Caleb Weintraub Interview, part 2

Here we are, back with the second and final installment of our interview with Caleb Weintraub.  If you’ve not read part one, it’s here.  In part one, we learned about where Caleb’s coming from and the ideas that drive the work.  In today ‘s installment, he talks more about the making of the works. 

And so, without further ado….Caleb Weintraub interview, pt. 2.

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Ryan McLaughlin

Ryan McLaughlin

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“rapid heartbeat, dizziness, confusion and even hallucinations”

    

An interesting trend–in the last few days artists have used words like ‘move’ (Jen Meanley) or ‘transports’ (Caleb Weintraub) to describe their experience of other artist’s paintings.  I think, also, that this is one of the themes of the ‘Figurative Fictions’ show in Dayton: how paintings act to move the viewer into a state of being different from said viewer’s typical operating procedures, even if only for that moment standing in front of the painting.  So, I’d love to hear some people talk about their own experiences in the comments section of this post.  Are you moved or transported by paintings?  If so, how? When? Where?  Would you describe it as a spiritual or physiological phenomenom?  Anyone got any great Stendhal Syndrome stories?  Is the effect of art on its audience lesser than the effect of music, or just different?  Is it all just a load of crap? You tell me.  As always, you don’t have to write a novella, I’d even just be curious to see where the consensus lies.  Thanks.  UPDATE: Let’s throw in the word ‘haunt’ as well.

And, oh yeah, shown above is Color field paintings loosely inspired by color I see during orgasm, 2007, by Kansas City based artist Matt Wycoff.

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Caleb Weintraub Interview, part 1

 

“So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth.” –Book of Revelations 3:16

Caleb Weintraub is a younger painter living and working now in Bloomington, IN.  His most recent solo exhibit was in September 2007 at Peter Miller Gallery in Chicago.  Caleb, himself, in my limited experience, seems to be mild-mannered, easy-going and generous. His work is another story–and the story is apparently the Book of Revelations meets Lord of the Flies in keyed-up Technicolor (a few drips and splatters thrown in for added action). There’s no lukewarm here. The paintings are big. The paintings are many. The paintings are, well, just MORE.
He agreed to do this interview with us via email, and true to form, replied with several thousand words more than I had hoped for.  Here is the first part of the interview, the second to follow in a few days.  Thanks for reading.

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“Figurative Fictions”

Figurative Fictions is the current exhibit at the Dayton Visual Art Center.  It’s a three-person show featuring work by Ben Duke (that’s his Song for Old Poets pictured above), Robert McCann and Teresa Dunn.  It’s up until January 31.  There’s an online gallery if you click here.

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Also, regular readers might go back and take a look at some older posts, where there are still some fires burning in the Comments section.  Check out Casey Roberts, Carl Baratta or Claire Sherman and consider yourself encouraged to jump in with your own two cents.  It doesn’t have to be a dissertation; it can be, but even a simple “Hell yes!” (or “Hell, no!”) would be cool. 

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’bout What I Sees tells about Angela Fraleigh at Inman

Austin Blog extraordinaire ’bout What I Sees posted up some words and images from his trip to Houston last month, including some thoughts about the Angela Fraleigh show at Inman Gallery.   I was personally really glad to read some thoughts from someone who’s seen the show in person.  Fraleigh’s paintings are a balancing act between painting languages, between processes and suggested narratives.  The  pours flow and ”feel just as alive as the human flesh,” Mr. Castillo tells us.  Not bad.

Also, he’s got thoughts about other work he saw, including the much-hyped Mary Heilmann retrospective.  Take a look.

Look here for his words.

Look here for his pics.

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Claire Sherman

Claire Sherman

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Lester Goldman

Lester Goldman 

From this morning’s Kansas City Star:  the family of Lester Goldman will be holding an open house Saturday, January 19 from 12-5 PM.  On view will be several hundred paintings and works on paper by the Kansas City artist who died in 2005.  The open house will be at 1619 Walnut Street in Kansas City.  It’s a totally off-beat and daring way to celebrate the life of an off-beat and daring artist.  Let’s hope it’s a big success and has the results family and supporters are looking for–some interest in scholarly and curatorial projects.  Click here for a link to the full article by Alice Thorson.

Besides the funky Miro-meets-Austin Powers paintings like the one pictured above, the open house will be a chance to see a number of the artist’s early genre scenes.  It was one of these that was my first exposure to Goldman’s painting–a small Corot-like painting of a van in a suburban driveway owned by one of my undergrad professors.  Realist or semi-abstract, Goldman’s paintings always just look like fun, and the artist always makes me feel like I’m in on the joke.  I’m excited to make the trip in to KC for the chance to see this.

Here’s a link to another gallery of Lester Goldman’s late work.  And another.

[UPDATE]:  Due to tremendous public response to the January open house, additional dates to view Lester Goldman:  A Life’s Work have been added.  The family will make the work available to be seen every Saturday in February from Noon to 5 PM. 

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Tammi Kennedy

Tammi Kennedy

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Carl Baratta

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