CalArts - Chouinard Logo

Terminal weekend I made the trip down from the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where I currently live, to Los Angeles, where I was born and raised, for the CalArts/Chouinard Fine art Institute alumni reunion. I don't oftentimes get in to these get-togethers, but they were giving special awards to my good friend, artist, Dennis Lewis, and posthumously to my illustration lab professor, Harold Kramer, so it was a must attend.

Only 4 of my actual classmates were there, the group ranged from geriatrics to students currently attention CalArts. I was sitting adjacent to an architect, a graduate from a class many years before my own. I unexpectedly ran into, Tony, the son of artist (a Chouinard graduate) whom I'd worked with for 12 years, when I was directing animation for Kurtz & Friends. Tony and my own son used to hang out together at all the Kurtz & Friends events that included family, which were nearly of them.

The reunion presentations were fine, my friend, Dennis', acceptance speech being the highlight of the plan. Dennis is a corking natural storyteller and can't aid but fissure the room upwards with his cast of a thousand in character portrayals of pupil interactions, from his many years of teaching and his rendition of how he met his beautiful married woman. But there was a rich reward, above the joy of watching my shut friend of 50 years receive the recognition he deserved and that was introductions to and conversations with the alumni, most of whom I'd never met earlier.

Art noesis is timeless, so when yous converse with an artist that'south 90 years old or 1 that'southward 19 years old, you share common interests and speak a common language. Historic period or generational differences melt abroad every bit you discuss Richard Diebenkorn and the influence Matisse had on his piece of work (a current showroom at SFMOMA) or the Calder retrospective at LACMA last year or the student from this class or that who's recently gained international recognition. In the company of artists you share like interests far beyond those bound to generation and go part of a living, breathing organism with a focused passion for fine art.

Pick up a paintbrush, chisel or other artistic tool and y'all're rubbing shoulders with Leonardo, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Picasso, Hockney and all artists past and present. Welcome to the fraternity of artists, take total advantage of your membership!

Yosemite Falls from Sentinel Swinging Bridge Image
"Yosemite Falls from Sentinel Swinging Span," xxx″ ten 40," oil on canvas, framed, $iv,250.

I just finished an brainchild of the view of Yosemite Falls from the Sentinel Swinging Span. I work with abstractions equally often as I practice with representational pieces (actually more), but this one was more challenging.

My abstract forms are usually adult through multiple viewpoint perspective (MVP). For those unfamiliar with MVP, it'southward an approach where the artist considers their subject matter from, not just a single point of view, but, instead, from all sides, creating images that represent multiple perspectives of the subject field at the same time in a unmarried epitome. The arroyo was pioneered past Picasso and Braque through their explorations with cubism.

Anyway, MVP depends on the viewer's knowing what the subject matter looks like in its original country, before it's abstracted, in society to exist able to appreciate how it's been abstracted. In a scene like this one, completely comprised of natural organic elements, representing elements from all sides can go unrecognized, then I had to depend on other systems of abstraction. I leaned heavily on geometric, organic and reductive abstraction here to make it at my final solution. These methods of abstraction are by and large called upon, to some degree, in all my abstractions, but this subject required me to rely on them exclusively.

Beingness forced to work without MVP took me out of my condolement zone, making me more than insecure, a good matter for an artist. An indication that y'all're exploring new personal territory and not relying solely on solutions that have been successful for you in the past. I highly recommend it.

Information technology was a busy week setting up my solo show, A Pair of Trowzers, at the new Gallery five, in Oakhurst, CA. Many of my pieces are large and take to been transported from my studio to the gallery a couple at a fourth dimension strapped to a contractors rack installed on my pick-upwardly truck. I had to resign myself, early on, that not much new painting would be accomplished that week, as all waking hours would be needed to mount the showroom. I'1000 pretty spoiled in that area, property myself to at least four hours of dedicated painting time a solar day (from 4pm — 8pm). If other crisis prevent me from getting into the studio earlier in the day, I always at least have those four hours to agree onto. Not this week! Hey, getting a solo gig is e'er an accomplishment, and so you've got to "gyre wid information technology!"

Nosotros were successful in getting all artwork transported to the gallery before the rains hit that week, so, nosotros had that going for us! Don't know how many of y'all have been involved in the nuts and bolts of mounting a show, but at that place'south usually several days of moving the pieces effectually, leaning them confronting the walls to encounter how they piece of work in the space and confronting each other. Well, I tried something new this time. When I discovered the gallery owner/curator, Jon Bock, had a floor plan available to me, I decided to build a quick a dirty 3D model of the infinite using Google Sketch Up and endeavor a virtual organization of the showroom. I feel having washed so saved me a day or two in actually putting things together in the gallery. I only transported pieces I new I was going to apply and I had plan for how it all fit together. I was CCO with several calculator game companies from 1989 – 2011, and then I've had a lot of exposure to 3D modeling and animation software. I wouldn't recommend the uninitiated from sitting down and learning a 3D app but to achieve this, simply since the skills were in my toolbox, information technology was a no-brainer for me. If yous're in the area, I hope y'all'll finish by and view the show.

Hither are the particulars:
A Pair of Trowzers
Feb xviii – March 26, 2017
11am-5pm Daily
Gallery 5
40982 Highway 41
Oakhurst, CA 93644
559 683-5551
Creative person'southward Reception, Saturday, March 18, 2017, 6pm-8pm

I'm back in the studio painting again at present, my natural habitat.

Dead Tree & Shed Image
In progress demo past Trowzers Akimbo

Tomorrow night, Wednesday, March 1st, will be the second night of 4 in my Painting Workshop at the Artists' Loft, in North Fork, CA. If you missed last weeks get-go grade, but wanted to be part of this workshop, don't worry, you tin can start with this weeks installment and we'll catch you lot upwardly. Last week I walked the group through my personal iii stage indirect painting arroyo, with a demo, and got everyone started on their own paintings. This week will kickoff the one on one discussions, providing attendees with answers and help on the specific issues they're facing with their own private pieces. The workshop is open to all feel levels and oil, acrylic, watercolor and soft pastel mediums are all welcome. The toll is $35 per student per calendar week, with sessions starting at 6pm and standing to 8pm (our end fourth dimension is soft, every bit nosotros stick effectually until all questions are answered).

The Artists' Loft
6pm – 8pm
Wednesdays, Feb 22 – Mar xv, 2017
32870 Road 222
North Fork, CA 93643

As promotion for my upcoming solo showroom, A Pair of Trowzers, Gallery v owner and print maker, Jon Bock and I traveled downwardly into the San Joaquin Valley for an interview at KFCF 88.ane FM radio. The Sierra foothills are gorgeous this time of yr, green grasses more reminiscent of Republic of ireland than California. Our heavily snow-capped Sierras dominated the northern horizon. It was a perfect twenty-four hour period to travel.

KFCF's Complimentary Speech Radio domicile is a pocket-sized converted l's residential residence just off the Tower District'south main elevate, in Fresno, CA. Stepping through the front door, I suspected this would be an singular Fresno experience. Warm greetings from the local radio personalities set us at ease. Jon is an old friend of the establishment, but this was my first visit.

Early at KCFC PhotoWe were a bit early and the host of our segment on Art Attack, Janet Alexander Flores, had not yet arrived. A little fourth dimension to chill with a cool bottle of water.

Janet arrived, introductions, a quick catch up on personal events with Jon (Jon and Janet have go old friends), sound checks and we were off. The one-half hour was less interview and more than a 3-way conversation on fine art between friends, as we reviewed our backgrounds for the listening audition, so touched on my upcoming prove, the opening of Jon'due south new Gallery five, Yosemite Renaissance, Sierra Art Trails open up studio weekend, Yosemite Western Artist'due south upcoming Tri-Canton evidence and concerns about probable changes to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and how that would effect arts funding.

Headsets and microphones aside, the chat continued, off-air, for another 60 minutes.

I've stumbled on an haven of like-minded intelligent souls in an increasingly intolerant world. Thank y'all KFCF for a very pleasant, reaffirming afternoon.