Sharks and a Ray

The Morea Lagoon pastel is coming along. I am at that stage where I kinda hope I’m finished. But! That’s when taking the piece to critique is a very good idea. I know that large black blob in the lower center is a ray. And that’s what the photo I’m working from shows. But unless you were there with me when I took the picture, you may not know. So, my next challenge: Use my artistic license to make the ray look like what viewers connect with like they are able to connect with how the sharks are portrayed.

Don’t miss what’s under your feet!

Raiatea, December 2008.

A Pastel Painting in Progress

Still a long way to go!

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Such Friendly Gentle Creatures

Last December I had the opportunity to swim with the rays. I hade been brought up to think of these as monstrous creatures. The rays were very friendly, and gracefully swam all around us. Why do we as a society want to find terror when none is there?

Seascapes on the way

One of the real benefits of working in several media, I think, is when you have an image that does not work well in one media, you can use it as a reference for another. This photo I took last month in the lagoon off of Morea. It’s a pretty cruddy photograph. High speed film (my new digital camera had already flooded) in a cheep disposable camera. But I like the colors and I like the composition. I think it’ll make a nice pastel. I better get painting!

The Undersea World of Steve part 1

This is a slide show from a snorkeling trip with my wife Debbie last month. Yes, I am playing with technology!

Can I dance my way into the AANC National Show?

It’s that time of the year again. Got to fill out those juried show applications. One of the biggest and best such shows in my area is the Artist’s Association of Northern Colorado National Show. And, It’s a hard show to get it, I usually only get in once every three years. This year’s juror does like realism. But I don’t like to paint realism. Heck, if I want a photo, I’ll do a photo!! So I hope this lady can dance her way into the show, along with River of January, and another random selection.

My 2009 Mask for MOCA

Where Were You in ’72?

I recently found an old photo of mine that spurred memories of 1972. That year I was playing around with high contrast photography, attending film festivals at the Lory Student Center, and studying a lot. My mask this year is a remembrance of one of those photographs. I bet this scene looks different now, 37 years later. I hope to remember to check it out the next time I’m on campus.

River of January

It’s cold, we’re in shadow, and the sun will be going down all to soon. Why am I walking along this river? Well, here it is December, and we got to look forward to winter, don’t you know. Winter is beautiful, as long as we have some snow. I’ve always been fascinated with the big old cracks of running water in an icy river. And, mid winter is a time to enjoy those long shadows.

I’m already from the multi-brown shades of the Front Range of the late fall. Let’s have a lot of snow, and a warm spring!

This painting is oil on canvas, and is 14” by 18” without the frame.

Sponges I

I've Been Driven to Abstraction!!

Out of the Past

This image is several years old, but I am bringing it back as my first poster. The original image is of an old drill press that was outside on display near a restaurant in Fairbanks. Alaska. I was messing with the image, trying out some new digital masking techniques, and not getting where I was intending. But, that’s okay, because something serendipitous happened. I like the mistake much better than where ever I was going with the image, and I don’t even remember where that was!

This poster will go on sale Saturday November 22nd, at the Poudre River Artists’ Warm For Winter sale at the Poudre River Arts Center. Other times and places will be announced as available.

Running into the Light

This painting was from a photo I took in Canyon de Chelly National Monument during a photo workshop a couple of years ago. I took the shot with my long lens through a car window going over numerous ruts and bumps. Needless to say, the photograph was not of exhibition quality. But when in doubt, I de believe it is best to shoot. Usually you can get some great results. But if not, why not paint it?

Another Trick Pony

This is a pastel of my old friend Cowboy Tom’s favorite horse. I got to cowboy with Tom and his buddy Harold for a couple of days way back when. I do think the horses enjoy their job moving stock more than the cowboys do. This was an amazing horse, well trained, and he and Tom were a team. But just like Tom, he had a temper that could show up at the worst time.

Grandview #1

Cemeteries can be most interesting. Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins is no exception. When it was established, the are had a ‘grand view’ of the mountains, but no more. The city has long since grown up around it. Many of the town fathers are buried here. And, most importantly, the town mother, “Auntie” Stone is memorialized here.

Somehow, I think the drama of b&w infrared photography adds something to cemetery photos. This may be the start of a project!

Shows Coming Up

Shows coming up

This painting, Feed Store, I plan to submit to AANC’s Capture the County show which opens October 3 and has been previously posted on this blog. It still needs to be framed. . .and I need to both print and frame some photos for PRAA’s Midnight, Mystery & Mayhem show, also opening on the Third. Nice to be thinking obout the shows and getting my art out-the-door. But it is expensive. There are entry fees, framing costs, and transportation to think about.

But, at least I have whine!

To bad this painting isn’t in Larimer County:

One from the archives

It’s cold and damp outside. Our first (of hopefully very few) damp cold mornings, as fall is coming. I needed a flower for this morning’s blog. This is one from the archives. It’ll need some sharpening before printing.

Time to print

I think I take to many photos. It’s taken a year to get last summer’s photos ready to print. There all these new data management issues resulting from gigabits of data, extra exposures for panoramas, HDRs, and good ol’ BLH (bracket like hell).

Well, printing that is, after I get the framing dine for Unbridled Beauty, which I mentioned in my last entry. And, framing takes me a lot of time. I think 90% of the time spent is brooding about it. Can’t make a mistake framing, it’ll show for ever.

Anyway, once I start printing, I’ll be working on two projects: The Wood, and Great Western Panoramas. This photo, a panorama, is of the woods in Yosemite National Park.

Horse Art

The Unbridled Beauty show will be coming to the Poudre River Art Center next month, opening September 5. I am working on my pieces for the show. Once I get this photo printed (hopefully today), I’ll be down to getting my 3 entries framed.

Work, work, work! Well, framing is work. But, I best not get on a diatribe about the problems of plexiglass today!

Morning at the Feed Store

I guess I chose this painting to show today because I normally get up with the sun—and today I didn’t. Morning is the best part of the day.