Recently I got an old paint tray out of the garage to use while figuring out how to paint chicken feet on a wall. The eight-inch wood feet (with an old rubber tire glued to the bottom) did not work. I put the tray with fresh yellow paint to the side.
I scanned the wood feet on my all-in-one printer and opened the files in Adobe’s Photoshop. Made a right and left chicken claw. Went to FASTSIGNS in Idaho Falls to have decals made when the owner suggested a stencil. So, that’s what I had made.
The finished feet on the wall at my exhibit in Challis, Idaho, look great.
While picking up my paint junk (from the dinning room table where my studio is) I noticed the old paint tray with yellow paint. I took a quick picture with my iphone. Then I added a splash of red paint and a red dot. A few days went by when I got serious and busted out my Nikon D3S and macro lens with tripod. Here is what I captured:
Old Paint Tray and RED DOT 04
Old Paint Tray and RED DOT 03
Old Paint Tray and RED DOT 02
Old Paint Tray and RED DOT 01
Posted in LinkedIn, PAINTINGS, Personal, Uncategorized | Tags: acrylic, acrylic painting, bright colors, chicken, chickens, Cockeyed Art, contemporary acrylic painting, contemporary art, kort duce, kort duce photography, LinkedIn, pop art, vivid colors
An art installation and painting I finished recently titled “Contaminated Chicken” is causing quite a stir. Something I never intended. I originally painted it as another fun and whimsical painting in my “Rooster and Chicken Series.” Yet, this light-hearted spoof on radiological contamination has created quite the commotion.
A couple of my wife’s colleagues at the Idaho National Laboratory complained to her privately that I should not be showing my painting on facebook because it perpetuates the myth of radiological material. I asked a colleague of mine, who is in public relations for the Idaho Cleanup Project, to help me write an educational essay to accompany my installation and that person scoffed at the idea. “You can’t mix business with pleasure,” they said. “You are perpetuating the myth of radiation.”
Yet, my point is that my painting is a spoof and so far-fetched that we can educate people about the myth of radiation. For instance, radiation is invisible to the human eye, yet most cartoons, television and movies portray it as a bright green/yellow oozing liquid. Radioactive fuel rods from reactors emit a blue light when first removed from a reactor core water, but radiation is invisible and not detectible by human beings. One needs a Geiger counter or other instrument, which counts the amount of radiation present in an environment, to read the levels of ionizing radiation.
I am currently writing an essay to accompany my art installation.
I decided not show it at my solo art show at the MADDOG Gallery in Challis, Idaho, from June 1-21, 2013. I also did not enter it in The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho’s 2013 ART Idaho juried art contest because the Idaho National Laboratory is a sponsor and I did not want to compromise the museum.
Some day I will publicly show my installation. Until the time is right, it will only be shown on my blog and viewed in the privacy of my house.
Here are some pictures:
“Contaminated Chicken” – art installation with acrylic painting and mixed media – by Kort Duce
“Contaminated Chicken” has a 48″ x 12″ x 14″ fiberglass planter box that contains native bunch grass, prickly pear and sage brush. A stanchion with a radiation sign is also planted in the box.
“Contaminated Chicken” from a 45 degree view.
“Contaminated Chicken” has a steer skull I painted with acrylic, added a nose ring and painted a radiation symbol.
Close up picture of the steel drum with sludge oozing out.
Posted in PAINTINGS, Personal, Publicity | Tags: acrylic, acrylic painting, bright colors, bull, cattle, chicken, chickens, chicks, Cockeyed Art, contemporary acrylic painting, contemporary art, kort duce, pop art, radiation, radioactive, red rooster, rooster, roosters, steer, vivid colors
I have not been good about updating my blog since last fall.
Here are several paintings I have finished.
CluckACraft – acrylic painting by Kort Duce
Never Miss No Bull – acrylic and mixed media painting by Kort Duce
Cockeyed Bull – acrylic and mixed media painting by Kort Duce
I finished my underwear series, which caused quite a stir at the art museum. During an artist member show this past winter I was told I could not show the underwear because it would disrupt classroom education during the day. First time I have been censored, but not the last.
Chick / Hen Panties – acrylic and mixed media painting by Kort Duce
Cock-A-Roos – acrylic and mixed media painting by Kort Duce
Cockamania – acrylic and mixed media painting by Kort Duce
Cockxers – acrylic and mixed media painting by Kort Duce
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My opening reception for my first solo exhibit in Challis, Idaho, was a huge success. I would like to thank the Challis Arts Council and the MADDOG Gallery for the opportunity. Especially Sandy Thomsen for all her efforts in making the show possible and her hard work in catering the opening reception and helping coordinate everything.
I would also like to thank the people of Challis, Idaho, who came to my opening reception. It was really great to meet everyone.
None of this would have been possible without the support of my lovely wife Kortny who also curated the exhibit. I think she did a beautiful job.
Cockeyed Art by Kort Duce runs from June 1 to 21, 2013, at the MADDOG Gallery in Challis, Idaho.
Challis, Idaho is in the lower left of the photo. Beautiful agricultural valley with the Salmon River running through it.
MADDOG Gallery on Main Street in Challis, Idaho.
Cockeyed Art exhibit by Kort Duce at the MADDOG Gallery curated by Kortny Rolston.
