BLUR

Hermes Ad

I am currently building a new page on my website of my hibiscus shots.  These flowers were captured last August/September and as a collection have become my Hibiscus Project (and still a work in progress).  I capture the flowers in many stages from bud, to blossom to withering bloom.  Some were taken with the iPhone and others with my Nikon D80 camera.  In all I took over 150 photographs.  What has my flowers got to do with the Hermes ad above?

Hibiscus

I saw this ad recently while flipping through a NYTimes Sunday Magazine section.  It is because of the blurriness that this image stood out among the many stylized sharply focused fashion shots.   Some of my images are intentionally blurry.  Others are not.  Does that make them bad?  A friend suggested I put the blurry ones at the end of the stream of photographs.  

Hibiscus

On second thought I will change that directive and intersperse the blurred images among the focused ones.  That way each flower what ever its sharpness will stand out.  Thank you Hermes for the inspiration!

Hibiscus

NEW WORK

Convergence
mixed media/paper 30x22

This painting, Convergence, is in the Rocky Neck Now 2020: Finding Structure exhibit opening today at The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck.  Saturday, February 15th, is the artists' reception from 2-4 PM @ 6 Wonson Street, Gloucester, MA.  I have not shown any work here since the Grey Matter show in August 2017 so its good to be back hanging out with many friends. The show runs through Sunday, March 29th. Gallery hours are Thursday - Sunday, 12 - 6 PM.  Please join us this Saturday for a lively afternoon of art and conversations with many artists.

For more information visit rockyneckartcolony

AT THE GALLERY

Monet's Garden I & II
mixed media on panel
36" x 36"

Fragments of March: Cloudy
mixed media on paper

Powers Gallery posted these two images yesterday on Instagram.  The top image shows brand new work I completed in December. It is exciting to see these on the gallery wall as I just delivered them a week or so ago.  Monet's Garden I & II , 36" x 36", is mixed media on panel.  It is a new direction I am experimenting with combining my photographs of flowers taken at Monet's Garden in Giverny, France, with other media consisting of collage, acrylic skins, graphite, crayon, and acrylic paint.  

The second image was done awhile back when we were experiencing a stormy March.  I love working with black and white and working on paper.  This combines acrylic paint, India ink graphite and crayon on 300 lb cold press paper.  The painting is 30" x 22".

On Instagram Powers Gallery states,  Fragments of March: Cloudy is filled with motion of swirling ones and honeycomb texture, making it a compelling piece.  

Stop by the gallery Tuesday - Friday 10 AM - 6 PM and Saturday 10 AM - 5 PM.  It is located on 144 Great Road, Rt 2A, Acton, MA.

ACCEPTANCE

PERCEPTION
mixed media/paper
2018

January starts with a sweet invitation!  My painting above has been invited to the MJI (Members Juried I) exhibit at Concord Center for the Visual Arts (also know as Concord Art).  The show opens Thursday, January 16th, with a reception happening that evening from 6-8 PM.  This exhibit will run until February 9th.  This show was juried by Penn Young and Emily Eveleth.  (I have been a fan of her donut paintings for many years.)  There is about 80 works chosen for the show and it is a honor to be among such a talented group of artists.

This painting, mixed media on 300 lb cold press paper, has India ink, crayon, graphite, mono print and acrylic.  It is an abstraction that continues to evolve in my exploration of memory.  Here one can see multiple layers emerging and/or obscured yet seeming in flux as memory continues to be.

I ended December with an rejection on 12/30 for a show in NYC so starting out the year with an acceptance is a small kindness in a new year.  

TIS 2020

Happy New Year!  Being January 1st, 2020 it is now the start of a new decade.  Is it the roaring 20s or a year of hindsight?  I like that the new year starts with a zero.  And this is just another year of days so I wish all a lovely year with each day flowing with grace and serenity.

The Edge of Possibilities
mixed media/panel 36 x 36
sold

2019 was a productive and busy year.  Powers Gallery placed many of my paintings in new homes.  I am grateful for their support.  I had a painting accepted into the 10th Annual New England Collective, juried by Katherine French, Gallery Director of Catamount Arts, VT.  And I was invited to show at Melanie Carr Gallery in Essex, CT, with artist friends: Nancy Gruskin, Kathleen Jacobs, and Stuart Shils.  However I did received several rejections from shows and residencies.  After each rejection the sting does lessen and the studio calls.  

This year I introduced three new workshops while continuing to teach the popular Alchemy of Color I and II classes.  The new workshops are Embrace the Sketchbook, FEED Your Creative Soul, and Cold Wax Medium with Oils.  Due to the positive response I will be teaching these classes again this year.  My upcoming classes are listed on a sidebar to the right and on the home page of my website.  Further information on classes is listed here on my website. 

Artist's work in FEED Your Creative Soul workshop

Speaking of my website, this was the year I launched a new one as my web designer was retiring from design and hosting.  It was a "project"  and still needs some tweaking but I am excited to accomplished this.  A little deadline helped make it possible.

Another project just completed is a new video about the color wheel.  This video runs 5 minutes and 30 seconds starring the 12 colors of the color wheel in a mad cap caper with voice over, music and special effects.  Soon to be on my website.  

studio floor - new series in work

January starts with a new project - a commission.  I will be working large 42 x 42 inches on an abstracted landscape. The panels were specially built in Maine and are a work of beauty.  Too nice to paint on.  Rough sketches are done and next will be some color studies.  I cleared the January calendar to focus on this fun project. 

I wish you a fabulous year of interesting projects, inspiration, and fun adventures on your creative journey!

Wall of Sketches 

AUGUST DAYS

Memory Bowl #2
cold wax/oil on paper

As August drifts toward September one would assume these are the lazy days of summer.  Especially since I have not posted since July.  But happy to say I can end this month with some news.

The above painting was juried into The New England Collective X by Katherine French.  The show at Galatea Fine Arts, ends on September 1st.  I am excited to be part of this show with many other fine artists of New England. 

RAIN
mixed media/paper

This small painting Rain recently sold at Powers Gallery.  They currently have two more companion pieces on exhibit there: Salt and Sun.  All three are mixed media on paper, 6x6 inches, with 6 ply archival mats in a 10x0 inch graphite frame.

SALT

SUN

       
And these two paintings below from my Memory Vessel series also sold at Powers Gallery.  Both are 10x10 inches cold wax medium and oil on panel mounted in a black floater frame.  I was happy both paintings were bought by the same person.

  

The Weight of Memory I

The Weight of Memory II

I have been working away in the studio with many projects which I hope to reveal soon.  In the meantime I have been captivated by my Hibiscus plant and capturing it daily with the camera.  (Unfortunately the Japanese Beetle has also been enthralled with this plant.)  In spite of this pest each flower offers endless inspiration and beauty.

NEW HOME

Luminescence
mixed media on canvas
18" x 18" 

As we sweat during this weekend of sky rocketing temperatures art is still being considered.  My painting, Luminescence, mixed media on canvas, 18"x18", recently sold at Powers Gallery.  

I was actually at the gallery when the collector called to purchase this painting based on an image on the gallery's website.  This was a first occasion for me to witness and it was quite lovely to experience.  

The gallery recently received another painting to add to this series of hot colors.  This one is called Flare, and is also mixed media on canvas, 18"x18".  The painting was inspired by the fact we we had some old flares we had planned to shoot off on July 4th but in Massachusetts it is illegal to have any fireworks.    

Flare
mixed media on canvas
18" x 18" 

And I am grateful to have my work invited into a new home and to Powers Gallery for making it possible.  Thank you!