Nosferatu 2

I've been dying to try out a little stop animation...so here's my first go at it...

Art Exhibits...East to West

It is a busy year for exhibits for me.  Of course you can always see my work in person at teaching venues but it is nice to have a bunch of white walls at your disposal.

So here's what's going on:

Diablos and Retablos

Jan 25th - March 4th 

New England College Gallery

98 Bridge Street, Henniker NH

Click here for more info: New College Art Gallery

In the Balcony Gallery during this time, visitors to the gallery will experience Michael deMeng:Diablos and Detablos - assemblages of  transformation. deMeng’s work incorporates found objects with collage, new painting, and drawing. While deMeng uses discarded objects, his selection process reveals his preference for objects that reference a pop art influence, offered with a post-modern sensibility.

 Strange Angels

Feb 4 -28

The Brink

111 w Front Street
Missoula, MT 59802

Opening Recepition Friday Feb 4th

http://www.thebrinkgallery.com/

Divine envoys.  This is the traditional definition of an angel.  The western traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, are full of legends and tales of humankind’s relationship with these messengers.  Their numbers vast, and in some writings, considered countless, and each with task that aligns with certain attributes of that particular angel.  There are good angels and bad angels (usually called demons). There are angels of water, of death, of the moon, of the streams, of alchemy, of sea creatures, etc.  If it can be conceived, most likely there is a legend that connects an angel to it. 

Traditionally perceived as soft, fluffy, ethereal things that float through clouds like butterflies huffing helium, I decided to reinterpret these strange beings.  Since they were allegedly created before the tangible universe, it seemed to me that these creatures might need to make certain adjustments in order to enter the physical realm. My goal was to transform these messengers into a combination of physical and supernatural manifestations. Like mystical mechanisms, they remain ethereal and otherworldly yet with a dose of the familiar and tactile.    

Santos Y Diablos

April 1- 30

Artisans on Taylor

236 Taylor Street Port Townsend, 

WA 98368

Opening Reception April 7th

http://www.artisansontaylor.com/

Just in time for ArtFest. I'll be doing an exhibit featuring the work from my book Dusty Diablos. Thursday, April 7th will include an artist's reception and readings from my book.

See everyone somewhere...

Coming Soon: deMeng and a World of Rusty Things

Hey Gang 

Workshop schedule is filling up fast.  Here's a list of upcoming events.  And best yet I made you a little movie trailer to celebrate the 2011 season:

• Big Easy deMeng, New Orleans, Feb 16-20
• Upstart Crow, Vancouver BC, Apr 1-3
• ArtFest, Port Townsend WA, April 6-10
• Random Arts, Saluda NC, May 21-22
• Mecca, Eugen OR, June 11-12
• Collage, Portland OR, June 18-19
• Zinnia, S. Pasadena CA, June 25-26
• Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild CA, June 30- July 3
• Santa Barbara-July 9-10- more info soon
• Art Unraveled, Scottsdale, Aug 2-9
• Art Paradise, Lisbon Portugal, Aug 21-29
• Artists Nook, Fort Collins CO, Sept 9-11
• Art is...Petaluma CA, Sept 22- 27
• Lemoncholy, New Jersey, Oct 1-2
• Art is You, Danbury CT, Oct 6-11
• Valley Ridge, Muscoda WI with Jane Wynn, Oct 28-30 more soon,

Fistful of Brushes

Hey there pardners.  I've been busy getting the ArtLab up and running.  So I made a little video for the class and thought I might share it with you guys.  Enjoy my Academy Award winning performance in:
Fistful of Brushes.


fistfulofbrushes from Michael deMeng on Vimeo.

