironic nor is it in any way meant to be anti-christian! I am very interested in religious art and the renaissance in general. To me there has never been art that even comes close to what was painted 500 years ago by my long-dead heroes. Modern/ contemporary feels empty and meaningless compared to the works left behind by Raphael and Da Vinci. I cannot help but think that the over-saturation of media (photography included) has rendered painting impotent and taken away from the magic it once held for people. Dali did his best at the end of his life to bring awareness to religious art and gardega has decided to help the cause as best he can as well. I will update my journey of a thousand miles with the first step taken today as I have drawn my first rough doodle/ sketch to get a feel for the genius that flowed from Leonardo's hand. Already, I have made small discovery's about his grouping of figures and use of perspective and geometry to achieve his masterpiece.

sideview sunset

On my drive home from brooklyn I took a photo of the sun setting in my side view mirror. It reminded my of a song by roger waters that is pretty depressing but pretty damn good at same time. So decided to include the lyrics here...

In my rear view mirror the sun is going down
sinking behind bridges in the road
and I think of all the good things
that we have left undone
and I suffer premonitions
confirm suspicions
of the holocaust to come

the wire that holds the cork
that keeps the anger in
gives way
and suddenly it's day again
the sun is in the east
even though the day is done
two suns in the sunset
hmmmmmmmmm
could be the human race is run

like the moment when the brakes lock
and you slide towards the big truck
you stretch the frozen moments with your fear
and you'll never hear their voices
and you'll never see their faces
you have no recourse to the law anymore

and as the windshield melts
my tears evaporate
leaving only charcoal to defend
finally I understand
the feelings of the few
ashes and diamonds
foe and friend
we were all equal in the end

a flower grows in brooklyn

not sure what this flower is--anyone know? I dont think I have seen it before.

brooklyn photos

This is an outdoor bar in brooklyn. The girl did not know I took her photo (even though it looks posed.)

brooklyn photos

I used to teach glass art at the urban glass league in brooklyn. I stopped by and took this photo recently...

update

I received an email today from a major news television organization in regard to my latest painting that was written about in the new york post. I don't want to name any names until all I's are dotted and T's crossed but hey are interested in my painting based on Da Vinci's last supper. It is a necessary evil for artists to get press as opposed to withering in the shadows so I welcome any chance to expose my work to public. I am going to release my studies/ sketches as they are completed so people will get a view of my working methods from start to completion. I will let be sure to post updates as far as times and channel of my appearance.
thanks,

alex

woman leaning forward--after mucha

My mom gave me this drawing yesterday. I made this when I was nineteen during my obsessive Mucha-phase. This is one of my best samples from that period. It is also undamaged as it was framed all these years. If you want this drawing it is $200.00 dollars. email me at alexgardega@gmail.com. I think her back went out so if you buy the drawing I can buy her the medication she needs to fix it. I dont want to part with this drawing if the truth be told.

Queens final

here is my final unisphere painting for queens yellow page cover (unless they make changes again)if you live in queens this will be on your doorstep in near future. If you cant afford my art it gets delivered for free! I must say that makes me a pretty nice person-- giving away all these free paintings. I should be given awards and learn to walk on water like Bono.

ART VS. MONEY

I sometimes look back at all the art I have sold and I think about how I miss some pieces of art and wish I still had them. Then I realize that the money came and went very quickly and now I have neither the art nor the money I was paid for it---so I sell more art and so on. I then started to think tonight about why bankers and men with millions of dollars and universal business renown buy art and are proud of it and show it off to their friends etc. Art has some value I cannot describe. If art didn't have a value to the human psyche and condition it would have gone the way of the Dodo long ago. It is funny when you think that what makes a tea cup useful is not the fine china itself but the empty space it creates. Art is the same empty space in the well-chipped teacup of humanity. It (ART)makes no sense and it seems at times useless but in truth we would perish without it like a snail in salt . Beethoven was every bit as important to the human condition as the chairman of the federal reserve and in 100 years one name will still mean something to humans. (This is called me rationalizing why I don't have a real job.)

