
Steve Kim’s artwork
Some beautiful work by Los Angeles-based, Korean artist Steve Kim. Of his paintings he says: ‘Although I wish I could say otherwise, my paintings typically begin with an unpretentious, but slightly embarrassing,”Hey, that’s neat. That looks fun to paint”. If I’m lucky I’ll have my camera with me, but more often than not it’s something duly noted and set aside’.
It is with this attitude that I pick out photos to paint from. I browse the ever-expanding collection of pictures I’ve taken and when one catches my eye—for whatever reason at all—I go ahead and paint it. I don’t particularly revel in my use of photography. I am not mediating between its role in the arts or painting specifically. I use it because it’s practical, and alternatives do not exactly abound. Luckily, I like photography and post processing, so I happen to know enough to discern how it might influence my painting for better or worse.
With reference in hand, I set about the task of painting a painting. Sometimes with a specific idea of where to take it, but more often than not just trying to draw and paint what I see. If there is any meaning to be had in my work, it is in the fact that at no time do I turn off the part of me that turned me on to the image in the first place. In other words, as I paint, hundreds of little “Hey, that’s neat” moments occur within the painting. It might be some shape in the initial drawing, or some arbitrary wash of color—anything that stands alone and somehow asserts its right to exist. Although I gravitate towards figuration, or at least animate objects, there is a point where the inanimate things on the canvas seem to come to life and take over.
The real work is in deciding what should stay and what should go. Do I keep this little interesting bit of transparency in favor of opacity? Are these edges good enough or do I start anew? Is this thing really captivating or—be honest now—am I buying into my own schtick? There is a tendency to think of a final work as being a big, bold, confident statement by the artist. My best pieces, however, are often malformed , self-conscious things beaten into the shape of something passing for proud. My work has suffered the most precisely when I’d succumb to some predefined ideology or rhetoric.
A big concern of mine is how much of this process is transparent to the viewer? How can my paintings and the circumstances in which they were created be more accessible? A small thing I like to do is take pictures of my work in-progress. They serve either as a record of what could have been , or a way of holding myself accountable to my decisions. I think of them as potential points of entry for the viewer in what might otherwise be aloof, inaccessible work. This is one aspect of my practice that I would enjoy elaborating and expanding upon in the future. I really like the idea of a viewer charting the progress of a painting and deciding for himself the merits of each decision. See here. Look at this! I told you he zigged when he should of zagged’.
Tagged: Los Angeles, Los Angeles artists
RELATED
Subliminal Projects: Dee Dee Cheriel and Louise Bonnet
The Subliminal Projects space in Echo Park, Los Angeles is launching an exhibition of works on May 17 by Californian artists Dee Dee Cheriel [above and below] and Louise Bonnet. Read more
Los Angeles-base artist, Sean Chao, works mostly with acrylic, pencil, and gauche. Read more

We love the work of Los Angeles-based artist James Jean, so we tracked him down for an interview: Your work is very dramatic and rich in narrative. From where does the initial seed of any idea generally come from? ‘It comes from a combination of conscious decision-making and deep rooted memories and desires. Sometimes I start with a very clear idea, but inspiration is rare — usually I’m working out ideas through little thumbnails that mysteriously evolve into their own stories’. Read more
Also by ZOLTON

Ok, so I’m wearing this t-shirt right now. It’s by Singapore-based fashion label Hooked Clothing, and it’s just about my favorite tee at the moment. Why? Why not. Tees are fun and Hooked has me hooked. Read more

Following on from the People of Walmart website, comes People Of Public Transit: ‘The public bus and subway systems are littered with amazing photo opportunities. Many of us have been sitting alone witnessing something amazing and only wishing we could share the experience with our friends. Well now you can!’ Read more

