portrait of Lexi

Here is a glass portrait I made many years ago of an ex- girlfriend. I am remaking this piece into a series to go with my Ophelia suite. I will probably have one of these in my Miami show in Dec.

adirondack watercolors

I found this on my computer today. Someone bought this in May and lost it in a cab in NYC. I may repaint a new version and gift it to her as I gave her other replacement art on me (but no Adirondack studies were included.) I have some more original Adirondack watercolors I will upload today as well.

Davinci Geometry

I am so sick of all this stuff about the secrets of the last supper etc.. The only secret behind his painting is his geometry which is clever but I figured it out and was asked to remove by a patent attorney who wished to form a partnership but I am going to re-post it and explain the truth behind that painting.

sacred crab

bill of artistic rights

Today I found a copy of the Bill of Rights I had ordered off of ebay in my mailbox! I recommend all Americans own this document and hang it next to your original Gardega.

age four

I found this tonight. I drew this at age four and I am not sure why. I really liked horror movies as a kid so that may explain why I drew Boris Karloff. I showed this to my mom and she had no idea who he was so I remember getting mad...

upcoming schedule

I will be on my ceiling mural until November 16th. After that I may be doing a second mural for the wife of my current patron until November 23. Upon completion of murals I have three glass sculptures to make for my opening in Miami on Dec 5th. I will be attending art Basel in South Beach until the 11th and then return to New York to start my St. Sebastian painting and one glass sculpture for CFM gallery (NYC) opening in February. After that I will be probably be moving to Brooklyn in march to escape the white picket fences of the suburban dream.

humorous thought I had today...

you put the art in kmart.

ceiling mural

Here is a video snap of me working on ceiling. It is hard to see much detail but I will take a good picture when finished. The video will be time lapse on youtube. I am learning the difficulty of ceiling murals that have high detail levels. I am getting better as I go along at controlling the brush on an extended arm as opposed resting the hand on the surface as I normally do...thanks for pic, Mary!

The ceiling is 5 foot by 16 foot and is in a wine cellar.

off to the mural

I am off to get back to work on my ceiling
mural and will be on the "mural cam" at noon...

an idea

sometimes you make good art and sometimes bad art...I think one must consider the following criteria when making a piece! One cannot always meet all criteria, sometimes it is enough to meet one of the criteria!


AMBITION! Was your work heroic and back breaking in its Napoleonic proportions? If so, one may overlook the spot of wine that stains the table cloth of perfect rendering!


GENIUS! Did the angels of divine inspiration guide your brush into the light of artistic salvation?

PATIENCE! Did you render a perfect pear amidst rapine and pillage?

FEAR! Did you spit in the face of fear and fight boldly the demons of doubt?

CONCEPT! Did you coax from your muse the flame of wisdom?

these are just some ideas to chew on as you paint alone in your studio...

Nothing Exists

Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.

Desiring to show his attainment, he said: "The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena is emptiness. There is no relaization, no delusion, no sage, no mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received."

Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry.

"If nothing exists," inquired Dokuon, "where did this anger come from?"

the owl and the pussycat

I drew this in third grade as an illustration to my favorite childhood story, the owl and the pussycat. Even as a child I had a fascination with the baroque and with borders and ornament. I am convinced that ornament and geometry have some deep rooted Jungian aspects to them as I have a deep- rooted compulsive need to ad ornament and borders to much of my work (even today.) I think that geometry is a higher language because three dimensional space can be interpreted in two dimensional space. Three Dimensional "cubeland" can be understood in Two D "flatland." Many crop circles are actually two D representations of three dimensional objects. Perhaps if there was a higher intelligence trying to speak to humans they would use geometry and sacred geometry as well. Zen koans are made to awaken people to a higher plane of reality, they are almost representations of three dimensional thought that are made to be understood from a two dimensional or lower plane of reality. Parables work much the same way. The expression "pearls before swine" (I believe) alludes to this to some degree.

artwork

sorry I have been light on uploading art lately. I am stretched thin with projects and my neck kills me at the end of the day so I am not drawing when I get home. I will be back at the easel soon.

spanish artists

my favorite Spanish artists!


Velásquez

Goya

Gardega*

Dali



* not Spanish

Last supper update

I have found out that Fox may not be airing my last supper piece as was planned. The idea of the piece was mentioned in Page Six prior to me ever laying down a brush and two weeks later a photographer stole my thunder by photographing a bunch of guys in leather in the last supper and gaining the attention of Fox for a full week so it seems my thunder was stolen by that. The annoying part is that photography takes three hours to set up a shot but painting takes skill and passion and blood and time and years of dedication. I spent two hundred hours on my painting and was blinded by the instantaneous flashbulb of digital non-art. In order to be a great artist one must not even spend one infinitesimal moment lamenting anything ever that doesn't work out. I have been on TV before and will be on again and have already figured out attack plan B. Of course there was no concept behind the photographer's piece aside from cliche shock-art. I created a valid statement on media being the new religion and I stand by my piece conceptually! My plan B is more exciting and will be revealed soon. I was rewarded for my patience with a life-changing phone call yesterday that I will share when the time is right.

viva gardega!

mural cam

I will be on mural cam at noon as I have to ship my art to miami this morning.

Copying

My favorite angry stalker "annie nomous" asked why I do so much copying of other artists as opposed to originals!! I love good questions! Alex will now answer...


As a child I wanted to be Rembrandt and was not, as a teen I wanted to be Dali and failed miserably, as an adult I wanted to be Gardega and became such.

It is a most important and time-honored practice to copy other artists. Every great genius has set up base camp on the mountain of another artist. The guide ropes are true and the Sherpas willing to help carry the heavy burden of great potential. Eventually you will be left on your own to grope blindly towards the peak. I spent thousands of hours and drew thousands of copies of other artist through my childhood and teens and adulthood--- the knowledge gained was invaluable. Eventually the great stew that you have made from you your studies becomes something unique and palatable. Now matter how much you wished you were Da Vinci one can only become oneself!

puzzles

I am not going to put up more puzzles unless requested as the brain of alex is bored with them...I will be back on mural cam today.

puzzle answer

blackmail---not spot check...

mural photo

Here is an update of my progress on my Da Vinci ceiling for those who cannot view the mural cam, this is a screenshot of the cam. I thank the lovely techno wiz Rebecca for this pic. I will soon post Mary's pics who is equally as lovely and a wonderful DJ as well...

grey

I decided to put up a grey background to get New Yorkers excited about the greyness of the winter ahead.

Miami

I start shipping my first artwork to my gallery opening in Miami. I have also booked my hotel within walking distance to Art Basel. It has been a long time since I escaped the studio...

puzzle of the day

This one is a tad harder for those who said they were too easy...

mural cam

I will be working on mural today. If you are able to log into my mural cam you can watch me start over from scratch!!! The home owner and I decided to move the ceiling lights to allow me to paint larger and without spacial constriction. Starting over is a lot of work but it is the best thing to do for the project. If you watch around 9:30 you can watch as I white out my original drawing!


http://68.194.9.52:99/main_activex.cgi

if you have trouble logging in you can try toggling some of the buttons regarding firewall and browser etc. some firewalls will not let you in at all.

after ingres

I drew this as a teenager, it was/is a copy of ingres. If you own it and have framed it I would love a copy of photo...

sketchbook page

This was a teenage sketchbook page I made when I worshiped Lautrec. I think this was lost by a client in a cab after she bought it...

sketchbook page

I have no idea who bought these and where they now reside...

select pieces

I decided to pick some pieces I made in the last six months and put them up for viewing again. I may sell prints of some of my favorites...

dali quotes

At the age of six I wanted to be a cook. At seven I wanted to be Napoleon. And my ambition has been growing steadily ever since.
Salvador Dali

Democratic societies are unfit for the publication of such thunderous revelations as I am in the habit of making.
Salvador Dali

Don't bother about being modern. Unfortunately it is the one thing that, whatever you do, you cannot avoid.
Salvador Dali

Drawing is the honesty of the art. There is no possibility of cheating. It is either good or bad.
Salvador Dali

Each morning when I awake, I experience again a supreme pleasure - that of being Salvador Dali.
Salvador Dali

Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it.
Salvador Dali

I do not paint a portrait to look like the subject, rather does the person grow to look like his portrait.
Salvador Dali

I don't do drugs. I am drugs.
Salvador Dali

I have Dalinian thought: the one thing the world will never have enough of is the outrageous.
Salvador Dali

I seated ugliness on my knee, and almost immediately grew tired of it.
Salvador Dali

In order to acquire a growing and lasting respect in society, it is a good thing, if you possess great talent, to give, early in your youth, a very hard kick to the right shin of the society that you love. After that, be a snob.
Salvador Dali

Instead of stubbornly attempting to use surrealism for purposes of subversion, it is necessary to try to make of surrealism something as solid, complete and classic as the works of museums.
Salvador Dali

Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings.
Salvador Dali

It is good taste, and good taste alone, that possesses the power to sterilize and is always the first handicap to any creative functioning.
Salvador Dali

Let my enemies devour each other.
Salvador Dali

Liking money like I like it, is nothing less than mysticism. Money is a glory.
Salvador Dali

Mistakes are almost always of a sacred nature. Never try to correct them. On the contrary: rationalize them, understand them thoroughly. After that, it will be possible for you to sublimate them.
Salvador Dali

Painting is an infinitely minute part of my personality.
Salvador Dali

Progressive art can assist people to learn not only about the objective forces at work in the society in which they live, but also about the intensely social character of their interior lives. Ultimately, it can propel people toward social emancipation.
Salvador Dali

Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be shackles limiting our vision.
Salvador Dali

Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic.
Salvador Dali

The difference between false memories and true ones is the same as for jewels: it is always the false ones that look the most real, the most brilliant.
Salvador Dali

The first man to compare the cheeks of a young woman to a rose was obviously a poet; the first to repeat it was possibly an idiot.
Salvador Dali

The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad.
Salvador Dali

The secret of my influence has always been that it remained secret.
Salvador Dali

The terrifying and edible beauty of Art Nouveau architecture.
Salvador Dali

The thermometer of success is merely the jealousy of the malcontents.
Salvador Dali

There are some days when I think I'm going to die from an overdose of satisfaction.
Salvador Dali

There is only one difference between a madman and me. The madman thinks he is sane. I know I am mad.
Salvador Dali

Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing.
Salvador Dali

Wars have never hurt anybody except the people who die.
Salvador Dali

We are all hungry and thirsty for concrete images. Abstract art will have been good for one thing: to restore its exact virginity to figurative art.
Salvador Dali

What is a television apparatus to man, who has only to shut his eyes to see the most inaccessible regions of the seen and the never seen, who has only to imagine in order to pierce through walls and cause all the planetary Baghdads of his dreams to rise from the dust.
Salvador Dali

quote of the day/night

It takes a wise man to discover a wise man.
Diogenes

final brooklyn book cover

Here is the final Brooklyn book cover for Ambassador Publishing in NYC. I may make a tiny secret change but I had a meeting today and they are happy with the piece.

in the mail

A collector of mine sent me some photos of the work he bought and had framed. I really enjoy seeing my work framed and displayed correctly in someone's home and I get annoyed when I give family or friends artwork and it remains unframed ...I'll try to post more of his pictures up on my blog soon soon... These pictures are from left to right ( self portrait as a teenager, Ophelia print, dark self portrait as a teenager) A good frame is like a good conscience, both are a joy forever. If anyone wants to send me pictures of my framed work I would be grateful!

Thanks Donald!

mural cam

The mural cam is on as I think the wood worker is in wine cellar. When you click on link there are a few buttons that ask if you are behind a firewall etc. If you try clicking on a few combinations of those you should get access to the cam. Some people could not view it because the firewall did not let them in so that may help you. I will not be in there until tomorrow...



click here to view.

new puzzle

Okay, here is a harder one! Barry said they are too easy, this one is a bit harder. Here you go Barry. I may stop these soon, not sure, I just have them on my computer so they are something to look at when I am off in mural land or Brooklyn studio...

Puzzle Of The Day

Here is todays puzzle! It is medium in difficulty...actually, it is fairly easy...I will be in NYC and Brooklyn studio today as my neck needs a break from staring at ceiling and I will be back on mural tomorrow! Enjoy the crisp weather...

Brooklyn Day

Today I will be in Brooklyn working on some glass art and will be back tomorrow on mural cam.

mural cam

If you have a firewall you may not be able to view mural....Soon it will be on youtube so do not worry.

mural cam

the cam will not start (motion sensor) until I am in room so around 9:30 or a bit later you should be able to view the cam...I am just finishing drawing the battle to transfer to ceiling...

mural cam

if you scroll down two entries there is a link to watch me live on a video as I paint a mural on a ceiling.... starts around 9 or 9:30.

Gardega's Game

What phrase or symbol is this one? This is medium difficulty! Yesterday's answer was FREEZE FRAME If you click on the link on my previous entry you can watch me paint a mural on my "mural cam" Today I will be working on the centerpiece called the Battle of Anghiari (Google this as I am too busy to explain the piece) I had my own battle with the God's of Saki last night and so I am excited for eight hours of ceiling painting! (I am actually excited to paint the battle as it is a great piece of art to attempt.) I will be starting around 9:30 AM, so I will not be on cam much before that...The mural is in Brookville NY in wine cellar in a beautiful home...ramble on...

mural cam...

Here is the link to my mural cam! It is the video process of me painting my Da Vinci inspired mural. Eventually I will release it as a time lapse, You Tube Video--- for now you can see me breaking my neck as I work on a ceiling in real time (or at least one frame every five seconds...) If it is night it will be a dark image of nothing as I will not be there! You do not need to enter a password as you will be auto-logged in as a guest...

click here to link to mural real time video...

back to my mural...check in later.

gardega's game

Okay folks...I gave you too many easy ones, this one requires thought and grey matter! (Its not really that hard but it is harder than the early ones...)

mural

I will be painting my Da Vinci ceiling today. When I return home I should be able to set up a link to the time lapse video...

mural study

Here is a study made on parchment of the scroll work which will border my ceiling mural. The mural is roughly 16 foot by 4.5 foot. There will be lettering from Da Vinci's notebooks used a part of the design element as well. The center of the mural will feature the Battle Of Anghiari that Leonardo painted and only exists through the studies and sketches of his original by later artists...I only need to draw and design one set of scroll work as the same scroll will be used on both ends of the mural.


click here to buy