Claiborne Colombo is an artist, Creative and Design Director based on Lopez Island, WA.
NOTES
Making art and designing things where the land meets the sea. A visual record of art, life, design, and inspiration among all other things…
Banff Week(s) 3+4
Well things have picked up quite a bit as as we progress into the final two weeks it feels crazy to me that I am start to think about wrapping everything up. But before I skip ahead here are my top 5 for the past two weeks.
1. Pause, A Break
We did a group show. By we, I mean 4 painters and 1 drawer. All femme, all good. We were surprised by how well everything came together.
2. Open Studio
Last Wednesday we had a self-directed open studio. Geo-Time residency was winding down so we decided to open our doors and peek our heads into each others spaces. We got to see everyones progress on their own work and also talk about our own. Very refreshing to have these conversations. Also, I sold some art!
4. Reinvigorating Work
While work was up in the gallery and then for my open studio I took a semi-pause. I went to the library to get all new books and inspiration for the paintings I started next. I stretched two large canvases and started 16 new large paper pieces. I am trying to plan out the rest of my time here so I don’t create more of a mess. I will say though I am loving spray paint. Luckily there is a separate booth for that.
4. Ramen
The cafeteria and restaurant are my main sources of food and serve pretty basic stuff. Not much flavor or too much of the same types of flavor. This week, I got to eat ramen! It was so good to get that spicy broth and noodles. Craving it all the time now.
5. Studio Parties
We work all day in solitude so socialization and hanging out is a must. Work hard, play hard sums it up. We’ve had some solid hangouts/parties. So. Good. Geo-timers headed out this Saturday and so we had one final hoo-rah with them Friday night. I danced my face off and Karaoke happened as well. Yours truly did not grace the mic but made up for it with dance moves. I will miss my ladies dearly. Global friendships, here we go.
The Persistent WHY
I’ve been in my studio for three straight weeks and among the solitude I keep returning to a single question: WHY?
Why am I doing what I am doing? Why marks? Does it mean anything? Why is it important? Am I crazy? What am I trying to do?
I by no means have a final answer around this but I do have some thoughts. I will lay them out as best I can. These ideas are fluid and not fully formed.
. . .
I’ve realized my current body of work has two primary influences: a life outdoors and my career in communications and graphic design.
Nature has always helped keep me centered. Its been my part of my internal compass and center. Living a life where I can be outside and connect with the world around me makes me feel part of something greater. I love how the vastness of spaces makes me feel free like a bird and how the impressiveness of mountains make me feel like an ant. I am constantly navigating, exploring and trying to figure out how I fit into this world around me. The physical world gives me energy that I internalize and then externalize through my work. There is a constant exchange between intake and output.
My work uses color and form to create a language and express/communicate intangibles. I categorize intangibles as all the stuff you don’t see going on behind the scenes: ideas, emotions, energy, thoughts. These are things where, for me, words fall short.
I really try to think of painting as a construction of an image. Dealing with things we don’t have proper language for. The neologism is there to address when language isn’t enough. Through repetition of the mark there is this desire to try to invent something.
– Julie Mehretu
I have built a visual vocabulary of marks. I am fascinated with repetition and patterns. I love how a set of marks looks one way but when you change your material it changes the entire ethos of those same marks. I often think I am crazy. Repeating the same thing over and over again on multiple paintings. Is my language not diverse enough? Am I just making the same work over and over again with different colors? We are all critics but I am always my greatest. This is when I have to reach outside of myself and look to others.
One mark leads to the next and then feeds onto another painting.
– Heather Day
"I love your use of marks. When I look at them it makes me want to make marks. I just love the tediousness of some." – Soundbites from peers post Pause, A Break
So I am not alone and I am not crazy. This does mean something. What I’ve realized is that I am obsessive and I am endlessly on this pursuit to sort out what is going on in my head and the world around me. I’ve always leaned on my internal states as the subject of my work and I am creating a language for me to process it all. So yes, for me, my work is personal but it isn’t just about me. If it was, my language would be way more specific.
The unconscious is a language.
