Some Good News & Some Bad News

I think I'll begin with the good news. I got a blurb in the current issue of Southwest Art Magazine. The plug was on the Art Values page. My cyber colleague Chris Stott, and artists Nancy Bea Miller and Lucinda Kasser were also were included on the page. The theme was food inspired paintings. Carol Marine, another cyber friend, and fabulous artist, is featured in this issue on page 79. It's really fun to see your work in a publication!



. . . and now the bad news. My first, and longest running gallery is closing it's doors. Twinhouse will cease to exist November 1st. It had been a long, and fruitful relationship. Karen and I stopped by last week to pick up our remaining paintings, and say farewell. Susan Gibbs and Tiffany Hay were both there, and it was a pretty somber moment. Susan, the owner, had a laundry list of good reasons to move on, so it was understandble. Nonetheless it's sad to see it end. Twinhouse was one, if not the, nicest spaces in the city.

There is a positive side note to the story. There were three other galleries in the city that Karen and I had pondered approaching in the event that Twinhouse were to close. Each of those galleries contacted us the instant the news about Twinhouse reached the grapevine. That was very encouraging. Karen is still weighing the pros and cons, but it looks at this point like I'll be moving to Anne Irwin Gallery. I think it will be a good match.

Commission Update: I should be completing the Coke Bottle today. Tomorrow at the latest. I think it has turned out pretty good. I've been looking at it for so long now, I can't see it objectively. Karen is very enthusiastic about it, so that makes me feel a bit more optomistic. I'll post it in the next few days.

Corporate Commission in Progress: Coke

Coke
oil on canvas
30'' x 30"

Well I've been busy working on the second commissioned piece for about six days now. At this point I'm getting close to completing the first pass. I knew when I began this particular composition that the condensation was going to be a challenge. And . . . that has proven to be the case. I've been basically blocking in the position of the larger droplets, leaving the smaller ones to be added in later. When they are all in place, I'll get busy adding in the detail to each drop. Each drop. What was I thinking?! If I can get through this without going blind, it could turn out looking pretty cool.

Chevy Grille

Chevy Grille
oil on canvas
8'' x 8"

In these troubled times I think it's wise to allow oneself a bit of comfort now and then. Something to ease the pain. This week I indulged myself by painting the front end of a 57 Chevy. Five days of pure creative joy. I was in no hurry to finish this one, and savored each minute. Automobiles can be a hard sell, so I don't do them very often. They're a bit like chocolate, a guilty pleasure I allow myself sporadically.

Motts (below) was enthusiastically approved, and I have been given the green light to begin the second painting for the boardroom. I have to admit this new one's got me spooked. If it works out it will probably be my most complex piece to date. A bottle of Coke covered with droplets of condensation. I'm really freaking out. Starting it today. Wish me luck.

To bid on Chevy Grille, click here.

Motts: 1st Completed Commission Piece

Motts
oil on canvas
30'' x 30"

I felt that I could have continued to work on this, but Karen assured me that it was a finished painting. It is often difficult to know when a painting is truly complete. There were areas that I felt I could refine a bit more, but when I really thought about it, I came to the realization that no one would see the extra work except me. So, here's number one. I'll send an email off tomorrow to the liaison working this project, and with fingers crossed, hope for a positive response. Then it's on to number two. Although, I may squeeze an ebay painting in first. I've got another 55 Chevy I'm anxious to do, and would prefer not to have to wait until this project is complete. I'll decide tomorrow.

Corporate Commission in Progress: Motts

Motts
oil on canvas
30'' x 30"

I haven't updated my blog in quite a while, so I thought it would be a good idea to show what I've been up to. This is the first of five 30 x 30 oil paintings I'm doing for a corporate commission. I've been involved with this project for a number of weeks now, working primarily on photography. If you follow my blog you will remember that the first two paintings were rejected. I was assured that this was not a result of their quality, but rather a decision to emphasize different products.

Following numerous committee meetings on the subject, the client has now chosen five products they feel good about. They wanted to show a variety of packaging types, and these single serving apple sauce cups illustrate one of those. So, last week they gave me the thumbs-up, and when I completed my final ebay painting, I started work on this.

At this point I have about four days into the painting, with probably another three to four to go. Working large is still new to me, and so this is slow going. It's good being forced out of my comfort zone, and I'm hoping this experience will send me in a new direction. By that I mean large. All of my galleries at one time or another have asked for larger pieces. I've done a few larger paintings to date, maybe this project will give me the confidence to go there more often.

Stacked Cups

3 Stacked Cups
oil on 1/8'' gesso board
6'' x 6"

A bit of ceramic to finish off the week. I really like the contrast between the soft folds of the linen table cloth, and the hard, creamy, reflective surface of the coffee cups. I've been painting these china cups for years now, trying to capture that wonderful translucence of the fired material. I haven't nailed it yet, but I think I get a little closer each time I attempt it.

