The Flyers playoff run of 2010 was two wins short of one of the greatest in all professional hockey. Danny Briere continued to find the net and create incredible chemistry on the ice. This painting is inspired by one of his goal celebrations during a 30-point surge in 23 playoff games.
Process and thoughts…
A quick sketch of his iconic uppercut to gauge the space.
Had the pose, but had no idea how the rest of the canvas would develop. Discovery is a large part of my process.
The only way to find out where you are going is to get there. Reacting to the painting as it develops.
After filling most of the canvas with orange, white, and blue a little black to set the figure.
Some times you have to go backwards to go forwards. Hey Danny, sorry for engulfing your head in fire.
The sound and reaction of something hot hitting water and it instantly turning to steam is similar to that of 20,000 fans on their feet.
A quick rectangle to help me ground the figure in the atomosphere. I was thinking about the reproduced image. We use them to remember things. Collective and individual memory is cultivated from videos and photographs. Rectangular media.
Time to get rid the blue except for the ice and a little bit in the glass.
Get Flyered up! Danny Briere lights the lamp. The red trim and the yellow dasher make an appearance.
Can you see any subliminal messages in the flames? There’s a Flyers symbol, and a “D”…
A Flyers symbol, his initials (D and B), and the number 48. His uppercut fracturing the lens of reality all around him.
Danny I don’t mind if you take it easy during the 2012 season, but unleash the beast come playoffs.
1 of 30 Danny Briere | 18 x 24 inches | graphite, acrylic, and oil on canvas | 2011 | Available
click for larger image
When the game is on the line, especially in the playoffs, Briere is a lethal weapon. He probably has the best tight game in the league, and very sneaky. Boom!
Next up…. Claude Giroux #28.
This painting is available for purchase. I am currently accepting a limited number of new commissions. If you are interested in a sports player/moment commission, or different type of commission contact me directly.
Recent Hockey Paintings
Chris Pronger | oil, acrylic, graphite on canvas | 12 x 12 inches | 2011
Jaromir Jagr | acrylic, oil, pen, collage, and cloth on canvas | 11 x 14 inches | 2011 | Ari Lankin
Immortal Captain | oil on canvas | 30 x 30 inches | 2011 | Ari Lankin
Lord Stanley's Castle | 30 x 30 inches | oil on canvas |2011 | Ari Lankin
Warm Autumn | 30 x 30 inches | oil on canvas | 2011
Click painting for larger image. If video is not working follow this YouTube link.
Questions? info@arilankin.com
CMYK NYC is the culmination of an energy that was building inside of me for a few weeks. When I started this painting I was incredibly inspired to paint at this scale and ready to bridge together several ideas i’ve been working on.
CMYK NYC is in my painting exhibition at RL Fine Arts that is open until November 12th, 2011, in New York City.
For the process video I was lucky enough to work with multi-faceted grammy award winning artist Tony Black of Tony Black Productions & Orange Key. He wrote, performed, and produced “if i told you” – (The Ari Mix), while referencing the process video for inspiration. I feel this song intensifies the richness of the viewing experience by literally expressing a musical quality of the abstract painting. Because he did such an amazing job I am going to let the music and the video do most of the talking.
Lets take a look…
It starts with a white acrylic ground on cotton
I was working a lot with pink and black leading up to this painting, so I started with them.
Turning the organic more geometric.
Back to organic, perhaps utilitarian.
The entire space has been commented on and all of the colors are now present, CMYK.
Opening the space on the left, and closing it on the right.
It’s getting lighter in color and atmosphere.
Archetecture changes the way we live by altering our spatial awareness.
I was considering this state the final piece. It has the feeling of NYC, but it was too literal.
By altering landscape references, I change the feeling of gravity. The relationship of one form to another becomes more informative.
CMYK NYC | 48 x 60 inches | acrylic on canvas | 2011.
Click image for larger version.
You can see this painting right now at RL Fine Arts in Chelsea, see below for directions and images of the other works in the show.
