SHANE GUFFOGG: COLOR Part 7

October 23, 2024

Shane Guffogg: Color Essay 7
Women and the Abstract Expressionist movement making history
(Conversation between Victoria Chapman and Los Angeles based artist, Shane Guffogg continues)

In Color Essay 6 we talked about women artists from the Abstract Expressionist movement starting with Helen Frankenthaler’s absence of color to the bold brushstrokes of Lee Krasner, and onward to Joan Mitchell who taught us how to see differently. Then there were the spiritual missions of Agnes Martin and Hilma af Klint. In Color Essay 7 we continue to explore the movement and talk about how these courageous women develop their own independent voice during this revolutionary period in art history.

SHANE GUFFOGG: COLOR Part 6

October 23, 2024

Shane Guffogg: Color Part 6
Women Artists Finding a Voice Through Color and Abstraction
(Conversation between Victoria Chapman and Los Angeles based artist, Shane Guffogg continues)

Women painters of the abstract expressionist movement embraced the zeitgeist of their male peers, while managing to add to this new visual language, creating sensual artworks. Their ideas on life and nature and how it could be expressed with color, space, and line were guided by their intuition. They produced some of the most sublime and beautiful abstract paintings ever.

The fight for equality was ongoing, as was the dialogue surrounding issues caused by World War II, but for the first time, women artists began to transmit their personal messages. These sometimes featured an absence of color and lines, with portions of blank canvas being equally as important as the saturated areas. Helen Frankenthaler (1928 – 2011) said, “Color without space is meaningless.” The women of this period had much to unravel about painting’s history so that they, too, could construct their own meaningful interpretation of art’s future.

SHANE GUFFOGG: CONVERSATIONS THROUGH TIME

November 03, 2023

Written by Victoria Chapman

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, “Neither Flesh nor Fleshless #11” oil on canvas, 60 x 48 inches*

"In Four Quartets, T.S. Eliot explores themes of the present moment, the cosmic order, and coexistence, a sentiment shared by artist Shane Guffogg. Commencing in April 2023, Guffogg embarked on a creative journey, producing twenty-one paintings inspired by three stanzas from Burnt Norton, the first chapter of Eliot's work. These artworks, employing lines and colors, provide a visual examination of the exchange of thoughts across time.

Guffogg's engagement with Four Quartets commenced over three decades ago and endures, as he contemplates Eliot's exploration of the abstract interplay between life experiences and the formation of memories. Eliot's poem, written in England between 1936 and 1942, is divided into four sections, each relating to one of the classical elements: air, earth, water, and fire.

Eliot's verse, 'Be remembered; involved with past and future. Only through time is time conquered.' from Burnt Norton Section II, highlights the central theme of time's influence on human existence. Influenced by both Eastern and Western literature, including the Bhagavad Gita, Confessions of Saint Augustine, and The Divine Comedy, Eliot also drew inspiration from Beethoven's quartet, which may have influenced the poem's title and musical underpinnings. Guffogg, with his sound-to-color synesthesia, instinctively recognized this musicality, evident in his paintings. The works convey an inherent 'sound score' through their visual rhythm, offering an intuitive perception that guides the composition through the choice of lines and colors.

The exhibition's largest piece, 'Only Through Time is Time Conquered,' exudes a dynamic quality, with blue lines at its core that pulse and summon supporting red and yellow lines, infusing contrasting tones with an oceanic sense of movement. Guffogg shared his creative process, revealing a connection between sound and color: 'As I was working on the seven by nine-foot canvas, and listening to abstract-classical-orchestrated music, I noticed the presence of dissonant chords. This parallel with my paintings, especially 'Only Through Time, Time is Conquered,' where complementary colors push against each other, creates a tension akin to the unsettling notes in the music. This experience immerses me in the present moment during the painting process, disconnecting from extraneous thoughts.”

Shane Guffogg, 2023, “Only Through Time is Time Conquered” oil on canvas, 84 x 108 inches

The importance of a painting's title varies from artist to artist. In the case of Shane Guffogg, the title serves as an informative element for the painting but does not determine or predict its creation. The titles, "Only through time is time conquered," "Reach into the silence," and "Neither flesh nor fleshless," draw inspiration from T.S. Eliot's desire to transcend time and live in the present, as explored in these stanzas.

Guffogg's enduring fascination with Eliot's Four Quartets has led to the evolution of his artwork, reflecting increasing complexity. His approach to life also mirrors this deepened connection, as he embraces fleeting moments with a sense of permanence. Using glazes, he masterfully creates the illusion of multiple light sources within his compositions. In addition, his extensive research into the techniques and materials of old masters, along with his background in publishing articles on art, results in figurative subjects transformed into abstract forms.

The interplay between light and dark, represented by transparent veils of light and complementary colors, produces a dynamic tension within the paintings, leading the viewer into an infinite shadow of darkness while drawing them towards the light. Guffogg's work encapsulates a timeless quality, capturing the eternal moment, which resonates with Eliot's themes. It invites the viewer to engage consciously and subconsciously, seamlessly merging these aspects and revealing the essence felt rather than merely perceived.

