Well it has been many weeks since I’ve checked in here, so I’m going to cover some ground and get caught up. Life have been hectic! Work has been busy and frustrating over the last month or two. Things at home seem just as busy and in between all of that I manage to squeeze in some art time. :-
The Raven painting got shelved… I got so irritated with the center black book that I had to stop before I killed the entire thing. It’s been sitting facing the wall in timeout at my studio for about as long as I’ve been neglectful of my blog here. People ask me about it, and I’ve finally got back into the mood to continue work on it. My time will be split between The Raven and some commission work I’ve started. I need to dig in and really get some painting done.
Speaking of art, I was recently invited to speak about my work at the Eaton’s Studio & Gallery http://www.eatonstudiogallery.com/ Herb and his wife Pam have been most generous in giving me the floor during one of their Wednesday Gather at the Gallery meetings. I enjoyed talking about my art and how things have evolved over the last four to five years for me. In addition to this opportunity I was able to whip up a few small paintings for the Friends of the Arts 5th Annual fundraiser for the College of Fine Arts at Illinois State University: http://finearts.illinoisstate.edu/support/postcardart.shtml I donated two small postcard sized watercolors: ‘Sunglasses‘ and an untitled painting. Both are 4″ x 6″ postcard watercolors.
I’ve come to enjoy working smaller, but it is very difficult to develop the details I savor in my larger work. I have to truncate a lot of the subtle variations in light and color while trying to achieve the effects I love to show. I was unable to attend the opening so I don’t know who went home with my work, I hope these little paintings find a good frame and a cozy wall or corner to reside in. I also finished another smaller painting which is the fifth of my fruit series. I named it “Intermingling”. I’m pretty satisfied with these smaller pieces but its time to move on to other subjects. I’ll probably work in more smaller paintings while I hammer away at large works I have to do.
The first quarter of 2012 has brought me a few festival and exhibition rejections. This has been the third year I have applied to the Peoria Art Guilds Fine Art Fair. That is $105.00 in application fee’s out the window. I won’t be applying again, enough is enough. I don’t know what they are looking for, I wish I did. I have friends who get into this show year after year. I have been around long enough to know my craftsmanship and technique is just as strong, my booth shots just as clean and professional looking. My work should speak for itself… I didn’t make the Missouri National nor the AWS. I missed the Transparent Watercolor Societies deadline, so I’ll still keep trying next year. I think it’s time to send in some portrait type of work instead of the still life subjects I’ve been shopping around the watercolor society shows. Just ahead is the IWS’s small waters exhibition, the NWS and Watercolor West’s juried exhibitions.
“Yes John you can apply to all of these shows, you just need to produce some new work!”
Next weekend is the opening of the Illinois Watercolor Societies 28th National Watercolor Exhibition. My painting “Made in China” was juried in. I took a little road trip up to The Next Picture Show Gallery in Dixon IL last Sunday to drop it off. I got a sneak peak of the other paintings and I must say I am pretty impressed. I have a few favorites I think are going to pull in some awards. I’ll be in good company for sure.
The SpringBloom Art Festival came and went. It was in a new venue this year. It is a small local indoor show I like to attend because it gets me back into the festival mindset. I re-learn how to put up my erector set of a tent up while I get insights on improving and tweaking my presentation for later shows in the year. I am thankful for the help my wife Jenny gives me every show.
Without her and some muscle from Ed and the other kids, setting up and tearing down would be an ordeal. My festival agenda is spotty at the moment. I am on a few wait lists and may get moved onto another. I hope things pan out so I can attend my hometown outdoor festival and perhaps the 4th Street Festival in Bloomington Indiana. I was close to the wait list in Columbus this year but I’m getting short on time and unless they call soon, I won’t make it there in June. Time will tell.
By next post, I hope to have finished a new large commission and have resolved the challenges with The Raven. More to come!