"Bowling Alley" series of paintings.

This series of paintings was created between 2000 -2002.  I worked on it at three separate studios over those three years.  The first on was created surfing the Presidential election of 2000.  we all knew that moment the we were going to war in Iraq the second G. W. Bush won the election.  It was a seriously depressing day.  The tragedy caused by Bush is felt around the globe.  
And we haven't even started to feel the money end of it.  Mark my words -We are headed for the biggest financial crisis our nation has ever seen.  All of it can be blamed on the unethical use of government to make a select few people a lot of money while everyone else is raped for every penny they own.  Save every penny you make now, as you will need it when our nations economy eventually crashes because of our illegitimate president Georg W. Bush's idiocy.  

Artists Statement

The use of title in this series is intended to present the cultural metaphor of a Bowling Alley to communicate a general view of the condition and direction of current events.  If one were to look at political language as a bowling ball just released, hurtling blindly with a calculated force, and one were to look at us, the people, as pins, one might see how spin works.

Adam M. Considine 2002

Bowling Alley 1 "The Election of 2000" 

oil on canvas

60" x 36"

Bowling Alley 2 "The Robotic Lion"

oil on canvas 

36" x 60"

Bowling Alley 3 "The Streetlight and the Machinegun" 

oil on canvas

36" x 60"

Bowling Alley 4 "The Factory and its Master"

oil on canvas 

36" x 48"

Bowling Alley 5 "War Crimes" 

oil on canvas

20" x 80"

Bowling Alley 6 "Angel"

oil on canvas 

36" x 36"

Bowling Alley 7 "The Lion" 

oil on canvas

50" x 50"

(Bowling Alley #8 "Mad Cow a" is missing forever. Someone purchased it and i cant find them or remember who they were.  I did not have time to take a photo when it was sold.)

Bowling Alley 9 "Mad Cow b" 

oil on canvas

44" x 74"

Bowling Alley 10 "Ape Guevara"

oil on canvas 

22" x 18"

Bowling Alley 11 "A Vegetable with Arms"

oil on canvas 

22" x 18"

Bowling Alley 12 "Dancing Robot"

oil on canvas 

22" x 18"

Bowling Alley 13 "Memorial"

oil on linen 

56" x 56"

Bowling Alley 14 "The Bomb and the Bird at the Base of the tree"

oil on linen 

70" x 30"

Bowling Alley 15 "Saint G a"

oil on linen

Bowling Alley 16 "Saint G b"

oil on canvas 

60" x 36"

Bowling Alley 17 "Iron Northern Pike"

oil on linen 

36" x 48"

Bowling Alley 19 "Stone Arch" 

oil on canvas

48" x 24"

Bowling Alley 20 "I" 

oil on canvas

60" x 30"

Bowling Alley 21 "The People a" 

oil on canvas

60" x 36"

Bowling Alley 22 "The People b"

oil on canvas 

60" x 36"

Bowling Alley 23 "The People c" 

oil on canvas

60" x 36"

Bowling Alley 24 "Sounds a" 

oil on linen

30" x 15"

Bowling Alley 25 "Sounds b" 

oil on linen

30" x 15"

Bowling Alley 26 "Sounds c" 

oil on linen

30" x 15"

Bowling Alley 27 "Improvisation" 

oil on linen

70" x 50"

Bowling Alley 28 "Stained Glass a" 

oil on linen

40" x 20"

Bowling Alley 29 "Stained Glass b" 

oil on linen

40" x 20"

Bowling Alley 30 "Stained Glass c" 

oil on linen 

40" x 20"

These oil paintings were created out of the anger and frustration...

...when we think we know the truth.

5 reasons we all might like Goya.

In lieu of "Artwork of the month" I give you Goya.

I like Goya, maybe you do too.  I have been looking at one of his paintings for years now.  So why do we like Goya?

1.  Francis Bacon and Goya would have been great friends. 

2.  Goya's work is dark, realistic philosophically and visually, and honest.

3.  Goya is a war hero of sorts.

4. Goya's historical prowess is accurate. 

5.  He is not boring all of the time.

 This oil painting is on display at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.  I enjoy looking at Goya's work for the visual record of his times hat it gives us.  Albeit, I do not really like his work.  It is boring to me.