Milk and Honey necklace by Stephanie Simek
Milk and honey, an indubitable pair. In this necklace by Stephanie Simek, a golden honeycomb beeswax pendant is encased in plastic and hangs from an oxidized sterling silver chain. The links are interwoven with a milk protein-based fiber. We have it for sale in our online store.
YOU'RE SAYING (0)
No comments yet.
HAVE YOUR SAY
I’m in love with interior decoration designer Jonathan Adler’s Druggist Pottery collection. It is so old school, but new school, yet edgy. They’re on sale at the moment, so I just purchased a white Anger Jar. I live in New York, so I tend to have a lot of … errr … emotion to store in there.
The coolest band in Indonesia? I think so. White Shoes & The Couples Company describe themselves as a small band that is ‘influenced by Indonesian movie soundtracks from the 70s and inspired by the acoustic spirit of 1930’s classic jazz musicians’. But I like to think of them as carrying the torch for artists like Benny Goodman, Tahiti 80, and The Cardigans, all at the same time.
Listen to their track, Super Reuni.
If you like what we do at Lost At E Minor — and the talented, creative people that we give props to — then we’d love to hear how you can help us get the word out to more people about the site. Read more
Mozzarella is the new sushi in New York since the opening of Obikà (pronounced Oh-bee-KA), Manhattan’s first mozzarella bar, at 590 Madison Avenue. Read more
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a reminder of why the medium of film is so special. It features first rate visuals, performances, direction and acting, all of which fits together into one of the most insightful, powerful and touching pieces of cinema ever. Read more
Made from 100 percent organic cotton and eco-friendly, this super soft tee celebrates a sinister world of kaleidoscopic colours and ripples of psychedelia, of serenading Queens, of dancing flamingos, of unimaginable euphoria. It’s all the work of Sydney label, Das Monk and it’s available through the Lost At E Minor online store for just US$40. Now, there’s one hell of a Christmas present, even if we do say so ourselves!
Face Your Pockets encourages you to empty your pockets out onto a copier, put your face down on the glass (eyes closed), press the green button, and then post the results on their website. It’s fun people! It’s also a great way to weird-out your co-workers.
WE'RE POSTING / SOME OF THE BEST

T-post: the world’s first wearable magazine
So here’s the scoop. Every six weeks, T-post subscribers get a new t shirt issue in the mail, with a news story on the inside and an artist interpretation of that story on the front. Yes, we agree. It’s clever, clever. Read more

Karen Caldicott’s clay head models
British born, New York-based model maker Karen Caldicott has been making clay heads for all major US publications over the last decade. Read more

There is not a medium that UK illustrator Lizzy Stewart cannot wrap around her little finger to make the most beautiful, whimsical images. Read more

Trip out with Sparrow Vs Sparrow’s retro illustrations, I love their aesthetic, color use and sense of humor. Read more

Alex Passapera’s dizzying pen and ink drawings are cascades of images melting into one another, often looking like contorting, mutating creatures spewing blood-like ink splatters. Read more
Wolfmother. Rock n roll. Mystical lyrics. Heavy riffs. They have a new album out, Cosmic Egg, and we have five copies to giveaway, along with their debut album. To enter, tell us your favorite Wolfmother song and the city you live in. Yo! Two fingered salute. Read more
Featuring a design by New York Times Op-Ed artist Igor Kopelnitsky these 5×7 cards have been crafted from Crane’s Lettra Letterpress re-purposed textured cotton paper made from fibres from the fashion industry. The set includes 8 blank cards with envelopes. Read more
DISCOVER MORE
SO...
SEARCH: Can't find what you're looking for? Do a search..
IS IT GOOD FOR YOU TOO?
We hope you're enjoying your time on Lost At E Minor, but it’s not over yet. Got something to share? Tell us about it and we'll look to publish it. If you want to have your work featured on the site, we'd love to hear from you. Pssst, we also have an online store stocking some of the goodies we feature on the site.
If you're a media agency and want to use this platform to connect with our readership, then drop us a line and tell us about it. Oh yeah, and we do digital consulting for cool brands that want to reach the sort of demographic that visits this site.












