Christmas Commission

Here's the commission that's been occupying my time for the last few months.  The gal who commissioned it as a surprise for her husband for Christmas gave me permission to post to my blog after the big day... so here it is!

She wanted my bright fun colors with the double portrait.  This is painted on a 4 x 5 foot canvas!  We delivered it on Christmas eve - she was thrilled with it... we are a little sorry to see it go, its got good energy, just like her ; )

New Toy...

I treated myself to a new Artworks toy... errr... tool.  I got one of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 tablets that includes the "S" pen so you can make sketches on it.  It is going to be so useful for taking notes and making quick sketches for my art projects.  I got this over the iPad because the pen is much more sensitive.

It just arrived, and this is one of my first attempts at a sketch using one of the free apps.  Amazing where this new technology is going.

Season's greetings to all of you on this day of the solstice.

Culinary arts...

I've been busy the last few weeks working on another big commission - this one is 4' x 5' and is a surprise for a spouse for Christmas, so I can't post it to the web yet... So to have something to show you, here's a shot of the garlic I was chopping the other night for dinner.  This is the late fall light falling across the chopping board in the late afternoon.

Michael and I both like to cook (and to eat well!).   I often think it is an art as well.  You have the palette consisting of aroma, flavors and colors.  And with the fresh seafood outside our door and local fresh veggies, we have great "substrate" from which to work.

bon appétit!

Another Frohsin inspired experiment...

Still playing around with sketches loosely based on Kim Frohsin's work (see previous posts).  While she does single figures, I thought it might be fun to have several together, kinda like Degas' dancers... except these are skinny dippers... Reminds me of some summer nights years ago.

"Under Wraps"

I finished the 6' x 6' commission.  The couple that commissioned the painting stopped by and love it!  Phew!  Its always a relief when that happens.  I asked them if I could post the photo below of the painting in process and they agreed.  This was a fun challenge - they wanted the double portrait, but wanted it abstracted so it wasn't so "in your face."  They have a beautiful new waterfront home in Florida, and these colors will brighten their walls.

I took the painting into the UPS Store yesterday to ship... did I detect a slight groan when I walked in the door?  I have shipped several times with them in the past though, and they've done a good job.  Keeping my fingers crossed that this one gets to Florida safely.

Now, on to the next project!  A 4' x 5' double commission.  Almost seems small!  ; )

Plein Air

On  a chilly but sunny day last week the plein air painters' group I had invited out to Crosswinds arrived.  It was great fun to have painters all over the front yard painting different scenes.  We had a great time and plan to do it again.

Two new galleries!

I'm excited to have joined two new galleries.  Blu-Sail Gallery in Morehead City is displaying my large 4' x 5' painting "Belle."  They are a fun gallery with a nice space.  Mark and Lynn are doing many creative approaches to art classes and have brightened the downtown Morehead City scene.

The Village Gallery in Oriental has just opened a beautiful new space.  I was pleased to be able to hang  a collection of 10 pieces there.  It looks great to have a body of work in one space, nicely lighted and displayed.  They have a selective body of interesting work in the gallery.

Stop by either or both to take a look!  I also have work on display in Beaufort at Handscapes Gallery and the Mattie King Davis Gallery on the Beaufort Historic Site.   In New Bern my work is found at New Bern Artworks and the Craven County Arts Council & Gallery.

Here's a close-up of part of the painting of Belle that is at Blu-Sail: