A Quick Note Before I Collapse

It's been a long, but productive day. Didn't sleep much last night. Probably about an hour all told. It was a day of dead car batteries, sick children, and tax preparation. Throw in a bit of cleaning for good measure. I tried to paint, but lack of sleep is getting the better of me. I'm having some issues focusing so I'm about to hang it up for the night. I do have a couple of images from last night's round in the studio. So I'll post them and call it good.
Here they are. I'm hoping to put the finishing touches on this by the end of next week. That should get it done in time to put it on display at a place here in tttdt....


(at this point I started spacing out and typing rows of letters. My body had finally given out and my mind was seriously considering the beneficial aspects of a coma. Taking this as a sign that perhaps I'd pushed myself too far and needed some rest... I went to bed.)


So to pick up where I left off last night I'll post my image updates and make some comments on the concept of No-Mind. I think there can be benefits to working in a state of exhaustion. They were NOT apparent last night and I think I was right to give up the ghost when I did. Some of my best work, however, has been created while in a state of total exhaustion. When you do something long enough you develop "muscle memory". I experienced what I later learned was a state called No Mind during my study of Neko Ryu, dance, and when I was a new father with a cholic-y baby who never slept. We find or put ourselves into situations where we're pushing ourselves to the point of collapse. The mind disengages to a point, but the body continues to repeat the actions we've learned and practiced over and over again. This is a very common state that any distance runner can tell you about. Like a "runner's high" it can be a pretty eurphoric place.

I've been painting for a long time now (nearly 18yrs!) so the physical act of painting has been so ingrained that the body paints more or less on its own. Once I know what it is that I want to do with an image the act of putting it on the canvas becomes, to a point, more physical than mental. I'm still extremely focused, but it seems to me that my mind is engaged on another level. Like an outside observer. When you hit that state you take away the potential of over-analyzing your actions and paint instinctively. The results can be startlingly good. But as with anything else your mileage may vary.

It's supposed to be warm here in Iowa so I'm looking forward to getting out and getting some more photos.
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.


Cheers,

R

NYC Rain Update and the Sowers of Strife

I've had a chance to make a little more progress on my latest NYC painting. I'm approaching this with a fair bit of ecstatic energy. I'm using big brushes. I'm attacking the canvas. I'm working up a sweat. I love it. I mentioned in my last post that I'm determined to loosen up and stop nitpicking my paintings to death. They start out with so much energy, but I feel like they get bogged down. It's all part of the process of learning so I'm good with it. I want to spend my time in the studio not trying to churn out masterpieces (which, in my opinion, happen on their own), but working on myself as a Painter and Artist. The Artist paints him/herself ultimately. One way or another our work reflects who we are, what we're doing, where we're at. I think most things we do are opportunities for personal development.
Which leads me to something else... The other side of that coin: The Sowers of Strife. Those of us who spend our time trying to better ourselves, trying to help others, trying to raise families, or whatever have got to be baffled by people who spend their days trying to foul up the lives of others for their own gain. Dante maintained that the 8th circle of Hell was reserved for these jackholes. I personally don't think that's deep enough. These are the people that scam retirees out of their pensions and candy right out of the mouths of children. In the last year I've been targeted by a number of scammers. Email scams are the order of the day. So far I've yet to be taken, but I know those who have been. I have the benefit of having been an administrator for a corporate email system for a few years. You see all kinds of great stuff. I'll admit they're getting better, but since New Years I've been solicited no less than five times to help some poor, hapless soul get out of being "stranded" in a foreign country. Last January it was a bogus painting purchase offer that involved me paying for "shipping" costs up front, but only AFTER the receipt of a "completely varifiable" cashier's check. Point being the age of internet commerce has been a great boon for artists. We can get our work in front of an amazingly wide audience. It increases the potential for sales, shows, you name it. The other side is that it increases exposure to these pathetic wastes of oxygen. Keep sharp and always check your sources. The ubiquitous nature of the internet makes anonymity a forgone conclusion for those you are dealing with. Don't let that keep you from engaging in e-commerce. It's a great way to do business. I, myself have an Etsy store and have made some great sales through there, email, and Facebook, but you never really know who's on the other end of the line. When in doubt use your tools. Check your sources. I always confer with www.ArtScams.com if I'm sceptical about an email or offer. I'd suggest you do the same.
Best of luck, and... Let's be careful out there.


Cheers,

R

A Day Aside

Saturdays were made for leisure or at least for the pursuit of things not involving the stress or the daily grind of the work week (ie: hobbies, home projects, etc). Doesn't always work that way tho. Like I tell my kids, "work before pleasure". So the day started with fried egg sandwiches and housework. Well, at least that's out of the way for now.

I'd set the rest of this day aside for myself. I had a lot of Me stuff to take care of. Aside from some personal grooming events (read as Haircut and a decent shave) I promised myself, Universe willing, that I'd get a start on taking pics for the upcoming Art Festival Mural project. I've spent the last couple of hours walking around downtown looking for good shots. I need something that definitively says "Des Moines". I'm working with some constraints so I'm looking for compositions that hold up well in a long, horizontal format. Size not necessarily withstanding, the painting will need to be produced in a 5:2 ratio. Plus the composition needs to be, for lack of a better word, busy. People will be painting small sections of the final piece and I can't imagine that there are that many people out there that would want to paint an all blue square for example. It needs variety. Ultimately I'll need to take more than a little creative license with the image to make sure the instances of that are as few as possible. I plan to go back out around sunset and again once it's dark. Thankfully the weather's working with me. It's a great day. Calm, relatively warm (damned near 50! woohoo!), and sunny. I could personally go for a few more clouds... for variety's sake, but they can always be brought in from other, later shots. Not to mention I've got a stash of DSM pics going back nearly 5yrs.

I've also managed to make some more progress on my latest NYC piece. I'm wanting to make this piece a little less "slick" than some of my more recent work. A conversation I had last night confirmed my own feelings that, although it's not as bad as stuff I'd produced a couple of years ago, my paintings are feeling a bit overworked. Funny, the person who made the comment was quite apologetic about it, but in truth he merely said what I'd already been thinking. The wet streets, long shadows, and bright lights I think will lend themselves to a looser approach. I'm seeing areas of unpainted canvas and looser brushwork. I've been trying to stick to my mural-sized brushes for this (3-4"). I'm thinking there'll be time for some more work on it later tonight.

That same discussion brought up another point that I'd been kicking around. Many times after seeing a web-posting of one of my pieces people will comment on how much they look like photographs. This is a little disappointing to me because in person they don't look like that at all. The brushwork tends to be loose and energetic. At least, that is, when I don't overdo it. I'm thinking I need to incorporate some sort of zoom mechanism into the site. If you know of anything that would help with that please let me know.

Sunset's coming in an hour or so. Time to start thinking about where I want to be when that happens.

Cheers,

R

Bracing for the Storm

As a general rule I like to keep busy. I like to be occupied with... something. I don't like lengthy periods of inactivity. They drive me nuts. All I wind up doing is thinking about what it is that I could/should be doing instead of relaxing. That being said I do enjoy taking a break from my usual grind to spend a little time doing nothing. As much as it might bother me I know that it's also necessary to have physical and mental downtime. I did this last night for a couple of hours. I played some games and watched some DVDs that I need to return to a friend. It's been a rough couple of days and for some reason I'm seeing it getting worse before it gets better. Homelife issues, shows, work. Such is life though. So... I took a break. My way of bracing for the storm. You can see it coming and there's nothing you can do to stop it so you sit back and watch it roll in with the knowledge that you're going to get rained on at the very least. At worst, blown away.
There is a quote I always think of in these situations:

"There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you still get the same soaking. This understanding extends to everything".