Francisco Jose de Goya Lucientes

Spanish, 1746-1828

"Self Portrait with Dr. Arrieta"

1820, Oil on canvas

“The dream of reason produces monsters."

- Goya

Line composition studies.

I was into the simple line for a time.  I felt that I could design a line that eludes to multiple subjects.  

Here are a few of those older illustrations where I was working out that idea.

Thanks for taking a look at these...

...they are simply studies but i turned them all into cool oil paintings.

"Line Compositions" series of paintings

Lets take another look at my past as an oil painter.
This series of paintings was created in 1999.  There were 20 in total, but alas I was not very organized and only have a few images from those days.  I have no idea where the rest of these paintings are and if you by chance own one and come across this blog, please email me a picture of my work.  I can not even remember what they look like.

Artist Statement

This series of paintings are the study of a single line becoming multiple forms.

Adam M. Considine  1999

Line 1

oil on canvas

48" x 24"

Line 2

oil on canvas

70" x 40"

Line 3

oil on canvas 

60" x 48"

Line 7

oil on canvas 

80" x 40"

I know they ended up more allegorical as the series went on...

...but who can be sure.

Word composition studies.

These studies were all improvisational.  While woking on my poetry volumes I found myself just zoning out sketching out these ideas.  I didn't turn these into oil paintings, but they ruled the eventual series of Word compositions a few weeks later.  

Artwork of the month: Harriet Goodhue Hosmer's Medusa.

I spend a lot of time at museums.  I live a few blocks from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, where I find myself walking among the magick of art history on an almost daily biases.  I visited the MIA as a child, and  now as an adult I have been a regular patron since I moved to Minneapolis since 1996.  I have fallen in love with a sculpture there;  "Medusa" by Harriet Goodhue Hosmer.

As one of americas first female sculptors, Harriet Goodhue Hosmer focused on the historic plight of women.  I truly love the philosophy of this sculpture, and it is a beautiful work of art.  I have been fortunate enough to look at this sculpture for the last 10 years.  It is on display on the 3rd floor of Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

Harriet Goodhue Hosmer

American, 1830-1908

"Medusa"

1854

Marble

Go to the MIA and spend some time with this marvel...

...it will teach you beauty and suffering.

"Word Compositions" series of paintings

Taking another look at my past as an artist in Minneapolis we come to my poetry works on canvas...


These paintings were created in 1999 somewhere during the time when I was experimenting with poetry, and they were fun.  I will explore this idea again.  I wrote three full books of poetry between 1996 and 2000.  
Sooner or later I will publish them here on this blog.  For now just enjoy this abstraction of words.  

Artist Statement

These compositions are based on a single improvisational repeated word scratched into the surface of the oil painting.  Surface and composition are the focus of this work.

Adam M. Considine  1999

Word Composition a 

oil on canvas

22" x 18"

Word Composition b 

oil on canvas

18" x 22"

Word Composition c 

oil on canvas

48" x 24"

Word Composition d 

oil on canvas

22" x 18"

Word Composition e 

oil on canvas

36" x 24"

Word Composition f 

oil on canvas

24" x 36"

Word Composition g 

oil on canvas

22" x 12"

Word Composition h 

oil on canvas

48" x 24"

I love compositional poetry...

...I use it as I do oil paint.

3+2=5 isms exhibit

Here are some pics from the end of the opening at the Art major.  It was a pretty fun night.

Artwork of the month: Fernand Léger.

I have been contemplating this work of art at the Minneapolis institute of arts for several years now.  Up close and personal this oil paining looks vibrant and alive while muted and soft.  Compositionally this painting is bold and subtle.  The subject matter is plainly laid out for the view to understand through the abstraction.  

The impact that this has had on my own compositions is telling in my art three studies.  The example that Leger leaves behind for abstract painters is one of simple bold daily life.  Besides life is more interesting than stories, and this painting tells us no mythology, but only presents its subject.

Fernand Léger

French, 1881-1955

"Table and fruit"

1909, oil on canvas

Thanks for checking in with the blog...

...I will post more of my ink studies soon.