notes from my newest show: visual art and poetry

Charles Keatts – New and Recent Work, 2009

“Blue resin, windows, visions, what is this I, what is this seeking the now?”

I work with recycled, reused and found objects like old windows, and industrial materials like resin and spackle along with traditional oil paint and other standard media. I combine these elements in ways which are interesting to me, often relying on chance and accidents, a project I have been involved in for over ten years. I am inspired and influenced by artists like Marcel Duchamp, Jasper Johns, Jackson Pollock, Vikki Highland, Lucky Rapp, PJ Harvey, Crystal Ainardi, Steve Scotten, the dada movement, and many others. I seek to find the truth or reality in the materials, the moment of creation, and whatever state of mind I possess in that moment. The title of this show is a type of Buddhist Zen Koan, stating the obvious and also asking the questions: what is this I that asks? What is this seeking or wanting of the being in the present, of seeing, viewing, thought, breathing?

In addition to the usual brief description of the piece I have added poems/experimental texts, to give the viewer a better idea of my process around the work or interpretation. As part of, in addition to the visual art, text as visual, words or thoughts in the mind-brain.

All of these pieces were completed in the last year.

I have recently temporarily reduced my prices. I welcome commissions and corporate work.

10% of all sales go to the Breast Cancer Fund.

Past shows have included:

Studio 425, Kent, Ohio: group and solo shows from 1995 to 2000.
Zephyr Cafe, Kent, Ohio: solo show, 1996.
Unitarian Universalist Church, Kent, Ohio: solo show, 1996.
Black Light Ball, San Francisco: group show, 2004.
Church St. Cafe, SF: solo show 2008
Campaign Office of Carol Migden, SF: solo show 2008
Open Studios, SF: group show 2008
Private fundraiser for Breast Cancer Fund, Oakland 2009
Open Studios Art Explosion 2009 (2 group shows)
The Barcode, Pier 3, San Francisco 2009


Upcoming shows:

August 11, Featured Artist, 17th and Potrero, Art Explosions
Burning Man 2009, pending approval from BRC.

My education includes The University of Pennsylvania, Kings College London, and Kent State University. I recently took a class on glass work in Oakland. Walking around cities and looking at art all around the world is also a great education.

Charles Keatts
keatts@gmail.com
415-637-7330
www.charleskeatts.com

Front room, left to right:

1. decades
canvas, oil, resin, mixed media on glass, 2009
250

what doesn't sit well
sits well in the corner
a dirty broom flies dancing

2. essential dictation of colors (still)
vinyl and oil, resin on wood, glass, 2009
250

see what you see in this lens of your eye
wallace stevens said let be become seem
or something like that:
ice cream was the emperor then
as now

3. liquid sky (isolation)
resin, paper, metal tape on glass, 2009
250

she ignores me for a minute
it's her self-preservation kicking in
I don't blame her and take a drag
on my gitanes

4. new order
resin, photographs on glass, 2009
250

we were singing in the blue shade and
the end was near the beginning but
far from turtle mountain
see her in her true nature

5. power, corruption, and lies
resin and acrylic on glass, 2009
250

yeats said that we love what vanishes
I always remember that as my
skin burns away
too close to the sun

6. low-life
resin on glass, 2009
250

I want what I don't have but really
there is no I for real
just this idea

Back room, left to right

1. unknown pleasures
resin, photographs on glass, 2009
250

this is the most important thing
she said:
“you must care”

2. white light, red heat
oil on car radiator, 2009
250

craning our necks for a better view
a hot day of parades and sneezing
where do you get pancakes around here?

3. on the ocean floor (transmission)
oil, graphite, glue, tape, vinyl on canvas with cord, 2009
250

joy division
sonic youth
kool thing live
the world moves on a woman's hips

4. she's lost control
resin on glass, 2009
250

humming along in san francisco fog and heat
foghat steve miller led zeppelin
swans rush big black black flag
she's lost control again

Payments: I accept cash, check, or Paypal. I am setting up credit cards on my website so let me know if that is your preference.

I want to acknowledge and thank people who have been supporting me in art and life recently and helped make this and my many other recent shows possible: Wickie Stamps, Jen Freitas, Kate Shankari Sadowsky, Art Explosions, Steve Scotten, Michael Belfer, the Barcode, Lynnore Goldfarb, Corey Denis, Serin Silva, Lynne Herman, Linda Boucher, and many others.

Even if you don't buy my work right now, please donate to the Breast Cancer Fund or other non-profit to help sustain them in these tough economic times.

If I had known in elementary school that I could make stuff like this and call it art I might be rich and famous by now: support art education.