Art Life/B. Semanick

Hope's Flowers

2011-05-06T17:56:00.000-07:00

Painted an outdoor still life with my painting buddy Hope Cunningham whose gardens are gorgeous. The light changed so rapidly I had to finish the painting in the studio. I'm not sure about the bright blue background, but it would be impossible to change at this point. I really like the orange and peel.
Thanks Hope, you are always so much fun!

Hope's Roses

12x13, oil on linen

Spring Open Studio Tour

2011-04-13T20:32:00.000-07:00

Please join me for the Tucson Spring Open Studio Tour this weekend, April 16 and 17 from 11-5. I will also be exhibiting beautiful work by my students and my husband David Johnson Vandenberg.

Located at Studio 2405, 2405 N castro, one block west of Stone, just north of Grant.

Night Blooming Cereus, 15x14, oil

Cup with Daffs, 8x6, oil on linen

Cup with Orange Wedges, 15x5, oil on linen

Cup with Oranges, 8x10, oil on linen

Iris, 30x60, oil on canvas

Nikki Westra Show at Temple of Music and Art

2010-10-22T10:06:00.000-07:00

My Friend Nikki Westra is showing her unusal and thought-provoking collages at the Etherton Temple Gallery at the Temple of Music and Art (330 South Scott Avenue). The opening is tonight from 5:30 - 7:30 PM. View the Press Release. See the show online.
The show runs through November 23rd.

American Women Artists National Juried Show

2010-09-22T12:32:00.000-07:00

This painting has been accepted into the American Women Artists national juried exhibition to be held at Southwest Gallery in Dallas, Texas, October 9 - November 9, 2010.

Torch Cactus
30x24, oil on masonite

Langnickel Royal Sable Brushes

2010-05-26T18:41:00.000-07:00

If you are tired of seeing "out of stock" from your favorite online art supplier when you try to order Langnickel Royal Sable brushes, especially the 5590 series, I have found a great supplier ---Hofcraft.

Always in stock and always give a 10% discount. Shipping is free with orders over $200, but the discount pays for your shipping. Ships USPS Priority, and each time they have arrived three days after my order.

These brushes are economically priced and work beautifully for applying wet on wet paint. Hey, Richard Schmid says he couldn't paint without them!

I receive no income or perk for this post---just good news to pass on.

Plein Air Paintings from Miracle Mile Historic Tour and Festival

2010-04-26T17:01:00.000-07:00

I really had a fabulous time painting, so much so I wondered why I don't do plein air more often. The following is a painting I had at the event that sold. The next two paintings I did for the show.

Here are two of Bob's three paintings. Wow, I LOVE the brushwork.

This one is the Copper Cactus Motel by Hope Cunningham--tough angles very well done.

2010 Miracle Mile Historical Tour and Plein Air Art Event

2010-04-23T17:51:00.000-07:00

Despite the unusual cold and cloudy weather, I've been "painting the strip" along with my friends Robert Goldman and Hope Cunningham the last few days, as part of the Historical Miracle Mile Tour and Festival's Plein Air Event. Our paintings are due tomorrow and my friend Phil Starke will be judging.

Tucson Museum of Art CRUSH Benefit--SOLD

2010-04-08T17:40:00.000-07:00

The annual Tucson Museum of Art CRUSH pARTy "Under the Stars" Silent Auction is this Friday from 6-9. Lots of incredible juried art to bid on and 65 wines to taste---sounds like a good time to me.

My donation is a 9x12 oil painting on masonite of a scene from Tucson's Barrio Viejo.

sold

April 9, 2010, 6-9pm

Daniel Keys-A Painter to Watch

2010-03-25T18:49:00.000-07:00

At a local women's art get-together this last week, a friend gave me a copy of the recent Art of the West issue featuring Daniel Keys. He is definitely worth checking out. BTW, he is only 24. God has surely blessed this young man.

Daniel Keys' website
Daniel Keys' Blog

The blog allows you to click and enlarge most of the paintings so you can really see the brushwork.

Hydrangeas and Peaches
Daniel Keys

When the painting isn't working

2010-03-19T18:08:00.000-07:00

Ever sit down to paint, and it comes so easy you can't believe it? I wish that happened every time I paint, but those sessions seem to be the exception rather than the norm. And, when a painting isn't working, the only thing to do is wipe it out. Prolonging the inevitable is torture, and trying to fix a painting gone wrong isn't gonna make it any better, ever.

I tell myself that the process is more important than the outcome, that I learn something every time I paint, and I paint everyday. Even after all the years I've painted, I know that progress is a life-long journey and the longer one paints, the steeper and slower the learning curve.

Humans, well animals too, respond to intermittent, positive reinforcement. This is why a trip to Vegas can wipe out your checking account. So, the times when painting is HARD and doesn't come easily, we persevere because of the times when it does work.

I also know that if I don't paint everyday, I'm not going to get better. Don't beat yourself up if a painting isn't working. Know that the subconscious remembers everything and that knowledge and experience will work for you in the next one.

I would love to know what other painters feel about this topic.

Art Opening for my husband David Johson Vandenberg

2010-01-19T16:16:00.000-08:00

The opening for David's show is Thursday evening at Tansey Gallery(formerly Mountain Shadow Gallery) from 5-7:30. New work by our long-time friend Doug Shelton will also be showing.

For more information about the gallery and its location go to Tansey Gallery.

Art Classes Starting in January

2009-12-30T12:46:00.000-08:00

It's the New Year and a good time to finally learn to draw or paint.

Classes are forming now in Beginning Drawing, Beginning and Intermediate Oil Painting.

