Nathan Spoor

Nathan Spoor is an artist and writer living in Los Angeles. Spoor's paintings involve images of transition and growth; fluid narratives that chronicle a world rich with the mystery, joy, pain, and delicate balance of personal and spiritual evolution. Believing that continuous study of technique and process are critical to his own growth as an artist, no image or canvas is too precious to wipe, repaint, and even burn on his own journey to discovery and expression. In this way, Spoor makes a personal and transformative connection with each piece that for him lives on beyond the finished works. 

 Spoor is also an active participant in the art community, functioning as an insider on both sides of the curtain as a successful gallery artist as well as a curator. With his renowned standup paddleboarder and writing partner Greg Escalante, Spoor continues to bring challenging and informative text to Juxtapoz Magazine readers in an intelligent and educated fashion.
Tagged in: Untagged  Dec 17, 2009
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The Right Light: A Live-Painting/Video Performance and Art Exhibition featuring Darren Le Gallo and Jon Cournoyer with guest artists Nathan Spoor, Chandler Wood and more     Dec 17, 2009

The Right Light
 		  
Please join us for the following event Thursday, Dec 17th at Bergamot Station Arts Center. It promises to be a Great Night!

The Right Light
A Live-Painting/Video Performance and Art Exhibition featuring Darren Le Gallo and Jon Cournoyer with guest artists Nathan Spoor, Chandler Wood and more

When: Thursday, December 17, 2009
Where: Robert Berman Gallery (C2) @ Bergamot Station Arts Center, 2525 Michigan Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Time: 7 to 11pm, Performance at 8pm
RSVP to email: rsvp@robertbermangallery.com

Admission is free
Complimentary beverages/ DJ
Website: www.robertbermangallery.com
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Tagged in: Untagged  Dec 16, 2009
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Recently my good friend and truly gifted storyteller Steven Allen was featured in the Los Angeles Times. He's one of the most magnetic personalities in any room, and literally thrives on anything new from any aspect of culture. Also on Stevo's resume, aside from having a huge love for art and good people, is his gift for creating interesting beverages. And it is this particular treat of life that landed the local mixologist into the Hot List - a beverage named for a kindred spirit perhaps, The Magritte. The side fruit you see in the images are caramelized baby apples. 

 LOS ANGELES TIMES

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2009

HOLIDAY HOT LIST

Getting in the holiday spirits
Alexandra Le Tellier
  
 What are the holidays if not an excuse to overspend, overeat and overdrink until Jan. 2, when, of course, the bloated masses swear they will never, ever, ever overindulge again.

At Falcon, mixologist Steven Allen has created the lovely Magritte, made with Stoli Gala Applik vodka, Tuaca and Simply Apple. It’s served in a glass rimmed with brie and dipped in cinnamon sugar. “You can play with the drink and make it warm, use cider, and garnish it with a fried apple,” says Allen.

 7213 Sunset Blvd., L.A.

alexandra.letellier
@latimes.com
 
 
 Photos by Jeffrey Blyseth /axisgraphics.com
Tagged in: Untagged  Dec 10, 2009
Nathan Spoor
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Saturday, Dec.12 is a great time to see the concept group show of the year at Corey Helford - the Multi Plane Show. Jan and Bruce hand picked 50 of their favorite artists to pay tribute to the early days of animation. We each created paintings using the multi plane process made famous by pioneer animators Iwerks, Fleischer and Disney, you know, the ones that influenced us all. I finished the multi plane piece (one panel, two glass panes) and then used the shipping box materials (top and bottom panels, side supports got canvas stretched around them) to make three more pieces. So there are actually 4 pieces from yours truly to check out.

Above is my multi plane piece, titled "The Ecstasy of St. Peter", one of four interconnected pieces around a somewhat autobiographical theme. The other 3 look something like this: 
 You can see these and all the other wonders of visual splendor at Corey Helford Gallery this Saturday. Info is below: 
COREY HELFORD GALLERY 
8522 Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232 
 
  
 
 
Tagged in: San Francisco , Painting Nov 02, 2009
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I was introduced to San Francisco painter David Molesky's work a little while back by Greg Escalante. Through our correspondences I learned more about his complex intellect as well as the diverse nature of his work. Molesky is an avid traveler and adventurer, spending time exploring life and art throughout Europe and even taking on an apprenticeship with Norway's own living master, Odd Nerdrum. Though he pursues a variety of different themes or bodies of work, we'll concentrate on two of my personal favorites: narratives and wave paintings. Then we'll close it out with his latest forays: city scape paintings done entirely in the moment from various locales around San Francisco rooftops. And now without any further ado, the visual pursuits of David Molesky.

 

So David, please tell us a little about your background. Where did you grow up and what was that like?

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Tagged in: Painting , Los Angeles Oct 26, 2009
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In our last little bit of time together, a few weeks back (click to check that post), I was going on an on about how important of a step it was to take things slowly. Slowly in beginning the new work, and slowly to approach the separate steps of beginning a painting. Now, I've usually looked at all the works as one long continuum that really didn't need that much processing. But now, I'm looking at the work differently. It's not different as if it's foreign or unknown, but different in that I'm beginning to understand more what "it" needs. It's not about what I want to happen, or want to see occurring. It's becoming apparent that the work itself wants me to understand what is happening. A reminder. A sweet kiss that stops time and allows all senses to function on a higher access level, an evolution distilled from elsewhere.

