Balance Horse, Principle Gallery

Holiday Small Works Show

Principle Gallery

Saturday, December 3, 2011

 

Balance Horse

12" x 9"

oil on panel

sold

I continue to explore the idea of balance in my paintings. 

Balance Horse has the tension and joy created

in that moment of perfect balance.

The yellow horse is a vintage Cracker Jack prize from the 1950's.

It measures 1 3/4" tall.

Thanks to The Cracker Jack Box, I found an August 1955

comic book ad showing simular prizes.

Cracker Jack was introduced at the Chicago World's Fair of 1893. The candy-coated popcorn received its trademark name in 1896. In 1912, maker F.W. Rueckheim & Bro began inserting a 

"prize in every box."

There is a growing collector market for the vintage prizes. Prizes range greatly from 1930's "Made in Japan" lithographed tin whistles, 1950's polyethylene spacemen and animals to 1970's coin holders and charms, and 1990's metallic stickers. 

I have collected a number of Cracker Jack prizes that I can't wait

to add to future paintings.

 Holiday Small Works Show

Balance Horse      and      Inner Spark

Principle Gallery

Saturday, December 3, 2011

1:00pm to 4:00pm 

Principle Gallery

208 King Street, Alexandria, VA

703-739-0528

Inner Spark, Principle Gallery

Holiday Small Works Show

Principle Gallery

Saturday, December 3, 2011

 

Inner Spark

9" x 12"

oil on panel
sold

The chalk lines show the sparks that would be coming 

out of this wonderful toy gun. You pull the trigger and 

have the surprise of whistling whirling sounds.

Sparks jump and spring, out and about.

This is a late 1950's friction spark Space Ray Gun 

made in Japan. In my internet searching, 

I have also come across simular designs made

in China in the early 1970's.

Here is a little video of this toy in action:

Principle Gallery

208 King Street, Alexandria, VA

703-739-0528

The Artists Magazine Annual Art Competition 2011, Rocket Chalk

Rocket Chalk

 

I am proud to share that Rocket Chalk was awarded a finalist in 

The Artist’s Magazine’s Annual Art Competition 2011 

in the Still Life category. 

Look for the December issue of the magazine to see all the top winners and list of finalists in all categories. 

Here is a link to the Artist's Magazine online article: 

Still Life/Floral Winners 

from the 28th Annual Art Competition

Reception, The Still Life

Elliott Fouts Gallery

The Still Life

  Reception

Saturday, October 8th

6:00pm to 9:00pm

 

The Still Life

Elliott Fouts Gallery

Sacramento, CA

American Art Collector #72 October 2011

 

The Art of Composing

American Art Collector 72

October 2011

I am honored to be included in an article about  

The Still Life 

at the 

Elliott Fouts Gallery

Sacramento, CA.

The show is October 1 to November 2, 2011. 

Also shown in the article is Jeff Cohen,

Todd Ford, and Alvin Richard. 

To view the show:

The Still Life, Elliott Fouts Gallery

American Art Collector Magazine:

American Art Collector

The Still Life, Elliott Fouts Gallery, and Harmonia Axyridis

The Still Life  

An Invitational Group Show

Elliott Fouts Gallery

Sacramento, CA

October 1 - November 2, 2011

Elliott Fouts Gallery

  Opening this weekend is The Still Life at 

Elliott Fouts Gallery, Sacramento, CA.  

Other participating artists include Jeff Cohen, Jelaine Faunce, 

Todd Ford, Russell Harris, James Neil Hollingsworth, 

 Mary Ellen Johnson, Judy Nunes, Alvin Richard, 

and Christopher Stott. 

Link to the show:

The Still Life

 

 Harmonia Axyridis

16" x 20"

oil on panel

Growing up in the farmlands of the Midwest, I took delight during the Summers chasing and catching butterflies and various beetles. One particular Summer when I was around 8 years old I had caught quite a few, and poured over my families insect books trying to identify all the varieties. The following Summer there were hardly any butterflies. I believed it was because of all my chasing and catching. I never caught another live one after that Summer. Many years later I learned it was because of a particularly harsh Winter we had that year and not because of my 8 year old self.

I still love bugs. I have added some bugs to my collection, but of a tin wind up variety. The title Harmonia Axyridis is latin for Asian Lady Beetle. I thought it was appropriate for this Japanese tin ladybug wind up toy. The orange handled school scissors remind me of my young self.

 

detail from

Harmonia Axyridis

 Monkeying Around

12" x 12"

oil on panel

In Monkeying Around I really wanted to explore transparency. More glass. More marbles. The star being the green plastic monkey

playfully balancing on the marble. 

The Real Thing Opening and Spare Tire

The Real Thing

Mason Murer Fine Art

Spare Tire

16" x 20"

oil on panel

Spare Tire is a third painting I did for The Real Thing. I love cars and I have recently discovered pinewood derby cars. Each one being handcrafted and unique, each has their own story. 

