Wet Paint

Spring Open House

2011-04-03T12:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was our McRae Studios open house. This is our twice yearly event where we display the latest creations of our 23 artists. The consensus was the crowd was down some. I think we have come to rely a bit too heavily on social media to drive our attendance. Maybe the postcard mailer isn't dead after all.

Show Opening at Crealde Art Center

2010-08-06T05:22:00.000-07:00

Tonight, along with Larry Moore and Don Sondag, I will be speaking about my work at a three artist show opening at Crealde Art Center in Winter Park FL. The three of us are landscape painters, Don and Larry being mainly plein air artists. It is always difficult for me to talk about my painting since I don't always know how it happens. Part subconsious, part random, and sometimes a bit of planning thrown in. So it will either enlighten people or they will walk away scratching their heads. Like I said, I don't always get it either.

Targeted Goal

2010-08-05T17:50:00.000-07:00

Day 4 of the big push for my Cades Cove Show. I have 4 or 5 small paintings underway and ideas for more but bringing them to completion is always the challenge. I'm hoping I can find that happy creative place where good work flows and no overheated thinking takes place. I always say you have to be there when it happens. With creativity you can't always predict the timing, so stay close to the studio.

November, Cross Creek FL, o/c 5x5

Time for a Big Push

2010-08-01T17:56:00.000-07:00

OK, I had my summer vacation from blogging. My mind went blank there for a couple of months anyway. I don't remember stopping painting but that is the great thing about what I do. Little thinking required and sometimes best if avoided.

I returned from Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park last night/early this morning. I took over 500 photos, plein air painted and rode my bike around the 11 mile loop testing the current strength of my heart and leg muscles. I need to get in shape.

I am entering a big push for paintings in the next 60 days for my Landscapes of Cades Cove show at Bennett Galleries in Knoxville TN Oct 2. It is made possible by United Arts of Central Florida, who awarded me with a grant to finance the trip for inspiration and costs associated with the show, and of course Bennett Galleries.

A trip to Cades Cove cant help but inspire a landscape painter and I was in need of a boost. I'll be posting new work here and on my Facebook page, Landscape Paintings by Stephen Bach.

Blue Ridge Getaway

2010-05-12T06:23:00.000-07:00

Back from the North Carolina mountains after a few days with friends. Rest was the first priority but painting outdoors and scouting locations for later paintings was what I was looking forward to. That, plus getting to drive curvy roads, my other passion. In between we all sat on a deck looking at Grandfather Mountain in the distance and experiencing the variety of bug life.

Western North Carolina and North Georgia have always been a particular inspiration for me, a Florida flatlander. Painting there is a challenge and a visual relief to the Florida landscape. In many places in the mountains, you can see 50 miles or more. Atmosphere can be a bigger part of the paintng. The difference is inspiring and energizing. Just what we need sometimes.

What's new: Derelict Barn, Robbinsville NC, oil on canvas 8"x10"

Painted Out

2010-05-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

The Winter Park Paint Out benefit for the Polasek Museum is looking like a great success. A big crowd showed up last night to see the art, have a glass of wine and sample the gourmet tapas at stations spread around the gardens. Some patrons shared the evening at the tables near the lake and some just strolled through the grounds taking in the beauty of the sculptures and blooming flower beds. Approximately 50 paintings had been sold through the week with some collectors buying the work off the painters' easels or waiting at the museum to see what was coming in.

There are two weeks left for the art to hang in the museum for sale. So if you are interested, make sure to check out the museum website artists page or stop by the Polasek Museum.

What's new: An Inviting Place, oil on canvas, 12x12

Winding Down the Paint Out

2010-04-30T18:36:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I turned in two more paintings to the Winter Park Paint Out at the Polasek Museum. The sunny days ended today and clouds and a shower broke our string of luck.

I retreated to the studio and cleaned up and framed the work I had.

Last night was dinner with the museum board and patrons. Most of the artists had stories about the week - where they painted and what they saw. I went to Kraft Azalea Gardens yesterday to paint the lake, the old cypress trees and moss. The egrets are still nesting and the racket of the chicks drowned out the usual city noise. I learned a lot from painting each day in the elements. I recommend it to anyone who wants to improve their skills.

Tomorrow is the last morning for painting. Our work has to be turned in by noon and the gala is in the evening. Then it's going to be a day off for me.

What's new: Park Avenue South, 9x12, oil on canvas

Chasing the Light

2010-04-28T16:43:00.000-07:00

A cool and beautiful morning. A repeat of yesterday, just 10 degrees cooler. The grounds at the Polasek were filled with artists consumed in trying to beat the changing light. I went back to a painting I started yesterday. It is the Pan sculpture.

This week is a test of skill and endurance . Figures, water, trees, buildings and streets. Set up, paint, move to another spot, repeat.

Chase the light. I'm tired tonight.

Night at the Museum

2010-04-27T20:22:00.001-07:00

Tuesday is officially day two of the Winter Park Paint Out. I started out at the Polasek about 8am and got a couple of paintings underway on the grounds. The weather was "picture perfect" (sorry) so I couldnt come up with a reason to leave until after lunch time. Then I had to get back to the studio and give time to a large painting I started last week. I went back to the Polasek and got in an hour or so of painting as the sun went down, we all ate pizza and I then kayaked with Matthew Cornell through the canal to Lakes Virginia and Mizell. The moon was coming up and we listened to the peacocks along Genius Drive calling from the woods. A few of the die hards stayed late on the museum grounds and worked with lights to get a nocturn painting. Not a bad day at work. Tomorrow night is a painting session on the lake at Houston's Restaurant on 17-92 in Winter Park. And it should be a great show next Saturday.

First New Piece for the Paint Out

2010-04-26T18:49:00.000-07:00

Monday morning was gloomy and damp after a huge storm that lasted most of the night. Sunday night the artists got together with the Paint Out committee and the museum patrons for a socializer and it was capped by a number drawing for display spaces on the museum walls. It's time to get busy since the event starts in earnest today.

I headed back to Park Ave hoping for a little sun and just as I left the museum grounds, the sky lifted and blue appeared. I spent the next couple of hours on the second of two Park Avenue paintings. At around the same time of day I had previously worked on the other painting, I moved across the street and continued on that one.

Today things were a little more lively on the avenue and the light a little brighter for painting. I got the first piece finished. It now hangs drying on my reserved wall at the Polasek.

I might pick a little simpler composition next time.

What's new: Park at New England, oil on canvas 20" x 16"

The Ghost of Sam Peckinpah

2010-04-25T18:50:00.000-07:00

I awoke this morning and got out of bed way too early for the amount of sleep I got. I made it to the Polasek Museum without coffee though I knew that was begging trouble. While I and a few of the museum staff and volunteers waited for the coffee to brew on the breezeway, someone asked me where I was going to paint. I thought the old Colony Theater might make a good subject. The Colony sits on Park Avenue in the center of town. At one time it was where Winter Park went to the movies.

Debbie Komanski said, "I worked in that theater when I was 15. I ushered and I also sat in the little booth at the front and sold tickets. When it was hot, it was hotter in the booth. When the weather turned cold, it was cold in there too. And I listened to the soundtrack to Straw Dogs so many times it still gives me the creeps. When there weren't ticket sales going on, my manager would make sure I was doing my homework instead of wasting time."

That conversation made it even more inviting to paint the street and the old Colony marquis. No one sits in that booth anymore. These days the Colony cleverly disquises itself as a Pottery Barn, and I doubt the staff does any homework when things are quiet.

But still, I love that kind of background when I paint something. A story, an experience... it makes the paint come alive somehow. A good painting is built on experience or a recollection or emotion. It gives it purpose and usually just makes it a better painting.

Let the Games Begin

2010-04-24T13:25:00.000-07:00

Day One of Winter Park Paint Out. I checked in at the Polasek Museum our headquarters for the week. We artists are being asked by Winter Park Magazine to keep notes in a journal detailing our experiences. While I normally use my blog for that, this week I will handwrite some notes too.

After check in, it's off to find the perfect spot. I think this is like finding your own fishing hole where you know the big ones lurk. Of course who really knows. I drive by a couple of spots that look great. By the time I circle the block these spots look as ordinary as dirt. I drive over to the Rollins campus thinking of painting Knowles Chapel but I'll just let parking guide the serendipity. What was I thinking. I've never found a parking spot on this campus in 25 years if the school was in session, so this Saturday morning in April is just another 5 mph convoluted drive-by.

Downtown Park Ave is bustling. Crowds from an event in the park are breaking up and I notice a previously thought of target for painting - the big clock at Park and New England. The parking gods smile and the sun breaks from behind a cloud. Looks like it is meant to be.

I'm not sure if I will be pestered to death by passers-by but I am supposed to talk up the show and what better place. Wow, I picked a complicated scene though. A three point perspective throwdown, though after a few minutes I forget about everything except what I'm looking at. And it seems I'm invisible to everyone around. That's good and bad- right now mostly good.

It always seems kids are the best at talking to the artist. One little one briefs me on her art resume and further lets me know she will be staying up late tonight to paint the sunset at home. Heads up, mom and dad.

I'll post the finished piece later. It needs another hour or so of work in similar light.

One From Column A and B

2010-04-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

For me, the biggest dilemma for the Winter Park Paint Out is scene selection. Gardens or street scene? Frankly, I enjoy painting street scenes more but they don't often convey the serene mood of trees and water. And there is the added work distraction of people wanting to know what you are doing painting there on the sidewalk. Got to say its fun though. Here are a couple of warm up paintings. One from each genre.

What's new: Eucalyptus Tree 10"x8" and Lyman at Pennsylvania 8"x10"

Spring Training

2010-04-21T05:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I gathered my courage and loaded my paints and easel and into the van. This is the painter's version of, "the hardest thing about running is lacing up your shoes". I drove over to the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens in Winter Park for spring training of sorts. Next Saturday the Winter Park Paint Out begins and I will be painting plein air in the event for a week.

The controlled light and climate of the studio are hard to leave. But for someone like me who spends five days a week painting trees, it helps to occasionally get out and look at some. I bust out all my shades of green for this event. Nearly everything is in bloom and standing under the canopy of trees around here makes it seem like there is a giant green scrim filtering the light. I got a nice little painting, I thought, and today I was feeling cocky enough to get out again. This time a street scene. I'll post them when I clean them up.

Mc Rae Studios Spring Opening

2010-04-06T19:05:00.000-07:00

This Saturday evening another opening is upon us at McRae Art Studios. This is our annual Spring open house and new work will go up on the walls in each artist's studio. I always try to get as many small pieces up as I can and showcase a couple of large ones. While there is a lot of cleaning and preparation needed to get the studios into shape, it is a good time for all of us to come together for a few hours and enjoy each other's company. ugh, there is all that sweeping and mopping though.

What's new: Great Plains Barn, oil on canvas, 5"x5". $275. framed

A Case of ENF

2010-04-01T16:03:00.000-07:00

The economy is on the mend. Or is the economy still at bottom? Our houses are worth more this month, though they might be worth less than two months ago. Job losses have stabilized but might stay at these high rates for years. Consumer confidence is low, but there was more consumer spending last month than in the last 12 months. The stock market? Closing in on 11,000 today.