I like this quote a lot and I apply it to any situation where something bad or very strenuous or taxing is inevitable. It helps me to focus on the end result and not get muddled up in the middle. So there is unpleasantness that I'm dealing with in my personal life, there is the grind of the day-job (which I'm happy to have at the moment), and there's a looming list of projects, shows, and new work that all need to be addressed. AND let us not forget that taxes are upon us. These things may weigh on my mind, but I'm happy to have the work. As for the homelife situations that loom I am resolved to get through them and so I won't dwell on them or let them take my focus away from the present.
With that in mind I've started a new piece to help me meditate on the upcoming wave of activity. Fittingly enough the source photo was taken during a rainstorm. People rushing around trying to stay dry. People hurrying from awning to awning or from one doorway to another. My friends and I walked down the middle of the sidewalk... getting soaked, but comfortable in the knowledge that there was a dry, warm place waiting for us at the end. In this case at the Tir na Nog Pub across from Penn Station. I've just laid down the first layer of paint, but I'm already excited about what's going on. I'm hoping to complete this one quickly. There are shows in the near future. I have much to do and people are counting on me.

And an extra special Thank You to my very good friends who have spent a LOT of helping me to work through this stuff recently.
I don't know where I'd be without you.


Cheers,

R

The Last Dance

I'd have to say it was an all-around good day. I spent most of the day with my boys. I was able to blog twice. I finished a painting. I visited the new collaborative workspace, the Market Street Foundry (very cool!). My oldest got to spend the night with his bestest buddies. I got to spend the evening with my little one. I even managed to slide in a run to the grocery store without the kids. Yep. Good times.
Tonight I feel like I've finally finished Spiral. Here's the final pic. I've made the changes I set out to make. I feel like I can put this one down. I've got another canvas on deck and a couple of those NYC pics to choose from. I'm hoping to work a large cityscape in. I've gotten to a point where I need to redirect.

I'll say no more tonight tho. It's late. Jackie Chan's on the TV and it's time to relax.


Cheers,

R

Rise

Another week has gone by before I'd really even gotten a good start on it. So much has happened lately that my head's spinning. Not all that unusual for me I suppose. Not all of those things have been good, but that's life, huh.
I did manage to sneak in a couple of painting sessions and am nearly done with Spiral. Good thing too. More and more opportunities are coming my way and I need to buckle down and get working. It's good for me to have some deadlines. Keeps me focused. Keeps me moving forward.
I figure I've got one more session before Our Lady of the Many Arms is finished. She's needing some finishing touches on her hands and arms plus I need to soften up her torso. The line of her ribs and tummy is too hard. I want her to be muscular-looking, but feminine, lithe. I'm thinking tonight's the night. We'll dance one last time and then I'll let her go. Other projects are looming. That means putting her down, but not before we've finished with each other. I've got ideas for some other surrealist pieces, but I don't have time for them right now. So I've sketched and notated enough so that I can come back to them in the future. Stay tuned. I went waaaay out in left field for a few of them. It's a place where I feel at home with the things lurking behind the curtains of my subconscious. Private things.
So on to the new work. Right now I'm doing a logo for an architectural firm in Chicago thanks to an old and good friend. I don't do a ton of graphic design work, but I do enjoy it and would like to do more. So if you've got a line on some... think of me.
In some really great news I've been commissioned to create a new cityscape of Des Moines for the big Des Moines Art Festival this Summer. It's a great event attended by thousands and I'm thrilled to be a part of it. The image will then be enlarged and divided into about 1000 squares which will be reproduced by Art Fest attendees. Those squares, when completed, will be mounted onto a framework resulting in a billboard-sized reproduction (roughly 30'x50'). That's HUGE! I'm really pumped up for this project. Working with specific contraints and with a committee will be a new experience, but I'm totally up for it and can't wait to get started.
On top of that there are shows coming up and contests, AND I might be speaking to an Art History and Architecture class. I love public speaking, but I'm a little nervous about this one. I'm up to the challenge tho.
I'd like to give thanks now to those people that have presented me with these opportunities and to those people that have and continue to believe in me. I won't let you down. I appreciate you more than you know.

When opportunities arise you rise with them.
Sometimes you bite off more than you can chew, but it's better than starving.

Cheers!

R

A Flurry of Activity or Our Lady of the Many Arms

So much to do. So much that's been done. So much that gets left on the wayside.
It's been an all-around busy week. Seems like everything happens at once. I'm sure there's a law of causality that governs it or at least makes a flail attempt to explain it. I've been happy to be busy. It keeps you from dwelling on any one thing excessively. That works for me. I'm kinda all over the place anyway.
Got great news this week. I'm keeping it largely under my hat, but there are those that know. Just want to get going on it a bit before I talk to much more about it. Suffice it to say that it's a great opportunity and I have some serious Thank You's to dole out.
Had a great weekend. Got to visit some friends and had a great night out at some very cool places. More Thank You's.
My social life has taken a bit of a front seat lately. Perhaps it's time to ease up on that a bit. It can be a bit addictive and can hinder one's productivity, but it can be good too. You can't hole up in your studio and expect anything to happen to you.
As a result of all of this Our Lady of the Many Arms has taken a bit of a break. I have some pics from my last session with her. I'm thinking her arms are a pretty good metaphor for things as they are right now. I'm reaching in may directions at once, but doing it gracefully. Or at least making an attempt.
Does this mean my feminine side is a six-armed woman?
She's lost some arms and the ones that are left are feeling more or less right to me. I just need to spend some time on their shape and pose. Then we'll refine form. I think she'll be done soon. I've got other projects that need tending to though so she may take longer than I think. The paying projects take precedent right now.

Gonna be a good week.

Cheers,

R

Getting There and Gaining Limbs

More updates on Our Lady Spiral.
Sometimes when I'm working on cityscapes I feel stuck or sortof blah about the piece. It can get hard to move forward or at least feel like you're making progress. A college prof of mine used to call these Slave Paintings. Pieces you feel like you're tied to. They can become a burden. They can even make you feel like you don't want to go to the studio and work. Sometimes though, all you have is dogged determination. I've got a couple of pieces on the easel or in the sketchbook that are started to feel like this. Projects that I've started or should start that I just don't want to touch right now.

This piece has stepped in and wiped all of that away for a while at least. It's taking focus away from my core portfolio work, but I like painting this way sometimes. It has really gripped my imagination. Painting without references is pretty liberating to me although I'm still grumbling about the lack of a figure-model to help with the arms and final leg positioning. You do what you can sometimes. There IS a life drawing group that gets together at a local gallery. Perhaps I'll get off my ass and get down there. I'll have to make do. Improvisation is a big part of creativity in my book. If you can't improvise you can quickly find yourself stuck. When you don't have what you need you find a way to get it or get around it.

