Jerry Bedor Phillips

I was asked to make two books.  Both of which were for Sara Stewart and Sarah Zaleski, both MFA candidates installing their thesis exhibitions as I type this blog entry.  I haven’t made a book in a while and I’ll admit that life has been getting to me. Aside from financial obligations with living life post-school and personal issues I’ve been having some aspects of life I never really thought would bother me…I’ve set aside making art for a bit.  I’ve been staying somewhat productive…having a show at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois, and seeing the work travel form exhibition space to exhibition space and starting some new projects.

But book making has come and it’s lit a metaphorical fire under my butt.  I’ve been averaging at least one completed book a night the past week.  I’ve all these scraps of printing paper, decorative, paper, small bits of book board, and book cloth in bags and piled up on my tables at home. I decided instead of throwing out what most people would, I was going to make beautiful books out of them.  The average size of these are about 3in. x 5in.  I must say for things headed for the dumpster, their second chance at life has been beautiful.

I wonder when my life will cease to be a hardship of labor and minimal income to one of smooth sailing where I can financially take care of my obligations and still have money to spend on art related adventures.

I also think I’ve got a new mezzotint worth editioning….

"collapse" 2012, mezzotint, Final Proof?

hopefully, I’ll have some more of the “Revisitation” work finished or at least in progress to share.

as for now… later folks!

It’s been awhile since I have updated with what I’ve been doing in the studio.  Here’s the gist of it:

1. Finished the Exchange portfolio piece for Aaron Coleman’s “Both Sides of the Brain” Portfolio

" 8 Seconds from Home" 2012 - The completed print for "Both Sides of the Brain" Portfolio

2. Went to New Orleans for Southern Graphics Printmaking Conference and explored some of the city and had some beignets at Cafe Du Monde; ate at Emeril’s Nola; and met some new/reunited with lots of printmaking friends/colleagues.

Stereotypical Tourist Photo 1

View from the Hotel window. 49 Floors above street level (Top floor Sheraton on Canal)

In front of Cafe du Monde! Stereotypical Tourist Photo 2

Pork Shank at Emeril's NOLA

It's the NOLA sign!

Nicole Geary and Jerryfish: Twitter friends become real life friends!

3. Started some monotype backgrounds for some more pieces, but put that aside when today I decided that I really like the the way the “8 Seconds from Home” turned out and while driving home from dropping of work at the UP (Underground Press) Gallery in Termont, Illinois, I told myself I should really consider doing this more.  I’m starting out with revisiting older plates from my undergrad and applying the techniques used for the “Both Sides of the Brain” portfolio.  I’m calling this new project “Revisitation.”  I’m hoping to make work that makes a bridge between my past work and the new ideas that spawned “Dream State.”

Started the new Revisitation project using the second mezzotint i've ever made and one of the last mezzotints made for my BFA exhibition.

4. The Dream State work has come down from it’s 2 months stay at One World Cafe and has found a new temporary home at UP (Underground Press) Gallery in Tremont, Illinois for the  First Friday Event.  Many thanks to Steve Kuppinger and John Swise for inviting me to exhibit work in their fantastic space!  I’m also (in a way) reunited with my friend, Lauren Macko! (not in person, but her paintings will be hanging next to my work)…excitement is building! I can’t wait for Friday night!

Underground Press coasters advertising the First Friday Event! There's my name!

Don’t mind the title of this post. I’ll explain it before I’m done with typing tonight. Never mind, you can ask Sara Stewart about it.  (Check out her website – found in my links page)

working the ground seems like a good place to start...

So I find a collaboration gouache painting that my friend, Mary Beth Koszut, and I started about three years ago.  It was my turn to work on it back then, and I had somehow placed it under a large pile of papers.  I recently found it and decided to finish my turn tonight.

working...three years and i'm still somewhat stumped on what to do...

I think it’s time to give it to Mary Beth for her turn. I’ve had it for three years and all I could come up with was a bendy tree and some willow branches.  Be sure to look at Mary Beth’s website – find the link in my Links page!

Calling my turn over and giving it to Mary Beth to work on...

finished my edition for the portfolio (2012)

I was invited to be a participant in a exchange portfolio revolving around the ideas of Duality and the technique of mezzotint.

Aaron Coleman, graduate student at Northern Illinois University, organized this portfolio and I feel very lucky to be included with a great group of artists spanning 7 countries.

I found the websites for the majority of these artist:  Check them out and drool like I did. Seriously.  I keep looking at their work and I can’t help but feel a pang of jealousy and over whelming adoration.

Okay…seriously…check them out.

First 4 pieces up...5 more to go!

Dream State is in the process of hanging at One World Cafe…here in Peoria, Illinois.  6 of the 9 pieces are on the wall.  Taking a break before the last three are up.  The  show is almost  ready for me to leave it to it’s fate with the public.

Showing work in such a  public place absolutely feels different from  showing the work in a gallery.  The informal atmosphere in a way makes people (mostly some of the One World staff) approach me with questions about how the work is made and some awesome general inquiries as to the processes I used to create this body of work.

I’ve noticed I’ve been asked more questions and approached by more members of the general public about my work than anyone in a formal gallery setting.  Do galleries have a museum like quality in which people subconsciously make themselves turn their vocal volume on whisper and their inquisitive nature on “keep to oneself”?  Is approaching the artist during a reception giving an observer a “taboo” feeling?  Are galleries supposed to be a quiet self-reflection  between an observer and the art?

What is it about showing work in a public space, such as a cafe, where the priority of the patronage isn’t viewing art, that makes the artist more approachable? Am I alone in my observation?

While hanging a show in a gallery, I’m in one mindset.  The gallery is a space devoted to showing art.  It’s purpose is to exist as a location in which people enter to view the art.  At the cafe, I feel like the work is visiting presence.  There is a daily routine between the place , the staff, the customers that become cyclic in a way.  The art creates a small dent in the rotation. The rotation is no longer the smooth circular motion the cafe is used to.  It slightly wobbles.  People notice.

Or I could be typing this all up just to make myself sound like I’m really thinking, when the difference is both places nurture a different kind of social behavior. oh well.

First 4 pieces up...5 more to go!

*side note* It is really snowing outside. I ordered some hummus to help me relax in this snowy evening break.

Anyways, I’m on break and just typing up a blog entry about what odd thoughts are running around in my head while waiting for the area in front of the final wall to clear.  I took a few minutes to say hello to Ms. Karen, whom I used to work with back in my days at The Special Collections in Bradley’s Cullum Davis Library.  I’m slowly partaking in a plate of hummus and a basket of pita bread, while sipping  on a Dr. Pepper.

only three more pictures to hang! See that ladder?

I may be here a lot longer than expected but I don’t mind.  It’s worth it to sit here.

This hummus is really good.  Very good actually.

It looks like I’ll get to finish hanging last three pieces soon.   Soon being in a few seconds.

after a two hour break...the last three pieces go up in 10 minutes...bam!

And done!