Last Supper

my first sketches from my last supper painting will post very soon! stay tuned...

artist of the day!!!!!

N.C. Wyeth is/ was one of the greatest artist's who ever lived. He was a student of the great american illustrator, Howard Pyle. Howard Pyle ran a small studio/school out in Brandywine Pennsylvania and N.C. was his star pupil. Back then illustration was a great field and many illustrators were very wealthy and respected. It was often the case where you would get an assignment to travel across country (all expenses paid) to do one painting---times have changed as I usually pay for my own expenses simply to go paint the Unisphere in Queens. NC was a hero and he reminds me much of Teddy Roosevelt because they both shared a huge passion for life and nature and were both larger than life. I think what makes him great was he was one of the first truly american illustrators---in the end of his life he wished he had become a fine artist and felt bound and tethered by illustration. He died a tragic death on the train tracks in penn. in an auto "accident." his legacy and son (andrew wyeth) live after him and genius never dies---god bless.


for Carol M.

Today's NY POST---page six

here is the link:
My secret project has been leaked to the press. (I blame my ex-girlfriend.) I am, as you may know, a Da Vinci nut and I also have an equal fascination with media and television news. I have my TV on fox news all day long as I paint and scan the net regularly for news updates around the world. I guess I am a media junkie to some degree ( although, I generally detest pop culture and avoid sitcoms etc .) I decided to take my bent for religious art and combine it with my media fascination and paint "The Last Supper" as if it was attended by the cast of fox news. I am not mocking anyone nor is my painting ironic or anti-anything. It is simply an intellectual exploration of the idea that paintings used to mean something to people before media saturated our fragile egg-shell minds. I have no use for irony as I think it is the most overplayed hand in this poker game called art. I will show the progress of the painting as it progresses on this blog and sell the sketches and studies as well as the original when it is done.

Ayn Rand

I believe ayn rand is a genius. this video (regardless of if you agree with her point of view) has convinced me she has the unmistakable Dalian "tic" of genius. I read all her books in high school and dont remember details--and I dont agree 100% with her philosophy but I think she is demonstrates a brilliant mind.


watch here

New Drawing---sacred feminine

I drew this tonight as a drawing I intend to glass carve in glass this month. It is a 24" x 30" pencil drawing. I like this piece and will definitely make a glass carving of it. I drew four such designs tonight to take a break from my deadlines. I am selling these original glass designs for $100.00 dollars each. I am not putting these on ebay as I am sick of loading stuff up onto ebay. If anyone wants these just email me and I will take first email. I don't care how you want to pay, I'll take pelts and wampum as long as I don't have to fill out ebay forms...This piece rocks (even though I drew it) and the glass carving will enlighten somebody's life somewhere on this blue marble of ours! I am a little hesitant of posting works before they have been carved into glass but it aint gonna kill me...genius never dies but cowards die a thousand deaths.

alexgardega@gmail.com

martin luther king sculptor

There is a big controversy brewing because they have chosen a Chinese sculptor to carve the MLK memorial. He is very famous in china and known for his carving of chairman Mao. Personally, I think it would be best suited for a young black artist to have a go at the sculpture. I am sure there are many african american scuptors who would view this as the chance of a lifetime and would probably have a greater connection to MLK than a sculptor from communist china. Its just my two cents..plus it could have a stamp that says made in america on the bottom of it.

smart kid

I cant believe that a seventeen year old kid figured out how to unlock the iphone so it can be used with other carriers. He is from new jersey and the phone is now up for bid for 41,000 dollars on ebay. (I'll bet that apple or ATT is one of the bidders as they are interested in following his steps to prevent such action.) Here is his blog!


http://iphonejtag.blogspot.com/

new piece

I had a last minute request from citizens against government waste to do a cover..I do these covers for free as I respect the cause and think the government is a big bloated evil corporation bent on stealing as much money and rights as possible...(this is as political as I get on this site.) This picture was done to illustrate the government stealing intellectual properties as well as stealing homes through eminent domain. I had very little time on this piece and must finish 5 deadlines but the cause is good..back to my other deadlines.

chaos

this is the present chaos of my studio. I am on five projects at once and need to resolve some of them soon.

alex

back home

after my friend passed away I picked this up from his studio. He loved this piece and I would have left it to his family but I did not know them and never met them in 20 years. Now she is back home with me. Sorry for the horrible snapshot...I am a bad photographer...

happpy wednesday

I am finishing up a bunch of projects--a book cover, a mural, a children's book and some glass art. When done I can get back to the blog a bit more...I will put up some stuff today during my breaks.


alex

in memoriam

I just found out a close friend and business associate of 20 years died of a massive heart attack. He owned a long island glass company that used to give me a lot of work when I was just out of high school. After twenty years of knowing someone in business you either hate them or become close friends..Dave was definitely a close friend and we recently worked together on a big glass project that we celebrated with a big sushi dinner. He will be greatly missed and I will always remember the support and encouragement he gave me in my art.


R.I.P .

DALI!

DADDY LONG LEGS OF THE EVENING --HOPE.


This is a Dalinian masterpiece! I am glad that finding a spider led me back to dali and one of my favorite works! feel free to stare at, just dont touch it as the museum guards get upset. I think this painting had much to do with the ending of the spanish civil war with franco or some such historical event. I am weak on history but that is life. Gardega would like to ask dali why he gave his spider seven legs? God would never give a spider seven legs! 8 or six is fine--not seven! was it on purpose? Was there a meaning there, perhaps it was injured by the war and time was needed to heal.

Daddy long legs

I found a spider tonight. He was so big I decided to measure him he is 5.5 inches according to my ruler! If you find a daddy long legs in the evening it is good luck and leads me to one of my favorite dali paintings...

Update

I have been crazy busy. I have just finished a commissioned pandora's box painting. I have started painting a 3 foot mural commission for a client and I am finishing up a queens book cover. Next week will be a bit less crazy and I will load up new work for sale. This is on top of carving glass for an art show and I have written a children's book that requires an attorney for trademark and copyright purposes. My children's book is very unique and I think it would be something that would not insult adults intelligence as well. I could never write a book that panders to kids, they are smarter than that.



viva dali

600 th post

This is my 600 th post of genius- dripping -gibberish.
I found an amazing you tube video of dali on an old game show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXT2E9Ccc8A

If anyone know s how to help me film or set up a video camera to do time lapse please let me know. I will come to you and buy drinks if someone can show me some techy tips.


alex

pandoras box--shadow figure

I am working in between breaks on my queens cover to finish a painting commission. I usually have four or five things going at same time which makes me crazy but chaos fuels my art...

I need to add darks and flesh it out more...I hate showing "in progress work" it is very much exposing ones dirty laundry--- I like to show "finished" happy pieces.

madonna study

I am working on this drawing as a study for a glass carving...it is for sale on ebay today..it is going to be a very fair price as I will probably make ten versions to get it right.



http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29296-2357-0?uid=87404769&site=0&ver=LCA080805&item=290151127230&lk=URL

my fridge

this is on my fridge and shall remain there until I move. I have read almost every book he wrote minus one or two. I will get to those soon....

queens

I have been using photoshop to work on this illustration...I usually only use paint so I am breaking new ground for myself by mixing photoshop and oil paints....this is just a test run and there are good and bad things going on here. (not unlike the world itself) I will find my way to make the whole world happy and printable for a nice queens yellow page cover...

queens

still working away on queens cover post some of it up today.

queens book cover

I am painting a new book cover for ambassador yellow pages...this cover is for the Queens book. I paint on a yellow acrylic base (it is, after all, the yellow pages) It is a challenge to paint on yellow as you must use colors that work with yellow and your work takes on a graphic feel...I am going to paint the Unisphere as it is the unofficial landmark of queens...I have painted it four times thus far and this one I will paint until I have painted five unispheres. How can one have five unispheres when uni means one? My style for the yellow pages completely evolved out of the fact that I am painting on yellow...the first cover I did for them gave me heart attacks as I was at a loss as how to attack the piece. Now I dont worry so much, I just try to keep it fresh. I dont like showing the process as you can see what a non-methodical train wreck I am when I paint but I always find order out of chaos.

drawing of a bronze

I drew this drawing many moons ago and found it today in my old chest. I made a painting of this that hangs in my sisters house. It has a little wear but it brings back memories (of things I cant remember.) The painting I made was an attempt to paint a photo-realistic rendering of bronze, It worked well but I do not have a photo of it to upload...


6" x 14" pencil on paper

http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29296-2357-0?uid=87404769&site=0&ver=LCA080805&item=290151063828&lk=URL

wedding

upon returning to northport I took this photo of a bride and groom. God bless the married folk.

"getting married is fun, being married is hell" kid rock

I have no opinion as I am not married but the quote is funny.

the ruins

These are the ruins off of Eaton's Neck. When I was a kid there was a big wall with a grateful dead painting on it that was a big landmark in my mind. I want to paint these ruins at sunset.

cement square

Modern Art or ruin? This is the cement remains of a structure on the beach...I call this "square one" ( as in back to square one.) This is the actual square one.

kayak trip

I went on a six mile trip yesterday in my kayak. I came upon this yacht--- That is a helicopter on the back.

hello

Back to work after breaking my glass art...needed a breather to regroup. I will be n this blog today and tomorrow with new work and I hope all is well for everyone.

alex

unheeded warning

Sometimes we fly off into less than promising skies. We take are fate in our hands and put our hope in our wings. Sometimes our gambles work and other times we crash back to earth. Take your chances when you're young and play it safe when you are old. Zen has really seeped into my work although I do not practice zen consciously. I guess painting is zen when you are lost in a painting.


6 x 10 watercolor on rag paper

ebay:

http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29296-2357-0?uid=87404769&site=0&ver=LCA080805&item=290148539445&lk=URL

the unknown

Mythology is always present in my work even when it is well hidden. I find making these works calming while other works cause me a lot of stress and aggravation.


8 x10 watercolor on arches rag paper

ebay:
http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29296-2357-0?uid=87404769&site=0&ver=LCA080805&item=290148535201&lk=URL

the joy of glass

I spent over thirty hours on this piece of glass. Most of that time was in a 100 degree studio with a breathing helmet on. I drove it home tonight in my truck to make some design changes before I etch tomorrow and I went over the train tracks too hard and cracked it all the way down the middle. I am somewhere in between laughing and crying right now and feel like burying my face in a bottle of whiskey somewhere but I wont. I will design a new one tonight...The crack was such a horrible sound....what you see is a piece of glass covered in vinyl resist..the crack and the glass are on the other side of the rubber...lesson learned---do not to transport unless secured.

wednesday

Today I will be back in brooklyn etching...sorry for slacking on this blog, I have some glass art to make. and will get back on this asap. Starting queens yellow page cover as well, will show process on here--- if anyone cares.


alex

around the axis

around the axis we all spin
to determine what's left out and what's left in
what's left out and what's left in
who's left out and who's left in
who's left in
the moments come and go like water
I try to hold them but they're fading

---peter gabriel

22 x 30 watercolor on rag paper

ebay:

http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29296-2357-0?uid=87404769&site=0&ver=LCA080805&item=290147180397&lk=URL

lady at sunset

I am not sure who the creeping shadows are nor if they are approaching or leaving.


22 x 30 ink and brush


ebay:

http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29296-2357-0?uid=87404769&site=0&ver=LCA080805&item=290147164907&lk=URL

stormscape

Growing up in Texas I saw a lot of storms. Being in such a flat landscape enables you to see storms miles away on the horizon. I saw a lot of tornadoes and floods when I was there. More things that bubble oil- like up from the subconscious to the surface.


22 x 30 watercolor on rag paper

the sleeping sun

not to touch the earth not to see the sun.....


watercolor and gold leaf on watercolor paper


12 x 18

ebay:

http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29296-2357-0?uid=87404769&site=0&ver=LCA080805&item=290147094141&lk=URL

artist of the day

There is a face that has seen both sides of life. I read today that johnny cash was once arrested for picking flowers from a stranger's yard (when he was drunk) to give to his wife june carter after they had a big fight. They recently exonerated him post mortem. He once slipped my mom his phone number when she was a flight attendant for TWA---I have no idea what happened to the piece of paper. His brother died working in a saw mill when he was a kid and this haunted Johnny for the rest of his life. If you go to www.johnnycash.com, you can listen to johnny cash radio on your computer as I am doing now.

good morning

I will be on the blog today with new work..As I have to make glass art in brooklyn the rest of the week.

alex

my drafting table

I was looking tonight at my drafting table where I do my non- easel work. I realized it had some character in it's own right. If you look closely by chance you will see a dragon fly had landed on it (I did not see it until after I took the photo.) You could never intentionally make an abstract painting as good as this because you would screw it up by thinking too much. Da vinci suggested throwing a sponge against a wall to get random effects in which you could see armies and clouds and other such things to use as a basis for your art. I bought this table in 2002 for $25 dollars at a garage sale in dobbs ferry ny. I think I have done about 3000-4000 pictures on this table.

Great novel!

I once wrote about the artist Alfred Kubin. Here is his novel I ordered off amazon. I am half done and it is brilliant and a great book to read. It has a hallucinatory feel and an amazing premise. If anyone buys it and reads it let me know what you think. Kubin is an unknown genius and this amazing novel is almost unknown and deserves to be read.


alex

she has to go

my friend gave me this old picture of mine he bought in 2000. I love the piece bought-- I dont like the memories of my ex staring back from my wall...I must let her go. I am selling her framed for 300.00 plus shipping which could be up to 50.00 dollars. I have such mixed feelings as I like the piece but the past must go. email me if you are interested..

it is 25 by 30 roughly

iris woman

SOLD


I took an old piece I had made and added gold leaf where I had yellow paint as I wasn't happy with the yellow. I think I much improved the piece.

12 x 18

a sky made of gold

I was thinking about things we take for granted like waking up and breathing air (which is free) and then I was thinking about the idea if the air was not free and then wondered what it would be like if the air was replace by a commodity like gold. This is not a "pollution" piece of art or a statement it is just more of a story idea about the air turning into gold...I painted this on top of an old watercolor I had left outside and it got ruined by the rain and left me the idea for an interesting visual exploration...

watercolor/ charcoal/ gold leaf on watercolor paper

12 x 18

ebay:

http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29296-2357-0?uid=87404769&site=0&ver=LCA080805&item=290147015989&lk=URL

quote of the day

hard work pays off in the long run but laziness pays off right now....

steven wright


I thought of this while I was out in my kayak not working today.

sunday

Hey,

great day today I will load up new work after I clean up this damn place.

global warming

al gore is so large he has his own climate-----robin williams

note to self

quit complaining and bitching.

good morning

today I will read "our town" by thorton wilder.

crticism

Its not easy to listen to criticism , especially when its true. It is a much better gift than a compliment. Guilty as charged.

detail of daily glass piece

I have chosen to shift a bit towards glass work and gallery work. I will load up new art as I can but I am going to be spending a lot of time in my glass studio as well as working on a mural that will be featured on fox news.I can only give a small sample of todays glass piece due to copyright reasons. I am forcing myself to grind out a piece a day out of my glass studio come hell or high water or equipment problems.

psychedelic glass portrait

I have been messing around with pop imagery a bit. I have a lot of mixed feelings about pop art but dali was the first to use pop imagery and was later copied by warhol. Anything good enough for dali is good enough for me. I think this is a good portrait of the king of radio--- howard stern. Again, I make these images for the value they hold as pop culture icons/ figures not because I am a fan or endorse my subjects. I stopped listening to radio years ago. (except dj mary of course)