Juried Show Coming Soon

After my post called “Juried Or Judged?”, one might have gotten the idea that I don’t participate in such shows. In general, I don’t. Lots of artists develop a following by entering shows all over the country, paying entry fees, shipping art, paying to have it boxed and shipped back, hoping for prizes, hoping for sales, and likely, ending up discouraged and poor.

I don’t enter shows that are far away. I am a Central California artist, specifically a Tulare County artist who takes great pleasure and pride in finding the best things of this place I’ve called home for 63 years. (We may not qualify for a Trader Joe’s or a university or even for litter-free pothole-patched roads, but we feed the world and don’t you forget it!)

When there are local shows with nominal or no entry fees, shows that aren’t too much trouble to enter, shows that will keep my work and name in the public eye (where old and new customers can find me, because I came here to earn a living), shows that seek the type of work that I do (realistic subjects based in Tulare County), then I might be interested.

Such a show is coming soon. Artists are allowed to enter 3 pieces. It is juried because they have both standards and limited space. 

The last time I entered this show, my work was small and placed in a dark corner, which did not do it any justice. Many years later, my work is larger, brightly colored, and I have 7 pieces that I want to enter. I don’t know how to decide which 3 to submit. 

Maybe some of these will sell before the show; that’ll help me decide.

What is your Central California artist going to do?? Stay tuned. . .

2023 Calendars Available Here, $20 inc. tax.

 

 

Getting Outside in the Sunshine of Three Rivers

Trail Guy and I took a walk with some friends. It really was just a walk, but two of us carried lunch and water for the other two. It involved some trespassing, so the location will be kept quiet, other than Three Rivers. Of course, if you live here, you will probably recognize where we were. Shhhh. . . .

It started clear, and there were a few trees in bright fall colors. This is looking downstream from the Dinely bridge over the middle fork of the Kaweah River.

From our perch, spots of bright colored trees appeared. These are primarily Chinese pistache, a hardy tree that plants itself in random places, secret spots that no one notices until early November. 

But ick, what happened to the clear day??

The elephant was visible with the new snow on Alta Peak.

Baby rattler or gopher snake? Only its tongue was moving. Trail Guy relocated it a bit using a stick, and it was really stiff. One of our friends may have screamed a little bit. Trail Guy said it most likely was a gopher snake, because they are a bit shinier than rattlers.

One last look through the smog. Haze. Smoke. something.

Three Rivers is one of the best places to live in Tulare County. I’ve lived in the country outside of Ivanhoe, in Visalia, and in Lemon Cove (which is a close second to Three Rivers if you don’t mind being in a town of 190 people). It is the closest place to Mineral King where one can live year around, and it’s where my home is, complete with 3 cats.

That is Tucker, Jackson, and Little Bucky, who is not a cat. Pippin was probably sleeping in the house, where he is NOT allowed, but Trail Guy has a real soft spot for Mr. Orange Bob Square Pants.

Calendars Available, Mineral King HIKES

2023, Mineral King HIKES, still available here: Calendars

I’d show you the back of the calendar, but out of respect for my Most Faithful Blog Commenter you will need to click on the link to see it. Sharon buys a calendar every year, and never allows herself to see what it is in it until the appropriate month arrives.

 

Oranges in Oil

We are in fall, and oranges are a winter crop. But I have to keep a little ahead of the seasons with my paintings so that I am ready when the customers are.

The aloof Jackson jumped down after briefly inspecting my work. 

After finishing the two Kaweah Post Office do-overs, I returned to some oranges.

A customer/friend (If your friends won’t do business with you, who will?) bought a 5×7″ oil painting of oranges that sat on a mini easel, then emailed me to ask for a second one. These will be gifts for two of his family members at Christmas, so I could paint the same scene again or make something compatible.

I painted a new scene twice, then did a third one. All of these will go to the Mural Gallery in Exeter, and my customer/friend can choose the one he prefers. I hope he chooses one of the ones I painted twice (“one of the ones”?? Someone find me an editor!) or else there will be twin paintings at the Mural Gallery.

Started one on a board.

