June 12, 2008

We're having a cool summer so far, which is actually pretty nice.  Today's high will be around 70.  I sound like a weather forecaster.

Anyway, I am loving it.  I have another "springish" painting completed, called When I Dream. I've added it to the gallery section of this site.  It's another grove of aspen, but in this one the leaves are slightly more in the foreground.

One other new thing to the site:  I updated my photo in the About The Artist section.   The one I used to have on that page was over three years old, so I thought I should change it. 

I've entered a couple of competitions, but have not heard back yet on them.  I did hear from Mountain Connection, the monthly magazine for the Evergreen Colorado area, and I did not win the cover shot.  However, I am featured inside on the front page, which I was very happy about.

I'm off to enjoy this gorgeous day!  Later.

May 27, 2008

Okay...forget about all my new stuff being abstract paintings for the show in August!  Duh!  I just won't be able to get enough done by that date, at least at my present rate.  I have only completed one abstract.  At the same time, I have been working on two aspen grove paintings, plus another representational painting of azaleas in bloom.  I've completed one of the two aspen grove paintings, and you can see it on Page 4 of the Gallery.  It is called Light in the Forest.  The one I'm still working on is in a horizontal format and it's close to being done.  The azalea painting is called Watching Eternity and it's on Page 6 of the Gallery.  It's a little more impressionistic than most of my stuff, as I've been in an experimental phase for the last 3 months.   The azalea painting was inspired by a photo my friend Linda Bischoff handed off to me.  She's an excellent photographer in her own right.

I have some work in a juried show in Central City this month, and it will be on view through the end of August.  The info is on the Events Page of this site.  It's a wonderful gallery; The Gilpin County Arts Association Gallery, and it's right across the street from the Opera House.  If you happen to be up there this summer, please check it out.  You won't be sorry!  It's truly an original gallery and not like anything else I've seen.  They even have a little outdoor garden that opens off the gallery upstairs.  Yes, upstairs.  You have to keep in mind that Central City is a very vertical landscape.  So even though the front door is downstairs at street level, the back door opens onto the garden which is a full story above it.  Quite a unique spot.

That's it for now.  Until next time!

April 2 , 2008

Long time, no update.  This has been because I have been working long hours on a commissioned piece called "Four Seasons in One Day."  It is now pictured on Page 5 of the Gallery.  I don't know why some paintings go extremely fast or why some go extremely slow.  I do notice that the ones I create out of my own imagination seem to take longer, but that is not a hard and fast rule.  Anyway, my client wanted a painting of a tree that was half dead and half alive.   I found this to be a tough challenge, so I made it a little easier on myself by asking the client if I could represent the four seasons.  In that sense, the tree would be "dead" in winter and yet be "alive" in springtime.  He agreed and this painting was the result. 

Also, there is another new painting on Page 7 of the Gallery called "Water's Edge."  I love to paint water, so any excuse I can find to include it is a lot of fun for me.

I just had a show at Jaz-B Studios on 8th and Santa Fe Drive here in Denver and it went very well.  I did sell a painting and the venue had great lighting, so all my stuff looked great.

Currently I am showing at Kaladi's Coffee near the DU Campus.  As we were hanging the art, a fellow coffee drinker asked to buy two of the paintings, which was great.  I really enjoyed talking to him and he seemed very happy to be taking two of my "leaf" paintings home with him.

Next up will be a show at the Dish Bistro in July.  And in August, an opening at Southenders, a new wine/coffee bar in Stapleton.  I am very excited about it because I will be showing brand new pieces, never seen before.  And brace yourself....

They will all be abstracts!

A complete departure for me.  However, since I have the 2 shows in consecutive months, I wanted each to be entirely different from each other!

Have a great month.

January 15, 2008

Seems like I just updated this page yesterday, but now I see that a month has passed!  Anyway, first things first...I just added two new images on Page 7 of the gallery.  They are both 'leaf' paintings; "Raucous October" and "Happy Landings."

I am currently showing two works in a group show (through February) at a wine/coffee shop in lower downtown near Confluence Park.  The name of the place is Paris on the Platte.  It's a great spot and all the art is very impressive.  So check that out if you are in the area.

Coming up in March is a show on Santa Fe Drive, at a new gallery called Jaz-B studios.

