the Awakening

I took a really long hiatus from from art...around two years.  I think the last piece I completed was in December of 2012.  Yeah, I suck.

the Slender Man

24in x 55in

Acrylic on panel

On the plus side.  I'm waking up.  I just finished a painting of my friends daughter which is the first portrait I've ever painted.  So that was a challenge.

Zoe (First Day)

24in x 24in

Acrylic on panel

Zoe wasn't too crazy about it at first but I think it's grown on her now.  I think she felt a little freaked out by it.

Something else that is helping my creativity is I moved the easel and paintings into the bedroom.  It's working out well.  Just aggravates the hell out of me that I didn't think of it two years ago.  It's nice to wake up in the middle of the night, see my painting and if anything is bugging me about it I can fix it immediately instead of waiting until the next morning when I more than likely wont remember it.

I'm also working on three new ones at the moment.  These are from my imagination which is where I'm most comfortable.  I've had a lot of ideas bouncing around in my head during my slumber and they caused my style to change...I hope for the better.

The December Art Walk is coming up pretty quick and I'm looking forward to showing.  This will be the first time every piece of mine will be brand new and never before seen.  It will also be an unveiling.

Today is my day off and most of it has been tied up with running errands.  It's getting to the sweet spot of the day.  Twilight is approaching, the Cicadas are singing, a far away train is blowing, the temperature is dropping, the comforting dark is coming, and my paints are calling

Another Art Walk

Last Friday was the second Art Walk of the year.  Pretty good crowd.  As usual I didn't make any sales but I met some interesting artists which is the main reason I go.  These events seem to be about the only times of the year all the artists get together in one place.  Before the Art Walks I thought my friend and I were the only ones in town.  Turns out there are quite a few and more coming out of the woodwork. 
I try to unveil a new painting each Art Walk and here's the newest addition.





The others are some of my older works.  I only had about 7 pieces to show this go around because I've sold most of my work.  I guess that's a good thing but parting is such sweet sorrow.  I look like a lobster because I was on top of a 20ft ladder all day painting a sign in 100 degree weather.  I'm usually white as a ghost.  My hair was wet too.  Not a good time to have my pic taken.

A new Painting

Awaiting Excalibur's Return
24" x 48"
Acrylic on panel

  Just finished my latest commission.  I did a lot of experimentation with it.  I used a paintbrush, a pallet knife, a toothbrush, a Gatorade lid, and my fingers.  Learned a lot and had a good time.


  They wanted a nude in a nautical setting but it turned out to be more aquatic than nautical.  I don't have much control on how my paintings turn out.  They evolve and develop a life of their own.  I just kinda let it take me over and sit back and watch.  It turns to crap if I fight it.  I'm happy with how it turned out.  They haven't seen it yet and if they don't like it I'll do a different one if that's what they want.


  Last night was the first quarterly Art Walk of the year.  It went well even though it was the lowest turn out of artists.  I met lots of interesting people and got to hear their comments on my newest work.  I was kind of apprehensive but it was all positive.  They like the direction my work is taking.


  I just moved into a new house with a studio so I have a lot more space to experiment and throw some paint.  I look forward to seeing the direction my work takes in the near future.

Oils Again?

My favorite living artist/author is Clive Barker and I've been on a real kick with him lately, reading his books (again), watching videos of him painting, interviews with him, and looking at his artwork 24/7.  He is amazing.  I've liked him since the 80's and every time I go through one of these phases I try oils again because of what he can do with them.  I don't see how he gets the effects he does and I can't seem to get them with acrylics either.  His output is astounding.  Last time I tried them was almost two years ago.  I did 4 large works in oils and on the last one swore I would never try them again and went back to acrylics.  So, here I am about to do it again.  I'm probably being a fool but I'm going on this adventure yet again.  I hope that this time will be more fruitful.  Wish me luck.

Studio

I'm getting ready to move into a new house, new to me anyway and after several years I'll have my own studio to paint in and a garage to sculpt in.   

I haven't been able to sculpt in along time because of lack of space and it is so messy.  It will be nice to be able to do it again and it will be easier to clean up.  These pictures on the sides are some sculptures I did seven years ago with clay I dug up in my own yard.  I look forward to getting my hands dirty again.

  I will also have plenty of wall space to hang my paintings.  Right now I have it all stacked in a storage room.  I always felt like they had a life of their own and when I move they will be able to breath and watch over my son, me, and the house.  I might even be able to try painting larger.

Imagine someone breaking into the house and having this one come to life on them.  It's called "We Watch" and it's 4ft x 4ft.  Not to mention a 15o pound German Shepard charging at them.

I'm Lazy!!!

  I sit and stare at my latest painting I'm working on and consider starting two new ones and reworking an old one before finishing this one.  Am I spreading myself too thin?  Thinking about doing one using pretty much anything I can find except a brush.  Might get some interesting texture and color.  


  The old one I'm thinking about giving another once over to is about 3 years old .  Not too long after I did it I started hating it but not enough to trash it or go over it.  Since then I've seen potential in it and want to change some things.  Not sure what yet but we'll see where I go with it.  This is it to the right.  I'm thinking about giving it a whole new color scheme and softening the lines.  I'll post a new pic of it on here when it's done.

The one to the left is another one I'm considering reworking.  This one is three years old as well.


The quarterly Art Walk is 15 days away.  It's usually in this time that I get up off my butt and really paint.  I don't know why.  Even though I hate being rushed I seem to wait until my deadlines to finish a lot of my paintings.  Maybe I secretly like to rush.  I wouldn't think so, I'm kinda lazy.

A Rant

  It's amazing how no matter what you want to do something almost always works against you to keep you from it.  In my case it's usually people's horrible timing.  I know I shouldn't get mad at them but when they do it I get so angry because it's impeccable that they show up at the wrong time and they have that idiotic soulless look like they don't care if they're doing  it or not.


  I work at a pawn shop and it snowed today.  I was hoping they would close work down so I could go home and finish up a commission but they didn't.  After arriving the boss said if the weather got worse or no customers came in we could go home, but guess what?  The weather didn't get worse and the customers dribbled in at just the perfect pace to keep us there all day.  A lot of them were just killing time.  I wanted to wring their necks.  Every time I helped somebody with something they didn't want I could chew nails.


  Most of our clientele are rednecks and think everything can be solved with with beer and guns.  They come in with a expression on their face while looking at the firearms that says "I want to kill something, can you hook me up?".  Most of them that like my work is only because it would make a kickass tattoo.  Their idea of art is something with a rebel flag in it, hot rods, or Elvis on black velvet.


  I sometimes wish I lived somewhere else with open minded people that had at least a little culture.  We have nowhere to go here to meet other artists.  No art pubs, poetry readings, or even a symphony to go to.  No nightlife.  Oh well, I'm going off on another tangent.  I'll talk about that in another post.