I think I have Economic News Fatigue. No wonder artists and galleries are finding clients hard to come by. No one knows what is going on. Remember when economics was somewhat stable and boring?

Whats new: Colorado Skyline, 6"x6"

Nuts and Bolts

2010-03-29T18:56:00.000-07:00

Occasionally people at shows or in the studio ask how the business of art works. In one sense, I'm not sure how it works, but I know about the arrangements between galleries, shows and artists.

First, to clear up a common misconception, artists don't keep 90% of a gallery sale. Generally we keep 50%. In most cases we pay to frame and ship or deliver the work. The gallery does the sale, collects taxes and pays the artist the arranged percentage after 30 days. If work is returned, it is usually the responsibility of the gallery.

Another occasional misconception is that an artist wanting to do an outdoor show simply calls up and asks to have a space reserved. In truth, he or she has to be juried into the show, paying a fee for that jury process. If accepted, they typically pay between $300-$900, and receive an assigned 10 or 12 square ft. piece of real estate. The artist supplies all materials and equipment to display the art and keeps all proceeds from sales. The artist is responsible for collecting taxes for the state and municipality they sell in and must file as any other business in that jurisdiction. Occasionally a show will charge a nominal fee to the artist to participate, doing the transaction and tax collection, while keeping a percentage of each sale.

I wrote about this once upon a time on this blog but this is the Cliff Notes version.

What's new: Lace of Light, 4o" x 40", oil on canvas

An Hour in the Park

2010-03-28T07:48:00.000-07:00

Friday afternoon I got outdoors to practice my plein air skills. I decided to return to Kraft Azalea Garden, a city park on Lake Maitland in the Winter Park chain of lakes. I was looking around the park for an inspiring view when a city employee struck up a conversation. He pointed out the Cottonmouth Moccasin on the dock.

There is a structure called the Exedra Monument popular for wedding photography and ceremonies. It's a good subject to practice my perspective skills while painting the flora and fauna. It was also a suitable distance from the snake.

Warmer Weather Coming

2010-03-26T05:16:00.000-07:00

I missed seeing snow this year. I lived the experience through our daughter in Atlanta who saw more than usual. I ran across a series of photos of snow I took years ago and painted a large painting from. This week I painted a smaller painting just because I like the image so much.

Winter Field, oil on canvas, 9x12

Plein Air Paint Out Coming Soon

2010-03-24T18:31:00.000-07:00

It's soon time to switch gears. Next on the schedule is the Winter Park Paint Out April 24 - May 1 at the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens in Winter Park FL. I need to get out and hone my plein air skills for next month.

Meanwhile this is a painting I completed last week in the studio, and was shown in the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival. It measures 24" x 24", oil on canvas. Title: Early Moon.

Art Shows Gone Wild - Boston Mills Artfest 2005

2010-03-23T19:29:00.000-07:00

This is the first in what I hope is a series of artist submitted weather stories from outdoor art festivals in the past few years. Barbara Kline, wrote about Boston Mills Art Fest 2005 in Ohio after she read about this past weekend's early end to the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival Sunday due to weather.

"For extreme weather stories, I'll always have Boston Mills. As I headed to the Gala Event at 3:00 PM, scattered storms were reported on the radio. Once I reached the show the large parking lot was flooded with water and I had to park at the far end on higher ground. The show takes place at a ski resort in Boston Mills, OH, outside of Akron. I managed to get to the lobby of the building only to find people watching the water rise outside the locked doors flooding the tents of the art show.

The show was set up in three tents at the foot of the ski mountain and next to a small, mostly dry creek. Lightning struck a tree which blocked the creek and sent the water rushing through the art show tents. The only way out to my booth was to go upstairs in the ski building and down the outside stairs to the show. When I stepped off the bottom step into the water it was nearly waist deep. Pushing through water and past floating garbage such as oil drums, branches, and wet critters with beady eyes which washed up from the creek. Car alarms were going off from new cars that were on display for the gala evening. Wine bottles and food were floating by. Potted plants and yes, art. Many art vans in the parking lot had water over their wheel wells and more alarms were beeping and then failing when the water covered the system.

I finally made it to the North Tent which was a shambles. Booths were knocked over by the torrent of water. Mud and branches were everywhere. I went into my booth and tried to pick art off the walls and put it on top of a table that had not fallen over yet. Walls were trying to fall in from the crush of water and art floating in the current. Other artists were in the tent attempting to rescue their art. A beautiful inlaid wooden jewelry booth across the aisle was in shambles. The big tent over head was bulging with water pools and the poles were wavering. Tubs of art were spilled into the muddy torrent. Credit card machines and just about anything you can think of floated by. A group of artists rescued a case of wine, brought some of the shrimp plate out to the tent and were making the best of a bad situation. Borrowing glasses from glass and clay booths provided holders for the wine.

Eventually the rain slowed and the water began to subside leaving the mud caked carnage visible. Noticing the mud building up, I began sweeping the water as it subsided out of my booth in hopes of finding the rug on the ground. It worked. I was able to have a somewhat dry spot in an otherwise mud filled mess. I emptied the water from the bins of art and sorted through my art and other art which floated into my booth.The show did open without me the next day at noon with a few booths remaining and the North tent emptied to other locations. My next show was Cherry Creek and I had some work to do cleaning the booth, etc., if I were going to salvage the next show.

Okay, Steve, that is my one story. I also have the Storm of the Century in New Smyrna Beach, FL, several years ago. Artist tents floating in the intercoastal waterway with weights attached. My booth and four others survived that mess. And on and on it goes.

Duck and Cover

2010-03-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

"Schedule an Art Show". That's the punchline to the joke, "How do you end a drought?"

One of the usable technologies for the outdoor show artist is the smart phone with internet radar display. By noon the warnings were circulating at Winter Park predicting a sharp line of thunderstorms and high winds. The radar was painting yellow and red.

"Twenty minutes." I heard from a neighbor. I ran to the van for plastic and a dolly to move things out that werent essential. Sometimes the crowds congregate inside the open tents for cover, so it's often so crowded you cant move. Here there are shops and restaurants along the avenue so most took refuge where there were drinks and food. Rain led to heavier rain and winds and by 2:30, a show committee person gave us the word, the show was closed.

Trouble is it's hard to safely load art outdoors into a monsoon. Meanwhile a pool of water was growing deeper inside my tent. And I had to use a stick to push off water standing on the roof. In a half hour most artists were packing up. Everyone was soaked through by this time anyway. No need to stick around for more of the same.

My wife Susan had to leave the show before the rain reached its peak, so I needed to pack 2 tents and contents in the storm. Luckily I have good friends. OK, really good friends. Ones who came out in the rain and helped load it all out to 2 vans. Thanks Tim, Patti, Cynthia, and a special thanks to Ellie came out but who also loaned her van and wall panels to Susan. You are saints, one and all. I owe you. Five hours later and the skin on my fingers is just now starting to smooth out.

Winter Park - Day 2

2010-03-20T19:25:00.000-07:00

This morning was cool and clear and the crowds came out. I had a descent day of sales. Thanks to each of you who bought a painting. And thanks to you all who signed my guestbook and spoke kindly of the work. It is all greatly appreciated.

Sunday looks challenging, weatherwise. Thunderstorms are forecast in the afternoon so the artists will have the stress of keeping things from flying as well as keeping them dry. I'm hoping this show doesn't add another chapter to the book of art show weather catastrophies. I have experienced a few personally. Some of those might make interesting postings.

Day One of Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival

2010-03-19T18:28:00.001-07:00

Today marked day one of the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival. Day two if you count most of yesterday that it took to load in a truck full of art and support equipment. Yes, the muscles are a little stiff and achy but the weather was near perfect and the crowds were respectable. Since this show is only blocks from my studio, it's a chance to talk with local friends and acquaintances. Thanks to everyone who stopped and said hello today. Saturday and Sunday should be beautiful spring days, so I hope to see even more of you.

What's new: Early Moon, 24x24, oil on canvas

A Painting at Amelia Island

2010-03-13T06:47:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, a friend and collector of my auto art called me from Jacksonville FL with some information about this weekend's 2010 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance car show at the Ritz-Carlton. This is an annual affair where admirers and collectors of rare and beautiful cars meet and share a passion.

The theme of this years show was the 40th anniversary of the Porsche 917, a purpose built racer that dominated the international racing circuits in the 1970s. I got in touch with the chairman of the event sending a picture of my painting of the 917 that won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1970 and 1971. I did the painting in 2000. I was searching for my next life in art after 15 years as the Olive Garden Restaurants mural painter.

The 917 painting is certainly different from my landscape paintings, but I consider it one of the best pieces I have ever done. The painting was featured as part of the display for a seminar in one of the ballrooms. The talk featured a number of distinguished racing stars and a team manager who had worked in the development of the car. The panel was hosted by Sam Posey and Tim Considine. I had the opportunity to meet car's the current owner, Bruce Canepa, who has restored it to original and race ready condition, and keeps it in his car museum, the Canepa Collection near Santa Cruz, CA.

Painting the Night

2010-03-09T15:55:00.000-08:00

The idea of plein air painting at night has always intrigued me. There is a lot to see and document at night that just isn't that interesting in daylight. Street lights, lit windows, mysterious shadows - all make for a fascinating mix of the dark and moody. Problem is it is hard to see your palette and canvas to paint what you are seeing. I know artists that have played around with miners lights and car battery powered lamps and any other number of lighting tools. I have never seen anything that worked so well that I wanted to get out there and paint at night.

But I was playing around with the settings on my point and shoot camera the other night and rediscovered a night shot function. It uses a slow shutter setting but it works surprisingly well. I walked around the block clicking shots in the street lights. I was surprised to see just how much I could document with a small amount of light. I knocked off a fast sketch yesterday in a well lit studio where I could paint off a computer monitor. Maybe these night scenes would make for an interesting series of paintings

What's new: Eola at Palmer, oil on canvas, 12" x 9"

Painting Air

2010-03-04T05:36:00.000-08:00

Atmosphere -The gaseous mass or envelope surrounding a celestial body, and retained by the celestial body's gravitational force.
Painting atmosphere can be a challenge. The above definition sounds like it's just visual background noise, but if affects everything in a landscape painting. One elementary rule is the farther off the object, the less vivid it appears. I did the painting at left purely because of the atmosphere. It's as big a part of the mood as the light.

I took a photograph at dusk in the bluegrass region of Kentucky after a rainy afternoon. The moisture was still heavy in the air. When I later looked at that photo, I could feel the dampness and I wanted to try painting it. It took several layers of paint to convey that air. I still have some details remaining but I like the feeling it conveys. I've learned painting air can be a challenge.

Whats new: Haze at Nightfall 9"x12", oil on canvas

Backlight

2010-03-03T18:49:00.001-08:00

A sizeable portion of my paintings utilize a light source from behind the scene or away from the viewer. To me, when you couple this with low light as in a sunset or sunrise the landscape takes on a most beautiful tone. It's like a veil that hangs over the imagery and lends a saturated color richness that I love to paint.

I am currently working on a number of small paintings for the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival which is coming up in about 2 weeks. Above is a sample.

