2.2.2_The pallet knife.

2.2.2_The pallet knife.

The pallet knife is naturally quick and improvisational in its abilities for laying paint on a surface.  There as many varieties as to the edge, shape, and flexibility of a palette knife; most of which mimic the paint brushes various features of each bristle type.  The palette knife has the ability to control the texture of oil paint, manipulating this painting medium into a sculpting medium.  The use of oil paint as a sculpting medium is still painting.  I use the pallet knife to sculpt three-dimensional forms out of oil paint.


     I used a set of 12 palette knives for an entire series of works.  I even found myself using a toaster, then a freezer door for their larger edge to pull paint.  

Studio #7 - 1915 2nd Avenue South #13

To continue on with the series of posts about my studios, here is where I am working now.  My 7th studio in Minneapolis is a top floor, 800 square foot, 1 bedroom corner apartment in Stevens Square.  it is pretty nice, so I will kept it nice.  

I have ben able to really dig into my series of works titled BitTorent, no telling how soon I will have them Finished.  

Just finished this, yep its cool.

Its funny

Chris and I looking at my new work, he likes it.

I am talking about the painting... 

...I talk a lot.

I completed one of my major compositions at this studio.  BitTorrent #2 "Marinuis Van der Lubbe as Icarus"  This painting was to me a crowning achievement in what i wanted to paint next.

Laugh all you want, this painting was and is a major accomplishment for me.  I do take it that seriously, and then I tend to giggle about it later.

Thanks for reading...

...I will keep you up to date about my antics in this new studio.

Artwork of the month: Georgia O'keeffe.

I never really like Georgia O'keeffe's work.  I found it sloppy, quick, and thoughtless.  After several years of walking past this painting I finally took a moment to really look at it.  And as I still do not really care for her work, I do have a new appreciation of her abrupt brushstrokes.  

Georgia Okeeffe

American, 1887-1986

"Pedernal- from the ranch #1"

1956, oil on canvas

Thanks for checking in...

...even if you don't like O'keeffe.

Studio #6 - 2437 Lyndale Attic Studio

My 6th studio in Minneapolis was absolutely one of my best.  I completed two series of works, formulated my thesis "The Aesthetics of Composition in Abstract Oil Painting" as the foundation for my future works, and established connections in the art world that have proven to be a great benefit to my career as an artist.

After returning to Minneapolis I moved into an art house with 3 other guys; Brad, Chris, and Calvin.  As before the entire house (a 5 bedroom, with a huge dining room and living room) was dedicated to the arts.  We had a music studio downstairs, a painting studio in the attic, and an entire house full of art.  As always there are impassioned stories here; things that happened both theatrical and passionate, and worthy of any bards tale.  It was a great time in my life as an artist and the paintings I completed there are some of my absolute favorite.

After I had completed my series of bullfight works I recognized that now I knew how to paint what I could imagine.  I was lacking a deeper understanding of color and I needed to understand each color as individual compositions.  Knowing technically how to control oil paint launched me into a several year color study to gain an understanding of color and each colors relationships to itself and other colors.  It was self imposed study, but it was invaluable to my work today.

I also started my working relationship with LUX Art & Design.  I had an exhibit up of four of my new color compositions at a cafe called Barbette, and the owners of LUX were in town and saw my work there and loved it.  I exhibited often at barbette, aka cafe Wyrd.  (And thanks Andrew for the kind words about my work, it helped.)  They came to my studio the next day and immediately told me what they were doing and asked if I would like to be one of their artists.  A few months and a contract later and I was represented on the west coast by LUX Art & Design.  I still maintain my relationship with them to this day.

This is what the place looked like before I built walls, insulated and sheet-rocked it all.  Whoever was there before me simply stapled old beer boxes to the walls and the spray painted it all grey.  It was cold and smelled like old wood.  I reinstalled, sheet-rocked, and built walls to accommodate my needs as an artist. 

All of these photos are of my work in progress.  At any given time in this studio i had no less than 7 paintings going at the same time.  My production levels were fantastic.

I had enough space to be able to view my work on the easel at a very comfortable distance.

I heated the place with that tiny electric heater.  It's 1500 watts would always short out the house if anyone used something electric in the bathroom below me, or turned on the music equipment in the basement.  I had to keep it of most of the time which made for cold winters.  even when it was on it was still chilly.

I am not sure what happened to that painting.  I know it sold, but to who?

The space was perfect for shooting photos of my work.

That is a stack of 60" x 36" acrylic gessoed canvases.  I was burning through canvases faster than I drink coffee.  My production level was high, and my finial paintings were great.

I was able to have two easels, my drafting table, a computer station, and a small living space.  The studio portion of the house I lived in was 850 square feet, plenty of space to paint and live.

Here are some photos of my while I was working on BitTorrent #1in this studio.  I didn't complete the work here, but I was able to start my formative series I had been studying and working toward.

It was a fun piece, and still very explorative, albeit it was the starting point of my thesis in practical application.

We took these photos after I had completed Rabbititus #15 "Neutral Colors," as I was so proud of the completed work I wanted to take photos in front of it.

I know that i made the right decision to move back to Minneapolis, as the results of my time in this studio produced my true emergence as a professional artist.

Thanks for thumbing through my blog...

...check back later this week with me and I'll surprise you.

Studios #4 & #5 - Milwaukee/Ft. Lauderdale

I moved to Milwaukee to study the collection at the Milwaukee Art Museum.  I lived across the street from the building for 7 months.  I spent almost every day there learning as much as I could about their collection in the short time that I had.  It was not a vacation, and money was tight but I feel I left with a good memory of the collection at MAM.

Studio #4 was in the second bedroom of the two bedroom apartment I rented across from MAM.  I did paint four complete works there.  I have no photos of the actual studios, so just enjoy some pics of what I created while I was there.

Bowling Alley 16 "Saint G b" 

oil on canvas

60" x 36"

Bowling Alley 21 "The People a" 

oil on canvas

60" x 36"

 Bowling Alley 22 "The People b"
oil on canvas
60" x 36"

Bowling Alley 23 "The People c" 

60" x 36"

Studio #5 was in Ft. lauderdale Florida.  I had completed my study of The Milwaukee Art Museum so i needed a change and i did not want to return to Minneapolis just yet.  I moved there for personal reasons that did not work out so I promptly moved back to minneapolis after 5 months.

Alas I have no pictures of the studio, it was gorgeous.  I created some good work in florida, as living there changed me artistically and set me on the direction that still I find myself going.

Bowling Alley 20 "I" 

oil on canvas

60" x 30"

Bowling Alley 24 "Sounds a" 

oil on canvas 

30" x 15"

Bowling Alley 25 "Sounds b" 

oil on canvas

30" x 15"

Bowling Alley 26 "Sounds c" 

oil on canvas

30" x 15"

Bowling Alley 27 "Improvisation" 

oil on canvas

70" x 50"

Bowling Alley 28 "Stained Glass a" 

oil on linen

40" x 20"

Bowling Alley 29 "Stained Glass b"

oil on linen 

40" x 20"

Bowling Alley 30 "Stained Glass c" 

oil on linen

40" x 20"

Thanks for checking out my blog...

...no doubt, there is more to come soon.