Jeff Koons PlayDoh for New York Art Week

Here is a fine example of contemporary art for sale last week for New York City art week at Christie’s auction house in Rockefeller Center. It is done in aluminum (see card below) and it is by the famous Jeff Koons. He is very well known and his work can be seen all over the city and is for sale in the millions. He was on the cover of Time Magazine a few years ago which I discovered when I went to New York and saw two of his exhibits, one at the Gagosian Gallery and one at the Zwirner Gallery. He quite often works in large scale and in metal. Pictured above is the front of Play-Doh and below are more shots. I’ve also included a photo from my trip in 2013 of a statue with gazing ball, to give you another example of his work.

 

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Diane Dyal at 1020 Art for First Friday

Majken was exuberantly looking over the artwork I submitted to her for the show this spring in April and May. She is the curator of 1020 Art, a gallery on Lafayette Street in Tallahassee, FL where I have representation. The pieces I gave her were done in my new expression style which she was eager to add to my former primitive style paintings. Here I am with some of the art which was on display in the gallery on First Friday in April. First Friday is something that’s done here in Tallahassee the first Friday of the month where all the art galleries and studios have openings. I can’t wait for May’s event!

Boston Terrier Custom Pet Portrait

Here is a sketch of two Boston Terriers on the canvas before the painting began. When doing a custom pet portrait, I always sketch the animal(s) on a pad first, then sketch onto the canvas next. Hopefully the sketch on the canvas comes out as good as the sketch on the pad. To refine the sketch you can always look at the drawing in the mirror to judge proportions, etc. Another method of double checking is taking a photograph which surprisingly shows a bit of a different perspective. Here’s the finished product below which I delivered to a happy customer last week.

It Started with a Painting Study

I have been doing studies first before I do an actual painting. Usually an artist does studies in pencil, which I do, but I also paint a sample of what my finished piece will look like. This gives me an idea of color harmonies, brush strokes, composition, etc. This study of a guitar started me off doing a painting of the same guitar and I liked it so much I decided to paint another guitar, too. In fact, the artwork entitled “Donny’s Guitar” sold to someone on Facebook. Then the second guitar I painted was a classical guitar, which was named exactly that and is on display at 1020 Art. I’m thinking of doing a third!

Mini Custom Portraits for the Coast

I have been working hard lately on getting mini sea life finished to be sold at locations in Panacea, on the Gulf coast. I needed to prepare sea turtles, blue crabs and seahorses for Two Blondes Liquors and Gifts. As well as more seahorses, sea turtles and a couple of manatees for Gulf Specimen Aquarium, shown above.

I always sketch the mini on a pad first. Then I transpose that sketch to the canvas. As you can see it’s not always easy to fit the animal on these very small canvases! You can also see the small tubes of paint I use from a set of a variety of 48 colors which provide a great selection of colors for me to choose from. Shown below is the finished product ready to ship south!

Subject Matter for New Paintings

Shown above are a number of photos I’ve taken around Tallahassee that might serve as subject matter for paintings. I am preparing for an exhibit at LeMoyne Arts that is potentially coming up in 2020. Although I haven’t officially been chosen as an exhibitor, I’m hopeful and still preparing nonetheless! There is no particular theme to the show except that my decision has been to paint things that inspire me around the house and around town. This has been the case since I moved to my still-new home of Tallahassee. There seems to no limit to the subject matter around!

Teaching Seniors “How To” a Cityscape

Here is another expressionistic painting I have just done only this one wasn’t done at my home studio. “Mailboxes in a Row” was created at the Wakulla Senior Center in Crawfordville, FL at the acrylics class I volunteer to teach. Shown above is my sample painting I do in front of the class as a teaching tool. I often use these pieces to show since I am happy with the finished products. I like to paint Tallahassee subject matter and despite the fact I have moved, I make my commute south to the senior center since both myself and the seniors enjoy this class so much. Pictured below is Walter proudly showing off his rendition of the mailboxes. I’m shown teaching the folks as well!