What's new: Marsh Study 12" x 12"

Cades Cove

2010-03-01T18:56:00.000-08:00

The economic news affects us all in different ways. As a painter I am getting a daily reminder of the recession. Paintings are a tough sell in an atmosphere of thread-bare budgets.

I mentioned a week or so ago that I had been awarded an artist grant by United Arts of Central Florida for which I was going to use the money to put together a show at Bennett Galleries in Knoxville TN. My proposal was to spend a week at Cades Cove in the Smoky Mountains painting and photographing that area exclusively. I had hoped to get into the park in early Spring which would give me another season in my series of visits.

Then I read where the 11 mile paved loop was to be repaved and the road and the trails through the park would be closed from March 1 through late May. Today additional news comes that Senator Jim Bunning, R-Ky., blocked an extension of the Highway Trust Fund because he wanted the spending offset with cuts in other areas or with additional revenues. The Cades Cove project which was part of that package and which had started just hours earlier was halted and the workers sent home. As of now the road will stay blocked off and the park will remain effectively closed until the issue is resolved. This will certainly affect my schedule but more importantly a lot of people in the area that rely on the tourism generated by the park. I hope all this is resolved soon and a beautiful spot can be re-opened.

What's new: Outpost, oil on canvas, 16x20

Rosalind Club Soiree

2010-02-27T06:19:00.000-08:00

I am re-posting a painting here because I put it on display last night at a fundraising soiree. It will remain with the Rosalind Club in downtown Orlando until Thursday evening along with a couple of other smaller pieces. I enjoyed being able to visit with some old friends there last night and make some new acquaintances. Thanks, Sherrie Krawczyk and the Rosalind Club.

whats new: Approaching Storm, oil on canvas, 40"x40"

Some Paintings are More Challenging

2010-02-25T17:54:00.000-08:00

Commissions can be the most difficult of assignments for a painter. I have written about the challenges of getting inside someone elses mind and expectations. I can tell what works for me but its hard to know what works for others until you gauge their reaction to the finished product.

This painting is one of the hardest ones I have attempted for awhile. I'm not sure why. I have worked it and worked it until I was ready to wipe it off and start over but through persistence, I got it to finally respond. I'm satisfied with it now and judging from the several people who have liked it at first impression, I think it is done. This is one of a pair. I'll post the other one tomorrow.

What's new: Untitled, 26x24, oil on canvas

Open Studio Night Wednesday at McRae

2010-02-23T18:08:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow evening, we are having Open Studios Night at McRae Studios . This will be our first of a series of monthly events to draw some attention to our group of 20 working artists. Those of us who can will be on hand in our studios looking creative. I plan to paint and jabber with who ever walks in. This is pretty much what I do every day so I doubt I will be nervous or self conscious.

What's new: Morning Glow, oil on canvas, 9"x12"

Throttle Up

2010-02-17T17:28:00.000-08:00

If you graphed inspiration and productivity, it wouldn't be a straight level line. Certainly not for me. The good news is right now I am getting ideas and executing them competently. The last couple of days anyway. Tomorrow - who knows. The truth is, I have to make my time count. I have an overdue commission that just wont come to completion in spite of my best efforts. Also I have the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival in a month. All of my work is out to galleries so its a clean slate.

What's new: Untitled, 12x9 oil on canvas

Brrrr....

2010-02-17T05:03:00.000-08:00

I am lucky to have a great place to work. My studio is part of

Mc Rae Art Studios, a large warehouse complex that houses 20 visual artists. We work separately on our own projects and in our individual mediums, but we enjoy friendship and support. It's usually a very warm environment to work in - except lately. If our building has a down side, it is climate control. No heat and no airconditioning in a large part of the building. This winter has been challenging with the temperature inside hovering in the 40's and 50's. A day or two of this is not unusual, but for weeks now our normally temperate Central Florida winter has felt more like Nashville or Dallas.

What's new: Early Fall 26x24 oil on canvas. On its way to Miller Gallery, Cincinnati OH

A Satisfying Day of Driving

2010-02-12T19:46:00.000-08:00

Today was a long day of rainy travel but a couple of satisfying accomplishments to show for it. I drove seven new paintings to Studio E Gallery in Palm Beach Gardens FL www.studioegallery.com which should be hanging by now. Studio E was one of my first galleries 5 or 6 years ago and while we took a break from each other for awhile, I'm really pumped to have fresh work there again. I can't wait to see what happens.

After about 15 minutes to change clothes and vehicles, it was off to Melbourne FL and the Melbourne Museum which was hosting a gala and auction of art for the Brevard County Early Learning Coalition for kids http://www.elcbrevard.org/ . I donated a partially painted piece which the children finished off. I was very impressed by the results and happy to see it auction off for $600. Even better was being told the State of Florida will contribute $16 for every dollar donated. So that painting ultimately brought $9600 to a very worthy cause. Congratulations and thanks for all this organization does for kids.

What's new: Cool Dawn, oil on canvas, 11"x24"

An Autumn Show Planned

2010-02-08T19:52:00.000-08:00

I am happy to announce I have won a Professional Development Grant from United Arts of Central Florida. The cash grant will be used to finance a week of photographing and painting the Cades Cove Park in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A solo show has been set up with Bennett Gallery in Knoxville TN for October 2nd, 2010. This grant will make it possible to spend a week or so in the park bringing much more insight into the creation of the work. I'm looking forward to reporting the trip here and putting together a show of cohesive work for the fall. My thanks to United Arts of Central Florida.

Whats new: River View, oil on canvas, 36"x48"

A Small Contribution

2010-02-07T07:53:00.000-08:00

Chatham Acadamy in Savannah is having their annual fundraising auction and I did a small piece for the cause. It is a study of a creek at nearby Tybee Island called Lazarette. Good luck K-Kathy and C-Cathy. Hope it helps out.

What's new: Lazarette Creek, oil on canvas 5"x5"

This Weeks Special

2010-02-05T19:45:00.000-08:00

I don't know how it works for all artists but when I accumulate a number of paintings in the studio, I tend to notice a common thread of color theme. This past month may be my green period or my yellow period. I can't say why that is. I have all the colors on the palate every day, but I gravitate towards some over others occasionally. I don't think it is a bad thing, but there you have it.

What's new: Calm Waters, 16" x 20", o/c

Are You Done Yet?

2010-02-03T17:01:00.001-08:00

My friend Rachel Cornell writes an interesting blog about human nature and the sometimes puzzling aspects of our behavior http://pronagger.com/. She recently polled some of us about how we determine when a piece of artwork, writing or other creative endeavor is declared finished. I contributed a few paragraphs in response, but I admit I don't really know how to answer the question definitively. I nearly always see some flaw or unresolved issue in my work. It may just be the obsessive traits within me but I usually regard work finished only if it is gone and I can't get it back to work on.

That said, the above painting was returned from a gallery and after 9 months I wanted to improve it. It's done now.

I promise....

No, really.

What's re-newed: Beginning Anew, oil on canvas, 39"x39"

A Big Change

2010-02-02T20:12:00.000-08:00

Today started out without inspiration and plenty of frustration with what I saw around me in the studio. By late afternoon I had three paintings I was finishing and, in my eyes anyway, looked good.

Sometimes I get off the path and forget where I am trying to get. This is a painting that has morphed from a previous mediocre image to what you see here. As of 6pm I was happy with it. We'll see how much it has changed in perception overnight.

What's new: Untitled, 36" x 48" oil on canvas

Are Painters Competitive Enough?

2010-02-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I marvel how we artists sometimes rave out loud about artists we like. I do it almost every day too. Today a couple of my painter friends and myself were talking about painting and looking at some famous dead artists' work in a book. It's a pastime to be practiced in moderation, else we would become overcome with self pity and overwhelming loss of ego.

Still, I am impressed at how we talk openly and so often about other artists we know and admire, - and without much jealosy or resentment. Well OK, maybe a little. In general, I think it reflects true respect for good work and those who create it. We seem to be inspired by it and not envious.

I suppose it's because we don't compete directly. Most buyers arent going to be swayed by the next artist. They come to an artist's work because it calls out to them specifically. Other artists usually bring their own collectors. I think we also share a tough mission in life. Making a living off something proven to be hard to live off. That creates a camraderie that allows us to encourage and admire. That's a nice place to be.

What's new: Autumn Sentinels, oil on canvas, 40"x40"

Mazel tov

2010-01-31T07:07:00.000-08:00

Yesterday kicked off three days of the annual Temple Beth el benefit art sale in St Petersburg FL. I delivered work on Tuesday of last week. Artists are typically chosen by a committee of talent scouts that travel to other shows and art fairs. Last night there was great food and the crowd was large in spite of the steady rain. This probably marks my 6th or 7th year of participation. There are docents and sales people who do a better job than I could at selling so I usually stay clear and let them work their magic. But this year Susan and I made the trip and enjoyed the whole experience. And a few sales helped make it even better.

What's new: Barn on Moonlit Night, 8" x 24", oil on canvas. SOLD

First Real Tests of 2010

2010-01-16T08:27:00.000-08:00

Shows are coming at me fast. February sweeps in with three opportunities to test the economic climate: January 30th through Feb 1st brings the Temple Beth el benefit show in St Petersburg FL, Temple Beth-el - St Petersbrg, FL., a solo mini show of six or eight pieces that will reintroduce my work at Studio E in Jupiter FL, HomeMar08 then its the Miller Gallery 50th Anniversary Show. Miller

Let's all keep our fingers crossed that the market is confident of recovery and art is on the shopping list.

Whats new: Kermit Coughlon Barn, 16"x 20", oil on canvas. This barn in Cades Cove TN blew down in a storm Christmas Eve 2009.

A Real Look Back

2010-01-02T15:28:00.001-08:00

Friday morning dawned at the regular time. At least I trust that was the case. The New Year was ushered into Florida with rain and gloom. 2009's parting shot. I arose late to see the ceiling weeping water in our kitchen. So much for the 2010 optimist in me. Cruel reality hangs tough at least for the first day of the decade.

I got the ladder out and made the climb to the attic to search for the cause. Our attic is a much friendlier place in January than August - by about 50 degrees. Something positive to grasp.

The previous owners of our 1930s era house punched out a kitchen wall and put a glass atrium on the west side of the house. It took us less than 24 hours after move-in to see that was not a true improvement to the livability of the house. Ants would spontaneously combust under the glass around 5pm on a summer day. We soon saw that heat issues along with subsequent leaks meant it was best to retrofit to a solid roof and enjoying air conditioning like God intended in Central Florida. Still, leaks are programmed when patches are applied to shingle roofs and it seems our time is due.

While crawling around in the recesses muttering about my bad new year fortune, I found a plastic tub with photo albums and memorabilia. When my father passed away in 2000 a lot his possessions I was not ready to deal with were thrust on me. They went to that safe place where they wouldn't threaten me with their daily presence. I guess 10 years was the time I needed to emotionally deal with his loss. All the photos and mementos are now very precious and have taken on a more profound meaning.

As it would happen, my cousin is putting together a 1,000 page genealogy of my family going back before Johann Christoph and Johann Sebastian Bach in Germany. Some of the pictures and records from the attic fill a few minor historical gaps. Also, pictures of her part of the family surfaced in that box along with mine; images unknown to her. So maybe the roof leak was a message from above. The new year is a time to look to the future but also a nudge to deal with the past.