For lots more info click here.

brendasemanick.com/january_classes.html

Open Studio Tour Nov 14th and 15

2009-11-11T18:29:00.000-08:00

Come see me during the Open Studio Tour this weekend. For information about the tour go to http://www.tucsonopenstudios.com/ost/index.html.

David's First Sculpture

2009-07-05T17:43:00.000-07:00

After David met renowned sculptor Merlin Cohen and visited his studio, he couldn't wait to start carving himself. This is his first sculpture, made from alabaster. It measures 10x8x12. Click here to see larger images.

Grijalva Park Dedication

2009-06-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

Grijalva Park Update

2009-05-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

The painting of the figures for the poles is complete and they will be attached tomorrow morning. I tried to keep with a complementary color for the base/cap, and the plan is to pair the cap color with a pole of analogous color.
The only way to work outside in Tucson is to start by at least 6:00 am, so I've become a morning person again.

Grijalva Park Update

2009-05-05T19:18:00.000-07:00

Jerry Castillo went back to Austin, Texas to work on a commission, so I've been working with Ben Olmstead to finish up the steel pieces. Now I have to paint. It was a learning experience painting the poles, so I feel a little more confident about painting.

The caps under the smaller figures will be plug-welded to the larger posts which will mean I will need to paint those on site.

Showing below are three of the six larger pieces that will be bracketed to light poles. The children will go by the playground, the runners on the walking track and last by the ramada-I just had to put the ant in.

Grijalva Park Update

2009-04-07T18:12:00.000-07:00

Today was painting day for the steel posts. These puppies are eleven feet long and weigh 100 pounds each. Notice the picture of Jerry carrying one of the ten posts to the saw horses. I don't know how he did it!!

We began with wiping each one down liberally with mineral spirits followed by an application of metal primer. We are using Rust Stop oil-based paints, used primarily by sign painters. This paint has a reputation for long-lasting color which is
important in this Tucson sun.

The colors of the posts follow a modified color spectrum. The community wanted bright colors and they're gonna get it. I will be doing another application of paint over the next few days. I was pretty wiped out physically today; the temperature read just above the 90 degree point---whew!

Grijalva Park

2009-04-04T18:26:00.000-07:00

I recently experienced wiping out every painting I have done for several weeks. Needless to say, I welcomed the diversion of giving my attention to the public art for the new Grijalva Park in the Midvale neighborhood here in Tucson.

This is a view of the park as it is now, from the recently poured skateboard park.

I am fortunate to be working with Jerry Castillo, who is doing the plasma cutting of the steel figures.

Everything will be painted in bright colors. This is one of ten figures that will be on top of 8 foot steel posts separating the park from the adjacent Grijalva Elementary School.

In addition, there will be six large pieces that will be attached to light poles for signage: basketball and volleyball courts, skateboard park, ramada, playground and walking trail.

Teaching and Lovin' It

2009-03-01T17:18:00.000-08:00

I just finished a six-week session with beginning oil painting students and I think you will be as amazed as me when you see their progress. Please take a moment and look at the slide-shows.

This week promises to be a busy one. The live auction for the guitars for the Tucson Symphony is Saturday evening at the Star Pass Resort, and I still don't know what I'm going to wear;-) I scraped out almost all of the small paintings I did last week; maybe I was being hypercritical. Painting is an isolated experience that demands full attention and incredible discipline. When I was becoming unusually frustrated, I found myself doing really stupid things I knew I shouldn't do, and of course it was downhill from there.

I prefer to acknowledge these episodes as learning experiences. Tomorrow is another day, and also the chance to do a good painting.

Tucson Symphony Orchestra Art For Music Benefit Guitar is Finished!

2009-02-09T17:05:00.000-08:00

The guitar is finally finished! I am really looking forward to the Champagne and Dessert reception for the contributing artists this Wednesday. For information regarding the Art for Music Benefit and the live auction of the guitars please visit the TSO website.

Click on the following images for an enlargement.

Flora de la Luna

detail

sphinx moth detail

TSO Art For Music Guitar Update

2009-01-31T17:10:00.000-08:00

I don't have too much to go before I'm finished. I need to add a moon and stars, and I think the leaves at the bottom should be darkened. I have been using alkyd white to speed up the drying time. I have also changed the background from a solid dark blue to a gradient, which is much more effective. Click on images to enlarge.

Night Blooming Cereus, 48x36, oil on linen, Commission

2009-01-22T18:10:00.000-08:00

The painting in its new home.

TSO Guitar Progress

2009-01-10T14:19:00.000-08:00

Started the Guitar for the Tucson Symphony Music and Art Benefit

2009-01-06T18:06:00.000-08:00

Just beginning, and I hope, soon to finish. I decided to do Datura at night. The background you see right now is a light coat of diluted Burnt Umber, just to kill the whiteness of the gesso.

The background will be dark with stars and a few sphinx moths.

More tomorrow.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas and a Prayer Request

2008-12-22T19:57:00.000-08:00

David and I spent the day cleaning house while listening to Christmas music. I really wanted to go to the studio and continue a painting of pansies I started.

For those of you inclined to prayer, which I greatly believe in, please include the little boy across our street named Taylor, a two-year-old who has just been diagnosed with cancer of the eye. The tumor in/around his eye is 12mm and they are hoping to shrink it to 6mm and then I guess operate or freeze it. His father told us this morning that he has a permanent bruise on his forehead from falling down all the time. They didn't realize that he had almost no vision out of one eye.

Before going to his first chemo today, he came over with his Dad and delighted in spreading snow over the people in our Christmas village.

