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Guy Kinnear

CREATIVE PROCESS

My work often begins with a conversation or recounting a powerful narrative that brings members of my personal community into decisions about the process and final product. In my figurative work, I never use professional models. Instead, I intentionally engage close friends, family members, and others in my immediate circle of relationships. It is crucial that I know their stories, and that in dialogue we cultivate essential connections between themselves and the myths, archetypes, religious tales, and contemporary stories which frame the human condition. The essential elements of those conversations then take shape in an intentional event where our dialog becomes embodied in a modeling or framing session, which becomes the raw visual reference for the final art object. In this way the art piece might become a portrait as well as a meditation on a narrative.

My relationship to media is similar to my relationship the figure in that I learn from my materials. I perceive each material–be it three dimensional or two dimensional–as a ‘ready-made’ that is already invested with its own character, structural strengths, beauties, and weaknesses. It also comes with its own history in culture, its own imbedded meaning, and its own traditional and experimental history of techniques for working with it. As much as possible, I love to research a material, gain respect for what it is, and then learn to incorporate its pre-existent aesthetics and meanings into the final work.

I been deeply inspired by the Counter Reformation Neapolitan School, not only for its technical virtuosity but also for its tongue-in-cheek humor and its fleshy, gritty, self-effacing sense of the spiritual that somehow remains sincere. But then the figurative elements of my works draw from the anatomical waxes of La Specola, Florence Italy. These wax pieces blur the line between spiritual aesthetics and scientific inquiry, made from an ephemeral material that has nonetheless lasted hundreds of years with minimal deterioration. I find the surreal results compelling. I am also inspired by Asian artforms, specifically the Sumi-e and contemporary Japanese wood sculpture, with its preeminence of the artist’s mark, appreciation of space, honor of source substances, and Haiku moments pregnant with possibilities of meaning.

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Progress! I am loving the pealing crack happening Progress! I am loving the pealing crack happening on the back of his neck!! I hope the rest of him cracks that good!

#ecorche #anatomy #anatomysculpture #sculpture #claysculpture #skeleton #golem #figurativeart #classicalnude #nudesculpture #creativeprocess #artistmodel #artist #figurativesculpture #humanfigure
Somewhere underneath that musculature is a clay sk Somewhere underneath that musculature is a clay skeleton. I did so much wrong on purpose with this piece. I'm hoping this a ecorche golem will crumble in a really amazing way! #ecorche #anatomy #anatomysculpture #sculpture #claysculpture #skeleton #golem #figurativeart #classicalnude #nudesculpture #creativeprocess #artistmodel #artist #figurativesculpture #humanfigure
HANGING PAPER MAN AT DAWN is the piece that lives HANGING PAPER MAN AT DAWN is the piece that lives in my studio. I have tried putting him in storage a couple of times when I am making space for new work on the studio wall. But the image haunts my psyche, and he is out again, mentoring every new work. 

Conceptually and aesthetically he embodies the central melody of my creative endeavor here on this footprint of land.  A psychic contraposto of rest and effort, frustration and determination, vulnerability and strength. A thing imagined striving to touch a thing solid and real. Jacob is wrestling with the divine on a much larger scale.

And a new sun's light cascades across the whole.

 #oilpainting #magicrealism #magicregionalism #surrealism #imaginativerealism #humanfigure #artistmodel #paperdoll #kite #postcontemporary #golem #homunculus #doll #anthropocene #offthegrid #permaculture #land #landscapepainting
Some better shots of yesterday's s ecorche sculptu Some better shots of yesterday's s ecorche sculpture. I am digging how it is cracking! Next I add the flesh! #ecorche #anatomy #anatomysculpture #sculpture #claysculpture #skeleton #golem #creativeprocess #artistmodel #artist #figurativesculpture #humanfigure
New Golem. I am intentionally working it as an eco New Golem. I am intentionally working it as an ecorche in layers so it will crack and crumble around a tree-ish core. I hope the poetry works when the sun has finished with it  #ecorche #anatomy #anatomysculpture #sculpture #claysculpture #skeleton #golem #creativeprocess #artistmodel #artist #figurativesculpture #humanfigure
Happy Easter all! And for those who don't celebrat Happy Easter all! And for those who don't celebrate this holiday, I wish you the hope of a spring season after a too-long year of winter. Years ago I did a 40 day drawing and poetry meditation called FOURTY NIGHTS TILL SPRING. Today I wanted to share selections from the last week. #easter #resurrection #resurrectionsunday #jesus #newcreation #spring #garden #mystic #christianmysticism #sketchbook #figuredrawing #poetry #visualblog
Happy Easter all! And for those who don't celebrat Happy Easter all! And for those who don't celebrate this holiday, I wish you the hope of a spring season after a too-long year of winter. Years ago I did a 40 day drawing and poetry meditation called FOURTY NIGHTS TILL SPRING. Today I wanted to share selections from the last week. #easter #resurrection #resurrectionsunday #jesus #newcreation #spring #garden #mystic #christianmysticism #sketchbook #figuredrawing #poetry #visualblog
Happy Easter all! And for those who don't celebrat Happy Easter all! And for those who don't celebrate this holiday, I wish you the hope of a spring season after a too-long year of winter. Years ago I did a 40 day drawing and poetry meditation called FOURTY NIGHTS TILL SPRING. Today I wanted to share selections from the last week. #easter #resurrection #resurrectionsunday #jesus #newcreation #spring #garden #mystic #christianmysticism #sketchbook #figuredrawing #poetry #visualblog
PAPER BOY was a real game milestone piece for me. PAPER BOY was a real game milestone piece for me. It was my first glimpse into a process that was as playful as it was profound. And I finally understood the atmosphere and light of the little footprint I live on.

