More energies…

I finished ( at least I think I did lol) the latest large painting. A mass of energy directed onto the canvas, this one is what it is and the responses to it have been interesting and diverse, which is what all art should evoke. At 40 by 60, with the bold colours and movement, it is not for the weak of heart, or for those who favour more subdued colours or scenes, but I love it…I think…unless I work on it more. Unfortunately, it has been difficult to get a photo that captures the essence of it live as the light tends to play with the layering of glazes and changes the colours and the details.

untitled-View 1
oil on canvas
40/60
knives

Untitled-View 2
Different light
Oil on canvas
40/60
Knives

And something that harkens back to the series I have been playing with. This one shows the complimentary yet conflicting energies that sometimes we deal with in our souls.

Energies
Oil on Canvas
Knives

Energies

After a while of different directions (turtles, moose, aboriginal inspired styles), I found myself swinging back to the knives. I had a need to return to bolder, bigger, more movement. There were energies at play, building, waiting to be told in giant stories with broad strokes, energetic slashes and colour, colour and more colour.

Awakenings was the first to emerge, followed by Vertigo, the largest canvas to date that I have worked on, almost as tall as I am. Both of these are going to TAG Art Gallery in St Catherines, along with Ghost Spirit and others.

The last one is untitled to date as it is still a work in progress, but it is pure energy, an explosion of colour. We will see where that one ends up, but channeling energies seems to be where I will be playing for the next while.

Awakenings
Oil on Canvas

Vertigo
Oil on Canvas

Size perspective-artist and Vertigo

Untitled-Unfinished yet

It Was A Battle!

Once again, the folks at The Museum in KW put on a great event! 26 artists competed in live round painting competition with each artist having 30 minutes to complete a piece. Once done, spectators got to vote on their faves and then bid on pieces to take home. All proceeds go to the artist and The Museum.

Competition was fierce and the crowd truly seemed to enjoy it. At max capacity, over 600 people came to feast their eyes on what the artists came up with. The end products were definitely diverse, with artists using a phenomenal range of techniques and styles.

It’s an interesting process. I got half way through this one, had the water completed, mostly through the forest part and hated the way the colours looked. Checked the clock and with 17 minutes left, took a deep breath and scrapped the whole upper half of the painting. Had to answer a few spectator questions regarding whether or not that was intentionally part of my “process”, and some preferred the forest over the snow capped mountains, but it is what it is and how I felt at the time 🙂

Kudos to The Museum for arranging the event, the artists for participating and all the fans who come out to support the artists and the arts!

A few pics to give you an idea of what we were doing…

Something is happening

Second phase-knife work

Add the forest

Scrap the forest, add some mountains

15 minutes left concentration

Crowds

Crowds

Crowds

The Ice Mountains and Ice Flows

Do Over….

Every artist has them-those works that never quite make it to where you want them to go. you look at them, and look at them, and hmm. Nope. That is when gesso comes in handy. Although, when you’ve done something textured, you have to be prepared to deal with the impression of the under painting coming through. Sometimes, it works. Other times, not so much. In this case, I kind of like the textured surface from the old work coming through to the new one as it adds another dimension to it. Not my fave medium, as anyone who has been following this journey knows, in this case, the acrylics came in handy.

Poppy
Acrylic on Canvas

It’s Back…The Museum “The Brush Off” 2015

Once again, The Museum in KW is hosting their annual fundraising, live art at its best painting competition.

On January 24, 26 artists will be competing live, in  four 30 minute, heart pounding, creative testing, eye dazzling rounds. With a live DJ, music pumping, voting fast and furious, original pieces of art immediately going up for auction, I am sure it will once again prove to be a phenomenal event. The caliber and range of artists to delight the sense is outstanding so everyone should find something to bid on and someone to cheer for. So looking forward to being there again! Tickets are on sale now, and they sell out every year, so advance tickets sales are a wise choice. Cash bar. See you on the 24th…now just to decide what/how to paint!

Check out the info below, or go to their web site to buy tickets

http://www.themuseum.ca/exhibition/brush

The Brush Off | THEMUSEUM// // // //

1 night.
26 artists.
4 rounds.
38 original works.
January 24th 2015

Doors open at 6:30pm, competition begins at 7pm. Admission to Unwrapping Egypt is included in ticket price.

vote

20 artists will compete in 4 rounds of a friendly live-painting competition. Your votes determine who advances each round and eventually wins The Brush Off.

bid

38 original works of art will be produced during the night. Bid on your favourite painting at this fundraiser for THEMUSEUM and bring home a piece of the night.

party

Revel in the creativity displayed by the artists and maybe even dance to the tunes being blasted over the speakers.

love art

20 artists creating 38 original works and mingling with the local art scene – you’ll be tempted to pick up some paint, a brush, and some canvas on the way home!

Details

$15 per ticket plus tax.
Cash Bar

– See more at: http://www.themuseum.ca/exhibition/brush#sthash.IRsJXXHB.dpuf

New Year Sale!

Once again, with the new year, comes new things. However, in order to make room for new things, new styles, new fun, i need to downsize some of the pieces currently taking up residence in my limited studio space.

All works not currently associated with a gallery are on sale up to 40% off. If there is a piece that you have been eyeing up, send me a message with the title, and I will send you details regarding prices. Please note that prices do not include shipping. Pieces can be shipped on the stretcher bars, or I have successfully shipped different pieces around the world by taking them off the stretcher frame, rolling and sending. That would mean, however, that you would have to get them re-stretched, or framed accordingly. Please also check for import fees depending on your country.

Crossroads…

And here I am again, at the crossroads. Well, at least artistically or metaphorically.

A bunch of ideas are playing around in my head and on the sketchbook.

I have a very cool, tripped out funky sketch, something that I really haven’t done before except in sketches, and maybe a bit in my “Jazzman”. I love it as a sketch and want to paint it…but…am just not sure how it should play out on canvas and with paint.

I also have a new forest series sketch. I’ve taken the concept a bit further, highlighted the powerful moon in the back and played around with landscape and trees…but…it reminds me a lot of “Whispers” in a way, and is that a good thing, or not, and do I want to do another one along those lines.

There are the dark hedges of Ireland that I have only seen in pictures to date, although i have plans to go, and they totally fascinate me with their tendrils entwining, the patterns and colours, the mystery and mood they create in contrast to the path they allow through. I have a sketch and I want to do them…but…where will my interpretation take me and how to capture the magic of such a place.

And then sitting outside with the sun filtering through the birches, the fall leaves falling and blowing, I had another idea about doing a background like those in the forest series, but then taking the palette knives and doing powerful birches in impasto..but…hmm….

There is a story waiting to come out and I can feel it pressing upon me. I know that there is something that I “need” to do and can feel it…it makes me antsy and dissatisfied and edgy as an artist. I can almost put my finger on it…just. Sometimes, when life gets so frenetically busy, the psyche for lack of a better term starts smacking me upside the head, telling me to sit…be still…listen…hush…breathe. And again. It will come.