Newer work #122

I’ve been posting on Instagram, and sadly neglecting WordPress. Still haven’t found a way to get this to flow into Instagram, once I do, all will be well!

#1463, Storm with Seven Palms. Oil on gallery wrap canvas. 18×24″.

I made it into the news

One of my friends noticed that I was in the Hi Desert Star this week – one of the artists mentioned at the recent 29Palms Art Gallery Spring Faire a couple weeks ago.

This Link goes to the direct page.

Monthly newsletter

Here’s April’s monthly newsletter.  Despite the fact that all shows and classes are cancelled there’s always something to do around the studio!  More spider tomorrow!!!

29 Palms Membership show

Last weekend I was at the 29 Palms Art Gallery pretty much all weekend.  On the Saturday we had an art fair during the day and in the evening was the reception for the Membership Show, which was a judged show.

Some of the Artwork in the Main Gallery

Sometimes I had to wait until the people moved around.

There just wasn’t a good angle on this one for the camera.

The Pickering Gallery had a nice selection.  As I was looking around the show early in the morning, I was approached by someone who wanted to buy one of the artworks in there.

There was quite a bit of 3-D art.  This one won a ribbon.

The West gallery contained something familiar.  Again, I was struggling with glare…

I’d seen David’s work before and it was good to finally meet him because he had a booth at the fair that day.

On Sunday my co-worker at the gallery was Miri, whose painting is on the left here.  She is also a singer and sang at the reception when I had my first show at the Glass Outhouse Gallery a couple years ago.  I have a CD of hers.

Earlier in the month I’d encourage Tim to create something to enter the show.  He won best of show!

Monthly mailing

I thought I’d try this way of reposting my Monthly Newsletter.  Nope, my html isn’t good enough to get rid of the squares…..

 

View this email in your browser There are many ways in which government can get involved in art, aside from their involvement in the creation of public art.  I had two such significant encounters in the last month, one negative and three positive. The first positive encounter was somewhat by proxy.  Ontario Airport has a few display cases in the concourse where the art of regional artists is displayed.  I was very happy to be informed recently that my application to show work there was approved and on Feb 19th five of my paintings were installed via the intermediary of Chaffey Community Museum of Art.  The paintings will be there until mid August. Art fair promoters have to work with local authorities on the locations for art fairs and any permits that are required, rules to be followed and registrations of individual artists to be processed.  I’ve done hundreds of fairs over the last decade and one of my favorites is in Palm Springs.  A few years back we had an issue where the city decided to move our venue from the center of town (loads of foot traffic and drive-bys to supplement our other advertising) to the civic center for the following season.  We appealed to the council and they relented. A few weeks ago our promoter commented that the permits for the two March shows hadn’t been approved yet.  We protested further and pointed out that the reason they’d given was no longer an issue.  Then more burning hoops were given.  This from an eblast from West Coast Artists: After meeting with the City of Palm Springs’ Special Event Team today here are the new requirements for the Desert Art Festivals. Loading: We are allowed to reserve 7 parking spaces in the small parking lot for loading at the end of the event. We are to stagger the loading process so that all of the 60 artists use those 7 spaces. There is no parking on Alejo and no parking on Palm Canyon Drive for the purpose of loading. We are not allowed to close the parking lot for loading or unloading. Cross Walks: We are to have crossing guards at the crosswalks because some people neglect to push the button for the crosswalk. This is perhaps a safety issue? Parking Attendants: We had contracted with the property owner across the street from the park, 4 acres, and we must have Community Service Officers patrolling the lot and showing people how to park during the event. Two officers at $55.00 an hour. Police Presence: We are required to have 2 Palm Springs Police officers at the event on Saturday morning for a minimum of 4 hours to make sure everything runs smoothly.  Traffic Plan: We are required to have a Traffic Plan for the parking lot across from the park where we intended to have Patrons park. The spaces in the dirt lot should be delineated so that people know how to park…. After all of these new requirements and the fact that the City Manager, Mayor, and several of the City Council Members have made untrue, disparaging remarks regarding the event to the public, I can’t help but feel like they do not want the Desert Art Festivals in Palm Springs any longer. After the meeting in Palm Springs, I attended the meeting in Rancho Mirage. They have welcomed us with open arms and are going to push the Permit application through the City at an accelerated pace.  At The River in Rancho Mirage management had very few requirements. They have opened up their facility and are very excited to welcome our events. Our events are actually WANTED in the City of Rancho Mirage. The comment was “We would love to take the events from Palm Springs!” Later on it became apparent that The River were not able to accommodate us on the 21st/22nd due to an existing event scheduled, but Indian Wells welcomed us back too, for that weekend.  Not all cities are the same! Here’s my schedule for the month: Fairs: Mar 7th: 29 Palms Art Gallery Spring Art and Craft Fair, 29 Palms, CA. Mar 14th: “Art on Main St“, Old Town La Quinta, CA Mar 21-22nd: Desert Art Festivals, Indian Wells, CA  (Their website might not be up to date yet, it’s on the corner of Cook and 111). Mar 28th: “Art on Main St“, Old Town La Quinta, CA Shows: Feb 2020-Aug 2020 Ontario Airport.  Show case at terminal displaying 5 mixed media paintings. Mar 2nd-26th: Artists 55+.  Walter N. Marks Center for the Arts, College of the Desert, Palm Desert, CA. Reception March 10th 5-7pm Mar 5th-22nd: 29 Palms Guild Members Juried Exhibition. <29 Palms, CA.  Reception  March 7th, 5-7pm.  Classes: Mar 19th: Painting for Absolute Beginners, Borrego Art Institute. $110.  Contact me to book.

