Within The Maddness...

Sure, it's 11:30 at night, but that is the best time to carve punkins. Mr. Man loves to help. Right up to the time when we have to dig the guts out. Then he just wants to watch.


Day before yesterday I hung cobwebs around the house. I have them all over the place. I hung a few of them too low and I keep running into them. Mostly in the middle of the night when I forget that they're there. Truth be told, Precious did most all of the decorating, and costume making, and planning, and everything else for that matter. She's great that way.


We also made a foam board skeleton, tombstones and a few other creepy things.

I have actually managed to get in a second practice piece for the Quick Draw. I might try to get in one more tomorrow. This one took me all of 35 minutes. I am going into this with a completely different attitude than last year. Hopefully Precious is going to get to come to this years event. We have a baby sitter and everything.

"Cannon Beach No 2" 24 x 36 inches. Oil on canvas.


And another addition to the Birch series. I painted it a week or so ago.

"Birch No 4" 22 x 24 inches, oil on canvas


It's Chaos Man...

This is the final week before the "Quick Draw" event. Friday the 2nd at 7pm. Have I been practicing? Nope.

Tonight a few friends are having a practice session. Am I going? Nope.

What have I been doing? 14 hour days.

We are still trying to get the gallery ready. Painting, lighting, general maintenance. I have been framing work for two of the other galleries in town, plus all of our own framing. Of course everyone wants their work the next day. Sure you say! Can you say "rush charge"? We still have to rehang the gallery for the weekend. Still need to arrange for food. I did buy a couple of cases of wine and champaign. So the important stuff is done. Booze.

Precious was sick last week. Even had to go to Urgent Care. Turned out to be nothing too serious.

We are having a Halloween party on Wednesday. It's not easy to turn a house into a house of horror. Pictures will follow.

It's time for a glass or four, of some nice Porto. I can always get more for the gallery, right?

A Means To Better Understanding...

When I was a child growing up, my Dad ran with the Briefs. I'm sure it was because his dad, my grand father aligned himself with the Boxers. Kids always like to be rebellious.

As it would go, when the choice was mine to make, I wanted to be rebellious too. I wasn't about to hang with the same crowd as my parents. The Briefs were old school. I was free and untamed. Naturally I was drawn to the Commandos. They set their own rules. They were free and no one told them where to go or what to do.

I knew plenty of Briefs in school. Their dads were Boxers. The Briefs were alright guys but we saw things differently. At times I would hang with the Briefs. I tried to keep an open mind. While dating a certain girl in high school I even spent a good deal of time with the Bikini crowd. Who among us hasn't experimented ?

All in all I still found that I enjoyed the anarchistic life of the Commandos.

It was during a trip to Brazil that I met a lovely young lady that introduced me to the Thongs. She made it sound appealing. The exotic nature of it all. I was hung up on what I thought was their restrictive nature. Like the Bikinis, 'butt'...more severe.

Like most men I am easily swayed by an attractive woman. I converted to the Thongs. At first I found them in conflict with my Commando nature. After awhile it became more and more comfortable. I could see the appeal. Close to the Commando but with a little more of a group support system. At times the support was much needed. Who doesn't need a little support now and then?

As I have grown older I have learned that there is no one way to life. It's best to keep an open mind. Knowing about all of the clans makes for a well rounded and comfortable life.

Each of the clans; Boxers, Briefs, Bikinis, Thongs and Commandos has advantages and disadvantages.

I try to unite the best of all the beliefs. Different situations call for different methods. It is by understanding those around us that we can live with those around us, in peace.

This Week In The Gallery...

This week we have added a new artist to the gallery. A brilliant young man from the Seattle area. Christopher Mathie. He paints and throws pottery. We are going to add both to our selection.

The paintings have an attractive sense of angst. I find it very appealing. Strong, bold colors and texture. Powerful, uninhibited brush strokes. His subject matter ranges from city to sea, all with an abstract quality that keeps the viewer wondering and questioning.

"Big Changes at the Narrows" Acrylic Mixed Media 48 x 60 inches


"Untitled" a three piece set of paintings and a Raku pot.


The pottery on the other hand is soft and deliberate and shows the artists ability to be precise when needed.


His works are going to make a wonderful addition to the gallery, and probably our house.

Check my side bar, "Art You Should Own" for his web site.

*****

The following exchange just had to be shared. For a moment I thought this woman was trying to be funny, I'm still not sure. This could be the dumbest thing I have ever been asked.

A lady and her kids came into the gallery to view the Dr Seuss collection. I was telling her about the art and why some of it is called, The Secret Art.

She looks around for awhile, in awe of the works. As she is leaving the gallery she stops...

Lady: Are all of these Dr Seuss works?

Me: Everything except the bronze pieces. Those are made by someone else.

Lady: What about this Green one here?

Me: You mean the Kangaroo Bird? Yes, that's a Dr Seuss also.

Lady: No this green one right here.

Me: ....Excuse me?....Are you looking at that?

Lady: Yes this...I've never seen anything like it. Is it a Dr. Seuss?

Me:....That... is... a... ficus tree...

Lady: A ficus tree...It's pretty.



If only I could make things like this up. She gave me a headache.


The Joy Of The Oregon Coast...

The weather report was for light rain, high 50's with wind in the 15 to 30 mile per hour range.

The reality: Heavy to torrential downpour, mid to high 40's with a steady wind of about 40 with gusts up to 75 miles per hour.

I wish you could hear it from where I am. The wind is howling through the doors and windows. Every now and then the building actually moves and shakes from the gusts. It makes the rain sound like little rocks hitting the glass. The power flickers on and off.