Happy New Year.

Starting 2010 with a Bang

2009-12-31T21:35:00.000-08:00

2010 started with a bang in our neighborhood. Then many more. A pall of smoke hangs in the street lights of downtown Orlando and distant partying can be heard on the edge of Lake Cherokee where some real big boy fireworks are being shot at the low clouds.

Midnight found Susan and I sitting on the patio watching the blue moon through those passing clouds and quietly toasting in the new year/decade. The weather was perfect for an evening outside. That is one of my resolutions for 2010. Stay outside longer, and paint more outdoors.

what's new: Coming Storm 40" x 40", oil on canvas

Looking Back

2009-12-30T19:28:00.000-08:00

We are all coming to the end of another year. And the end of a tumultuous decade. 2009 has been a challenging time for a lot of the people in my life. Certainly it has been for me.

Lately I think more about the privilege I have in being able to practice my painting passion daily. As with many of the artists I know, the economic climate of the past couple of years has threatened my ability to continue. Here's hoping for better times for us all in 2010.

what's new: Looking Back 5"x7" oil

Chained to the Easel

2009-11-20T20:21:00.000-08:00

This week has been spent in the studio painting pictures. I'm trying to get my head around some small paintings as ideas for larger ones and finish a few small ones to ship off for a gallery show. There is always anxiety about whether the new ones are good or measure up to the previous best. Frankly, I can't tell how good they are until they set around in the studio long enough to see through the new and into the character or heart of the piece.

The ones I love at the end of the day I create them are often looking terrible when I come into work the next morning. What changes?

What's new:

Storm Clouds 18x24

Low Country Evening 12x9

Untitled 12x12

A Busy but Fun Weekend

2009-11-09T07:43:00.000-08:00

Today is recovery day from a busy weekend of events. Friday, my wife Susan and I drove to Dunedin FL to set up her booth of ceramics for the Dunedin Fall Harvest Festival. She remained for the weekend with friends and I returned to Orlando.

Saturday, I was at the studio early to prepare for an exhibit of auto art at a gala connected to the Winter Park Concours http://www.winterparkconcours.com/ I drove to Orlando Sanford International Airport and a tricked out airplane hangar where the party was being hosted. This was a great spot for a party if you are a guy or a fast-machine type of gal. The hanger was outfitted with a beautiful ceramic tile floor, chandeliers, murals, and antique airplane propellers. Parked inside was a seaplane, an aerobatic plane, a couple of light aircraft and fast classic European cars. There was a huge bar, a den with flat screen... The ultimate man cave. Outside several business jets and high performance aircraft were parked. Cessna had flown a Citation V from Wichita with corporate pilots to represent the company.

It turned out I was missing a couple of critical items to hang my show of paintings so I called my lovely daughter Michelle who bailed me out by driving to the studio and then the 20 miles to Sanford.

She braved the aircraft on the taxi ways to deliver my tools and then we drove back to Orlando to clean up for the evening. Michelle was my companion and drew lots of attention in her "little black dress". We wined, dined, and mixed, then I sweated the auction of my poster painting. Watching a handful of people set the value of your career in two and a half minutes is not fun to witness. I was relieved to see it fetched more than I charged the clients to paint it but I like to be far away when these things go on the block.

Michelle and I hung out till everyone was going home and I resumed my normal scruffy persona to load the cargo van full of art, lights and display panels. Arrival home was close to midnight.

Sunday morning I unloaded the van from the night before, then on to the Concours on Park Avenue where I met up with a few good friends. Later, it was back on the road for the 120 miles to Dunedin.

Show sales for Susan were decent by the standards of 2009, and we felt grateful. The wind was a concern most of the weekend for the exhibitors there since Hurricane Ida is threatening us but we escaped unscathed by around 6:30. We grabbed dinner before leaving town, and fortified by a lot of un-sweet tea, it was back on the road.

Today another van-load of art show is awaiting my attention, so I guess the weekend is not finished.

Mountain Home - Day 5

2009-10-29T17:42:00.000-07:00

This is Day 5 on the mountain painting. It seems time to befinished. I have spent the day adding more intensity to the sky and obsessing on little things; the shapes of the horses, the shadow lines and colors and values of atmosphere in the hillside background. This is the hardest part of the process for me. How to know when you're done.

If I have a common thread to my good paintings, it is painting atmosphere. Nothing seems to subsitute for the layering to get that effect. I tell students when I have taught workshops, there is no substitute for the extra work -at least for me. But I guess this is the part where you state there are no real rules. You have to do it the way you think it works best for you.

Tomorrow I will send an image to the gallery handling the commission and see what comes back.

Finish in Sight

2009-10-29T04:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was spent in the studio, mainly working on the commission painting I have posted the last few days. The first day or so of painting on a piece like this seems very productive as great areas of canvas are blocked in and colors are established. As the painting winds down the pace slows. Details and fine tuning consume more time and thought. Right now the painting stands 85 to 90% finished.

Towards the end of the day, I took the painting out of the studio into direct sunlight and then to shade to see what it looked like. Colors that look right in the studio sometimes jump off the canvas outside, so it is good to check them in different light.

Measuring Intangibles

2009-10-27T17:33:00.000-07:00

This morning I dropped in on an Orange County Board of Commissioners meeting which was addressing funding for the arts in the county. In light of the commission recently revoking an awarded art project at the new Orange County medical examiners building, I was interested in hearing the board's opinion of general arts funding for the next fiscal year.

Our county designates a percentage of a tourist bed tax for arts organizations. In the midst of the recession the tax is returning 20% less than two years ago. The recommended dispersal of the funds was already worked out by an advisory committee, and the budget was approved by a commission voice vote. The commissioner who led the charge for deleting art from the medical examiners building questioned the general funding by asking, "how can we measure the return on investment in the cultural arts?"

Good question. Though studies are done on cultural tourism and the economic effect from it,

I also wonder how we measure the effect in quality of life for the citizenry. Not everything a government does should directly return money. While Orange County doesn't donate money to build churches, they also don't get any return on property taxes for the land a church occupies. Can we admit there are intangibles that can't be measured in dollars and cents?

What's new: Here is an updated image on my current painting commission.

Day Two, Measurable Progress

2009-10-26T16:42:00.000-07:00

I spent today working on the commission piece that I posted last Friday, Working Through the Doldrums. Most of the hard work is done since I got in a full day without many distractions. With luck I will finish in the next couple of days and let it begin to dry before shipping. My instructions were not to paint too much green or blue. Thats a challenge when painting the Blue Ridge Mountains. This piece is for a specific space in a home. It measures 20" x 50".

A Second Try

2009-10-26T16:24:00.000-07:00

I occasionally stumble on a place that I think is very paintable. The light, the composition, the colors - something just turns on a switch in my brain and I have to paint it.
This piece was inspired by a trip to Western NC last Thanksgiving week. It was cold and rainy and cabin fever set in. We decided to take a ride on some back roads. I took some photos and thought this scene looked like a good atmospheric painting. I did one a few weeks later but it was muddy in color and not very interesting. The photos I used for reference sat around for until recently when I took another try. I feel like I got what I was after with this one. For me this scene just says wet.

What's new: Third Day of Rain, 12 x 12, oil on canvas

Working Through the Doldrums

2009-10-23T20:22:00.000-07:00

I've been misssing any strong focus to finish up paintings this week. I have several underway I need to finish soon. It seems occasionally the inspiration is just not there. I can go through the motions but good stuff just doesn't come out.

But pictured here is a commission that needs to finish up soon and today was a good start. I am going to post each days results so the process can be seen.

I spent two or three hours coming up with a design to fit this horizonal format, measuring 20 x 50 inches. Another hour or so was spent laying in the first bit of paint.

It's Cool, Finally

2009-10-17T17:29:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day of fall temperatures for us here in Central Florida. For me the best day of the year is the one you open the door, and the air is cool with no humidity. Your house air conditioner stops for the first time in seven months and you can open windows. Sweet.

I celebrated by meeting up with some friends at a car show in Lakeland FL. Five good friends, perfect weather, good barbecue and a nice walk through downtown Lakeland taking in the cars and the crowds. Days like this are almost worth the months of miserable heat.

Autumn Disguised as Summer

2009-10-08T19:08:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow me and my wife Susan will be setting up for another art festival here in the Orlando area.

This Saturday morning the Winter Park Autumn Art Festival begins. For an artist, it's a little easier to do when compared to its older and larger sibling, the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival in March.

We are hoping for a good show this weekend. The weather however, is not going to be very Fall-like. A high pressure system has been parked over the state and isn't allowing any cool weather to push close. Forecasters are calling for highs in the mid 90's for tomorrow and Saturday, then around 90 Sunday. By this time of year Florida becomes a tiresome place. We can't wait to feel low humidity and a cool morning again. Meanwhile, I'm trying to remember the pleasure of shivering in Chicago in June.

Show Time

2009-10-01T05:19:00.000-07:00

This weekend is my first outdoor fall show. Time to dig out the tent, lights, display panels and the thousand other bits that have to travel with the paintings.

The Maitland Art Festival http://www.maitlandrotaryartfestival.com/ is one of the older established art fairs in the area set around a small in-town lake and happily less than a mile from my studio. Last year the organizers hoped to bring a little excitement to the show by adding evening hours on Friday and Saturday. They wired the whole park with electricity so the artists can now light their booths. Last year the crowds were small in the evening. We're hoping there is more awareness and energy this year.

Link to Orlando Sentinel Article

2009-09-30T04:06:00.000-07:00

The public art controversy I have written on recently is an issue I never intended to get involved in. In fact, I have no background with government-funded public art.

But if you read the background to the story of the Orange County Medical Examiners building, you might understand why I feel moved to speak up on this issue. This is written by Elizabeth Maupin of the Orlando Sentinel.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_arts_letter/2009/09/does-art-matter-orange-county-isnt-sure.html

whats new: Last Light o/c 18x24

Waste? Not

2009-09-25T05:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I spoke at the Orange County FL Commission meeting in defense of the arts funding here in the county. It's a tough time for all the arts. Money is hard to find in private and public donations.

Our new Orange County Medical Examiners building is currently being completed. It replaces the cramped and obsolete facility near my downtown neighborhood. Artwork was budgeted for the building and an artist was chosen from 150 that applied for the commission. More background on this is in my most previous post.

Since last week the art expenditure was omitted from the budget in hopes that donated art or loaned art could be found. One commissioner termed the money set aside to be a waste of taxpayer dollars. I find that insulting since as a gallery represented painter, I don't consider what I create "waste". And I doubt the chosen artist feels that way either. I wanted to know why, if an artist or collector is asked to donate for the building, why isn't the carpet contractor or the landscaper.

This has really struck a nerve with me since throughout my career I have listened to the argument that donating work for publicity or public exposure will bring later sales. I donate if it's a cause I believe in or it is for someone who needs the benefits of that art worse than I.

It's time professional artists are treated with the same regard as any other professional when it comes to compensation. Sometimes you have to say "show me the money".

