Manual of Artificial Limbs and other Inspirations

It seems like a good time to post about a few inspirations that I keep close.

Manual of Artificial Limbs

Copiously Illustrated An Exhaustive Exposition of Prosthesis A. A. Marks -1908.  
Visiting family in Chapel Hill I found this at a used book store. I never get tired of looking through the pages.

Max - By Pericle Luigi Giovannetti

I have been looking at  MAX since I was a wee on - In the Library at my Dad's and Mom's house. Brilliant.

This is an enamel piece I have had for a long time - It was done by my Aunt Atzy 

I think I need to get off my ass and check out more of her work.  

This is a shot of my studio

Seeing Stars

John Gregory Sea Otter

Like father like daughter my father is an artist (among so many other thing) and growing up I spent hours looking at his sketchbooks.  On my last visit he got them out and we spent some quality time talking about art.  My father has always wanted to make carvings from my paintings – make jewelry – But after looking at his sketchbook I came a cross a drawing of a sea otter that my father had done.  It so inspired me that I asked if I could incorporate that image is some of my new work, since we have always wanted to collaborate…and so began the seeds for my current body of work  

My first drawing of the otter (Corrie Gregory My Education (part 2)  "WriteRight" Loose Leaf Filler from 1951. I found it on E-bay. You can see the bones are there of my fathers drawing but it is getting closer to being mine.  As I kept drawing the Sea Otter it evolved  The next draft (See Otter For Grandpa) I discovered some of the paper that I have been collecting was my grandfathers personal stationary.

(Seeing Stars Final Draft) It all seemed to make sense.  If you look closely you can see there is a small star printed on the paper.  I liked the idea of the see otter surrounded by stars.  And most importantly that he was blind.  Then came (Seeing Stars) and (Kishkes).    

Corrie Gregory My Education (part 2) Mixed on Paper 10.5x8

Corrie Gregory See Otter For Grandpa Mixed on Paper 5.5x8.5

Corrie Gregory Seeing Stars Final Draft  Mixed Media on Paper 4.5x6.5

Corrie Gregory Seeing Stars (detail) Gouache on Dura-Lar 13.75x6.5

Cry Me A River (Detail), 2012
Gouache on Dura-lar

Save This Date:
June 1st, 2012
I'm in a group show curated by Mary-Austin Klein.  "SEMBLANCE" will be at Metro Galleries in Bakersfield this June and run till August 1st.  

Artist included:
Katrina Alexy
John Brosio
Corrie Gregory
Mary-Austin Klein
Kathleen Klein-Wakefield
David Lefner
Deborah Martin
Lily Stockman
Robert Townsend

Please come it will be fun! More info to come!