Waiting In Tubes

When I first started this painting 12 years ago I thought it was the best thing that ever happened to paint and, "weren't all those little pigment particles so lucky to be a part of this moment."  Then I woke up the next morning after the paint dried, the turpentine I used evaporated, and the magic left, I hated it.  I felt like a dope to make such a horrible painting.  I hung on to the moment I felt with it for years. I tried to go back and fiddle around with it but the moment I originally had with it was to be lost forever.  Recently after staring at it in my unfinished pile I decided to come to terms with it and rectify this sad painting in my studio.  Turkey Umber and Zinc White came crashing in.   
Maybe the moment I originally had with it wasn't technically executed well with my novice abilities.  It's ok.  Nature is still there.  Paint is still waiting in the tubes wanting to be mastered and realized in great moments.

Live Free or Die

Ventured up north with a couple of good friends to visit another. New Hampshire is an interesting slice of humanity and nature. Up there you have some very liberal, anti-fed, friendly folks. Couple that with amazing landscape and some of the largest mountains on the east coast. Away from the South Philly smog and oil refineries. Away from the midnight shout fight on our street. They never have to lock their doors or look at a menu at the diner down the street. They know what they want and its hardly anything at all. Its simple unadulterated life without anyone elses hand in their pot.

Follow this link for more of the trip http://www.flickr.com//photos/jimcoughlin/sets/72157627944522828/show/

If you're in the area:

http://tamworthlyceum.com/


Katie's Kitchen

And just about any peak you can find a trail head at!

September Lately

Painting on a Tuesday

Still Lives Appreciated

South Philly Handlettering

These guys just took the Irene Plywood off their windows. I love how someone is taking such good care of this empty bakery. Its kinda like a monument of what they had.


Is this address still some sort of foundery building? Grate is at 18th and Passyunk.
Photo shoot interlude

Photo shoot interlude #2


Love, Jim

A Cross Section From the Summer

I finished a few more paintings the other day.

Outside This Summer

Spending more time outside doing artwork this summer. I figure if I toss in a bit of outdoor pieces that makes that much less time making more artwork that just sits in my basement studio. This one is at Frankford between Girard and Delaware Ave. on what is called Bookspace. With their permission the good people in Bookspace allowed me to do whatever I wanted.
I love working outside. People come by to talk, just watch, offer coconut water and other pleasantries. Bookspace's neighbors "The Lighting Emporium" proposed a piece outside their space. More on that soon I hope.

Paintings Together at Last

At last I have all my paintings organized a little better together on my flickr account as follows:
Oil Paintings
Watercolors
Puddle Paintings
Stencils
I'll be adding more to these folders and reposting these links as I go.

4/7/11

More moments not caught on camera in order to share those moments. It was well worth it.

Handletterer's Crafts

I have been obsessed with the sign painter lately. At work I stare at the lettering brushes everyday. They call out to me and whisper potential everytime I walk past them. This is the first of many projects I expect of myself this summer.

Art Energy

Father's Day got me thinking of responsibility to my new daughter Jonesy. Helping her on her way to realization of the universe. To feel and be a vessel of creativity just like Daddy does but in her own special way. This takes a lot of energy.

Cowtown-Often Imitated Never Equaled

Qualifier, Lav and I cruised to Cowtown New Jersey. This is what we found.

Bibiloni->Morales

One day Andrea Bibiloni ceased to exist and was born into a Morales. Here are the pictures to prove it.

SplitRed/MissingMen

Last week I had a chance to see some friends play the North Star Bar. They opened for Mike Watt and the Missing Men. Thanks again everyone for a good time!

Space Muffins

While shooting last minute shots for my wife. Frankie came by to have some fun.

PPS pole spotted again

In reference to my previous post here's that other Philadelphia Public School relic from days past. This fence is located at what is now a Buddhist Temple at Mckean and Mole St. in South Philly. I have no idea what the history is of this building and if it is the original school house.
Share your PPS fence post story if you got one! Just kidding, who else really cares about these other than me?

Diamond Tooth Shoot

Meredith Lindemon has an amazing work ethic. She is unstoppable. Providing clothes, the space, pizza, champagne, and make-up my wife Beth was able to get her pieces shot in these great "context" settings. This entire time I've been helping Beth shoot her pieces in front of these black backdrops and a single light off to the side or from above. It's great for documenting these awesome pieces but not great if you're trying to imagine them in context with reality. Here are a few winners that I shot that day.

MAKE SURE YOU EXPAND THE SCREEN WITH THE OUTWARD POINTING ARROW BOX, ON THE RIGHT HAND CORNER OF THE SLIDE SHOW BELOW, AFTER YOU HIT PLAY.

I walked to work today

Flash in one hand, camera in the other and red gel for the creation of another reality.

There's a shot in here, if you'll notice, of one of my favorite fence posts in the city (if one can have one of those). The Stephen Girard Elementary school behind it is new as of the 50's or 60's. The original fence and building seen here in the 30's. I want to hug whomever decided to keep the fence even though the older building may, at one point, have become too expensive to maintain. The detail of a globe and inscription of "PPS" (Philadelphia Public School) below are details you'd never find today. I've found other globe fences in the neighborhood too...hmm I smell another blog post.

MAKE SURE YOU EXPAND THE SCREEN WITH THE OUTWARD POINTING ARROW BOX, ON THE RIGHT HAND CORNER OF THE SLIDE SHOW BELOW, AFTER YOU HIT PLAY.

Snapin'

Sunday I did the first version. Today I did it again. This one is much better.

Snapin' by Jim Coughlin

Pond Hockey

The rules of engagement:
There's no out of bounds including where the photographer is standing.
No checking.
Bring some mulled wine and food.

Here Come the White Horses

Whenever I open a tube of white, mix it in my cup and slop it on a surface I always get chills and excitement. Everything's gonna be OK and all the bad guys have been defeated for the time being. In this instance I anxiously squeezed the entire tube and feverishly exploded all over several paintings I haven't touched in over 10 years or so! I can't quite explain the moment when you've been so confused and uninspired by something that's been staring at you in the corner of your studio. Its not bad enough to destroy it and you can't do anything with it either. Then all of a sudden its so "in your face" obvious that you can't get to it fast enough to take in the moment. I'm not saying these are done, just celebrating a revisitation to an old friend.

MAKE SURE YOU EXPAND THE SCREEN WITH THE OUTWARD POINTING ARROW BOX, ON THE RIGHT HAND CORNER OF THE SLIDE SHOW BELOW, AFTER YOU HIT PLAY.