A Public Art Project in Jeopardy

2009-09-21T18:30:00.001-07:00

I'm posting a letter here that I am sending to the Orange Co FL Board of County Commissioners due to a discussion at last Thursday's meeting of withdrawing budgeted art funding for the new Orange Co Medical Examiners building. Two of the commissioners brought up their concern for spending money on art for the facility in spite of the building being substantially under budget and the artist winning a competition for the job having been notified. The press was invited by one of the two commissioners and the contract for $55,000 of art (1/3 or 1%overall budget) was presented as a boondoggle of taxpayers money. Thats red meat for the fiscal hawks so further criticism will probably ensue. I'm hoping the artists of the area will register their displeasure with this and stand up for public art as an important statement of our values.

Dear Mayor Crotty and Commissioners:
My name is Stephen Bach and I am a free lance artist working from the McRae Art Studios in Winter Park. I have been a resident of Orange Co for 50 years this month.
I am writing in regard to the art acquisition budget for the Orange County Medical Examiners Building. I am asking that the money be retained for the project as planned and the county not pursue loaned, donated or student work.

As an artist, we are asked to donate work and time to numerous charities every year. Winter Park Library, Maitland Art Center, Cancer fundraising, school benefits, we contribute frequently though tax code allows no deductions for those donations. While it is satisfying to give back we also have to sell our work to survive. My monthly income is solely based on what I have sold. No one else pays my health insurance, my studio costs or travel bills

The discussion of funding for the Medical Examiners building was brought up at the Sept 15th County Commission meeting where it was suggested by Commissioners Fernandez and Boyd that the money could be better spent in the taxpayers name by reverting to general funds. It was further suggested that the possibility of donated or loaned work be looked into or young emerging artists work be featured. County figures say the building is nearly 1.5 million dollars under budget and the expenditure is 1/3rd of 1% total funding.

When this art project was put out for competition, the notice was clear that this was a sensitive assignment and in reading the letter sent to the applying artists, the goal was to secure artwork to fit a public structure that “will embrace grieving families in a calming and soothing atmosphere as they come to deal with the passing of a family member”.
Based on this description, I would suggest this is not a job that can allow found art that can be adapted. In fact my opinion is if there was only one job that public art should be specifically commissioned, this would be it.

I am not complaining that an out of state artist won the contract for the project. I am saying it is inappropriate first to withdraw the award and secondly, a fool’s task to look for a cheap way of fulfilling the goals of a sensitive project such as this. I also think it made a disappointing statement on the perceived value of those in this community, your constituents, who work in the art profession. If there was a need to save $55,000, perhaps that amount could have been cut from the overall building budget when the job was put out to bid. For the artist to bear the whole cut or a huge percentage of the money seems unfair especially in light of the job being so far under budget.

I hope the Commission will take these points to heart and leave in place the funding for art acquisition - to this project and future ones. I also look forward to clarification and release of information regarding county ordinance as it pertains to funding for public art.
Thank you.

Winter Park Concours Painting

2009-09-18T19:24:00.001-07:00

The Winter Park Concours d'Elegance painting is finished and out the door for photographing. The image will be used for the poster and other promotional tools. The accompanying image shows the finished piece. It is good to see it gone though it was satisfying to work on. I'm back on the landscape beat now. Two shows coming and the first is in less than two weeks.

Cut Chop Rebuild

2009-09-15T18:56:00.000-07:00

It's time for this year's poster image for the Winter Park Concours d'Elegance. I have provided the oil painting for the poster for 5 or 6 years now. It's got me worried I'm priced too cheap.

Actually its a fun project and it gets me out of my landscape painting box for a week or so.

This year I had an idea come to me almost immediately. Usually there is danger in that. But I let it rest for a couple of days while I considered it. Hey, I thought it still worked, and the client liked it - so off we go.

I wanted a new vantage point rather than the same view of the outside of a car. The featured marque this year is Mercedes Benz and in particular a new Mercedes SLR model. I wanted to show the heritage of the old 1955 300SL Gullwing Mercedes along with the new scissor door model SLR. So I put together some photos I had taken of the Gullwing at Amelia Island FL early this year, using a couple of spy shots of the new SLR and some shots of the local landmark, Knowles Chapel at Rollins College here in Winter Park FL.

Usually lots of sketching is involved but with Photoshop I cut and pasted everything together to make the composition. Here are the beginnings of the project. The photos are assembled and composed on Photoshop, the sketch projected and drawn on canvas and the first paint applied. I'll post more progress as it happens.

Small Works

2009-09-02T18:03:00.000-07:00

Paintings are starting to come together in the studio but not as fast as I wish. Often the small works generate the inspiration for large ones. This image has some potential.

Tree Line 12 x 12 oil

What We Leave Behind

2009-08-20T18:26:00.000-07:00

As I get older I am beginning to think more about what I do as an artist and how it reflects on my life. I have to admit that what I now produce will probably last longer than I do, and this makes me consider more carefully what I create. As artists we want to leave a record of what we saw in our brief time here, what moved us, what inspired us. Our work will define us to others later on. That's must be why I work, rework and re-rework a piece until I see what I like - fear of not being liked after I'm dead. If you are a therapist, feel free to leave your e-mail address.

This is a new one I painted after last week's trip to Cades Cove. I call it Mown Grass, 9" x 12".

Inspiration Destination

2009-08-16T18:40:00.000-07:00

Part of the past week was spent on the road taking paintings to my gallery in Knoxville TN. Bennett Gallery http://www.bennettgalleries.com/ had a sales spurt with my work and new paintings were needed, so I lightly loaded the trusty Chevy Express - paintings gratefully not being like pianos. I dropped off my work and after a side trip for some family business, I programmed the Cades Cove loop at Great Smoky Mountains National Park into the GPS unit and left Knoxville for the mountains. Cades Cove is one of my prime inspiration destinations. I had plenty of daylight left and lots of camera battery. Unfortunately, the GPS unit didnt recognize the most direct road to the park is also a steep climbing switchback thrill ride better suited to Porsche Boxters than big vans. It finishes with a gravel road into the park open only in the summer months.

I retreated to the way I knew without using GPS and since it was late by that time, pulled into a hotel outside the park vowing to rise with the sun. The dawn shoot may have worked out better than the sunset visit. The fog was heavy on the floor of the valley and it lent great atmosphere to the photos. Tomorrow I get busy in the studio.

Thunder Heads

2009-07-29T17:40:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting at the computer watching the radar bring tonight's thunderstorm. Some nights, it's better than tv. Florida in summer is an amusement park of weather. Each afternoon or evening brings something dramatic. Wind, rain, tornadoes, lightning. It's rarely boring. Excuse me while I bring in the cat.

Summer is also a challenge to my creative energy. Times like now when there are no big show deadlines my ambition is occasionally smothered in lethargy. I blame it on the heat and humidity. Yes, panic and deadline stress drives the best work, but even during the off peak times I can occasionally put together a string of productive days. I brought a few paintings to completion in the last few days. Here is one of them.

Facing the Dragon

2009-07-16T18:06:00.000-07:00

Probably the hardest part of any painting project is confronting the vacant surface where your work needs to appear. This is most scary when the space is large. The level of difficulty multiplies when measurements are spoken in feet rather than inches. Nowhere was this a bigger challenge for me than a wall in the Olive Garden restaurant project at 2 Times Square.

I was going through some old photos to scan into my computer portfolio the other night. I found a few I hadn't looked at in awhile and they brought back a flood of memories. I think the year was 1993 and as the mural painter for all new Olive Gardens since 1985, I was given the biggest project I had ever attempted. I was asked to design and execute a series of paintings ranging from 4 by 5 feet to a three story diagonal shaped monster mural seen from those three floors in partial views.

I flew to NY to look at the space in its raw form, with only the structural components in place. The street entry faces south at the north end of Times Square at 46th St. You entered a cafe at street level then funneled to an escalator that took you past an open mezzanine where a bar was being constructed. The ride ended when you stepped off at the main dining lobby on the third level. The wall to the right of the escalator was where the mural would be located - first floor to (gulp) third level ceiling. A couple of problems presented themselves. How do you paint above an escalator and how do you design a cohesive mural that will only be partially seen from different floors. There were 6 or 7 subordinate paintings to be completed, so remembering wisdom for me is a gradual gift, I left this big one with the greatest challenges, for last.

Working in Times Square is an entertaining pastime. Some days I would sit with the construction workers on 5 gallon plastic buckets at lunch and watch the world pass by. One day we watched a then lean Kirstie Allie limo surf, waving to the commoners on Broadway. As our thickly accented security guard who came from central Africa said, "People of many tribes." For sure.

When the day came to start the big painting, I placed a serrated pattern I had made on the wall. This was made of several smaller segments drawn back at my Orlando studio that were taped together and placed on the wall. Then I pounced a chalk bag over it to leave the drawing on the plaster.
A narrow escalator doesn’t lend itself to staging scaffolding or even standing up a ladder. The carpenters took pity on me and built a box that fit over the steps and that gave me a small platform to work from. About 8 days later the painting was finished.
The Times Square job was the most challenging and rewarding of all my mural assignments. The project took ten or eleven weeks total with s evenweeks on site. Being there was fun but it was like living on the Strip in Vegas. On weekends home, it felt good to sit outside in bare feet, and listen to the birds sing.

Unobstructed Views

2009-07-03T08:47:00.000-07:00

Here is the newest painting. I like the vastness of the coastal wetlands near where we live. It's an amazing but more subtle beauty. I have often remarked that living where we do, we often don't get to see vast distances. Mountains don't punctuate the horizon, and you rarely get high enough to see over the abundance of trees and other flora. The river plains offer an exception, and you can see through the atmosphere for miles.

What's new: Early Evening Sky, o/c, 38"x50"

Barbara Miller

2009-07-02T14:10:00.000-07:00

As artists, this week we lost one of our advocates and supporters. For years, Barbara Miller ran Miller Gallery in Cincinnati http://www.millergallery.com/ She and her husband Norman founded the gallery in 1960 and have grown the business while keeping it in the family ever since. Miller is a place you feel welcome when you come in the door. They have always emphasized the love of art without the snob appeal.

Barbara retired about the time I came into the fold, but on my delivery trips, she would often be in the gallery and make me feel all important by making a big fuss over my work. When I had openings, she was there, looking radiant, lighting up the room with her smile. Everyone in town seemingly knew Barbara Miller. I tried to stand next to her to catch some of the glow.

She hadn't been there my last few trips. I was told she was fighting against tough odds to beat cancer. While she ultimately lost the battle, Barbara left a legacy for us all to take stock. She and her husband dedicated themselves to build something that has benefitted not just her family and staff but us as artists. And they worked to give back to the Cincinnati community. We shouldn't take people like that for granted.

The gallery remains in competent hands with Gary and Laura Miller Gleason, and a great staff led by Rosemary Seidner. I know they will make sure the gallery has the future it deserves. I hope my paintings will still catch some of Barbara Miller's glow when they hang there.

From Turf to Surf

2009-06-30T08:30:00.000-07:00

I'll admit I'm going through a boring spell with my painting. A trip to the beach one evening last week provided a little inspiration to step out of the box. This painting is approximately 12" x 32", oil on canvas.

The New Reality?

2009-06-14T21:45:00.000-07:00

Old Town finished up this evening. What started as a dark wet Saturday morning finished in full sun and low seventies. A perfect Sunday. Though once again a show returned little reward for the great majority of artists. I heard of a few zeros and most talked of expenses made but not much more.

I was lucky today and made a little money after a dismal Saturday. The mood among artists is definitely downbeat. More of my friends are sleeping in their vehicles and cutting other expenses to the bone. And you can see it in their faces when you talk to them. The future is very uncertain and many are in fear of watching their livelyhoods disolve.

All of us live under the curse of increasing travel costs and show fees combined with diminishing show revenues. One artist recounted the days of regularly making ten to twenty thousand dollars in a weekend show. He says he now struggles to make fifteen hundred dollars in some shows. The new economy bites.

When do things get better? I entered this career when spending was scaling back so I wasnt spoiled by the good old days. But I'm guessing we may not return to those days of extravagant spending anytime soon. More than likely our profits will remain modest. We are going to have to be adaptable and patient as we wait for a rebound.

Even with all the downside to the business, the things we take away are the friendships and camraderie of those that we get together with year to year. Old Town is a bit different from other shows in that we are guests of a residential neighborhood. Our storefronts are nearly on the front steps of someone's house. We usually have the same space each year so friendships and aquaintances are renewed on each return.

It has been fun to watch neighborhood children grow up in once a year weekend glimpses. The young girl that played on the sidewalk behind the booth and delivered water to the artists in her Radio Flyer wagon is now graduating from high school. And a new bunch is coming along. Today three or four of the kids on the block chalked on the sidewalk and drew on my guest book. I'm going to keep that drawing and show it to them next year. Money is important but its not necessarily the thing we remember.

Road Trip, Day One

2009-06-11T19:31:00.000-07:00

An early start for Chicago. I wanted to get to Clarksville TN this evening and I did it - just an hour before a huge thunderstorm hit. This same time each year the Bonnaroo Music Festival kicks off in Manchester TN. http://www.bonnaroo.com/ and each year I get caught in the traffic. Its hard to avoid. This year the state troopers have moved Bonnaroo traffic to the shoulder. Thank you.

Check out Triumph the Comic Insult Dog at Bonnaroo: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien - Triumph Visits Bonnaroo Pt2 (06/19/09) - Video - NBC.com

Off to Chicago

2009-06-10T19:18:00.000-07:00

The night before a show trip and my body feels like it should after returning from one. Worn out. Loading a van full of all of the stuff that it takes to run a portable business on the street for two days is mostly drudgery.

There are only about a hundred large tasks and tiny items that will bite you in the butt if you forget to do them or take them along. Charge machines, tax permits, toll transponders; I usually forget at least one personal item. I have supermarket toothbrushes from most of the large chains. Shampoo, shaving cream, yeah -forgotten those. Of course my belt frequently doesnt make the trip or maybe a sweater. It's hard to fantasize cold when its 91 degrees as I pack. I tried a checklist once but it didn't seem to fit my groomed inattention to detail.

The biggest jobs before a show is getting updates to my webmaster Jill Tocco so she can post new work. Then Janet and Melinda at Flamingo Frame have to get all my frames finished in time for me to mount and wire the paintings. Since I always seem to be painting on pieces till the very last minute, I am usually framing at the last minute too.

Anyway the first stage of show drudgery is complete. Tomorrow, stage 2. I hope to drive as far as Nashville. Anything after that is icing on the cake. The goal is to arrive in Chicago before Friday afternoon rush hour, which realistically is impossible since it begins just as the morning rush hour ends. Still, earlier is better. The Old Town show is on the north side where I need to check in with the show volunteers, get a Chicago neighborhood zone parking permit, then head to the suburbs for an affordable hotel.

Saturday morning its up before 4am to come back into the city, get parked and unloaded before the artist rush hour around 6am. You sometimes have to wait for the police to tow a car out of your space if one was left from overnight. This whole show procedure at Old Town is insane but the atmosphere and the show itself is so alluring, people like me keep trying to come back.

Tomorrow and Friday will be a busy time. Check back to see what's going on.

Common Beauty

2009-06-06T14:02:00.000-07:00

Picture books are perfect for someone like me who is so visually oriented. Until I did an informal study of those artists around me, I thought I was the only painter whose reading comprehension was stunted by books without pictures. When it comes to art books or periodicals, I spend all my time looking at the paintings instead of reading about what the art critic thinks. I think it is far more interesting studying how a brush stroke was made or how a color relates, than where an artist was schooled or what his or her philosophies are. Some of us like the nuts and bolts of our craft, I guess.

Recently though, I caught myself reading an article featuring an artist that simply painted trees in groupings. Composition-wise, they were not so different from my paintings. I was struck by the focus and the simplicity in those paintings, and I saw expressed in words what I had always thought to be true. Paraphrasing -take a moment at this one place, not one of spectacular beauty, but common beauty. A place we look at but rarely see. Light and color expressed in everyday terms.

Another Show Approaches

2009-05-29T11:27:00.001-07:00

Today is all studio time, and I am beginning to feel the approaching deadline for Chicago Old Town. http://www.oldtowntriangle.com/ I need large work and small even though I still have some of each from the Decatur show. A painter never thinks he has enough - at least not enough strong pieces. Even so, there should be enough time to put together a strong showing.

WHAT'S NEW: A river painting similar to this morning's posting. I started this one yesterday.

It is 43"x41" I'm calling it Twists and Turns.

Transitions

2009-05-29T05:46:00.000-07:00

Last week was a slow show, probably for several reasons. Sales are predicated on who attends, their budgets and their outlook on the economy. Oh, and in this case, weather. Obviously, right now many folks are holding onto their money. Art purchases, especially spontaneous ones, are less likely, so it's important we as artists market creatively, and remain focused on what we do best.

Like so many parts of the economy, the art market is going through transition. The tightened credit markets along with a large number of people watching their discretionary spending may mean it takes years to return to the sheer numbers of buyers we had in recent years. The ones that do return may expect lower pricing. What the new reality will look like is still a mystery and may be a long gradual change. Artists and dealers should be ready to adapt.

WHAT'S NEW: Painting Commission, 43x41 tentatively titled River Sunset

A Parting Gift at Load-Out

2009-05-25T08:39:00.000-07:00

Back home after an a rainy all-night drive. Most of yesterday in Decatur was rain free, but very overcast. The sun did show up for an hour or so in the afternoon but rain came and drove out the crowds. In talking to several artists, the consensus was slow sales. They were slow for me. This show didn't return expenses, so I will have to consider the situation next year before applying again. While weather was a factor, some shows bring out the buyers even when it rains.

Because of the congested downtown location, parking for load-in and load-out is not abundant. Passes are issued to load your booth out to your vehicle only after everything is disassembled and ready to move. Unfortunately, your work is exposed to the elements while you take apart and pack your tent and other equipment.

Around 7pm, I could hear the thunder and sense the impending doom. Yes, the last and strongest storm of the day hit as everything was in it's most vulnerable state. Some show volunteers braved the rain and helped move my paintings to a large tent in front of the old courthouse while I took down the rest of my booth. The work wasn't damaged but practically everything else (including me) was soaked and loaded wet. I'll need to spread out eveything in the sun later today and dry it out - if it's not raining.

Well, another festival in the books. I met a lot of nice folks this weekend, including some Atlanta area painters who shared their knowledge of galleries and local artist organizations. I sold a few small pieces and probably gave out a hundred or more business cards, so good things may come from this show at a later time. The economy is hurting the art community in many ways right now. Outdoor show sales are only one facet but they are taking a big hit. We all hope things improve soon.

Rain of Power

2009-05-23T18:54:00.000-07:00

At the peak of a historic drought in the southeast in 2007, Sonny Perdue, the governor of Georgia famously prayed for rain on the steps of the capitol in Atlanta. Ok, so rain was already forecast that week but a little political theater never hurts a politician's ratings. What those of us in the artist community know was that if the Gov' had just proclaimed it Georgia Art Festival Week, the heavens would have opened from Rome to Valdosta and everybody would have been served without those prickly separation of church and state issues.

It's not a lock, mind you but rain does seem more likely to occur in the region of white tent roofs. Maybe it's a related phenomenom of tornados and mobile homes. My data is more anecdotal than scientific, still - I'm just sayin'.

Yes, today was rainy but lots of people braved the odds and came out to see the art. In spite of the extra inconvenience and mess, the rain is a blessing. Dish it, Sonny.

Drive Time

2009-05-22T19:34:00.000-07:00

I made the drive from Orlando to Atlanta today for the Decatur Arts Festival http://www.decaturartsfestival.com/ which starts tomorrow morning. It rained hard most of the way north. At times, emergency flashers on - hard. Not a good omen for the weekend. There are no rain dates for art festivals. If you drive 2000 miles and it rains for the whole show, there are no refunds or do-overs. Mercifully, the rain subsided as I approached Atlanta and we only had drizzle in Decatur for the booth set-up.

Dinner out of a take out bag at the hotel while I make title and price tags for the booth. The end to a 13 hour day. A glamorous life indeed.

Mountain View, oil on canvas. 12"x12"

Another Show Prep Week

2009-05-18T17:21:00.000-07:00

Monday, and the start of a show week. Friday morning I must be on the road to Decatur GA for the Decatur Art Festival http://www.decaturartsfestival.com/. Between now and then a hundred details need to be addressed. From having business cards made to getting out the show equipment and going through each piece in a kind of peace of mind inventory. Every artist doing an outdoor show has somewhere in the back of his head a fear of showing up 1000 miles from home with 3 of the 4 tent legs for their booth. I have shown up 1,300 miles away without my tent roof. I looked a little shabby for three days, but being under a big top tent with the other artists, no weather damage was incurred.

I have also shown up without my trade mark amyrillis and vase, my guest book, my painting title tags, and more than once without a coat. Who knew it could be cold in Chicago in June.

Even if you remember, it's just hard to pack scarves and mittens when it is 92 degrees in Florida. The leap of logic is just too broad.

Between now and Friday there is also a lot of work on unfinished paintings. This last week before a show is always a little unsettling. Each painting has to find it's conclusion so it can be packed and loaded. I cross my fingers that they will finish up with appeal to buyers. Or at least be something I am proud to hang.

On a visit to Decatur a few weeks ago, I stopped by the courthouse square and looked at my space, number 56. I am on the SW corner of the old courthouse. I noticed I will be setting up under a rain tree that has a dense canopy. That's great if it's hot, but the lack of light filtering into my tent won't be good. Paintings can only look good if they are properly lighted. Deep shade is not going to be helpful. Most shows don't want to move you unless the the conditions are intolerable, and the artist loses the advantage of being found by patrons that use the artist space directory in the program.

At any rate, this should be an enjoyable show. Our daughter Michelle attends Agnes Scott College, http://agnesscott.edu/ just a few blocks from the square, and though she is home in Orlando now, I will enjoy being back in Decatur.

Here is the painting previously posted. I think it is finished. I called it Here to Forever. It measures 36" x 48" and is a gallery wrap, unframed.

A Large Painting Begins

2009-05-12T19:49:00.000-07:00

This week is more studio work. Roughly 9-5 each day if things allow. I have 4 or 5 pieces in flux. I like to swap around as too much wet paint is hard to manipulate. This afternoon I started the one shown here. It measures 36" x 48". I liked it when I left this afternoon but tomorrow will tell me more when I walk in and get a fresh look. My challenge is to fine tune it without losing the quality of the brushwork. Stay tuned.

Press Any Key, No Not That One

2009-05-07T18:27:00.000-07:00

It seems like too many of my posts start with something like, "its been awhile since I posted...". I'll try to be more disciplined, but I have an excuse if you need one. This has been DSL hell week. The home network went down for about the fourth or fifth time in the past 10 days. The last time it took the router with it and it hasnt been working since. Each of my attempted fixes somehow led to additional issues with the desktop or other devices. The periferal called a refrigerator was still working around 10pm last night so I quit while I could still get a cold beer.

Let me take this opportunity to apologize to my family for too loudly expressing my anger at the AT&T automatron lady who each time after the help line went dead, patiently led me through 4 more minutes of voice mail hell to reach tech support. FYI, their voice recognition program doesnt respond to certain words that usually get a big rise out of real humans. It's looking like the DSL will be switched back to cable soon but for now I want a few days return on all my spent fury.

The painting above is new and part of my work for the upcoming the Decatur Art Festival, May 23-24 in Decatur GA. The painting measures 10x20" oil on canvas, gallery wrap, $1,175.

21st Annual 2009 Decatur Arts Festival

Day 4 of the Paint Out

2009-05-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

Tonight is an "off" night from the Winter Park Paint Out. At least there are no plein air painters social events. This week has been a blur of setting up to paint in 5 or 6 locations, each for a couple of hours until the light changes and moving to the next spot. Then rushing home to clean up and go out to socialize with the plein air painters and patrons. It has been great fun and a lot of work.

The fun part is the painting, mixed with sharing the time with the rest of the painters and organizers. Tuesday evening we took boat rides before a catered dinner at the museum. Drinks on the yard at Houston's restaurant Wednesday evening as we watched the sun set over Lake Killarney. Some of us painted while we were there. Thursday was a catered artist/patron dinner at Hal Stringer's home where we enjoyed another beautiful evening outdoors. Tomorrow night is the gala at the museum where all the work from the week is displayed.

As much fun as it has been, all this painting has been hard work. The schedule is compressed into short sessions that have you racing to catch the light before it moves too far across the sky. Before it has changed too much, it's time to move on. It demands focus and speed.

Here is a sample of my work. This is the Winter Park train station yesterday afternoon. I have a few more that I will post later.

Winter Park Paint Out

2009-04-30T05:42:00.000-07:00

This week I am a participating artist in the Winter Park Paint Out, http://www.winterparkpaintout.org/ a benefit event for the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens. Along with a number of other painters, I am out on the town painting snippets of Winter Park and the gardens at the museum. It's a beautiful week weather-wise and a great opportunity to hone my painting skills. Plein air painting is not my niche and so I'm getting my come-uppance being around these artists who can stab an easel in the ground and dash off a nice painting while the light changes in front of them, the wind blows, and passers-by stop to ask what they are doing. Tuesday night we were treated to drinks on the museum grounds and a boat tour of the Winter Park chain of lakes. Today is the third day of painting. It's a lot of fun but hard work. I'll post some images later.

Visiting a Happy Memory

2009-04-27T19:23:00.000-07:00

Because of several looming deadlines, I missed about a week of posting for this space so there is a little catching up to do.
Last Friday noon, after a week of finishing up numerous paintings, I headed north in the van with a load of artwork from myself and three other artists at Mc Rae http://www.mcraeartstudios.com/ First stop was Bennett Gallery in Knoxville TN. http://www.bennettgalleries.com/ I was unloaded and checked in with Ginger by noon Sat. At 5pm I pulled up to Miller Gallery in Cincinnati and left work with Katherine and Rosemary for a show I'm participating in beginning May 6th. http://www.millergallery.com/ Then back to Bennett by Sunday morning to pick up a few pieces of mixed media work that was being returned to an artist in Gainesville FL. Sunday night at midnight, I pulled up to my house in downtown Orlando. 1,800 miles in 60 hours.

While in Cincinnati I took a little personal time to track down my old house. This was the one I lived in at the time of my birth. I haven’t lived in Cincinnati since I was 7 years old but it still holds an attraction for me after all this time. The house is in a section of town called Norwood. It was largely settled by Appalachian migrants who came to work in the factories. My grandparents were part of that migration in the early 1930s. I have happy memories of the house at 2316 Madison Avenue even though those memories are vague.

I was taking a photo of the front of the house when the owners pulled into the driveway and greeted me. I told them I was a past resident and just wanted to reflect on those years when me and my tricycle owned the sidewalk out front. We chatted awhile and they asked if I would like my picture made in front of the house. I remembered a photo somewhere of me on the front steps with my mother. It was taken when I was three years old. I asked if I could have the picture taken there on those steps.
When I got home I found that old photo. I was reminded that though I could reach down and touch those very same old steps by simply moving my hand, so much was forever unreachable. Maybe you can't go home again. But you can carry the memories.

Dinner on the Avenue

2009-04-19T17:10:00.000-07:00

Last night our studio http://www.mcraeartstudios.com/ took part in the Winter Park FL Dinner on the Avenue. Its an annual community dinner that is held on Park Avenue in the center of town. Individuals, businesses or organizations can rent tables on the street and enjoy the company of hundreds of others for cocktails and dinner. Its great fun in a beautiful setting. Prizes are awarded for the best decorated tables and themed out diners so it has become a bit of a competition. There were some great themes. From the lavish AIG table to the Food Network table with star chef imposters. Our panel of scouts observed that if you had tall decorations you were a front runner for the trophies.

I admit, artists are notoriously hard to organize for any event or purpose. Our best ideas and highest ambitions for next year's event peak as we dine 365 days beforehand but in spite of our lapse in follow-through, we put in a good appearance.

Plaid was our theme this year. I don't remember why. But this worked out well for some of us guys. We simply pulled something off the closet rack and we were there. But most of the women artists brought stocks of emergency plaid. Standby scarves, belts and head gear was available for rescuing the understated. I was loaned plaid pants to accent my shirt lest I look like I just came from work.

We had a great time. Good food, friends, and beautiful weather. And wait till next year. There's talk is we raise the legs of our tables by a foot. As Lynn Whipple put it - "verticality". That should win us some metal.

Apologies to Mickey Gilley

2009-04-16T17:44:00.001-07:00

This week has been a trying time for painting inspiration. I feel like I’m just going through the motions. I am working on five or six paintings simultaneously since one at a time usually puts me into a creative ditch. I get stuck, or worse, I start thinking I have just created the best painting of my life in a mere two hours only to come back the next morning having to wipe it with a turpentine rag and set it on fire. Falling in love with your brand new quickie creation is to painting what going home with the girl from the bar after nickel beer night - is to drinking. That painting may be a nine or ten at quitting time but in the morning it could be a number one. At any rate, I find it better to suffer interminably over multiple pieces at once. There is less guilt about doing something I love.

But here is the darndest thing. Somehow my mind seems to subconsciously time work to finish just as scheduled deadlines arrive. I usually zone out and become mediocre and unproductive in the week or two preceding the exact day that only a herculean push can be executed to turn in a respectable showing. I guess this is to protect the body mind and spirit from total meltdown. You can’t be anxious and industrious continually. The body isn’t capable. I also can’t look too closely at approaching deadlines on a calendar anymore. I have learned to regard this as heart-healthy, allowing me more red meat at dinner.
I marvel at this innate sense we have of knowing when the afterburners must be lit. In my case, not just because I know when to get serious, but that work gets better and flows more easily. It comes together because it has to. Still, I would love to just once take two or three days off before delivering new work to a show. Maybe down deep, I know I couldn’t handle the guilt.
New work pictured above: Pastel Sky, 12"x16", o/c

Your Call is Important to Us

2009-04-13T18:12:00.000-07:00

My photographer friend Barbara called today from her pickup truck. Barbara is one of the artists I have gotten to know in my travels doing art fairs. My artist friend Chris and I were in Sun Valley ID in 2003 for the Sun Valley Art Center's festival. Barbara invited us to her place nearby for a dinner party. As we got a short tour of her house, I caught sight of a piece of pottery on a table that was created by my wife Susan.
"Where did you get the pottery? My wife made this!"
It's a small world after all, or so the song goes. Barbara had once worked for an attorney in Orlando who had bought the piece and given it as a gift. Barbara comes to Florida a couple of times a year to participate in the spring and fall art festivals. In between those and other shows in the west and midwest, she returns to the Idaho mountains for gardening, horseback riding and making her art. Not a totally bad existence.

She was on her way today to the Main Street Art Festival in Fort Worth, day two of three alone in the truck. She said she was going down her cell phone directory looking for someone to talk to since, while the landscape of northeast New Mexico was interesting, she didn't recall it being so long lasting. Bach, being only a B name, left plenty of contacts for the vast stretches of prairie ahead of her. You can only drink so much coffee.

I can identify with her road weariness. My daughter and I took that road home in 2007 from the Cherry Creek Art Festival in Denver. Northern New Mexico and the Texas panhandle were beautiful and well, forever. Though somehow, when you're not in the experience of road boredom, you can't wait to be out there again. It's mind clearing and for an artist inspirational.

For me, it's observation I hope will show up later as paint on a brush. I mentally file away what color the shadows on the mountains were as the sun set. I know that color will reside there somewhere in my brain though I will only recognize it when it appears by accident on the canvas.

Barbara may cycle through her phone directory to the B's again before Ft Worth appears in the windshield. Your call is important to us, Barbara. Stay awake and good luck at Fort Worth.

Finish Line

2009-04-02T16:49:00.000-07:00

Another 12 hours or so of work on this piece since the last photo. I think it is finished. At least the hard stuff. Now a coat of paint on the sides of the canvas since it will hang unframed, and a coat of retouch varnish over everything.

As I said in an earlier post, the painting process slows to a crawl as I finish a piece like this. Details are everything in these car paintings and having the correct details are crucial to the collectors. Getting shapes shadows and reflections right, and graphics painted in perspective are the most painstaking parts of the piece. I'm happy with it so I'll take it to Jacksonville early next week and hope this is what the client envisioned.

Tomorrow begins getting ready for the annual spring open house held this Saturday at our group studio http://www.mcraeartstudios.com/ . I need to finish up a couple of landscape paintings and make my studio presentable. We usually get a large crowd at our openings and it's a big effort to get ready. Food, bar and clean up - spruce up. Let's hope it brings some art buyers.

It Mostly Looks the Same

2009-03-31T19:50:00.000-07:00

Day 2 of the final for the auto painting commission. At first glance the image looks more or less like the finish of yesterday but there is a solid 7 to 8 hours of painting since the previous posted image. These paintings are initially fast to paint but slow down as you close in on detail and nuance. Cars are nearly all complex curves and can be real brain teasers in the rules of perspective. The Porsche on the left needed some shape corrections that I just couldn't see until I looked at it again today. I only have photo reference of the Corvette on the right at other angles, so I have to adapt the drawing to the needed perspective in the painting. Not so easy if you want things to look realistic.

I'm getting close but I know it will take at least another full day to complete.

