Summer

Still working on the "Neo-Retro" illustration style, in this case an attempt to make it a bit cleaner and more "commercial", if I may make such a confession. But it is illustration, after all, and illustration exists in a commercial universe.
The background is a mix of watercolor and photographic collage elements. For example, the rim of the swimming pool is a photograph of a concrete surface.
One might think the young lady enjoying the pool (and yes, if you see a resemblance to Roy Lichtenstein's "Girl with a Ball", there may be one) is a little on the pale side, especially for such an obviously ardent Sun worshipper. Her whiteness balances the great expanse of white at the top of the image.

Ah, the bluebonnet...

There is probably no subject more riddled with cliches and less revered by artists than the bluebonnet field. From good, classic landscapes, like those of Julian Onderdonk to really bad Sunday painter versions (not that there's anything wrong with being a Sunday painter; anything that brings someone pleasure and satisfaction is fine with me) the really beautiful Texas State Flower has been placed in an unfair and undeserved position. I think it's still possible to create a representational image of bluebonnets that, even if not designed to overturn the Social Order, can still be enjoyed by people who think they hate bluebonnet paintings. Whether this one qualifies I don't know and I'm not the Decider anyway.
My late San Antonio dealer Monte Wade, who left us last year, told me I should make a bluebonnet painting, as there were always people coming through the gallery looking for them. I actually had my version of a bluebonnet landscape already hanging there for several months with no response (it has subsequently sold, I'm happy to report), but when I pointed this out to Monte he said, "Yeah, but it needs something else, like a big ol' Longhorn or something. People like to have something they can lock onto".
Like a focal point?
"Right!"
So I delivered this piece to the gallery last week. It's dedicated to Monte in thanks for his long support of my work.
I titled it "Icons", since it has not only bluebonnets, but prickly pear cactus and that focally pointed Longhorn, as well.
As always, it's acrylic on canvas and it's 18 by 24 inches.

"Fictional"

"Moonfish", acrylic on canvas, 12 by 12 inches.

"Moonfish" is my contribution to an exhibit at the Bath House Cultural Center in Dallas, with an opening reception 7 - 9 pm July 10 and continuing through August 7. The show is titled "Fictional" and is in conjuction with the Festival of Independent Theatres.

According to the Bath House press release, the show was "conceived as a collaborative project between the Bath House gallery and the 12th Annual Festival of Independent Theatres. In the same spirit as FIT, which strives to celebrate the talent of local independent theatre companies, the exhibition also has as its main goal to provide a showcase for the innovative, transcendent and thriving art created by local and regional artists."

Based on elements of the plots of eight one-act plays presented as a part of this year's festival, invited artists chose from a list of single sentence "blurbs" to create images. Interestingly, knowing too much about the plays themselves was discouraged, as to avoid work that "merely illustrated the literary works" (hmmm...). The preferred approach was for "the artists to consider the short blurbs for their own inspiration merit in order to create personal, unique and independent interpretations of the phrases." *
Okay, works for me.

I chose "The Boy, the Girl and the Moonfish" from other possibilities including "Reconstructed Alice in Wonderland", "Bible Heroines", "Mystery Girl Scout", "Transforming Muses", "Snake Urban Legends", "A Day Spent in Purgatory", and "Pontiacs, Trains and Disneyland". I knew exactly what I wanted to do from the moment I read "The Boy, the Girl and the Moonfish", which doesn't happen that often.


* The best examples of illustration do just that, but that's a discussion for a different context.

Favorite paintings

John Fincher is a Santa Fe based painter whose work I've admired for twenty-plus years. His textures and paint handling can only be seen "in person" to be fully appreciated.
His subject matter ranges from expansive landscapes, such as "Los Ojos", oil, 48 by 36 inches, to intimate objects like shaving brushes, "Arch Brush No. 5", oil, 10 by 8 inches.




A series based on branches shows a more minimalist, abstract approach to natural world objects.



All images ©John Fincher

"Outside" - the "Mystery Project" revealed

Last night, June 17, Medical City Hospital in Dallas opened their new Childrens' Hospital wing with a big to-do including my painting "Outside", which hangs in the first floor reception area.
My reasoning for the title, other than the obvious reference to the imagery, is that being "outside" is equivalent with being healthy. "Outside" in the fresh air, running, playing, all those things we associate with kids being outside, and what being treated in the hospital and getting better will help us get back to. That's what I was thinking, anyway.
Here are some photos of the affair, which included a very nice steak dinner, and some elements in the waiting/reception area.
All three dimensional elements were created by the Museum Arts company of Dallas.

This is the "official" professionally photographed image of "Outside", as opposed to my previous shots from my own camera. The painting is 36 by 60 inches, acrylic on canvas.

I think this is an ice sculpture.

A tall fairy greeted partiers.

Becky and me at the Big Shots' table.


Some of our table-mates.

A large tree dominates the first floor reception area.

Inside the tree are two "funhouse" mirrors.

The tree continues to the second floor. I don't think the "fairy" is usually there.

Becky with another "fairy". Apparently they weren't supposed to speak, since none of them did.

A few of the party guests.

Ad agency Avrea Foster art director Lisa Goin, account executive Cheyenne Dazey, a young lady affiliated with the hospital whose name temporarily escapes me (I'll list her name when I remember it) and me.


The second floor admittance desk features a beehive motif.

Butterflies circle the ceiling.

A large catepillar in the waiting area.

These circular features on the floor of the waiting area were very cool.

The "Healing Garden" is just outside the waiting area.

This is the admittance desk, featuring an "ant farm".

"Outside" is at the end of a long hallway leading to the elevators to treatment facilities.

Here I am with "Outside" framed and on the wall.

Drawing Inspiration

I'm quoted and a few of my pictures are featured in this new book by writer/artist Michael Fleishman.
It's available on Amazon at this link.
This cover illustration is by David Bowers.

Jury duty

Earlier this week I was called up for jury duty. I usually get sent home early, but this time I got as far as the actual courtroom and was actually considered for the jury. I didn't get picked, which was good, since it was a heavy criminal case, but that's as close as I've ever come to being "in the box" as the judge kept calling it. While waiting I did these sketchbook drawings of my fellow potential jurists. I don't think any of them were picked either.