I feel like I'm getting to the end of this one even tho I'm still unsure as to how many limbs she'll have when we're done. Plus I'm still fiddling with the final positioning of the one's she's got. I've got some ideas for a new one, but I've got to get some more cityscapes done. Some potential shows coming up that I'll need them for. I don't feel like this work should mix with the rest. Pieces like Spiral are more personal to me and need special attention. Their own show

Cheers,


R

Miss Spiral

I've noticed something. Since I've started painting Spiral I've started seeing things a little differently. I've noticed that I don't feel as isolated. My work for the most part depicts either empty streets, or streets with one or two people (minus the cars... they don't count as people). A lot of my paintings are, then, studies in isolation or the juxtaposition of isolated individuals.
I think you get back what you put out. So here I am depicting these singular elements under darkness. You see what I'm getting at.
Since I started working on her I've had a slightly different outlook. My social calendar is filling up. I'm spending more time involved hands-on with things. I'm wanting to involve people and get involved with them. I find myself sketching again. An act that had become more and more rare in the last few years. I don't know if it's just the change of subject matter. Perhaps I'm opening up more.

I'm shooting from the hip more on this. I don't have any photo-references to make my decisions for me on what goes where. No pre-built skylines or people walking about. I'm having to get more involved and take the work a little more personally. I don't think this is going to be necessarily where my work is going, but I'm definitely going to be spending more time with this part of my personality.
So, she's got me going. I've added and removed arms. Repositioned legs and breasts. Her head's about the only thing that's left intact from the original canvas sketch. I'm hoping to get some help soon with the poses. After that it'll be a little more academic. I'd like to finish her, but I can't do that until I'm satisfied. Perhaps I'll have to put her aside for a while to play catchup on some other work, but honestly I can't really go down to the studio and not work on her.
Preparing to tangle with those arms tonight.
Wish me luck.



Cheers,


R

More to Come Soon

As I'm sure it has been for everyone this last week's been a real blur. The holidays wear me out. I've had your standard work-holidays and should be catching up on rest, but it seems like there's always so much to do: friend and family visiting, parties, the occasional road trip. I'm preaching to the choir. As a result I've only painted a few times in the last week or so. I'd say I've gotten a lot accomplished tho. I've been talking. Getting the word out. Trying to develop new relationships in my professional and personal life. Might have come through with a couple of new shows lines up. More importantly I came through with some new friendships and refreshed a few older ones.

That's what's been keeping the spring in my step. I think it's also what has produced this change in my subject matter. Spiral absorbs me when I'm in the room although at the moment she's got me a little turned around and I'm not sure where to go. I made some major changes last night. I ditched 2 or three arms and revamped her legs. I think they look strong now... perhaps too muscular. I'll have to look at it some more. I want to convey exuberance, reverance, delicacy, and strength. The limbs have to be perfect in their own pose in relation to the body but I don't want to get caught up in the details. I think that could take away the energy. That's part of the reason I did what I did with the limbs.

Frankly I need a large mirror... dammit i need a model. I don't do figurative work a lot and it would be handy to have an actual reference I could pose.

The job of Muse is also currently open...
Apply within.

Cheers,

R

Dancer Update

I did what I said I was going to. I stepped up to the canvas w/ the bare vestiges of a gameplan. I usually have a fair idea of how I'm going to get started on a night's work, but last night I spent a little time deliberating about which brush to start with and that was about it. It just started coming out. I did spend some time testing out the pose... the position of the arms. I probably looked pretty ridiculous, but that's what curtains are for. I found myself adding and subtracting limbs, adjusting the tilt of an arm, the position of a breast. I'm not going for accuracy here, but I do want the pose to make some sort of anitomical sense. If, that is, you can make sense of a woman with an undefined number of arms.
Around 1am I stepped back and realized she'd taken on a Lovecraftian look. She'd become beautiful and horrible. Graceful and unsettling. I want her to be exhuberant, triumphant, and a little disturbing. She's definitley getting that. I didn't realize it until I stepped out of the room and came back. Guess I needed to reset my perspective. I'm not sure where she's going to go from here. Who knows what we'll wind up with at the end. I'm kindof along for the ride here so it's anyone's guess.
Stay tuned for more.


Cheers,

R

The Dancer Begins

I mentioned in my last post that I'd done multi-armed female figures before. Here's my first. The piece is entitled, "The Dancer Begins". She was the product of another burst of quick inspiration one late night. I used to do tons of figurative work in graphite and charcoal. I really enjoy it, but in recent years I've let it slide in favor of my cityscapes and nocturnes. This work doesn't fit with my regular stuff so I've kindof put it off to the side. I've had shows and commissions and too many other things to think about I suppose. Maybe it's time to let these characters back out. I've often considered posting this stuff under a pseudonym just because it IS so different. Maybe that sounds pretentious, but I like the idea of this work being the property of an alter-ego even if that alter-ego is maybe more me than the other guy or at least a part of me that I file away for personal use only.



Cheers,

R

Spiral

I was up painting Friday night and wasn't having a lot of success. Earlier in the evening I'd put a 36"x48" canvas sup on my primary easel just to have something on it. I got a funny feeling right after I put it up. I was walking away from it and turned around for something and I got the oddest sensation that it (the canvas) was looking back. I even posted a note on Twitter commenting on my new, blank canvas "smiling" at me and how I knew it was going to be something different. I had no idea what tho.
I'd covered my palette with plastic wrap and had turned off the tunes. I was ready to hang it up for the night when, for no apparent reason, I snatched a dirty brush out of my turp can and started frantically... for lack of a better word, scribbling. I still really didn't have any idea what was going to come out. Kindof like Voodoo Chevalier(i think that's the name for it). Like it wasn't me and someone else was driving. I'm not really talking about spirit possession of course, but the sensation is odd to be sure. I think a lot of artists get this feeling.
So here she is. I'm calling her Spiral. It's a comic book reference to a six-armed woman that appears from time to time in the X-Men. Her character always made me think of Shiva as the Cosmic Dancer. Those images have always fascinated me. It's not the first time I've depicted a figure like this. I painted a six-armed feminine figure a few years back. A personal favorite of mine. This one's feeling different tho. I'm not sure where she's going to go from here. I'm not putting much into planning. I plan on doing some conscious tweaking, but for the most part I'm just going to step up to the canvas and let it come out. She could wind up with dozens of limbs... who knows? I'm looking forward to seeing where this one goes. Maybe moreso than anything else I've done recently. It's nice to take a new direction. It's been a long time since I've let myself explore so it's exciting. Maybe a change in direction will be good for me. Maybe this represents new things for me in other areas as well. Sometimes I think this facet of my work is my real self speaking up.
We'll see what he has to say.

Cheers,

R

Christmas Spirit?

Every year we're bombarded with stuff that's supposed to invoke the Christmas Spirit. Usually this irritates the hell out of me, but this year I can't say that I've really even noticed. Maybe it's because I don't watch a lot of TV. Maybe it's because of the current home situation I'm in. Christmas is a time for Family and mine's a bit of a mess right now. Not to mention, people... Jesus wasn't born in December. Pretty much any Bible scholar can tell you.
More than anything the rabid commercialization just gets me down. Kindof wears your faith in humanity a little thin.
On the other hand I've seen a lot of generosity going around in the face of tough times. If anything will restore my Christmas Spirit that's it. I've seen my own children express such giving that it lightens my heart. I can't wait to be with them when they come downstairs Christmas morning. The sheer excitement on their faces... their instant willingness to share their new discoveries with each other. Looking forward to that. It gives me some hope.
Maybe hope is the reason I'm working on a piece depicting two people walking down the street windowshopping together. It's not that I'm hoping to be like that right now. I'm not. I am putting it out there as an image of things working out. Of knowing that things don't stay the same. That situations, no matter how bad, can work out for the best one way or another. Maybe working on something like this gives me some solace. Maybe that's why I'm feeling so tentative about it. The painting's only 9"x12" and the little things can be delicate. They need special care and attention. Working small has made me feel like I'm tiptoeing. Taking little steps. Being more mindful. Perhaps that's what I need right now. A little stillness of heart.
I think that's what I want for Christmas this year.

