Design Challenge



These new pieces are causing me more grief.. I can't believe what a design challenge they are. I'm sure you're thinking, come on, it's just some critters on a wood frame....



Well it's not just critters.. in fact, the accessories are as much a problem as the critters. How many books, what color books, what size books, do i write on them or just paint them?? Here I have a whole bunch of books I started painting that may or may not be added to the final piece.



speaking of what may or may not be added to the final piece, I created this entire row of critters for this pieces. That was after I decided not to go with pigs.... but none of these critters fit well on the wood... not that they didn't physically fit, they just didn't work. So that's when i created the zonkeys you see above.



Sometimes the critters don't work. Look at this pig. He won't go on anything because his book doesn't fit his critter. I'll either re-book him or toss him altogether. Most likely toss him. Again showing how difficult it is for me to create a complete artwork that I feel works.



And i'm still not finished with this piece. The giraffe in the top right corner is new. He replaced a cat. The cat didn't work. i can't explain why. I'm not sure the giraffe works either but I won't know till i add a few more accessories. you can see a spot in the bottom right corner where some books were removed. I have some replacement books drying...

i think this piece is close.

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In the Works



This is two of three pieces I'm getting ready for the Betty Ray McCain Gallery in Raleigh’s Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Instead of a mixture of critters or the pigs, which were two of my original ideas,I decided to create six new zonkeys...

Streetlight, Giraffe



The City of Raleigh will be purchasing my art for the New Transit Ops Facility. This is the piece they will reprint and hang in the new facility.

Bookshelf #3: bPigs??



This is two of three pieces I'm getting ready for the Betty Ray McCain Gallery in Raleigh’s Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Here is the question...

For the Critters do I

A. Use the Pigs and go for repetition even though they are sort of flimsy..

or

B. Use a mixture of Critters like the piece below???





????

Art News



On Sunday we dropped off the artwork for the North Carolina Museum of Art's, Art of the Auction. That was fun!

They asked me for the retail value of the piece. I had pondered this prior to this moment. i knew i didn't want to go the usual route. i knew people would be asking anywhere from several hundred dollars to several thousands, but that's just not my style. I like fun numbers like $12.34 or $45.67 but neither of these felt right. I had one particular number stuck in my head. One number I really wanted to use..... so....



I listed it for 17 cents. I just had too! Plus my daughter dared me. It was like one of those double dog dares too.



In other art news, we went downtown Raleigh and I put my art in a few other galleries. Not that they asked for my art but there was an empty space on the pedestal.




I know this is wrong on many levels but the sign said for "Art's" access.... so...

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NCMA Art of the Auction 2011



So I got an email that went something pretty much like this...

"It is my pleasure to inform you that the jury for the Art of the Auction at the North Carolina Museum of Art has selected your work, “Bookshelf” to be included."

The works of art selected for Art of the Auction will be displayed in East Building for public viewing beginning the evening of Friday, May 6, 2011, at a celebratory public kickoff event and will remain on view through Art of the Auction on May 21.

So...

YAY!!

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Bookshelf #2



This is one of three pieces I'm getting ready for the Betty Ray McCain Gallery in Raleigh’s Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

I Don't Like To Fly!



So as soon as the captain said,"you can now turn on approved electronic devices." I fired up my iPod, cranked the tunes and started painting using Layers...



It really helped. i was very focused on these drawings, experimenting with Layers and not really thinking about falling 30,000 feet out of the air.

Seattle: A bMouse Point of View



bMouse went with me to Seattle this weekend for the NAEA 2011 conference. His name is Glued Shut because the book he is made from is so bad that I did you a favor by glueing it shut...



Here is the main entrance to Seattle. At least it was for me. I crawled up out of a hole in the ground somewhere right around here



There are a lot of people on the streets of Seattle doing stuff. Most of them are street musicians.. I saw people playing drums and guitars and saxophones and people raising money for Japan and people raising money for themselves and these guys who were very interested in making sure I go to Heaven. They were very polite and posed with bMouse.



bMouse strolled down to the Market.



and saw the original Starbucks... and saw the line and decided he could get coffee at any number of Starbucks in Seattle... which are like grains of sand at the beach. Notice: more street musicians.



They sell lots of fish at the market. Every time they sell a fish, they throw a fish. It is very entertaining. Plus the fish are all jumbo sized. This fish guy let bMouse pose with his super jumbo shrimp.. not sure how you have a jumbo shrimp but...



Now bMouse smells.



The End