WIP Completed

This was finished a few days ago.

Oil on Canvas, 24" x 30"

WIP Update

Here is an update on this work-in-progress.

Oil on Canvas, 24" x 30"

Shell

Oil on Canvas

4" x 6"

The above is a small painting completed from life in one evening. I plan to do several of these over the next couple of months. They provide an opportunity to train my eye from life, and will hopefully also sell at the art fairs in September.

Summer Schedule

MAPS Juried Exhibition South Wind Gallery 08-25-06 through 10-08-06
Lacey's pastels "Cris" and "Self Portrait in Pastel" were chosen for inclusion in the MidAmerica Pastel Society's juried exhibition at the Sount Wind Gallery in Topeka, KS. Opening reception is Friday, August 25th from 6-8 p.m.

• South Wind Gallery

Twenty Seventh Annual Art Westport 09-08-06 through 09-10-06
Historical Old Westport provides a perfect backdrop for a "Kansas City" artist's fair. You will find Lacey's display at the end of Archibald, right across from Californos!
Hours: Friday 5 - 9pm, Saturday 10am - 9pm, Sunday 11am - 5pm

• Art Westport 2006 Information

UnPlaza Art Fair 09-23-06 and 09-24-06
Peace Works Kansas City's 15th Annual UnPlaza Art Fair.
Hours: Saturday 10am - 6pm and Sunday 12 noon - 5pm
Location: All Souls Unitarian Church, 4501 Walnut, KCMO, 64111 (across the street from the Kemper Gallery of Contemporary Art)

New WIP

Oil on Canvas

24" x 30"

Hush

This is my 2nd addition to the 'box' series. At least one more painting on the same theme will follow.

"Hush"

Oil on Canvas, 24" x 36"

Reticent

"Reticent"
Oil on Canvas
18" x 24"

Danette, Unveiled

The pastel that I introduced last post is now finished. Here it is:

"Danette, Unveiled"
Pastel on Wallis, 16" x 22"

This is a painting of a friend, Danette, the first time that I saw her without a scarf (or security blanket, as she calls it!) on her head. A few months ago she finished chemo therapy and I have been happy to see her back to her bubbly, outgoing self!

It all started in the Spring of 2005, when Danette experienced a miscarriage. No one knew at the time, however, that what she was experiencing was not in fact a miscarriage but rather a symptom of Gestational Trophoblastic Cancer. Over the summer she became ill, and by the fall she was going in and out of the hospital, a couple of times in critical condition, and having surgeries. She was finally diagnosed while her husband was on an emergency trip to Texas where his father lay dying. Within a month Danette's own father was diagnosed with cancer, they had to relocate her mother-in-law to KS, and they experienced an accident which totaled their car.

The stress on Danette's family must have been incredible; she and her husband, Victor, work together as a youth pastor team at a local church and have five (count them, five!) children whom they homeschool. They also have no health insurance. But Danette stood as an example of Optimism and Hope. I would like to share a message that she sent out to our homeschool group in September of 2005 (unedited):

Hi everyone. i wanted to take a moment and tell you how overwhelmed i am with the kindness i have received from you all. I have been so blessed by the meals, the flowers and cards, phone calls and visits, and help with my kids, including co-op this fall. You all are a blessing from God to me, and I have said many prayers, and sent out many thoughts of blessings to you all.

as an update, i've been home since thursday, but have to return to the hospital this monday pm through wed. afternoon for more chemo treatment. I am also seeing a naturopathic doctor (who is working alongside my chemo doctor) who is giving me high vitamin treatment and herbal support, so I feel confident that it will help assist my body in the process.

i know we are a non-religious based group, but i wanted to share with you that i feel totally at peace with my dis-ease. the minute i got the diagnoses, i felt this overwhelming peace and total absence of fear. it's like my inner self knew somehow. I believe in Divine timing and guidance, and I feel that this experience is needed by my soul for my own growth. It has been like a huge spiritual crash-course for me, as I have spent time in the hospital reading from numerous spiritual sources, meditating, receiving reiki and prayers in many forms, and just had time to think. I am understanding things at a deep-heart level, that I never truly understood before. I tell you all this because as you are sending your many postive thoughts and prayers (in whatever form--positive energy is being sent), I and my family are soaking it up. I also wanted you to not feel worry or fear or sadness for me. I'm not some spiritual guru or anything---none of my peace comes from me--but i wanted to let you know that despite the difficulties, i am okay---at peace, knowing all is well, and in Divine Order.

you all have just been such a beautiful gift to me and my family, and i wanted to share a little of what is going on in my soul. I hope to be back with you soon. my body is still weak, so i'm not getting out much, but i hope to be back at co-op and other events as soon as i am
strong.

blessings and positive thoughts from me to all of you. talk to you soon! love, danette

Needless to say, I have been inspired by Danette. Actually, I was completely inspired by her entire family before any of this happened: she and Victor share work at church and at home equally and both participate in the schooling of and have great relationships with their children, who are amazing; they love each other, are helpful, intelligent and mature. They are all very affectionate both towards family and friends and seem to bring cheer wherever they go. As a family they have made me think about how I ought to treat those close to me and to face the world with a positive outlook. The past year has shown me how an optimistic, strong, loving family can weather huge difficulties.

