Just below the Skin a River Flows

I have a new wall installation in the Mighty Fine Arts Project Room. The opening is Feb 21st and it runs throw March 22.

This new project is basically a layman’s representation of the epidermis stratum (human skin). It is constructed using a stack of old watercolor paper, a pair of scissors, a hole punch, a color copier, some nails, a bit of string, and a 9 foot long wall. There is a complete artists statement at www.BradFordSmith.us.

Make Space for Artists at the DMA

The Dallas Museum of Art asked me to be one of three judges for the Make Space for Artists: Design a Studio competition. I'll be handing out cash prizes tonight.

Above is my attempt at using Google Sketch Up to create a 16 X 16 foot studio. It fills up pretty quickly.

La Reunion TX Second Annual Tree Carving and Open House

The tree is done and lots of people showed up for the La Reunion TX open house.

Here is my artist's statement for my tree:

 The tree was toped off leaving an 8 feet tail trunk. All the wood above that height was cut into 16" long logs. An 8 foot long cradle was constructed on top of the trunk, and the logs were placed on top of it in chronological order. 

Viewing the sculpture from the ground displays the weight and mass of an average sized a tree. The view from the patio focuses on the stacked wood. This allows the viewer the unique opportunity to see the progression of the tree's growth and the historic impact of the traumas that the tree has endured. 

which gives the viewer the opportunity to clearly examine the growth rings will give tour guides a unique visual aid to discuss how trees grow.

 to supports a stack of logs and branches. This lumber make up what was the rest of the tree. 

The tree is looking really close to the original drawing. I did in up using 2X4s for the cradle instead of tree branches because of the weight.  

Video of La Trees on Dallas News.com

The reporters form the Dallas Morning News came out to La Reunion TX and shot some great video of the trees. Fortunately I was not there so I do not have to suffer watching myself talk, but there are some good shots of my almost completed tree.

la Reunion Tree Carving: Day three

It was a good day out at the La Land. Almost everyone showed up to work on their trees. Lots of neighborhood kids sneaking about trying to figure out what we were up to. I wasted a bit of time trying the rental chain saw again. Big Double Thank Yous to David again for letting me use his chain saw while he was doing math.

La Reunion TX Tree Carving: Day Two

It my not look like it but this is the result of 4 hours of work. Of corse I did spend a lot of that time struggling to get the chain saw that I rented from Home Depot started. If David  had not shown up with his beautiful chain saw it would have been a total wast of a day for me. Thanks David!

Coming soon to the Mighty Fine Arts Project Room

JUST BELOW THE SKIN A RIVER FLOWS

A new installation by Brad Ford Smith at the Mighty Fine Arts Project Room.

February 21 – March 22, 2009

Reception 6-9 pm, February 21

This new project is basically a layman’s representation of the epidermis stratum (human skin). It is constructed using a stack of old watercolor paper, a pair of scissors, a hole puncher, a color copier, some nails, a bit of string, and a 9 foot long wall.

The project began when Veronica Tosten asked me to do an installation at Mighty Fine Arts. Instantly an image of a multi layered splattering popped into my head. Usually this sort of spontaneous imaging is just a reactionary response to a new project or material. Usually I enjoy the sensation and then dismiss the image as being a flashy, thin one-liner. But this time I wanted to explore what subconscious response created this image. What internal links were connected when this opportunity presented itself?          

This project also had the unique bonus in that I had three months to play with it before the installation date. This gave me and the image time to ferment, to spend equal amounts of time at the drafting table and in the backyard daydreaming. The image grew organically as it sifted through daily input…           

finding a stack of my father’s watercolor paper… sorting through the estate of an old dear friend… watching another friend cope with her second risky pregnancy… visualizing good health… discovering all my scissors dull and rusted… organizing 1000 Asian auction catalogs… flocks of grackles in the backyard, swarming of bees… body armor… fishing line… sanded wood… art lectures… art fairs… art blogging… coping with public dyslexia once again…

The result is a wall installation that is a hybrid of influences and experiences, a free association construct, a kind of diary portrayed in a low-tech, obsessive format.

It’s the continuous struggle that we all make just to keep inside of our own skin. 

Mighty Fine Arts 

419 N. Tyler Dallas, TX. 75208 

214-942-5241

Gallery hours 12 – 5 Saturday & Sunday