Edible model #2

"Leek on Red"- 7.25 x 9.5 oil

   Upon coming to the end of a roll of canvas, I often decide to use the last of it as "sketch canvas" to do short studies which are generally 2-3 hours long. It's always nice to multitask with your model, when you can. This study's subject became part of a lentil soup tonight and was quite tasty!

Work in progress

11x14 work in progress

   This study "white on blue" of the dueling skulls has finished getting it's 3rd pass/session... 3 of 5. The ethereal glow about the objects is really intriguing me and I hope I can pull it off in the painting. More to follow soon!

Flashback to Marion's garden

The gate's open- 7 x 9 watercolor

   Last summer I was invited again to take pleasure in painting at the Gig Harbor Garden Tour for my 5th year in a row. Although I did find a place to do my usual oil painting on a vast property on fox island, there was a place in town with narrow paths that I knew most painters would not be able to set up and work and I didn't want the garden to be missed so I only took a small work kit the next day I call my Urban Sketcher bag.
   On day two, I tried to visit new gardens so that everybody had at least one artist in the garden for the weekend so decided to work out of my lap in a small (7 x 9) watercolor sketchbook at the narrow path place. Afterwards I snuck across the street to paint in Marion's garden -another tour garden hostess and fellow artist who has invited my plein air group to come paint last summer. Strangely it looks more like my Urban Sketcher work (fast documentary for a sense of place) than my fine art work but then again, I'm not a watercolor artist. Still the entire scene seems so reflective of the owner... the gate wide open to welcome any and all in the comforts of her home so I feel I captured the essence of how the place spoke to me.

A labor of love from/for our community

The Netshed show is now open from Thurs, Nov 12, 2015 10:00am through Sun, Jan 17, 2016 5:00pm at the Harbor History Museum in Gig Harbor. This show has 70 works from local artists (5 of them are mine) in all mediums including, paint, pencil, pens pastel, printmaking, photography.. to name a few. The concept was Anne knapp (co-facilitator of the PAL plein air group summer 2014) and myidea. we wanted to incorporate the historical Netsheds of Gig Harbor (one of the largest concentrations of surviving structures in one area) with the moderna reflections of local artists who interepret these buildings through todays perspective. Anne and I decided to create many plein air events through our summer long plein air program. She also created an event where a local sighseeing boat too the artists around the harbor to allow access for photographic oppertunities for those who prefered to work in studio in the winter months. Our goal was to bring the past history into the present appreciation and display the work from both views. We though of it as a show created by the community for the community. We hope that you will come enjoy this show and support us in celebration these highly respected landmarks (a huge piece of Gig Harbor's heritage) as reintroduced through the eyes of the locally talented artists with these loving creations  (See http://peninsulaartleague.blogspot.com/ for more info on the events)

New work November 14th

I will have 5 pieces of art in this show contrasting the historical netshed imagery with their contemporary interpretations by local artists around Gig Harbor. I hope that you will be able to enjoy the show that opens Saterday Nov 14th at the History Harbor Museum in Gig Harbor.

So it begins...

Returning to the studio, I thought it best to begin simply so I did a small 9x12 oil study of portabella mushrooms on ampersand gesso board.

Sketchbook project showing August 14th at SAM's Olympic Sculpture Park

 For those of you, like me, who love to look at sketchbooks, the New York based project is coming on tour Seattle this Friday August 14th between 11-3 at the Olympic Sculpture Park (through the SAM)  http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/summer .
    The traveling library has been to 7 major cities across america and is carrying over 4000 sketchbooks from around the world to look through. My project was done from life either in studio or in plein air on this project and is a travel from black and white into color through the character of an artist's manikin. Good fun and 1000s of artists creations to enjoy in this limited engagement. See it while you can... unless you plan to go to it's permanent home in the sketchbook library in Brooklyn. Check out https://www.sketchbookproject.com/library to see sketchbooks online. Search "Feather" or "Gypsie Artist: the beginning" to find mine.

Something new... and different

...it's coming! Stay tuned.

Pots in the sun

Pots in the sun- 6x8 oil on linen

   This small piece was an oil sketch I did during a plein air event at Rosedale gardens. It was a quick sketch as the light was changing fast and for a moment I think I actually caught the color reflections and glows in the pottery. For that I feel as though this was a successful study.

New Work at the History Harbor Museum through May.

"Owl/I'll Go With the Flow"
5x7x48 wood, glass,leather, molding paste, paint

   The Harbor History Museum is exhibiting "Owl/I'll Go With the Flow" one of my sculptural pieces in it's first rotating lobby exhibit starting in May. The exhibit is a partnership with the Gig Harbor Arts Center Alliance and will feature a variety of decorative oars from community artists. The lobby exhibition will run throughout the month of May before it relocates to the Gig Harbor Yacht Club to be auctioned after a benefit dinner.

Fresh from the drafting table

"Key hole"
5x7 scratchboard  w/spot color ink

It has been quite a while since I worked in scratchboard and I forgot how much I enjoy it. Like photography or printmaking, one has to think in reverse in order to be successful in this medium. Since these are previous endeavors no problems with working backwards. I believe it helps once in a while to do things differently when creating so I did 6 5x7 panels. Aside from the irritation of the mess and minor skin irritation from the steal wool, I have decided that I would like to try some more of these soon.

Project gives a nod to Van Gogh

"(Starry) Dark Knight on the Harbor"
11x14- ink wash and prisma color on clayboard

  In a recent project  I was asked to illustrate 32 pieces of artwork for a book. Once completed, all the books will be cataloged, photographed and  published online before beginning their nation wide tour. Beginning May 8th they start in Brooklyn to visit 9 major cities and a few other opportunities like Ideas City StreetFest at New Museum in New York City NY. At the end of the tour they will return to the east coast to take up permanent residence in the Brooklyn Art Library.
   Since the deadline was march 31 and Vinnie's birthday was March 30th it only seemed right, to do this fun piece which gives a nod to both Van Gogh and my home town. After all the hard work, it was a fun piece to play with.

Paddle project in progress.

   Currently I am working on 2 pieces of sculpture for the Peninsula Arts League fund raiser. This paddle project will be one of many artworks to be displayed among the local businesses before being auctioned at the Gig Harbor Yacht Club summer 2015.
   My intention is to convert the paddle into a concept piece of which has a theme to integrate wood and water through nature via the great grey owl. The paddle portion shows a river in which specific specialty feathers (6 different kinds that make up the head of the owl) have been carved (subtractive sculpture) in low relief to look as if they are floating down the stream. The top handle portion will be sculpted (additive sculpture)  into the owl's head.
   This is one of the lower portions (work in progress) after having carved and painted the feathers. I then stained the blue water portion. After taking the image I covered it in a high gloss material to simulate water. Meanwhile I am slowly sculpting the top of the head at the other end.
                                                                    To be continued...

Trois Crayon expands

Inspired portrait by the model Matt- 12x12

Just this year I have begun to practice the
"trois crayon" formula for making portraits in conte' sticks. Yet for Christmas I got a 12 pack of colored conte' pencils and just this once decided to take them on a test drive. It was fun but sure makes for a very different palette then I have been playing with the month previous. Although this doesn't match the model I was working with in likeness, it does make for a nice portrait of which I call "Inspired by the model Matt".