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, “Flesh Nor Fleshless #1” oil on canvas, 40 x 36 inches*

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, Neither Flesh nor Fleshless #2, oil on canvas, 40 x 36 inches*

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, “Neither Flesh nor Fleshless #3” oil on canvas, 40 x 36 inches*

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, Neither Flesh nor Fleshless #4, oil on canvas, 40 x 36 inches*

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, “Neither Flesh nor Fleshless #5” oil on canvas, 30 x 24 inches*

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, “Neither Flesh nor Fleshless #6” oil on canvas, 30 x 24 inches*

Guffogg's "At the Still Point of the Turning World" series, originating from a subconscious sketch in 2009, explores his quest for inner balance and serves as an autobiographical narrative. These paintings are not self-portraits in the conventional sense but expressions of his existence, a journey through the human condition, and his relationship with time. His artistic process involves a silent, solitary exploration of his work, where thoughts become visual language. Music plays a pivotal role in his creative process, acting as a conduit to connect with the universal essence. This process, which Guffogg describes as dipping his toes into the pond of the universe on a good day, is a ritual he continues to uphold.

This narrative underscores the profound and personal dimensions of Guffogg's artistry and the unique creative process that fuels it.

Guffogg's art, much like T.S. Eliot's poetry, encapsulates a profound yearning, inviting observers to experience the authentic, providing a space to encounter time and the present. These works serve as a testament to Guffogg's need to share evidence of what it means to be alive, encompassing thoughts, emotions, love, suffering, and healing. His art, particularly in the "Neither Flesh nor Fleshless" series, is deeply autobiographical, portraying moments of existence.

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, “Reach into the Silence #1” oil on canvas, 72 x 60 inches*

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, “Reach into the Silence #3” oil on canvas, 72 x 60 inches*

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, “Reach into the Silence #2” oil on canvas, 72 x 60 inches*

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, Reach into the Silence #8, oil on canvas, 72 x 60 inches*

The "Neither Flesh nor Fleshless" series invokes an enigmatic quality, exploring the interplay of flesh and the absence of it. Guffogg's approach involves allowing his hands to move across the canvas, making the brushes an extension of his physicality. Thin veils reminiscent of Renaissance art, particularly the translucent black veil seen in the Mona Lisa, represent the delicacy and fragility of life and the moment of transition. These paintings aim to present an unsolvable question, provoking contemplation.

Emotional and primarily red in color, with various shades of dark, earthy-red, charcoal, and smoky hues, the series delves into the convergence of spiritual and physical worlds. These works provoke contemplation of time and composition, offering a reflection on the past, present, and even the future. They express a belief system rooted in human existence, sharing intimate thoughts, sensations, and a blend of the mental and spiritual. They evoke words like "annunciation," "rapture," and "communion," prompting self-awareness and introspection.

Collectively, the series emanates an ethereal quality, while individually, each painting conveys a unique message. Gestural marks transform into ribbons or veils of light, revealing saturation and fluidity, evoking celestial elements. The series prompts a sense of longing and contemplation, exploring the boundary between order and chaos. Guffogg's work serves as a testament to truth, representing both a historical narrative and a visual and emotional experience.

*Shane Guffogg, 2023 “Neither Flesh nor Fleshless #7” oil on canvas, 40 x 36 inches*

*Shane Guffogg, 2023 “Neither Flesh nor Fleshless #8” oil on canvas, 40 x 36 inches*

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, “Neither Flesh nor Fleshless #9” oil on canvas, 30 x 24 inches*

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, Neither Flesh nor Fleshless #10, oil on canvas, 30 x 24 inches*

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, “Neither Flesh nor Fleshless #12” oil on canvas, 40 x 36 inches*

The "Reach into the Silence" series, comprised of eight paintings, visualizes a Gregorian chant, embodying the concept that words and music can reach stillness only through form and pattern. Guffogg's ability to follow a command and create in response to a voice reflects the depth of his creative process.

In contrast to Monet's works at Giverny, Guffogg doesn't depict his garden but paints abstract moments informed by the landscape. His connection to the land and his understanding of light enables him to create a sense of depth and movement, similar to Monet's approach. Guffogg's keen perception of the environment, weather patterns, and his intimate connection with his chosen workspace contribute to the unique quality of his artwork.

This narrative delves into the intricate and profound dimensions of Guffogg's artistic process, inviting viewers to explore the intricate layers of his work and its connection to the world around him.

In Guffogg's own words, his artistic process serves as a form of meditation, a means of documenting his journey through life. Each line, each brushstroke on the canvas represents a unique moment in time. What viewers witness in his paintings is the accumulation of these moments, all distilled into a singular, profound instant.

His artworks are not only visual expressions but also personal narratives, sharing his own story while reflecting on the profound themes found in T.S. Eliot's text. In each brushstroke, viewers can explore the interplay of line, color, and elements of space, delving into the essence of his experiences and the emotions woven into his work.