Click here to preview the other paintings from my solo exhibition, “Windows of Self,” at RL Fine Arts Gallery until November 12th
Located in the heart of Flatiron/Chelsea:
RL Fine Arts
39 West 19 Street, Suite 612 (between 5 and 6 avenues)
New York NY 10011
tel: 212 645 6401
email:info@rlfinearts.com
gallery hours:
Tuesday to Saturday 11.00 to 6.30pm, Sunday 12.00 to 4.00pm
A strong portrait possesses personality. The painter’s ability to create personality visually, and the painter’s own personality in the way the painting is built add crucial strength to a portrait.
This is a commissioned portrait of Chris Pronger, a professional ice hockey player. On the ice he is a gladiator with nerves of steel.
Enter the gateway into one of Pronger’s icy focused glares…
A sketch on the canvas with a 3B pencil. The 3B graphite is a little soft and oily. A loose line maps out the space of the canvas.
Some red washes get the painting juices flowing. Colors you can’t see in a painting are equally important to colors on the surface.
A wash of black carves out volume. A large presence on the ice, equals a full frame composition.
Now with a fully mixed palette I introduce color.
A blue background because he is a defenseman, referencing his dominating presence inside the blueline. That’s hockey talk. I was also thinking about the blue in the ice and how it visually activates the orange in his jersey.
Eliminating the details of the arena intensifies his focused look.
Chris Pronger | oil, acrylic, graphite on canvas | 12 x 12 inches | 2011
Five fans or 20,000 fans, all that matters to him is kicking ass. That’s how I feel when I am in the studio.
Perhaps the next Flyers captain? Regardless, he is a formidable presence on the Philadelphia Flyers and I hope he recuperates smoothly and has a successful season.
I am currently accepting a limited number of new commissions. If you are interested in a sports player/moment commission or anything else contact me directly.
Recent Hockey Paintings
Jaromir Jagr | acrylic, oil, pen, collage, and cloth on canvas | 11 x 14 inches | 2011 | Ari Lankin
Immortal Captain | oil on canvas | 30 x 30 inches | 2011 | Ari Lankin
Lord Stanley's Castle | 30 x 30 inches | oil on canvas |2011 | Ari Lankin
While going through images over the weekend I realized I haven’t posted this painting from late Winter.
I started this on one of those winter days when it finally starts to warm up.
So with the sun out, and the windows open, I ripped into this 4′ x 5′ canvas.
Warm weather, and a big canvas is a great combination after a long winter.
Just looked at the time stamp on the photo and I started it February 14th at 2:36PM…oh, that special day
let me take you back….
Starting out with a slick thin black line. Felt great with all the freedom of a large canvas. Keep the paint flowing.
After bringing in some color I introduce 12″ x 12″ blocks.
Playing with the structure and using the blocks to literally build the composition. A big playful signature in the middle. Brush strokes are a type of signature.
Time to push the picture plane back with some white. The “X” in the middle pushes the other imagery back.
Break the grid by exploring each square, and merging them together.
A general cohesion is forming, but not for long…
Simplify and dissolve the geometry. The form becomes more organic.
Increasing surface area with folds.
Changing opacity to alter the depth.
Whats the difference between drawing and painting? Save that debate for another time. It doesn’t matter with strong mark making. More of that.
Getting rid of some of the black that held the painting together since the early stages.
Pink On The Brain | acrylic on canvas | 48 x 60 inches | 2011.
I hesitate to explain the imagery in my abstract paintings. It’s abstract for a reason, actually thousands of reasons.
Sometimes I feel a title can lead the viewer too much. Don’t let it.
Check out the video in HD, and click the finished painting for a larger image.
Watch the video in high definition.
Everything On The Inside, Out | oil on canvas | 18 x 24 inches | 2011 | Ari Lankin
A major body of my work begins without any preconceived image. They start with the action of painting.
I hesitate to put abstract pieces into words because they are activated by what the viewer brings to the experience of viewing.
With that said I am willing to discuss some of my feelings and thoughts while making this painting.
Non-objective-hallucinatory-relative-flow……. let’s go….
The first image was taken after two sessions with the painting. I liked the way it looked and almost considered it finished for awhile.
