Coke Classic: Complete

Coke Classic   |   24 x 24   |   Oil on panel

I finished up the Coke commission last night. The incremental stages completed since the last post looked so similar, that I decided to go ahead and finish up the painting then reveal it in the final post. 

My next post will probably evoke feelings of deja vu since it will be another commission, and it will be another Coca Cola painting. I'm waiting for the client to decide on a composition. I may do the "in progress" thing again with it. I'll decide when I get rolling. When that painting is done I'll get back to creating paintings for the galleries. 

Coke Classic in Progress: Day 10

Coke Commission in Progress: Day 10  |  24 x 24  |  oil on panel

Four more days and I've laid in the table top, begun to refine the carton and I've started the second pass on the full bottle to the left. It looks like this painting will probably need three passes. At the moment I'm working in the area around the word Coke. The spot just below "Coke" where the medium ends defines the current active area. Still have a ways to go before this one is done, but it's beginning to come together. 

For Which It Stands: Americana in Contemporary Art

Early in 2012 I was contacted by Carla Sakamoto (see below for her info) about participating in a book she was curating about americana in contemporary art. She had seen the paintings I had done for Print Pack, Inc., here in Atlanta and wanted to include them. Needless to say I was happy to oblige and immediately sent her hi-res images of those paintings. My one request to her was that I receive a copy of the book. Well, true to her word, yesterday was my birthday and FedEx left a copy at my door.

I have to say, it's a very beautiful book and I'm really proud to have had my work included. The quality of the printing is exceptional and the artwork is impressive. It's 400 pages and is divided into three sections: Capitalism / Greed, Equality / Prejudice, and Freedom / Limitations. The artwork includes paintings, sculpture and photography by a variety of artists. I was happy to see a few paintings by my buddy Otto Lange included. If you think you might like a copy a number of bookstores carry it, or if you prefer online shopping here is a link to the book on Amazon.

Carla Sakamoto is an art and design book editor and writer based in New York City. Having begun her career in magazine publishing at The Condé Nast Publications, she then received her Master's degree in Modern Art History at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and has since been a book editor for leading illustrated book publishing houses such as Rizzoli International Publications, Assouline Publishing, and Acanthus Press for over ten years. Her expertise in illustrated books includes developing and packaging visually-arresting children's picture books with renowned artists and graphic designers. In addition, she currently writes art criticism for Artwrit.com and has also written on art, architecture, design, fashion, food, and lifestyle topics for Surface, Blackbook, and Bon Appétit magazines.

Coke Classic In Progress: Day 6

Coke Commission  |  24 x 24  |  Oil on panel  |  Day 6

I've got three more days into the Coke commission. At this point the first pass on all of the bottles is finished and I've done a little work on the carton. Today I'll start to work on the table top and when that's completed then I'll go back to work on the carton. Once the first pass is done on the entire composition I'll start back on the full bottle and begin to work my way to the right. I work from top left to bottom right. Not sure why but always have. 

Coke Classic In Progress: Day Three

Coca Cola Classic  |  24 x 24  |  Oil on panel  |  In Progress: Day Three

I'm starting off 2013 with a commission. This will be another of my Classic Coke series, which is essentially variations on a carton of empty Coca Cola bottles. It's been a while since I've posted "in progress" images of one of my paintings, and I thought it was time to try it again. This is the piece at the end of the third day of painting. I will usually do two, occasionally three, passes to complete a piece. At this point I've transferred the drawing to the panel, laid in the background color, painted the type and carton color with acrylic and started the glass on the full bottle. I've never begun with an acrylic layer before, but my friend Jeff Cohen swears by it, so I thought I'd give a go. I don't plan to post each days progress, but I hope to show enough steps to give an idea of how one of these paintings evolves.

Coinage No.2  |  12 x 12  |  Oil on panel

Even with the goings on during the holidays I managed to get in one more painting before the end of the year. This is a commission for one of my best friends. He's had an interest in coins for a long time and asked me to put something together using these three. I'll be delivering it to him on Saturday. Hope he likes it.