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Michael Newhall

michael.newhall@gmail.com
  • Current Work
  • information
  • Cityscapes
  • genji set
  • Buddhabimbas

Excavations Series

The title of this series reference the painting “Excavation” by William DeKooning at the Art Institute of Chicago. These larger paintings include overlaid images that develop into dense pattern-field textures. Their scale and complexity invites the reading of associations and narrative implications.

Reexcavation 1 (Water Course)
Reexcavation 1 (Water Course)

Oil on canvas, 65 x73 inches, 2012

Reexcavation 1 (detail)
Reexcavation 1 (detail)

Oil on canvas, 65 x73 inches, 2012

Reexcavation 1 (detail)
Reexcavation 1 (detail)

Oil on canvas, 65 x73 inches, 2012

Reexcavation 3 (Pyrrha's Rescue)
Reexcavation 3 (Pyrrha's Rescue)

Oil on canvas, 59 x82 inches, 2016

Reexcavation 3 (detail)
Reexcavation 3 (detail)

Oil on canvas, 59 x82 inches, 2016

Reexcavation 3 (detail)
Reexcavation 3 (detail)

Oil on canvas, 59 x82 inches, 2016

Reexcavation 4 (Descent from Tusita Heaven)
Reexcavation 4 (Descent from Tusita Heaven)

Oil on canvas, 57 x74 inches, 2013

Reexcavation 4 (detail)
Reexcavation 4 (detail)

Oil on canvas, 57 x74 inches, 2013

Reexcavation 4 (detail)
Reexcavation 4 (detail)

Oil on canvas, 57 x74 inches, 2013

Re-excavation 5 (Calling Back Behind You)
Re-excavation 5 (Calling Back Behind You)

Oil on canvas, 45 x 49 inches, 2012

 Reexcavation 5 (detail)

Reexcavation 5 (detail)

Reexcavation 6 (Touch Hands), oil on canvas, 60 x 42 inches, 2015
Reexcavation 6 (Touch Hands), oil on canvas, 60 x 42 inches, 2015
 Reexcavation 6 (detail)

Reexcavation 6 (detail)

Re-excavation 8 (The Familiar)
Re-excavation 8 (The Familiar)

Oil on canvas, 50 x 70 inches, 2014

Re-excavation 8 (detail)
Re-excavation 8 (detail)

Oil on canvas, 50 x 70 inches, 2014

Re-excavation 8 (detail)
Re-excavation 8 (detail)

Oil on canvas, 50 x 70 inches, 2014

Re-excavation 7 (Earth Mudra)
Re-excavation 7 (Earth Mudra)

Oil on canvas, 55 x 69 inches, 2016

Reexcavation 7 (detail)
Reexcavation 7 (detail)

Oil on canvas, 55 x 69 inches, 2016

Reexcavation 7 (detail)
Reexcavation 7 (detail)

Oil on canvas, 55 x 69 inches, 2016

Reexcavation 9 (Haloed Monk)
Reexcavation 9 (Haloed Monk)

Oil on canvas, 43 x 52 inches, 2014

Reexcavation 9 (detail)
Reexcavation 9 (detail)

Oil on canvas, 43 x 52 inches, 2014

Reexcavation 11 (Seeing Ariadne)
Reexcavation 11 (Seeing Ariadne)

Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 51 inches, 2016

Reexcavation 11 (detail)
Reexcavation 11 (detail)

Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 51 inches, 2016

Reexcavation 11 (detail)
Reexcavation 11 (detail)

Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 51 inches, 2016

Reexcavation 12 (Names of the Heart), oil on canvas, 64 x 77 inches, 2017
Reexcavation 12 (Names of the Heart), oil on canvas, 64 x 77 inches, 2017
 Reexcavation 12 (detail)

Reexcavation 12 (detail)

Reexcavation 13 (The Cafe), oil on canvas, 40 x 53 inches, 2018
Reexcavation 13 (The Cafe), oil on canvas, 40 x 53 inches, 2018
 Reexcavation 13 (detail)

Reexcavation 13 (detail)

Between Two Houses, oil on canvas, 31 x 43 inches, 2021
Between Two Houses, oil on canvas, 31 x 43 inches, 2021
My Flooding Fields (Tillie's House), oil on canvas, 70 x 83 inches. 2021
My Flooding Fields (Tillie's House), oil on canvas, 70 x 83 inches. 2021
My Flooding Fields (detail)
My Flooding Fields (detail)
IMG_8496.jpeg
IMG_8496.jpeg

Paper Faces

Sumi Ink on Rice paper (commonly a grid calligraphy practice paper), all: 16 x 11 inches.  Mounted individually, in groups, or as a full wall configuration.

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Paper Face Sets

Ink on rice paper

First Wall Installation
First Wall Installation

Residential exhibition (detail of wall  8 x 26 feet), each drawing 15 x 11 inches, 1993

 

Twelve Head Set
Twelve Head Set

Twelve monk head drawings mounted on canvas, 64 x 37 inches, compiled for San Francisco Zen Center Exhibition, 2000

 

Small Wall Installation
Small Wall Installation

Ink on glazed rice paper, 56 x 18 inches, Robischon Gallery, 2001

 

Peltz Sixteen Monk Head Set
Peltz Sixteen Monk Head Set

Mounted on panel, 62 x 46 inches, Peltz Gallery, 1998

 

Five-Face Monk Head (detail)
Five-Face Monk Head (detail)

Peltz Gallery, ink on roll rice paper, 60 x 84 inches, 1998

 

Wall installation (detail of 10 x 14 ft. wall)
Wall installation (detail of 10 x 14 ft. wall)

Monk Head drawings, Peltz Gallery, 1998

 

Sangha Set 2
Sangha Set 2

Ink on rice paper mounted on canvas, 24 x 19 inches, 1997

 

Guest Check Set 1
Guest Check Set 1

Ink on guest check slips mounted on canvas, 24 x 19 inches, 1997

 

Sangha Set 1
Sangha Set 1

Ink on rice paper mounted on panel, 31 x 25 inches, 1997

 

Robischon Gallery exhibition
Robischon Gallery exhibition

Three installations of Monk Head drawings, 2001

 

Robischon Gallery exhibition
Robischon Gallery exhibition

Three installations of Monk Head drawings, 2001

 

Large Wall Installation
Large Wall Installation

Monk Head drawings, ink on grid rice paper, 78 x 201 inches, Robischon Gallery, 2001

 

Large Wall Installation (detail)
Large Wall Installation (detail)

Monk Head drawings, ink on grid rice paper, 78 x 201 inches, Robischon Gallery, 2001

 

Vertical Wall Installation (detail)
Vertical Wall Installation (detail)

Monk Head drawings, ink on rice paper, 92 x 34  inches 2001

 

Little Island
Little Island

Ink on book pages, mounted on canvas, diptych, 64 x 102 inches, 1997

 

Bee Tablecloth Sangha Set
Bee Tablecloth Sangha Set

Ink on rice paper mounted on vinyl tablecloth and panel, 35 x 40 inches, 1997

 

Long Reflector
Long Reflector

Ink on rice paper mounted on canvas, 23 x 70 inches,

 

Vertical Wall Installation (detail)
Vertical Wall Installation (detail)

Monk Head drawings , ink on rice paper, 92 x 34  inches 2001

 

Reflector Set 1
Reflector Set 1

Ink on rice paper mounted on canvas, 20 x 25 inches, 1995

 

Reflector Set 2
Reflector Set 2

Ink on rice paper mounted on canvas, 22 x 26 inches, 1995

 

Reflector Set 5
Reflector Set 5

Ink on rice paper mounted on canvas, 22 x 26 inches, 1995

 

Check Set Sangha
Check Set Sangha

Sumi Ink and Watercolor on Guest Check papers, mounted on panel, 26 x 40 inches, 1996

Guest Slip Sangha, First Set
Guest Slip Sangha, First Set

Sumi Ink on Guest Check papers, mounted on canvas, 23 x 18 inches, 1996

Assemblage Sculptures, 2012 -2020

busts (upper torso constructions) for assemblages that, though intending to be a head or face, evolve or devolve into a diverse collection of various objects and associations. Most approximately 20 x 20 x 10 inches on a base, approximating size of a classical bust, partially polychromed.

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impasto monk head_70.JPG
impasto monk head_76.JPG
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thousand eyes_42 (1) copy.jpg
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logbook_01 (1) copy.jpg
logbook_05 (1).jpg
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kuzan's upasaka_08 copy.jpg
kuzan's upasaka_02 copy.jpg
kuzan's upasaka_50.JPG
unsui of this place_33 (1) copy.jpg
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P1030653_0026.jpeg

Buddhafields

Paintings referencing, incorporating or implying some Buddhist iconography.  Many larger works have pattern-field arrangements. 

