The Secret

Fortress, 2011. charcoal on paper 11 x 25 sold

"My secret for success?"

"Well its not a secret that I have never hung out too much and I've worked very, very hard for thirty-five years. It's just a lot of hard work. That's my secret - it's a BIG secret."

-Joan Snyder b. 1940

new year...new drawings

Western Rows, 2011. charcoal on paper, 22 x 30

I started out this new year with a series of drawings.

Here's the one of the first that I have finished.

It feels good to be back in the studio...

enjoy.

Putternig

A Red End, 2010. oil on panel 10 x10

Happy New Year Everybody!

Right now I am puttering around the studio organizing everything that was left in piles in my work space in my flurry of activity at the end of the year. I always try and start the new year with clean studio.

It's not sexy, but it gives me time to think and plan out the new year.

2011 is going to be exciting!

Unsure

Pink, 2010. oil on panel 10 x 10

I had an idea for a painting of a pink and purple sunset. This painting was the result. When I finished the painting I was unsure weather I had captured the feeling and color of what I had seen. I put it in my show at the Elliott Fouts Gallery anyways. All along, wondering if the painting was right.

Riding home from my studio last week I saw this sky....I had nailed color.

Vindication!

The Hangover

Full Moon, 2010. oil on panel 15 x 17.

While I've gotten a few things done in the studio in the last couple of weeks, painting has come along very slowly. I always forget how hard I push to get ready for a show and how tired I am after I'm done.

I needed a short break!

So, after being sick for several weeks (which always seems to happen after a show), it's time to get back to the studio.

I can hardly wait.

Speaking about painting

Roundabout, 2010. oil on canvas 52 x 64 sold

"All my decisions are visual. I have ideas but...the paint speaks"

-Susan Frecon b. 1941

Done

Racing Down, 2010. oil on panel. 14 x 18 sold

In what seemed like the busiest month of my life is now behind me. All the hard work has paid off. My show at Elliott Fouts Gallery is up for another couple of weeks, but the reception was great fun. Elliott, Michelle, & Cynthia did a fantastic job of presenting my work, as always it was a pleasure to work with them. They make the hard work worth it. The real bummer was that my wife was so sick that she could not make it to the party...a theme that has been repeated in our household for the last several weeks as this ugly cold bug has moved through our family.

As soon as I finished with the Elliott show reception, I had to finish organizing the Miniature show at First Street Gallery and prepare the space to hang over 180 works of art in the gallery. Everybody at FSG really worked hard to get everything ready for the reception last Friday. It was worth it as we had over 250 people at the reception! Sales were strong and everybody left happy, if not a little tired.

I'm ready for a short break....

Happy Thanksgiving!