Seeing Dots...Calfornia Art Club 108th Gold Medal Show Opening.

Seeing dots today. 

Loving my custom somewhat daring "Paris chic" contemporary clear frame for this painting of mine "Visitor From Paris" for upcoming opening this weekend, The California Art Club's 108th Annual Gold Medal Exhibtion, March 3 -29, 2019. Details below and LINK to purchase Artist's Gala Reception tickets. 

Lots of events going on around this great show. Honored to be in such fine painting company and thank you to The CAC for all it does for us artists. TY to Malibu Gallery too for always being amazing. And, yes, this painting will be for sale at the show with it's dotty contemporay frame.



GohereforGoldshow

Opennig Weekend
Former Pasadena Museum of Modern Art
Thank you to The CAC for all it does.

The Visitor From Paris
by Johanna Spinks
via palette knife
9x12"
Oil on Linen
Available for purchase at CAC Gold Show

Golden Times - 108 Years Worth!

Honored this artwork has been selected for The California Art Club's 108th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition. 

Titled “Visitor From Paris", I painted this young Parisian in a single sitting via my palette knife, while she was on a short trip here from Paris. 

Show runs March 3 -29, 2019 at the former Pasadena Museum of California Art, a beautiful venue I am lucky enough to have exhibited at before. Stay tuned.

Incredible this show has been running this long! It's always a great one and I am in some fine painting company.  Thank you to The CAC for all it does.

Visitor From Paris
By Johanna Spinks
Via palette knife
For sale at CAC Gold show.

Naming Paintings...

Very impressed with the folks at Saatchi putting on this show.  The pre-show prep is very thorough.
  My POP-Trait series featuring comtemporary portraiture has been handpicked by a panel of judges  to show at The Other Art Fair presented by Saatchi Art in Los Angeles

Naming paintings is almost as hard as painting them...any ideas for a title on this one? Just finished this week. 

My latest POP-Trait portrait of the lovely Alexandria Morrow painted in two life sittings via palette knife, 36 x 36"

Life Thru Rose Colored Glasses?

My latest POP-Trait portrait of Rachel Bailit, an actress and acting teacher at The Lee Strasberg Institute. She's a pretty incredible lady and loves rose colored glasses almost  as much as me, plus pink eye glitter. One can't go wrong with either.

36 x 36"
Painted in two life sittings
Via my palette knife.

"Rose Colored Glasses"
By Johanna Spinks
36 x 36"

End of second sitting

Close-up

Close-up, yes there's glitter.

Drip, Drip...

My latest large format palette knife, two life sittings. Drips and all. Hope you like. Thanks to beautiful sitter Julie.

Julie
By Johanna Spinks
36 x 36"
Via Palette Knife

close-up

In Situ

Close-up

I'm in - California Art Club 107th Gold Medal Exhibition Museum Show

"The Company You Keep"
12 x 12"
By Johanna Spinks
Via Palette Knife
For Sale at Show
$1,500

Some good news over the weekend...this painting has just been accepted into the California Art Club's 107th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition at The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, June 10 - July 1, 2018. The gala reception is Sat. Jume 9th. It's always an honor to be in the company of artists in this juried show which attracts entries from all over the US.

I am especialy thrilled it is my fourth palette knife portrait to be accepted into the Gold Medal shows over the last few years.  TY to the CAC for all it does all year long for us artists.

Get your tickets for the gala eveving here:
https://www.californiaartclub.org

Taking Risks Is Risky?

Just finished up this new large format palette knife to add to my building  collection of now twelve started at the  beginning of this year, all painted from life in two sittings-  and all 36 x36". Some friends of mine have sat for me along with some professional models, but even more excitingly, people I have just met in my hometown walking on the street so to speak.

I love painting people from life who are completely new to the experience and I  think it makes me paint better.

The large format super bright coloration via palette knife has been quite an extraordinary exploration within my portrait world - and like nothing I have done before. At times I have felt I really must stop and go back to what is safe. But exploring makes you learn, grow, and nurture, yes,  independence from art formulas that artists can get stuck in when they start selling their art to collectors. They get known for a certain 'look' and that is what they have to keep producing so their collector base doesn't get confused and head for the hills.