Well, that and a new MP3 player.

Cheers,

R

Refreshed

I'm back from NYC and I feel recharged for the first time in a long time. I've been taking so much time off painting lately I think because even though I was actively working on a piece and had others I wanted to get done I'd really been struggling with the desire to actually get down and do it. It's not like my weeks haven't been a little hectic, but I think I was using that as a beard for a lack of motivation. If you really want to do something you'll find a way. The opposite of that is true as well.

My day-job employer, Aviva, sent me out to Woodbury, NY to do some inventory work. I'm generally always happy to travel and the trip itself went well although the work experience could've been better. On the other hand I did finally get to meet some people I've worked with for several years that I've never had the chance to actually put the face with the voice. So that part was good. Plus one of them gave me an umbrella when I told her I was going into the city to take pics. Very cool. So, Thanks! Needless to say the umbrella went to good use as it was windy, raining, and about 40degrees. I couldn't have cared less. It was effing beautiful. I met up with a couple of friends and we pretty much walked, got soaked, and had an excellent time. I took about 60 good pics. I couldn't get as many as I wanted because I couldn't keep the camera out for long in some areas due to the blowing rain. Miraculously it still works. It was totally worth it.

The trip revitalized me. I had to really want to get those shots to go out and wander around in that weather. The experience forced me to have to endure some unpleasantry to get the really good stuff. Granted I had good friends along and Hot Toddies at the end of the road before the train ride back to Long Island. The company of friends can take the edge off of nearly anything.

So thankful that I went. So glad to be home.

Looking forward to starting on some of these. Maybe tonight.

Cheers,

R

Before I Go

So I've been thinking a lot about things lately. I haven't been painting much. I haven't been exercising much either. Seems like there are a number of things that are falling into that category. I've had a few shows recently and there is talk of more. Lately tho I've been settling into a different mindset.

Seems to me that Winter is a time for thought. It's too cold here to want to spend days on end enjoying the out-of-doors so your options become limited. We read, watch TV, talk, or if you live where it's cold you probably drink and/or have sex. All perfectly good ways to take the edge off of cold Winter months. Not only that tho I think it's necessary in a way. To be sheltered away for a while either on your own or with those you love. For some people it's both. Any way you slice it... it can be time well spent, but you'd be wise to build up your reserves.

I will settle back into my routine of nightly painting very soon, but just like the colder temperatures this season's frame of mind can take a while to get acclimated to.

Here is an update to my current piece. The original photo was taken in October. A time when everything alive is storing up for the Winter.

On the road to New York tomorrow. Better get some sleep.

Cheers,

R

Quite a Week

Wow, this week's been a bit of a whirlwind so I haven't been painting much. It bothers me a bit, but on the other hand I've been using the time to promote my work and do a little reflection. Plus work's been a bear. My coworkers and I have spent the last week doing assett inventory for my employer, Aviva. That means we've been working with a team of contractors to pretty much count everything remotely electronic. With three buildings in Des Moines and four remote locations it's a pretty big undertaking. I'm proud to say that we've been moving along ahead of schedule although it's been exhausting. Mostly I've just wanted to come home, spend time with my boys, relax a little and go to bed. There IS a little bonus that comes with this project tho. I've been assigned to go to our New York office to do the inventory there. The office is on Long Island, but I'm hoping to get into Manhattan for at least one night. Christmas time in NYC is practically mythical in my book and I'm geared up to take pics til my camera explodes. Can't wait for that part.
Day-Job aside the rest of the week's been very entertaining. The Crossroads Conference happened Thursday night and I have to say that it was a blast. Lots of good music, art, food and drink. The New Belgium Brewery was one of our sponsors. I LOVE their 1554 Enlightened Black Ale. Nectar of the Gods... Last night ArtDive had an open house and the Fitch Studios & the Fitch Gallery had their open artists' studio night. Both were very well attended. I got to spend some time with some amazing artists and regular people as well (smirk). I spent the earlier part of the evening discussing art with visitors and potential customers. I tend to be a bit of a solitary observer, but for some reason I felt like I was in my element this week and chatted up a storm. I have to admit... it felt good.
That brings up a discussion I had last night with a new friend of mine. He teaches Art and had some interesting insights not only into my work, but into this blog. I tend to break the blog up into "What's going on in my life" and "Here's what I'm working on". I never really considered it, but it sort of insulates my personal life from my work. Perhaps it's my tendency to be a voyeur that led to it. I'm not 100% sure, but it's given me something to think about. I feel like perhaps I need to include myself more into my work, or at least in my discussion. Not just talking about what I'm doing, but why.
I'll give it a try. Hell, I'll try anything once. Well, almost anything....

Hope to have some more updates and maybe even some insights before the weekend's up. We'll see.

Cheers,

R

Keeping Up the Momentum

Getting back to it after a couple days away and I'm glad I did. It was nice to take a few extra days away from the studio this last week, but momentum is important to me. Too many times in the past I've let it slip only to find myself wondering where the time went and what I spent it on. Not to mention I tend to get surly when I don't paint.

So now it's one to the next one. I posted some pics a while back from a trip to visit friends in Galena, IL. I started the painting a few weeks ago, but have left it largely untouched in my efforts to get work done for the show at the Heritage Gallery and the CrossRoads Conference coming up this Wednesday and Thursday. I feel like I'm getting a good grasp of this image and have every confidence It'll be done within the next 10 days. I spent tonight redifining some of the shapes and laying down some more colors. I still need to correct the overall shape of the stiped awning and spend some time on the right-hand figure. Looking forward to seeing this one finished.

Sleep now...

Cheers,

R

The First Real Snow!

Typically Sunday mornings are a big deal around my house. The kids drag me out of bed (read as "off the couch") and I get up and make a huge breakfast: bacon, eggs, sausages, pancakes or waffles, fruits... the woiks. This Sunday morning however they're off and running. No sooner had we all gotten up and moving then the neighbor kids started arriving in their snowpants and heavy coats asking if the boys could come out and play. Naturally I couldn't deny them. First snows are always good childhood memories. Good adult ones too. Thinking about taking a walk in it while it's still coming down.
So they're out playing and I'm having a cup of good, hot tea for my sore throat and my aching head. Had a few too many pints at The Vaudeville Mews last night. My reason for not having any updates this morning. In truth I still managed to fit some drawing in at a place called The Lift before my friends turned up. I may post that later, but I'll need to scan it first.
So cheers to you this fine, snowy morning. Let your kids get out and play in it. Let yourself get out and do a little of the same.

R

Just in Time

So which are we as a country celebrating more this year? Thanksgiving or Black Friday? It seems the latter has been getting all of the attention with things being the way they are. Understandable in uncertain times. Perhaps having a tight Christmas will get some people to start thinking about the way we're all living. Hmmm...

"...it's good to be fruitful, but don't take more than a mouthful" - Lenny Kravitz
Enough about that.

I've managed to take a few days off painting this week to give myself a break. Seems like i've been doing a lot of that lately. It's good to focus on some other things for a while. I got some great work done this week as well. I managed to finish Big Red. The actual title is Washington Street in Red. The location is in the Iowa City Ped Mall area. A place where I spent a lot of time getting pics when I lived in Coralville. I may do some touching-up of the large, yellow neon sign area on the upper-right, but all-in-all I feel done. Just in time too. I've got to deliver my paintings for the Crossroads Conference coming up this week (12/3 & 4). Can't wait. It should be a great event. Hope to see some of you there!