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 Between Two Cars, oil on canvas, 60 x 92 inches, 2001

Between Two Cars, oil on canvas, 60 x 92 inches, 2001

 Walking on the Dead, oil on canvas, 41 x 58 inches, 1996

Walking on the Dead, oil on canvas, 41 x 58 inches, 1996

jikoji blue bufield copy.JPG
7.  Jikoji Blue - detail.jpg
5.  Conehat Buddhafield.jpg
10. Offering of Dust (1).jpg
12. Shelf Sangha Monkhead  (1).jpg
windmill buddhafield copy.jpg
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What Mara Said.JPG
stan's tanka.jpg
syreen2 copy.jpg
MM buddhafield.JPG
avala2-tiff.jpg
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AdobeBridgeBatchRenameTemp71in('17)_1.JPG
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black cone painting.jpg
yellpage bufield. jpeg
little blue buddhafield. jpeg
houston blue bufld1.jpg
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18. Tomoko Buddhafield.jpg
20.  Little Blue Buddhafield.jpg
19.  Condo Blue Buddhafield.jpg
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Yellow House Buddhafield, oil on canvas, 70 x 94 inches, 2011
Yellow House Buddhafield, oil on canvas, 70 x 94 inches, 2011
Yellow House (detail 1)
Yellow House (detail 1)
Yellow House (detail 2)
Yellow House (detail 2)
Yellow House (detail 3)
Yellow House (detail 3)

Small Heads

Selection of smaller, current paintings that may imply a head, face, having various mixed or diffused elements, images, metaphors, narratives, , etc. emerging from a base or bust.

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moss garden head.jpg
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open heart hydra copy copy.jpg
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Clay

Small ceramic relief and Table sculptures, most polychromed in oil, some with mixed media added, some with a glaze or raku surface.  Many carry the same face/head/hydra motif of the paintings and drawings.  

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coffee can bu.JPG
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whiteware1.jpg
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Overlay Drawings

Sumi ink on rice paper, outlined images overlaid.  Some with the usual monk head or hydra-head motif as part of the overlaid imagery.  The larger  are 30 x 40 inches, and various smaller sizes.  1991 - 2017  

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homecoming monk head.JPG
hunters pt set 4.JPG
ol hydra(balance act).JPG
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ricepaper_0003 copy.jpg
ricepaper_0003 copy.jpg
P1160524 copy 2.jpg
P1160524 copy 2.jpg
heart of river drawing.jpg

Spring Landscapes

Landscape inspired studies from April and May of 2017.  All acrylic on canvas, 24 x 31 inches

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Line Hydras

A set of small (10 x 7 inches) drawings, simple pen and ink on paper, all involving a potential bust/head/face motif, often evolving or devolving into something other than a head. Some have multiple faces or reference of identity.  Many have the monk robe in the bust, have narrative implication, or work with shape and line independent of such.  Series has 140 drawings in the set as of early 2018. 

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line hydra 3(fudo).jpg
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ART-Paper Face Linesline hydra (7).jpg
ART-Paper Face Linesline hydra (9).jpg
ART-Paper Face Linesline hydra (10).jpg
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ART-Paper Face Linesline hydra (12).jpg
ART-Paper Face Linesline hydra (13).jpg
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ART-Paper Face Linesline hydra (16).jpg
ART-Paper Face Linesline hydra (17).jpg
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ART-Paper Face Linesline hydra (19).jpg
ART-Paper Face Linesline hydra (20).jpg
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ART-Paper Face Linesline hydra (23).jpg
ART-Paper Face Linesline hydra (24).jpg
ART-Paper Face Linesline hydra (25).jpg
ART-Paper Face Linesline hydra (26).jpg
ART-Paper Face Linesline hydra (28).jpg
ART-Paper Face Linesline hydra (30).jpg
ART-Paper Face Linesline hydra (31).jpg
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prev / next
Back to Painting, Sculpture, etc. 2012-2020
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32
Excavations Series
50
Paper Faces
01 Bell's wall installation  .jpg
24
Paper Face Sets
32
Sculpture
31
Buddhafields
44
Small Heads
26
Clay
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12
Overlay Drawings
6SpringLa.JPG
8
Spring Landscapes
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32
Line Hydras

© Michael Newhall