Daily Paintings December 2008

2008-12-18T15:44:00.000-08:00

Tucson Artist Colony Grand Opening

2008-12-09T17:01:00.000-08:00

Grand Opening for the Tucson Artist Colony is this Saturday, December 13th from 5-8pm, at the beautiful Placita de la Luna located on Castro, one block west of Stone (north) of Grant. This is where I have my studio and teach Beginning Drawing.
For more information about other artists who teach and have studios visit http://tucsonartistcolony.com/grand_opening.html.

Susan and Greg Alexander are an awesome couple. Tucson Artist Colony will soon be a place everyone has to visit.

Drawing Classes in Tucson

2008-11-24T12:21:00.000-08:00

I am offering two sessions of Beginning Drawing classes to begin in December. Classes will be held at Placita la Luna in a large beautifully remodeled studio located at Grant and Castro, one block west of Stone.

Sessions meet for three hours once a week for six weeks. Cost: $150.

To register, go to http://www.brendasemanick.com/classes.html

Painting From Life

2008-11-22T18:00:00.000-08:00

There is literally no other practice for an artist more powerful than to paint from life. Please look at the second blog I've started about Painting Every Day. I am following in the tradition of Duane Keiser to produce a painting a day.

The following are block-ins. I'm working on three small paintings at a time. The reasons are both technical and pragmatic. At some point, the paint becomes too wet to paint into and needs to set-up, or become "tacky"; the other is to change focus when a subject becomes too complicated or boring.

Art Classes in Tucson

2008-11-18T18:31:00.000-08:00

Susan and Greg just finished remodeling the most awesome studio space for classes in the same complex I have my studio.

I am now accepting registration from folks interested in taking a class in Beginning Drawing or Beginning Painting. Check out my page on Classes.

Without overstating things or exaggeration, I can teach anyone how to draw.

My New Studio

2008-09-28T19:26:00.000-07:00

Fishing at Conchas Lake with my Dad

2008-09-23T19:27:00.000-07:00

At the end of last month, I spent a week in Albuquerque with my family. Dad and I went fishing to Conchas lake. We caught fish all day long, but none reached the required fourteen inches to take home.

On the way back to Albuquerque I asked Dad if we could stop at the ghost town Cuervo. I wanted to go in all of the buildings, in retrospect, I wish I had. There are signs posted to "keep out". The old salon looks as though someone decided one day to close shop, and that was it. I loved every minute of my snooping. Time stood still.

Tamera, Ash and I went to Santa Fe for the day and ate at The Shed. Nothing like Mexican food in New Mexico-------HOT!

Hand-Made Ceramic Village

2008-07-04T17:30:00.000-07:00

I watched my friend Connie make the village that now sits in their backyard. Of course I love it because I LOVE miniatures. The door is the exit for their three cats. She hand-modeled all of the structures and animals from clay and then painted them with acrylic. Click on the photo below to go to the slideshow and enjoy!

Spry for Dreamweaver CS3

2008-07-01T15:52:00.000-07:00

It looked like it was gonna be easy, but that was before I considered IE!! I think we should get rid of the little browser brother that won't play by the rules.Egads! But persistence seems to be my call in life; David says I get like a terrier with a rat and won't stop until the rat is dead or the problem solved.

I have "fixed" almost all of my problems with IE, but then there is always another hurdle to jump. At one time, I had my sub-menu items lining up under their parents, but they are now again offset and the items for the sub-menu have a large gap. There really should be one place to go to find out how to hack all IE issues, but instead, one is left to search endless threads in forums. We all seem to have the same problem. I'm beginning to think it is some kind of secret and I don't know which club to join.

Anyone with a definitive answer for me, please write and share.

peace.

Summer Showing

2008-06-08T19:01:00.000-07:00

From now until August I have paintings on view at the galleries at Ventana Medical Systems in Oro Valley (map).

I'm also very busy with two public art projects: the new Grijalva Park, and the new Cushing Street Bridge. They both bring quite a bit excitement and challenge and I am loving every minute of it.

Below is a ceramic birdhouse I made for my friends Alex and Anita Oberlick who live in the Presidio Barrio. I modeled it from the look of many of the houses in Barrio Viejo.

Cool Art Watch

2008-05-10T16:47:00.000-07:00

I love this watch by Whimsical Watches. They have a gazillion different designs from cloggers to qwanza. The embellishments are molded and hand-painted.

Bridge Pier Revisted

2008-01-06T15:27:00.000-08:00

I have not made an entry to this blog since the end of July, which also means I didn't include pictures of the finished mural. School started at the same time with no rest in between and life has continued at a lightning pace since.

Wien Wien Nur Du Allein

2008-01-01T16:36:00.000-08:00

For you Dad!

WienWiennurduallein.m4p

Bridge Pier Project/End of Week 8

2007-07-29T18:37:00.000-07:00

I didn't make an entry last week because we were just too busy. Rebecca and I worked late each day and all weekend. The real stress was seeing what the glazed lizards would look like. We decided on three different but related color combinations for each. Below is a photo of how Lenny turned out and we couldn't be happier!!!! The two other lizard heads are in the kiln now and we will see them tomorrow morning.

We used cone 6 (cone 5 in electric kiln) Coyote glazes for the entire project, including the tile. We bisqued most pieces but during this last crunch time we did a slow single fire and everything turned out. What a blessing.

Thank you Beth Ravitz for all of your advice and cheerleading!

We now have only a few stray tiles to fire and then we will be ready for installation. At the recommendation of Beth Ravitz, we will be filling the lizard pieces with a mixture of perlite and thin-set to give them more internal strength.

