In time for consideration as a special Holiday gift,

or to just add a little gem to your own collection . . .

Enjoy your fowl!

Before I get to it today, I wanted to post this . . . as after dinner last night, I decided to work a bit more on this one. There is such a dirth of anything worth watching on TV on Saturday night! So, spent some time 'in the water' last night. For someone who complains, often bitterly, about doing water, once into the wet stuff, it begins to take on a life of its own.

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(Posting at 4 PM) Here is the finished work. OK, not a very original title, I agree, and maybe not the most original of compositions either, but I am quite happy with it! Again, the image is 5" x 7".

A new work which I started earlier this afternoon, this one is going to be completed, I hope, by late on Monday as it is a replacement work for 'Furled' which was to have gone to my Annapolis gallery this coming week. That work, posted in the last entry here, sold yesterday so needs to be replaced in the line up of works to go to the gallery on Tuesday. This one will be 5" x 7" when completed. Looks kind'a messy right now but that will change as the work progresses. Right now, all I am trying to do is set some values across the image concentrating on the water and trying to get some even tones. This is being accomplished by methodically laying down soft values (using fairly sharp 2H, 3H, H and 6H leads) and going back over them with ever more pressure to fill in the 'gaps' on the surface of the Bristol Board that I work on. This process, talked about many times before here, is something I have referred to, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, as coloring as it is an ongoing series of lines, cross hatches, more lines, more cross hatches, continuing till I achieve the desired overall value of grey that I am looking for. As I have also said times before, water is my least favorite texture to render! So what, would you ask, am I doing with so much of it in this little work? Nice to have a challenge every now and again!

A new small work which I started yesterday afternoon. This one, 7" x 5", will head to the McBride Gallery's currently running Small Gems Show which runs through the end of December. Small scale works from the gallery's artists will be in abundance, just in time for consideration for Holiday gifts. I will be bringing additional smaller works into the gallery next Monday. If in Annapolis over these next few weeks, stop in and take a look!

Returned from the 'Party' that was the Waterfowl Festival last evening feeling, at the same time, both tired and joyful. Tired because it is tiring sitting all day long for three and a half days, occasionally rising to walk the exhibition floor and see what artist friends are doing. Tiring because being 'On' constantly all day long does drain one's energies by the end of a long weekend. But then, joyful too as I was fortunate enough to have been one of the artists selling fairly well.

Now granted, I did not make a ton of money and to say that one was able to sell art in this economic environment is saying a whole lot, but things certainly have changed from the way they were ten, twelve, fifteen years ago. That party has been over for some time and I was wondering to myself as I drove across the Bay Bridge last night, mesmerized by a most gorgeous orangy hued sunset before my eyes, if we artists will ever see that sort of level of sales again?

In times like the current, do people really need art? In times like these do people even have an appreciation for art? In times like these do people even consider spending a small amount of their hard earned dollars on art?

It was obvious this past weekend that . . . yes . . . there are many who do see the value in having beautiful things around them at a time of great retrenchment and an obvious need to be surrounded by things that can help to brighten an otherwise lusterless and scary world.

'Thanks', simply does not seem strong enough a word to say to one who digs deep into their pocket to pull out a few dollars to buy a small work of original art, especially now when so many don't even have enough to sustain themselves day to day.

These are very hard times for us all and I am grateful to every single person who dug deep into their pocket this past weekend to spend a dollar or two on my art work and that of so many other artists, sculptors, carvers and craftspeople in Easton.

Making art is both a joy and a struggle at the same time. Selling art is also a joy and a struggle, and to those who have added a new work to their collection or to those who have bought their first piece of original art, know that you have not only gained a little more beauty in your life but you have helped to validate we artists' need to create and make that beauty.

The work is done, all but two pieces are framed and I am breathing a much deserved sigh of relief that my 33 works are almost ready to head to this year's Festival. Easton is a great place to spend a fall weekend and especially the one coming up next! Plenty of great art, sculpture, crafts and carvings to see. Friday and Saturday from 10 to 6 and Sunday from 10 to 4. Check out the Festival Website for details, directions and more information.

Also, on Friday evening, November 13th, Troika Gallery will host a reception for its big Anniversary show with new works from all the gallery artists, including yours truly. Troika is located on South Harrison Street in the very heart of downtown Easton.

19th Annual Invitational Small Works Show Opens at the Howard/Mandville Gallery in Washington State

The 19th Annual Small Works Show has opened at the Howard/Mandville Gallery in Kirkland, Washington. Included in the array of fine works spotlighted there are two of mine. The reception and sale take place next weekend but all works will be on view this coming week. Here is a link to the page showing my works along with those of some of the other artists included in the show. There are some mighty fine works of art represented there, take a look . . . you never know what might strike your fancy!

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Posted at 2:00 PM, this could be the last work for the upcoming Waterfowl Festival, depending on how I feel once I review all the work earmarked to go later today. This one is 5 1/2" x 9 1/2'.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Show Time!

Yes, (hum to yourself now as we go merrily along, to the tune of 'It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!') . . .

It's beginning to look a lot like . . . Show Time,

Ev'rywhere I look,
Take a look at the studio floor, piled high with work galore,

See this photo, which this morning I took!

And, still more to do this week before I feel like it is done! At least there is light at the end of the tunnel. Now, I must get to the drawing board!

A moody little piece today. I started this one about 10 this morning and finished it up just five minutes ago. This one is a tad over 4" x 6" and will be accompanying many of the recently completed works to the Waterfowl Festival next week. This, being my last full work week before prep for departure to the eastern shore of Maryland and the opening of the Festival on the 12th, I shall be, as they say, burning the midnight oil to get the last few works done.