– Lara Pawson
What I’ve realized is that working in communications/design I’m always looking for the most simplistic way to convey an idea or a thing. A reduced visual language to show the thing in it’s most simplistic but informational form. I love in the Netflix mini doc series ABSTRACT with illustrator Christoph Niemann when he talks about using a heart to create a symbol for love through his ABSTRACT-O-METER. He sorts out how to convey the idea of the thing versus the actual thing itself.
ABSTRACT: The Art of Design, Netflix
I am constantly intaking the world around and within me and regurgitating it onto my work. I create a world where triangles are trees, directions or movement; wonky lines are trails, a ridge line or my own path. Where dashes can be the wind, migrations, or thoughts and color can be landscapes, water or emotions.
The form is the body of the color.
The color is the soul of the form.
– Kevin Gerstner
It is important for me to create something that show opposite states co-existing within a single piece. I’ve always framed it in my mind as states of control and lack there of. Order + chaos. Rigidity + fluidity. Spontaneous + intentional. Guttural + soft.
“Something effortless and something considered”
– Heather Day
That is important to me because as entities (humans, landscapes, etc.) we are dynamic, constantly changing, reacting, growing and shifting. These altered states demonstrate states of flux that coexist amongst one another. Complexity + simplicity.
So I return to my first question:
W H Y ?
I do it because I have to.
Pause, a break
Yesterday was the opening of the BAiR (Banff Artist in Residence) 2D show in The Project Space Gallery. It came together beautifully and I'm glad to my art can hang among some badass babes. Here are some photos - hopefully we can get some better quality ones later.
P A R T I C I P A T I N G A R T I S T :
CINDY PHENIX • HANGAMA AMIRI • RACHEL BACON • VICKIE VAINIONPAA • CLAIBORNE COLOMBO
through repetition of the mark there is a desire to invent something.
julie mehretu
art 21: Julie Mehretu recontextualizes the history of American landscape painting by merging its sublime imagery with the harsh realities not depicted.
Banff: Week Two
Alright folks, recap and reflection time. This past week was all about settling in and finding that flow. Starting to crank out the work and it feels so good. Here are last week’s top fivers.
1. R H Y T H M : I wasn’t sure how working in the studio for 8+ hours on back to back days would go. Would I fall out of love with making art? Would I get bored? Would I rather be doing something else, somewhere else. Luckily, no. It surprises me still but even after getting in to the studio by 9 I find myself wanting to go back after dinner. I know it is still early in the residency so hopefully this doesn't change by week 5. I love me some check list so that has been helping me stay focused and keep the momentum going on a day to day basis.
2. T R I F E C T A : I’ve found my personal pinnacle trifecta – art, exercise and outdoors. There are free workout classes here so I’ve been doing lots of yoga and spin. Being mostly in my head all day thinking about work or listening to podcast, it is nice to take a break and empty out your mind. Also, I think what has been saving my sanity are the little hikes we go on. We go in groups because it is mating season for elks and bears are a real thing. This keeps me social and gets me some fresh O2. Crucial.
3. P R O C E S S : I’ve found my flow with canvas and am happy to say that I now feel confident with the material. It is crazy to me that it has only been two weeks but I am stretching and prepping and doing my thang. It feels really empowering and I am excited that I’ve found my groove with this new surface so quickly. Still learning a lot with each painting but feels good to be grounded.
4. S O C I A L : Working in the studio in isolation is so important for getting my work to a new place BUT it is really nice to be around a group of like-minded folks who I can hang out with. It really helps balance out the alone time and it’s just a lot of fucking fun. I’ve only felt cabin fever hard once and being around other folks helps chill that vibe out. Praise the fellow wierdos.
5. S P A C E : Having access to such a large studio is really helping my hone in on what I need for my own personal space. We (and by we, I mean Gian) is working on my studio interior while I am gone and it’s been really fun collaborating and brainstorming with him of what I like and dislike. If anyone has recommendations on how to get softer floors please let me know! I work a lot on the floor and my knees are killing me. I know knee-pads are a solid solution but I just don’t think I am there yet.
And then there is this...