Although a few of the girls will be coming in this week to help with sealing the unglazed parts of the background tile and boxing everything up for the installers, our project date officially ended on Friday. We cleaned like crazy and Rikki's mom even showed up with spray bottles, rags and cleaning supplies. We had a special celebration luncheon at Le Delice and the food and service were exceptional.

The girls took home individually boxed pastries.

After an excuse from the table and a short absense to her truck, Caitlin returned with a giant card. I have a sneaking suspicion that Ali was very busy the night before and a lot of manipulation was at play earlier in the morning. Rebecca and I never "caught on", so we were not only astonished, but very flattered. We have all become Starbuck addicts and we often did a run to the closest store to satiate our cravings for sweetened, cold java. The decorative envelopes in the card each contained a $20 Starbbucks gift card. What a sweet and wonderful gesture. Thank you so much girls.

Bridge Pier/End of Week 6

2007-07-12T18:11:00.000-07:00

David and Rebecca picked up the first load of glazed tiles Monday morning and we immediately set about to put them together. It was so exciting for everyone. We were all so excited when we began to place out the tiles and see the design begin to emerge. Starbucks for everyone!

A second load of tiles goes to Aurore tomorrow. We did test glazes for the lizards today. Lizzette, our third lizard is almost completed.

Lizard Wall/End of Week 5

2007-07-07T19:39:00.000-07:00

It was a hot week here in the Old Pueblo. The first load of glazed tiles went to Aurore's studio on Thursday. We finished Lloyd, the second lizard and bisqued Lenny in our kiln. We have a meeting about installation with Lee from Foley's Tile on Monday morning.

We had a great and extended show of fireworks from Tucson Country Club Estates on the 4th. We have a front seat spot from our house. For years people have shown up from all over town and park wherever they can, and this year was no exception. It's one of the best free shows in town. The best fireworks I've seen in recent memory was in Kiel in 2004 when we visited my sister Silvana. They were dedicating a new pier. Scores of swimmers carrying torches made their way to the beach before the fireworks began. I hadn't seen anything like it since I was at Disneyland on the 4th of July in the 80's.
I was just too tired to go to the Reid Park pottery class tonight. I've started dreaming about the tiles and lizards.....................so I'm working in my sleep now.

Caught some of the acts on Live Earth-Genesis, Melissa Ethridge, John Mayer, end of UB40. Billy Corgan was amazing!!

Still managing to paint almost everyday.

Celebration

2007-07-01T16:19:00.000-07:00

Tres Amigas Bonitas! With Maria Elena and Carmela for a much-needed night out at Hacienda del Sol.

The foam for the green tiles worked perfectly. Rebecca and I spent several hours cutting and laying foam in David's truck and then placing tiles on layers. It was only 108 degrees outside.
The good news is that not one tile
broke in transit to Professor Chabot's studio. Aurore has a hundred plate setters from past public art projects and we loaded her massive Bailey kiln with almost 100 tiles. She believes in a slow bisque with lots of holds-3 days!
On some days I have been so tired I come home and take a nap-the heat and stress I suppose. On Friday, I was eager to meet two good friends at the posh Hacienda del Sol for a refreshing evening of good company, food and jazz. I don't go out often because I always seem to be working; my friends have learned not to take it personally when I say I no to invitations.

Images of Hacienda del Sol

Les Baxter Band

For three years now I've been throwing pots on Saturday nights at the Tucson Reid Park pottery studio. This session I decided to only do slab work and sculpture. I have never done sculpture before but surprisingly I can, and it is immensely enjoyable.

Bridge Pier/End of Week 4

2007-06-29T06:07:00.000-07:00

At the half-way mark of our eight-week project we are beginning to see the results of all our hard work. "Lenny" is finished and we have started "Lloyd", the second of the three high-relief lizards.

We had quite a few visitors this week: Patty Machelor for the Arizona Daily Star (thanks for writing a great article Patty), photographer James Wood, Lorraine Hernandez, Bob Peterson, Professor Aurore Chabot and friend.

Much gratitude goes to Professor Chabot who is generously allowing us to use her kiln, which can accommodate 100 tiles at a time!!! Rebecca bought a 50-foot roll of foam to cushion the transport of the green-ware tiles across town. Let's all keep our fingers crossed!

Renowned ceramicist Angelica Pozo has provided us with lots of good information for mounting the lizards. Special thanks also goes to Kristine Stoner and Susan Gambel from Santa Theresa Tile Works!

Rebecca beginning work on "Lloyd".

Caitlin and Rikki rolling slabs.

Tile meister Emily.

Public Art Bridge Pier/end of Week 3

2007-06-24T17:17:00.000-07:00

We accomplished a lot this week. Almost 230 of the 380 tiles are done. Elements in the kiln were finally replaced for 208 voltage. I did a test of glazes today. To expedite firing we are using a one-fire process at cone 5. We are only glazing the recessed part of the tiles so I am also running an experiment to see if we can stack the tiles in the kiln. My concern is if there will be enough oxygen circulating. So I am looking forward to opening the kiln tomorrow morning.

Detail of first lizard's head.

Lizard body in progress.

Tiles drying.

Rebecca and Rikki hard at work on "Lenny".

Lizard Wall-Week 2

2007-06-15T18:18:00.000-07:00

We are moving along quickly. Councilwoman Carol West, her assistant Lorraine Hernandez, TPAC liason Mary Ellen Wooten and Tucson DOT Bob Peterson came Monday to approve the final design. Bob took lots of pictures and was very impressed with the design. Everyone thought it was an ambitious undertaking.

