bits & pieces...with birds & butterflies...

(can bees be far behind?)
All details of works very much in-progress.
Back at work, painting in the studio some every day, and starting small with the continuation of this series begun a year ago on some vintage postcard album pages.

ArTrails: Second Weekend

Yes, now ArTrails is over for another year (though we may do Art at the Source in June). Sunday was perhaps our busiest day ever.



Thanks again to all who came out and visited with us, to the friends and family who lent a hand, &/or helped us celebrate with pizza & drinks-- and of course to the art purchasers who'll help keep us painting for another year!

collaborations

Maybe, if you're an artist, involved with another artist, its inevitable that you eventually talk about collaborating. I know Tony and I do, off and on, though the only thing we've *really* worked on together has been those big Burning Man Projects.

Michelle Muenning & Juan Carlos Quintana, a married artist couple, have done more than that, and groups of their small collaborative pieces on paper are part of the Painted Dreams show, now at Donna Seager Gallery.

It's a good show-- I really like Michael Cutlip's pieces as well-- but these small pieces re-inspired me to think more about collaboration....
Below: details from one of Michael Cutlip's paintings, which incorporate collage.

Fifteen More Minutes of Fame:

for Tony, mostly-- whose paintings are featured today in the Press Democrat, our fine local paper.


Click here to go to the article.

And thank you to Nathan (the writer) & Mark (photographer) for the coverage!

More Scenes from our ArTrails Weekend

(as always, click on any image to see it larger)
Thank you to all our visitors and friends for making it a full & festive (if tiring) day, & to Nathan and Mark of the Press Democrat for giving us some press!

Photos from the First Day of ArTrails

More pictures to come. We're off to a good start!

this year's Trees

Okay, technically the painting on the left is last year's tree painting, but I've revised it somewhat, recently. Preparing the landscape-oriented wall of the studio for the ArTrails weekend. (left: 4 x 5' feet, right, 4 x 6 feet)
I was wondering, when did I start that one on the right? The answer, via the blog's archives: February. Here it is shown in an early phase:

...and Tony, too!

Yes, Tony too is whipping up art in his studio in preparation for The Big Weekend. Shown here a few days ago, with the project he made for Graton Day's beanbag toss on the right. It will be up and running in the yard on Saturday.

You can see he's been working on a slew of those paintings we affectionately call his 'Little Losers'.
Who doesn't love a Little Loser? (click on image to enlarge it!)

Exotic Bird

I posted a work-in-progress shot of this a while back-- and used a photoshop filter to mask its unfinished look. I really liked the look with that filter, though...
Here's the painting now, sans filter.

And here it is clustered with some older paintings-- its surprising to me how well their colors harmonize. Some of these are finally getting finishing touches after a long period of limbo.

All in time for Open Studios-- just 5 days away... oooops-- gotta go!

From Tent to Palace: a must-see show!

Textiles from Central Asia & Turkey.
This amazing, truly museum-quality exhibition opened yesterday at the Santa Rosa Junior College (where I teach) Gallery space. You must go there.