April/May/June
2007
Lanterns
oil on canvas
48" x 36", 2006 - 2007
"Lanterns"
This painting was created over a period of a few months and during that time it went through a myriad of changes. Initially, the floral forms in the painting looked much more naturalistic like the actual Chinese Lantern plants that served as the original inspiration. However, over time my internalized emotions started to have greater influence on the development of the painting. The marks become more gestural and the color palette more emotional. The finished piece expresses more than a naturalistic rendering and it is open to a greater range of viewer interpretation.
The reality is that I want to learn and grow with each project that I work on. Since the act of creating is dynamic I have had to accept fluidity within the process. The very act of touching paint to canvas opens up endless possibilities.
When I'm working on a painting, I am usually thinking through a variety of concepts at the same time and very rarely does a painting end up looking exactly as I initially envisioned it. Every project takes on a life of its own, because each day I approach the work differently. The pieces that I make act as individual "visual diaries" that record my daily interaction with the creative process.
Broel and Betz
Recently I had the honor and unique opportunity to collaborate on a project with Bob and Cathy Betz of Betz Family Winery in Woodenville, Washington. (Oh, and as a side note, Bob's a genius. Really, he is.) He holds a Master of Wine degree, and since 1953 there have only been 260 people world wide to earn that honor.
We combined our individual talents to create a limited edition of artisan wine magnums. I developed a painted image to adorn the bottle and Bob worked his blending magic to create the wine that filled it. (That short sentence made it all sound easy, but the truth is we also had tremendous help from Scott Schoen of Fresh Northwest Design, Victoria Trimmer, Procurement Director of the Washington Wines Festival, and Dale Bloomquist, Festival Chairman.) Many thanks to all who made this project possible.
Bob and I met at his winery to hand signing each bottle. The magnums will be available for sale at the Northwest Wines Festival Auction on the 13th of April. If you would like more information about the auction please click here: Washington Wines Festival Auction.
Spring Event Feature
Vintage Walla and Bronze Pour
May 31, 2007 - June 2, 2007
Vintage Walla Walla is an exclusive annual tasting event celebrating the art and wine of the Walla Walla Valley. Vintage Walla Walla features wines of the present as well as gems from the past that our winemakers have pulled from their own private cellars. Studio tours and a foundry night pour are also on the schedule.
Click here for additional event information.
Spirit of Sharing
People tell me I'm "lucky" to have a job that I am passionate about. It's true. I am lucky. My life is good.
Yet as I write these words I still find various things to complain about. Is it likely that I'll ever really let go of selfish thoughts? I'm not convinced, but I continue to learn that I can redirect them toward things that are positive.
If I focus on the negative aspects of my life, or if I compare my life to the life of some else I am often left feeling unfulfilled, but when I focus on all that is good in my life I am struck with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. The perspective from which we view things can make a huge difference in how receive and perceive our day.
A while ago I decided that I would commit part of my energy, talent and resources to helping people in need. So each year my wife, Amber, and I participate in a few charitable auctions around the Northwest. The auctions give us a chance to help others find hope and goodness in life. We have been fortunate to meet many amazing people through these events, and we feel that those relationships add so much to our lives.
During the past year we teamed up with artists, and winemakers to create unique auction lot packages. All together in 2006 those items raised over $35,000.00 for charitable causes. Some of the lots included private artist/winemaker dinners with Eric Dunham (Dunham Cellars) and Rick Small (Woodward Canyon Winery), and private tours of my studio and the Walla Walla Foundry.
When I focus less on my self and more on helping others I feel that I can honestly say "life is good." Taking time to share what we have and to be thankful for all that we experience makes life rich. So, all in all, I guess I am pretty lucky.
Untitled - Daylily
This is a very intimately sized painting and was part of a larger series of works that I painted in 1997 at the Kenneth Street studio. During that time I had lush gardens of daylilies and was so captivated by their beauty that I would feverishly sketch them throughout the day and literally watch them bloom and fade.
This little painting is another good example of how emotion and gesture add so much to an image. The piece could have easily been a technical botanical drawing, but it took on a vibrant life of its own.
Untitled - Daylily
oil on paper
7" x 5", 1997
It is beneficial to look back at older works - to review where I've been. That knowledge and history helps to direct and inform my current work.
It is important to look back into history and to learn from those who have walked before us. Here are a few quotes that I found inspirational. I hope they make an impression on you as well.
- "If you truly love Nature, you will find beauty everywhere." - Vincent Van Gogh
- "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." - Albert Einstein
- "Creativity takes courage." - Henri Matisse