I took another look at the painting and laughed at myself for feeling content with it’s current state and decided to explore further. First thing was to get rid of the red because it contrasted the central form too abruptly.
The red is gone and now its time to expand the central form. Line, mass, point and color are the main ingredients. Personal mark making and colors rule supreme.
The forms felt congested so I excavated some unnecessary verbiage. Now its airy.
Back to the red, this time a little lighter. I’m letting the exterior permeate the interior. These two things are essentially the same thing to me.
Now that I’m feeling the inner structure it’s time to let it breath within the frame of the canvas, thank you orange/peach color.
I love my pinks and blues. Boy meets girl, girl meets boy, we meet world. Dance into the fire.
At this point i’m starting to construct elements that relate to one another in more simpler terms. Total cohesion.
Cobalt blue creates new temptations all over the canvas.
What kind of space is this?
Mind, body, eye, palette, flight
Creation in motion by destruction. Invisible mirror.
Potentially kinetic-kinetically potential.
Everything On The Inside, Out | oil on canvas | 18 x 24 inches | 2011 | Ari Lankin
A lot of my work is about growth and exploration. The nature of painting.
Paintings that allow us to live in the space.
I was born and raised in the same town where my parents still live. I have a strong feeling of a home base, and at the same time have a lust for exploring the new.
Viewing this work allows me to break through to realms of fresh thought and at the same time keeps an air of familiarity. Experience and memory.
Release, flow, decay, structure, grow, color, life force….
Immortal Captain | oil on canvas | 30 x 30 inches | 2011 | Ari Lankin
As many of you know I have nurtured my love of art for a long time, but I have been nurturing my passion for Flyers hockey since the day I was born. My parents have blessed our family with season tickets since 1973, well before I was born.
Today the supposed keystone of the Philadelphia Flyers team was traded. Captain Mike Richards was dealt to the Los Angeles Kings 30 minutes after fellow Flyers star and good friend Jeff Carter was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The first deal was no real shocker. The team had salary cap pressure while trying to sign a new goalie, which apparently they did after the Richards trade.
The Richards trade was a little more to stomach.
Will next year be the year the Flyers recoup the Stanley Cup?
During the last week of the regular season I started a Mike Richards painting. Richards was The Flyers Captain and stud player who was destined to be the next great figure in Philadelphia sports. That was until the 2011 hockey season happened. Destiny waits for no man.
On June 23, 2011, The Flyers made big changes in the organization, and I made a big change in my Richards painting.
Here it is..
A spacious grid to give a framework to the structure of the painting. Screaming orange to set the mood for this painting.
Most of the body has solidified. And I start adding orange marks in the background.
Looks like this guy is Flyered Up. Here comes color number three. I love laying a dark color into a very light painting. The sensation is tangible.
Building the form up with different shades of orange and white. Some Flyers symbols start popping up in the flames.
There was too much separation with the black background so I decided to lighten it with some dry brush marks. I was inspired by the look of ice.
More specifically the ice at a hockey rink. Art related hockey fact: White pigment is added to the water that is frozen to make the rink.
Starting to really catch that Mike Richards fierceness. He can really be a beast on the ice when he is on top of his game.
Immortal Captain | oil on canvas | 30 x 30 inches | 2011 | Ari Lankin
The painting now stands as tribute to all Flyers Captains. Especially the greatest Captain, the immortal number 16, Bobby Clarke.
I have faith in 2012 for this organization. I must admit this is an exciting move by Paul Holmgren. We welcome new Flyers Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds, Jakub Voracek, and Ilya Bryzgalov.
I would also like to give a big thank you to Richie and Carts for taking this team to high levels. You will always be a great part of Flyers history. I wish you both the very best in your careers. It’s unfortunate we won’t get to walk together forever.
You know what they say in hockey, its not the name on the back, its the crest on the front.
Let’s Go Flyers!
Jaromir Jagr | acrylic, oil, pen, collage, and cloth on canvas | 11 x 14 inches | 2011 | Ari Lankin
You can view this video in crisp HD on the Vimeo Web Site.
It is my great pleasure to feature this great time lapse video of the Las Vegas strip by Allan Gange. The film features beautiful day and night shots all around Las Vegas. Allan filmed Borbay and I during our second day of painting The Welcome To Las Vegas Sign.
