Had a fun day today. Picked up work, then dropped off more at two galleries. Forgot to mention that Maryland Federation of Art Holiday Gallery at 40 West St., Annapolis, is another venue for me and my MFA cohorts over the holidays. I took over "Tangled Up In Blue" because I think it looks kinda wintery...the birch leaves have fallen and the tree bones are exposed, showing off that beautiful, papery white bark with the lovely black and gray markings. I could paint birch trees for a solid year and never tire of them. And if I run out of ideas for paintings, I may just do that.
Tomorrow I'll be working on the big cow painting all day. Now that I have all my supplies, I can really have a solid studio day. Sometime I'll take photos of my space. I have an entire ten foot+ high wall covered in small works from myself and others. It's an inspiration wall, I suppose, but more accurately, a wall of tiny treasures (not my stuff, other artists).
When I started the wall five or so years ago, many of the artists I myself followed were relatively unknown. Now they aren't. Paul Keysar, a family friend, and probably the most talented artists I know of, recently won the national portrait competition with his painting entitled, "Jacob in Winter". It's flawless, superb in every way. It's of his first son, and you can see his love in the depiction, as if it were one of the master's painting Christ. Another favorite is Robert Joyner. He's an abstract artist out of Richmond. I purchased a painting of Stonington, Maine (one of my favorite states) for $75 back in the day. Then two years ago, he was chosen as the official artist for the Kentucky Derby. Now his oil sketches are $600+. Recently, he was commissioned to paint original pieces for the set of "Two and A Half Men". That's what I'd call big time. Sally Schichler is another (I know I spelled that wrong). I have four or five of her paintings and now she is the official artists for a high end oil paints company. George Coll is another, and Sarah Sedwick, etc.etc... Geez, there's 20+ others on that wall to, many of which I can't spell off hand, but whatever, you get what I'm saying, right? I guess it's nice to know that I have good taste in other people's work....Now if I could just get my own art under control...