California Gold Rush...

Whatta weekend! My solo show opened to a full house on Friday night. Better than gold. Then a race Saturday to The California Art Club Gold Medal 100th Anniversary Show Reception at The Pasadena Museum of California Art where my painting 'Geek Chic' appears. A lovely brunch followed Sunday, given by CAC, for the artists in the show. Again, pure gold.

Thanks to everyone who made the weekend so very special...I was in some very lovely gold company all weekend long.

Now I just want to paint! No more organizing and worrying about shows. NO more anything....just paint!

Details coming about how to purchase my limited edition book '365 Days of Drawing' which comes with a high quality print of the book cover which is of course GOLD!

California Art Club Gold Medal Show Finalist.

It's finally here this coming weekend, The California Art Club's 96th Annual  Gold Medal Juried Show of which I am a finalist. 

The exhibition kicks off with an Artists' Gala Reception and Awards Ceremony, Saturday, April 25 from 6 to 9 p.m.  This is your chance to be among the first to view the exhibition and purchase artwork, as well as to celebrate with all of the artists and find out who will be chosen as this year's Gold Medal Winners!
 
To purchase tickets, please call 626/583-9009. Tickets are $75 per person in advance/$100 at the door (includes exhibition catalogue). Advance reservations must be received no later than 12 noon on Friday, April 24.
 
All artwork may be viewed online and is available for acquisition.   
Proceeds benefit the artists and the educational programs of the California Art Club and the Pasadena Museum of California Art.

This is my entry "Pansies and Pear". It can be yours at the click of an internet button.
 
Location: Pasadena Museum of California Art
490 East Union St.
Pasadena, CA  91101

 

It would be great to see you there some time during the run of the exhibition, April 26 - May 17, 2009. The opening night unfortunately I will not be there but very fortunately in NYC unveiling my portrait of Angela Lansbury into The Players' Club permanent collection. 

More about that excitement later.....

 

Thank you so much for your support! 

Don't Count Your Chickens...

I know this is a portrait blog, and that is what I spend most of my time thinking about, portraiture - not this blog, but I was a little taken aback yesterday when I heard a still life of mine has been juried into The California Art Club Gold Medal Show for May 2009. The portrait I had entered which I thought the BEST piece I had done all year did not. And I just put it in a really expensive custom frame. Never count your chickens before they are hatched.

I should add that in reality I have long given up 'expecting' to get into any show. That way it is a bonus when it happens.

I enjoy painting still life. I am not saying they are easy but I find them a really nice break from the rigors of portrait commissions. And I look on them as a little treat to myself between said work. Sometimes a still life set up will stare at me for weeks waiting for me to get to it. And I will kind of talk to it, telling it to be patient. I will get there. Yes, I am certifiable it seems.

I also admire artists who paint still life so well. David Leffel comes to mind. About as good as still life gets in terms of a high level of Rembrandt understanding. Sad that so many Leffel wannabes are out there though.  I get annoyed when I see that. That applies to Richard Schmid wannbes too. I like all sorts of still life painting styles to from Wayne Thiebaud  and Duane Keiser (EBAY Painting a Day Maestro) to Laura Robb, magical soft, soft edges (www.laurarobb.com). One focal point.

In my teaching class at LAAFA, I suggest that an artist must paint it all. There is so much to learn from painting a still life. And if you can paint an apple really well around value, color, and drawing, you can start to approach the head with some understanding of the task ahead. My teacher, the marvelous Everett Raymond Kinstler, N.A., (www.everettraymondkinstler.com) always says a portrait painter should paint landscapes and vice versa to really learn.

I don't feel I am very good at landscapes at all. I just don't really have a desire to paint them. But I make myself do it especially on trips. Easy then to squeeze something in. Especially when you have carried that darn heavy painting box (Guerilla Pochade)  through airport security and customs. You might as well get something out of it. I also paint them really small. Get in and out as fast as I can.

I post here the CAC Gold entry, Pansies and Pear, 16 x 20, and also a still life I just finished this week, Geisha and Mumms, 16x20.