Cat de Leon - Artist
Monday, June 8, 2015
Tempus Fugit and So Does My Train of Thought
Hello out there!
It's been a very long time since I've posted, but events have certainly warranted such a long absence. Since you have last heard from me, I've experienced a studio fire, and a 3 month hiatus while waiting for a new space, my mother passed away after a long illness, 3 months of non stop production of 40 pieces of work for my show, "Up You Go Little Smoke - The Holy Hipness of Jack Kerouac", and most recently, I was struck by an SUV while I walked (in a crosswalk, with the light) to my first class of last winter's semester, which has sidelined me since January.
So now what? Well, my Kerouac exhibit which was at 119 Gallery in Lowell from October 10th 2014, and extended til November 21st was a success. A few pieces sold and there was wonderful feedback. The messages behind the images were fueled by intensive research done at the Kerouac archives in the Berg at the NYPL, and although I was on a high directly after that with plans to take the show to St. Petersburg, Florida, and then look at opportunities in Denver, New York, and San Francisco, the accident happened and my momentum was put to a full stop.
Being virtually bedridden from January til March, and still, as of now (June 2015) not feeling able to paint, I had to turn my creative energies elsewhere. Kerouac is not done with me yet, and in this he has a partner in crime, Lucien Carr. As I lay in bed at a very good friend's house who was instrumental in helping me recover, I decided that it was time to write the book that has been calling me for the past 30 years. Having done extensive research at the archives, as well as having read all of Kerouac's work and most of the biographies, I had a very good starting point. I first thought that I would write a critical treatise that would accompany my artwork, but it is morphing into something else. At this stage I am stymied as to whether this will be a book on the importance of Jack's early years in Lowell and New York in his artistic identity and philosophy, and the irrefutable influence of Lucien Carr, or simply a book about Lucien Carr. After seeing the film, Kill Your Darlings, I felt there was much to say. and that Lucien's legacy, while being undeniably checkered, should at least be true, not a work of libelous fiction created to serve an agenda.
The accident has left me with more than just a broken knee, wrist, hand, and clavicle, and emotional trauma. My stamina which, if I do say so myself, was always superhero worthy, is severely impaired and my focus is erratic. I am sitting on stacks of research that I pushed myself to do in May at the Berg and at Columbia University Rare Books archives. Was going to New York City so soon after the accident a good idea? Yes and no. If I have any hope of getting back to normal, I have to push myself. It was extremely physically taxing to sit for 6 hours in a state of high concentration (and euphoria) going through stacks and stacks of folders. In preparation for this I had to compile a list of everything I wanted to see ahead of time, and this in itself took me 3 days, 4 hours each day. I didn't get through half of what I had listed, but I got through a lot! After leaving the archives, drinks were certainly in order, and to get to a place had me walking up famously pedestrian encrusted broad avenues, crossing traffic jammed streets, with shaky limbs and shaky nerves. By the time I reached my destination, whether it be the Algonquin Hotel or the West End Lounge, a drink was more medicinal than simply a well earned reward. Because of my knee and hand, I also had to Uber from the Lower East Side to Mid Town every day and back, because I was unable to manage buses and subways, so the trip was a push to my meager finances as well as my mental and physical health. Still, to sit with documents written and touched by Jack Kerouac and Lucien Carr made the pain and swelling and jangled nerves worth it at the end of the week.
So what now? I have probably 20 typed pages of transcribed notes from The Berg to organize, and have just received copies of correspondence I requested from Columbia to read through. Being primarily a stream of consciousness writer, approaching a scholarly work feels daunting. It's not necessarily new territory since I work as a comp and lit teacher, but getting started is freaking me out a bit. As I say, I'm not quite sure what this book is going to be, but it appears to be something that is going to take no less than 2 years to complete. Should I just write a love letter to Lucien? A love letter to Jack? Then plug in all my evidence? I really don't know, but I cannot wait to find out. As always, the spirit(s) will take me where they want me to go...
And then there are those 22 windows that were recently dropped off at my studio.