We have lost two of our student workers since we began, but I anticipated that. We do have five incredible young women working with us who show up early and leave late!

After working on small high relief lizards it was time to start the tiles for the background. Each person is averaging six a day so we are on schedule. We will begin the large lizards next week. I plan on having Rikki work with Rebecca on the lizards while the rest of us roll slabs of clay and create the tiles. I am letting the tiles dry very slowly.

I am continuing to paint the small paintings from life I began earlier. What a wonderful excercise.

Fortune Cookies, 5x5, oil/linen mounted on panel

David has been working on a painting inspired by Marlowe's "Tamburlaine", Part 1. He recently received a commission to do a painting of Martin Luther. No one knows their history like David.

Public Art Project/Bridge Pier

2007-06-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

Aside from being in Germany, I can't imagine a better way to spend my summer. We began on June 4th and we have exactly 8 weeks to finish an artwork installation on a bridge pier at Wrightstown and Tanque Verde. The following are two images of the design concept. The lizards are blue for placement purposes and will not be that flagrant.

The design motif in the background is borrowed from a pottery pattern on a Hohokam pot. The ancient Hohokam had many settlements in the Tanque Verde Basin. Although the design appears to be simple, it is really quite complex.

The background pattern will be constructed from 8"x8" relief tiles using a terracotta clay. The lizards will be created in high sculptural relief using a B-mix clay with grog. The wall is almost 12 by 15 feet, so that means a lot of work and a lot of clay!

I am fortunate to have six wonderful young art apprentices to help. Rebecca is my artist assistant and I don't think I could do the project without her. BTW, Rebecca finally has her website up: Rebecca Macaulay

A big thank you goes to principal Hans Raymond at Tucson Accelerated High School for allowing us to use their art classroom.

I am amazed how quickly the girls are learning to use the clay. We began with learning how to cut clay, then to make relief, and now they are doing small sculptural lizards to prepare them for working on the real ones, which will be six feet in length.

Rikki

Trenna

Rebecca's experiment with a small lizard.

Rebecca at the slab roller.

Caitlin

Emily

Ali

Brittany

Painting from Life

2007-03-13T19:06:00.000-07:00

For some time now, I've only been painting from life. Painting is always a solitary experience, but painting from life takes so much of one's concentration that the solitude almost disappears into a state of an "absent self". There is nothing but the process. There is no outcome, no expectation, only observation. There is very little cognizance of self, and little or no perception of physical "place." We are often transported to something similar when we are watching a good movie, reading a great book, playing with a child or interacting with a baby. Time is suspended and has no meaning. There is no chatter of the mind. It is total engagement.

Tucson Symphony Orchestra and Art for Music 2007 at La Paloma a BIG HIT

2007-03-04T17:17:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a great night to be had by all at the beautiful La Paloma Resort. Over twice as many in attendance as two years ago and although crowded, everyone was having a good time. The silent auction was huge and there was something to offer for everyone.
The thrill of the evening for me was the live auction! My guitar spurred on a bidding war and when it was over it sold for $2000. All proceeds from the event go to pay for much needed music education programs. My friend and co-chiar of the event, Diana Maderas, brought in the highest auction price for the live auction instruments for her exquisite Lizard Rhapsody. One of my other favorites was The Four Seasons by the renowned artist Barbara Gurwitz. I want to give a special thank you to conductor George Hanson's beautiful and gracious wife Petra Boehm, who told the audience my piece was her favorite.

At dinner we sat at the table with Charles and Candace Johnson, who purchased David's Lorenzo d' Medici violin two years ago.

With Mr. Robert Buhler and his lovely wife Yvonne who purchased the La Loteria guitar.

Lizard Rhapsody (left) by
Diana Madaras
The Four Seasons (right) by Barbara Gurwitz.

TSO's chamber music ensemble began the pre-dinner entertainment with the Overature to Mozart's Marriage of Figaro and ended wonderfully with the last two movements of Prokofiev's Piano Concerto.

La Loteria Guitar

2007-02-23T14:09:00.000-08:00

More pictures of my guitar.

You can see a video segment from Arizona Illustrated featuring the submissions of several of the artists, including myself.

Small Paintings

Influenced by Duane Keiser's A Painting A Day, I have had a lot of fun recently painting small still lifes. I know of no better way to improve painting skills than painting from life.

Tucson Symphony Orchestra Art of Music 2007

2007-01-11T16:47:00.000-08:00

Just after my last post I suffered a concussion and it took several weeks to become a normal person again. I am happy to say I now have a large painting on the easel and I've been busy finishing a guitar for the Tucson Symphony Orchestra's "Art of Music 2007" benefit, a biannual event to be held this year at Tucson's Westin La Paloma.

I was going to do a theme around Dia de los Muetos but I wasn't sure how receptive most people would be to that so I decided to use the images from the very old and still quite popular Mexican bingo game Loteria. I chose my favorite images as well as all of the cards pertaining to music. It has been a tedious process but I have had a lot of fun along the way.

The guitar has taken priority over finishing the large cactus.

The Best Painting A Day Site

2006-11-10T17:20:00.000-08:00

Maybe I'm a little behind the times in the cyber art world because I discovered this incredible painter quite by accident on YouTube. After watching a few of his painting videos, I did a search, and he has found quite a niche for himself and the "painting a day" concept was his original idea. His name is Duane Keiser and he posts a painting a day on his blog and then sells them at bid on ebay. Needless to say, they all sell. He has inspired many painters to do the same.