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, “Reach into the Silence #4” oil on canvas, 72 x 60 inches*

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, “Reach into the Silence #5” oil on canvas, 72 x 60 inches*

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, “Reach into the Silence #6” oil on canvas, 72 x 60 inches*

*Shane Guffogg, 2023, “Reach into the Silence #7” oil on canvas, 72 x 60 inches*

SHANE GUFFOGG: PART 5, THE LIFE OF THE ARTIST AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS: "CERTAINTY AND TRUTH"

July 29, 2023

A segment from the studio manager (Victoria Chapman) on Shane’s creative life in the studio, and at the ranch

The beginning layers of a new Still Point for Venice 2024

The Life of the Artist and the Creative Process – Part 5

Certainty and Truth

A segment from the studio manager (Victoria Chapman) on Shane’s creative life in the studio, and at the ranch

In Part 5, we are sharing Shane’s daily routine and how one thought leads to the next and, yes, there is some certainty and truth here. I have heard visitors to the studio say on many occasions, “Shane, this is amazing, things just seem to line up for you.” How does this unfold?

As the observer in the room, I can honestly say, it’s not as easy as it may appear. Sure, there is a certain amount of luck, but the reality is there are no shortcuts. Shane works everyday all day, and he doesn’t take holidays. It’s like water that flows from one stream to the next-- it’s automatic for him. Whether he is in his orchard or vineyard tending to the fruit trees, remodeling a building (he is currently creating the “wine room” with two childhood friends), or applying the first layer of gesso to canvas, he is merely being in the moment. Somehow along the way of Shane’s early beginnings, this ability to stay in the moment took shape. And now it’s automatic. Whatever he touches, be it breakfast, a grapevine, or the brush to which he is about to create art, there is a certain consciousness that becomes absolute with all his heart, and in return the universe responds. Sometimes the circle is complete, an exhibition is booked, or a painting is sold. With total transparency, there is honesty that goes into a task. When I come across quotes from Hegel’s Phenomenology of the Spirit, it stops me in my tracks to reflect on what is going on in Shane’s life, and studio practice.

“In grasping the thought that the single individual consciousness is in itself - Absolute Essence, consciousness has returned into itself. Phenomenology of the Spirit page 139

If you have been following this series, you know I am thumbing through Hegel’s Phenomenology of the Spirit. Hegel’s book explores the principles of self-identity and reaches into the dialectic. I will not go into that, but I will share why I keep returning to this book. For me, it has been a proverbial jumping-off place. It is a reminder of why art is made and its process. And then there is the creative flow, which I believe is another intertwined topic.

A few days ago, I was reminded of a conversation I had thirty-three years ago with a fellow art student, “How can I make art when I have barely experienced the world myself?” That was a wild thought, and it got me thinking about Shane and his life experiences as it’s translated into art.

There have been two films and podcast that have been published about Shane’s studio and ranch life. Some might ask, how does Shane divide his time? What are his daily rituals, shifting from one task or painting to the next. There is minimal separation – separated only by what he touches. How does the physicality of being become the impetus of art making? Creativity is an alchemic process of transforming truth into evidence. We can see it from the beginning in cave paintings, and for thousands of years, this has been observed from stone to iron and now into the information age.

Shane wrote an article that touches on this subject, The Art of the Ancients Art Confidential Magazine, April 2023

Shane’s article ***The Art of the Ancients***

Artists have always contemplated the landscape. Whether this means tagging the wall or making mental notes, it’s the human condition to observe and document one’s findings. Cezanne spent years painting Mount St. Victore, observing nature, living in solitude, and searching for inner freedom. This practice of recording the world around him created some of the most unique works of art, setting the stage for the 20th century, starting with Picasso, which all began by honoring his truth.

As I sit at my desk daily in Los Angeles, I contemplate why art is so important and what it does on an immediate level and for society. I take a break and walk over to another painting studio of Shane’s and gasp while looking at the vast Conscious Occupation of a Praying Mind a painting from the series, At Still Point of the Turning World. As I leave that studio and walk over to collect the mail, I am reminded of the street sounds and the thousands of cars and people trailing up and down Western Ave. daily. Returning to my desk, I glance over to the storage racks in the office, patiently holding Shane’s paintings. The office has become an art storage space as much as an office space. To my left are floor-to-ceiling bookshelves stacked with binders, catalogs, magazine boxes, and numerous books - all relative to Shane and his career on a global level. This man’s markings, documentation, and commitment to his art-making practice serve as a reminder of why art should never be forgotten or misunderstood.

It’s been a hectic year thus far while finalizing plans for the 2024 Venice Biennale (Shane’s exhibition will be on display at the Bovolo Museum). There was also a new record set at a Parisian auction for At the Still Point of the Turning World – Only Through Time is Time Conquered oil on canvas, plus various exhibitions, musical concerts that intertwine music and art, and many lectures about the topic of art and how Guffogg is informed and inspired by different composers, that took place in and around Los Angeles. Two of Shane’s paintings are in the group exhibition Circle of Sam at the Bakersfield Museum of Art, where his paintings are featured alongside Ed Ruscha, Sam Francis, and more. This exhibition honors Sam's friendships with fellow artists; it closes on September 9th. Opening on October 19th, 2023, at the Forest Lawn Museum, Glendale, is Shaping Gravity: Abstract Art Beyond the Picture Plane, featuring seven artists. Shane will have six significant works that span 21 years.

