Apple Pie-SOLD

Click title to enlarge image or for more information.
Size: 5"x7"x.25"
Medium: Oils
Support: Canvas board
Dated: 12/1/09














I am still determined to use up existing canvases before buying any new ones. Some of the remaining stock is quite small. 5 x 7, 6 x 8 etc. Small still life paintings work well on these sizes. But of course I couldn't just paint a traditional slice of apple pie.

Saturday evening I stopped by the SDAI C-Note show. My 40x60 abstract, Eclipse, had already sold by the time I got downstairs. I was especially happy as I did NOT want try to get it back home. My friends Karen and Dennis paid me a surprise visit as I was about to leave. But their presence so renewed my tired feet and back that I stayed on a bit!

Three Messengers SOLD

Click image to enlarge. Click Title for more information.
Size: 20 x 16 x 1.5
Medium: Oils on Acrylics on Canvas
Dated: 11/15/09
















If I have learned anything from my long break to reevaluate my painting career it is to spend less on support materials. No large, pre-stretched canvases and; using up smaller support materials I already have on hand and more experimenting in using paper without framing. 16 x 20 is a nice size, easy to work with and to store and much less expensive than 30 x 40, 40 x 60 or 36 x 36.

7 Stars to Heaven SOLD

Click image to enlarge. Click Title for more information.

Title: 7 Stars to Heaven.
Size: 16 x 20 x 1/4"
Medium: Acrylics
Date: November 1, 2009

It's been so long since I have posted to the blog, I almost forgot how! I am still evaluating how to proceed going forward. But over the weekend I decided to paint a few canvas boards I had on hand. I have been trying to use up what I have rather than buying new materials. Just for a fun, I used acrylics this time.

Last week I took 9 paintings over to SDAI (MOLA) for the upcoming semi-annual fundraiser C-note Show. If are planning to be in the area, opening night is November 28. Here is LINK for more information. As far as openings go, it's usually a fun one.

Update

Tuesday I received a call from SDAI (San Diego Art Institute) that one of my two entries for the next Regional Show at SDAI was accepted (i.e., juried in). I had entered Loft #11, posted July 1 and Blue Moon, posted 10/05/09. Of the two I did not anticipate Blue Moon being chosen. But each SDAI show is juried by a different member of the art community so one never knows.

The show runs from October 9, 2009 to November 15, 2009, with Artist Reception Friday, October 16, 2009 from 6 to 8 pm. Works may also be viewed online after the 9th by clicking the UPDATE link above.

I sent off a note to SDAI about my new blog, Artists Trading, and they will be including a piece about it in this month's Journal. My hope is to encourage some of the artists from SDAI to trade their art at the site. There are a few with whom I personally would love to trade. The idea of beginning my own art collection has suddenly become very appealing to me!

Artists Trading

Last week I mentioned the idea of an artist's trading blog. This week it's up and running and already has 14 artists following it. To take a peek, click on the Title link above.

In the news recently was an exciting article about one of my favorite artists, David Hockney who is now creating digital paintings! This has to lend credibility to the genre which pleases me no end, since I like working in the medium so much myself. Yesterday, Digital Cupcakes sold. That brings my digital painting sales up to three. The prices are still far lower than for an oil painting of the same picture. Ironically, the digital cupcakes took longer to paint than the canvas-painted version, Newlywed Cupcakes, perhaps because all the drawing is done with the mouse. The other two digital pieces are

Piano and Musician and
Digital Apples

The NY Times writes about digital art's emergence into the art world
Here.

NewlyWed Cupcakes Painting NFS

Click image to enlarge. Not for Sale.
Size: 6 x 8 x 1.5.
Medium: Oils on Canvas.


