Frog and The Crocodile: A Poem and Painting by C.T. Rasmuss.

                                                              Frog and The Crocodile; Closeup

Frog and The Crocodile

Chaos Theory is string is long,

the scientists say is Earth to Sun..

Mankind hums his lonely song
“Where the hell are we going?”

The Constellations and Planets,

left to countless interpretations
thru naked eyes and human beings,
a constant and never-ending stagnant.

The crocodile envisions his meal

and fulfillment of insatiable appetite,

combating his infinite nasty hunger

for weak and lesser of constellations.

Skeletal remains of an angel fish

stops to stare at the intriguing frog,

who is nesting on his occupied planet;

this odd frog doesn't mind being studied.

He holds a seed, the seed for life, the life

of another planet, similar to the one

he sits so proudly upon; for time sake he

sits patiently, waiting for will to strike!

If there is no movement in the

constellations nor the planets

then how is it: that the crocodile

and this frog came to meet?

On a path, traveling from one galaxy

to the next, a darkened forced known

as carelessness treads along in a vehicle,

without regard for even it's own presence.

Frog and The Crocodile  C.T. Rasmuss, acrylic (2013).

Spring is Here; An Oil Painting by C.T. Rasmuss

Spring is Here  C.T. Rasmuss, oil (Mar. 2014).

In this painting, it's not the technique or outcome that I'm most concerned and or pleased with; if anything it's the title of the oil painting.  This painting I was able to finish in just one session, and completely out of my imagination, and so what about the title??  

Simple: Spring is Here, all of us that live in the Northern Hemisphere know this to be true, we can see the changes all around us, some of us see these changes sooner than others, be it the professions we're in; such as if your a gardener like myself or a farmer, also the regions we live in, etc. 

Speaking for myself, I realized Spring's arrival about two weeks ago, when I noticed new plant growth and perennial shoots coming out of the ground.  And now the calendar states it, but what really grabs my attention every year and calls to me are the wild Daffodils; last year I first noticed them (like the last 4 years) at a place I teach, but this year I first noticed them at the duplex I'm renting:

These happen to be a thing of real beauty, in that they happen all on their own, no one planted them there, and if they did it was long ago, and they are the last of their kind in this place, and fight every year to come back in even greater numbers I would imagine.  They are here and gone so fast, much quicker than other flowers I know of, it's like they announce spring and leave as fast as they came, they remind me of how spring is too, how quick it comes and how fast it goes, turning into summer, which isn't so bad, except for the heat, and lack of rain most summers lately.

All in all they remind me every year to get my but in gear and face the challenge of capturing as much beauty outdoors with my brush, before we're all forced inside again, and I'm forced once again to survive entirely off my imagination.  

Jackson Pollock Still Life Museum

Jackson Pollock Still Life Museum  C.T. Rasmuss, oil/acrylic/enamel (March 2014).

I'm afraid for my future...afraid like everyone else to some point; But I'm particularly afraid of the painterly(set of ideals) path that I'm headed down, one not only less traveled, but hardly traveled if at all!!  The Jackson Method I've come to know it as, and I plan on continuing well into it; and along with it everything I've been doing for the 1st decade, bringing me up to speed and deeper into this spiral of chaos and dis-order.

On the plus side my biggest hope is: that I fair better than my counterpart/mentor Jackson himself-Headlong into a tree at a modest 50 mph or so; well I'm off to the Pub to play my harmonica and let loose of the generous share of Irish in me, may my Danish side keep me calm, ahahahaa!!!

Jackson Still Life Museum  - closeup - C.T. Rasmuss, oil/acrylic/enamel (March 2014).

Now for a brief description of what you see here: it's a 100% pure oil paining, within a 100% pure enamel/acrylic painting, keeping the integrity of a overall painting in tact.  It's a successful attempt, i believe, in propelling the Art for art's sake further into the existential argument; and w/o losing any validity I must say.  Most important was maintaining overall color balance and composition -holding it together: without losing the original intent of a well executed finished painting, and not:

 "just a neat idea"-poor execution(painting).

Thank You- Happy St. Patty's Day!!!

The Jackson Method: is Legit.

The Big Four  C.T. Rasmuss, acrylic/The Jackson Method (March 2014).

