Mazel tov

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.