Az Highway 60 Railroad Ave-SOLD

Click image to enlarge.
Medium: HP Vivera ink on archival paper.
Size: 8 x 7".
Date: 10/20/2010.

Thank you for all your comments on which version of Az Highway 60 Railroad Ave you preferred.

Version 1 was the winner with twice as many votes.  I took comments from both and incorporated them into today's post, along with two new figures.  What do you think, should the figures stay or go?  Next Thursday I will post the final piece before sending it off to the contest, so please comment freely.

I know I said I was not doing anymore product design.   It's so much work and very rarely leads to a lucrative outcome.   Sourcing manufacturers and bringing a new product to market are more than a little difficult, not to mention expensive.   Designing and making samples is the fun part. (That's what I got to do in my prototyping business, when the companies with whom I contracted did all the not-fun parts.)  

BUT a few weeks ago I gave a gift of a small, handmade, animal ornament to a La Jolla retailer with whom I had other business, and she would like them for her store.   After considering it for a week I began work on a dozen samples and finally delivered them today.   And now here I am once again trying to source a manufacturer just in case they do well.  Oh dear.

Az Highway 60 Railroad Ave

Since last week, I entered the Google Street View painting challenge posted and hosted by Street View Paint Off.  The street view picture was this:

This is what I have so far.  I am posting these in hopes you will comment as to which, if any, you prefer.  Deadline is October 31st.

Click image to enlarge.
Medium: HP Vivera ink on archival paper.
Size: 8 x 7".
Date: 10/14/2010.

Version 1.

Version 2.

If you can, please comment within the blog by clicking on the "Post A Comment" link at the end of today's post.  I welcome your suggestions and critiques. This "challenge" has been particularly "challenging".  Finding something to bring out from within this picture of a parched, dry landscape and arranging it into a satisfactory composition has been harder than I thought.

White Flowers #1/1 Original

Click image to enlarge.  Click title for more information.

Medium: HP Vivera ink on archival paper.
Size: 8"x8"
Date: 10.7.2010
#1 of 1 original. Signed in pencil. 

I decided to take the Street View Paint Off challenge. An email came through about it from The Art List. The challenge is to paint a Google Street View image of Arizona by the end of October.  The winner receives a $250 Visa gift card.  

Today I found a printer who can make large format Giclee prints.  It's called Warp 9 Imaging, located on Ray Street in the art district of the North Park neighborhood of San Diego.  My experiment will be to have a high-gloss Giclee of Royal Food Mart laminated to Gator Board.  I hope this creates a similar look to the far more complicated resin coating process I have been investigating.   If it looks good, this is what I will submit to the William D. Cannon Art Gallery's 2011 Juried Biennial show.  Cash prizes will be awarded here too.  The jurors will be Peter Frank, Senior Curator at Riverside Art Museum and Larry Baza, of Noel-Baza Fine Art in the Little Italy neighborhood of downtown San Diego. The show runs January 29, 2011 through March 18, 2011.

All Artists Group Show at SDAI

I knew I would forget something I had planned to include in today's post.  It's the information about the next show.  If you are just tuning in, please scroll down to view today's earlier post, Rumba.

SDAI: Museum of the Living Artist Group Show

Friday, Oct 1 7:00p

at San Diego Art Institute, Museum of the Living Artist, San Diego, CA

The San Diego Art Institute’s “Museum of the Living Artist” is celebrating the artistic diversity of our community with the 1st “All Artists’ Group Show.” One entry per artist will be on display in the gallery between Oct. 1 through Nov. 14, 2010. The museum will hold a reception for the artist on Oct. read more

Price: $3

Phone: (619) 236-0011

1439 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 

The San Diego Art Institute’s “Museum of the Living Artist” is celebrating the artistic diversity of our community with the 1st “All Artists’ Group Show.” One entry per artist will be on display in the gallery between Oct. 1 through Nov. 14, 2010. The museum will hold a reception for the artist on Oct. 8th, 2010 from 6 to 8 pm. Admission is $3. Any questions? Contact Kerstin Robers at 619-236-0011.

Rumba. #1/10 Ltd. Ed.

Click image to enlarge. Click title for more information.
Size: About 5 1/8" x 10.5"  up to about 20 x 40".
Dated: 9/28/2010
Medium: Pencil drawing, Digital Painting.
Limited Edition: #1/10 

 

Of all the ballroom dances, Rumba is still my favorite.  With its elegant lines and movements coupled with the romantic tempo of the music, it never fails to capture my attention when I see it.  

Well, let's see whether I can remember all the information I so carefully compiled throughout the week to share on today's blog, and then accidentally deleted...uggh...
1)  http://www.theartlist.com/.  For artists, The Art List  is a resource for shows and opportunities for artists and photographers to earn monetary awards.
2) http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/index.htm.  Saatchi Online is a huge art site where artists can create a profile, upload art and gain more exposure to collectors. 
3) http://www.artslant.com/.  Same thing.