As always, to be continued.
Friday, June 14, 2013
New Doings - Punk/Industrial Photos, Kerouac Love, and International Travels
Well, it's been a while since I've blogged. Things were quite hectic this winter what with 2 trips to Europe and preparing for a show in Berlin. If you've visited my website, you know that 2 of my IKONS were featured in an international group show called QuadriART at the EAGL gallery in West Berlin. I made a trip to hand deliver the work, and spent 3 whirlwind weeks in Berlin. If you have never been, I highly recommend you add it to your list of must-dos, because it has to be the absolute coolest city on earth and believe me, if circumstances were different, I would definitely move there for at least 5 years, in a heart beat.
Speaking of moving, my second European trip was to attend the closing party for the Berlin exhibit and to explore the up and coming art community in Hastings, England. I fell head over heels in love with the place, and when my obligations in the US are done, I fully intend upon relocating there.
After all of this running around, I had to jump straight into teaching mode because classes started less than a week after my return. Between teaching an extra heavy course load and family obligations, I felt overwhelmed and anxious about neglecting my art. But, I have more than made up for that. I have acquired a shared studio space in Downtown Lynn, and am working steadily on 2 projects besides IKONS. One is a tribute to Jack Kerouac, a BEAT IKONS series, if you will, called Hipster Headed Angels. This will be a mixed media installation comprised of collage, pen and ink, pencil, window art, assemblage, and audio collage. I am very excited about this and ideally will have it finished for the Lowell Celebrates Kerouac events in October. The second is a punk/industrial photo series called "Here". The portfolio for this work will follow below.
The artist statement for "Here" is different from IKONS. What the industrial photos exemplify is the constant state of deconstruction in our cities. What was once thriving and alive, and viewed as eternal in its hey-day, will fall, but there are elements of beauty which endure. Oddly, these elements are things implemented for function, rather than beauty. The beauty they possess is almost an afterthought, and in the reconstruction of our old cities under new identities, these elements will remain as curiosities or embellishments, as well as retain their functionality. Have a look at the Images. I hope to show them as 9x13s framed, and print no more than 10 each. 8x10s will be available upon request, and I am considering printing up sets of boxed note cards. For pricing and exhibition information, please contact me through my website. This work is still in progress.
"Here" Portfolio
Alien Spout
Anthony
Brick 19
Dark Entries
Red Doors
High Street Sconce
Dead Stores
Rain
Fire Escape
You Are Here
Mixed
Textured Mold
Pink Owl
Rain Pipe
Rosettte
Peeling Sconce
Security
Star
Fire
Summer Window
Freud
Torture
Triangle
Resting Alarm
Ocean
Friday, November 23, 2012
Portfolio and Prices
By now I hope you've all visited my gorgeous new website designed by Craig Robinson. We've decided to publish only the finished (distressed) Ikons on the site, and put my portfolio of all the images (raw prints) here on the blog along with their descriptions. So, I am looking for a photographer to shoot the finished ikons. Because the high luminosity of the Ikons causes glare, I need someone with the right filters to photograph them properly. If you, or someone you know can help me, please email me via my webpage.
So here I will publish all the images of The Greeks shot thus far. Only 6 more images need to be done to complete the pantheon and heroes. There are a few options for purchasing my work.
1. Finished Ikons signed and numbered (only 10 of each will be produced) - $800.00
2. Raw prints - $100.00
3. Custom triptychs: you may combine any 3 images from my portfolio and I will put together a triptych; each image will be cracked and distressed as the larger single ikons. You can see an example of a triptych in the photograph on my blog about Open Studios. $300.00
Zeus
So here I will publish all the images of The Greeks shot thus far. Only 6 more images need to be done to complete the pantheon and heroes. There are a few options for purchasing my work.
