First Oil

Rummaging through the dark recesses of my studio, I stumbled upon this today:

My first Oil painting.

I remember very clearly that it was on New Years Day, 2004, when I finally decided to put away the Acrylics and try something new.  I've never looked back.  The smell, the tactile experience, and the long drying time of Oils made me feel like a serious painter for the first time.  It pulled me deeper into the craft and gave me a new lease on art.  At the time I was heavily influenced by Max Beckmann and his self-portrait as a medic in WWI...you can see the influence:

Now, looking back at this portrait, I would change a lot of things (like my one bug-eye and the weird blue shadow on my face), but nostalgia wins.  The excitement is still there and I'll always enjoy looking back at this moment in art self-discovery.

Liquidity, Profundity, Ferocity

I finally got around to completing the 'series' which began with my green eagle drawing "Liquidity". These drawings are partner pieces to my "Crisis" paintings. Instead of explaining it, I'd rather you develop your own conclusions about the symbolism. Hint: They are in order...so there is a progression.

"Chester"

One of the favorite things in my studio is "Chester", a mask from Guatemala (gift from my friend Grace Thornton). I thought this was Halloween appropriate.

At the Met

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the MoMA in NYC. One thing I love to do in museums is to capture how a painting 'feels' in person. It is a completely different experience than looking in an artbook. You get a real sense of scale, texture, and subtle value changes that reproductions can't capture. I attempt to capture the feelings by sketching/making notations in a moleskine sketchbook while walking around the gallery. Here are a few shots of me nerding out taken by my wife (who is probably ready for me to hurry up and move on to the next gallery):

"Mitzi" Progress

This is a portrait of my little sister that was on display at her wedding. I scattered some personal symbolism throughout the work including: The Quarterman Crest, old family dog, her birthday, wedding day, an allusion to a previous profession, and an image of her new husband.

"Biding Time"

2011 Town Creek Arts Festival

I recently found out that I will be participating in the 1st Annual Town Creek Arts Festival this October at the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson. Look for my booth...more details later.