The Bovolo Museum, Venice, Italy where twenty new paintings will be on display from April - November 2024 Venice Biennale

Guffogg’s *At the Still Point of the Turning World - Only Through Time is Time Conquered* oil on canvas, 84 x 108” a record was set at Paris auction ($480,000 USD) on May 4, 2023

Guffogg’s *At the Still Point of a Turning World - The Conscious Occupation of a Praying Mind* oil on canvas, 78 x 108” will be featured in October 2023 exhibition Shaping Gravity: Abstract Art Beyond the Picture Plane Los Angeles

An intimate corner in the Central California Studio, in process paintings *Neither Flesh nor Fleshness* a stanza from T. S. Eliot’s Four Quartets to be featured in Venice during 2024

While supporting Shane’s endeavors, I observe him traveling back and forth from Los Angeles and Central California studios with the occasional business trip to Europe. I often wonder, “Where does Shane get his inspiration, and how does he start his day?”

Shane, the tornado, as he sometimes refers to himself, is busily noticing all the tiny and minute, numerous layers around him, seeing and feeling his way around the landscape. Within 12 hours on any given day, Shane not only works on his latest paintings (he usually works on 5 to 7 at a time), but also farming and tending to his Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard, olive trees (yes, he is pressing his olive oil), and 100 plus assorted fruit trees. Shane is moving through time and space. If you could trace his patterns throughout the painting studio and working the earth, one might see a similar physicality and energy that permeates from his surroundings.

Cabernet Sauvignon grapevine at the ranch/studio in Central California. Shane personally planted 350 vines.

During Part 5 of this series, Shane has been too busy for our usual Q and A and he suggested sharing two videos made by Eric Minh Swenson, Part 1 and Part 2 filmed at the ranch, two years apart. These videos go into detail about Shane’s life and what he was and is planning. And to refer again to Hegel -- while becoming conscious and aware of the world, Shane acknowledges his thoughts, visualizing beauty and the positive wonders of the world. All these elements are the ingredients for his daily practice of art making and life.

Victoria Chapman

Studio Manager

Guffogg Studio Los Angeles

Watch The Ranch Part 1

Watch The Ranch Part 2

listen to the interview

The progress today of the big painting for Venice (first image in this newsletter)

SHANE GUFFOGG: PART 4, THE LIFE OF THE ARTIST AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS - "TRANSCENDING"

December 27, 2022

Happy Holidays,

I am sending gratitude from the Los Angeles studio, wishing everyone a peaceful and bright holiday season. Here we are sending our last conversation during 2022. This one is about transcending - an on-going topic I have been milling over with Shane.

In Part 3 we talked about time and space, we also discussed the complexity of Shane’s 2016, “At the Still Point of the Turning World” oil on canvas. I mentioned Spinoza’s ‘inherent nature of all things’ and Shane shared his thoughts on the creator and observer. In Part 4, the focus is on change and transcendence. As we reach the closing of 2022, I think this discussion is necessary to prepare for what is to come in 2023. Parts of this conversation are taken from our podcast “Blue” also the title of the current exhibition on display at The Blue Room on Western Avenue, consisting of three large works and what I refer to as Shane’s transcendental paintings. - VC

The Life of the Artist and the Creative Process - Part 4

VC: I recently found an excerpt in The World Interiors magazine (January 2021), by JG Ballard. There was a section on the “Word” of interiors celebrating four decades of the magazine’s success with special content using text to describe an interior. Ballard’s contribution, an excerpt from “The Future of the Future” (1977) predicts life in 2000. Ballard’s text brings to light who we are today, and the disconnect endured by living in the information age. I am charmed by his foresight – he was not alone with his vision, as many others predicted similar outcomes. But I would like to begin this conversation with Shane by sharing this current mood of the now /then and the need to transcend into the safe arrival of 2023.

“In the dream house of the year 2000, Mrs. Tomorrow will find herself living happily inside her own head. Walls, floors and ceilings will be huge, unbroken screens on which will be projected a continuous sound-and-visual display of her pulse and respiration, her brain waves and blood pressure. The delicate quicksilver loom of her nervous system as she sits at her dressing-table, the sudden flush of adrenaline as the telephone rings, the warm arterial tides of emotion as she arranges lunch with her lover, all these will surround her with a continuous lightshow. Every aspect of her home will literally reflect her character and personality, a visible image of her inner self to be overlaid and enhanced by those of her husband and children, relatives and friends. A marital tiff will resemble the percussive climax of The Rite of Spring, while a dinner party (with each of the guests wired into the circuitry) will be embellished by a series of frescoes as richly filled with character and incident as a gallery of Veroneses. By contrast, an off day will box her into a labyrinth of Francis Bacons, a premonition of spring surround her with the landscapes of Constable, an amorous daydream transform the walls of her bathroom into a seraglio worthy of Ingres”

VC: It’s interesting, as we read deeper into Ballard’s text, Mrs. Tomorrow’s life is revealed by artist paintings. As I lay awake during these cold months, tossing and turning, listening to the echoing sounds of police cars and helicopters chasing into the Hollywood night, I continue to contemplate my existence, questioning the decisions I have made and where my life will end up. And during this time, I will be prompted by great artworks that have shaped my life. I will make a plea to the world, that creative beings will continue to observe what’s around them and define what it means to be human. And if in the far future, if art has no physical presence, there will be some chamber within our mind that will remind us of great artists and how our experience has been described through the centuries, because, I believe, art was made for just that.