1. Finished Ikons signed and numbered (only 10 of each will be produced) - $800.00
2. Raw prints - $100.00
3. Custom triptychs: you may combine any 3 images from my portfolio and I will put together a triptych; each image will be cracked and distressed as the larger single ikons. You can see an example of a triptych in the photograph on my blog about Open Studios. $300.00
PORTFOLIO
Zeus
Zeus, King
of the Olympian gods defeated his father and the elder gods the Titans to rule
over gods and humans. His word is law and his law, absolute. In addition to
being the Greek version of the All-Father, it is said that Zeus has dictated
the karma and obligations of our eternal soul.
He is the author of our purpose and our journey in this life. With a
role of the dice, and a nod to his whim, only Zeus can decide whether we live
or die, succeed or fail.
This Ikon depicts
Zeus showing you the outcome of your fate... double 6!
The
photograph was taken in 2008, in The Black Widow Cafe, lower Zizkov, Prague,
Czech Republic.
The model
comes from Greece. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and cracked by
hand using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek lettering reads:
Everything is easy for a god. The dice of Zeus always fall well.
Hera
Hera,
Queen of the gods, wife of Zeus is the patroness of marriage and family. She
symbolizes perfection in all things. Known for her tirades against her husband,
Hera shows us the dark side of love through jealousy, and the dark side of
perfection through pride.
This Ikon
depicts Hera in all her beauty, adorning herself with the feathers of her
familiar, the peacock.
The
photograph was taken in 20011, in Salem, Massachusetts.
The model
comes from The U.S.A. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and cracked
by hand using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek lettering
reads: The wind kindles fire. Intimacy kindles love.
Poseidon
Poseidon,
brother of Zeus, is god of the sea. He
rules over the depths of our emotions, and our egos. The hero Odysseus is lost
at sea for 10 years after the Trojan War, because he did not keep his ego oin
check. He did not learn the lessons sent to him by Poseidon, nor did he heed
his admonition, ‘Remember you are just a man.’
This Ikon
depicts Poseidon with his fishing net beckoning you into the depths of the sea
to explore your emotions. The sea can be tamed and used to nourish us and to
calm us, but when not respected, it can also lay us to waste.
The
photograph was taken in 2011, at Red Rock, Lynn, Massachusetts.
The model
comes from The United States. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and
cracked by hand using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek
lettering reads: Trust the land, mistrust the sea.
Hades
Hades,
brother of Zeus, is Lord of The Underworld and oversees the fates of all souls
in his charge. Also known as Hades Pluton, he is keeper of gems and the riches
found underground.
The Dark
God, even though feared by many, is capable of love. He was enchanted by the
maiden Persephone, and brought her into his realm. Keeping her there by
offering her wine and the seeds of a pomegranate, he gave her the secrets of
sex, life, and death, holding her with him for 6 months of the year.
This Ikon
depicts the god standing at the door to the Underworld, and offering you the
potion that allows you to glimpse the secrets he possesses.
The
photograph was taken in 2010, in the Grunerlokka section of Oslo, Norway at the
door of a chuch.
The model
comes from Italy. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and cracked by
hand using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek lettering reads:
May you fall into Hades’ rectum.
Hestia
Goddess of
the Hearth, Hestia rules over everything connected to home and family. Her arts
include the magic of cookery and the sanctuary granted by the warmth and safety
of the home. In Ancient Greece and Rome, the hearth was the central focus of
every home, and its inhabitants did daily rituals that would appease the
goddess and ensure she gave blessings to the heart of the abode.
This Ikon
depicts the goddess tending her fire and bestowing her benevolence upon those
who best reflect her attributes.
The
photograph was taken in 2011, in Swampscott, Massachusetts.
The model
comes from The U.S.A. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and cracked
by hand using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek lettering
reads: No one who is hungry sings sweet songs.
Demeter
Demeter,
Sister of Zeus, Mother of Persephone, is among the first generation of
Olympians. She oversees all matters of fertility and has the power to endow the
earth with bounties of fruit, flowers, vegetables and grain, or to plunge the
world into cold darkness, creating an environment where nothing will grow.
This Ikon
depicts the goddess partially hidden, observing us, and contemplating whether
we are honoring her gifts enough to continue to reap them.
