Die Kathedrale Der Bucher (The Cathedral of Books)

Gregg Chadwick
Die Kathedrale Der Bucher (The Cathedral of Books)
20"x16" oil on linen 2010

I am back from Berlin steeped in imagery and inspiration and new work. Today, books are on my mind as my latest painting was inspired by the Selexyz Dominicanen, a bookstore in Maastricht, the Netherlands, located in a deconsecrated Dominican Church. Also, Michael Krasny interviewed Phil Cousineau about his latest book Wordcatcher which includes over twenty images of my artworks inspired by Phil's marvelous word histories.


Phil Cousineau Catches Words with Michael Krasny

Gregg Chadwick, Jeff Dowd (The Dude), Julia Ransom and Phil Cousineau at Wordcatcher Release

Gregg Chadwick, The Dude, Julia Ransom and Wordcatcher, originally uploaded by mythyes.

Catching Words and Images With Phil Cousineau and Gregg Chadwick

Gregg Chadwick
Gorgonize (Medusa)
from Wordcatcher

Just hitting bookstores is my latest collaborative work with Phil Cousineau, Wordcatcher. Phil and I share a love of art and language and this latest book combines Phil's marvelous word histories with my artworks inspired by the word tales. Phil Cousineau and I often work collaboratively. For Wordcatcher I created 25 images inspired by Phil's intriguing descriptions. I spent much of the Fall in my drawing studio with my hands and clothing covered in chalk dust with the smell of wood shavings and sepia inks in the air. The resulting artworks are mainly rendered in ink washes with black and sanguine chalks heightened with white chalk on paper.


Gregg Chadwick
Duende (Federico Garcia Lorca in Havana)
from Wordcatcher

Wordcatcher is already garnering praise:

“Stake out a claim next to the standard dictionary you use for this less pedantic companion. It contains fewer words but sends up Fourth of July skyrockets on all of them. But caveat emptor, readers beware! Cousineau’s love affair with words is contagious and you are likely to end up lovesick with words yourself.”

—Huston Smith, author of The World’s Religions and Tales of Wonder

"A book that allows us to remember the genius of language-- to see, feel and, it seems, even "taste" the living-ness and poetry hidden within these many common and uncommon words. A delicious book."
----Jacob Needleman, author of What Is God?


Gregg Chadwick
Labyrinth
from Wordcatcher

On May 5, 2010 Phil Cousineau and I will be together at 7 pm at Booksoup on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood celebrating our collaboration. Also on May 6, 2010 we will be hosting a gathering at my studio in Santa Monica to celebrate the publication of Wordcatcher and to feature other collaborative projects that Phil Cousineau and I have worked on. Both evenings will start at 7 pm. Hope to see you there!


Gregg Chadwick
Murmur (Grow, Grow)
from Wordcatcher

May 6th, 2010
Please Join Phil Cousineau and Gregg Chadwick for a Celebration of Collaboration
Phil will read from Wordcatcher and The Oldest Story in the World and books will be available for purchase and signing.
7PM-9:30PM
Gregg Chadwick
Studio #15
Santa Monica Art Studios
3026 Airport Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90405


Gregg Chadwick
Encyclopedia (Diderot)
from Wordcatcher