Chuck Sperry

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October 11, 2018 By squirt

“Know Thyself” Art Print by Sperry at “Hi-Fructose Presents: The Art of The Mushroom” Group Show

Know Thyself, 2018
19 x 25.5
Edition of 100
4 colors on cream paper
Signed and Numbered

I was blessed to have visited Delphi – the navel of the earth – on the autumnal equinox this last month. Delphi is the site of a major temple to Apollo, as well as the famous oracle. Carved into the temple was the phrase: γνῶθι σεαυτόν – [gnōthi seautón] – “know thyself.” Ancient wisdom fitting seamlessly with the illuminating psychedelic influence of the mushroom, my printing-fingers got to work!

This poster will be available at The Compound Gallery at the opening for “Hi-Fructose Presents: The Art of The Mushroom” on Saturday, October 20, 2018 at 7 pm.

Hi-Fructose Presents: The Art of The Mushroom
Opening Reception: Saturday, October 20th 7-10pm

The Compound Gallery
1167 65th St, Oakland, California 94608

Show Dates: October 20-December 9, 2018

This special show is an exploration into artists’ interpretations of the friendly, deadly, tasty, hallucinogenic, phallic, alien, and legendary mushroom.

Opening Reception featuring an interactive photo booth by Attaboy. So be Red Carpet Ready! Many artists will be in attendance at the opening. More information coming soon.

To receive a collector’s preview of works made specifically for this show contact: [email protected]

Featuring work by: Andrew Schoultz, Naoto Hattori, Chuck Sperry, Annie Owens, Steven Cerio, Marion Peck, Mark Ryden, Travis Louie, Travis Lampe, Attaboy, Isabel Samaras, Michael Campbell, Martin Ontiveros, Gary Taxali, Michael Reedy, Nicomi Nix Turner, Mark Dean Veca, Ferris Plock, Jennybird Alcantara , Yoko d’holbachie, Skinner, Ellen Jewett, Brandi Milne, Marco Mazzoni, Kii Arens, Graham Yarrington, Erika Sanada, Junko Mizuno, Renee French, Crystal Morey, Smithe, Scott Musgrove, Charlie Immer, Horrible Adorables, Laura Berger, Christophe Gilland, Casey Weldon, Wayshak, KRK Ryden, John Casey, Dave cooper, Rob Sato, Joe Vaux, Dave Correa, Robert Bowen, Tripper, Bwana Spoons, Gosia, Miles Johnston, Christina Mrozik, Matt Gordon, Alex Pardee, Tristan Eaton, Johnny KMNDZ Rodriguez

Filed Under: Art Prints Tagged With: Alex Pardee, Andrew Schoultz, Annie Owens, Attaboy, Brandi Milne, Bwana Spoons, Casey Weldon, Charlie Immer, Christina Mrozik, Christophe Gilland, Chuck Sperry, Compound Gallery, Crystal Morey, Dave cooper, Dave Correa, Ellen Jewett, Erika Sanada, Ferris Plock, Gary Taxali, Gosia, Graham Yarrington, Hi-Fructose, Horrible Adorables, Isabel Samaras, Jennybird Alcantara, Joe Vaux, John Casey, Johnny KMNDZ Rodriguez, Junko Mizuno, Kii Arens, KRK Ryden, Laura Berger, Marco Mazzoni, Marion Peck, Mark Dean Veca, Mark Ryden, Martin Ontiveros, Matt Gordon, Michael Campbell, Michael Reedy, Miles Johnston, Naoto Hattori, Nicomi Nix Turner, Renee French, Rob Sato, Robert Bowen, Scott Musgrove, Skinner, Smithe, Steven Cerio, Travis Lampe, Travis Louie, Tripper, Tristan Eaton, Wayshak, Yoko d’holbachie

September 27, 2011 By squirt

“Heathen Child” Painting

Heathen Child painting by Chuck Sperry, 2011

I’m still riffing on the ideas that opened up when creating the SFMOMA Window Gallery installation. How to synthesize painting with silkscreen printing? What about a rock image makes a great painting? How can the processes of silkscreen printing, especially the layering effects, be brought off as a painting?

