Midsummer Night in Skagen

Browsing through my photos from this summer, I came across these from Skagen, Denmark. There was something disorienting and otherworldly about midnight in Skagen. That late night sky still haunts me. The sun was just setting below the horizon, only to rise a couple hours later. I watched as the Baltic and North Seas met tumultuously at the tip of Skagen, while an eerily orange full moon rose to the East. I felt as though I had stepped into a surreal dream world, and I was enchanted.

Every Painter Should Read This Book

Fig, Joe. Inside the Painter's Studio. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2009.

I recently picked up a copy of Inside the Painter’s Studio, an insightful book by artist, Joe Fig. I was captivated. The author interviews inspirational painters such as Chuck Close, Ryan McGinness, and April Gornik along with beautiful photos of their studios. Each artist is given a set of questions to answer pertaining to their studio and the creative process that occurs within the studio walls. Each answer provides greater comprehension into the mysterious creative process. As I read the responses, I found myself relating to this sometimes difficult-to-articulate, intangible artistic process. It made me much more aware of the great importance of a good workspace, allowing for the maximum amount of pure, uninterrupted creative thought and expression.

I especially loved artist, Ross Bleckner’s response to the question, “Do you have a motto or a creed that as an artist you live by?”

Life is short. Life goes fast. And what I really want to do in my life is to bring something new, something beautiful, and something filled with light into the world. I try to think of that every day so that I can remember why I am coming to my studio. And then the other thing is, just go, just show up.

Emotional Reactions

First of all, I want to apologize for my blogging hiatus. It’s been a busy summer filled with travel and change. I spent most of my summer in Europe, getting goose bumps from art masterpieces.

From Munch’s haunting work at the National Museum in Oslo, to the dramatic work of Caravaggio at the Uffizi in Florence, I became overcome by one universal quality of art; it’s eternal. The Scream still has the power to evoke an emotional reaction from all who stop to contemplate it, and Caravaggio’s work still brings tears to the eyes of thousands of tourists from all over the world, every day.

I was blown away by the command that these works continue to have over all who view them in person, even though these masterpieces were created so long ago. Good art transcends time, cultural boundaries, societal standards, and connects us all through strong emotional reactions that tie us together as human beings. It is a wonderful thing to experience.

Some masterpieces that impacted me this summer:

Vinternatt i fjellene, Harald Sohlberg, 1914. The National Museum, Oslo, Norway.

The Scream, Edvard Munch, 1893. The National Museum, Oslo, Norway.

Medusa, Caravaggio, 1587. Uffizi, Florence, Italy.

Happy (Blogging) Anniversary to Me

It’s been a year since I started this blog, so I thought I would list some of my favorite posts from the previous blogging year. I’ve enjoyed sharing my inspirations and creations with you, and I am very grateful to my wonderful blog readers.

The next several weeks should bring some interesting posts as I document my artist residency in Kemijärvi, Finland. I really have no idea what to except, but I can’t wait to share my experiences with you here. Please stay tuned…

My favorite blog posts in the last year:

Airmail

Why I’m an Artist

Palette Art

Pinhole Perspectives

School Report on Golden Chalice

The Sacred Studio

It Runs in the Family

Above the French Alps at Daybreak

The Three-Hour Sunset

What Causes New Yorkers to Stop and Stare?

Stalactite Sky, 2009. Oil and oilbar on canvas, 52 x 44.

First Friday Open Studio Tonight

Amazing how time flies! It is already the first Friday of the month. Tonight I am having open studio as a part of Denver's Art District on Santa Fe First Friday from 6 to 9 PM. For more information about my open studio, please click here.

Mid-Flight Moguls, 2010. Oil and oilbar on canvas, 66 x 72.

Pinhole Study #3

Below is the third installment in my series of pinhole painting studies. I have enjoyed working on these studies so much that I have decided to continue to create more. Currently, I am working on a large-scale square painting based on these studies. If you missed any of the posts on my pinhole painting experiment, you can find them all here. More to come soon.

Pinhole Study #3. Oil on panel, 12 x 12.

Airmail

I am a proud participant in the twitter Art Swap 2010. Artist David Pringle is the organizer of this wonderful exchange of art created by artists from all over the world. The idea is similar to that of a secret Santa but better, in my opinion, because the gift is art. Posted below is the painting I created for the Art Swap. It was sent to a recipient thousands of miles away. I can’t wait for this artist to receive my painting in the mail, and I anxiously await the arrival of the art that will come my way.

Flight AF7681 6:50 AM, 2010. Oil on panel 8 x 8.