Painting on Wood: two new paintings

Here are the two works in progress. I have not painted any large works in many months. It feels good to finally get to spend a little time on some bigger projects. Let me know what you think?

Happy Thanksgiving

Halloween Mummy by William Hessian

Happy Halloween from the Bearded Bunny Blog and William Hessian

Enjoy my mummy! Acrylic on cardboard.

Owl Painting (progress)

William Hessian

"Owlz" is a brand new painting by William Hessian, still in progress. An interesting exploration of color, line, shape and patterns. The repetition acts a harmony for moving parts that act as chaos. Mixed media has been used to achieve a variety of effects.

A Secret Dance of Intentions

"A Secret Dance of Intentions"
Artwork by William Hessian.
Marker drawing/ watercolor on paper.
2013

To see more drawings by William Hessian check out the artist website.

"Every Sunday Night the Hidden Ladder Collective gathers at my home for Art Night. Often times I find myself creating very emotional and unusual works that is inspired by the energy in the apartment. July 7th, 2013 I unrolled a giant sheet of paper and created this marker drawing/ watercolor using a variety of energetic strokes and slow mark making. At this particular art night artists listened to the Beatles and made an assortment of tiny dream catchers. The narrative in the drawing is meant to be open ended."

"What do you think is happening in this drawing?" 

Father's Day Artwork: From sketches to final painting

For Father's Day this year I received a commission from a good friend. Courtney asked me to paint a Father's Day Gift featuring a portrait of her husband, and my good friend Matt (and fellow Midwestern artist. See his work at: www.catswilleatyou.com) and their new creation: Arlo. I was thrilled with the project since back in college I painted my friend Matt multiple times (probably nearly 20) and I was honored to now be including their new child Arlo. Above is the final mixed media peice that I mailed to them, and below is a series of studies that will offer insight into the progression I take from idea to finished work.  

 I was given a series of photos to work from selected by Courtney. I chose my favorites and did a series of ink studies. The above one was a fun exploration of space and composition, and included the element of music which is an important thing in Matt & Courtney's world. This sketch also hearkened back to subject matter of the baby, which was the subject of a majority of my work in college while painting on an easel right next to Matt. On the wall of Matt & Courtney's home they have one of my largest "baby paintings" hanging up on their wall.

The most touching photograph in the set was a simple shot of Matt and Arlo on a couch. Arlo is staring at his own hand, seemingly bewildered by it. He may have been starring at Courtney who was taking the photo also. A narrative occurred to me immediately upon seeing the photograph. Arlo, staring at his own hands, being the offspring of two extremely talented and artistic parents, was to me referencing his own bright future and future talents to soon be crafted. This was compelling to me on a variety of levels. I decided to attempt a few more studies.

The watercolor study shown above was a collaboration done with Kenny in Portland, Maine. Kenny collaborates with me often and our styles challenge us to think up new solutions to old problems. His additions, particularly the dragon on the right hand side, to my composition study inspired the colorful section in the final piece. To me, it added to the narrative as it represented Matt Semke's ongoing artist's mind which is always creating new images and ideas, while holding his greatest creation. 

The final work was a marker drawing, with watercolors, and colored pencils layered on top. Happy Father's Day to a great family. 

Two new paintings in progress

After a 2012 that was devoted to the web comic, I can tell you now that I am so happy to be getting the chance to turn my attention back onto painting. Here are the two paintings I have started working on. I would to hear what you think of them?

Feel free to like me on facebook, and you can see updates like this as they happen: https://www.facebook.com/pages/William-Hessian-Art/231731100203668

William Hessian's Story of the Stolen Hornet Art

Masked Hornets and Other OdDities, an art show of bizarre paintings by Abbeth Russell and William Hessian (www.williamhessian.com) happened in October 2012 at the Oak Street Lofts in Portland, Maine. During this show someone walked up and stole one of my artworks right off the wall.