Thsee sites are free to use at the basic level.  So if your name and art are not appearing in the top page of Google search results, you might consider them or other good art sites to help gain that exposure. 

Royal Food Mart #1

Click image to enlarge.  Click title for more information.
Size: 6x9 up to about 18 x 27
Medium: Digital Painting
Dated: 9/23/2010

The research, marketing, showing and online listings-side of art mean time away from actual painting.  But it seems to be necessary if one hopes to earn an income from art.  This week though, I finally got in some good painting time and spent it all on today's post, Royal Food Mart, a mid-century modern bit of architecture in Banker's Hill that caught my fancy.  

Tuesday I sent off my paperwork to the mega art resource and artist-listing company, ArtPrice.com, in Saint-Romain au Mont d'Or, France.   Becoming listed can increase an artist's marketability.  In fact, many galleries and collectors work exclusively with listed artists.  Of course, submitting materials is no guarantee of becoming listed, but it is a step in the right direction.    If you are an artist, this link to Help 2 Succeed may interest you.  It contains information on how to become a listed artist and on how to complete the paperwork for ArtPrice.com.

Bigger Digital Splash, #1 of 12 Ltd Ed-SOLD

2Click image to enlarge.
Size:  30 x 30
Medium:  Digital Art, Giclee on Archival Paper
Dated: 9/7/2010

Not to sound redundant, but you know how much I like the work of David Hockney.  One of my favorite pieces of his is A Bigger Splash, painted in 1967.   While waiting for inspiration to come for my next painting, I pulled out a book of Hockney's paintings and marveled again at Bigger Splash and its brilliant simplicity.  A few minutes later I found my hands busily creating a digital painting of it.  It began as a practice exercise to keep nimble while awaiting inspiration but soon I was delightedly involved and feeling as though I were swimming along through his painting on that bright California day.

A Bigger Splash, David Hockney 1967

Some art notes of interest:  Art San Diego, sponsored by UBS, was held last weekend.  It was a wonderful experience that brought high-quality contemporary art galleries from across the U.S. and abroad to the Hilton Bayfront for 3 days.  I highly recommend planning any trips to San Diego around this annual  Art San Diego Fair.   The event was part of September's  Arts Month San Diego .

La Jolla on Prospect St. Black & White

Click image to enlarge.
Medium: Digital Art.  Inkjet on Archival Paper
Size:  8" h x 10" w
Dated:  8/9/2010

This morning I received notice that one of the four pieces I submitted to La Jolla Art Association's new Black & White show was accepted. I had submitted La Jolla on Prospect St., Digital David Hockney, Telephone and Typewriter. La Jolla on Prospect St. was selected.  These are all pieces I had posted earlier in full color.   The idea of seeing how they would look in black and white was intriguing and I was not a little surprised at how much I liked them.  Please do click on the image to get the best view.

As a part of its 92nd anniversary celebration, The La Jolla Art Association is presenting the 1st Annual Black & White Juried Art Exhibition. Renowned sculptress Manuelita Brown is the juror. The exhibition runs from September 15 through October 10, 2010. Reception: September 24, 6-9PM.

Piano, #1/10 Ltd. Ed.

Click image to enlarge.
Title: Piano
Size:  32w x 18h up to 56 x 33".
Medium: Giclee
Dated:  8/23/2010
Limited Edition #1/10

Today's piece was drawn and painted as a large file;  32" x 18" at 300 dpi.  This was so that if I wanted to send the file to a professional printer to produce in this large format,   the image would retain its crispness.  The trouble is that on my older computer, this makes the work go VERY slowly.   The computer needs to slowly digest each stroke I make before I can create the next one.  And there are quite a few strokes in this picture!

Here's s some happy news; my two entries for the next SDAI Regional show (Typewriter and Three Golden Apples) were juried into the show!     

Typewriter #5 of 10 with Background Color

Click image to enlarge. Click title for more information.

Title: Typewriter. #2/10
Size: 8x10
Medium: Hand-drawn digital art. Inkjet, with PH neutral HP Vivera Ink to last. Treated with UV protection and printed on archival paper.
Dated: 8/16/2010

A few times ago I posted Retro Typewriter.   It did not yet have a background color. Here it is with the color I chose. After searching and trying other options I ended up framing it in a clear, box frame as with Digital David Hockney. The sides are poppy red. It is my entry for the next SDAI Regional show along with Three Golden Apples for the small exhibition piece.  I will know on Tuesday whether either was chosen.   Finally I have the inspiration and time for the next piece, which I began yesterday. It is a piano.