Time to get the boys rounded up and run some errands. We'll see if I can pry them away from the Playstation (shuffles to the garage to get the crowbar...)



Cheers,



R

Amost Forgot...

I did forget to mention something last night as I was rambling on. I'd recently gotten a painting accepted into a juried showing at a local gallery. The reception yesterday was great. Great turnout, great art, and some great conversation. All of this made better by the presence of a very good friend turning out for moral support (Thank You!!).
As it turns out I didn't rate so much as an honorable mention. But judging art is very subjective. It's all based on the tastes and moods of the judge or jury at the time. A different judge might have different tastes in art and the decisions can just as easily go the other way. Not to mention the artists were all top notch. I thought all of the pieces had great merit and was happy to be in such good company.
I did get a lot of inquiries about the piece, NYC Coffee and my art in general. More names for the mailing list... It all leads to something.
The point is that you can't take things like that personally. You keep moving forward. Keep trying. Keep getting up. Keep striving. You never give up once you've found your calling.
Next time...

A Quick One Before Bed

It's been a pretty good weekend. Spent Friday night out listening to some excellent music. I was alone so I probably looked a little odd to some, but some nights you just want to check the scene and listen to the tunes. I'm a people-watcher too so that helps. That's a better show some nights than what's up on stage. I don't mind doing things by myself. I love going to movies, galleries, and the like that way. Gives me a chance to really take it in without having someone else to consider.
Got some good painting time in last night and tonight. I'm just going to post a couple of updates and notes before I go crash. Why can't we ever just rest on the weekends?
In tonight's updates you may not notice any huge differences. I'm spending my time getting the shapes right while adding successive layers of color. Last night I made a few more decisions about the person, but she's still pretty fuzzy and something doesn't feel right about her. I added some details to the window towards the front. Nothing major yet. The large sign on the top needs work, but I'll get to it. Still not sure what to do about the lower, left corner. I kindof like it, but it doesn't fit with the piece. Hmm..
Tonight I spent some time redefining one of the white signs correcting its shape and trying to make it look like more than a blob of white. I added some details to the shop window and spent a lot of time refining the girl. I spent a little time working on some perspective issues that have been bugging me, and added more of the dark to further deepen it. After this gets varnished it's going to gain some nice depth there. I think it's coming along nicely and I shouldn't have any problems having it done for the Crossroads Conference coming up December 3rd and 4th (Click the link for details). Should be a good time. I'm thinking 2 more sessions should get it.

Looking for good things this week. Perhaps I should say, "Finding" instead of looking?
Off to bed.

Cheers,

R

Working on Big Red

Although I have no intention of actually calling this piece, Big Red it's fitting for the moment. It's 60" tall and... well, Red. Its predecessors are called Washington Street in Red. I'm loving the simple composition on the large-format canvas. I spent last night working on giving the predominant colors some more depth. I try to achieve this by adding many layers of thin paint over the base values. It gives the color a rich look and feel. The process also helps me to define and redefine the shapes I'm working with. I'll push and pull the shapes until the elements of the composition look right together. Over the next week you'll see the shapes getting more (or sometimes less) refined as they settle into their final positions and achieve their final colors.
I love to lay the paint on really thickly too, but on a piece this size that can cost you quite a bit. Things being the way they are I've had to adjust my process a little when working large-scale to save paint and money. Art is one of the first things to get hit when the economy goes south. It's a luxury good and people are reticent to pay a lot for it when things are down. I like to paint large, but in a bad economy I've got to be conscious of price. Keeping the paint thinner challenges me to achieve my desired results with a different technique than I may prefer to use on a given painting while keeping my costs lower. That allows me to pass it on in the price of the finished work. Plus the overall effect can be gorgeous... which is what I'm hoping for on this one.
Have a Happy!

Cheers,

R

Revisited

First and foremost I would like to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! to my little one, Zane. He turns five today. He's growing up so quickly. He's a great little guy and I'm very proud of him for a great many things. One of those things is that he's starting to take after his Daddy. He will spend hours per day sitting at the table drawing and coloring. I'd say he's already starting to interpret things like figures in a way that greatly exceeds his age. Both of my boys have exhibited artistic inclinations and I couldn't be more excited about it. That being said I will be equally proud of them no matter what path they take in life so long as it's a positive one.

After taking a few days off for some R and R and R (Rest, Relaxation, Regrouping) I started in on a new canvas. I'm revisiting an image that I've rendered a couple of times in the past. I really love this image. It's based on a shot that I took about 10yrs ago when I lived in Iowa City. Personally I think it's OK to revisit things like this. I don't look at it as looking backward. I see it more as a deeper exploration of a familiar thing. Sometimes you don't really see a thing until you delve into it many, many times. The composition is simple, strong, and striking. A single figure walking in the crimson glow of a storefront. I hit the canvas with real enthusiasm at about 11:00pm and didn't look up until nearly 1:30am. I love it when that happens. It's like I'm in another world. Sometimes I even feel like it's not really me doing it. By the time i called it a night I was covered in Winsor Red and ecstatic. The pics here are from last night's progress. I didn't include shots of the preliminary pencil drawing on canvas althought I may post pics of the pen sketch I did in preparation last week. Now imagine this is 36"x60"!
I'm hoping to put this up in the CrossRoads Conference for the Arts in December so I'm going to really hit this hard and do my best to get it ready.
Aiming for good things this week.

All the best,

R

And So It Is...

Funny how some chaos can throw you into a working frenzy. There's been a lot of bad craziness going around these days. Bad craziness in the world. Bad craziness at home. Sometimes you've got to take that negative energy and re-channel it into something positive or at least constructive. That's what I've been trying to do over the last week and it's really come through in this piece. I've made more progress in a shorter time frame on this big guy than I did on a painting one quarter its size. Size is relative I guess.
And so it is... I've finally finished this Chicago piece. I've decided to name it after the character standing in the bottom, left corner. I've been calling him The Watcher. So this painting is titled "Twilight in Chicago - The Watcher". He's a little creepy if you ask me.
I spent a lot of time last night trying to work out a good solution to a nasty curve I'd painted into the prominent building in the right foreground and for hiding the remnants of that taxi cab I'd decided had to go. I blew through a lot of paint attempting to get it right without it looking like i was trying to cover something up. That's the beauty of a medium like this. Oil paints are very forgiving which is part of the reason I love them so much. Not to mention they just smell fantastic.
I have nothing waiting on the easel which means I've got work ahead. Seems I've got a favor to repay to some very cool people. All they wanted in return was a painting from my photo safari to Galena, IL. I guess I know what I'm doing tonight.


