Painting in Progress: Mandolin

Yesterday I went to the library and headed for the fine arts section. It's a place I spent many hours in as a teenager. I loved it there. Of course this was pre-internet. Every art related magazine is there. Countless massive, glossy books on any artist. A friend of mine used to work at the library and said it's shocking and sad how the place has become a ghost town. Rarely do people show up to borrow books like they used to. Kids almost never show up to reference books for essays.

I'm guilty of abandoning what was once a favourite place. Along with almost everyone else, I browse the web for info and inspiration, which is obviously fantastic, but I would put it in third place, behind books, and actual paintings in first place if you want to look at art. Books and catalogues have been put together with painstaking consideration in colour correction and detail.

I borrowed Andrew Wyeth: Memory & Magic, along with several other books and browsing through them was completely inspiring. So, if you're looking for some fresh air and inspiration and are not near any major galleries, head to the library. I recommend it.

Here's an aerial view of me working on the mandolin. The mandolin is drawn nearly exact to life size. Starting next month I'll be posting actual completed pieces.

Working on Still Life

After spending a few weeks on larger paintings, I'm taking a breather and painting some simpler still life pieces. Wow, what a change of pace.

The key to success in anything is constantly working on your craft. Painting anything is an opportunity to improve, experiment and refine. I get squirrely when I'm away from the studio for to long. Being in the studio and painting makes me happy.

Below are some photos of my subjects and a shelf in my studio where three pieces in the works wait patiently for their turn at the easel.

Another Artist in the Making

I've written about my daughters interest in the studio, but my son has taken me by surprise over the last week or so with his own creative endeavors.

Where my daughter will make art for the sake of making art. My son, however, needs a little more black and white approach. There has to be a concrete purpose behind it. It has to be very linear and tell a story. And nothing does that better for a kid than a comic strip.

So now my studio has early drafts of comic strips hanging around. And the best part is it's entirely his own doing.