Volstead Preparation

I'm working a lot. Pulling serious hours for the Volstead Bar art walk installation. I have a  bunch of mostly-built panels in the 'woodshop' studio space. I made a good black and white image which I intend to use for a silkscreen print for shirts or the like. I hope that I will make some money at this art walk or at least inspire some people. I did a photo shoot with my friend Dennis Ho today. I got a free shirt of of it from 16 sixteen clothing.

Here is where I've got a drawing for Volstead looking like right now in preparation for a one-color silkscreen.

"Well Looky Here."

Hanging and Lighting

Today at the MoCA I learned how to hang and light a show.

I also hung 10 or so paintings in Chamblins Bookmine, our local bookstore/cafe.

After work, I went to the library to look through more microfilms of 1920's-30's local newspaper articles on prohibition-era Jacksonville. This is in preparation to a showing at the Volstead bar on September 3rd.

MoCA

Started work at the Museum of Contemporary Art today. We laid out a show of the top floor. Hanging tomorrow. It felt good using calculators to space everything. What an invaluable tool.

Went to the Library afterward to research 1920's newspaper articles on prohibition in Jacksonville. I found a good illustration and a good comic from Muff and Jeff pertaining to prohibition, both from June, 1929.

About me

Speaking of updating my website, I have decided to strip down on the 'about me' section.

Therefore, I will paste the about me info here so that it still exists.

Insurance:


Kemeys Goethe is an illustrator and muralist from Tallahassee, Florida. He works large scale with buff paint and spray paint, as well as small scale with pencil, ink and watercolor. His objective is to document spontaneity of thought and self-awareness through art making. Goethe’s practice and philosophy are informed by his upbringing, his appreciation for exploration, his self-reliance, and his quest for sustainability.

Goethe was born in 1990 as Robert Kemeys Goethe. As a child he enjoyed exploring the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico with his dad. His love of nature grew when his family moved to Montana where he enjoyed long hikes. He competed in gymnastics through his elementary years, taking many road trips across the southeast with his family to attend regional meets. In high school, Kemeys was a key member of the swimming and diving team and marched in the drum line. He continues playing percussion in bands.

After high school, Goethe began writing graffiti, which served as an ideal means to marry his physical and creative capabilities. Graffiti has informed his creative practice in its spontaneity, impermanence, and range of application. There is a constant dialogue between Goethe’s graffit and his fine art, adding textures and color studies to walls, and a brave and fluid style to his studio work.

Goethe has painted several commissioned murals for local tattoo shops, churches, music venues, school clubs, and theater departments. He assisted Bob Copper in painting set backdrops for FSU’s production of The Nutcracker in 2012, and more recently painted a mural at the CoRK arts district in Jacksonville while staying as a visiting artist. He has organized exhibitions in Tallahassee, and has been featured in several others regionally.

Goethe has earned an Associate’s Degree from Tallahassee Community College and has attended Florida State University briefly as a Studio Art Major. After one semester, he began to question the efficacy of standardized art education. Through friends and family, he began to design his own artistic curriculum; attending various workshops and events including Life-size illustration with Fred Lynch at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Draw Anything with Jerry Moriarty at SVA, Graphic Design with Skip Sorvino at SVA, and Children’s Book Illustration with Monica Wellington at SVA. He has studied info-graphic illustration under Jonathon Rosen, and watercolor techniques with Scott Brundage.

In late 2013, the beautiful Dennis Family in coordination with The Josine Bokoven Gallery offered Goethe the opportunity to participate in a unique artist in residency program in Amsterdam. This one-month residency allowed a flourishing creative time for Goethe, in which a large number of studies for his forthcoming ‘Still Life From Ether’ series were created. Amsterdam also served as the gateway for further European adventures, leading Goethe to set up a one-month studio apartment, in which he made hundreds of drawings and studies.  He attended gallery openings, museums, and The Venice Biennale.

Upon returning to the States, Goethe attended Art Basel Miami, painting a handful of murals in Wynwood. Today, Goethe resides at his lovely parent’s lovely home in Central Florida, where he is reinstating infrastructure to pursue more long-term projects.


