New Works at Helikon for Hometown Heroes!

Informal Chat. 

Mixed media (watercolor, India ink, acrylic inks, UV protectant varnish) on watercolor paper mounted on birch.

This 8" x 10" painting is one of five pieces that I'll have in the exhibition, Hometown Heroes at Helikon Gallery  

The opening is this Saturday, July 28th from 6-10 pm!

Informal Chat was inspired by all of the magical faery-folk in tales and legends. I've always loved little guys, lanterns, owls, and the natural world, so this piece was a blast to create :]

Here are three more of the ready-to-hang works available at the show or through Helikon's site. These are wood cut-outs (mixed media works on watercolor paper mounted to hardboard). I used watercolor, India ink, acrylic inks, and acrylic gouache. The finished works are then cut out on a scroll saw and coated with UV protectant varnish.

Two of these cut-outs (the rooster and mouse; approx. 9" x 15") were inspired by folk tales, while the froggy-fellow (approx. 5" x 10") was inspired by the footman in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Hope you'll join me and all the other dynamic Colorado artists for Hometown Heroes--plus amazing new figurative works by Ryan Morse Underneath in the Annex Gallery!

If you can't attend, or would like more information, just click on this link:

Hometown Heroes

And all works (and more!) are available online through

Shop Helikon Gallery

Please support artists and the arts--it's more important than ever.

As always--Thank you!

Preliminary Sketches

I'm working away at a bunch of paintings for an upcoming solo show at Helikon Gallery.

One of my favorite ways to relax away from the studio is adding pen-work to my preliminary sketches for those paintings.

 The original prelims are most often loose, red-pencil drawings on toned paper. I do a bunch, and they simply help me in thinking out compositions.

But when hanging out at home, I like to sit on the couch, pull out one of the preliminary sketches, and then apply outline and value using a brush pen, white highlights, and pen and ink. It's meditative (like fishing!) and a great way to unwind from a day at the studio.

 You'll be able to check out all the prelims and finished art this coming June at the show, and I hope you'll join me!

 

And thanks for checking out my blog :)

Crimson and Cobalt at Sally Centigrade!

This pretty much sums it up; there's a cool group show happening at Sally Centigrade in Denver, and this Thursday, October 20th is the opening and artist's reception!

The Boy Who Took the Moon for Himself (detail crop). 

Acrylic on wood panel.

I'm happy to be a part of this great crew of artists for Crimson and Cobalt:

Andre Lippard, Axe Haka, Christopher Stewart, Erin Andrews, Grace Lang, Jess Brick, Johnny Acurso, John Van Horn, Justin Ankenbaeur, Ryan Morse, Tom Bond, Rabies Babies, Tom Sarmo, Victor Escobedo, Vinni Alfonso, Wizard Bong

If you are in Denver, or here for a visit, I hope you can come by and check out this unique show at a gallery I love!

Click on the links below for more info:

Crimson and Cobalt Event Page

and their site:

Sally Centigrade Gallery

Thanks for reading!