Sneak Peek

Here's a peek at my studio space.  You can catch a glimpse of some of the work for my upcoming show at the Pump House.  This was taken a little while ago, so it's a bit different now.  A bit messier, more paintings, and the burn pile got bigger.

I Heart NY!

I just found out I was accepted into the Salmagundi Club's 34th Annual Non-Member Juried Exhibition in New York City!  I can't believe it.  My art will be hanging in the halls that have hosted some of my biggest art heroes, and the Salmagundi Club has had as members some of the greatest American painters who ever lived.  Blakelock, William Merritt Chase, Frederick Stuart Chase, Inness, Howard Pyle, N. C. Wyeth, so many others.

My painting, "The Turn," of musician, sage, friend, and overall happy place Tim Jenkins will be exhibited in August.  Tim taught me everything I know that's worth knowing about music.  I am honored that Tim let me paint him, and happy that the painting conveys even a fraction of the respect I have for him.

I am extremely honored to be a part of this exhibition.  The Salmagundi Club has a rich and prestigious history woven with the best artists of the past and present.  I can hardly believe I'm going to have a painting hanging on Fifth Ave.

Now, I just have to figure out a way to get to NYC.

Updates Coming!

I'm not sure if anyone is watching this at all, but in case you are, I have a few updates in the works. Until then, check out the studio blog. There's been a lot happening there and plenty of updates to be read (and posted yet). Our Studio Warming party was a blast, and had a great attendance from the community. Thanks to everyone who came out. I finally got my painting stuff unpacked at the studio, so you should have some more posts soon.

odalisk (in progess)

Here's another from the series of paintings of Mary. It's not quite done yet; there's work to be done on the figure. Maybe I'll post a picture when it's done, but just in case, here it is.

My friend Tim

Tim is one of the most intriguing people I know. I've learned a lot from him about life and music, and how the two combine. I painted him once before, and wasn't happy with the results, so I decided to paint him again.

I really feel I turned a corner on this one. I'd been reading and analyzing artwork rabidly before starting, and I think this time something finally stuck.



This painting was recently accepted into the 23rd Annual Northern National Art Competition.

while I'm at it

Here's another painting. This one is of Jenn standing out back behind the studio. Probably grilling some burgers or watering our gardens or something.

I'll post a few of this process too.

It started out pretty smoothly.





Then it sat in this state for a few weeks, looking disdainfully at me from my easel as I played Super Mario Kart and did anything but paint on it.



Then the deadline came for an exhibition Jenn and I were entering. I had all but given up. I had entered my painting of Tim in a different show, and another painting was similarly spoken for. So I played some Mario Kart and meandered the internet and drank some PBRs and did a bunch of other things that were not painting, all the while trying to deflect the hairy eyeball this painting was shooting me. At about midnight I finally grew tired of the looks I was getting, so I picked up my paintbrushes, and, over the next four hours, finished it.

I ended up winning Best in Show. Imagine that. I'm not sure what exactly that says about procrastination.



The show we were in was the annual Walls of Wittenberg exhibition. This year they had a theme: Wisconsin, our home. I figure the studio seems more like our home sometimes than our apartment, so it had to be a fit.

Long Overdue Update

I've been pretty busy in the studio lately, so I thought I should update my blog with some art. I can't imagine anyone really seeing it, but here goes, for posterity's sake at least.

I've begun a series of paintings of one of our models, Mary. Here is a bit of the process behind the first one. Sorry for the bad cell phone pictures. I haven't had a chance to take any proper ones.















After this point, the figure gets a bit washed out in these pictures. I really need to take some better ones.