Best of Show at the Mansfield Art Center 72nd Annual May Show

I was honored to be awarded the Best of Show at the Mansfield Art Center 72nd Annual May Show reception Saturday evening.  I was amazed at how many people were there and how the community supports their art scene.  I'm very happy and thankful to receive recognition for my work and it gives me the motivation to keep creating more and better art.

Sitting Eagle

This eagle drawing was created about two years ago for artist friend, Kristen Dukat.  I am showing it on my blog now because I believe I am going to have prints made.  The reference photo was taken at the Toledo Zoo several years ago at the entrance to the zoo.  I made up my own background from a bush that grows in my front yard since the photo background left a lot to be desired. 

USS Missouri

This depiction of the USS Missouri was created in January of 2014.  The reference photo was taken by my sister while on vacation in Hawaii in October of 2013.  As I looked through her digital camera photos I knew I would be asking her permission to use a few as references.  The picture of the Missouri jumped out at me and said "draw me first."  That being said, here is one of the most detailed pieces I have ever attempted.

Darlene's Granddaughters

This commission drawing of these beautiful, blue eyed girls was completed on April 15th, 2014.  It was created with graphite on 11 x 14 inch Strathmore Bristol vellum.  I used Prismacolor colored pencils to make their bright blue eyes stand out. 

New Pastel Piece

 

 

This is my most recent soft pastel piece and was completed at the end of February.  I'm working on a title for it, so it's still just "Girl on the Beach", which is way too generic.  At 19 x 24 inches, it is the largest work I've done to date.  Please let me know what you think!

I have finished several new graphite pieces over the long, long winter and will be posting them periodically to my blog in the near future.  There are a few pieces that were commissions, but the majority of them are available for purchase.  If certain pieces get a favorable response I may have prints made that are also available at a substantially reduced price than the original.

Just to let those who are interested know, I had been working with oil painting in 2012.  That spring I had a severe reaction to them and had to stop using them.  I tried acrylics and had a reaction with them also.  I was so bummer about having to give them up that I quit making anything except the occasional commission piece.  I wanted to add color to my work in the worst way, so this last fall I decided to dive into pastels and resumed creating graphite drawings again.  I need to practice and refine my technique, but I can see a future using them to create large portrait, figurative and landscape pieces.  So, now it's off to work on a new idea!

Play Ball!

This is a painting I did for my daughter, Abby, since she's a freshman playing on the high school JV team this year.  I'd like to do a series on softball related items.  It's time to start scrounging up some of her equipment.

Findlay Area Artists/Toledo Museum of Art Olitsky Challenge

Last week I learned about the Findlay Area Artists/Toledo Museum of Art Olitsky Challenge.  It allows for those of use who live or have lived in Findlay to create a work that uses multiple colors in an abstract way in the style that we are used to.  I tend to work in a realistic style creating portraits or figurative works, so I substituted color for shade value in a pastel piece.  I like to work in pastel because they blend well, but they are SO messy.  I intentionally left some hard/found edges to give it a more abstract feel.  Another upside to this entry is that it allows for 2 other works to be shown at the TMA, so I already have the two other items in mind that will go along with the pastel work if it is chosen to be in the show.  Fingers are crossed!