The above painting of mine was done using my "Jackson Method" which I have adopted by the phenomenon invented by America's great artist, Jackson Pollock(Jack the dripper)!! 

I do not wish to just emulate this great artist and his most famous technique, but I wish to go beyond and find more about this technique, the validity of it, why it works and how to improve upon it.

In this particular painting I've been able to loosely bring together four principle areas in physics and science together, for now the mere mentioning and introduction to them shall suffice for now.

The Big Four  C.T. Rasmuss, close-up

After preparing the canvas with color, I began the action painting; just like usual expect now I can recognize it as a different style.  A different technique from the ones I applied later in the process, when using the black, then white; I recognized this differentiation in methods, because my intuition spoke: "chaos theory"! to me.  

Here is a link: to the Double-compound-pendulum-model- which lead me to the confirmation of my intuitiveness in differing applications of The Jackson Method, after reading up on chaos theory.

String theory is also another reference, actually #1 of 4: String theory visual models

The Big Four  C.T. Rasmuss, close-up 2.

Here is a close-up of the close-up: if you look hard enough you'll see a push-pin inserted into the canvas; one  that I used in the process.  I marked this spot that stood out clear as day to me, only to realize later that this acted as the point of origin...which makes complete sense! Especially after considering the Golden Mean & resulting Fractals.

But again you be the judge for yourself:   Images of fractals

Golden Mean model

Just to recap briefly, here is the list of the Big 4, which i know of for now:

1.  Chaos Theory

2.  String Theory

3.  Golden Mean

4.  Fractals

More to come..

Introduction to Abstract Expressionism - Class Taught by C.T. Rasmuss.

David  C.T. Rasmuss Acrylic/The Jackson Method (Feb 2014).

Introduction to Abstract Expressionism by C.T. Rasmuss

Abstract Expressionism was an art movement which started in the 1940's, post World War II. These artists valued spontaneity and improvisation, and they accorded the highest importance to process. Their radical new direction was responsible for shift the center of the art world's attention from Paris to New York, as the new mecca; they created large scale works representing each artist's individual psyches.

In this class: students will learn to get in touch with their individual 'psyches' as the Masters from the original era of Abstract Expressionism did. It will be structured via: factual art history lessons(short in class) for inspirational purpose and technique demonstrated by the instructor; it also will be loosely based, in order to allow each student the freedom to find their own form of expression!

Suggested supplies for this class: 1^st of all NO EASELS :) In class we will be painting on the table, possibly outside, on the ground when weather clears up. Whenever you're on your own, make yourself comfortable and paint on the floor; this will help tremendously in developing texture, a key ingredient in this fantastic form of art and self-discovery..

...We will be using Acrylics(water based) in this class, don't spend a lot of money on higher grades; as the point is expression, and you'll more than likely be using high volumes per canvas. Canvas, buy canvas at good deals, ask me what will work for class as eventually all students will be doing their own thing, as no two psyches are alike! Finally when it comes to brushes, I will provide the brushes, as classes go one you'll learn about brushes, what they do and the ones you'll eventually want to buy for yourself.

And now a list of definitions for you to look up for your own benefit, as well as Artists to learn:

Composition

Texture

Golden Mean

Color Theory

Abstract art

Modern Art
Surrealism

Action Painting

The New York School

Works Progress Administration (WPA)

MOMA

Guggenheim Museum

Peggy Guggenheim

Artists: Wasilly Kandinsky, Hans Hoffman, Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, Lee Krasner, Robert Motherwell, William Baziotes, Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, Adolph Gottlieb, Mark Tobey, Richard Pousette-Dart, and Clyfford Still

                                  “Art is what you make it” -C.T. Rasmuss ENJOY!!!

A Leaf: Poem by C.T. Rasmuss

A Leaf   C.T. Rasmuss, marker on paper (March 2014).

A Leaf 

A leaf trembling in the hellish wind,

cowering from it's wicked atmosphere.

A clever leaf that escaped its fall's fate

hides, compressed by the thorns of thickets.

Encircled by a mass grave of fallen brethren,

left naked of any hues and exposed bare

to these frigid elements: a leaf becomes

even more fearful of its impending doom.

This inevitability of returning into the earth,

...an earth which consumes all of us,

an earth that replenishes every one of us!