December 14, 2007

The opening at Capuvino was so much fun!  Lots of people made it out to the venue even though it was a snowy and frigid night.  I saw so many people I had not seen in awhile, and it was a great time to catch up with them.  The one negative is that I simply didn't have as much time to spend with everyone as I would have liked!

Another World was a bona fide hit, and it sold immediately.  This is the painting that won second place in Artist's Magazine's annual competition.  I won in the Student Competition for Still Life.  It can be seen in the January/February issue of 2008.  I entered in the 'Student' category because the magazine classifies student as anyone painting two years or less.  I began painting in 2005. 

New paintings as of today are Christmas Eve, on page four of the gallery, and Where the Rose is Sown, on page 7 of the gallery.  Both were commissioned works and are sold.

Let's see, what else?  Oh yeah, I am in a group show at Northfield Mall near Stapleton through the end of December with several other Stapleton artists.  If you are in the area, please stop in.  The location is right next to The Improv theatre, but the storefront is along the Main Street of the mall.  We are all very excited to be there during the holiday season.

Have a great holiday, by the way!

November 26, 2007

I'm busy preparing for a month long one man show at Capuvino near Cherry Creek Mall.  It's a wonderful little privately owned coffee shop (NO MINDLESS STARBUCKS) that also features wine and a variety of desserts, in addition to sandwiches and so on.  You get the picture, I think.  Anyway, Capuvino is a fun place, and I'll be having an artist reception there on December 7th, so if you're reading this and can make it...please do!

I also have a 3 day show at Stapleton, which begins the same date.  Several artists will be displaying their art at the old location of Miss Tallullah's, in the Town Center of Stapleton, just two doors down from my friend Lin at Stapleton Art & Framing.

I have added 3 new paintings today.  One is called Farewell to Summer, on page 4.  The other is Solstice, also on page 4 of the Gallery.  And last but not least is The Berries on Guanella Pass, on page three of the Gallery.

October 23, 2007

You can find a new painting in the Gallery today, on Page 7...called "Kiss of Life," which is a closeup of an amaryllis in bloom.  My friend Drew took the photo when he was in Italy.

October 15, 2007

Two new paintings added today:  A closeup of a white poinsettia on Page One of the Gallery section (called "Phenomenal World"), and a pinecone ("Mountain Echoes") on Page Four.

October 3, 2007

The showing at Kaladi's Coffee went very well, with a big crowd, live music, and lots of interesting artists.  And the "Exuberant Pumpkin" painting sold.

I have a new painting on Page One of the Gallery section, called "The Crossing."  It's from a photo I took near Guanella Pass.

September 25, 2007

The Good, the Bad, and the Interesting:

I'll start off with the Good.  The opening of the Stapleton show was very well attended.  Thanks to all who came!  I met some wonderful new folks and caught up with old friends.  Also in the Good category, my paintings are now on display at Gallery 360 in Scottsdale and generating interest.  And yet another in the Good category; I am in the Fall show at Kaladi's this Friday, the 28th.  I sent out a few emails about this, but please don't feel hurt if you didn't receive one.  It is just one painting, The Exuberant Pumpkin.  I didn't want to inundate people with lots of openings where there are only one or two works being shown.  But still...I am very happy to be part of this juried show.

The Bad.  Maybe I should call it Sad instead.  The gallery in Florida is closing.  Not because of poor business, but because of the owner's health problems.   We are not talking minor, but life-changing events in this gallery owner's life.  Please keep her and her husband in your prayers.  Therefore, all my paintings I sent down to Florida should be on their way back to Colorado soon.

The Interesting.  I have an opportunity for a one day show after Thanksgiving.  It is still in the planning stages, but I am excited about it.

Lastly...I have a new painting in the Gallery Section today, on page 6.  It is called Red Velvet and is a closeup of a poinsettia.

Until next time.....

Hunter

September 4, 2007

When I woke up this morning I noticed something different:  I could feel Fall in the air.  The temperature was slightly cooler, but it was something more than that.  I can’t explain it, really…and maybe it’s all in my head, but somehow it was there. 

I am trying to make up my mind to enjoy it.  It’s always hard for me to say goodbye to summer.  Summer is everything I love.  The long days, the warm nights, the garden growing at a phenomenal rate each and every day, swimming pools and the beach, barbecues on the patio…I could go on and on. Fall is gorgeous, yes, and I am not going to say anything negative about it.  Especially since it’s out of my control! 