I just got the word today that my latest round of compositions for the corporate commission have been approved. A mixed blessing I think. Now I have to actually paint them. I always get nervous when I start on an oversized piece. Hopefully I can get past the apprehension, and have some fun with these. Wish me luck!

To bid on the Stacked Cups click here.

11 Cherry Goblets

11 Cherry Goblets
oil on 3/8'' gesso board
6'' x 6"

I didn't intend to flood my site with little silver goblets this week, but I had already begun this piece when I added my entry to the White Rabbit group painting (see below). Hopefully it is different enough to avoid looking redundant. I just wanted to add some more cherries into this weeks paintings.
I also wanted to direct your attention to a new blog recently created by my friend Karin Jurick. It's entitled Different Strokes from Different Folks. Each week Karin selects a single photograph, paints it herself, then encourages other artists to create their own version of that image. The site has only been up for two weeks, and the response has been nothing less than staggering. 52 artists participated in the first weeks challenge, and 68 responded in the second week. It's really interesting to see how different artists interpret a specific image. You should check the site out, and possibly take on the challenge your self.
To bid on 11 Cherry Goblets click here.

Fifties Toaster

Toaster
oil on 1/8'' gesso board
6'' x 6"

I went a little crazy a while back, and bought a bunch of vintage toasters on ebay. These old appliances have a very distinctive, and familiar look, that many of us born before 1970 will remember. I believe these will fit in nicely with my proclivity for reflective subjects. This is my first attempt. I love how the bakelite, and chrome work together. I'm looking forward to doing many more of these in the future. I "think" big these days, and think it could be really cool to do one of these at 40 x 40. When, and if, I can get the corporate commission out of the way, some of these "big" dreams may start to actually materialize. To bid on this painting click here.

Cherry Linen No.2

Cherry Linen No.2
oil on 1/8'' gesso board
6'' x 6"

Karen just got some good news. One of her galleries, Dean Day, is located in Houston Texas. She spoke with the owner today, and fortunately they suffered virtually no damage because of Ike. There is a lot of broken glass, and debris everywhere, but they were untouched. It appears they even have power, and internet access. It was nice to hear that they were okay, and that the art was undamaged.
I've got a couple of cherry paintings this week. It's getting near the end of the season, and wanted to take advantage of the current supply. I'll put up the second later this week. To bid on this painting click here.

Hamilton Beach No. 6

Milkshake Mixer No.6
oil on 1/8'' gesso board
6'' x 6"

With the exception of the White Rabbit group painting (below), I spent the better part of last week working on photography for the, on again, off again corporate commission. Presently, it's back on, and hopefully the compositions I worked up this week will find a home in the boardroom. If things go as planned, I should actually start painting on this project very soon. In the meantime, I've got five new pieces for ebay this week. First off is my favorite appliance. The classic Hamilton Beach Milkshake Mixer. This is model 30 as seen from behind. I wanted to incorporate the cooling vents, and on/off switch which look very cool to me. I also love the mounting plate with that huge screw in the middle. To bid on the auction click here.

4 Artists - 1 Subject

Candy Goblet by Me


White Rabbits by M. Collier


Wonderland by Jelaine Faunce


Multiplication by Otto Lange

Back in July Jelaine Faunce contacted me about a project she was considering. She thought it would be interesting to select a subject, then have four artists, with a similar style of painting create their unique version of that subject. She and I would make up half of the group, M. Collier and Otto Lange would comprise the other half. If you click on each image it will take you to the artists website or blog. Jelaine describes the entire project in more detail here. White Rabbit candy, a confection from the land of the rising sun was chosen as the subject. Above is the result of our efforts. Each painting is six inches by six inches. The four paintings are offered at action as a group. You can participate in the bidding by clicking here.

Dumbo?

Dumbo
oil on pre-primed hardboard panel
6'' x 6"

Dumbo is the last of my outside paintings for this week. I have to say this was without doubt the most fun of this series. Karen and I were driving to Gallery Street to pick up a couple of her new giclee's, and on the way we passed one of those nomadic carnivals that set up in parking lots. I made a mental note to return the next morning, and do some photography. When I got there the delapidated state of most of the rides deflated my hopes for getting any good material. Then I came across the little elephant ride, and cheered up. The elephants were in great shape, with a high gloss finish, and bright colors. In the end I wound up taking a lot of photos of the entire set up, but these little guys were the hit of the party. I think that one of these could eventually wind up as a much larger painting sometime in the future. It would be a hoot to paint one of these really big. If you interested in bidding on this painting, you can access the auction by clicking here.

