Spend Time With A Power

Phillips Art Expert

2009-04-29T14:31:00.001-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Check out my emerging artist profile on Phillips De Pury's Art Expert by clicking here!

Hey Face!

2009-04-28T23:18:00.002-04:00

So this is show number two, "HEY FACE". This show opens at Satsko (245 Eldridge St, between Houston & Stanton) on Wednesday May 6th. "Hey Face" is a more intimate solo showing of brand new works on paper. "HEY FACE" explores portraiture of new friends, and friends I have a long distance relationship with. Where the work featured in "KNCTRNL" has a more somber tone, "HEY FACE" celebrates the possibility and whimsy meeting someone for the very first time (or seeing someone again for the first time in years). "HEY FACE" runs from 05.06.09 - 06.05.09. I can't wait to share this new work with you.

Here's to seeing each other again for the very first time,

-Austin

KNCTRNL

2009-04-28T23:07:00.002-04:00

Hi All,

So I have two shows coming up very very soon. The first is "KNCTRNL" (pronounced Nocturnal) and it is this friday May 1st. Join me at 70 Wooster street this friday from 8 - 10 for a wonderful group show curated by the fantastic Caroline Taylor. I'll have one large painting and a plethora of watercolors to feast your eyes on.

Here's the curatorial rundown for the show.

"KNCTRNL
Presented by Leonard Tourne Gallery – Curated by Caroline Taylor

Truth about identity is formulated through interpretation of experience permitted in the limitation of time. Visual manifestations of identity are any combination of metaphorical, metaphysical, literal and formal. Austin Power, Ahmet Civelek, Andrea Fernandez and Julian Gonzalez realize in their work independent versions of identity through the scope of four different mediums. Austin Power’s portraits, Ahmet Civelek’s formal abstractions, Andrea Fernandez’s photographs, and Julian Gonzalez’s screen prints each present in KNCTRNL a unique vision of identity in contemporary culture.

AUSTIN POWER

A native of Charleston, South Carolina, Austin Power relocated north to pursue his BFA in fine arts at Parsons. Through his portraits, Power captures the fleeting human identity present in a brief introduction to another person, often omitting specific facial features. Realizing the entire figure is not the goal of Power’s portraiture. In quotation of the artist, “It is unimportant and untruthful to paint a whole person. Though truth itself has many versions, many people see one action and from it come many interpretations.”

ANDREA FERNANDEZ

Focusing on the parallel universe alive at night, Andrea Fernandez shows reality in the artificial urban streetscape. Photographic documentation in various cities throughout the world bridge together to form a cohesive body of work presenting commonalities shared globally. Born in Bogota, Colombia, Fernandez is currently based out of New York City.

AHMET CIVELEK

The tension inherent in extreme oppositions expresses identity in Ahmet Civelek’s paintings. The relationship of geometric perfection and spontaneous chance build a literal, visual dichotomy. The notion of perfection combined with the act of destruction build the conceptual basis of the work. Hailing from Istanbul, Turkey with a background in the Turkish practice of marbling, Civelek will complete his BFA in painting at Pratt Institute in May 2009.

JULIAN GONZALEZ

Columbian designer and illustrator Julian González explores the parallels and separations between perception and interpretation. Leaving the resolution to the viewer, New York based González visually stages the question of whether or not “less is more.” While obtaining a degree in Graphic Design from The School of Visual Arts, González developed particular fascinations with typography, printmaking, aestheticism and the Westerns of Sergio Leone."
-Caroline Taylor

I hope to see you!

-Austin

new painting

2009-02-09T00:01:00.000-05:00

This is a new painting I've been working on for a while. I've been on quite a pause with it, taking time to think. I believe it is time to start working on it again. We shall see how it changes.

omy colorway study c

2009-02-08T00:01:00.000-05:00

blast from the past

2009-02-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

This is an old drawing I found from when I lived in Paris. I've been working hard this week on a project for PandaPanther, so today you get an older drawing. I promise to make it up if you give me this freebie while you enjoy this tribute to my love Helene. Speaking of the one and only Helene Verin, you can pre-order her new outstanding book Beth Levine Shoes from Amazon.com by clicking that link.
-Austin

omy colorway study y

2009-02-06T00:01:00.000-05:00

omy colorway study m

2009-02-05T00:01:00.000-05:00

Quick Childhood Houses

2009-02-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

Dylan

2009-02-03T00:01:00.000-05:00

imagined landscape?

