Taking Christmas Orders....

I still have a couple of openings available for commissioned work for Christmas.  So if you are looking for a unique and special gift, think about a gift of custom art work.  Perhaps, a car painting for that classic auto car enthusiast or perhaps a painting of a lost best friend to serve as a memory.

Contact me soon, because the calendar is filling up and Christmas is also fast approaching.  I can be reach via my email listed on this site.  Just put Christmas Commission in the subject of the email.  Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Holidays!!

Wishing you and yours the Best of this Holiday Season!
These are most of the paintings that I've painted in the last year.  It's always amazing to look back on a year and see what has happened over the year.

Arts Festival This Saturday!

I will have a booth at the Lincoln Highway Arts Festival this Saturday from 9AM to 4PM.  If you happen to be near Mount Vernon, Iowa; swing on by and say "Hi!"  The weather promises to be beautiful for a late September day.  It's going to be sunny and in the upper 70's to low 80's.  So come on out for art, food, music, shopping... make a day of it!  Sounds like FUN to me! :)

Photo: A photo of the one of the billboards about the Lincoln Highway Arts Festival.

A Doorway & a Dog...

(***Editor's Note- I held off on putting this write up due to problems with Google blog and MS Internet Explorer not playing well together.  But I guess that problems have been resolved.)

It's been awhile since I have updated and added any paintings.  I'm sure some of you have been wondering.  Currently, I'm taking a bit of a break from traveling.  I had hoped to have more time to do some painting while I was traveling but that has not been the case.  But I have been lining up quite a few photos that I would LOVE to translate into a painting.  So here I am catching up on posting of some paintings that I have managed to fit in here and there while on my road trip. 

This doorway is based on a photo that I took while I was in Taos, New Mexico.  I love the adobe colors and there always seems to be these bunches of peppers hanging around.  I started with a flat wash and then used puddle style of watercolor.  So here is my translation of a Taos Doorway...


Photo- "Taos Doorway"; watercolor on 9" x 11"paper

Next, here is a painting that I did of a friend's dog.  I have been holding on a copy of this picture for sometime and one night in a hotel I decided it might be fun to give it a try.  I did it in a puddle style of watercoloring; mixing the colors together in small "puddles" of water right on the paper.  Here's the result and she did indeed think it looked like here cute little pooch.

Photo: "Sad Puppy Eyes"; watercolor on 8" x 10" Paper.

A Painting Break on Whigby Island...

I've been on the road on my BIG Adventure for 11 days now and I've really been keeping busy with other things.  I have not managed to find as much time as I thought for painting.  So when I woke up one morning while visiting Whigby Island and it was cloudy and cold; I decided it was a good enough excuse to take the day off from sightseeing and stay in to do a bit of watercolor painting.  Here's  what I did during my day off from sightseeing...

"Honesty Flower Stand"; Watercolor on 9" x 12" paper.

All over Whigby Island there are stands that are not tended by people they just put the flowers or sweet corn or other vegetable/fruit out with a box to leave the money in.  It just boggles my mind because coming from a large city where something like would never fly.  It is almost like it hails from another time.

"Libbey Beach"; Watercolor on 10" x 15" Paper.

This is based on a photo I took on Libbey Beach which is on the west side of Whigby Island.  It's the first watercolor I've done of a beach scene and painting the rocky beach was a bit of a challenge to figure out.  But it's always good to have room to grow and learn.

A Commission for Mom...

My mom recently decided to remove a shelf in the kitchen-dining room area.  She asked for me to do an oil painting of flowers that was large enough to cover the place where the shelf had been.  She gave the measurements and requested a wrapped canvas.  She didn't want to worry about framing and I think she liked the idea of a more modern unframed painting to update the area.  From there, she gave me ideas on what she would like but always mentioned that she was sure that whatever I came up with she would be happy with.  Thanks mom!  No pressure what-so-ever.

First she sent me a few magazine pages of ideas... A Van Gogh of flowers which she explained, she didn't like the actual flowers.  She considered them too child-like but she did like the green wispy strokes in it.  Then, there was a photo of yellow tulips taken in her dining room.  She wanted tulips.  Then, she included a couple of other pages with flowers that she would like to have in the painting. 

Then, she included a diagram of a certain degree...

She wanted to keep to yellows, greens, and purples with a bit of pinks in there too.  She kept an emphasis on keeping it nice light and airy.  Now, I will put a disclaimer here.  I'm not really a flower type of painting gal.  Buildings and bicycles are more my type of thing that I like to paint.  Flowers are a different territory altogether.  I will say I struggled with this for awhile.  I took a bit more time than usual on the under painting.  I did several layers with an iridescent gold and two different yellows.  Then before I started to lay in the actual flowers of the painting.  I painted in the green wispy things.  Here's what I had...

Next, I did some sketches of flowers on paper and played with arranging them on the canvas.

There was a selection of different flowers that I threw in that I thought might look nice with the other flowers she requested; irises, primrose and lavender.  I layed out the drawings on the canvas to get a feel for what looked good together and what would fit and still be light and airy too.  Then I sketched the general format onto the canvas with the same green paint as the wispy things.

