Sunset on Beacon Hill

Sunset on Beacon Hill, oil on linen, 5" X 7", 2011
$175 USD matted and framed
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This painting is framed a little differently than my others. It arrives matted and framed with overall dimensions of 16 X 20 inches. The mat and frame add to the overall price a bit, worth it for the effect it delivers.

 

Spring Studio View

Spring Studio View, oil on canvas paper, approximately 8" X 10", 2011
$125 USD unframed
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I mentioned in a post last week (Hazy Studio View) that often when I do studio view paintings I focus on a small, distant sliver of the horizon. This is a little closer to what I actually see out to my immediate left.

Hazy Studio View

Hazy Studio View, oil on linen, 5" X 7", 2011
$125 USD framed
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Whenever I paint the view from my studio, I think I make it seem like I have this awesome view of mountains and trees. Nothing further from the truth. This is the tiny little sliver of horizon I see through tree branches, wires and rooftops.

Made In USA (sold)

Made In USA, oil on linen, 5" X 7", 2011
sold

I had planned for this painting to be posted next week, but Keiser just posted something with similarities, and I'd hate to feel like folk think I'm just picking up after him... ;)

Street Lamp (sold)

Street Lamp, oil on linen, 5" X 7", 2010
(sold)
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Last lingering light as seen from my studio window.

Self portrait

Self portrait, oil on linen, 5" X 7", 2010
$100 USD
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I'm squinty because the light is right in my face. Also, I probably need a hair cut.

Self Portrait from a Window Reflection and a Seattle Show Alert

Studio Window Reflection #2, oil on linen, 8" X10", 2009
(approximate, matted size smaller)

$100 USD

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My hair's grown out a bit since the last time I did one of these self portraits from a window reflection. These are tough to do, because you're basically restricted to seeing only in your peripheral vision, and the reflection doesn't cough up much detail.

On an unrelated note...

If you happen to be out and about in Seattle's Capitol Hill, specifically up on 15th Ave, I have some work up in a new bar conjoined to the Olympia Pizza and Spaghetti House. Stop by if you have a chance-- work will be up until end of February or so.

Garden Gate (sold)

Garden Gate, oil on linen, 5" X 7", 2009
sold

A view from the studio, just below the view seen here.

Three Clouds

Three Clouds, oil on linen, 5" X 7", 2009

$100 USD framed

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(please mention title of painting in mail)


Perfect fall day, with three little clouds floating on...

Welcome to the New Year!

Self Portrait, oil on linen, 5" X 7", 2008

$100 USD

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It's been a full year now since I quit my job to paint full time. I wasn't sure what it would be like, so early on I set out a fairly comprehensive plan, with clear goals and commitments. I based my plan on extrapolating out what I was able to do on nights and weekends over the years, as well as past performance in school.

The overarching idea was to build a foundation that would lead to a sustainable painting career.

So how'd I do?

Well… some good, some bad. Judged against what I had hoped to achieve, I did pretty poorly. Looking back on what I did achieve, I feel pretty good. Here are my key take aways:

• I learned more accurately what my limits are, both time wise and creatively. It's a lot easier to produce a 16 X 20 painting once a week when that's the only painting you do. It's a lot harder when you're doing something different every day.
• I became a better painter. The small pieces have really helped build skill set.
• People will buy my artwork. I made something close to 30% of what I spent, which was better than I thought I might do in the first year. As a result, I have more confidence in making this a sustainable career.

Now for the nitty gritty. You can skip the rest of this post if you want. It'll probably be pretty boring after this…

Resolutions

1. Paint everyday (1 hour minimum)
2. Create at least two editions of an art journal
3. Meet with family and/or friends at least once every week
4. Get 5 professional massages
5. Read a Dickens novel
6. Take a picture of myself with a stuffed (taxidermy wise) animal (carryover from last year)
7. Walk 2 miles at least once a week
8. Have six parties/get togethers
9. Learn enough to know what f stop, exposure, and such mean; get a better handle on my photography skills.
10. Work in a medium I'm not terribly familiar with (linocut, screenprint, etc)

Items crossed out are things that I didn't complete to satisfaction.

Items bolded are resolutions that I achieved enough to get credit for—doesn't mean that it was 100% achieved.

Goals

• Have 5 shows (gallery or non traditional venue) in 2008
• Get work into 3 new galleries
• Sell enough work to support at least 1/3 of my yearly spend

I didn't get into 3 new galleries, but I did have more than 10 art shows last year. That was terrific!

Commitments

• Post a new small (8 X 10 inches or under) painting for sale to the blog everyday
• Paint 50 16 X 20 or larger canvases
• Paint 50 11 X 14 canvases
• Draw at least 200 pages in sketchbook
• Draw 50 +2 hour drawings
• Apply 10 hours a week to learning and development
• Apply to 10 juried shows
• Write a post mortem review towards goals and commitments each month

Ouch.

:)

Ah well. There's always this year. 2009's list will be more manageable, I think. Still ambitious, but achievable.

More on that tomorrow.

Clouds (private collection)

Clouds, oil on masonite, 5" X 5", 2008

(private collection)

Another cloud captured from the studio window. My head has been in the clouds as of late.

As promised, here is a peek at some of the larger kite pieces currently underway. The photos of the paintings need to be retaken (these are quick snapshots), but you get the idea. These are very different from what I normally do, and I'm not sure how they fit in with the rest of my oeuvre... hence the very different pricing scheme from what you'd normally see from me for a painting of these sizes.

Star Kite, oil on gallery wrap canvas, 30" X 40", 2008

sold

Tiger Kite, oil on gallery wrap canvas, 30" X 30", 2008

sold

Studio Window Reflection (sold)

Studio Window Reflection, oil on canvas, 8" X 10" (approximate, matted size smaller), 2007

sold

This is the view to my right once the sun goes down; a muted reflection.

Studio View with Snow (sold)

Studio View with Snow, oil on canvas, 10" X 8", 2007

(sold)

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We had a bit of a snow storm this afternoon. It doesn't last long around these parts (it usually turns to rain), and will likely be gone by the time I wake up tomorrow.

Medicinal Aloe (sold)

Medicinal Aloe, oil on masonite, 5" X 5", 2007

sold

This was posed in the corner of my studio, on an overcast day here in Seattle. The light was even, which made a nice change from what normally happens to me when I paint under daylight conditions--- I chase the light.

View from the Studio

View from the Studio, oil on masonite, 5" X 5", 2007

$100 USD

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I had to move fast to catch the light. This is the view to my left from my studio.