Lines and dots

“Twisted Pair”, 20″ x 16″ acrylic on canvas

When I take my glasses off, the world immediately dissolves into suggestions of forms. And at night, before bed, if I gaze into the darkness, it pixellates. My painter eyes grasp for shades of purply orange brown, trying to assign a shape to the flash of the smoke detector. But the vision without aid can’t form one. It’s mark is too fleeting.

All of our moments are fleeting, changing every nanosecond into something new. I wonder if that’s why I am so enamored with recreating my moments in painting form. Coaxing them from nothingness, arranging pigments into lines and dots, feeling as if, in this way, I don’t really lose them to the ether of memory. That if I trap them, they won’t disperse into the void of spacetime until they are too scattered to be recognized. Clearly a fool’s errand in the end, but an entrancing process nonetheless.

Lots of titles under consideration for this 24″ x 36″ acrylic….

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Invitation to disconnect

“Out of Order”, 16″ x 20″ acrylic on canvas

It’s Friday, and tomorrow is the first day of summer. It’s also my late father-in-law’s birthday, which makes it bittersweet. We miss my husband’s father, as we miss my Grandpa and others we’ve lost. But rather than focus on the day they left this world, I prefer to cherish our memories of them on their birthdays.

Today I’d like to invite you to reflect on what moments are important to you. Were they the most-liked Facebook status updates? The most epic vine videos? The best blog posts? I know they’re not, but these things consume so much of us. I’m not saying to burn your devices and smash your TV with a baseball bat, but on what is likely to be a beautiful weekend no matter where you live, disconnect for a bit. Don’t just put the phone down, turn it off (unless of course you’re calling someone to tell them you love them).

Go to the beach, visit a garden, check out your local art museum, make sun tea on your patio, take that friend you never see anymore out for a pitcher of sangria.

Chalk art from my hotel door at Portland’s Jupiter Hotel

I was recently in Portland and met a random person who turned out to be my sister from another mister. Instead of retreating into my hotel room for a few hours of internet crap, we hung out and had cider at a nearby brewery, and it was awesome. So in case you need it, here is your official invitation to disconnect from all this stuff this weekend and go make some real-world memories. 🙂

Knowledge is Powell’s

Portland natives may recognize the book beacon that is Powell’s, the subject of the above triptych painting “Bastian”, 36″ x 54″, seen here on proud display in my home.

For my fellow logophiles, please note that the title is not a misspelling, but a dual reference to the homonym and to a film. There’s one other hint that this bookstore is located in Portland- can you see what it is? Unravel the mysteries in comments! 🙂

Night shift

Here are 3 new paintings from a series I just started called “Night Shift”, exploring nocturnal city activities, roles and perspectives. All are 30″ x 40″ acrylic on canvas.

The above is titled Stranger because of its voyeuristic quality and because the intro to Billy Joel’s song by the same name kept playing in my brain while I painted it.

No title yet for this and the top piece. Suggestions? Thanks for reading!

Signs of the times

Catching you up on recent paintings featuring vintage signage. All currently available at MarianneBland.com.

“Status Quo”, 18″ x 24″ acrylic on canvas

Now playing: Nothing, Forever at the State Theatre in historic Marysville, CA. If any horror flick directors out there need a scary place to shoot, this spot is boarded up and undoubtedly haunted.  I also like the reference to “the state of things” (literal translation of status quo) as a blank, faded marquee. It’s kind of the equivalent of a shrug, or “meh”; very appropriate for my generation.

“Nitehawks”, 18″ x 24″ acrylic on canvas

A wink and nod to Hopper in title, I was very pleased with the peeling pink paint result (it’s easier to see in person. You know, sublety) in this painting.

“God Bless Dinners”, 18″ x 24″ acrylic on canvas

This restaurant is also located in Sacramento’s Del Paso Heights neighborhood and is a good example of how I prefer not to name locations with their actual titles most of the time. This one offered all kinds of amusing alternatives and is still a functioning greasy spoon if you are intrigued by the concept of beef from the other coast blessed by God (or ham and eggs, apparently).

