Recently, I finished the third piece in my color abstract series. This one is Blue.
It is acrylic, 16" x 20" on stretched canvas. The first was Black (sold) and the second Beige, which I might rework.
Also
These are more experiments in gouache, finishing my flowers in a vase series. They are on 10" x 14" 140 lb. Arches watercolor paper.
The next three are an extension of my plein air workshops - I actually went out on my own, no teacher, to our pool/clubhouse and painted these in oil on site - primarily. I blocked in the buildings and dark spaces from photos. Then I returned and painted on site one morning. Then, back in the studio touched up, straightened lines, etc to complete the work. The upper is 8" x 10"; the two below are 9" x 14; both on stretched canvas.
I have started an oil, larger version of the gouache I placed in the last blog, a view of the Chatahootchee River in Columbus GA. By the way, I will enter that gouache in a show next month at the Bonita Springs Art Center. And, for the first time I am trying to create a work specifically for a show/contest. It will be this fall at the Alliance For The Arts in Fort Myers. The topic will be Dia de las Muertas, the Mexican version of All Souls Day, the day after Halloween. I did some research on topics, art styles, etc and have blocked in. This should be interesting.
Art Purchased: (and a BIG correction to those I sent a separate email on this artist)
This was fun. I attended a showing at the Rauschenberg Gallery at Florida SW State College. Bob R moved to Sanibel Island toward the end of his career. He and his studio worked with the school to set up the Gallery and continuing art education for the community. The featured artist was Steve Keene (I butchered the name in prior emails, sorry).
The show: Steve KEENE: 57 Miles or 455 Furlongs – a newly commissioned, site-specific installation at the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery by the “World’s Most Prolific Painter.” Dubbed the “Assembly-Line Picasso” by Time magazine (when his work was featured in 1997) and having created more than 300,000 paintings over the last 35 years, Steve Keene (born 1957) is a Yale University educated, Brooklyn-based artist who believes in mass-producing hand-painted artworks for the masses. Famous among indie-rock fans for designing album covers for bands including Pavement and The Apples in Stereo, Steve Keene has painted instruments, video and concert stage sets, as well as promotional and tour posters for the likes of Soul Coughing, Merzbow, The Klezmatics and the Dave Matthews Band. The title references a work by Bob, adding Steve's estimate of 57 miles of paintings he has produced. At this show there were 4' x 8' plywood sheets each holding 12 paintings - three across and four down.
So, if you go to his website, you can purchase 6 individual 16" x 24" acrylic on 1/8" plywood pieces for $70, including postage. Ready to hang! Well, I said, "Why not - a chance to own original art by someone kinda famous." A fun thing. To my surprise, I received 9 pieces shown below. Two album references in the group are Blond on Blond and Nashville Skyline (must be from his Bob Dylan period). Hang them or give them away as Christmas/Birthday presents??? I'll let you know.
Music:
While I type, listening to Pure Moods III; Steven Hillage Green; and, Steven Halpern Deep Alpha: Brainwave Synchronization for Mediation and Healing. (Don't ask) and (thank goodness for spell check). Patty Griffin, ex-whatever of Robert Plant, and Tim Buckley of whom Goodbye was written.
Humor:
Time Lapse:
From the fall of 1968 to summer of 2018 - 50 years and 35 lbs. sure has an effect on us, doesn't it?
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| Graduation photo, St. Mary's HS |
It is nice having a place like Marco Island only an hour south of here. Attended late morning Mass on the island, grabbed a Starbucks, and took it easy for a couple of hours. The water there is definitely better than FtM, cleaner and a couple of degrees warmer.
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| Marco Island, Father's Day 2018 |
We are starting to get ready for our trip to Amsterdam and the Rhine River. Watching videos and reading travel books. I hope to have a blog devoted solely to the trip.
If I did not mention it, at Dominic's graduation, he and Lisa announced their wedding engagement, no date set. Greg will soon be moving from Ft Benning to Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, an area with which we are well familiar, as many of you know.
Reflection:
When I took the opportunity to move to Florida with my employer, Reliance Bank, it was to work until I was 70 while enjoying the Florida weather and lifestyle. I looked forward to building a book of business and assisting the staff in place to grow their banking skills. When the Florida branches were sold about 18 months ago it was the 8th or 9th time I had been sold or as an acquiring entity. I just did not want to go through it again, and fortunately, could afford to stop. If I did not have my art, tennis lessons and on-again, off-again Spanish lessons, I would have really struggled. 1 1/2 months of spring training baseball is not enough to get me through the year. Then, as some of you know, I grabbed an opportunity presented to me by Florida Gulf Coast University's School of Business. Good pay, not benefits other than the State's version of a 401K. After six weeks, however, I decided that it was not how I wanted to spend my remaining time on this earth. It did, however, clarify that I like the retired life. So now I am doing more artwork, have picked up some tennis lessons which I hope to continue. I am taking a 10-week class at Resurrection Parish. We are going back to Europe. We had many more visitors to our place this winter. I think I am comfortable now with my state in life. Hope the health holds out, the market doesn't plummet, or I don't lose my way home.
Hope you enjoy the blog. Visit my website for current and past art work. Let me know what you think of the blog. And...you really need to purchase more art for your beautiful home, tent, houseboat, hole-in-the ground, whatever. Call me if you want to discuss price and logistics.
Reflection:
When I took the opportunity to move to Florida with my employer, Reliance Bank, it was to work until I was 70 while enjoying the Florida weather and lifestyle. I looked forward to building a book of business and assisting the staff in place to grow their banking skills. When the Florida branches were sold about 18 months ago it was the 8th or 9th time I had been sold or as an acquiring entity. I just did not want to go through it again, and fortunately, could afford to stop. If I did not have my art, tennis lessons and on-again, off-again Spanish lessons, I would have really struggled. 1 1/2 months of spring training baseball is not enough to get me through the year. Then, as some of you know, I grabbed an opportunity presented to me by Florida Gulf Coast University's School of Business. Good pay, not benefits other than the State's version of a 401K. After six weeks, however, I decided that it was not how I wanted to spend my remaining time on this earth. It did, however, clarify that I like the retired life. So now I am doing more artwork, have picked up some tennis lessons which I hope to continue. I am taking a 10-week class at Resurrection Parish. We are going back to Europe. We had many more visitors to our place this winter. I think I am comfortable now with my state in life. Hope the health holds out, the market doesn't plummet, or I don't lose my way home.
Hope you enjoy the blog. Visit my website for current and past art work. Let me know what you think of the blog. And...you really need to purchase more art for your beautiful home, tent, houseboat, hole-in-the ground, whatever. Call me if you want to discuss price and logistics.