Before I get into the details about the sory of the stolen art, I first wanted to tell you a little bit about the actual artwork that was stolen. Abbeth Russell  (www.abbeth.com) and myself decided to do a show of all sorts of bizarre creatures, and I focused on my masker hornets. My goal was to have 3 brand new hornets ready for the show. In the weeks prior to the show, Abbeth (who is also my roommate) and myself were working constantly to get everything finished for the show. We also host a weekly ART NIGHT at our apartment where dozens of artists, musicians, writers, poets, photographers, architects show up and create work. Unsurprisingly, we were working hard on our pieces for the show on these nights.

My final hornet was created overnight during one of our crazy art nights. To create the final hornet, the black paper was drawn on, painted on, olive juice was poured on it, Sighless, a talented musician (shown below) who played at the art show, and myself actually licked this painting with our tongues. We licked up a lot of the olive juice that was poured all over the art. The olive juice addition was a suggestion by someone else at art night. The end result of the hornet is what you see above. The title of the work is "Olive Hornet" and it was part of the three Masked Hornet series along with "Warrior Hornet" and "Angel Hornet".

SighLESS, Portland Musician & Songwriter

Fast forward through the usual week of framing nightmares, title card catastrophes, press releases, poster canvasing, uneven artwork, shattered glass showers and parking tickets right to The night of the big opening. The Art Walk had begun!

 

Food and drink was served, Sighless and Monica Cooper were belting out incredble sounds and the Avesta Loft showroom was jam packed with people. All of our hard work had paid off and we had attracted a near capacity crowd to come see our work.

You can browze dozens of photos, including close ups of many of the artworks on display at the Photo Gallery for Rip and Tear . The show went off without a hitch and the show was set to hang for the remainder of the month. In my mind, that was the end of this story....

until.....

My friend, and Resident of the Avesta Loft, Amanda Powell sent me a text: "Did you take down one of your paintings?"

Amanda was the one who set up the show in the first place, and walked through this lobby twice a day. She was the first person to notice the missing artwork from the wall. I had no idea what Amanda was talking about so I drove by the place to see the "Olive Hornet" missing from the wall. All the other works were unharmed and untouched hanging perfectly in their spots. I shrugged my shoulders assuming maintenance had to temporarily remove the work, or perhaps the frame broke or detached and had fallen from the wall. Either way, I assumed it was not a big deal. Still, I decided to call the gallery manager to enquire. She was equally baffled by the missing artwork and being investigating.

Why in the world was the Olive Hornet missing and unaccounted for?

After a few days of asking employees of Oak Street, the gallery manager found no insight into this missing painting and told me, "Well, we do have a 24 hour camera in the gallery." Of course, this was exciting news. I told her to please check the tapes.

Amanda the following day was in the managers office for a separate reason and saw the gallery manager watching footage (apparently she had to skim hour and hours of footage before finding the incident) and as luck would have it, Amanda got to watch her find the moment when my artwork was stolen off the walls of the gallery. A tall figure, with a few friends walked up the art, peeked behind it, and then detached it from the wall at 8pm on a Friday Night. The vandals had to have access to the locked door entry and apparently the manager recognized one of the friends as a resident of the building. She contact me the next morning:

"Would you like to press charges?"

I told her I really had no interest in involving the police, and told her that I was much more interested in talking with the person who stole my work. I wanted to understand why my work was stolen, and for what purpose. However, my request fell on deaf ears. The manager wanted to be a liason between the two of us and work something out from afar. My main interest was to get information on the act itself, since is the first time one of my larger works have ever been stolen off a gallery wall. It was upsetting, yes, but by far moreso exciting to have my artwork stolen off the walls. Weeks passed by with back and fourth communications being very limited and I was forced to threaten police interaction in order to get to the bottom of the act. The next day, which was now almost two months after the art was stolen, the gallery manager told me the vandals paid full price for the artwork and that I was to expect a check in the mail.

My check arrived three days later and I had effectively sold my stolen art to the robbers that stole it, for full price. I was happy, but not altogether satisfied with the result. I wanted that survielliance tape, which I am still lobbying to get, and I wanted to talk with the one that stole my art. While the story may be over, I am still collecting the details. If I can get my hands on the tape, I will post the video here.

