Passions Exemplified at 18th Street Brewery

Creating a collection to show at 18th Street Brewery gave me the opportunity to investigate the concepts I explore through my work from a different perspective. Consequently, the work has taken a significant step developmentally and provided unique insight.

My work is consistently centered on themes regarding the mind-body-spirit connection of human existence and the universe. I learn from what I make, so my understanding and direction is always gaining nuance and clarity. Most recently, I consider this mind-body-spirit connection exemplified in the activities we are passionate about.

FOUNDATION

I began a serious study of yoga with a focus on my personal practice in January. My first works this year appropriate respected yogi and teacher BKS Iyengar in the asana Tadasana. Asana is the technical word for a yoga pose. Each asana (pose) has a name, such as Tadasana. Tadasana is the first asana demonstrated in the quintessential yoga reference, Light on Yoga, and represents a fresh start—for a yogi coming to the mat and for me to my work. Subsequently, I have symbolically used Iyengar demonstrating other asanas.

As a beer lover, in love with a brewer, I spend a good amount of time immersed in Chicago craft beer. I met Drew Fox, founder/owner/head brewer of 18th Street Brewery, well before the brewery's official opening. I respect the talent, determination, and dedication that a brewer's passion demands and that which is evident in Drew and the entire 18th Street crew. This kind of zeal can be channelled productively by a strong mind-body-spirit connection.

As an art lover and artist, I also spend a good amount of time immersed in Chicago's art and have been a fan of Joey Potts art for close to a decade. Joey is the primary artist and creative director for 18th Street Brewery. His label art sets a tone for the beer tasting experience and can be taken in again and again just like the beer itself. Eighteenth Street's label art would be a huge inspiration in the work I made for the show.

INSPIRATION

I began by taking a look at the feng shui bagua in relation to 18th Street's floor plan. The bagua is a tool used in feng shui to help analyze the energy of a space in relation to the purpose of the space and the people who experience it. The understanding I gain influenced decisions such as placement, color, and content.

And in taking a more pointed look at 18th Street Brewery beers, I honed in on Hunter. It's a double milk stout, high gravity and robust. Strong and solid. An exemplary beer for 18th Street Brewery. The beer Hunter was named after Drew's son and Joey's original illustration was developed with him in mind. This reinforced the direction as the art would be on view in an area of the brewery positively influenced by themes of family and community.

18th Street Brewery's Hunter Art

When first asked about my interest in putting up work at 18th Street Brewery, an image of Iyengar in a particular asana came to mind. Unlike what most people associate with yoga, this asana looks bold and fierce. This asana is called Simhasana. Simha means lion and this asana is dedicated to Narasimha, the man-lion incarnation of Vishnu. Yogis are often referred to as seekers [of meaning, bliss, enlightenment...]. Lions are hunters. This half man (half seeker) half lion (half hunter) incarnation would be the symbolic foundation on which to create the work.

Iynengar Demonstrating Simhasana

CULMINATION

In addition to hanging art for the show, Joey and I discussed the idea of a mural for the largest wall in the event room. We talked about using a mural approach to embellish the wall, featuring the pieces on display. I've always been driven to work on a large scale, and under the influence of Chicago's graffiti and street artists, am interested in adapting screen print for mural making. As my first attempt, the strategy was to keep things simple. I used only two screens of large halftone gradients, exemplary of screen printing.

The majority of the wall embellishment was screened in a bright blue flowing pattern representative of wind and water to balance the fire, wood, and earth present in the featured pieces. In addition, feng shui is translated literally as wind water. Fluorescent green and yellow are incorporated for further balance in terms of color and represent the sun and earth.

Although I use screen printing non-traditionally, I leverage the medium's innate ability to produce multiples. Deeper symbolism can manifest from an image applied in a variety of ways. For the show at 18th Street Brewery, I envisioned 2 simple Simhasana/Hunter inspired pieces on either side of a more elaborate central piece. The event room walls are lined with small two-seater tables and I would create a small piece for each table.


The two Simhasana/Hunter pieces (titled Yin Hunter Shi and Yang Hunter Shi) act as imperial guardian lions, also known in feng shui as fu dogs. Fu dogs are symbols of protection and are usually displayed as a couple. Yin Hunter Shi represents the feminine in hot pink and metallic silver, while Yang Hunter Shi represents the masculine in fluorescent red and metallic gold.

