Friday, September 5, 2014

A NEW BLOG !






On a Balcony in Panicale
( photo: Stew Vreeland)

I have started a new blog.

It  occurred to me that where I live in Peterborough, New Hampshire and where I "live" in Panicale, Umbria ( Italy) are on both on the same latitude, the 43rd Parallel.
I paint, draw, cook, and eat in both places, and each town although an ocean apart have an influence on my work and art.

Follow along on the journey.
I will do a weekly post, for at least the next year.

Here is the link:
Aponovich 43 /  Parallel Lives: A Transatlantic Journal



Saturday, October 19, 2013

The Evolution of a Painting

In April 2012 Beth and I moved from Hancock, NH. to a new home in neighboring Peterborough. Although only nine miles separate our old home from the new one the change was profound, a parallactic shift occurred in my visual perception. In other words new surroundings brought forth a new vision.
We had been growing and tending after a large Agapanthus plant for a number of years. The new house came with a walled garden ( and Kiki, the gardener). Since there was ample sunlight I placed the potted Agapanthus on the wall, grown over with Boston Ivy. There it flourished with over twenty blossoms.





THE VISION
It happens in an instant, the creative vision. It was early morning during a much too hot July. Fog had settled over the hillside, the sun was a hazy disk as hundreds of drops of water clung to the plant.

THE CONCEPT SKETCH
Quick! Get it on paper! Don't be fussy just capture the idea. It doesn't look like much but it is all there. It takes about two minutes to draw. Now, what are the dimensions (height & width)
it is about 4 to 5. 
32" x 40" perhaps....or maybe larger.


THE VISIT BY THE GALLERY
It just so happens that I am preparing for a major show in New York
 at Hirschl & Adler Modern.
As a courtesy, a representative from the gallery stopped by late in August to visit the studio. Although I had lost a lot of time in the process of moving I was now painting at full speed and paintings were all over the place, some underway, some canvas' blank,
 one being 40" x 50"........Hmmmmmm. I mentioned my idea to Tom and showed him the sketch, he looked at it, thought for a moment and then said,
 "James, paint what you want to paint."
I was chomping at the bit.


THE UNDERPAINTING




 Due to the fact that the colors were going to be primarily cool greens and greys, I wanted to lay down a base coat (ground) of warm Burnt Sienna. A few pencil lines went down to basically establish where the significant areas were and then....my mind traveled to that lonely amazing island seven miles off the coast, Appledore.
Instead of the lawn and the trees of Peterborough, in the distance I painted Appledore in fog. I had done it before out there, so why not? So I set up my easel up in
front of the garden wall and painted like a madman. Six hours later it was all there.
Let it dry.



COLOR BEGINS


I should mention that I had only six weeks to complete three paintings....AH, no sweat!
Who needs sleep anyhow?
I start on the flowers because I don't know how long they will last. Individually they aren't much, small simple blue blossoms in a burst of stalks. They become blue explosions in the sky.
They are such a pain to paint.

I begin to paint the ivy, old and ragged it creeps over the mortared wall and climbs up the terra cotta pot. Who needs cloth? I have always been terrified of green, I have hardly any green tubes in my paintbox. It's time I face my stupid fears and dive in. What do you have to loose? Oh yeah, I am having a show at an important NY gallery and I have six weeks....
But who's counting.


FOG :GREEN BEING DEVOURED BY GREY


I paint the fog, the sun is pure white. The more distant greens are cool, the closer greens warmer.
Viridian
Cobalt Green
Sap Green
Cadmium Green

Soften the edges, it is blurry in the distance. The fog hovers, underneath things are clear. Sharpen those edges, more vines more leaves. I paint the terra cotta with the 
color Terra Rossa, the only red in the painting.
Foreground
Middleground
Background

I need to make more value contrast. I slash pure Radiant White to create the ocean, even where it is not suppose to be. Who knew? White dew drips from the flowers.


KEEP PAINTING, DON'T LET IT BECOME STALE
No time for errors, I must finish this before it begins to turn on me and have "issues." 
Then I find myself looking at the painting on the other easel, White Calla Lilies against a crisp blue Umbrian sky.  Uh Oh!

Its the bottom of the ninth inning and I stop this painting.
7/8's complete.........why?

