Back to the Easels, the Sawhorses, and the Big Chair

Oil paintings generally happen on an easel; acrylic mural paint goes onto panels of scrap wood resting on some sawhorses. What’s “the Big Chair”? Glad you asked. Keep reading.

Sawhorse Project

Kaweah Arts requested a panel with a single redwood where the entire tree is visible. I have 2 different sizes of these panels, and instead of waiting to hear which size the customer wants, I will paint them both. These sell steadily to people passing through while visiting Sequoia. Eventually, The Park will be reopened, and those customers will resume stopping by Kaweah Arts while on their way to The Park.

I don’t think this is quite finished but I was running out of daylight.

On the Easels

These were on the easels. The top one is a bit of a do-over and the others are just the first pass over the canvas. They will help resupply Kaweah Arts after I rob them of the large paintings to take to the Courthouse Gallery for the show Images of Home.

These are ready to be varnished.

The Big Chair

A friend makes these giant redwood Adirondack chairs; I painted an indoor mural to earn a few of these. This one was in the perfect position to hold 5 paintings while they dried in the sunshine after I varnished them. Can’t even see the chair, can you?

Okay, here comes the announcement. I hope it doesn’t become invisible to you from too much repetition.

Images of Home

Exeter Courthouse Gallery

November 14 – December 30, 2021

Opening Reception – Sunday, November 14, 1-4 p.m.

For Your Shopping Convenience

Here is the new calendar again for your convenience. I don’t want to post the backside because Reader and Commenter Sharon doesn’t want to see any months in advance. If you want to see it, email me and I’ll send you the picture of the back. It is $15 including mailing and tax until November 1. Then it is $20 including mailing and tax. This is the link that works.

This is the new coloring book. It will be $20 and isn’t here yet. You may order it now if you don’t mind waiting until sometime after November 8 for me to ship it to you. Here is the link to the page where the book will be available.

Images of Home will be a solo show at Exeter’s Courthouse Gallery, full of my oil paintings and pencil drawings. I will also bring calendars, coloring books, note cards, wildflower books, and Wilsonia books. The gallery hours are 12-4 on Saturday and Sunday. I will be there on Fridays to keep the place open, but don’t know what hours. The opening reception will be Sunday, November 14 from 2-4. I will continue to tell you about this until you want to unsubscribe or email with concerned notes about my repetitious blogging. The particulars about the show are here.

Finally, this is what I saw when I walked back to the house from the studio one evening last week.

Sure beats smoke, eh?

Completed, Signed, Dry, Scanned, and Delivered

This is how things look around here in the late afternoon. This photo is my attempt to candy-coat things, or perhaps to put lipstick on the pig.

The five oil paintings that I worked on while in Mineral King are ready to see (and buy, if you are so inclined) at Kaweah Arts. (Except Nancy has closed her store for awhile because she has to be ready to evacuate, as we all do here in smoky Three Rivers.)

The subjects are all chosen to appeal to visitors and residents of Three Rivers. (Unless there is no more reason to live in or visit Three Rivers.)

FYI, the sizes are 6×12″ ($125), 8×10″ ($125), and 8×8″ ($100). As always, they look better in person, and California sales tax is extra.

Did you just hear the voices of Charlie Brown adults when you read that last sentence? Or did you hear Eeyore? (Where in the world did A.A. Milne come up with that now iconic name?)

Still Smoky, Still Drawing

This sort of smoky light means it is hard to see to paint, but if I open the doors for better light, then it is hard to breathe. So, I get to spend another day in the studio with my pencils. (I love to draw – did you know that?)

This is a large collage drawing, a commissioned piece 14×18″, that will incorporate 3 different scenes. In designing, I tried something new – I used photoshop instead of doing sketches. I sent the customer 2 versions and she chose this one.

Here you can see the faint outline where things will go. I started at the top on the left, because as a right-hander, this helps to cut down on excessive smearing.

Setting it up took as long as getting it to this stage.

I had enough time to begin the next segment.

Next, I heard from the customers on the lengthy logo design project. Calling it “lengthy” is not an insult; this is a very challenging job, because the customers have been without a logo since 1980, logo design isn’t my strongest skill so I am slow, and together we are carefully working out the best design possible. This is the next piece in the puzzle.

