Jack Again, and another Upside Hound

Grar! (Jack and His Toy), 11 x 8", mixed pencils on paper

Brindle Belly Up, 8 x 11", mixed pencils on paper.

These are both commissions, drawn today while sitting in a Barnes & Noble café for a lot longer than I meant to be there.

Dr. Sketchy's Minneapolis!

This is Frenchie Kiss. She's what you missed if you didn't go to Dr. Sketchy's today.

Sweet Frenchie Kiss, mixed media on Stonehenge paper, 11 x 8".

Saucy Frenchie, mixed media on fawn Stonehenge paper, 6.5 x 11"

My friend Tom Winterstein of Old Town Artists went along with me and we had so much fun. I got a Strongbow cider and a bratwurst with kraut, relaxed into the drawing process, and won Frenchie's Favorite with the sketch at top. What a great day.

Ghost Tree at Bruce Vento Park

Ghost Tree, about 10.5 x 8", mixed pencils on paper

If you've been thinking of taking lessons with me, be aware that it won't always, necessarily, mean being in the studio. Today was too beautiful for that, so I took my student out to Bruce Vento Park (a short hop from the studio building) to try out landscape drawing for the first time.

He had fun and so did I, and this piece, which began as a quick demo, turned into something I really like.

Crows who Rule the Town

The Landlords, found wood and metal, oil paint, wax medium. 24" x 18". Click to enlarge.

They'll chase you, if you trespass where they think you shouldn't be -- zigzagging above your head, from one tree to the next, reading you the riot act all the way. It's enough to make you wonder who really owns the place, and what lease you signed while you were dreaming, that you then woke and didn't recall.

I like crows a lot.

Lost Sleep and Found Objects

A preview of the smallest of the new things I made for the FUSION Showcase tonight.

Balcony, 12" h x 3.5" w. Oil paint and wax medium on found wood and metal

This piece of wood was behind Saigon Restaurant on University Ave., near the dumpster. I found it about a week ago while heading into the restaurant with a friend.

The owls are a rusted hinge I'd picked up in Tennessee, along the highway where my truck broke down. I confess I don't recall where I got the broken finial-piece that forms the balcony, except that I was in Minnesota by then and I didn't think I'd ever use the thing but, being me, I kept it a while to find out.

I've been making a lot of art and doing a lot of prep work lately and not getting much sleep. That's one of those deals you sign on for because you can't refuse -- difficult but you want to do it because showing your work is a Good Thing.

Last night I was working on a larger piece -- one of two; the first is gloriously finished, the other, not -- and I'd meant for the hinge to be part of that, as something suggesting a window shutter. But I kept seeing two creatures side by side, curious little eyes looking back at me, and I wanted to do something more whimsical with them. This is the result. I'll have it available tonight at the Fine Line event for $65. 

FUSION: ART/MUSIC/FASHION SHOWCASE $10 for $10 Deal

 

All locals. All good.

Ticket for the evening out: $10. 

Be sure to choose my name from the "Support Your Artist" drop-down menu on the page -- and I will take $10 off the next piece of art you purchase from me -- no matter how large or small. And yes, that means if you bring a friend and buy two tickets I'll double your discount, too.

Sunny Sunday in the Studio

Yesterday I worked pretty much all day, partly on the pup above, whose color -- difficult to see until I put a coat of retouch (workable) varnish on it -- turned out to be more blue than it should have been. The photo above is after I used a transparent iron oxide glaze to warm up his fur considerably.

The pieces above are a commission, and are lying flat while their bottom edges fully dry. This is taking longer than normal for some reason. Ah, the vagaries of oil paint.

My wonderful sunny corner at Old Town Artists. I've just shifted studio space because the person who was in this slot left the group (no drama, just due to other things going on in her life).  Yesterday I spent several hours sorting, moving, and organizing things. Good spaces are important for creativity. I really, really enjoy this one.

Sneak Preview Salvage Art -- Crows and their City

Design stages of two new Rescued Materials pieces. Both around 24" high.

This is the part that's like playing with Legos, for me. Putting things together to figure out how they fit. The construction and the additions of paint and other elements comes next.

 These will be part of my display on Thursday night, 8/25, at the Fine Line Music Cafe. Come out and see the transformation from design to completion; catch some great local music and a fashion show from Twin Cities designers.

Tickets are just $10. Be sure to pick my name from the "Support your artist" drop-down menu. It helps RAW:artists keep doing these great events.

Bright Brush 2.0

Bright Brush study. Oil on canvas board, 6 x 4", $49.

I like the somewhat rough, atmospheric look of this one. I did it while taking little breaks from a much larger landscape commission I'm finishing this week.

They Eat Horses, Don't They?

Charcoal, carbon pencil, and pastel on newsprint, about 13" x 10".

The thing art does for me (one thing it does) is cause me to play like a little kid. In that spirit I have been stacking stuff on top of other stuff. This is one result.