Adios Amigos

The Navigator's Journal

 There is a rumor going round that I've been invited to teach in Portugal this year....and as it turns out...the rumor is true.  Woo hoo!  I have been to Portugal once before with my father.  It was a great time of hanging out drinking "porto tinto" tinto....

and wandering the maze of streets in Lisbon's Alfama district....not to imply that the port made me wander aimlessly.  Well... I'm heading back August 21-29th...and I have to say it will be a doozy of a trip...fun fun fun.  Here's where we are headed...just down the road from Lisbon...

at Art Paradise in Portugal

Did those photos catch your attention? 

So for a workshop I decided to come up with something Old World-ish.  One of the most famous figures in Portuguese history is Prince Henry the Navigator, renowned for his development of European exploration.  So I present:

The Navigator’s Journal 

 

One of Portugal’s most famous historic figures is Henry the Navigator and it got me thinking about the beautiful old books and captains logs of the era of exploration. Books were works of art as well as useful tools in those days, so, we too will be creating useful and artful tools.These Navigator’s Journals will be places where you share your discoveries…whatever they may be. Using a variety of found objects we will transform hardback books into found object explorations. To do this we will utilize the sculptural process of assemblage but since we are dealing with books we might as well play with paper too. I love those old maps and manuscripts from days gone by. You will be incorporating techniques to age, color and antique paper, which can be included in the journal or displayed as works of art on their own. 

So if you're interested click here

http://www.artparadiseinportugal.com/workshops.php

Here's the full Itinerary:

Day 1

August 21 - Sunday

Welcome meeting at Art Paradise at 7 pm (light meal  and a Port Wine)

• general information about Portugal and our program

Day 2

August 22 - Monday 

 9:30 to 12.30  - Workshop at our Studio - Pátio dos Artistas

12:30 to 3:30 -  Lunch in the centre of Cascais and visit to an old bookshop

 4:00 to 7:00 - Workshop 

8:30 - Dinner by the beach in Estoril and walk along the shore

Day 3

August 23 - Tuesday

 9:00 - Meeting at the railway station in Estoril to go to Lisbon by train (25 minutes)

10: 00 - Visit to the flea market in Lisbon where you can find all kinds of ephemera and special things for your journal.

1:00 - Lunch in Alfama, the oldest part of Lisbon, in a typical Restaurant

4:00 to 7:00 - Workshop at our Studio

8:30 - Dinner in the garden at Art Paradise (optional) / Free time 

Day 4

August 24 - Wednesday

9:30 to 12:30 - Workshop 

1:00 to 2:00 - Lunch in a local Restaurant near our studio

2:30 to 5:30 - Workshop

free time (beach or shopping)

8:30 - Dinner at a typical Restaurant

Day 5

August 25 - Thursday 

9:30 to 12.30- Workshop

12.30 . Departure to the fantasitic village of old Sintra - Horse-drawn carriage ride and visit to places of interest that are World Heritage.

Picnic in Sintra’s hills... and an adventure beginns...

8:30- ?

Day 6

August 26 - Friday

9:30 -12:30 - Workshop

1:00 -2:00 - Lunch in a local restaurant

2:30 - 5:30 - Workshop

7:30 - 12:00 pm -  Visit to the Handicrafts Fair (Feira do Artesanato) near Art Paradise- within walking distance, shopping and dinner...

Day 7

August 27 - Saturday 

9:30 - 12:30 - Workshop

1:00 - 2:00 - Lunch in a local Restaurant

2:30 - 5:30 -  Workshop

5:30 - Show and Tell

9:00 - 1:00 pm - Dinner at a typical Fado Place with guitar players and singers in Estoril

Day 8

August 28 - Sunday

10:00 - Departure to Lisbon by train

             Visit to an old stuff market place  

1:00 - 5:00 - Lunch in Belém and visit to the famous monuments: Tower of Belém, Jerónimos Monastery, Navigator’s Monument... 

Free time and start packing ...

8:30 - Farewell dinner 

Note: This program can be changed according to weather conditions or other circumstances.

 Art Paradise has another extra Studio at your disposal that you may use after dinner or anytime you feel like to do journaling or just get together.

Day 9

August 29 - Monday 

Travel day back home