Good Reception, Going Quiet

The reception was well attended by people from all different parts of my life. I was especially touched to see several of my drawing students there (no extra credit for attending; no demerits for skipping.)

Here are some photos provided by attendees.

I love my drawing students and miss them when we don’t meet for two months in summer.
There was an enormous selection of finger foods which looked delicious, but I stuck to water. Too much talking and handshaking and hugging to be dealing with a plate of food.
Father John, formerly of St. Anthony’s Retreat in Three Rivers is a very accomplished painter who encouraged me back when I began oil painting in 2006.
Kim is a fabulous realistic pastel artist and also a fabulous pianist. Her tunes in the background were perfect.
I was thrilled to see some MK friends! (and learn that others stopped by a day or two later on their way to MK—thank you, G & D!!)
This is the only decent photo of the ones I took before the reception began. I was a little worried that no one would show up, so maybe I wasn’t giving photography my best attention.

Why is this chick so smiley? Because: A. Her favorite dress still fits after 30 years and she rediscovered that it has pockets; B. She is going quiet on the interwebs for a week or so; C. She will be with her first friend from Three Rivers and her very dear friend from Texas next week.

Nothing to see here, folks.

AROUND HERE will be at the Heritage Gallery in the Tulare Historical Museum through August 30. Days/hours are Thursday, Friday, and Saturdays, 10-4. (444 W. Tulare Ave.)

P.S. It is ALL FOR SALE.

RECEPTION TONIGHT!

The gallery director and her granddaughter hung the show with my eager and curious assistance.

This gallery seems dark inside, but the lights on the art are terrific. Carpet on the walls looks odd at first glance, but it is surprisingly effective in preventing the need to continually patch and repaint holes.

It’s a great gallery and I hope you can come.

Your Central California Artist Walked to White Chief

Walked? Hiked! I carried a daypack with water and lunch, so I’m calling it a hike. So what, who cares? I went 7 miles on my numb feet, that’s what. Yea! I can still hike (maybe not far, but I’ll take what I can get here.)

Let’s just have photos, with minimal commentary and zero whining.

Spring Creek has a foot-bridge.
The White Chief trail is very steep. I followed these fine fit folks up and was thankful for the frequent Trail Guy/Guide and photo stops.
Everyone’s favorite juniper
I’ve painted it seven times.
Once you break into the canyon/dry lake bed, it’s much easier walking.
We didn’t go into the mining tunnel; can you see it? On the far right, in the center.
Once again, I forgot to put a dime or a quarter in my pack for size comparison. These are TINY.
Bye-bye, White Chief. It was GREAT to see you again!
Entering White Chief, oil on wrapped canvas, 12×16”, $375

Since this is my business blog, here is my painting of Entering White Chief. It is the picture I chose for the publicity of my upcoming show Around Here, and Sometimes a Little Farther, opening August 7 at the Tulare Historical Museum and Heritage Gallery, 5-7 p.m.

Last Few Days, Last Preview of Simply Home

My 2-1/2 month show, Simply Home, at CACHE is almost over. I’ve done my best to show you all the entire exhibit so that if you live far away, you can see my entire current body of work.

Here are the final three oil paintings.

BELOW PANTHER GAP, 12×16″, $375
BIG & TALL, 18×36″, oil on wrapped canvas, $1500
FOUR GUARDSMEN, 16×20″, oil on wrapped canvas, $650

CACHE HOURS

Friday, 10-4, Saturday, 11-4, Sunday, noon-4 and then the show goes away.

Last Few Days

My 2-1/2 month show, Simply Home, at CACHE is almost over. I’ve done my best to show you all the paintings, and now I have 2 blogging days remaining with three paintings left to show you.

That worked out pretty well, except I didn’t show you the three pencil drawings.

What’s an artist to do?

How about the three pencil drawings today and the three oil paintings tomorrow?

FAREWELL GAP, 14×17″, graphite on paper (that means pencil), matted and framed under glass, $400
HONEYMOON CABIN, 15×17″ graphite and colored pencil on paper, matted and framed under glass, $400
SLIM’S GRANDSON, 11×14″, graphite on paper, matted and framed under glass, $250

CACHE HOURS

Friday, December 27 10-4, Saturday, December 28 11-4, Sunday, December 29 noon-4 and then the show goes away.

The Gift of Art

Tonight at CACHE!

Most of Exeter’s businesses will be open for the annual Christmas open house evenings. I will be at CACHE from 5-8 tonight—will you? (125 South B Street)

SIMPLY HOME

You can see this painting in person tonight.

Honeymoon Cabin I, 6×18″, $195

The show hangs until December 29 at CACHE in Exeter. Their hours are Friday 1:30-4, Saturday 10-4, Sunday noon-4. It includes about 50 paintings, 3 original pencil drawings, calendars, cards, coloring books, The Cabins of Wilsonia books, and a few pencil reproduction prints.

2025 CALENDARS AVAILABLE HERE.

Hard Drawing and Painting Hard

Last week I did some sketching and designing for a very difficult pencil commission. It is breaking a hard and fast rule that I have set for myself, but I can’t figure out how to say no and still help the customer. It’s too scary to show you right now. . . more will be revealed. . .

Then I painted hard. How hard?

I painted so hard that my brush snapped. That’s a first for me in 18 years of painting.

These two paintings got moved into the house near the wood stove to dry. There’s more to be done on both, but I am spending my week working on my presentation for How To Draw.

IMPORTANT

Tuesday, November 12, 6:30-7:30, I will give a demo/talk called How To Draw at CACHE. Contact me if you are interested, because seating is limited and there is one more spot.

SIMPLY HOME

Olive Orchard, 10×10″, $200

CACHE Gallery hours are Fridays 1:30-4:00, Saturdays 10:00-4:00, Sundays noon-4:00.

A Day Without the Internet

Last week was a rough one for tech. My blog croaked, which led me to realize that my entire website was AWOL. This led to many phone calls, and a large expenditure. Then, when I had things working again, thanks to Rowland, Mario, Eva, and Ken Joe Sam (Really? No, really??), we had a day without internet, cell service, telephone, or teevee. (I didn’t miss that last thing.)

So, I painted, after spending a bit of time in the studio making plans and taking care of administrative tasks. Those necessary parts of an art business are too boring to tell you about.)

Mr. Antisocial Jackson was suddenly interested in everything I was working on.

This painting is either 11×14 or 12×16, but I don’t remember. I am painting it so that if someone needs to take a painting from Simply Home, I will be able to put something in the hole.

Tucker took a break with me.

This lighthouse painting, done mostly plein air, still needed to be finished in the painting workshop. (I draw in my studio and paint in the workshop, because painting can get messy.)

It will look better when it is scanned. This was photographed with my inferior phone camera. And as always, it will look better in person.

Pippin was happy to sit behind me while I painted.

REMINDER: Tuesday, November 12, 6:30-7:30, I will give a demo/talk called How To Draw at CACHE. Contact me if you are interested, because seating is limited.

SIMPLY HOME

Homer Barn, 12×16″, SOLD

CACHE Gallery hours are Fridays 1:30-4:00, Saturdays 10:00-4:00, Sundays noon-4:00.