Erotica 2007 Closes

Erotica 2007 at MOCA DC is closing today. Fellow blogger and photographer Tracy Lee informed me that the show was featured on the Wonkette Blog, where I found this picture with my painting in the background!

Speak No Evil

Half way there!

See No Evil

Still not done, but getting closer...

Hear No Evil

What a difference a day makes! Still more work to do on this, but the progress is pleasing.

Hear, Speak, See: Stage One

This is a series of three 12" x 12" canvases, to illustrate the "Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil, See No Evil," proverb. This is the first stage of painting, and I have a feeling these will go smoothly and quickly.

Death, Done

"Death"
o/c 36" x 24"

Here is the completed painting of "Death." More on the theme to come! I have a set of three paintings on the easel, which I will post here in the next few days.

Meanwhile, I am in the process of moving artwork around. I picked up paintings from the Central Resource Library, which will head out to the Lawrence Community Theatre soon. Also, the Heartland Artist Juried Exhibition at the Merriam Community Center is coming down, but then the Juried Exhibition at the Overland Park Convention Center is going up!

Death Update

This picture isn't quite representative of what the painting looks like, as the colors are too warm here and there's too much light on Death's face. But, it does give you an idea of where I am going with it. Just a few more days, and we should have a good looking painting on our hands!

Mini-Fellowship Presented

Here is the picture that I promised from the Kansas Arts Commission Fellowship and Mini-Fellowship Awards Ceremony. Senator Chris Steineger presented me with the award, and also provided lively conversation. He seems very much 'for' the arts, as he carried the names and numbers of local arts people with him in his pocket, and I heard through the grapevine that he also spoke earlier that day in the capitol at an art day event put on by the Kansas Arts Commission and the Citizens for Art.

P.S. I look awfully short here, but really he is a tall-ish fellow.

Duplicity and Awards Ceremony

Duplicity

Oil on ABS, 16" x 20"

Finished this painting the other night. I had a busy week, including an awards reception in Topeka on Wednesday where I received a Mini-Fellowship from the Kansas Arts Commission. Unfortunately, I left my camera at home, but should soon have a picture of Senator Steineger presenting the award to me that I can post! It was a wonderful evening, for sure.

Death

The previous painting is coming along at a snail's pace, due to very slow drying time of the shadow areas. So, I started the above 36" x 24" canvas, "Death," using a medium to speed drying!

On Saturday I attended the opening for the Heartland Artist Exhibition at the Irene B. French Merriam Community Center. There was some impressive work there, including some low-relief paper sculptures that I found particularly impressive.

Duplicity

Here's a new painting; Oil on ABS 16" x 20" I'm really enjoying it, but the dark areas are taking forever to dry!

March Events

A lot is going on this month! Here's the scoop on what's happening between now and the end of March:

February 28th at 1pm - Art Marketing 101 OPAL Program
I will give a presentation on art marketing through OPAL Online

March 2nd - 31st - Erotica 2007 at MOCA DC
"Restricted" is included in this juried national art exhibition in Washington, DC. Opens March 2nd and runs through March 31st.

March 3rd - 11th - Annual Heartland Artist Exhibition
Juried national exhibition, running through March 25th. Opening Reception Saturday March 3rd 5-7pm at the Irene B. French Community Center Art Gallery

March 7th - Kansas Arts Commission Awards Ceremony
I will be in Topeka on the evening of March 7th to accept a Mini-Fellowship in Visual Arts from the Kansas Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Danette Update

Above is a little picture of the shrine Danette sets up while she is in the hospital for chemotherapy. I visited with her last week, and took some neat pictures of her with my new camera. I love visiting with her, and seeing how people react to her; I'm not so sure she notices the effect she constantly has on those around her.

This week an article about Danette and my two paintings of her appeared here in the Olathe Sun. I'm certain that more than a few people will read it and be touched and inspired by her optimism. I certainly am!

Kansas Landscape, Another Road Trip

I ventured westward again yesterday, driving out to Manhattan, KS to deliver art to Strecker-Nelson Gallery. The owners and staff are fabulous; easy to talk to and wonderfully enjoyable to work with. I'm tickled to have them in my corner!

After leaving the gallery, I stopped at the scenic lookout on highway 177 and took some pictures with my new Nikon D80. The camera is awesome, and I am having a great time playing with it and learning. I snapped pictures on the way to the gallery as well, and am highly impressed with the crystal clear results I got while travelling down the highway at 70+ MPH. (In the passenger's seat, of course.)

Venus Completed

"Venus"
Oil on Panel
18" x 36"

Nude Update

Still a ways to go with this, though most of the work that needs to be done is on the sofa and background.

Central Resource Library Exhibit

Photo by Stephen Locke

I nearly forgot to mention that I have an exhibit of my portraiture on display for the month of February at the Central Resource Library in Johnson County. On February 28th, I will give a presentation online through OPAL on the subject of marketing for artists. The presentation will chronicle my experiences over the past year and a half, outline marketing strategies for the artist, and highlight local venues and opportunities.

A New Nude

Still in the first stages of this painting. An 18" x 36" oil on gessobord.

Shhh

"Shhh"

10" x 8" Oil on Canvas
$500

I never popped back in to say I was finished!! Here it is; I am pleased.

Another painting is already on the easel, a nude much larger than this small painting, but it is not yet ready to be shared. Soon.

Blue, and the Heartland Artist Exhibition

Am I the only one who enjoys all these little changes? I am having too much fun with this one.

Also, I wanted to mention that two paintings have been juried into the Heartland Artist Exhibition in Merriam. I will post an invitation to the opening reception later in February.