Shane Guffogg, "At the Still Point of the Turning World" 2016, oil on canvas, 80 x 100 inches

SHANE GUFFOGG: PART 3 - THE LIFE OF THE ARTIST AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS

August 14, 2022

Part 3 - The Life of the Artist and the Creative Process

A Conversation between the studio manager Victoria Chapman (VC Projects) and Shane Guffogg

Introduction

Hollywood can be hot during July and August. The heat can zap your energy. Summer is a time to go on vacation and rest by the shore with toes buried in the sand or hike in the mountains sleeping in a tent under the stars or traveling to a faraway place. For me, during this time I reflect on my creative and spiritual practice. I am not talking about religion, I am talking about something inherent in oneself, finding the joy or peacefulness within. In continuing with Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit, I have had some feedback asking why the need to explore such philosophical texts? Hegel’s book was written as a manual for understanding, consciousness, truth and self-certainty, observing reason, and much more. It shares a view of how our minds work -- the understanding of self, as well as emotions. I am also reminded by Spinoza’s sense of cause and effect, and by being aware of these modes of understanding, it could engage an inner freedom in pursuit of creativity. I often wonder where the conversation begins. Are we merely a projection or are we reacting to the physical world around us? Is the goal of art only to remind us of the beauty or devastation, or to create an illusion of our so-called paradise? Have we turned our backs on humanity by not contemplating this? Can art possibly mirror the individual experience? Shane Guffogg once said in an interview, “We are human beings. Being is part of what we do.” To all the artists out there, by being, art is made, and it can be shared with the world, to inform the masses, or at least reveal itself to those who are awake.

Part 3 – “The Life of the Artist and the Creative Process”

VC: In Part 2 of this conversation, we began to unravel Hegel’s text about notion of force, and I found a passage on time and space (another big topic), where he says,

“It is necessary that motion be split up to time and space or again, into distance and velocity. Thus, since motion is only the relation of these factors, it—the universal—is certainly divided in its own self. But now these parts, time and space or distance and velocity, do not in themselves express this origin in a One; they are different to one another, space is thought of as able to be without time, time without space, and distance at least without velocity—just as their magnitudes are indifferent to one another, since they are not related to one another as positive and negative, and thus are not related to another through their own essential nature.”

What I am taking away from this deep, philosophical statement, is that Space and Time are two separate things. I bring this up because as we are talking about the relationship between the work of art and the process of its creation, I am questioning what the viewer gains from observing art.

We recently recorded audio on Sound Cloud, about the painting, “At the Still Point of the Turning World”, 80 x 100 inches, dated 2016. I asked Shane this question, “You mentioned a point of gravity at the center of the painting and how through the act of painting, you were recalling all the patterns that make up your daily life. You are guiding the viewer to an area in the center of the canvas, which for you is a void and an object at the same time. You talked about the neutral colors that are made of cool and warm tones, and that you wanted the painting to visually pulsate. This was an emotionally strenuous painting to create, and needing time and space to reflect on it, you put it away for some time while you traveled to Venice Italy. Upon your return, you knew what it needed. How did you know and how does this happen?”

Shane Guffogg working on "The Evolution of the Mortal Soul - Amor Fati"

SHANE GUFFOGG: PART 2, THE LIFE OF THE ARTIST AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS

June 18, 2022

A Conversation between the Victoria Chapman (VC Projects) and Shane Guffogg

Introduction
Last month we began a discussion about the studio process, and the conscious efforts to create art. In Part 2, we continue with Hegel’s text from Phenomenology of Spirit, (1807) contemplating appearance and the supersensible world; when one loses themselves to the senses. Interestingly, Hegel’s book was written as a guide to define awareness as it pertains to truth and is one of the most popular philosophical texts discussing the history of consciousness.
We also discuss the first letter in Rilke’s book, “Letter to a Young Poet,” which consists of ten letters Rilke exchanges with a young poet from 1903 - to 1908. These letters were based on writing advice, but the great writer shares his thoughts about living. The first letter is particularly insightful, as Rilke encourages the 19-year-old military cadet to seek a connection with his inner soul to figure out if he has the substance to find his truth as a poet. I prompt Shane with the questions surrounding the purpose of creativity and the arts, as he shares his thoughts, introspectively measuring his experiences. We end with Shane describing a monumental artwork titled, “The Evolution of a Mortal Soul - Amor Fati” a painting partially inspired by Nietzsche’s explanation of eternal reoccurrence. Through these ongoing conversations, I hope to shed light on inquiry for both the maker and the viewer, as art has always been a language informed by humanity for the living to witness.

And so, we begin again ….

Part 2 – “The Life of the Artist and the Creative Process”

VC: Returning to Hegel’s “Phenomenology of the Spirit” when I read the following passage below, I felt it was something we could talk about when exploring the life of the artist and the creative process. For me, this passage pertains to certainty and the action of consciousness which then leads to determination. At best, Hegel's text is hard to read, as the great philosopher and writer dissects each stage of action, from what fires off in our mind, whether conscious or not, then the following steps that eventually lead to cause and effect. What I am interested in understanding here is, what leads one to creative thoughts? What leads one to be inspired? What leads one to get a thought and take it forward to make a decision to make art. Why are some artists more successful at harnessing their creative impulses and others are less so? I don't believe it's a simple solution of saying, "Well - you need to sit down and meditate and do it for a really long time." And, then you will be able to grasp a conscious effort to get out of your own way and take the idea and make art with it. If you can get that far, then of course there are a whole other set of 'good' problems that will need to be solved next! Returning back, you have thought about these things early on, and decided how and what you want to comment on through your visual practice of being an artist.