Lake Louise
Canvas Luv
Badass babe Cindy Phenix showing her skillz
I’ve had the canvas bug for years but have never had the space/time/resources/knowledge/you name it to switch over. When Banff became an option I knew that it would be the perfect place to try out this new-to-me surface that I’ve swooned over from afar.
Last week I did a lot of research on canvas. What type to use [linen/cotton/gessoed/pre-gessoed/raw], how to stretch it [watched you-tubes and friends stretch/staple their own], how to prep it for the materials I want to use [clear gesso, acrylic release flow, fluid matte medium, acrylic ground for pastels]. I tested out some methods and got friendly with the staple gun.
Fast forward to today and I’ve stretched and prepped two my own canvases (2’ x 2’ and a large 4’ x 3’). AND, according to art-babe Cindy, I’ve done a good job (woot! go me). It is super empowering to be able to own your process and take the wheel.
Despite the french ⇌ english instructions, she showed me her stretching ways. You should check out her work.
Things I Love About Canvas
I N T I M A C Y : Working with canvas is a very intimate experience. Compared to paper where you just pull it out and get going - you are very much apart of the process. You get very physical with the material. You cut, tear, pull, tuck, fold and prep the fabric. You watch the structure of weave to make you’re not pulling it too tight. You tug at the fabric pieces until you get the perfect origami corner fold. You let the raw canvas absorb your colors as you pour the liquid onto it’s surface. You brush the pigment into it’s fibers and then wait for it to dry. You add protective layers so you can preserve it for the long haul. You are actively building on its surface and watching it absorb and/or hold everything you put into it. This material has won me over hard.
R A W : I love being able to work with an exposed surface. You let the fibers show through. For me, it feels so much more connected to the earth and referential to where this material came from. You get to appreciate the fabric in its natural state.
F L U I D I T Y : It feels so good to work in a watercolor-like method again. Bringing fluidity back into my work means losing control. I do my best to create what I want but, at the end of the day, the materials and the pigments dry unpredictably. For me, that is so beautiful. I love having that as my base for the painting again.
Banff: Week One
The first week has all been about exploration in this new-to-me physical and mental space. The landscape is awe-inspiring and the hikes are magical. My studio is huge and already feels like home (I am a pro-nester at this point as I have moved 5x this year). The people are incredible (+ I ♡ my roomie). It’s been amazing to see everyone’s work and pick their brains about theory and process. I have been missing that in my life since my undergrad days.
Top 5 Things
1. ART HANGOUTS: Last night a group of us gathered in my studio and just hung out. We’ve been going into town, eating dinners at the cafeteria and grabbing coffee between presentations. Overall it’s been really refreshing to be around other artist and talk art and non-art.
2. LEARNING CANVAS: I’ve picked brains, watch the you-tubes, emailed back and forth with product specialist and am now exploring with canvas. I found this technique that I am obsessed with. It’s very similar to watercolor and allows me to keep the raw canvas exposed. Hello new world, I love you.
3. BEAUTY: I am literally surrounded by mountains in a bowl of natural beauty. It gives me this state of Zen like no other and that comes into my studio. I’ve been taking photos of the colors and ridge lines and want to bring it into my work.
4. NESTING: Once I was given my studio keys I was eager to unpack and make the space feel like mine. Just like a blank canvas I need to create a space where I feel at home and zen.
5. AGGRESSIVE MALES: We hiked and ran into an Elk herd. It’s breeding season and the males are VERY aggressive. We had to turn around and go back once the male laid claim to his land. There were about 10 female/young elks and the male herded them out of the area and then began marking his territory. Bow down to Mother Nature. She always wins.
I am posting a lot on Instagram Stories so be sure to follow me for day-to-day happenings.