Yang Hunter Shi

The central piece (titled Fierce Seeker) began in response to the snakes on the Hunter Coffee label. Although my motivation was in homage, snake imagery is rich in spiritual and archetypal symbolism. Like yogis, hunters are seekers [of nourishment, territory, game...] of a more aggressive nature. Fierce Seeker represents the yin (passive) and yang (active) energies in life symbolically expressed through passion. The background print on this piece is inspired by Chloe label art and organically balance the sharpness of Yin & Yang Hunter Shi.

Fierce Seeker

The small table pieces reference both new imagery specific to the 18th Street show and imagery re-occurring in my work. The combination of imagery provides a new context in which to consider the concepts I explore through the work.

Yang Hunter

The collection created to show at 18th Street Brewery marks a significant step in my work. In the context of beer and 18th Street Brewery, Iyengar is an icon of an ideal state. The history and meaning behind Simhasana supports the link between 18th Street Brewery and Iyengar. These associations reveal a universal nature to the mind-body-spirit connection, not one limited to the practice of yoga.

About Tadasana, Art & Yoga 2014

Tadasana is the first asana in BKS Iyengar's Light On Yoga and is naturally fitting as the first image used in my 2014 art & yoga intensive. Tadasana is the basic standing pose and although it looks simple, there is complex network of systems at work here—skeletal, muscular, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, nervous, pranic energy, and mental/emotional. Only a small portion of this network is controlled by the frontal lobe, our conscious mind. 

For me, Tadasana represents a positive start each day. In Tadasana, I assess where I am by taking an inventory of feeling, both physical and mental. I set some intentions and note areas that need attention, both physical and mental. As I move out of Tadasana into other asanas and deeper into the practice, I let go of the desire to actualize these intentions and practice simple awareness with detachment. Awareness with detachment is an acknowledgement of being—what is—without judgement or agenda. Like physical posture itself, there is a complex network of systems at work here—not all of which I fully realize at this time—and it seems a small portion of this network is controlled by our conscious mind as well.

Balance Application

For many of us, the self critical voice speaks loudest. Simply put, this voice keeps us in check, and holds us accountable, but it can also beat us down and drown out the supportive, self affirming voice that motivates us and makes us feel worthwhile. Both voices are valuable, but balance is key. All people experience these voices in different levels of balance. My self critical voice is so domineering that I have to make a concerted effort to quiet it down. I have to specifically listen for that supportive voice or I won't hear it. 

Whether it's an obnoxiously loud critical voice or a penchant for cookies, as imperfect beings the tendency for imbalance is in our nature. The practice of yoga creates a time and place to level out. By exercising awareness with detachment, the loud quiets and the soft becomes more audible. Yoga is a practice and with anything we might practice, proficiency increases with frequency and intensity. Maintained awareness can arguably be more valuable off the mat than on. With this in mind, be wary of yoga goals or practicing for a specific outcome. Go to the mat. Practice. 

Screen Print Application

For each image I work with this year, I'm producing a screen printed edition of 20. When it came to the printing of Tadasana I was posed with an interesting dilemma. The transparency level of the black ink I mixed was more than I typically work with creating a noticeable ink rink (called a screen kiss) on the print. The amount of extender making the black ink more transparent also made it more viscous leading to some slight bleeding where the black prints over the gold.

As I reviewed the first couple of prints, I liked seeing more of the fluorescent red under the black and the screen kiss suggested a wave of energy radiating to Iyengar in his Tadasana. Happy accident. There is plenty of intentional noise in the print design itself, so a little bleed in the area over the gold could go unnoticed. That didn't bother me either. The print, however, does not adhere to traditional screen printing standards for a print edition. Do I re-mix the ink so I can pull some perfect prints?

At the risk of losing acceptance by screen print enthusiasts, I opted against established standards for what came naturally. In doing so, I applied the yogic practice of awareness with detachment to my art making. The print isn't perfect by edition standards, but that doesn't mean it isn't perfect exactly as it is. Imperfection is the essence of the print.

2014 Yoga & Art Intensive

In the sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna explains to Arjuna the meaning of Yoga:

“When the restlessness of the mind, intellect and self is stilled through the practice of Yoga, the yogi by the grace of the Spirit within himself finds fulfillment...There is nothing higher than this...This is the real meaning of Yoga."

My work in 2014 will manifest from an intensive exploration and personal practice of yoga to define and experience the effects and benefits thereof. I believe incorporating a focussed yoga practice with my art practice will result in a clearer direction and more significant purpose. We can break the project into 3 components: (1) yoga study and practice (2) documentation and processing (3) visual art and communication.