He has ten "painting in the making" videos on YouTube that run from 3-6 minutes. They are worth watching. I appreciate an artist who is willing to share that kind of skill level with others. The painting above is one of my favorites by Duane Keiser.

Hello Kitty Pumpkin

2006-10-31T17:26:00.000-08:00

Those who know me well, graciously accept my infatuation with HK. David and Rebecca were busy carving pumpkins Saturday night while I was at the pottery studio. When I got home I was thrilled to see the glowing happy face of my favorite icon emblazoned on a pumpkin. Thanks David! Rebecca carved the spider.

I love Hello Kitty because you can't look at something so ridiculous and not smile or laugh. Simply put, she makes me happy.

Dinner at Connie and Jinou's

2006-09-13T19:03:00.000-07:00

It's always so nice to put work and obligations aside to spend time with friends. We recently had dinner with our best friends Connie and Jinou, and true to form, Jinou prepared a wonderful dinner of scallops and wild rice, and topped it off later in the evening with berries and heavy cream!

They have one of the best painting collections I have ever seen, with some of the best of the California Impressionists and major southwest talent.

A few years ago they started collecting pottery from the American Arts and Crafts period and they now have some exquisite pieces.

To the left is a pair of birds by Jinou. They stand about eight inches high and their heads are actually "lids" and can be removed. I love these!
Jinou's pots have become very successful; he is selling an average of two a week at El Presidio Gallery.

We each had to have a go at relief carving on some of the pots I threw, but Rebecca's koi wins the blue ribbon!

To the left is David's carving of dragonflies. Of course I had to do flowers on mine.

Newest paintings. To the left is a painting of Torch Cactus which will be used as the 2007 Tucson Chamber Music poster. David took along his latest painting to Connie and Jinou's. It is a brilliant painting of Christopher Marlowe.

Whad Up: Tucson Pima Arts Council Award and other stuff!

2006-07-11T20:39:00.000-07:00

Finally getting a little tease from the upcoming monsoon season here in the Baked Apple. Tomorrow promises to be 109 and Thursday the mercury rises even more. I need the respite from heat the thunderstorms bring. The temperature dropped a good twenty plus degrees a few days ago preceding a magnificent display of lightning and a true July Tucson storm.

Lots been goin' on. On first mention, I am totally flattered on being selected as the Tucson Pima Arts Council Arts Educator of the Year. I always wanted a piece of Tom Philabaum glass and this is the best way to get one. I have a Lumie Award!!!!!!!!
The award winners were announced at the luncheon, and believe me, I was shocked. I think you can clearly see my surprise in the picture below.

I went to an intense AVID workshop in San Diego for a week in June. I did manage to get to the ocean and to art museum. The picture is from Crystal Pier at Pacific Beach. I am always reminded how much I love the ocean when I actually see it and smell it.

Rebecca has been visiting with us the last few days. We subjected her to the Tour de' France and the World Cup. She brought her most recent portfolio of work and David and I are both impressed with her progress. She is good! I am sure you will agree. The following are three self-portraits in oil depicting three different episodes in her life.

On the Easel

2006-03-21T17:06:00.000-08:00

Here is the primavera painting with the canvas covered. The challenging part will be maintaining enough value contrast not to lose the image of the goddess of Spring.

On the Easel

2006-03-02T16:22:00.000-08:00

Has it been almost a month since my last post????
March and over 125 days without rain, we finally did get 1/10 of a teasing inch yesterday. Just enough to smell.

This is a new painting but I am so excited to post it. David reminded me that I have had this idea for over ten years! Well, its about time. Do you recognize the face? It would be great to get some feedback about it.

This is one I recently finished of a night blooming cereus, 30x24, oil/wood panel.

This is one David finished last week.

Up for Air

2006-02-04T16:07:00.000-08:00

Gee, where do I start? I'm glad to be back because it means my life has slowed down enough to get back to things I enjoy most. I took a grad class during the fall semester which turned out to be a grueling endeavor sucking most of my time and energy. I did get an A, but it was the hardest A I ever earned.

Lots and lots of great stuff has happened over the last few months and I am confident 2006 is going to be an exciting and fulfilling year in many ways.

Okay, so what's been goin' on: David was in a show at Liz Hernandez; I was selected for my first public art piece; I was surprised and delighted to be inducted into the Sunnyside School District Hall of Fame; Northwest Medical Center in Tucson purchased a painting for their collection; and even though I didn't get to paint much last semester, Renee Taylor has been selling paintings.

Linger awhile and check out the pics below.

Connie and Jinou next to David's painting at the Liz Hernandez Gallery. The painting, "Lance and Crab" is a continuation of David's obsession with Shakespeare and is based on characters from Shakespeare's Two Men of Verona. If you have never read this play, at least skim the parts about the dog-one of the best laughs I have ever had.

This is the public art design for the new Lawrence Community Center.

It will be approxiatemately 3 feet by 18 feet and constructed of overlapping painted steel.

Picture from the Sunnyside School District Hall of Fame Induction dinner. It was a very special evening. It was a surprise when Dad, sister and niece showed up from Albuquerque to attend.

Christmas is my favorite day of the year. This is the table set for dinner.

Students from my video class helping me celebrate my birthday. I told them to pose as their "true selves". They are the funniest and smartest people I know.

Painting recently purchased by the Northwest Medical Center.

Jinou's Latest Relief Vase

2005-08-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

Isn't this a beauty!

Draw On Line

2005-07-30T06:11:00.000-07:00

At You Draw Online Drawing you can can use their drawing pad to submit a drawing to their site. You can also do a drawing on their email pad and send it to someone. Cool.