2009-02-02T00:01:00.000-05:00

Waiting

2009-02-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

Holiday

2009-01-31T00:01:00.002-05:00

Two

2009-01-30T00:00:00.001-05:00

Carley

2009-01-29T00:01:00.004-05:00

I really enjoy this drawing. So I am putting a link to the larger version. I feel like some of the nicer moments are lost in the small version.

Watercolor SP

2009-01-28T00:01:00.001-05:00

Bad SP

2009-01-27T00:01:00.002-05:00

First time using Guache someone gave me + First time painting on canvas in a few months = This terrible beginning to a self portrait. Maybe it will get better in the next few days. I will either keep you posted, or pretend it never happened. We shall see.

talk

2009-01-26T00:01:00.001-05:00

Blind

2009-01-25T00:01:00.002-05:00

Open Mouth

2009-01-24T00:01:00.000-05:00

Cousin

2009-01-23T00:01:00.000-05:00

Mouth

2009-01-22T00:01:00.001-05:00

Nose

2009-01-21T00:01:00.001-05:00

Jovelyn Final

2009-01-20T00:01:00.001-05:00

Sisters

2009-01-19T00:01:00.000-05:00

The Face

2009-01-18T00:01:00.000-05:00

Bears

2009-01-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

Show Update

2009-01-16T22:42:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,
Due to these tough economic times Leonard Tourne gallery is not able to hold my upcoming exhibition on January 23rd. The exhibition in question, INTRODUCTIONS, does not have to go uncelebrated however. We can take this time to introduce ourselves to one another via the web or even in person at my studio in Brooklyn. I hope that we can all stay in touch and make this new year vibrant and exciting despite the cold. I have opened a new web store that will be hosting many of the sketches you see here on this blog for a modest price. I hope you might find something you like, and that my work can make its way into your life.
Best,

Austin Power
843 261 3335
withApower.com
withApower.etsy.com

Deer

2009-01-16T00:01:00.001-05:00

Andrea

2009-01-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

Birthday

2009-01-14T00:01:00.001-05:00

Today is my 23rd Birthday. I hope we all have a wonderful day.

4

2009-01-13T00:01:00.000-05:00

3

2009-01-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

2

2009-01-11T00:01:00.000-05:00

1

2009-01-10T00:01:00.000-05:00

Yong

2009-01-09T00:01:00.000-05:00

Josh

2009-01-08T00:01:00.000-05:00

Wii Fix

2009-01-07T03:01:00.000-05:00

Bad news yesterday. This is how we fix it today.

Evan

2009-01-06T03:01:00.000-05:00

Smile

2009-01-05T03:01:00.000-05:00

Yotam

2009-01-04T03:01:00.000-05:00

Steven

2009-01-03T03:01:00.000-05:00

David

2009-01-02T03:01:00.000-05:00

David Levy, a former animation professor of mine at Parsons, lent his face for this portrait. He's a very talented animator who offers bits of wisdom on the web. You can learn something for yourself from his blog Animondays.

Christmas Joy

2009-01-01T03:01:00.000-05:00

News Update!

2008-12-31T16:38:00.000-05:00

Hi,
It's been a while since I have posted regular updates, but I bring good news. Starting tomorrow, January 1st I will be resuming daily drawings on the blog. I took a whole slew of pictures of brand new people to draw, and I'm very excited. In other news, I have a solo show on January 23rd. I will be posting the invite in the days to come. The opening is from 8-10pm on January 23rd and Leonard-Tournes Gallery, 78 crosby st, suite 306. I'll be back with more detailed information. Hope you are all well.
Happy New Year!
-Austin

Jovelyn Animation Rough

2008-12-15T15:53:00.001-05:00

A Brief Summary of My Work

2008-09-04T15:17:00.000-04:00

Here is my work in a nutshell.

I am just one person, but many people see me. Each person sees me differently. I am an infinite amount of people. Therefore, so are you. I can never know the you that someone else sees. I can never paint a comprehensive you.

When I paint myself I am sorting out how I feel about the versions of me existing in the world. I wonder what people see, and so I guess. I guess out loud through paint. Or I instruct and I try to reshape who I am. I try and tell the world something they might have never known about me.

