The new exhibition getting ready to open at Gallery 1261 in Denver, CO.
This new painting, Master Violet Ray #11, has been shipped out west for the show…which opens June 29th.
In case you are not familiar with exactly what a Master Violet Ray is… you might enjoy reading the Painter’s Notes for this one. Click HERE for the link.
The new paintings are beginning to roll out of the studio…
True North
26 x 24
Now winging it’s way to the Granary Gallery… a rag tag collection of antiques gleened from Jane Slater’s Shack in Menemsha.
The Current show at Gallery 1261 features this little play on the theme… Finding Abstraction
The set up for this was crazy. I wanted to use a real Jackson Pollock painting as reference and found one in my old college Art History text book which I scanned and printed out so I could enlarge it and make it look like a postcard with torn edges. Then Pat found me an old paint can from the stash in the garage and after I rigged them up I taped a canvas to an old fedex box and started to drip.
I remembered the scene in the movie Pollock where Ed Harris takes house paint and starts to drip it on the floor. Turns out there is a learning curve which involves refining the dilution of the paint and the movement of the brushwork. More of a slow dripline than a splatter. I was aiming for verisimilitude but my need for immediate gratification left me impatient with the process. Yes, I could fake it… but I eventually found the right consistency and made up four jars of color and then I dribbled one layer at a time with the panel flat on the floor and walked away while it dried (that was the hard part). Since I was using oil paint instead of acrylic, it had to dry completely between colors or else I ended up with an oily blooming mess.
Then there was the fun of trying to get the magnifying glass to stay on that teacup.
I was just about finished with the painting when, sitting at my easel, I felt everything start to shake. When you work with a Bernese Mt. Dog at your feet this occasionally happens so I yelled at Finn to stop. It kept on shaking so I turned around and yelled at her again…but she was asleep. Then my phone beeped and I read the breaking news that there was an earthquake in DC. Yep, that felt about right.
I looked around the studio and a couple of the paintings were hanging off kilter but the only real damage was to this still life… the postcard had fallen off of the brush that I had rigged to hold it up (I did fake that nail and tile background).
So there’s the rest of the story as they say… stop by if you’re in Denver and check it out.
It’s time to move on to something artsy and not covered in mud…so I’d like to welcome you to the fall line up of shows which are going to be taking place in Denver, Co.
The Beginner Oil on Panel 20 x 20
The Big Dipper Oil on Panel 16 x 20
The Organist’s Daughter Oil on Panel 24 x 36
Brushwork Oil on Panel 30 x 15
Finding Abstraction Oil on Panel 24 x 18
Suspended Oil on Panel 20 x 16
Well I’ve been back at work in the studio now for a couple weeks and having great fun playing around with teacups and pencils and rocks, brushes and barbie dolls. But I’ve been woefully remiss in writing blog entries…mostly because I returned from the Vineyard show renewed and ready to hit the easel and have beenmuch happier sitting in that chair than at this computer. So there ya go.
But the other night, when I finally put down the brushes and left the studio to walk over to the log cabin…it was DARK ! Where did that summer go ? I was nestled in the air conditioned studio when the heat wave broke so I’ve not been paying attention to the world outside and the whispers of a new season approaching caught me off guard. I’m on it now though. Finnegan and I can walk a little further in the early morning as the temps cool down. Pat and I can sit out in the studio yard at night and not be chewed to bits by bugs. I actually opened a window the other day. Can that be the sound of Zola’s school bus I hear in the distance ?
Anyway, life goes on and quite merrily here by the Little Conewago Creek, and I hope the last days of summer are full of fun for you all.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot.
What brought me to the computer chair today is to let you all know that another Granary Gallery show is happening this weekend. A theme show that artists from all three of their island galleries were invited to participate in. The theme this year…ACTUAL SIZE.
Here’s my take on it… titled, ” Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear. ”
It’s actually the shelf right behind my easel chair…with a bit of artistic license…or simply just wishful thinking… in the mirror.
Anyway, as my friend Ted says… it was sorta fun.
Back to work for me… stay frosty out there !
For a sneak peak at the NEW PAINTINGS click on the ship…
It’s about time we talk about some artwork around here…
There are three big summer shows opening in the next two months and here are some previews…
Opens June 17th in Denver…click here to see the full lineup.
Pitted Against Time
12″ x 14″
Show opens 1 July 5-7pm … click here for more information.
One Night Stand
36″ x 24″
AND….the biggest show of all….
I’ll be posting all the new work soon so stay tuned…but meanwhile here’s a sneak peek…
The Basket Weaver
12″ x 14″
Gallery 1261 in Denver, Co. opened their Small Works Show last night…you can take a virtual tour of the artwork on their website…unless you are lucky enough to be strolling the streets in Denver this weekend…
A frosty december day here in Manchester. Spent the whole morning cleaning out the office and now we could hold a barn dance in here.
Gallery 1261 invited me to have some work in their upcoming Small Works Show. It opens on December 10th out in Denver with an opening reception from 5 – 7 pm.
Here’s a sneak peak at a new painting that will be headed out west for that show…
By Design
Oil on Panel 16″ x 12″
Another in the Teacup Series this little one is jam packed with props that I have had stored in the Prop Room for years now. When I went up there to snoop around for some inspiration they, one by one, jumped into the old suitcase.
Oh those magical muses…
Opening receptions Tonight, Saturday November 13th 5-7pm
and tomorrow, Sunday November 14th 2-4pm
220 South Marshall St
York, PA 17402
717 755-0028