I brought some elements of the Window installation painting, “Saint Everyone,” to my new painting, “Heathen Child.” I’m working from a rock poster palette and from rock poster imagery. The Ginderman poster was the basis for the imagery of “Heathen Child,” but I wanted to take this in a new direction with materials and technique.

I used my circle patterns and carefully silkscreened a wide selection of patterns in different sizes in heavy metallic blue silver with green tinting on very delicate japanese printing paper. I was sure this would make a wonderful color for the background of the painting, layer nicely and become embedded in the surface of the canvas.

I laid a thick layer of cadmium red for the figure and flowers. This was modeled – shaded and highlighted – with many glazes of fluorescent red and orange to build up the surface and form. I brushed in shadows of cadmium and knocked those back with subsequent glaze layers of fluorescent. I needed the final edge color to be intense enough to eye-fry when the blue line was brushed on at the end. But wanted the shadow effects to translate in the finished art.

The lava forms were built up with fluorescent push-pull with cadmium, but the difference there was to build up a highlighted finish with pearl lustre. There is an pearlescent finish on the lava forms.

After the red areas were treated I put the background. Each circle was carefully cut out and then puzzled right to the edge of the red figure. I used gloss gel medium for under the paper surface and liquid gloss medium brushed over the paper surface.

Cobalt and permanent green for the foliage over the layered paper at the foreground.

Then when the brush and stars aligned – I finished the figure with blue eye-fry paint – first-stroke best stroke style – breathing deeply and making gestural strokes until it was finished with a very nice worked-in brush.

Like “Saint Everyone” – “Heathen Child” is a painting exploring direct religious experience in a psychedelic key of fluorescent, and perhaps a little more pagan or pantheistic in scope. Here’s some details (click to see larger):

Heathen Child, 2011

Acrylic and applique on canvas

24 x 26

______________________

Heathen Child is available through Varnish Fine Art Gallery, 16 Jesse Street, San Francisco.

I’m really happy to see Jen Rogers and Kerri Stephens have brought Varnish Fine Art back to life and have such cool new digs for shows!

Varnish Fine Art Relaunch Part I

September 24 – through – November 5, 2011

group show with: Chris Mars, Robert Williams, Jennybird Alcantara, Laurie Lipton, Isabel Samaris, Scott Musgrove, Annie Owens, Craig LaRotonda, Nathan Spoor, Chuck Sperry, Kevin Peterson, Beth Bojarski, Edith Lebeau, Aunia Kahn, Ciou, Robert Bowen, Sri Zeno Whipple, Winston Smith, Kevin Evans, Dylan Sisson, Skot Olsen

 

Filed Under: Events Tagged With: Annie Owens, Aunia Kahn, Beth Bojarski, Chris Mars, Chuck Sperry, Ciou, Craig LaRotonda, Dylan Sisson, Edith Lebeau, Isabel Samaras, Jennybird Alcantara, Kevin Evans, Kevin Peterson, Laurie Lipton, Nathan Spoor, Robert Bowen, Robert Williams, Scott Musgrove, Skot Olsen, Sri Zeno Whipple, Varnish Fine Art, Winston Smith

Latest News

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  • Chuck Sperry’s Alice Donut Poster
  • Chuck Sperry’s “The Mystic” & “Iphigenia” Blotters • 
Online Release with EQL
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About Chuck Sperry

Chuck Sperry lives in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco, where he’s made his particular style of rock poster designs for over 20 years. He operates Hangar 18, a silkscreen print studio, located in Oakland. Learn More…

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Latest Blog Posts

  • Sperry Solo “Universal” Coming to Paris
  • Sperry in Popland 2025 at KochxBos Gallery, Amsterdam
  • Chuck Sperry’s Alice Donut Poster
  • Chuck Sperry’s “The Mystic” & “Iphigenia” Blotters • 
Online Release with EQL
  • Available Now: Chuck Sperry’s Newest Protest Art Poster

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