Friday, August 28, 2015

News from the Studio 8/28/15

Hi friends, here's the latest from the studio:

Well, since my last update from the studio, I have completed the Convicted series, and I am really excited to post all 20 of those paintings as I get the final varnish on them.  It's a somewhat slow process to wait for them all to be ready for varnishing, but so far I have posted 12 on Facebook, and here is an exclusive look at those first 12 all together:


It'll be another couple of months before I get all 20 posted, but please check out my Facebook page to see each piece as I post them.

Last weekend, I was at the Raytown Artists Association Invitational show in Raytown, MO.  Abbey's portrait got an honorable mention, but other than that it was a quiet show for me.  Some good stuff, and it was nice to see one of my artist friends win the ol' Best of Show.

I am still showing at Jones Gallery in the Crossroads Arts District in Downtown KC.  Most of my best work is hanging there, and has been since May.  I encourage everyone in the KC area to go check it out on the next First Friday, September 4th.  The gallery opens at around 6:00pm and goes until around 10:00ish or later.  Always a fun time down there!  Please stop by and say hello (and better yet, make it a great birthday weekend for me by buying one of my paintings!)  Here is a little glimpse of my show at Jones Gallery:


So, in between Raytown and the Crossroads, I've been working on other pieces.  I recently finished a 40x30 inch monster of a nature painting.  And actually, it isn't even finished yet because I still have a few glazes to add to it.  I started the painting in February, and it's taken me 6 months to finally bring it to a finish.  Of course, I had the Convicted series in there, which kept me plenty busy between March and July.  But here are a few progression shots of the giant nature painting, which I have yet to title.  These were taken sometime between February and August:

I did three oil studies on paper, and this was the main one I used.  

The very first layer on the first day of painting on the canvas.
Some months after that, I returned to the painting with the next layer of foliage.

And another layer...

Finally getting to some details.  Fallen branches and such.  And the start of fallen leaves on the ground.

Several leaves later, I started on the rocks and stream.

One of the last details I was looking forward to painting after 6 long months was this little waterfall.

Once the final glazes are applied, I will post the official finished picture of the piece.  But it looks great, and I cannot wait to put it in a show!

So the other day, I was looking at a painting I did last year called "To Live is Christ, To Die is Gain."  It was calling to me to improve it.  Here is the painting as it was finished in October last year:


Not bad, but like I said I want to improve it some.  So I've been working on a revamp of this painting, particularly the background.  So I painted over it with black and indigo - two of the original colors I used.


Today, I went over part of the figure with a liquid frisket to mask it for the new background application that I'll be doing.  I also put down a little color using Williamsburg Brown Pink and Titanium White.



That's as far as I've gotten so far.  I'll be adding additional layers of color after the brown pink dries.  And then adding the text of Scripture.

That's all the news for now.  I am working on a brand new painting, and I'll be posting a whole blog update dedicated to that one later.  Thanks to everyone for the support and your admiration of my work!  Stay tuned for more later!

Thursday, August 20, 2015

News coming soon!

Hi friends,
I've been once again neglecting the ol' blog here.  Sorry if you've been looking for an update.  I'll have one coming very soon.

But for now, I will just say that the Raytown Artists Association Invitational Show is coming up this very weekend, Friday and Saturday August 21-22, at St. Paul's Church of the Nazarene in Kansas City (8500 E. 81st Terr.) and I will be showing three paintings, including previous award-winner from Blue Springs, the one and the only Abbey (who is heading off to college in the next week).  Hopefully we can win another award as a last hurrah for her before she leaves!

And my show at Jones Gallery is still going in the Crossroads every First Friday, if you would like to come out and see it!  I've swapped out a few pieces since my May opening, so please come and check them out!

Okay, I'll have an actual update from the studio very soon, so stay with me!  Peace out.