catfish_charlie

This painting is like a spontaneous road trip where you think you are going one place, but somewhere between home and where you planned to go you decide to take a detour and wind up somewhere totally unexpected with delightful results. If you've never done that, I strongly recommend trying it.

My original goal for this painting was something soft and organic, with roundish shapes gently back-lit by a greenish light. Once I started painting in the green patterns for the background, I found myself enjoying them so much that I knew I wanted to do something else instead. I added a splash of red to balance the composition and then stepped away from the painting for a bit to decide where I wanted to go next. This was what it looked like at that point;



I don't know why but the impression of tenement columns (or maybe it was fish bones or bridge supports) was the theme that kept popping into my skull, so I grabbed the knife and roughly placed the forms that were in my head onto the canvas. After that, I just added details and highlights with a liner brush. One of the greatest challenges I have is knowing when to quit, so once it became obvious that any further additions would only change the painting and not necessarily improve it, I decided to call it "done".



"Architext", 20 x 16 inches, acrylic on canvas
As for the name, well, don't even ask.

“Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things that escape those who dream only at night.”
      -Edgar Allan Poe

Title: "Dream by Day"
Medium: oil pastel on bristol
Size: 3 1/2 x 2 1/2"
Status: For Sale (Click image to go to eBay store)

I finally got some time yesterday to get some serious work done on this piece, and I finished it up this morning. My goal with this painting was to portray the puerile, naive trust that children sometimes possess. As is true with all my work, there are things I do and things I don't like about the finished piece, but overall I'm rather happy with it.

Title: Introduction
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Size: 20 x 16 inches
Status: For Sale Soon


And here are a few details from the painting;

I had a late night impulse (or early morning rather as it was about 3:00 AM) to create this image. This is NOT a digitally altered picture, this is the unaltered original photograph. I used fluorescing pigments on my face to get this effect. I did use a digital brush merely to black out a few white specks in the black at the bottom of the picture.

Problem is, I like this image both full and cropped close and simply can't choose between them. I think the answer is that I must revisit this concept again with a bit more planning to see if I can make a composition that has the elements of both that appeal to me.

Title: "The Seer, The Dreamer"
Media: Photograph, Kodak digital Z712 IS

Crop 1;


Crop2;

I already quoted this poem several entries back for a different painting I made (Memories Of Carcosa), but it continues to inspire me to do more art, so here are a few lines from it once again;

Strange is the night where black stars rise,
And strange moons circle through the skies
But stranger still is
Lost Carcosa.
Songs that the Hyades shall sing,
Where flap the tatters of the King,
Must die unheard in
Dim Carcosa.

The King, cloaked in a tattered yellow mantle and bearing a pallid mask, is an avatar of madness and destruction.

Title: The King In Yellow
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Size: 16 x 20 inches
Status: For Sale


Detail from painting;

I've said before that I think of my tree paintings as portraits more than landscapes. I believe these two demonstrate that concept fairly well; clearly each is unique in personality. The first painting is for sale now, the second one will be listed tomorrow evening (June 22).

Title: Zen Shimpaku
Medium: oil pastel on bristol
Size: 3 1/2 x 2 1/2"
Status: For Sale (click image for link to auction)



Title: Majestic Kapok
Medium: oil pastel on bristol
Size: 2 1/2 x 3 1/2"
Status: For Sale Soon(click image for link to store)

Cats behave with a certain aloofness, a smugness which makes one wonder what it is they think they know that we do not. Perhaps they are able to see into our future, which may explain why they never seem particularly impressed by us.

Title: Cataclysm
Medium: oil pastel on bristol
Size: 2 1/2 x 3 1/2"
Status: For Sale (click image for link to auction)

Title: Worlds Apart
Medium: oil pastel on bristol
Size: 2 1/2 x 3 1/2"
Status: For Sale (click image for link to auction)


Text from the auction;
A rocky crag is overlooked by steep cliffs, separating two weathered trees. Two of a kind, the hardened mountain pines seem to be reaching across the gulf towards each other, hoping for companionship or mutual strength in a rugged and merciless environment.

I do not like to think of my tree paintings as landscapes, but rather I prefer to consider them expressive portraits. The subject is the tree, and my goal is to portray its spirit; its strengths, weaknesses, the trials it has faced and the character it has developed. Most of my trees are not drawn directly from real subjects but are the product of my experiences amongst trees with similar features. My experience studying the art of training bonsai trees also projects a visible influence on the design and composition of my tree portraits. But behind the subject there is also a statement; a metaphor, or an expression of some sort.

Extreme close-up of painting;


I'm frequently asked how I am able to get so much detail in these small paintings, whether I use a magnifying glass, and so forth. Truthfully, it's rather easy for me because I have been drawing finely detailed pictures all my life. I don't use any magnifying glasses or any other mechanical magnification, though I do have 20/20 vision and I like to have plenty of light to work with.

I had a request some time ago to do a portrait of H.P. Lovecraft. Although I had the idea on the back-burner for a long time, I just couldn't resist giving it a shot. I plan to put this up for auction tomorrow evening.

Title: Lovecraft
Medium: oil pastel and colored pencil on mat board
Size: 8" x 8"
Status: For Sale Soon

Title: Memories of Carcosa
Medium: acrylics, mylar and iridescent pigments on canvas
Size: 11" x 14"
Status: For Sale Soon





"Cassilda's Song"

Along the shore the cloud waves break,
The twin suns sink beneath the lake,
The shadows lengthen

In Carcosa.