I talked with Mom this last Sunday morning on the phone and explained the general format that I had come up with.  She thought it sounded pretty good.  So I proceeded to paint on Sunday evening and Monday night and this is the finished painting that was produced...

AND I hope that Mom is happy enough to hang it on her wall when I bring it home to her in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in July while I'm there for RAGBRAI.

Thanks, Silliness & a Winner!

A BIG Thanks for all who swung by my Art Booth at the Little Red Riding Hood Ride.  What a FUN event and such wonderful weather for the most part.  There was a couple of small cloud bursts where I was holding down some tarps to protect some paintings but they were short lived.  It was wonderful being out and having people swing by to view my art.  People from my bike club swung by and were rather surprised that I did anything outside of biking.  It really was a fun experience.  I also managed to sale a few things too!

I managed to get a little silly on Friday night and entered the Little Red Groovy Costume Contest.  They made us get up on stage and dance.  I just wiggled around because I wasn't too sure how a hippie was supposed to dance.  But here's a shot of me on stage in my full regale...

Oh MY!  I think it looks more like I'm doing a Rain Dance!  Maybe that's why there were the cloud burst on Saturday!  Go figure!

AND The winner of the Little Red Raffle is....

Annette T. from Spanish Fork, UT.  Congratulations!!  When she came to pick it up, she told me that she never wins anything.  Well, that's not true anymore and lets hope your luck has changed Annette.  Annette's daughter who did her first 50 mile bike ride ever at Little Red this last Saturday will be receiving the winning painting. Here's the raffled painting that went home with Annette and her daughter...

"Biking with Peace, Love, & Flowers"; Watercolor on 12" x 16" Paper.

FUN Stuff for Little Red Booth!

This week, I've been preparing for the booth that I'm going to have for Little Red which is this next weekend.  For months now, I've been trying to build up on the bicycle paintings that I've had available.  I've also done a few new FUN ideas with a bit of mass producing thanks to the help of some websites and added a few new items other than just original paintings. (Yes, perhaps it would be considered by some as a form of commercializing.)  But I figured on some of these items the original paintings have sold and it would still be fun to share those pieces with others.  (And thus, I'm doing a bit of commercializing.  Please forgive me!)  So with some of that in mind, and with enabling people to purchase some of my art on a variety of new forms these are a few things that I've come up with.
Note Cards...


"A Parked Pink Cruiser" available on a note card.
One among many other paintings that I will have available at the Little Red Booth.
Plus there's some that will be exclusively available just at Little Red!

Tote Bags...

Small Tote Bags-

"Abandoned Girlie Bike" available on a small tote bag. 
Small totes are also available that feature the "Cycle of Red, Yellow & Tyedyed" painting.

Larger Tote Bags-

"Cycle of Red, Yellow & Tyedyed" available in a larger black bottomed tote in my Little Red booth.

Bumper Stickers...

A FUN Bumper sticker featuring the "Cycle of Red, Yellow, & Tye-dyed" painting.

Key Chains...

"A Red Big BAD Wolf" available as a key chain.
I thought this fit right in because the Big BAD Wolf is one of the
popular mascots of the Little Red Riding Hood Ride.

AND
Magnets...

"Old Blue Bayou"- cropped a bit but available in my Little Red booth as a magnet.
Other varieties offered on magnets are "Abandoned Girlie Bike" and
"Shadow Cycling Chalk Creek".

Swing by the Little Red booth in Lewiston, UT

if you get the chance this Friday or Saturday!

The 4th Annual Bicycle Art Show...

You are invited to a Bike & Art Event...

On

Friday May 18th

from

6 - 9PM

(Photo- "Psychedelically Cranked"; Poured Watercolor on Paper.)

The

4th Annual

 Gallery Roll

Takes Place 
To celebrate National Bike Month, every May,

the Salt Lake Gallery Stroll brings you Gallery Roll.

We encourage everyone of all ages to ride your bikes from gallery to gallery and to enjoy the special Bike Art Exhibit hosted by

 located at 177 East 200 South in Downtown Salt Lake City.

Three of my artworks will be on exhibit and I'll be there to visit with too.

I invite you to come out and enjoy some art, bike talk,

and perhaps a little bike riding too!

Come Join in the FUN!

For more information on Gallery Roll and the 4th Annual Bike Art Show

Bikes, Bikes & More Bikes...

May is National Bike Month and with me starting to get into the full swing of cycling season; I seem to have biking on the brain.  (That might be a bit of an understatement!--Just a bit.)  I've got three pieces that will be in a bike art show on May 18th-- the Gallery Roll which takes place in a downtown Salt Lake City bike shop.  I'm also preparing for a bike art booth up at Little Red Riding Hood and I'm currently debating on which photo of my bike art to enter into a Sugar House Art Walk Bike Art Photo Contest.  Oh, my!

Between that and actually riding on my bike, I amaze myself that I still find the time to paint more bicycles.  So here's the last three, I've painted this week...

"Old Blue Bayou"; Watercolor on 9" x 12" Cold Pressed Paper.

