Da Vinci's Dream

I was lucky enough to go 1,000 feet up today in an ultra- light aircraft. This air-craft has no cockpit (you are exposed to the elements with goggles and helmets.) We flew over the south shore of eastern long island and flew low over camp sites on the beach and waved to the people below. It is truly a life-changing experience to fly that high exposed wide open to the sky. I could never describe it in words or art--I guess those hundreds of painting I made of the people taking flight in my "Strange World" series were a precursor to my bird- like flight. I thought of Da Vinci and how much it would have meant to him to have one minute to soar in the sky as I did today. It made up for an entire summer of nothing but work!

twilight zone

it can't be all about work...This is a great twilight zone about man's attempt to reclaim his childhood. (It was based on rod serling's real hometown of Binghamton ny.) IT IS THREE PARTS AND WORTH IT.

CLICK HERE

latest apostle study

Here is my latest rough sketch. I cannot emphasize enough that these are my very first "roughs" and not to be too harshly judged as I am not concerned about anything at this stage except poses and grouping of figures. I am essential thinking with my pencil and I am not really editing myself at all-- I usually do not like to show the "dirty laundry stage" but I am in a generous mood and you get to see the mind of alex at work.

St. John....

Here is a rough for the person cast in the role of st. john. The real person is less "chunky" than my sketch shows---must adjust the drawing.

new study

another rough sketch for the mural, nameless he shall remain for now. Please understand these are merely "thumbnail" doodles I am making to solidify shapes and layout--they are very crude and not the final portraits.

face study.

Here is my first "rough" sketch for my actual attendees of my last supper..I will leave it up to you to figure out who they are as I am very busy! I am usually against showing rough sketches as they are exposing my dirty laundry so to speak but as long as the final looks like a masterwork I care not that I am observed as I get there. For some reason my new monitor distorts the face ever so slightly and that bothers me--I hope that is not the case with your monitor.

under painting

Here is the under painting of my Last Supper. I have drawn out my geometric lines on the piece as well (but they are probably not very visible.) I have used Ruben's method of painting which is a burnt sienna color that is applied from top right down to the left at a 45 degree angle. I have much drawing and studies to do now! I am paying special attention to the golden mean and gold ration as it applies to Da Vinci's construction of his Last Supper. My last supper will be influenced by Da Vinci's and will fortunately wind up being only a Gardega. I am too far along in my career to make a simple copy without putting a bit of myself into it. The best part about painting this piece is the discoveries one makes along the way.

last supper panel

Here is my 4' x 8' panel that I will paint my Last Supper on. Please note that I have done extensive research on the last supper and believe my geometry studies to be both original and accurate. I have seen many half-baked breakdowns of painting and none seem to provide the geometry needed to actually construct the painting itself. Conspiracy theories don't supply the blue prints to actually build the painting itself.

a short break!

Put down your pencil and grab a fork. Take a bite of these words from the genius that was Plato and later these words were copied by Da Vinci into his notes---

Plato's inscription over his academy door---Let no one enter who is lacking in geometry!

now we must get back to work!

The journey of a thousand miles

I have bitten off a lot for my next project. I am painting a 4' by 8' replica of Da Vinci's last supper but I will be replacing the disciples with news anchors. Please note this is not meant to be ironic nor is it in any way meant to be anti-christian! I am very interested in religious art and the renaissance in general. To me there has never been art that even comes close to what was painted 500 years ago by my long-dead heroes. Modern/ contemporary feels empty and meaningless compared to the works left behind by Raphael and Da Vinci. I cannot help but think that the over-saturation of media (photography included) has rendered painting impotent and taken away from the magic it once held for people. Dali did his best at the end of his life to bring awareness to religious art and gardega has decided to help the cause as best he can as well. I will update my journey of a thousand miles with the first step taken today as I have drawn my first rough doodle/ sketch to get a feel for the genius that flowed from Leonardo's hand. Already, I have made small discovery's about his grouping of figures and use of perspective and geometry to achieve his masterpiece.

sideview sunset

On my drive home from brooklyn I took a photo of the sun setting in my side view mirror. It reminded my of a song by roger waters that is pretty depressing but pretty damn good at same time. So decided to include the lyrics here...

In my rear view mirror the sun is going down
sinking behind bridges in the road
and I think of all the good things
that we have left undone
and I suffer premonitions
confirm suspicions
of the holocaust to come

the wire that holds the cork
that keeps the anger in
gives way
and suddenly it's day again
the sun is in the east
even though the day is done
two suns in the sunset
hmmmmmmmmm
could be the human race is run

like the moment when the brakes lock
and you slide towards the big truck
you stretch the frozen moments with your fear
and you'll never hear their voices
and you'll never see their faces
you have no recourse to the law anymore

and as the windshield melts
my tears evaporate
leaving only charcoal to defend
finally I understand
the feelings of the few
ashes and diamonds
foe and friend
we were all equal in the end

a flower grows in brooklyn

not sure what this flower is--anyone know? I dont think I have seen it before.

brooklyn photos

This is an outdoor bar in brooklyn. The girl did not know I took her photo (even though it looks posed.)

brooklyn photos

I used to teach glass art at the urban glass league in brooklyn. I stopped by and took this photo recently...

update

I received an email today from a major news television organization in regard to my latest painting that was written about in the new york post. I don't want to name any names until all I's are dotted and T's crossed but hey are interested in my painting based on Da Vinci's last supper. It is a necessary evil for artists to get press as opposed to withering in the shadows so I welcome any chance to expose my work to public. I am going to release my studies/ sketches as they are completed so people will get a view of my working methods from start to completion. I will let be sure to post updates as far as times and channel of my appearance.
thanks,

alex

woman leaning forward--after mucha

My mom gave me this drawing yesterday. I made this when I was nineteen during my obsessive Mucha-phase. This is one of my best samples from that period. It is also undamaged as it was framed all these years. If you want this drawing it is $200.00 dollars. email me at alexgardega@gmail.com. I think her back went out so if you buy the drawing I can buy her the medication she needs to fix it. I dont want to part with this drawing if the truth be told.

Queens final

here is my final unisphere painting for queens yellow page cover (unless they make changes again)if you live in queens this will be on your doorstep in near future. If you cant afford my art it gets delivered for free! I must say that makes me a pretty nice person-- giving away all these free paintings. I should be given awards and learn to walk on water like Bono.

ART VS. MONEY

I sometimes look back at all the art I have sold and I think about how I miss some pieces of art and wish I still had them. Then I realize that the money came and went very quickly and now I have neither the art nor the money I was paid for it---so I sell more art and so on. I then started to think tonight about why bankers and men with millions of dollars and universal business renown buy art and are proud of it and show it off to their friends etc. Art has some value I cannot describe. If art didn't have a value to the human psyche and condition it would have gone the way of the Dodo long ago. It is funny when you think that what makes a tea cup useful is not the fine china itself but the empty space it creates. Art is the same empty space in the well-chipped teacup of humanity. It (ART)makes no sense and it seems at times useless but in truth we would perish without it like a snail in salt . Beethoven was every bit as important to the human condition as the chairman of the federal reserve and in 100 years one name will still mean something to humans. (This is called me rationalizing why I don't have a real job.)

Last Supper

my first sketches from my last supper painting will post very soon! stay tuned...

artist of the day!!!!!

N.C. Wyeth is/ was one of the greatest artist's who ever lived. He was a student of the great american illustrator, Howard Pyle. Howard Pyle ran a small studio/school out in Brandywine Pennsylvania and N.C. was his star pupil. Back then illustration was a great field and many illustrators were very wealthy and respected. It was often the case where you would get an assignment to travel across country (all expenses paid) to do one painting---times have changed as I usually pay for my own expenses simply to go paint the Unisphere in Queens. NC was a hero and he reminds me much of Teddy Roosevelt because they both shared a huge passion for life and nature and were both larger than life. I think what makes him great was he was one of the first truly american illustrators---in the end of his life he wished he had become a fine artist and felt bound and tethered by illustration. He died a tragic death on the train tracks in penn. in an auto "accident." his legacy and son (andrew wyeth) live after him and genius never dies---god bless.


for Carol M.

Today's NY POST---page six

here is the link:
My secret project has been leaked to the press. (I blame my ex-girlfriend.) I am, as you may know, a Da Vinci nut and I also have an equal fascination with media and television news. I have my TV on fox news all day long as I paint and scan the net regularly for news updates around the world. I guess I am a media junkie to some degree ( although, I generally detest pop culture and avoid sitcoms etc .) I decided to take my bent for religious art and combine it with my media fascination and paint "The Last Supper" as if it was attended by the cast of fox news. I am not mocking anyone nor is my painting ironic or anti-anything. It is simply an intellectual exploration of the idea that paintings used to mean something to people before media saturated our fragile egg-shell minds. I have no use for irony as I think it is the most overplayed hand in this poker game called art. I will show the progress of the painting as it progresses on this blog and sell the sketches and studies as well as the original when it is done.

Ayn Rand

I believe ayn rand is a genius. this video (regardless of if you agree with her point of view) has convinced me she has the unmistakable Dalian "tic" of genius. I read all her books in high school and dont remember details--and I dont agree 100% with her philosophy but I think she is demonstrates a brilliant mind.


watch here

New Drawing---sacred feminine

I drew this tonight as a drawing I intend to glass carve in glass this month. It is a 24" x 30" pencil drawing. I like this piece and will definitely make a glass carving of it. I drew four such designs tonight to take a break from my deadlines. I am selling these original glass designs for $100.00 dollars each. I am not putting these on ebay as I am sick of loading stuff up onto ebay. If anyone wants these just email me and I will take first email. I don't care how you want to pay, I'll take pelts and wampum as long as I don't have to fill out ebay forms...This piece rocks (even though I drew it) and the glass carving will enlighten somebody's life somewhere on this blue marble of ours! I am a little hesitant of posting works before they have been carved into glass but it aint gonna kill me...genius never dies but cowards die a thousand deaths.

alexgardega@gmail.com