People we know

Exciting presentation today.  I took the painting of the gentleman I met at the Crystal Bridges overlook to my demonstration today and a friend of mine recognized him.  I was thrilled.  I have always wanted him to see it so he would know I wasn't just some kook who wanted his photo.  As I told him at the time, he has an amazing face.  He was a pleasure and joy to paint.  His painting hangs in my home.  If he comes to this website, I hope he thinks it is a good representation. 

Well I have finished the painting of the unveiling of the Russell's sign in downtown Rogers.  I'm really pleased with the results.  It has an abstract quality that was very enjoyable to paint.  I have named it "Out with the New". 

I've been working on the painting of the fisherman and although the first try was okay, it just needed a more analogous color scheme.  So I am using the first painting for a demonstration on painting watercolors. 

I did get two paintings in the Artists of Northwest Arkansas 17th Regional Exhibit.  It will be at the Arkansas Center of the Ozarks starting August 5th I believe.  Two of my favorite paintings were juried in.    The first is self explanatory it depicts some of the workers at the museum.  Good story, they were working on the concrete down in the center in what appears to be a small round circle with steps down into it.  Of course at the time it was just dirt.  Some of this crew wore green....excuse me, neon green shirts that said "Northwest Excavation a division of Nabholz" and the others wore bright orange shirts that had Nabholz written over the pocket.  They were aware I was taking photographs and at one time they had done something all together like raising their arms or something.  Unfortunately, I had looked away with my zoom lens at that moment and only saw their arms almost down in unison when I returned.  Of course, they couldn't tell from that distance that I had looked somewhere else at that moment.  They seemed to be waiting for a response, but I completely missed it.  So, the gentleman on the end gave me the "Geller salute".  A time warp back to the show "Friends".  The character Ross shows how he used this gesture as a child so he wouldn't get in trouble - Monica knew what it meant though.  Funny.  I could really sense that they were waiting for a reaction, and his gesture broke the tension for them.  Anyway, that is why this person is painted backwards - although it is better artistically.  What can I say...Karma.  Plus, he is actually the only person who has a story and personal connection in this painting.  Pretty amazing at that distance.  As an observer - priceless. 

The other painting is an abstract.  What I would call a tight abstract.  I like painting moments in time.  I went down to the sight last weekend and this area has changed a lot.  Funny though...a different ladder was there.   It seems where there are ladders, that is where you will find me.  It is a visible sign of change and events unfolding.