Jim Lively
BIO: I am an attorney with a passion for all arts, especially contemporary art. I enjoy painting abstract and contemporary figurative painting as well as creating installation pieces. While I have been painting many years, I have only just begun publicly exhibiting my art the latter part of 2008. My formal education includes a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas and a Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University. I reside in Dallas, Texas in a mid-century ranch style home that I affectionately refer to as the “Atomic Ranch”.
Artist Statement : Whether portrayed in the abstract, realism, or somewhere in between, I am most influenced by the beautiful, unattractive and sometimes humorous components of contemporary urban culture. Many times, one painting will reflect all these components. My figurative works tend to focus upon interesting juxtapositions of large figurative images with other smaller images. The larger images are depictions of human faces expressing a panoply of emotions. Several of my recent works such as the tongue and cheek entitled “Lenin and Things” contain an unlikely combination of images such as a statue of Lenin which is dwarfed by seemingly billboard size image of a fashion model wearing a vacuous stare. My abstract paintings reflect urban culture through the use of texture, intersecting lines and words. One of my recent works displays the colors of a very successful couture marking brand but not in the traditional sense. Colors that are complimentary when used properly in fashion, take on a much different look when they randomly intersect creating a sense of confusion. Several of my abstract paintings use both texture and words to convey a message about contemporary urban culture. For instance, “As Seen on TV” has a texture and color reminiscent of static so common to a vintage television set. However, the message is 21 st Century with the pitch “As Seen on TV” which when stated implies in today's culture that something is of inherently valuable because it has been seen on television.
2008 CREDITS : Juried exhibit; “Inner Noise”, Calendangallery.com, October 15, 2008 – November 14, 2008 First place, works on canvas, EDS/North Texas Business for Culture and Arts, North Park Dallas, Texas Third place, works on canvas, Dallas Public Library benefit Artists Exhibition, Panache Spa and Gallery, Arlington, Texas
2009 CREDITS: Selected for inclusion in “ArtBuzz 2009 The Book” January 9, 2009, Group exhibit, Michael Joseph Gallery, Ft. Lauderdale February 12, 2009, Group exhibit, Infusion Gallery, Los Angeles, California
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