Shifting Perception

Paths of Memory, 2012

Drafting film over ballpoint pen on gessoed wood
33"x42"

Wake, 2010

Drafting film over ballpoint pen on watercolor paper
16"x20"

The Great Dictator, 2012

Ballpoint pen on drafting film and watercolor paper

24"x36"

Cyrus the Great, 2012

Ballpoint pen on drafting film and watercolor paper
20"x24"

Your Future, 2012

Drafting film, tracing paper

16"x20"

Tracing Memory, 2012

Drafting film over ballpoint pen on watercolor paper
8.5"x10" 

March 3, 2010 6:10PM
Drafting film over pencil on paper
8.5"x10"

Colleen’s art shares her experience of the universe. She presents a strong sense of graphic sensibility that maintains an ethereal quality. She builds up masses of ballpoint pen circles to create patterns of obfuscating shadows and defining lights that confuse and clarify the subject. She chooses this time-consuming yet meditative process as a way to give life to every detail.

Her series "Shifting Perception" highlights the importance of memory in creating a positive future.
The heart of the show is hidden, but not lost. The viewer must touch the work to complete the piece. When only a small detail appears, the viewer must use memory to recreate the image in its entirety. The experience of the piece continues as long as the memory lasts. Memory defies loss.

Memories tempt us to interpret the present based on the past and, from there, create our future. Some of the pieces display iconic images with negative associations. The images can incite certain past memories, but a touch of reality can easily shift our perception, allowing us to connect with a point in the past when inspiration rather than fear could have kept negative events from occurring. Memory defines the past and inspires the future.

Will yours be negative or positive?

Shifting Perception

Orchard Windows Gallery is pleased to present Shifting Perception, a solo show of drawings by Colleen Blackard  This exhibition will be on display from August 13th-20th, 2012.

Opening Reception: Tuesday, August 14th, 2012, 6-9PM

Orchard Windows Gallery

37 Orchard St, New York, NY

(917) 995-1001

Shifting Perception highlights the importance of memory in creating a positive future.  To bring us closer to a time when memory loss itself will be forgotten, Colleen Blackard and Orchard Windows Gallery will donate 25% of sales to The Alzheimer’s Association, New York City Chapter.

The heart of the show is hidden, but not lost.  The viewer must touch the work to complete the piece.  When only a small detail appears, the viewer must use memory to recreate the image in its entirety.  The experience of the piece continues as long as the memory lasts.  Memory defies loss.

Memories tempt us to interpret the present based on the past and, from there, create our future.  Some of the pieces display iconic images with negative associations.  The images can incite certain past memories, but a touch of reality can easily shift our perception, allowing us to connect with a point in the past when inspiration rather than fear could have kept negative events from occurring.  Memory defines the past and inspires the future.   

Will yours be negative or positive?   

Colleen Blackard is originally from Austin, TX, and currently lives and works in Brooklyn. She received a BA in Studio Art from Hampshire College, MA. She has been included in exhibitions at the Rush Arts Gallery, Family Business Gallery, Times Square, and Contrast at 320 Studios. This is her first solo show at Orchard Windows Gallery.
    
Website: ColleenBlackard.com

Solo Show: "Fading Memories; Emerging Spirit"

Fading, 2012
Ballpoint on Canvas
3.5in x 2.5in

Greenpoint Gallery is pleased to present Colleen Blackard: "Fading Memories; Emerging Spirit", a poignant exhibition of ballpoint pen and mixed media drawings that explores the contrasting realities of Alzheimer's Disease. Colleen shows that while memory deteriorates, the human spirit emerges, unfettered by social constraints.


 This subject is intimately personal to the artist, having lost two grandparents, one great-grandmother, and others to Alzheimer's. Informed by these experiences, Colleen includes ballpoint pen and circular lines in each drawing that in time, almost unnoticeably, will slowly bleed together, blurring the distinctions of light and dark just as Alzheimer's blurs the distinctions of reality.


 In keeping with Colleen's vision, the show has a hopeful tone. She believes in a time when memories will remain and Alzheimer's will be forgotten. To this end, she will donate a portion of sales to the Alzheimer's Association of New York City to research the cure.


Colleen Blackard is originally from Austin, TX, and currently lives and works in Brooklyn. Colleen received a BA from Hampshire College, MA. Colleen's first solo exhibition "For The Universe" opened in 2009 at Hampshire College Gallery, and she has been included in exhibitions at Rush Arts Gallery, Dino Eli Gallery, and Contrast at 320 Studios. This will be the artist's first solo exhibition with the Greenpoint Gallery.


Facebook Page

Upcoming April Shows!

Here are the places you can see my artwork in the month of April:

Conception Tribeca III

Wednesday, April 11, 2012
6pm-Midnight
22 Warren St
(corner of Warren St and Church St)
New York, NY 10007
Conception III Website
Conception Tribeca III Facebook Page

Family Business

Its a small, small world (aka The Clusterf*ck) open call by Hennessey Youngman.
Live Performance by: Spank Rock
Curated by Marylin Minter

April 3, 2012
6-9pm

Family Business Gallery
520 West 21st Street
New York, NY 10011
info[at]familybusinessgallery.com
http://www.familybusinessgallery.com/virgins-part5/

Diggable Arts Festival
Hoboken’s only two day independent art festival will take place at the Monroe Center for the Arts.
720 Monroe St 
Hoboken, NJ
April 21 - 22. 2012.
Digable Arts Festival Website
Digable Arts Festival Facebook Page

Fading Memories

A solo show of drawings about the experience of Alzheimer's Disease.
A portion of sales will go to the Alzheimer's Association of NYC, and will be the first installation of Artists Against Alzheimer's art events.
Greenpoint Gallery
390 McGuinness Blvd
Brooklyn, NY 11222
April 20, 2012
8pm-1am
Greenpoint Gallery Website
Greenpoint Gallery Facebook Page

Mahzen Grill
On permanent display
739 Grand St.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 302-2010
http://mahzengrill.com/

Conception II in Tribeca

Conception II

I will be one of two "Featured Artists" in the upcoming group show, Conception II, on Wednesday night.  Come check it out!