He was in every way a  Michaelangelesque Angel bringing news of a new era for my studio life.

#oilpainting #magicrealism #magicregionalism #surrealism #imaginativerealism #humanfigure #artistmodel #paperdoll #kite #postcontemporary #golem #homunculus #doll #anthropocene #offthegrid #permaculture #land #landscapepainting
THE SECOND CHAPTER OF EDEN. This is the one! Sums THE SECOND CHAPTER OF EDEN. This is the one! Sums up my whole practice, my relationship to the land, the anthropocene, human ingenuity, all wrapped up in the glorious myth of the golem. I consider it my 1st Symphony. A complex harmony of concepts and color....

I am going to start reciting my pay works, ruminating on their significance as I prepare for a coming 3rd Chapter of my practice.

#oilpainting #magicrealism #magicregionalism #surrealism #imaginativerealism #postcontemporary #golem #homunculus #doll #anthropocene #offthegrid #permaculture #land #landscapepainting
This commission has been so refreshing. Collaborat This commission has been so refreshing. Collaboration is my flow, and dreaming up this bit of visual poetry with the commissioner was a joy! This sprinter is headed to his new home today. #comissionart #panting #art #mercury #hermies #sprinter #newbeginnings #kite #sunrise #sunburst #golem #papertoy #surrealism #magicrealism #expressiveart #mystic #fireinthebelly
#Repost @dialoguesforartists
• • • • • •
Less than a week to go until THURSDAY 1st APRIL's fascinating conversation about how making work relates to the world today

ENGAGING NOW

With Michael Herbert Dorn and Guy Kinnear, moderated by Elina Cerla

See you then!

Make sure you SIGN UP HERE to receive access link (link sent out a couple of days before session): http://eepurl.com/g7qB2b

TIME: 20h CET (Europe), tpm BST (UK), 2pm EDT (US), 11am PDT (US). Please check your time zone if not listed.

#dialoguesforartists
#dialoguesforartistsinachangingworld
#postcontemporaryart #engagingnow #makingmeaning
#cocreation #sharingideas #exchange
#postcontemporary #collectivethinking
Storms' a BREWIN'!!🌩️ Painting in progress, i Storms' a BREWIN'!!🌩️ Painting in progress, it's gonna be a mad romp of paint, color, and light. Only just started and already havin' a mess o fun! #wip #paintinginprogress #blockingin #storm #thunderhead #supercellstorm #lightning #oilpainting #landscapepainting #cloudscape #art #painting
So nice to have the space and time to do some gest So nice to have the space and time to do some gesture sketching today with some of my older golems. Gives me a chance to play out with anatomy and composition in lyric movement.#figuredrawing #figure #lifedrawing #gesturedrawing #sketch #sketchbook #drawing #humanfigure #golem #artistmodel #gesture
From the very beginning of our shared creative lif From the very beginning of our shared creative life, my wife and I have explored collaborative art making. Sometimes this means both of us have our hands on a single work of art. Sometimes this means we are working discretely, but because we share a studio space, we are speaking words of advice and support into the new creations. Either way, it means our works resonate with a combined voice. #collaborativeart #meditations #offthegridliving #drawings #watercolor

http://www.guykinnear.com/
Miles and miles of color work today... Not includi Miles and miles of color work today... Not including digital color adjustments for the new website... Boy are my retnal tubes and cones worn out! #color #colorcomposition #oilsketch #oilpainting #colorblocking #studiolife #wip #workinprogress #tiredeyes👀
Spread out between a lot of projects, and prepping Spread out between a lot of projects, and prepping a couple comissions. All adding up to a lot of time at the computer. But still getting some time to get some anatomy studies in. #figuredrawing #figurestudy #humanfigure #anatomy #yogapose #backmuscles #sketch #drawing #art
This Mother & Daughter pair (and their partners) w This Mother & Daughter pair (and their partners) will be posting for a new painting soon.I have been toying with doing a series all involving this family constructing a new world. Let's see what they do. #artistmodel #figurativeart #golem #sculpture #papersculpture #paperdoll #mother #daughter #sustainableliving #art #creativeprocess #permaculture #wip #metalwork #newcreation #anthropocene
This Father & Son pair (and their partners) will b This Father & Son pair (and their partners) will be posting for a new painting soon.I have been toying with doing a series all involving this family constructing a new post-anthropocene. Let's see what they do. #artistmodel #figurativeart #golem #sculpture #papersculpture #paperdoll #father #son #sustainableliving #art #creativeprocess #permaculture #wip #metalwork #newcreation #anthropocene
Golem done! Now onto the photo shoot! #wip #workin Golem done! Now onto the photo shoot! #wip #workinprogress #papersculpture #paperdoll #papertoy #golem #mercury #mystic #transformation #runner #sprinter #sculpture #figurativeart #humanfigure #figurativesculpture #art #instaart
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ARTIST STATEMENT

guy kinnear makes Neapolitan Baroque miracles of artifice, hanging on the cliff’s edge of the enlightenment. Synthetic creatures trying clumsily to reconnect to Heaven and Earth, imbibing in the saccharine and sentimental along the way.

ARTIST BIO

guy kinnear is a collaborative figurative artist and synthetic human learning to live off-the-grid in a lovely place where even GPS gets lost.

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