A Bit of a Blue Direction...

This is a new direction for me. An experiment in blue with a bit of abstract. I call this " A Blue Abstract of the Moochie Bike Ride". It's based on some pictures taken from a Moochie's Restaurant bike club ride that took place earlier this year. It just felt done to me, and I thought it rather looked interesting. It's a bit of a change from how I usually paint, and I hope that you find it as interesting as I do.

This is done in oils on a canvas that measures 16" x 20".

I would love to hear some feedback on what you think...

St. Joe's Auction...Somewhat a Disappointment

I will admit that I was a little disappointed. I had hoped to have my painting sell for more than what it did but with the economy the way it is... I guess it didn't do too bad.

I was somewhat shocked when I arrived at the auction to find my painting leaning on the floor up against a wall. My friend, Jay,( who came along with me as support) quickly talked with someone in charge and had it moved to tabletop near by. There was no easel in sight and if I had known I would have brought one from home. Also, a couple more minor disappointments were that they did not have any of my blog cards (20 of them) or my artist's profile. Ann, who was on the ball printed up the artist profile, and I grabbed a few blog cards that I had with me. That issue was fixed but it made me feel rather uneasy about the whole auction.

Shortly after that I had a photo taken with the framed painting. The frame was very simple and I thought it fit in rather nicely with the painting. Dean, who was also from the St. Joe's congregation, did a wonderful job of taking former wood from inside the church and making a frame for the painting.

(Photos: Jay and myself enjoying beverages. The wonderfully decorated Parish Hall. )

There was a great deal of activity all around, and the parish hall was very nicely decorated. Jay and I visited the silent auction part with a wide variety of baskets to bid on. There were about 90 baskets in all. Jay made a bid on a couple of them while I kept on looking for a basket with some live theater tickets like I won on bid last year. Jay ended up winning a bid on a large basket of popcorn varieties. But I never did see any live theater tickets in any of the baskets. All the while I was walking around and looking at baskets, I had quite a few people say Hi and comment about how they very much liked the painting.

After the silent auction closed, then came the live auction action. There was a couple of different items that were up for auction before the painting. Both of those items went for well below what they were valued. It seemed that there was not any large bidders out there. Then my painting came up. My friend, and mechanic, Jim won the final bid. He's planning on donating back to the painting back to the church with wishes that it will be hung up in the foyer area of he new church. That idea made me very happy.

(Photo: Jim, who took the final bid on the painting with me.)

Live Auction-- Friday the 13th?

Hello All! I'm so excited and nervous at the same time. This painting is going to be on a LIVE auction block this Friday night at St. Joseph's. When I donated it, I had no idea that it would be considered for the Live auction. I will admit that I hoped but wasn't sure that it would be considered worthy of a Live auction. This will be my first piece that has ever been a Live auction situation. I plan to watch, and I hope it goes well.

The painting is now framed in some old wood that was taken from the old St. Joe's church. I haven't seen it myself since it's been framed but have been told that it looks wonderful! I really hope the painting does well at the auction to assist in raising funds for the new church. I hope that the 13th proves lucky again... It IS my lucky number after all. But I will keep you posted and will hopefully have pictures from the night.

Old St. Joe's Painting...

Well, I sometime DO manage to surprise myself. I started this painting on the evening of October 10th and finish it last night on the 14th. I don't think it turned out too bad and I welcome any comments about the finished product.

In the forefront is my version of the St. Joe's crucifix, and in the background, is the interior of St. Joe's church which will be torn down at the end of October/early November. The interior is based on some photos that I took from the upper balcony area at the rear of the church. I purposely left the details as to the time of year. I wanted more to focus on the base of the building, which much like the congregation is the base of the church. But yet there's enough details that you can recognize that you are in the soon to be old St. Joe's.

I played with the idea of what to do with the background behind the crucifix. I wanted to make it specific for the parish of St. Joe's. I had all kinds of ideas but as I was sitting down and going through some of the photos I had of the church. It just kind of clicked! What would be more specific than the interior of the church? Another benefit is that it would compliment the crucifix with all of the wood tones, and thus, it was like this painting fell together for me.

I decided to not put in a face. Part of the reason is because I found it hard to do the face-- both emotionally for me, and I was also concerned because I wanted to do it perfectly. Perfectly? How could I do it perfectly? I'm human, and this is the face of God's Son that I would be trying to paint. It didn't mesh for me. Also, the emotion that's in the face of the crucifix brought up emotions in me. It was just too hard.

I also kind of liked the vagueness of the face. I believe that Christ died for each and everyone of us; for our sins. With that in mind I see an endless sea of possibilities of faces for those sins that he died for. How can I just narrow it down to just one face? I'm not sure if that makes any sense to some of you.

There's also the fact that I'm doing it in my style and if you have seen in quite a few of my paintings that I purposely leave the faces blank or vague. I like doing this because I like for those that are viewing the paintings to put a little of their imagination into the viewing of the work. Maybe they see loved ones, neighbors, friends, or memories of themselves in their version of the paintings.

I do welcome any input or comments to this work. Now it needs to just dry and then needs to be framed. I'm currently hoping to find someone that has talents with framing or wood working that can assist with the framing of this piece. Please have them contact me. Thanks!

How Many Ways Can I Paint This??

So I've promised to donate a painting for my old church which they are getting ready to tear down. I told a friend in the Women's Group that I would try to do a painting of the old crucifix that's currently hanging in the church. They are having a fundraising dinner in November where they have a silent and live auction with a little entertainment thrown in. I thought it's going to be tough but it's worth a try and for a good cause(funds go towards the building of a new church). I've got tons of pictures that I took of the cross.

