The Montrose Art Society – Grand Opening May 15

The Montrose Art Society - Grand Opening May 15

I am proud to announce that I am now a member of The Montrose Art Society, an amazing group of very talented artists.

We open an art space on May 15th at Montrose & Westheimer.

Hope to see you there.

Self-Portrait

Self Portrait (digital) - click image to enlarge

Self-Portrait (2002) – digital collage.

Curiosity

Curiosity - click to enlarge

Curiosity

Just a sketch.
Pen & Ink on paper.

5 pm.

5 pm. - click to enlarge

This image is based on a series of photos I took from the bridge that crosses Av. Libertador by the Facultad de Derecho (Law University) in Buenos Aires, Argentina about 12 years ago.
Same technique as usual, photography painted with a digital tablet, this one was printed on canvas. (more…)

Model Study 1

Model Study 1 - click image to enlarge

This is a drawing I made when I was at the National School of Arts in Buenos Aires, Argentina somewhere around 1997.
Charcoal on paper. I don’t know the name of the model. I didn’t knew back then either.
It was photographed before the digital-camera era, so the quality is not that good.
Also, it was on a very large paper size, so it bent a little.

Suffer the Children

Suffer the Children - click to enlarge

Ever since I became a father I feel different. Things that didn’t use to bother me before now hit me hard.
I am more sensitive to subjects involving children suffering. In movies, music, stories I read in the news, I find myself holding my tears.
When I work, draw or paint, I usually listen to music. It motivates me. (more…)

Is this Art?

A long time ago I was at work and I had a book on abstract painting. As a friend and I were scanning the pages our boss showed up. He looked at the book and smiled and started explaining us what was art and what wasn’t. Of course that was not the first time I heard somebody say that art is only figurative and or elaborated and not something that “my kid can do”.
Nonetheless I wanted to hear what he had to say. In the middle of his ramblings he grabbed a piece of paper from the desk and drew a black “X” with his pen. “If that’s art…” -he said – “then this is art too…”. My friend, who by the way is a painter and was going through his abstract phase started arguing with him and I don’t remember how it ended. Plus I had to get back to work.

Another day, I was reading a book about Van Gogh’s self portraits. This guy came and started flipping through the pages as if it were “People’s magazine”.
I thought I knew what was coming next…but he really surprised me. He said and I quote “-esto para mi es un tipo con barba…” which means something like “this is just a guy with a beard…”. He was talking about Vincent Van Gogh self portraits. He really cracked me up. That phrase stuck up in my head forever. I still use it in certain situations as a funny remark.
By the way, on Wikipedia’s page on art there’s a Van Gogh self portrait. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art

This is what his drawing looked like

The point of this story is that everyone, artist or not, has an opinion on what is art.
I would like to hear yours:

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You are most welcome to vote and comment.

Nico.

Midtown Houston at Night

Midtown Houston at Night - click to enlarge

Taken a couple of years ago around midnight on Allen Parkway in midtown Houston.
Long exposure.

Regadera (water pot)

Regadera (water pot) - click image to enlarge

This is Horacio.
He was one of the security guards when I used to work for ESPN Sur, the South American branch of ESPN about 10 years ago.
The guys used to call him “Regadera” which means “water pot” because he would miss the toilet seat every time.

Regadera II (Water Pot II) - drawing by Nico Whittaker

Regadera II (Water Pot II) - click image to enlarge

Standing in the shower…thinking

Standing in the Shower...Thinking - click image to enlarge

This is a series of self-portraits inspired by the song “Standing in the shower thinking” by Jane’s Addiction, one of my favorite bands from the 90’s.

(more…)

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