Started two more on canvas panels.

Finished all three, now drying, waiting to be scanned.Done, done, and done. (except for the scanning part)

Oranges are a HUGE crop in Tulare County and a great seller for me. At one time I thought I wanted to grow them; now I am quite happy to simply paint them.

 

Mural News

The Visalia Times-Delta has an article in the Saturday edition about the Mooney Grove murals. This is the link.  Maybe it works without a subscription. You’ll have to try it. (Thank you, J.C. for letting me know!)

 

An Artist’s Aimless and Arbitrary Random Roundup

How is that for a fancy name of a lazy listicle? Sometimes there are various and sundry things taking place in my life  and sometimes, I think you all might be interested. Let’s have a look:

  1. Remember the commissioned flowing water drawing that I was redrawing because the the original had sold? IT DIDN’T SELL! IT WAS HANGING ON THE WALL IN MY STUDIO THE ENTIRE TIME!! Good grief Charlie Brown. This is the new version.And the old:I found it impossible to duplicate the old one exactly, but it doesn’t matter, because water motion doesn’t duplicate itself exactly either.
  2. We have a bad bear in the neighborhood. This was our first attempt to thwart him after his first attempt to tear into the door.
  3. This is the second way “we” (Trail Guy, but I watched a little bit) secured the door against Mr. Bad Bear.
  4. I mailed the sweater to my friend that I began for her back in August, and this is how she reimbursed me for postage. (Now should I reimburse her for $4 it cost to send this plus a very appreciated turquoise necklace?)
  5. The lawn was still a meadow until recently, I allowed Trail Guy to mow it. This year I am clipping and saving the seeds to see if I can fill in the bare spots, which don’t show under the long blades of grass (or under Tucker, who doesn’t show among the long blades either). Once mowed, I realized the lush lawn was actually the botanical version of a comb-over.
  6. Oh, Fernando, you have been so faithful. I’m so sorry about your ignition switch. If you live in Tulare County and drive Honda, Toyota, Lexus, or Acura, you NEED Foreign Auto Works, 210 N. Cain, Visalia. Mark’s number is 559-734-8285. You are welcome. (I wouldn’t dream of driving something he doesn’t work on!)
  7. The ignition switch is now repaired; now the windshield wipers don’t work. When does the owner of a much beloved old car say “enough”? Sigh. (If I didn’t have AAA and Foreign Auto Works, I’d probably be more inclined to update my ride.)

Tomorrow’s post will be our monthly Learned List. 

Mural on a South-Facing Wall in September. . . Part Two

When the mural was this far along, I begin having doubts about the wisdom of trying to complete it in one day. However, I knew the forecast was for even hotter temperatures the next day. It was difficult painting, but with my plan of attack, I decided to persevere to the end.

With shade on the sky, it seemed like a good plan to smooth out those clouds over that lumpy surface. I was in the sun, but at least the paint stayed a bit more moveable and smoothable.

Next, the tree. The upper parts were in shade, so it seemed manageable.

The shadow of the power pole is completely off the wall.

I added blades of grass, some yellow flowers (mustard?)and 3 very small cows. Please, may I be excused now?

 Yeppers: signed it, removed the tape and the drop cloth.

 

There were four other murals planned by other artists all around the park, so I thought I could stagger around to see what had been done. Meanwhile, there was a huge cross-country track meet taking place. I didn’t get a good photo of the crowds of fit young people running past, and I was too beat to wait for a good photo opportunity.

First stop: my murals at the museum on their lovely shaded north-facing wall.

This mural is by Joy Collier. She has worked on it in several three-hour sessions and was quite displeased with the surface of the wall. I agree with her that it would be quite difficult to get a pair of bear eyes looking good with all the lumps and bumps and holes. (I don’t think anyone will criticize these bear eyes.)

It is fun to have a bear in Lion Country.

Mooney Grove Park is so beautiful. The variety and abundance of trees just stuns me every time I walk (stagger) around. They have a TERRIBLE squirrel problem, so I had to watch my step very very carefully.