I used an old (1997) drawing as a place holder, drew a new picture for them, and then we discovered that the old drawing was a better match. Alas, it wasn’t very well done. Well, it was fine for back then, but I was barely out of my Primitive Era in the last century. So I drew it again, and this time I added lemons, along with other improvements that probably only my drawing students will be able to appreciate. But I want this to be The Very Best Possible for my customers and not an embarrassment to my artistic reputation.

Hey look! It is clearing up! I could tell that something was taking place outside because there were some helicopters overhead, and they made the drawing table vibrate.

See? Clear as a bell! 

Not. But clear enough for air support as the fires continue to rage through Sequoia National Park and fill Three Rivers with worry, smoke, ash, fire equipment, and fire personnel.

If you are someone who talks to God, please keep praying for good slow soaking rain without any lightning.

 

When It Is Too Smoky To Paint…

… then I draw. (Unless I spend time on the computer designing a calendar, a new coloring book, a custom collage drawing, or some cards). But yesterday, I drew.

In 2022, the Gateway Bridge, AKA Pumpkin Hollow Bridge, will be 100 years old. This means there will be some attention on the bridge, which will probably bring about some opportunities to sell images of the bridge. Remember, I am a business person whose product is art, although I often act like an artist trying to figure out the business end of things.

People often confuse my favorite bridge, Oak Grove, with the Gateway Bridge. Let me help you with this:

Oak Grove: single arch, deep canyon of the East Fork of the Kaweah River, 6.5 miles up the Mineral King Road

Gateway Bridge: three arches, shallower canyon of the convergence of the East Fork and Middle Forks of the Kaweah River, just below the entrance to Sequoia National Park on Highway 198

This new pencil drawing is 9×12″, unframed, and I haven’t decided what to do with it yet. That will be a business decision, and yesterday I was focused on being an artist.

P.S. The top view is supposed to look like this:

17 Wildfire Thoughts (Mostly Questions)

I don’t expect anyone to read all this. It is just my peculiar way of thinking.

  1. If Voluntary Evacuation suddenly turns to Mandatory Evacuation, does this mean fire danger is imminent? I think it means that the officials want the roads clear of traffic and no people to worry about.
  2. If evacuation is mandatory, people are allowed to stay, but they are not allowed to return if they leave. I wonder if there are exceptions, such as getting groceries, going to the dentist, checking on elderly parents, going to work… I’m thankful I get to work from home.
  3. Why do the officials deem it necessary to bring in more crews when the terrain is too rugged for boots on the ground? Oh, it is to protect the town and the cabins on the Mineral King Road.
  4. If they are unable to contain a fire when it is only an acre or two, why do they believe they can contain it when it is hundreds of acres? Wouldn’t it be better to flood it with that pink stuff when it is small?
  5. I am sure that the people in charge know what they are doing. (Pippin knows what he is doing; isn’t it interesting how well he blends in with the weird light and dry grasses?)
  6. How can anyone know what he is doing when fires do what fires do, which is be unpredictable, go crazy and ruin stuff?
  7. But the people in charge know a lot about fire behaviors, patterns, how weather and terrain affects it, don’t they? (Did Pippin know what he was doing back when this photo was taken?)

  8. The people in charge are trained to talk in code to keep people from getting alarmed. (My dentist does the same thing – I got him to admit this to me when I called him on it.)
  9. Lower temperatures with increased humidity slows down fires. It also means a greater risk that pipes will freeze and burst in our cabins because Mineral King was closed before we had a chance to take care of some basics.
  10. Why doesn’t California do more active forest management? Think of the wasted potential lumber while we import overpriced lumber from distant locations! If logging, logging roads, and grazing were allowed (I don’t mean in the Parks, but in the Forests), there would be less fuels and there would be firebreaks. If mechanical thinning was done around settlements, they would have a greater chance of surviving. (Why aren’t they asking me how to run their business? And why has the term “forest management” become political? Good grief Charlie Brown)
  11. Why do we believe that Three Rivers won’t burn? The towns of Paradise and Greenville probably thought the same thing, and look how that turned out.
  12. In response to the previous question, Three Rivers doesn’t have those conifer trees, particularly standing dead ones, full of ptich, waiting to explode. Instead, we have buckeye trees, which don’t burn very well. 
  13. The Park Superintendent said the #1 priority is people’s homes (maybe he said “the community”). Within the Park, the big trees are more important than the Park’s structures because the trees are several thousand years old while the Park structures will probably collapse in 30 years.
  14. Helicopters carry a water container beneath that looks about the size of a marble in comparison to the size of the fire. Is this truly effective or is it the equivalent of a mouse with a squirt gun? (Just learned that there is some sort of fire retardant added to the water).
  15. Maybe it is a good thing that a great number of houses in Three Rivers are vacation rentals; that means less people to evacuate. (Would you believe that Moro Rock and Alta Peak are usually visible from this location? No reason for anyone to visit Three Rivers right now.)
  16. When thinking about evacuating, there are 2 parts to consider: A. What do I need for a week or two? and B. What can I not stand to lose?
  17. So many people have offered to help with trucks, trailers, places to store things, and places to stay. We don’t plan on leaving but have made piles of things in case it all goes nutso.
    The  same view in better times.