In the studio "The Counting of Days", oil on canvas

SHANE GUFFOGG: THE LIFE OF THE ARTIST AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS

May 01, 2022

Introduction

The artist’s journey is never a straight path, there are countless twists and turns. Shane and I begin a new dialogue about the life of the artist and the creative process. There is always so much to ask Shane about his studio process and how he continues to be inspired to make work. We thought to share this new discussion and a series of paintings that initially began in 1989 as charcoal drawings called the “Numbers” series. Last year, Shane revisited this body of work and then started making oil paintings. This series in oil is now referred to as “The Counting of Days”, it’s an intriguing body of work based on humanity and life itself.

“The Life of the Artist and the Creative Process”
A Conversation between the studio manager (Victoria Chapman) and Shane Guffogg.

I would like to begin by sharing some text Hegel wrote in the Phenomenology of Spirit, (1807). This book was written to inspire philosophical stimulation. I found the chapter on consciousness: “Sense-Certainty: or the ‘This’ and ‘Meaning’ quite fascinating. It discusses that to be creative, one needs to have a sense of consciousness; to focus on the here and now before commenting or even interpreting on surroundings. You have created many paintings that lead into this idea, one such, 2015, “What if Everything That was Is, And Everything That Is Never Was.” From my research, it seems Cezanne spent a great deal of his life by himself, being in nature painting Mount Victorie. But first, the great artist needed to understand his existence experiencing the here and now.

What do you have to say about consciousness and the here and now?

Shane Guffogg: You are coming out of your corner with a big, left hook type of question! The title of the painting that you quote is an interesting story. As I was working on that painting, trying to create subtle transitions of hues that were almost invisible but giving enough information to show the viewer what is there, the title popped into my mind, seemingly from nowhere. I wasn’t thinking about what the title should be or what the painting was saying, but it was the subtle tones that influenced my mind to summon that idea; an idea that all that has ever been, is present in each moment, and the moment, or as I like to call it, the now, is just that. It has no past or future. It is a seemingly impossible thing to comprehend as this idea of everything being nothing and nothing being everything counters each other. But, when I can just be in the moment, then it makes perfect sense.

As for Cezanne and his need to be alone, I think it is true for some artists, but I can’t say for all. Creating is very personal and in my case requires quiet, uninterrupted space, just like when we have our quiet thoughts. They need to be private. There is an innate silence in my work that I think comes from creating in solitude.

SHANE GUFFOGG: SELF PORTRAITS, PART 4

March 19, 2021

Shane Guffogg: Self-Portraits, Part 4
(conversation between Victoria Chapman and Shane Guffogg continues)

Previously we discussed the work of Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. In Part 4, we dive into self-portraits by Frida Kahlo and Francis Bacon. This is an important discovery in the history of portraiture. Guffogg and I weave in and out of each artist's life, understanding how they arrived.

VC: Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) was an artist who had incredible merit. By following her impulses she transcended her own life. She is well-known for her self-portraits, of which she painted around sixty. These portraits helped her find freedom and escape herself. As a child, Kahlo contracted polio. At age 19 she was in a traffic accident that left her with a broken spine, pelvis, and collarbone, as well as a crushed foot. This grueling event would change the course of her life; her plans to become a doctor were shattered. She was permanently crippled and at times bedridden for months on end. Throughout her recovery, she found painting to be her saving grace. Eventually, she placed mirrors around her room, delicately painting herself to pass the time and the onslaught of endless pain. Kahlo went on to develop her artwork in this manner. When her health improved she sought out muralist Diego Rivera to see her work. He simultaneously recognized her talent and fell in love with her. Kahlo and Rivera would eventually marry. They began traveling around together for Rivera’s many mural commissions, visiting San Francisco, Detroit, and New York, before returning back to Mexico. Kahlo would continue to create paintings describing her life, which included countless surgeries, questions about identity, and the endless suffering of Rivera’s infidelity. These topics were reoccurring themes found in her compositions. The painting “The Two Fridas” (1939) displays two images of Kahlo. She made this painting after a separation from Rivera; the two Fridas represented the Kahlo that Rivera loved and the one that he rejected. Kahlo would often wear traditional Mexican or Tehuana clothes, adorned with fresh flowers in her hair and abundant jewelry on her fingers and wrists – this was the feminine Frida Rivera adored. But when Kahlo suffered from Rivera’s infidelity, she would often cut her hair short and dress in men's clothing – this was the Frida Rivera did not like. In her painting, there are two Fridas holding hands and showing their hearts, one donning ornate attire and the other dressed more casually. Their hearts are connected by a vein, however, the ornately dressed Frida is cutting a secondary vein off of her own heart.

SHANE GUFFOGG: SELF PORTRAITS, PART 3

February 08, 2021

Shane Guffogg: Self-Portraits, Part 3
(conversation between Victoria Chapman and artist continues)

In Part 3, we enter the worlds of Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. I spent time researching the artists and some of their life experiences that shaped many compositions and self-portraits. I had more questions for Shane Guffogg, which he carefully shared his personal takes on, giving me a deeper understanding. This led me to draw curious parallels between the artists of the past and Guffogg, parallels that reveal more and more about his work.

V.C: Henri Matisse (1869-1954) was another artist that advanced modern art, but not without hardship. It took until almost the end of his career for the public to understand his work. Matisse also created self-portraits, utilizing different styles and mediums: etchings, paintings, simplified line drawings, etc. I learned from my research that Matisse valued painting the relationships between objects rather than just the objects themselves. He’s known for his still lifes and portraits. He eventually made paper cut-outs, which would become the most-known works of his career. The artist was also known for painting his own spirit into his works; not his recognizable face, but his presence within the scenes he painted. He not only recreated the world around him in a dazzling array of colors and lines, but he also painted a life force within it. In the Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence, which is decorated in colored stained glass and black line drawings, Matisse displays his version of Stations of the Cross. The colored stained glass cascades on the visitor, sharing space within the white walls – color from the light is the environment.

SHANE GUFFOGG: SELF-PORTRAITS, Part 2

January 02, 2021

Shane Guffogg: Self-Portraits, Part 2
(conversation between Victoria Chapman and Shane Guffogg continues)

We continue the dialogue by exploring the work of Vincent van Gogh, Edvard Munch, and Paul Cezanne. We share the developments of why these artists made it their sole purpose to create art.

VC: Vincent Willem van Gogh (1853 – 1890) was an artist whose personal history and legacy is just as famous as his paintings. The son of a pastor, Vincent grew up with core religious and spiritual beliefs that followed him throughout his turbulent life. Floating from one occupation to another, he worked as an art dealer, teacher, missionary and finally found his true calling as an artist. How do you think this played out in van Gogh's art?

Shane Guffogg: That is an interesting question. On one hand, the two occupations of a missionary (or preacher) and an art dealer are polar opposites. However, what would happen if the two were merged into one? Art and religion? That outcome is spirituality, and in van Gogh's case, is manifested through the act of seeing, observing, and ultimately translating his emotional experiences through paint. His mature work reveals his love of the beauty he sees in nature. His objective, I think, was to convince his viewer of the spirit and presence of God. That knowledge or message could create a spiritual awakening, setting his audience on a path of enlightenment. That is the work of a true missionary!

SHANE GUFFOGG: SELF-PORTRAITS, Part 1

December 09, 2020

Shane Guffogg: Self-Portrait, Part 1

The artist and their psychological state transmitting its way through history.

Conversation between Victoria Chapman and Los Angeles based international artist, Shane Guffogg.

The history of self-portraits dates back centuries – they are easy to spot in early Egyptian art, Greek/Roman Mythology, and more. It’s no surprise that upon exiting the Middle Ages and entering the 15th century or early Renaissance – when artists began to separate from kingdoms – the self-portraiture became more common in search of identity and questioning of humanity.

SHANE GUFFOGG: COLOR Part 5

October 16, 2020

Abstract Expressionism and Freedom
(Conversation between Victoria Chapman and Los Angeles based artist, Shane Guffogg continues)

VC: We finished Part 4 entering the uncharted waters of Abstract Expressionism, a movement that incorporated beauty and violence. I was awestruck with the opening monologue of Emile De Antonio’s art documentary film; Painter’s Painting – The New York Art Scene 1940 -1970

The monologue begins …

“They say the problem of American painting is there was a problem of subject matter. Painting in America kept getting tangled up in the contradictions of itself. We made portraits of ourselves when we had no idea who we were. We tried to find God in landscapes, and we were destroying them as fast as we could paint them. We painted Indians as fast as we could kill them. And during the greatest accomplishments in technological history, we painted ourselves as a bunch of fiddling rustics. By the time we became social realists we knew that American themes were not going to lead to a great national art. Only because the themes themselves were hopelessly absolute. Against the consistent attack of Mondrian and Picasso, we had only art of half-truths lacking conviction. The best artists began to yield rather than kick against the pricks. And it is exactly at this moment, we finally abandon the hopeless constraints to create a national art, that we succeeded for the first time to do just that. By resolving a problem forced on a painting by the history of French art. We created for the first time a genuine art of magnitude. And if one had to ask what made American art great, it was American painters who took hold of the issue of abstract art – a freedom that could get with no other subject matter and finally we made high art out of it.”

