Home Sweet Home

Helloo and shazam it’s great to be here at home sweet home. Why? I look forward to sharing.

But first, if you’re new here, welcome! Each week I share a painting, sketch or study. My hope is that what I draw or paint might delight and inspire you. Sign up here to receive these colorful painting posts in your inbox.

What’s Happening

Here’s what’s happening here at home sweet home. OK maybe I need to rephrase and say here’s what has been happening. I have just returned from Denver CO to celebrate my niece’s wedding and my sister’s birthday and see my other sister and her son (who also happens to live in Denver). Bonus I got to visit the Clyfford Still Museum and the Denver Art Museum.

Shout out to fantastic, CO-based painter, Ajay Gustafson, for suggesting I visit the Still Museum. If you get the chance, go! Why? First, it’s namesake and his widow put together a proposal to house all of his artwork in a single museum following his death. 20 cities across the US responded to the proposal! Denver won.

I have read a bit about the Abtract Expressionist era. I highly recommend reading “Ninth Street Women“. But I was not familiar with Still or his work. Oooh la la! My favorites are here on the museum’s website.

More Happening

Next stop, the Denver Art Museum. Holy Smokes I don’t even know where to start with this place! I saw beautifully crafted work from the Northwest Coast and Alaska. Then onward to an exhibit entitled “Sustained!” and another exhibit of Indigenous Arts of North America. Can you say exquisite? I was starting to feel a bit crunched for time but kept looking. Next stop?

Latin America and “Painting in the Andes” ~1680 to 1780 exhibit. Oh my, these paintings were beautiful, some reminding me of my religious upbringing with Virgin and Child on view. Mostly I left thinking of ways to incorporate angels into my work. Couldn’t we all use a few (thousand) angels watching over us these days?

But Wait There’s More

I continued up to the seventh floor of the museum. But only because I had a reminder to see the Western American Art Galleries. When in Colorado, check out western art, right? This one drew me in as I was leaving. But “Chuckwagon” by Harvey Dunn wins the juicy paint brush award. Oh you gotta see it in person. Plus it breaks just about every painting and composition rule out there. Like what? Like don’t put stuff in the middle of your painting and atmospheric perspective means cooler the farther away you see (yellow sky???). Yay for fantastic, rule-breaking paintings. Here’s one more delicious impressionist interpretation of the west (California this time).

Last but not least

I knew I had to see Kent Monkman’s exhibit entitled “History is Painted by the Victors.” This guy is prolific, young(!!) and uses humor and outrage. His paintings are huge, compelling and heartbreaking…everything art should be. I left the museum filled with so much gratitude and excitement…even in the midst of seeing a fare share of dark and troubling work.

The best way to embrace the madness in the world is to go see artwork in a gallery or museum. You will, I promise, be transformed!

What About Home Sweet Home

Here’s this week’s painting which is actually a small study on a 6×8 panel. It’s not for sale because it’s helping me percolate on some other painting ideas. Here it is! I loved working on it before the trip and returning to it now that I’m home.

And here’s the studio shot. I love my small home-based studio. It’s size keeps me from getting too cluttered. And, I find I can’t beat the “commute!” HA!

The Real Craftsman

Meanwhile, my better half continues to amaze me with his craftsmanship in “the boat house” (read: our 1-car garage). Here he is applying primer to the kayak I’ll be using on our trip up to Maine next month.

How About You

Well that’s a wrap from the studio here. What about you gentle reader? What’s happening in your world? Are you home or are you gearing up for one last summer adventure? Either way I look forward to hearing from you in the comments below.