This painting is meant to embody the spirit of Optimism and Hope that I see in Danette and her family, and also as simply a gift between friends, a congratulations of sorts. I hope that she sees something in the painting that reminds her, in a positive way, of her journey this past year.

As I was nearing completion of this painting, I got word from Danette that she had some 'disturbing test results' and may be having a recurrence of her cancer. I sincerely hope that this is not the case and that her body is as healed and well as she appears to be! I just have to keep telling myself to think positive thoughts.

Spring is Over, A New Beginning

(Close-up)

"Spring"
18" x 24"

Spring was finished on the 1st day of Summer. I will say more about the pastel, above, which I just started, as soon as possible.

Spring in Progress

"Spring" (In Progress)
18" x 24"

I am hoping to finish this before Summer officially begins, but it might not happen! There will be roses in that bush at the side, and maybe some other small additions.

News: I received a letter regarding my application to the Lawrence Art Guild Association's Annual Career Opportunity Grant. While I was not chosen for the grant, the panel was apparently so impressed with my work and the scope of my proposed project that they decided to award me an honorable mention! I am still trying to drum-up additional funding to study with Virgil Elliott; my fingers are crossed.

Shannon

Here is the final version:

"Shannon"
Oil on Canvas
14" x 18"

Over the weekend, I attended the Second Saturday Art Show at the Overland Park Convention Center, and met a couple of nice artists. I also browsed their permanent collection, which is definately worth the stroll. If you cannot visit Art at the Center in person, feel free to view the Virtual Gallery of the Human Form Exhibition.

More Progress

While there is certainly much work to be done, this painting is nearing completion. The hands are still mostly the underpainting, and the background and clothing are only blocked in, but the portrait itself is almost finished. (The close-up shows the colors more accurately, here.)

Art at the Center

Two of my paintings, "Amy Pinning Her Hair" and "The Silver Pitcher," have been selected to be part of The Human Form Exhibition at the Overland Park Convention Center. I will personally attend the Second Saturday Art Shows at the convention center on June 8th and July 10th from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

"Amy Pinning Her Hair"
Oil on Panel, 11" x 14"

Progress

Here is an update on the portrait of my son; his expression is really starting to come through now! I am adding color, though much of it is a bit over-saturated here. I am not too keen to take the time to get pictures with good color and value accuracy on a daily basis, so usually you will not see a painting as it really is until it is completed and I photograph it properly or scan it.

Beginning a Portrait

Last night I started a new painting; it is a portrait of my son, Shannon, age 8. He is delighted that I am finally painting him again. Photographing children can be a challenge, and with Shannon it is because he is overly excited to produce unique and goofy facial expressions for the camera. I did manage to catch him in this thoughtful and almost angelic pose, shortly before another outburst of silliness.

Oil on Canvas, 14"x18"

The above painting was done in one evening with Gamblin's Asphaltum and some Titanium White, thinned with a little OMS. I do not always underpaint, though I have been more and more as of late, nor do I bring it up to the same finish before adding color as many artists do. I simply use it as an underdrawing, composition and value guide, and as a way to satisfy my impatient self and get the canvas covered!

Relish

I am back from Art in the Park, and am happy to report that I won 3rd place in the 2D category! The park itself was beautiful, and there was music and lots and lots of food.


Periodically throughout the day I performed a live demo, painting my lovely friend Karena in pastel on Wallis paper. As of the end of the show, this is where it stood. I will finish it up in the next couple of days and post the results here.

Art in the Park

Don't forget about Lawrence Art Guild's Art in the Park this Sunday!

Art in the Park
Where: South Park - Lawrence, 12th and Massachusetts
Date: May 7, 2006 Time: 10am - 6pm

I've had prints made and I grabbed a few paintings from my show at the Unity Church of Overland Park. Also, I have about 55lbs of weight for each corner of the tent as to avoid another tragedy like the Booth Shot Massacre. Stop by, say "Hi."

Here's an update on the last painting. It is nearly finished and should be out at the park with me.

"Repose"
Oil on Panel, 12" x 24"

On and Off the Easel

The above is a work in progress, which I aim to have completed next week so that I can include it in my display at the Lawrence Art Guild's Art in the Park. If you are local, please stop by and say hello! I will be performing a demonstration throughout the day of a portrait in pastel from a live model. Feel free to interrupt me!

Art in the Park
Where: South Park - Lawrence, 12th and Massachusetts
Date: May 7, 2006 Time: 10am - 6pm

Archive

Here's the link to the archive of the OPAL program on Art Education: http://www.opal-online.org/archivearts.htm

I suggest opening the slide show seperately in another window and following along with your choice of the sound files, as opposed to choosing the one with the simultaneous audio, slides, and chat. (It doesn't work correctly.)

Art Education

I am scheduled for another OPAL Program this Friday, April 7th at Noon Central Time! To participate live go to http://www.opal-online.org/progsarts.htm and click on the First Fridays link. The topic this month is somewhat a continuation of last month's program on realism, this time exploring modernism's effects on art education at the university level and discussing the re-emergence of the atelier and traditional methods of learning the craft of Fine Art.