Watercolorist Joseph Raffael

2005-07-28T06:10:00.000-07:00

Joseph Raffael is an amazing watercolorist. I enjoyed lookiing at his work. Check out the studio images where you can see much of his work in progress. The painting below is more than six feet in width. It must be stunning to view.

Pond for F. Garcia Lorca 76x76

Prickly Pear Fruit Painting

2005-07-25T15:33:00.000-07:00

It's finished. Oil on ragcoate, 29x39
Let me know what you think.

I'm not ready for this, are you?

2005-07-23T12:38:00.000-07:00

This is for those who don't keep company and definitely don't like to keep company with themselves. Its A.L.I.C.E.Bot, from the Artificial Intelligence Foundation. Choose from three different bots that you can chat with 24/7! The only one I thought actually beneficial was the handsome ESL bot so you can endlessly practice speaking English.

Customize Your Own Postage Stamps

2005-07-19T13:41:00.000-07:00

You heard it right, and they're USPO-approved. At either zazzle.com or stamps.com you can personalize your own postal stamps. Including shipping, it comes to around a dollar per stamp.
And if you want to sell your customizied stamps to the world, you can do that at cafe press.

Create a Panorama from Your Photos

2005-07-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

autostitchThis is a cool program. When you go to the site, the first page will show you the process as well as a gallery of examples. And there is a FREE DEMO you can download.

WWI Death Certificate Image and Explanation

2005-07-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

The certificate, which you will find below, was given to us to research by our good friend and photographer, Steve Torregrossa. This is a death certificate for Karl Lorenz,1915,the great grandfather of one of his clients who had no information about it. This brought tears to my eyes, but I want you to know that if it was a British, French, American, Russian or Turk soldier, my eyes would tear just the same.The document indicates he was a substitute reservist in infantry regiment No.90, and bears an original signature by Kaiser Wilhelm.

We spent hours on the net doing searches in German and getting close but not close enough. I am indebted to the information I received from Franz Schöllhorn who answered my query on a German military history forum.
This regiment went everywhere: August 1914 from Schleswig-Holstein to Belgium,successivve months saw action France and then in July of 1915, the regiment was transferred to Russia where they fought on the Narev River, where Lorenz was killed in action.
Now, this is interesting because if he had lived, he would have been fighting in September in Verdun on Sector Hill 304, which saw the most gruesome of fighting.
This regiment fought up until the Armistice. I am curious now as to how many men were originally in the regiment and how many were left by 1917.I fear not too many.

Firefox

2005-07-11T18:51:00.000-07:00

I love this browser. No more IE for me. I read somewhere to give yourself a week with firefox and you will be hooked. One day for this Internet junkie. You won't go back.
Lots of advantages and easy to download. You will need to purchase the upgrade to IE 7 when it comes out so switch now-firefox

I have been busy! Started my second graduate class. Sheesh. Got an A on the last one, of course. I do have OCD you know, so I can't help it;-)

Pics to come soon. Promise.

Free Vlog or Blog Video FOR FREE

2005-07-06T18:38:00.000-07:00

Free Vlog
You gotta check this out.Just like its name says, its for free! Including uploads. The people that run it are passionate to say the least. I'm going to check this out when I have a chance. For me looks like a great way to offer live painting demonstrations.

What's on the easel and fireworks

2005-07-05T17:32:00.000-07:00

David survived barbequeing carne asada last night in the 100 degree heat of the evening. Yes, the sun was already down. Great fireworks display from the golf course across the wash. I marinaded chicken too-limes, lemons, beer, onions, garlic.
Now that is good!

Here is what is on the easel for David. It is interesting I think to see how he works on the burnt umber underpainting. The drawing itself is done with white charcoal.

Rebecca is going to summer school and working as an assistant with a public art project, but she is also trying to finish this painting. She doesn't get to work on it enough. I LIKE IT!

Jinou's pots

2005-07-03T20:03:00.000-07:00

Busy weekend; busy is good.

The pot with the fish relief had too much glaze on it so it didn't get fired, but this is what Jinou did pick up last night.

Here are two more carved and reliefed pieces ready for bisque firing.

Crackers was a little jealous that Baby got her picture in the blog first. Crackers is the oldest studio cat, and deserved more than second billing.

Best Site Building Program I've Seen

2005-07-02T14:58:00.000-07:00

July 2nd, who could believe it. You don't need to be bored this summer looking for something to do. Build the website you've been thinking of doing but just haven't done yet.

I love this site, called Site Build It. You don't have to know html, or have a web authoring program. Everything is built right in.
It is virtually impossible to mess it up. If you don't know anything about spiders, robots, search engine optimaiztion, domains, meta tags, this is place for you.

I like them because they're honest. They want you to be successful. Good writing and good content that you are excited about is stressed. I don't know of any other site like them. You can even do a free trial.

If building a site is something you have been thinking about, check them out. Site Build It

Paintings and Pots

2005-06-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

The mercury has been steadily rising.
Here is the second layer of the prickly pear painting, oil on ragcoate, 30x40. Working on the third layer now, and there will be a fourth.

Here is my good friend Jinou holding one of his beautiful relief pots, at greenware stage.

A close up of another relief.

And I can't wait to see this one!!! Just glazed, with fish in relief.

David and Rebecca looking up 19th century Japanese wood block artist from an original 1890's book with attached original wood block prints. Rebecca speaks Japanese, but it took them several hours to locate Hosai, 1848-1920. He went by several names: also known as Kunisada III, Toyokuni IV/V and Kunimasa IV. More investigation and they learned that each one could fetch around $250. Not bad. The book was going to be thrown out by the owner.