Here is the painting of the Newlywed Cupcakes. (See previous 2 posts for reference.) Now it just needs to dry so I can wrap it up and give it to the Couple. Today I will be sending a jpeg of it to
Different Strokes From Different Folks.
I don't know whether it will be posted there, but if it is it will be by Thursday. It's very kind of Karin Jurick to take her time to view and upload all these images to her site. Many thanks to her for such an interesting art-blog. UPDATE: Well, my painting Newlywed Cupcakes made it onto the Different Strokes From Different Folks. If you click on the link it will take you to her blog, then scroll down to see my painting and be sure to enjoy all the others while you are there. It really is fun to see the different takes on the photo.

On another matter, I have been pondering how to set up an artists' trading post by blog or website. The idea is that artists would post a piece of work they would be willing to trade and other artists interested in trading could exchange art. Does anyone have any ideas as to how that might be set up? It would be a good way to begin collecting for those of us who want to but cannot afford it.

I received some nice comments on my blog about the cupcake painting from other participating artists. Click on the Comment link below at the end of today's cupcake post on my blog to read them and feel free to leave your own comments, especially about an artists' trading site. Be sure to click on the artists in the comments section to view their art.

Digital Cupcakes #2 SOLD

Digital Cupcakes Version #2

Click image to enlarge. Click title for more information or to purchase.
Size: 6 x 8
Medium: Giclee

This is the final, framed version of Digital Cupcakes. Next I will be posting the painting.

Digital Cupcakes Version #1
Size: 6 x 8
Medium: Giclee



Still taking stock and reviewing my situation, but meanwhile here's an update.

I have been in the mood for a camping trip...in a small travel trailer....to an idyllic, country setting, maybe the woods of northern California...where I would set up my paints and enjoy the fresh, tree-filled air. Perhaps it's because my friends Kate and Gerard tell me about their lovely backpacking trips to mountain meadows in Idaho. Perhaps it's all the reading I do on the TinyHouse blog. But alas, such a trip is not a possibility just now. But a field trip, a day of painting in the country, this I can do.

Tuesday in the last few hours of the afternoon and again Wednesday morning, I set out with picnic, canvas, brushes, paint tubes, sketches, container of water, rags and of course, a cup of tea. I was heading for a spot with trees, the sound of a bubbling creek, the songs of birds, the glimpse of wildlife, the scent of the earth and a comfortable place to sit, where I would be undisturbed. In less than 60 seconds I was there....on my own tree-filled-canyon balcony.

The bubbling creek was my water fountain but the rest was actual country. The piece I worked on was in response to a challenge on the Different Strokes painting blog. Not a plein air scene, as you might expect. But cupcakes! The timing was perfect.

Neighbor-friends were recently married and they like cupcakes. Although the invitation strictly forbade gifts, I thought that I would give them some special cupcakes as a "non-wedding present". But when cupcakes served as their wedding cake it seemed redundant. Besides, the new pastry shop I had in mind suddenly closed. A casualty of the times I think. Then came this painting-challenge and I decided to paint cupcakes for them that I would also enter into the challenge.

Looking through all the entries, I wanted to do something different than any I saw and that would also appeal to the newlyweds. I decided to paint two pieces. One in oils on canvas and one digital piece, using only my clumsy mouse as my drawing tool. I am halfway through the painting and I am on my second version of the digital piece. Unfortunately, I discovered later that the challenge is closed to digital art. But as it is a style I like I will continue to work on it.

It has been lovely painting outside and I plan to continue as long as my canvases are small and the weather is perfect.

Blue Moon

Click image to enlarge. Click title for more information.

Size: 10 x 10 x 2 framed
Medium: Papers and paint
Date: 8/28/09


This feels like a secret post. It isn't being sent out to the subscriber list. Just the art and I as I evaluate my situation at the 3 year mark of painting and selling art on line. In a way it feels good to write this way, more like a private diary and personal record of my journey. Something to think about. Update: this piece just returned from the October 2009 Regional Juried Show at MOLA in the 1 foot category.

Reevaluating

No art to post for today. With the economy as it is I find I need to periodically reevaluate my approach to art as livelihood. For the next few weeks I will be doing just that. If I have anything noteworthy to post, I will. Otherwise I will be back in touch down the road a bit.