Painting in a Makeshift Studio in Mineral King

These photos are from Three Rivers yesterday morning around 9:30 a.m. We are under mandatory evacuation from Mineral King and cannot go there. Evacuation is voluntary for our section of Three Rivers.

This post is about time spent in Mineral King approximately 2-3 weeks ago.

I guess that any place an artist decides to paint can be called a studio. I painted on the back porch of the cabin. (I hope I get to do that again next year.)

First, I started three of the paintings at home.

These three along with 3 blank canvases went to Mineral King. Because paintings have been selling well at Kaweah Arts , I wanted to keep my inventory up for them.

It wasn’t an ideal situation for painting, but I made decent progress over the course of several sessions (while avoiding red fir cones that the chickarees were dropping out of trees in the backyard).

It involved days of moving them inside to the stairs at night and back outside to dry during the day.

These 2 might be finished.

When the others are finished, I will scan them. Maybe I will remember to show you. Maybe they will show up in a post about sold paintings.

Really Big Tree for Kaweah Arts

Today is the grand opening of Kaweah Arts! 

Kaweah Arts, 41841 Sierra Drive, 10-6 today

So, I painted a really big tree for them to sell.

The really big Big Tree is about 5 feet high by 16″ wide. It isn’t quite finished in this photo, because I wrote this post before “drawing” a few more details, signing, and painting the edges.

It is $250. Why so inexpensive? Because mural paints cost less, the wood panel was free (thank you, Trail Guy), and it is painted ever so much quicker than an oil painting.

Also because I use pencils, oil paint, and murals to make art that people can understand of places and things they love FOR PRICES THAT WON’T SCARE THEM.

Come see it at Kaweah Arts in Three Rivers today!!

P.S. It costs a fortune to have a transplant, and while insurance covers much, there is much that it does not cover. If you feel generous and inclined to help my friend, Rachelle, this is the best way to do so: HelpHopeLive.Org

New Place to Show and Sell

Three Rivers has a new retail establishment. It is called “Kaweah Arts” and is an art consignment shop, run by a generous, brilliant, and organized woman who simply wants to help artists get their work in front of the eyes and into the hands of the buying public.

There is no sign on the building yet but here is the front door and the address.

Kaweah Arts

41841 Sierra Drive

This is the former office for the Kaweah Commonwealth, which was a weekly print paper for Three Rivers until about a year ago when it converted to digital. A few months ago, the husband of the owner couple had a severe stroke, and now the “paper” (we still called it that even when it wasn’t made of paper) is silent.

The shop opened quietly on Thursday, May 6, and will have a real “grand opening” on Saturday, May 15. 

Step inside to this:

Look to the right:

Lots to see here, much of it familiar. I don’t know the number of participants but I do know the owner, Nancy, is a very thoughtful, and conscientious person to work with.

Congratulations, Nancy and Kaweah Arts!

Grand opening on Saturday, May 15

4 Kaweahs and 1 Dream Cabin

South Fork of the Kaweah, Kaweah Post Office, Middle Fork of the Kaweah, The Kaweah River, and Forrest’s Dream Cabin, all finished. Maybe.

“Kaweah” – “kuh – WEE – uh” is the name of the river (all 5 forks) flowing through the town of Three Rivers. South Fork, Middle Fork, North Fork, East Fork, and Marble Fork – whoo-eeee, we are a 5 fork place! (But ties are never required.)

P.S. These paintings are 8×8″, 8×8″, 10×10″, 8×10″, and 20×30″. I left the Dream Cabin painting in Forrest’s office, and then didn’t hear a peep from him for 2 days. I finally emailed him with the subject line “Nervous”. He called, said, “How are you?” and I replied, “Nervous”! He was just very busy, only saw the painting late the next night, and said that it looks exactly as he was hoping and definitely better in person. Phew.