And of course studio cat Baby, is helping.

Summer, On the Easel and Sky Harbor Airport

2005-06-20T16:45:00.000-07:00

It's official. It's summer. Now here in the Baked Apple, as we so appropriately refer to our berg, it has been summer for quite a while.

I've been putting in the hours on my Dad's website. I like feedback so if you go there, leave me a comment about it.

I finished the red amaryllis which will be used for the 2006 Tucson Winter Chamber Music festival.

On the Easel: I have just finished a block in of prickly pear fruits. Oil on ragcoate paper(30x40).You don't have to prime the paper with gesso. It feels like working on smooth masonite. On the first layer, the paint is difficult to move around but after that dries(one day) it becomes a great surface to work on. And I like the luminosity it gives the painting.

Sky Harbor Airport: I will be driving up to Phoenix tomorrow to deliver a painting to Sky Harbor Airport they purchased for their collection. I'm really excited about it. It is also done on ragcoate paper. I'm doing the one of the prickly pear fruits in hopes they will want a companion piece. Sheila Kollasch is the museum assistant for the airport- a great person and a darn good artist herself.

You can really see the difference her of what happens after several more layers of paint on the paper.

syndication

2005-06-12T17:41:00.000-07:00

So I started trying to do the syndication thing with the blog yesterday afternoon and then realized it was time to go throw pots. Good night. I'll have pictures next week. Jinou is throwing 'em bigger each time, and Connie is working on a waterlilly relief using one of Jinou's pots.

Oh, yeah, anyway, I started again this morning and I kept doing the same thing with the path to the atom file, etc., and I just could not get it to validate. I feel stupid now, 'cause it was a quotation mark in the WRONG PLACE!!!!!!!! When will I learn to triple read those things??? Attention to detail is an understatement when doing this stuff. (Ever do that exercise where you have to count how many f's there are in a sentence, and you never get it right?)

So, went to feedburner next, and now I should be available to the entire world; oh my. That is a humbling feeling in many respects.

Oh, and the papers. At this point I am almost two weeks ahead so this week is a painting only week, and the slovensko web site at night.

Its a good thing I stopped watching television years ago. I don't know how people do it; how do you get anything done when watch you watch TV??????????? More on TV as the opiate of the people in a later post.

It's Thursday????

2005-06-09T18:34:00.000-07:00

Hmmmm, at some point today I asked what day it was, confident that it was Wednesday. Thurdsay? Are you sure???

I suppose it has been the cyber world fog of research I have put myself in the last few days. Two papers a week for a perfectionist is not easy. It takes time, and, the re-writes, and tweaking, and revision, and revision, and....

But, resolving to organize my life even during the hot lazy days of summer(I don't think I have one of those since I lived in Ohio when I was 15), I am planning ahead, doing research on the next assignment before the next several revisions to the one I am working on now. Yes, got an A on the first one, so I have already set a precedent for myself that I must maintain.

Okay, the plan is to set the alarm clock for an early rising, spend some time in solitude on the patio comforted by the sound of birds and fountain, and, with coffee and laptop in hand, do whatever is necessary for a few hours to keep ahead. I am embarrassed to admit, that it has been so long since my BA that I had no idea what APA style was. Sheesh, it took me as long to inform myself about APA as it did to write the first paper.

Next, paint for the rest of the day. Evening will be devoted to continuing building my dad's web site, slovenskonewmexico.com, and hopefully some time for redoing my own.

There is no rest for the OCD inflicted.

Fifteen Blossoms

2005-06-07T20:01:00.000-07:00

Connie made me a great dinner, Jinou pumped up the air mattress and then after they went to bed, it was a matter of waiting for just the right time. Are these not gorgeous? Only one bloom, only at night, and then, when the sun begins to rise, they close.

Night Blooming Cereus

2005-06-06T19:18:00.000-07:00

Didn't paint as much as I wanted to today. Got sidetracked with an on-line class I'm taking with NAU. Egads, a report each week! This means managing time more efficiently.

Connie just called and said the night blooming cereus is going to do at least nine blossoms, tonight!
The best picture opportunity is in the middle of the night so I will be sleeping on their couch. Of course I asked what was for dinner first.

I'll have pics tomorrow for you to look at.

Pottery

2005-06-05T10:04:00.000-07:00

I had anticipated with great eagerness all week to throw pots last night. It's been four weeks and I was a little rusty but managed to get out two bowls and two short vases, short because I had to keep trimming the tops off.
Jinou was throwing big ones, doggoneit, and asked me if I had thrown an amphora for David yet.

Right now, throwing on the wheel is the only activity in my life which allows me to not think about anything else. It's also an excuse to get dirty. I end up with clay all over me, my face, hair, and anyone nearby.

The lesson is not to become attached to what you are making, because it can fall apart at any time in the process. Sorta kinda like life, huh? It's the process, the moment, the now. No preconceptions. Like painting, it shuts off the verbal thinking process in your mind. That is a nice place to be.

On the Easels

2005-06-04T11:20:00.000-07:00

My painting of amaryllis for the 2006 Chamber Music poster.

David's painting of Erasmus in progress .

Saturday

2005-06-04T10:54:00.000-07:00

Hmm, well, this is the first day of launching this blog. Staring at this white space to post, is almost like staring at a blank canvas. I think this will become easier with time. I have spent enough time this morning getting this together and now it is time to go paint. I am looking forward to this afternoon when I get to throw pots with my friends Connie and Jinou.