CV

2008- Florida State University Developmental Research School Diploma
2010- The Dumpster Lords Rise, Railroad Square Gallery, Tallahassee, FL
2012- A.A. Degree Tallahassee Community College
2012- The Dumpster Lords Return. The Renditions Gallery, Tallahassee, FL
2012- Artbrary, Strozier Library, FSU, Tallahassee, FL
2012- Haystack Mountain School of Craft, Illustration Workshop, Fred Lynch, Bangor, ME
2012- Exhibition in FAB, FSU, Tallahassee, FL
2013- March First Friday exhibition at The Renditions Gallery: 'Soft Spots', The Art of Kemeys Goethe and Hope Limansah
2013- Art Army's Guerilla Art Show at Railroad Square for April First Friday
2013- Restitution, Display Gallery, Gainesville, FL
2013- MASS Presents: The Dave Matthews Twins with Superb Art. MASS Gallery. Tallahassee, FL
2013- Sorry Mom; An Art Show. The Office Lounge. Tallahassee, FL
2013- Visiting Artist, CoRK Arts District, Jacksonville, FL
2013- SVA Continuing Education Department Summer Workshops: 'Draw Anything' with Jerry Moriarty, 'Children's Book Illustration' with Monica Wellington, and 'Graphic Design' with Skip Sorvino. NYC, NY
2013- Info-graphic design workshop and studio visit with Jonathon Rosen. NYC, NY
2013- Studio visit with Scott Brundage. NYC, NY
2014- Apprenticeship with Shaun Thurston. Jacksonville, FL

Much Working

I'm surrounded by mostly finished work. My production has increased substantially with having a great deal of studio time at my disposal. I am working on a spoke card for a local bike shop called zen cog. (image herein).

I am also working with several paintings to be displayed in a local book shop, a series of paintings based on making bread for a local bakery, a mural proposal for a local print shop, a graphic logo for a local plastics company, a commission for a friend, a zine, and an installation with several paintings for a speakeasy bar at the beginning of september.

I made this clever little drawing at my sister's graduation ceremony.

The other night I painted a wall for some friends at a local bar. I spent a few hours on it and it came out well and quite expressive and loose.

I sat at a bar (this is a drinking town) for a full day on Sunday on the understanding that there would be an art market that was low key. Low key was an understatement- I was the only vendor. I maintained a good sense of humor about it and set up a nice little table off to the side, complete with a welcoming lamp, a canvas tablecloth, books, wooden boxes, and drawings. I was not approached by anyone for four hours. I did not worry for a moment- it provided for great drawing time. I even knocked out a drawing for a commission during what began to look more and more like a waning moon fishing venture, or a lemonade stand in a rural neighborhood. As the patrons trickled in, and began to lubricate themselves, I began seeing visitors. I gave away every book on the table. Everyone seemed to be out of cash, or had prospects to hit me up for another project. No worries, no worries. I think they will enjoy the book.

I painted a sign for a downtown art walk at the beginning of the month. It came out okay at best, but it taught me a lot.

I helped my friend Laurel decorate her classroom today. (soon to be teaching at a nearby high school). I made a large cut paper letter piece that said 'Respect' so that it may be referenced by any and all in classroom at any point. Pictures likely to follow.

I have taken steps towards volunteering at the local zoo. I am not yet scheduled, but I did take all of my tests, attended an interview, attended orientation, and got a shirt. I'm so close I can smell the giraffe dung. I am looking forward to drawing the animals from life, and painting for the zoo. Matt, an organizer at the zoo mentioned that they would like to have several of their walls painted with murals. Fingers crossed.

I am scheduled to work at the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, downtown, beginning on the 18th. I will likely start with vinyl letter application, then move forward with hanging in the future. Fingers crossed.

On the 21st, I plan to go to Orlando for an art opening of a German artist, featured in a recent High Fructose magazine. Mark Gmehling.

I misplaced my phone, maybe at a nearby store. I am happily without for now. Without a phone, I feel more inclined to write to you through this blog now. I enjoy the distance. Feel free to email me at rkgoethe@gmail if need be. I will not be more than a day away in most cases.

Our downtown library here in Jacksonville is beautiful. I checked out two backpacks full of books for research on aforementioned projects.

I updated my website recently, streamlined it is more like. I may make more additions as I have a lot of mostly finished work around me here in Jacksonville. The first batch. I can't wait to show you what this Northern Florida oven has been cooking up!