For this painting I imagined a derby car who lost a tire. What to do? You look around desperate for something. There on the workbench is a coffee can of various nails, bolts and screws. While digging something red catches your eye,  Coca Cola soda caps. They are the perfect shape and size.  Just what you need. They might not give you the fastest roll down the track, but they will do and look pretty cool at the same time.

Friday,  September 16th, was the opening of The Real Thing at Mason Murer Fine Art in Atlanta, GA. Fellow participating artist Neil Hollingsworth was at the opening and shared this delightful photo with me.  There is so much wonderful art in this fun show. Here is a link to Neil's blog which shows a few other photos from the opening. Neil Hollingsworth. Thank you Neil!

 

Mason Murer Fine Art

The Real Thing, Mason Murer Fine Art

The Real Thing

Mason Murer Fine Art

Atlanta, GA

Friday, September 16, 2011

The Real Thing is an invitational group show held at 

Mason Murer Fine Art in Atlanta, GA. This is a special event

for the Coca Cola Company to help celebrate it's 125th anniversary.

I am honored to participate along side Todd Ford, 

Neil Hollingsworth, Otto Lange, Michael Naples, Alvin Richard, Christopher Stott, Sally Tharp, Vic Vicini, and many more.

Date Night

20" x 16"

oil on panel

When I thought about Coca Cola, my thoughts went beyond just soda. It has become so much a part of our life. Family reunions, ball games, family game nights, movies, first dates. 

For Date Night I focused on the 1950's. Going out to the movies. The movie theater popcorn bag is from the 1950's, as well as the cup. The cup is the type that would have been used in the automatic drop down vending machines. The cup would drop, then the crushed ice, then the soda selection. 

The ticket stubs are from the Crandell Theater, Chatham, NY. It was built in 1926 by Walter S. Crandell as a vaudville house. Later it became a movie theater. Until recently, the theater still used the vintage automated drop cup soda machine. The experience took you back in time. 

And of course the vintage toy car. It's the type of car that I would hope my date would pick me up in to take me to the movies in the 1950's.

For Pappa, Very Special Delivery

30" x 24"

oil on panel
sold

While working on this painting I learned my Pappa worked for

the company in Memphis, TN that made these crates and the year matched my crate from 1965. Although my crates were not made in Memphis, I felt a connection to him as I painted it. He also harvested and sold fruits and vegetables in Memphis. Even though his truck was not this large in real life, it reminds me of his produce truck I have seen in photos. 

My yellow crate is dated 1965. The red crate is dated 1973. Both were made in Chatanooga, TN. The truck is a 1950's Coca Cola Spriteboy Truck made by the Marx Company.  The soda bottles are current. They are the 125th anniversary commemorative bottle.

Mason Murer Fine Art

Atlanta, GA 

404-879-1500

Mason Murer Fine Art

Affordable Art: Principle Gallery

Affordable Art

Principle Gallery 

Friday, September 16, 2011

6:30 - 9:00pm

Principle Gallery's Affordable Art focuses on 

new original paintings ranging from $300 to $3000. 

Other participating artists include Jorge Alberto, Justin Anderson, Rett Ashby, Jennifer Balkan, Gary Bowers, Bethanne Cople, Valerio d'Ospina, Kevin Fitzgerald, Greg Gandy, Richard Hall, Francis Livingston, Jessie Mackay, Brian Martin, G.C.Myers, Daniel Ochoa, Martin Poole, and Nobuhito Tanaka.

Link to the show:

Affordable Art

Sky Is Falling

12" x 9"

oil on panel

sold

While at one of my favorite flea markets, I came across this little chick sitting by himself on top of a glass case. I scooped him up and bought him. He looked as if he had a tough life, I am sure at times feeling like the sky was falling. To me this image speaks a lot about many things going on in the world,and how we may feel as a result. 

This tin windup toy was made 1950's or earlier, made in Japan, hand-painted. When wound up he pecks at the ground.

The acorn is from a bowl of acorns I gathered with my daughter when she was 4 years old. 

 Hover

12" x 16"

oil on panel

sold

Growing up watching The Jetsons I would dream about their hovering space cars. I still wonder if someday that dream will come true in my lifetime.

The cars in Hover are from the 1930's, made of bakelite.

Principle Gallery

208 King Street, Alexandria, VA

703-739-0528

Dropped

 

Dropped

24" x 12"

oil on panel

sold

Over a year ago I bought a set of blocks that I was told was pre-WWII.  Beautiful silhouette images showing numbers grace one side as seen in my painting Meandering Marbles. They have the alphabet. Triangle designs are on another side, as seen in my painting Clowning Around. Also they have nursery rhymes which when four blocks are put side by side make up an image with the rhyme. Another option is three blocks stacked up to make a character. A police officer, a sailor, and a clown for example. I was so excited about the clown. Immediately I fell in love with him. 

