First Friday -ART FOR ALASKA PARKS TOP 30 ART SHOW

FIRST FRIDAY ART SHOW - ART FOR ALASKA STATE PARKS TOP 30 COMPETITION - LAROMA BAKERY 9900 OLD SEWARD HWY, ANCHORAGE ALASKA 5:30 - 7PM   - AWARD CEREMONY IS AT 6:30PM 
We have the best group of paintings in the 5 year history of the competition.  We have 5 awards that will be presented:  Best of Show, Best Landscape, Best Wildlife/Bird, Best People in the Park, Artist's Choice and People's Choice.  Come and vote for Peoples Choice.

Serenity Marsh Giclee Canvas Print Now Available

Serenity Marsh 18"x14" Stretched Canvas Giclee Print - Only 15 will be printed.

I now have the prints in stock the Price is $210.00 for the print stretched on stretcher bars.  The prints have been coated with a UV protected spray and varnished.  So they are ready to be framed like a original painting and hung on your wall.  I am really proud of how the prints turned out.  

3 Small Paintings

3 Small Paintings - 5x7's  - I painted these 3 paintings just before I left on my vacation to visit my kids.   They were a weekend work, lot of fun to scale down to smaller images every now and then.  Forces you to simplify your composition and not get to detailed.  So you learn what to leave out of your painting and to only include what is necessary.  I also painted on Amperstand Gesso Board on 2 of the paintings.  A slicker surface, but I like the look, so will keeping working with the gesso board now and then.

Art In Our Family

A Art Filled Family Vacation. - I spent a week in Washington and British Columbia Canada visiting my two of my four children.  I spent the first 2 days with Justin and his girlfriend Felicia.   I had not previously met Felicia, and thoroughly enjoyed meeting her.  I also spent 2 days with Christina and her fiancee Cameron.  Then we all went camping up Mt Baker for two days.  It was a great time for me as a parent to see my children as adults on their own.  Also I got to draw and paint with them together.  As a artist it is so cool to see how talented each of them is.  We had a great time painting and drawing  together.   Being raised in Alaska we all love camping also, so we had a wonderful time.  I miss them all terribly, but I am so proud of them and how they have their own lives and how happy they are.

I will look forward to our next Family Plein Air Adventure.

Lynn Brautigan Boots Art Show

Lynn Brautigan Boots at Stephan Fine Artst Gallery in Anchorage Alaska (Captain Cook Hotel).  My artist friend Lynn has a great showing of 40 paintings at Stephans Gallery this month.  They are all wonderful.  She is a very talented artist and I highly recommend that you see her show if you can.  Stehpan Fine Art Gallery just click this link and you can see some of her paintings on their website if you do not live in the Anchorage area.  Her art talent is only exceeded by her kindness.

Getting The Motor Started

Prepping the engine for starting. - As I continue to paint I find that I have certain patterns that help me prep myself for a paining session.  Usually I do my best painting in the morning.  I get up early, have a bite to eat and 2 cups of coffee.  Then read a little about art.  Then head to the studio with my dog (Oreo).  Usually turn on the stereo to jazz or early rock n roll.  Sit down and think about what I want to do; if it is a painting I am working on I will take some time to look at it.  Determining whether I need some changes, whats working & whats not.  If I am starting a new painting i will think about composition, subject matter, color and what I am trying to express in my painting.  Emotional Content is so important in a painting that communicates with it's audience.  After I have done all this and my thoughts are in order I will start to paint.  Once I am painting time flies by.  I usually take a break at lunch and have lunch with my wife.  Then back to the studio for another session.

Family Time - My Wife's Birthday

Celebration Of Life - It was my wife's Birthday yesterday.  We went out for dinner, Ryan one of our 4 children came to dinner with us.  We had a lot to celebrate, Donna and I just celebrated our 15th Anniversary together.  We are grandparents now also, Shaunna and Matt have a little boy Joseph (see picture ).   We are in good health and happy.  My mom is in the hospital recovering from a hip fracture.  Dad is doing great.  So this summer has really made us reflect on what is important in life.   Art sales have improved this year despite the eonomy, which is a pleasant surprise.  Most importantly our children are all doing well and happy.  Donna and I are hoping all is well in your lives too.  Enjoy each day, take what life serves you and realize all experiences help you savior your life.

Appreciation For Artists Who Are Willing to Judge Competitions

Art For Alaska Parks Top 30 Judging. Last night our two judges did a very appreciative and difficult job of selecting the 30 entries that will be displayed in the Art Show for the month of September at LaRoma Bakery on 99th Ave/Old Seward Highway in Anchorage Alaska.   We had a really good selection of entries from all over the Northwest this year.  I am so glad I was part of the committee running the show for the Alaska Artists Guild and not a judge.   I have come over the last two years  to really appreciate those artists that are willing to take the time and effort involved in selecting their choices.  I have seen the Judges truly agonize over some selections that did not make the top 30 that will be in the show.  The judges really do make a effort to pick the best based on Composition, Color and representation of the Parks the artist choose to paint. 

Emotional Ups & Downs

Wow what a Roller Coaster week- We had the Plein Air Art Show all last weekend, despite the weather we had a good turn out and raised a higher amount of money for the Clare House then the last 3 years. 
  My Mom and Dad ( 85 & 90 ) came.   

Then on Monday afternoon Dad called me at work, Mom had fallen and broke her hip.  Tuesday she had hip surgery and is in the hospital now.   

Friday I took some paintings down to  Stephan Fine Art Gallery in the Capt Cook Hotel in Anchorage Alaska.   Found out I had recently sold some more paintings.  Always a good thing.

Yesterday Donna and I went and visited Mom in the Hospital.  Found out she had tried to stand up on her own with out calling for help and of course fell again.  This going to be a rough ordeal for Mom and Dad.  Chris my brother and I are trying to help as much as possible.   But there is only so much we can do.  Painting has been put on hold for a while until there is a little more time.

Glad Mom made it to our show though that will be a special memory for me.