Favorite picks from The Armory Show

I just returned from this year’s Armory Show. Wow, that place is crazy. An overwhelmingly huge warehouse of identical white cubes stuffed with art. It’s a gallery on steroids. And beside my very sore feet, I also managed to find some fascinating and beautiful work among all of the cacophony. Here are some of the artists that really stood out for me.

• Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison had one piece from their series Counterpoint. This deceptively simple work caught my eye from way across the hall and sucked me in. As always, their work dazzles and inspires me.
• Hitoshi Kuriyama’s abstract splotches of color. As I looked at it, the gallerist’s first words to me were: “You’re an artist?” Sheesh, did my mock turtleneck give me away?
• Moyra Davey’s Copperhead series: macro photographs of corroded pennies (ah, right up my alley!)
• Paul Graham’s elegiac photographs of remote gas stations
• Todd Hido’s haunting landscapes. The guy’s got mad skills.
• The Starn Brother’s Attracted to Light: I’ve seen this image so many times, I almost walked right past it. But in person, it’s delicacy is note-perfect.
• Michael Eastman’s Shotgun House: simple yet powerful composition. Shows the power of straight on “pure” photography.
• Michael Wolf’s Architecture of Density. Simply mesmerizing.
• Catherine Murphy’s charming paintings of wood knots
• Ola Kolehmainen’s beautiful abstractions
• Myoung Ho Lee’s series of photos of trees isolated from their environment.

Of course, in addition to all this good stuff, the Armory also had a lot of art that was, well, less good. So many booths seemed to be filled with art that was trying so hard to be so darn “clever.” Trying desperately to push the same buttons that have been pushed over and over again. The same tired visual jokes, the same snarky comments about our culture (We’re very consumer-oriented? You don’t say!), the same political symbols (one piece had a zombie Uncle Sam in it. Seriously. What is this, art school?) Whatever. I’m glad I was able to quickly tune this noise out, and push on to all of the good stuff.

Of course, my favorite thing at the show wasn’t a work of art at all. It was this one lone window, squeezed between two booths. that looked out over the harbor. After being so overstimulated, it was an amazingly calm and poignant moment. The small group of people gathered with me, looking out at the water with quiet smiles on their faces, seemed to agree.

a visit to my photographs

My aunt and uncle had the opportunity to visit the Miraval Resort in Tucson, where I have a number of photographs installed in the lobby of their spa. Since I live across the country, I haven’t had the chance to see it in person, so I appreciated getting their first-hand perspective on how it looked:

Appointments are necessary to enter the grounds, since they cater to a lot of VIPs and privacy is a big issue. But I rang the bell at the gate and told them I came to view my nephew’s art work that was in the lobby of the spa and they let us in. We were given the grand tour. Your artwork fit the serenity of the place. Beautiful! The entire place speaks of peace and tranquility and your photographs work perfectly within that theme. What an incredible place.

Wow, I knew Miraval was a ritzy place, but I didn’t realize how much so! Talk about a prime location for art! I really love how my art helps create the calm and tranquil mood that they have so carefully established in their resort. I have always believed that there is a natural connection between the meditative quality of my nature photography and the regenerative environment of a spa. It’s great to have a client who felt such a strong connection to my work.

My photographs in the lobby of the Spa at the Miraval Resort.

I am also grateful to Miraval for taking such nice care of my family during their impromptu visit.

the challenge of being a creative entrepreneur

An excellent interview with a fellow artist/ketubah designer caused me to reflect on my own transition from a full-time creative director at a large corporation to being a full-time artist and entrepreneur.

It’s tremendously challenging to work for yourself, but that challenge is exactly what makes it worthwhile. The work I did in my corporate days was often hard, sometimes fun, but it rarely rarely challenged me the way my own little business does. Why? That corporate job never pushed me to my limits, or encouraged me rise to a new level of achievement. As hard as I worked at that job, I always felt like I was only using half of my abilities, at best. Whenever I tried to stretch and try new things, or tried to encourage my team to take on new challenges, I was shot down again and again by bosses, managers, and clients. It was a job, but never a livelihood, and never a life.

But working on my own, for all of its stress and anxiety, has always asked more of me than I ever thought I could give. Running this little business always pushes me to use every skill I have, and constantly learn new ones. It leads me into scary new places, and forces me to confront them, to rise to the challenge, and to move forward. It is never satisfied with letting me coast along at half-speed, but constantly forces me to be, entirely, 100% myself. I constantly fall, I constantly fail. I am always questioning myself and my abilities. But by god, I am growing, and learning, and living.

abstracts of a fading tulip

We bought some tulips over the weekend, and while they bloomed quickly, they began to fade just as fast. This photograph was an attempt to capture the flowers before they completely wilted.

Fading Tulip I by Daniel Sroka

This second photograph focuses on the same petal, the same curling edge, just with a slightly different interpretation. (Amazing – I just realized I spent 6 hours today contemplating this small detail of this flower!)

Fading Tulip II by Daniel Sroka

abstract of a fallen leaf

This is a new abstract I have been working on for the past couple of days. A quiet piece, contemplating the curves and forms of dried leaf from last autumn.

Abstract of a fallen leaf by Daniel Sroka

I have spent most of this time exploring the quick, white line in the dagger-like shape in the middle of the leaf. I found that subtle shifts to one side or the other of that detail would alter the mood of the piece. Maybe not so much that anyone else would notice, but enough to change the nature of the piece for me. I may continue exploring that tiny world a little longer to see what else I find.

Added later that day:

Another abstract of that same leaf

I did continue to work on that leaf, spending the whole day just exploring all it’s hidden details and character.