Browsing Tag

david cunningham

Day With a Camera Visual Splendor

Day With a Camera: The Indiana State Fair

08/09/2017

I’ve always quite a fan of the fair. Something about the red candy apples and the lights of the Ferris wheel sends my heart a flutter and my eyes sparkling like prisms in the sun. Add fancy chickens being shown like prized trophies and I’m in.

So there you have it, this is the fair through the kaleidoscope eyes of Miseducated’s colorfully skewed looking glass.

That was very Warhol of this supermarket sculptor..

This Polish chicken is patiently waiting her time to go home.

As a kid this was always my must-play game.
It was once around $1 for 20 balls and the bowls were all side to side so you won a new pet fish every time.

Esra and I adored the pineapple whip.

Esra and I had a wonderful time and seeing as our fairs are just a bit different than they are in Turkey, it was entertaining for her~ The fair is always a mixed bag.. it’s over-priced, crowded by many people you don’t want to be around and filled with delicious junk food. The lengths I go to for the fair specialties and a few glimpses of chickens is laughable.

Also, pst! If you’re going to be at the fair next Tuesday you’ll be able to see my David Cunningham’s photorealism painting demonstration in the Fine Arts Building.

Business Features

Hoosier Salon vs iMOCA in Indianapolis

08/09/2015

hoosier salon vs imoca

In this one weekend only competition iMOCA iNSIDERS and Hoosier Salon members are invited to present their work side by side to be voted on by the public and determine which pieces are the most popular. The creators of the top five favorite pieces in the show will win special prize packages.

On Friday we went to the opening at iMOCA, because David submitted his new drawing (“My Sun Sets to Rise Again” 17.5″x24″ Black and White Charcoal on Paper) into the competition, and we were happy we did. I love seeing new art-events in Indianapolis, especially one like this that exposes one genre to another genre.

david cunningham

Today is your last day to view the show. It’s only open this weekend: August 7 – August 9 until 7:00pm in iMOCA located at 1043 Virginia Ave Suite 5, Indianapolis, Indiana 46203

imoca building, fountain square

IMOCA is pretty self-explanatory. Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art. I’ve been to quite a few of their events, in fact, Jamie and I actually dressed up in blood for their campy halloween vampire movie viewing a couple of years ago. Meanwhile, the Hoosier Salon’s art is much more traditional but still contemporary in the way that it is currently being created. Richard Anderson, “People like to forget that all art created at this time is contemporary.”

Robert Horvath, Narcissus #4

Robert Horvath, Narcissus #4

The much adored Richard Anderson, gallery manager at the Carmel Hoosier Salon Gallery, along with Paula Katz, gallery manager at iMOCA, wanted to try new ways to expose and blend art and artists to new audiences as well as their organizations. As artist David Cunningham said, “It broadens the audience. You have people that are interested in contemporary work looking at traditional art while those who prefer traditional art are now seeing contemporary art. It also exposes contemporary artists of one genre to contemporary artists of another genre.”

All participating iMOCA iNSIDERs and Hoosier Salon members were allowed to submit one piece of work within a 30″ size limit, no video was allowed.

You have one last chance today to view the work if you haven’t yet!

More Information

Hoosier Salon vs iMOCA Event Page
iMOCA
Hoosier Salon
NUVO Article

Artist & Designer Features

Contemporary Realism Painter David Cunningham aka Mistereducated

07/31/2015

davidcunningham

You may or may not know that David Cunningham is my fiancé and long term love with whom I raise 4 children with, but before all of that he was an artist. We met because he was an artist, an art professor to be exact, and I’ve always felt strongly that his work is stunning. I felt this way prior to falling in love with him, his work is just shockingly rich. He inspired me endlessly to push myself further than I thought as a professor and as an artist and I never forgot those lessons.

His paintings themselves look as though they are windows peering into a space of stylized almost-photographicly delicate realism. I can most assure you that you will be amazed that *all* the small images below are actually paintings (or drawings) that he has spent hours upon hours on while detailing each square inch. The finished paintings are even more rich where you can really see the details; they are amazing because of the reality he creates within them. I’m a lucky girl to have this beauty and skill under my roof. Although he is male, and we have rarely featured males, I think it’s time. Skill and beauty know no sex, race or religion and nor does the unconventionality that is Miseducated.

How long have you been creating art?
That depends on what your definition of “art” is. Like most kids, I loved to draw, color, paint, build models, play with playdough, etc. Unlike most kids, I never stopped. As for “art” , art only happens on occasion. It is unique, personal, and beyond me as the creator. I think the first time that happened was around 2003.

What is your preferred medium?
Nothing beats the lumosity and color richness you can achieve with oil paint.

Did it ever become your main focus and when?
After Undergraduate school I opened up my own studio and made work full time (mostly ceramics.) Honestly, it was a very lonely time for me. I worked 8-10 hours every day and would go several days without seeing anyone. This was the days before podcasts and audiobooks a plenty that keep me company these days in the studio. It was lonely. I am an introvert but not that introverted. I found out in graduate school that teaching helped me become a better artist. It balanced me… giving me an opportunity to interact with others and exchange ideas. I have been balancing teaching as an art professor and studio work ever sense.

