Nate Abramowski at 2 Car Garage

Check out Nate Abramowski's series called, "Quiet Men" here (it is really good) and if you're in Savannah don't miss the opening tonight.

More Past Progress

Today I have one more example of the progress of one of my paintings. This one is also from 2005, when I was in Savannah attending grad school there. It has been one of my 'greatest hits' of sorts - the image typically chosen for magazine or online features. So I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with it. I suppose its the same for a band who has to keep playing their billboard single years and years after the peak of its popularity (i.e. Nada Surf -"Popular").

This piece started out with quite a few problems. I had originally intended to do a diptych of two 3'x4' panels, but after having some trouble with them I ended up attaching them to each other - here's the back of the panel:

here's the front of the panel before it was primed for painting. Notice the different wood grains of the two panels:I filled the seams with a bondo epoxy and sanded it down. I layered probably 8-10 coats of gesso over the panel before I began painting. The image came from one of my trips to/from Indiana and Georgia:

here's the progress:

(the blue is masking tape)

the lines from the center were laid out with masking tape to help me with the perspective of the piece:

finished. summer 2005.
"Terminal", Acrylic on Panel, 48x72"

This piece is now part of the Savannah College of Art and Design permanent collection.

Past Progress

I got some nice feedback about the last time I posted in-progress photos of my work, so I thought - with this being Labor day weekend, I'd share some more fruits of my labors. This is a painting I am very fond of - aptly called "Snow Pile". I did it in 2005 while in Savannah, on a door panel (approx 3'x7'). It was executed almost entirely with acrylic glazes and some slight touch ups with some white oil paint at the end. I tried to preserve the orange/red glow of city light on the horizon. It is a little hard to tell on photo, but the black ended up being a real rich warm tone that contrasted the coldness of the snow quite well.

Maggie Evans

Vacant Remnants, 38” x 60”, charcoal on paper, 2007
Quiet Tables, 7” x 12”, charcoal on paper, 2007
Quiet Stage, 7” x 12”, charcoal on paper, 2007
Vibrations of an Empty Bar, 6”x 12”, charcoal on paper, 2007

Today's artist is another friend from Savannah. Maggie Evans is a visual artist and a musician and her recent works reflects long nights at bars where her band is playing. Maggie writes, "The building process of these drawings echoes a musical improvisation. Initial strokes define the background the same way a chord progression creates the structure of a song." She reflects on how she has balanced two art-forms in her recent drawings, saying "My intimacy with music offers a different palette from which to create my artwork. Rather than keeping these facets of my life separate, I seek ways for them to interact and amalgamate."

Review/Write-Up in Savannah Morning News

Allison Hersh wrote a nice article about my exhibition at 2 Car Garage Gallery with Hannah Jones. You can read it here. Above is an example of one of the night paintings she referenced.

Nathan Abels and Hannah Jones at 2 Car Garage Gallery

A well attended Opening Night Mar 29, 2007

Installation view at 2 Car Garage Gallery

Installation view at 2 Car Garage Gallery

Installation view at 2 Car Garage Gallery

Installation view at 2 Car Garage Gallery

I finally got the photos together from the opening. The show went really well and it was great to be back in Savannah for a short time. For additional images of some of the paintings at the show go to the "new work" page of my website.