Monhegan Artists Residency and Show Opening May 2nd

This week, Monday to be exact I had just sat down with some coffee to check my emails when I got the call... I was selected by M.A.R.C. Monhegan Artist Residency Corporation http://www.monheganartistsresidency.org/ for the 5 week residency on Monhegan Island. The term of stay is from August 9th to September 12th and includes a some funds for some paint and supplies to boot. when I originally mentioned this on here I was under the impression that I could not talk about it but it was a misunderstanding on my part so I can blab away. I am really excited for this and am already making plans for supplies, transport of canvases and streamlining my setup. I don't know If I will be able to blog or be on hiatus but I will be writing a journal of the adventure and hopefully sharing some of it here. (I have included a couple photos, two are of the house I will stay in)Thank you to the board of M.A.R.C. and to those that helped me sometimes too much, also my beautiful wife Raquele who has decided to put up with life with a painter, believing even when I was losing faith.

The mailers went out this past week for the show at Tidemark, and they include the much improved photo of my painting "The Point of Pemaquid" 24x36. I thought I would include it here just to show you the actual painting compared to my struggling photo work version. The printing of the mailer looks great and am very happy with Tidemark's over effort to make this show a top shelf production. Thank you Tidemark!

ps: sorry photos are in a group, blogger wont let me move..?.

Quote:"The only merit I have is to have painted directly from nature with the aim of conveying my impressions in front of the most fugitive effects." MONET

10 Days Til Hanging

This is photo is of 85% of a painting I did Thursday in Damariscotta. The reason its not 100% is a slightly slanted photo and no micro tilt adjustment in the Nikon program we have, so a little cropping was needed.(sorry).

With 10 days til the hanging of the show I am painting alot, fitting frames, setting up hanger wire and blah blah. I am tired and anxious, just the way it should be. (I think?) If any of you reading have had "first shows" or plan on it , let me know how it went, or what you might have done different. I would love to hear some experienced insight and or some stories of nightmare openings that could give me a benchmark to try to avoid.

Quote: "The craving for colour is a natural necessity just as for water and fire. Colour is a raw material indispensable to life. At every era of his existence and his history, the human being has associated colour with his joys, his actions and his pleasures."-- Frenand Leger, "On Monumentality and Color", 1943.

Two Sketches from Yesteryear

Hellooooo, these are a couple of my slightly successful sketches from this past year, both were painted in "madman" fashion with paint flying trying to capture a little more of an impression. Also both were painted from around 15- 20 minute poses, maybe 10 min on the figure..?.

This Wednesday will be two weeks out from the show at Tidemark Gallery, the name of the show will actually be the same as this blog, Life from Paint. Someday I will explain why I named this blog that but for today the sun is up and so am I, so I am gonna paint. The weather this week is supposed to be sunny with the temps topping out on Friday at 60!

Quote: "The essential of painting is that something, that 'ethereal glue,' that intermediary product which the artist secrets with all his creative being and which he has the power to place, to encrust, to impregnate into the pictorial stuff of the painting."Yves Klein (1928--1962).

A Little Sunshine

This is a little 6x8 study from the yard, Buddha painted it in late day sun. I have always been inspired by impressionist color work especially mid late Monet and Henry Hensche. Their search for the actual color and dedication to representing the actual truth of light, leaves me in awe every time I review their work.

With the show just ????? 22 days away I am thinking my initial goals for 30 new works might be reachable but a few will definitely be wet on the wall! I have a full range of pcs ready from 5"x5" to 30"x40" and have gone thru more paint then I thought possible, 4 and 5 oz tubes feel like 37 ml tubes used to. I have to admit painting larger pieces has been a blast, they eat paint, but being able to move a large brush full of paint is a rewarding experience in itself (try it!).

I will be showing my new work on here when the show starts but for now its just sketches and small works.

Quote: "Colour and I are one. I am a painter."Paul Klee, 1914.