“Ice Box”, 18″ x 24″ acrylic on canvas

Iceland completely defies physics by remaining in existence in Sacramento, CA (aka the surface of the sun). I particularly enjoy how the “come skate” paint is all creepy and dripping, as if it should be followed with “at your own risk” or “if you dare!” like a scene in a Goosebumps book.

“Greyhound”, 18″ x 24″ acrylic on canvas

The above is an ode to Hopper, featuring blocky colors and devoid of reflections. This old Greyhound depot has been replaced with a cool modern location in Sacramento, as is often the case- places change before I get the chance to paint them pretty frequently.

“Dough Conditioner”, 10″ x 30″ acrylic on canvas

What once smelled of yeast and sorrow is now a vacant building, haunted by the spirits of nutritionally-devoid pastries. I intentionally cut off the title as a play on the word “under” since, you know- it went under.

Signs are stoic markers of events ingrained in the collective conscience. And they are also hard to paint. Here’s hoping you enjoyed checking them out. The 18″ x 24″ canvases above are all framed in flat black and available for $700 at MarianneBland.com. Happy Friday, folks! Thanks for reading.

 

 

Memory formats

“Vinyl”, 30″ x 40″ Acrylic on Canvas

All the record stores I worked at are gone. Fun story, I once started a friendship by flashing my recently-pierced nips at my place of employment. Which is NOT why it closed, thankfyouverymuch. 🙂 I do occasionally stop and reflect on how extremely pivotal music is for me. Most people have strong relationships with it, but in this case I refer to artmaking. I listen to music each and every time I paint. I can’t even imagine what would happen if I had to start making work without it. I’ve even considered posting which bands/songs I was listening to while I worked on something, but I have no idea if that would mean anything to anyone besides me. It was fun to consider while I worked on the above, “Vinyl”, featuring an evening window shot of a record store in Portland.

“Tall, Dark and Haberdashery”, 30″ x 40″, acrylic on canvas

Another strong memory for me is that of the hat shop. I enjoyed hats a lot growing up (for awhile I had an impressive collection of thrift-store-sourced vintage cranium-toppers), but the memory I refer to is that of visiting a “chapeauterie” during my study-abroad semester in Marseille. I tried hard not to geek out at the fact that a HAT STORE still existed somewhere in the world, and it was an absolutely delightful 30 minutes spent trying on and pretending like I was going to buy hundred-dollar hats. I did buy ONE but I’m still waiting on the right occasion to don my fantastic French hat. (It’s kind of ridiculous and I haven’t been to the Kentucky Derby yet). I had a flash of that joy while witnessing the above Haberdashery in Portland, OR. This piece was a bit of a departure in that the palette is muted, but I couldn’t resist the whimsy and delight of the floating hats with umbrellas. I kind of felt like the display was going to break into Singin in the Rain at any moment. 🙂

“Drugs and Stationery”, 30″ x 40″ acrylic on canvas

This piece has been on my “to paint” list for quite awhile. It’s a shop in Redwood City, CA that I snapped for reference during a great evening out with my mom. I’ve already painted 3 other scenes from that night, and this one was very exciting for me. By day, it’s kind of a cheesy ice cream store. By night, however, it’s a remarkable reminiscence of times I never experienced personally. I can imagine the soda jerk, the circle skirts, the giddy dates in the post-war era that inspired this shop, and that is the crux of why I paint city scenes. They are imbued with a presence of lives lived in these spaces that is palpable for me, that I can’t shake. (Pun-tastic! I’m a super nerd.)

All of the above original paintings are currently available for $1600 each on MarianneBland.com. Thanks for reading!