Thank you to Sandy Thomsen for catering the opening reception for my first solo art exhibit. Three kinds of deviled eggs.
Cockeyed Art exhibit by Kort Duce at the MADDOG Gallery. Curated by Kortny Rolston.
Posted in LinkedIn, PAINTINGS, Personal, Publicity, Uncategorized | Tags: acrylic, acrylic painting, bright colors, cattle, chicken, chickens, chicks, Cockeyed Art, contemporary acrylic painting, contemporary art, kort duce, LinkedIn, pop art, red rooster, rooster, roosters, vivid colors
Yesterday I made some Pop Art chicken collages from a photograph I took this summer. My art director and better half, Kortny, suggested I do this and call them “Cock Blocks” or “Cock Blockers.” I think they turned out pretty cool. I used the same color palette I use when I paint my Cockeyed Art.
Cock Blocks 1, digital print, 60″ x 36″
Cock Blocks 2, digital print, 20″ x 75″
Cock Blocks 3, digital print, 20″ x 30″
Some day I will get these printed at their large sizes.
Thank you for looking!
Posted in LinkedIn, PAINTINGS, Personal | Tags: bright colors, chicken, chickens, Cockeyed Art, contemporary art, kort duce, kort duce photography, LinkedIn, pop art, vivid colors
Yesterday I finished “Morning Roost.” It is acrylic and mixed media on a 60″ x 60″ x 1.5″ gallery wrapped canvas.
I attached a kitchen whisk to the painting from one of our drawers in our kitchen. Thank you Kortny for not being too mad!!!
Posted in LinkedIn, PAINTINGS | Tags: acrylic, acrylic painting, bright colors, chicken, chickens, Cockeyed Art, contemporary acrylic painting, contemporary art, Idaho, Idaho Falls, kort duce, LinkedIn, pop art, red rooster, rooster, roosters, vivid colors
“Cockeral Maduro” is close to being finished. I might add a dark silver outline to the egg on the label and refine the lettering some. Otherwise, it is finished. It looks better in person because the egg is more defined and the glare is not as harsh.
Posted in LinkedIn, PAINTINGS, Personal | Tags: acrylic, acrylic painting, bright colors, chicken, chickens, chicks, Cockeyed Art, contemporary acrylic painting, contemporary art, Idaho, Idaho Falls, kort duce, kort duce photography, LinkedIn, pop art, red rooster, rooster, roosters, vivid colors
“Cocktail” is my smallest painting to date at 15″ x 30″. It is acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas.
This morning the glossy gel medium I applied to the martini glass had dried clear. In person the glass has a sheen at different angles. It also has air bubbles and other imperfections.
Thanks for looking!
Posted in LinkedIn, PAINTINGS, Personal, Publicity | Tags: acrylic, acrylic painting, bright colors, chicken, chickens, chicks, Cockeyed Art, contemporary acrylic painting, contemporary art, Idaho Falls, kort duce, kort duce photography, LinkedIn, pop art, red rooster, rooster, roosters, vivid colors
I ordered a fabric swatch of one of my rooster prints yesterday.
Eventually I am going to order 5-10 yards of this fabric. My aunt Toni (who has over 50 years of sewing experience) has offered to make me men’s boxer briefs. I’ll either call them “Cockamania” boxers for men or “Cockxer” briefs for men (Thank you Linda Lemons!!!).
My next painting is going to be titled “Cockamania” and will be 48″ X 72″ on gallery wrapped canvas. Here it is below.
The painting will have real clothes line (attached to the back with staples) and wood clothes pins holding up two pairs of ”Cockxer” briefs for men. This painting will compliment my painting titled “Rise and Shine” for my next art show.
I can’t wait to finish this and share it with you.
Posted in LinkedIn, PAINTINGS, Personal, Publicity | Tags: acrylic, acrylic painting, bright colors, chicken, chickens, chicks, Cockeyed Art, contemporary acrylic painting, contemporary art, Idaho Falls, kort duce, LinkedIn, Montana, pop art, red rooster, rooster, roosters, vivid colors
In April at my art show opening at the Art Museum of Eastern Idaho (TAM) my friend, John Hoobler, gave me chicks as a gift. John figured since I paint chickens I needed to raise them to get inspiration.
My wife, Kortny, was not too thrilled at first, but she likes John and has welcomed the chickens into our family. In May I built a chicken coop made partially from recycled cedar fencing.
Earlier this week the chickens started producing eggs. Pretty cool. Our son, Finley, is eager to start selling the eggs. He is such a entrepreneur. So, now we are going to label our eggs Cockeyed Eggs.
Below are some pictures of our chickens over the coarse of the spring and summer.
This is McCall’s chicken she named Hula Girl.
McCall holds the first chicken eggs from our brood.
The Duce chicken coop.
Hula Girl as a chick.
Finley named his chicken Milkshake.
Inside view of our chicken coop.
Hula Girl was pretty relaxed for the portrait session.
Milkshake did not like her picture being taken.
Hula Girl looks a little cockeyed!
Posted in LinkedIn, Personal | Tags: chicken, chickens, chicks, Cockeyed Art, contemporary art, Idaho, Idaho Falls, kort duce, kort duce photography, LinkedIn, pop art, red rooster, rooster, roosters, vivid colors
by Kort Duce
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