Big Wheel

Big Wheel
oil on pre-primed hardboard panel
6'' x 6"

Earth moving equipment is another of my favorite subjects, but one that seldom gets much exposure. I suppose it's something with a limited audience, but I think they're amazing looking. Like some great prehistoric creature. The tires, in particular, are a wonderful focal point. I granted myself as much time as I needed on all the pieces being posted this week. It was a luxury, but these compositions were a bit more complicated than much of what I usually do, and I felt they needed that extra time. Plus, they were all such fun to paint. If you are one of that rare breed who can appreciate the beauty of a front end loader, and would like to bid on this painting, you can access the auction by clicking here.

Study for: Spire

Spire
oil on masonite panel
6'' x 6"

I've gone outside this week. Fay brought us some dramatic weather, and the lure of the clouds was too strong, so I've returned to my urban landscapes. This subject was a common theme in my early days on ebay, and I've really missed it. Savannah is a great city with beautiful architecture, and my favorite structure there is the french gothic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. I've painted it a couple of times in the past, and I've been working on a new composition featuring it. The study above is a fragment of the total image I plan to use. It will be a real tour de force in the use of clouds. Intimidating to say the least. I don't have this actually "scheduled" as yet, but the study above has wetted my appetite. I spent more time than usual on this weeks work, consequently there will only three pieces. I'll be back tomorrow with number two. If you'd like to bid on this painting, you can access the auction by clicking here.

57 Chevy Bel Air

57 Bel Air Tail Light
oil on masonite panel
10'' x 10"

I was only able to produce one painting this week. The Bel Air took the better part of four days to complete. Not a very cost effective way of working, but painting this was pure pleasure, and I didn't want to rush it. The 10 x 10 masonite panel it's painted on had been originally prepared for my wife Karens' return to ebay, but the recent flurry in sales of her full sized originals put the kibosh on that plan. So, I decided to use it myself for the Chevy. I had been jonesing to do another auto painting, and figured this would be a good time to get it out of my system. If you'd like bid on this painting you can access the auctions by clicking here.

To see a visual example of the old adage, "great minds think alike", check out Stephen Magsigs' blog entry for August 15. A beautiful rendition of a familiar subject.

Pool Bowl No. 9

Pool Bowl No. 9
oil on mdf panel
6'' x 6"

And finally this week . . . . a bowl of pool balls. - We're off to watch the opening ceremony of the summer Olympics. - If you'd like to bid on this painting you can access the auction by clicking here.

Vintage Milkshake Mixer No. 5

Hamilton Beach Milkshake Mixer No. 5
oil on pre-primed panel
6'' x 6"

Tonight I'm back to the Hamilton Beach Model 30 Milkshake Mixer, but I've painted it on a new type of panel. Historically I have cut, and primed my own mdf or plywood panels, but this was done on a commercially made product from Dick Blick. I have to say I really like it. It's got a great surface that takes paint nicely, and it comes with a pre-cut slot in the back for hanging.



The price is considerably more than buying one large piece of mdf at the local home store, and cutting it into multiple panels, but it is not unreasonable. I think the next time I'm back at the art supply store, I'll be picking up a few more of these. It wouldn't surprise me, if at some point in the not too distant future, I was using these exclusively for my small paintings. If you'd like to purchase the painting above, you can access the auction by clicking here.

Balsamic No. 2

Balsamic No. 2
oil on mdf panel
6'' x 6"

My third painting this week is a second interpretation of this little bottle of balsamic vinegar. I wanted to see how much visual information I could pull out of this dark reflective subject. It's a bit like doing the light bulbs, only in reverse. The goal was to convey the inky liquid contained within the glass bottle without losing it in the background color. I got pretty close, but still have a way to go. I see a few more versions of this in my future. If you'd like to bid on this painting you can access the auction by clicking here.

Cherry Bag No. 2

Cherry Bag No. 2
oil on mdf panel
6'' x 6"

Cherries are my fathers' favorite fruit, and he's suggested that I paint them in a clear plastic bag. This will actually be my second version of this subject. The first was painted for a show at Twinhouse Gallery in Atlanta. Karen and I bought a new batch of cherries just today at COSTCO, and I'll be photographing them prior to their consumption. There is something about a cherry. I can't pin point what that "something" is, but they seem to have a universal appeal. I hope I get some good shots before these wind up on a plate. Those images will have to last me until next season. If you'd like to bid on this painting you can access the auction by clicking here.

Maple Leaves No. 5

Maple Leaves No. 5
oil on mdf panel
6'' x 6"

On a hot and humid summer day it's nice to work on a composition of autumn leaves. This is the Japanese Maple just outside our kitchen, and in the fall it is a site to behold. I've done various incarnations of this theme, but this version has that wonderful blend of yellow to red that really lights up when the leaves are struck by the sunlight. This is the first of five paintings to be listed on ebay this week. If you are interested in bidding on this painting you can access the auction by clicking here.