Open Canvas and ArtHouse contest

Good news this week as I was invited back for my fourth appearance at Open Canvas. With next to no PR on the event, the bottom line was I know I got in the top 10 (out of 90) artists for bids on my painting(s). Feels good artwise to know I'm still wanted.

Summer Sunset

Painted during the last 30 minutes of a beautiful summer day, from the front seat of my car.

Plein Air on Father's Day

So my daughter Adrianne, mom and I went to Pewaukee Lake today. She agreed to paint with me. It was a beautiful summer day and lots of people were mingling around the downtown and beach area. Keeping it simple, I decided we should set up and just paint the lake area looking west. Here we are doing our thing, just me and my daughter. It was great...and I needed to get out and paint!

Adrianne Portrait progress

Funked

How else to describe a general state of nowhereness. Paint? Nothing. Draw? Ugh. Ideas? Where is my head? Is this what they call writers block? In my world, it's artist funked. Even though I've sold a big piece to a guy in NY, I just don't seem to be very motivated. My gallery owner is dinging me on working more hours, and I don't want to. So I don't know how that will turn out. Without the gallery, maybe I will find myself and quit worrying about producing pieces that sell.

I've felt more inclined to do some abstract stuff lately. Well, I do have 4 pieces in some stage of production, but I'm too lazy to even post those results. Lost my Flip Video so I can't record any more painting sessions, which was kinda fun.

Oh well, at least I came back to blog a bit.

Murals, portraits, and more

I've been busy working up comps for the large church mural paintings I've been asked to do. No deposit yet, but its' God's work, so I'm confident in getting a deposit before I get too far. This has been very challenging coming up with inspirational concepts around things like; service, praise, hear God, taste God (communion), etc.

I've also backed myself into a corner with a portrait commission that's due the same week as my church commission. Shouldn't have put it off for 2 months!!

Too Many Days Off

So here's a bunch of stuff I've done...ever since I last posted.