It is better to give than to receive...

As the holidays approach, our thoughts turn to gifts for friends and family. Most of us have everything we need, and the task of finding "the perfect gift" for someone can be exhausting. Maybe we should think outside the box!!

Señor Terremoto and I are blessed with enough to eat every day. For those who are struggling, the food banks are a life-saver -- literally! But the current economic conditions are seriously affecting donations to food banks and impairing their ability to serve the increasing number of people who need their help. So when I read in the paper this morning that some large Silicon Valley companies were foregoing their holiday parties this year and donating the monies they saved to the local food bank, it set me to thinking: What if I put a link to the food bank on my blog to raise awareness and encourage individuals to donate too? My blog is limited in its reach, but maybe the folks who read my blog will pass this idea along, and so on and so on, and together we can reach a much larger audience.

If you live in the California counties of Santa Clara or San Mateo, clicking on this link will take you to the local Second Harvest Food Bank website, where you can donate in a number of ways, including online. You can choose to purchase specific foods or make a secure cash donation (via credit card). What could be easier?

And if you live elsewhere, the Feeding America network (formerly America's Second Harvest) has affiliates all over the country. You just enter your zip code in their Food Bank Locator to find the nearest food bank.

Happy Holidays!!!

Pleasant surprise

"Una Tuna"
16" x 16"
watercolor & gouache

Una Tuna is the other painting accepted into the Triton Museum's Statewide Watercolor Exhibit. When I got to the reception tonight, I was pleased and surprised to discover it had received an Honorable Mention! This piece is one of several I created after spending a day with Señor Terremoto at the Luther Burbank Gardens in Santa Rosa, CA, where they have what is probably the largest patch of prickly pear in captivity!! Although my initial scheme for this painting had to be abandoned, I'm very happy with the final outcome.

Art reception this Friday...

"Morning Glorious"
15" x 18"
watercolor

It's my good fortune to have two paintings -- "Morning Glorious" and "Una Tuna" -- hanging in the upcoming show at the Triton Museum in Santa Clara, CA. What started as a biennial watercolor exhibition has, in recent years, morphed into a cyclical series of statewide competitions -- rotating between all painting media, pastels, and watercolors. This is the year for watercolor and the competition was stiff. The juror -- Scott Shields, Ph.D., the Associate Director and Chief Curator at the Crocker Museum in Sacramento, CA -- selected just 56 paintings from nearly 800 entries. It's an honor to be included in the show.

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, this is your invitation to join me at the reception this Friday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. The museum is located at 1505 Warburton Ave. in Santa Clara. Hope to see you there!!

Renewed...

Yesterday's post was the first in way too long. But I haven't been snoozing. On the contrary, it's been a very productive couple of months. First off, I finally accomplished a long overdue studio cleanup. I jettisoned some supplies that have been cluttering up the landscape, both literally and figuratively; I got the bookkeeping up to date; I sorted through the idea file and cleaned that up a bit; and I took inventory of a drawer full of half-finished pieces that I want to complete. Perhaps most important, I came to a decision that simplifies my life and gives me a huge boost of energy -- to focus on watercolor (with a collage or two thrown in now and then) and stop playing around with every painting medium that comes into my field of view. I like to try new things, but over the last two years, I found myself getting so scattered that I couldn't see where I was going.

Watercolor has been my favorite medium since I first put brush to paper. As happy as I was with my finished acrylic paintings last spring, the process of creating them was not one I enjoyed. And oils in any form trigger my chemical sensitivities, so that's definitely not an option. But beyond the physical reasons to stick with watercolor, I came to realize that my recent successes were a message from the universe to stay on the path. It's good to know where you stand.

Ever since I started painting seriously, I've put paintings away for some period of time because I get stuck and can't see how to proceed. I periodically revisit each one and think about how to resolve whatever problem caused me to banish it, knowing that I'll eventually come up with a solution. Last year seems to have produced a bumper crop of these goodies. Here's a peek at one of the pieces I pulled out of the "works in progress" drawer today:

The Eyes Have It (detail)
watercolor

The weird blobs that appear on the surface are masking fluid. I have always disregarded the instructions to remove masking fluid in a very short time, with only one really awful experience as a result. And I started using Incredible White Mask a few years ago and have been very pleased with how easily it came off (as long as it was reasonably fresh when applied). I probably should throw in a disclaimer here along the lines of "don't try this at home" so I don't have a bunch of ticked-off watercolorists emailing me with threats of bodily harm!! My studio stays at a very even temperature because I need to use an air conditioner for my allergy problems. Heat will cause masking fluid to set into the paper: if a painting is exposed to heat or sun, you'll never get the masking off.

First challenge!!

In one of those lovely accidents of the universe, I met another watercolorist on Brushspace shortly after I'd signed up. We started emailing and it turned out that Pablo lived not-so-far-away and had a fabulous solo show that I went to see in late October. So when he proposed a painting challenge last month, I jumped in. We wanted to showcase watercolor -- a medium that too often gets short shrift in the art world -- and have some fun along the way. We settled on a small format with a theme of "something from the kitchen" for this first challenge:

"Sliced with Salt"
Chris Beck
watercolor & gouache, 6" x 6"


"This Little Piggy Went to Market"
Pablo Villicana Lara
watercolor, 10" x 8"

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.

