Gallery Ground Rules

"Rose Parade"
Oil on Linen 10x8"

A recent experience has stimulated some serious pondering about the value of a good gallery. What this looks like is different for every artist, and of course galleries have their own thoughts on it.

After a wide range of experiences, and a few years clattering around the planet, I have gained clarity on what is essential for me when choosing to team up in a business partnership with a gallery. The best way I can think of to share this it to list the qualities that exist in the owner of a gallery that currently represents me. Without fail, she shows up in this way:

• She has integrity in all of our dealings.
• She's accessible and easy to talk with about art, and the business of art.
• She respects my opinions and finds value in them.
• She believes in my work.
• She's passionate about art and constantly broadening her exposure to what's out there.
• She 110% supports my quest to grow as an artist, and gives me the breathing room to make that a priority.
• She's curious about my other passions and believes they enhance my art.
• When a sale has been made, she lets me know that a check is on the way and a ballpark time I can expect it. WOW! When you live in world of inconsistent income, this is golden.

What I strive to offer in return are many of the same qualities, as well as honoring my commitments regarding shows, trusting that she's doing a great job whether work is selling or not (not calling her frequently to "see if anything has sold"), never undercutting, fostering great relationships with my collectors and focusing my energy on continually raising the quality of my work.

Your relationship with the person who sells you art deserves the same respect and attention as the other valuable relationships in your life. In many cases your galleries are your future collector's first connection with your work, the impression they make will have lasting effects. Choose wisely, and do your best to honor the partnership and your artistic journey with equal care.

Dissecting how we see

"Rose Study"
Original Oil 6x6"

Hey, I just watched a great TED talk on how we perceive things visually. Beau Lotto, founder of Lottolab, a hybrid art studio and science lab, uses optical illusions to demonstrate the way we are wired to see things.

Pretty fascinating stuff, especially interesting to contemplate for artists.

Check it out here:

Carol Marine's new challenge

"Lottsa Tulips"
original oils (4 - 4x3" panels)

If you haven't heard about it yet, Carol Marine has started up a new online challenge. Not sure exactly what the deal-io is, but it looks like she's mixing it up each time. This one was the "10 minute challenge". Paint the same thing 8 times, max. 10 minutes a painting.

So to be right up front, a couple of times I totally forgot to start the timer (really), and a couple of others I just let it beep away while I kept on a paintin'. I did not, however, spend more than 15 minutes on any of them. Can't get much done in that time, really had to wrastle with my 'need to complete'. I was a bit cranky, but definitely got looser each one. By #6 (bottom panel, bottom left) my poor tulip had completely wilted under the heat of the lights and I needed to recharge for the last two (right side of the bottom panel).

Super good learning. Follow the link and give it a go!

50 Flowers in 100 Hours

"Menagerie"
Original oil - 6x6"

This is the first painting of my new project: "50 Flowers in 100 Hours". Yup, that's 50 flower paintings in 100 hours. (To be clear, that's 100 painting hours, not 100 calendar hours.)

The goal is that they will all be painted from life, and no more than 2 hours a painting. So far I'm 3 paintings in and averaging 3.5 hours each, so failing miserably. Being WAY too finicky, haven't painted from life for a while and it's showing. In addition, it's a stretch for me to tackle flowers, not something I am typically drawn to paint, and definitely an area where I will need to build some skill. My words to live by: "Simplify, simplify, simplify."

In keeping with the theme of past blog projects, each painting will be offered for sale by auction on ebay well below market value for a 7 day period, after which it will be available on my website at full market value.

Anyone care to join me?? :) Double dog dare ya....

Richeson 75: Small Works 2011 Finalist

"Repose"
Original Oil 6x6"

You might remember this painting from a recent post. It's a demo from a Vancouver workshop I taught this October. The exercise was to apply paint as thickly as possible right from the first stroke and it was really fun to paint.

I'm pleased to announce it was just juried as a finalist in the Richeson 75: Small Works Competition, and will be hanging in a show at the Richeson School of Art (Kimberly,WI) from Feb.7th to March 25th, 2011.

More news: I have cooked up my newest painting challenge, and will be jumping in this week. Watch for the first painting of the project next post...

Merging Time

"Dusk"
Oil on linen 24x36"
for purchase info click here

This larger studio piece was inspired by a combination of two paintings from the 100 in 100 project, #97 and #100 (see below). I loved the overall mood of #97, but I wanted the feeling of a little more light in the sky, closer to dusk than nightfall, which I was captivated with when I painted #100.

It was fun to combine both elements, and I also added a more definite mountain range. Interestingly, a couple of folks remarked when seeing this piece at my show that you wouldn't actually be able to see the mountains from that vantage on Sarcee trail, you would need to drive about a kilometer further and be pointed a little more west. Which is exactly what happens each time I drive out of Calgary, and it crystallized for me one of the greatest joys of painting. One moment following another can be combined into one painting to express the full experience of moving through time.

Love that!

#97 - "12:01"
Oil on linen - 6x8"

#100 - "And to All a Goodnight"
Oil on linen - 6x8"

A new year of adventure!

"Mountain Patterns"
Original oil - 6x6"

This is a little 6x6 I did from a photo last year, quick and fun, I loved the rhythmic patterns and simple, abstract shapes.

I have to say it was great to finish painting for a show right at the end of the year. Now it feels perfect to launch into the new year tackling some fresh subject matter and continuing to keep that bar moving higher.

There are 3 tough competitions coming up in the next month and a half that I will be painting for. Here are the links if you want to take a crack at them as well:

• Scottsdale Salon of Fine Art (1st annual) (Deadline Jan.15th)
• Greenhouse Gallery's Salon International (Deadline Jan.21st)
• Oil Painters of America National Show (Deadline Feb.18th)

I'm rooting through my resource material looking for the most exciting, challenging subjects I can find. This is what gets me jazzed to get into the studio, it's so fun to step waaaay out of the comfort zone and watch what happens...

Merry Christmas!

"Starry Night"
Watercolour 14x21"

I want to thank you all for the tremendous support and encouragement you have sent my way in this past year. Having an online journal and so many great people who are interested enough to follow it has been such a wonderful addition to this artistic journey.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with wonderful moments under star filled skies!

It's Show time!

"Alberta Sky"
Oil on Linen - 18x24"
(for purchase info click here)

Finally, the paintings are painted, photographed, varnished, framed, delivered and hung. Yay! This is always my favourite time - the "I can stop going at a million miles an hour" time.

My show of 20 new works + 20 of my 100 in 100 paintings will be on display at the Avens Gallery in Canmore until January 1st, 2011. The show opens tomorrow and I will be there from 1-4pm. I would LOVE to see you there if you can make it!

PS: The above painting was done from field study #70 in my 100 in 100.

"Rain Approaching"
Oil on Linen 6x8"
(not for sale)

Workshop demo

"Onion and Garlic"
Original Oil - 6x6"
Click here to bid (begins December 4th @ 7pm MST)

Quick post tonight - crunch time for my upcoming show, so that's where my focus is at the moment.

This is a demo from a workshop I taught last month, another variation of choosing like colored objects and background as a way to visually achieve lost edges.

As I was setting up the demo, one of the guys in my class (you know who you are Dave :), asked "What are those little white things?" Needless to say, surrounded by 6 women,  the stage was set for his downfall....

Commercial work vs. growth work

"Red Delicious"
Original Oil - 6x8"
Click here to bid

A common dilemma among professional artists is the need to produce commercial output and the desire to focus on growth as an artist. It seems that one almost always comes at the expense of the other when trying to merge them.

After several years of straddling the fence between the two, I have found what works best for me is to keep them entirely segregated. When I'm painting for a show, I focus on painting at my current skill level - no double gainers, cliff diving, or juggling balls of fire allowed. Taking chances mid-painting when I have a deadline adds unneeded pressure. I cut myself a lot of slack and don't do much second guessing. If the work is competent, it gets signed, and I get on with the next one.

On the other hand, when I am working from a model or doing still life, or any other kind of work where challenge and skill building are the key motivators, my bar goes way up, and I don't let myself off the hook for anything. The goal is to rise to the challenge or die trying, no excuses, no cop-outs, no fear. Failure is welcome here. That said, whining is frequent and ongoing.

In keeping the two camps separate, I find I can give myself fully to each one without conflict,  making me a happy painter and allowing me to perform to the best of my ability whichever roll I'm in.

RayMar Art Painting Competition Finalist

"Lake O'Hara" (study)
Oil on linen - 8x10"
not for sale


This painting was just selected as a finalist in October's Raymar Art painting competition. I was a bit surprised as it looks sub-optimal on their website (seriously), but I have always loved this little field study, so I'm really happy it was chosen.

The most magical part of it was that little strip of torquoise, which wasn't initially painted in. I had just finished and was standing chatting with Sarah Kidner, my painting companion that day, when I looked up and saw the wind kissing the water at the far end of the lake, stirring up a little piece of color heaven. I quickly mixed it and laid it down in one stroke, and shazam! -  totally pulled the painting together. Awesome!

Thanks so much to this month's judge Scott Jones, general manager of the Legacy Gallery. Their website is well worth a look - they represent some really fabulous artists.

Upcoming Show

"Silver Basin"
Oil on Linen 8x10"

This is of one of the paintings I completed while heli-painting in the Bugaboos this September. I am currently painting a body of larger works inspired by my 100 in 100 project (and other plein air adventures) for a show at The Avens Gallery in Canmore, AB.

The show opens Saturday, December 18th, with me :) in attendance form 1-4pm. I would really love to see you there if you can make it!

Black and White show

"Snowy Egret"
Original oil - 8x10"
For purchase info click here

One of my galleries, The Artym Gallery in Invermere, BC recently asked their artists to create a painting using only black, white and one colour. The show opens on November 12th, and I'm sure it will include quite an interesting variety of approaches to the challenge.

My posting will be a little less frequent for the next month as I am painting for an upcoming solo show in mid-December. More on that next post, in the meantime, paint on friends!

Daily Painting Phenomenon

"Bottles on Blue"
Original Oil 6x6"
Click here to bid

I did this little guy a while ago, lots of fun working with glass!

Not sure if you've read Robert Genn's recent post about Daily Painting, if not you might find it of interest. Check it out here.  As you might imagine, I had a few things to say about it. You can see my comments, as well as a lot of other interesting ones, over on his site.