This one will be a beautifully designed Welcome to Mooney Grove picture in the style of an old fashioned postcard. I met artist Katy Nave Kemalyan earlier in the morning. Later, when I saw her design on the sign with Joy’s bear, I was very impressed with her work.

Colleen Mitchell Veyna and her business partner Kelsey Giles do their painting on some sort of vinyl in the studio and then “wallpaper” it to the wall. Excellent plan in this situation; they have a west-facing wall, like Katy’s. At least they get shade in the mornings! I wonder if there used to be a carousel at Mooney Grove.

The final wall was completely untouched and will be a beautiful poppy scene by Heidi Steinman.

Then I staggered back to my wall to see if it was truly finished. I think yes.

We were paid well, a good thing, because  I stopped for petrol on the way home. I was so stunned that I thought I’d share this photo with you: approximately $6.50 a gallon in Three Rivers.

And thus we conclude another mural at Mooney Grove Park, a jewel in Tulare County.

Mural on a South-Facing Wall in September. . . Part One

This is not ideal for mural painting, particularly in contrast my last experience painting at Mooney Grove on a north-facing wall in February and March.

Realizing that the entire day would have strong hot sunshine on the wall, I determined to finish it in one day instead of the prescribed four. I knew it might possibly take 2 days, but I was focused, locked and loaded, ready to rock and roll, and whatever other cliché you can find.

This will be one day of painting and two days of posting.

First, let me be clear about something: I am Very Thankful to have been chosen to do this job and at the same time, I wished it could have been done at home in my studio with these creatures hanging around. (Pippin is barely visible in the bushes, and Jackson appeared after I took this poor photo).

Alas, sometimes an artist has to go out into the world, kill something, and drag it home to the cave. (Don’t get worked up—it is only a euphemism for doing work away from home.)

Instead, I saw this creature. Mooney Grove is known for its peacock population, although now there are way more Canada geese. Fortunately, they were not in mating season or hanging around my location like the last Mooney Grove mural.

Hello, restroom. I was happy to see some shade. I didn’t know what was coming.

There were domestic geese waiting for me to set up, and very very bold about it. 9 a.m. and it was already hot in the sun.HEY! BUG OFF! Apparently he had a conference to attend, so eventually he waddled away. 

Let’s get to work. You guys too.

Farthest thing first – the sky. I didn’t have a colored copy of the painting that I submitted to the committee, so I was trying to recreate the scene using the original photos and a very poor pale copy of the painting.

Now it is in total sun, with the power pole shadow working its way across. I decided to put base coats on each segment, then return for detailing, rather than trying to complete each section as I went.

After applying blocks of color to each section and trying to squish the paint into the holes in the concrete block, I had to figure out how to proceed. The plan of attack: stand in the shade, plan the next move, decide the necessary colors, quickly grab the paints and brushes, sprint to the wall, and slam out the next small segment before running back to the shade to evaluate my work and figure out the next steps.

Watch the shadow of the pole move across. I kept dragging my crates of paint to the shadow as it inched to the right.

I ran out of water, and 2 wonderful park maintenance men brought me 4 bottles!! 

I finally realized that I couldn’t hold the palette, brush, and the photo, so I taped it to the wall. Sometimes I don’t want to do that because the tape causes the fresh paint to peel. This paint stopped being “fresh” about 20 minutes after application. The maintenance men eventually brought this sign.

They also gave me permission to cross out the incorrect title. I didn’t bother with the incorrect dates, but I did add an “L” to Colleen MitchelL Veyna’s name.

Just rewriting this makes me almost collapse from the memory of heat. We will continue tomorrow with the rest of the very hot day of painting a mural on a south-facing wall in September at Mooney Grove Park.

New Mural at Mooney Grove Park

About two and a half years ago, I worked on several murals on the outside of the Tulare County Museum at Mooney Grove Park on the south side of Visalia, California. Each day when I finished painting, I walked around that giant park of a zillion trees. As a muralist, I am always aware of blank walls, and I counted 7 concrete block restrooms, all painted white, all with multiple walls screaming for murals.

