Portrait of Marcel Duchamp

SOLD! T. Renner, "Portrait of Marcel Duchamp," 2009, acrylic on coated card stock, 4" x 6" SOLD!

At Rocio Romero's #3

T. Renner, "At Rocio Romero's #3," 2009, digital photograph.

Improvisation for Igor Stravinsky (The Horse)

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Igor Stravinsky (The Horse)," 2009, acrylic on paper, 6" x 4".

Improvisation for Anton Webern

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Anton Webern," 2009, oil on paper.

Red Pump (At Rocio Romero's #4)

T. Renner, "Red Pump," 2009, digital photograph.

Improvisation for Freddie Hubbard

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Freddie Hubbard," 2008, acyclic on canvas, 20" x 16".

(Cave Painting)

T. Renner, "(Cave-Painting)," 2009, oil on paper,

At Rocio Romero's #2

T. Renner, "At Rocio Romero's #2," 2009, digital photograph.

Improvisation for Ornette Coleman #4

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Ornette Coleman #4," oil on canvas, 18" x 24".

Portrait of Gertrude Stein

T. Renner, "Portrait of Gertrude Stein," 2009, acrylic on foamcore.

"X #3" for Archie Shepp

T. Renner, "'X #3' for Archie Shepp," 2009, acrylic on paper, 11" x 8.5".

At Rocio Romero's #1

T. Renner, "At Rocio Romero's #1," 2009, digital photograph.

Portrait of Alice B. Toklas

T. Renner, "Portrait of Alice B. Toklas," acrylic on foamcore.

Self-Portrait (Clean-Shaven)

T. Renner, "Self Portrait (Clean-Shaven)," 2009, oil on canvas, 18" x 24".

Henri Matisse Arm-Wrestles Stuart Davis

T. Renner, "Henri Matisse Arm-wrestles Stuart Davis," 2009, oil on canvas, 8" x 10".

You can see this painting at Urban Eats Cafe, 3301 Meramec Street in the STL. This piece is in the front room but in suite 3 I've held over a few pieces from last month but I've added a couple of large -- monumental, in fact -- pieces. I'm also showing for the first time several of the first paintings I did back in the summer of '07.

Mark your calendar now for the opening reception on Sunday, May 17, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. but you can visit the art anytime before then!

Here's the official press release:

Tony Renner: New York Abstract Expressionism

AT THE URBAN ARTS COLLECTIVE, CELEBRATING ART IN THE CITY

The Urban Arts Collective presents the work of Tony Renner at an Opening Reception. New York Abstract Expressionism is the theme for his event on Sunday, May 17th from 11 am till 2 pm. The event will be held in the Urban Arts Collective space adjacent to the Urban Eats Café, at 3301 Meramec Street, St Louis, Missouri 63118.

These works will be an homage to artists such as Robert Rauschenberg, Franz Klein, Stuart Davis, and Barnett Newman.

In conjunction with the opening, Urban Eats Café will offer a taste of New York in the form of Bagels, Lox & Cream cheese with sliced onions and caperberries, in addition to beer, wine, Boozies and other brunch-y foods, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. No reservations are required for guests who would like to enjoy the fresh fare before or after visiting the exhibit.

The Urban Arts Collective Project is an ongoing partnership with rotating artists who display their work in the Arts Collective space, adjacent to the Urban Eats Café. The goal is to create awareness for both the artists and the historic Dutchtown South City neighborhood.

More information and directions to the Urban Arts Collective can be found at www.urbaneatscafe.com

At the Studio Door

Photograph of T. Renner by John the Mailman, 16 March, 2009.

Improvisation for Alban Berg (Schnapps) #2

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Alban Berg (Schnapps) #2," 2009, acrylic on coated card stock, 4" x 6".

"X #2" for Ornette Coleman

T. Renner, "'X #2' for Ornette Coleman," 2009, acrylic on paper, 8" x 10".

Improvisation for Sam Rivers (Birds)

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Sam Rivers (Birds)," 2009, oil on paper, 5.875" x 4.5".

Improvisation for Alban Berg (Schnapps) #1

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Alban Berg (Schnapps) #1," 2009, acrylic on coated card stock, 4" x 6".