Guess how many people are going venture out in this today to come look at art. No really, guess.

Anyone that guessed more than a big fat zero, you're wrong.

Holy Hurricane's Batman!

To the frame shop Boy Wonder. There is always work to be done in the name of fine art.

*****


Can you say, "It's time for a vacation?"

Life With A Three Year Old...

We started a Halloween countdown calender for Mr. Man. Everyday we put a new magnet on the board to countdown the days until our costume party.

Today Mr. Man comes running into my studio...



Mr. Man: Daddy, Daddy, Daddy! We need a magnet on our board.

Me: Ok, let's do it.

Mr. Man: NO NO. I can do it

Me: Alright, you can do it. It's Monday today.

Mr. Man: Right, Monday. Ok, great, gotcha, Monday.....Monday...............Monnnndaaaaaay......

Mr. Man: Hey Dad?

Me: Yes Mr.?

Mr. Man: What's Monday?

Why I Love Bloggers...And Portland

Beta-carotene has sent me this link about the bike pile that I photoed in Portland this week.

Exactly one minute later (according to my inbox) Iron Fist sent me this link about the bike pile.

It's the same site they both link to, but they have different photos on them.

This is sort of public art by a group called ZooBombers.

Thank you both very much. You guys are awesome!

The more I learn about Portland the more I like it.

I Had No Idea...

Thank you to Stacy. She sent me this link about the Horse project in Portland.

I thought it was just a random horse. I had never heard of the horse rings or the project.

I like it even more now.

Spare Time...

There is only twenty more days before "Quick Draw". So far I have only painted one practice piece. I have managed to paint a few others though.

"Untitled" 8 x 24 inch oil on canvas.


"Untitled" three panel, 8 x 24 each, oil on canvas.


"Birch No 3" 18 x 24 inch oil on canvas

I have been re-working a couple of other works.

I have decided to paint over the bottom three panels of this work. I will be keeping just this one. I like the way this looks by itself.


I have added a few layers to this painting. I have decided that it's done. The photos aren't the best, but I'm pleased with it.

*****

Yesterday we closed the gallery and went to Portland. These trips are usually last minute. It's more for our sanity and need for a little bit of culture. We stopped at a street vendor and ate Gyros. I love Greek food, and street vendors. It's a perfect combo.


This is Precious and Mr. Man from the fifth floor of the parking garage. Every time we visit Portland (or anywhere else) we have to ride the trains. That's what we were waiting for here.


These two photos were just too funny. I love seeing things like this. I make up all kinds of stories as to what they are and why they are there.

"Mustang Parking"
This little horse was about four inches tall and chained to the sidewalk. Why you ask?
Because if you leave your horse unchained it wanders off or someone takes it. Duh


This could only be one of two things.
Of course I have no idea what either of those things are but it could be only one of them.



On The Easel...

This is what I've been working on this week. My favorite thing to paint and photograph. Naked women. Shocker, I know. This piece is four panels, each 10 x 30 inches. I have been interested in the multi panel works. This painting still needs a few more layers and a few detail adjustments.
I was really liking the way it was coming...until I moved it and separated the panels.


Now that I have moved them apart, it's freaking me out. She is totally creepy with the panels a few inches apart. It's the top two panels. The gap between her nose and mouth is what ruins it for me. I like the lower three panels. That gap under her nose makes her face really creepy.
Precious said she was too "porn-ish" anyway. I can see what she means. I am using web porn girls for models. It's not easy to find a good model.


Ideally I would love to find one or two women that I could use all of the time. I want to have a uniform look to the female works. It would also help to have them in person once in while instead of just photos. This work is 10 x 30 inches, single panel. This is just the under painting. It has a long way to go.

Run Over By The Past...Part 4

It was April when Shelly's sister contacted me. It had been more than 9 years since we had heard from her. More than 7 years since Shelly had passed.

After I had told her what had happened, we cried for awhile. She asked me for the things of Shelly's that I had left. Something to remember her sister by.

It had been so long. I had mourned for her. I had moved on with my life. My thoughts of Shelly were limited to the best of times. No sense remembering the bad. It had ended long ago. She was dead and I had nothing more than my memories.

I was resentful that her sister had the nerve to ask me for Shelly's things. Where had she been all these years?

I have been thinking about it for almost six months now. Trying to put myself in her sisters place. I have had almost seven years to grieve, mourn and heal. For Shelly's sister, this all just happened. She just learned of Shelly's fate. To her Shelly has just passed.

There is no way I can imagine what her family has been through or is going through now. I have never lost a sibling. I have never been estranged from my sister.

For the last few months I have had a box of Shelly's things ready to ship. Going through what remained was much more difficult than I had imagined it would be. The past has a way of playing tricks on your memory. Emotions I had long forgotten were suddenly fresh in my mind.

I have finally put Shelly's things in a box. Her ashes were among those things. There has been many days that I have talked to those ashes. The way I should have spoken to her when she was here. I had a difficult time then. It has been difficult this time too.

I think the time has come for me to say goodbye. Maybe I can mend a few of the wounds from when she was alive. Maybe I can help her family heal. Their grieving has just begun.

The box is addressed to Shelly's sister. Most everything that still remains of her life. What remains of her. I'm sending her ashes.

Shelly will always be a part of me. She will always be a part of my life. I hope that Shelly's family can get past what ever problems they had. It's too late to do anything else.

Life On The Line...

Chapter one I jumped into cooking on a bit of a whim. With little to no hesitation. After spending many years in the art business I was lo...