Sneak Peek of my newest painting

Here is the close up of a large painting I am finishing up for an Erotic Art Show in Fargo, North Dakota. The show is at the Red Raven Espresso Parlor. The Red Raven is by far my favorite place in Fargo (although admittedly I havn't been too many places in Fargo). I am looking forward to being apart of this show.

I will be uploading the complete painting and a photo recap of the art show once the show approaches.

The Tardis Effect

watercolor on paper. william hessian 2012.

Do you ever have this happen to you?

You are just using up left over paint. Trying to let the creative juices flow. Weird, almost alien things come out of you. Even your body seems to contort in an odd was as you add more unusual elements to your work. Each decision seems to make less visual sense then the last.

You step back, your face is all crunched up, trying to decide if this is garbage...or if this is the greatest thing you have ever made. For a moment, it is the greatest thing you have ever made. You are the most important person in the world. You have done something, made something, that no one in the entire world has ever thought of. You are a genius.

And then the moment passes. The watercolors dry. The veil of the brilliant masterpiece fades away, and you are left with a very quirky little painting. Art does this to me all the time. Abstract art does this to me nearly every time. It is a drug. The fabricated moment when time stops and it feels like I have just done it, cracked the code, figured out the meaning of life, made the most important painting in the history of the human race; is an incredible high that cannot be duplicated by drugs or alcohol. It is the high of the unknown.

In the end. It is just another painting.

Painting of Lists

watercolor on paper. william hessian 2012.

This is surely a mess of a painting. I once saw an art exhibit of work by Laura Wennstrom. She had this one piece which was comprised of all these little note cards filled with lists of things she needed to do each day for an entire year. Then she sewed them all together to make a tapestry. This was important to me, because I also make lists and instantly I found the beauty in my lists, because i saw beauty and honesty in her lists. My ugly watercolor is a result of sloppy strokes. I could not toss the paper away, and began writing notes and making little sketches on it. Even a few private parts and hidden meanings. See if you can see them.

Some of the lists are real and functional. Some of the lists are metaphorical. And one of the lists is just plain made up. I could have made all the text on this blog post one big list. With numbers. It would have looked like this:

1. This is surely a mess of a painting
2. I once saw an art exhibit of work by Laura Wennstrom
3. She had this one piece which was comprised of all these little note cards filled with lists of things she needed to do each day for an entire year.
4. Then she sewed them all together to make a tapestry.
5. This was important to me, because I also make lists and instantly I found the beauty in my lists, because i saw beauty and honesty in her lists. My ugly watercolor is a result of sloppy strokes.
6. I could not toss the paper away, and began writing notes and making little sketches on it.
7. Even a few private parts and hidden meanings.
8. See if you can see them. 
9. Some of the lists are real and functional.
10. Some of the lists are metaphorical.
11. And one of the lists is just plain made up.
12. I could have made all the text on this blog post one big list.
13. With numbers.


I once made a webcomic about lists:

Do you like paintings of dogs?

watercolor on paper.

Do you like paintings of dogs?

Because I do.

Here is a painting I made of a dog. This painting is made for a certain type of dog that has yet to exist. This paintings is made for future reference of this breed of dog. It labels all notable features of the dog in exquisite detail. By looking at this painting, you are gaining knowledge which is unquestionably invaluable to the survival of the human race. The answer is here. The answer is always in the art.

Time to find it.

Gorky inspired me. Miro inspired me. Kandinsky inspired me. Basquiat inspired me. They conversed with each other in another dimension and asked me gently to make them a painted guide to the working of this breed of dog. Please love it.

Made by William Hessian at the Jamestown Art Center only a few minutes after the class of 15 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th graders left the classroom to go out into the windy freezing day. For a moment the classroom was quiet, for a moment the classroom was mine.

Song of the Pulsars

watercolor on paper

At times the children have so much fun, playing and spilling all the watercolors. At times I sit for hours after class wiping up their mess with a brush; and putting it on paper. At times, the little goofy sketches the kids make killing time while I explain the rules of the classroom give me so many ideas. It is a warrior horse. It has hidden meaning. It is the face of the child who makes me laugh.