Until next time


Cheers,

R

Surreal and Nearly There

I think I mentioned last week that I was going to have an empty house for the weekend. It did actually happen and I had an empty house for the entire weekend. That's never happened before. I'm a proud parent and LOVE spending time with my boys, but even the best of us need a break. It was well worth it in my opinion although Friday night and Saturday morning were a bit on the surreal side. I didn't sleep much Thursday night so I wound up wanting a nap around 9:00pm Friday. I set my alarm for 10:30 so I could hit the studio refreshed. Instead I awoke around 2:30am. Unable to get back to sleep I made some coffee and hit the studio. I painted from about 3:00 until about 6:30-7:00. The time was incredibly productive and I wouldn't mind trying that schedule again assuming I can start going to bed around 9:00pm. I wound up staying up until 2:30 Sunday morning. Go figure.
I painted Saturday and Sunday nights as well. I feel like this Chicago piece is nearly completed. One of the big breakthroughs was the realization that the taxi cab that had been dominating the foreground just wasn't working. It was serving the purpose of adding some depth, but it wasn't meshing with the composition as a whole. Add to that I just couldn't seem to get it to come together as an object. In short it was pissing me off so it went away (you can still see remnants of it that will be covered with successive layers of paint).
I've been working from photos almost since the beginning. I used to paint them verbatim.. within my developing style, that is. Then one of my painting profs at UNI said to me, "These are good, but what are you really doing with the image? Are you making it your own or just copying what you see?". That really struck me and has stayed with me all these years. It was then that I truly learned that subject matter isn't sacred. Whether you're painting from life, photos, or whatever make your subject yours. Give it your own twist and don't get too hung up on the details.
In other news I did wind up getting a piece accepted into the Polk County Heritage Gallery show this month. It's a gorgeous venue and I'm sure to be in some very good company. Can't wait! I got some other potentially very cool art news this weekend too. It's only a maybe at this point, but I'm excited all the same. I'll divulge what it is only if it becomes a reality. Don't want to jinx it.
Hopefully in my next post I will be able to show you a finished piece.
Until then,

Cheers!

R

Friday Updates. Sweet Peace and A Reminder

This week's been a tough one to be sure. Lots going on at the house. Lots going on at work. Not all of it good. In fact, a lot of it's been pretty bad. All of that just got tossed out the window tho and I've been reminded how precious life is. I just saw a message stating that a woman was run over by a garbage truck behind of the my employer's buildings here in DesMoines. She was killed. It may be someone I've worked with. At this point no one's saying anything. That slapped me in the face and reminded me that all of the petty crap we do to each other and ourselves from day to day isn't worth it. Love those your have with all of your heart and don't sweat the petty stuff. You never know when your (or their) number is up and you'll never get the chance to say all of those things you meant to say. Say them NOW.
In other news I just may have a completely empty house this weekend. That would be the first time in over a decade that this has happened. I'm not sure what to do with myself. Maybe something... Maaaaybe nothing. Either way, what bliss. Honestly, I will miss my children quite a lot.
I've made some great progress on the new Chicago piece. I've made some adjustments to the skyline. It needed more variety. The color I used to make the change was a little off, but once it's dried a bit I'll be able to work it to where it needs to be. I've also lightened up the far horizon element a bit. Not satisfied with the color tho. As for the rest I'm picking at the smaller elements making them work together so the final piece doesn't look choppy or too busy. The individual bits need to work together smoothly to create a coherent piece. I'm sure I'll use lots of my spare time to create this weekend. I'm looking forward to getting some good work done.


Cheers,

R

Tuesday Image Updates

*does not blog about politics if at all possible. will not be blogging about the election today. go and vote your conscience*
One thing I'm learning as I go along is consistency. Not just in my work, but in my work habits and life. I try to get to the studio about the same time each night. I try to do things on a schedule. I'm not a list maker or a calendar freak or anything like that. But especially when you have kids you have to keep things on track when it comes to day-to-day stuff. One should also be consistent when it comes to friends as well as clients. Point being if you're going to do something do it when you say you're going to do it. If you say you're going to make a phonecall... make it. Try your best not to leave people hanging wondering what's going on. Sooner or later they'll take it personally or will simply stop dealing with you out of frustration or whatever. I've been guilty of inconsistency and it's cost me from time to time in many different currencies (monetary, emotional, etc.) So take a lesson from me and work on being consistent in your work and life. It's hard work, but being a disciplined artist/person does have its rewards.

So.. there's my little soapbox bit for the day.

Now, on to the work. The new Chicago piece is looking great. I've spent some time last night and over the weekend reworking the shapes of the cards and the background buildings. I've also started to give the big, red Chicago sign some more contrast and depth. The big building up front is start to take shape as well. If you look back through the progressive pics you'll see the windows are starting to form as areas of light and dark are worked back and forth with and against each other(remember: push and pull). I'm still debating on the color of the blue car in the middle ground. In the source pic all of the cars are more or less that cadmium yellow because of the streetlights and storefront lights. So here's where you have to ask yourself some questions: do you change the color for the sake of some variety or does it detract from the overall composition and color-balance of the piece? Still undecided.
On a side-note I put in for a show at the Polk County Heritage Gallery that will be going up this month. I'm hoping to get at least one piece in. Wish me luck!

Cheers,

R

Calling it Good

One of my good profs back at UNI, Deb Zlotsky used a saying once or twice, "A painting is done when the telephone rings". I know she borrowed that from a famous artist, but I can't remember who. Basically what that's saying is that for a painter you can't just say, "I've worked on this X hours and now I'm done". What happens more often than not, in my experience is that you work on it until it hits you. Something happens (like a telephone ringing) and you just get this epiphany. Something in you says, "that's enough".
I feel like I've finally put this little painting of the ISU campus town to bed. Stayed up a little extra late last night nitpicking until it finally hit me... I'm done. I've done enough. The picture posted here isn't the actual final image. There were some adjustments to the green sign over the building window near the foreground. So I'm going to post this one on my Etsy store for a week or so until it either sells or I take it down to ArtDive for display. It's only 9"x12" so I'll price it reasonably for the amount of work I've put into it. I always say I'd rather sell art than sit around looking at my own stuff. This one needs to go to a good home.
Getting geared up for what could be an entertaining Halloween weekend. I wish you all the best. Have fun and be well.

Cheers,

R

Getting There and Being There

I've managed to get some good work done over the last few days. I was out of town most of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday visiting with some good friends who just moved back to Iowa from Kentucky. So glad to have them back!
I also spent a couple of evenings varnishing a piece for a customer. She purchased it last year right off of the easel. The rule of thumb with varnish is to wait at least six months before applying your first coat of any kind of varnish. I've varnished paintings prematurely and I kindof wonder what, if anything, will really happen. The idea is that your dry top coat of paint still sits over layers of wet paint. The top coat is porous and allows the moisture from the lower layers to leach out and evaporate. This is why you don't want to seal an oil painting under glass. A friend of mine had one of my pieces that was under glass and the moisture from the paint has caused mildew to grow on the surface over the years. A situation that will need to be rectified and can be cleaned up with some turp and a slightly different framing situation hopefully.

I've made some progress on both of the pieces I currently have on the easels. I'm just cleaning up the little piece. Refining lines. Correcting colors. On the Chicago piece i'm filling in more specific areas of color, definiing the characters (people, cars), and working on overpainting the sky, street, and building fronts. I'm hoping to get the ISU/Ames piece done this week. I'm spending too much time dicking around with it. Probably a symptom of my current mental state. When there's a lot going on a person can get a little scatterbrianed and/or manic. It's a happy manic tho so... don't worry. The trick with this sort of state of mind is to try and keep focused amidst all of the mental noise. To stay in the moment. Like Ram Dass said, "Be Here Now". It's something I tell my kids regularly. Don't be running in fifty different directions. Be Here Now. Keep your mind on where you are and what you're doing.
Probably a lesson many of us can live and learn. I work on it every day.

Cheers,

R

Friday. Once. Updates

Watched the movie, "Once" last night. I remembered Glen Hansard from The Commitments which is one of my all-time favorite films. I had no idea what a great singer/songwriter he was tho. I've heard of The Frames, but didn't realize it was the same guy. So... Wow. Amazing music and a great film. The tunes are tearjerkers for the most part so if you possess any emotions at all... bring Kleenex.
I got some good stuff done on my new, large-format piece. I'm very happy with the way it's coming along. The street's really starting to glow of its own accord. The cars are materializing out of the negative space which makes me pretty happy. Stay tuned. I'm pretty excited to see how this one turns out.

