Friday, July 31, 2009

The Previews Perfection










Last night was the preview party here in Tulsa. It was wonderful. The questions, interest, support, and kind words have given me such a wonderful lift. I can't wait for the next big shindig in Kansas City August 7th. Thanks to all who attended here in Tulsa, I really was overwhelmed with the love and support of each and every one of you who came and said hello, took time to look at my work and give me so much great feed back. You must all take the credit for helping me to continue down this path of creative expression, I couldn't do it without the love and support of my family, friends, peers, mentors and patrons. And a very special thanks to The Pearl Gallery, owners Janet and Doug Edwards are truly remarkable people and gallerists, I recommend them to any artist as representation, and to any collector who wants a respectful, personal and thoughtful buying experience, they are genuine and caring people, and I am so grateful to them. cheers to you all!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Pre-View Party Tomorrow Night, July 29th.

If you live in Oklahoma, this is your one chance to see my new show, "Beguiled" before it heads up to Kansas City. the details are as follows, Tomorrow, Wednesday the 29th, from 5 - 8 PM @ The Pearl Gallery, 1201 East 3rd Street, Tulsa, OK. 74120. Please come out, I'll be there, all crazy and happy and bouncing about off the walls and bystanders. finished the last touches on the last piece last night, around 2:30AM. I was happy I got to read the novel I've been devouring the rest of the night (morning) without feeling guilty. I love loosing that "I should be working" feeling. So unfamiliar to be without of late. Here is a video I took last night no long before I completed the piece. Don't jump when my hand hits the camera!

Honestly it still hasn't sunk in at all that I am finished. I think my relief is tempered with the knowledge that I still have a statement to refine, and titles and note cards to write up before the Real Opening August 7th. Not to mention the several other pieces looming in the background for the next shows that must be worked on and completed soon. Upcoming? OVAC's 12x12, and an early piece for promotion of my next show. slated for March @ JRB Gallery.

I have two pieces that I still have not published online for "Beguiled" - unless you count the sneak peak video above - I'm going to wait until the opening, give those who attend something they haven't even seen a picture of before. Stay tune tho, this will be the first place I publish them. Okay... now back to my novel... ahhhh.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

The WEBSITE

I've just updated my website! It's very simple, but it's something I can manage myself which is a huge help! Right now it's just a new gallery, but soon it will include my latest statement, resume and biography, as well as information on how to order commissions, etcetera. Please check it out!

Monday, July 6, 2009

In Process...

Here are the first several stages of the piece I am currently working on, I'm going to break down a few stages for you, so you may better understand this craziness. After completing this piece I have only one more to crank out for my Show opening this August at the Base Gallery, in KCMO. The show is going to be called, Beguiled: The Folklore Of Women. And if I can get the work I still have to complete finished in time (note panting breathe) I will be.... well, really happy. stay tuned for more!

Stage One:
Here you can see my conté sketch, it's the soft red outline everything is built on, also I should mention I'm working on un-gessoed hard board, which is basically really nice light toothy masonite. I prefer an off white surface, not because it's logical but because off-white is just way more approachable in my opinion, and it's nice to work out from a mid-tone surface.
Stage Two:
Which I refer to as the hulk stage, in which I lay down all the darkest shadows in green, specifically Marine Green. I only use prismacolor pencils, no snobbery, it's just what I learned on and if it ain't broke don't fix it, so color names are specific to that brand. So, hulk stage, which you can see in the neck, nose and mouth. I'm working really lightly here, just laying out a map of tones to build upon later.
Stage Three:
The sun burn stage, where in I use Carmine Red, a pinkish red, to "put the blood in". I'll use this all over the whole figure, but I won't put green or red where my white highlights are going to go.

Stage Four:
Here I go back over all the image with white, it's sort of a pinkish, zombie burn victim stage. The arm is the only thing that has been lightened with the white in this photograph. It's important to get this white very even but not too heavy. Also, as I mentioned both layers before this are very light, because the tricky thing with colored pencils in not building up too much with them. If you're frugal you can get about eight to ten layers of color down, then the wax build up will prevent anymore perfecting, whether you like it or not. I'll use the white lightly in the darkest shadow areas, but I will still put the white where it later won't belong for both consistency and blending purposes. I always go lighter on this stage than is needed. I work up my lightest lights and then I'll work back down into my dark colors, with colored pencils, it's always easier to go darker after the fact, they're transparent, so you'll never get your whites back if you cover them up.

Stage Five:
After laying down white everywhere, I'll go back in with Carmine Red, and Marine Green the two colors I used before and define the shadows (green) and mid-tones, (red) more clearly.
Stage Six:
Laying in the darkest shadows with Indigo Blue, and Raspberry. The only places in the image above where Indigo and Raspberry are used are the inside of the mouth, nostrils, eyelashes and shadows behind the fingers. Everything else is just the polished Marine Green, Carmine Red, and White.

Stage Seven and then some:
A lot more has happened here, you wouldn't be able to see all the little tweaks I've added about... six more colored to the skin tone, not counting the colored I used in the eyes. I'll have to come back and update the color list, but basically, once I get all the tones just right, only then will I start adding other colors, usually just those three colors are too pink, so I use two different oranges, Pumpkin Orange, and _____, and two different mossy soft green blues, Jade Green, and ______, these two blues are good for nail beds and veins, I also recently started using the pinks, Nectar and Henna which are closer to an actual skin tone than any other pencil I use, they're good for blending and warming shadows. Eye color is always a mix of whatever feels right. I wish I could be more specific for you here, but at this stage things get really intuitive. You'd have to just sit next to me and watch and listen to me babble at you.


Stage Eight:
Now that the skin is finished I can start all the embellishments. The mask is also colored pencil, in white, a very light blue and a few cool grays the specific names of which I can't currently recall. I'll tweak things until the very end. I look forward to showing you the completed piece. And I'll update those missing color names tomorrow when I head back into studio. Also please disregard the smashed spider, these things happen, I live in the country, and I doubt it will be part of the finished piece, although currently I'm rather enjoying it.