Marathon Framing Session

Is there a record for the most paintings framed in 2 hours?  I might be a contender with 12 paintings framed up last night.  Still a few more frames left and then packing the car, but almost ready for the first art festival of the season - Narraganset Art Festival 6/27, 6/28.  A bit of rain predicted for Sunday morning, so the beach crowd will be sleeping in and the art lovers get the good parking spots!  The rest of the weekend looks perfect, so come on down!

Going Big

Who Jumps Next?

Having a very small studio space presents challenges when creating larger works.  I've sometimes found paint on my clothes from brushing by a work in progress.  Also, there aren't many exhibit opportunities for larger works.  Most juried exhibits set their largest size as 44 inches, including frame.

This painting, "Who Jumps Next,"  is my first 24 inch x 48 inch painting (and working on my second).  I thought the image needed a large format to give the viewer the sense of being there.  It has been 90% done since last fall since I thought I wouldn't have a place to hang it.

But the Art League of Rhode Island decided to have "The BIG Show," so I quickly re-engaged and finished the painting, just in the nick of time. The exhibit will be at the University of Rhode Island - Feinstein Providence campus and the show will run from April 1-30  (80 Washington Street, Providence RI  02903) 
The Artist's Reception will be on Thursday April 16 from 5-9pm

Now to get going on that second 24x48 painting.

Setting the Bar Higher

This coming weekend I will be part of an outdoor art exhibit in which I'm honored to participate.  It may look like an "art festival" if you drive by and see the tents, but it is much more.  It is a small group of juried artists whose work is of a high caliber and who paint in the traditional representational/realistic style.

One Pear

When I was first asked  to join this group, I felt it was a significant milestone in my art career.  My fellow talented artists are an inspiration, set the bar higher and make me push myself to reach that bar.  After three years, it also feels like a reunion of friends.  Our host, the proprietors of the Sunapee Landing Trading Company, make sure we have fresh coffee and homemade pastries in the morning and refreshing drinks throughout the day, all set up in the shade of an enormous apple tree.

The show is a reunion in other ways, too.  I get to see some of my NH cousins and the wonderful woman who purchased "One Pear" my first year is now a friend and has been a fabulous host each year.

The 3rd Annual Fine Artists Exhibition is held in Sunapee, NH down the road from the famed League of NH Craftsmen's Fair.  Click the link below for more info.
http://sunapee-landing.com/Fine_Artists_Exhibition.php
https://www.nhcrafts.org/craftsmens-fair-overview.php

Extra Special Portrait #1

I love doing portraits, despite the challenges, but some I enjoy more than others.  This is the first of two I've been working on with special meaning.

Mrs Douglas passed away last winter and left a gap in the lives of my cousin and his partner.  She loved to snuggle among the down pillows and comforter to watch the birds outside her window.  I only knew her for a short while, but she was an elegant little lady.

Mrs. Douglas

Her coloring was perfect for creating a charcoal sketch using a toned paper using black and white charcoal.  It is good practice in observing and translating values.

Special Portrait #2 will be completed soon (I hope).

Wet Paint

Fresh off the easel...  For now.  I say that because as I photographed this piece, I saw changes I needed to make.  So it will probably go back on the easel after a little bit more study.  This was a painting started last October and she has been staring at me wondering when she would be framed.  Sorry Dear, not quite yet.

Breast Stroke 18x24 Oil on canvas

I named this post "Wet Paint" because of a strange dream I had last night.  I was photographing this painting and kept bumping into furniture, brushing against the painting, etc.. I was getting paint all over the place and ruining the painting.  It may have been a premonition as just as I finished the painting, it tipped off the easel.  Luckily, there was just minimal damage.

I think the real reason for the dream is because I have four other paintings in progress.  Where I paint is only 8x8 so I've been careful about where I step.

Christmas Commissions Part 2

 
I almost didn't take this commission because of the initial hurdles, but I sometimes enjoy the challenge.  The original photo was a very small 3x3 and the subject was even smaller.  When looking at the original, there was no way I could use it as a reference, but I took it home and scanned it at a high resolution.  I was surprised how much detail was revealed.  When doing portraits, you can get a good likeness without showing details.  It is all about capturing the shapes of shadows and highlights to reveal the features of the face.  So I jumped in feet first and will be dropping it off to the new owner today.

Christmas Commissions Part 1

Holiday shopping has been a bit delayed this year.  I've been busy fulfilling other's Christmas lists - clients who are giving the gift of art.  Here is the first to be fresh off the easel.  This is Radar and those beige eyes and big ears were a joy to paint.  He will be getting ready for his new home later this week.

Next up for finishing touches is another portrait, and then a still life.

