Skies Exhibition.

I’m happy I was accepted into this online exhibition and received an Honorable Mention.  The couple who run this are local and I’m hoping that at some point I will be included in the in-gallery shows.

The 3rd Annual Skies art exhibition is now open. Thanks to all the artists who participated and congratulations to the winners and finalists including Best in Show winners, James Griffin (Traditional), Pavlos Evangelidis (Photography & Digital) and Diana Fernández (3-Dimensional). Click HERE to see the exhibition. Also visit our YouTube Channel on September 8th to see the exhibition videos.

“Sunrise with Creosote” Oil on canvas 30×40″. $1500.

Newer Work #38

#1213 Umber Sunset. Oil on Canvas, 12×12″. $100.

Umber sunset is painted from one of the most unusually colored skies I’ve ever seen.  A dust storm created a dark brown swirling foreground, (rather than the usual beige-out we get when we get a haboob coming through), with creamy gold clouds poking through at the back.  I also created a refractured watercolor from this scene.  Sadly the 10′ tall creosote bush that stars in the bottom corner is no longer there, it was uprooted when George’s house was built.

Newer work #30

#1199 “The Greening II”. Refractured watercolor 11×14″ in mat ready for 16×20″ frame. $195.

Somehow the circles are always so soothing – especially on a calm morning scene over the water.  This little lake or pond could be anywhere.  Your favorite morning walk…. a memory of a relaxing vacation….

The power in the sky.

Here is an interesting video showing lightning in slow motion.  And all this comes from air, water and movement.

 

Lightning Hits the Earth in Slow Motion

 

Newer Work #24

Another collage inspired by the contents of the box of leftover pieces.  This is serendipitously a companion piece to ‘Stolen Moon‘, though I hadn’t intended to make a couple when I set out.  If you like it, share it!  If you want it, email me. skyscapesforthesoul@gmail.com!

#1193 ‘Reverse Sun’. Watercolor collage on foamcore. 10×8 matted to 14×11″ $90.

Newer Work #22

#1188 “Morning Star”. Oil on wraparound canvas, 18×36″ $800

Yet another rendition of my favorite subject, dawn across the Salton Sea. @Visitsaltonsea

This time though, not from my back porch, but from the shoulder of Highway 86, just south of Riverside County line. When I left the house the sky was dark and barely promising, but 12 miles and 14 minutes later, it was a different story. The lights to the left are, I think, North Shore.  Fortunately none of the county police happened by….  “Yes, officer, this is an emergency.  A photographic emergency.”

Newer Work #21

“Go Forth” #1187. Oil on canvas, 20×24″, $600.

I wanted to paint something a little looser, and somewhat doubtful as to whether there was ocean or land beneath the sky.  I took a hint of the color at the upper part from one photograph and inspiration from ‘Into the Light’ – an earlier painting (actually I did two with that name but the first one I really didn’t like so I binned it). Have only shown this once so far at the last Umbrella show last month, but it will be going out again next month to Fallbrook, unless someone snaps it up before then.  (Lightweight and very mailable.)

What do I call it???

So this poem just kinda fell out of the end of the pen.  I feel it somewhat goes with my recent painting ‘Go Forth’ but not quite.  (Hmm, I have a few panels ready to go just wasn’t sure what I was going to put on them, now I think I know.)

After writing the poem, I was at a loss as to how to title it.  Then an odd text came through on my phone.  I have no idea where from or what it meant, but I figured it was the answer to the question I put out there.

654 916 442

Somewhere ahead is a ray of sunshine
shining just for you.
It pulls you forward into its brightness –
a ladder, not a shaft,
raising you from the dirt
into the softness of the gray texture
that you thought was a storm.

Even as you approach it
The incredulity of the event
makes you doubt,
but the closer you come
the more you realize
this is the portal you sought.

Rushing to the base of the light
now knowledgeable of all,
not just a believer, a hoper,
you long to step into tomorrow
and fulfill the mission of your soul
but as your toes hover over the patch of brightness
it vanishes again.

Work in progress

Over the holidays (hmm, is that a bit of a misnomer…) I’ve been working on a new oil painting.  I’ve painted this particular dawn a couple times many years ago.  I’ve always loved the image though, and thought that it was about time I revisited it, this time in oil.  It’s 30×40″ and it’s almost complete, I need to do a little more work on the white part of the sun.  Yes, the sun really is that shape when it’s just popping up over the horizon.

It’s not the best photo – the light is not good in the house late this afternoon, with clouds gathering and promising rain.  As you can see, it’s up on a ‘wall diaper’.  I don’t usually paint in the living room, but moved it in here to dry so I can get the next baby going in the studio.

X marks the spot…

The one I don’t* understand is the “top left” part of the X. But then physics was so long ago.

… the years I’ve lived here, I’ve come to know lots of ways the light plays through the house at various times of day or year.  Although it’s late October, I’m still finding it necessary to slant the blinds to deter sunlight in the afternoon, in order to avoid needing to run the A/C.  I guess I just had one slat out of place, creating a shaft of light way over in the dining room and out the back door, and reflecting back inside to make an X.  Never seen this one before and likely won’t again…