Worlds Collide
c-design no. 1
i love my park city creative family so when pcsc arts reached out to me to help them brand a new project i couldn't say no. i worked closely with them on monster drawing rally where they kimball art center was co-presenting the event. one thing i've learned is when you work with people and it clicks, that means something. i wholeheartedly believe in creatives supporting one another to help lift each other up. they have always cheered for me so i can easily rally for them.
due to timing, i had to make the best of my basement apartment and transform it into a makeshift studio. with that i cleared out the room as much as i could, pushed to dog toys aside and laid down craft paper so i could get the floors dirty.
this type of project is particularly fun for me because my two worlds collide: design and art. the brand brief was simple - take my style of art and make a C. selfishly i like the duality as the C is my initials as well. the end result, a couple of c-designs for them to choose from and play with.
win. win.
makeshift studio
okay, canada - i dig your style
actual studio space @banffcentre – wtf?! where are the fairies?
life is full of glorious surprises. this past thursday i got notice that i was accepted into the BAiR (Banff Artist in Residence) for visual + digital art. to be honest i didn't think i would. this put me in one beautiful pickle... Vermont Studio Center or Banff Center. after weighing all the pros and cons (finances, program, location, facilities, project, impact on my spouse, etc.) i decided to go north of the wall – winter is coming – isn't it? GoT aside, i cannot be more excited.
one thing that solidified my decision was re-reading through my cover letter. i won't re-write it all but here is what stood out to me:
“For my next body of work I need help. I want to transition my work from paper to canvas. With that, I need the support and knowledge of others. I also need feedback. I need to know what is working but more importantly what is not. If I know my shortcomings, I can embrace them and push myself beyond my boundaries. Having this opportunity would transform me and my work. ”
my number one priority for this residency was to lean on others to teach me what i need to know so i can change my surface. when i was planning on attending the Vermont residency i was anxious about how to get materials there and could feel myself already defaulting to work on what i know, paper. this reminded me that i did want to learn and try something new. at Banff i'll have access to that support so that i can do this...
“I need space where I can create and floors I can get paint on. I want to be able to tape sketches up on walls and be enveloped by my art practice. I am hungry. I want to work larger, on canvas (a new surface to me), and to push my boundaries. I want to see others do so as well. I want to be surrounded by a community where I can connect with others but also have time to be with myself. I need a space where I can create with reckless abandon. ”
what better place to get lost in creation then this...
banff centre + mountains - holey moley! - Source
Please consider CONTRIBUTING to my
BANFF RESIDENCY FUND
Keep popping: one month out
Original photo by @omceramic
Let the final preparations begin. I've got 6 pieces at the framer getting all beautiful for my upcoming show.
Next month I will be participating in POP showcase by local interior design store root'd. When I first reached out to the root'd team I had no idea what to expect. Whenever I send emails I always assume they get sucked into a black hole. But, it just so happened, I got a response. When I met up them I knew our energies were aligned. I have to actively stay out of their store because every time I go in I want to buy something (and usually do). I love their taste and I can't wait to see how my art looks styled in their space. Also looking forward to meeting the other two makers that will be there as well.
Rumor has it champagne is involved so mark yo' calendars for Saturday Aug. 12 - Sunday Aug. 13.
artist crush: kristin texeira
i've had my eye on kristin texeria for over a year now. i was drawn to her work immediately because of the colors and shapes she uses. the composition is a designers delight and the hint of narrative she adds at the bottom helps ground this abstracted world. i love the simplicity and how it doesn't fall flat or leave you right away. for me, i pause and create a story in my head. i project my own narrative to fill in the gaps. i wonder what it would be like if i looked into the world and this is how it looked back at me. i love the translation of objects, space and how it is combined with a fragment of a memory.
“I paint to remember. Through subtle shifts in colors or ranges of contrasting colors, I attempt to create something familiar, and—at the same time—something entirely elusive and intangible, like a forgotten word on the tip of one’s tongue. My colors blend and bounce off of each other. They tell of a person or place’s ambiguous history. This vagueness is complemented by specifics in my writing, which—while focusing on a moment’s singular identity and tender details—leaves much to the viewers’ interpretation.”
pop and lock it.
well – first pop-up complete. summit arts showcase in oakley, ut. was fun and knocked down the barrier of trying something new. i have never done a pop-up show and i was pleasantly surprised. setup went well - peg boards and metal binder clips make it easy. throw in a fancy table cloth, plants, some artwork and call it good. over 500 people perused the barn over the weekend so that is a lot of eyes on my work. i'll take it.