More connections...

In my last post, I introduced you to a few new friends from Brushspace. Today, Terry Rafferty was kind enough to feature me on her "Monday Memo" -- a new regular feature on her blog. Thanks so much, Terry!! Please pay her a visit.

Among the other artists I've met on Brushspace in the past few days, Miro Sinovcic stands out for some eye-popping urban scenes. His painting style conveys a sense of shimmering light that infuses each scene with great energy. Do check out his blog!

Take a few minutes to travel around the globe visiting a few more Brushspace artists: Per-Inge Isheden, moving between realism and surrealism, produces works that challenge our complacency as viewers. Larry Brooks, in addition to his fine traditional still-lifes, has a series of "curbside" paintings that blur the line between realism and abstraction. Look closely to see all the details he's incorporated into those images. Joanne Licsko creates oil paintings infused with rich color, but that seem nearly as translucent as watercolors. Jason de Graaf's highly polished realism will wow you with its technical brilliance and intriguing use of subject matter. And last but not least in this list, is Rob Evans, whose apparently commonplace subjects contain an air of mystery and almost otherworldliness.

Enjoy the trip!!

New connections...

I've been meaning to post for weeks and somehow running out of steam before getting to it. Tonight's post is my first post in almost a month and lots has happened in the meanwhile. For one thing, I discovered BrushSpace, thanks to a tip from Jeff Hayes. A new networking site specifically for artists, it's mushroomed from about 200 members when I signed on about three weeks ago to well over 900 today. I've met a bunch of artists through the site and will tell you a little about them in a minute.

First, though, I want to say a big thanks to Jennifer Phillips, who's inspired me to try oil pastels. I don't have anything I want to share quite yet, but I think it's going to be a good fit for me. Jen has a fun blog, with a cool video lesson on framing an oil pastel. Through Jen's blog, I found Wakar over at Lightfast, with her wonderful discourses on art and life. I owe Wakar a big thanks for reminding me to see the Women Impressionists exhibit in San Francisco. It was excellent and surprising -- new to me is Marie Bracquemond, who outshines the other three women in the exhibit to my eye. I particularly liked a small black and white drawing of hers of a crowd with umbrellas descending a broad outdoor stairway in the rain. It is included in the exhibition book, but the reproduction loses all the depth and power of the original.

Back at Brushspace, I found (or more accurately was found by) Linda Lucas Hardy, whose colored pencil works are phenomenal. She's recently switched to oils, and they're just as amazing. I've also been amazed by the watercolors of Pablo Villicana Lara, who's almost a neighbor in this land of commuters. Pablo will be having a solo show in October and I'm hoping to get over to see it. Diane Hoeptner has a quirky sense for iconic images -- check out her Pinocchio and Yoda paintings!! -- and wonderful brushwork. Her floral work is equally appealing. Just today, I connected with Terry Rafferty. I love her paintings titled "Things you can..." -- so far she has buttons as things you can lose, and eggshells as things you can stack. I hope she has a few more of these fun ideas waiting in the wings. I found Otto Lange, whose blog is a fun read and whose website gets my vote for its excellent graphic design. His paintings and drawings cover territory from whimsical to edgy. Lastly, check out J.H. Lukens on Brushspace for some astonishing portraits and intriguing cityscapes.

Well, although I started this post at a reasonable hour, it's insanely late now and time for me to close. Hope you enjoy meeting all my new friends.

Living proof...

Several good things have happened since I submitted my resignation from the gallery a few weeks ago. I got yet another show acceptance -- this time to Watercolor West, based in Los Angeles and the west coast counterpart to the Transparent Watercolor Society of America. I earned signature status in TWSA about 5 years ago and have been working toward the same in WW. This show marks my third acceptance which is one of the requirements for the signature. So I'm basking in the good feelings that come with this success. The painting that was accepted is one you've seen on this blog already, but here it is again:

"Heirlooms"
10" x 10"
transparent watercolor

Second, I've had feedback from a couple of other bloggers and just feel great about being connected. I've had Jeff Hayes on my blog roll for a while now, but I haven't had the opportunity to chat with him until recently. Thanks, Jeff, for the technical help as well as the encouragement on my art. (Be sure to check out both of his blogs.) I also heard from Jennifer Phillips today. I didn't have time to take more than a brief look at her website and blog, but I like her work and her writing too. I'll definitely stop back for a longer look.

And last, I sold a painting off my website a couple of weeks ago and tried Paypal's invoice setup for the first time. I couldn't be more pleased -- it was easy to use and my buyer had the choice of paying with either a credit card or a debit card without signing up for Paypal. Plus, she didn't have to reveal her financial data to me and I didn't have to worry about keeping information like that secure. Now I'm looking forward to trying their virtual terminal when I do Open Studios next spring. One of my big concerns with leaving the gallery was the loss of credit card processing. I don't have enough sales volume right now to support my own credit card account, but Paypal will let me sidestep that. Loud cheers all around!!!!