Music and the BART Train

When I am not working the "real" job or working on my photography or painting or running or the countless other things that enter our day to day routine. I go to concerts! As I write this it is early Saturday morning I am stuck on the BART train waiting for another train, its confusing. I do have good music playing in my ears. At the moment I am listening to Thirty Seconds to Mars, but I am going to write about The Avett Brothers.

I saw them last weekend. It was my fourth time and they never disappoint.  These two brothers from North Carolina have a way to bring us together in such a special way. They make us stomp our feet and raise our hands to the sky. 

I need music of any kind to bring calmness in to my life but it also allows me to capture moments like that above. Of Scott and Seth Avett singing about how it's in with the new and it's out with the old, well in comes the warm and out goes the cold, how it's the most predictable story told, it's in with the new and it's out with the old - Down with the Shine. 

Many musicians I listen to also artists themselves, they are photographers, painters, sculpturers and it's all fascinating to have inspiration not only from their music but what they create. 

The BART train has arrived!! So off home. Tomorrow night I have another show, Old Crow Medicine Show! 

Be happy and find your own inspiration!

Day Forty-Nine - Got Happily Lost

I haven't posted many pictures the last few days of my paintings, the following will complete my series of silhouette paintings. 

Mr. Ross Holmes, a Gentleman of the Road

Moon Setting

I do believe these little puffs are magical. 

The long-boarder.

Cheers! Guy Garvey

At Dusk.

A Guardian.

It has been a good last few days, getting the final images to be come silhouettes have been amazing.

Tomorrow marks the 50th. In a way, I am sad to see it all come to an end.

Day Forty-Seven - Heatwave

This is how I ended my day, outside in the beautiful sunshine (iPhone captured). Yes! Sunshine has come to Pacifica, it does happen more so than often one thinks. I am just about finished with my 16 pictures needed for this series of silhouettes. I have a few more planned locations to go to this weekend.

I even completely finished two more paintings, they are dry and in their envelopes. I seem to work a lot better when I have the deadline approaching.  Just amazes me how I can seem to be all planned and then I am still trying to wrap things up in the final hours.

I have seen the other artists pieces, we have a group page where we can all share and it is going to be one amazing show! It opens the 22nd of August. I am wishing it to be the setup weekend so I can have a sneak peek at all the collections.  If you have never been to a 50/50 exhibit, it is one to make time for. It inspires!

So here's to an amazing weekend! The sun is shining and the weather is sweet, so it is time to move your dancing feet, or in my case, fingers! Paining, photographing and creating collages are all calling my name!

Day Forty-Six - Fine lines

Today I painted. Plain and simple, it was lovely.

These two are just about finished, one or more little details. I recently found at the art store some fine line paintbrushes, I have some already, but these were just wonderful. 

The summer has come again to Pacifica, a little heatwave is in store for us over the next few days. I hope this means fog-less days. I am looking forward to finishing up the last few silhouette photos I do have and then it will be time to title and get the final layout completed. Here's to getting through Friday and a nice creative weekend!

Day Forty-Four - Trees, Sunsets and Planning

Today was fun, I ventured out to Moss Beach and believe I got some beautiful silhouettes. 

I also laid out my panels. I am not a 100% sure that this will be the final and there are many holes to fill, all work in progresses. I am happy. Looking at all these pieces really makes me proud that I never got too frustrated with myself and I managed to stay true to my theme without stretching my ideas. Once I have the entire collection finished I will post them in order and they will all be for sale! One of the hardest tasks is still waiting to be started, giving all the panels titles. It difficult but fun all the same.

Here is where I stood as the sun went down this evening. It is not a silhouette, but it was a beautiful sky.

Day Forty-Three - Then the Fog Cleared

It was raining this morning when I woke and went to work and tried to work (I work for a roofer) and then sometime around noon it started to clear, and clear some more and some more. Finally!!