Now I find myself in a quandary....how do I paint this crucifix? I can't just do it as a straight across copy of a photo that's never been my style. I want to try to make it special for that church member that puts a bid on it. Make it special for the old church too. But I'm struggling with painting the human form. I've only been painting for about 5 years. It's going to be a challenge.

Then I think I can go on the Internet and get some ideas on how to paint this.... You see some of what I saw on sites above. WOW! It's rather overwhelming the different ways that the crucifix has been done, and well, now I'm really questioning about where and how to begin. I also am feeling more and more overwhelmed. I might have bitten off more than I can chew! But we'll see--- I might yet be able to pull it off, and I have surprised myself in the past.

Cycling Chalk Creek... A Painting

Here's the latest oil painting based on photos that were taken during a beautiful summer day spent cycling in Chalk Creek Canyon. Chalk Creek is a scenic dead-end boxed canyon that is not far from Coalville, UT. There's a creek that winds along the two lane paved road. The canyon has rolling hills with farms that grow hay and also quite a few have sheep, cows, and goats. This oil painting measures 12" X 14" and is painted on canvas board. I hope I managed to capture the sunny and beautiful day. Enjoy!

Arsenic & Old Lace...

This last Friday night I very much enjoyed a theater production at the Sugar Factory Playhouse... Arsenic and Old Lace. One of my favorites, and at SFP they did a fabulous job! I invite anyone that may be out in West Jordan, and loves to laugh to check it out. AND you can't beat the $6 for a live theater production. My friend Giselle is performing the role of Martha and she just amazed me with her talent. There seems to be quite a bit of talent in that theater--from costumes, to lighting, sound, and set design. I snapped a few shots with my camera as they were all taking their bows at the end of the show....

Painting Cold Scenes on Hot Days...

Well, here it is! After almost 4 weeks of being on my easel, it's finally finished. Painting a winter scene in August to try and stay a little cool. I thought would be a good idea, and so I started a winter scene thinking of cool thoughts while the temperatures outside climbed into the upper 90's. It kind of worked in theory, but at other times it was a challenge because I would have rather been out riding my bicycle. Some what crazy, I know but so very true of me. But it was interesting because the day that I finished it the temperature had drove to the mid-70's. I couldn't help but think that I might have influenced the weather? NAW!! Sheesh! Talk about an "EGO"! But one could hope to dream.

But here's the result of 4 weeks working sporadically on a painting. I call it " Making a Snowball at Temple Square". It's an oil done on canvasboard measuring 18" X 24". Enjoy!

Repairing Grant Wood...

Recently, my mom sent me an article from the hometown paper about repairs to a Grant Wood stained glass window. The stained glass was cracked during the Floods of 2008 in Eastern Iowa. The window has a huge rising angel of peace in the center who is welcoming all the veterans home. Along the bottom there are soldiers from the nation’s six major wars through to World War I. It’s an amazing piece that has left me standing mesmerized each time I beheld it as a child.

Most of you may know the artist Grant Wood for his famous piece American Gothic, or maybe a parody of this work which is one of the most popular parodied pieces outside of Mona Lisa, and Whistler’s Mother. The original painting of American Gothic done in 1930 now hangs permanently in the Art Institute of Chicago. I luckily grew up looking quite often on his works some of my favorites which you may not have seen or heard of. There’s the, Woman with Plants(pictured below), where Grant lovingly painted his mother with a snake plant. It’s a real favorite of mine.

Another favorite is his Young Corn(pictured below), where he rounds the hills and trees making them ever so friendly and simple. He helped create an all-American style of art. If you ever happen to be driving through the Stone City, Iowa area; you’ll see where he got the idea of rounding of hills and the trees. It looks like much of the scenery in that area, with patches of different colored fields depending on the crop. It brings back fond memories of weekend drives through the area. I also remember a Young Corn-like landscape being on cover of the Cedar Rapids phone book one year.


The towering stained glass window (pictured at top), measuring 21 feet wide by 25 feet tall, was commissioned by my hometown, Cedar Rapids Iowa, in 1927 for a mere $9000; a bargain at that time. Grant Wood was quoted two years later that it was “…at least a $12,000 window”. Now the bids to repair the 58 paneled window is anywhere from $111,000 to $170,000. The piece has an estimated $300,000 insurance policy, according to the newspaper article from the Cedar Rapids Gazette. It's amazing how art appreciates. I can only hope one day when I'm six feet under some of my work will be worth something. The stained glass window will be removed from the Veterans Memorial Building/City Hall for a year at least for the repairs.

Trying to get motivated...

With all of this rain we have been experiencing here in SLC, you would think that it would be a natural for me to pick up the paint brush. But it's kind of like I'm having "painter's block"?!? Is there such a thing? However, on the other hand, I don't seem to be having trouble with the "writer's block". So thus, below you will find a new poem that I wrote, and I think it's pretty obvious what frame of mind I was in. I apologize it still needs some work, but it's pretty darn close to being "there". Well anyway, I hope you enjoy and it'll probably be in this next year's "Collection Booklet" this Christmas.

Here it is.....

The Good Die Young

Only the good die young,

Or so the song spouts in verse,

And I think,

Does that mean I wasn't good?

Was I rejected?

Put on the BAD list?

And while on this trail of thought,

Does that mean really old people

Were clearly BAD?

Or is it, perhaps,

We are all bad?

Then get a chance,

To regress to innocence,

In our old age?

And given the choice,

Can I take a waiver?

Or a "chance" card?

And pass on the old age,

Go directly to dying BAD?

Because quite frankly,

This getting old Doesn't appeal.