"Petals on Pedals"; Watercolor on 10" x 10" Cold Pressed Paper.

I really tried a bit of a new direction on the last one here.  It's a teenage girl swinging her leg out, coasting along and showing off her vintage 60's outfit with her vintage striped bike with basket.  It's fun!  I can imagine this watercolor hanging up in a little girls bedroom.


"Fashionita on Wheels"; Watercolor on 11" x 10" Cold Pressed Paper.



Mother's Day Ideas...

Are you trying to find something new and unique for that Mom that may have everything? 

Of course, there's always the fall back giftcard to her favorite restaurant

but you kind of get tired of THAT!   

You want to give her something that she would like that's new and different.  

Here's a few ideas that I've recently added or created...

If she happens to be a cyclist,
she would LOVE these wonderful high quality t-shirt featuring bike art?

Abandoned Girlie Bike on a Pink Babydoll Fitted T-shirt... CUTE!
or

A Cycle of Red, Yellow & Tyedyed on a White T-shirt with Red Trim....FUN!

or

Allgood's Amish Triangle on a Wonderful Comfortable Long Sleeve Pink Tee...YUM!

Click on the above shirts or to visit the AllgoodArt Store on Zazzle, click here. 

There are also a couple of variety of key chains available too!

OR...

Auntie's Kiss... is now available on a notecards!

There's the chose of high quality notecards that feature my artwork on the front

at my RedBubble site...

Click Here to See

You can choose from Bike Art, Porch Art, or People Art

AND

IF you purchase 8 or more notecards there's a 20% discount!

(YES!  SORRY, I am shamelessly do self marketing and promoting and am hoping to raise some funds to cover my cost of RAGBRAI this summer.)

Working Girls

Sometime ago I took this picture of my favorite pair of high heels that I wear on a wooden chair in my living room.  I wear these shoes about 3 to 4 days a week at my REAL job which I refer to as a "glorified" secretary.  I thought that this photo might make a fun "Still Life" watercolor.  So I took the photo with me to my art class the other day and got a start on it.  I finished it up this last Sunday while it was raining outside; no bike riding that day!  Here's the result...

"Working Girls"; Watercolor on 9" x 12" - 140 lb. Cold Press Paper 

Here's the original photo that I worked from.  Would love to hear what you think!

Original Photo

Thanks for stopping by!

No. 100 & Recap of Art Show...

"No.100 of 100 Salt Lake City Porches"; Oil on 12" x 16" Canvas

Here it is #100, I call it the "Toast of the Project".  It's my cycling buds Bee and Peter on their porch in the late summer with their dog Astra.  I wanted to do something different and special for the last porch painting and they were open to letting me take some photos of them on their porch before we had dinner one night.  The sun was starting to go down and there was a wonderful twilight back light as well as the porch light.  They're sipping champaign and being very patient as I took about 20 pictures from different angles.  Thank you Bee and Peter!

AN ART SHOW RECAP

It ended up being a wonderful event with at least 75 people that came to enjoy the art, music, and food.  Here's some photos I took when I had time towards the end of the event...

During the show, I did a sign up sheet to "Vote for Your Favorite" porch painting and everyone that voted was entered into a drawing to win their choice of one of the unsold porch paintings.   The winner of the drawing is lucky  JoAnn Ekstrom.  In fact, she happened to purchase the favorite porch painting of the art show.  She's still trying to decided which painting she would like to own. 

Now for the results of the "Vote for Your Favorite" Porch Painting...
(drum roll please.....)
First Place was #87---

Oil on 8" x 10" Canvas

Second Place was #7---

Oil on 16" x 20" Canvas

AND
Third place was a tie between
 #57

Oil on 8" x 10 " Canvas

and #30

Oil on 12" x 12" Canvas

Fourth Place was #47--

Watercolor on 10" x 14" Paper

A BIG Thank You to all who attended the event,

AND to my wonderful friends Jay & Jerry

who played their wonderful music during the event.

THANK YOU!

Art Show- This Saturday!

This Saturday
please join
in a celebration
of the diversity of
Salt Lake City’s Porches!
 

I've spent the past year  locating 100 unique Salt Lake City porches.  I've used watercolor and oil painting to capture these porches.  No.100 of SLC porches painting  will debut at the art show. 


Come see how the 100 series ends!   
I call it the "Toast of the Project". 
Come this Saturday and see why!  

There will be free music, beverages & food to enjoy
as you browse through the  art. 
Additional art will be on sale too! 

20% of all sales proceeds will be donated to

Salt Lake City Habitat for Humanity.  

Here's the information to come join in the FUN!!
---

WHEN:

 Saturday  January 14, 2012

2—6 PM

WHERE:

 235 West 2950 South
Salt Lake City, UT

Located above the offices  of Gritton & Associates

From 2:30—4:30 PM

Come Enjoy Music By... 

Os Corvos 

 

 Os Corvos (Portuguese translation of “The Crows”)  is a diversely talented acoustic guitar duet of Jay Kirsch and Jerry Parsons.  They perform a wide variety of musical styles including Latin, Jazz, Brazilian MPB, New Age, Flamenco, Classical, and Contemporary.