Still kicking!!

Hip Hop Bebop in Splash 15

I was more than a little shocked to realize that it has been nearly five months since I last posted here. Life just has a way of getting in the way sometimes. But I'm still here and things are going great!!  I just received my complimentary copy of Splash 15, Creative Solutions -- where my froggy band appears in company with a lot of wonderful art. Copies of this beautiful book are available through the North Light Online Shop.

Mr. Burbank's Cactus
transparent watercolor, 20" x 18.5"
Chris Beck

You already know that Mr. Burbank's Cactus is in Belgium for Eau en Couleurs, the 2014 International Watercolour Biennial. I just got word today that the painting also qualified as a finalist in The Artist's Magazine annual competition. I'm thrilled to be chosen -- many talented artists enter this competition every year and making the cut is a high honor.

Unfortunately, my summer didn't start out on such a high note.  After months of unhappy decline, my mother passed away on June 1. She was 94 and had been slowly failing over the past couple of years, but it was losing mobility last October that made her life most difficult. I went home to visit her just before she took a turn for the worse -- it was a rough visit, but I'm glad I had the chance to say goodbye.

While we were back in Wisconsin for her funeral, we also managed to squeak in a visit to the reception and dinner that the Transparent Watercolor Society of America holds for its annual exhibition. A thoroughly enjoyable side trip -- filled with fabulous art and lots of laughter with the wonderful friends I've made over the years.

My time since I returned home has been spent making travel arrangements to go to Belgium for Eau en Couleurs.  A rather last-minute decision, so lots of scurrying about getting everything in place. I'm really looking forward to meeting artists I've only known online and I'll try to take photos to share when I can.

Hope you're having a good summer!! I'll see you here again sometime in August!!

My guest column in The Artist's Magazine...

 

 Arabesque

watercolor, 9" x 10.5"

Chris Beck

Now that the January/February 2014 issue of The Artist's Magazine has reached subscribers and is in bookstores, I can share the paintings I created for my guest column on masking fluid. 

The article features expanded steps in the creation of both Arabesque and Pelican Dreams as well as several other illustrations to help you make the most of masking fluid, regardless of your choice of subject matter.  If you aren't a subscriber or don't have easy access to a shop that carries the magazine, you can order a paper or digital copy by clicking here or going to the link in the sidebar.

The addition of gouache (pronounced "gwash" -- opaque watercolor -- for more info, check out this page on the Daniel Smith website) to your watercolorist's bag of tricks opens up possibilities for surface embellishment and the use of lighter colors on top of a dark base of transparent watercolor. In Pelican Dreams, I spattered gouache on the background both to tone it down and add visual complexity. Gouache would be off-limits in certain national exhibitions that require transparency, but there is a long history of using gouache, sometimes referred to as bodycolor, to add highlights and depth to a painting.

 Pelican Dreams

watercolor and gouache, 8" x 6"

Chris Beck

Schnozz made his debut here about a month ago, and is just back for an encore visit. He's painted strictly with transparent watercolor.

Schnozz

watercolor, 6" x 6"

Chris Beck

In other news -- I'm sorry to report that I have closed my Zazzle shop.  I discovered quite by accident that they had disabled the design controls I put on my mugs and stamps and allowed buyers to apply the images to different products in the same category. That meant the images were being distorted to fit shapes they were never intended to be displayed on. After going around and around with customer service, I learned there was no option except to re-post every item and reset the controls. And since Zazzle has periodically made other changes that required me to repost some of my products, I have no guarantee that they wouldn't disable my controls again. I cannot constantly monitor something that was supposed to be a fun, no-hassle way to share my work.

My "secret project"...

Schnozz

watercolor, 6" x 6"

Chris Beck

I spent most of the month of August on a project that I couldn't discuss until it was finalized. Just got word that it's a go, so....

Sometime last spring, I was invited to be the guest columnist for one of the features in The Artist's Magazine. The Brushing Up column is devoted to technical matters of painting and my article covers one of my favorite art products -- masking fluid.  There are tips on purchasing and handling it, as well as ways of using this versatile product.  Schnozz is one of the paintings I did specifically for the article and there are stepped out examples of how I painted each one.

My article will appear in the January/February 2014 issue of The Artist's Magazine -- due out in early December.  I'll be sure to let you know when it's available.

Featured in The Artist's Magazine!!

By now the September issue of The Artist's Magazine should be available at most bookstores. I'm so thrilled with the wonderful article on my work written by Chris McHugh. They featured a nice selection of my paintings and included a sidebar demo on one of my vintage ceramic critters as well.  The demo is also available in expanded form online: go to this page at artistsnetwork.com.

Catching up...