I have had some wonderful news this month.  Artist’s Magazine has awarded me Second Place in their annual competition.  The issue will come out in January/February.

The Wave Gallery in Key West, Florida has asked for me to do a show there in October.  I am shipping out 12 to 15 pieces this week.  In addition, I am shipping out 6 to the gallery in Scottsdale (Gallery 360).  I am part of a group show on 9/21 here in Denver at Stapleton Art & Framing.  I am showing two paintings there.  Lastly, this Friday is the Art Auction for Project Angelheart at Abend Gallery, where I have donated a small painting.

My next large show will be at Capuvino, and will be sending out invitations for that in late November, so if you’re on the mailing list you’ll be seeing that.  The show is in December, and I hope to feature a lot of poinsettia paintings.

Let’s see…what else?  Oh, I changed my Artist Statement this month.  Check it out and let me know what you think! 

Have a wonderful month! 

August 11, 2007 

Happy August!  I’m a bit late in updating this month, partly because the Main Street Festival in Breckenridge at the end of July threw me off schedule.  The Breckenridge event was a nice success.   I also met some wonderful people there; some wonderful artists…and I hope to stay in touch with them as time passes. 

So, here is the news:  Even though I did well at this outdoor event, I have come to the conclusion that outdoor shows are just not my thing!  You really have to enjoy all aspects of it to make it worth your while, and I have a hard time doing that.  It’s lonely, for one thing.  It might be different if Brian could travel with me, but of course he has a job of his own.  And I miss the dogs so much too.  Then there is the whole weather question: “Will my tent stand up to this?  Are my paintings going to be damaged by a wind gust?”    Those are things you can’t control, to a certain extent…and it makes me nuts.  We did have some rainy weather, but for the most part it was not too bad.  But it just is not worth it to me.  I would rather paint more and split the profits with a gallery instead of going it on my own out on the road.  I will probably do ONE outdoor event a year, but no more than that. 

I have been able to paint, in spite of everything going on, and my new ones you can see are:

“Flow” on page 6 of the Gallery :  This is a closeup of a mountain stream.  I am so in love with painting water, which I am sure I’ve mentioned before about 356 times by now. 

“Chase the Sun”  Also on page 6 of the Gallery.  This is a lily near Congress Park.  It’s actually in the front yard of our friends' house (Tom and Dennis).  They have a gorgeous Craftsman style house surrounded by beautiful gardens, and they invited me over to take photos of it, and I was more than ecstatic for the opportunity.  I plan to do an entire series based on these. 

“The Hidden Garden” on page 5 of the Gallery.  This one is actually already sold and is a commissioned painting for a man who used to own a nursery.  A garden nursery, that is.

Currently I am showing a lot of work with the Colorado Department of Transportation.  It is a public building which anyone has access to, so you can go see it if you like.  I am not having a reception there, however, because they do have security issues.  My next show in Denver will be at Capuvino in December.  I will update you on that as the date draws near.

Same thing with my show in Scottsdale Arizona at Gallery 360.  I believe it will be sometime in September.  At least, that is when the artwork is being shipped there.  It is a LONNNNG way from Denver, but just in case any of you should be in the area, I mention it here.  It is an awesome space and I look forward to it.

Have a wonderful month.

July 7, 2007

The First Annual Stapleton Artwalk was a success!  Seven paintings sold.  The following day I got the news that the Gilpin County Gallery had sold one of my large ones, so the month has been phenomenal.  Then today I got another call from Gilpin notifying me that they’d sold yet another one.  So…the reason I’m telling you this is that if there is a specific painting you’ve got your eye on, let me know so I can hold it for you.  Things are moving fast this summer.

The new paintings in the Gallery section (since June 17th): 

So Red the Rose -  This painting (on page 2 of the Gallery Section) is based on photos that my friend Drew supplied to me, after his trip to Italy.  I usually take my own photographs to avoid getting sued for copyright issues, but I don’t think Drew will sue me!

Ha.  But actually, if a particular photo comes from a friend, and they can relate to me what it means to them…I usually always consider painting it if it falls into what I’m about. 

Trio - This is simply the same photo that Drew took, but cropped differently.  (on Page 4 of the Gallery).

