Miss Global Warming

In response to the overwhelming evidence of climate change, and mankind's contribution to it, I painted this painting.  It is called "Miss Global Warming, and is a 36"x36" acrylic painting on stretched canvas.  The face is modeled after the mother of artist Kay Sarver. 

Dogs

We have a new member of our family.  Her name is Sugar (see above), and she is four years old.  We picked her up in Nashville, Tennessee, and drove her home over the weekend.  In the past she was a therapy dog, and is as sweet as can be, hence the name.

My previous standard poodle was Nina, pictured below.  She was a senior rescue, and I used to tell people that I didn't want a dog younger than I was. She was a regal lady who spent many hours with me in my studio. I didn't make many paintings of her because it is very hard to see the face and eyes of black dogs, particularly when they are wearing a poodle topknot.  Below is one of the few images I made : a 7" x 5" acrylic painting. 

We lavished Nina with lots of  love.  Sadly, Nina died of liver disease last year. We miss her so much.  The empty spot in our hearts and our home prompted us to get Sugar.  

Pictured below is our beloved Jack.  He was the beloved pet who inspired me to paint him for over three years.  Jack was my muse, and companion during a difficult period in my life.  

His Beauty and Grace will never be forgotten.

Buchanan Gallery, Galveston: Summer Show

These are a couple of shots from the Art Chatter Group Show that we had last summer.  It was a perfect night for an opening, and the exhibition was full of excitement.  Pictured above is the entrance to the gallery.  My painting, "Dog of My Heart" greeted everyone as they came through the doors.  The painting was flanked by Damon Thomas' Blue Dogs (I do not know their exact titles) Who guarded the entry as if it was the portal to King Tut's Tomb!

Pictured above is three of my "Jack of Hearts" Paintings: Dapper Dog (sold), Pretty Good Dog, and Winged Dog.

Pretty Boy

The series I am working on, Pretense, is about performance, clothed in a circus theme.  The circus part is mere decoration.  I am interested in the fact that we are all actors, and are constantly creating our scripts.  Who are we? What do we want to do?  How are we going to do it?  Why? What should we say and how should we say it?   Some people put on grandiose performances from huge arenas, and always have a sold-out crowd.   For most of us, our stages aren't big- maybe a four foot circle, and the audience comes and goes.
   

This painting is of a young boy on a small stage as seen through a vintage looking glass.  He is a reluctant participant in this performance, and would rather be somewhere else.  Seated on his lap is a large white cockatoo.  The title, "Pretty Boy" is a double entendre about the beauty of the boy, and the  phrase we say to parrots.

The boy is sitting on a miniaturized circus cart that is used to cage and transport animals.  His stage is so small that the curtain behind him presses in on all sides.

Pretense II Opening Today

Everything is ready for the opening tonight.  The paintings are installed, and the show looks great!  It is Cinco de Mayo, and a full moon is rising, the biggest moon of the year.  The work can be seen on my website: www.artaskew.com.   

Painting Preview

I have started a 4' x 4' acrylic painting with an idea that I have wanted to work on for quite some time. It took about 3-4 weeks to develop the idea, as it involves 6 figures, and a central concept that needed to be conveyed through their images. The child pictured above has an important roll in creating the mood and the mystery of the painting. I had wanted to paint this on a 6' x 6' canvas, but my ordered canvas arrived about two weeks too late (mea culpa). I had the smaller canvas, so I used what I had. Will keep you posted with updates!