august '10 art update

my last update was in april, which is terribly long ago. it's been a combo of forgetfulness and inactivity. it's not like i've been completely away from painting. i worked on a few pieces, and even have had 2 shows - 1 @ the rogue festival, 1 @ patrick contreras' violin studio. and, i've been moving along on some paintings. but, i finally realized how long it had been, so i put up a post. and, i started a new painting that i took a bunch of in progress shots of.

lambs to the slaughter - i actually showed this painting in an unfinished manner at the rogue festival. since then i've begun working on the faces of the lambs, and the overall coloring of their bodies. i took this photo today before i added some reds inside of the lamb furthest to the left's mouth



shema - this painting is based on repetition. basically, i've been writing deuteronomy 6:4-8 over and over and over on this board. i'm not exactly sure where i am in the process on this. it's developing some nice colors and rhythm and so we'll see where it goes. i've basically been using 5 colors and i think when i get it to an almost finished stage i'll write it one last time in white.



this next painting is brand spanking new. here's the board i began with:



next, i sketched out a thought of a figure in front of the tower theater in a grease pencil



and then color. shading/blending/whatever else will come later, this was about getting paint on it



some ground color added



shading on the body. love this yellow/green combo and the grays on the ground



so, that's where i'm at today. i'm quite excited to not only start a new piece but to just have it move along rather quickly. i've got to give the work a few days to set a little, but it's good to be working.

art update

i'm taking part in a collaborative art project called "the underground garden," put together by local musician blake jones. it goes hand in hand with the release of the newest album from blake jones & the trike shop.

basically, each artist (there are a ton) are being given a 12"x12" piece of plywood to work with. the prompt is to think about how the local art/music scene is reflected by the idea of an underground garden.

here is my unfinished piece - it's due back to blake by 4/19.



admittedly, this is a crap picture. for whatever reason, i couldn't get a clear picture of the piece. i think it's because of the smearing i used. the piece is done in oil pastels, something i haven't used in a long time. i enjoyed working with them again, and so maybe there is an element of rebirth in it for me. i wanted to use a tree, a common symbol of life to be a symbol, or reflection of the growing arts and music culture in fresno. in the piece you see fruit of different valley plants (grapes, oranges, cotton, strawberries, all coming from the same tree, the same soil. but, this is also a take on the actual underground gardens, where there are fruit grafted onto other trees and so you have a tree that produces multiple fruits. fresno's art & music culture is beginning to bear fruit. it also comes from different branches. in the piece, there are 4 main branches, but this is more symbolic, as there are more than four branches, and more than four types of fruit being born here.

i'm more or less done with piece, i want it to be a quick reaction based on the inspiration.k it's not something i want to work and work and work on. that's not a reflection of the fresno art & music scene, just me & this piece. i'll be adding a polyurethane coat over the top to seal the pastels, and to give is some depth & shine.

the whole collective piece will be unveiled on april 24th at audie's olympic.

art update

holy crap, i haven't updated this page in forever. and, i haven't done much work. but, i am working, and here are two photos of a piece i'm working on for this year's rogue festival. it's called "fly on a windscreen"



close detail of fly



the painting is moving along, and it'll be ready to show in just under a month.

art updates

currently working on two pieces, the first being "fresno's diamond in the rough." not too many changes, just a little more time on it.




the second is the old fresno water tower. i haven't figured what i'll call it, but i've got the sky background started. this is going to be sort of minimalist. i'm very excited about this one. i used a torch to burn the outline of the water tower and love how it looks.

painting update

good news, i finally know where my city hall painting is going. it struck me tonight, giving me a title. it's progressed quite away since the earlier photo below.

the new title: fresno's diamond in the rough.

as i painted and thought about fresno's city hall, i searched for its heart. i thought of confusion, i thought of politics as usual, and i also thought of the change that is about take place as a new mayor takes office.

the painting is currently a side view of the city hall, a view that i've always loved more than the front or back. something about the dramatic lines, the roof, etc. in my painting it really takes on a diamond shape, especially because of the trees and such the limit the view near ground level.

so, as i work on this painting, i know that fresno has potential. city hall could be a precious gem. or, it could just stay a diamond in the rough.

upcoming art shows

@ the end of this month, i'll be showing as a part of the rogue festival.



here's the flyer. if you'd like one, let me know. if you'd like a handful to pass out, i'll give you some.

and, i've just confirmed that i will be showing @ my favorite coffee shop, cafe corazon, in april. so flyers will be coming for that too.

art update

here's a brief update of what i am/have been working on

these first three were quicker, small pieces done just change things up. they're all 10"x11" framed and will sell rather cheaply

plateau



sunlight over a field



light through covered glass



these next two are ones in different stages of a progress. the first has a bit to go, i think, but the second may be almost finished (depending on how it looks as it dries)

living in it (2'x2', oil on wood)



walking together (2'x4', oil on wood)

art in progress

here are low quality photos of six paintings currently in progress

the stench of war burns my nostrils


tower 3


untitled


these next three are part of a triptych i'm doing.
the first has been painted the base coat again because i keep screwing up