it was longer hour days but luckily i was able to setup shop and work while i was there. considering i am living in a basement and space is limited, having a large work table allowed me to get a lot done. i finished 1 large piece and 4 smaller ones.
if anything, this show was a great setup for my next one at root’d. i definitely want to frame some pieces so people can see what it looks like finished. paper is funny like that. when you are accustomed to working on it you want it to be finished when you are done working on it. but it isn’t. it isn’t finished until it is framed and ready to be on a wall somewhere. canvas lends itself to be hangable right away. paper takes more. you have to add additional cost to get it hang-ready and that is a lot to ask people to imagine and invest in… i guess.
tbd, but that is my theory as it stands.
Downsize and crank
Last weekend we moved out of our home in Park City into a basement apartment in Salt Lake. This is a temporary space for me and my dog Fletch until we meet up with my husband and Pippin in Portland in mid-August. With the move my studio space has been reduced to a well loved 26x26 inch clipboard.
Last night was my first night in the new working space. I am showing at the SUMMIT ARTS SHOWCASE at the Red Barn in Oakley, UT this weekend and need to have lots of work for sale. After getting home from dinner I took a 5-hour energy shot and got to work. Man, it felt like collage. All my pieces are smaller in size and more manageable to work on in a small space.
It's good to be flexible but MAN I cannot wait to have a permanent workspace.
Check out the new body of work below.
I ♥ Monster
Last night at the Kimball Art Center the Park City creative community came together to make and love on some art. There were over 40 artist and over 78 pieces created that then went up for sale in a span of 3 hours. There were over 250 people flowing in and out and so much energy reverberating off the walls.
The Monster Drawing Rally high is incredible. I was an organizer, creative and participant. I am so thankful for PCSC Arts & Kimball Art Center coming together in a beautiful partnership bonded by a drive to connect the community through art. I met local artist and interacted with people who appreciated my work. My favorite comment was from the "OH SHIT" lady. She leaned in from across the table to see me making tiny dashes and just said "oh, shit!".
Good vibes, even better people.
Vermont, Here I Come*
Painting Studio, Vermont Studio Center
*Revised: Now participating in BAiR at the Banff Centre (Read More)
Just found out today that I was accepted into the Artist in Residence program at Vermont Studio Center. I am beyond excited as it falls during a time of major life transition. I will be out in Johnson, VT in October. It'll be 4 full weeks of art. I haven't been able to do something like this since undergrad. I can't wait to go with the transformation that comes with that level of focus.
Vermont, I already heart you.
back at it, finally...
god it feels good to be back in the studio. this summer is going to be crazy. life is in a complete transition. we are moving out of our house into an apartment then eventually moving back to the PNW mid-august.
between now and then i have 3 amazing art events. i'm participating in park city's first live-drawing event: Monster Drawing Rally and two art pop-ups: Summit Arts Showcase and root'd. i am super stoked but definitely am going to be hustling on all fronts.
here's to a summer filled with craziness and art. two of my favorite things.
UNICEF NextGen Art Party
Over $115,000 was raised last night at UNICEF's Next Generation Art Party. It was so amazing to sneak out to LA for the weekend and be apart of such a good cause. Excited my work sold and went to a new home. It was so fun to watch everyone walk around and be engaged with all the art. So grateful to be included in the group of showing artist. Nothing makes me happier when art can help make a difference. All smiles on this end.
Small works
the latest of new smaller works. will be posting to the shop soon. really excited about the new camera/lens setup. it makes the details so clear. i'm one happy camper.
LA HERE WE COME
Buga-Tu, 22 x 30 inches
Looks like this lady and I are headed to UNICEF Next Generation Art Party. Could not be more stoked for the opportunity and the cause. All proceeds will go towards UNICEF’s Next Generation’s Tap Project benefiting vulnerable children around the world.
Artist were handpicked through by the show's curators: Carlton DeWoody, Jamie G. Manné, Chlesea Neman Nassib and Jessica Witkin.
If you're in LA and want to come to the event you can still purchase tickets here.
Art will be auctioned off on Paddle8