For now I'll stick to chattering about the three pieces that were in the sketch form last time out. The reason it might take longer than one might think to keep in touch about progress is simple: working on some 20 pieces at a time, most much larger and more detailed (for much later conversations) than the ones we're checking out. So it's just less confusing for the time being. And in reality, I'll waiver back and forth and probably sneak you a peek at those once they're a little further along.

So at this stage I've gotten the painting begun on the one above, "The Elegant Charade". It's now an 18 x 34 inch panel. When I say panel I may mean to say that this is a seriously heavy piece of wood. Next time around I'll choose a much lighter slab to work on, as this is almost dangerous hovering above me on my homemade easel situation (huge thanks to Dad for figuring out a space saving solution there). In my work, things work under the auspice of having a timeline, in the nature of a progressive narrative. Most of the time they go in sequential order, but it's not a rule that they should do so. This one is somehow tied in to the moment of unveiling as the male character in "The Arrival" makes his way into the carnival scene. To me it demonstrates the boy's crossing over from the physical world into the in-between dimension. It's the beginning to the real path of discovery. He has to make it through a substantial festive maze to reach his next phase of growth.
 
 
The next one that is in progress from our last viewing has also made it to the beginning painting stage, "In Cupid's Shadow". This one is a canvas measuring 22 x 42 inches. At this point it might be suitable to also tell you that each painting has a companion piece. If it's a male piece, there's usually a female counterpart - a balance in the narrative. This isn't always the case either. There are spaces in the series where there isn't a definite proponent, just a place where the thought resides for us to enjoy and interpret for ourselves. This piece is definitely more male, and has a female companion piece. In the paintings, the cities and playgrounds and physical structures are created as the female thinks and dreams. This piece shows a scene in which there has been so much development, so much dreaming, that an underground pocket of sentiment has been created. The beams of color represent different aspects of truth, and are converging on a spot that holds some part of the girl's most treasured self.
 
 

The last one we looked at was called "Self Portrait in the Library of Alexandria". This one really demonstrates the patience part of the process. I've decided not to proceed to the canvas with this one until the drawing is right. The samples above show most of the work done to get the best result. I had room on the paper to keep moving, and they ended up being just the right size to lay out like this. These occurred over several weeks, working on one at a time, one session each. Once one session was done I decided I'd start over right next to it and go a little further or try a different composition for some portion. The last one really does resemble and earlier piece, "Liberation, with String (2002)," but is more of an evolution of that transcendent moment than anything. You can see how the male character is seeking and growing by following him through "Living with Secrets / Terms of Precedence (2004)," and also "The Actuarium (2007)."
 
 
The Library of Alexandria was one of the treasures of the ancient world, and was supposed to have an untold wealth of knowledge about the world's rich history and wisdom before being consumed in an epic and tragic fire. There is some controversy over who actually started the blaze, or if it was an accident or not. But it is attributed to Caesar's Conquest of 48 BC, when Caesar set fire to his own ships when his communications via seagoing vessels were cut off. I've just had this tug of wonder about doing self portraits for a while now, and this is the setting or concept that I keep coming back to over and over. It's less literal that a true self portrait, as when I put the idea to physical form this is generally the visual dialect (as I've always felt that we each have a singular voice artistically, like a fingerprint)  that my hands speak.

So until next time, stay creative and don't stop dreaming. Feel free to email or comment below, all thoughts are considerable.
Always,
N

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Sun Mar 14 @07:00 - 04:47PM
The Untold Want @ Gallery Nucleus, Alhambra - 210 East Main St, Alhambra CA 91801
Sun Mar 14 @11:00 - 05:00PM
Rhythm and Hues @ Museum of Craft and Folk Art, SF - Museum of Craft and Folk Art, 51 Yerba Buena Lane, San Francisco, CA 94103
Sun Mar 14 @16:00 -
Gino Ng: A Journal of Light @ Gateway Gallery, LA - Gateway Christian Church
Sun Mar 14 @18:00 - 09:00PM
Scrappers x Tripper x Superstar x Steve Mathews @ Los Gorditos, Portland - De Nada Gallery in Portland, OR.
Sun Mar 14 @19:00 - 06:00PM
7 Year Itch @ Strychnin Gallery, Berlin - Strychnin Gallery, Boxhagener Str. 36, 10245 Berlin, Germany
Sun Mar 14 @19:00 - 10:00PM
Nocturnes - Nightlife Photography by J Jackie Baier @ Kunstraum Richard Sorge, Berlin - Kunstraum Richard Sorge, Landsberger Allee 54, 10249 Berlin
Mon Mar 15 @20:00 -
Haiti Benefit Concert feat. Angelique Kidjo x Yannick Noah @ Florence Gould Hall , NY - Florence Gould Hall at French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) 55 E 59 St. New York, NY 10022
Tue Mar 16 @08:00 - 05:00PM
SooJin x Chris Buzelli Lecture @ Society of Illustrators of NY - 128 East 63rd Street
Wed Mar 17 @20:00 -
Celebrity Junk Drawer, The Art of Jason Mecier @ Ghettogloss, LA - 6109 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90038
Thu Mar 18 @18:00 -
Curator Talk with John Zarobell @ SFMOMA, SF - SFMOMA, 151 Third Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
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