Waiting for Del Toro

I’ve never written a novel, a film script or anything longer than a 20-minute tutorial. But, I have a hundred film titles and first lines. Maybe 3 hundred titles for novels with the first few sentences.

“Waiting for Del Toro” is one that has been in my head for a while. It’s not a film or a novel. It turned into a sculpture which is no small commitment of time. I’ve read Guillermo del Toro’s “Cabinet of Curiosities” which seemed like a place I’ve been before. I have seen several of his films and appreciate his sense of mythology and mystery. His imagination and his ability to convert ideas into grand visuals is unequaled. I don’t share his fascination with monsters, but lean more toward to more benevolent archetypes.

But, somewhere along the way, I decided to have some fun with my own interpretation of the Del Toro mystic and/or what his imagination must be like. I’m sure it is fertile ground.

This piece is both consistent and significantly different from most of my work, depending on how you see it. Regardless, it was fun to create and to imagine it as part of Guillemero del Toro’s art collection someday.

A Spirit Guide for the New Year

This is the time we start thinking about what we will accomplish in the New Year. Resolutions, however, are often short lived. One obstacle for following through is a lack of support. You may have an exercise buddy to remind you when it’s time to work out. But what about your more personal goals?

Several years ago, I started creating characters from different materials around my studio. My inspiration was a series of petroglyphs I had sketched near Sedona. They intrigued me. Their gestures were subtle, but expressive. As I studied them, I began to appreciate the power of their forms. I don’t claim to understand their specific names or meaning. But they touched something deeper, something universal in my soul. Like actors in a play, each is an archetype for a specific quality.

I felt if I could capture those gestures and remake them into my own characters, I could invoke the power of those archetypes. I have always believed that the images we hold in our mind are what shape our lives. Creating these images is a form of meditation. Focusing on specific images leads you toward that quality. Kindness, strength, compassion, these are examples of qualities that can be transformed into your own personal kachina.

Whether I’m creating a complete figure or only a mask, the time and energy spent bring my full attention to the spirit of that character. What I have discovered is worth sharing.

January 18-20, I’ll be leading “Meet and Make Your Spirit Guide,” a workshop/playshop at The Lowe House in Tubac, Arizona. It’s a playful, but thoughtful series of discussions and hands-on character making. We will each identify a quality to manifest in the New Year. By sketching and creating a figure or mask to represents that quality, you begin to focus your attention and decisions toward that reality.

My teaching style is playful, highly interactive and full of imagination. No previous experience necessary. All you need is curiosity and a willingness to explore. The group will be small.

Chas Martin is a sculptor/painter from Portland, Oregon where he mentors other artists and leads classes on watercolor, acrylic and sculpture. He is a former creative director whose career has focused on nurturing the creativity of those around him. He is a former instructor at Boston Art Institute, San Francisco Academy of Art, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Northwest Academy and Sitka Center for Art and Ecology.

Daily studio ritual

This ritual started about four years ago while flipping pages through a book. I found a Celtic alter which consisted of three rocks. I drew it a few times. It looked like the character "pi" which seem to lack something. So I rendered it a few times, then put a head on it. After repeating the four strokes a number of times, it felt like a good sequence for a daily ritual. Hundreds of renderings later, I have boxes filled with variations. This is a short, random selection.

The process is simple. Each day I choose a brush, never the same one as the day before. Then I select a pigment, or two. Never the same as the day before. Some days I use a single brush. Some days I choose two. I may use a single pigment or mix two on a single brush - of four pigments on two brushes. The paper is whatever is handy. Maybe a piece of cardboard. Maybe rice paper. Maybe watercolor paper.

Prepare the brush. Take a breath. Create the character. Watch what happens. When pigments hit the surface, I have an immediate reaction to the marks. It looks like a warrior, a bird, a leaping frog, dancer, singer, tiger, something different every day. And they change as they dry.

I keep each day's image visible while I work in my studio. When I get stuck or need time to think, I look at today's character and I know how to proceed.

Show and Workshop at Yamhill Valley Vineyards

I'll be showing a series of vineyard and regionally focused watercolors at Yamhill Valley Vineyards beginning June 2 through the end of the month. In addition to their excellent wines, YVV offers many excellent views. I'll be giving a talk/demo on June 2 around 1pm and I'll be out in the vineyard painting for the rest of the afternoon.

We're also planning a Wine & Watercolor Workshop on Sunday June 24 from noon to 4pm. YVV will be providing a box lunch and wine tasting at noon. After we've had a chance to get in the mood, we'll start  painting around 1pm. This is a workshop for all levels. If you're new to watercolor, we'll focus more on sketching. I'll provide a materials list. And, I'll have a few supplies on hand as well.