Quick Sketch

"Sheridan Spring"

We had one nice break in the weather the other day, so I ventured out in the early evening into an area I had not visited before. I came across this configuration, and with a little artistic license (but not much) came home with the above quick sketch... 

Today, back to the rain...

Trimmed in Blue

Trimmed in Blue (16x18 o/c)

Progress on "Mood Indigo"...

 Progress shot #1 (30x40)

I started with a simple line drawing in a thin wash over my pencil lines (which were scaled up on a grid from a smaller sketch). Then I erased the pencil lines and lightly stained the canvas with burnt sienna...

 Progress shot 2

The model I hired here is Amber, a professional jazz singer in the Portland area... The reference for the male figure came from photos of the late Mississippi Fred McDowell.

 Finished close up

Detail...

Brubeck

Brubeck (12x12) o/p

American Jazz composer and innovator,  Dave Brubeck passed away at the end of 2012, the day before his 92nd birthday.  This piece is the second of two that I sketched while listening repeatedly to his iconic album "Time Out" from 1959...  

Along with his signature time experimentation, some of the runs on this album were described in the liner notes as "Urgent discovery that can never be captured by the arrangers pen"... (like those in-the-moment surprises that painters sometimes call "Happy Accidents").

In his song "New Frontier" by Steely Dan's Donald Fagan,  Brubeck is described as "an artist, a pioneer"...  It's hard to define an innovative pioneer in representational painting today, and although any painter of integrity certainly aims for something new and unique, it is not easily achieved.  

A 'new' frontier only comes along every once in awhile, and is hardly pre-planned; that kind of 'urgent discovery' only happens to a painter searching for what he knows not until he sees it --  

...and this defines the very frontier itself.

Rest in peace, Dave Brubeck...

Kentucky Derby Bottle

A case of the official bourbon for the 2013 Kentucky Derby just arrived!  
I was fortunate to have been commissioned to paint the artwork for the Woodford Reserve bottle this year that coincides with the 139th Derby,  running this May 4th at Churchill Downs...they even added my signature to the tape that seals the bottle top and an artist bio card on the neck -- quite an honor to be associated with such an iconic American sporting event!

Back to Work...

 

 "Night Shift" (20x24) o/p

Back at it in the studio today, and thankful for a wonderful weekend with family and friends...life is good (because it's life)...

(detail)

WEEKEND WORKSHOP IN APRIL

"Backstage" (24x30) o/c

The date is getting closer for my Figure Painting Workshop, April 6th & 7th at the Hansen Studio in Oregon City -- Several spaces left, details at top right under "Events" (Oregon City Workshop)...

Everyday Hero

 "Everyday Hero" (16x12)

When I was in the first grade, the school janitors name was Joe.  I liked Joe, everyone did -- he was the friendly guy who always had a smile and even knew your name if you took time to talk to him (which he always enjoyed no matter how busy he was). 
 

I never knew his last name or even thought much about him outside of school (he was such a fixture, I probably thought he lived there) but somehow his presence made an impact on my young world and I'm glad he was there on the job, every day...

I gave this painting the title "Everyday Hero" because of the often overlooked nobility inherent in those vocations that seem less than noble...AND the fact that hard working people like this can make a positive and profound impression on young minds, even though they only appear to function in the background where we pay little attention... 

This piece will be in an upcoming solo exhibition opening at Bonner David Galleries in Scottsdale, Arizona on April 25th.