A Shocking Discovery
watercolor, 12" x 12"
Chris Beck
I'm a bit behind in posting my own art doings, but Nosey Mouse has two exciting bits of news. First -- his starring role in A Shocking Discovery netted him a spot of the cover of Steve Worthington's book, The Mouse Project. You can read all about it and order copies of the book on Steve's blog. For anyone new to my blog, Steve invited 22 artists to create paintings featuring one of his bronze mice and then assembled the works into a book, proceeds of which will go to animal shelters. For the backstory on my painting, see my earlier post.
Second -- Nosey is also thrilled that A Shocking Discovery won an honorable mention in the California Statewide Watercolor Exhibition, which opened on December 11 at the Triton Museum in Santa Clara, CA. The exhibit runs through February 27, 2011 and Nosey would be delighted if you stopped in to say hello.
A Shocking Discovery
watercolor, 12" x 12"
I'm pleased to unveil my finished painting for sculptor Steve Worthington's mouse project!! Just to recap -- Steve decided to publish a book, with proceeds from the sales to go to animal shelters, and he invited a bunch of painters to create works featuring his bronze mice. I picked Nosey Mouse and had a great time brainstorming ideas for this project.
I initially thought to pose Nosey as a cat burglar -- perched high on the roof of a cheese museum on a dark night, looking down through a skylight into an atrium where a rare cheese was displayed in a lighted case with security laser beams, etc. -- but Nosey informed me with a sniff that union rules prevented him from impersonating a cat, regardless of the altruistic value of Steve's mission. No amount of explanation was sufficient to convince him that "cat burglar" is only a figure of speech, so I went back to the drawing board.
I've long admired Arnold Lobel's books for children -- they have a wit that makes them delightful for a child of any age -- and I was pretty sure he'd done something with mice. I lucked out on my first foray to Borders, where I found Mouse Soup front and center on a display as I entered the children's section.
To pose Nosey properly, I needed to have him peering down from a height, so I gathered a stack of books that have meaning for my life: I loved to cook, back when I had more time, and this was my first "serious" cookbook; the author of the design book was one of my college art profs and my watercolor mentor; I'm a longtime knitter and the stitch pattern book has been a great source of inspiration for my designs; I have always loved the elegant watercolors of Charles Demuth; I grew up in a port city on the Great Lakes; and of course -- I love Arnold Lobel's books. (Peeking out from under Mouse Soup is Fables, a storybook really meant for adults I think. I feel very lucky to have a personalized copy with a sketch as well as Lobel's autograph. I was in the hospital many years ago when he did an author tour, so my boyfriend -- Señor Terremoto -- went and stood in line for me!!)
Steve has already received quite a few paintings from the other artists on this project -- and it looks like it's going to be a really fun book. I'll keep you posted as things progress and provide a link when the book appears.
[Editor's Note: Nosey was quite bereft after hearing that Chubby went home following his little havoc-fest at Jelaine's place -- the full story starts here -- and he moped around for days muttering "but Chubby said we'd be getting the band back together" and "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas." He completely refused to work, turning up his nose at every suggestion I had for a challenge painting. I finally coaxed him outside today and he seemed to enjoy romping around on the fence and poking his nose through the vines. I'm hoping he'll be more cooperative now and willing to help me out on this challenge painting.]
Well, hello -- Nosey Mouse here. I see the old lady has filled you in a bit on the past couple of months. So I'm not exactly proud of the way I've been acting, but I'm a sensitive guy -- I don't like getting jerked around -- I thought I had a deal with Chubby, but he just boogied out of there like nobody's business. Not a word of goodbye, nada!!
But enough about me. I'm here to tell you about another fun contest that my buddy Steve has set up. (Hey, Steve -- you probably thought I wasn't paying any attention, but let me tell ya -- that how-long-is-the-snake contest sure got my attention -- like think about it, dude -- what's their favorite food? -- YAH, mousies, that's what!! -- you'd pay attention too!!) Anyway, this new contest is a lot more mouse-friendly. You just have to... well, here, let Steve explain it... (just remember -- you can read about it here, but you have to go to Steve's blog to enter the contest.)
Take it away, Steve!!---------------------
There you have it, I've been blathering on for 100 posts!
So I thought I'd have another contest and give away a mouse.
But wait, there's more!
I'm going to give away two mice.
So there's 2 ways you can win...
One normal way anyone can try, and another way you can try if you have a blog.
So if you have a blog, you can try both!
First way to win... I've just had my new mid sized turtles finished and photographed.
So, whoever comes up with the trio of names for these turtles I like best wins a mouse (the winner can pick any mouse from Sprightly, Nosey and Chubby).
You have to post your names as a comment, or email them if you have trouble with the comment thing working (put 'name that turtle' in the subject line).
They can be any kind of names you like. Descriptive names, like my mice, or actual names, like my tiny bunnies.
As you can see, one turtle is minding its own business, one is quite bold, and one a bit shy.
If, by some strange coincidence someone comes up with the same names as someone else, the earlier poster wins.
If I pick 3 names from 2 or more posts, I'll give it to the person with 2 names I picked, or roll a dice for the winner if it's a name each from three posters.
If it's 3 names in one later post, all of which were posted earlier by separate people, the all in one gets it.
You can have 2 tries each, 3 names per try. So you can have an early go, and hold off for a bit for a second go.
If some other permutation of unforseen strangeness prevails requiring a judging decision, I'll decide as fairly as I can and my decision will be final (hey, it's my blog after all!).
So what are you waiting for!
Name that turtle (and that one, and that one...)!
Deadline is my next post, when I'll announce the winners.
Second way to win...
If you have a blog (it must have existed before today!), you can enter by posting an announcement of this contest with a link to this post on your blog. Let me know by commenting on this post, or email me ('blog entry' in the subject line) and you'll be in the blog draw for a mouse of your choice (from Nosey, Sprightly and Chubby).
Any bloggers who enter before the end of this weekend (before June 14) gets a double entry - their name goes in the hat twice!
So there you go!
Have fun and good luck! I'm looking forward to naming my turtles next week (deadline is my next post, when I'll announce the winners). Click here to go to Steve's blog to enter the contest.
I'm pleased to introduce Nosey Mouse. She arrived this afternoon and has been exploring the studio. When she settles down, we're going to work on a challenge painting.
Sculptor Steve Worthington has asked approximately 20 artists to participate in a challenge using their choice of one of five bronze mice he's created. When all the paintings are finished, he's going to gather them into a book which he plans to publish this summer and he'll donate the proceeds from the book sales to animal shelters. I'll post updates here as things progress.I can't encourage you enough to explore Steve's blog and website -- he has some fabulous sculptures of mice, frogs, and toads, to name a few of his critters. And his short videos are very quirky and fun to watch!!And to those patient souls who have been waiting (endlessly, it must seem by now) for my follow-up post on masking techniques -- please bear with me. It's just been a bit chaotic here and I haven't had the energy to compose the material into a coherent post.
I'm also working on another challenge with Pablo Villicana Lara and Jelaine Faunce (and possibly a fourth artist) and will be posting the results next week. We've got a great subject -- very timely as you will see -- and I'm dying to see what my fellow painters have come up with.