James, paint what you want to paint.




Agapanthus, Appledore
oil on canvas, 40"x50", 2013
James Aponovich


Done, signed, framed and shipped to Hirschl & Adler Modern!

This painting will be included in my upcoming show :
James Aponovich
An Abundant Life
at
Hirschl & Adler Modern 
The Crown Building
730 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY






all images and text copyright James Aponovich 2013
may only be used by permission of  the artist James Aponovich






Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Boston Globe's Art Critic Reviews Aponovich 52



Wednesday, July 11, 2012

In today's edition of The Boston Globe
Art Critic Cate McQuaid
reviews APONOVICH 52


"the exhibit pulls back the curtain on the artist's process."

"the blog reveals the sweat, anxiety, and thought that went into his work."

Cate McQuaid
The Boston Globe


Chinese Fortune Cookies / week # 6



...." But Aponovich, in his new show at Clark Gallery, steps gamely into the 21st Century."

Cate McQuaid



Strawberries, Tuscany/ week #35



"his strawberries glisten delectably..."

Cate McQuaid
Boston Globe


A few quotes from the review, but please read the full review.

where you will find the entire
Boston Globe review of Aponovich 52 by Cate McQuaid.










Tuesday, July 10, 2012

WGBH Arts: James Aponovich: A 52 Week Painting Marathon



Still Life with Blue Hydrangea
James Aponovich
Aponovich 52 / Week # 20

Follow the link below for an online WGBH Arts Review of APONOVICH 52







Thursday, June 28, 2012

THE SHOW IS UP.........Now What?

THE BOSTON GLOBE
Critic's Tip
Boston Globe G Calendar Magazine
June 28, 2012


Often, a one-person exhibition is sort of a let down. Shows are usually scheduled a couple of years out and what follows is a lot of work, mostly in solitude. Then the show is hung for a month or so. It is now time to take account of what's hanging, first, is it any good? Is it cohesive? Does it show progress and perhaps indicate new avenues of expression? Or, is it just the same old, same old? Fortunately, I don't have to make these determinations.I have tried to illustrate the thinking process during the A52 year. To my surprise, a great many people have been following the blog, for that I am flattered and grateful. Several have suggested that it be made into a book, others have requested
I continue on the road to my next show.....maybe, but you know it's a lot of work.



For more information on the Aponovich 52 exhibit go to:




Monday, June 11, 2012

The Show Goes Up...............



"With APONOVICH 52, James has entered a new terrain for painters of his genre. With his strict conceptual time-based premise of completing one painting each week during the past year, his painting methodology become part performance, part ritual and part obsession. In directing all of his thoughts and efforts to complete a painting each week, Aponovich 52 is a work of profound contemplation on art and the act of painting: transcendent , inspirational and visionary."

Dana Salvo, Clark Gallery




JAMES APONOVICH
APONOVICH 52

A Painting Marathon
52 Weeks / 52 Paintings

June 12-July 28, 2012

Reception Saturday, June 16 from 4:00-6:00

Clark Gallery
145 Lincoln Rd., Lincoln,MA



Studio Still Life , Evening
James Aponovich

This painting was done after the "52" project was completed, but if you look carefully at the studio shelves you will notice several of the objects that I included in paintings over the
year long marathon.

For more on this exhibit go to
At Home and Away







Saturday, March 31, 2012

Week 52 Plus.....Epiblog !


CLARK GALLERY
Lincoln, Massachusetts



INVITE

I would like to invite all of those who you have taken the time to follow my journey over the past year to come to Clark Gallery in Lincoln, MA on the 16th of June, or during the run of the exhibit to see, in person, all 52 of these paintings. It was quite a year. Beth ( see week #51) was extremely necessary and very patient in working with me to get each week's work published. My thanks to her. I would also like to mention the owner of Clark Gallery and friend, Dana Salvo for his encouragement at critical times, "come on champ!, there's only two more rounds, keep your feet movin' and dukes up!".....that kind of thing.




Here's me, surrounded by some upcoming "challenges".
I learned at The Armory Show that I am on the 2013 schedule to have a show at
Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY., which means I have a lot of work ahead of me.
Wish me luck.
Ciao!


Check back in from time to time for updates.
You can continue to follow me, along with Beth on our blog: