The artwork of Randall Reid.

I recently purchased a piece of artwork by Texas artist, Randall Reid. This being the first purchase of art in a long while makes me very happy and I want to write about it.

Reid's work consists of small boxes made of recycled cut steel, vintage rulers and wood. To me these are archaeological pieces that speak of the history of the material and where it has been for the last few decades. The small details and how they relate to the overall piece of each work is what initially caught my eye but there is much more at stake.

To me they are pieces of American history. Without directly telling the story I get a sense of specific time and place. Reid's use of vintage rulers draw me in as well because of my fascination with numbers. In the end his pieces are solid and beautiful. His color use is bold and exacting to the story he is telling.

You can see more if his work here and here and here.

Robert Mars "Diamonds and Rust" solo show opening at Art Department Gallery, Atlanta, GA.

I have a solo show opening on Friday, April 3rd, 2009 at Art Department Gallery in Atlanta, Georgia. The show is titled "Diamonds and Rust" and will feature 13 new paintings. Please come by and check out the opening if you are in the area!
The opening reception will be from 7-10PM at 327 Edgewood Avenue SE in Atlanta, Georgia.

All pieces below are available for sale. Inquiries on availability and pricing at events@artdepartmentgallery.com


"Young American Look" 48" x 48"


"Triple 7s" 24" x 24" SOLD


"The Die Hard" 24" x 24" SOLD


"Smooth Move" 24" x 18"


"Relax" 30" x 24" SOLD


"Piece of the Rock" 12" x 12" SOLD


"Hot On The Strip" 12" x 12"


"Hot New Weapon" 24" x 18"


"Horsepower" 12" x 24"


"Excitement" 24" x 36"


"Conquer The World" 30" x 24"


"Bombshell" 30" x 24" SOLD

The collage artwork of Jonathan Talbot.

Years ago, when I started experimenting with collage, I purchased special paper made for collage at an art store in Portland, Oregon. After I moved away from Portland I could not find it at my local art store so I contacted the maker to buy direct. The maker of the paper is also an artist with whom I have been buying from for the last 8 years. We have become internet art friends and are always looking for ways to improve our processes by sharing our discoveries.

Jonathan Talbot's artwork has been exhibited practically everywhere in the world including the Museum of Modern Art and the National Academy. Jonathan is a multi-disciplined artist that has been focusing on collage for many years. Below is his latest pieces that are based on a Marcel Duchamp study titled "La mariée mise à nu par ses célibataires, même" (The Bride Stripped Bare by her Bachelors, Even), often referred to, in English, as “The Large Glass.”

In this series of collages the bachelors have been "unmolded" and can be seen as real people from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the period during which they took first form in Duchamp’s mind.

My favorite piece is definitely "The Bachelors Visit New York" with the humorous modern day police officer thrown into the composition for dramatic effect.

You can see more of Jonathan's work here.


The Duchamp Study for the "Bachelors" portion of "La mariée mise à nu par ses célibataires, même."


"The Bachelors visit New York" 11 1/4" x 13 1/2"


"The Bachelors meet the Venus de Milo" 9 1/8" x 13 1/2"


"The Stationmaster, the Priest, the Undertaker, and the Delivery Boy Visit Palmyra" 9 1/8" x 13 1/2"


"The Loneliness of the Busboy" 9 1/8" x 13 1/2"


"The Loneliness of the Busboy Resolved" 9 1/8" x 13 1/2"


"The Arrival of the Gendarme and the Undertaker" 9 1/8" x 13 1/2"

The collage artwork of Cecil Touchon.

I will be published in an upcoming book titled "Collage" Masters" that will be released in early 2010 from Lark Books. In my research I found that Cecil Touchon will also be in that book. I am a huge fan of his work. Touchon makes abstract, non objective collage and paintings. His work references type from old advertising posters but is transformed into abstract geometric planes. I am attracted to his bold, stark color and strong compositions.

Touchon is also the director of the Ontological Museum in Texas.

You can see more of his work here and here.

The Artwork of Ted Larsen.

While on a recent trip I was able to pay a visit to Ted Larsen's studio and see his works in progress. I was introduced to his art a few years back at the Affordable Art Fair in New York. He was represented by Madelyn Jordon in Scarsdale.

I am attracted to the raw nature of his work. Ted works in recycled steel from old cars, trucks and road signs. His work has been pared down into its most basic forms so the viewer can take away an experience based on what they see in the work. I love it because, for me, it has elements of Americana from the 50's and 60's. The automobiles and neon roadside signs employ much of these colors. The weathered nature of the steel tells a story of time and history. His compositions have a Richard Diebenkorn "Ocean Park" feel to them.

The construction of his work recalls an age before industrialized machinery and he intends to bring the human aspect back into the process. His machines are all set up to aid in his quest.

It was a great honor to get to meet Ted, see his studio and new work and get to talk art.

You can see more of his work here, here, and here.

New Skateboard Graphics Book by J. Namdev Hardisty

I have some artwork in a new book titled "New Skateboard Graphics" by J. Namdev Hardisty and published by Mark Batty. The book features some great skateboard artwork done by the big names Don Pendleton, Ed Templeton, Dave Kinsey, Kimou Meyer, Eli Gesner, Mark Gonzales and Mark Nardelli. The book has a foreword by Michael Leon. It is definitely worth checking out and you can order it here.

Thanks to Steve R at 5Boro for pushing my artwork.

Check out the publishers website here.

Photorealistic Americana artwork of Gordon Inyard.

I was recently introduced to the photorealistic paintings of Gordon Inyard at Peterson-Cody Gallery in Santa Fe and I feel the need to write about this incredible artist. Like myself, Gordon focuses on the icons of America that are quickly vanishing, from rusted neon motel signs and tin advertisements to roadside diners and abandoned gas stations. Inyard's attention to detail is precise and beautiful. His idea is to preserve these Americana icons through photographs taken in his travels and then translate them into paintings.

You can see more of his work here and here.


"Pineland"


"Pat's Diner"


"Pal"


"Vintage Diner"


"Hillside Motel"


"Arrow Motel"


"Airport Motel"