Strange is the night where black stars rise,
And strange moons circle through the skies
But stranger still is

Lost Carcosa.

Songs that the Hyades shall sing,
Where flap the tatters of the King,
Must die unheard in

Dim Carcosa.

Song of my soul, my voice is dead;
Die thou, unsung, as tears unshed
Shall dry and die in

Lost Carcosa.

~Robert W. Chambers, "The King In Yellow", 1895

I've painted the Cheshire cat, White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter and even the lizard, Bill. I guess it's about time I got around to painting Alice!


Title: Alice
Medium: Oil pastel and colored pencil on Bristol vellum
Size: 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Status: For Sale (Click image to go to auction)

I was so busy that I forgot to post the final two pieces of the Zodiac series here! Sagittarius has already been sold;



...and the auction for Virgo ends this evening;



And I have already designed a large poster with a compilation of these images that is for sale in my CafePress store, as well as a calendar that displays the signs roughly approximating the months with which they correlate. You can take a look at them by clicking the image;



Any feedback on these products would be great! I plan to release other products with these images as well, as I have time to get them set up.

Here are the latest two from my Zodiac series, this makes 8 finished- only 4 more to go! Pisces is up on eBay, Taurus I will list tomorrow.

Title: Pisces
Medium: Oil pastel and colored pencil on Bristol vellum
Size: 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Status: For Sale (Click image to go to auction)




Title: Taurus
Medium: Oil pastel and colored pencil on Bristol vellum
Size: 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Status: For Sale Soon (Click image to go to eBay store)



And because I needed a break from constellations I decided to paint a blossoming cherry tree (the crabapples around here are inspiring!)

Title: Awakening
Medium: Oil pastel and colored pencil on Bristol vellum
Size: 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Status: For Sale (Click image to go to auction)

Two more completed today, I am listing Scorpio for sale today and Libra tomorrow. Next to be finished will be Pisces.


Title: Scorpio
Medium: Oil pastel and colored pencil on Bristol vellum
Size: 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Status: For Sale (Click image to go to auction)



Title: Libra
Medium: Oil pastel and colored pencil on Bristol vellum
Size: 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Status: For Sale Soon (Click image to go to eBay store)

I am creating a series of art cards based on the Greek Zodiac. I have chosen to create them in no particular order. The first four are finished, the others are in process and should be completed within the week, I'm posting them on eBay as I finish them. Here are the first four;

Title: Cancer
Medium: Oil pastel and colored pencil on Bristol vellum
Size: 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Status: For Sale (Click image to go to auction)



Title: Gemini
Medium: Oil pastel and colored pencil on Bristol vellum
Size: 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Status: For Sale (Click image to go to auction)



Title: Capricorn
Medium: Oil pastel and colored pencil on Bristol vellum
Size: 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Status: For Sale (Click image to go to auction)



Title: Aquarius
Medium: Oil pastel and colored pencil on Bristol vellum
Size: 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Status: For Sale (Click image to go to auction)

Well I decided that Red needed some company after all, so I went ahead and painted the Wolf.


Title: The Wolf
Medium: Oil pastel and colored pencil on Bristol vellum
Size: 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Status: For Sale (Click image to go to auction)

I had a request for another vampire girl. I decided to tie in a literary twist this time.

Title: Red Riding Hood
Medium: Oil pastel and colored pencil on Bristol vellum
Size: 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Status: For Sale (Click image to go to auction)

As I painted this painting of Cthulhu I thought it would be a good idea to photograph it in stages so that if I overpainted the original sketch too much I could go back and look at the photographs to get back on target. As it turns out I haven't needed to do that, but I do have some nice progression shots now. Since I always enjoy seeing others' work as it unfolds, I thought I would share this progression here for anyone interested. This painting is not yet finished, although it is getting close. The latest photograph looks different from the others because it was taken at night using my studio lights instead of during the day using natural window light. The actual color is somewhere between the two. I'll use better lighting to photograph the final piece.

I'll post everything behind a cut for those who don't want to see all the images, but first here is a sneak peak at the latest in the progression;


For the progression to this point ( click here. )

Other than the insanely cold temperatures we've had these past few days, the only real news is a bit of new art. I had one viewer comment that they would be interested to see my interpretation of the March Hare after viewing the White Rabbit I made, so I took it as a challenge and ended up creating this rather insane looking fellow;

Title: Madder Than a March Hare
Medium: Oil pastel on cold press watercolor paper
Size: 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Status: For Sale (Click image to go to auction



And I so enjoyed painting the last Northern Lights piece that I decided to try another, but with a little twist;
Title: Under the Rainbow Bridge
Medium: Oil pastel on cold press watercolor paper
Size: 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Status: For Sale (Click image to go to auction)


As always I have a lot of other stuff that I haven't had time to post to this blog.


There is one other small piece of news. I will be starting to look elsewhere besides eBay to list some of my artwork, particularly anything with a higher value. Ebay has implemented changes which affect all auctions where the bidding exceeds $200, making it impossible for bidders to know who is bidding on those auctions. I fear that this change will cause bidders to lose confidence in these auctions, because the inability to see who you are bidding against eliminates the transparency for which eBay has always been famous. How now can bidders know who their opponents are, to be certain they are not bidding against a shill? Where now is the excitement of the bidding process? I am thinking about trying artbyus.com or etsy, but have not decided exactly what changes I will be making yet. I'll be carefully checking out my options before I decide on anything.