Susan K. Black Foundation and Other Shows

"Tarnished Gold" 4.5 x 4.5 inches, framed watercolor on 140lb cold press paper.

One thing about painting outside all year is that you really notice when the earth is tilting away from the sun. Even before the leaves begin to turn, the light seems more angled, the sky a different depth of blue.  A cool weather front has brought rain to the Front Range, so I'm inside the studio, trying to bring order out of creative chaos.

I've got my work in two shows this month, and a two more coming up.  "Dreams of Crane" and "Morning's Glory" are over at the Lincoln Gallery in Loveland, Colorado, and "Code Blue" and "Tarnished Gold" are in the Artist's Association of Northern Colorado's gallery on Oak St. in Old Town, Fort Collins.

My latest is a piece I recently did for the Susan K. Black Foundation workshop and miniature show up in Dubois (pronounced "DOO-boys") Wyoming.   It's a real honor to be included alongside some of the most talented nature and wildlife artists in the country.  Hopefully some of their knowledge will rub off! I've included the schedule below, for those who might be in the Yellowstone area next week:

Susan Kathleen Black Foundation

                                                   Headwaters Arts & Conference Center
                                                          20 Stalnaker, Dubois, WY

Thursday, September 18th, 2014

Instructor Quick Draw 9:30 a.m., Ballroom

Featuring James Gurney, John A. Ruthven, Mort Solberg, Matthew Hillier, Greg Beecham, Jeanne Mackenzie, Mark Kelso, Guy Combes, Christine Knapp, John & Suzie Seerey-Lester,  Lee Cable, Andrew Denman, Nancy Foureman, Janene Grende, Heiner Hertling, John Hulsey, Wanda Mumm, John Phelps, David Rankin & Connie Spurgeon

Silent Auction 5-8pm
Quick Draws, Original Artwork, Africa photo safaris and much more open for bidding.

Miniature Art Show open to the public Sep 15-19, 2014
Vote for People’s Choice – win a prize!

"One-hundred seventy-five career artists and art industry professionals will attend from around the country.  The SKB Foundation has assembled some of the nation's top nature artists.  (landscape/scenic, floral, western, figurative, still-life, domestic and wild animals) whose work you may bid on.

The silent auction representing work and other donations by the artists and instructors will be available to bid on Thursday, September 18, 5-8 p.m.  100% of the auction proceeds go to benefit the Susan Kathleen Black Foundation’s art education programs.  Join us for this important cultural event."

More info can be found on their website at http://www.susankblackfoundation.org


And here's a sneak peek at the painting that'll be in the miniature show amongst all that amazing art.  It's a pair of young rufous hummingbirds waiting for their momma, painted life-sized against a 9 x 12 background to give a sense of how little and vulnerable they are.  I've decided to call it, "Sibling Reverie".

"Sibling Reverie"

(zoomed-in detail)

I don't know what got into me when I set out to make this piece.  I somehow reckoned I'd paint it using only transparent watercolors, on rough cold press paper with a teensy-weensy No. 0 synthetic brush. Madness, I know. Blame insomnia, or the supermoon.  But I really wanted to see if I could do it.  Now I know that it's possible...but it took roughly 26 hours and my neck and back are yelling at me for it. As someone once said, "Artists must suffer for their art. That's why it's called painting."

Masking tape and paper to keep the working surface from getting dirty

 

A tape measure for a sense of scale. (About 4.5 cm for my metric-loving friends)

Ooof.

From now on I think I'll stick to painting cassowaries, albatrosses, or ostriches....