Friday, April 20, 2018

YouTube Vlog #17 - Life of an Oil Painting

Recently, I recorded some video footage of me in the process of creating a painting for my landscape series Scenes of Creation.  It's taken some time to edit it, but I finally have this video finished.  I didn't record every single detail of the painting, but it does include some nice close-up shots, and a good look at how I apply paint in those small details.  This painting was completed over the course of 3 painting sessions.  It's not a tutorial, as I don't do any talking or explanation of anything.  Just a nice relaxing look at the life of an oil painting by me.  Enjoy!


Tuesday, April 17, 2018

New Gallery Representation - 2010 Gallery

Friends,

I am so excited to announce that I am now represented by 2010 Gallery, located in Prairie Village, Kansas!  I currently have 5 pieces available from my painting series God Breathed.  I am very honored and blessed to have this opportunity, and I hope all of you here in the KC area will stop by this great gallery and check out my work, and the other outstanding works surrounding it.  2010 Gallery is located at 9415 Nall Ave. in Prairie Village, and is open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.

Speaking of which, I am also blessed to have my work showing alongside that of the late Mark Weber, who passed away on December 14th, 2017.  In a way, I have Mark to thank for being in this gallery and for many of the opportunities I've had over the past year.



I didn't know Mark very well.  I only met him a couple of times.  But both times had an impact, and I walked away from our conversations with a lot to think about.  He was that kind of guy.  In his wisdom and advise, he seemed to know exactly what to say to both push and inspire.  At least for me, he did.

The last time I saw Mark was about a year ago.  He was the juror for the Images Art Gallery Juried Show in Overland Park, KS.  Mark honored me with the Best of 2D award at this show for my painting The Crusader (among my five works now at 2010 Gallery).  After the awards ceremony, I was getting ready to leave, but first wanted to shake Mark's hand and thank him for the award.  Of course, he kept me for a little bit to chat.  He seemed to be the kind of guy that just wanted to converse with you.  Especially if he saw something special in you and your work.  I remember two questions in particular that he asked me.

"Are you showing in any other galleries?"  To that, I said yes.  I had been at Jones Gallery in the Crossroads for two years at that time.  Without missing a beat, Mark asked me a follow-up question.

"Are you selling?"  With some reservation, I said, "Yeah, I've sold a few pieces since I've been there, and a few others from other places."  Which was true, of course.  I only wish I could have had a more enthusiastic answer.

I am certain that Mark saw right through me.  From there, he basically told me that my work was too good not to be doing better than it is.  And that it was time to get my work into some more galleries, including those outside of Kansas City.  He went on to tell me some funny stories of how he went about doing that himself... some rather unconventional approaches about which I won't go into detail.

So like I said, I went home with a lot on my mind.  The bottom line was it was time to break through that comfort zone.  That Kansas City-shaped bubble I was in.  A few months later, the opportunity to show in a gallery in Fredericksburg, TX came along.  It would become my first major national show.  Around the same time came another national show in Parkville, MO.  Unfortunately, neither opportunity paid off as I hoped they would.  Yet, Mark's inspiring wisdom and advise have stuck with me.  And nearly one year to the day after our conversation at Images Gallery, I am showing in a gallery alongside his magnificent work.  And I look forward to what's to come from here.

Glory to God in the highest.  You have given me so much, after You have given me so much.





Friday, April 13, 2018

News from the Studio 4/13/18

Hello my friends, here is the latest from the studio:
  • If you've been to Jones Gallery lately, you might notice that I've downsized the number of works I'm showing, but I've also added a few new pieces as well.  I added 4 works for April First Friday; two landscape paintings and two drawings, including my recent award-winning charcoal portrait Wisdom from the Blue Springs Fine Art Show in March.  Please contact me at ryandelgadoart@gmail.com, or David at Jones Gallery at 816-421-2111 to inquire about purchasing any of these works.
Clockwise from left:  The First Psalm, oil; Just Around the Corner, oil; Splash, graphite and oil on paper; Wisdom, charcoal.

  • This July, I will have some work featured at the Ottawa Community Arts Council's Figurative Arts & Classical Nude exhibition at Carnegie Cultural Center in Ottawa, Kansas.  This is the first show of its kind at this gallery, and for the OCAC, and I am honored to have been invited to show my work in this exhibition.  

  • My latest painting for my Scenes of Creation series is completed.  For more information, or if you are interested in purchasing this piece, please email me at ryandelgadoart@gmail.com with the Subject line: "Floodgates".  
Floodgates
oil on canvas
14x18 inches
2018

  • In addition to Scenes of Creation, I have begun preliminary work on a new series of paintings called Hands.  St. Francis of Assisi is noted for saying, "Speak the Gospel of Jesus, and if necessary, use words."  The implication, of course, is that our actions speak louder than our words.  Our hands have power to speak the gospel as much as, if not more than our speech.  This series of paintings is inspired by Scripture, and will be an expressive telling of the gospel using only images of hands.




Friday, April 6, 2018

YouTube Vlog #16 - Setting and Accomplishing Goals

Here is my latest from YouTube.  I wanted to just talk a little bit about goals:  How I set them, and how I try to accomplish them.  This is not necessarily an exact science, but more trial and error.  That's really the nature of setting goals.  You might accomplish some, and others you might not.  What's important is evaluating yourself and seeing where you went right and where you went wrong.  So with that, I hope you take away something worthwhile from this new vlog: