Art I'm Making: Untitled Collage No. 278 (Santa Rosa)

In the early part of this year, I made seven or eight collages using my usual handmade monotypes but also several sheets I had made by just painting with black paint on paper, mimicking calligraphy, although this was asemic writing – that is, gibberish; I was simply using the brush as if writing characters, drawing on my informal study of Japanese calligraphy (I lived in Japan 19 years). Here's another in that group of collages.

This is Untitled Collage No. 278 (Santa Rosa). Completed March 22, 2023. Acrylic on paper, acrylic monotype, collage. Image size: 12.4cm x 10.7cm (8.4in x 4.2in). Signed on the mat. Signed and dated on the reverse.

Click on the image for a larger view. For more of my abstract monotype collages, visit my website http://ctalcroft.wix.com/collage-site/.

Music I'm Listening to: Concerts at Davies Symphony Hall

I attended San Francisco Symphony concerts at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco on October 6 and then again on October 13. Esa-Pekka Salonen conducted both concerts. The first one featured an electronically augmented, very abstract violin concerto by Jesper Nordin (a world premiere). Pekka Kuusisto was the soloist. 

The second concert featured Emanuel Ax playing The MAX Concerto, written for him by Anders Hillborg, another world premiere, and, after intermission, a strong performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 2. During intermission, I took an opportunity to photograph some of the double basses, which are always photogenic. 

A Visit to SF MOMA

I recently purchased a collage made by artist Sara Post out of a show in Danville called "Paper Trails." The show closed last weekend. This weekend offered the first opportunity I had to go pick up the art.

 

On my way home, I decided to stop in at SF MOMA. I enjoyed seeing some old favorites in the permanent collection as well as a few new things, including some small pieces by Paul Klee, among others.  

The last photo here is a detail of Diego Rivera's mural "Pan American Unity," temporarily on display at SF MOMA.