Summer in San Francisco

“Carrier Wave”, 16″ x 20″ Acrylic on Canvas

Ah, summer. What once was a welcome break in the gray is now a game of Death Race 2000, in which the sun attempts to murder everything in its wake. (Those of you who also live in Sacramento can attest to this fact.) Summer in San Francisco, however, is a thing of beauty. That typically cold wind transforms to a pleasant breeze, patio dining suddenly returns, hipsters play Neutral Milk Hotel songs on the steps of townhouses, rooftop parties with organic Sangria break out spontaneously. It’s a fantastic place to be.  I may not be in San Francisco at this very moment, but odds are you aren’t either. In lieu of experiencing the glory that is a warm day by the bay first-hand, let these recent paintings featuring a sunny day in SF transport you to memories of urban relaxation.

“Retrofit”, 16″ x 20″ acrylic on canvas

I suppose this could be any city, but the cable car steel atop a hillside kind of gives it away. What was great about this image was that the Bel Air was a surprise. I was taking a photo of the dusk light on the skyscraper, when a beautiful pink classic car snuck into the shot. Happy accidents make for great compositions! What surprises me is how people often comment that my paintings look like photos, when I feel like they’re awfully loose up-close. I’ve been starting to create some looser images that I look forward to sharing soon. For now, here’s another summer-y snapshot:

“I Heart Parking”, 16″ x 20″ acrylic on canvas

Betwixt the palm shadows on pink patios sits a Vespa, a symbol of beauty and freedom in its own right, underscored by the satisfaction that is finding a parking spot in San Francisco. Those brave and brilliant souls motoring around this town on 2 wheels must never experience the excitement-disappointment-panic rollercoaster that is spot-searching with a regular car. What I LOVE about this piece is the natural heart shape created by the tree leaves and their shadow, framing this moment.

You may not know this about my work, but I don’t manufacture compositions. I hunt them down, taking photos myself, then using these images later as references for paintings. I described this process to a collector once as collecting, selecting and recreating moments from real life. My intention is to imbue those moments with some of the added glamour, drama, mystique or glory that they have on their own if we just notice it.

All of the above paintings are currently available for only $400 each directly on my website at MarianneBland.com. Thanks for reading!

Under pressure

“Pressed”, 48″ x 48″ acrylic on canvas, A commissioned painting.

Long time, no type! Hello again, darling art-lovers. I have returned from the hibernation / wormhole I fell into nearly four months ago, and I’m back to tell exciting tales of art! Despite the evidence to the contrary, I’ve actually been busy in the studio, albeit mum on the blog. I spent a few months hard at work on the above commission piece, a 4 foot by 4 foot canvas titled PRESSED, for an amazing couple in Seattle. Featuring a nail salon setting with manicurist closing shop, this mammoth work is the largest representational painting I’ve completed since a 50′ mural for the city of San Bruno. But that’s not all….

As yet untitled 16″ x 20″ acrylic on canvas

This was the first piece I completed after finishing the commission (title TBD- don’t worry, I don’t do “untitled” ;), and then there was this…

As yet untitled 10″ x 10″ acrylic on canvas

…and then, like a beautiful little gift from the heavens, the opportunity for a solo show at Blue Line Gallery in Roseville, CA fell into my lap. That’s right, ladies and gents- mark it on your calendar. The opening for “VESTIGES” is Saturday, April 19th from 7-9 pm at 405 Vernon St. in Roseville, CA (near Sacramento). The show opens on Thursday, April 17th and will run through the end of May.

As yet untitled acrylic painting, 18″ x 24″

“Vestige” means a “trace or mark of things vanishing or lost”, and will feature works like the above as well as several as-yet-unfinished nightscapes showcasing scenes that feel out of place in time or represent modalities on their way out of fashion, like bookstores and record shops.

“3rd sign’s a charm”, acrylic on canvas, 18″ x 24″

While this is SUPER FRIKIN EXCITING, it also means I have agreed to execute several large-scale pieces in a very short amount of time while holding down a full-time job. Thankfully, my husband and family are super-supportive, and I am capable of some remarkably fast painting. My basic grasp of mathematics is helping keep me on schedule (X number of paintings need to be created every Y number of days, with Z number of hours per piece on average), but I’m in complete Liam-Neeson-mode [“Quickly! There’s no time!].

