First Exhibition

I would like to thank all of you loverly individuals that were able to come to my first exhibition's closing reception. Your support is extremely appreciated. That night was beautifully successful and my work is still on display at Germantown Community Theater. So, if you were unable to make it to the reception you can still see the works in person. Be sure to make your way on over there and possibly even catch a play. Thank you again!

New Work

Hey guys! Here is a taste of some of my new work. only a taste though. To see a larger collection of peices like this one. Come on by German Town Community Theatre Memphis TN on DEC. 18 2009. I cannot wait to see you all there.

A change in plans

So you know that show i was telling you about? The date and time of the opening reception has changed. It will now be on Dec 18 at 5pm. I can not wait to see you there!

SHOW DECEMBER 4th

Hey Yall

So it has been a while since I've said any thing to you all about any thing that I do, so it is well over due that i do. :) (that rhymes)

On the 4th of December I will be showing at Germantown Community Theater Germantown, TN.

I would be extremely ecstatic and honored if you all would come out and look at some good ole art. No not art. Paintings, yes, paintings, good times, snacks and fun. This show will also will be up for the month so if you cant come by on the 4th, feel free to stop by anytime through out December.

And of course the painting will be for sale!

In this selection and many of my other works, I focus on portraying the significance, yet impermanence of our outstanding memories. These are moments in time that are clearly important to us, but because of the nature and limitations of time and space, we cannot live in these moments for ever, so we reminisce. We do this to hold on to the feelings that come from those memories because facts are lost but the significance is maintained. My use of thin layers of paint in balloon like forms further emphasize the ephemeral nature of our past with an interpenetration of strong memorable imagery that are the kinds of spots in our memories that stand out and tend to carry the weight of the entire moment. I also tend to avoid too strict of a rendering or representation because in my own memories specifics are never extremely distinct and I care more to remember the truths as supposed to the facts. In pieces such as “That One Is Mine” where the silhouetted figure is in pursuit of this airy form which represents their experience, memory, and specific events that shape their ideals, likes and dislikes. There is a distance that is placed between the figure and that form; a distance that forms inevitably due to time. I paint these images, though, in an optimistic aesthetic, in that we may loose these moments, but we still may have the effects of them shaping us from experience.

Truth Hurts

you know shes still alive? yes sir. Truth hurts live in Atlanta October 3rd, 2009. with Rakim tore it up. very fun and live show!

"Remember Mr. John T?"

"Remember Mr. John T?": the first in my medetation on time space memory and process
1/8 cowboy remember when i started this one guys?

This is a peice in progress. A peice that focuses directly on time memory and process. Here i am likening a life time to any sort of crative process, but the painting's process is the direct comparison. I wanted each layer of this painting to stand out. The order they were placed is easily determined, with sublte strokes infront and behind eachother. The grid is to make a statement on documenting time, like a graph, as well as the techincal process involved in painting, all while the figure is out of porportion. The skewed porportions comments on how the memory skews certain facts and parts of one's life, but still translates the important and main ideas.

Amazing to see in Person

Barnett Newman
American 1905-1970
The Beginning 1946
Oil on Canvas
“In the 1940s Newman became preocupied with the Old Testament story of creation and began selecting titles that referenced the book of Genesis. In The Beginning, the bands of paint that emerge from the base interrupt a richly variegated field of color, a sort of primordial fog. The artist created these stripes with masking tape, which he applied to the canvas as a guidline before adding the surrounding color. This work is an important precursor to Newman’s mature paintings, which are characterized by a single verticle band, or ‘zip,’ that devides the composition.” –(Chicago Institute of Art)

Margherita Manzelli

Italian, Born 1968

Dopo la finne (After the End) 2008

Oil on Canvas

“Margherita Manzelli creates hounting, oddly ravishing images of solitary women. Her Meticulusly crafted paintings and delicate works on paper imagine wan, languid, at times emaciated or subtly deformed female characters isolated within an abstracted, pictorial dream space. Almost always seated or otherwise recumbent, the mute still women are engaged in no activity other than staring, their penetrating eyes locked ina weighty knowing confrontation with the viewer. Manzelli’s spectral women seem painfully aware of the fact that they are on display. Her characters are often attired in or surrounded by colorful, richly detailed clothing and textiles. Importantly, the artist does work from photographs and does not use models- thefigures and their enfiornments come entirely from her imagination. Although this figure does resemble the artist, Manzelli does not consider her work to be self portrature.” -(Chicago Institute of Art)

Chicago: And the Search for My Mental Drain-O

this is me getting my tourist on, photographing any thing that i saw that i didnt already have in the town that i already live in.
I have been in a horrble block and in need of serious inspiration for technique and subject.

So i do believe that this trip really did help, or renewed the vigor and vim that i have for art making. I did begin to rely less on what the final productg ought to be, but what process got me there.