Starts, Finishes, Remakes

2009-03-30T17:33:00.000-07:00

Here are three paintings, two finished, one underway. The landscape in the middle is 36x48" and ready to be shipped. The one below, same size, has had a facelift from it's previous image. It stayed around the studio long enough for me to see some flaws I wanted to fix. Artist license.

The automobile painting is a commission I mentioned earlier. The sketch is seen in the lower part of the photo and the final version is partially done. It will take a bit more detail and a few more general applications of paint to give it some character and color depth. The auto paintings are particularly difficult unless you problem solve before you attack the large final piece. I did my homework on this one so there is not as much anxiety and suspense.

Economic blues

2009-03-25T15:26:00.000-07:00

So far I have avoided writing on the economic downturn. Its a tricky subject. Everyone in the artist community wants others to think their sales are impervious to the slowdown. But our art sales are only strong as our collectors' bank accounts. Most artists will admit, at least to other artists, their sales have been affected for a few years now. I began the business of selling paintings around the year 2000, marketing my work in outdoor art shows or fairs. Two years ago there were strong signs that sales were tailing off. Like the economy in general, that trend is more pronounced in the last year or so. At this point show organizers are feeling the effect in the reduced number of artists applying to shows and some accepted artists are no longer able to come up with the hundreds of dollars in show fees months in advance. We are also having to think carefully before committing to a show a thousand miles away.

Artists are hurting but we need to hang on and hope for better times soon. Meanwhile we must promote the work, diversify price points, seek commission work and most of all, produce the very best work we can do to weather the storm.

2009-03-24T18:14:00.000-07:00

Today the to do list was a mix of jobs. First there were paintings to pick up that were lent for an art themed corporate event Friday night. Then back to the studio to get in some painting. This afternoon I delivered work to a designer's project where my gallery representative and the designer worked with the homeowner to choose art for the walls. We'll have to wait a couple of days to see if the client wants to keep any of the paintings.

This is the barn piece shown yesterday at it's inception. It measures 33" x 40". It is close to finished but I'll wait to look at it tomorrow and see what it lacks.

Back to the studio

2009-03-23T17:35:00.001-07:00

Time to make the donuts. This morning was spent working on a couple of small paintings from last Friday. I feel it necessary to work on several at once as I can get stuck trying to force the end to a piece in a single session.

I also needed to get a large painting underway. The photos show the start to a new barn piece. I love to paint barn structures. I think they are among the most noble of architecture in their simplicity and they seem to resonate with collectors. This is a barn I have painted a couple of other times, once in fall and once in winter. It is on the Stover Myer farm in Bucks County PA.

The image on the right may look finished to some but there is only about an hour and a half invested to this point. Now comes the hard work of tweaking and layering color.

Mardi Gras in a war zone

2009-03-22T16:59:00.001-07:00

There is in my past a spring tradition that I have neglected for the past 20 years and this weekend I made amends. I talked about the Sebring 12 Hours sports car race in a March 3rd post. When my friend Steve said he had tickets and asked me if I wanted to go , I enthusiastically said yes. For various reasons, I haven't been in awhile. The Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival is the same weekend and participating in that has sometimes conflicted. Other times just plain old lack of ambition has kept me away.

Going to Sebring demands preparation. If you do it right, it's a camping event. So provisions are necessary possibly including old couches, tents, lights - decorative and utilitarian, an electric generator, a grill, maybe some plywood for a outdoor deck, some astro turf, a potted plant or two and oh, copious amounts of beer and ice. This year was a day visit so a grill, cooler and camera was all that was needed.

Sebring should be on your life list. It is a weekend of dirt dust, noise, and people watching that somehow adds up to a non stop grin. The race is run on a road course spread over about 3.5 miles, and there are few grandstands for the spectators. The fun is in moving from spot to spot along the fences. The cars are racing at different speeds around the circuit and the scenery changes as you move about. Turn 10 is the core of Sebring infield culture and a walk through after dark will - well, bring a camera. I suppose you would call this extreme camping. There are people who brought pool tables, ping pong tables, house plants, japanese lanterns, a lit fish tank - with fish, roofed tiki bars with flooring, easy chairs of every description usually perched atop motorhomes or scaffolding. Satellite dishes are everwhere. Flat screens glow along with campfires as the race is broadcast live. It's not a problem to keep abreast of the leaders as you walk. Most everyone is welcoming and happy to share the tv. Meanwhile a race is screaming by a few yards away. Sebring is an outdoor party for 85,000 people punctuated with racing noise, wood smoke and dust. Think Mardi Gras in a war zone.

On the drive home late Saturday, I was thinking about the experience now and 20 years ago. The racing was still awsome. But honestly, I could have seen the race better in the comfort of our family room. I think I went back because I wanted to see if the party was still on. Darn if it isn't. Maybe next year I'll take the fish tank.

Amelia Island

2009-03-15T19:52:00.000-07:00

Another trip to north Florida this morning. This time to the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance at the Ritz-Carlton. There were a couple of reasons to get up so early on a Sunday. I needed to get photo reference to assist in the car painting I'm currently working on, and also visit with the artists of the Automotive Fine Arts Society who were putting on an art exhibition at the event. My hopes are to be juried in at some point and exhibit along with this group here and at Pebble Beach. A member artist explained to me the application steps so I guess the ball is in my court.

Another reason to go was to spend a little quality time with my good friend Duke, who picked me up on his way from Tampa. We had a great time walking among some very unique automobiles spread over the golf course fairway. On the way home we spent the time in the car catching up with each others lives and sharing plans for our anticipated lottery winnings. A fireball out the driver's side glass caught my eye about a half-hour from home. Space Shuttle! We pulled to the side of the highway and shot a few more pictures as we watched the shuttle Discovery power towards space and the booster rocket tanks fall away. It's a spectacle that never gets old.

A good ending to a good day.

Faded Glory

2009-03-13T16:57:00.000-07:00

I just returned from my third trip to Jacksonville in a week, my second in the last 36 hours. Three trips were plenty but together they don't approach my Orlando-Jacksonville turn-around record. In 2000 I worked on a mural project there and made the 300-mile round trip eight consecutive days. If you think this speaks to my weariness of hotel rooms after the last 20 years, you would be correct. Although I have had to declare anything more than that distance to be officially out of home cooking range, and socks and underwear must be packed.

My Jacksonville client approved the Porsche racer oil painting sketch shown with the last post. The canvas for the final painting was built and delivered to my studio today so work can begin Monday.

When the client originally called about the painting, he asked if I would be interested in restoring the paint on the hand carved mahogany front door of his house. Paint restoration is not my specialty, and I'm reluctant to work over another artist's work, but she lives in Montana and could not be easily brought to Florida to do the restoration.
Even though the exposure to the sun wasn't direct, the glazed paint and varnish had gotten quite weathered. We took it down to the bare wood and working from photos, I restored the design to it's original colors. I'll go back Monday and add a coat of polyurethane with a UV protector. I think it came out great, but I was merely rescuing someone else's good work.

2009-03-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

I wrote on March 3rd about the occasional auto art commissions I receive. I enjoy the opportunities to paint shiny things and value the relationships I have developed with people who collect rare and historic cars. I also wrote about the demands of commissioned paintings. As the artist, I have to first fullfill the vision of the client.

The painting that illustrated that earlier post was a rough for the client to approve. He wanted some changes that sent me back to the sketchpad. The proportions needed to change from a horizontal format to more of a square. Also more landscape as part of the environment the cars were to be seen in. The sliding car to the right of the larger one. Here is the latest version. We'll know Thursday whether this one will make a good final version.

Hula Ville

2009-03-08T07:58:00.001-07:00

Getting rid of old books is an job I never enjoy. I've read most of my collection of books. Most of those more than once, but there comes a point where shelf space runs out.

Encyclopedia of Civil Aircraft is hogging a big piece of shelf space, it's on probation along with Hubris. Once was enough for that one. Wolverines are Eating My Leg by Tim Cahill, that should stay for another read. One of the books that won't ever go to House of Hope is Legendary Poems of the Valley and Others We Tallied, 1987 Edition by Miles Mahan.

I mentioned my mural painting days for Olive Garden Restaurants in an earlier post. There were 15 years of travel and too many experiences to detail in a couple of blog postings. But here is a memory that sticks out as I scanned my bookshelf.

Miles Mahan was a poet and an artist. When I met him in 1990 he was 94. He lived alone in a trailer on 2 1/2 acres of joshua trees along Route 66/I-15 in California's high desert north of the San Bernardino Mountains . I had finished a mural job for Olive Garden in Victorville and was driving back to Los Angeles for a red eye flight to Orlando. On the right of I-15 was a strange looking collection of bottles hung on dowels, primitive hand written signs and a giant hula girl waving to traffic. A sign said, Welcome to Hula Ville.

I got out of the car and wandered into what looked like an entrance but was just a dirt path under the overhanging branches. There was scrap wood everwhere nailed to the Joshua trees and staked in the ground. Poems. I thought I might be intruding in someone's personal garden when Miles stepped out of the shade. He was dressed like my imagined vision of a desert rat. Scruffy beard, suspenders, I noticed he could use a shower. He told me he had lived there in that spot in the desert since 1955. He said every day he picked up the trash that people threw out their car windows, and soon he noticed bottles were an endless commodity. He decided to make sculptures to go with his poems painted on scrap wood. Travelers began to take notice and stop.

He had a notepad in his hand and said he was composing a poem to read for some folks later that day. He read me what he had.

On a mound bottles ya see,

bringing joy to all of thee.

Once they held a tasty wine,

now in th' sun empties shine."

"Who are you reading it for?"

"I'm going to be on the Johnny Carson show," he said. "They are sending a limo out a little later."

I wasn't sure how to reply to that. I sputtered something like "uh, that's great".

I sat on a metal chair outside the trailer facing Miles as he put together a few more verses and read them out loud.

You could tell he took joy from word play. We talked for awhile, him wanting to know about painting wall murals.

I could tell a bath was in order before the "limosine" arrived.

"I'll watch for you tonight," I said as I got up to leave.

Someone once said no man is happy without at least one delusion. OK, I thought, he seemed happy and otherwise normal. I wished him luck.

That evening at LAX I stopped at the newstand on the way to the gate. The LA Times TV section, Friday August 17, 11:30 pm: Nightline- Ted Koppel is anchor; Arsenio Hall - Steve Martin, Rick Moranis; The Tonight Show - Patrick Swayze, bottle collector Miles Mahan.

"Son of a ..."

I called home. Susan recorded it on the VCR. Miles wasn't talkin' trash.

See what I mean?

2009-03-07T13:10:00.001-08:00

Painting commissions can be fun or torture. Depends. As the artist, are you comfortable designing your imagery based on the directions the client gives you? You may find your work is restricted by size, colors and subject matter. You might be asked to bring the client's vision to life rather than your own.

Commissions are a necessary facet of most artists' career. But they are seldom easy. A painting executed with no restrictions is often difficult but one with a checklist of elements or requirements is even harder. I have two commissions underway currently and I am generating ideas to give both clients choices. Time will tell how successful I am sharing the vision.

Shown is one of several preliminary color sketches for a landscape commission.

Untitled, oil on board, 9 1/2" x 9"