The
photograph was taken in 2012, in Natick, Massachusetts. The model is holding a
bowl of her own locally grown, heirloom produce.
The model
comes from The U.S.A. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and cracked
by hand using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek lettering
reads: Through inexperience of death, every man is afraid to leave the light of
the sun.
Athena Goddess of War
and Civilization
Athena is
the Patroness of the City of Athens. She rules over the strategic aspects of
war and all the hallmarks of high civilization, including education, libraries,
and the courts of law.
Athena, born
from the left temple of her father, Zeus, King of the Olympic Gods, remains a
virgin goddess, but not without the pleasures of falling in love with and
aiding her favorite warriors in the art of battle.
The
photograph was taken in 2010, in the upper lobby of the Boston Public Library,
and depicts the goddess in contemplation of war and the current crisis
affecting civilization.
The Model
comes from The U.S.A. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and cracked
by hand using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek lettering
reads: Along with Athena, move also your hands.
Apollo
Apollo,
the most complex god in the pantheon, is the son of Zeus. He is the god of
music and poetry, enlightenment and prophecy. He rules over the Pythia who
delivers his oracle at the temple in Delphi. Apollo’s prophecies cannot be
circumvented, as demonstrated by the tragic story of Oedipus. Apollo also is
the only god who has the ability to cleanse man of the most terrible sin of
blood crimes. His duality is striking, for he is indeed the most beautiful, but
he can be the most fearsome.
This Ikon
depicts Apollo in front of his temple mischievously guarding his lyre.
The
photograph was taken in 2012, in Pine Grove Cemetery, Lynn, Massachusetts.
The model comes
from The U.S.A. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and cracked by hand
using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek lettering reads: And
I, for my part, command you to stand in fear of the oracles, both mine and
Zeus’ and not cause them to be unfulfilled.
The Winged
Feet of Hermes
Hermes,
the messenger god, serves a psychopomp. He leads the souls of the dead to the
ferryman who then guides them to the shores of the underworld. Hermes is also
our direct contact to the word of god, and when the feeling of epiphany comes,
it is almost certain that Hermes is whispering in your ear.
This Ikon
focuses on Hermes’ winged feet. His ankles are bandaged and bloodied, because
the god’s duties have been taxed and many during these troubled times.
The
photograph was taken in 2008, in a flat in Kostnicke Namesti, lower Zizkov,
Prague, Czech Republic.
The model
comes from The Czech Republic. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and
cracked by hand using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek
lettering reads: Everything is burdensome except to rule over the gods. For No
one is free except Zeus.
Dionysus
Twice born
Dionysus, Patron of Thebes, is both a fertile and destructive energy. Best
known as god of wine, he is also god of the mask, and thus, a patron of the
theater. However, his dominion over the mask goes deeper and is tied to his
connection to prophecy, for in the winter months, he fills in for his cousin
Apollo at Delphi when the Light God takes a holiday to the Hyperborean.
Dionysus’
connection to the mask is his way of leading us into our own personal abyss for
the purpose of deeper self-examination.
He is the master of the art of ‘destruct to reconstruct’, and the
understanding of light through a journey into darkness.
This Ikon
depicts the god offering us a choice between two paths, the light, or the dark.
The
photograph was taken in 2011, in Pine Grove Cemetery, Lynn, Massachusetts .The
model comes from Turkey. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and
cracked by hand using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek
lettering reads: God and nature do nothing without reason.
Persephone
Emerges
Persephone
daughter of Demeter is the object of the affection of Hades, god of the
Underworld. Overcome by desire, he abducts her and brings her to his home
beneath the earth to rule by his side. Her mother misses her daughter and
strikes a compromise with Hades, which allows her daughter to return to earth
for half the year.
This Ikon depicts
Persephone emerging from the Underworld bringing with her the secrets of life
and death as symbolized by the pomegranate.
The
photograph was taken in 2007, in Olsanske Hrbitovy, a cemetery in Zizkov,
Prague, Czech Republic.
The model
comes from The United States. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and
cracked by hand using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek
lettering reads: Who knows if life is death and down below, death is considered
life?
Persephone
in the Underworld
Persephone,
wife of Hades, is Queen of the Underworld and Guardian of Magical Arts. For
half the year she must reside in the Land of the Dead with her husband and
share the duty of judgment of souls. She has the power to grant second chances
or condemn the dead to life as shades for all eternity.
This Ikon
shows Persephone offering a spirit a second chance through the gift of a
pomegranate.
The
photograph was taken in 2007 in the cemetery, Olsanske Hrbitovy in Prague,
Czech Republic.
The Model
comes from The U.S.A. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and cracked
by hand using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek lettering
reads: Death is immortal.
The Maenad
The handmaidens and
high priestesses of Dionysus, Maenads indulge in monthly rituals of frenzy to
disrupt the order of their everyday lives and expose themselves to chaos. This
ritual brings them closer to the god, and provides them with a balance and
intimate understanding of both the light and dark forces of nature. Maenads
have transformative powers and by using their staffs (thyrsoi), they can bring
milk, wine, water and honey from boulders and trees, and invoke the god through
song and dance, granting them the ability to prophesize during this time of
controlled frenzy.
This Ikon depicts the
Maenad offering you the gifts of Dionysus and tempting you to experience the
delicate balance of dark and light, teetering on the edge of the abyss.
The
photograph was taken in 2011, in Pine Grove Cemetery, Lynn, Massachusetts .The
model comes from The USA.
The
finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and cracked by hand using a 3 step
varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek lettering reads: Let matters proceed
as god wills.
Ariadne in
the Maze
Minoan
Princess Ariadne has fallen in love with the great Athenian hero Jason and has
vowed to do everything in her power to help him.
Jason has
been instructed by Ariadne’s father King Minos to enter the great maze, find
his way to the center, and slay the Minotaur, a half man half bull
monster. Up to this time, no one has
ever come out of the maze alive. Some warriors have died, lost within its
walls, and those skillful enough to reach the center have been slain and eaten
by the Minotaur.
Ariadne
gives Jason a ball of string to unroll as he makes his way through the maze,
ensuring that he will not be lost on his way out after he has slain the
monster.
This Ikon
depicts Ariadne offering Jason his salvation, the ball of string.
The photograph
was taken in 2007, in the center of the great maze on the grounds of the Troija
Chateau in Prague, Czech Republic.
The Model
comes from The U.S.A. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and cracked
by hand using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek lettering
reads: Man is only breath and shadow.
Pandora
Pandora,
whose name means all gifts, was a prototype woman created by the gods to give
as a gift to Prometheus’ brother, the Titan Epimetheus. Pandora was given the
gifts of beauty and grace, but cursed with curiosity. As a wedding present, the
gods presented her with an elegant box, but admonished her never to open it.
Her curiosity got the better of her and when she opened the box, all the ills
of the world were unleashed and from that time, man was cursed with war,
jealousy, old age, sickness, and madness, just to name a few woes. But left
hovering in the corner of the box was hope. No matter what ills befall us, the
gods will always give us hope.
This Ikon
depicts Pandora offering you the magical box.
The
photograph was taken in 2008, in Old Town Square, Prague, Czech Republic.
The model
comes from The U.S.A. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and cracked
by hand using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek lettering
reads: Gifts persuade the gods.
Agamemnon In The Bath
Agamemnon, King of
Attica and Lord of the Ships has returned home after a 10 year campaign in Troy
waged to retrieve his sister in law, Helen.
With his concubine and slave, Trojan princess Kassandra in tow, he
finally arrives home and at the palace steps, is greeted by his wife, Queen
Klytaemnestra.
Klytaemnestra has
been seething, plotting and planning for these ten years because Agamemnon had
sacrificed their youngest daughter Iphegenia in order to appease the goddess
Artemis and bid her to make the winds fill the Achaean sails and point the
ships to Troy. Klytamnestra enlists the help of Agamemnon’s cousin Aegisthus,
who has an ax of his own to grind.