What has been your favorite exhibition or event to be involved in?
One of my stone paintings won Best in Show at the Contemporary Realism Biennial several years back. It really floored me. It was a national show featuring some of the best realistic art in America. It was an honor just to be included…to win was epic.

What inspires you most?
Beauty. Not beauty that others can easily recognize, but beauty that is overlooked. That is one of the things that I like about painting stones. They are extraordinary but no one really pays attention to them. The work I have to do as an artist is to make others see the beauty that I see.

How do you deal with artist’s block?
I make work. Often this isn’t the afore mentioned “art” but just studies or master copies. Anything to keep working. Pressure to perform… to make something great scares away the muse.

What has been your favorite work you’ve created?
I don’t really have favorites. Some are clearly better than others, but they are all my children. I am always surprised at what work connects with people. That is why I do it. It isn’t really important if it connects with me. My job is just to make the work. That’s it. Show up and do it.

Do you have any odd stories about one of your pieces?
I had a large painting that I had spent many hours on and all of the parts were beautifully painted, but the composition was off. I tried to sell it for cheap with no takers. I then got the idea to cut it up into 4 small paintings. Each of the small paintings sold for more than I was asking for the whole painting.

Favorites:
Color? blue-grey
Food? watermelon, steak, lobster
Animal? goats
Music? Coldplay, Radiohead, mellow indie rock
Magazine? I don’t have time to read! I listen to audio books and podcasts though.
Movie? Forrest Gump and Pulp Fiction
Book? The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

Do you have any advice for readers interested in turning their hobby into their main focus?
Read the War of Art and do what it says. Live as modestly as you can so you have as much time as possible to make your work. Don’t give up. Art is a war of attrition. Perseverance and hard work beats talent.

What do you feel is a recipe for success?
First you have to define what success is. Otherwise, how will you know if you hit it? Secondly, find mentors (people who are doing what you want to do). Do what they do and you will get what they get.

Would you say you’re Miseducated?
I am Mistereducated. Predictably logical unless you are a woman then I am a mystery.

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cathedral

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my sun sets to rise again by david cunningham

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Learn more here:
David Cunningham Official Web Portfolio & Shop
Official Facebook Page

Design Your Life

Amnesia: When You Forget Your Life and Love

06/02/2015

eternalsunshine

I’ve been through a lot of things in the last 30 years, and yes, I know it sounds incredibly cliche and probably quite unlikely. I never ever thought some things would happen; others were completely normal to me and even more seemed like a movie or soap opera (completely unreal and strange). Every one of these things has changed me and made me who I am today, I am grateful I can speak about these things and live a healthy life both in spite and in honor of them.

Almost exactly a year ago one of my worst nightmares came true. I say worst nightmare about several key fears of mine and every single one of them has happened in some way. I’ve arrived at a place that I’m fearful to even have a worst nightmare anymore (so I don’t!). My furry companion (and life-long best buddy!) passed away at the age of 17 as I explained in Cats Are Good for Your Health and that was tough enough.. but next I came face to face with an even scarier experience. My soul mate had a major health scare (an isolated siezure) which was followed by severe amnesia for the following two days. I was strong, I kept positive. The kids really had no idea because I maintained that everything was completely fine and that dad was just feeling sick. I helped him feel safe even when he didn’t really know who I was. I took charge of his health and comforted him when he was confused, hurt or overwhelmed. They said his memory should come back within a few days if not the following weeks or months. They said it should come back but they didn’t know when because they’d never witnessed such a severe case. I just believed his memory would come back even when I didn’t understand why. I believed he would be ok and his brain would be healthy. I believed he would again remember me, our children, our home, our life. I knew he couldn’t have a tumor or serious condition. I practiced the law of attraction and stayed positive.

His memory gradually came back over the following days and the whole experience became an invaluable lesson for both of us in different ways, something we won’t soon forget. I got the experience of knowing that if the love of my life didn’t know me and got to decide if he would choose to do it all over again, he would. He told me in his severe amnesia that although he couldn’t remember who I was or our relationship he knew inside that I was his soul mate. He said he had this feeling inside that I was the only girl for him. He knew that he wanted to marry me and he knew my nickname when contemplating for a long time in the far parts of his brain (even though he kept calling me Farah Fawcett–the sex symbol when he was a kid). What was humorous was when he told me several times he didn’t know me but he’d like to get to (hah!) and felt shocked and modest when I helped him find the restroom and stepped inside.

For him, he felt grateful in an unreal way. He said he woke up into a life he couldn’t have imagined in his wildest dreams and he hoped he could always remember how blessed he is even when he feels he is struggling. He saw all of the small and big things alike and how important each and every one of them are — how lucky many of us are but we forget because we’re so involved in our lives. When we came home he couldn’t believe this huge house was our home.. he couldn’t believe he lived here with me and loved seeing the photos of the wonderful times we shared. He DID remember Hobbes and he didn’t remember that he passed, so he got to mourn that several times over the days but he also got to know Calvin (as a kitten) all over again and felt grateful that this tiny feline wanted nothing more than to cuddle him.

We fell asleep that first night in each other’s arms when he still didn’t really know who I was and I felt incredibly grateful that no matter what he remembered I knew he was the only man for me.

To be continued…

davidandamber