The yoga study and practice includes an extensive reading list of classic texts as well as contemporary theory and philosophy. The asana practice (engaging the physical postures), meditation and prãnãyãma (breathing exercises) will consist of classes and personal practice as well as supplemental workshops and seminars. Video/photographic documentation will supplement blog writing as a means to process and share progress and insights.

I will hone in on one base image each month as appropriately informed by the yoga practice. Each base image will undergo a series of exploration featuring screen print as the primary media. Supporting media may include a variety of paint techniques: spray paint, airbrush, and acrylic, as well as sculptural elements including fabric, wood, and metal. Work will be created on a battery of substrates including paper, canvas and wood, in scale ranging from small (4”-6”) to large (108”-240”).

The work will be exhibited in a pointed seasonal context with a cumulative exhibition in 2015.

How to be okay when you don't get your way.

A saying my feng shui teacher likes to use is—”all in perfect timing.” She got the saying from her teacher. It’s an easy one, right? Sometimes our timing is not the same as that of the universe. When I want a certain thing—a certain relationship, a certain opportunity, those boots, whatever—if the time isn’t right for me, then it’s not going to happen. 

As simple as the sentiment seems, I didn’t fully understand it until recently. Accepting that I didn't get what I wanted is only the surface of the concept. The depth of it involves being okay with it and better still, stoked about it. Here’s what I mean:

I found out about an artists residency program right at the time I was considering leaving steady employment to focus on art full time. I thought finding out about this program was a sign that the time was right to quit and go do what I really wanted to be doing. I thought, “I’ll time my notice and end my employment just before the residency starts. This way I’ll have a working direction all lined up and make tons of appropriate contacts right out of the gate. The timing is perfect!”

I gave my notice and worked my ass off on the residency application, but didn’t end up getting it. I didn’t feel upset or disappointed, though. I actually got a little excited. The time was right for a change, but starting up a residency program wasn't the right change. So what is next? This remains to be seen, but opportunity is always around the corner.

Increased confidence is a benefit of practicing Sãlamba Sarvãngãsana (shoulder stand) and I’ve been practicing it a lot over the past 6 months. It takes confidence to be secure in a decision even if the outcome isn't what you expected or wanted. The key is feeling good about the direction you are headed and not which gas stations you stop at along the way. 

Avert The Conduit Of Evil For Easy Inspiration

World's Oldest Yoga Teacher, Master Tao Porchon-Lynch

I discovered Tao Porchon-Lynch through a blog article written by Robert Sturman. He'd photographed her over the previous couple of years and wanted to "show her off"on her 95th birthday. And show her off, he did.

Tao radiates a contagious energy and love of life—even through a photograph—that inspires people to get where she is. If you aren't inspired, there are at least 275 comments to back me up. So why don't we see more people or imagery that inspire us in everyday life? Why aren’t our days filled with little land mines that keep exploding us forward?

My gut reaction is to blame media—television, movies, magazines, advertising—as the conduit of evil imagery keeping us muddled in discontent. I might hold fast to this stance if there weren’t so many ways to filter what we intake. We can watch the show or not. We can go into the movie theater or not. The magazine does not jump into our hands or fall open under our noses. TIVO, SPAM filters, unsubscribe, adjust your settings.

So, wait...what just happened here?

Inspiration is not something I feel automatically all day, every day. I want to. Since there is a desire for inspiration, there must be a lack of inspiration. My ego does not take responsibility for any type of lack. There is always some thing or some one else to blame. To deflect responsibility, I took the focus off of myself and hid in an "us vs them" scenario—people seeking inspiration vs media.

Turning the focus outside of the self is a common response the ego uses to safely assume a victim’s role. Safety in numbers and ambiguity of authority. “We” are mistreated, but there is no approachable source, therefore rendering "us" helpless victims.

Let’s look at what happens when I keep my stream of consciousness in the first person.

Eh-hem...So why don’t I see more people or imagery that inspire me in everyday life?

The answer becomes obvious and simple. Because I don't look for it.

If pictures of awesome yogis inspire me, all I need to do is Google “awesome yogis.” I can read books that inspire me. Paying attention to nature inspires me. If I don’t have a computer, book or nature handy, I can just think about Tao Porchon-Lynch and be inspired.

It really is just that easy.

Now...some awesome yogis, inverted!

Headstand variation.

Untitled

Noelle Beaugureau

Tripod Headstand Variation

One Legged Inverted Staff Pose