Auction for a good cause

The same weekend that I'll be busy with the Tempe Festival of the Arts one of my Grand Canyon paintings will be part of an auction to help raise funds for Phoenix's Hospice of the Valley organization. This painting is a bit more impressionistic than the work I typically create, but I like how it turned out. Purchase some art, or other interesting item, and help out a good cause!

Press release for the event:

Aaha! An Auction of Heirlooms and Art will be held at 6 p.m. March 27 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa, 2400 E. Missouri, Phoenix. Proceeds of the live auction and dinner benefit not-for-profit Hospice of the Valley, providing end-of-life care to patients and families in Maricopa County for more than 30 years. $200 per person; corporate tables start at $3,000. Reservations and sponsorships: Trisha DiSano 602-636-5314 tdisano@hov.org

PS More about the Tempe show in a future post.

More Mountains and Seas

I'm finding new inspiration in these types of scenes. The top one is a 16x20 from somewhere north of the Big Sur coastline of central California. The main peak in the Sierra mountian scene is actually called Picture Peak! It's painted on a 26x28 panel. I thought I would try some different sizes. I enjoy painting squares, but sometimes they feel a bit constrained. This is like having a panoramic square (oxymoron?). Of course I'll have to special order a frame for this odd size, but I think it was worth the effort.

Studio Time

These are two new studio works that will be in the upcoming Tempe Arts Festival in March. I've been doing a lot of painting in preparation for that show and for Phippen Art Show in May. On top is Along the River, 16x20. This is a larger version of a smaller painting I made during the Zion Plein Air event last March. The other painting is a view of Canyon de Chelly titled Canyon Riches, 22x28.

Mountains to the Sea - California revisited

These 3 untitled studio paintings were completed this month. I've been trying out new scenes (i.e. not deserts, canyons, ruins, etc.) from old photos and memories of past trips. The beauty of California's Sierra Nevada Mountains and Pacific coast are well known to artists, and these places bring back many memories of my years growing up in California. So now I'm wondering what took me so long to getting around to painting it more? Better late than never, I guess. The two mountain scenes are 12x12s and the coastal one is 11x14.

Old Works, New Year

2009 ended with a lots of memorable family time and travel, but little painting. I thought I'd put up some older works from last year as I look forward to the new year with excitement. I've already been accepted to several shows and I am making plans for a couple of painting trips to some of my favorite areas this spring. I hope you had a fun Holiday Season and have a Happy New Year!

Great Tempe-tations

The Tempe Festival of the Arts turned out to be a successful event in many ways. The family had a good time as you can see, the weather was great, the show was well attended and we sold a good number of paintings (including the one shown above, Keeping Watch, 24x24). But more than that, I met some very cool artists (Jason, Barbara) who were willing to point out a few things to the new guy. The show would not have been as successful without their good advice and vibes. And to top it off, next year I have been invited to be the Featured Artist for the 33rd Annual Spring Festival in March! More on that when the date gets closer.

The booth set-up was a little hectic as we were offered a nicer corner location but had to fit our 10x10 booth into a 5x20 space. A little street show space warping made it work and we were on our way. This also meant having more display space for which I had to bring more art. I ended up bringing enough so the walls didn't look too sparse. I was originally going to do the set-up alone, but Michelle managed to get the time off in order to help. Good thing, too, because even with both of us working, we didn't get home until after 1:00am. Thanks, Michelle! And thanks, Darcy and Net for sharing your lovely Apache Junction home!

Tempe Festival of the Arts

The Road In 9x12

The Wait 11x14

Gold of the Goldfield Mountains 16x24

I will participating in the Tempe Festival of the Arts this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, December 4Th - 6Th. Above are some of the new paintings I will have at this show.

More about the show from Festival website: The Tempe Festival of the Arts consistently ranks among the Top 20 art festivals in the nation. More than 400 fine artists and crafts persons display and sell their original work amid a street festival atmosphere throughout Tempe’s Mill Avenue District. A beloved, award-winning tradition, the event is the largest festival of its kind in the state of Arizona.

While the Tempe Festival of the Arts primarily focuses on art and the artists that create it, there are also a wide variety of other activities for guests to enjoy. Live entertainment stages provide musical entertainment for festival-goers. Performances by a number of well-known local musicians keep audiences in high spirits throughout the day. In addition to the scheduled entertainment, street performers, vendors, sponsor exhibits and entertainment booths are set up for the amusement of Festival visitors. In addition to arts and entertainment, the Tempe Festival of the Arts offers support to the Tempe community. A portion of the proceeds raised at the Festival benefits local charities.

Discover the “art of wine”, while enjoying the art! The Arizona Wine Growers Association will showcase Arizona wineries that will offer up to six tastings with the price of admission to the Arizona Wine Festival. Admission is $10 and includes a commemorative wine glass.

I will be in booth #5519 on 5Th Street just east of Mill Ave. Map.

Hours are 10am to dusk. I look forward to seeing you at the show!