Here is how Allan describes the movie:
Day scenes, night scenes, time lapse and people studies. Filmed during my last trip to Las Vegas April 2011. Thanks to Ari Lankin (arilankin.com) and Borbay (borbay.com) who let me film them working. Music is Nightmare by Artie Shaw. I didn’t have a nightmare but thought the music suited the night scenes especially and the transition from day to night.
A quick anecdote about the filming:
Allan introduced himself, asked us if he could film, and then set up his camera. While he was filming me I could hear someone breathing behind me. I took a half step back and there was a giant camera in my face. I turned and said to the guy “Hey, how are you doing? You could at least say hello.” I wasn’t rude, but I wasn’t overly friendly. I’ve had people photographing and videotaping me all day, but this guy was up in my space. I felt his gut with my elbow, and he didnt even say hello. I instantly returned to painting without giving him much thought. He kept filming for a few more minutes over my shoulder. When he left Borbay says to me, ”You’re overly friendly to every person except for the camera guy working for NBC.” Oops.
Allan has other videos posted on his Vimeo account, and I can’t wait to see more, they keep getting better.
Great job Allan, this video is fire!
View Borbay’s finished painting.
Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, The Sign Painting | 24″X24″ | 2011 | Acrylic and Collage on Canvas |
Just got back from an epic painting trip to Las Vegas with Borbay. I’ll be sharing the paintings and the stories starting next week.
Let’s take a look at the last painting I finished before leaving for Las Vegas, NYC Armory II.
This painting was inspired by Armory Vault a painting I made on location in front of The Armory Show in March. Incidentally it was my first outdoor painting of the season.
This painting was created in my studio on a different ratio canvas…
Starting out with a web of fleshy pink.
A different shade of pink to add mass to the veil structure.
Sculpting the main forms in black.
Leveling out the left form with the right form.
Adding light colors give the forms volume and mass by optical cohesion.
Here comes a new ochre color.
A strip of light blue across the width of the canvas suggests a horizon.
Dropping in the blue to push the cavernous white space into the foreground.
Taking time to simplify…
Softening the verticla lines.
NYC Armory II, oil and acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40 inches, 2011.
To finish the picture I added “light” with colors to the central portion of the picture.
The pink and the ochre forms allude to land and flesh, specifically fingers and the folds of the brain. The space in between the forms is both empty and full. Light is present but the source is unknown. The space is compact and infinite. Notice how the forms seem to push up against the picture plane and invite the viewer into the picture. I can enter this picture via visual, physical, and psychological levels and thats when I knew it was finished.
Some of my best drawings from when I was kid were of hockey players. This commission painting of Jaromir Jagr is the first in my hockey series. It is a pleasure to combine two of my passions. Stay tuned for more hockey paintings, but for now let’s dive into this painting.
Started out by collaging an image to the canvas.
I block out the image I’m going to paint in yellow.
A quick line sketch with pen to get my hand and eye on the same level.
Time to explore the space and let the painting lead the way.
The figure on the right is starting to look like a hockey player.
His gaze was intense and up ice so I added this spiral from his face.
Adding more details to his face and uniform.
The yellow line is what is known as the dasher on the boards. Was toying around with it as a horizon for a landscape.
I had this Rangers crest on my studio door for a few years and decided it would live a better life in this painting. Covered by tape for a dramatic unveiling.
Some changes to the background to bring the two figures into balance with one another.
Check out that patch, it looks great in person with the metallic threads and cloth texture.
Jaromir Jagr, 11 x 14 inches, acrylic, oil, pen, collage, and cloth on canvas, 2011. Ari Lankin
Time to resolve the negative space around the figures and the patch. I added some painterly marks to activate the skaters. A few more finishing touches on the right hand Jagr to make him come alive and the painting is finished.
For the video I selected Metallica because it is one of Jagr’s favorite bands as well as the person who the painting is for.
Next up in the series is a 30 x 30 inch painting of Mike Richards of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Check out the Stanley Cup painting, Lord Stanley’s Castle.