She lures her husband
into the palace with the promise of a luxurious bath, and once vulnerable, she
binds him in his own robes and slaughters him.
The Ikon above
captures Klytaemnestra in the act of murdering her husband.
Kassandra
and The Trojan Horse
Princess
of Troy and Priestess of Apollo, Kassandra possessed the gift of prophecy.
However, because she spurned the advances of the god, her advice was never
believed. She warned her father, the King of Troy, to ‘Never Trust Greeks
bearing gifts’ in the form of a giant wooden horse, and was not heeded. The
horse was seen as an act of truce, brought into the city, and subsequently
unleashed the Greek warriors to levy the fatal siege to the Troy.
This Ikon
depicts Kassandra standing by the horse, handing her Staff of Prophecy back to
the god, renouncing him.
The
photograph was taken in 2009, in Prokopiev Namesti, in the lower Zizkov section
of Prague, Czech Republic. The model is
standing on a sculpture of Zizka’s horse.
The model
comes from The U.S.A. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and cracked
by hand using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek lettering
reads: Apollo, Apollo, Lord of the ways, you have undone me totally.
Medea
Medea, daughter
of the sun god Helios is betrayed by her husband Jason, who leaves her and
their sons in order to marry a younger woman. Using the magical skills that
once helped Jason obtain the Golden Fleece, Medea kills her husband’s mistress,
and then slays their sons in revenge. As a demi-goddess, though, her children
are not doomed to the underworld. Her father Helios arrives in his chariot and
spirits them off to Olympus.
This Ikon depicts
Medea and her sons as they await the arrival of Helios.
The
photograph was taken in 2010, in the Grunerlokka section of Oslo, Norway.
The models
come from Norway. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and cracked by
hand using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek lettering reads:
The sowing of children is a self-inflicted grief.
Prometheus
The Titan god
Prometheus so loved man, that he defied the will of Zeus and gave man the gift
of fire, so that they may possess the arts of war, magic, cooking and artistry.
This was not the first time Prometheus goes against Zeus, so in punishment,
Zeus chains him to the side of a mountain, where an eagle rips out his liver
and devours it, only to have it regenerate, so that it may be devoured again,
prolonging Prometheus’ agony for eternity.
This Ikon depicts
Prometheus at the top of the mountain after he is released by Hermes. He shows
you the chains with which he was bound and the blood on his shirt from his
wound.
The
photograph was taken in 2011, in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
The model
comes from The U.S.A. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and cracked
by hand using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek lettering
reads: You behold this spectacle, me, this friend of Zeus, with what woes I am
bent by him.
The Moirai
The Destinies, (Moirai) are
ancient goddesses, older even than The Olympians. They control the thread of
life of every human from birth to death and direct the fates of both men and
gods, ensuring that Karma is carried out without obstruction. Although Zeus
assigns each soul their destiny, The Moirai are relentless in its execution and
sometimes, even the father of the gods must yield to them.
The Moirai are sometimes called
the 3 Sisters or The Fates. Klotho (The
Spinner) spins the thread of life from her distaff onto her spindle. Lachesis (The Alloter) measures the length of
the thread of life allotted to each person, and Atropos (The Unturnable) once
deciding upon the manner and time of a person’s death, cuts the thread with her
‘abhorred shears’.
This Ikon depicts The Moirai
perched upon the Karmic Wheel as Klotho and Lachesis watch their sister Atropos
levy judgement.
The photograph was taken in
2006, in Lynn, Massachusetts at the courtyard of The Lynn Heritage Museum. The
models are standing on a machine part from an old Victorian era shoe factory.
The Models come from The
U.S.A., Ireland, and Chile. The finished Ikon is mounted on birch, aged and
cracked by hand using a 3 step varnishing process, and the Ancient Greek
lettering reads: The world is a stage,
life an appearance. You come, you see, you depart.
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