Remembering Venice – This painting (on Page 4 of the Gallery) is yet another one from the Drew Family of Photos!  However, this one is not available for sale.  My partner Brian wanted a painting done from the photo of a canal in Venice.  We have actually never been there, but it is his dream to see it.  Since it was his 50th birthday, and I couldn’t swing a trip to Venice…I gave him this painting instead. 

Waking Up in the Sun – A group of lillies from…yes…from Drew’s Italy trip!  (Page 7 of the Gallery).

June 17, 2007

I’ve been busy!  Five new paintings added to the gallery today, although one of them has been sold.  I sold it at the Summer Art Market last weekend, which by the way, was a really fun event.  It was an honor to show with so many other accomplished artists.  As a result of being at the Summer Art Market, I was invited to show in some public buildings for Colorado Department of Transportation.  The show will be for the month of August.  I was also invited to show for a gallery owner who books restaurants and coffee shops, but that showing will be in Spring of 2008, and I’ll give more info when it gets closer to the date, as far as venue and all.

The new paintings:

Beautiful Stranger – In the gallery on page 1, it’s titled this because this gorgeous plant was growing in the wild down by Westerly Creek.  I had no idea what it was; it was very similar to Lamb’s Ear, and I guess it is related to it.  It is actually what they call a Mullein Weed.  There are other names for it as well, but I can’t remember them.

Anyway, this is the one that sold at Summer Art Market.

Sign of Summer – On page 3 of the gallery, this blossom is related to the sunflower but it grows wild near the edge of Bluff Lake, near Stapleton.

Rose Arcana – (On page 1 of the gallery) I had never painted a rose before, so this is my first attempt, which I think turned out well.  I plan to do more.

Shapes that Go Together – (On page 2 of the gallery) This one looks almost abstract.  It is one of my new favorites.  This is a closeup of a Hosta Plant.

Summersilver – (Page 7 of the Gallery) This painting turned out to be very moody.  I find it to be very peaceful.  Oh, and the blossom is a closeup of a yucca plant.  There were hundreds of these near Bluff Lake.

May 27, 2007

Today I’ve added new paintings to the gallery that are a slight departure from the botanical scenes I’ve been doing.  Yet they tie in with the tropical botanicals because they are both beach scenes.

The first one, “Bathsheba’s Beach,” on page 4...is from a very unique area in Barbados.  It’s also known as the Soup Bowl (not sure why) and it’s very popular with surfers from around the world.  There are a lot of these large rocks that look like they are precariously balanced.

The other new one, “Cerulean,” on page 5...is from a photo Brian took on Honeymoon Beach, on the island of Saint John.  This is my first “big wave” painting, and it was a lot of fun to do.

I received the news that I will be in the first annual Stapleton ArtWalk, which will be on June 23rd, so I’m looking forward to that. 

In addition, I received “Honorable Mention” in the Himme Productions Greeting Card Art Contest.  This means that three of my paintings will be featured on cards that Himme produces until January, 2008.  They should be available for sale on June 1st, but I will provide an update on that as it happens.   The painting that won ("Love for Life") is no longer up on my gallery pages, but if you go to

http://www.himmeproductions.com/page2.html

you can see it.  It will also be on display at the Painted Planet Artspace in Memphis beginning on June 2nd.

May 10, 2007

Images added today:

“The Orchid in San Juan” (on page 2 of the gallery) is from a photo that Brian took while we were on a tour of the rain forest in Puerto Rico.  I depend on him a lot for closeups!

The other one, “African Tulip” (on page 4 of the gallery) is also from the same trip; the same day.  African Tulips are not native to Puerto Rico, but they grow wild there now, as if they were.  Apparently they don’t upset the ecology of the island or anything like that.  Besides, they are gorgeous.

I received the news that I will be in the second art market held in Breckenridge this summer, July 26 thru the 29th.  Also, two of my paintings have been accepted by Gilpin County Arts in Central City.  They will be in the gallery there until 8/21…so practically the entire summer, which is great.  

April 28, 2007

Today I have added “Lush Life” on page 6 of the Gallery, and “Wild Orchids,” on page 5.

“Lush Life” is actually a tiny wildflower.  It’s from a photo taken on our vacation to Ouray, Colorado a couple of years ago.

The other one, “Wild Orchids” is from a photo I took on the island of Saint John, near Honeymoon Beach.

As for upcoming events, I will be in the Summer Art Market on June 9th and 10th.  This is the Art Market that is sponsored by the Art League of Denver.  I am still waiting to hear on the other shows I’ve applied for.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed!  