Monthly Newsletter

Posting my monthly newsletter promptly seems to be a good item to have on the New Year’s Resolution list.

Tales from the field #32

Tomorrow is Black Friday and I’m a retailer so I’ll be at a show in Palm Springs.  Today is Thanksgiving so I wanted to find something to be thankful for:

The flood got deeper as I continued the setup

This Thanksgiving I am thankful that:

• the rain I set up my tent in was merely heavy rain and not freezing
• that it wasn’t windy so I could put the walls up without having to put the weights on first
• that my booth is on a well drained grassy slope
• that my truck was ignored by Palm Springs finest, alongside the red curb and half in a flood, with the park anywhere lights on
• that my truck has a heater because I was soaked from my head to my hips and my feet to my thighs
• that my truck was able to navigate the floods along Ramon Road
• that there weren’t any crazy fast drivers who caused a crash on the freeway
• that I decided to go for this wet setup so I don’t have to get up at 4 am to set up tomorrow
• that I am writing this listening to the rain on my roof while a turkey cooks

Tales from the field #31

A few years back I was travelling from Southern California for a show in Bellevue – right next door to Seattle.  It’s a two day drive, pretty much up the entire west coast of the US.  I had kinda planned on stopping just north of the Oregon border, but didn’t make firm plans as I figured I wasn’t sure if my tiredness would get me that far, or my awakeness would let me press on further.  I’d actually spotted a well-priced motel in my aim area, and sure enough, just as California disappeared in the rear view mirror, the eyelids started to droop.

I pulled off the road at what appeared to be a motel-bearing town in this rural stretch of Interstate 5.  Miraculously I passed the very motel I’d seen on the internet.  The parking lot was only half full. It was late, though.  The office only had a dim light on.  I knocked on the door.  In a few moments the motel clerk appeared.

In fairness to the man, he was obviously of Indian origin – India Indian, not Native American.  Different culture.  I asked ‘Is there room at the inn?’  ‘No,’ he replied.  Oh, ok, nevermind, I thanked him and turned to leave.  I’d gotten as far as the truck when he came out after me.  ‘I have room at the other end!’  Huh?

Turns out he’d misheard me as ‘Is there room at the end?’ and had completely missed the Christmas reference!  In his further defense, he’d only been in the US about 5 months.

Sonnet Challenge #35

Here’s another sonnet inspired by the work of my peers – Pete – another artist I know from art fairs in Southern California, creates kaliedoscopes.

 

Kaleidoscopes

They might be colored or quite plain outside;
all understate the beauty that’s within,
the most amazing starburst hid inside –
just put it to your eye and you begin
to see the fireworks bursting on your eyes,
riot of twinkles emphasized by sun
or lamp or kitchen light – always surprise
and never the same, but guaranteed, it’s fun.
Much better than taking some kind of bad drug –
and good for kids! No age limit to awe
of sparkles, vibrant dance of shapes, the tug
of gravity on confetti’s what you saw.
When stress is high and you don’t think you can cope,
sit down and pick up your kaleidoscope.

A forever home in Palo Alto

A recent sale at Palo Alto subsequently got back to me as a pic of the painting in its forever home.  This one might not look as interesting as you would think it could be, but I knew before the new owners took it home, it was going in the guest bathroom, so most of the surrounds are omitted for aesthetic reasons.

“I thought this would be” has the following lines written for it and painted into the horizon areas: I thought this would be the view I’d live and die with but the sea recedes.