Created in the Jamestown Art Center. January 2012.

My 20 Favorite Sketches of 2011

Each year I try to do a different top list of something from the previous year. This year I was flipping through my stacks of sketchbooks and decided to scan and upload my 20 favorite sketches from the past 12 months. For those that know me, my sketch books are filled my private thoughts and odd notes about all sorts of things, many times not something I openly share. I often have over 5 different sketch books following me around.

Before we begin seeing all 20 images, remember that these are MY favorite sketches of the year and they are not my BEST sketches and many of them are really rough. I will explain why I choose each sketch, because many times it was because they reminded me of a certain time and place, some sketches led to bigger ideas or projects, and some of my favorites just make me laugh.

In no particular order, we will start with the image at the top of this post.

#1. Basquiat Scribbles
I spent one night watching The Radiant Child documentary, and then Basquiat the movie. During those six hours (i also watched a bunch of bonus features) I was inspired to draw 20 ink sketches just trying to replicate Basquiat's ability to let himself be free with his visual space. In the end this sketch was blown up to poster size and I painted over it to make two larger paintings. Not many people notice that the two paintings come from the same ink drawing, mainly because of the different orientations.



#2. Wolf Angel
I read Zacharia Sitchin books whenever I get a chance. It really inspired me to study Egyptian and Mayan drawings and I was using a lot of that imagery in my own drawings. This wolf angel was a sketch that ended up as a larger painting. I will be posting the finished painting on my facebook Art page (like me on facebook) soon.



#3 Mandala
All day orientation makes Billy a dull boy. However, much like grad school and college, there is something that sitting in a stagnate room for long periods of time just listening to people talk that makes drawing 10 times as fun. I miss school.



#4 Self portrait
Another micron drawing. I almost included a self portrait sketch I did of myself, but the crudeness of my naked body in that drawing, and the fact that the scan was really bad, forced it to not make this list. The drawing of my face will have to do.



#5 Don't Make Me Play a Song
This summer I was invited back to the International Music Camp to teach art class ( GO LLAMAS!). In a camp filled with 95% music students it is always fun in charge of the fun and exciting art group. IT is easy to be inspired by all the music though. This sketch was to prove to my student that I could draw comic style characters. His back story included his ability to defeat bad guys by playing songs that either made them cry, sing, or dance uncontrollably.



#6 Open Mind
In Portland, Maine I had the pleasure of meeting an incredible group of people that would meet every other week and discuss different topics. My notes always became a jungle of sketches. This particular day was about 'using art & music as tools for change'. I remember this was about the time I met artist Abbeth Russell.



#7 Waggly Holes
This crude sketch was one of those middle of the night, lean over in the darkness, and sketch out this brilliant painting idea. These sketches, like this one, usually do not make much sense in the morning. And if they do make sense, they are usually a lot less brilliant the next day. I really like this sketch, and it reminds me of all the times I have jotted down random ideas and how many times those ideas never go anywhere.



#8 Man Planet

Another sketch from the Salon discussions in Portland Maine. This discussion was about Gender Roles and sparked an incredible debate about many different topics. The sketches while interesting are most important to me because I can remember so many great moments during that discussion where I was learning so much from so many people. You have got to love elephant pants.



#9 Lightning Tongue

Random quick drawings can sometimes result in really fun childlike images. This drawing has a lot of elements I would not typically use for a drawing or a sketch. But in the end I really enjoyed this creature and the interesting animals growing on him.



#10 Jesse's Brush Pen

This drawing makes the list because of my friend Jesse who was actually very present in the salon discussions I mentioned above. I did this drawing many states away from Maine, when I was in Minneapolis. Jesse has spent a large part of the year travelling all over the country and she stayed with me for a few days. She played music, I drew pictures, she made prints and earrings and we sock wrestled. It was a lot of fun. I used her brush pen (which i had not used since I was a little boy) to create this drawing.