Some New Images

I was out and about Monday night trying to get some time away from the house and catch up with some friends. Ultimately that didn't work out so I blogged and surfed from my office. Sad, maybe. Peaceful, definitely.
After taking a little stroll around downtown I headed home to do some painting. On the way it occurred to me that I had my camera in my satchel. I've been wanting to get some shots of this railyard I pass on the way to work every day. I'd just never actually set out to get the shots. The opportunity presented itself so I parked and took a walk across the bridge to get to the spot I had in mind. It was cold and windy, but the lighting was pretty cool. I have to admit my little Kodak 12mp camera did a pretty fair job. I don't know when I'll use these shots and I'll probably do some zooming and cropping, but at least now I've got the option for when the mood and timing are right. Could be years in coming. I've got a library of photos going back several years just waiting to be paintings. There are at least 400 shots of Chicago alone.

Guess I'd better get to work.

Cheers,

R

A Relaxing Weekend Sortof

I finally decided to take some time off this last weekend. Honestly it felt strange. I did take some time Friday to spend an evening curled up on the couch with my boys. Very sedate. Very reassuring. I'd say that's one of my "Happy Places". After putting them to bed I was faced with the dilemma of deciding what to do next. I sat alone in the quiet letting the TV do all the work... My friends were, as usual, right. I needed it. I tried to avoid doing anything too productive all weekend except for a little laundry and some workouts. My body and mind needed it. I've started my week feeling less strung out than usual. I did get back to painting last night and am feeling pretty good about both of the pieces I'm currently working on.
So I've attached the progress update images from last night:

I'm still fiddling with the details on the ISU CampusTown piece. I'm fairly happy with most of the colors at this point. The structures to the left of the composition are still mostly just underpainting, but will shape up quickly. I'm very happy with the violets that are happening in the shadows. Looking forward to finishing this up soon. Coming soon to an Etsy store near you!

The second piece is still coming together compositionally, but you can see the glow of the twilight sky shaping up in the background. The cars are starting to form from the negative space of the pavement around them. I'll probably start working on the two main figures tonight or tomorrow. I'm hoping this one will come together quickly.
I'm looking forward to getting these pieces finished. I've got some new ideas I'm wanting to try out. Maybe something a little more abstract. I could use a change of pace subject matter-wise. I'm not getting much back from the clients I'm trying to nail down on commissions so it's time to produce, produce, produce.



Cheers,

R

Progress on Several Fronts

Yesterday was my birthday. I'm not saying that trying to dig up some extra presents or even wishes. Although I joke about my age it really doesn't matter to me. Most of the time I feel as fit and energetic as I did ten years ago. But it WAS a birthday which is always a reminder of the passage of time. 1970 seems so long ago... It wasn't an easy day. At least not at the start. I think birthdays can be difficult for people because they are reminded that the clock is ticking. Maybe they think about what they haven't accomplished. Worry that they're going to be alone. We dwell on past mistakes and missed opportunities. Honestly I did all of the above. Thankfully I had some amazing friends there beside me to remind me of all the good things that have happened. Things I (and We) have done. It's a reminder that, as my friend Jeff said, "none of us is an island". We all need a lift OR a swift kick in the head from a good friend every now and again. Most importantly I was able to "be there" for a friend. Few things can make you feel better than being able to be there for someone else.

So having had my faith in humanity and myself somewhat restored I got to work last night with a sense of privilege and hope. I got some more work done on both of my paintings in progress. On the smaller piece (pictured here) I'm refining. Fixing colors and forms. Pushing and Pulling the light and dark elements to achieve a balance. To create contrast. Plus I need to work on my lines. They're all over the place. On the larger one (pictured in yesterday's post) I'm still laying out the larger areas of color. A lot of which will wind up as underpainting to be covered with areas and layers of other colors to create variation and depth (look at the techniques of someone like Dali for a real lesson in layering) . I'm finding the relationships between the forms. Trying to set them on the teeter-totter of composition so they balance in a way that draws the viewer into the picture.
Ok... The workday calls
Cheers,

R

Finally Back to It

I've really been taking a long break from painting... For me, at least. I've been going at it pretty consistently for months now taking only a day or two off per week to get other stuff done. Lately, as I've mentioned before, I just haven't had the heart, energy, or time. I've had a lot of other stuff that I've been putting off that I had to knuckle down and deal with. While speaking to an old and dear friend last night it was pointed out that perhaps I'm not taking enough real down-time. I took a break from painting, but didn't really take a break. Just filled up that time with other things like working on a budget, updating the website, blogging, etc. He surmised that could be the source of some the other issues in my life. I don't know... I always feel driven to be productive. Life's too short and there's always this feeling that I've got to fill up the time with something. That's part of the reason I only sleep 4 or 5 hours per night. So much to do and see. Plus painting helps me go to a different place apart from everyday life. Throwing myself into my work keeps my mind off of things that are troubling me.
Ok... that's enough about that for now.
I did get a start on a new piece last night. I've got a show coming up in December (details to are coming). I've been asked to do some large paintings for it and I have to say that I'm excited to be working big again. Last night I really went after it and worked up a sweat. Painting large is so physical. I can get my whole body involved. It's almost like dancing in some ways which I LOVE to do. I didn't cover a lot of territory, but it's a good start. I'm laying out the values and larger areas of color again. Beginning to put the elements and characters into place. I'll keep posting updates to show you the progress.

Enough for now...

Cheers,

R

Parties and Double-Edged Swords

I want to start by saying that overall I had a pretty great weekend. I wound up being able to go out with friends for a joint birthday celebration Friday (I turn 38 on the 15th). I initially thought I wasn't going to be able to attend and then here come my folks out of the blue and offer to watch the kids. Thanks, Guys! A good time was had by all... or most at least.
Got to spend some quality time with some excellent characters and good friends. I could go on and on...
I also was reminded of a song I'd totally forgotten about, "Night Swimming" by REM. Great tune and now I'll never forget it. Long story. Nice to pick up those little tidbits and have them get a fresh association. Even if they are a little bittersweet.
I talked painting with a number of people this weekend. I've had several people approach me about commissions. I enjoy taking commissioned work, but it's a double-edges sword. There is so much more obligation involved when you're producing something specific for someone. Artists approach the topic of commissions differently. Personally I like to get a good, solid agreement on the concept. Once that happens I ask for 30% up front as a retainer and to recover costs. This is typically non-refundable in my book. Depending upon the individual circumstance I may ask for the rest upon delivery or installments with the balance due upon delivery.
There were a lot of ideas and questions floating around this weekend. We'll see how many actually come home to roost. Going to try to nail a few down this week. Get some cash flowing and some new materials in-house.
Excited for the prospect of new work and deadlines. Few things motivate like cash and deadlines.
I'm hoping this week that I can start to rekindle my spark of creativity and my lust for life. The events of the past few weeks have taken their toll. I'm going to take it back with interest.

Cheers,
R

Taking a Break

All this week I've Tweeted and Facebooked, etc ad nauseaum about getting down to the studio. It seems like every night I've headed downstairs and wound up either pissing around for half an hour or so and heading back upstairs or actually trying to get some work done and just lacking the heart for it. I'm a big advocate of dogged determination, but sometimes, i'm finding, you just have to give in and either take a break or do something else productive or whatever. I try to stay productive. Try to keep moving. My Grandma Reeves used to say, "If you stop moving you might as well just lay down and die". I plan to do quite a bit more before I go and do that.