Encaustic Paintings

Blue Paper and Paint 5x5

Gold and Red Geometric 5x5

I felt I had been away from updating my blog for a while, but was embarrassed to see that my last post was in July.  Work (the one that pays the bills) and class/homework has taken a bit of my time and energy, so when I get home, updating my blog isn't the highest priority. 

Copper and Apple 5x5

Japanese Maple 3x3 on Stone Tile

I have been making time to get back into Encaustic (hot wax) painting, though.  There are many aspects to the media that I love.  1) I can't fall back into my comfort zone of realistic painting 2) I have a reason rummage through my stash of gorgeous paper and 3) there is something so enticing about the depth and softeness created by the layers of wax.  My newest paintings are very simple and each has allowed me to play, but without having to commit lots of time (although it does take up a lot of space).

Speaking of space...  I downloaded Sketchup and decided to design my "dream" studio as an attachment to my house.  I started with a small footprint and added storage, shelves, easels, and some furniture so I could engage future clients.  By the time I was done, the original footprint grew to be the same size as my home.  I dream big!!

Gallery Representation

I am honored to announce that I am now represented by a wonderful gallery in Newport RI, Isherwood & Company.  Located on busy Bowen's Wharf, this is a new location for Ms. Nancy Isherwood, previously off Bellevue Ave.  The new gallery is in a prime location I think it will be a great spot - for both of us, I hope.  Nancy has a well selected mix of fine art and exquisitely hand crafted items. 

Isherwood & Company

Three Paintings At Imperial Gallery

Our local Jerry's Artarama has created a great gallery opportuntiy for many artists.  Each month they adorn their walls with a diverse group of paintings from local artists.  They don't charge a fee for hanging, they don't take a commission and they provide refreshments for Open receptions, this month with live music!  

Thank you Jonathan and the team at Jerry's for your hard work and dedication to the "emerging" art community.

Last Fling

Three Calla Lilies

Tangerines in a Glazed Bowl

For the past few months I've enjoyed living the life of a full time artist.  But, alas, I need a traditional full time job to pay the bills.  I tried to make the most of my time while collecting unemployment and here are the paintings from my last couple of weeks.  There are lots of new paintings for this year's art festival season!

I will try to continue painting as much as I can, but spring means yard work and my new job may have a bit of a learning curve. 

Radiant Marsh

Pet Portraits

Kato on Lake Tiogue

I've done a few portraits of animals that belonged to other people and decided it was time to paint the pooches in my life.  I guess I wasn't a very good "mother" because I can't find too many photos of my first dog, Woody, who was a Jack Russell.  Probably because he wouldn't sit still long enough for a picture. 

But I did have some nice poses of Kato, my Belgian Shepherd.  He was quite handsome, a great Man Magnet, and the sweetest dog until the side effects of Phenobarbital turned him to the dark side.  His thick coat of black fur and big brown eyes made him so huggable.  He was so big it was almost like hugging a human.

I miss them both and wonder if is time to find another addition to my family.  I'll be sure to take good pictures this time.  And I'll go online to find some images that look like Woody.  Wouldn't want him to feel left out.

Just Paint

I think I'm going to postpone art classes for a while.  I enjoy my fellow students and instructors and always find something that strengthens my painting, but I've reached a point where I just need to paint.   And paint.  And paint.  The classes and homework gives me the structure and discipline I often lack, so I'll need to work in that, too.

Interestingly, as I'm making this decision, I came across a great article from Robert Glenn.  He talks about the career paths and success of  two recent art school graduates. To quickly summarize, it was the person who cranked out 2000 paintings vs. 11 large paintings who is the success and represented by a number of galleries.

Also, not to long ago I read the book "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell.  In the book he talks about the 10,000 Hour Rule.  This is the number of hours you need to put into your craft to become a success. (20 hours of practice every week for 10 years.)  "The thing that distinguishes one performer from another is how hard he or she works. That's it. And what's more, the people at the very top don't work just harder or even much harder than everyone else. They work much, much harder." 

Hmm... that's gonna mean a lot of painting to get in my 10,000 hours.

A Very Limited Palette

For a recent homework assignment, I had to create a painting using only two colors, Transparent Oxide Red and Ultramarine Blue Deep, and white.  We also created a color scale to understand the range of colors that could be created.