"X" #5 for Anthony Braxton

T. Renner, "'X' #5 for Anthony Braxton," 2009, oil on paper, 5.875" x 4.5".

If you'd like to see this piece and many others like it (and other pieces nothing like it) please come visit me at my studio on Saturday, March 14, between 5:00 and 9:00 p.m. I am studio #10 at the Luminary Center for the Arts, 4900 Reber at Kingshighway (just across from Tower Grove Park). You can also visit the studios of the other resident artists at the Luminary, take a gander at some of our art that will be on display, and check out the new cafe.

From the Riverfront Times:

Arts Alive
BY ALISON SIELOFF

This terrible economy might be slowing companies down, but it can't stop creativity. To wit: The Luminary Center for the Arts (4900 Reber Place; www.theluminaryarts.com) throws wide its doors from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, so that you can tour the artists' studios and celebrate the café's grand opening. Resident artists include Brea McAnally and Chris Sagovac, who will help show folks around and answer questions throughout the night. The coffee shop serves Mississippi Mud coffee and other treats, which you will be able to sample, plus a series of short films will be screened, and the first issue of The Modifier Magazine will be available.

Improvisation for Antonio Carlos Jobim (Bossa Nova) #1

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Antonio Carlos Jobim (Bossa Nova)," 2009, acrylic on paper, 5.875" x 4.5".

If you'd like to see this piece and many others like it (and other pieces nothing like it) please come visit me at my studio on Saturday, March 14, between 5:00 and 9:00 p.m. I am studio #10 at the Luminary Center for the Arts, 4900 Reber at Kingshighway (just across from Tower Grove Park). You can also visit the studios of the other resident artists at the Luminary, take a gander at some of our art that will be on display, and check out the new cafe.

From the Riverfront Times:

Arts Alive
BY ALISON SIELOFF

This terrible economy might be slowing companies down, but it can't stop creativity. To wit: The Luminary Center for the Arts (4900 Reber Place; www.theluminaryarts.com) throws wide its doors from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, so that you can tour the artists' studios and celebrate the café's grand opening. Resident artists include Brea McAnally and Chris Sagovac, who will help show folks around and answer questions throughout the night. The coffee shop serves Mississippi Mud coffee and other treats, which you will be able to sample, plus a series of short films will be screened, and the first issue of The Modifier Magazine will be available.

Grape Arts XVII and "Not Even #1"

T. Renner, "Not Even #1," 2008, acrylic on corrugated cardboard, 2' x 3'.

Friends, you can bid on "Not Even #1" at Art Saint Louis’ 17th annual fund-raiser, Grape Arts XVII, to be held from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, 2009, at Windows Off Washington in downtown St. Louis, Missouri.

For additional information on Grape Arts XVII, or to support next year's event, contact Kate Poss, Art Saint Louis Marketing & Development Director at 314/241-4810, (3#) or kate@artstlouis.org.

Here's more information from the Art Saint Louis web site:

Held from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m., Grape Arts XVII is an exciting and energetic afternoon of art & wine. There will be four silent auctions and one mini-live auction where guests will be able to bid on hundreds of original artworks, unique items and gift certificates for area restaurants & businesses.

In addition to the silent auctions, there are two different and unique types of wine tastings presented throughout the afternoon: from 2-4 p.m. fifteen wineries & wine merchants pour wines for guests during our Informal Tastings; then, from 4-5:30 p.m., guests are directed to the main event ballroom where they are seated at tables of nine. Guests are then treated to Formal pourings wherein they will have the opportunity to taste international, national and regional wines poured & presented by wine aficionados, vintners, wine merchants, restaurateurs, and collectors.

This year's Artist Donors and the kinds of artwork donated to-date include:

CERAMICS by: Marianne Baer, Rhonda Cearlock, David Meyerkord, Nancy Young Spence, Yael Shomroni

DIGITAL MEDIA by: Deann Rubin, Tony Schanuel

DRAWINGS/PASTEL by: Gloria Anderson, Jennie Collins, Stephen Eidson, David Kaskowitz, Julie Stritzel

FIBER/TEXTILES by: Joyce Briscoe, Rosemary Claus-Gray, Anne Cove, Marjorie Hoeltzel, Patrick Nolan, Dawn Ottensmeier, Barb Poss, Luanne Rimel, Barbara Simon, Jerri Stroud

GLASS by: Caroline Bottom Anderson

HANDMADE BOOKS by: M.J. Goerke, Joanne Kluba

HANDMADE PENS by: Steve Levit

JEWELRY & METALSMITHING by: Randi Chervitz, Elena Keller, Our Love Creations, Roger Rimel