As yet untitled acrylic painting on canvas, 18″ x 24″

This means that socializing, general chores and life itself is primarily on hold until mid-April. I also doubt I’m going to have the time to post every work in between now and then, since I will have roughly THIRTY works on display in the Westpark Workshop Gallery (back room) at Blue Line. Showing concurrently will be America’s Clayfest, so there will be sculptural work as well as my 2D paintings on display for almost 2 months. If you need help planning a day trip to the Sacramento area to see this stuff, let me know. If you are local, you better darn well get your butt over there, people. 😉 I’m so excited I can hardly contain it. And now, back to the studio.

 

 

Find your art in San Francisco

Now that your Halloween festivities have drawn to a close, the next party starts in 7 hours! Join me and 9 other great artists at community workshop space SHARED at 739 Bryant San Francisco tonight from 7-9 pm for our reception to kick off weekend 3 of Open Studios!

Some of my favorite local artists are also showing this weekend at other locations throughout the city including John Kraft, Hilary Williams, Mike Kimball, Johnny Botts and Stephen Wagner. Some of my other favorites participated in weekends prior (hope you had a great time, Trish Tunney, DK Haas and Hadley Northrop!) Be sure to check out the virtual guide at ArtSpan to plan your studio visits this weekend.

Warning: ART may cause feelings of inspiration, introspection, despair and longing, amongst others. A common side effect of viewing art, known as “non-buyer’s remorse” may be avoided by remembering to bring your wallet and using the coupon code: BLANDFAN for 30% off paintings by Marianne Bland. 😉

11 am to 6 pm Saturday and Sunday, Nov 2 – 3
739 Bryant St San Francisco, street parking available

Stay Golden

 

“Stay Golden”, 16″ x 20″ Acrylic on Canvas

I was pretty moody and sullen as a teenager / young woman, as I imagine pretty much everyone is. How anyone manages to push past the insanity of hormonal avalanches is a wonder. I think I purposefully blanked a bunch of it out, honestly. I like to consider myself a much more balanced person these days. Whether or not that’s factual is up to contention. 😉 I do make a conscious effort to stay positive, and to see the good side of things even though it is SO much easier (and coincidentally, much more hilarious) to point out the obnoxious bad sides of everything.

My beloved Grandfather passed away earlier this year, and while I never heard him say it, Grandma says he used to call those special instances in everyday life “golden moments”. The above piece, “Stay Golden” was one of those. I was walking down the street with my friend Nick, whom I hadn’t caught up with for years, in the SOMA [South of Market] neighborhood of San Francisco. The warm sunlight of dusk illuminated this bit of probably-sanctioned graffiti professing “Knowledge is Golden”. The reference to the abstract  of “golden” in light of.. well, the ACTUAL golden light, was a “golden moment” for me. Looking at this painting reminds me of Grandpa. It reminds me to stay positive, since being a cranky bratface never helped anyone. Even though I may have LOTS of reasons to be cranky. LOTS OF THEM. 😉 I remember that Grandpa never complained, and it was one of the many things that made him a delight to be around, so why whine?

“Potrero Pavement”, 8″ x 8″ acrylic on canvas

The above piece, “Potrero Pavement” is a recent small painting capturing one of those early morning weekdays in the city when shopkeeps sweep the dust off their entrances and everything is quiet.

“Sentinel”, 8″ x 8″ acrylic on canvas

And this other little guy, “Sentinel” is from a walk around Russian Hill with my friend Jill one wonderful evening. This dry cleaner’s was quiet, stately with its own little ambience and I wanted to honor it in a painting. Alright, battery on the laptop is running out. Hope you all enjoyed this update from recent work that I thought I posted already. 😀