Morning Glorious

watercolor 15" x 18"

Chris Beck

I've been out of touch for a while, so have a bunch of things to share.  I'll start with today and work back.   I just received notice that my painting "Morning Glorious" made it through Round 1 of the Shanghai Zhujiajiao International Watercolor Biennial jurying. For anyone unfamiliar with this exhibition, it held its inaugural exhibition in 2010 and is the largest exhibition of watercolor in the world -- approximately 250 paintings will be displayed for a month in the Quanhua Watercolor Gallery. There were over 4000 international entries and only 127 paintings advanced to Round 2.  (There are another 5000+ Chinese entries, but jurying for the two sets of entries is done separately.)  The second round of jurying will take place in Shanghai from the actual paintings, so my next task is to unframe the painting and figure out how to mail it to Shanghai.  (If any of my readers has a suggestion for packaging a painting for mailing, I'd appreciate hearing from you.)

Heirlooms

watercolor, 10" x 10"

Chris Beck

The next bit of news is that I will be featured in The Artist's Magazine, September 2012 issue.  The article features a selection of my paintings of vintage salt shakers and ceramics and includes a sidebar on the techniques used to paint one of these fun little critters. There will also be an expanded online "demo" which will be more detailed than the sidebar in the article.  I'll post a link when I have more info on that.  The magazine should be on the newstands in the next couple of weeks.

Waiting in the Wings

watercolor, 12" x 12"

Chris Beck

To top off the past week's news, I was thrilled to be juried into the National Watercolor Society show for a second year in a row; the Fezmatics will be heading south in a couple of weeks. The show runs from September 29 to December 2 at the NWS Gallery, 915 South Pacific Ave., San Pedro, CA. And this year, I'm happy not to be faced with the stress of sending three additional paintings for signature jurying -- been there, done that!!

Nosey takes a trip...

A Shocking Discovery
watercolor, 12" x 12"

I got the news earlier this week that Nosey Mouse will be taking a little trip this fall -- he's going to be visiting Los Angeles for the National Watercolor Society Annual Exhibition. This is a tough show to get into and I'm thrilled to be accepted. I'm hoping to meet some of my online friends at the opening reception in late October.

In a frazzle a couple of months ago, I neglected to mention another thrill -- this painting also qualified as a Finalist in The Artist's Magazine Annual Art Competition for 2011. Award winners will be published in the December issue of the magazine.

Happy dancin' again...

The Artist's Magazine, June 2009

I've known this was scheduled for quite a while now, but there's something about seeing it in print that finally makes it real. I'm so honored to be featured in The Artist's Magazine's "Competition Spotlight." Hope you'll pick up a copy and also take a peek at all the other fine articles in this issue.

Doing the happy dance...

Fe Fi Faux Fowl, acrylic, 30" x 30"

I went a little off-the-path last year and did a few paintings in acrylic. This one turned out so well that I just had to enter it in The Artist's Magazine's first All-Media Online Competition. I heard about a week ago that I'd won an honorable mention for this painting, but I didn't realize it would be displayed in the online exhibit. Check out the other great paintings in their show too!!

In other news, I will have paintings in several watercolor shows around the country between now and mid-summer. My painting "Moonlit Cactus" will be showing at the Western Colorado Watercolor Society's exhibit at the Center for the Arts in Grand Junction, CO. "Morning Glorious" will be hanging in the Watercolor Missouri 2009 exhibit at the Winston Churchill Memorial & Library in Fulton, MO. I will have a painting in the exhibition book for the Richeson 75: Small Works 2009 show. And last but not least, "Heirlooms" will be hanging in the Transparent Watercolor Society of America's show at the Kenosha Public Museum in Kenosha, WI. Stop in for a look if you're nearby.

WOW!!!

I just discovered that Grace Dobush at The Artist's Magazine has posted a note about Brush-Paper-Water on her blog!! Go to their website and scroll down to "Most Recent Blog Posts" to see her blog entry 'New, curated watercolor blog' or go directly to her blog to read the post for Monday, February 9.

Delighted she likes my profile icon too!! ;-D

Time in a bottle...

I wish I could bottle up the last two weeks and uncork it when things are not humming along in quite such a fabulous fashion. In addition to hearing last week that I would be featured in the Competition Spotlight in The Artist's Magazine next June, I learned that I'd won the Medal of Honor in Watercolor at the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club's 112th Annual Open Exhibition. The show is at the National Arts Club in Gramercy Park until October 15, for anyone who might be in NYC during that time. Each of the galleries has different hours, so rather than list them here, I'll link you to the National Arts Club website. The galleries are sometimes closed for official functions, so it's wise to call ahead (212-475-3424) to make sure you'll be able to see the exhibit.