These pictures are iPhone captured. I have yet to really look through the ones from mt camera. I have seen enough to know that I am so very happy! I am finally feeling the pressure ease.

This picture of city hall was taken out my window as I waited at the light. It helps to make the right exits so you do not travel the long way round. However, this picture makes up for the detour. 

I even managed to grow some more branches on my tree today. 

It looks like we are out of the fog here in Pacifica, so tomorrow once again I will venture out to a new place and let thing happen as they may! 

Day Thirty-Six - An Official Count

11 done completely!

18 almost there.

And more fog...

It seems each day I plan to go out with camera in hand, this happens. Perhaps, I needed this pause and once again the chance to regroup. I was able to really to look at each piece and see what was needed, if anything, and finish some.  I have a good plan of what to do this week to get those 18 competed. 

The end is so close, it's just within reach. It is hard to explain the stress, the excitement, and the unanswered questions you give yourself, but I know it is all worth it.  At the end, I will hang 50 pieces of art, each one representing me in one form or another.  When that fifth piece is placed on the wall, I will look back through these blogs and this process and just smile at my accomplishment.

Day Seventeen - Making a Plan

Today was a lot like yesterday. I painted my piece for the new AGP show and finished all the edges for my collage and painting panels. They are ready to go. Which is a good place to be. I also went through my photos to gather up some pieces to work from. I have some great concert pictures that will make excellenct silhouettes. At the moment they are being printed now. 

  

This little bit of planning has left me excited for the days to come. This coming Sunday we all meet as 50/50 artists for the half way point. It is a great few hours to discuss how we are doing. I so hope it is a strong turnout. 

Again, it is a picture-less post, perhaps tomorrow a time machine will appear. 

Day Five - Luna Park Detour

Ok, this happened......

http://lunaparksf.com

I knew there are days when you can not really be procductive at all, this was one of them. However, going out and celebrating friends great accomplishments need to be taken as seriously as these 50 days.

It the end of the day now and I am going to relax and make my plan of attack for tomorrow, maybe go through some photographs and see what I can make silhouettes out of too, while I catch up on my Games of Thrones.

Here's to the weekend and endless hours of creating that lie ahead!

Oh and by the way, Luna Park was delicious!!!!

50/50, we meet once again.....

Back in 2010, I was accepted in to my first 50/50 show and then again in 2011, I was accepted for my second.  Some may have no idea what a 50/50 show is; its grueling, its exciting, its inspiring, its stressful and its the most rewarding art show ever I have been in. It is 50 days of creating 50 pieces of art on a 6x6 panel. It looks a little something like this.

and this

You can imagine my surprise, when I was selected for this year's show as well. I was at the art center the day the emails when out and the administrator, a friend of mine, said oh, "I saw your name on the list" with a smile. I have entered this show for the last 5 years, it is all in the hands of the juror. I use my instinct and the idea which forms in my mind for a theme, I never know the juror or the style. So when she mentioned that she saw my name, I figured it was the list of all entries, 175 artists submitted and 69 were selected. I never checked my email until late that evening, she was the one who sent out the emails, and it was an amazing feeling. With this show, you are excited that you chosen and, for those of us who have been apart of it before, you are excited when you aren't.  

This is the 6th annual 50/50 and it begins June 9th and ends July 29. As for my theme, DARK/LIGHT, a series of silhouettes in painting, collage and photography. 

I plan on documenting this as best I can. I begin today. I hope you will join me on this journey.  

Galleria

Every year the Art Guild I belong to in Pacifica hosts their Galleria. It used to be all open wall where artists would rent out wall space. Which is ideal for those of us who don't have a physical studio. It allows us to show a body of work all together. It is one of my favorites things! Now we have modified it to have a Salon Style show as well as Open Walls. 

This weekend the 14th and 15th is the final weekend of this event! Please make time in your schedule to come and visit us! Galleria at Sanchez Art Center 1220 Linda Mar Blvd., Pacifica, CA. We are open from 1-5.

http://artguildofpacifica.org