I photographed several of the buildings, photoshopped some of my paintings onto the plain buildings, then wrote up a proposal to present to a committee that meets 4 times a year. I also wrote a letter and asked to be on the next meeting’s agenda.

Then, The Plague struck. No response to anything I requested, no followup, nothing.

A few months ago, the Arts Consortium invited artists to submit five designs apiece, each proportioned to fit a 4×8′ horizontal mural. Five artists would be selected to paint a mural on a restroom. I submitted 5 ideas, and included my photoshopped versions for their visualizing convenience. (Always make it easy for the customer!)

Eventually, I got a congratulatory email saying my painting of the North Fork had been selected for one of the restrooms. Not my favorite, but I have painted and sold this scene about three times, so it seemed like a good candidate for a juried situation.

Next, I got instructions that all the muralists would be painting their restrooms on the same weekend, from a Friday through a Monday, and would be finished on that Monday, no exceptions, so there. 

I looked at the weather, saw that Friday would be 104, contacted the nice man at the Arts Consortium and asked for a postponement or to be fired.

Being reasonable, he agreed that paint dries too fast in those conditions and went to the committee making the decisions. 

We were then allowed to pick our own four day block to paint, and I chose September 21-24.

The forms began flying back and forth, along with a visual to remind me which painting had been selected, and a photo of it on “my” restroom wall.

Excuse me??

All-righty-then! So, I will be painting Yokohl Creek, which might indeed be my favorite. (GREEN!!)

Supposed to begin tomorrow, but many of the project details have been fluid, so time will tell. . .

Hot Day in the Orange Grove

If you can’t see the photos, go here: cabinart.net/blog. Just another hot day at the easel, painting another orange grove.

Is it an “orange grove” or an “orange orchard”? We tend to call it “orange grove” or “orchard”. Some people call it a “ranch”, but I have yet to see any cattle in an orange grove. 

Commissioned Oil Painting

The swamp cooler kept me at the easel working on this commissioned oil painting until early evening. Growing leaves takes some time, particularly on a 16×20″ custom oil painting.


Reference Photos

In spite of being a familiar subject to paint, the piece is a challenge due to the melding of multiple scenes in multiple lights with multiple sizes and perspectives. My goal is consistency, believability, and of course, beauty. Always beauty, along with as close I can get to truth while fabricating the scene.

Here are a few of the dozen or so photos that I referred to. (Not showing the children because I respect people’s privacy here on the World Wide Web).

I love this photo. If I could have figured out how to put the children in this one and have the sizes all make sense AND be large enough to paint some detail, I would have used this one.

The painting still needs orange blossoms, and might need a wind machine. And because I believe it depicts the best part of Tulare County*, I will probably keep polishing it, drawing with my paintbrush, not wanting to quit.

Good thing there isn’t a deadline.

*I asked Ecosia (a new-to-me search engine instead of DuckDuckGo) to find me information on “the best of Tulare County” and it went to the Exeter Sun-Gazette, an article about Tulare County leading the nation in illiteracy. Sigh.

 

 

Are You Drawing With Your Paintbrush Again?

If you read this blog through an email subscription on your phone, the photos might not show up. (Some people get them, some do not.) You can see them by going to the blog on the internet. It is called cabinart.net/blog, and the latest post is always on top.

Yes, I am drawing with my paintbrush again. Paintbrushes, and the smallest I can find, treating them as if they are pencils. Wet flexible pencils are not as effective as graphite pencils, but I think this painting is getting better as a result of all this teensy work.

Remember this?

The first item of business was to complete the distant hills and grove.

Next, instead of painting around the children, I dove into the minutiae, “minutiae” in terms of size, not in terms of importance.

Boy first, because as a righthanded artist, working from left to right lessens the risk of smearing wet paint.

Since the photo of the children was taken in a parking lot, it will be tricky to manage the light in a believable manner, and tricky to make believable shadows. First, though, we need believable children.

These kids are just so cute, both in person and on canvas.

Much work remains, and it will be thoroughly enjoyable as I pursue art of Tulare County, combining my favorite subject of citrus and the mountains with the challenge of believable little people.