The Earth that birthed us all.

Aboriginal Art Study, Encounters Little Blue Spaceman.

Aboriginal Landscape  C.T. Rasmuss, acrylic (Feb. 2014).

This here is my career in Aboriginal Art, defined as a type of art native to the Australian Aboriginals.
   Here below are a few of my favorite examples, of which I encountered online:

This next one shows an Aboriginal artist at work:

After figuring out the rudimentary idea of the process, I embarked upon my own style, with the intention of adapting this style to a western theme; hence the simple landscape with trees:

Aboriginal Landscape Step 1  C.T.Rasmuss, acrylic (Feb.2014).

In the end I realized that I'm simply not an Aborigine, and that there is much more to this art form, than meets the eye!  I appreciate it for what it is, as it's based on more than 30,000 years of their art history; and as an artist I realize that this is just not in my instinct, this form of painting;  I feel some similarities in the process, but it is not me, and at least now I know.

PLUS how would I have ever encountered this: "Little Blue Spaceman" in my palette, in this particular process of discovery?!

The end.

Some Men: A Poem by C.T.Rasmuss.

Some Men   C.T. Rasmuss, mixed media/juxtaposed-grayscale (2013).

Some Men

Taming doubt and mastering grand

illusions of the impossible,

do these factor in Mr. Keats;

into your theorem of consolation?

“Beauty is truth, truth beauty”!

Some men need to know more.

Exploring an inexhaustible system of caverns

masked with lavish odors of tasty Mint Julip:

streams of relevant hopes cascade along,

emptying waste and spoils into an epicenter

of shipwrecked faith and smashed dreams.

Some men unfortunately drift out to sea.

Chronicles of captain's bliss, read softly aloud

upon vast lands of turmoil and vengeance;

all the while, its impressionable audience being

captured by sidewinder speeches, hissed by

forked tongues wrapped in corrupted silhouette.

Some men find themselves stranded ashore.

In the wake of God's infinite brilliance

it is beckoned to us all that:

“Men shalt not live by bread alone...”

Perhaps because in a muffled den of thieves,

virtuous men would drop like flies!

Signal...Some men pray on their knees.

Endearing temptations to reach something greater:

souls of isolation steer clear into magnanimous wake.

Relentless subordination to fierce elements and tide,

the artist, records his findings with a naive brush;

attained destination is relevant, given with each stroke.

Some men go on, continue bailing out their boats.

Basking in a hypnotic Amber light, graciously cast

by smoldering embers, crackling, becoming internalized:

ashes continue piling into the outstretched urn of time.

Flickering from petrified dreams of youth, mortality gains

acceptance from its morality, with fully glazed eyes;

Some men wade in a pool of eternity.

Jackson Pollock: A Methodical Madman or Just A Madman?

She's Beautiful  C.T.Rasmuss, The Jackson Method (Feb. 2014).

Jackson Pollock seems to be a recurring theme for me, ever since I started devoting most of my efforts toward painting back in 2005, when was still living in my hometown, Flint, Michigan.  I took courses in painting at The University of Michigan-Flint; but largely I was self taught, 'Independent' as I prefer to be known, as some of the greats before me; I say "the greats before me" because like Pollock and other great artists, it's in 'our' blood to out do our predecessor's...

In my case I not only wish this, but I also wish to prove the critics against Pollock, wrong, that he wasn't a Madman, but in fact there was method to his madness; as I hope you can see in this post.  I aim to continue in this manner of documenting, as I dig deeper into this debate; what I like to call the: The Jackson Method, capturing the evidence w/o compromising the integrity of autonomy.

p.s. I hope to me joined by other professionals of my field as well as other fields that can help explain the implications and dynamism of The Jackson Method.

                                                                          Stage1:

Stage2:

Stage3:

Stage4 w/thumbnail:

John Keats: Is This the Truth and Beauty you Imagined? A poem b y C.T.Rasmuss

Some Men  C.T. Rasmuss, India Ink/acrylic/pastels (2013).

First and foremost I'm an artist, and as an artist I give myself the freedom to express my intentions any which way I please!

Lately I've been working on a series which has nothing to do with which I wish to express via this 'blog'...what is..relevant is the poem which I've been working on, a poem which is intended for a local poetry contest.  

