August report

August was a good month for painting, but my garden is growing wild, and I still haven't been for a bike ride this summer! But it's now only 2 months to my show, so that will take priority. I'm to the point now where I have to write a statement. Is there anything more painful for an artist? Fortunately I discovered this site, The Market-O-Matic (1.0)
[fine arts version]. I knew there must be an easier way! Here's what the Market-O Matic came up with for me...

Work of Anti-Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction

Kathy Hodge's work investigates the nuances of vibrations through the use of fast motion and close-ups which emphasize the Mechanical nature of digital media. Hodge explores abstract and anxious scenery as motifs to describe the idea of hyper-real space. Using warlike loops, lasers, and slow-motion images as patterns, Hodge creates meditative environments which suggest the expansion of time...

The vortex creates, the chaos permeates. In the synaptic space, art objects are resurrections of the creations of the vortex -- a vortex that uses the chaos as a machine to deconstruct ideas, patterns, and emotions. With the devolution of the electronic environment, the vortex is approaching a point where it will be free from the chaos to realize immersions into the machinations of the delphic space. Work of Anti-Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction contains 10 minimal flash engines (also refered to as "clipper chips") that enable the user to make complex audio/visual compositions.

I'm going to go with it...


And despite my neglect, I did manage to get some beautiful little tomatoes from my pitiful little garden...

Does outrage make for better painting?

If not, I should probably turn off the radio...


This is the first painting I did for the series I am going to exhibit in November. Hopefully I am working on the last now, although I'm tempted to try a few more if time permits...which of course it won't!

Tonight I'm taking a break, instead of staying up late painting and torturing myself listening to McCain's acceptance speech, I'm going to grab a drink with a friend at the local watefront watering hole, right next to these guys, Reliant and Resolute (painted in 1988).

I need a drink after the Huckabee act...

"Barack Obama's excellent adventure to Europe took his campaign for change to hundreds of thousands of people who don't even vote or pay taxes here. It's not what he took there that concerns me. It's what he brought back. Lots of ideas from Europe he'd like to see imported here."

OOh, scary Europe, best to stay home where it's safe...

(sorry to get political, it takes a lot to get me to sound off! Here's some comic relief to make up for it -- McCain's Voice Mail to Palin Leaked to Press (Listen))

Playing at politics and pollocks

I've been paying too much attention to this important presidential contest this week to do much but paint and listen to the radio, but here's a picture from the studio...
And if you've had enough of politics, try some pollocks!
Hint, click to change color...

The mysterious D.W. Britt

Going to the Tamsky gallery a few weeks ago started me thinking about a painting I bought in an antique store in Bristol many years ago. I don't really collect art, which I know is hypocritical of me, but I guess it's because my walls have always been full of paintings, even if they are my own. Something about this portrait really got to me though. I love the look of intensity on the woman's face, the saturated red color, and the way the space is broken up. I imagine she is working in an art school in the forties, but I really don't know. I also get a kick out of her accessories. The handful of brushes, the lit cigarette and pack outlined in her blouse pocket, the red lipstick and turban, and her engagement ring. The signature says D.W. Britt, and the canvas is signed in pencil on the back and on the stretchers, another clue that it was done in school (in defense against arts school stretcher thieves, I fell victim myself a few times). I haven't been able to find out anything about the artist, and whether it's a self portrait or done by a rebellious classmate who chose to ignore the still life assignment and paint something really interesting. The shop didn't know either, but they were very sorry to see the painting go!

Flashback to Mesa Verde

Here's a video of me during my artist residency at Mesa Verde National Park. It's a bit goofy, but gives an idea of the feeling of wandering through the ruins alone. That is, alone except for my filmmaker husband John, who took the footage.

The wonderful 80's

I was going through some old images on my computer and came across this one of me in my studio in Providence circa 1987. I'm amazed at how small the little attic room looks now, lit with only a small window and the lightbulb on a stand you can see on the left. I did some of my biggest paintings in that studio, you can see the finished painting behind the one on the easel here. As sparse as my lifestyle was in those days, I'd love to go back in time sometimes....