#11 The Face

Very similar, and drawn right after, the self portrait up above. I remember sitting in my friend Clints' house, with the entire house to myself for a few months. I took a deep breath, finally feeling done with the transition from Maine, to Michigan, to Minnesota, to North Dakota, to Canada, and back to Minnesota. I finally felt I could rest, and I dove right into my sketchbook to draw these faces. Which were the first things to come out of me.



#12 Occupy
I chose this sketch for two reasons. The first reason is because the octopus on the right side was one of my first ideas for the Occupy Octopi which shows up in one of my larger Occupy paintings (click the link and scroll down a bit to see that painting). The second reason, is because the character on the left makes me laugh. I drew his He-Man action figure-like arm first and the rest was just a series of random shapes. What a goofy looking thing he is. Definately a favorite sketch of mine from 2011.



#13 The Immortal Self

This drawing, done on the back of my schedule, is probably the 50th time I have created an entire epic story line for a graphic novel, feature film, role playing game, or book I plan to write while standing in the Walker Art Center as a gallery monitor. Yes, I guard the art...with my life. Almost never do these stories go any further than a few sketches and notes. This story involves a warrior monk who goes back in time to train his childhood self to become a better warrior. He reveals this to his childhood self by cutting the boy's hand and then showing the boy that the scar appears on his own hand magically. I could spend hours telling you about what they learn together about the politics of time travel and how the first time traveler rules the world by sending himself back in time over and over and over to create an army of himself. But I wont.

#14 Crocked Flower

I remember sitting at Local Sprouts, my favorite place to eat in Portland, Maine and drawing this flower. It was one of the first times I met Kelly Rioux who was working behind the counter. She is this beautiful woman who also turned out to be a great artist. We later collaborated on a large window mural of Local Sprouts in support of the Maine Labor Mural being returned after it was unlawfully taken down by the Governor Paul LePage.

#15 Draw A Thon

One of my very first times on Congress Street was attending the Draw A Thon at the Space Gallery. I met a dozen incredibly talented, peace and politically motivated minded people like Kenny Cole, Brian Reeves, Natasha Mayers and Robert Shetterly just to name a few, who continue to inspire me today. Not to mention a great group of people from Code Pink and Veterans for Peace who were also at these events helping out or protesting. These people changed my life in a million ways. The sketch above was my first idea for a poster for Draw A Thon. While I think it had potential as a design, it really had nothing to do with the Draw A Thon and I scrapped it for a big chubby guy with a missile for a head. Which probably would havemade my Top 20 sketches if I could find it.



#16 Masked Rods

A few times every year I try to brainstorm new sticker ideas. This page was a bunch of my ideas for new stickers. Including some rather controversial masked rods. While nothing has come of any of the drawings on this page, I do think I might explore a few of these themes a little further. I got many of these ideas from some train hopping friends who stopped by to see me in Minneapolis. Although they did drink all my beer, but it was great to meet them.



#17 Dive Art

The Heart Opening studio was one of the most inviting spaces I have ever been in. This yoga studio in Portland, Maine was beautiful and relaxing. However the open space often also made me want to dance, do handstands and run from one side of the room and slide headfirst across the wood floors to the other side. In a moment of brilliance, I decided to dive headfirst across the floor with a big sharpie marker and try to draw a picture in the two seconds I was gliding across the floor. This is what I came up with. It is beautiful. Thanks to Ryan, Mike and Ingrid for egging me on.



#18 The Meg Perry Center

I was invited to put up art shows in three consecutive First Friday Art Walks
in Portland, Maine. Thanks to all my friends at Peace Action Maine, and all my other friends (especially those from Staples) who came to support my art shows, I was able to make new work and have it on display almost immediately. This drawing was the first idea in a series of multiple layered drawings which where painted on glass. You could see through certain parts of the art to another layer below.



#19 Body Painting

I have been involved with Body Painting for a number of years. After meeting Kirk from Kirkworx Dupuis who invited meto join in some black light body painting at a show in Hoboken, New Jersey at the Pudding Factory which was set up by my friend and talented model,Shandra Stark (who I body painted a few years ago). At this time I was also just getting to know a beautiful woman by the name of Dawn. Dawn also seemed willing to be painted for this body painted project, but I ran out of time before leaving the East Coast before proposing my project to Shandra, Dawn and a few others I was hoping to propose this project to.



