PALM SUNDAY

These bowls are getting ready for Palm Sunday. The second from the left is going to see friends in Ohio. I'm sure he'll like it there. The other bowls are still for sale at $52 each.

FACE TO FACE

All four of these paintings have found new homes. They are part of my "face to face" series. They are experimental works using a limited pallette. More faces are in the works but not finished. I really made connections to them as I worked on them. One of them is Buster Keaton, one of them sells real estate in New York City, one of them is from Europe, but currently living in the U.S. and one of them is not very smart, but really, really sweet. See if you can quess which is which. I'll post the answer later.

IT'S ABOUT TIME

This painting went through many reincarnations, and it could continue. But I'm stopping here. I can't remember right now which artist said this but it is so true. "A painting is never finished, it just stops in interesting places."

THE SPLATTER STATION

I frequently use splatter as a way of getting a colorful background on my pieces. What I like about it is that the random pattern produced by splattering gives the background a feeling of energy. I also use splatter in some of my paintings. In the paintings I control it more and only use it in selected areas. What I don't like about the splatter is that a lot of paint is wasted, it goes somewhere other than on the work, and that it is messy. I have to take all the work outside, splatter it and then bring it all back in again. But I think the results are worth it.

PLEIN AIR KEY WEST

Artists, customers and friends review and purchase works of art created that day.

Plein Air Key West was sponsored by the Key West Art Center.

The crowd spills out on to the street.

Works by (left to right) Martha dePoo, Andy Thurber and Neva Townsend. Martha won the People's Choice Award. Congrats Martha!

Customers looking at works by Jim Salem and Martha dePoo

Left to right paintings by William Welch, myself and Zoe White

Plein Air Key West was a wonderful event. It was a very full day that ended with a great party. Thanks to everyone who participated and helped. We had 37 artists and a packed house for the show. The Key West Art Center will do it again next year. And thanks to the local businesses that gave some sponsorship money, Porter-Allen Insurance, The Restaurant Store and Strunk Ace Hardware.

BEACH HOUSE RULES

These beach house rules plaques, shown on the right, are very popular. To read the print, put the cursor on the photo and click to enlarge. They are $44 in the gallery.

SPRING COLORS

These pieces are part of yesterday's glaze load, I went a little more pastel in honor of spring. I am taking these pieces into the gallery, 7 Artists Key West, this morning

www.7artists.com

EVOLUTION

I continue to work on the palm tree. I have started to use a palette knife on the whole painting. It still is not finished, but I like it better now. But it won't be worked on again for a while. The next two days I am going to be busy with Plein Air Key West, an event run by the Key West Art Center that I am organizing. Local artists will paint in the morning and have a reception and show in the evening. I should be fun.

ART CRITIC

I have worked a little to flesh out the palm fronds. But I have decided not to go any further until I get the canvas stretched. Mango is not sure about this painting, she sees areas that are unresolved and way to much pthalo green.

SECOND SESSION

This is after my second session with the painting. I have re-established my lights and darks, I have introduced some more red and I have lightened the clouds. Next session I will give some more weight to the palm fronds.

But I will never buy this canvas again. I was out of my regular canvas so I bought some Fredrick's (which is a good brand name) medium weight canvas. And I don't like it. It is buckling in places and I don't know whether or not that will go away when I stretch it. So from now on this canvas will be stretched before I paint.

PAINTING WITH BIG STICKS

I haven't been very happy with my paintings lately so I keep experimenting with different ideas and techniques to keep myself interested. Yesterday I attached small tree branches from the sea grape tree in my yard to my paint brushes. This in not my idea. This idea comes from California painter Robert Burridge. The canvas surface is flat (rather than verticle on an easel) on a low table. The extra long handled brushes make it hard for the painter to have total controll over the paint strokes. This technique keeps the work loose and impressionistic. Notice the canvas isn't stretched. I have just clipped it to a large board. And the canvas isn't primed. For some reason I really like the look and feel of painting on on unprimed canvas. Because I am using acrylic paintings this isn't a problem. Oil paint has to go on primed canvas or the solvents used will eat into the canvas fibers.

Here is the painting a little further along. The red under painting is slowly getting covered. I won't cover it all. A little red peeking through adds excitement. I am not sure how this painting will end up, but using new techniques is very exciting. By the way this painting is large, 24"x36"

SPRING BREAK

The wind calmed down and the sun came out so I went downtown to run my errands and the streets were filled with people. But notice the long sleeve shirts. By evening it was very chilly and people were coming in to the store all bundled up. these photos are on Duval Street right in front of 7 Artists Key West gallery. Near the corner of Duval and Southard St.

FLIP FLOP SPOON RESTS

Here is the rest of Friday's glaze fire. The pineapple platter ($125) is really pretty and the flip flop spoon rests ($22) are cute. It has been awhile since I have made any, I forgot how cute they are.

Here is a close up of the spoon rests.

Well, March came in like a lion. I am in the process of planning a plein air event for the Key West Art Center. Today I was going to go into town and walk around the waterfront area to scout out amenities that the painters might need like restrooms and shade. But it is cold and windy so I think I will tuck myself into my studio and do my recon tomorrow or Wednesday.
I will be in the gallery tonight.

PURPLE BOWL

Here is a portion of what came out of the kiln yesterday. Bowls, platters, spoon rests and more made a big rainbow of color on my work table. And to complete the rainbow I did a bowl in purple.