MIXED MEDIA by: Carol Corey, Sean Frye, Carlene Fullerton, M.J. Goerke, Anukriti Sud Hittle, Leasa Mayfield, Kim Mosley, Alex Paradowski, Marceline Saphian, David Sextro, Mary Beth Shaw

PAINTINGS by: Terrell Carter, Carla Dawson, Naxin Fan, Ron Flier, Donna Grote-Hasegawa, SJ Hammack, Charlie Houska, Sheldon Johnson, Marlene Lewis, Marlene DiFiori Locke, Vic Mastis, Darnell Malone, Julie Malone, Sukanya Mani, Elizabeth Menke, Henryk Ptasiewicz, Jane Reed, Tony Renner, Barbara St. John, Galina Y. Todorova, Victor Wang, Jennifer Weigel, Ken Worley, David M. Yates, Yingxue Zuo

PHOTOGRAPHS by: Greg Barth, Mark A. Fisher, Rick Forrestal, Marian W. Hirsch & Jeff Hirsch, Maurice L. Hirsch, Jr., Cary Horton, Edward Klostermann, Greg Kluempers, Ken Konchel, Audrey Levit, Craig Newsom, Marion Noll, Linda Pilcher, Naomi Runtz, Barbie Steps, Wendy L. Werner, Kay Wood, David M. Yates, Barbara Zucker

PRINTMAKING by: Stephen M. DaLay, Ruth Kolker, Amy Firestone Rosen, Mary Gardner Russe, Marceline Saphian, John Schnellmann, Jeffrey Sippel.

SCULPTURE by: Cathy Barancik, Mitch Horstmann, Mary Ann Swaine, H-OMER.

Improvisation for Duke Ellington (The Dancers)

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Duke Ellington (The Dancers)," 2009, acrylic on paper, 14" x 9".

If you'd like to see this piece and many others like it (and other pieces nothing like it) please come visit me at my studio on Saturday, March 14, between 5:00 and 9:00 p.m. I am studio #10 at the Luminary Center for the Arts, 4900 Reber at Kingshighway (just across from Tower Grove Park). You can also visit the studios of the other resident artists at the Luminary, take a gander at some of our art that will be on display, and check out the new cafe.

Chip Kidd, Blurred

T. Renner, "Chip Kidd, Blurred," 2009, digital photograph.

I heard Chip Kidd give an amazing lecture last week at the University of Missouri - St. Louis. Check this post later in the week as I update it with quotes from the lecture as I decipher my notes.

Improvisation for Chip Kidd (Batman)

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Chip Kidd (Batman)," 2009, oil on paper, 5.875" x 4.5".

Part of this piece reminds me of Batman, and since I recently heard Chip Kidd speak, in part, about Batman, I decided to name it for Chip and Batman.

Also, if you'd like to see this piece and many others like it (and other pieces nothing like it) please come visit me at my studio on Saturday, March 14, between 5:00 and 9:00 p.m. I am studio #10 at the Luminary Center for the Arts, 4900 Reber at Kingshighway (just across from Tower Grove Park). You can also visit the studios of the other resident artists at the Luminary, take a gander at some of our art that will be on display, and check out the new cafe.

Improvisation for Derek Bailey (Duchamp) #2

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Derek Bailey (Duchamp) #2," 2009, acrylic on coated card stock, 6" x 4".

Missouri Coalition for the Environment's eARThworks 2009

T. Renner, "Environmental Watercolor #2 (Rain)," 2008, watercolor on paper, 14" x 11".

I have donated the above piece to the Missouri Coalition for the Environment's eARThworks 2009 art exhibit and auction. The opening reception is Friday, May 8, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Gallery at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri. The auction and party (!) will be Saturday, May 30, at 6:00 p.m.

Click here to see all of the contributions.

"Environmental Watercolor #2 (Rain)" is an exercise in letting rain, gravity, and the capillary action of the fibers in paper do the work. That is, I dabbed some pigment on a sheet of paper and set it out in a light drizzle and went off to do something that I no longer remember doing. On returning, I was very pleased that it had not rained very hard and that the pigment had spread very nicely. I picked up the sheet very carefully and turned it once vertically and once horizontally and hung it to dry. (I did touch up a couple bits of pigment with a water charged brush but I couldn't identify the areas now.)