There has been a lot going on here, and I think it's just drained me to the point of distraction or exhaustion or some space in between. I've taken the position that this blog was going to be more about the process and the work than about my personal issues so I won't go into boarish detail as to just what those issues are. Suffice it to say that it's been more than a bit overwhelming. I think it's just drained my ability to paint this week.

Digressing...

I did decided to spend tonight working on some ideas for a commissioned piece. I hooked up witht the client through work. He's had to live in a number of different countries and has this great piece of Sydney. I've been toying with the idea of how to combine the various iconic elements of Chicago into one piece (which is what he's asking for). I've got this great picture of The Bean with this couple standing in front of it and the skyline reflected on it's perfect surface. I'm thinking I could work those iconic images (Millenium Park, the Sears Tower, Wrigley, etc) into that reflection. I've thrown the idea out there. We'll see what he says. Hopefully he'll like the idea.

So in the interest of getting something done I'll sign off.

Cheers,

R

Updates and Progress

So there're updates and there's progress. Which is which? Is it I've updated my website and I've made progress on my new painting? Or have I made progress on my website overhaul and I've got new painting updates for you?

Cyclical banter... the product of a tiche too much caffeine, too much time in the singular company of a four year old, and just plain too much on my mind. I won't go into it here, but I'm convinced that this year is just getting stranger and ... well "strange" doesn't even begin to cover it.

So (there's that "So" again) I HAVE made some progress on my painting. Here's last night's update. I'm going over the perspective again and I'm starting to push and pull the lighting and figurative elements. I'm using the light to define the dark areas and visa versa. They go through this tug of war until the right balance is acheived. Sometime later this week I hope.

Also I've been going over the purchasing page on my personal website. For some reason I had two. I've condensed them into one and am trying to get the last of the updates applied and proofed. Check it here: http://www.robreevesstudio.com/Content_pricing%20and%20availability.htm. Not a pretty link, but it'll serve for now.

Did some tweaking of my Etsy site. Gave me a chance to play around with Photoshop and make this banner:

It needs a little more tweaking compositionally and otherwise, but I'm liking the overall canvas effect. I've done a little graphic design here and there and would like the opportunity to pick up some more. That's the kind of work you have to go looking for in my experience and it seems that these days all of my time is pre-consumed for me.

Ok... off for a run on the hamster wheel then to the studio (with stops at the shower, and fridge in between).

Cheers!

R

Catching up After a Long Weekend

Regardless of what happens we all seem irresistably drawn towards our weekends. As it often turns out sometimes we just try to do too much with them. I'm starting to thinkg that this may be the case with mine. Didn't get much painting done, but I think I more than made up for it in other ways: lots of website updates, lots of time with my two boys, seeing giant dinosaurs up close and personal, visiting with family. The woiks.

So I didn't wind up getting a lot of painting done last night or tonight, but I did get quite a bit done Friday. In this pic i've start defining areas of color and tweaking the perspective a bit. I hopefully will have it finished by early next week. It's only 9"x12" so it'll be extremely affordable. Plus, due to its size I'm shooting for some more spontenaity. We'll see if I can let go of the reigns a bit.

Ok... very very sleepy... time to go now.

Cheers,

R

I Went and Did It Again

More items posted on Etsy! They'll stay up until I get the chance to see which of them my local gallery rep, ArtDive wants. Once they hit the gallery the price will go up. She's gotta make a living too ya know ~8)
Looks like some people are definitely looking. It's inspiring me to get more involved with my marketing AND get down to the studio and paint, paint, paint! I really do want to make the transition one day soon from part time painter to full-time painter. I know it's going to require a lot of time, effort, and determination, but in the end it's what I've always wanted to do. If you've ever wanted to go into business for yourself or are in business for yourself I would LOVE to hear from you. To me few people are cooler than entrepreneurs. They're a different breed and they embody the spirit upon which our country was founded.

So to all of you...
Cheers,

R


ps: I'll be posting pics of the latest piece in progress. Stay tuned. I'll be back later. Same Bat-Time. Same Bat-Channel.

New Items up for Sale and My Love for Chi-Town

I went ahead and listed a few more items on my Etsy account. The first listing was a bit of a wakeup call telling me that getting more agressive with my marketing may just pay off. I've said it once and I'll say it about a thousand more times, I'd rather sell my work that sit on it. I like the idea that someone will hang this in a room in their home or office and take a minute from time to time to look at it and feel... something. My work, to me, is an extension of my being and maybe it's a bit narcissistic, but I like the idea that others get some enjoyment from it. Like Peter Gabriel said, "I Love to be Loved". I suppose it's the same for most artists.

So here they are:

All three paintings are of Chicago. What can I say? I heart Chicago. I've always had a great time in that town regardless of why I was there or what I was doing. It helps the the company I work for at my day job has an office there. As a result I get to visit on a semi-regular basis. Plus I have a fair number of friends that live there. It always helps to have friends. I find that more and more as I get older...

I have a customer that I'm waiting to hear back from that is wanting a sortof "best of" the Chicago skyline/landmarks. He's had a similar piece done of Sydney and I look forward to the challenge of matching... no, surpassing the wonderful job that artist did. Chi-town is extremely photogenic and lends itself to my style of painting. But I digress again.

Time to hit the studio. The paints, they call to me.

Wishing you all an excellent weekend.

R

A Success, Chaos, and a New Start

I've been thinking a lot about different ways to market my work lately. I mentioned in the previous post about getting some tips for online marketing from a fellow DSM artist. As it turns out the strategy worked like gangbusters. Within 36 hours of posting my last painting (and the sale thereof) on this blog, Twitter, FaceBook, and an email to my slowly growing mailing list it sold. In fact it nearly sold twice. One potential customer, an old high school friend, emailed me via FaceBook about purchasing it directly through me instead of the Etsy account. By the time I returned home to take the listing down I discovered that the painting had already been bought and paid for. Excellent news, but it did mean that I had to get in touch with my initial contact and explain. Thankfully she took it well and in the end I wound up getting a commissioned piece out of the deal. Everyone was happy. The people that purchased the painting via Etsy, as it turns out, were old school friends of mine as well. Thanks a TON Carla and Dave!

You can be sure that I'll be doing that again in the near future. I've got some inventory left from that shop that was showing my work that recently closed. I think this would be a good way to get it out there. Show it to a wider audience. I would rather sell art than sit on it. I love my work... I love it more when it goes to a good home.

So there's the good news...

That same day I received a call from my soon-to-be ex wife telling me that she was in an accident involving a car that we jointly own. The car sustained some measurable damage, but she's OK. That's the important thing. Cars can be repaired and regardless of anything else I was simply relieved to hear that she was unharmed. Seems there's always a little dose of chaos thrown into our lives to remind us to keep grounded.

Last night I was able to get a good start on my next piece. It's based on a pic I took while I was on photosafari in Ames a couple of weeks ago. I posted the source pic and the initial canvas sketch shortly thereafter. Don't make me go back and look it up... I've started to take the graphite sketch and expound on it a bit with a mixture of Ultramarine Blue, Sap Green, and Burnt Umber. In the pictures it tends to look black, but it's anything but. It will also go up for sale via my Etsy account when it gets finished.

Keep an eye out for other works showing up on Etsy soon.

Cheers,

R