A Redo

I painted this earlier as a very small painting. I always wanted to do a larger and more detailed version of it. I lost the original drawing, so I redid the drawing for this piece. I've been on a Color Pencil trip lately so now I'm breaking out the pant once again. It's a lot easier and cheaper to frame.

Garden of Rocks

Took me a while to get a decent photo, but here it is. I've titled it Garden of Rocks. It's a small Color Pencil piece. I think I'm getting ready to dive back into paint. I guess I had to get a little Color Pencil out of my system.

Smokey Mountian Stream

I took a photograph of the finished version of the work below, but the picture didn't look so I will try again tomorrow, and post a throw back picture tonight.  did this Color Pencil work of Malissa about two years ago and it was bought by someone who is now a friend. This was one of those pieces that seemed finished as soon as I started it, like it was meant to be. It's funny how somethings almost create themselves. 

New work

I switched at the last minute. Instead of working on the picture of Malissa, I worked on a picture of Brianna surrounded by rocks. I did it because I've done some of the Malissa by the steam pictures lately, but I haven't done many of nothing but rocks. I just thought i'd do something a little different for now. Also, I think I will make this a night time piece. It just seems to want to go in that direction. This is by the way, another Color Pencil piece. Not done yet, but getting close.

James Robert Foose

James Foose was my Painting teacher at UK. We disagreed on a lot, but I did think he was a great Painter. As a person, as a friend, we got along great, but in terms of art is where we would disagree. To put it this way, I believe you should really enjoy painting what ever you want, regardless if someone thinks it's Art or not. Nobody can take away you pencils and brushes. Some people have spent so much time thinking about what Art is, they have created all these rules on who can paint this, or can't paint that, or how they should do it. And are they doing it for the right reasons. I would borrow a phrase from Jeff Garlin and say "that's a big bowl of Bull sh&#@T"! When I first stared drawing as a 4 year old, I did it to see images I'd like to see. IN art school I was hammed from every direction that Art must say something meaningful, must say something about the Social-Political environment. Blah, blah, blah. That's why if I'm thinking, I always refer to myself as a Painter, not an Artist. Artist slips out because I'm so used to hearing that word when talking about Painting. What Politcal meaning did Jackson Pollack express when leaving cigarette butts on his Paintings? Anyway, Foose was a guy I really liked talking to, and actually did teach me a few things while I knew him. He passed away this year, and while I have mentioned Ross Zirkle a few times in these posts. I've never talked about Foose until the last post, so I thought I'd talk about him a little here. He was a well respected Painter around the country, and a REALLY good Book maker.  Here is a statement from UK about him here...http://artmuseumatuk.blogspot.com/2013/10/passing-of-great-friend.html

Cliffsart History

Here is a piece of Cliff's Art history. I did this painting in 2000 titled, a New Creation. Sounds stupid but it was the best I could come up with at the time. It was actually for my First painting class at UK. I was glad my teacher, Jim Foose, would allow me to pursue Space as a subject. Later I entered it in a Space Art competition in Piqua Ohio. At the college there. I spent $130 or so shipping it up there, my car wasn't doing great at the time, and the painting is 18 by 72 inches in size. I won an honorable mention and got $25 dollars. I also got a call from someone wanting to buy it, and then they backed out. That was my first to be followed by MANY other back outers. It was my first exhibit experience, and alll and all, kind of neat. Funny thing is, I still have this painting, but I'm not sure what room it's in even though it's huge. Take care and have fun!

New drawing

Here is the drawing for the next painting. Malissa did some nice poses down in Gatlinburg.

Ascending Spirit

I may be done with this one, not sure yet. I titled this one Ascending Spirit. This was the Yahoo Arch down in Whitley County in the Big South Fork. A really neat place if you ever go. It's on the same trail as the Yahoo Falls, but about 30 minutes past the Falls. It's by far the most unusual and neat Arch I've ever seen. I'm glad that a good friend and model was willing to hike there for the photo session.