Taking risks is risky.

But something keeps driving me forward to continue perhaps thanks to great feedback from some very kind folks in the most surprising places.

Here is my latest finished today in time for July 4th Independence Day in America.

"Independence"
By Johanna Spinks
36 x 36"
Available through Saachi Online
click here

In Situ
Who says you can't hang paintings on patios?

The second of two life sittings via palette knife. Thank you as always to the beautiful Lynette.

Got The Blues?

Shades of complimentary orange and blues...I met Chris as he was leaving a wine bar wearing this really great hat. I knew he had a really great face to paint so I approached him to sit for me. I wasn't disappointed. A few weeks later he came into my studio for two sittings, and this is what we created -probably my favorite large portrait so far this year. 36x36" via my palette knife.

Thank you Chris.

"Steel"
By Johanna Spinks
36x36"
Oil on canvas, via palette knife
For purchase at Saachi Online
gohere

In situ...what a beautiful wall.

Painted in two life sittings. Thank you Chris!  What a great young man.

In progress...end of first sitting

Neon Lit Palette Knife Journey?

My journey this year painting large portraits  via a palette knife continues. Here is my most recently completed one with the lovely Amina done in two sittings of about three hours.

I am surprised - and challenged - by what is coming off the canvas. It is so different from anything that has come before in my creative journey  but I also know I must continue to see what develops. I also know I have been leading up to these neon large format palette knives for a while.  

I started painting portraits with a knife about four years ago in my non-commissioned work. I started exploring the neon color, lots of drips, about two years ago in my back grounds. 

My goal is to make these large one look really abstract closeup. Just dabs of unconnected paint. But view from a distance, they read as a whole. 

Hope you enjoy!

"The Coral Earring"
36x36"
By Johanna Spinks
Oil on canvas via palette knife
Available for purchase at Saachi Online
Go here

Two life sittings. Here is the then end of the first one. I'm happy if I have got the eyes done as to me they are the most important part of the painting. 

In situ, pretty as a picture

Close-up, trying to leave as much of that original toned pink as I can, laying cool colors over the top. Mostly. 

Coral earring.

Tuneful Songbird Gets Painted.

The lated large format portrait painted from life in two sittings.
Thank you to beautiful songbird Christine Nelson.

The first sitting. Must get the eyes right!

"Retro" By Johanna Spinks
Oil on canvas via palette knife
36"x36"

For sale through Saachi Online

Pink Pussy Hat

I dedicate this new large format palette knife to all my sisters out there, no matter what hat you wear. It was inspired by a young lady I met thru Etsy who was making these hats for the the Womens' March in America. I found her story interesting and was inspired to paint it.

Pink Pussy Hat
Oil on canvas via palette knife
36"x36"
Original and Prints For sale through Saachi Art

saatchiart.com/art/Painting-The-Pink-Pussy-Hat

Revisit...

It's amazing what a fresh start will do on a fresh day. I decided to revisit the life sketch I did of Shannon, see previous post, which I felt coulda, shoulda, woulda have been a whole lot better if only if...

I started it again, using the life sketch for reference,  painting it with a palette knife. I put it down much more as I wanted to say it.

Softer, cleaner more elegant lines, with some color play of yellows and blues, see palette I placed to the side of sketch with my trusted Province Blue made from Charvin which I inhale like smelling lavender.

Hope you like!

Malibu Pier
By Johanna Spinks
12x9"
For sale
here

A Great Life Teacher Dr. Wayne Dyer

I was saddened to hear of the recent passing of Dr. Wayne W. Dyer. A wonderful man and a great teacher to millions around the world. Check out his books about living large, my favorite being The Power of Intention.

www.waynedyer.com

I took to my palette knife to express my feelings for him one sunny afternoon near the beaches he loved so much. I hope he would approve. RIP and thank YOU Dr. Dyer.

Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
By Johanna Spinks
Via Palette Knife
8x10"
www.johannaspinks.com