The problem was I have an incomplete set of these blocks. I had the clowns head and torso, but no feet. So for the year I searched and searched. I couldn't imagine out of all the internet and flea markets I go to, being able to find his feet. Also for the year,  I came up with many composition options for him. With no feet, nothing I came up with seemed to work right. I even tried monopoly shoes with him in various ways. Not quite working.

Then one night, while exhausting Ebay, I went over to Etsy. A lot of people don't realize there is a lot of vintage items listed on Etsy. Well guess what I found? A complete clown. All three pieces: head, torso , and feet! You can believe I squealed loud enough for my family to know how happy I was. So now I was able to paint the clown as I have been imagining him all that time.

 

Dropped

detail

Dropped 

will be in

The Still Life  

An Invitational Group Show

Elliott Fouts Gallery

Sacramento, CA

October 1 - November 2, 2011

Elliott Fouts Gallery

Clowning Around

 

Clowning Around

24" x 12"   oil on panel

The J. Chein Company began in a New York City loft in 1903. They made small tin prizes for Cracker Jack's and other small toys for five and dime stores. They also built their reputation for larger tin toys and tin banks that are now sought out by toy collectors, myself included.

This painting features a 1950's J. Chein Tin Hoppy Clown. He is a wind-up clown that hops and moves back and forth on his hands. This version can also be found with silver or yellow hands. Another color combination of a purple and green body can be found.

I spent a while searching out this clown, until I was able to acquire this one. He is marvelous. I love his graphics and couldn't wait to paint his stripes and star vest. I love the balance of his red stripes and red hands. When I set up this painting, I wanted all the focus and attention on him.  I also wanted to show the playful tension of him trying to balance on top of the blocks. 

I look forward to exploring other paintings with him.

detail

Clowning Around 

available at

Principle Gallery

Alexandria, VA

Pea Escaped the Pod

 

Pea Escaped the Pod

9" x 16"    oil on linen 

Marbles marbles marbles. My love of marbles continues to  grow. I love so many things about them. I love their colors, their swirls, their different sizes. I love how they feel when you are holding a handful of them. The sounds they makes when they roll around in your hand. How they start out cold, then warm up as you hold them. 

My creative side goes crazy when I see  light bounce off of them and through them. Each one having their own unique look. The reflections they cast in their shadows also fascinates me. I can't wait to set them up, stage them, and light them. 

Then. . . . paint them. 

Holding the marbles in the painting.

Pea Escaped the Pod

available at

Principle Gallery 
Alexandria, VA

Opening night Principle Gallery, Spring Still Life Show

 

 opening night

Principle Gallery

Spring Still Life Show

Alexandria, VA

April 15, 2011

I was able to go to opening night and so glad I did. I was so happy to view all the wonderful artwork in the show. I had a grand time seeing friends, meeting new friends, and have come home very inspired.

Participating artists include:   Michael Arcieri, Jeff Ashcroft,  Dan Brown, Jeff Faust, (me)Teresa N. Fischer,  Douglas Fryer, Greg Gandy, Richard Hall, Tanya Harsh, Karen Hollingsworth, Dana Levin, Yingzhao Liu, Jeremy Mann, Randall Mooers,  Richard Murdock, Larry Preston, Terry Strickland, Julie Tsang, and Christopher Ward. 

Link to the show:  Spring Still Life Show, Principle Gallery

Realism: Mason Murer Fine Art show opening update

photo taken by Neil Hollingsworth

Friday, April 8th was the opening of 

Realism at Mason Murer Fine Art in Atlanta, GA.

I was unable to attend the opening, but thanks to fellow exhibiting artist Neil Hollingsworth, Neil Hollingsworth I have a wonderful photo to share from the show. If you are in the Atlanta area, please visit Mason Murer Fine Art. An incredible show of realism that I am honored to be a part of.

Mason Murer Fine Art

The two paintings I have in the show are Fly-O and The Roost.

Fly-O

16" x 12"    oil on linen

sold

The Roost

12" x 24"   oil on linen
sold

Jury's Top 50 Award, Salon International 2011

Rocket Chalk

was chosen

Jury's Top 50

Salon International 2011

Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, TX

 I was able to go to opening weekend of Salon International, at Greenhouse Gallery in San Antonio, Texas. I am so happy I did. It was exciting for me to see my painting hanging in the company of all the spectacular artwork in the show. I met so many wonderful people, and got to meet Daniel E. Greene. I participated in his critique sessions on Saturday. We all learned so much listening to him talk about everyone's paintings who participated. I also thoroughly enjoyed exploring downtown San Antonio. Greenhouse Gallery in such a beautiful gallery. If you ever get a chance to visit them in person, you will not be disappointed. 

I am very thrilled Rocket Chalk earned the Jury's Top 50 Award.

Here is a link to see all the award winners from the show:

Salon International

A link to Daniel E. Greene's website:

Daniel E. Greene