When I paint someone else, I paint what I know about them. I paint you plus myself, because that is my truth about identity. If I paint you hollow, but with volume, it is not because I think you are empty. It is instead that I think you are full of things I may never know about you. I paint incompleteness because I live incompleteness. I can never know for sure what happens when I’m not around. The purest limitation is time. I can only be responsible for the time that I spend with you. It is impossible to know everything about any one person. So for me, it is unimportant and untruthful to paint a whole person. Though truth itself has many versions, many people see one action and from it come many interpretations. I just want to be honest. I want to be honest about you, and myself. I just want to be honest with myself. I just want to be honest with you.

Austin Power

Jenny

2008-08-28T03:00:00.000-04:00

Detail

Kim

2008-08-27T03:00:00.000-04:00

Jason & Misty

2008-08-25T03:00:00.000-04:00

Figure Study

2008-08-24T03:00:00.000-04:00

Figure Drawing

2008-08-22T03:00:00.000-04:00

Jovie A

2008-08-20T03:00:00.000-04:00

"Jovie A", 12"x9", Watercolor on Paper, 2008.

-Austin

Jovie B

2008-08-19T03:00:00.000-04:00

"Jovie B", 12"x9", Watercolor on Paper, 2008.

This piece works very well next to Jovie A. So you'll have to come back tomorrow to see the dialogue between the two.

See you soon,

-Austin

Jovie C

2008-08-18T03:00:00.000-04:00

"Jovie C", 12"x9", Watercolor on Paper, 2008.

-Austin

Jovie D

2008-08-17T03:00:00.000-04:00

"Jovie D", 12"x9", Watercolor on Paper, 2008.

-Austin

Jovie E

2008-08-16T03:00:00.001-04:00

"Jovie E", 12"x9", Oil on Paper, 2008

-Austin

Jovie 4 Min Sketch

2008-08-15T03:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome,

Paid a quick visit to Jovie's and drew this on computer paper while waiting for everyone to finish getting ready. She's a natural model, always willing to sit still and perpetually expressive.

Until Next Time,

Austin Power

Life Drawing Class

2008-08-14T03:00:00.000-04:00

Good Morning,

This one came from a figure drawing session I sat in on. I think it came out rather well. Watercolor, 12"x9" on bleed proof paper for pens. I can't get enough of the way watercolor reacts to the bleed proof paper. Their incompatibility makes for beautiful possibilities through layering.

Happy Hunting,

Austin Power

Lindsay

2008-08-13T03:00:00.000-04:00

"Lindsay", Austin Power, Oil & Colored Pencil on Paper, 12"x9", 2008

Good Evening,

I was surprised to make this one work. It was going no where for a long while, and then the image finally emerged. Each color from my very limited palette is visible. This one combines some defined brush work with thumb strokes and some aggressive drawing.

Enjoy,

Austin Power

Jovie Study

2008-08-12T03:00:00.000-04:00

Hi,

Jovie here again, this time looking to make the face more luminous.

Until tomorrow,

Austin Power

Peter 2

2008-08-11T03:00:00.000-04:00

"Peter 2", Austin Power, Oil on Paper, 2008

Hey Yall,

A second more gestural look at Peter.

Goodnight,

Austin Power

Helen

2008-08-10T03:00:00.000-04:00

Hello,

This is a more traditional look at Helen. It's underdeveloped, but served to test some of the possibilities of zinc white on the paper.

And so comes tomorrow,

Austin Power

Esther

2008-08-09T03:00:00.000-04:00

Hi,

A quick study of esther combining brush strokes with thumb strokes.

See you soon,

Austin Power

Jovelyn 2

2008-08-08T03:00:00.000-04:00

That's a Jovelyn to be proud of.

Sweet Dreams,

Austin Power

Jovelyn

2008-08-07T03:00:00.000-04:00

"Jovelyn", Austin Power, Oil & Colored Pencil on Paper, 2008

Hi,

The third installment of Jovie, I moved to a hard bristled round brush for this one. Mixing the paint on the page I was searching out the form quickly. I went in and added some volume by indicating the shine of her hair with a white colored pencil. I feel a bit more confident about this rendition of Jovelyn.