The results were rich "blacks", a broad range warm and cool greys, and some a nice skin tones.   I decided to see what I could do with these colors in a portrait.  I started with an imprimatura under painting using burnt umber.  (not one of the two colors, but it would be painted over)

Mid-point

Imprimatura

The blue robe, background and the darks of the hair were easy, but the skin tones were more of a challenge.  Because the photo had a strong light source, I first used warm darks in the shadows (neck and chest area) thinking the skin should have more of the Transparent Oxide Red.  The face had some reflected light from the blue robe, so I tried blue-greys in the shadows of the face.  I also found some other "cool" areas of the face. This made me realize how many blue-greys were in the neck/chest area, too.  As you can see from the "mid-point" version, it now looks too red.  So back to the easel, and below is the finished painting.

Back to Still Lifes

Three Peaches
11x14 oil on linen
SOLD

There is something about a chill in the air that makes me start back with still life paintings.  "Three Peaches" is a new painting and "Blue Vase" is one was started last winter.  With the Scituate Art Festival looming, I thought I'd bring it to completion.  I like the peaches as they have nice negative shapes, light bridges and they kind of look fuzzy (enhanced by bad photo)  Blue Vase has lots of "roundness", but there are a few triangle shapes created by parts of the arrangement to break it up.  Now to get my camera fixed.

Blue Vase
9x12 oil on canvas panel
SOLD

Many Minis. More Monday?

Sandy Road

Occasionally, I love working on small paintings.  I can get a feeling of accomplishment in one evening.  Because I don't have the luxury of working at painting full time, evenings and weekends are the only times I can find any time.  I decided to paint as many little paintings as possible in two weeks.  I first primed about eight boards and then found images where I could use a similar palette.  A couple of summers back, I took many photos of dunes on Cape Cod, so these became my subjects.  Now I'm hooked on capturing the beautiful colors in sand; the shadows and highlights at different times of day. I've also used work by other artists who were quite successful at capturing these colors as inspiration.  (If interested, these are all $50 each)

Empty Beach

Afternoon Dunes

Falmouth Marsh
SOLD

Hazy Day
SOLD

Dune Fence
SOLD

Wild Roses
SOLD

Don't Call it an Art Festival!

Sara Two
SOLD

Last week I was honored to be a "founding" member of a small Fine Art Exhibit in Sunapee New Hampshire.  I was told to refer to it as an art exhibit, not an art festival, and the experience warranted that distinction.  The caliber of artists was superb and I felt a bit like the rookie of the group.  There were only five booths and the foot traffic was slow, but the Quality, not Quantity, of the customers made the difference.  I was more successful at this event than the Narragansett and Wickford art festivals I participated in earlier this year, even though rain kept us zipped up for much of the time.  Thank goodness part of Saturday and all of Sunday was rain free.  Sad to see Sara Two go, but I had "fun" haggling with a gentleman from Iraq.  Nothing like wheeling and dealing with the pros.

Gilbert Stuart Homestead
SOLD 

The Quality of my accommodations was 5 star.  I got to spend time with my cousins Pam, Kevin and Erin.

The Quality of our hosts, Sunapee Landing Trading Company was superb.  They offered us shelter from the rain, caffeine in the morning, lemonade and hot dogs in the afternoon, flushing toilets and lots of interesting antiques to browse through when riding out a downpour.  They posted some pictures from when the sun was shining.  If you are in the area, be sure to stop by their store.
http://sunapee-landing.com/Fine_Artists_Exhibition.php

When to Sign a Painting?

 

                               

I've always loved the challenge of painting the human figure, but these paintings always seem to need more work.  With a still life or a landscape, the point at which I'm comfortable with adding a signature is often clear.       As I downloaded these photos from my camera, I could see so much that needed to be fixed.  For these two paintings, the deadline of an art festival next weekend is my only incentive to sign and frame.  If someone loves them and buys them as they are, I will be very happy, but next week they will probably be taken out of the frame and tweaked a bit.  I'm fortunately meeting with a group of fellow artists tonight for "critique night."  I'm sure my list of fixes will be enhanced after their insights

Back to Metals

Pewter Bowl with Fruit
SOLD

 I feel like I've been in another world the past few months.  I've put my "recreational" painting on hold while I painted with my buddies Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore.  The joys of being a landlord!  I've also been painting for homework, but most of that is not worth sharing, just yet.  I finally got back to some little paintings that were left in the early stages - it feels nice to finish something, even if only 6x6 inches.   

Brass Bowl with Fruir
SOLD 

Working with Metals

Apple and Copper
SOLD

Orange and Pewter
SOLD 

Apple and Silver
SOLD 

With my latest paintings, I'm trying to get the knack of painting metal.  The challenge is capturing just the right color and the shape of the reflections.  Really looking at these components also reinforces skills to be used in all paintings.  After I scanned these paintings I saw some areas for improvement, but these are just little 6x6 paintings and I plan to make a few more.  Practice makes perfect!