You see...writing/poetry is my White Whale, so I've devised a plan to pursue this eluded art-form as well as apply my strengths as a visual artist into another field; a sort of self satisfying experiment if you will, or more like a form of self validation as well as spiritual release, But as always I give my utmost attention to truth, beauty and Humanity(with God's blessing of course).

 Some Men (1st rough draft)

Taming Doubt and Mastering

Illusions of the Impossible,

Is this part of the truth and beauty 

we need to know of, Mr. Keats?

In the wake of God's infinite Brilliance;

it is told to us, "Men shall not

live by bread alone, but..."

perhaps in a world of thieves,

virtuous men would drop like flies!

Some men still pray on their knees.

The Chronicles of Bliss softly read

upon the lands of turmoil;

while it's impressionable audience

is captivated by speeches

of those corrupted silhouettes.

Some men are bailing out their boats.

Endearing to reach something greater

souls of isolation in magnanimous quake,

subordination to the fiercest elements,

an artist records his findings with a brush

attained destination is relevant with every stroke

Some men are stranded ashore.

In a system of bountiful caverns

masked with a lavish odor of Mint Julep

streams of irrelevant hope cascades along, 

emptying its spoils into the epicenter of 

smashed dreams and crushed faith.

Some men drift out to sea

In light of smoldering embers of mortality

flickering from petrified dreams of youth;

Some men choose to wade out eternity.

>click here< to see updated, Final Draft.

Meet 'Night & Day - A Modern Dilemma' Everyone!!

Night & Day - A Modern Dilemma  C.T. Rasmuss - A technique invented by the artist. (2013-14).

Success at last!!  To spare you the details, and redundancy:  I simply accomplished what I set out to do and more!...  

I 100% believe that this is a solid artwork in everyway, and like all art, it can be built upon; but what I'm most satisfied here with is: I took a chance, a risk, a BiG! risk!  - Considering this work took me around 225 hours or more to complete, even after its original conception, and corresponding sketches.

It opened my eyes to see how Art can be separated in another way: 

Art that is & art that BECAME...

Below you'll notice two masterpieces created by two masters of the arts, that have paved the way for artists such as me; my Above art-piece is an amalgamation of my own artist intuition, direction given by the masterpieces below, and the will to discover the unknown.

                                            Day & Night  M.C. Escher - woodcut (1938).

                              Link: Day & Night blog by C.T. Rasmuss

                                 Jasper's Dilemma  Frank Stella - alkyd on canvas (1962-63).

                              Link: Jasper's Dilemma meets Modern Dilemma blog post

Oh yeah and please let me know what you think, please leave your comments - join my blog if you'd like !!  I want to hear from you, Thank you!!!

'Modern Dilemma' by C.T. Rasmuss, Continued.

'Modern Dilemma' in process by C.T. Rasmuss

I'm not so sure as to what the actual "Dilemma" was in Stella's 'Jasper's Dilemma'; but I've come to realize, that I know in my current 'work in process-Modern Dilemma', that he may have been stuck by certain rules, he perhaps wouldn't allow himself to break(as I found myself).

Just a theory, but for instance if Stella pre-set rules such as: Dark Gray = Dark hue of Red & Light Gray = Light Red, Medium Gray = Medium Red, and so on for all other colors(3 primary/3 secondary).  He then would have either started with either the Grisaille side or poly-chromatic side; with this set rule, and others alike, not to be broken.  Given that he also finished one side 1st then the other(not working both sides simultaneously), as you can see that I have done in my Lucid Mosaic seen here, I started with Grisaille and finished to full completion, I'm currently working the poly-chromatic.^ 

Point being, after finishing my Grisaille side 1st, I then of course started with the corresponding right poly-chromatic side, but after trying to match up color with the gray-scale on the left, finished side, as Stella had done; I realized the "Dilemma": Quantitative -Grisaille vs. Qualitative color values, which I learned after reading more on Frank Stella, this was the case.

But instead of fighting it and sticking to my guns, I am able to look into the past, and learn from these two masters of their craft, being, Jasper Johns and Frank Stella; I searched for a solution, and believe I have found one.

The Solution??

Stay tuned to find out, as it is just theory now and may change;) Right now it's in Faith's hands..