NWS in SAN PEDRO, CA

I visited the NWS Gallery in San Pedro CA yesterday. Wow, what a great exhibition space. Lovely venue and great location.

I also had a fantastic Californian dinner hosted by the amazing Thomas Schaller with Penny Hill and Frank Eber. What a wonderful evening!

The meal was perfect -- along with the weather and home.

Perfect ending to a perfect day-- I couldn't have asked for better friends!

I love California!

Los Angeles! Land of Stars

I have been out west-- LA... bumming and takin' in the sights and sounds of life in the big city.

It's gorgeous here... and each day has been special.

I will post more pics of the trip-- but here are two from the last two days.

Beautiful skies and palms... and WARNER BROS!

Of course.... I went to the Warner Bros. production lot tour. Very interesting and fun!

I love it here.

Hopefully - it will work out for me to come back for an extended vist.

LA LA Land

LACMA- Tim Burton Exhibition

I went to the Los Angeles County Museum of Modern Art and saw the Tim Burton exhibition.

I skeptically went-- not sure that it was worth the effort and money. However, to my surprise and delight.... it was more cool than I ever imagined!

What a genius he was/is!

So talented and insightful from his high school days in Burbank CA.

The show incorporates drawings, maquettes, doodles, designs, costumes, props, stages... everything... that gave voice to his creative spirit and energy.

I was completed overwhelmed and delighted with the retrospective of his work -- and I thoroughly recommend anyone who might be sitting the fence about seeing it -- to go!

Yay for such an artist as Tim Burton!

The museum wouldn't let you take photos in the exhibit -- so you can only document at the beginning and end of the show.

I think it's featured through August.

LACMA

Los Angeles

SIX AMERICAN ARTISTS TO REPRESENT THE U.S. IN THE 2^nd BIENAL IBERO-AMERICANA DE LA ACUARELA IN MADRID

North American Watercolor Artists (NAWA), Mark Mehaffey, Nicholas Simmons, Keiko Tanabe, Carol Carter, Thomas W. Schaller, and Kathleen Alexander, will be representing the United States in the 2^nd Bienal Ibero-Americana de la Acuarela in Madrid, Spain. The exhibition will be held at the Museuo de la Casa de la Moneda, September 14 through 28. This is the second international exhibition NAWA has participated in together. The first was in Mexico City at the Museo Nacional de la Acuarela; this museum has included Mark Mehaffey and Kathleen Alexander’s paintings in their permanent collection.

LOS ANGELES and points WEST

I have been spending some time in LA.... Laguna Beach, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and soon... points south.

It's an interesting art scene here-- and I like the energy and weather a lot. Of course, it's outstanding to be with my son.

I am thinking of a temporary move west-- and there are many places here that intrique me!

Happy summer!

GROWTH PORTRAITS accepted into ART PRIZE!!!

The GROWTH PORTRAIT SERIES has been accepted into ART PRIZE 2011 in Grand Rapids, MI this coming Sept.

I am thrilled and honored to be exhibiting them at the Fifth Third Bank/Warner Norcross & Judd LLP venue. Please look for the installation there.

And VOTE for me!!

The GROWTH SERIES is an ongoing project that chronicles the maturity of my son from birth to age 25. I have done a watercolor a year of him for the last 25 years.

It is a loving tribute to growth, childhood, maturity, parenting, children, art, and family.

Thank you so much Fifth Third Bank/Warner Norcross & Judd LLP for choosing me!

http://www.artprize.org/venues/public-profile/540

GROWTH SERIES

watercolor

30" h x 40" w each [twenty five in all]

9' h x 40' w installation

1986-2011

series in progress

REAL Close to getting Done.... Birds in Pardise

I have been working hard on getting this watercolor done before I went to LA. However, to be honest -- I didn't do it.

I have a few finaglings tweaks to make on it when I return home.

But... this is the latest photo of the work in progress.

I shall feature this painting in an exhibition I am going to be in -- in Washington DC in January of next year.

Please stay tuned for details about that show.

So... bear with me while I finish this painting with "fresh eyes" during the first week in July!

Birds in Paradise

watercolor

30" h x 40" w

2011

in progress

Coming Down the Pike....

I had some time today -- to try to finish the BIRDS painting. But... truth be told... I wasn't able to.

In fact, I deliberately didn't do it-- because I am fatigued with working on it -- and I can't see what it needs.

I need "fresh eyes" to finish this up.

So, I did the last bird blossom-- and will put this away for two weeks. This will give me time to decompress after working so hard on it.

When I return -- I will see th corrections that I need to make -- and voila! it will be complete!

Birds in Paradise

watercolor

30" h x 40" w

2011

in progress

Slowly emerging Birds

The work on the painting is proceeding slowly. I'm trying to make brave and competent decisions on the last few washes....so that they blend and flow with the initial passages of paint.

