Jackie Gendel's inspiring art

I came across Jackie Gendel's art while surfing Pinterest. At first I was attracted to the fauvist-like colors and painterly brush strokes. But after further investigation into her work I fell in love with everything about this contemporary artist's oeuvre.

Parlor, 2009 (Source: artlurker.com)

Comedy of Manners, 2012 (Source: The Morning News)

Gendel's work evokes a sense of mystery. After first glance one can't help but take a second, deeper look at what is occurring. She works and reworks her pieces, sometimes over years, leaving behind traces of what was painted before. The characters in her paintings appear and disappear in their surroundings. Faces are placed on top of faces. Some faces washed out completely. This painting and repainting somehow lends itself to another quality of her work that I admire, psychological complexity.

The Seeds, 2007 (Source: jackiegendel.com)

Untitled (with clouds), 2008 (Source: jackiegendel.com)

Conversation II, 2007 (Source: jackiegendel.com)

Swim Club, 2009 (Source: artlurker.com)

The characters are part of a narrative that we want to know more about. There's a history between them that's enhanced with colorful and transparent brush strokes that intensify their emotions and social tensions. Even the space between the people and the repetitions of bodies and faces tells a story. Gendel states that the characters are "in different states of awareness - some are more self-aware than others" (artlurker.com).

Does She Know?, 2008 (Source: articlejournal.net)

The Carried Man, 2012 (Source: Jeff Bailey Gallery)

You can see more of her work on my Pinterest page, Jackie Gendel.

After seeing some of Gendel's work Noelle and Jasper were inspired to make some art of their own. Noelle made a painting and Jasper colored with some crayons.

They were very proud of their masterpieces!

References

Critics Picks: Jackie Gendel, Ryan Steadman, Artforum

Critics Picks: Jackie Gendel, Naomi Fry, Artforum

Disjointedness Meets Cohesion in Paintings: Separate exhibit features abstract works, Douglas Britt, Houston Chronicle

The "Mischievous and Dreamy Flourishes" of Jackie Gendel, Troy Schulz, Houston Press

Jackie Gendel at Bryan Miller, New American Paintings

CTRL Gallery Hosts Toil and Trouble, Douglas Britt, Houston Chronicle

Interview with Jackie Gendel and Tom McGrath, artlurker.com

Jackie Gendel, Adam Thompson, Art Papers

Jackie Gendel at Jeff Bailey, Joe Fyfe, Art In America

Goings On About Town, Jackie Gendel, The New Yorker

Jackie Gendel and Valerie Hegarty, Nick Keppler, Houston Press

My Work: Jackie Gendel, Houston Chronicle

Shifty, Strange, and Luminous, Carrie Moyer, Gay City News, p. 49

Happy Easter

Hope you had a wonderful Easter. The Easter Bunny brought lots of goodies for Noelle and Jasper.

Jasper & A Fashion Show

It's been a while since I last posted. And a lot has happened! Noelle's brother, Jasper, was born on January 25.

Noelle sure loves her little brother.

Jasper had received many beautiful handmade clothes. I wanted to show off the knitted items Jasper's Great Aunt made. She is such a skilled knitter!

Jasper's Great Aunt had also made Noelle a gorgeous sweater and Noelle wanted to show off her piece of knit art as well.

The Pumpkin Patch

This weekend we visited the pumpkin patch at Sutter's Ridge. Noelle talked about going for two weeks nonstop before we went.  She was so excited to finally pick out her "baby punkin". 

Here we are in front of the tractor that drove us out to the pumpkin patch.

Noelle with the three pumpkins we picked out of the patch.

A view from afar of the pumpkin patch on the hill.

Baby Blankets, Hats, and an Announcement!

We have a baby brother on the way!!!  He's due in January.  I knit the little boy a blue hat and matching blanket perfect for winter.  The yellow hat and blanket are for a friend whose baby is due November 1st.  They do not know the gender.

Of course Noelle needed her very own knit hat too. 

The baby blankets and hats were knit with Red Heart Buttercup yarn in light yellow multi and teddy bear and Noelle's hat is in carnival.

Noelle is very excited to meet baby brother and for him to wear his baby hat.