#20 Basquiat Bookends

This list started with an abstract drawing inspired by Basquiat and ends with one. The drawings from that movie marathon are some of my favorites from the entire year. The odd energy and randomness is just so freeing. While I may be the only one that likes these drawings, they represent an ability to make marks that have a life of their own and not previously positioned by my mind.

The amazing thing about this list of 2o sketches is not all the things and people I met and mentioned, but all of the people and places I did not mention. The year of 2011 was filled with so many amazing people and experiences that I could easily pick out 100 drawings just so I could tell you all about Took and the Derby Girls in Michigan, and about Molly McLain and the Buffalo Gals, and the incredible Youth Activist Gathering. I could tell you about Bill Nybo and the kids from Jamestown North Dakota, and sketches inspired by Portland Pastes activist wheat pasting. Not to mention the things I learned from the Punk Patriot and the green party. Or the incredible Art Group at the Minnehaha Free Space. Or the Canvas Killing in St. Paul. Or the radical art of the Bee Hive Colelctive. Or Talib the giant 10 foot paper mache Phoenix. Or the Two Box Art Battle with Matt Semke. Can you believe this was all from my year in 2011?

I guess if you want to hear about those things you will have to start going through this blog post by post and read all about this crazy year. I suggest you subscribe so you do not miss anything in 2012.

new painting

Just finished this a few hours ago. I need a frame and a coat of resin. You can see this painting in St. Paul in December next month at Sample Night Live. More info on that show soon.

This painting was done at the Sunday Night Art Group here in Minneapolis. If you are interested in joining the art group please let me know.

Untitled (new abstract watercolor)

Untitled 2011

Watercolor on paper

by William Hessian

Words turn into shapes, and the people turn into crowds. Whispers turn into speeches, and those voices turn into music. The dance has truly begun.

Bull Knight at Sunday Art Group

I am currently on a 30 day Facebook fast. During the social media vacation I have been putting my time into some art projects, and trying to build a bigger group for Sunday Night Art Group. The Minnehaha Free Space has been awesome enough to let us move into their space (special thanks to Jacob) on Sunday Nights. The group is growing and it has been a lot of fun so far. If you are interested in joining in please come by the space at 6:30-9pm on Sunday Nights. Address and directions are available on the link provided above.

Last Sunday, during art group I made this painting:



This painting, done on an old refrigerator box, is going to be a good experiment to try resin pouring. Resin is something I have been meaning to use in my artwork, but just have not gotten around to it. I will probably post a blog or video about my process in mixing and pouring resin.

If you have had experience with using resin in your artwork, let me know. I know a lot of people use resin in jewelry, and other craft projects. I would love to hear your stories about using resin, and feel free to leave me some tips or tricks.

Spying on the Unicorn Lady (painting)

After the intense red hot art battle, I have been dying to paint. There are some images floating around my sketchbook, themes that I really want to play with, and painting them without much plan for the outcome is really refreshing. Just painting.

'Spying on the Unicorn Lady' is my latest painting in acrylics. In a style that is directly influence by the Art Battle. The subject matter has been festering in my mind for a while.

Angel. Isis. Painting. New work.

I finally found some time to make a new painting.



Marker and watercolor on paper. The image is based off a sketch I made when I watched the film Radiant Child about the incredible painter Basquiat.

After finishing the painting I posted it on facebook, and in a matter of seconds my friend Jessica Churchill had posted:

"I have had synchronicity/coincidence all day today. This is another one. I was looking at an Isis/Godess photograph earlier. very interesting."

Then she put this image on my wall:



The crown, the throne, the dress, the mask. It was a very eerie coincidence for sure. I really love this photo, and had never seen it prior. These type of synchronicities keep happening recently...perhaps as part of a higher conscience or emotional awakening.

I also realized after the painting was finished that it was similar to one of my previous Icon paintings: