Bellshaker

13/05/2015

Po***ck Krasner House & Study Centre, Hampton East, New York
Photographic series #2
Steven Scalise 2015

13/05/2015

Po***ck Krasner House & Study Center
http://sb.cc.stonybrook.edu/pkhouse/

There is a handfull of American artists that I have more affection for than Mr Jackson Po***ck (1912-1956). I have been blessed within my travels to have experienced many works by artists including Basquiat, Hockney, Rauschenberg ,Warhol, Koons etc etc, although besides Basquiat, Jackson Po***cks incredible story is one of the most intriguing and touching stories of the American set.
To understand more of his story you could read the book Jackson Po***ck: An American Saga, or alternatively the film Po***ck, directed by Ed Harris who also brilliantly portrayed Jackson Po***ck in this feature film. Watching this gave me what felt like a genuine insight into the artists trials and tribulations and unpredictable character.
Rather then discuss his life I wanted to share with you what an incredible experience it was to visit his home and historic studio, a small homestead on one and a quarter acres overlooking Accabonac Creek in The Springs, near East Hampton, a home he shared with his wife and fellow artist Lee Krasner (1908-1984). It is always pretty amazing seeing for the first time something you have been connected to through years of interest and study then suddenly almost overnight you are there to experience it first hand...this was one of those times.
To be upfront seeing the house and its surroundings really set the seen, but for me it was the rare opportunity to spend time studying and analysing his actual barn house studio in which he produced some of his most significant works such as Blue Poles: Number 11, 1952 is ironically is in the National Gallery Victoria's collection.
An interesting note about the incredible painted timber floors of the studio which during the peak of his career acted as his easel, were only discovered well after his death as sometime during his creative life they were covered with board and rediscovered by surprise years after his death,
In my mind this incidental paint splattered floor is in someways the one of Jackson Po***cks greatest works.

12/05/2015

The Philip Johnson Glass House, New Canaan, Connecticut, USA
https://www.facebook.com/PJGlassHouse

For whatever reason I have always been enamoured by the purity and minimal nature of the mid century, especially the iconic architectural homes of North America which played a significant part in my enthusiasm to return to the States to further understand these iconic houses.
It is important to remember that although many of these homes share elements and a design language similar to todays contemporary architecture you have to appreciate the period in which they were conceptualised and constructed.
Phillip Johnson was one of only a select few "renegade architects" of the time that actually build with incredible precision and style his dream.
Although he was at the cutting edge of both architecture and contemporary arts it is important to note he’s inspiration for his glass house steamed from his friendship with Mies Van Der Rohe whos own glass house project entitled the Farnsworth House in Chicago (which I look forward to seeing on arriving in the windy city) was already conceptually well advanced.
It was Phillip Johnson's vision and foresight to accumulate and landscape every detail of the surrounding land around his glass house to further advance is utopian vision and perfect his view from the house and the only way to truly appreciate these integral elements is to experience personally.

it is this complete vision which I believe separates these two great architects.

Blah Blah Blah….Anyway Here are some of my personal images from my fortunate visit to this significant site….

10/05/2015

Series 2- The Wallkill Greenhouse, NY

10/05/2015

Whilst we were in Up State NY visiting my Great Uncle Peter and my awesome extended family, we visited an old friend Pasquale who owns and runs an amazing Nursery in a little town called Wallkill, Orange County NY, aptly named Wallkill
Green house. We arrived just as many of the beautiful flowers that both my Uncle and Pasquale had laboured over for the last few months were being trucked to retail nurseries in Connecticut. Fortunately at the time I had my trusty iPhone and took some of these images...
Series 1

09/05/2015

Wowee.. after 6 days of constant traveling we have just made it to NYC following a further two hour drive from the Hamptons. Whilst waiting to meet Sarah Jane our Airbnb host we threw back a couple of drinks at the stylised Ludlow Hotel, conveniently next door, nice:) Following her arrival we were introduced to our new Pal a character filled 2nd floor tenement building apartment positioned neatly above Sweet Chicks restaurant bar. It really is perfect, its unpretentious filled with history, warn rickety timber floors, sash timber window with wooden shutters and the intense excitement and atmosphere of Ludlow Street filtering through our window (We can almost smell the sweet aroma of Pastrami from the iconic Katz's Deli, anyway here she is...
I will follow this with the incredible visit to both the Phillip Johnson Glass house and the Jackson Po***ck Estate.

08/05/2015

Yes, yes, I know, we have had a delay between drinks but I can explain... basically we are traveling faster than I can post. As I write this I am sitting in a dimly lit (Circa 1699) hotel called The Huntting Inn, which houses the iconic Palm Reasturant, set within the quaint picturesque East Hampton, NY.
You can feel the incredible atmosphere throughout, although I'm guessing its a reasonable tame mid week in the old town, this I gather by the maî·tre d's (oops...of who just walked into the back of a chair, probably because the place is so fashionably dark, LMFO) calm demeanour and relaxed interactions.
It is just short of the busy spring season when the hamlet swells full of New York City types looking to get lose within their exclusive inner circles.
Today we had the incredible opportunity to finally see a heavy weight of mid century architecture "The Phillip Johnson House", in the leafy landscaped sleepy hollow, New Canaan in Connecticut.
And yes it was another long drive that has brought us here, I will follow this letter soon with a post and photos of this amazing house.
What I did want to share with you now was the breathtaking and emotional charged "Now is the Time" Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibition in Toronto Canada...and you wonder why I look so tired in my creative selfies!
I can not describe how significant this exhibition was to not only me, but based on the fact that so many of his most amazing and illusive works were finally brought together under one white ceiling.
Disappointingly photographs were not allowed within the exhibition although true art defies convention, here are a few of his greatest works....

05/05/2015

After an approximate 15hr flight from Melbourne and a 4hr stopover at LAX we arrived real late to New Yorks JFK airport with no sleep (grrr, can never fall asleep on planes) and keen to catch some shut eye in preparation of a sneaky 50 minute plane trip to Toronto, Canada early morning. It is for this reason the JFK Inn was chosen for the lay over, being minutes from the airport and offering an abundance of gritty faded charm with absolutely no pretence. Upon entry you are greeted with smokey mirrored glass, an abstract mural of a space shuttle, indoor and free donuts for breakfast was their any question. Next stop AGO Gallery Toronto for an acclaimed exhibition by Jean-Michel Basquiat: Now’s the Time. Can't wait!

05/05/2015

It is one of those things that has stayed with me since my very first flight. Ironically I can't even recall any details pertaining to it, not a date, not a destination or even the airline. What I can share with you was the incredible fascination and wonder I experienced of having a front row ticket through my very own private window of "me" flying through clouds, watching the light change and knowing I was actually in the air...Not much has changed, here is a series of four taken some where between Melbourne and New York's JFK Airport.

05/05/2015

13/04/2015

My mum was born in Gippsland, I have fond memories of being a child visiting my amazing Nanna in her modest Blue Victorian farmhouse in a tiny town called Rosedale, well passed the rolling hills of Trafalgar. With my parents and brother we would drive down to see her usually for a few hours at a time as my dad was always keen to make it back to Melbourne before dark, he was never much interested in staying in hotels or worse still Nannas small spare bedroom. So my experiences of this mysterious rural land were always just that, I wondered what creative secrets were hidden in the many farm houses and small towns we passed. Most recently these memories were triggered when I read an article on Olivia O'Connor an artisan bringing bespoke Rocking Horses to life in her South Gippsland workshop using traditional carving methods, passion & patience.
See here incredible work on her website, link below:
http://www.oliviaoconnor.com.au/ #!rocking-horses/c22j5