April 21, 2007

Two more paintings added today:  “Green Mansions” on page 6 of the Gallery and “The Edge of America” on page 1.

 “Green Mansions” is inspired by a photo I took of a ficus tree on our trip to Barbados.  It’s amazing how huge these things grow in the Caribbean!  They send down little runners from the upper branches down to the ground.  These then eventually turn into huge trunks.  So what you end up with (a lot of the time) is a hollow room inside, surrounded by these jail-like tree trunks.  If you watch the tv show “Lost,” sometimes the characters will take refuge in the middle of these trees whenever that black fog thing comes after them.  I know that sounds ridiculous if you don’t watch the show, but if you do watch it…this is the tree!   So many people that have seen this painting ask me where the Hobbit is hiding.

“The Edge of America” is taken from a photo that my friend Tamela sent to me.  It is on the big island of Hawaii somewhere; she couldn’t remember the name of the beach.  I was intrigued by the bright red/pink color of the rocks, mixed in with the gray green and blue ones.

March 31, 2007

I added one more painting to the online gallery today, called “Lazy Sunday.”  It's on page two and features wildflowers of Colorado.  It’s one more step further into impressionism than I’ve ever gone before.  The background is soft and out of focus, while the foreground keeps my usual details intact and distinct.  I wish I could say it was easy for me to do!  I am getting there, but it’s very much a new thing for me to get the loose paint strokes in there.

It’s just so opposite of how I usually approach a painting.  I normally get all the background in first and then paint whatever comes into the foreground last.  In this painting, I worked on both the foreground and the background at the same time, which gives a very different effect in the end.

March 24, 2007

I’ve uploaded three new paintings this month.  They are:  “Sometimes in Summer,” “Another World,” and “Something in Red.”  The first two are taken from photos that were made in Andromeda Gardens, on the island of Barbados.  My partner Brian took the photo of the Bird of Paradise plant that is shown in “Another World.”  My friend Lyman took the photo of the Haleconia plant that is shown in the painting “Something in Red.”  And the other one, “Sometimes in Summer,” is taken from a photo Brian made on our own front porch last summer!  It features a plant that’s actually considered a weed in the South.  It is a form of Datura, otherwise known as Jimson Weed!  I can remember seeing this growing wild at my grandmother’s house in Monticello, Mississippi, back when I was a kid.  It’s a poisonous plant, so I guess that is why it’s not terribly popular.  But as you can see, it’s very exotic and strange-looking, and it seems to fit in with the other tropical paintings I’ve done the last month which focus on the Caribbean.

 I’ve applied for five outdoor shows this summer, and I hope that I am accepted into all of them.  I don’t want to jinx it by naming them, but they are very popular events where people go specifically to buy art.  They are not flea markets or anything like that.  So here’s hoping it all happens. 

In the interim, I am taking painting classes at the Art League of Denver, under Sandra Kaplan.  I started these in February, and it is amazing how much my approach has changed.  There is something about being around other artists that gives me a creative charge.  We all paint differently, so it’s not as if the instructor is telling us how to paint.  She simply helps us find our own direction and inspiration.  As for how I have changed my approach, I would say I am much more likely to experiment with impressionism than ever before.  I don’t see myself ever leaving realism behind, though.  In fact, what I like to is to combine both into one single painting.  I think all three of the new paintings are good examples of this.  The foreground is very distinct and realistic, while the background takes becomes very dreamlike and ethereal.  I plan to follow this direction for quite awhile. 

I have left the rock/desert period for now.  The paintings I did in that theme started out strong, but the more I painted, the less inspired with the subject matter I became.  I can’t explain why that happened.  Maybe there is something about being in that actual environment that makes me want to paint it, but when I’m away from it, I find it hard to identify with.  I do hope to come back to that theme again, but I can’t say when that will be!  For now, I am in love with painting all the geometric patterns that I find in leaves, grass and flowers.

February 18, 2007

I am a little late on my website update for a few reasons.  First there were computer problems which I won't bore anyone with.  Secondly, there were the holidays AND a vacation to the Southern Caribbean!

The vacation is far more interesting to write about, I guarantee you.  We went to San Juan, Puerto Rico for 3 days before setting off on a 7 day cruise to Saint Lucia, Barbados, Antigua, St. Thomas, St. John and St. Martin (not necessarily in that order).