It seems like the middle to last part of the painting has to be more deliberate and cautious -- so much more to lose!

Ah... maybe tomorrow it will be done.

Birds in Paradise

watercolor

30" h x 40" w

2011

in progress

More Progress on the BIRDS

Today was a perfect rainy day to paint.

I worked hard on the BIRDS painting-- even though progess was slow.

The last few days on a midstate painting go slower than normal... because everything has to relate to what's been painted before!

It's all fun though.

Stay tuned for the final piece.

Hopefully soon.

Birds in Paradise

watercolor

30" h x 40" w

2011

in progress

Birds in Paradise

Here is the Birds in Paradise painting after working on it all day today.

It's nearing completion -- but still a ways to go.

I am trying to have it done by midweek.

It's coming along -- and I enjoy working on it. The color is a bit different for me. The pinks and oranges tend to reverberate between the acidic greens!

Long live Birds!

Birds in Paradise

watercolor

30" h x 40" w

in progress

NEW watercolor of BIRDS of PARADISE

Birds in Paradise --- this beautiful subject was found on my recent trip to Hawaii.

I was in a small market in KONA HAWAII. There were 5 gallon buckets of flowers available for sale.

Buckets and buckets of lush tropical flowers filled the tent.

These buckets of birds of paradise -- and helconium.

I am hopeful that this will turn out as lush as I intend.

Birds in Paradise

watercolor

30" h x 40" w

2011

in progress

SIX NORTH COFFEE COMPANY

The grand opening of SIX NORTH COFFEE is today! They are located on Clayton Road -- just west of HWY 141. It is a beautiful coffee shop/restaurant -- run by the ALTRUDO family. It is an independent, family-owned coffee experience~

I am thrilled and honored to be exhibiting my work there on an ongoing basis.

You can see a selection of THE ITALIAN SERIES today. Those paintings will be hanging throughout the summer and are available for purchase.

Maria Altrudo and her family has shown my work in their two locations for over 6 years -- and wonderful partnership of art and coffee!

Please stop by-- have a steamin' cup o' joe -- and enjoy the artwork. The food is spectacular-- and they are so friendly. There is even a DRIVE THRU!

www.sixnorthcoffee.com

Framing Framing Framing

Spent time framing in the last few days. It's always so rewarding to see work framed and complete. I am always surprised with how different watercolor looks when it's behind glass.

Many times..I will not think some work is resolved... but upon seeing it framed... it looks "better" than I initially realized!

Here are two paintings.... one from last fall-- one from this summer.

I like them both-- framing brings them both to completion.

Fruit and Fish

watercolor

15" h x 22"w

2010

Beside the Still Water

watercolor

40" h x 30" w

2011

Big Blue- Iris Watercolor

Big Blue iris watercolor has found a home. I am happy to say -- that 2 of the 3 monumental iris paintings I did last year have found placement.

It is a wonderful to have them move on to be my "ambassadors."

I love to see them appreciated!

This painting is currently getting framed- so I will post the final presentation later.

Big Blue

watercolor

40" h x 50" w

2010

sold

Angel Trumpet progress

I am almost done with the second of the ANGEL TRUMPET paintings.

It's a more complex composition -- so taking a bit longer than the first.

I think tomorrow should finish out the day with it.

Angel Trumpet

watercolor

15" h x 22" w

2011

in progress

ANGEL TRUMPETS REVEALED! DOUBLE EXPOSURE!

Yes -- I have returned to the studio with work on my mind.

First, a proposal to ART PRIZE has occupied ALL my attention.

Second, organizing my thoughts for the upcoming exhibition in Washington DC.

Third, finishing the Angel Trumpets that I started a few weeks back.

The first jpeg is one in progress. It's a diagonal composition -- and very hard to keep grounded.

The second jpeg is a finished piece. I like them very much -- and hope to display them at Julie Malone's grand opening of her gallery in a couple of weeks.

Yay for watercolor~ I am geting the hang of it again.

Angel Trumpets 1 and 2

watercolor

15" h x 22" w

works in progress

Strathmore in Washington DC

I went to Washington DC this past weekend to take a look at the Memorials on the Washington Mall and the National Gallery of Art.

I met up with my brother in the top photo and Nick Simmons [ great artist and friend] in the bottom photo.

We visited Stratmore in Rockville MD. Gorgeous place-- complete with full-tea and waiters!

At the National Gallery we saw the VENICE exhibition, as well as the retrospective of PAUL GAUGUIN. There was also a new show on METZU- and relatively forgotten Dutch painter during the 1600's. Of course I loved them all.

It was so special to get away for the weekend. It helps to put everything into perspective.