Shane Guffogg, Woman Bust #1 oil on board, 24 x 16″, 1983 — Shane Guffogg, *Woman Bust #1*
oil on board, 24 x 16″, 1983

SHANE GUFFOGG: COLOR Part 4

February 11, 2020

Shane Guffogg: Color Part 4
The beginning of the twentieth century

(Conversation between Victoria Chapman and Los Angeles based artist, Shane Guffogg continues

As we continue with the discussion on color, in part 4, we look at color opening new possibilities at the beginning of the 20h century. During the early 1900s, Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse were known to be rivals. Matisse was leading the charge of Fauvism, the term that translates to “wild beasts” and represents the movement’s vibrant usage of strong color. During this time, Picasso had abandoned the Blue period, launching himself into a new palette, coined the Rose period, only to be followed by yet another shift in his work, due in part, to Matisse. Henri Matisse received a lot of attention for the paintings he was creating – some of the criticism scathing, some not. Picasso had his own reaction, as he began to create works that simply lacked color. But there is much more to this story and I asked Shane Guffogg his thoughts on these two giants of the 20th-century art world. The artist shares his ideas on the subject while revealing what influences his choice of colors. Guffogg’s answers are insightful, revealing yet another layer about his own work.

Shane Guffogg, (Detail) Sapere Aude #12, oil on canvas, 84 x 60", 2019 — Shane Guffogg, (Detail) *Sapere Aude #12,* oil on canvas, 84 x 60", 2019

SHANE GUFFOGG: COLOR Part 3

December 18, 2019 in Essays

(Conversation between , Victoria Chapman and Los Angeles based artist, Shane Guffogg continues)

VC: Have you ever thought about who created the first abstract painting and why? To me, abstract painting represents something cerebral. The colors often portray a significant role, which then guide our emotions to think or feel a certain way. In some cases, there is an interweaving of borders that are made of divisions of colors or shades of non-color. It can be a type of landscape waiting to be discovered or a junction willing to begin a new path. I often wonder, how does this come about? I asked Shane and he answered me by explaining,

Shane Guffogg: “Wassily Kandinsky was known to be the first abstract painter, If you really think about what abstraction is and break down the word abstraction, it means, something pulled or drawn away. That is exactly what J.M.W. Turner (1775- 1851), did; he abstracted moments in time.”

Shane Guffogg, Strathmore Summer, oil on canvas board, 16 x 20”, 1982 — Shane Guffogg, *Strathmore Summer*, oil on canvas board, 16 x 20”, 1982

SHANE GUFFOGG: COLOR Part 2

September 29, 2019 in essays

(Conversation between , Victoria Chapman and Los Angeles based artist, Shane Guffogg continues)

It's hard to believe before the 1800's artists were for the most part using color as an intrinsic property of an object. During the French Impressionist era, this changed, as artists began to use color and light to investigate emotion. Claude Monet's paintings of haystacks are a good example of this. Being present in the flutter of the modern world, it's unimaginable to think that what see today has not always been, but rather, it evolved with the passage of discovery.

(Detail), Shane Guffogg, Sapere Aude #7, oil on canvas, 2018 — (Detail), Shane Guffogg, *Sapere Aude #7,* oil on canvas, 2018

SHANE GUFFOGG: COLOR - Conversations about color and how it has influenced the artist's work

August 23, 2019

(Follow me as I research the origins of color and discover how it has inspired the work of Los Angeles based artist Shane Guffogg) - Victoria Chapman

About six months ago I listened to a podcast about color and it really got me thinking about the history of art and Guffogg’s paintings. Working amongst them in the studio, I started to contemplate how the artist uses color to create his visual poetry. The subject of color in art is vast. I began to research it from the beginning and the parts I became particularly interested in, I wrote notes about, and proposed questions to the artist.

At The Still Point Of The Turning World -Only Through Time Is Time Conquered, 2018 oil on canvas, 84 x 108" inches — *At The Still Point Of The Turning World -*
*Only Through Time Is Time Conquered,* 2018
oil on canvas, 84 x 108" inches

SHANE GUFFOGG: AT THE STILL POINT OF THE TURNING WORLD PART 2

April 07, 2019 in Essays

February was a busy month for Los Angeles – there were many art fairs that took place among the forever sprawling and busy city. I went to most of these fairs hoping I might see something new, something that would give me insight about the world and remind me why being alive is so important. Isn’t art suppose to improve on what already exists? Or as Picasso was once quoted: “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”.

At the Still Point of the Turning World - All Time Present is Eternally Present, 2016 oil on canvas, 58 x 48" inches — *At the Still Point of the Turning World - All Time Present is Eternally Present*, 2016
oil on canvas, 58 x 48" inches

SHANE GUFFOGG: AT THE STILL POINT OF THE TURNING WORLD

February 08, 2019 in Essays

This is a taste of the profound poem by T.S Eliot, “Four Quartets,” which consist of four meditations, with the common thread of man’s relationship with time, the universe, and the divine. Eliot’s desire is for the reader to focus on the present moment, and the order of the universe. The four quartets are meant to reflect the four classical elements, or maybe the four seasons. Section I (Burnt Norton) – air, Section II (East Coker) – earth, Section III (Dry Salvages) – water, and Section IV (Little Gidding) – fire.

Inside the Hollywood art studio of Shane Guffogg

Shane Guffogg - Letter From Ukraine

December 23, 2018 in Essays

I open this with a copy of a letter recently sent to Shane. As his studio manager, I have a unique position to witness what happens within the walls of his creative spaces. In writing these newsletters, it is always my goal to share the work with as many people as possible. And as a “fly on the wall”, I believe, “Letter from Ukraine” is symbolic of the times we live in. It is a testimony to us all, that it does not matter where we live or what language we speak. Great art has the ability to bring us together and share comparative thought.