The post show lowdowns

Monday Afternoon, 2009. oil on linen 14 x 20

Two shows. Two receptions. Six days.

Yup, it was a busy week! And I got sick in the middle of it. I lost my voice on Wednesday and still do not have it totally back. Despite not feeling great, things went generally well...

The reception at Elliott Fouts' was good, with little red dots appearing all evening long and the show continues to through the end of the month. The miniature show at FSG was a big success. I think we had over 250 people at the reception and sales were fairly strong.

Now I am scrambling to finish things up for a group show next month and also trying to wrap up a commission that's overdue.

Whew!

I'm gonna take some time off...Maybe in 2010.

The Big Night

Jack's View, 2008. oil on panel 12 x 15 sold

Well, tomorrow is the reception at Elliott Fouts Gallery from 6 - 9 pm. I look forward to meeting many new people and seeing some old friends. It should be a fun night...but I always seem to have irrational fears going into these things, "Is anyone going to show up? What will I talk to people about? Will anything sell? How will I make a complete fool out of myself?" But generally things seem to go well at these events once I am there...someday maybe I can learn to relax in the days up to the reception...

I doubt it.

Hope

Hope, 2009. oil on canvas 36 x 46. sold

This is a painting from my show in Sacramento. I had a very hard time photographing it because the camera could not read the green. I'm not sure why, but maybe it was because I used an unusual blue in the green. I can't remember which Gamblin blue it was, but it was not one of the blues that I use a lot. Strange.

The painting is part of a continuing series of paintings called Hope. I enjoy when landscape painting can tell a larger story than of just the land. I don't know if it's important to the viewer, but when a visual idea connects with me on a deeper level I believe I make stronger paintings.

Done and Gone

Sunburned, 2009. oil on panel 12 x 10

Everything is done and gone...The paintings are up at The Elliott Fouts Gallery for my show in November. The reception is November 14th from 6-9 pm.

It should be fun.

I steal ideas from three year olds

Elliott's Stormy Evening, 2009. oil on panel 8 x 10

My kids often want to paint in my studio with me. So they will sit on the floor using their watercolors while I work at my easel. They will comment on my work, and I will talk to them about their paintings.

I don't always get a lot of work done, they tend to ask me questions like ,

"Daddy, do you know how I mixed that color?"

"Dad, do you want to see what I have done to my painting?"

but none the less, I still enjoy my time with them.

The idea for this painting came from one of my three year old's paintings. He put a magenta/dark pink against the dark grey/black that I thought looked good together. So I thought I would give the combo a try....When he came back to my studio several days later and saw my painting, he said, "Same as my painting!"

The kid is too smart for his own good...I hope he doesn't tell everyone.

One of the BIG ones

Saturated, 2009. oil on canvas. 52 x 60. sold.

This is the biggest painting for my upcoming show at Elliott Fouts Gallery in November. Truth be told, I would consider this painting to be on the smaller side of my larger paintings, but still, I enjoy spreading my wings a bit and tackling a larger piece of canvas. You should have seen the piles of red paint on my palette for this one.

It sat in my studio for quite awhile unfinished. The start was strong, and I wanted to be sure that I didn't screw it up. I eventually worked up the nerve to dive in, and I'm quite pleased with the results.

The Home Stretch

Overexposed, 2009. oil on panel 20 x 20. sold.

Just a few days of painting left for the show...I feel good about the pieces.

Now its time for framing and varnishing the work.

November is coming up fast!