3 acts - Blocking it in

So here's a glimpse of what I did last night.  This is the easy part (or the cartoonified underpainting part if you prefer). Now I can either make it a really nice painting or ruin it. If you don't see any more about this one then I guess you'll know what happened.
(it takes a while to get the actual painting going, and I'm not sure how much time I'll have over the next few days, so don't hold your breath)

3 Acts

With only a month before my big show in April I'm starting a new painting. I had done 2 theater pieces earlier (see below) that I was quite happy with but I really felt the need for one more. Here's the initial sketch roughed out on the canvas last night. I'm tentatively calling it "3 acts". It may be hard to see but there will be three small chairs on the stage (click on the image to view it larger). Of course everything could change. I just hope I can get it, and the 3 or 4 other paintings I have in progress, done in time. There's nothing like deadlines.

"Performance"  oil on canvas  43"w x 33"h

"Rehearsal"  oil on canvas  36"w x 45"h

40 Works

I'll have 4 pieces in a show in Eugene OR, at Lane Community College called "40 works"
The exhibition runs from February 22nd to March 10th. 
And check out the fine print! No charge for admission!

Here's the deets from the press release:

40 WORKS, REGIONAL JURIED ART EXHIBITION OPENS FEBRUARY 22nd

EUGENE, OR - The Lane Community College Art Gallery is proud to present 40 Works. This exhibition consists of artists from Oregon and the greater Pacific Northwest. This exhibition is a collection of work from 10 artists. Each artist is being featured with a small series of 4 works. The works in this exhibition will contain a wide variety of mediums, including painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture and mixed media.

This exhibition will include works by the following artists: Rob Morrison, Jan Madill, David Carmack Lewis, Danuta Muszynska, Anne Godfrey, Nathan Lucas, Katy Keuter, Dorene Steggell, KC Hancock, and Kevin Farrell.

The gallery is located in building 11 on main campus, 4000 E. 30th Avenue. There is no charge for admission. The Art and Applied Design Department phone number is 463-5409.

New Blurb

“I paint at night. It’s often the only time I can. I paint alone. I would hardly know how to do otherwise. These two elements then, not only pervade my work, they are my work. They are the things I paint. My paintings are rarely premeditated. I approach every blank canvas with a kind of depressing horror at my inadequacies as an artist. The only way around this is to simply start. I draw a tree, a house, a line that may or not be a horizon. Unformed ideas develop directly on the canvas, the concept sometimes evolving throughout the painting process. With short breaks to clear my mind I peer out of the studio door. The night is there, dim lights of the neighborhood prying open pieces of the darkness. I’m alone. I listen to music. I listen to lectures. My thoughts stray. This is how I work. This work is my mind when it is left alone to wander. In the dark, of course. This is what I find there.”

A New blurb to use in the promotional material for my upcoming solo show in April.  I think.

Hazel

I haven't posted much lately, due in part to the recent birth of my second daughter who turns two weeks old today. Here's a very quick doodle of her.

I'll have another show announcement soon and new paintings to post one of these days. I swear.

"Fresh Air" show in Boise

My Painting Crescendo was selected to be included in a show called "Fresh Air" at the Visual Arts Center in Boise, Idaho. The curator was Courtney Gilbert, curator of visual arts at the Sun Valley Center for the Arts, so thank you Courtney!

I've shipped it off and hope it's a great show... But since girl number 2 (we're down to 2 possible names) will be either imminent or newly arrived, travelling is pretty much out the window.

Of course, if anyone else happens to be in the area it might be worth checking out.
The opening reception is January 28th (6-8pm) and the show runs through February 25th.

"Crescendo"  oil on canvas  45" x 43"  2009

New Paintings

I just got slides back the other day from Jake over at Blue Moon. Thanks again!
So without further ado...
(click on the images to view them a good deal bigger!)

"Underworld"  oil on canvas  2010
It started off with a fox but I just couldn't get it to look right. So then I decided it didn't really need a character at all. And then late at night I changed my mind again and added the bunny. Okay, rabbit. But bunny is funnier. Anyway I like it. It make me laugh.

"Prelude no. 2"
at least that's the title for now, in reference to "Prelude to an Encounter" which would be no. 1
This one is very simple but I'm proud of it. At least for now. My opinion of my own work is as variable as the weather.

"Map"
I stole both the concept and title for this piece from this very different image by Nick Sheehy (aka Showchicken). You can see his work on his Flickr page.

Currently untitled
A cedar tree. "Cedar"?  "Barrier"?  "Between"?  I don't know.

"Rehearsal"
The slide on this one had a lot of glare on it. I was able to fix it up pretty good in Photoshop but Jake's going to reshoot it anyway. This is only my second theater/public space painting of which I hope to do many more.