From Missouri Coalition for the Environment's Winter 2009 The Alert:

Contributing artists:

Gloria Attoun, Michael Bauermeister, Tim Black, Joan Bugnitz, Julie Bunitz, Tom Bugnitz, Mieko Catron, Cynthia Pitsinger, Bill Christman, Elizabeth Concannon, Susie Cooper, John Cournoyer, Andrew Cross, Joseph Farmer, John Goessmann, Benjamin Guffee, Susan Hacker Stang, Heather Haymart, Nola Heidbreder, Jan Hessel, Hilary Hitchcock, Terry Hoffman, Cary Horton, Christine Hotlz, Jim Hubbmann, Paul Hubbmann, Tom Huck, Angela Hunter-Knight, J.S. Johnson, Richard Knight, Robert Knight, Patricia Kohn,Paul Krainak, Larry Krone, Katie Lacewell, Ronald Leax, Adam Long, Heidi Lung, Richard Meyers, Mary Nasser,Bill & Julie Newberry, Pat Owoc, Joyce Pion, Melisse Reichman, Tony Renner, Nancy Rice, Sue Rothschild, Paul Shank, Mary Beth Shaw, Kelly Sipes, Thomas Sleet, Timothy Smith, David Stine, Fern Taylor, Pamela Todorovich, Anne Treeger Huck, Fran Vinnacombe, Celeste Webster, Linda Wiggen Kraft, C.J. Woods, III

Improvisation for Albert Ayler (The Sea) #2

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Albert Ayler (The Sea) #2," 2009, acrylic on coated card stock, 6" x 4".

Works on Paper (Chance) at Subterranean Books

Installation view photograph by John Montre.

From Art-Patrol St. Louis:

The "Works on Paper (Chance)" exhibition now on display at Subterranean Books, 6275 Delmar in the University City Loop closes on Sunday, March 15.

Tony Renner began painting in June 2007 almost immediately after completing his Master’s thesis in American Culture Studies. "Painting," he says, "was as far from writing as I could get."

Renner’s exhibition, Works on Paper (Chance), consists of fourteen small works created, mostly, by pressing a paint covered surface against a blank surface. The results range from a series of "self-portraits" to a series of "memento mori," or reminders of mortality, to a series of abstract compositions. All of the pieces are examples of chance or aleatoric art; work that owes its existence to luck.

Renner’s work has been exhibited at various locations throughout St. Louis and he received an award of excellence from Art St. Louis jurors Brian Smith and Lisa Bulawsky in 2007.

T. Renner, "Print from Memento Mori #1," 2008, acrylic on paper, 5" x 7".

Improvisation for Djuna Barnes (Nightwood #3)

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Djuna Barnes (Nightwood #3)," 2009, acrylic on paper, 11" x 8.5".

"X #1" for Paul Desmond

T. Renner, "'X #1' for Paul Desmond," 2009, acrylic on paper, 11" x 8.5".

Improvisation for Albert Ayler (The Sea) #1

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Albert Ayler (The Sea) #1," 2009, acrylic on coated card stock, 6" x 4".

"X" #3

T. Renner, "'X' #4," 2009, acrylic on paper, 8.5" x 5.5".

Here's the most recent in a new series that I've been working on since moving in to my studio at the Luminary, 4900 Reber, St. Louis, MO, 63110.

Improvisation for Wayne Shorter #2

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Wayne Shorter #2," 2009, acrylic on coated card stock, 5.875" x 4.5".

Improvisation for Derek Bailey (Duchamp) #1

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Derek Bailey (Duchamp) #1," 2009, acrylic on coated card stock, 6" x 4".

Learn, Artist! meets Buster Keaton

T. Renner, "Variation for Brien Rats & People," 2008, acrylic on paper, 7" x 5".

Learn, Artist!, the musical group of which I am 1/3, had the opportunity a few months ago to play at Off Broadway as the guests of the Rats & People Motion Picture Orchestra, who were performing their live score to Buster Keaton's film "Go West." Due to a scheduling conflict which had our bassist Gena Brady Allen otherwise occupied, Learn, Artist! was reduced to a duo consisting of myself on "rhythm" guitar and Robin Allen on lead guitar as we played along to a Keaton short called "The Love Nest."

You may listen to our "score" via the magic of MySpace by clicking here.

Improvisation for Syd Barrett (Shine On You Crazy Diamond) #2"

T. Renner, "Improvisation for Syd Barrett (Shine On You Crazy Diamond) #2," 2009, acrylic on paper, 17" x 11".