CONCEPTION II ART EVENT

WED JANUARY 25th 2011, 6pm - late  22 WARREN ST, NEW YORK CITY


You're invited to join us for our newest exhibition featuring a meet and
greet with our lineup of eclectic artists,live musical entrainment and
full bar.

Conception is back!

After the huge success of our inaugural Fall 2011 event Conception II
returns with a collaborative of exciting new artists, entertainment and
musical performances.

Join us at our exclusive underground TriBeCa venue as we take you on a
journey of art and decadence.

Meet and greet with our 20 exceptional, multi-medium artists from 6-8 pm,
as well as representatives and vendors from Manhattans fashion, apparel
and jewelry industry.

The highly acclaimed “Hampton Brothers” set the musical tone for the
evening supported by exciting special guest vocalists and performance
artists.

Experience the moment of Conception!

Wed JAN 25th 2012 - 6PM

22 Warren Street
New York City
10007

RSVP #######

Conception Events
Rachel Wilkins
rachelwilkins@conceptionartshow.com
201-232-5183

Contrast Art Show November 30th-December 1st

Come to the Contrast Art Show!  I will be showing drawings from the Uncle William Series and The Nature Of Ballpoint.

Nevember 30th-December 1st

14th Floor

320W 37th st 

New York, 10018

http://www.contrastartshow.com/

OutAuction!

Starlight, 2010

My piece Starlight will be auctioned off at GLAAD's OUTAuction on November 20th!

From their website, http://www.glaad.org/outauction:

"The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) invites you to the 10th Annual OUTAuction presented by Bud Light and ROKK Vodka! Join us for the 10th anniversary of the largest and most visible art auction event in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community celebrating established and emerging artists as well as recognizing GLAAD’s Top 100 Artists and our OUT in Art Award recipient.

OUTauction helps raise funds to support GLAAD’s work with the media to bring culture-changing stories of LGBT people to millions of homes and workplaces every day in an effort to increase understanding and awareness to build support for full equality. This will be an evening capturing the perfect synergy between art, fashion and interior design. Guests will enjoy hosted cocktails, great music, and gourmet hors d’oeuvres while bidding on over 100 unique pieces of art which have included the works of Pablo Picasso, Herb Ritts, Steven Klein, Ryan McGinness, Wassily Kandinsky, Marc Chagall and many more!  "

I'm so happy to be supporting such a great cause!

Uncle William Series

Uncle William

William

Palo Duro Canyon

William (Close Up)

The Uncle William series is based on black and white photos taken by my father of my Uncle Willy in the rural 1970's Texas countryside.  My uncle has Down Syndrome, and happens to be the most cheerful and  content person I know.  However, he can appear radically different and almost frightening to outsiders,  especially when dressed in his cowboy attire. This series uses contrasting light and dark to examine these polar opposites.  Obfuscating shadows and defining lights confuse and clarify the subject, casting doubt on first impressions.

In The Shadowed Light

In The Shadowed Light, 2011

4" x 4"

Ballpoint on paper mounted on wood panel

Floating-Complete series

Completed Floating Series - Acrylic on Plexiglass.  Loved the layering process.

Paintings!

Just created these a couple nights ago. 

The Hallway - acrylic

Self Portrait - Acrylic

Skyline

View from the Greenpoint Gallery roof.  I love this city!

New Media

I've been experimenting with the subject of light in other media recently, using what I learned from ballpoint.  Here are some of the results!

Watercolor

Oil on Plexiglass

Graphite

New Directions

 

Metrocards

A series of metro cards I created for the Single Fare show at Sloan Fine Art.  More info on my New York Adventures blog.

Solo show at SIP

SIP Bar presents The Nature of Ballpoint, a solo exhibition of drawings by Colleen Blackard.

The Nature of Ballpoint is a glimpse into an otherworldly world where landscape becomes celestial.  Subjects such as water are built up by masses of ballpoint pen circles to create patterns of light and shadow.  Colleen chooses this time-consuming yet meditative process as a way to give life to every detail.  Come share the experience of creation by following the lines. 

The reception will be at SIP on October 7th from 8-11pm.
If you can't make the reception, stop by any time between September 4th and October 15th.

See a preview of the work: The Nature of Ballpoint

Here's the facebook page.

Convergence

My third show in the city: CONVERGENCE  

So much fun, thanks to everyone who came out!

It took place at the Lexington Ave Armory.  So many artists in such a historic location.

Check out the Convergence blog.

  

My work (the four black and white images)

G2

Thanks to everyone who came out for my second NYC show, and Rami's first! The reception was packed.

My work!

 The artists!  Check out Rami's work here.