Seasonal Greeting Cards

I've created a new  greeting card gallery on Fine Art America. Each image has been designed and sized for the 5x7" format. Here's a few examples:

Earth Mother Redo

Some new ideas for this one...

Two Boats

'Two Boats', acrylic on panel, 12x16", shows a view of boats at Hope Marina next to the floating restaurant. North shore of Lake Pend Oreille, Ellisport Bay, in North Idaho. On the distant mountain is seen Schweitzer Ski Resort.

I'm honored to have been included in the North Light Book of Acrylic Painting way back in 1995...images, writing and demos.

Earth Mother

Surreal, fantasy...not sure what it means. Tried her as a princess and a saint, they didn't seem right. At the end I put the grass and the stars in and she became Earth Mother. I used Paintshop Pro. This is based on a wonderful photo by Marcus J. Ranum at Deviantart.com, mjranum-stock. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Photography

An effort is being made to improve my photo taking ability. There are some similarities to painting, but it requires a different mindset. Here's a recent photo...

Smooth Sailing - Reposted

The image was delete by mistake.

Smooth Sailing

12x16", acrylic on canvas. Mostly painting knife, but not all. $1100.

Woods at Work

This started as a 9x6" China Marker and pen on paper. Scanned and finished in the computer. Tiger Woods.

Maiden

~6x9", began as China Marker and pen on paper, scanned and finished in computer.

International Biennial of Contemporary Art

Universidad Autónoma Chapingo

"It´s a pleasure for me to invite you to participate in the First International Biennial of Contemporary Art of Chapingo 08, "Art with Roots in the Earth" which will be celebrated in the Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Texcoco, Estado de México, from 7 to 19 November 2008." So begins an email recieved today from Juan Jorge Diaz Rivera, the General Coordinator for the Biennial. "The Organization Commitee has decided that is not necessary for you to go through the selection process in order to be accepted, given your professional experience."

Thank you Senior Rivera. I'm honored to be invited and will give it serious consideration.



Texcoco, Mexico

Another Version

Discovered there is an exposure adjustments on my new scanner that make a big difference. Converted to sepia tone and added a few highlights.

Grete with a background

Had this idea a moment ago and did it on the computer.

Sailing - Yellow

12x16", acrylic on canvas. Started this one yesterday. Sky and water were blues, the mountain was a dark grayish. A quick way to unify a painting is to glaze the entire thing. In this case I tried yellow mixed with a fair amount of matte medium and water to make it transparent. Gives it a warm, sunny cast. With acrylics you hardly need to give your procedures a second thought since almost anything will turn out alright in a technical sense. Each layer bonds with the one below it to become all one sheet of plastic. Oils you have to know what you're doing.

This is the second stage. Next I'll paint on it to correct the drawing and values and maybe glaze it red, but don't hold me to that.

See the new picture of Scarlett below...

Scarlett again - Edited 3/10

~6x6", pencil on paper. No computer retouch this time.

Hoping for a better image I used the Nikon instead of the scanner with this result:

Head Study

6x9", China marker and pen, finished on the computer.
Scarlett Johanson as she appeared in 'Girl with the Pear Earring'.

Lure (of the ocean)

The sun was out yesterday and I was able to get a better photo of this: 24x36", acrylic on canvas.

What is it about the ocean? Endlessly facinating for many and mysterious. It covers 71 per cent of the planet and is essential for life. But nobody knows where it came from! The theory is the earth formed hot and dry. Then way a long time ago, billions of years, this water showed up. One theory has millions of comets bringing it here. Another notes that meteorites have 5% water locked up inside. They don't really know. Another interesting fact: That granite she is standing on is much lighter than basalt the difference being on the order of that between air and water. That's why the granite crust floats on top.

Wading Storks - final

12x16", acrylic on canvas. This was posted last month. It looked ok in good light and on the computer. In regular light it didn't come across. A final touch to hopefully bring it to life.

MOUNTAIN STREAM GICLEE!!!

The new full size 48x36" print of my acrylic painting from last year, Mountain Stream, came back from the framer just yesterday and it looks terrific! Jim will have it for sale at Timber Stand: $950. The original was priced at $6500. That's Dalas Klein, also an artist, holding it up.

This is the original painting:

CM RUSSELL SHOW - CONSIGNED PAINTINGS

These were left with Jim today to take to the show next week.

1. Budweiser Dog 24x24" Acrylic/Canvas
2. Red Robe 16x16" "
3. Young Rider 14x11" Acrylic/panel
4. Young Dancer 9x12" Acrylic/Canvas

First time he's tried this and we all have high hopes. Many thousands pass throgh every year.

CM RUSSELL SHOW - BONNET

We dropped off paintings at Timber Stand Gallery in Sandpoint, ID this morning. Jim Quinn had a growing collection of art to take to his room at the CM Russell Show which starts next Wednesday. This bonnet and pipe will be there. Don't know who made it or how old it is, or if they are eagle feathers.