Just like the 8 hour drive to chicago. Going into it, i was more focused on what would happen when i got to chicago, and did not attempt to enjoy the process. The trip is often just as inspiring as the destination. Awful cliche, but terribly obvious that its not just by chance that it often is. As people we tend to forget to document the process. We tend to forget to note or acknowledge what got you to where you are. And that is what my focus is for the few pieces in my mind at the moment.

A group of meditations on: time, space, memory, and process. In a very small way these photos document the process or drive that it took to get to chicago, to my illusive inspiration.

Theory

I have a theory. Humankind is not exactly aware of what perfection is. And i am beyond willing to argue that every ideal of perfect is wrong. The ideal varies from culture to culture. Crazy Americans find scrawny chicks with no meat on there bones to be sexy. Is that right? or is that their imperfections peeking through? Body fat is what protects our vital organs. So why is it that so many want to completely loose all traces of body fat. Its supposed to be there. When the second ice age comes, you all are going to die. That's a promise.
Just a Thought

Im Not All That Happy

The argument often is that, "as long as you are doing what you love you will be happy." You should pursue what you love. To challenge yourself physically, conceptually, and emotionally, is of great importance. But my conflict is that i want much to go along with that. And i cannot help but to acknowledge what is only logical. The arts are amazing things that only speak to indivuduals on emotional spiritual and conceptual levels. And many are disgusted, understandably so, by smething so meaning full being exploited for any thing other. It speaks, communicates, emotes and relays heart touching stories that truly do reach parts that only art can. But i cannot find myself satisfied with living with my mom for the rest of my life painting pretty pictures that no one will every see or care to see. I do not care for the starving artist ideal. But is there anything thing else that an artist can attain to aside from an image? Midtown is not all that cool. beautiful and great support of the arts. but why so expensive? Everything is just too clear. Image is what sells. and that is a disgusting disapointment. Categories are to concrete. Never explained or discussed, but understood. Can i not shop at black lodge video and have colection of books just for show, and still exist in this realm? Can i not wear ugly cordoroid blazzers and pumas and still attend this exhebiton? I wish i did apply to one of many of the senseless categories that are. but i feel as though that is only my countless insecurities speaking. I wish i didnt fall so hard and directly into any of these categories. but are not the non-conformists conforming to non-conformity? Are not what i may see as a simple like or dislike what places us in silly categories? Hm allow me to just address one of these categories that upsets my life.

Cool Kids '09:
i call them gay
skinny jeans
scarves (come'on it is 80 degrees outside)
unkempt hair and beards
odd obsession with sb dunks
(ok i get it cool shoes. nice colors. tie them you tool)
believe that its not lame to wear plad
influenced nickelodeon (iCarly if they're not obnoxious scene kids.......)

see im not all that happy with you Americans. I am willing to bet that you can identify 4 pop culture occurances that is this description, and 3 or more ppl who do also.
its upsetting. What and why is fad.
the end of the Effington Illinois world, thats what it is.
bye

oh and those darn glasses. the big ones, large black frame.
ugh i swear you dont need those.

"Baby, We'll Just Get You a New One"

"I'm 1/8 Cowboy" 24"x31"
here is a work in progress. a portrait of my late grandfather. he was a cowboy. yeah! :)

Fun

Self Portrait 24"x24"
All too often the fun is taken out of artworks. The audience is some times too wrapped up in what a piece looks like or the image that the artist portrays. Because of this, artists often spend too much time trying to please the audience and saying what they want to hear. Sure enough, having a group enjoy ones work is awful satisfying, but is it enough? It's a sad momment when the artists no longer enjoys his work. An artists work tells stories, emotes, or is just fun. the fun is falling away from too much work. Just having fun is becoming less and less of a concern. I put hours into just buliding this surface alone, just to render an image of me doing something so juvinile. Nonetheless, I had fun.I enjoyed every single bit of work that i put in.

PAINTING

Hey ive finally got some more work ready to show you guys. Please give youre honest crits.

watercolour on paper


"i live here" 24"x48" acrylic on wood


mixed media 24"x48" acrylic on wood


"art capitols?" acrylic on wood

figure painting 24"x24" acrylic on wood

"ReignBeau"

"Blue Sheet"

"Four Containers"

New Work

Here are a couple of my most recent works...




These are a couple of my stencils. these works are the result of my interest in the street art of Shepard Fairey.

"Keep It Moving"



"Here I Sit"



"Stencil 1"



"Blue"

Novice

Here are a few digital pieces from my earlier collection:


"I See You"



"Novice"



"Lookie"

Hi

Hello all, My name is Jonah Westbrook. I am an artist from Topeka Kansas and i am currently studying at Memphis College Art. Street art has been my main interest for years, so now that i am learning the fine arts, i found this to be an opportune time to combine the two into a wonderful union of formal and informal art work. Here are just a few pieces that i believe many will enjoy. Periodically, i will post new work as i create it. So this will be a growing process in which i do invite all to observe and share. Thank You