Goodbye,

Austin Power

Jovie Study

2008-08-06T03:00:00.000-04:00

Hello,

This is the second picture you're seeing of Jovie but it won't be the last. I recently did a session of photo studies with Jovie under different lighting conditions. She is one of my favorite people to draw. This isn't particularly flattering, but I was quickly searching for the lightest points and the mid-tones in her face. I feel like this one falls flat, and that there isn't enough of the background showing through to produce the depth desired. Still, failures inform successes.

Sleep tight,

Austin Power

Pauline

2008-08-05T03:00:00.000-04:00

"Pauline", Austin Power, Oil on Paper, 12"x9", 2008

Hi All,

Pauline is a friend and colleague of mine from Parsons: Paris. She's an incredible wax sculptor and I hope she'll have a website I can share with you soon. This is a quicker sketch using my thumb and a white colored pencil instead of a brush.

See you tomorrow,

Austin Power

Peter

2008-08-04T03:00:00.000-04:00

"Peter", Austin Power, Oil on Paper, 12"x9", 2008

Hi Everyone,

This is the first drawing of many I am doing on black paper for pastels. It's a study of my friend Peter. My most recent painting has been dealing with the figure as volume shown through light on a dark ground. The works on paper you'll be seeing over the next couple of days highlight some of the ways I've been working with highlight and hollowness to create or destroy volume. Today, with Peter, we are creating volume with a sense of emptiness.

I hope you enjoyed and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow,

Austin Power

Daily Works on Paper

2008-08-03T03:00:00.000-04:00

Hello All,

Today marks the beginning of daily works on paper. Check back each day for a new current work on paper. Through this practice I hope to bring you all a more comprehensive look at my ever changing work. For this introductory post I have decided to give you two older watercolors I recently rediscovered while visiting my parents home. These watercolors were done over the december '06 Christmas Break. I thought they did a great job of predicting the works on paper which came in late 2007.

"Kristine"

and the later study from life "Jovelyn"

Check back tomorrow for a new work on paper.

Warmest Regards,

Austin Power

Painting Preview

2008-07-07T00:18:00.000-04:00

This is a sketch of my upcoming painting. I will keep you updated as the days go by.
I am almost done with the changes to the website. All of the menus have been updated. As far as I know all of the links are operational. On the right of this blog I have added two categories: "Spend Time With Blogs" and "Spend Time With Artists". On each of these lists you will find the web space of some of my favorite artists and bloggers.
I am almost ready to get this blog running full time. I would like to start featuring a drawing of the day on the blog. If you would like to help me start building this feature, feel free to e-mail me a photo of yourself (preferably your head) and I will try and make a work from that photo. I have a few exciting things planned, and I can't wait to start this adventure. I hope you'll come along with me.

-Austin

Updated!

2008-07-01T05:55:00.000-04:00

The website jigsaw puzzle is almost completed. July, here we are. Up next are some images of my new project. Keep your fingers crossed.

Speak soon,
Austin

Update

2008-06-18T14:01:00.001-04:00

The new website is about to be uploaded. Expect to see something a bit nicer on the eyes by friday. I've just started two new paintings. I might update you with some in progress pics if you're lucky. I purchased a new camera and am actively rearchiving my work. So there are much more accurate and pleasing photos to look forward to. Overall, a whole lot of work, but it will be worth the wait. I hope you're all doing well,
-Austin

Officially Graduated

2008-05-22T04:29:00.000-04:00

I am now an official graduate. Congratulations to all my peers who graduated with me. I am relocating in six short days, after which I will hopefully finally have this website looking decent and this blog updated with something a little more lively than text. Hang in there, somethings coming.
More news soon,
-Austin

Hi,

2008-04-12T17:44:00.000-04:00

My name is Austin Power and in a few short weeks I will have graduated from Parsons School of Design. I am having a senior thesis group exhibition with my classmates on May 7th at Gallery MC in New York City. More information can be found on the show and my peers at SeniorCitizensShow.com. It should be a wonderful show, so if you're in the area stop by. I also have an upcoming exhibition in Birmingham, Alabama. That show, entitled "Parsons NY: Pop. 9" will be happening sometime in august. Keep your eyes open for a more concrete date. I hope to be finishing the website design shortly, and afterwards I'll update the blog with little things like works in progress or drawings that didn't make it to the final website.
See you soon,
Austin