Some More Little Paintings

I'm continuing to paint these little still lives. You can see my set-up in this video, below. More videos can be soon on my YouTube channel. Right now I am simply using a cardboard box with a black cloth napkin in it to house my still life. The light is just what's coming from the ceiling fan! I also have a box that has flap windows cut into it so that I can alter the lighting, but I haven't been using it. It might be about time to play around with that, and to find something new to set my little subjects on.

Wednesday Night Open Figure Sessions!

This Wednesday is the next open figure session at Red Door Studios, 738 Armstrong Suite 200, Kansas City, KS 66101. We will work with seasoned model "Kent," who I've heard from multiple sources is great!

Below are a few drawings that were done at the previous two sessions. Come join us!

by Doug Bell

by Doug Bell

by Lacey Lewis

by Whitney White

If you were there and would like me to include your work from the sessions on my blog, just send me your images. Hope to see you all again soon!

A Bunch of Little Paintings

This month, I have been focusing on working from life. Mainly I have been painting these little still lives (all are about 4" x 4" to 6" x 6") but I have also done a little figure drawing from life during the Wednesday night sessions and have completed a 10" x 8" pregnant figure in oil that took about 12 hours total.



I find these little still lives quite enjoyable, though I need to come up with a new setting other than my black-lined cardboard box, and will be continuing with them through the end of the month. Then, I will start on another very large figurative painting in the 'Sins' series.

Pics from the Grand Opening

Here are a couple images from the Grand Opening last Friday. It was awesome! Lots of people stopped by and the performances and art were great. Thank you to everyone who attended and to Mayor Joe Reardon for joining us to cut the ribbon.

You can see a lot more pictures from the opening on Facebook!

Betsy Barratt performing as Madame Meprise.

Clay Hughes playing his music for us.

Silver Creamer with Raspberries - 7" x 5"

I painted another little painting a couple days ago, and for the first time filmed all the progress! Unfortunately my camera doesn't capture the details, but hopefully it's still worth-while to watch.






Don't forget that tomorrow is the first long pose open figure session at Red Door Studios!

Just One Week Left Until Red Door Studios' Grand Opening!

Mark your calendars! Just one week from today is the Grand Opening of the Red Door Studios. There will be music by Clay Hughes, a performance by Madame Meprise, and art by more than a dozen visual artists. Don't miss it!

Get Starting Next Week: New Long Pose Figure Sessions!

Photo by Nikki Moreno, Vixen Pinup Photography

Starting next week, I will be holding a weekly open figure session at the Red Door Studio. We will have one long pose the entire time, and then those attending will vote on whether we'd like to keep the same pose for the following week or if we will plan to change to a new pose.

This long-pose format allows you time to start off with thumbnail sketches so that you can work on coming up with a good composition, it allows you time to paint or sculpt or to start over if something isn't working. For those who want to work on more than one piece that night, you can feel free to move to a new location for a different view! The long pose is great for the beginner who doesn't want to feel rushed as well as for the accomplished artist who is interested in bringing their work to a higher degree of finished.

Models and themes will rotate between males and females, classic nudes and models in costume. Leading the way this month will be the lovely Eartha Delights of Two Gun Tease Burlesque! (Pictured above.) Please feel free to join us with whatever previous experience (or lack thereof) you might have. I'm looking forward to it!

Long Pose Open Figure Sessions with Eartha Delights
Wednesday, September 9th and 16th, 2009
6-9 pm
Red Door Studios
738 Armstrong, Suite 200
Kansas City, KS 66101
Contact: Lacey@LSquaredartwork.com

Later this month:
Long Pose Open Figure Sessions with Kent
Wednesday, September 23rd and 30th, 2009
6-9 pm
Red Door Studios
738 Armstrong, Suite 200
Kansas City, KS 66101
Contact: Lacey@LSquaredartwork.com

Red Door Studios is Coming Together!

"Sirens" Video Tour

"Sirens" closed last Friday, and before it came down I grabbed a cheap camcorder and created this video tour of the show.

Strawberries

This little one was painted some time last week and I forgot to post it. This was really a joy to paint and if I can just get the last few strawberries to last I'd love to paint more!

"Spoon" Progress Video

I made a little movie of the progress of yesterday's "Spoon" painting. Soon I will also make one showing the progress of the salt shaker, too.

Salt Shaker, Spoon

"Salt Shaker" 4"x 4"

"Spoon" 4" x 4"

Two more sketches. Both use just black, white, burn sienna, raw umber and ultramarine blue.

Three Sketches

"Silver Creamer" Oil on Panel 6" x 6"

Today I managed to get three sketches done. I started off spending a few hours on the above creamer. Shortly thereafter I turned around and saw my son had fallen asleep on the couch, so I got a quick sketch (below) in before he moved.

"Silver Creamer #2" Oil on Panel 4" x 4"

Later, since I still had the paint and brushes ready, I did another quick painting of the same creamer but this time surrounded by black instead of on a white table.


Yesterday I also worked on a painting of a figure from life, but I am saving that one for another day.

The New Studio - Starting to Move In

(My office space)

Here are some pictures, really quick, from my new studio. Thank you to my friends who helped me start to move heavy stuff over to the new place and who helped me paint the big, common area. Also, thanks to my new landlord who has been very accommodating and quickly installed new lighting (you can see half of the new lights up in this picture) and provided all the painting supplies, amongst other things.

More soon as I will be completely moved in less than a week from now and will hopefully very soon be setting up some open figure sessions.

Pictures from "Sirens" Opening and Other News

Last First Friday my show "Sirens" with special guest Jamina Bone (my apprentice) opened at Hilliard Gallery in the Crossroads Arts District of Kansas City, MO. Above is a picture of Jamie and I at the show. Below are some more pictures from the show; some were submitted by my friend Jeff. (Thanks Jeff!) Keep reading below all the pictures for other news.








For various reasons, I have decided to move my studio. I won't be going far though; just one building to the east! I hope to make this a quick and painless move, but I have lots of new plans for the space. First off, I will have enough space to hold open figure drawing/painting sessions with plenty of room for several participants. I hope to offer instruction-free figure sessions for $10/person, and expand upon classes and workshops I have offered. I stopped offering classes in my studio some time ago because there wasn't a lot of room with all my large paintings hanging around.

Secondly, I hope to add to the growing art community in KCK by helping to create affordable spaces for artists. I am working with the building owner to make the entire 2nd floor of this building into artists' studios. For now I am going to refer to it as 'Art on Armstrong,' since the building is located at 738 Armstrong, and if this works out then perhaps we can take over additional affordable spaces in downtown KCK.

I am planning a big studio-opening bash next 2nd Friday, September 11th. More on that soon, but mark your calendars! Meanwhile, if you or someone you know is looking for art space in downtown KCK, contact me or call 913-262-0036 and ask about the artist's space at 738 Armstrong.

"Sirens" Opens Today - ARTKC365

Remember, "Sirens" opens tonight from 6-9pm at Hilliard Gallery! 18th and Oak in Kansas City, MO.

Thanks to ARTKC365 for this awesome write-up about the show.

"Sirens" Opens this Friday, Update of Painting

This Friday from 6-10pm at Hilliard Gallery (18th and Oak in the Crossroads Arts District) is the opening of my show, "Sirens." Also included is special guest and my apprentice, Jamina Bone! I would love to see all my friends there, and if you are local and we have never met please feel free to introduce yourself.

I also wanted to share some progress on this painting. You can see I have worked on the shoulder on our left, that arm, and his head. I hope to be able to post a progress slide show when I am done, but for now this is what I have to share.