San Juan is just a wonderful city.  We were right on the beach, and it was such a treat to have warmth and sun after being in Colorado for one of our worst winters ever (which is still going on, by the way).  We loved it and can't wait to go back.

The islands were terrific, but I think my favorite is Saint Lucia.  Who knew the Caribbean had tropical rain forests on such a scale?  I thought Puerto Rico was the only place that had the lush vegetation.  Most of the other islands were arid to semi-arid, but Saint Lucia was like being on Kuauii.  Or at least that is what people who have been to Kuaii told me!

The best part about the vacation is that I am now equipped with over 300 photos; and the majority of them I will use for inspiration in new paintings.  That is not to say that I will have 300 paintings of the Caribbean after all is said and done, but I will certainly work with these for years to come.

That's it for now.  Have a great month and hopefully I will be able to update this site more  often now.

Hunter

November 7, 2006

Nope, I have nothing to say here about Election Day!  Ha.  Actually I do, but this simply isn't the forum for it.

Instead, I just want to say that the trip to Santa Fe was a lot of fun, as well as inspirational.  One of the first things we did was walk over to Canyon Road to see the gallery that I've been thinking about trying to get into.  The first thing I saw was a large pastel that looked very familiar, and I blurted out to Brian, my partner, "Hey, that looks like the Evergreen Girl's stuff."

(I had been in a group show at a gallery in Evergreen, with a girl named Kathy Beekman that does pastels.)  And then a voice behind me said, "That's because it IS the girl from Evergreen."  Funny.  Yes, it was Kathy Beekman's work.  I think Kathy's work is beautiful.  How coincidental that she should be showing her work in the very gallery that I would like to show in.  We visited lots of other galleries, of course, and I have a much clearer picture of how I want to proceed.  I won't go into all that here, except to say that the next day we went to Bandelier National Monument, which kinda' ties in.

Bandelier is like a less publicised version of Mesa Verde, with a fraction of the crowds.  There are Anasazi ruins built into the canyon.  True, they are not as well preserved or as spectacular as Mesa Verde, but still...it was so cool to be able to access it so easily.  No tour buses or signing up for a guide or anything like that.  You just do it on your own.  We fell in love with it.  And so that is how Bandelier ties in with my new direction.  I am painting a series of paintings based on photos of our time there.  So far I have three small ones finished.  I will update the website soon so you can see.

They moved the December show at Capuvino to November, so I am simply showing all my holiday stuff at Capuvino, and in the interim I will really get cracking on some new ones so I will have something for the Sweet William Holiday Market which is still in December.

My most recent work is a lot more detailed and intricate than most of my earlier stuff.  I don't know why that is true.  I don't consciously try to move in any direction with style.  It just happens on its own.  I look at some of my early paintings and I am very satisfied with them; there is nothing I would change.  For example, "New Horizon" is still one of my all-time favorite paintings, and it is very very early in my output.  I use it on my business card.  It is hanging in our house and I should probably mark it "SOLD" so that no one buys it.  But I look at others and think, "Uhhhm, I don't think that is finished."  And so I finish them!  I have reworked several of the older ones.  One of the reworked ones that is still showing in my gallery on this website is called, "Nocturne."  (It's on page 4 in the gallery section) You probably don't recall what it looked like before, but if I could have described it, I would have called it bland.  Now it has more power.

Well...I should call it a night and end this so I will have energy to paint all the holiday paintings I said I would start on tomorrow!

October 14 , 2006

September was a fantastic month!  All of the new paintings I listed in August sold at Stapleton Art and Framing, at the show that was held there mid-month.  They were:

Lotus

The Sun Never Shone That Day

The End of August

The Secret Garden

Lazy Afternoon

I also sold several more that were not even at the gallery show.  In addition, two painting that were on display at Indigo Salon have sold.  So I'm very grateful.  And also very busy!  I have two shows in December, one at Capuvino, and the other at Sweet William Market.  I'm very excited about both, but since my inventory is now very low...I have to really be on the ball. 

So far I am doing that.  For the Sweet William Market, I am concentrating on Christmas/Holiday themes.  I have several poinsettia paintings finished, along with some snow scenes, and an amaryllis.  I want them to be Christmasy, but not so Christmasy that you would only be able to hang them during the holidays.  I want them to be year-round paintings.  For Capuvino, I am doing all sorts of things.  A lot of palm trees and different types of landscapes.

I have no scheduled shows for November, but that is okay.  I really think I will make up for that in December.

This next weekend I am going to Santa Fe, NM.  I would like to talk to some galleries there, but since I'll only be there on Saturday/Sunday, that doesn't look very likely.  The galleries want to concentrate on SELLING on the weekends.  They are not interested in talking to new artists.  But I am taking my portfolio with me, just in case an opportunity presents itself!

Summer Moved On - August 21, 2006

Okay, so summer's still here.  But each morning it is cooler, and the days are certainly getting shorter.  Usually I have a sad feeling whenever this time of year rolls around.  I don't know why it's not affecting me that way this year, but I look forward to the change of weather.  It's not that I'm bored with summer, or tired of the heat, or anything like that.  I'm still liking summer alright.  August was a good month for me, and like summer...it's not over yet.  The gallery opening on Santa Fe Drive went very well, and I managed to sell four of my paintings and three of another artist's.  So I'm very happy with how things are going.  I've also manage to paint a lot, and you'll see some new art in the gallery pages as of today.  I've added several lately, but the newest ones are:

Lotus

The Sun Never Shone That Day

The End of August

The Secret Garden

Lazy Afternoon

Water and Me - July 31, 2006

This month I have managed to squeeze in more time to actually paint!  I know that sounds funny, coming from an artist, but when you do this for a living, there is so much administrative stuff that has to be done (things like updating a website, for one) that some days you barely get to paint at all.

But yes, I have made it a top priority to squeeze as much time out of each day this month to get paint onto the canvas.  I have several consecutive shows coming up, and even though I have enough inventory for all of them, I want a majority of it to be NEW. 

So... for the Artists on Santa Fe show, there will only be three pieces out of thirteen that have been seen before.  Everything else is new.  And the cool thing is that a lot of them involve a new subject for me:  Water.

I've always shied away from painting water, thinking it was too involved or something, with all those reflections.   As an experiment, though...I tried it, and it all felt very natural.  I kinda went nuts with it and painted 9 or so water paintings one right after the other.  It works well with my "Skyworks" theme, because I can still include 3/4 of the canvas as sky. 

As most of you know, I have been painting clouds for years, and I can't see myself ever growing tired of them.  But the discovery for me is that painting water is very similar to painting clouds, even though visually they are obviously quite different.  The fluid strokes and techniques I use in representing clouds are very much like the ones I use for painting water.  At least that is my explanation as for why portraying water feels "natural" for me. 

I have a friend that says I am inclined to paint water because I'm a Scorpio, which is a water sign.  Ha!  But is that right?  Is Scorpio a water sign?  I'm not much of an expert on the zodiac, so I guess I'll take her word for it.

Summer's Swirling - July 6, 2006

Yikes.  It's been April since I updated this section.  My apologies to those of you who've been looking for something new here to read.

I have no excuses other than the same ones everyone else has!  We moved at the end of May into a new house, and so May was spent packing.  June was spent UNpacking.  And now here it is July and I still haven't arrived at a set schedule for my daily work.  But I'm getting there.

I completed seven paintings since April, in spite of everything.  What is wonderful is that all but two of the new ones have sold.  What is not wonderful is that I failed to get a photo of them all for my records.  If you scan through my website, you'll see that the majority of them in the Gallery section are now marked "SOLD."  I of course love that, and so I'm focusing on replenishing my inventory.

Some of the most popular ones recently are those that include water.  And 'moody' seems to be a key element as well.  For instance, my paintings of Cannon Beach in Oregon went fast.  The colors are more subdued.  I have no photos up yet, but I promise to change that as soon as I possibly can!

I recently sold one of my favorites ("Lost Voices") to a buyer who hails from Nova Scotia.  It was very interesting to talk with her about that area.  Having some Cajun on my father's side of the family, we discussed the Acadians (the origin of the word Cajun) who were banished from Nova Scotia centuries ago.  If you're familiar with the epic poem "Evangeline," that pretty much explains what happened.

I am very excited about the upcoming show at Artists on Santa Fe in August.  I will be sending out postcards to the mailing list next week.  If you are not on the mailing list, and would like to be...just send me an email at :

hunterjay@hunterjay.com

Have a great month!