Life, You Are Never Ready For It

 One thing my Grandfather "Gramp" told me once was "You are never ready for it". At the time this advice was topic specific but I now see and realized in the moments after hearing of his passing that this was a universal truth. We can prepare, worry and fret but we are never truly ready. This makes giving 110% that much more important for success.

 Gramp was the backbone of my family and responsible for the setting in my youth where most of my best memories play out. Thank you Gramp! You will be missed

Mud Season

Mud Season 24x30" Available 

 Finally Spring has taken hold here in Midcoast Maine! After a way too long winter, I am ready.. The grass is getting greener and the mud is not so muddy anymore.
 This piece "Mud Season" 24x30" is being delivered today along with ten other new pieces to Camden Falls Gallery in Camden ME. Their link is on the upper right hand corner of this blog and look em up on Facebook if that's something you do.

I usually quote other artists here but think as the outdoor painting season is getting underway I will try something else. Maybe some technical paint questions and excerpts from my own teaching.

Lets start with a question shall we? Do you know what the handling difference between oils used to bind your pigment does to your painting experience? example Sunflower (Safflower) oil vs Linseed oil.  I know what experience differences I feel and would like to know your experiences with the different oils. If you are not comfortable commenting with your own name please feel free to "anonymous" comment. Just comment.

oh yeah.. within the next two weeks my Etsy store will close. If you have been thinking of jumping on one of the very low priced pieces there, get on it. Etsy will be closed as I will be too busy to keep it up and the pieces will be out and prices back to normal. Thank you to those who visited and purchased from my Etsy. I truly appreciate it.

Odds & Ends

Chariots of Fire, 6x8, NFS

Current, 6x8" available

This post I just wanted to share a few little pieces that I did when I moved into my new studio this past winter. I was in a weird place mentally and was just painting everything in front of me without any major thought included. This subject free painting is seemingly where I would like to be going forward with larger work. Just exploring the abstract shapes and how they fit into my chosen canvas size/shape.
 A little about each piece, all 6x8" by the way. Top, that is just a fun sketch of my friend Colin's car parked next to mine on one of my first winter paint outings up here in Rockland. The middle, a box of my "current" paints. I have a larger box of paints (except when running low) and keep the ones I'm currently using separated so they are easier to find and what not.
 Finally the scissors, hard to see in this photo (and hard to believe If you are familiar with my love of Pthalo) there is a really fun subtle gray harmony around these simple scissors that are based off relative warm n cool. This overall blue gray is turned on, color wise by the orange handles. As I heard (paraphrasing) from really great painter and friend Eric Merrell." Make your painting about something, not of something." (sorry if i messed up the quote Eric..)

Skizzers, 8x6" available

Figures For You

Flirt, 8x6"

 

Attention, 8x6"

Color Scuro, approx 10x15"

Away, 4x3" (yes, very small piece) SOLD

Here is a fresh grouping of figure pieces from my ongoing quick sketch figure series. The practice has led me to a pretty comfortable place with my paints and a clock ticking. To anyone interested in materials I have been using Bainbridge illustration board  (cold press surface) coated with a few layers of liquitex gesso or watered down Utrecht gesso (the Utrecht is really heavy bodied). To help the paint move faster I use my "Ducksauce" medium recipe which is 50/50 Liquin and Gamsol. 

If you are looking for a good deal on the Bainbridge board, Utrecht has it for a decent price especially when combined with their always available "40% OFF" one item coupon.. 

All these pieces are available Unframed thru my Etsy Gallery/Store . here is a LINK 

Please feel free to leave a comment (I appreciate the feedback) or send a link to a friend that may be interested in my work. Thank you for stopping by!

Quote: "Life is truly known only to those who suffer, lose, endure adversity and stumble from defeat to defeat."

   Anais Nin

Quote 2 : "Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity" Aristotle

Reach, approx 8x10 SOLD

Back And Forth, The Story of a Rockturne

Back & Forth 24x20" available

set up for Rockturne 3/13

 This Blog post is dedicated to Evan Hopkins who died very tragically this past week. Evan was only twenty years old and probably just figuring out this thing called life that most of us complain about. Please take this tragic loss and consider reevaluating your time, go get "it". Whatever "it" is, grab it and don't let go..

 So recently I went out into the Rockland night, in search of a subject to paint. Truth be told these ferry terminals have been catching my eye since seeing the beautiful way they are lit up at night. My Maine man and friend Colin Page also lit these terminals up in a very inspiring way. Check the link.
 So thought I would see what I could do. Just about as soon as i set up to paint and took the photo below, two guys come walking up who seemed to live in the boat yard. Obviously enjoying the open local bar scene recently.. One of whom was very drunk and i could hear a mile away. The drunker wobbly one starts loudly saying "gyou chant paahk there" "Gyou chant Jsht paahk anywheah" from about 50 feet away. So I take my headphone out. (only wear one headphone people, it can save you from a drunk slobbering on you..) turn around to listen to a little more til he gets about 20 feet away.  I asked him if he is sure and I accidentally shot him my painters squint... (insert "The Good The Bad and The Ugly whistle in here) Now this apparently was enough to trick him into believing I was tough. He went on after trying to focus on me for a minute then asked if i was making a "Picture". Then mumbled, said good night and wobbled away... As they disappeared into the boat yard like two zombies I thought to myself. "My first Nocturne attempt in Rockland and I get fucked with in the first five minutes" then I thought "good thing they recognized my ninja skills before it was too late".. "for them" . ha! I hope you have enjoyed this ridiculous story.


 

Door County Plein Air, The Sequel!

Paperback Reader, 20x20, sold

 I almost forgot to report the good news.. I was invited for the second year in a row to participate in the week long plein air painting event in Door County WI, hosted by the Peninsula School. This is by far the most organized and well attended event I have ever been part of especially considering its an entire week long. The roster of participating artists last year was impressive, I cant wait to see who this years event will include.
 This piece ("Paperback Reader" 20x20') was painted last year and sold very quickly the first night of being available. I still wonder if the recipient (bought as a gift) enjoyed it.?.  Hope so.

Quote: "Somewhere in the course of their career, artists must learn not  merely to despise everything which is not entirely theirs, but must rid themselves completely of this blind fanaticism which drives us to imitate the great masters and swear only by their works.... One must learn to be grateful for one's own findings: a handful of naive inspiration is better than anything else."
      Eugene Delacroix

Longer Pose, Slightly Longer.

"M" #2,12x12, available

"M" #1, 12x12, available

"Location, location, location!!" is something you always hear in business but in Art? My new studio location is central to a few great figure drawing groups, this actually costs me money so it cant be good business.. right? Well the inspiration to venture in to more figure based work has been strong and may end up being a focus. I cant wait to see where this leads.
  The figure groups vary from multi pose quick sketch which you can see in some recent posts to longer pose that lasts for about two hours.  These two are of a local model, one quick one showing more body and as the pose settled in I went in for the close up. Trying  to get the facial expression our model had with the more relaxed feel to the pose. Both are 12x12" and available if you are interested. Just comment or email me. I Gotta pay for all this model work.. Thank you for stopping by.

Quote: "Creativity requires courage."
 Henry Heimlich
 (yes the inventor of the Heimlich maneuver )