Then just today, I received notice that I've been awarded my signature in Watercolor West, the west coast society for transparent watercolor. The annual show (their 40th) will open on October 11 at the City of Brea Art Gallery and run until December 19, with an opening reception on October 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. Regular gallery hours are 12 to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday and 12 to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. This show is always a wonderful representation of the full range of transparent watercolor, both in subject matter and technique. Please stop by to see it if you are in the L.A. area.

Today was also my last day at the co-op gallery. I packed everything up tonight and closed that door behind me. I'm excited about being free to explore and experiment on new works without worrying about a monthly exhibit deadline.

Totally jazzed...

Back at the end of July, I mentioned on this blog that I'd been selected as a finalist in The Artist's Magazine's annual competition for 2008. Two paintings were chosen in the Landscape category -- Moonlit Cactus and Out of Service: Old Plow. I just heard today that Old Plow will be featured in the Competition Spotlight in the magazine in June next year. I couldn't be more thrilled and honored.

I really wanted to post at least one of Miro Sinovcic's paintings when I was writing my last post, but since I was writing at midnight and hadn't thought to email him earlier for permission to use his images, I was out of luck. Now I have permission and want to share two of my favorites:

Spring Morning

Miro Sinovcic
oil on canvas, 30" x 24"

I love the shimmering light in Spring Morning. The brushwork creates such a sense of energy and the vibrant color enhances that.

Snowy Morning in Philly
Miro Sinovcic
oil on canvas, 30" x 30"

Snowy Morning takes me straight back to winter morning walks to school in Wisconsin. Miro conveys exactly the cool light and the sense of intimacy created by a gentle snowfall.

Before I close, I want to mention another artist I met through Brushspace. Patty Ray Avalon's work ranges from still-lifes to figurative to animals, and from a clear bright palette in her still-lifes to a softer color mood in her figurative works. There is an almost contemplative quality to much of her work -- a sense of serenity in the compositions and choice of subject matter. Pop over to her blog and then link to her website to view more of her work.

When the handwriting on the wall...

starts to glow in the dark, you know you'd better pay attention. A number of marketing projects that I've tried in the last couple of months were beset with difficulties. The co-op gallery I've been in for the last two years recently adopted some policy changes that make it a poor fit for me. And I've been so preoccupied with gallery matters that I haven't been producing enough work for the show circuit, which had been an important part of my artistic life.

So this week, I made the decision to leave the gallery at the end of September and focus on show quality painting. I had two acceptances this past week that boosted my confidence and I have ideas spilling out of my head for new paintings.

The first show I heard from was the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club 112th Annual Exhibition. This painting was selected:

"Out of Service: Old Plow"
20" x 15"
watercolor

Second, I heard from The Artist's Magazine that two of the pieces I submitted to the 2008 Annual Competition were selected as finalists in the Landscape division. "Old Plow" was one, and the other was:

"Moonlit Cactus"
16" x 16"
watercolor

I couldn't be more jazzed. To top it all off, my website is starting to generate interest from collectors. It's a good time to be alive!! And now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to work on a painting for a group show that we're hanging this weekend at the gallery

I caught a "fish"

It's not like I've been living in a cave, unaware of the whole cyber-universe thingie. But more and more this past week, as I set up a website and this blog, I've been feeling like I set out to catch a fish and discovered that I'd somehow snagged a whale. The options for communication are SOOOOO vast -- well, it almost leaves me speechless. Which brings me around to the subject of chattiness. Those who know me in person are fully aware that I do not lack the gene for yakkety-yak. But set me in front of a blank sheet of paper and I kind of freeze up. Good thing this is an art blog, I guess!

I mentioned that I'd been honored to be chosen as artist of the month on The Artist's Magazine website back in January. Here's the piece that was featured:

Heirlooms
10" x 10"
watercolor

My mom had a pair of these little salt shakers in her china closet and I always loved them. Over the past several years, I've collected a whole flock of little guys like this, as well as some definitely stranger cousins. Look for more paintings featuring them in the future.

It's about time

After owning a domain name for a longish while (Don't ask! It isn't polite!), I'm finally getting my work into cyber-circulation. I'll be posting occasionally at first and eventually I'll be putting small works up for sale or auction here.

I'm in the midst of getting ready for a feature show at my gallery starting at the beginning of May, and for a weekend fine arts show (Los Altos Rotary Show) on May 17-18. Here's one of the paintings I'll be showing in the gallery:

Quackeroonies #2
6" x 8"
watercolor

Stop over to see my brand new website and then plan to come meet me in person at my gallery reception (Saturday, May 10 from 2-5 p.m.) or the Rotary Show on May 17 and 18 if you live in the Los Altos area.

p.s. I was honored to be featured in January as Artist of the Month on The Artist's Magazine website. They keep their features active for several months after the initial appearance so you can still view the page by clicking on the link in my sidebar.